Jawin's reviews from LibraryThing

Seeking Whom He May Devour by Fred Vargas

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:53:43 -0400

Jawin's review: "I loved the two Fred Vargas books translated by Sian Reynolds (The Three Evangelists & Wash This Blood) which I read before this. I wanted to love this one as much but was regularly distracted by the clunking translation by David Bellos. The prose was often too flat and clumsy to carry the skill this writer has shown in other books and the so-called idioms either dated or simply opaque. The translator clearly couldn’t make up his mind if he was going for an English tone (‘old chap’) or an earthy American detective (‘you'll be in the slammer for the rest of your twatty lives’). Whichever, it doesn’t work. The Head Deputy at the Gendarmerie peppers his sentences with the words "how should I say?" ("So we've come across a ... how should I say ... a lycanthrope", "It's that poor woman who was killed ... how should I say? ... on Sunday") and repeatedly calls Adamsberg ‘old chap’. And the difficulties characters had in remembering the name of the shepherd’s dog – Woof – were equally irritating. While we’re told that the name is intended to mean the yarn drawn over the warp in weaving, in English it is a very, very obvious name for a dog. If I’d read these affectations one more time, I might have thrown this out the window. It's a passable story, with good characterisation and an interesting depiction of rural life France. But there was simply not enough of Adamsberg’s unique approach to crime solving to keep my attention. I'm glad I didn't read this one first because, despite its intriguing mystery and Jaques Tati-like cast of characters, I might have attributed the flawed prose to Fred herself and have been put off her other works. Overall then, a light read but one that one suspects would have had far more impact in its original language ... or a better translation."
Simon & Schuster (2006), Paperback, 304 pages

Kushiel's Avatar (Kushiel's Legacy 3) by Jacqueline Carey

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:49:33 -0400

Jawin's review: "In KUSHIEL'S CHOSEN, an oracle promised Phedre no Delaunay de Montreve ten years of peace. Now, the ten years are up and Phedre’s life is about to be turned upside down. Phedre's down-but-never-out adversary, the beautiful and deadly Melisande, has been quietly in exile these ten years. A mysterious letter from Melisande starts Phedre and her Perfect Companion and Consort, Joscelin, on an often-dark double quest: to locate a missing person whose very existence threatens Terre d'Ange, and to find a way to set her childhood best friend free of the geis that will otherwise bind him for eternity. This quest takes Phedre to the limits of her endurance, and seems certain to cost her friendships, lover, and even her life. This is in some respects the strongest of the three books in the trilogy – but I wouldn’t have missed a word of the entirety. Carey's writing is a unique and erudite mixture of mythology and history. But I think what I appreciate most about her work is the way that her characters are so human and not one-dimensional. If Carey chooses to write another Terre D'Ange story, I hope that it follows Imriel's story and the challenges he will have to face in accepting who and what he is."
Tor Fantasy (2004), Mass Market Paperback, 768 pages

Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's Legacy 1) by Jacqueline Carey

