Fancy an intriguing Shakespeare conspiracy, set, unlike the other two I've read, in the Jacobean era? This is a brilliant book, I couldn't put it down. Intrigue, action, and the question: could Shakespeare really have written what he wrote? The answer, at the end? I'm not going to tell you :p You'll have to read it and find out for yourself.
Wonderfully evocative, with an intriguing plot, fast-paced action, and a brilliant hero. I love these books :) Can you tell? From what I've seen, there are only four (although there is a mysterious book mentioned in the historical notes at the end of this one, which suggests a fifth one that google hasn't turned up, so perhaps it's not been published yet), two in the Jacobean period, two under Elizabeth, all fascinating and full of rich detail about court, country, and life. As well as, and this is a particular favourite for me, details about Cambridge at that time, well recreated. And this one even contains a wonderful scene in King's College Chapel. When I'm down in Cambridge, I walk past there every day :) Shame my college never got a mention (Christ's, if you're wondering).
I don't know what else to say really, save that these are definitely books to grab as soon as you see them. Took me long enough to find copies of this one and the one I reviewed yesterday. I don't see why they aren't more popular, to be perfectly honest. So yeh, read them :)
Monday, 11 April 2011
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Imagined Communities
I thought I should probably read this, seeing as the people leading my History of Collecting seminar group always seem to be going on about it. And it was interesting, and mostly well-written. It was just quite pompous in parts, and there were occasions when it felt like the author had been ordered to liven up his text a little, and had complied by throwing in the odd exclamation mark where it wasn't really needed.
That said, I thought the link between 'print capitalism' (yeh, does that give you the idea of how the thing was staged) and nationalism was well documented and explored. And the point that it's something we blame for things but don't often look at in any great depth is also a good one.
One other stylistic point that really, really annoyed me. I've gone to great length to learn how to do footnotes properly (footnotes and I had a long battle during my first term, a battle which was decisively solved in my favour when I discovered that most supervisors don't insist upon them), and got told off for putting in discursive footnotes. I complained that I was just copying what I'd seen done by other authors, which didn't really hold weight, and was told that footnotes are not the place to bung in additional information that kinda supports your argument. Be that as it may, Benedict Anderson was using them as though he got a bonus point for every footnote. I wonder why the blogger spelling checker doesn't like the word footnote, or at least, doesn't like it in some circumstances but is quite happy with it in others... Sorry, random aside :)
Right, well, aside from being somewhat pompous in parts and having these terrible discursive footnotes that we history students must not in any circumstances allow ourselves to use, (oh for goodness sake, what's wrong with ourselves?!) it's actually pretty interesting. And I guess it's one of those books that you bandy about to make the point that you are learned and all those wonderful things (now it's going after things, seriously, I think the blogger spellchecker machine has issues... just going to turn it off, there, obtrusive yellow highlighting which has enabled me to double the length of this otherwise rather humdrum review has been vanquished). I'm not sounding very positive, am I? I actually enjoyed the book, though was irritated by the number of words I didn't know. I do have a pretty reasonable vocabulary, and there wasn't a convenient dictionary while I was reading. Meh. Also, some of the illustrations used assumed knowledge I didn't have, and there was an assumed knowledge of language (one rather long paragraph in French had the attached footnote that the translation suchabody had done was unsatisfactory, without giving any sense of what the French bit actually said... My French was just about good enough to figure what it was probably saying, but it was irritating).
The way he studied the growth of nationalism was interesting, the reasons given for its arrival in the New World before the old convincing. It's quite an interesting book, and it's probably worth reading. I read it in two days, so it was certainly an interesting one. I still have Fritz Fischer's War of Illusions staring at me menacingly from under my desk with a bookmark maybe a quarter of the way through, and it's been there maybe two, three weeks. It's not a perfect book (is there such a thing?), but it's interesting.
That said, I thought the link between 'print capitalism' (yeh, does that give you the idea of how the thing was staged) and nationalism was well documented and explored. And the point that it's something we blame for things but don't often look at in any great depth is also a good one.
One other stylistic point that really, really annoyed me. I've gone to great length to learn how to do footnotes properly (footnotes and I had a long battle during my first term, a battle which was decisively solved in my favour when I discovered that most supervisors don't insist upon them), and got told off for putting in discursive footnotes. I complained that I was just copying what I'd seen done by other authors, which didn't really hold weight, and was told that footnotes are not the place to bung in additional information that kinda supports your argument. Be that as it may, Benedict Anderson was using them as though he got a bonus point for every footnote. I wonder why the blogger spelling checker doesn't like the word footnote, or at least, doesn't like it in some circumstances but is quite happy with it in others... Sorry, random aside :)
Right, well, aside from being somewhat pompous in parts and having these terrible discursive footnotes that we history students must not in any circumstances allow ourselves to use, (oh for goodness sake, what's wrong with ourselves?!) it's actually pretty interesting. And I guess it's one of those books that you bandy about to make the point that you are learned and all those wonderful things (now it's going after things, seriously, I think the blogger spellchecker machine has issues... just going to turn it off, there, obtrusive yellow highlighting which has enabled me to double the length of this otherwise rather humdrum review has been vanquished). I'm not sounding very positive, am I? I actually enjoyed the book, though was irritated by the number of words I didn't know. I do have a pretty reasonable vocabulary, and there wasn't a convenient dictionary while I was reading. Meh. Also, some of the illustrations used assumed knowledge I didn't have, and there was an assumed knowledge of language (one rather long paragraph in French had the attached footnote that the translation suchabody had done was unsatisfactory, without giving any sense of what the French bit actually said... My French was just about good enough to figure what it was probably saying, but it was irritating).
