Wolfy's wanderings with the written word (2014 edition)

I’m really late in starting a thread this year but I guess life kind of got in the way of my online socialising and even my reading has taken a massive hit so far this year.

The major contributing factor has been work. At the end of last year my rota was altered to cover for someone who left and wasn’t replaced. Considering that we were under-staffed anyway this has placed a burden on those left behind. Although the number of hours I work hasn’t changed, the amount of times I’m going in has increased and I’m also doing more overtime to allow others to get their vacation days in. As I stare at a computer screen for a living for up to 12 hours a day (or night) then I’ve felt less inclined to do so in order to relax. As more time elapsed since my last visit (where has this year gone?) it’s just been difficult to come back.

I’m still not sure how the rest of the year is going to pan out but I’ll endeavour to keep this updated and stay abreast of everyone else’s journals. Below are my reviews of the few books I’ve managed to read so far this year and I’ll see if I can pick up the pace at least a little bit to make this worthwhile. Rather than just try and catch up with you all individually I think it’s probably easiest if I just let it happen naturally by following new posts over the coming weeks. No doubt my wishlist is going to explode as I try and do so.

Not enough posts to continue from last year but thought I'd add links to my previous journals just in case I want to look back.
2011 Edition
2012 Edition
2013 Edition

As usual, comments, discussion, recommendations and general ramblings all welcomed.

Where the Bodies are Buried by Chris Brookmyre
Catherine McLeod, a Detective Superintendent in the Glasgow police, realises her holiday is over when she’s given the case of the murder of a high level member of one of the local drug gangs. If this is a precursor to a gang war then why has she been given it and not LOCUST, the organised crime unit? Meanwhile, Jasmine Sharp, an aspiring actress, has accepted her uncle’s offer of a job so she can keep paying her rent. She finds that she’s not really cut out for the private investigations business but she’ll need to improve rapidly when her uncle Jim disappears and the only lead she can muster is an assassin who’s been dead for 20 years.

This is the first book of a series that is distinctly more serious than the author’s previous work. That’s not to say this book is lacking in the humour that Mr. Brookmyre is renowned for as there is plenty to be found in the banter between the police and their discourse with the local hoodlums. There’s just less of the situational comedy used in previous releases. The reader follows the two streams through twists and turns until they converge and provide a well-plotted and paced mystery novel with the added bonus of having not one but two strong female leads. Having been a fan of Christopher Brookmyre’s work for a while it’s good to know I can follow Chris Brookmyre’s releases just as avidly. 4★

Milk, Sulphate and Alby Starvationby Martin Millar
Alby Starvation has upset the Milk Marketing Board in a pretty big way. So much in fact that they’ve gone and hired a contract killer to shut him up and stop his milk allergy story from eating further into their profits. It seems they’re not the only ones after Alby either as there is a Chinese man asking a lot of questions about him and his small-time drug operation. Is he a member of the Triad looking to take over and do Alby some harm? Better be on the safe side and keep out of his way, especially looking at the size of the Chinese man’s driver.

This debut novel offers up a chaotic and comically driven narrative following Alby’s attempts to stay away from those who are trying to do him harm while keeping in touch with his clients and also sell his comic book collection. I’m glad this wasn’t my first encounter with the author’s work as I probably wouldn’t have rushed to pick up another. It’s not a terrible book and does provide some quite funny moments but not quite as refined as the other book I’d read. 3★'s

The Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo
The third in the Martin Beck series sees the Swedish Detective Inspector and his team investigating a serial killer who targets young girls. There’s also a series of muggings in parks across the city with ever increasing amounts of violence attached. When one of these muggings occurs around the location and time of a young girls murder can they if they catch one also get the other?

Another excellent police procedural where you are dragged along on each step as they meticulously follow each and every lead thrown up in the investigation as well as delving further into each of the lives of the surrounding characters as well as Martin Beck himself. This latest entry to the series also continues to provide insight of the socio- and political ideology of the time.

As with the last book in the series there are again extras this time around. An introduction by Jo Nesbo, an about the book feature, continuing the author Q&A and an if you liked this then you might like... to explore as well. 4★

Thicker than Water by Mike Carey
Book 4 in the Felix Castor urban fantasy series featuring the much put upon exorcist and his motley crew of acquaintances. Although the whole gang make an appearance, this is a much more personal story for Fix himself. After being “invited” to a crime scene by DS Gary Coldwood he finds his name has been written in blood on the windscreen of a car. When told the victim’s name, one he recognises from his past, Fix knows that he’ll have to visit old haunts if he wants to uncover what’s going on and why he’s been involved.

Even though there have been plenty of bad things happening in previous instalments of this series, this book is definitely the darkest in tone so far. We do get to see Fix’s formative years and meet his mother and spend more time with his brother Matt, a catholic priest. There is also advancement to the Rafi/Asmodeus situation and this sets up the next book nicely. If you have any interest in this series I would strongly recommend starting from the beginning with The Devil You Know as although each book is self-contained there is an overriding story arc and all of the regular characters and their relationships to each other change and grow throughout. 4½★'s

Penguin Lost by Andrey Kurkov
The direct sequel to Death and the Penguin finds Ukrainian writer Viktor hiding out at a science station in Antarctica. He’s feeling bad about leaving Misha behind and when an opportunity presents itself Viktor is quick to return home and try and locate the penguin and make it up to him. Unfortunately this proves not such a simple task as visiting the veterinary clinic where he left him and Viktor is soon caught up in other troubles once again. Employed as a political aide by Andrey Pavlovich, a local entrepreneur running for Deputy, it offers a modicum of protection against those who still may seek to do him harm. In return for his services to the campaign, Viktor is offered help in his search for Misha.

The black comedy of the first book continues in this one though the narrative doesn’t flow quite so well being more episodic in nature. It continues to cast light on corruption within all levels of society, the role of the media and also delves into Russia’s war with Chechnya. An enjoyable farce if not quite on a par with the earlier book which you really should read prior to this. 3½★'s

The Last Colony by John Scalzi
John Perry and Jane Sagan having left the Colonial Defence Force are currently ensconced as administrators in a backwash planet in an out of the way part of the galaxy. That is until they are earmarked to lead a brand new type of colony that is being garnered from other human conquered worlds rather than just from Earth itself. Things are not quite so straightforward as they first appeared though as on arrival at the new planet it is apparent it is different to the one they were led to believe. A special forces operative makes himself known to brief them on their situation. A New alien alliance has formed and placed a moratorium on expansion by non-members and will extinguish any new colonies that arise by any means necessary. Can John and Jane, along with their adopted daughter Zoe and her two Obin companions, forge their disparate band of colonists into a survival group as it is being used as a pawn to thwart this new alliance?

This book differs in scope from the previous two quite dramatically. They were mainly action-orientated sequences that drove the plot forward. Here we have a political/sociology experience full of intrigue. That’s not to say there aren’t any action sequences as they do occur but this is definitely aimed more towards space opera than tech war. 4★’s

By Blood We Live by Glen Duncan
Set a couple of years after the conclusion to Talulla Rising this novel concludes the werewolf trilogy started with The Last Werewolf. Tallula is still struggling to come to terms with her encounter with Remshi, the ages old vampire, and it’s having an effect on her relationship with Walker. She also receives a strange message offering a cure to The Curse. With a new militant arm of the Catholic church out to make a bloody and public end to her kind then it’s something she must consider at least for her children if not for herself. The problem being that it’s a vampire making the offer and will no doubt want something considerable in exchange. Meanwhile, for Remshi it has only seemed like days having slept most of the last two years away and he’s eager to resume his search for Talulla believing her to be the re-incarnation of his long lost love.

This book differs from the preceding two in that there are multiple viewpoints used to convey the story. There’s Talulla, Remshi, Walker and Justine (a newly created vampire) and we tag along with each of them as the tale unfolds. We also learn much more of how the vampires live in this world and there’s an origin story for how werewolves came in to being as well. Not quite on a par with the author’s best work but still a pretty good read. 4★’s

Cold Days by Jim Butcher
After being somewhat disappointed with the last instalment of the Dresden Files series I picked this one up with a little trepidation. Had Jim Butcher’s wizarding express run out of steam or had this one brought it back on track?

The rest of this review will contain at least minor spoilers for the preceding books of the series.

This one picks up with Harry’s recuperation at the hands of his new employer, Mab the Winter Queen, and having to come to terms with the pecking order of her court. It’s not long before his strength is tested and he quickly makes some new enemies. He is also given his first task as the Winter Knight – to kill an immortal. As if that wasn’t going to be hard enough, Harry also learns of a threat to his island, Demonreach. A danger that will not just destroy the island but take half the Midwest along with it.

Even though the time span for the action contained in this book is just over 24 hours, there’s a lot going on and with plenty of information to take on board. Not only do we get to learn more of the fae through Harry’s new role but we also get introduced properly to Demonreach as well. What it is and what Harry’s relationship is to it also. There is more to the story but that would be giving too much away. Most of the Scooby gang make an appearance and it’s good to reconnect with the likes of Molly, Thomas, Bob, Karin and the rest. The action and pacing of the story is all done at breakneck speed with barely a moment for the reader to catch their breath.

It’s great to be back on the Dresden express and I can’t wait for the next part of the journey to arrive. 5★’s

Preacher Book Five by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon
This hardcover volume collects issues 41-54. The first seven of these chapters have Jesse taking up residence and becoming sheriff of a small town called Salvation. He takes over from a yes-man that was in the pay of Odin Quincannon, aka The Meatman, a local businessman who owns the meat packing plant on the edge of town. He’s employed a rough bunch of guys from the city on the proviso they get the run of the town with no consequences for their bad behaviour. Unfortunately for The Meatman, Jesse doesn’t entirely agree with that state of affairs and their first encounter leaves Mr. Quincannon in no doubt of where he now stands. Trouble is bound to ensue.