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:12:56 -0400

Jawin's review: "I struggled to get into this doorstopper – at 1015 pages, it is epic in many senses of the word. Phedre, the protagonist, was annoying and at times I wanted to give her a good slap (not the best solution for someone who is into BDSM!) and tell her to get over herself; and I struggled to keep track of who was doing what to whom. Nonetheless, I kept reading even as I muttered to myself in annoyance. I’m not sure at what point I stopped muttering and became genuinely engrossed but, once hooked, I could not put it down. It certainly passed the midnight test - it was 3.30am the first night when I eventually turned the light off – and then only because I knew I had to get some sleep. I finished it in three days and bought the next two in the trilogy before I was half way though this one. ‘Kushiel’s Dart’ is the first of a trilogy set in an alternate version of Renaissance Europe and Judeo-Christian religion – with just enough parallels for the reader to have a sense of vague, curious familiarity but not too much. It is filled with people, places, and events just as complex as any in the real world - they are believable, they are intriguing and nothing is black/white or good/evil. Phedre no Delaunay is sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond purchased by Anafiel Delauney (aka The Whoremaster of Spies), who recognises that the spot of blood in her eye marks her as one who is pricked by Kushiel's Dart (she experiences pain and pleasure as one - a masochist). She's trained as a courtesan, but is also taught how to observe and analyse what she sees - the tools of a spy. As Phedre's homeland of Terre d'Ange is drawn ever closer to conflict through treachery and betrayal, it will be up to Phedre to use all of the talents at her disposal to save what she holds dear. Jacqueline Carey's world-building is amazing. Not only does she bring the myths, culture and beauty of Terre d'Ange to life, she takes us to the wild northern lands of Skaldia with a struggle for survival, and over the sea to the barbarian land of Alba and the battle for a stolen throne. More than anything, though, it is the characters surrounding Phedre who fascinate me - Alcuin, Delaunay, Joscelin, Melisande and Hyacinthe. Carey tackles three giants of the fantasy realm (political intrigue, religion, and war) in this novel and shines at all of them. I closed the cover of this book and immediately opened the sequel."
Tor Fantasy (2002), Edition: 1st, Mass Market Paperback, 816 pages

Kushiel's Chosen (Kushiel's Legacy 2) by Jacqueline Carey

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:47:43 -0400

Jawin's review: "Kushiel's Chosen has all of the attractive elements found in Kushiel's Dart, wonderful storytelling, attractive settings, complex politics, and fascinating characters and lots of adventures. While it maintains a slower pace than 'Kushiel's Dart', in the end it does not disappoint, in spite of the perhaps too frequent episodes of digging up past thoughts and deeds. The teasing familiarity of the "real world" past is nicely mixed with the fantasy element. The plot twists, and reality spins. It is not easy to deliver successful story telling in the first person, but Carey makes it look like a breeze. Phedre ne Delauney, the courtesan/masochist/spy heroine of the superb "Kushiel's Dart" is back. This time, Carey treats us to her version of Italy, Greece and Crete, complete with her signature and lavish attention to detail. The descriptions are detailed and allow the reader to really see the characters, their homelands, and their cultures. Phedre finds herself enmeshed in a plot in La Serenissima (Venice), hatched by her old enemy Melisande de la Courcel, which threatens both the local leadership and her own homeland. To defeat, it she will have to survive being captured by pirates, thrown in prison, and even the desertion of her beloved Joscelin. Phedre has learned a lot from her previous adventures and has matured quite a bit but I found myself wishing that she and Joscelin would just throw away their differences and make up. The story thread around Kazan and the pirates was well written; and Phedre’s Boys were fabulous. I know part of the attraction of this tale is the realism – in that not everything has a happy ending. Nonetheless, I was devastated at the demise of Fortun and Remy. Ysandre becomes a more rounded person throughout this tale, and she will bear watching. I struggle a little to understand Phedre’s relationship with Melisande, but I am prepared to simply accept it. I wanted to know more about Hyacinth’s fate, but I have a feeling that this is what the final novel in the trilogy will be about. Jacqueline Carey is an original and excellent writer. Her stories are compelling and her characters are engaging and she has a great talent for portraying the world of politics, cultures, and intrigue. I put down this book and immediately picked up the final instalment in the trilogy."
Tor Fantasy (2003), Edition: 1st, Mass Market Paperback, 704 pages

