I can't honestly say that I enjoyed this book. It was difficult to read. Both the content and style of writing contributed. Firstly, much of the story was told in the second person. In my experience, this narrative perspective is seldom used and I have found it to be jarring and voyeuristic.
On the surface, this was a story about obsession, abuse and the failure of society to recognize and respond. The story focuses on Clarissa and her stalker, Rafe. Unlike other portrayals of stalkers, Rafe is not a small slimy man content to live in the shadows. He is a large presence and a near constant companion. The continual interactions are uncomfortable as I imagine they were meant to be. You will be upset by the lack of options available to Clarissa and the by the actions and reactions of the characters.
I imagine that the majority of readers found themselves telling Clarissa that she should be more proactive, she should talk to someone or lamenting was you think is a lack of self preservation. I found I was doing this right from the start but it soon felt that I was meant to question my own reactions. It was very easy to blame Clarissa for her action and inaction. It was easy to shift or share the blame for the bad actions of the stalker.
In my professional life, I have dealt with a wide variety of individuals who have been subjected to and have subjected others to abuse. I am continually surprised by the attitudes of those outside the situation. Despite condemning the actions of the abuser there remains tendency to place blame on the victim. There are few things move disempowering to a victim and empowering to an abuser than blaming the victim. While you would expect that a person take steps of self protection, society, as explored in this novel, leaves the victim lacking confidence the she will receive protection and leaves her feeling they are more exposed by seeking help.
In my view, this novel was most powerful in that it exposed victim blaming in society and exposed the tendency in the reader. The fact I became so involved in the story and disturbed by the content left no choice but to give this a 5 star rating. While the book is a quick read, don't ignore the opportunity at introspection provided by The Book of You
During the last several years, the best thrillers have been stories with mPosted to The Literary Lawyer
Twists, Turns and a Compelling Thriller
During the last several years, the best thrillers have been stories with multiple perspectives, blatantly withheld information with a final big twist. The Good Girl does it better than some and not as well as other. While I took issue with some aspects of the story, on the whole, it was a worthy read.
Plot Summary
The story follows events leading up to, during and after the kidnapping of the main character, Mia. The majority of the story is told from the perspective of 3 major players in the plot - Mia's mother, the investigating officer and the kidnapper. Within the first few paragraphs we are aware that this is not a normal kidnapping. Mia is protecting and seemingly in love with her captor. This is explained through two stories lines. In the "Before" we follow Mia during her time as a kidnap victim and in the "After" we follow Mia returned to her family but suffering from amnesia. Each of these stories unfold to reveal a complex story and an emotional journey.
My Take
I have come to enjoy this recently popular plot device. The multiple perspectives on the same incident present differing views on the same event and compelling and occasional contradicting clues and explanations. It is different from its predecessors as the plot doesn't rely on an unreliable narrator. Instead, each narrator has a their perspective tainted by their own emotions and issues. Mia's mother is fighting regret as she faces this ordeal. The investigating officer becomes emotionally involved in the case and fights feelings of loss for a family he never had. The most interesting of the bunch is the kidnapper. His mindset is...absurd. It is very difficult to understand how he views the world but it in intriguing to be inside his mind. Regardless, it makes him the most interesting and confounding character in the story.
Some readers will find elements of the story to be disturbing. There is some violence and I found the reactions of some of the characters to be very disturbing. The characters are emotional to the point that it borders on melodrama. Personally, this did not bother me as the story was focused on the characters and the emotion seemed to fit with each character's personality. The element of the story that was the weakest was the big "twist". It was clear as the story progressed that there was an element of the plot that was being withheld. This may be my personal opinion but when a story contains a big twist at the end, it should be such that it changes your view of most of what you have read. The twist shed some light on the behavior of some characters but it did very little to alter my view of the events. Additionally, I felt as if the author telegraphed the ending. There was very little surprise at the end. In my opinion, the story was excellent without the attempt to surprise the reader.
Final Thoughts
An excellent read. While not equal to Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train it held its own and was a compelling thriller. A good entrant into the recent string of similar mystery thrillers.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1.5
There were a couple of "adult" situations but nothing graphic.
Before I Go to Sleep consistently threatened to put me in a coma. This book was like groundhog day - without the humour and without Bill Murray. The book received 2 stars based on the fact that this was a debut novel, it was in fact very well written and I read it all the way to the end. Unfortunately, I was quite bored and often wished I was the main character and would awake the next morning and forget I was reading the book.
Plot Summary
The plot revolves around a character who suffers from short term amnesia. The result being she is unable to form new memories while forgetting much of her past life. Once she sleeps and awakens the next morning, she forgets what happened the previous day, previous month and previous decades. In an effort to build a narrative of her life, she begins to write a journal detailing the day, her relationship with her husband, her previous life and the events that led to her current condition. In order to remember this book, she is daily contacted, in secret, by a doctor who tells her where to find the book. Given that she can only rely on what she had previously written, she is an unreliable narrator. Unfortunately for her, not everything is as it seems and she is left to wondering if she can trust herself or anyone around her.
My Take
To be honest, the premise is quite good. I loved the idea. It was like a written version of Memento -- only less awesome. Although I was taken by the premise, the first 2/3 of the book became painfully repetitive and began to stretch believability. While I like the idea of an amnesiac trying to secretly piece her life back together, I just could not believe her methods would be successful or secret.