After this is all over, a new story arc commences with Jesse resolving to continue his quest to confront God with a quick stop-off to find out how his dad won the medal of honour. This is followed by two two-part stories. Firstly there’s an origin story for Tulip and then the reunion and reconciliation of her and Jesse.

Pretty much a brand new cast of remarkable characters for us to meet in this irreverent, definitely adult-oriented comic book series. Sex, violence, love and hate all go hand-in-hand (sometimes all at the same time) and anyone with even a modicum of Puritanism should think twice before picking this up. I continue to love it though and think it’s a shame I only have one more volume to read. 4½★'s

When the Devil Drives by Chris Brookmyre
Second in the more strait-laced crime series featuring private investigator Jasmine Sharp and Detective Superintendent Catherine McLeod. Jasmine, now with more experience under her belt, is once again tasked with finding a long time missing person. A woman recently diagnosed with a terminal illness wants her to find her younger sister that she hasn’t seen or heard from for thirty years. Last thing she can remember was that her sister had just joined a repertory company after leaving drama school. Meanwhile, Catherine McLeod has been lumbered with the murder of a prominent member of the arts world. Shot from long range while posing with the cast of a play performed at Cragruthes Castle and standing just a few feet away from the local Laird. With no clear motive it’s going to take some digging and maybe a bit of luck to find out who the killer was.

As with the previous book, we follow both investigations as they provide twists and turns along the way. The characters are fully fleshed out and believable, with Jasmine taking steps to remedy her lack of social life and Catherine worried about her son’s exposure to violent video games. Plot wise this one is probably a little more convoluted than the previous but it all comes together in the end. A good solid mystery and there’s already a third volume in the series for me to look forward to. 4★’s

Uwe Rosler: Knocking Down Walls by Uwe Rosler
A frank, sincere and straightforward autobiography of a German footballer detailing his career, both prior to and after the fall of the Berlin wall, his subsequent moves to England and Norway and his early career in football management. Notable incidents were the early career development under the East German regime (leaving home at age 12 to attend a school of excellence), run-ins with the Stasi (the East German secret police) and his battle with cancer. It’s a quick and easy read that provides plenty of insight into the man and how and why his career took the turns it did. A good footballer’s autobiography with interest only to those who follow the teams Rosler played for or managed in his career to date. 3½★'s

Good to see you back, Wolfy. Great reviews - my poor TBR Pile! Sorry to hear about the work pressure - I'm afraid it's all too common. However, it's good to see you back.

I agree about Butcher, good to see him getting back to form, too.

I'm also glad you came back. :o)

Yay, wondered where you were.

Thanks for the welcome back messages.

This weekend has thrown up a prime example of how work has been for me this year. This weekend I'm rostered on for three days (Fri-Sun). My contracted hours for those should be 07:00 - 17:00. Usually we can leave a couple of hours earlier when the middle shift worker comes in at 15:00. This equates to 3x8 hour days. Instead, the middle shift is scheduled to work nights to provide cover for someone off on a special project. So not only do I not get to finish early but have to stay for an additional 2 hours until that night shift comes in thus working 3x12 hour days totalling an additional 12 hours in work above than I was expecting to do. Oh! I also can't claim overtime for the extra 6 hours I will have worked over my contracted time either.

I missed out on mentioning a few graphic novels that I've read on my tablet too. I've read Kick-Ass, Hit-Girl and Kick-Ass 2 by Mark Millar and really enjoyed those pieces of violent fun and will certainly look out for more from this writer. My Walking Dead reading has progressed up to issue 49 which takes us up to the end of the prison battle. I've also just past the halfway point of the Before Watchmen comics having read up to Silk Spectre #4. They're kind of ok but nothing special.

Good to see you, Wolfy, such as it is here ;-) I'll look forward to hearing more. I had one of the earlier Brookmyers on Mount Tooby based on your comments, I think, and this sounds like a promising new batch.

>6 AHS-Wolfy: I did not click on the Walking Dead spoiler, but I have to ask if you are watching the series. I know they diverge quite a bit.

@Jim53, Which one did you get (can't see it in your library)? I've read all but his newest two releases and enjoyed them all quite a bit. It's just that there are a couple of series mixed in with some stand-alone novels and wouldn't want you starting in the middle if you weren't aware of such.

@clamairy, Yes, definitely been watching and enjoying the TV series so far. My watching has got further than where I'm at with the reading so far so if you're up to date with the show then the spoiler tag above is meaningless. I'd say that the differences between the comic and the show aren't all that profound with the exception of an additional main character on TV. Usually the same things happen but sometimes it's just to different characters.

>9 AHS-Wolfy: Yes, I'm up do date, so I'll peek. I had heard about how they switch up who things happen to, but who is the added character? Daryl? I think I heard that somewhere, too. Probably on Talking Dead, which I love.

Nice to see you back. I have your thread starred.

By the way, your work situation reminded me of a book I read last year, Wilful Blindness by Margaret Heffernan. It is non-fiction and one chapter dealt with the problems created by piling more work on fewer people. Just saying!

@clmairy, Yes, Daryl's the one. Talking Dead can be quite a fun show, though there are exceptions - remember the Marilyn Manson episode?

@pgmcc, Things will be coming to a head shortly when our team of 7 advises the higher-ups that there's no chance in hell that we'll be able to take on a new workload that the company has signed for that is currently being run by a team of 12.

>12 AHS-Wolfy: You need to read Wilful Blindness soon...for work reasons. It shoul be a work related expense.

>12 AHS-Wolfy: Yes, I do. I don't think I watched the whole thing.

>9 AHS-Wolfy: Thanks for thinking of it. I haven't picked it up yet, but I've got Quite Ugly One Morning on my list at the public library. It's the first, right?

Yes, Quite Ugly One Morning is the start of his first series and coincidentally the first Brookmyre I read too. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Good to see you back here again! Your work schedule sounds brutal; I was working 43 hours a week for the last 3 years, plus 2 more hours a day taken up by my commute so I know how draining long shifts can be. And it sounds as though your work itself is quite intense. I hope things improve very soon.

Glad you enjoyed Penguin lost. I thought it was a good sequel even if not quite as strong as the original book. The Chechnya scenes were especially good.

Wash This Blood Clean From My Hand by Fred Vargas

Another adventure for Commissaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg and his motley crew of detectives from the Paris Serious Crime Squad. Just prior to 8 of their number (including Adamsberg and Danglard, his trusty sidekick) departing for Quebec on a DNA profiling course, Adamsberg is struck by a premonition of foreboding and it's not until what he's seen subconsciously is clarified by Danglard that he realises his past has come back to haunt him. Possibly quite literally so. It seems a killer known as the Trident has resurfaced with a death in Strasbourg matching his MO precisely. Adamsberg was sure he knew who the killer was but there was always cast-iron evidence pointing to someone else so no-one would believe him. Especially when his suspect was a well respected judge and one of those implicated in a murder was Adamsberg's own brother who had been on the run ever since. The only problem with this new murder though is that the judge in question had been dead for 16 years. Had he risen from beyond the grave to commit another atrocity or was there some other possibility? What's worse though for Adamsberg is when things start to go seriously awry when he gets to Canada.

The plot and the mystery itself are not bad but what really shines in Vargas' books are the characters. While the story mainly revolves around Adamsberg with occasional insight coming from the more logically minded Danglard we also get to see more from other members of the team this time around as well as a few peripheral characters that prove useful from time to time. You may have gathered that this isn't quite your straight-forward police procedural series it's one I'm very much enjoying and will certainly be back for more. 4★’s

Was going through some old documents on my computer and found a photo of me from 20+ years ago that I kind of like. Thought it was a good time to update my profile picture.

Nice picture! Sled dog, Hudson Bay blanket—very Canadian.

Great photo. Beautiful dog!

Babylon Steel by Gaie Sebold

Babylon Steel is a former mercenary turned madam and now runs a brothel in a place called Scalentine, a world of portals which draws many disparate characters from the other planes it connects to. Babylon is happy in her work but has not been that great at keeping on top of the accounts so, with a large tax bill to pay, reluctantly agrees to a job from the mysterious Darask Fain. He wants her to find a missing heiress who was due to be married in a few days. Did the girl vanish willingly to avoid an unwanted marriage or is foul play involved? It's up to Babylon to find out and she hasn't got long to do it to earn the pay-day she needs. There's also a second thread to this book that runs concurrently with the investigation which supplies the back-story of Babylon from her early beginnings to where she is now. It's a past that finally catches up to her during the search for the missing girl and it's fairly obvious that it's not going to end well for someone.

There's an interesting set of characters, from the tough but likeable female lead through her crew at the Red Lantern brothel (A long-time friend and mercenary companion who provides security, a Fey with limited magical ability, a troll who does the cooking and the S&M loving twins that reside in the basement) to Bitternut, the chief of police and were-creature, who provides an obvious romantic interest for Babylon and a few other secondary characters that may make an appearance in later books in the series. The world-building is also handled well. Scalentine provides a more than adequate setting for the bulk of the action and there is plenty of scope for expansion with the mysterious portals providing links to other planes. So with all the ingredients in place for an enjoyable fantasy novel it's a shame that it doesn't quite hit the mark for me and it's quite difficult to pin down exactly why this is. Despite being over 400 pages it would normally be a book that I would get through in a couple of days or three but it never once felt like a couldn't put it down type of read. Maybe it's because it has an urban fantasy type feel but with a high fantasy setting that throws me off a little. It's not a bad book by any means and hopefully the rating reflects this and as it is also a debut novel then hopefully there is room for improvement and I'm more than willing to give a sequel a try at some point. 3½★'s

Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

The 2nd book in the Napoleonic wars with dragons series picks up not longer after the conclusion of the 1st and learning of the true nature of Temeraire. The Chinese, it seems, don’t think too highly of him being partnered with a lowly captain and being used as an instrument of war and want Temeraire returned. They have sent Prince Yongxing, brother to the Emperor to fetch him back. As Temeraire refuses to be parted from Laurence then he’ll just have to leave for China too. The British government want to establish an embassy and improve trade and Temeraire could prove an invaluable bargaining chip in so doing, even if it means sacrificing one of their greatest weapons in the war against France.