The Messenger by Markus Zusak

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:12:25 -0400

Jawin's review: "After the unforgettable ‘The Book Thief’, I wondered if this earlier novel, ‘The Messenger’, would be up to scratch. Fans need not worry - ‘The Messenger’ it is a testament to the brilliance of Zusak's writing – and I was completely gripped from the first line. The blurb on the front cover says, don't start reading this book unless you're prepared to sit there and read it all the way through – and that is good advice. ‘The Messenger’ is completely different from ‘The Book Thief’, not only in subject matter, but also tone, characters, plotline, and story location. Yet both books are similar, in that their protagonists face situations that would never come up in our lives. Zusak's voice in this novel is, to me, recognisably Australian - but this does not detract from the universailty of the tale - if anything, it adds to the impact . His prose is brilliant and on every page there are phrases that are luminous with meaning, Ed Kennedy is the sort of directionless young bloke that you can see in any suburb. He drives a taxi, hangs around with his friends playing cards. fights with his mum, and shares coffee with his geriatric, odoriferous, clever dog, The Doorman. Then one day he intervenes in the most inept bank robbery ever imaginable ... and his life changes. He begins receiving playing cards - aces - with messages he must figure out and tasks he must undertake. And we are kept in the dark as to who the deliverer of the messages is and why Ed has been chosen ... until the very last page. ‘The Messenger’ didn't move me to tears like ‘The Book Thief’ did – but it was nonetheless profoundly affecting. Zusak has again delivered a life-changing story. I closed it with a warm and positive feeling about the remarkable difference small actions by one person can make in other peoples’ lives. Ed, his old friends and his new friends (who could not feel great affection for Millaa?) - and of course the Doorman - will remain fixed in my memory for a long time to come. This book delivers powerful and profound messages of faith, the underlying goodness of humanity, and the encouragement to understand that we must risk and stretch to achieve our purpose in life."
Knopf Books for Young Readers (2006), Paperback, 368 pages

The Pope's Rhinoceros by Lawrence Norfolk

Mon, 25 Dec 2006 03:39:57 -0500

Jawin's review: "I started this about four times, and eventually persevered to the end. But I am not really sure why. I love historical novels and I don't mind dense, complicated prose, or convoluted plots. But it has to be worth it. And for me, this novel didn't deliver enough to justify the seriously large amount of time, attention and effort required to read it. It started particularly well - Northern Europe and Renaissance Rome were vividly recreated. However, you have to keep your wits about you to follow the plot - just as you think you may be starting to see where he is leading, he stops dead in his tracks and whisks you off somewhere else. This was bearable in the first half – just – but the second half was just bizarre. It went from dense historical treatise to flights of surreal magical nonsense. The complexity of the language and of the plot often seemed to be deliberate showing off - wanting to dazzle with the author’s erudition and skills - rather than basic to the story. A less indulgent editor could have insisted the book be trimmed by a good quarter, which would have improved it. Like the rhinoceros in the title, heavy, somewhat impressive, but totally lacking elegance and finesse."
Owl Books (1997), Paperback, 592 pages

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:40:05 -0400

Jawin's review: "‘The Angel's Game’ is the second book by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. I read an interview with the author recently where he explained that he had thought about writing one book about a fictional universe, and instead broke it up into four stories. Shadow of the Wind ("the nice good girl in the family") is one of those stories, and The Angel's Game, ("the wicket, gothic stepsister") is another. ‘Shadow of the Wind’ was one of my favourite reads last year. I love books. I love books about books. In ‘Shadow’, Zafón delivered a cornucopia of bookish references and allusions that simply blew me away. So I was very much looking forward to the second instalment. When this gem appeared on the first page "Don Basilo was a forbidding-looking man with a bushy moustache who did not suffer fools and who subscribed to the theory that the liberal use of adverbs and adjectives was the mark of a pervert or someone with a vitamin deficiency," I was hooked. Once again, Zafón presents a variation on the Faustus theme: a story about a man who sold his soul to the devil, which slowly destroys him. It is set in Barcelona in the 1920s and revisits some of the people and places from the first book, including the Cemetery of Lost Books which is one of the most intriguing concepts in literature I have come across in a long time. The main character is David Martin, a junior in a newspaper office whose talent as a writer is fostered by well-meaning superiors and leads to a successful career writing grand guignol novels under a pseudonym. The financial rewards of his new life enable him to realise a dream of living in a long-deserted tower house. As time passes, however, Martin becomes obsessed with the house’s previous occupant, a lawyer turned writer, Diego Marlasca, whose life seems to offer curious parallels with his own. The sinister Andreas Corelli, a French publisher who comes with the requisite scent of sulphur , appears from out of the blue and offers an extravagant contract to write for him instead – but there are conditions. From this the ‘game’ flows — and Martin and everyone he knows or meets is caught up in a devilish web of deceit, betrayal and death. Zafón employs a host of pulp fiction conventions, while sending them up at the same time: the mysterious benefactor, the impenetrable labyrinth, the lifelong love of one’s youth, the Dickensian coincidence and a young man’s terminal brain tumour. The prose is intelligent but unpretentious, and the author is clear in his intentions to provide a rollicking, fun read. However, while much of this novel is highly enjoyable, about two thirds of the way through, Zafón seems to lose his sense of humour. When the book ceases to be self-conscious about its own manipulations, it stops being fun. Having said that, I still enjoyed the read. Maybe the fact that Zafón did not hit the mark quite so well for me in this one is a reflection of my expectations being a little too high after ‘Shadow’. I’ll still be backing up for volumes three and four."
Melbourne : Text, 2009, c2008.

