2013
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The Secret of Skeleton Island
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Reviewed on 31st December 2013
In a change from their adventures up to this point, the Three Investigators are sent away to investigate who is stealing things from a movie location at the seaside. The location gives a sense of scale that the regular novels have lacked, but it also means that we miss out on the usual trappings of the series - the Rolls Royce car, the secret base and its many entrances, and the regular guest cast.
Calico Joe
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Reviewed on 31st December 2013
John Grisham's third sports-related character study is a really interesting read, telling the story of two baseball players from the point of view of the son of one. The style of the narration is Grisham's usual, clipped sentences that work as well, if not better, to explain a sporting story as they do his regular legal thrillers.
Death on the Downs
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Reviewed on 31st December 2013
The second Fethering book develops the characters a little further and continues to set things up for future novels. Carole accidentally stumbles across another body, and finds herself wrapped up in another complex murder investigation.
The Poisoned Chalice
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Reviewed on 12th December 2013
Book four in the 'The Fall' mini-series follows for the most part the USS Titan's crew as they react to the events of recent novels and find their routine altered dramatically by orders from Starfleet. A number of Deep Space Nine characters also show up, and I really enjoyed those appearances from my favourite Trek series.
The Wide Window
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Reviewed on 12th December 2013
The third book in the series maintains the quality of the second, better than book one. In The Wide Window, the trio of unlucky siblings are sent to live with a distant relative in a house overlooking a lake, and to hide from the ever-present Count Olaf, who is out to steal their fortune.
Dead Man's Footsteps
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Reviewed on 12th December 2013
Book four in the series is just an engaging as the first three. While more of a procedural novel than a mystery, there are puzzling aspects and it's more a question of seeing how the jigsaw comes together.
Scorpius
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Reviewed on 8th December 2013
Scorpius is an interesting take on the James Bond novel. There are aspects that feel Fleming-esque, but on the whole it feels neither like something crafted by the character's creator, nor like the previous novels written by John Gardner. It's lost a lot of the more eighties aspects, and feels quite trimmed back and without extravagance.
Darkest Fear
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Reviewed on 4th December 2013
The seventh Myron Bollitar novel is particularly strong, but also one of the darkest of the series. The character is becoming much deeper and the story is more emotional and far more about him rather than about the plot than in some of the early books in the series.
The Mayan Secrets
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Reviewed on 30th November 2013
The Fargos return for an adventure in South America, where an accidental discovery sets them at odds with a mysterious collector. As recent Clive Cussler novels go, it's not a bad little adventure, although there are holes when you look too closely.
Raising Steam
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Reviewed on 30th November 2013
Terry Pratchett's fortieth Discworld novel sees the world take a dramatic new turn in its industrial revolution, led in this instance by the reappearing Moist von Lipwig.
Blood of Dragons
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Reviewed on 30th November 2013
The final novel in the Rain Wilds Chronicles, and thirteenth full length story to take place in the Realm of the Elderlings, Blood of Dragons follows on immediately where the previous novel left off, and wraps things up - possibly a little too quickly.
Snakehead
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Reviewed on 24th November 2013
Alex Rider returns in a direct continuation from the previous novel, which sees him team up with the Australian Secret Service to try to crack a people smuggling operation. It's another thrilling and fast-moving action novel, although seems to be borrowing more and more from the format of the James Bond films.
A Ceremony of Losses
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Reviewed on 24th November 2013
The Fall book three is about Doctor Bashir and the situation with the Andorians that's been going on for so many books now I've lost track. If you've been reading then you can guess the key points of the setup, if not I won't spoil it.
After the Funeral
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Reviewed on 7th November 2013
After the Funeral has some novel twists that turn it into a much more interesting Poirot investigation than I had been expecting, and it's one that I felt could benefit from being re-read to pick up on just how masterfully it has been crafted.
The Red Dahlia
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Reviewed on 31st October 2013
The second appearance of detective Anna Travis is much more polished than the first. When a mutilated body is found in a situation resembling an unsolved case from the 1930s, Travis is reunited with her old boss to track down the murderer.
Divine Madness
Reviewed on 28th October 2013
In his fifth adventure, James Adams, a teenage secret agent, and several of his colleagues are sent to infiltrate a religious cult believed to have terrorist links.