The book is split into 3 parts. The first two deal with the journey from England to China (it’s a long trip by boat) and the last third in China itself. Personally I feel like it might have been better with a 50/50 split or even the other way around. Even though the trip was eventful it felt overlong and was left feeling the time spent in China was given short shrift. Despite this, there are a lot of positives to be found here. The relationship between the two main characters deepens significantly as does the growth of Temeraire himself. We also see a difference in dragon culture and how vastly it differs between the two continents and this sets things up for future stories I’m sure of which I’ll be happy to continue reading. 3½★'s

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

What happens when a total lowlife like Harper Curtis stumbles across a house that gives the gift of time travel and wants so little in return? The price is to kill the girls who shine so brightly with potential and it’s one that Harper is more than willing to pay. Kirby Mazrachi is one of his victims but somehow, thanks to her dog, manages to survive the brutal attack and tries to do what the police seem incapable of and catch the man who tried to kill her. Not believing that she’s his first victim, Kirby also tries to find previous cases and finds some rather troubling evidence. Harper, while continuing his time-travelling antics, discovers that Kirby managed to survive and realises he has to finish the job he started. Who will find whom first?

The only problem with this book is that it takes a while to really get into. I’m not sure if it’s because the plot is non-linear or because the story is a little disjointed as it switches between characters and time in small vignettes. It took me two days picking at the book to get through the first 50 pages and from that point it really takes off and I read the next 300-odd pages in one sitting. Each chapter is headed with the person/people the reader is following and the date that particular phase of the story takes place and you need to pay attention to these until you get used to the who and when of it all. There are some pretty gruesome events described in this book (and I’m not talking about Kirby’s early sexual adventures) including one horrible piece of animal cruelty that will prove quite distressing to those bothered by such things.

The characters and setting are exceptionally well drawn and believable in their actions from Harper, the brutal psychopath who can be charming enough when the occasion demands but will hold a grudge if you cross him, to the plucky survivor Kirby, who wants to bring her would-be killer to justice, and Dan the jaded crime reporter now covering the sports desk who Kirby initially uses to gain access to crime reports and then befriends. We also get to see brief snippets of some of the other shining girls before their light is snuffed out forever. The setting of Chicago (where all the story evolves) has been thoroughly researched as well as the history of the place also with credits being provided in the acknowledgements. My copy of the book includes a short interview with the author where I learned that the TV rights had already been purchased and if done right could rival True Detective for compulsive viewing.

Overall, a fantastic book only slightly let down by the problems at the beginning. 4★'s

>24 AHS-Wolfy: I've had this sat on my shelf for a little while now - it sounds great. I might have to bump it up and get onto it soon!

>25 imyril: I've read all 3 of her novels now and enjoyed them all. Each is quite different from the others. I hope you like it when you get to it as she's definitely an author I'll be watching out for in the future.

Purgatory by Ken Bruen

Jack Taylor is in a relatively calm place. Recovering from events of the previous book he’s off the drink and drugs and he’s even given up smoking. Those that have spent time with Jack previously will know that things are about to change and not for the better. This 10th instalment in the series sees the eponymous hero receiving notes from a vigilante killer who wants Jack to join in on the fun. But the notes find Jack in a can’t be bothered kind of mood, even telling a potential client “No.” before she even opened her mouth. So the vigilante moves on to Stewart, Jack’s sole remaining true friend, and start sending notes to him instead while still trying to get Jack involved. Meanwhile, there’s a new player in town, Reardon is looking to buy up all of Galway and also takes an interest in Jack and this introduces him to Kelly, Reardon’s PA, the wrong sort of woman that Jack always seems to get involved with. So who is the vigilante known as C33 and why are they determined to get Jack involved?

This is a brutal series and this book may be the worst so far but only if you’ve been following along with Jack’s story to date. Don’t ever become friends with Jack Taylor, don’t fall for him and don’t even do a job for him. In fact, don’t even talk to him if you know what’s good for you. Best stay away altogether. The darkness that surrounds Jack is still an ever present as is his caustic put-downs, often at the expense of those closest to him. Lots more recommendations on the book front when Jack’s bookshelves are once again filled by his local dealer. This time around he’s on a women crime-writers kick. He’s also trying to increase my to watch list as well when he re-organises his DVD shelves.

Another fine entry into an excellent series which I would urge you not to be the first one you pick up otherwise you might not read another Ken Bruen book again. 4★'s

Infernal Devices by Philip Reeve

The 3rd instalment of the YA steampunk series sees the timeline advanced some 16 years or so. Tom and Hester are settled in Anchorage and have a 15 year-old daughter, Wren, who is somewhat bored with life in the now stationary city in an out of the way part of the world. She wants adventures of her own just like her parents must have had before she was born. After another blazing row with her mother when an opportunity presents itself, in the return of the Lost Boys, Wren jumps at the chance to aid them in their quest as long as they agree to take her with them when they leave. The plan to steal the book they need goes off without a hitch but their escape doesn’t progress quite as smoothly. It ends with Wren a hostage aboard the Lost Boys limpet with Tom & Hester determined to go after and rescue her before she comes to any real harm.

The world has changed since they were last abroad though with a long-running war between the Green Storm and the Traction Cities showing no signs of reaching a conclusion any time soon. Some old familiar faces crop up along the way: Pennyroyal has landed on his feet again becoming mayor of the raft resort of Brighton, Stalker Fang still leads the Green Storm and is always on the lookout for new/old weapons to help in the war effort, Stalker Shrike has been somewhat repaired and currently acts as Fang’s bodyguard, Freya and Caul also accompany Tom and Hester in their pursuit of Wren. There are a few new characters to get to know as well.

I’ve enjoyed the previous two books as thrilling adventure romps set in a well built world with characters that grow as events transpiring around them alter their perspectives. It’s the latter of these that is something of a let-down in this book though as Hester has reverted to a blood-thirsty, shoot first and ask questions later kind of girl and Tom is a bit of a wimp who’s just along for the ride. The rest of the characters seem fairly stereotypical for this kind of book. The action and storyline are good enough to keep the reader going and as this is generally regarded as the weakest book in the quartet I will be continuing at some point with the next and final book of the series. 3★'s

Don't Cry For Me Aberystwyth by Malcolm Pryce

Father Christmas has been brutally murdered and mutilated in rather a shocking way which quite upsets Mrs Dinorwic-Jones when she arrives to draw the chalk outline around the body. Someone purporting to be the Queen of Denmark contacts Aberystwyth's most famous (and only) private detectives Louie Knight and his partner Calamity Jane wanting them to find out who did it. Everybody knows Father Christmas comes from Greenland and with that being an administrative division of her country, the Queen doesn't want the crime to go unpunished. Because business has been a little slow and the money arrives in his account, Louie feels compelled to take the case. Calamity also takes the opportunity to test out some new techniques she's been picking up from the Pinkerton's manual she's been reading recently. The biggest clue they have is the name, Hoffmann, written in blood by the victim just before he died. It seems to point to the capture of Adolf Eichmann and one of the darkest moments of the war in Patagonia that none of the veterans want to talk about along with the exploits of Clip, the Welsh equivalent of Lassie, of which a new cut of his most famous movie, Bark of the Covenant, has just been released. Clip certainly isn't going to be talking though that may have more to do with him being stuffed and mounted in a glass case in the museum rather than general reluctance. But what's it all got to do with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?

This is the fourth book and probably darkest of the series so far. The noir-ish tropes are all present and accounted for but while the humour is still prevalent it's much blacker in nature this go around and one character's death is quite brutal and shocking. The prose is once again excellent and while the plot heads out towards the surreal it never quite reaches the boundaries of being too much. An excellent addition to the series and probably my favourite so far. 4★'s

Sixty-Nine by Ryū Murakami

This is a semi-autobiographical, coming-of-age story about a year in the life of a 17-year-old boy from a rural town in Japan. It’s an important year, being the last one of high school and leading up to university entrance exams, but Kensuke Yazaki is quite bored by it all. It’s 1960 so change is in the air but Ken, as he prefers to be called, only has one thing on his mind: Girls! Overhearing a remark by Kazuko (aka Lady Jane), darling of the school, Ken comes over all political activist and sets about organising an anti-establishment demonstration by barricading the school and daubing slogans all over the place purely to impress her. His actions manage to catch her attention but he knows he’ll have to up the ante if he wants to be taken seriously so, with his two best friends Adama and Iwase, arranges a local festival with Lady Jane to star in a play that Ken will direct and co-star along with her.

This is definitely much lighter in tone than the works I’ve previously read of the other Murakami and is quite humorous in parts. Despite his faults, and there are many of them, Ken is a likeable protagonist. The background is well drawn with many pop-culture references of the time being used to set the scene and provide quite a playlist of music to listen to. This is a fairly short novel (just shy of 200 pages) and is a very easy read. 3½★'s

Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch

This 4th instalment in the Rivers of London series sees Peter and Lesley continuing to track potential Little Crocodiles so when a name on their list pops up after a road traffic incident who is subsequently found to have dumped a dead body they are more than a little intrigued. There's also another former potential who's committed suicide by jumping in front of a train but as the footage of the incident looks a little off then that also gets passed their way. And as if that wasn't enough to be going on with, Peter spots a grimoire in the recovered goods database and manages to track down the person who was trying to flog it only to find him burned to a crisp from the inside out when he goes to pay him a visit. Upon further investigations each of these cases seems to have a link to noted architect Erik Stromberg and Skygarden Tower, his housing project in the Elephant and Castle. When an opportunity arises, Nightingale allows Peter and Lesley to go undercover as new residents to see what they can dig up. Will it all lead to another appearance from the Faceless Man?