Not the End of the World by Kate Atkinson

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:27:19 -0400

Jawin's review: "I’ve read every one of Kate Atkinson’s novels and I have loved her dysfunctional characters and left-field plot diversions (even though ‘Emotionally Weird’ was very true to the title!). This is the first I have read of her short story work – which is I understand where she began her writing career. Though each story can stand alone, they are loosely linked together by common characters - and by ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer.’ Just about every story has a reference to ‘Buffy’ or a character who watches ‘Buffy. This was challenging for me – as I know nothing about Buffy and thus had no understanding of any of these references. It's been a while since I took Latin, so it would've been nice to have the quotes translated – another challenge. And some of the denouments and plot twists were simply beyond my capcity for belief. In some of the stories, it seemed Atkinson had headed out with a clear direction, but lost her way and the story just fizzled out. In fact, I felt that some of these stories were ideas for novels that had yet to be fleshed out. Reading this collection, I felt like there was an in-group that I wasn’t allowed to be part of – and Atkinson wasn’t leaving many openings that would allow me into the secret. Overall, I was disappointed and missed the warm fuzzy feeling I generally have when putting down one of her novels. Overall, if you are a fan of Atkinson's writing, I'd say buy this. If you are approaching Atkinson for the first time, you are better starting with one of her novels."
Little, Brown (2003), Hardcover, 244 pages

Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Kazuo Ishiguro

Mon, 18 May 2009 06:26:45 -0400

Jawin's review: "Nocturnes is Ishiguro's first collection of short stories, after six novels. He has said in interviews that he conceived the book holistically, almost as a piece of music in five movements. Like a musical cycle, the collection begins and ends in the same place – Italy. Certain motifs and images – of hotels and places of transition, of open windows – recur from story to story. So does "that croony nostalgia music", as one character describes the genre in which Tony Gardner (one of the characters) specialises. Some characters also reappear – seen from different perspectives and in different guises. These tales evoke bittersweet memories, and an air of stillness and regret. However, the deep sense of missed opportunities is tempered now and then by moments of farce or surrealism. Never Let Me Go provides a harrowing, but hauntingly beautiful account of the human condition. These five gentle mood pieces, incidentally about music, but really about a deceptively simple exploration of love and loss."
Knopf (2009), Hardcover, 240 pages