The way he studied the growth of nationalism was interesting, the reasons given for its arrival in the New World before the old convincing. It's quite an interesting book, and it's probably worth reading. I read it in two days, so it was certainly an interesting one. I still have Fritz Fischer's War of Illusions staring at me menacingly from under my desk with a bookmark maybe a quarter of the way through, and it's been there maybe two, three weeks. It's not a perfect book (is there such a thing?), but it's interesting.
The Desperate Remedy
Quite simply, it's brilliant. An evocative rendering of the early years of James I/VI, an intense thriller, a gripping read. What amazes me is that the author, Martin Stephen, doesn't seem to be on any recommended reading lists, or not ones that I've seen. I don't normally go in for historical fiction, but I picked up one of his books before and was, quite frankly, hooked.
I have one quibble with the series, and it's this: what order are these books supposed to go in?! I'm sure that The Desparate Remedy is the first that was published (one sec, checking Fantastic Fiction... Yep, it is). But it seems to be the last chronologically. Also, according to the same source, the most recent was back in 2006. I hope there's more, I've nearly run out, I managed to find an omnibus in a charity shop today which had the only two I hadn't read.
The more I learn about Elizabethan and Jacobean England, the more intrigued I become, and the more convinced that these books are excellent portrayals of that period. Intrigue, spying, enough action to satisfy anyone who loves a good thriller (or three), mixed with a wonderful rendering of the period. The famous names are in there, and in this novel Henry Grisham, the main character, deals with the gunpowder plot. Apart from the main character and his two associates, I think all the others are real, historical figures, and from what I've seen the books tend to play around the gaps in the historical record and give a slant on what we know (or think we know) about the period. I confess I don't yet know huge amounts about the period, but these are certainly fascinating, and a much funner way of getting to the heart of the period than reading endless scholarly tomes (not, I hasten to add, that there isn't a place for such scholarly tomes, just that they can be a little drab and tend to rob the period of its drama and adventure).
I like the characters, I like the plot and the counter plot, and there's plenty of action. Real depth to the characters too, as well as to the periodisation. It's just so well brought out! If I were to learn something next month that flatly contradicted what I've read here, I'd be more inclined to believe these books than the contradiction... However, I suspect Martin Stephen has studied the period extensively, it certainly feels real.
If you're not sure whether you'd particularly like historical fiction, these books are a perfect method of convincing you that really, it's quite fantastic. Certainly they've shown me that romance doesn't have a monopoly on historical fiction (although there's certainly some of that in the book).
I have one quibble with the series, and it's this: what order are these books supposed to go in?! I'm sure that The Desparate Remedy is the first that was published (one sec, checking Fantastic Fiction... Yep, it is). But it seems to be the last chronologically. Also, according to the same source, the most recent was back in 2006. I hope there's more, I've nearly run out, I managed to find an omnibus in a charity shop today which had the only two I hadn't read.
The more I learn about Elizabethan and Jacobean England, the more intrigued I become, and the more convinced that these books are excellent portrayals of that period. Intrigue, spying, enough action to satisfy anyone who loves a good thriller (or three), mixed with a wonderful rendering of the period. The famous names are in there, and in this novel Henry Grisham, the main character, deals with the gunpowder plot. Apart from the main character and his two associates, I think all the others are real, historical figures, and from what I've seen the books tend to play around the gaps in the historical record and give a slant on what we know (or think we know) about the period. I confess I don't yet know huge amounts about the period, but these are certainly fascinating, and a much funner way of getting to the heart of the period than reading endless scholarly tomes (not, I hasten to add, that there isn't a place for such scholarly tomes, just that they can be a little drab and tend to rob the period of its drama and adventure).
I like the characters, I like the plot and the counter plot, and there's plenty of action. Real depth to the characters too, as well as to the periodisation. It's just so well brought out! If I were to learn something next month that flatly contradicted what I've read here, I'd be more inclined to believe these books than the contradiction... However, I suspect Martin Stephen has studied the period extensively, it certainly feels real.
If you're not sure whether you'd particularly like historical fiction, these books are a perfect method of convincing you that really, it's quite fantastic. Certainly they've shown me that romance doesn't have a monopoly on historical fiction (although there's certainly some of that in the book).
Friday, 8 April 2011
The Sixteenth Century
On the basis that there might be a couple called this, it's a collection of essays by various people but the name on the front/spine is Patrick Collinson. Actually, if I'm being really exact, it's just Collinson. Because we historians clearly don't do such vulgar things as putting our names, let alone nicknames, on the title page of a book. (Can I count myself as a historian yet? I'm studying... reading... it, and I do try to pick up the attributes of a historian while I write, but apparently my essays are littered with colloquialisms and end up far too vivid in parts.) Anyway. Long introduction cut short, The Sixteenth Century, compiled/edited by Patrick Collinson.
As I said at the start, it's a collection of essays, which cover social, political, constitutional etc history. Not desparately integrated, but at least it's better than those surveys of social history 1500-1750 or whatever intermediate dates they pick that don't given any idea that there was a Civil War right slap bang in the middle of that, combined with plenty of religious and other upheaval. Ah yes, there's a bit on religious history too.