Almost from the beginning, I assumed the book would have one of two endings. *sighs* Unfortunately, I was right and I had a very hard time accepting what had happened. The setup of the story did not make it believable to me. Sure, the narrator was unreliable but I think it was used as a gimmick to stretch believability. Maybe I am being unduly harsh. I recently gave Gone Girl and Rebecca 5 star ratings and they both employed unreliable narrators. To me, the difference in these books is that the unreliable nature of the narration was not used to explain away plot weakness but was instead used to highlight the nature of the characters. In this book, I did not feel this plot device was handled well.
That said, this book has many accolades. I can appreciate how some readers will find this to be thrilling and enchanting. It was well written and the plot was decent. It had a nice twisty ending and it (attempted) to explain itself in the end. Some readers will take my side and see this book as one trick pony. I found the trick to be transparent and none too exciting.
Final Thoughts
I am not trying to scare anyone away from reading this. I don't think it is rubbish but was simply not to my liking. If the things I listed would also bother you, you might not enjoy it. If you don't care about characterization and simply want to go for a ride, you might enjoy the trip. I generally have a high tolerance for boring books but without great characterization, I could barely hang on. Too bad....more
This book had a great concept. I was listening to the audio version of the book as narrated by the one and only Wi Unique and Complex - 3.5 Stars
This book had a great concept. I was listening to the audio version of the book as narrated by the one and only Wil Wheaton. If you do chose to listen to this, I highly suggest you physically read the opening segment. It explains the idea of "lock in" and the concept is much easier to grasp when the words are in front of you. I really did enjoy the novel but some elements left me a bit cold.
Plot Summary
The setup of the plot was somewhat complex and involves a steep learning curve. I was desperately grasping at the unfamiliar terms and concepts in an attempt to center myself. After a short while, I became comfortable with the material. In the world of this novel, a virulent strain of the flu has caused worldwide damage. Some people would catch the flu and be fine in a short while. Many people would catch the flu and suffer a form of meningitis, have brain swelling and die. A small number of peopled who had the meningitis had their brain altered and survived but suffered "lock in". Lock in refers to the fact you are alive and cognizant of your surroundings but unable to control you body in any way. Essentially, you brain is alive but disconnected from your body. An even smaller percentage had their brain altered but did not suffer lock in. These people could become "Integrators". This essentially meant that with the use of technology, the could allow the consciousness of a "locked in" person to enter and use their body. This would allowed locked in to experience life with a working body. Got it??? Maybe not, but if you read it you will catch on. The disease became known as "Haydens" and thought technology, the fact that people were locked in was not an impediment to their integration with society. A locked in person would be able to connect their mind to a "Threep" which is essentially an humanoid robot controlled by their mind. They could speak through them, work and live a life. Given the fact that Hayden's was so wide spread, millions upon millions of dollars was put into research and government subsidies for the sufferers of Hayden, so much so that segments of the population felt that the government subsidies for the Locked In was giving them an advantage over the non-Hayden sufferers. Legislation was pending that would alter the landscape for the Haydens. Enter Shane, the most well know Hayden in the country and newest member of the FBI. Shane and his partner are given oversight of a bizarre murder that involves an unknown deceased and an integrator. The question is, did the integrator kill on his own, or was he integrated with someone at the time of the killing. The questions turn out to be less than simple and complex web of deceit, subterfuge and murder begins to unfold.
My Take
That is probably the longest plot summary I have written. This speaks to the underlying complexity of the story. There is an entire world created into which the reader is thrust. Initially, it put me off and may be enough for some readers to stop reading. The initial learning curve is quite steep and does detract somewhat from the initial flow of the story.
This is my first novel by John Scalzi. I do know a bit about him but if I didn't, I would guess he leaned toward the left when it comes to politics. I gather this because this novel is quite clearly a piece of message fiction. I don't say this in a derogatory sense. In my opinion, there are two types of message fiction. One, a thinly veiled political statement masquerading as book. Two, a better veiled political statement that actually works as a book. This one falls into the second category. You don't have to like the message but it is not preachy. You can take the authors points without it feeling like propaganda. If I have to read message fiction, this is the type I want to read.
I will not spend much time on the message of the book. On one level, it does explore the idea of privilege. The book made me think of a quote from Donald Trump,
"A well-educated black has a tremendous advantage over a well-educated white in terms of the job market. I think sometimes a black may think they don’t have an advantage or this and that... I’ve said on one occasion, even about myself, if I were starting off today, I would love to be a well-educated black, because I believe they do have an actual advantage."
First off, I don't agree with the statement. I find it to be ignorant and simply wrong. That said, it is certainly a train of thought and a train of thought that is, in part, attacked in the novel. But it goes further than that, it also looks at how removing what has been put in place to provide assistance can actually have the effect of destroying a culture. This is dealt with in a interesting and more abstract fashion in the book.
We also are asked to look at our dependence on technology and looking at how we view our relationships, society, employment and recreation through the eyes of technology. In some ways, we are forced to let it be part of our lives but would we feel that we lost a sense of community if we were unable to live our lives through that technology.
Honestly, I was enjoying the layers of the story and the questions that were arising, until it seemed to stop. A little over halfway, the character of the story seemed to change. These elements were the strength of the story but as the story progressed, the exploration of some of these themes simply died. Maybe I was reading too much into the story or drawing the wrong conclusions but couldn't help but feel like I was reading two different stories. Half way through the story felt far more traditional. I would have enjoyed the traditional story if it would have been that way from start to finish. The feeling of two different books was very jarring and disappointing.