Two for the Dough
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Reviewed on 28th October 2013
The second novel in the Stephanie Plum series sees the bounty hunter in her second case - trying to catch an elusive bail skipper. The story feels instantly forgettable (I can't recall what happened in the first book either), and seemed to be missing an opening chapter that would have reintroduced the characters and set up the plot.
Diamond Solitaire
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Reviewed on 28th October 2013
The second Peter Diamond mystery is quite different to the first. Diamond is working as a security guard in a page shop when he tumbles into a mystery surrounding a found child.
News from the Squares
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Reviewed on 28th October 2013
The sequel to Llewellyn's News from Gardenia follows Gavin Meckler's attempt to get home, which leaves him in yet another strange version of the world which he struggles to understand. The style is very reminiscent of the first book, though it explores some different ideas that I found even more interesting.
Steelheart
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Reviewed on 8th October 2013
In Steelheart, fantasy author extraordinaire Brandon Sanderson tells the tale of David - a young man from Chicago whose father was killed by a human with superpowers, and David is out for revenge.
Solo
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Reviewed on 2nd October 2013
William Boyd's entry in the James Bond series is likely to appeal to two groups - fans of Ian Fleming's original literary works about the British secret agent, and fans of the cinematic escapades based on the same character. My immediate feeling was that neither would be satisfied, but actually I found it to be a good Fleming-esque read.
The Crimson Shadow
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Reviewed on 27th September 2013
The second book in The Fall, the latest 24th Century Star Trek mini-series, runs for the most part concurrently with the first book, 'Revelation and Dust'. It follows Garak, Cardassian ambassador to the Federation, as he heads back to his home planet for the ceremonial signing of a treaty.
Zero Hour
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Reviewed on 26th September 2013
The eleventh book, and the NUMA Files are feeling a little tired. This one tells the tale of Kurt Austin's adventure down under, and seems to miss the original idea of this series being about the four-piece ensemble group - having just one main character makes it fairly indistinguishable from the original Dirk Pitt series that it span off from.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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Reviewed on 21st September 2013
That third Harry Potter novel is one that I must have read a dozen times, and until now, rereading it with the Pottermore website alongside, I've considered it one of my least favourite entries in the series.
Pulling Up Stakes (part 2)
Reviewed on 21st September 2013
The second half of Pulling Up Stakes continues the story from part one, in which Vince, the vampire hunter who is himself a vampire, is drawn into an unexpectedly complicated situation that he's desperate to get out of.
The Leopard
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Reviewed on 21st September 2013
Harry Hole's eighth adventure sees the reluctant detective dragged back to work to investigate an apparent serial killer (again). It's odd how rare they are said to be and yet how frequently they turn up. The book feels very long, and the way that the plot develops becomes annoyingly repetitive.
Revelation and Dust
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Reviewed on 7th September 2013
Book one of The Fall, this year's 24th Century Star Trek novel extravaganza is also a celebration of 20 years since Deep Space Nine first aired, and that's where the series starts, picking up after the dramatic events of David R George III's previous three DS9 novels.
Never Go Back
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Reviewed on 5th September 2013
Lee Child has been building his Jack Reacher series up to this story for several years, it following on from events in two of the last three novels, and it certainly doesn't disappoint. Reacher has been making his way back to his former army posting, to meet the woman who currently holds his old position in the military police, but instead finds someone else, and a surprising number of complications.
Ghost Ship
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Reviewed on 2nd September 2013
In the first regular novel based on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Diane Carey presents a story that successfully bridges the gap between the TV series' pilot episode and the remainder of season one by rounding off some of the changed premises. For a book that was likely written before the pilot was even transmitted, she does well to capture the locations and the characters from the series.
Mortal Causes
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Reviewed on 27th August 2013
Book six of Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus series is set during the Edinburgh Festival, where, as you might expect from a book of this genre, a body is found. It's an interesting tale, but the plot felt a bit muddy in places and I wasn't entirely sure how the various threads wove together.
Redshirts
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Reviewed on 19th August 2013
An avid Star Trek fan, Redshirts is the first of John Scalzi's novels that I've read, and il have very much enjoyed it. The story follows Ensign Andrew Dahl as he's assigned to the fleet flagship and notices a worrying trend with the junior ranks in away missions.