Really enjoyed it, have to say. It was odd to read about the social history with the arbitrary, in terms of social history, cut of point of 1600. For social history, it seems to make more sense to use the Civil War as a cut off point, or simply to blather on about how nothing really changes and so it doesn't really need a cut off point. Okay, not quite, but you get the picture :) But in terms of political history, it makes sense to go with the 'long' sixteenth century--in other words, to cover the reign of the Tudors.
There wasn't really any overview of who was ruling when and what the differences were, which was a shame, because I only just feel like I've got them straight in my head. Henry VIII, Edward VI (think it was VI at any rate), then Mary, and finally Elizabeth. Please correct me if I'm wrong, preferably before I go back to uni and make a fool of myself getting them in the wrong order or with the wrong numbers. After Edward (he might have been V, come to think of it), there was James VI / I (sixth of Scotland, first of England), Charles I, the interregnum/commonwealth/whatever you want to call it, Charles II, James II, and then the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688 and William and Mary (dual monarchy, so you have to say both). I hope I have not just given you utterly incorrect information there!
I think the religious chapter in particular suffered because it pretty much skipped over Mary (as in Mary Tudor). Admittedly, she didn't rule that long, but I thought the changes in her reign were pretty dramatic and therefore probably worth giving more than a glancing reference too.
The book did, however, do a pretty good job of taking into account Scotland and Ireland, which was nice, as well as an interesting section on foreign policy. But I think the strongest chapter was probably the one on 'The Limits of Power', which was particularly good at looking at the way the Tudor monarchs actually exercised power and how far they were able to do so, and took into account the differences between different regions as well as looking a bit at Scotland and Ireland. Also, the chapter on the Renaissance was fascinating, thoroughly enjoyed reading about that. Especially about the mixing of culture and how Shakespeare was criticised for mingling tragedy and comedy, like many English playwrites.
It's a great introductory book, none too long, and generally fascinating. Sums things up nicely, and I particularly enjoyed the treatment of the social/economic side in the first chapter, which I thought was brilliant at summing up everything I learnt in my first term. Or at least, a good portion of it.
As I said at the start, it's a collection of essays, which cover social, political, constitutional etc history. Not desparately integrated, but at least it's better than those surveys of social history 1500-1750 or whatever intermediate dates they pick that don't given any idea that there was a Civil War right slap bang in the middle of that, combined with plenty of religious and other upheaval. Ah yes, there's a bit on religious history too.
Really enjoyed it, have to say. It was odd to read about the social history with the arbitrary, in terms of social history, cut of point of 1600. For social history, it seems to make more sense to use the Civil War as a cut off point, or simply to blather on about how nothing really changes and so it doesn't really need a cut off point. Okay, not quite, but you get the picture :) But in terms of political history, it makes sense to go with the 'long' sixteenth century--in other words, to cover the reign of the Tudors.
There wasn't really any overview of who was ruling when and what the differences were, which was a shame, because I only just feel like I've got them straight in my head. Henry VIII, Edward VI (think it was VI at any rate), then Mary, and finally Elizabeth. Please correct me if I'm wrong, preferably before I go back to uni and make a fool of myself getting them in the wrong order or with the wrong numbers. After Edward (he might have been V, come to think of it), there was James VI / I (sixth of Scotland, first of England), Charles I, the interregnum/commonwealth/whatever you want to call it, Charles II, James II, and then the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688 and William and Mary (dual monarchy, so you have to say both). I hope I have not just given you utterly incorrect information there!
I think the religious chapter in particular suffered because it pretty much skipped over Mary (as in Mary Tudor). Admittedly, she didn't rule that long, but I thought the changes in her reign were pretty dramatic and therefore probably worth giving more than a glancing reference too.
The book did, however, do a pretty good job of taking into account Scotland and Ireland, which was nice, as well as an interesting section on foreign policy. But I think the strongest chapter was probably the one on 'The Limits of Power', which was particularly good at looking at the way the Tudor monarchs actually exercised power and how far they were able to do so, and took into account the differences between different regions as well as looking a bit at Scotland and Ireland. Also, the chapter on the Renaissance was fascinating, thoroughly enjoyed reading about that. Especially about the mixing of culture and how Shakespeare was criticised for mingling tragedy and comedy, like many English playwrites.
It's a great introductory book, none too long, and generally fascinating. Sums things up nicely, and I particularly enjoyed the treatment of the social/economic side in the first chapter, which I thought was brilliant at summing up everything I learnt in my first term. Or at least, a good portion of it.
The Hidden Oaisis
Yay, a new author that was brilliant :) Okay, so he's apparently been around for a while, and this is his third book, but new to me. And utterly gripping. Also, the whole can't put it down thing is not helped by the fact that there are no chapters! I didn't realise this until part way through when I realised I should go do something else and decided to follow my usual expedient of forcing myself to stop reading by putting in my bookmark at the start of the next chapter. On some books, this doesn't work anyway, but it certainly wouldn't have worked here!
I'm not sure where I stand on not chaptering. I've tried it myself, but the book was tremendously complicated and I had to colour code it to make it comprehensible to myself, so I certainly hope no one decides to publish it posthumously! That said, it worked with this book, and natural breaks in the text were provided by scene shifts.
