2010
Recently reviewed
Echo Burning
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 31st December 2010
Lee Child's fifth Jack Reacher novel is set in Texas, with Reacher back on the road in the style of the first two novels, where he comes across a 'damsel-in-distress' in the form of Carmen Greer, who wants Reacher to kill her abusive husband.
Casino Royale
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 28th December 2010
Having not read this for about fifteen years I thought it was worth having another go to see how it comes across to the adult reader. In the first of Fleming's Bond adventures, 007 is sent to beat Le Chiffre, treasurer of an influential soviet trade union, at cards, and win from him the remains of the union's funds.
Our Friend Jennings
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 23rd December 2010
When Jennings and Darbishire send off for a false moustache and some 'free' stamps, there's no foreseeing the trouble it will cause with the cross-country run, the trip to the cinema, and the end of term show.
Death in the Clouds
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 22nd December 2010
This Poirot novel, set in 1935, has an interestingly different tone. Poirot is on the plane with the murderer, and so the case is something of a closed box in that all the suspects are known immediately, much like Orient Express.
The Brethren
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 19th December 2010
Once again Grisham writes about but fails to confront prejudice in this somewhat lack-luster novel about a trio of imprisoned judges whose scam blackmails rich gay Americans. Meanwhile, the CIA are doing the best they can to force a Republican candidate of their choosing into the White House.
Seize the Fire
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 15th December 2010
The second book in the Typhon Pact mini-series, which is also the second Trek book that Michael Martin has written solo, is a fairly run of the mill adventure. When a natural disaster destroys a Gorn breeding planet, two factions set out to find a replacement. The discovery of an ancient terraforming technology looks promising, but Will Riker and the crew of the USS Titan are afraid it could also be used as a weapon.
Assassin's Apprentice
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 7th December 2010
Having enjoyed Robert Jordan's epic Wheel of Time series I decided to dive into some other recent popular fantasy series, starting with Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy. The first book tells the story of Fitz, illegitimate son of a prince, who finds himself returned to his grandfather's castle and be trained for a life of service to the King.
The Sacred Art of Stealing
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 5th December 2010
Brookmyre's seventh novel is a sequel to 'A Big Boy Did It And Ran Away', although the focus is now on police officer Angelique de Xavier, who was only the lead supporting character in the earlier novel. She's suffering with the consequences of her actions, but is still the person called in when an unusual bank robbery kicks off.
The Visitor
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 1st December 2010
In his fourth Jack Reacher novel, Lee Child makes up for some of the shortcomings of its predecessor, and returns to a style of story more akin to the first two. When a pair of female acquaintances from Reacher's past are found dead, his name is the top of the FBI's list of suspects. Not only does he have to clear himself, but find out who the real murderer is.
The Fry Chronicles
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 30th November 2010
The second volume of Stephen Fry's autobiography covers the next eight years of his life from when he started at Cambridge University through his early years in television comedy. There's a quick recap for those who missed Moab is my Washpot, and so prior reading is not required.
Eleven
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 28th November 2010
Although I've seen Mark Watson on TV many and on stage several times this is the first of his novels that I've read. It's a comic-tragedy or a tragic-comedy, written mostly in the present tense.
The Delta Anomaly
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 25th November 2010
I decided to read this book because it is the first novel to be set in the parallel world created in the recent Star Trek movie, and despite its billing as a 'Young Adult' novel. It is set at the Academy while Kirk, Uhura and Bones are cadets, and sees them dealing with their studies, relationships and an alien invader who is stealing human organs.
Crescent Dawn
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 23rd November 2010
While better than the recent Dirk Pitt spin-off novels this is certainly nothing compared to the earlier entries in the Cussler canon. Pitt and his two children are each working on completely unrelated projects which become coincidently intertwined, including a hunt for 'the Manifest' and a race to stop a terrorist attack on Istanbul.
Zero Sum Game
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 17th November 2010
Having really enjoyed David Mack's Destiny trilogy I was looking forward to finding out what he would do next to the Star Trek universe in the first of four Typhon Pact novels. I have to admit I was a little disappointed by it though.
Towers of Midnight
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 11th November 2010
It's hard to digest Brandon Sanderson's second entry in the Wheel of Time series after just one fairly quick reading, but my initial impression is that he continues the story well, while restoring the passion that some of Robert Jordan's later novels lost.
