‘How would you describe Hell? she asked Arkady. He thought about it. ‘A Party Congress. A four-hour speech by the Secretary General. No, an eternal spe‘How would you describe Hell? she asked Arkady. He thought about it. ‘A Party Congress. A four-hour speech by the Secretary General. No, an eternal speech. The delegates spread out like flatfish listening to a speech that goes on and on and on.�
Well it’s years since I read Gorky Park, the previous book in the Arkady Renko series. Can I remember the story or the character- nah. But as a standalone this was a cracker and I will add Gorky Park to a re-read list.
Set on an Arctic trawler Renko investigates the murder of a young girl brought up in a fishing net. Lots of twists and turns. Great dialogue. Renko as the antithesis of the Communist Party man. Relentlessly searching for the truth in a Harry Bosch way. No respect for authority or others just wanting closure with the truth. ...more
“It is a great gift to be able to lie so as to convince other people. It is a still greater gift to be able to lie so as to convince oneself. William “It is a great gift to be able to lie so as to convince other people. It is a still greater gift to be able to lie so as to convince oneself. William was possessed of the latter gift.�
After the success of Stalky and Co I have begun reading to my dad another of his book favourites from his youth.
Whilst I have seen a few adaptations on tv of the exploits of William I had not read any of the books. William is 11 years old. Younger than Stalky and not at a private school. He is also less malicious. Things happen around William by chance. He has a group of friends like Stalky but there ends the similarity.
William is just a boy that gets into mischief. The collection of chapter stories are read easily. I will hopefully look forward to reading them to my grandsons when they are a bit older,
Violet Bott doesn’t feature in this book and I await her appearance. My favourite character has to be William’s father. A man who yearns for a quiet and happy life…but William is always around.
‘He’s mad! He’s mad, I tell you.� William’s father to his wife.
Surprisingly given the vast library of books that James Patterson has written this is only my sixth. It is also only the third featuring Alex Cross, wSurprisingly given the vast library of books that James Patterson has written this is only my sixth. It is also only the third featuring Alex Cross, who previously I had mixed up with Amos Decker in the David Baldacci books. This is also book 3 in the series. The others I have read are all much later so this is good for fleshing out his character a bit more. Lost his wife…loves his two kids and his Nana. And doesn’t have a photographic memory nor linebacker build....more
‘Cross-dressing, torture, oodles of violence - this pungent example of historical noir has the lot.� Review from The Times.
Great Charity shop find. Si‘Cross-dressing, torture, oodles of violence - this pungent example of historical noir has the lot.� Review from The Times.
Great Charity shop find. Sixteenth century thriller set in Florence. Introducing Cesare Aldo a law enforcer in the Otto di Guardia e Balia. Investigating the murder of a cross-dresser and a Jewish money lender. The book bounds along at great pace. The descriptions of the characters, time and violence are well done.
I really enjoyed the character of Aldo. His actions in the last few pages whilst shocking had me cheering. I will be looking out more of his stories.
The other good thing was this was only the second historical novel read before Clemens ...more
…At last she was dead. Where there had been terror, there was now only emptiness. Dead eyes. Those of a fish on an iced slab. Her body dormant, the fin…At last she was dead. Where there had been terror, there was now only emptiness. Dead eyes. Those of a fish on an iced slab. Her body dormant, the final spasm exhausted, the final gasp silenced. Her last expression dissolved�
A strong opening but unfortunately not the strongest of the authors works I have read. I was disappointed to have read the last of his works ‘Ash� back in 2021. But happy that there were many others still to tick off.
Childes experiences a connection with murderers. Actually seeing the murders take place. After being hounded by the Press after a successful crime solving he escapes to an Island (imagine Jersey) and becomes a teacher at a Girl’s private school.