I liked the characters. I liked them a lot, in fact. Especially Flin, obsessed Egyptologist trying to come to terms with his past and hunting down a lost oasis. Nice bit of magical/booby trap stuff in there at the end, and plenty of action. Really enjoyed it, and I've got another of Paul Sussman's books out already. I imagine these are going to be books that end up on my bookcase (although I am having major running out space issues at the moment! Might need to find somewhere to put another bookcase, though where on earth I could fit one is another matter altogether...).
I guess it's your standard archaeological thriller, which is definitely a legitimate category of books. It has to be, there's loads of them! And it makes a nice change from Atlantis books (although as long as they're well written, I have no problem with a plethora of Atlantis books, as my bookshelves will bear witness... I believe I have three with Atlantis in the title).
At any rate, it's well written and I struggled to put it down. Well worth keeping an eye out for it!
I'm not sure where I stand on not chaptering. I've tried it myself, but the book was tremendously complicated and I had to colour code it to make it comprehensible to myself, so I certainly hope no one decides to publish it posthumously! That said, it worked with this book, and natural breaks in the text were provided by scene shifts.
I liked the characters. I liked them a lot, in fact. Especially Flin, obsessed Egyptologist trying to come to terms with his past and hunting down a lost oasis. Nice bit of magical/booby trap stuff in there at the end, and plenty of action. Really enjoyed it, and I've got another of Paul Sussman's books out already. I imagine these are going to be books that end up on my bookcase (although I am having major running out space issues at the moment! Might need to find somewhere to put another bookcase, though where on earth I could fit one is another matter altogether...).
I guess it's your standard archaeological thriller, which is definitely a legitimate category of books. It has to be, there's loads of them! And it makes a nice change from Atlantis books (although as long as they're well written, I have no problem with a plethora of Atlantis books, as my bookshelves will bear witness... I believe I have three with Atlantis in the title).
At any rate, it's well written and I struggled to put it down. Well worth keeping an eye out for it!
9th Judgement
Meh. I saw it in the library and thought, hey, new Women's Murder Club, I might as well see if it's any good (this is now, I realise, the second most recent to come out). In about half an hour I'd read the first hundred or so pages, thanks to James Patterson's short chapters, which make the book look far fatter than it actually is, and to be honest I wasn't gripped, and decided to take it back to the next library we went to. So it didn't even make it home with me (okay, here I pause for an explanation: I went out to visit a handful of libraries in East Lancs with my mum, as we're trying to visit all the libraries in Lancashire, and some of them are closed at lunch time, so while we were waiting for the next library to open we started reading the books we'd already got out, hence the book not making it home from the library).
Is it just me, or are James Patterson's books getting worse and worse? Or did I just have a fit of enthusiasm for a new author and am only now realising... But I'm sure the earlier ones are actually pretty good, pretty thrilling. It's just the more recent ones (okay, scratch that, from Women's Murder Club I wouldn't rate any from about book 5 onwards, though I've read all of them up til half the 9th) that have descended into not that greatness. I suppose my taste in books may have changed. But one of the more recent Alex Cross books (not Cross Country cringes) was really good. Double Cross maybe? And I nearly didn't read it.
At any rate, if you're not totally fed up of this series by now, it might be worth having a look. It did, after all, hold my attention for half an hour and I'm more likley to give up a book within a few pages than within a hundred (though given the chapter length, I probably read as much as if it had been a few pages...)
On a related note, the most recent Maximum Ride appears to be terrible. I'm afraid I didn't get past the first chapter ie, the first three pages, before I wanted to slap Max! And she was one of my absolute favourite characters at one point, and in terms of inspiring my own writing probably a close second to Holly Short from Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl (you should know that!!!). I would also include in the list of inspiring characters Sean Dillon from the series by Jack Higgins, and Jack Howard from the series by Alan Gibbins. Oh, and also Jack West Jr from the Seven Ancient Wonders etc series by Matthew Reilly. Interestingly, apart from Artemis Fowl which is as good/better than ever with each new book, and Jack West which is probably as good, the other series have all had dodgy books. I didn't finish the most recent Sean Dillon either, got fed up half way through because I swear I'd read either that plot, or practically that plot, before.
Digression over. I probably wouldn't bother with 9th Judgement. Well, I kinda didn't, and I doubt I'll bother trying the 10th whatever unless it ends up on a library shelf in front of my nose. Which is a shame, because I really enjoyed the earlier ones in the series, but such is life.
Is it just me, or are James Patterson's books getting worse and worse? Or did I just have a fit of enthusiasm for a new author and am only now realising... But I'm sure the earlier ones are actually pretty good, pretty thrilling. It's just the more recent ones (okay, scratch that, from Women's Murder Club I wouldn't rate any from about book 5 onwards, though I've read all of them up til half the 9th) that have descended into not that greatness. I suppose my taste in books may have changed. But one of the more recent Alex Cross books (not Cross Country cringes) was really good. Double Cross maybe? And I nearly didn't read it.
At any rate, if you're not totally fed up of this series by now, it might be worth having a look. It did, after all, hold my attention for half an hour and I'm more likley to give up a book within a few pages than within a hundred (though given the chapter length, I probably read as much as if it had been a few pages...)
On a related note, the most recent Maximum Ride appears to be terrible. I'm afraid I didn't get past the first chapter ie, the first three pages, before I wanted to slap Max! And she was one of my absolute favourite characters at one point, and in terms of inspiring my own writing probably a close second to Holly Short from Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl (you should know that!!!). I would also include in the list of inspiring characters Sean Dillon from the series by Jack Higgins, and Jack Howard from the series by Alan Gibbins. Oh, and also Jack West Jr from the Seven Ancient Wonders etc series by Matthew Reilly. Interestingly, apart from Artemis Fowl which is as good/better than ever with each new book, and Jack West which is probably as good, the other series have all had dodgy books. I didn't finish the most recent Sean Dillon either, got fed up half way through because I swear I'd read either that plot, or practically that plot, before.