The Last Dragonslayer
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 4th November 2010
Jasper Fforde's latest novel tells the story of Jennifer Strange, fifteen-year-old acting manager of a wizard employment agency, which is suffering due to lack of magic. When the death of the last of the dragons is predicted, it is to her that people come looking for ways to profit.
Three Act Tragedy
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 3rd November 2010
Three Act Tragedy is an interesting and refreshingly different Christie novel. Poirot himself only appears as a minor character until the end and much of the legwork is done by a team of enthusiastic amateurs who were witnesses to the first crime.
The Testament
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 29th October 2010
Grisham stretches his wings slightly with this novel, in which a rich old man writes an unusual will and leaves his lawyers to sort its execution. This leads alcoholic lawyer on a life changing mission to the South American jungles as Grisham attempts to write something more thriller than legal.
A Big Boy Did it and Ran Away
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 24th October 2010
Brookmyre's sixth book tells the story of Ray Ash and Simon Darcourt, two former university friends who find themselves on either side of the law when Ash discovers that Darcourt is now the world's most wanted terrorist.
Tripwire
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 20th October 2010
This third entry in Child's Jack Reacher series starts well. The character is the same one we know from the earlier novels, and his situation is familiar. From there however, it takes a different path to the past, and provides Reacher with some character development which he has lacked before.
Daedalus's Children
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 15th October 2010
Daedalus's Children is a very similar book to its predecessor. It continues the story of Enterprise's crew trapped in a parallel universe where they are allergic to the food, in the middle of a civil war that they feel partially responsible for.
Anansi Boys
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 10th October 2010
I picked this up before I had read American Gods (or anything else of Gaiman's sole work) on the strength of Good Omens, and then put off reading it for over two years. I'm kind of glad that I did as I appreciated it more now than I think I would have when I read American Gods.
According to Jennings
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 6th October 2010
The sixth Jennings novel depicts a summer term, presumably in Jennings' and Darbishire's second year in the perpetual Form Three at Linbury Court, although they seem to have moved dormitories.
Up Till Now
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 4th October 2010
William Shatner's latest autobiography has a vey quirky feel to it, and focuses mainly on his acting career. Born in Canada, young Bill decided he wanted to act, against his father's wishes, and as soon as possible headed to Broadway under the promise that he would become a star.
Roadside Crosses
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 29th September 2010
I bought this book after hearing that Jeffery Deaver was to write the next James Bond novel, to find out what his writing is like. I'm a little disappointed.
Moab is my Washpot
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 23rd September 2010
Stephen Fry's autobiography (volume one...) covers the years from his first day of prep school to the day he seeks employment in one at age 20. He writes candidly about his emotions and experiences in an informal and somewhat rambling manner.
The Inimitable Jeeves
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 23rd September 2010
While some might see the carefree and idle lifestyle of Bertie Wooster as a bygone age it is surprising how familiar Wodehouse manages to put it over even almost ninety years on. The book seems a connected collection of short stories focussing on Bertie's troubles with his Aunt Agatha and an old school friend who is constantly falling in love.
Sandstorm
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 18th September 2010
I bought this book on the basis of Amazon's recommendations - presumably based on my previous purchase of Clive Cussler novels - and have put off reading it for some time. I'm afraid I have to report that I found it ungripping to the extent that I gave up.
Murder on the Orient Express
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 18th September 2010
This is probably the most famous of Agatha Christe's Poirot novels, and yet I found it somewhat lacking. The story is set on the Orient Express, trapped in heavy snow, where one of the passengers is found murdered. It is left to Poirot to solve the case.
The Street Lawyer
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 14th September 2010
Grisham has returned to his standard pattern of story. Young lawyer becomes dissatisfied with his job at big firm. Leaves, sues them. Even the ending fits the normal plot.
Boiling a Frog
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 14th September 2010
Brookmyre's fifth novel sees the return of investigative journalist Jack Parlebane, thrown in jail for breaking and entering. It retains the same Scots dialect, black comedy and gory scenes as the previous novels, but the plot does not come across so well.
Die Trying
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 13th September 2010
The second Jack Reacher novel is every bit as good as the first. This time Reacher is an innocent by-stander caught up in the action when an attractive FBI agent is kidnapped by a crazy militia.
I Shall Wear Midnight
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 6th September 2010
Terry Pratchett's latest Discworld novel for 'younger readers' lives up to his usual high standards. Tiffany Aching is now 16 and technically a fully qualified witch who has returned to her steading on the chalk. Unfortunately, something much wore than she has dealt with before is chasing her, and she's also lost her boyfriend.