Setting up each strand of the plot takes a while so this book takes its time before kicking in to top gear especially when everything comes to a halt while the team have to provide policing for the Spring Court, an event held by the Lord and Lady of the River so their subjects could pay their respects. While the pacing may be a little off there is still plenty here to retain the interest. Many familiar faces make an appearance throughout the story and Nightingale features quite heavily feeling the need to almost chaperone Peter and Lesley with the threat of the Faceless Man hanging over their heads. The fact that those ensconced at the Folly still have to adhere to proper police procedures while dealing with the extraordinary is still a novel feature of this series. Readers looking to add a little magic to their mysteries could do worse than pick this series to try though best start with book #1 as there is an overriding arc that underlies all of the stories. For those that are continuing the series but haven't read this one yet I might suggest to wait until the next book is available as the ending, while not a cliffhanger per se, is shocking enough that you might want to continue to find out how that part of the story unfolds.

Another excellent addition to what's turning out to be a very good series. 4★'s

Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay

In this 5th book of the series things are changing for Miami's friendly neighbourhood serial killer. Rita has just given birth to a baby daughter and this miraculous event seems to cause Dexter some serious issues. Feelings! He's having some. He's even contemplating giving up his alternate lifestyle which probably won't go down to well with Cody and Astor. But it's about this point that his sister, Deborah, interrupts his reverie and demands his presence at a crime scene. There's plenty of blood but no body and the Feds have turned up wanting to call it a kidnapping so they can claim jurisdiction. As it's Deborah's case she's not really inclined to just hand it over and wants Dex to find if all that blood belongs to the 18-year-old girl that the room belongs to or if something else went down instead. When initial investigations also find that the girls' friend has also gone missing then perhaps things are more complex than originally thought. Especially when the second girls' body is located and has been partially consumed. Is the other girl next on the menu? Meanwhile, Dexter appears to have picked up a stalker of his own and his burgeoning family life takes a twist when someone from his past makes an unexpected appearance. Will Dexter's new found convictions hold up under the pressures of home life and work are combined?

Book Dexter is on a different path to TV Dexter as the TV series took a different route to the books very early on and as I had read the previous book some time ago it was a little confusing trying to distinguish how things stood with the character's this time around. But the biggest problems I had with this story was the changes wrought in the main character and the enormous holes in the plot. Is it possible for Deb's to do anything remotely like police work without involving Dexter? Was the returning character just shoe-horned in to highlight Dexter's new found righteousness? Can Dex ever find his cojones in time to tell his sister "No!" just once? If I hadn't already bought the next book in the series then this would probably be it for me with Dexter but as book 6 is already sitting there then I will journey on in the hope some of the earlier sparkle of the character I used to like returns. Is Dexter delicious or has he gone a bit stale? 3★'s

Preacher Book Six by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

The concluding book in this series of hardcover editions contains volumes 55-66 of the main story arc but begins with the one-shot Tall in the Saddle. This tale is a very early chapter in the life of Jesse and Tulip and involves car thieving and horse stealing and a Texas Ranger. The rest of the book deals with wrapping up all the different storylines that have featured throughout this saga. So any character that has featured heavily will get their tale concluded one way or another here including Arseface, Saint of Killers, Cassidy, Herr Starr (with Featherstone & Hoover) and of course Jesse, Tulip, Genesis and God. So does everyone get what's coming to them? Well, that'd be telling.

As with all these books there comes a warning. The stories contain scenes of a graphic nature, both sexual and gratuitous violence aplenty, and are intended for mature readers only. All good things come to an end and so now does my time with this incarnation of Preacher. The proposed TV adaptation does have me worried though. Not sure they'll be able to do justice to what's been, at least for me, an excellent series to which this final book brings a fitting conclusion. 5★'s

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch

This third story in the lives of Locke and Jean picks up almost directly after the end of the 2nd book. Having exhausted all avenues in search of a cure for Locke's poisoning they're almost at a point in being reconciled to Locke's demise when an offer of aid arrives from an unexpected and mostly unwelcome source in the form of Patience, one of the four Archedama's that lead the Bondsmagi. In exchange, she wants them to rig an election in Karthain. It's not until Locke and Jean reluctantly agree that they find out who's helping the opposition. None other than the only female member of the Gentleman Bastards and love of Locke's life, Sabetha Belacoros.

As with the previous books in the series there is also a look back into earlier times and we get to see Locke and Sabetha's first encounters along with their further teachings of Father Chains which leads up to the first job for the gang known as the Gentleman Bastards. After spending a summer together in their den the five fledgeling members of the gang have become restless and irritable as well as a little set in their ways so Chains thinks it's time to shake things up a little. He packs them all off to Espara to an old acquaintance who runs a theatre company who is currently somewhat down on his luck. The five of them are to become members of Jasmer Moncraine's troupe and help restore his fortunes. When they arrive at their destination they find events have conspired to disabuse any thoughts of an easy year on the stage learning how to act. Moncraine has landed himself in prison after punching a nobleman and will reside there for a year before being released minus a hand and the troupe of actors has mostly disbanded. Can the gang concoct a scheme to release Moncraine and put on the play with only themselves to rely on in an unfamiliar environment? Will it draw them together or finally split the group asunder?

Despite the well-publicised problems of the author in producing this work, there is no reduction in the quality of the writing or story on show here. Scott Lynch maintains the balance of the darker elements with the lighter, more humorous interplay of his characters. And oh, how I love these characters. The dynamic between Locke and Jean is terrific and we now, finally, get to meet the long awaited Sabetha in both past and current incarnations. I do, however, think that the con element of the main story doesn't quite stack up against previous encounters and the reader is less invested in the outcome. Whether this is because it is used primarily as a backdrop for the reunion of Locke and Sabetha or that there is no real threat of physical harm befalling the main protagonists or perhaps a combination of both I'm not quite sure. Weighing in at over 700 pages this is not a quick, action-packed story but those who have followed the series so far will not be disappointed at spending so much time with the characters and the world around them. The series is planned for 7 books in total and there is some groundwork laid throughout this book and in particular with the epilogue as well as also providing a potential revelation about Locke's origin. Thankfully those of us that delight in these books won't have quite so long to wait for the next one as it may even see release this side of Christmas (though I won't hold my breath). 4½★'s

Here's a quick update on my digital comic reading too.

I've finished off the Before Watchmen books and wasn't overly impressed. Alan Moore having nothing to do with them really shows and while they're not really that bad neither are they really any good. A resounding meh! from me on these. So having finished off these I've now gone back to The Walking Dead and have reached issue #57 so far. I'm continuing with these until I catch up to the point the TV show is at and will then likely switch to something else.

33> I liked Republic of Thieves, but for me, it wasn't quite as good as the earlier two. I think it's because I really like the heist element to the stories, and as you said, it wasn't as good this time around.

The Polish Officer by Alan Furst

Before the war Alexander de Milja was a cartographer and the start of this book finds him as a Captain in the Polish army just as Warsaw is about to fall to the invading German army. He's given a choice of dying on the battlefield or continue to serve his country as a member of the intelligence service. In choosing the latter his first task is to secure a safe route out of the country for Poland's gold reserve so it can make its way to England for safe keeping. After working for a while in Warsaw de Milja is then sent to Paris as the replacement for the senior intelligence officer in France and the third part of the book ends with him working with guerrilla fighters in Ukraine.

The other books I've read from this author create a very believable atmosphere and although this time around the main protagonist is not quite as engaging as previous efforts I was still drawn in to the events of the novel as they unfolded. Furst's research is again telling and it's almost like the reader is unknowingly being given a history lesson as well as an enjoyable tale from WWII. The only other quibble I have with this book is the ending. It rather meanders to a close rather than offering up any meaningful resolution. A shame but it won't put me off picking up another from the series. 3½★'s

Trautmann: The Biography by Alan Rowlands

Last year I read another biography of Bert Trautmann and ended by wishing there was more detail for his life after the legendary incident where he broke his neck and still continued playing in goal for another 15 minutes during an FA Cup final. Well, with this alternative I've found it. It doesn't detail his early life as comprehensively as Catrine Clay's book and is written in a more personal style rather than the documentary feel that the other one left me with. I did get to learn more details on his rehabilitation from his injury and subsequent return to a playing career but also on his life after retiring. He went on to manage a lower league club in England before returning to Germany to coach a couple of lesser teams there before being recruited by the German Football Association into a role to bring football to developing countries. This took him to Burma (even qualifying for the Olympics in 1972), Tanzania, Liberia, Pakistan and Yemen. Being awarded an OBE for his work with The Bert Trautmann Foundation, a charity which aims to forge Anglo-German friendship through football. This book certainly adds more to what was an already amazing life story. 4★'s

The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey

Melanie's world is very small. She has the cell in which she lives, there's the corridor which houses the other cells of her fellow pupils, the shower room where they get doused with chemicals once a week and her favourite place - the classroom. Melanie knows there's a bigger world on the other side of the door at the end of the corridor but she can't see outside when it's open and none of her classmates have returned to say what's there after being taken through it. Every day, except Saturday and Sunday, Melanie gets strapped into her chair, muzzled and wheeled in to her classroom hoping that Miss Justineau is the one giving the lessons today. Then a day arrives where it's Melanie's turn to go through the door at the end of the corridor. Will she like what she encounters?