Digression over. I probably wouldn't bother with 9th Judgement. Well, I kinda didn't, and I doubt I'll bother trying the 10th whatever unless it ends up on a library shelf in front of my nose. Which is a shame, because I really enjoyed the earlier ones in the series, but such is life.
Aftershock
This is the second E-force book. I reviewed the first one when that first came out, as it looked like good fun, and I believe I said something along the lines of it's a series with great potential but was slightly let down by mediocre writing, and that I had high hopes for a sequel or three.
Well, this is the sequel, and it was definitely better written than the first. Bits still felt a little awkward (especially at the start), and the characters still weren't fantastically developed in terms of the members of E-force (I still get a few of them mixed up), but the supporting characters who were trying to survive the disaster were pretty well evoked, though there were rather a lot of them involved!
The action was great. Plenty of it, and once it really got started, say from about the third chapter or so, it really was quite well written and engaging. Took no small effort to tear myself away from it for tea.
I think this is a series that (please!) might turn out to be something like the Dirk Pitt books--a long-running series with a core of central characters and then supporting cast brought in as needed. But the closest thing to compare it to would have to be Thunderbirds. In fact, it practically is Thunderbirds, brought into the 21st Century and in adult book form (there is some swearing--though less than many thrillers--and not everyone makes it). So I was amused by the Stingray reference--I imagine that like the character who had watched every episode of Stingray obsessively, the author Sam Fisher has probably watched every episode of Thunderbirds, maybe several times over. Like my brother really. And by extension, myself. I think I've seen most/all of the original Thunderbirds, the new one two or three times, and then a handful of Stingrays and Captain Scarlets.
Whilst being a Thunderbirds fan, or vague appreciator as in my case, is probably not necessary, I imagine it's a bonus. The craft used are effectively Thunderbirds craft, with a few added extras, and rather than a philanthropic family there's instead a group of dedicated rescue personelle with little/no ties to the outside world and thus forming a tight-knit team within E-force.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Could have been better than it was if the main characters had perhaps been developed a little more--though by the end they were becoming more distinct entities than the Tracy brothers in the original Thunderbirds ever really were--and I think there was a definite improvement in writing style/quality as the book progressed. So I have high hopes for the future of this series.
Well, this is the sequel, and it was definitely better written than the first. Bits still felt a little awkward (especially at the start), and the characters still weren't fantastically developed in terms of the members of E-force (I still get a few of them mixed up), but the supporting characters who were trying to survive the disaster were pretty well evoked, though there were rather a lot of them involved!
The action was great. Plenty of it, and once it really got started, say from about the third chapter or so, it really was quite well written and engaging. Took no small effort to tear myself away from it for tea.
I think this is a series that (please!) might turn out to be something like the Dirk Pitt books--a long-running series with a core of central characters and then supporting cast brought in as needed. But the closest thing to compare it to would have to be Thunderbirds. In fact, it practically is Thunderbirds, brought into the 21st Century and in adult book form (there is some swearing--though less than many thrillers--and not everyone makes it). So I was amused by the Stingray reference--I imagine that like the character who had watched every episode of Stingray obsessively, the author Sam Fisher has probably watched every episode of Thunderbirds, maybe several times over. Like my brother really. And by extension, myself. I think I've seen most/all of the original Thunderbirds, the new one two or three times, and then a handful of Stingrays and Captain Scarlets.
Whilst being a Thunderbirds fan, or vague appreciator as in my case, is probably not necessary, I imagine it's a bonus. The craft used are effectively Thunderbirds craft, with a few added extras, and rather than a philanthropic family there's instead a group of dedicated rescue personelle with little/no ties to the outside world and thus forming a tight-knit team within E-force.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Could have been better than it was if the main characters had perhaps been developed a little more--though by the end they were becoming more distinct entities than the Tracy brothers in the original Thunderbirds ever really were--and I think there was a definite improvement in writing style/quality as the book progressed. So I have high hopes for the future of this series.
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
The English Civil Wars, 1640-1660
Okay, so I'm behind (again...), and I make no promises about my ability to catch up with all the books I've read and not reviewed over the past few weeks, but I shall try. It seems that every term, life starts to get on top of me, I don't post for a while, and then it feels like such an effort to catch up that I decide I don't have time. Anyway. For now, here goes :)
On the basis that there are probably a fair few books out there entitled The English Civil Wars, this is the one by Blair Wordon. It's a good introduction to the topic. That, it makes plain in the introduction to the book, is its sole aim in life, so I suppose it succeeds. I thought a little bit more on the military side of things--the experience of those who fought in particular--would have been good. I mean, it says in the introduction that approximately 1 in 10 people probably fought, and that casualties were probably higher than those caused to Britain by the First World War, but it says very little about battlefield conditions. I accept that not much is known, but a little bit would've been nice.
It covers the whole period, from the causes (starting with the reign Charles I), right through to the Restoration and why there was a Restoration. So in that respect, it's not so much on the English Civil War as I expected. It's also distinctly English in its treatment of the topic--whilst acknowledging the influence of events in the rest of the country at various points, they are not the main focus or even much of a peripheral focus in this book.