Lord Edgware Dies
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 3rd September 2010
This is one of my favourites of the Christie novels I've read so far. It's fairly traditional in its set up but keeps the reader guessing.
Mystery Man
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 1st September 2010
Mystery man is an interesting book. It starts promisingly with a good set up but then falls into a bit of a pit as more detail about the main character (whose name we never learn) and his neurotic nature are revealed.
The Lost Symbol
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 1st September 2010
The final book in the Robert Langdon trilogy (one can only hope) tries to jump the shark even more than before. This time Brown ventures too far into the realms of fantasy for my liking in what should be a mystery thriller.
Daedalus
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 27th August 2010
I've had this book for several years, probably since it was published, but until now had not got around to reading it. I soon found out why.
The Gathering Storm
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 23rd August 2010
Book 12, which is not now the final episode, is the first Wheel of Time novel since Robert Jordan's death in 2007, and Brandon Sanderson proves himself a worthy successor.
Jennings' Diary
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 18th August 2010
I barely remember any of this Jennings book from when I was younger, which made it a good read today. The tale of Jennings' diary ties together four major events this term from the missing cufflink to the form three museum.
Diaries 1969-1979: The Python Years
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 16th August 2010
I've been intending to read this for some time but was intimidated by its size, however I now forced myself to give it a go and found it to be quite enjoyable.
Peril at End House
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 9th August 2010
This is a fairly standard Poirot novel featuring Captain Hastings as the narrator. Poirot decides to intervene when a young lady is shot at within spitting distance of his holiday accommodation.
Seven Ancient Wonders
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 9th August 2010
I have attempted to read Matthew Reilly's 'Scarecrow' in the past but had to give up fifty pages in, but decided to give him another chance.
The Partner
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 8th August 2010
This is the most disappointingly irritating John Grisham novel I have read so far. The writing is Grisham's usual - no complaints over style - but the plot is awful.
The Greatest Show on Earth
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 31st July 2010
I started reading this reluctantly, not because I disagree with its sentiment but because in previous books by Dawkins that I've read he has come across as a little too aloof and over the top. This book did contain a little too much overt criticism of what Dawkins describes as 'history deniers' - especially as these are exactly the people he claims to be writing this book for.
Jennings and Darbishire
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 25th July 2010
The fourth book in the Jennings series seems to lose its way slightly compared to its predecessors. The plot focusses on the chaos that ensues after Jennings receives a printing kit for his birthday and starts his own newspaper. The fact that it has been titled 'Jennings and Derbyshire' rather than 'Jennings' Newspaper' already suggests how weakly the plot will hold together.
One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 23rd July 2010
The fourth comedy thriller from Christopher Brookmyre tells the story of an ill-fated school-reunion, where old friends reacquaint themselves until some unexpected guests show up - with guns.
In Your Dreams
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 21st July 2010
This book is remarkably similar to its predecessor. Paul Carpenter is baffled by his job and falling madly in love with the new girl in the office. Magical things are going on around him and he's dragged into the action in a comic battle between good and evil.
Alex's Adventures in Numberland
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 13th July 2010
Despite its rather cheesy title, this is a good primer on the basics of modern mathematics. It covers aspects from the invention of number right up to hyperbolic surfaces, mixing the maths with its history to tell the story.
Killing Floor
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 8th July 2010
This book introduces Jack Reacher, a former military policeman who is enjoying his freedom, wandering around America, when he is unexpectedly arrested for a murder he didn't commit. Reacher joins the investigation as things get personal.
Black Coffee
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 2nd July 2010
This is an interesting read - a novelization of a Christie play where Poirot is called to investigate a potential case of espionage but which turns quickly to a murder situation. Osborne makes a good job of emulating Christie's style, and the personalities of Poirot and Hastings are spot on.
Knife of Dreams
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 1st July 2010
Book eleven is, in my opinion, one of the best in the series. It's nice to know that Jordan went out on a high, as this is the final instalment that he completed before his death. Mat tries to escape the Seanchan tracking him, Perrin fights to regain his wife from the Shaido, Elayne fights for her crown and Egwene adapts to life as a prisoner of the Tower.
Jennings' Little Hut
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 26th June 2010
I was quite excited by the prospect of Jennings' Little Hut - the first Jennings book that's new to me (though not itself new) for about 18 years. Why this was not in the released set I bought as a child, I really don't know. I was not disappointed.