To my mind not much happens until the final denouement. It also looks like Childes with an acceptance of his new power may feature in other books. ...more
I had read ‘Cider with Rosie� many moons ago. But I had no idea it was part of an autobiographical trilogy and that my Dad had this book - #2 - in hisI had read ‘Cider with Rosie� many moons ago. But I had no idea it was part of an autobiographical trilogy and that my Dad had this book - #2 - in his collection.
This tells the story of Laurie Lee leaving his Gloucester home in 1934 at the age of 19. Meandering his way across the English countryside with nothing more than a bag and a violin before reaching Southampton and then departing for Spain. Choosing Spain as he knew one sentence of the language.
His daily trudges to obtain food, money and shelter are a delight to read. Each chapter starts with a simple sketch of people or scenery. He encounters many strange sights on his journey through Spain. The penultimate chapter has the Spanish Civil starting. In the final epilogue Laurie returns home only to travel back through France and into Spain. Where the final book in the trilogy will have him fighting in the International Brigade. After reading Anthony Beevor’s ‘The Battle for Spain� last year this should be a good complementary read....more
Far be if for me to read or believe anything in the Daily Mail. But the blurb on the book cover said - ‘Brilliant, brutal and bloody� - and it was accFar be if for me to read or believe anything in the Daily Mail. But the blurb on the book cover said - ‘Brilliant, brutal and bloody� - and it was accurate.
This was the book I actually bought online whilst reading the first - ‘Essex Dogs� - bought in a Charity shop. This story leads on from the Battle of Crecy that ends book one and into the Siege of Calais.
Again each chapter starts with a 14th century source quote. Some great images and writing as the Essex dog mercenaries continue to fight. The youngster Romford continues to take drugs and the image of him carrying the dead ‘Father� on his back is sublime.
While I felt this book was not quite as strong as the first it was still a great read. My favourite character Northampton (think of Flashheart from Blackadder) continues to have the best quotes:
‘War’s hard on all of us. It’s f’ing war. We all have to find a reason to stay here and keep doing what we do. The people I’m forced to spend my time with do that by telling each other it’s a noble enterprise. Virtue, glory, chivalry - all that shit. The tragedy is a lot of them f’ing believe it. Then they get their throats cut while they’re draining their cocks.�
‘Where’s the big ginger one?� ‘Gone, my lord.� ‘Gone as in dead? Or gone as in f’d off until he gets caught, whipped, fined and sent back?�
Some critical review comments from the Kipling Society website.
‘An unpleasant book about unpleasant boys at an unpleasant school�
`little beasts�
`a mSome critical review comments from the Kipling Society website.
‘An unpleasant book about unpleasant boys at an unpleasant school�
`little beasts�
`a more odious picture of school life can seldom have been drawn�
Read this book to my Dad over a few weeks. It was one of his favourites. I have to say I also enjoyed it.
Boys Own type story of three boys at a Boarding School in Devon in the 1880’s as Afghan Wars still in play. It is essentially a number of short stories packaged together. These are a group of boys you don’t mess with as they will always get the better of their elders.
Stalky is the leader. Not really interested in going into the Army (as the Schools main aim for boys) but is a real leader and will be a hero later. Beetle is the lad with glasses who will not go into the Forces. He is actually Kipling himself. M’Turk the literary one.
Each story has the three pitting their wits against authority. Putting a dead cat under a dormitory floor or getting King (one of the masters) pelted by stones after Stalky uses a catapult on ‘rabbits eggs.� This will be a ruse he uses later against two warring Afghan tribes.
Sad interludes as we hear that other characters from the school have perished in Afghanistan or India. Kipling is a superb writer. I can see the criticism of the book and at times I felt it myself. But it is an uplifting work. A book of its time that is really timeless.
I re-read Kim a few years back. Another of my Dad’s favourites. Will be starting this one again shortly....more
The 3rd in the Slow Horses series my mate in Switzerland sent to me via Amazon. Having watched the 3rd series of Slow Horses on tv I remembered the clThe 3rd in the Slow Horses series my mate in Switzerland sent to me via Amazon. Having watched the 3rd series of Slow Horses on tv I remembered the clever plot. Jackson Lamb is the complete antithesis of George Smiley. Unless I am mistaken, Smiley was never a scruffy, dirty and flatulent fellow. But he was shrewd and cunning.