Melanie lives on a research facility within an army camp protected by soldiers and high fences from the outside world. But things are about to change when the camp is overrun and Melanie escapes with four others: Miss Justineau, Dr. Caldwell (head of research), Sgt. Parks (base commander) and Gallacher (a young soldier). And so begins a road trip. They've decided to head to Beacon, last bastion of civilisation in England, but it's through untamed country and they'll need to steer clear of the hungries and any survivalist groups that are out there. Will they make it and can Dr. Caldwell discover the cure for the disease that's infected the majority of the population?

This is a thrilling post-apocalyptic tale with a tinge of horror told, mostly, from a unique perspective. The original tale started out as a short story written for a themed anthology and after completing it wouldn't leave the author alone. So it was expanded into novel form and as it differs from the authors other books was released under a variant spelling of his name This snippet of information was picked up from an interview with Mike Carey (for it is he, author of the Felix Castor books and writer of the Lucifer and Hellblazer comics) which is available at the end of this book. It also mentions that he simultaneously wrote a screenplay so that will be something to keep an eye out for. A lot will depend on the casting of the central character though. Melanie is a fantastic creation and as she drives the narrative then that's essential but the others around her a little more clichéd but not to the point of spoiling the story as they do evolve along the way. This book has a lot going for it as it fits in with a currently popular sub-genre, is written by an author of which I've enjoyed the other books I've read and has been garnering a lot of favourable reviews so far. I'm happy to report that it doesn't disappoint. 4½★'s

Oh, the back of the book also contains the first 5 chapters (20 pages or so) of another book that has me intrigued enough to look out for: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North.

I am half way through this book so I am desperately trying to avert my eyes from your last post. I'll be back when I have finished it.

>39 pgmcc: I noticed from your thread that you were reading it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did and I'll be sure to keep an eye out for your final thoughts.

>38 AHS-Wolfy: Excellent review! Well done for avoiding spoilers - not easy with this book. I really enjoyed it too.

>41 Sakerfalcon: Thank you. I try and avoid them wherever possible. For this one it was either be a little vague or just slap a spoiler tag on the whole thing which is not something I wanted to do. Glad you enjoyed it too. Have you read any of Mike Carey's other books or was that your first?

I thought I'd commemorate an author's passing with my next read.

Do the Creepy Thing* by Graham Joyce

14 year-old Caz and her best friend Lucy like to play a game. They break into old people's houses in the middle of the night just to watch them sleep. They don't steal anything for that would be "such a chavvy thing to do" and they pick old people as they should be able to get away easier if one of them ever wakes up. But plans have a habit of going awry and one particular night during Caz's turn their victim wakes up and grabs hold of Caz before she can escape. The old woman slaps a bracelet around Caz's wrist and then seemingly just lets her go. The next morning the bracelet has disappeared but left behind a mark that looks suspiciously like a tattoo and it seems from here on out Caz's luck takes a turn for the worse although she can now also seem to tell when people are lying to her as well. Has she been cursed by an old witch and is there more to the bracelet than first appears? And why does a strange woman that nobody else can see seem to be stalking her now? But the worst thing of all is that her mum is now dating her maths teacher!

This is a supernatural/magical realism tale aimed squarely at the young adult market although the author never talks down to his audience. There are some very serious issues touched upon throughout the narrative and his characters are not averse to swearing or having tongues pushed down their throats. It's very much a coming-of-age story as Caz has to learn to accept and deal with the consequences of her actions. It's a very easy read which I finished over the course of one night in work but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. 3½★'s

*aka The Exchange - US title

Forgot that I had another of his books still on the tbr shelves so thought I'd read that as well.

The Silent Land by Graham Joyce

Zoe and Jake have treated themselves to a skiing holiday at a resort village on the slopes of Chamonix and had got up and headed out early to have some alone time on the mountain. Unfortunately they hadn't picked the best moment as they find themselves unsuccessfully outrunning an avalanche. Having seemingly survived with only minor ailments they make there way down to the village only to find the place entirely deserted. No sign of any other living thing at all. Presuming they have evacuated in anticipation of worse to come the couple decide they need to do the same to escape the anticipated danger. But all their attempts to leave are thwarted and they always find themselves somehow back at the deserted village. Having no clue as to what's happening they decide to make the best of things and hope that an answer or rescue arrives some time soon. They set about enjoying all that the resort has to offer but then realisation sets in that things are a little off. Food that's been left out hasn't spoiled, candles will burn but not melt and then the visions start. Perhaps they didn't survive that avalanche after all and this is what comes after!

While it's not too difficult to guess where the story is heading nor to see the inevitable ending that's not what this book is about. It's the nature of life, love and the shared existence of two people involved that want to be explored here. The description and place setting are beautifully drawn out and evocative as the situation descends towards the creepier end of the spectrum. Despite the foreshadowing of the ending it still holds enough of an emotional impact to cause a lump in my throat. 4★'s

>42 AHS-Wolfy: I read and enjoyed The devil you know and have several more of the series waiting on Mount Tbr. I really liked Felix and thought the female characters were better than those in comparable series.

Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book Eight by Bill Willingham

Contains the nine part story all about Flycatcher called The Good Prince and covers the individual issues of 60-63 & 65-69. Extras included in this book are some pencils and designs by Mark Buckingham and biographies of the main contributors.

Apparently I should have read 1001 Nights of Snowfall* prior to this as it fills in a bit of a gap from where book seven left Fly to where we find him at the start of this. Up until this point in the story Flycatcher has just been a background character but here he takes centre stage as he returns to the Homelands to set up the Kingdom of Haven with the help of some friends he's gathered along the way. The adversary is, of course, none too pleased at this turn of events and so it's not too long before King Ambrose must face the first threat to his rule. Meanwhile back in Fabletown Frau Totenkinder spills the beans on some more of what she knows about Hansel's real reason for being there and The Adversary's true plans for their world. It's time to start making preparations for all-out war.

After a slight disappointment in the last volume this complete story puts the series right back on track. Flycatcher/Ambrose undergoes real development as a character and it's great to have some old characters returned to the fray as well. Even though we only get glimpses of what is happening back in Fabletown the overall story arc is advanced tremendously and sets things up nicely for the way ahead. Now I'll have to go and fill in that gap I mentioned earlier and sort out a reading order so I don't miss out again as this series is doing more than enough to keep me interested. 4★'s

*Actually contained in Book Four of the deluxe editions but considering the release schedule I'd forgotten it.

Thraxas by Martin Scott*

Thraxas is who you go to if you need a sorcerer or investigator but can't afford the good ones. He describes himself as forty-three, overweight, without ambition and prone to prolonged bouts of drinking. He used to work for Palace Security until drinking himself out of employment and now tries to make ends meet by taking on jobs that others won't touch. He's also in desperate need of some money to avoid being thrown out on the street and an inconvenient gambling debt that's looming in the near future. So it's somewhat of a relief when Princess Du-Akai requests his services in retrieving a box containing personal letters from an ambassador that she'd been having an affair with. They could prove an embarrassment if they fall into the wrong hands and now the relationship is over that could become a possibility. A fairly simple task that is made more complicated when the current owner is found dead and Thraxas is accused of his murder and the contents of the box differ from what was described. Why would the princess want a spell to put a dragon to sleep? Thraxas also gets involved into a case of some magical cloth that's disappeared and also a politician's son who's involved in drug-dealing for him to also look into.

While this isn't a laugh out loud type of humorous fantasy there are enough smiles to be had to fit the category. There are some fun characters to be found here, from the Sardonic and self-deprecating lead with his sometimes-assistant Makri (with her unique Orc, Elf and Human parentage) who wants to study at the university but can't because of its gender bias. I'm sure we'll get to revisit with some of the other side characters as the series progresses (currently there are 9 books). The story is more private detective than outright fantasy and is somewhat akin to Glen Cook's Garrett P.I. books rather than say a Terry Pratchett or Robert Asprin novel. It's a fast moving tale that still manages to look at some serious subject matter along the way that will also probably be revisited in future episodes. I'd be willing to seek out the next in the series even if it wasn't already sat on my tbr shelves along with a couple more that were bought in a job lot. 3½★'s

* A pseudonym of Martin Millar

Revelation by C. J. Sansom

This is the 4th book in the ongoing series featuring Matthew Shardlake, a hunchbacked lawyer, during the reign of Henry VIII. Upon the brutal murder of a friend, Shardlake vows to the widow that he will ensure the killer is caught. When the coroner's inquest does not seem to want an investigation his quest for justice leads him once again into the murky world of politics. He finds himself at the beck and call of Archbishop Cranmer as it seems his friend was not the first victim and it may impact the King's next matrimonial adventure. Shardlake is also settling into his new role at the Court of Requests and has been handed the case of Adam Kite, a boy who had been put in Bedlam, a mental institution, without a trial. Shardlake enlists the help of his old friend Guy Malton to assist with the boy's care.

This is another excellent instalment of the historical mystery series which provides great insight into the period. There are obvious embellishments and liberties taken with some elements of the story but the author does acknowledge these at the conclusion of the book. The characters continue to grow and the regulars all feature to varying degrees as the tale progresses. It's not just the mystery which holds the attention here but the history of the time is vividly invoked. Religious strife and persecutions abound and the air of distrust this pervades is quite apparent. This series is showing no signs of deteriorating and I'm looking forward to the 5th book which is already sat on my tbr shelves. 4½★'s

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow

The future! Where death has been conquered, there's no scarcity, no work and no money either. But there's still Disney World and that's where Julius currently resides with his girlfriend Lil. He's joined the ad-hoc society that's keeping Liberty Square and Tom Sawyer Island running as it's always been running despite fresh interest in upgrading with the latest technology. That is until he gets murdered and while he's away getting restored from his last backup another ad-hoc has taken a run at the Hall of Presidents and their modern refurb has gone down a storm. Julius obviously suspects them of his murder and using the distraction to gain a foothold and thinks this new group will not be satisfied with just the Hall and the beloved Haunted Mansion could be next. Jules needs a plan to stop them and so enlists the aid of his newly arrived long-time friend Dan to put what he comes up with into action.