Articles of the Federation
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 23rd June 2010
This is the first official political thriller from the Star Trek universe, and covers the events of the first year of Nan Bacco's tenure as Federation President, dealing with the Klingons and Romulans, first contacts, unruly councillors and the repercussions of the events of A Time for War, a Time for Peace.
The Spy
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 18th June 2010
Isaac Bell's investigation into a weapons designer's death turns into an early attempt at US counter-espionage as he battles with the agent known as 'the Spy'. It's a disappointing twist which takes what was a promising series of historical detection into something more akin to a modern day thriller.
The Runaway Jury
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 14th June 2010
This is another very good legal thriller. Grisham explores the courtroom from the point of view of the jury this time, and the opposing groups of lawyers as they attempt to influence the jury in their favour. The twist is that someone on the jury wants to influence the lawyers. It's addictive reading and a really interesting plot that I've enjoyed reading.
At Home
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 13th June 2010
While this is an interesting read, I'm not entirely convinced that it does what it says on the tin. From Reading the blurb and product descriptions on websites, the impression I got was that it was literally a history of his house. Okay so that doesn't sound like too attractive a proposition, but I expected a little more focus on the house.
The Mystery of the Blue Train
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 6th June 2010
In this adventure, Poirot investigates a murder that takes place on the 'Blue Train' - en route to the south of France. A surprising number of people who knew the victim are also aboard, and it's down to Poirot to work out who dunit.
Consequences
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 5th June 2010
This book made a refreshing change from the usual style of Torchwood books. Rather than one story, this contains five loosely connected short-stories, ranging from early 20th century Torchwood hunting baby snatchers to post-series two Torchwood battling drug-dealers, and the strange case of Nina Rogers.
The Silent Sea
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 1st June 2010
I was pleasantly surprised by the latest entry in Clive Cussler's Oregon Files series. Cabrillo and his crew uncover a rather complicated plot involving missing scientists, a crashed rocket, a treasure pit, an Argentine invasion and a Chinese junk.
The Antipope
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 28th May 2010
This book made me feel like a child again - and not in the good way. I felt as if I was reading something that was way above my head. Something that seemed like it was good, but something that I wasn't quite there intellectually to appreciate. The last time I remember feeling like this was aged 11 reading an Iain Banks.
Not the End of the World
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 25th May 2010
This is quite a strange novel. Mostly in terms of it's structure. The story focuses on Luther St John, a Christian fundamentalist who predicts his god will send a destructive tidal wave to destroy LA. He then goes out of his way to ensure he's right. Meanwhile Scottish photographer Steff falls head over heels with the model he is shooting. It's an odd blend of comedy crime romance that succeeds in pulling off all three.
New Spring
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 20th May 2010
This has actually surprised me by how good it is, and is probably my favourite book in the whole series (so far). It's a refreshing change to the ongoing storyline that we're plodding through in the main series, but is still a part of the same story which gives an excellent insight into the backstory.
Jennings Follows a Clue
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 16th May 2010
By the second book in the Jennings series he has settled in at Linbury Court and while still slightly an outsider from the gang he's certainly no longer being treated like the "new boy". After Mr Carter reads him a Sherlock Holmes story, Jennings decides to form the Linbury Court Detective Agency, and sets out to investigate the mysteries of the stolen sports cup and the light in the sanatorium.
The Big Four
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 14th May 2010
This is a departure from the Poirot norm for Christie, which I don't think really worked. Rather than a whodunit, it's more of a thriller akin to James Bond (though they came later) complete with megalomanic baddies and a secret mountain hideaway.
A Time for War, A Time for Peace
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 13th May 2010
The final book in the 'A Time To' series has surpassed my expectations, much as the previous two. I felt the series started rather weakly, but towards the it's conclusion it has grown into something stronger.
The Rapture
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 11th May 2010
I can't find much to say about this novel, mostly because I didn't get anywhere near finishing it. I read a grand total of two chapters, and by then I knew that it wasn't doing anything for me. So I can't really say it's a good or bad book -just that it isn't my style.
The Portable Door
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 5th May 2010
I was actually attracted to Tom Holt's novels when Amazon recommended me 'May Contain Traces of Magic', but as that appears to be the latest novel in a series, I decided to start here with the first novel.