However, those criticisms out the way (and here I add one other, more stylistic point: I thought the chapters were too long), it is a good introduction. So if you haven't got a clue what happened 1640-1660 and you want to know what Cromwell got up to, why England briefly had a republic, and why we decided that republics were a bad idea and we were better off with a monarch, this is a good book to start with. It's pretty well written, and the topic itself is (well, in my opinion at any rate) fascinating. Hopefully, if you enjoy this, you'd go on to read some more detailed studies of various aspects of the period, or even bigger books with a similar title (this one is 165 pages, pretty short for a history book you have to agree). And when you do read those bigger books, you won't find yourself utterly lost, as I, admittedly was with the whole of the early modern period until about half way through my first term when it all started to make a bit more sense and I realised that Mary Tudor and Mary Queen of Scots were different people... Hey, I'd never studied the period before ever, I figure it's fair enough that I didn't realise things like that :)
So, in short, it's good as an introduction, and as that is all it makes a claim to be, I figure it fulfils its purpose in life pretty well.
On the basis that there are probably a fair few books out there entitled The English Civil Wars, this is the one by Blair Wordon. It's a good introduction to the topic. That, it makes plain in the introduction to the book, is its sole aim in life, so I suppose it succeeds. I thought a little bit more on the military side of things--the experience of those who fought in particular--would have been good. I mean, it says in the introduction that approximately 1 in 10 people probably fought, and that casualties were probably higher than those caused to Britain by the First World War, but it says very little about battlefield conditions. I accept that not much is known, but a little bit would've been nice.
It covers the whole period, from the causes (starting with the reign Charles I), right through to the Restoration and why there was a Restoration. So in that respect, it's not so much on the English Civil War as I expected. It's also distinctly English in its treatment of the topic--whilst acknowledging the influence of events in the rest of the country at various points, they are not the main focus or even much of a peripheral focus in this book.
However, those criticisms out the way (and here I add one other, more stylistic point: I thought the chapters were too long), it is a good introduction. So if you haven't got a clue what happened 1640-1660 and you want to know what Cromwell got up to, why England briefly had a republic, and why we decided that republics were a bad idea and we were better off with a monarch, this is a good book to start with. It's pretty well written, and the topic itself is (well, in my opinion at any rate) fascinating. Hopefully, if you enjoy this, you'd go on to read some more detailed studies of various aspects of the period, or even bigger books with a similar title (this one is 165 pages, pretty short for a history book you have to agree). And when you do read those bigger books, you won't find yourself utterly lost, as I, admittedly was with the whole of the early modern period until about half way through my first term when it all started to make a bit more sense and I realised that Mary Tudor and Mary Queen of Scots were different people... Hey, I'd never studied the period before ever, I figure it's fair enough that I didn't realise things like that :)
So, in short, it's good as an introduction, and as that is all it makes a claim to be, I figure it fulfils its purpose in life pretty well.
Sunday, 13 March 2011
The Lost Relic
I was so chuffed when I spotted this at the library. And my excitement was not displaced. This is a gripping next instalment in the Ben Hope trilogy, this time involving art thieves and much excitement. Well, the much excitement is pretty well a given in these books. Also, a brilliant side plot (but not resolved!), involving Ben's ongoing relationship with his girlfriend and issues therein.
Well written, gripping, and they feel authentic too (in spite of the fact that, as far as I can see, the author has no real experience in the military... Do correct me if that's wrong).
I'm not quite sure what else to say. It's worth keeping an eye out for certainly, and I'll probably get myself a copy as soon as I see it second hand (this is nothing against the book, I'm a student--there are only a handful of books I'd buy new as soon as they come out). Also, space limitations at home mean this is probably a pretty good indication. I'm not sure where I'd fit it if I got a copy... I'm sure I'll manage somehow. I'm going to have a college and a home collection of books I think. Being a fast reader, who enjoys rereading, has disadvantages.
To conclude: read it!
Well written, gripping, and they feel authentic too (in spite of the fact that, as far as I can see, the author has no real experience in the military... Do correct me if that's wrong).
I'm not quite sure what else to say. It's worth keeping an eye out for certainly, and I'll probably get myself a copy as soon as I see it second hand (this is nothing against the book, I'm a student--there are only a handful of books I'd buy new as soon as they come out). Also, space limitations at home mean this is probably a pretty good indication. I'm not sure where I'd fit it if I got a copy... I'm sure I'll manage somehow. I'm going to have a college and a home collection of books I think. Being a fast reader, who enjoys rereading, has disadvantages.
To conclude: read it!
Polar Quest
I am now more confused than ever about what sort of order (if any) Tom Grace's series is meant to go in. Certainly, they don't seem to have been published in anything vaguely resembling chronological order. That said...
It's brilliant. Quite similar to the Ben Hope series (temporarily forgotten author's name, but I've reviewed loads of them), though with more of a science/technology base rather than a more historical one. Lots of action, and a decent plot that's sufficient to support it without it seeming like gratuitous violence/action. There's not, perhaps, much character development in this book, but the supporting characters are well evoked, some familiar faces (Grin) return, and Nolan Kilkenny (the hero, if that's not too old-fashioned a word to use to describe him :) ) is convincing enough. There's just not a lot of inter-character relationship going on, but I guess that's somewhat inevitable if you want to have space for a tight, gripping thriller.