Legion
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Reviewed on 19th August 2013
A fairly short novella that I read through in a couple of sittings, Legion is the first-person tale of a young man whose many hallucinations are characters in their own right. It's hard to explain, but makes perfect sense as you read it.
Ordinary Thunderstorms
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Reviewed on 17th August 2013
I spotted this and picked it up cheaply after hearing that William Boyd would be the author of the next James Bond novel, and despite concern that it would be too literary for my tastes actually enjoyed it.
High Heat
Reviewed on 15th August 2013
Another short story about the young Jack Reacher, this tale focuses in on the character as a sixteen year old visiting New York and typically getting mixed up in something.
The Mystery of the Hidden House
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Reviewed on 15th August 2013
Enid Blyton's mysteries follow the Five Find-Outers, in this book joined by Ern, the nephew of their nemesis PC Goon. Ern takes a leading role in the story, along with Fatty, to the detriment of the other characters who almost blend into the background and lose their individuality.
Storm Front
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Reviewed on 15th August 2013
Storm Front is the first book of the Dresden Files, about a wizard turned investigator in Chicago. The narrative is presented in the first person, and while the text feels a little rough at the edges it's a good first novel with a fair amount of promise.
Flesh Wounds
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Reviewed on 15th August 2013
The third book in Christopher Broomyre's serious crime series following private investigator Jasmine Sharp and her police counterpart Catherine McLeod delves more into the characters' pasts as a familiar character is arrested.
A Storm of Swords (2: Blood and Gold)
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Reviewed on 30th July 2013
Book three and a half of A Song of Ice and Fire is really the second half of the third book, but I've read it a few months after finishing the first half, and thought it worked well on its own, being a length that felt more manageable to read in one go.
Laughing Gas
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Reviewed on 27th July 2013
I thought when I started reading that this would be another run of the mill Wodehouse novel (perhaps that's unfair, but the last few I've read have seemed to be approaching formulaic). Not far in though, there is an interesting turn of events that was definitely not what I expected from this author. This change of circumstances throws the rest of the story into a new perspective and made it a really enjoyable tale.
Terra
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Reviewed on 27th July 2013
Mitch Benn's first novel is as delightful as its main character - a young Ymn (human) girl brought up by a good natured alien scientist. It's an interesting set of observations that combine to create an enthralling narrative that I just couldn't stop reading.
The Accused
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Reviewed on 21st July 2013
The third adventure for Theodore Boone surprised me by being much better than the first two. Boone, a rather goody-two-shoes middle class American child, son of two lawyers, finds himself the number-one suspect in a burglary.
The Mystery of the Vanishing Treasure
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Reviewed on 21st July 2013
Book five, and the Three Investigators are not only witness to a jewel theft, but sent a mystery by Alfred Hitchcock - to investigate gnome sightings in California.
The Cuckoo's Calling
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Reviewed on 21st July 2013
Once the truth about the book's author was revealed I got my hands on a copy as soon as I could, and it doesn't disappoint. Robin's latest temping assignment is her dream job, working for Cormoran Strike, a private detective hired to prove a suicide was in fact murder.
The Body on the Beach
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Reviewed on 21st July 2013
The first of the Fethering mysteries is a pleasant and interesting novel that I've been intending to read for some time, having heard some of Simon Brett's work on the radio. When Carole finds a body on the beach, it soon disappears, and the police refuse to believe her.
The Amber Spyglass
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Reviewed on 19th July 2013
The third and thankfully final book in the His Dark Materials trilogy completely failed to grip me, to the point where I had to give myself a reward of reading a chapter of another book after each chapter of this one. The Amber Spyglass sees Lyra and Will separated, as Will and the other diverse array of characters travel their separate routes towards a rather lackluster conclusion.
Not Dead Enough
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Reviewed on 11th July 2013
The third Roy Grace novel sees the detective baffled by a mystery that the audience is let in on at once when the chief murder suspect seems to have a cast iron alibi.
No Deals, Mr Bond
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Reviewed on 11th July 2013
No Deals, Mr Bond has to rate as one of the worst titles in the series, which is a shame as it's one of Gardner's better novels. I've found the first five to be variable in quality, but by his sixth Bond story, Gardner seems to have got a plot that works and a grip in the character he wants Bond to be.
Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures
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Reviewed on 6th July 2013
Christopher L Bennett kicks off the re-relaunch of Star Trek: Enterprise following on from the novels by Michael A Martin, and manages to do a much more entertaining job
The Long War
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Reviewed on 6th July 2013
The sequel to the authors' The Long Earth sees the same group of characters set out on a variety of quests throughout a landscape of parallel worlds as various factions emerge.
The Norm Chronicles
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Reviewed on 6th July 2013
The Norm Chronicles is a fascinating look into the study of risk, comparing the purely statistical view with how real people think. Blastland and Spiegelhalter create a compelling set of characters to place into risky and often humorous situations, and follow this up with a discussion of how risk is calculated and perceived.
The Never-Ending Sacrifice
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Reviewed on 21st June 2013
Following on from the second-season Deep Space Nine episode 'Cardassians', Una McCormack's tale follows the life of Rugal, a Cardassian teenager brought up by Bajorans but sent back to live with his biological father. It's a different take on a civilization that was not explored in as much detail as it could have been on television, and gives an interesting alternative perspective on the events of the TV series.
The Reptile Room
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Reviewed on 21st June 2013
I found myself reluctant to pick up book two in this series after having mixed feelings about the first, however I thought that the story and style has improved making for a much more enjoyable tale.
The Final Detail
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Reviewed on 21st June 2013
The sixth book in the Myron Bollitar series follows closely on from the fifth, as the character deals with the repercussions of his actions. As such, it feels deeper and more emotionally real than the previous novels, while retaining the disconnect from reality that gives the series its entertainment value.
City of Dragons
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Reviewed on 15th June 2013
The third book in the Rain Wilds Chronicles and twelfth overall in Robin Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings series feels shorter and much more character focussed than most of the earlier books.
Ark Angel
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Reviewed on 7th June 2013
Following directly on from the end of the previous novel, Alex Rider accidentally interrupts a kidnapping attempt and is once again drawn into the world of secret agents that he longs to escape. It's a great thriller and one of the best in the series, which has improved as it's gone on.
Mrs McGinty's Dead
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Reviewed on 6th June 2013
It's been quite a while since I last read an Agatha Christie novel and I'm pleased by what I got on my return to the world of Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver. When the police arrest a man they believe to be innocent, yet to whom all the evidence points, they call on an elderly Poirot to find the truth.
The Trophy Taker
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Reviewed on 5th June 2013
The first book in the Johnnie Mann series was passed on to me by my mother-in-law, and I was unimpressed. The story is based in Hong Kong, and follows police officer Mann and a variety of other characters, as he investigates several murders. It's a fairly graphic narrative that didn't draw me in.
The Rithmatist
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Reviewed on 30th May 2013
Brandon Sanderson has done it again. In The Rithmatist he creates yet another rich and detailed fantasy world, in which a segment of society has the power to do battle by drawing chalk patterns around them. Joel is not one of them, but wishes he was. Instead he finds himself drawn into an investigation after a Rithmatist disappears.
Above Suspicion
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Reviewed on 30th May 2013
The first Anna Travis story sees the young detective sergeant assigned to her first murder case, investigating a series of seemingly connected crimes. The novel is gripping though quite graphic in places, and there's perhaps too much flipflopping.
Star Trek Into Darkness
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Reviewed on 22nd May 2013
Alan Dean Foster's invitation to pen the novelization of JJ Abrams' second Star Trek film came as something of a surprise to me, as I was very disappointed with his version of the previous film. This book lives up to my recollections of its predecessor.
One for the Money
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Reviewed on 19th May 2013
I was a little nervous about picking up the first novel in the Stephanie Plum series, it's lurid pink cover hinting that the contents might be somewhat more girly that my usual taste in fiction, but I was pleasantly surprised. The characters are well-rounded and believable, and the action is well paced and depicted well.