Final Thoughts
The difficult beginning and inconsistent nature of the book hurt my rating. Overall I did enjoy the story as the sci-fi elements were great and idea quite unique. The plot was enjoyable but inconsistent. It was a good story that could have been great. In the end, it was an entertaining book and worth your time....more
An Intriguing Look into Historical Scandal A Literary Lawyer winner of a 2015 Gavel Award for
* Best Historical Fiction
My #4 Best Read for 2014
An Intriguing Look into Historical Scandal 5 Stars
Robert Harris has written an intriguing thriller chronicling what is know as the Dreyfus affair. I don't blame you if you know nothing of this event as it was unknown to me when I open the novel. Fans of political thriller, historical fiction and history should find this to be a perfect mesh of genres. While I remain unable to separate the fact from the author's fiction, further investigation leads me to believe this is reasonably accurate version of events.
Plot summary
In 1894 a Captain in the French Army by the name of Alfred Dreyfus was arrested, charge with selling secrets to the Germans, convicted of Treason and sent to serve an inhuman sentence on Devil's Island in French Guiana. The conviction was based on a compilation of poor evidence, anti-Semitism, political pressure and anti-German sentiment. Soon after the conviction, Georges Picquart takes over as the head of the intelligence branch of the Army where he comes to have serious doubts regarding the guilt of Dreyfus. Given the political climate in France and the implications of his discoveries, Picquart does not know whom he can trust and engages in an investigation that may never have a satisfactory resolution.
The Good
An Eye for History
Like the best Historical Fiction, the author has a keen eye for the period and historical accuracy. The story felt properly situation within the time period. The mannerism and speech felt appropriate and little felt out of place. The author also exploring the rampant anti-Semitism that was running through France at the time. This theme was dealt with in a deft manner and never turned into a political statement. It simply came off as an honest description of the attitude of the French during these years.
The Story is not Bad Either
The Dreyfus Affair was a complex and divisive matter in its day. It is no less complex today. The author was masterful in the manner in which he was able to distill the varying reasons for the affair and elegantly lay them out in cohesive manner. This is by no means a "light and fluffy" read. In is multilayered and by its nature is filled with unsatisfactory answers. Amongst the complexities, the story does an admirable job of introducing the reader the counter-intelligence methods of the period. While the novel describes the intelligence branch as the future of the Army the methods used were equally crude, impressive and ripe for misuse.
The Bad
Let's Get to know Each Other
If I have anything negative to say it is that I was a bit disappointed with the development of George Piquart. The character was obviously conflicted through out the story and I would have enjoyed if the author had explored that theme. I appreciate that this may have been deliberate and at any rate, it is a minor complaint. One other issue was the audiobook itself. David Rintoul is a top notch narrator and I take no issue with his performance. I simply question why the narrator is British and not French? The majority of audiobooks use the local accents with their novels. There was not a single French accent to be heard.
Can this Book Stand Alone
Yes. This is not part of a series
Final Thoughts
Some readers will find the pace to be far too slow. Personally, I am a fan of the meandering novel and I did not take issue with the pacing. This is simply a warning to prospective readers. While the intrigue continued to string me along, it was not blistering action and thrills that propelled my interest. The novel is complex, deals with serious issues of politics, legal systems and prejudice. In my opinion, is a Thriller in the best sense.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2
A subplot involves an extramarital affair. There are several secret rendezvous throughout the story but the sex is generally implied and is not graphic.
Language - 2
The adult language is generally very mild as many of the interactions are between officers and their superiors. As such, the language is often formal and leaves little room for adult language.
Violence - 2.5
There is some violence in the form of suicides/murders. They are simply discovered and the description are moderately graphic. The situation of Richard Dreyfus is discussed from time to time and his living conditions are, at best, squalid. Some readers my find the mental torture inflicted to be disturbing. Outside of this, physical violence is low. ...more
Marcus Sakey is a "new to me" author. Given that he was born about an hour from where I live (albeit in ano Brilliant (is that lame...) - 4 Stars
Marcus Sakey is a "new to me" author. Given that he was born about an hour from where I live (albeit in another country) I am going to pretend he is a local author because good writing from local authors is cool. While Brilliance wasn't perfect and the plotline was not especially original, I was captivated by the story from the outset.
Plot
Around 30 years before the commencement of the story, "Brilliants" began to appear in the human population. They are regular human beings who display savant abilities. All of the "superhuman" abilities displayed by this portion of the population are (so far) related to superior pattern recognition. Our main character, Nick Cooper can read the physical cues of any person with such detail and precision that he is able to anticipate their physical movements and their emotions and reaction. Others have abilities that allow them to remain unseen by always moving to a positions you cannot see. There are skills that have allowed amazing breakthroughs in medicine, engineering, sports and entertainment. Nick works for the DAR (the Department of Analysis and Response NOT the Daughters of the American Revolution) and it is his job to locate and at times, eliminate, other Brilliant persons who have committed crimes. When a major terrorist attack takes place in the city Nick finds himself hot on the trail of John Smith, a notorious "Brilliant" terrorist. As he finds himself tracking the most reviled "Brilliants" in America, he is forced to question who he is and whom he can trust.