The characters continue to become even more fleshed out. The exchanges between Lamb and his crew are as always sublime. But so are those of his team between themselves. I also love the almost Dickensian openings and closing of the books.
Just a few quotes to give you the flavour:
Lamb talking -
‘A birdy tells me you’ve got one of mine in your lock-up.� ‘That would be River Cartwright.� ‘Yes but don’t blame me. I think his mother was a hippy.� ‘Smoke a lot of dope while he was in the womb, did she? That might explain today’s dipshit behaviour. And I thought he was one of your cleverer boys.� ‘Mind like a razor,� Lamb agreed. ‘Disposable.�
Louisa returned to the sitting room, trying not to compare and contrast with her own studio flat, which was tiny and crooked and needed serious attention, like maybe arson.�
In a nearby flowerbed a scatter of feathers betrayed where a fox had caught a pigeon, unless the pigeon had simply exploded.
I am now watching series 4 on tv so will delay reading book 4 for a while. If you have the opportunity to subscribe to Apple TV for a month just binge watch Slow Horses! Wait for a while as series 4 is dropping weekly...more
Weighty book of 628 pages and Harry doesn’t turn up until page 200. Book 10 of the series and I had read book 9 so wasn’t sure if Harry was returning Weighty book of 628 pages and Harry doesn’t turn up until page 200. Book 10 of the series and I had read book 9 so wasn’t sure if Harry was returning or not.
Complex story of cop murders with lots of twists and turns. And of course I didn’t work out who dunnit until the end. Harry is off the booze and no longer on the force but continues to have a great brain.
The story ends with an opening for a future book. But unfortunately I can’t remember the details of book 11. So it may or not be in that.
Lovely writing and dialogue as always.
Aune the psychologist:
‘Don’t overestimate my abilities, Beate. I entered the field of psychology when it was seen as a good option for those too stupid to be doctors or engineers.�
‘Nope,� Katrine said. ‘Women can’t park, they don’t remember football results and they can’t be bothered to learn the fiddly bits on computers. For that you need weird men with band T-shirts and minimal sex lives, and it’s been like this ever since the Stone Age.� ...more
Absolute scorcher of a novel. Had read Dan Browns non-fiction work on the Templars. But this was his first foray into non-fiction, starting with the HAbsolute scorcher of a novel. Had read Dan Browns non-fiction work on the Templars. But this was his first foray into non-fiction, starting with the Hundred Years War between England and France. This was also a historical novel that Clemens hadn’t beaten me to reading....more
Nice to see a sequel as good if not better than the first. Reading the Jackson Lamb Slow Horses series my mate in Switzerland sent me. As it is unlike Nice to see a sequel as good if not better than the first. Reading the Jackson Lamb Slow Horses series my mate in Switzerland sent me. As it is unlikely he will send anymore I will be reading slowly ie not in quick succession.
This story has Jackson Lamb and his team of deadbeats exiled from MI6 proper to Slough House (slow horses) identifying a Russian sleeper cell in a quaint English village. And dealing with a dangerous Russian gangster.
After watching the series on Apple TV the characters and story are well known. Lamb is the antithesis of James Bond. He is a bad tempered, flatulent, whisky drinking, fat and dirty clothed man. But his skills as an agent are not to be denied.
The book is overfilled with great comic exchanges and the initial description of the cat observing the Slough house characters at the beginning and a mouse doing the same at the end is sublime. Mick Herron has created a great series.
‘Speaking of legs,� said Jackson Lamb and raised his so they stuck out horizontally, then farted. ‘I was always going to do that, too,� he pointed out. He put his feet back on the ground. ‘Doesn’t make it any less effective.�
Whatever you thought of Lamb’s act, nobody ever accused his farts of lacking authenticity.