Our Kind of Traitor
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Reviewed on 12th May 2013
This is the first John le Carré novel I have read since childhood, and it certainly exceeded my expectations based on vague memories of half-read books and from the 1980s or earlier, and the recent film adaptation of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
The Last Detective
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Reviewed on 6th May 2013
When a body is found in a lake late one night, Superintendent Diamond is called in to lead the investigation, despite a pending review of his handling of a previous case. The first of Peter Lovesey's novels I've read, this is a really interesting way to present a crime novel.
Encounter at Farpoint
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Reviewed on 2nd May 2013
The novelization of the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation reveals a fascinating insight into some of the early plans for the characters, and adds a little to the story as seen on TV.
Judgement Day
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Reviewed on 26th April 2013
'Science of Discworld' continues to be a slightly misleading name for this series, which is actually about real science using the Discworld as a framework and a metaphor. This fourth book is set around a Discworld court case, in which the Omnian religion is suing the Unseen University for ownership of the Roundworld.
The Mystery of the Missing Necklace
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Reviewed on 14th April 2013
The find-outers' fifth mystery sees them occupy the end of the summer holidays trying to crack the investigation that PC Goon is clearly chasing.
Guilty Pleasures
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Reviewed on 14th April 2013
The first book in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, series introduces the reader to the first-person perspective of the title character - a fairly ordinary young woman with a slightly unusual job - as she's hired by an unlikely client to solve a string of murders.
The Field Guide
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Reviewed on 11th April 2013
A fun but all too short story of three children in difficult circumstances who find something interesting sharing their new home.
The Snowman
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Reviewed on 11th April 2013
The seventh Harry Hole mystery is finally his chance to shine on home turf, as it seems a serial killer is going after women in the Oslo area, and leaving snowmen as calling cards. The story is full of twists and overall this is probably the bet book in the series so far.
The Litigators
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Reviewed on 11th April 2013
John Grisham's best book for years. The Litigators follows young lawyer David Zinc, who leaves his high-paid lawyerly career to become a street lawyer and dabble in mass tort.
The Stuff of Dreams
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Reviewed on 31st March 2013
The Stuff of Dreams, while just five chapters long, provides another solid tale in the ongoing drama of the post-Next Generation era of Star Trek. Picard and the Enterprise are sent to rendezvous with the USS Newton which is investigating the Nexus - a spacial anomaly that featured heavily in the mid-nineties movie Generations.
The Black Book
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Reviewed on 29th March 2013
The fifth Rebus novel admits in its introduction that the author has realised that this is now a series, and its clear from the narrative as an array of characters return from previous novels, and the regular cast is rounded out with a number of new allies and antagonists. If anything, it almost reaches the point where there are too many characters to keep an eye on, and several times I found myself struggling to remember who one was.
The Striker
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Reviewed on 29th March 2013
A prequel to the Isaac Bell series, this book shows the private investigator tackle one of his earliest cases, investigating sabotage in America's coal mines in the early twentieth century.
Hot Water
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Reviewed on 21st March 2013
While Hot Water contains all the classic hallmarks of a Wodehouse novel, it didn't strike me as one of the best, though among the works of such an author that is hardly a criticism. This novel is set predominantly in a small coastal French town and focusses on a group of predominantly American visitors to the country as they variously dabble in theft, blackmail and love.
News From Gardenia
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Reviewed on 21st March 2013
News from Gardenia is a delightful book that looks at a possible future for the world. Gavin Meckler sets out for a short flight in his electric plane, only to discover when he lands that two hundred years have past, and he's now living in an idyllic and slightly creepy utopian future.
A Storm of Swords (1: Steel and Snow)
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Reviewed on 14th March 2013
The third book in George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series has been split into two volumes for the paperback release, and this is the first of those. I decided having finished it that a break might be in order before picking up the second half, so these are just my thoughts on this part, 'Steel and Snow'.
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
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Reviewed on 1st March 2013
The first book in the Percy Jackson series hast often been likened to Harry Potter, but although there are clear similarities (fantasy world, magic powers, summer camp/boarding school etc) I felt it was sufficiently different to stand on its own as a story and beginning of a series.
Looking Good Dead
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Reviewed on 1st March 2013
The second Roy Grace novel by Peter James is a big improvement. The prose feels much smoother, the story tighter and the structure more relaxed. Detective Superintendent Grace is called in to investigate when a mutilated torso is discovered in a field, and there's one accidental witness who doesn't know whether to come forward.