My Take
Sakey has written a highly enjoyable and easy to read "superhero" science fiction. Because of the plot and setup, it drawn comparison to the X-Men and other such superhero fare. While there are similarities, each of the superhuman powers is related to superior pattern recognition. No one can fly or move objects with their minds but rather use their ability to excel in all areas of society. The abilities of the Brilliants is the most unique aspect of the book. Each of the abilities were quite varied and it was interesting to see how each was used.
Not all aspects of the book were this unique. The basic plotline is well trodden ground. People with special abilities and the governments who are afraid of them, etc. etc. If this was the whole of the plot, the book would have felt old and repetitive. What set this plotline apart was the take on terrorism. It is timely in that explores the roots of terrorism, where blame should like and what can be done about it. I didn't feel as if the author was preaching or trying to indoctrinate the reader. The ultimate decision is left the reader. On a whole, this old ground was explored in an interesting and enlightening manner.
In addition to an interesting plot, I found the characters to be well rounded and well developed. Nick Cooper goes through a personal awakening and the reader is able to watch his development throughout. The other characters, though not as developed, are interesting and entertaining.
Note on the Audiobook
My final rating was reduced in part due to the narration of Luke Daniels. While he was not terrible by any means, it was not up the standard I expect from great narrations. He was really quite bad at voicing women and at times the audiobook seemed to have male characters and female puppet characters. Additionally, some elements of the book did not lend itself well to narration. From time to time, Nicks mind would race as he processing the patterns and his train of thought would abruptly end and action would occur. This was very jarring in audio and from time to time would leave me confused as to what happened. By no means is this a terrible audiobook but may be even better when read. Regardless, I plan on reading the next book in the audio format.
Final Thoughts
Overall, a very entertaining read. While not award winning fiction, you will certainly enjoy the trip. If you enjoy superhuman abilities without a supernatural twist, you should enjoy reading this one. I would also venture to say that fans of Larry Correia would enjoy this as it does explore some libertarian ideas and explores the meanings of freedom. On that note, these ideas are not nearly as aggressive and "in your face" as in one of Correia's novels.
Throughout my experience with this book, I ran the gamut from loathing to loving. My experience with the story had been that from the wonderful 1940's film version of the book. As a side note, the movie is a Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece (winner of the 1941 Oscar for best picture). I highly recommend it. I don't recall a time where I have enjoyed the book AND the movie so much. They form a veritable power couple.
Plot summary
The Protagonist and narrator is one Ms. DeWinter. We never learn her real name. She is young, naïve and occasionally selfish. While working for a wealthy older woman, she meets a recently widowed and older man in Maxim DeWinter. She soons finds herself as a young bride and is whisked away to Maxim's English mansion named Manderley. Ms. DeWinter soon finds herself at odds with the peculiar housekeeper and finds herself haunted by the memory of Rebecca, the first Ms. DeWinter. The story takes several unexpected turn as Mrs. DeWinter takes her trip of self discovery.
My Take
At nearly 75% I was feeling rather frustrated and felt the book was a 3 star read. The found the protagonist to be childish, whiney, shortsighted and all around annoying. After the 3/4 mark, all I can really say is WOW! The author was so skillful in creating a character and tainting the readers perceptions with the shortcomings of the protagonist that I felt shocked, even though I knew what was going to happen! In my humble opinion and with my rather limited knowledge, I believe that this may the best character I have ever read. The precision and skill in the crafting left me astounded by the end.
What the movie did not convey (or at least as far as I can remember) is that this is really a love story. While I knew had a clue from the movie, it was thriller more than a romance. Generally, I flee from romance like an idiot at the running of the bulls. In this case, I found I didn't hate it. Coming from me, that is high praise :) While there was much more than I would normally appreciate, I found it to be necessary to the story.
The author possessed a wonderful gift when it came to crafting setting. The grand home of Manderley was like a living and breathing organism with the deceased Rebecca as it Spirit and the enigmatic Ms. Danvers as its soul. This is really a world-class romantic thriller written in the 1930's. Bouchercon named this the best novel of the 20th century. While I don't think I can honestly speak to whether or not this is true, it certainly has the chops to hold this honor.
This novel was written 43 years before I was even born so I don't think my little review will add much to the wealth of information that is available. From my perspective, any mystery or thriller lover should make sure they read this at some point in their life. Any writer that wants to see expertise in character development should study this novel. It is truly worthy of being a great classic of the 20th century.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1.5
Everything is quite chase. The married couple occupy different beds and sex is alluded to only in passing. Even the kissing is safe for church.
Language - 1.5
Minimal adult language. I did not bother to do a count as the language is family friendly.
Violence - 3
Violence and potential for violence permeates the story. There is death and destruction while it is most backstory. There is sense of brooding in the story that at times reminds of Stephen King. That said there is no horror or gore but there is certainly some tension....more
Given the 1.25 million ratings this book has on Goodreads, there is a good chance that my review will not sway your opinion. Unfortunately for you, I am just conceited enough to believe that you should read my review and believe that my 2.5 rating better reflects the book than the average 4.21 rating! Of course I am joking around. This is a case where I have a hard time seeing the draw of the story when it has clearly appealed to many people.
Plot summary
This is essentially the life story of Amir, an upper class Afghan and the life long effect of his friendship with Hassan, his friend from a low and despised caste and his own father. As a young child, Amir lived a charmed life. He had everything he wanted except the unconditional love of his father. He had a best friend but the relationship was somewhat strained due to cultural prejudices. Amir is set to experience the greatest time of his life when he enters an annual kite flying contest. His dreams of a triumphant return to his father are dashed after he witnesses the rape of his friend Hassan. Struggling with his guilt, Amir begin a downward spiral of destructive behaviour. Soon after his behaviour changes, he is forced from his home as Russia invades and he begins a journey to a new life. The past haunts him and he is given a chance to atone for old wrongs.