The reader is dumped straight into this new world without much exposition to help come to terms with it. What's Whuffie and why does it matter if you've got none? Never fear as it all becomes clear if you just keep reading. (It's a way of keeping track of your current approval rating and with enough of it you can pretty much do anything you want to.) There are some grandiose ideas contained in this short (just about hits the 200 page mark) novel but the majority of them never really pass beyond germination as the story concentrates on the plot at hand with only a few diversions along the way. Unfortunately, this leads to garnering the reader with certain expectations with the setup of the book which are then not followed through with. It probably doesn't help that the main character is not really that likeable either but as this was the first published novel from the author then allowances can be made especially since I've already highly enjoyed one of his later works (Little Brother). Still, I'm not entirely disappointed that I've read it and it's a very quick and easy read. 3★'s

Flesh Wounds by Chris Brookmyre

This is the third book in the Jasmine Sharp trilogy which intertwines the lives of private investigator Jasmine with Detective Superintendent Catherine McLeod and Glen Fallan the former gangster returned from the dead. Fallan is arrested for the murder of Stevie Fullerton, one of the foremost crime bosses in Glasgow. It seems an open and shut case and one which McLeod is more than happy to pursue with the intent of putting him away for a long time. Jasmine also want to investigate further as it should shed some light on her own past and the father she never met. Her mother was involved with Fullerton's crew back in the day but left that scene when she found out she was pregnant and had refused to tell Jasmine anything about it. Fallan, meanwhile, is saying nothing. Has he waited 20 years to get his revenge or is someone trying to set him up now that he's turned up very much alive? Can Jasmine find out who killed Fullerton and the truth about her father? Will McLeod finally lay to rest the demons that resurfaced since the return of Glen Fallan?

This is a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. All of the threads woven through the previous two books are brought nicely together in this volume. The character progression continues with the three main protagonists continuing to grow and those on the sidelines aren't just there to make up the numbers. The plot is woven tightly through many twisting pathways so that you're never entirely sure of the final destination. Not sure if there will be any more in this series (the author is reverting to his earlier Parlabane books for his next one) but I will read it if a new one is released. 4½★'s

It's that time of year again when I contemplate my annual trip to go watch some anime at a film festival. This year the festival has really gone above and beyond. Not only are they continuing the full anime day as has been their custom over the last couple of years but also including a couple of other films I would dearly love to see on the following weekend. I am, of course, scheduled to be working on both of these days so am now scrambling around for cover.

Programme of events is as follows:

Fanomenon Anime Day Sunday 9th of November comprising:
Appleseed Alpha
Dragonball Z: Battle of the Gods
Short Peace
Giovanni’s Island
Ghost in the Shell
Grave of the Fireflies

The only one of these I have no interest in is the Dragonball movie. The last two of these are being screened from new digital cinema prints and are generally regarded as classics of the genre. The other three are new to me but all look like they'd be worthwhile going to see.

Showing on Sunday 16th are two more classics:
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Wings of Honneamise

and in between these I could also take in a documentary abouth Studio Ghibli called The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness.

I should be okay to go to the anime day but as I've not been in work for a couple of weeks I've so far been unable to put my cover request in so will have to wait on the second Sunday. Here's hoping!

Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway

Joshua Joseph Spork, Joe to his friends, is a clockmaker and repairer of automata and is happy to keep a low profile. When your notorious gangster father was known by the nickname of Tommy Gun then being out of the limelight is something he's more than happy to be. Unfortunately for Joe, this state of affairs isn't going to last. It starts with a favour for a friend. Billy Friend wants Joe to take a look at an item for one of his clients. It's a book that is more than a book as it also has machine parts which the client wants cleaned up, repaired and made ready for use. Nobody but Billy should know that he's come in contact with it but some strange people have appeared at Joe's shop asking questions about and trying to acquire the object in question. Firstly there was the strange pair of Mr. Titwhistle and Mr. Cummerbund purporting to represent the Loganfield Museum of Mechanical History and this pair of oddball characters was quickly followed by a strangely dressed man who refers to himself as a Ruskinite. Joe advises them all that he is not in possession of the item they seek and then goes to try and find out more about it and his mysterious visitors. Joe's life is about to be turned upside down and inside out.

The second part of the story revolves around Edie Banister. A former superspy now nearing ninety whose story is told in flashback. She's probably the most sprightly octogenarian that I've ever encountered in any media. From her recruitment and training into the service and her long-running encounters with a diabolical South Asian dictator who goes by the name of Shem Shem Tsien who wants to look God in the eye and poke it with a finger. He's commissioned a doomsday device in best James Bond supervillain style and it's up to Edie to see he doesn't get to switch it on. When Joe and Edie's worlds collide it could be the end of everything.

Oh what a fun romp this is! A multi-genre mash-up that works brilliantly. Mixing in the aforementioned Bond with a touch of Allan Quatermain adding more than a dash of the British gangster flick and throwing in some steampunk elements and philosophical musings for good measure. Excellent characters that inhabit a beautifully written world. Dialogue that is imbued with a dark humour and a plot that brings all the strings together and ties them up in an end-of-the-world scenario that will have you furiously turning the pages. 5★'s

>52 AHS-Wolfy: I loved Angelmaker and my 17 year old son is reading it as I type and loving it.

Aaaaand on to the wishlist it goes.

Mine too!

Good shooting, @AHS-Wolfy.

Today's Telegraph ranked Nick's third novel, Tigerman, at number 7 in the Top Ten Father Stories:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/relationships/fatherhood/11185056/The-10-best-fic...

Another damned good book from Mr. Harkaway.

>54 MrsLee: & >55 tardis: Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

>56 pgmcc: It's a book that's worthy of firing off a few rounds for. I will of course be picking up Tigerman at some point in the near future (as soon as the pb is released). Will probably add Nick Harkaway to the immediate buy list from now on as well.

>52 AHS-Wolfy: Another book bullet taken.

>58 AHS-Wolfy: Nick Harkaway has been on my "buy immediately" list since I read Gone-away World.

I think I should give an update as to how part 1 of my film festival went.

Due to a messed up sleep schedule, Sunday ended up being a really long day. Worked Friday night so slept part of the day away on Saturday and went to bed early that night to try and be fully rested in preparation for all that sitting around I’d have to do. Unfortunately this resulted in waking up too early on Sunday (around 4.00am) and not being able to get back to sleep. Eventually gave up trying and got up around 5ish. I guess this did give me plenty of time to sort out a packed lunch and what not. Left for the station a little in advance of what I’d planned which resulted in me catching an earlier train and arriving at Leeds more than an hour prior to the first film. I collected my tickets for the event and just wandered around for a short while to pass the time.

Held at its customary location of Leeds Town Hall, a magnificent Victorian building (no pictures from me but Google is awash with them) that holds a capacity 1200 strong audience (more than enough for this function). Two options for seating were provided, generic movie theatre style seating at ground floor level or the more comfier gallery seats. For the more cinematic feel I always choose the lower level and this year was no exception. Entry into the auditorium itself was done slightly differently than previous occasions due to the addition of a wristband being provided to those of us who bought a full day pass. Just flash that at the door and we were allowed in, no fishing about for that pesky ticket thing each time.

Now, onto the films themselves:

The first of which is the latest entry into the Appleseed franchise (no, nothing to do with Johnny). Developed from the original Manga from Masamune Shirow (who also created Ghost in the Shell) this is a prequel to the 2004 and 2007 movies rather than the original 1988 incarnation. All done in CGI this is a post-apocalyptic science fiction action film (as can be seen in the trailer). It tells the story of two ex-soldiers turned mercenaries, Deunan and Briareos who have resorted to working odd jobs for Two Horns, gangster type now turned city warlord. When their intended last job goes sour they have to do another which ends up being a little more than they bargained for when an armoured vehicle carrying three cyborgs and a young woman get attacked by the drones that Deunan and Briareos have been sent to clear out. Can they save the new arrivals and find out why they’re there and who the subsequent big nasties that turn up are? This is a good sci-fi action film that you can sit back and enjoy with most of your brain turned off and just be glad you’re along for the ride. An endless parade of action set-pieces with very little in exposition or character development. Still good fun and an enjoyable starter for the day.

Next up was the first time I’d ever sat and watched a Dragonball movie. In this case Dragonball Z: Battle of the Gods, apparently the 18th in the series. Pretty much lived up to my expectations of what to expect and I won’t be rushing out to watch the previous 17.

Short Peace is an anthology featuring 4 short pieces including one that was nominated for an Academy award for the best animated short film. After a short introduction segment, that’s the one which kicks this off. Entitled Posessions, it gives an account of a lone traveller seeking refuge in an abandoned shrine from a terrible storm. This is followed by a tragic tale of love and honour of a fire-fighter in the Edo period of ancient Japan. Gambo is a huge white bear that appears at a village in need of protection from a big red demon. The quartet is completed by A Farewell to Arms, a story about a team sent out to reclaim or destroy old weapons some of which are still very much active and very dangerous. Of the four I’d say the last one was my favourite as it seemed to tell a more complete story than the others. I’d certainly watch if this was developed into either a series or feature length production. The others were all still enjoyable in their own right but each was very different to the others in both style and content.

