May 14 2007

Neverwhere

Category: Books — ChrisM @ 5:50 pm

Neverwhere – Neil Gaiman

OK this is the last of Gaiman’s novels that I’ve read so far, and after doing a little research prior to writing this review, I discovered that this book was quite unusual in its creation… A animated TV series was written first (by Gaiman and Lenny Henry of all people!), and then this novel was written afterwards. Quite shocking, as I’ve previously found that most books FROM TV series suffer in one way or another.

Anyhow, this story revolves around a lower London, where nothing is as it seems to those that get to glimpse a change from their normal lives above. Richard, the main character decides to help out a bleeding homeless girl on the way home, and from that point on, things get a little twisted. If you don’t enjoy fantasy books, then skip onto something else, but I found myself reading this whenever I had a spare moment, and almost a little saddened when I reached the end.

Might have to check in the shops next time I’m in Britain, see what the animated TV series was like in comparison… Anyone else seen it? 1997 I believe…

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May 14 2007

Anansi Boys

Category: Books — ChrisM @ 3:55 pm

Anansi Boys – Neil Gaiman

Following on from two other reviews of Neil Gaiman’s books (Stardust and American Gods), we have another trip in the fantasy worlds in the authors mind.

More similar to American Gods than Stardust, this book’s God universe focuses on African deities this time, although the ‘real-life’ backdrop is equally as compelling in this novel. We start off with a ‘normal’ man in London, part of the corporate back-stabbing world, and not highly enjoying it. However, he is to be married soon, and so things could be worse. Deciding to invite his father (with a little prodding from his fiancée) who he hasn’t spoken to in years, he attempts to make contact. Sadly his dad has died, and so he drops everything to fly to America to see to the required arrangements. Strange tales are abound over his family’s history, and he is shocked to be told he has a brother!

There seems to be some confusion over the relationship between this book and American Gods. Although a couple of characters do exist in both novels, they seem more like companions than pre/sequels.

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May 01 2007

American Gods

Category: Books — ChrisM @ 6:27 pm

American Gods – Neil Gaiman

This book is set in a much more contemporary time, compared to the last book I reviewed by this author (Stardust).

The plot revolves around a character (Shadow) who starts off in jail, and is overjoyed to discover he is being released early… Only by one day, but any fore-shortening of his stay in prison must be good, right? Sadly not, as the reason for his freedom being bought forward is that his wife has passed away, following a car accident.

When he tastes the world outside the jail walls once more, he finds himself without aim, and so when he meets a slightly mysterious character, who gives his name as Wednesday, he decides to see what life will throw his way next. Taking up the offer of employment from this man, who seems to know so much more about him than vice versa, Shadow finds himself embarking upon a tour of most of America.

All is not as it seems though, as it turns out Wednesday is a god – an old fashioned hammer & tongs, god. This, combined with the touring of America, enables Neil Gaiman to play on the interests of many of his readers – a look at modern day USA & just what would happen of the gods of olden days were to be placed against those gods who seem to prevail in these times – Telephones, the Internet and Banking.

Whilst some have criticized Gaiman’s alsmost random approach to the plot line in this book, I was happy to read this through to the end, and was honestly intrigued as to where the story would take the character next.

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Apr 17 2007

1st Book Review – Stardust

Category: Books — ChrisM @ 2:31 pm

Neil Gaiman – Stardust
This is basically a fairy tale, written for adults. The main character (Dunstan) in the book starts a quest to catch a fallen star. A foolish endeavour, which becomes his life’s aim, to try and win the heart of a girl in his village. This village has a wall around it, and villagers are normally not allowed to roam beyond it. I can’t say much more about the book without spoiling the plot line for potential readers, but suffice to say that Dunstan isn’t the only person who seeks the star.
I hope I’ll get to read the earlier version of this book, that apparently had illustrations as well, but I’d still happily recommend it to any readers who enjoy this sort of tale. It certainly made a change from my normal SciFi/comedy type of books.

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Sep 17 2006

All Consuming

Category: Books,Personal — ChrisM @ 11:43 pm

As you can see in the column on the right, I’ve signed up at allconsuming.net. You can enter the details of what you’re reading/listening to/doing/meeting.

I need to finish updating a few details, and change the widget used, so it displays previous items properly, but for now, here is the book list (roughly in the order they’ve been read since I arrived in Kazakhstan, in April) …

Jeremy Clarkson – Motorworld
Jeremy Clarkson – The World According To Clarkson
Raymond Khoury – The Last Templar

Lois McMaster Bujold – The Mountains of Mourning
Lois McMaster Bujold – Falling Free
Lois McMaster Bujold – Shards of Honour
Lois McMaster Bujold – Barrayar
Lois McMaster Bujold – The Warrior’s Apprentice
Lois McMaster Bujold – The Vor Game
Lois McMaster Bujold – Cetaganda
Lois McMaster Bujold – Ethan of Athos
Lois McMaster Bujold – Borders of Infinity
Lois McMaster Bujold – Brothers in Arms
Lois McMaster Bujold – Mirror Dance
Lois McMaster Bujold – Memory
Lois McMaster Bujold – Komarr
Lois McMaster Bujold – A Civil Campaign
Lois McMaster Bujold – Winterfair Gifts
Lois McMaster Bujold – Diplomatic Immunity
Lois McMaster Bujold – The Curse of Chalion
Lois McMaster Bujold – Paladin of Souls
Lois McMaster Bujold – The Hallowed Hunt

Richard P. Feynman – Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character)

Dave Barry – Babies and Other Hazards of Sex: How to make a Tiny Person in only 9 months, with Tools You probably have around the Home
Dave Barry – Claw Your Way to the Top: How to Become the Head of a Major Corporation in Roughly a Week
Dave Barry – Dave Barry’s Bad Habits a 100% Fact-Free Book
Dave Barry – Dave Barry is not making this up
Dave Barry – Dave Barry slept here: A Sort of History of the United States
Dave Barry – Dave Barry’s greatest hits
Dave Barry – Dave Barry’s only travel guide you ll ever need
Dave Barry – guide to marriage and/or sex
Dave Barry – Homes And Other Black Holes
Dave Barry – Dave Barry’s Stay Fit and Healthy Until You’re Dead
Dave Barry – The Taming of the Screw

Neil Gaiman – American Gods
Neil Gaiman – Stardust

George Orwell – 1984
Michael Crichton – Rising Sun

Max Brooks – The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead

Edwin A. Abbott – Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions

Isaac Asimov – I, Robot

Ray D. Bradbury – Fahrenheit 451
Ray D. Bradbury – Quicker Than The Eye
Ray D. Bradbury – Zen in the Art of Writing

Arthur C Clarke – A Time Odyssey 1 – Time’s Eye
Arthur C Clarke – A Time Odyssey 2 – Sunstorm
Arthur C Clarke – 2001 A Space Odyssey – Odyssey 1
Arthur C Clarke – 2010 – Odyssey 2
Arthur C Clarke – 2061 – Odyssey 3
Arthur C Clarke – 3001 – The Final Odyssey – Odyssey 4
Arthur C Clarke – Rendezvous with Rama
Arthur C Clarke – The Star

James Clavell – Shogun

Phillip Kindrick Dick – A Scanner Darkly

Diana Wynne Jones – Howl’s Moving Castle

Jasper Fforde – Thursday Next 1 – The Eyre Affair
Jasper Fforde – Thursday Next 2 – Lost in a Good Look
Jasper Fforde – Thursday Next 3 – The Well of Lost Plots
Jasper Fforde – Thursday Next 4 – Something Rotten

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