The Good
The backdrop of Afghanistan was wonderfully drawn. It was the major reason that I did not rate this lower. After hearing of damage and destruction brought on by years of conflict, it was interesting to see a picture of the country before it was ravaged. Their food, their religion, their customs and their prejudices were on full display. The Afghan people are painted in a positive light. As a side note, all of the talk of naan made me go out and buy some. The author certainly made the local food sound delicious!
The Bad
Outside of the intial setting, there was little that I enjoyed.
The novel was essentially one long flashback with flashbacks within the main flashback. I did not enjoy the method of storytelling as at times it felt like I was reading a 300+ page run on sentence.
The story is not the least bit uplifting. It is a series of painful, life altering, distressing and depressing events. I appreciate that real life is not always happy and charming. These events are meant to create an emotional story. I am not opposed to emotional stories. Just read my reviews of The Starboard Sea or The Light Between Oceans. Both of those stories packed an emotional wallop. It was the manner in which The Kite Runner elicited emotion that left me cold. This book used good old emotional manipulation to drive this story. Just when you think there will be a ray of sunshine, another disaster occurs. In fact, feels as the main character Amir wants you to root against him. He is so unhappy with himself and caries such a sense or worthlessness that you can hardly believe that something good could happen to him. In this is one of my BIGGEST pet peeves. It is the character that continually laments and (figuratively) flagellates himself because of events that are either out of their control or not their fault. Much of Amir issues stem from an event that occurred in his childhood. He could never say to himself "Hey. I was young and scared. There was nothing I could have done". Characters like Amir lack basic insight into themselves and make reading about them frustrating and not the least bit compelling.
Final Thoughts
I did not enjoy this one and would not recommend it. While I enjoyed the background, the action up front left me dissatisfied and occasionally frustrated. It is this one man's opinion that this book is seriously overrated.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2.5
There is a moderately graphic scene of a young boy being raped. Some version of the event is relived within the mind of Amir throughout the book. Late in the book there is allusion to another young boy being subjected to sexual abuse.
Language - 2
There is some name calling of a cultural/racist nature. Some the terms were not familiar to me and may be lost on you as well.
Violence - 3.5
As stated above, there was a moderately graphic rape scene. It was proceeded by violence. There was fight between two people that resulted in one person in the hospital and another suffering a gruesome injury. There is description of people being shot in the street and stoned in front of a crowd. When modern Afghanistan was discussed, violence followed...more
This is my first experience with the writing of Simon Kernick. Overall I enjoPosted to The Literary Laywer
A Unique Police Procedural - 4 Stars
This is my first experience with the writing of Simon Kernick. Overall I enjoyed his writing style and method of storytelling. In this, his first installment in the Dennis Milne series, I wasn't blown away by an single aspect of the novel but steady writing, plotting and an interesting twist to the regular police procedural kept me interested.
Plot Summary
Dennis Milne is what some might call a dirty cop. This is not to say he is a bad cop. He is quite good at his job. He puts away the bad guys, keeps the city safe and from time to time pockets a little extra money when drugs mysteriously disappear from lockup. Dennis finds himself in over his head when his latest side job, a contracted murder, does not go quite as planned. After killing three people he has been told were committing dirty deeds, Dennis finds himself in a web of lies, backstabbing all of which might result in his own death.
My Take
Dennis is the real draw of this story. I have read many different crime novels and Dennis Milne stands out as one of the most unique. By most standards, he is a criminal. He makes money selling confiscated drugs and is willing to kill a criminal that he feels will evade justice. He is more than just a bad guy. He a bad guy with a code. Whether or not you agree with his code, he is able to justify his actions and live with himself. When things begin to fall off the rails, I found myself rooting for the guy. A relatable bad guy. What I think make you want to root for him is that despite his criminal nature, he is engaged in solving other crime. Although his own misdeeds are causing his world to crash around him, he refuses to give up his investigation. Dennis Milne is a well drawn character.
The plot is multilayered. Dennis must balance his own troubles with an ongoing investigation into the grisly deaths of several young prostitutes. While most of the force is content to accept the easiest resolution to the matter, Dennis follows the leads no one wants explored. The combination of the two storylines is well plotted and entertaining. The story is a plus.
There were a few sections of the novel that lagged. While Dennis Milne was well drawn, the supporting cast was less so. I found much of the supporting cast to be stereotypical and no one character matched the colour and excitement of Dennis Milne.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this was an exciting book with an interesting hook. This book really could stand alone. Given the ending, I am not sure how the author extends the series. Regardless, I will be reading the next one.
If You Liked...
Dennis Mile really is an anti-hero. Fans of such characters will enjoy this one. If you have read and enjoyed (or in my case did not enjoy) the classic The Butcher's Boy, you will find lots to like here without the feeling that the story is aged.
After many years of promising myself I would do it, I finally took the plunge and read a book by Stephen King. I Top Notch Light Sci-Fi - 4.5 Stars
After many years of promising myself I would do it, I finally took the plunge and read a book by Stephen King. I have avoided King, as horror is not my preferred genre. Apparently King is adept at writing in other genres as well. That said, there is a sense of foreboding and an ominous presence thought out the book. I don't know if this is a trademark of his style but regardless, he does it exceptionally well.