Based on true events, Giovanni’s Island is set at the conclusion of the Second World War and tells the story of the Russian occupation of one small island off the coast of the Japanese mainland. Told from the perspective of two young brothers as they come to terms with the presence of the soldiers and their families from a strange land. This poignant beautifully told tale deals not only with the invaders pushing out families from their homes but also deportation and concentration camps but also offers up hope in the shape of the integration of the children of the colliding communities. The only one of the six films on show that deservedly earned a smattering of applause at its conclusion. Already a multi-award winning film I wouldn’t be surprised to see this go on and win more.

There was then a 45 minute intermission so we could all go and grab something to eat or just stretch our legs if so inclined before the final two films of the day.

Ghost in the Shell is 1 year short of its 20th year anniversary and was shown with a new digital cinema print that looked fantastic. A science fiction classic that deals with human consciousness in an ever-expanding information reliant world. What happens when a hacker can literally get inside someone’s brain and not only make them think they’re someone they’re not but also give them false memories to complete the persona. It’s led to the formation of Section 9, a counter-terrorism security force made up of an elite team of specialists of differing backgrounds whose latest case is trying to track down the Puppet Master, an internationally known criminal who is capable of such a feat. It was great to finally see a classic of the anime world on a big screen.

We finished the day with another classic and another film that deals with the aftermath of World War II in Japan, Grave of the Fireflies. This is the heartbreaking tale of a young boy and his even younger sister who lose their mother to the war and are forced into caring for themselves when their only available relative makes it fairly plain she doesn’t want anything to do with them. I’m just going to say that it doesn’t end well so if you feel inclined to watch this for the first time have some tissues handy.

This hauntingly powerful film brought the day to a close and it was time for us all to head off into the night and make our way home. So I slunk off to the station and caught the next scheduled train and finally got home just after midnight. All in all, a good day out with another pilgrimage to Leeds to look forward to on Sunday.

Sounds like a great day's viewing, and well worth the early start. Of those movies I've only seen Ghost in the shell, which I'd love to see again - I think I'd get more from it on a second viewing - and Grave of the fireflies, which "heartbreaking" doesn't even begin to describe. It was incredibly powerful without needing to resort to cheap tricks to manipulate the emotions.

Paprika by Yasutaka Tsutsui

Kosaku Tokita and Atsuko Chiba have been short-listed for a Nobel Prize for their work in developing and using psychotherapy devices allowing an analyst to access and even enter and affect a patient's dreams. But it seems that someone at the Institute for Psychiatric Research may be intent on sabotaging their chances. Chiba, in the guise of Paprika, has been using the device to treat high-end businessmen and is asked by the Institute's president to help one of his friend's who's been suffering from a severe anxiety neurosis. As the technology is still only in the development stage then its use outside of the lab is illegal and with the increased press scrutiny may provide the opportunity the saboteurs require. When 5 of the 6 newest prototypes go missing maybe they also have the means as well. Can Chiba/Paprika scuttle their plans and prevent a catastrophe that misuse of the new devices may bring?

I came to this book through the anime movie (unfortunately Satoshi Kon's last directorial feature film) and I'm glad I experienced them in that order. The film really helped me visualise the more surreal moments of the story towards the end of the book when dreamscape and reality merge. There are two main issues I had with this book. The first is what I assume is probably the translation. It is often stilted and doesn't flow all that naturally. The second, and less forgiving, is how much the use of sex and rape is used as a plot device. Pretty much all of the male characters want to have sex with Atsuko Chiba in one form or another, whether it's as a willing partner or not. Despite that, there's still a decent story in there with some interesting concepts that make the reader think. Because of this I would be willing to give the author a further try especially when another of his titles (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) has also been adapted into an acclaimed anime movie. 3★'s

Part two of the anime watching from the festival happened yesterday. Although the first presentation didn't start until 12:30 I only started out just a little later than last week. This was due to the cinema being quite a distance out of the centre of Leeds (close to 3 miles I believe). As long as the weather held up then I planned on walking and despite being quite overcast that's what I did. It was quite a trek but made it in plenty of time. Cottage Rd Cinema is apparently one of the oldest, continuously operating cinemas in the UK having been going since 1912 and has a real old-school feel about it.

The first movie of the day was another Ghibli classic, and definitely one of my own personal favourites, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. There's a big ecological message in this film with nature fighting back after near man's ever escalating wars have led to it's near destruction. The Sea of Decay encroaches on the few surviving pockets of humanity spreading its poisons and toxins as it does. The Valley of the Wind is one such community, protected by sea breezes that keep the spores away. But their idyllic life can't survive when it is invaded by another more warrior-like society that wants to attack the Sea of Decay and destroy it with the aid of a machine from the past that they have resurrected. When Nausicaa is taken hostage for her community's good behaviour she ends up in the Sea of Decay when the fleet she is travelling in is itself attacked. Will she be able to survive and return to her own land and save her people and even the whole planet with what she learns there?

Showing right after this movie was a documentary on Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. Shadowing the maestro while making The Wind Rises the viewer get to watch the creative process behind what makes such great films. Now past 70, Miyazaki still sets himself a punishing schedule working 10 hour days, six days a week and even helping clean up the river on his day off. It delves deeply into the professional relationship between some of the key players at Ghibli with major contributions from long-time producer Toshio Suzuki and fellow director Isao Takahada. Allowed in to every part of the Studio filming board meetings, artists at work, the daily callisthenics radio workout and even following Miyazaki back home it really shows off not just the creative process but everything behind the scenes of an production. A great insight into a master of his craft.

The walk back into town didn't seem to take quite as long as the way there, possibly because I knew where I was going. Even though taking my time I still had more than a couple of hours to kill before the final film of the day so I went to grab something to eat and settled down to read for a while.

Wings of Honneamise concerns a fictional space race with a country's attempt to be first with a manned space flight. Initially derided, the Space Defence Force is filled with members who can't quite cut it when trying to get into the other armed forces of the military. With funding about to disappear Shiro volunteers to become the first astronaut but the country's leaders are not sure of the viability of the project and only continue with it as they can't see an easy way to terminate it with the rest of the world watching on, especially a neighbouring country that is casting envious looks in their direction. Can the group of misfits assembled for the space program succeed against all the odds? Excellent animation for its time, originally released in 1987, this was another film shown with a new digital print that shows off this production really well. It's a fairly slow moving plot with just a few action set pieces along the way but builds up into a high-tension climax of the will-they won't-they variety.

Another fantastic day out thanks to Leeds International Film Festival. Long may it continue!

>63 AHS-Wolfy: The dream part sounds a bit like The Lathe of Heaven.

>65 Jim53: I can't compare as, shamefully, The Earthsea Quartet is the only book of hers that I've read so far.

>63 AHS-Wolfy: Paprika sounds like one I'd like, Dave. Onto the TBR it goes.

>67 jnwelch: It will be interesting to see what you think of it Joe. Going into it fresh without seeing the movie first may give a different perspective on things.

Black Butterfly by Mark Gatiss

Third and final book in the Lucifer Box trilogy. Lucifer's career is winding down and the Royal Academy, of which he's risen to be its head, is being subsumed by MI6. After attending a funeral for a friend and having his advances spurned by Miss Beveridge, his secretary, he's off to drown his sorrows at the club. Unfortunately his plan is thwarted when an old politician, Sir Vyvyan Hooplah, goes off the rails and starts shooting the place up and steals Lucifer's car for his getaway. Giving chase, Lucifer finally catches up to him when the recklessly attempted escape ends badly and with just enough time to hear his dying words: "Le papillon noir". This event seems to match other recent deaths of prominent people so when Lucifer spots the last person that Hooplah was talking to in the club who has also appeared at the crash site Lucifer decides to follow him. He trails him to the airport, onto a plane headed for Athens and then, despite a friendly warning to desist, a train to Istanbul. Can Lucifer decipher the meaning behind Hooplah's last words and how they relate to the other death's in time for his retirement party?

I enjoyed the first book in the trilogy but felt somewhat let down by it's sequel so my expectations weren't too high going into this third outing for the spoofed up Bondian superspy. It probably lived up to what I was expecting and may have even exceeded them a little after getting past the long-winded set-up. The plot lies somewhere between the aforementioned Bond and an Austin Powers movie involving an enemy from Lucifer's past, a scouting Jamboree and a few exotic locations. While not laugh out loud funny there are a few smirks to be had along the way but if character names such as those already mentioned as well as Kingdom Kum, Whitley Bey and Melissa ffawthawte don't float your boat then it's probably best to steer clear. 3★'s

A Dangerous Man by Charlie Huston

The final instalment in the Henry "Hank" Thompson trilogy begins with Henry now working as an enforcer for Russian mobster David to protect his parents. His interest in his own life is gone, continually feeding his body with a mix of drugs just to get through each day and he can't even manage the simple task of shooting a prostrate victim in the back of the head without assistance. His boss offers him one last job or he'll finally cut his losses and Henry will be no more. He's surprised when this job turns out to be babysitting a young man with a large gambling problem. Miguel Arenas is a future sporting superstar, first round pick for the NY Mets, and has come to Vegas for a last hurrah. Henry manages to make a good impression so when Miguel is sent to the Brooklyn Cyclones and is told he needs a minder he demands that Henry is the one he wants. This means a return to where is all began for Henry. Will his past come back to haunt him or will old haunts revitalise his lust for life?