I have to recommend it. Don't bother reading the series in any order, since it hasn't been published, as far as I can tell, in any real order, but do read them whenever you spot 'em. Great fun, and I certainly hope there's more. At the moment, my mental classification scheme puts Tom Grace as: brilliant writer of small number of thrillers, and he fits next to Scott Mariani (Ben Hope series, just remembered!) and James Twinning (the ones about the ex-thief). I'd like to see more, from all those authors in fact, and most definitely from Tom Grace :)
It's brilliant. Quite similar to the Ben Hope series (temporarily forgotten author's name, but I've reviewed loads of them), though with more of a science/technology base rather than a more historical one. Lots of action, and a decent plot that's sufficient to support it without it seeming like gratuitous violence/action. There's not, perhaps, much character development in this book, but the supporting characters are well evoked, some familiar faces (Grin) return, and Nolan Kilkenny (the hero, if that's not too old-fashioned a word to use to describe him :) ) is convincing enough. There's just not a lot of inter-character relationship going on, but I guess that's somewhat inevitable if you want to have space for a tight, gripping thriller.
I have to recommend it. Don't bother reading the series in any order, since it hasn't been published, as far as I can tell, in any real order, but do read them whenever you spot 'em. Great fun, and I certainly hope there's more. At the moment, my mental classification scheme puts Tom Grace as: brilliant writer of small number of thrillers, and he fits next to Scott Mariani (Ben Hope series, just remembered!) and James Twinning (the ones about the ex-thief). I'd like to see more, from all those authors in fact, and most definitely from Tom Grace :)
Monday, 28 February 2011
A Great Deliverance
This is the first book in the Inspector Lynley series. I got into the series after discovering that the TV series which mum and I had been watching on DVD was actually based on a book. After a few that were great, and one that really wasn't great, I gave up on the series for a while, but I've returned to reading the ones they have in my current local library (I was starting to run out of ideas...). And actually, this first one is brilliant.
The conflict between Havers and Lynley is well, and sympathetically, set out. It also opens out a lot of the personal relationships that are mentioned briefly in later books, which helped explain a lot. And the case itself is fascinating--and frightening in many respects.
The atmosphere is great, and I love the two main characters (especially Barbara Havers, she's fantastic :) ). I thoroughly recommend this to any crime lovers. A great novel, and it sheds a whole new light on the later books.
The conflict between Havers and Lynley is well, and sympathetically, set out. It also opens out a lot of the personal relationships that are mentioned briefly in later books, which helped explain a lot. And the case itself is fascinating--and frightening in many respects.
The atmosphere is great, and I love the two main characters (especially Barbara Havers, she's fantastic :) ). I thoroughly recommend this to any crime lovers. A great novel, and it sheds a whole new light on the later books.
Doomwyte
It's ages since I last read a Redwall book, but I felt like being nostalgic yesterday and so when I went to the library I picked this one up. As one of the more recent ones, it's one I haven't read as often as some of the earlier ones (all the ones before Rakkety Tam I've probably read at least 6/7 times, and Taggerung and Outcast of Redwall I reckon I've read somewhere between 15 and 20 times...), I couldn't really remember what happens. I worried as I determined on this course that I would discover that Redwall just isn't as great as I remember it being, and that I would lose a piece of childhood nostalgia by realising it wasn't actually that great. But it was still great.
There's something uplifting about a good vs evil book, where you know that good will win but you don't know how yet--or whether those who are 'goodies' will all survive. With the Redwall series being about the inhabitants of a place, rather than a specific character Brian Jacques had (he sadly died a few weeks ago) the freedom to kill off characters without jeopardising the future of the series. Unlike books set around a single character/characters (like the Dirk Pitt books, for example), you can't be sure that the main characters will survive. Which has led, I might add, to a good deal of sobbing on my part. Especially in Martin the Warrior.
Riddles, feasts, fighting, and a wonderful cast of characters, including a brilliant hare, plus a whole host of mice, squirrels, and a new Gousim tribe, plus the Gonfellin tribe, makes this a brilliantly woven tale. I thoroughly enjoyed it--couldn't put it down. And that's despite having read it before :) It's inspired me to go read the rest of the Redwall books, and I can't wait to get my hands on the most recent one (just come out in paperback, so I think amazon is called for as they seem impossible to find in most bookshops). It might be a children's series, but it's uplifting and exciting in equal measures.
There's something uplifting about a good vs evil book, where you know that good will win but you don't know how yet--or whether those who are 'goodies' will all survive. With the Redwall series being about the inhabitants of a place, rather than a specific character Brian Jacques had (he sadly died a few weeks ago) the freedom to kill off characters without jeopardising the future of the series. Unlike books set around a single character/characters (like the Dirk Pitt books, for example), you can't be sure that the main characters will survive. Which has led, I might add, to a good deal of sobbing on my part. Especially in Martin the Warrior.
Riddles, feasts, fighting, and a wonderful cast of characters, including a brilliant hare, plus a whole host of mice, squirrels, and a new Gousim tribe, plus the Gonfellin tribe, makes this a brilliantly woven tale. I thoroughly enjoyed it--couldn't put it down. And that's despite having read it before :) It's inspired me to go read the rest of the Redwall books, and I can't wait to get my hands on the most recent one (just come out in paperback, so I think amazon is called for as they seem impossible to find in most bookshops). It might be a children's series, but it's uplifting and exciting in equal measures.