Plot summary
In one of my least favorite books of all time, The Alchemist, (for which my unflattering review can be found HERE , the author tells us that when you are following your destiny, the universe converges to help you achieve the goal. Stephen Kings take a different and far more enjoyable tack. If you go into the past to try and accomplish your destiny, the past is going to try and seriously F@*! you up. In this story, Jake Epping, a single, 30 something English Teacher, is put on a path to change the history of the world. He is shown a doorway into the past. He can walk though to the same town in 1958. He can spend as much time there as he wishes and bring anything back. Although years may pass while in the past, when he walks back through the door, he has only been gone 2 minutes but has aged the length of time he has been in the past. Follow me so far? The only catch is that if he enters the past a second time, anything he changed is reset. Jake quickly finds himself caught up in a scheme to go back in the past and stop the assassination of JFK. The problem is, the past does not like to be messed with and it does it best to stop from being altered. As Jake goes back in time, he soon realizes he is on a trip of self-discovery and learns who he is by being where he was never meant to be.
The Good
Its about the Journey and not the Destination
I had heard that Stephen Kings loves to meander in his stories and that is certainly the case here. The fact is, it takes A LONG TIME to get to 11/22/63 and when he finally does get there, he isn't there as long as you might expect. This will be a downside for some readers. As for me, I personally enjoyed the journey, the things Jake learned and the people he met along the way. In may ways, this reminded me of the journey undertaken inAmerican Gods minus (most of) the supernatural beings. If you liked Neil Gaiman's great work, I think you might like this one as well. If you pick this one up, just remember that you will be taking the scenic route.
The Right Notes
This story hit pretty much every right note for me. I found the characters well developed and interesting. The characters were faced with tough decisions and suffered the fallout. The setting of the late 50's and early 60's came alive and was as much a character in the story as anyone else. On top of this, King infused the story with a sense of brooding. He wrote the novel in such a way that the past was itself a character. The past had memory and prescience and had the ability to alter itself to serve its purpose and protect its integrity. As the story progressed, you continually had the sense that the past could lash out at any time
The Bad
A Bit Drawn Out
While it was exceptionally enjoyable, I could not give it a full 5 stars. While I do love a meandering novel, this one was still too long. This one really did not need to be 800+ pages but I guess when you are Stephen King, no is going to stop you. My only other complaint is the initial setup of the story. Given the massive page count, King could have done a much better job of setting up the story and giving us a plausible reason why Jake chose to take on task in the first place. It seemed the author wanted to get to the past and wasn't too concerned about how he got there.
Can this Book Stand Alone
Yes. This is not part of a series
Final Thoughts
A great atmospheric novel that is for fans of King and non King fans who love awesome stories. If you are put off by the length, you will be missing out on a great experience. Trust me, you won't want to mess with the past once you read this one through.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2
There is a romantic entanglement in the story. Given the setting (1950's), the situation is kept quiet and the sexual descriptions are rather chaste.
Language - 3.5
I originally said that the adult language was very mild. It did not stand out as I was reading. I did a search after the fact and found that there was 117 usages of the f-word, 56 usage of "damn", and 114 usages of "shit". My initial take is a good indication of how engrossed I was in the story as the adult language did not register. Were this a shorter book, I would give this a higher number but consider this is the size of two or three books, the rating is relative.
Violence - 3
There a several rather violent acts in the book and they are moderately graphic. One is against a child and two are against adults. The occurrences are few in light of the size of the novel....more
I contemplated adding a few more Awesomes to the review heading but I didn't want to ov My #6 Read of 2014
Awesome, Awesome, Awesome - 5 Stars
I contemplated adding a few more Awesomes to the review heading but I didn't want to overdo it. I read this as part of Book Pal challenge in one of my Goodreads groups. I have a tendency to read crime and mystery fiction written outside of North America or by lesser known authors. Given that I am apparently some pretentious snob, I assume that the more popular an author is, the more watered down and crowd pleasing the story will be. Jeffery Deaver shattered that assumption with this book.
You don't need a plot summary from me or a long review. I know I am late to this party. At this point you have either seen the movie or read the book. Suffice to say, it is compelling read that fuses an exciting mystery while touching on some compelling social issues.
The story's protagonist is Lincoln Rhyme, a criminalist/Crime Scene Investigator/Forensic Expert. Years prior to the events of this story, he was injured at a crime scene and as a result, he is a quadriplegic. He has the movement of his head and neck as well as a single finger. He is called on to help solve a gruesome string of crimes and as result, comes to work with the responding officer and beat cop, Amelia Sachs.
Right from the outset, the book makes it clear that it is going to deal with some issues that contentions moral and social issues. Specifically, the issues surrounding assisted suicide. While this book was written in 1997, the issue is as contentious as is was in the days of Jack Kevorkian. Having lived my whole live in Canada near the border of Detroit, Michigan, I clearly recall the obsession with Jack Kevorkian a.k.a. Dr. Death and the ongoing discussion of assisted suicide. In the Bone Collector, we have a brilliant mind that is a locked within a body that cannot be used. In this novel, Lincoln Rhymes in on a quest to have his own suicide assisted and we are privy to the characters mindset and internal struggle in getting to that point. Neither the book nor the author make bold declarations as to whether there should be a "right to die" but it does give food for thought. Personally, I found this subplot to be fascinating and as equaling compelling as the main story line.