Shades of Grey
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 3rd May 2010
I honestly can't think what to say about Shades of Grey. It's a fantastic book - deeper and much more cerebral than I had been expecting. I had thought it would be something more of a comedy romp, a little more like Fforde's previous Thursday Next and Nursery Crime series. Instead it's a modern masterpiece that I really hope becomes this half-century's equivalent to 1984.
Jennings Goes to School
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 28th April 2010
A short while ago I discovered that the series of 18 Jennings novels that I read as a child in the early nineties were not, in fact, the entire story, and there were 6 novels missing from my collection. So I've dug out the books from the loft and have set to re-reading them all, in the original publication order.
Spartan Gold
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 23rd April 2010
Okay, I'll admit I was fairly sceptical about this one going in. Cussler's novels have, excluding The Chase, been heading downhill for a while now, and starting yet another new series, with yet another 'co-author' (I assume this is like Clancy, where the big name comes up with an idea and the little name does the hard work of actually writing it).
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 14th April 2010
The final book in the 'Millennium' trilogy has to be my favourite. Following on directly from book two, Salander is hospitalized and charged with attempted murder. Meanwhile Blomqvist turns his attention to the dark forces that have interfered throughout her life.
The Undertaker's Gift
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 4th April 2010
The Undertaker's Gift follows the current pattern of Torchwood novels. It's plot is similar - there seems to be an over dependence on zombies - and slow to get going. There's a lot more going on in this one than there needs to be, and until the very end it doesn't really fit together, and even then seems a little bit of a cop out.
Country of the Blind
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 2nd April 2010
While I did find this novel to be an entertaining read, it seemed a particularly odd one. As a sequel, it made the mandatory references to the previous novel but without going into more detail than was necessary (well, perhaps a little). A nice number of characters had returned, although some had a bigger and some a smaller role than I had expected, and the lives of some had moved off in directions I was not expecting.
Crossroads of Twilight
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 26th March 2010
I've heard bad things about this book, and because of this I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't anything like as bad as has been made out. Okay, so not a great deal happens in terms of advancing the plot, but it's not an awful book. This is however from the perspective of a reader who could, if so inclined, pick up the next volume immediately - perhaps I would think differently if I knew I had to wait several years for the next instalment.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 7th March 2010
Classic Christie with some special twists that make it clear why this is one of the most popular of Hercule Poirot's adventures. When Roger Acroyd is murdered the help of Poirot is quickly enlisted to find out which of his friends/family was the culprit.
A Time to Heal
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 5th March 2010
A Time to Heal is another good David Mack contribution to the star trek line, although I didn't find it as interesting as the previous novel in the series. This one seemed more predictable, with the culmination of the plot fairly obvious on the basis of knowing later events from seeing the film set later than it. This stripped Riker's incarceration of all its weight and made Doctor Crusher's ridiculously slow decision making tortuous.
The Girl Who Played With Fire
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 3rd March 2010
This book is weird. Like its predecessor there is a mystery that the journalist is setting out to solve, but this time Salander has become the suspect rather than the investigator, and the reader is stuck in an awkward position of not knowing the truth. Unlike a traditional mystery, the actual clues are nowhere to be seen, and the actual conclusions rely on insider knowledge that is unavailable to the reader - rendering it lacking in a sense of interactivity.
A Time to Kill
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 28th February 2010
David Mack has produced what is easily the best book in the A Time To... series so far with this one. While the storyline is still a little slow paced, Mack manages to successfully distract the reader by providing a host of alternative viewpoints, adding local residents, federation politicians, and Worf to his character list. This makes the plot feel much more rounded and enables a lot more background detail to be filled in without sounding like exposition.
Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 22nd February 2010
Almost 40, Adrian is living with his second wife, next to his parents in a converted pigsty. The diary is another interesting insight into his life, and I think being older has helped me to appreciate more of the subtleties of Adrian's behaviour.
Scarecrow
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 18th February 2010
A one-star review - which means a book that I failed to finish. The first for a long time. I'll admit, I should have been tipped off by only having paid £1 in the discount book shop, and that it's by an author with a seemingly substantial output and yet of whom I had never heard. I was also put off by the title 'Scarecrow' - a name that really doesn't fit a good character in a story.
Risk Assessment
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 18th February 2010
This is a strange Torchwood novel which I feel ambiguous about. It's quite entertaining, with a rapidly moving plot and lots of inescapable threat. There are plenty of comic moments and cheesy jokes which fit the Torchwood characters perfectly. In fact, Goss manages to portray the regulars incredibly faithfully.