Metropolis
I really enjoyed this. It's a black and white, silent movie from 1927, and they recently found a few more bits of it and added them in (the new bits were lower quality in terms of the actual film, but added a lot to the story). I was surprised at how complex the plot was and the fact that it was comprehensible, and that despite the fact that there weren't all that many dialogue screens.
I suppose it's strictly speaking dystopian science fiction, and it's really good. The graphics still look good, and it was apparently the most expensive silent film ever made. There are some brilliant bits with the machinery, and it's intriguing to see one of the ways the future was envisaged in 1927.
Some bits were unintentionally amusing. There was a lot of clutching at hearts, and hugging, but most of it was excellent. I can well understand why Empire film magazine rated it 12th of 100 best films of world cinema last year. Well worth a watch. The soundtrack is also really good, and it gives a totally different viewing experience to a 'normal' film with words.
I suppose it's strictly speaking dystopian science fiction, and it's really good. The graphics still look good, and it was apparently the most expensive silent film ever made. There are some brilliant bits with the machinery, and it's intriguing to see one of the ways the future was envisaged in 1927.
Some bits were unintentionally amusing. There was a lot of clutching at hearts, and hugging, but most of it was excellent. I can well understand why Empire film magazine rated it 12th of 100 best films of world cinema last year. Well worth a watch. The soundtrack is also really good, and it gives a totally different viewing experience to a 'normal' film with words.
Somewhere
Well, it wasn't a total waste of time. The characters were, for the most part, really good. There just wasn't much substance. It had a lot of potential, but it felt like they'd cut a bunch of scenes out, realised they'd cut too much, and then decided to simply stretch the ones they had left. Not much really happens. And some bits are decidedly random--the beginning and the ending, mostly. By the fourth time the car went round the race track, everyone was giggling, and I was waiting for a car crash so that the main character could break his arm in an exciting way. But nothing happened. He eventually stopped driving round in circles, randomly got out the car, and then the scene faded. (He broke his arm falling down stairs instead). Also, at the end, he's driving off into the distance, stops for no apparent reason, and gets off to walk into the sunset. Hmm.
Like I said though, the characters were good, and there were one or two gems in there. They were just few and far between. It's a relaxing film though, doesn't take much effort or energy to watch, and was a pretty good film for me to watch whilst knackered. Although perhaps I should have saved my 4 film ticket for another one (Nowhere Boy this week, and The Tourist next week, both of which look very interesting).
If somebody sticks it on in front of your nose, and you're feeling not particularly energetic, it's a reasonable film. But don't go getting all excited about it.
Like I said though, the characters were good, and there were one or two gems in there. They were just few and far between. It's a relaxing film though, doesn't take much effort or energy to watch, and was a pretty good film for me to watch whilst knackered. Although perhaps I should have saved my 4 film ticket for another one (Nowhere Boy this week, and The Tourist next week, both of which look very interesting).
If somebody sticks it on in front of your nose, and you're feeling not particularly energetic, it's a reasonable film. But don't go getting all excited about it.
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Blue Gold
I recently traded in pretty much all my Clive Cussler books, but up til now had only read the Dirk Pitt ones and one of the Oregon files (was not that impressed with the Oregon files ones, the Dirk Pitt ones were good but I figured I probably wouldn't re-read them). Blue Gold was one that I picked up in Cambridge last term, didn't get round to reading, and so left here to enjoy when I got back. And I did enjoy it. I was quite surprised, in fact.
Blue Gold is one of the Kurt Austin books, set in the same world as the Dirk Pitt ones (indeed, in the other Kurt Austin book I've now read, Pitt makes a passing appearance). It's an adventure story, based loosely around the ocean, and it's certainly an entertaining enough way of passing the time. The character description sometimes felt a bit forced (particularly the bit about the jazz)--reminded me of my English Lit teachers rule of 'show, don't tell' when it comes to characters. But other than that, there was a reasonable amount of action, there was a reasonable plot, the science was, well, maybe a little exaggerated, but potentially plausible. Also, very amused by the giant woman.
In short, Blue Gold is pretty much what you'd expect from a Clive Cussler book. There's action, beautiful women, a hero and his sidekick... The Kurt Austin books could, in fact, almost be Dirk Pitt ones, save for a few little details about the two main characters. So if you're a fan, and you've run out of Dirk Pitt books (although to be fair, there are twenty-odd of them, so you'd have to be an obsessive reader like me for that to happen quickly...) these are just as good.
Blue Gold is one of the Kurt Austin books, set in the same world as the Dirk Pitt ones (indeed, in the other Kurt Austin book I've now read, Pitt makes a passing appearance). It's an adventure story, based loosely around the ocean, and it's certainly an entertaining enough way of passing the time. The character description sometimes felt a bit forced (particularly the bit about the jazz)--reminded me of my English Lit teachers rule of 'show, don't tell' when it comes to characters. But other than that, there was a reasonable amount of action, there was a reasonable plot, the science was, well, maybe a little exaggerated, but potentially plausible. Also, very amused by the giant woman.
In short, Blue Gold is pretty much what you'd expect from a Clive Cussler book. There's action, beautiful women, a hero and his sidekick... The Kurt Austin books could, in fact, almost be Dirk Pitt ones, save for a few little details about the two main characters. So if you're a fan, and you've run out of Dirk Pitt books (although to be fair, there are twenty-odd of them, so you'd have to be an obsessive reader like me for that to happen quickly...) these are just as good.
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