In addition to a well written story, the characters of Rhyme and Sachs are dynamite. They are both complex, well drawn and there is superb character development. The dynamic between the characters is unique as Sachs is essentially the eyes, ears and hands for Rhymes who can no longer walk a crime scene. There is great potential in this duo and I look forward to future novels.
If I have any complaint, it is that Rhymes is to "all knowing". He has a what seems to be an encyclopedic knowledge of just about everything but I was so engrossed in the story and the characters that I just didn't care.
Again, this novel is superb. If you enjoy strong characterization or great crime thriller plots, pick this one up today.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations. When reviewing language, mild obscenities are words like, shit, hell or damn. Religious exclamations are words such as Christ or Jesus when used as profanity.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1.5
There is some discussion about Rhymes desire and ability to engage is sex given his disability. There is some sexual tension but nothing graphic.
Language
Mild Obscenities - 122 F-Words - 87 Religion Exclamations - 42 Turns out there was far more adult language than I thought. I can say that in this one I did not seem as if there was as much language. It may have been that I was so taken up in reading the book that I did not notice adult language.
Violence - 3.5
There are multiple murders/attempts. Given the bad guy and his predilections, this could have been much more graphic. There are some graphic elements that some people will find disturbing but I would consider it to moderately graphic. ...more
This is one of the best Action Adventure books I have read in quite sPosted to The Literary Lawyer.ca
The Series is Solidly Back on Track - 5 Stars
This is one of the best Action Adventure books I have read in quite some time. Maybe it isn't really a 5 star read to you, but for me there was so much to love about the story that it gets 5 stars for enjoyment alone.
Plot Outline
The Event Group finds itself under attack by an unknown assailant. This group has infiltrated their ranks and uses this to both destroy several vaults in their facility and abduct multiple high ranking individuals in the organization. All that is known about the organization is that they possess superior technology and they have a very advanced submarine right out of a Jules Verne novel. This group is attempting to close the worlds commercial waterways as pollution is killing a majority of sea life. These are not the run of the mill "eco-terrorists" and they will stop at nothing to reach their goals.
The Good
20,000 Leagues of Awesome
The author take a page out of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. In fact, in early flashback scenes, Jules Verne makes a guest appearance. The submarine itself is fashioned on descriptions from the Jules Verne story. My bias for this story stems from my childhood fascination the with the movie 20,000 Leagues under the Sea (The 1954 version with Kirk Douglas). Fans of both the film and the original Jules Verne novel will appreciate the homage to the classic tale.
Beside the fact that I loved the story, the oceans are the greatest and largest unmapped and substantially unexplored areas of our planet. We know so little about what is really lurking in its depths. Stories that explore the seas and expose "mysteries" of the oceans have always fascinated me.
Living Up to my Expectations
I have had high hopes for this series since the very first novel. This series has a good balance between the action and adventure you might expect from James Rollins, Matthew Reilly or Steve Berry but it tosses in some light sci-fi elements. The science fiction elements never overwhelm the story but provide a great second layer.
In my earlier reviews of the series, I complained about the author's writing style. The series has improved and at this point I have no complaints about the ebb and flow of the story. The cast of characters, while large, is clear. The prose is clean and the plot makes sense. This series is a great example of improvement as the series progresses.
Can it Stand Alone
Yes. There are reoccurring characters in the series but their positions are generally explained. There is an issue that is held over from the previous novel but it is explained. While knowledge of the previous novels does provide background information, you could read this one without the others and you could enjoy it.
Final Thoughts
This novels provides some great deep sea adventure with some science fiction elements. Like most novels in this genre, the characters are not especially deep or developed but the plot and creative elements of the story are what propel it. In my opinion, this installment stands up to any Rollins, Reilly or Berry novel out there.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1.5
There is a bare minimum of sexual content. There is small amount of chaste kissing and one or two suggestive comments. The content is appropriate for all ages.
Language - 2.5
Occasional use of adult language. It tends to be mild.
Violence - 2.5
While there is some violence, it is "war-like" violence in this installment. Warships and submarines are shot down. While there is a loss of life, it is not graphic. There are a few killings but they are not graphic. ...more
I don't think it is really necessary for me to do an substantial review on this volume. I will be going over well trodden gSimply Masterful - 5 Stars
I don't think it is really necessary for me to do an substantial review on this volume. I will be going over well trodden ground. Instead, I have decided to tell you why you should pick this book up and read it now.
Plot
It is far too involved to provide a quick synopsis. Suffice to say there are many characters who are engaged in political intrigue, designs on the throne, ancient and preternatural rumblings and some pretty awesome dire wolves.
My Thoughts
This book has immediately vaulted in my top 10 list of all time. Looking back over what I have previously read, I see shades of this story in so many others. The difference? The author did it so much better than pretty much everyone else. The quality of writing, the tightness of the story and the continuity of the plot is so tight throughout that it is difficult to find serious fault. I won't bother to try and find fault but I will tell you what I found especially fantastic!
Characters, Characters, Characters
I often find it hard to follow a large cast of characters. I am especially good at retaining facts, but names......I can barely remember what to call my own children and my wife has long accepted that I only call her "woman". I had heard the cast was quite large and was a major concern, especially since I was listening to the audiobook. My fears were not grounded as I found it exceptionally easy to remember who was who and where everyone was. The story was told from many viewpoints but there was only one point of view per chapter and the chapters were titled for that characters point of view. Given the large number of characters, I was most impressed with the level of development that each character was afforded. Not all the characters survive to the end of the book but regardless, each was given exceptional development time. This served the next point very well...