Winter's Heart
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 16th February 2010
By book nine, the rumour mill had seriously hinted to me, the Wheel of Time becomes slow, stale and boring as it plods tediously on getting nowhere nearer its conclusion. I disagree. I thought this book was a refreshing upping of pace on the last few books. Each of the characters has a defined goal again and works to achieve it, and each of them has a storyline (except Egwene) which actually interested me.
The View From the Bridge
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 9th February 2010
This is very definitely a memoir - don't expect it to provide more than the bare minimum of autobiographical facts, emotion, or colour. It is, purely and simply, and account of Nicholas Meyer's career, with particular focus on his work with Star Trek and the period immediately before.
A Time to Hate
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 7th February 2010
This is the lowest in Star Trek noveldom I've visited in a long time. Very little happens until the final few chapters, and even then it's nothing that could not have been guessed from the previous novel. In fact, several of the major plot points have so blatantly been coming that it's a surprise there wasn't some sort of twist at the end. Admittedly it is lining up characters for their places in Nemesis but it's getting a bit silly when the entire plot seems to be just for the sake of one tiny set up.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 6th February 2010
This is a weird book. For a start it uses some weird language, but then it is translated from Swedish so many idioms may not translate naturally. The characters are weird too - some less than others - in fact the character who is meant to be the weirdest seems to actually be the least so by the end, as everyone else has become weirder still. The weirdness is magnified in their sexual practices - either Sweden is very liberal or this author is a bit mad.
The Final Chapter
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 3rd February 2010
This second book is just as good as the first, although that is partly because the first half of this volume is the text of the first book, just without the scripts. The second half is brand new and covers the time from the end of the first book to the end of Russell T Davies' tenure at Doctor Who in the form of an e-mail exchange between Davies and journalist Ben Cook.
A Time to Love
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 31st January 2010
Book five in this series is an odd fish. I'm not quite sure how to characterize it. The set up seems to be a bit of a murder mystery story on an alien planet known for being the one place where two enemy species are able to live in peace.
Poirot Investigates
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 28th January 2010
This is an odd collection. There doesn't appear to be anything in particular to tie the stories together other than that they contain Hastings and Poirot - the settings are diverse and there doesn't appear to be any sort of chronological flow between them - in some the pair are living together and in others not. I'm not convinced that it works as a collection.
Quite Ugly One Morning
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 24th January 2010
Jack Parlabane is something of a para-journalist... whose skills seem more akin to a burglar or spy, and who does very little journalism throughout. When his new neighbour's corpse is found in rather unusual circumstances he teams up with the ex-wife of the deceased and a local police officer to investigate.
The Path of Daggers
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 22nd January 2010
A seventy day gap between the previous novel and this one seems to have been a little too long as I have lost track of who several characters are and what others are up to. In a way I pity those readers who have been reading these books as they were published - they do suffer from a lack of catch up at the beginning, instead assuming that you have put one book down the same moment that you pick up the next.
The Rainmaker
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 11th January 2010
This Grisham is a good read - it's certainly picked my interest in his novels back up again after the disappointing read that was 'The Chamber'. Baylor is, as per the Grisham cliché, a fresh out of law school lawyer, thrust into the evil scheming world of American court cases. In this case, he has to sue an Insurance company, and really it's far too easy for him.
A Time to Harvest
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 7th January 2010
The second half of this duology is a slight improvement on the first, containing more action and a plot that moves more quickly. It's also easier to follow as we are aligned with both parties this time from the outset and can understand what's going on from both points of view.
The Gun Seller
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 6th January 2010
This is a strange book about a former Army officer who is tricked through a bizarre series of events into becoming an arms dealer. It starts off as a bit of a comedic romp, but then twists back on itself to become more of a thriller with a bit of psychology thrown in. One thing's for certain - it will keep you guessing all the way.
A Time to Sow
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 4th January 2010
The third 'A Time To...' book, while not a direct sequel in the truest sense to the second, is very definitely a follow on, in which Picard and the Enterprise are suffering from the damage inflicted on their reputation previously.
Present Danger
Warning: Use of undefined constant amp - assumed 'amp' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/books/archiveamp.php on line 214
Buy book #ad:
Reviewed on 3rd January 2010
In Dame Stella's fifth Liz Carlyle adventure, the MI5 agent is dispatched to take over in Northern Ireland, where a confused gang of American, French and Spanish criminals, pretending to be Irish Republicans, kidnap one of her agents.