The women in black by Madeleine St. John

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:36:38 -0400

Jawin's review: "What a treasure this is! I read a really interesting review of it some time back so, when I spotted it in my local bookstore recently, it was an obvious choice. I picked it up last night and did not turn the light off until it was finished. Even then, the world of 1950s Sydney filled my dreams with memories of a simpler and nicer time. The Women In Black was written in 1993 but set in the late 1950s, those mild days when ordinary people said "gosh" to express awe, horror, astonishment, sympathy or excitement. It revolves around the lives of several women who work at the Ladies’ Frocks Department at the famous F. G. Goode’s Department Store, a large department store in Sydney which is clearly modelled on David Jones. These sales assistants change into their black frocks on arrival every morning and out of them again every evening before heading home. The women in black are run off their feet, what with the Christmas rush and the summer sales that follow. Their hopes, fears, dreams, and romances unfold against the backdrop of a confined but changing society. As the New Year begins, each of the characters finds themselves at the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. St John was the daughter of QC and politician Edward St John. Her family life was fraught and seemingly none too happy. She went to Sydney University in 1960 where she majored in English literature and spent her spare time with the glamorous theatre group, which included so many names that are now known around the world, (Clive James, Barry Humphries, Germaine Greer, Robert Hughes, Bruce Beresford – the list goes on). With such a creative crowd around, they must have been heady times. She graduated in 1963 and later moved permanently to London, where it seems she lived in genteel poverty. St John died in 2006, so her writing life was brief. The Women In Black was published when she was 52. After The Women In Black came three very different novels: A Pure Clear Light (1996), The Essence Of The Thing (1997) - which was a surprise Booker nomination - and Stairway To Paradise (1999). I grew up on the edges of this world – in Sydney but fifteen years later. I remember David Jones and the very scary ‘women in black’. We were taken to David Jones for the fitting of school shoes each summer holidays – because they had the amazing foot Xray macine (which is mentioned in this tale). Visiting David Jones for that first formal dress, and for the first fitting of a bra, were symbols of growing from a girl to a young lady. The first time I was addressed as ‘Madam’ rather than ‘Miss’ by a woman in black was a disconcerting milestone in my life – a public recognition that (regardless of what I felt inside) I had metamorphosed from a carefree teenager into a settled married woman. I went to Sydney University and graduated in 1976, so I can also understand the environment which shaped the young St John. The Women In Black is a deceptively light novel of contemporary manners. It brings into sharp focus the extraordinariness of ordinary lives in a simpler and long-gone time. Bruce Beresford wants to make a film of it; Barry Humphries and Clive James both claim to adore it as well. Gosh."
Melbourne : The Text Publishing Company, 2009.

Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:25:13 -0400

Jawin's review: "The Curse of The Spellmans is very very funny. The Spellmans are a fascinatingly dysfunctional family of private investigators – and the network of their friends that we meet in this outing are all, in their own ways, dysfunctional too. However, all of these characters are charming and lovable, displaying both good and bad qualities that make them easy to relate to. When not compiling Suspicious Behavior Reports on all her family members, Izzy Spellman, PI, has been busy attempting to apprehend the copycat vandals ruining neighbour Mrs. Chandler's holiday displays. These crimes are identical to a series of crimes from 1991-92, when Izzy and her best friend, Petra, happened to be at their most rebellious and delinquent (not that Izzy has any idea what you are talking about). Everyone in the extended Spellman circle is acting strangely – even for this crowd. Older brother David (the perfect) is staying home watching TV and eating junk. Albert, the father, is sneaking out of the house and returning with wet hair - and actually eating healthy. Olivia, the mother, is sneaking out of the house late at night herself and vandalising a motor bike. Youngest sister Rae has suddenly acquired normal friends and even a boyfriend. She has also decided to take an almost stalker-like interest in Inspector Henry Stone, Izzy's "best friend” and is distraught about accidentally almost vehicularly manslaughtering him. Petra, Izzy’s best friend and David’s wife, has disappeared. Morrie, Izzy’s local bartender, is unusually grumpy. Bernie, whose rent controlled flat Izzy has been living in, has returned unexpectedly from Tahoe and is not the world’s most congenial flatmate. On top of all this, Izzy has just been arrested for the fourth time in three months. (Or is it the second? She says the first two arrests didn’t count.) She's been (obsessively) keeping surveillance on a suspicious next door neighbour (suspect's name: John Brown – with a name like that he must be up to no good). When the (displeased) management (her parents) refuse to bail Izzy out Morty, Izzy's octogenarian lawyer, comes to her rescue. But, before he can build a defence, he has to know the facts. Over weak coffee and diner sandwiches, Izzy unveils the whole truth and nothing but the truth — as only she, a thirty-year-old licensed professional, can. While spying on her parents, her younger sister, her older brother and the Suspect next door, Izzy is forced to face the truth of her assumptions in the end and ultimately must deal with tough questions about her own life and behaviour that she has kept buried. This is a refreshing take on the mystery genre, as it's actually more about the people and their interactions. It is a delight to read and guaranteed to bring plenty of laugh-out-loud moments."
Simon & Schuster (2009), Paperback, 448 pages

