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The Voyage of QV66
Penelope Lively
1978, Mammoth, London
0749703601
173p.
A post-apocalyptic book about a group of animals who set off on a voyage in a little boat through the flooded remains of England. They are trying to find London Zoo and have many adventures along the way.
It's a cute book. I like how it was told from the point of view of the dog, and only gave hints as to what happened to the humans, without being a cautionary tale.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
Thursday, May 22, 2008
The UFO Phenomenon by Time Life Books
The UFO Phenomenon
Time Life Books
1987, Time Life Books, Morristown, NJ.
0809463245
151p.
Encyclopaedic look at the UFO phenomenon from the 1940-1980s. The book details some stories of close encounters, hoaxes, culture and theories about unidentified flying objects.
This book has a lot of very pretty pictures, but is a little light on the content. I realise that it's an encyclopaedia so is only going to give a glossy overview, but this was a bit too dry and dull. The illustrations however, are spectacular. It's a gorgeous book.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Five go off to camp by Enid Blyton
Five go off to camp
Enid Blyton
Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1948
0340040033
188p.
The Famous Five - Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the Dog - go off on a camping trip, and end up having an adventure with spook trains, black marketeers and gingerbread.
What a smashing story! As a child, I had a video of this episode from the 1970s TV show, so it was great to be able to read the original book.
And it made me hungry for gingerbread.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
Enid Blyton
Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1948
0340040033
188p.
The Famous Five - Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the Dog - go off on a camping trip, and end up having an adventure with spook trains, black marketeers and gingerbread.
What a smashing story! As a child, I had a video of this episode from the 1970s TV show, so it was great to be able to read the original book.
And it made me hungry for gingerbread.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
Special Topics in Calamity Physics
Marisha Pessl
2006, Viking, London
0670916110
514p.
Blue van Meer is a bright girl who has spent most of her life travelling around America with her university professor father. When they settle in a town for her final year of high school, unusual events begin to take place.
This was a fantastic book! It was gloriously pretentious - woven together beautifully and with such ease. Sure it was a little bit slow in places, but it was one hell of a ride.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
Friday, May 9, 2008
Objective: Bajor by John Peel
Objective: Bajor
John Peel
1996, Pocket Books, New York
0671568116
278p.
The Deep Space Nine crew encounter The Hive - a large ship which came from another galaxy and destroyed one of the Bajoran colony worlds and is on it's way to destroy Bajor itself.
This was another interesting Trek book. It's refreshing to read one where the 'bad guys' are not bad at all. The Hive inhabitants are great aliens with inventive technology. And the tie-in with the Cardassians and Bajorans was well established.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
John Peel
1996, Pocket Books, New York
0671568116
278p.
The Deep Space Nine crew encounter The Hive - a large ship which came from another galaxy and destroyed one of the Bajoran colony worlds and is on it's way to destroy Bajor itself.
This was another interesting Trek book. It's refreshing to read one where the 'bad guys' are not bad at all. The Hive inhabitants are great aliens with inventive technology. And the tie-in with the Cardassians and Bajorans was well established.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Man of my Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld
The Man of my Dreams
Curtis Sitenfeld
2006, Random House, New York
0330441280
266p.
This is a coming-of-age novel about a young woman learning about life and love. Hannah is a shy girl who struggles to find her place in the world.
The characters in this novel are similar to those in Prep, so much so, I wonder if it's slightly autobiographical. Like Lee in Prep, Hannah has low self-esteem and is exceedingly selfish in the way she sees other people. I enjoyed reading about these characters - I can see aspects of myself in both of them, in the way they think and how they view the world.
This book is very honest and full of little 'real' scenes, which are beautifully poignant. The honesty can be uncomfortable, but that's what makes it a great book - you want to keep reading.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
Curtis Sitenfeld
2006, Random House, New York
0330441280
266p.
This is a coming-of-age novel about a young woman learning about life and love. Hannah is a shy girl who struggles to find her place in the world.
The characters in this novel are similar to those in Prep, so much so, I wonder if it's slightly autobiographical. Like Lee in Prep, Hannah has low self-esteem and is exceedingly selfish in the way she sees other people. I enjoyed reading about these characters - I can see aspects of myself in both of them, in the way they think and how they view the world.
This book is very honest and full of little 'real' scenes, which are beautifully poignant. The honesty can be uncomfortable, but that's what makes it a great book - you want to keep reading.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Grounded by David Bischoff
Grounded
David Bischoff
1993, Pocket Books, New York
0671797476
273p.
The Enterprise investigates an emergency on a scientific station on an uninhabited planet with unusual properties. There, the ship becomes affected by an alien presence, and the crew must find a way to dispel it or the Enterprise will be destroyed.
This was written well and it was an intriguing story. I thought some of the dialogue was not great but that's a minor thing - I liked that the book was written in a few different voices and styles. There was just enough science to be interesting and not boring.
And I think that this is one of the only Trek books I've read that could be enjoyed by non-Trek fans.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
David Bischoff
1993, Pocket Books, New York
0671797476
273p.
The Enterprise investigates an emergency on a scientific station on an uninhabited planet with unusual properties. There, the ship becomes affected by an alien presence, and the crew must find a way to dispel it or the Enterprise will be destroyed.
This was written well and it was an intriguing story. I thought some of the dialogue was not great but that's a minor thing - I liked that the book was written in a few different voices and styles. There was just enough science to be interesting and not boring.
And I think that this is one of the only Trek books I've read that could be enjoyed by non-Trek fans.
Link to journal at bookcrossing
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