Nine Dragons - May 2011

29. Nine Dragons (A Harry Bosch Novel) - Michael Connelly

385 pages, Bought from Charity Shop

I really enjoy Michael Connelly's books, especially the ones featuring Detective Harry Bosch. There's a real gritty realism to them which I guess the author picked up while working as a crime beat journalist.

Having said that, in my opinion, this book was not of the high standard of his previous books. Maybe it's because Bosch's estranged wife and daughter are involved in the main plot. I don't know. But, for me, this book just didn't gel like the others.

I'm still a big fan and look forward to the next book as eagerly as ever.

I give this book 3 "Tunnel Rats" out of 5

Assassin's Quest - May 2011

28. Assassin's Quest - Robin Hobb

769 Pages, Borrowed from Local Library

The final book of the Farseer Trilogy and a great end to the series.

I can say this, because I already know there's another trilogy featuring Fitz, The Fool and others!

If I didn't know that there were more books, I'd say this book is a little bit of a downer. It's still very enjoyable though, and once again I'm not going to say anything more as I want you to read these great books and not have me spoil them for you ;)

Beg, borrow or steal to get this trilogy...you'll enjoy them I promise!

I give this book 4.5 "Wits" out of 5

Chicken Soup for The Soul - May 2011

27. Chicken Soup for The Soul - Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen

440 pages, Bought in Charity Shop

I am very happy to admit that I am a 38 year old man and I have recommended this book on many occasions and have lent it out to people on many occasions too.

In fact that's why I had to buy it again...someone never returned it and I can't remember who!

This book, and it's many, many other titles in the series, are like Marmite. [For those who don't know, Marmite is a yeast-based food spread which an equal number of people either love and despise. I am very much a member of the latter community who thinks Marmite should be killed with fire]

Anyhoo...Chicken Soup for The Soul is a collection of 101 stories that will cheer you up when you're sad and will restore your faith in humanity, simple as that! OK, maybe not that simple but it's a book that is really worth a read, regardless of how cynical you may be.

Sometimes it's OK to enjoy a story that pulls at the heart-strings and maybe brings on a tear or two.

For the record, my favourite story in this book is the one about the teacher who got each member of a class to write something about each of their classmates on a sheet of paper. Oh man, the onion ninjas are everywhere when I read that one :)

Having said that, I haven't read any of the other titles in the series (which I just looked up online and discovered there's something like 200 of them so far!!!)

I give this book 5 "Campbell's Soups Cans" out of 5

April Round Up

Books Read in April: 7

John Christopher

Total Pages: 1616
Average Pages Read per day: 53.8

Sources of Books:
Charity Shop: 3
Library: 4

Genres:

Sci Fi: 3
Non-Fiction: 3
Thriller: 1

Find out more about John Christopher on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Christopher




2011 so far:

Books Read: 26

Total Pages: 7627

Average Pages Read per day: 63.5

Sources of Books:
Charity Shop:8
Library: 17
Amazon: 1

Genres:
Fantasy: 5
Sci Fi: 10
Non-Fiction: 8
Crime: 1
Thriller: 2

Theodore Boone - April 2011

26. Theodore Boone - John Grisham

272 Pages, Bought from Charity Shop

I'll be honest about it up front and admit that while I was reading this book I wasn't aware that it had been written for a younger market.

It was only after I'd finished and went online to see if anyone else agreed with my thoughts that the standard of Grisham's writing had seriously declined that this important fact came to light!

When I did find out it was a relief because I though either:

a.) John Grisham had been taking the piss with the half-assed attempt at a book

or

b.) he'd suffered some kind of brain injury and no one wanted to tell him so they let him publish anyway!

Having found out it was neither, I realised the book was much better than the crime ones I read when I was younger (and yes, I'm talking about you Frank and Joe Hardy! I didn't bother with Nancy Drew; and the Famous Five were just annoying!)

So all in all, it WAS a good book, just read in the wrong frame of mind ;)

I give Theodore Boone 3.5 "Kid Lawyer" out of 5

On The Edge - April 2011

25. On The Edge: My Story - Richard Hammond

320 Pages, Bought in Charity Shop

Richard Hammond is a TV presenter and famous for being a host on Top Gear, BBC TV's very popular and funny car programme.

In Sept 2006 while recording a piece for the programme the high-speed dragster he was driving suffered a burst tyre while traveling at speed and he suffered life-threatening head injuries in the crash.

The book follows his life up to the accident, then switches to his wife's story as she dealt with the crash and the aftermath, and then returns to Richard as he explains how life is like after the accident.

This book was more interesting than I thought it would be, to be honest. I also learned a lot about head injuries and what it's like to be a survivor as well as a family member going through it.

I give this book 4 "Hamsters" out of 5

The Stars My Destination - April 2011

24. The Stars My Destination - Alfred Bester

256 Pages, Borrowed from Local Library

Also released under the name "Tyger, Tyger"

A Sci-Fi classic that follows the story of an anti-hero called Gully Foyle.

Gully is the lone survivor on a space ship (NOMAD) that had been attacked. He survives alone for 6 months but when a ship comes past, it ignores his distress signal and leaves him behind.

The anger he feels transforms him into a man consumed with rage and that's when he decides to live, just so he can get his revenge on the ship that left him to die.

Early on, his face is covered by a tiger tattoo. It's an interesting plot device that isn't helped by the illustration on the cover of the book I got...which clearly shows a tattoo that looks nothing like a tiger and has the name NOMAD spelled backwards! I'll add in a large shot of the cover just so you can see :)

It didn't ruin the book for me at all but it's little things like that that sometimes stick in my brain more than plot or characters!

Foyle is definitely an antihero so you find yourself rooting for him and then read about him doing terrible things just because he's angry.

I enjoyed this book especially as it predicted Cyberpunk.

I give this book 4 "Space Jaunts" out of 5