Found Wanting by Robert Goddard

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:23:49 -0400

Jawin's review: "A civil servant (Richard Eusden) is drawn into helping his best friend, who is dying, deliver a simple errand. But nothing is as it seems in a Goddard novel and Eusden is soon trying to solve a mystery related to the Russian Royal Family. The protagonist is like virtually every other Goddard hero: middle-aged, in a rut, romantically unconnected, unprepared for the challenges ahead, but then unexpectedly resourceful when times get tough. He will also find romance along the way. The ending is ambiguous and somewhat frustrating and left me leafing through previous chapters to see if I had missed a vital clue or obscure reference. The classic Goddard trademarks are there, and the back story about the Romanovs is interesting, but somehow it just doesn’t seem to click. I really enjoyed all of Goddard's earlier books, but I think the standard of his writing has fallen over the years. Whilst a reasonable read, this is not one of his best."
Bantam Press (2009), Edition: Airport / Export ed, Paperback, 352 pages

Last Argument Of Kings (First Law 3) by Joe Abercrombie

Sat, 30 May 2009 02:01:20 -0400

Jawin's review: "There was much not to like about this final part of the First law trilogy. Gratuitous and bloody violence. Magic interventions that change events. Characters that are not what we’ve come to expect: Glotka becomes more and more like Blackadder; Bayaz started out like Belgarath, kindly and jovial, but morphed quickly into a manipulative egomaniac with a very mean streak; Jezal turning into a half-way decent king; Logen becoming more and more unpredicatable; and, by the end, the three female protagonists (Ferro, Ardee, Terez) are lazy stereotypes. Having said that, I couldn’t put this down. The philosophical musings of Logen Nine Fingers – ‘still alive, still alive’ and ‘you can never have too many knives’ – will stay with me forever. The acerbic wit and self-deprecation of San dan Glotka are engrossing. The ethos of the Northmen could do with elaboration. There are many questions of why, who, what. Where did the Shanka come from? What is Bayaz really up to? What will become of Jezal? How will the relationship between Ardee and Glotka play out, and what of the bastard child? Will the Dogman negotiate an ongoing treaty? The ending is superb, particularly the tremendously satisfying epilogue and the final scene. Life goes on, and the tale ends where it began. The Bloody Nine falls into oblivion; a battle is won, but clearly the war goes on. Enough loose ends are left that Abercrombie can revisit the storyline in future books or series. I really hope he does – and soon."
Gollancz (2009), Paperback, 704 pages