Ok so it is unlikely Herron will be getting many Booker prize nominations. But for great comic stories he is the man...more
Book found in hospital charity shop on visit to my dad. Eyes caught the red hare on the cover and the words written on each side of the book end pagesBook found in hospital charity shop on visit to my dad. Eyes caught the red hare on the cover and the words written on each side of the book end pages.
Sad story of a couple (Richard and Juliette) who lose their five year old son (Ewan) and try to come to terms with their grief. The wife by introducing some Occultists into her life. The husband by digging in a field for the roots of an ancient hanging oak. And finding the bones of a Hare that reanimates itself.
Whilst not a visceral shell shock horror story ala King or Straub. This story built well to the crescendo.
One of the reviews on the back cover states:
‘The best closing line of any novel we have read this year…A strange and unsettling read.� Both comments spot on.
Some great quotes:
…’a church was merely a meeting place for the mentally ill, and that all who gathered there- priest and parishioners- were as fearful and asanine as schizophrenics. There was no God, no heaven or hell, no posthumous judgement for wickedness or reward for piety; there was no resurrection, no transfiguration, no illimitable bliss, no life everlasting. The sum of human existence was collagen and calcium phosphate. And then nothing.�
As a lapsed Catholic I found this tough to digest.
‘It seemed to Richard sometimes that Juliette had actually brought twins into the world: Ewan and guilt.�
Brilliant writing and a quick read. A nice afterword by the Author also included in this edition. ...more
I remember the reports in the Press about this book when it first came out. Efforts to smear Harold Wilson; the allegation that Sir Roger Hollis the fI remember the reports in the Press about this book when it first came out. Efforts to smear Harold Wilson; the allegation that Sir Roger Hollis the former Director of MI5 was a Soviet agent - to name but a few. Margaret Thatcher trying to ban it.
Peter Wright (former MI5 Intelligence Officer and Assistant Director) comes over in his writing as a pretty disillusioned and at times petty guy. Not helped by the fact that MI5 reneged on honouring a pension agreement. The book is a torrent of names - double agents, Russian, Czech spies and of course our own ‘Apostles.� The Cambridge spies - Burgess, Maclean, Philby, Blunt et al. Wright details his scientific approach to bugging his way around the diplomatic offices of most countries.
Some of the information beggars belief. Wright recounts his vetting process:
‘We moved onto my personal life. He danced around the subject until finally he asked: ‘Ever been queer by any chance?� ‘Never in my life.� ‘Have you ever been approached by anyone to do clandestine work?� ‘Only by you,� He tried to laugh, but it was clearly a line he had heard a thousand times before. He unlocked his desk drawer and gave me a form to fill in with details of next of kin. I was vetted. No wonder it was so easy for Philby, Burgess, Maclean and Blunt.
It surprised me that after Blunt was outed as a spy that Wright spent 6 years debriefing him. Of course each name took me to Wikipedia and another spiral down the rat hole look at shady people and times. Also leading me to a free pdf by Nigel West � The A-Z of Sexspionage� which I will get round to one day.
In the meantime my love of the spy genre has been rekindled by a mate now living in Switzerland. He sent me 6 books by Mick Herron to read. ‘Slow Horses� I have already ticked off and passed to my wife. As I start on ‘Dead Lions.� Life is good...more
Saw the TV adaptation some years back and can still visualise David Suchet as Dr Fagan. This farce like story has Paul Pennyfeather losing his life asSaw the TV adaptation some years back and can still visualise David Suchet as Dr Fagan. This farce like story has Paul Pennyfeather losing his life as a monied gent when sent down from University. He is debagged by drunken yahoos and thrown out for running naked through the cloisters. He has to become a teacher at a low key public school. Where the gross characters and farcical situations kick off.
Waugh lampoons race, colour, creed, religion, class…everything …in a wicked manner (ie politically incorrect as of today).