This is a dark, violent and brutal finale to what's been a very good series. Having said that, it's also not without an emotional impact as long as you have followed the protagonist's journey from the start. I doubt you would warm to the lead if you came to this book first (so read Caught Stealing and Six Bad Things first) if you haven't already done so. An excellent set of characters, believable dialogue and an unrelenting pace make the pages fly by right up until the fitting conclusion. 4★'s

John Dies at the End by David Wong

This book started out life as intermittent postings on a blog while the author worked two jobs. Good word of mouth meant the story kept expanding and the audience for it grew until such time as an independent publisher offered to pick it up and put it out there for an even wider world. The momentum of the story continued and it's now also been adapted into a movie that I'll have to check out at some point. The author is currently executive editor for cracked.com, which provides a pointer to the nature of this book. Usually, as far as I'm concerned, comedy and horror don't mix all that well tending to smother each other and resulting in the finished product being too light on both. This is a rare example of the mash-up working well. Genuine creepiness merged with the utterly bizarre and laced with humour around a good story told by a not entirely trustworthy narrator. It won't work for everyone but it did for me and I'll definitely be grabbing the sequel at some point. 4★'s

>71 AHS-Wolfy: I really enjoyed This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch It which is the sequel to John Dies At the End although I still have not read the latter.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Thomas is the latest arrival to The Glades, a community of teenage boys slap bang in the middle of a great big maze. With no memory of their former lives the boys are expected to run their homestead, farm, tend to the animals, feed themselves while also trying to solve the riddle of the maze. All newcomers undergo a period of induction to see which of the many jobs they are best suited for but all Thomas wants is to be a Runner. One of those that go out into the maze and search for a way out. Just after Thomas' arrival an unusual event happens, another newbie. Usually they only turn up once a month but what's even more shocking is that this time it's a girl. She's almost dead and holding a note saying she will be the last. What does this mean for the Gladers and how will it shake things up?

After a bright opening that asked a lot of questions (many of which are not answered in this volume) this book proved to be a slog to get through the next couple of hundred pages. Not one likeable character appeared especially with the main character having a superiority complex. Thomas is also the only one who wants to question everything with all the others seeming to just accept their situation and carry on with their lot as given to them. It's not until later in the book that things pick up and the story moves to its inevitable conclusion. That was another problem that this book had as for me there were no surprises. Every major plot point was signposted beforehand and it was really only a matter of who survived the ending. It wasn't an awful book, just not a very good one and because I bought the trilogy in a pack I will probably at some point continue with the next in the series with hope that it will get better. 3★'s

Mike Summerbee: The Autobiography

The life of one of Manchester City's greatest footballing heroes. It delves into his early life with a mostly absent father (also a professional footballer who wasn't so well treated by the sport), his early playing career in the lower divisions and how he had to engineer his own move to a big club (no agents at that time), subsequent international career with England and the end of his playing career going back down the leagues again. It also touches on his brush with film stardom by way of an appearance in the movie Escape to Victory alongside such acting luminaries as Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone. Then there is the return to City in a corporate hospitality role and my copy of the book (the softback version) also has additional chapters detailing the two takeover's of the club that have happened in recent years and how he has now become the official club ambassador a role he still fills to this day.

A good read full of the humour of the man as he recollects incidents from his life and career that provides insights into the nature of the game and how it has changed over the years. Of interest only to those die-hard football nuts and fans of Manchester City in particular. 3½★'s

73> The Maze Runner trilogy doesn't get better, it gets worse. My theory is that James Dashner didn't know the answers to any of the questions that he raised in Maze Runner, so the rest of the trilogy is him coming up with even more preposterous answers.

>74 pwaites: As that seems to be the general consensus on the series I might just end up cutting my losses and not continuing on.

I Play the Drums in a Band Called okay by Toby Litt

This is a band memoir from the drummer (Clap - real name Brian) of a fictional indies rock group that taste all the highs and most of the lows that the music business has to offer. It's told in vignette form and jumps around in place and time quite a bit which may cause some confusion but as I read this in one sitting (ah! the joys of working the nightshift!) it worked out just fine for me. The rest of the band, Syph (Charismatic (read "gets all the girls") vocalist), Crab (Guitar, alcoholic) and Mono (Bassist) are brought to visual life as the narrator spills the beans on the sex, drugs and rock 'n roll lifestyle that spans more than 20 years. There's a nice touch at the end of the book with a where are they now and discography section which could help with the chronology.

Often hilariously funny it can also become quite poignant at times. Not only do you get to hear of some of the excesses of life in the music business but also some light-hearted moments that are really sweet such as the groupie who gets left at a hotel as the band are whisked away on promotional events only to return 10 days later to find she's still there but hasn't run up a room service bill or even touched the mini-bar. Stylistically, I'd put this book somewhere in between Nick Hornby and Douglas Coupland adding in a little Martin Millar along the way but the author has a voice all his own and one which I want to hear more of. 4★'s

I should probably give an update on my digital adventures in comic-book land:

The plan was to catch up to the TV series with The Walking Dead and that's what I've now done having reached issue #69. Still enjoying the series but it was time to give something else a try so after receiving many nudges in its direction (thanks everyone who has pointed me that way or just provided encouraging reviews in recent times) I switched over to Locke & Key I've read the first 3 volumes and am halfway through the 4th. What a fantastic series this is! It's a creepy supernatural tale focusing on the lives and tribulations of a family moving to their ancestral home after the father is murdered. It's a spooky house with lots of secrets and there are some nasty characters that will stop at nothing to to try and unlock them. Will definitely be looking to acquire real copies of these books so that I can fully appreciate all the work that's gone into making them.

Zoo Station by David Downing

The first book in an ongoing series featuring an English journalist, John Russell, living and working in pre-WWII Germany. He has a young son, Paul, from a failed marriage to a German woman. Like all boys his age, Paul is a member of the Hitler Youth but he still gets to see him on a regular basis. Russell is also very involved with Effi, a German actress and with everything pointing towards a forthcoming war he doesn't want to provoke the ire of the administration which would lose him his job and to face probable deportation which would cause him to lose contact with those he loves. That's why he's loath to get involved when an American colleague asks for his help on a story that may shed light on the Nazi brutality but as he's only acting as an interpreter for an interview with a nurse who has some vital information he reluctantly agrees. Later, when his colleague is found dead by apparent suicide, Russell's conscience is pricked into taking action of his own. He's also been approached by an agent of the Russian NKVD to write a series of positive articles on the Nazi regime to help soften up the Soviet people to accept a non-aggression pact with Germany. As he'll probably need all the help he can get to remain in the country in future Russell agrees to write the articles. As if this wasn't enough, Russell also teaches English and he's just been asked to help a Jewish family as they prepare to emigrate to England. What could possibly go wrong?

This is very much an opening book for a series with the first half of this story more involved with setting the scene and atmosphere of the times and laying out the groundwork for future instalments. Despite the slow build-up it's not a dull read as there was enough going on to keep me enthralled in the action. Very similar in this respect to Alan Furst's series of espionage novels which I've also enjoyed immensely (the ones I've read so far that is). It's a very well written character study set amidst rising tensions with a credible lead who has to make some tough decisions in order to keep his head above water and still be able to remain in the place he wants to be. Definitely a series that I intend to continue with in the future. 4★'s

Bedlam by Christopher Brookmyre

Another offering that is somewhat different than this author's usual style (also see Pandaemonium) as he ventures into the science fiction genre. Ross Baker is a tech-savvy geek working for a medical research facility in Stirling, Scotland. The last thing he remembered before waking to find himself in the middle of a video game was having a brain scan taken on an experimental machine that the company he works for has developed and that he himself has been writing the software to decode its findings. He does find out that he can respawn once he dies though so I guess that's a plus. The big problem though is that he's not the hero of this particular game or any of the others he finds he can gain access to so can he find out what's going on and more importantly quit the game and get back to reality and his girlfriend who he's just found out is pregnant?

This book is quite difficult to get to grips with at first as there is no exposition to help set the scene. There are also a few timeline/setting jumps that also help to disorient the reader. So, just like the main protagonist, you really don't have much of a clue as to what's going on but everything is all cleared up in the end. You don't have to be a gamer to recognise most of the areas featured in the Gamerverse as most of the titles are iconic such as Quake, Team Fortress, GTA etc. though some of the references and in-jokes may be lost on the non-gamers and I expect I missed quite a few. Brookmyre's usual comedic element is used to full effect as he brings it to bear on philosophical musings on the nature of life and consciousness and is particularly scathing on Daily Mail/Fox News devotees. So while the concept of being stuck in virtual reality is not an original one it is handled with Mr Brookmyre's usual panache with the exception of the previous niggle of the beginning being hard to get to grips with. 4★'s

Year end stats and summary:

Total books read: 42 (Hopefully 43 before the new year starts) - Total doesn't include my digital comic reading as I read mostly in individual volumes rather than TPB's or full books so makes it harder to reckon up.

Primary Tag:
Sci-Fi 9
Crime 8
Fantasy 6
Biography 3
Contemporary Fiction 3
Graphic Novel 3
Historical Fiction 3
Humour 3
Urban Fantasy 3
Horror 2

Original Language
English 38
Japanese 2
Russian 1
Swedish 1

Author
Male 37
Female 4
Both 1

Ratings
3★'s: 7
3½★'s: 9
4★'s: 18
4½★'s: 6
5★'s: 3

Least favourite books read for 2014
Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Black Butterfly by Mark Gatiss

Overall favourites
Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway
Cold Days by Jim Butcher
Preacher Book Six by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

Summary: My reading totals have dropped by around a third for this year compared to the last few that I've been tracking. A large contributory factor for this was the changes to my shift-pattern at work and other things that were happening there. When things settled down I was able to pick up the pace a little so I'm hoping this year is just a blip and not a pointer to future endeavours. Overall the quality of the books I've read has been pretty good with nothing under 3★'s and the majority being 4 or above although I may have been a bit generous on my ratings this year.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to check on my progress throughout the year. Once again it's been fun and I look forward to seeing you all next year.