Before They Are Hanged (First Law 2) by Joe Abercrombie

Sat, 30 May 2009 01:59:41 -0400

Jawin's review: ""We should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged." Heinrich Heine's cynical quote sets the tone for the second novel in Joe Abercrombie's 'The First Law' trilogy. You may be forgiven for thinking you’ve read this tale before in hundreds of other fantasy books - but don’t be misled. The second book in 'The First Law' series takes some tired old archetypes, mixes them all together with a dose of black humour and serves up a tale that will leave the reader surprised by the final twist and eagerly awaiting ‘The Last Argument of Kings’ (the third and final book). The three main plotlines sketch the outline of a dangerous, far-flung conspiracy that is poised to bring down the corrupt Union. Opposing the conspiracy is a loose alliance of mysterious figures whose agendas may also not be particularly healthy. Abercrombie's characters snatch at the loose threads of the conspiracy that surrounds them and over the course of the novel start to unravel the plots and forge alliances with each other. Some characters are bettered by their experiences, some become darker, and some refuse to learn anything at all. All, however, begin to face the consequences of their choices, both good and bad. Whilst the plot is as sharp as one of Inquisitor Glokta’s scalpels, Abercrombie really writes about people - people who are where they have to be, or who have gone where they have been sent. They are real people who are going to bruise and scar and give as good as they get, despite the consequences. If these characters were presented by almost any other author, they would be hated and despised. But Abercrombie’s skill allows the reader to understand that the horrible and duplicitous things they do and say are not necessarily a product of who they are, but rather a product of the world they live in and the circumstances under which they find themselves. I’m off to start the third book – and hope there are many more to come."
Gollancz (2008), Paperback, 592 pages

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

Sat, 09 Dec 2006 15:24:11 -0500

Jawin's review: "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency is yet another example of the genius that brought us the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. A plot line with as many twists as...something twisty, and as much chaos as the average family household. It's filled with Adams-esque humour, which is subtle enough not to look silly and obvious enough that even *I* get most of the jokes ;o). Most people see the Dirk Gently novels as secondary to the Hitchhikers series, but in my opinion they approach, and in some places exceed, Hitchhikers. There is something endearing about Dirk Gently, perhaps it's his oddness that most of us can relate to in some way. If you like slightly insane humour, or any of Adam's other works (which include several Dr. Who scripts as well as the hugely popular Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), you should definitely read this book!"
Simon & Schuster (1987), Hardcover

Archangel by Garry Douglas Kilworth

Mon, 25 Dec 2006 03:22:55 -0500

Jawin's review: "'Archangel' by British SF-novelist-turned-horror-writer Garry D. Kilworth is a sequel to 'Angel', a police procedural set in San Francisco. I hadn’t read the first one but it doesn’t matter that much, as the book stands alone. I’ve enjoyed some of Kilworth’s SF works – but this one didn’t work for me on any level. The plot is very thin; the religious tone preachy; the characters not at all engaging; the writing is loose in spots; and there is far too much unnecessary violence and just down right yuckiness. I could well have done without the detailed descriptions of the effects of the plagues of frogs and cockroaches. I’d give it a miss if I were you."
Gollancz (1994), 288 pages

The Blade Itself (First Law 1) by Joe Abercrombie

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:06:30 -0500

Jawin's review: "The Blade Itself is the first book of Joe Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy. As with many trilogies, the first book of the series is used to introduce us to its variation of the typical fantasy cast. We have the savage barbarian with the dark past, the nobleman with no sense of altruism, the bitter and twisted Inquisitor, the beautiful feisty commoner, the inept apprentice, the cynical intellectual and, as always, the mysterious magus to drive the plot forward. This is not traditional fantasy - there are no damsels in distress or knights in shining armour. Yet that's what underpins the appeal of this story - the characters are painstakingly real, even if they're not "heroes" by strict definition. The warriors are warriors - foul tempered and ruthless, covered in scars, with missing teeth – not handsome and genteel. Even though there is not a single character who remains entirely likeable by the end of the book, every one of them has become a real person whose fate is something you care about - even if what you really want is to see them get some sense knocked into them. The very fact that one of the main characters is crippled demonstrates something that much fantasy seems to lack: this is a world with consequences - a wave of a magic wand won't heal every body and soul. The characters aren't questing to save the world or defeat evil; they're struggling to live their own lives amidst fascinating plot and conflict. This is Abercrombie’s first novel, and he’s done an outstanding job. I’ve read a clutch of first novels in this ilk over recent months eg The Lies of Locke Lamora (Scott Lynch) and The Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss). The skill of these new authors bodes well for those of us who are addicted to new worlds and flights of fantasy. I’m off to order the rest of the trilogy."
Pyr (2007), Paperback, 531 pages