The monologue about the Welsh is side splitting - unless you are Welsh of course ...more
Odd Thomas is a young short order cook at a diner who can set his wakening time in a Jack Reacher like manner without a watBook found in Orford visit.
Odd Thomas is a young short order cook at a diner who can set his wakening time in a Jack Reacher like manner without a watch. And like the young boy Cole in the film ‘Sixth Sense� see dead people.
From giving rides to a dead Elvis to seeing malevolent ‘bodachs� who portend death. Odd Thomas is faced with having 24 hours to save the town of Pico Mundo from potential mass violence.
As always Koontz layers on the characters and story to a crescendo. Lovely banter between the characters and a nice love story between Odd and his girlfriend Stormy Llewellyn.
Great exchange between Odd and the Police chief:
“I wish you could do more,� I said.
“Son, this is the United States of America. Some would say it’s unconstitutional to try to prevent psychopaths from fulfilling their potential.�
Look forward to reading more in a series that I actually started with the first book....more
I have to say that ‘Smilla’s Sense of Snow� has been my favourite of the 3 books by the Author I have read. There has been a diminished utility of eacI have to say that ‘Smilla’s Sense of Snow� has been my favourite of the 3 books by the Author I have read. There has been a diminished utility of each since. I struggled with this one. Not sure how much was the book and how much me. I even broke in mid read to dig out a Koontz.
The author and main character have the same name but not sure this is autobiographical. Three children progress as orphans from various Danish institutions to Biehl’s Academy - an elite private school. All having lost parents for various reasons including for one killing them. They come together almost as Father, Mother and Son. Discovering the reason they have been sent there and trying to escape.
The last part of the book is a philosophical discussion on the concept of time.
Hoeg’s writing style is intriguing. Short pieces within chapters. Flicking between time and pronouns. It reminds me of an Umberto Eco read at times. I will look out for other books by him hoping that I can get the feel of the first book. Probably need re-reading at sometime. That said Mr Høeg is one of the few Authors who I save after reading. That in itself must say something...more
Read the first book in the series - The Gates of Athens- on recent Madeira holiday. A good find in the apartment library. Knowing it would take years Read the first book in the series - The Gates of Athens- on recent Madeira holiday. A good find in the apartment library. Knowing it would take years to find this in a charity shop I ordered on Amazon. Managed to pluck from postman’s hands before my wife saw it.
The first book was superb. This one was just as good. Following on from the first sacking of Athens this takes us through the sea battles of Salamis and the land battle at Plataea. The battle scenes are visceral in impact. The sad picture of the Spartan slaves throwing themselves against the Persians to at least rid themselves of servitude was profound.
The treatment of Themosticles (ostracised) who appears to have saved Athens a number of times by the fickle masses is a bit rich. But hey ho.
Again I found myself reading Wikipedia links and recognising the flourishes Iggulden adds to the story before his Afterword.
Whilst reading many Roman novels I now need to find more Greek ones.
If you want a more informative review please read Clemens who yet again has read before me...more
‘I am sorry, Edward. I am most terribly sorry.� She paused a moment, she lingered there, waiting for his reply, then she went on her way.�
A short novel‘I am sorry, Edward. I am most terribly sorry.� She paused a moment, she lingered there, waiting for his reply, then she went on her way.�
A short novella of a young newly married couple on their wedding night in the 1960’s. Honeymooning in a hotel on Chesil Beach. This is the night of the consummation of their marriage. Had heard much of the book and the Author but not read.
A story of missed communication, of love and patience, missed opportunities and regret. Five chapters that move back and forth expanding on early and later life. The denouement of the book takes place on Chesil Beach itself.
The last few pages hit me hard and yes dust smotes affected me. I have had ‘Atonement� in my stash for a long time. Always putting it back when choosing a read. Well I won’t put it back again.
Beautiful precise writing style. I feel for Edward and Florence. I note there is a film version also. After reading Stephen Kings 11/22/63 time I wanted a short read. I think I chose well.
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