No Fear!
Try not to get too attached characters. I felt as if the author made some very bold decisions with his characters and at some points felt like the author might kill off any character and provide excellent justification for doing so. In weaker novels, the lack of character development can be an foreshadowing of their coming demise. The author treads each character gracefully. Each character plays their role at their time and is given equal treatment to the longer lasting compatriots. I have not watched the TV show but have heard many people discuss it. As such, I did have some advanced knowledge of the plot and which characters survived. That said, I was still surprised on multiple occasions and I have to admit that I did not see many of plot twists coming.
It's a Wonderful World
Honestly, the author has created one of the best and most interesting worlds I have read in this form of fantasy. He has clearly taken the time to develop the world and the histories of its people. The result is a rich tapestry of people, cultures and lands. This first book is written in a manner that leads you to believe that there is much more to be discovered and uncovered.
Final Thoughts
This is masterpiece of fantasy. There are some unexplained and preternatural happenings in the background but it plays only a minor part of the first book. There lots of political maneuvering, backstabbing and secret dealings. Pick your favorite character, sit back for the ride and hope they survive to the end. On a final note, I listened to the audiobook version of this novel. It is quite possibly the best narration I have ever heard. The characterization was very distinct and the tone and quality was perfect. An absolute joy for the ears!
Content Advisories
Sex - 4
I had heard so many people comment on the sexual content of the TV series that I was afraid that the book may read like some medieval porn. While I would say that the sexual content is higher that most of the novels I review, that only speaks to the type of novels I read, not the general sexual content of them. There are multiple scenes of sex throughout and several are moderately graphic in nature. I have heard it jokingly said that the sexual content of the TV series makes it seem as if the show was written by a 13 year old boy. That is not the case for the novel.
Language
Mild Obscenities - 91 F-Words - 5
Violence - 3
While there is some fighting and killing, much of what happens is more political type manuvering for the throne. That said, there are some executions, deaths at the sword and death in war. Some is pushed from a high place and another is attacked with a knife. Generally, it moderately graphic....more
In the past 16 years, with the exception of the Bible, I have never read a book twice. I enjoy the Still Amazing the Second Time Around - 5 Stars
In the past 16 years, with the exception of the Bible, I have never read a book twice. I enjoy the unknown and the mystery of the unravelling. When doing a Book Pal read, I decided to pick up a book that is in my Top 10 and to break my rule about never reading a book twice. What an excellent decision. Even the second time around, I was amazed by the excellent story and the author's ability to created suspense even when you know the eventual outcome. The author makes it clear from the outset that the book is about a failed assassination attempt. While this would generally spoil the story for me, this story was about the preparation, the chase and the excitement of the near miss. This is likely the reason it was still an amazing read the second time around. Whether it is your first time, second or fifteenth, fans of Thrillers, spy novels and political thrillers should pick up this classic volume.
Plot
I will not belabour the storyline. The story is that of an assassination plot on French President/General Charles De Gaulle. The uses up a significant number of pages to outline the history leading to the attempt and the tension and power struggle between the President and the OAS who were determined to oust De Gaulle and keep Algeria French. Admittedly, the opening is slow as it reads as a history. While the first chapter or two is dry, it provide the read with an excellent synopsis of the Algerian war, De Gaulle's rise, fall and second ascent to the presidency. After 6 failed attempts at assassination, the OAS hatches its best plan to date. Enter the Jackal. The top OAS leaders hire a foreign assassin to plan his own attack and assassination of the president. The story follows two major storylines. Firstly, the OAS leaders which eventually combines with that of the Jackal and his precise planning and attempt. Secondly, the story follows the French Detective who is tasked with the unenviable job of finding a killer with no evidence and clues. The result is an excited a detailed investigation/planning and one of the best international chases you will ever read.
My Take
This is widely accepted as one of the best spy/assassin thrillers of all time. Without a doubt, the author amazing eye for detail is a major reason for this. The reader does not miss a single step in the Jackal's planning. When he visits a forger to obtain fake papers, we get to see him return. We don't miss any steps. Additionally, we follow an equally detailed investigation into the identity and plan of the killer. It is truly an immersive experience.
While the actual details of the Jackal's true identity and his planning are not well known, the author does an amazing job of taking the facts and filling in the blanks with some educated guesses. The result is a completely believable and engaging story. The Jackal is one of my favourite characters in literature. There is little back story for the character but this results in an incredibly mysterious and dangerous character. Even when you think you know him, you quickly realize you don't.
Beyond the Jackal himself, the story of the investigation is equally amazing. The character of the French Detective is a small, unassuming and henpecked man but his looks belie his sharp intellect and tenacity. He is made to report daily to approximately 10 of the top men in the French government and to steer the largest manhunt in French history. The kicker is that there are quite literally no clues to go on. With a small bit of good fortune and some excellent instincts, he is able to track down an illusion. This is truly one of the most brilliant investigations I have read. Coupling this with the Jackal's story vaults this book into my top 10.
Any fan of Thrillers need to read this excellent novel. While this was written decades ago, the writing, content and story does not feel dated. This story remains exciting and entertaining, even in time of instant gratification. Even though you know the end at the beginning, it is the journey that is exciting. A highly recommended book!...more
Tim The Enchanter
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