Case Histories - A Novel by Kate Atkinson

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:38:03 -0400

Jawin's review: "Case Histories is Atkinson’s fourth novel since her award winning Behind the Scenes at the Museum. It kicks off with a series of unconnected and shocking vignettes: a three-year-old girl disappears one hot morning; a solicitor witnesses the violent death of his beloved daughter; a struggling mother loses her temper with her husband and reaches for the axe. Three families shattered in the space of 50 pages – a brave move by any author. Atkinson is very good indeed, and she makes these tragedies unbearably small-scale and human – and draws the reader in looking for explanations and closure. Case Histories introduces us to a convincing mix of unconventional families and imperfect individuals whose lives are pockmarked by loss, abandonment and regret. Startling connections between them emerge when private detective Jackson Brodie gets involved. Predictably, Brodie is in a midlife crisis – as all detectives of his ilk seem to be. However, Atkinson renders it with her characteristic wit and economy: "He was at that dangerous age when men suddenly notice that they're going to die eventually, inevitably, and there isn't a damn thing they can do about it, but that doesn't stop them from trying, whether it's shagging anything that moves or listening to early Bruce Springsteen and buying a top-of-the-range motorbike ... thus considerably upping their chances of meeting death even earlier than anticipated." Neither of Brodie’s current cases - tracking a man's wife for evidence of infidelity and halfheartedly looking for the missing cats of local eccentric Binky Rain - is particularly interesting, but then all three of these long-ago cases land in his lap. First, there's the disappearance of three-year-old Olivia Land, whose aging sisters discover a disquieting clue among their deceased father's possessions; then the inexplicable stabbing of 18-year-old Laura Wyre by a deranged stranger during a routine workday at her father's law office; and finally, the grisly axe murder of a hapless husband ostensibly by his young wife in a fit of despair and rage. Although decades have intervened and the tragic headlines are now forgotten by most, the family members affected by these traumas still crave closure, leading them to Brodie's doorstep in a final attempt to lay their ghosts to rest. As Brodie delves further into each of these cases, he uncovers family secrets perhaps best left behind unopened doors. Meanwhile, he struggles with his own personal problems including an acrimonious divorce, a daughter growing up too quickly, and the sudden appearance of a mysterious enemy who seems to want him dead. Ostensibly a book about a series of seemingly unrelated tragedies, ‘Case Histories’ offers a powerful, dramatic reminder that grief and loss go "on and on and on," even when the mystery is solved and the truth is revealed. Ultimately, it's a novel with a deep understanding of the fragility of existence and the will to survive: "What did you do when the worst thing that could happen to you had already happened -- how did you live your life then? You had to hand it to Theo Wyre, just carrying on living required a kind of strength and courage that most people didn't have." Atkinson’s writing just keeps getting better and better - I couldn’t put this one down."
DOUBLEDAY (TWLD) (2004), Hardcover, 304 pages

Case Histories: A Novel by Kate Atkinson

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:31:31 -0400

Death and Restoration by Iain Pears

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:22:18 -0500

Jawin's review: "I’d only come across Pears once before – in ‘Dreams of Scipio’ – which I thought was well written but a bit heavy going at times. So this little gem took me by surprise. I grabbed it to read on a plane – and I finished it as I ran between connecting flights (literally)! It is not only a good mystery, but it also is a very intelligent one. The author knows his setting, his place and his history - something one so rarely finds. And he writes in an engaging and entertaining style. The characters are delightful and believable and I was caught up in the intrigue of all the subplots that they create. There are many questions to be answered, but the whole thing is tied up very well at the end of the book. It seems that this is one in a series of art history mysteries Pears has written – and I’ll definitely be tracking down the others!"
Berkley Trade (2003), Paperback, 320 pages