Bedlam
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Reviewed on 26th February 2013
Bedlam sees the return of the Christopher Brookmyre name after a couple of serious crime novels under the abbreviation Chris, and I'd expected that would mean a return to the excellent humour of his earlier novels. Instead I was surprised by what turned out to be a slightly matrix-esque science fiction adventure that still raised a laugh.
The Mystery of the Green Ghost
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Reviewed on 19th February 2013
The fourth adventure for the Three Investigators, young teenage detectives in 1960s California, is the creepiest of the series so far, introducing one of the themes more solidly that will run throughout the series.
Nobody Lives Forever
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Reviewed on 19th February 2013
John Gardner's fifth James Bond novel is the best of the series up to that point, much more reminiscent of the adventures written by Ian Fleming, in which Bond, holidaying in Europe, discovers that almost every assassin around is after him.
The Subtle Knife
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Reviewed on 10th February 2013
After finding the first book in the His Dark Materials trilogy an interesting read, I was keen to follow the rest of the story, as I felt book one was somewhat incomplete. Book two disapointed, lacking the characterisation, solid plot and detailed worldbuilding that I enjoyed in Northern Lights.
One False Move
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Reviewed on 10th February 2013
In his fifth adventure, so-called sports agent Myron Bollitar is asked to protect a potential new client from unspecific threats following the disappearance of her father. As usual, this leads to a riot of violence, flippant comments and poking his nose around New England's elite.
Scorpia
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Reviewed on 6th February 2013
While the fifth Alex Rider book contains the usual exciting scenes and vital mission to save the world, it seems quite bitty and lacks the strength of the first two books. Following the revelation at the end of the last book, Alex heads to Italy to attempt to find Scorpia, and learn about his father.
Taken at the Flood
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Reviewed on 5th February 2013
An interesting if slightly unfulfilling mystery for Hercule Poirot as he is called on to investigate something different to the usual - this time, he's asked to prove someone is alive. It's a complex plot involving a lot of family relationships and quite a large backstory.
Coots in the North and other stories
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Reviewed on 3rd February 2013
The beginnings of the thirteenth Swallows and Amazons novel is collected along with a few other short or incomplete works by Arthur Ransome, which makes this much more than just some disconnected scenes from a work in progress.
Dragon Haven
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Reviewed on 3rd February 2013
The second book in the Rain Wilds Chronicles is more the second half of the first book than a separate novel. It follows the journey of the dragons, their keepers and the rest of the party as they travel up the Rain Wilds river to find the legendary city of Kelsingra.
Pulling Up Stakes (part 1)
Reviewed on 30th January 2013
The first half of Peter David's Pulling Up Stakes introduces us to Vince, a vampire hunter with a deadly secret - he is a vampire himself.
Race of Scorpions
Reviewed on 30th January 2013
James Goes crafts an e-novella about a historical assassin, hired by an elderly noble, but who ends up instead serving as detective as her client dies.
Bad Science
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Reviewed on 30th January 2013
Ben Goldacre, a junior doctor, writes about his many criticisms of dodgy science, and particularly the journalists who wrote about it and spread misinformation.
The Killing
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Reviewed on 27th January 2013
In the fourth Cherub novel, Robert Muchamore's writing returns to the power of the first two books, as teenage secret agent James Adams is sent in to help find the source of a minor criminal's sudden windfall.
Where Do Comedians Go When They Die
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Reviewed on 27th January 2013
Comedian Milton Jones is famous for his one-liners on TV programmes such as Mock The Week, but in this novel he presents a good mix or humour and plot as he tells the tale of not-unfamiliar comedian Jerome Stevens through ten years of his life.
The Abduction
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Reviewed on 18th January 2013
Theodore Boone returns for a second adventure, with all the flaws of the first, plus a weaker plot and far less going on. This time, Theo's friend April had vanished in the middle of the night, and the police are desperate to find her.
The Body Electric
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Reviewed on 18th January 2013
Book three of the Cold Equations trilogy by David Mack, author of the amazing Destiny trilogy and two brilliant novels already this time, is something of a disappointment. A grave threat to the galaxy and beyond is discovered by Wesley Crusher, and the Enterprise is the only ship that could possibly save the day. Meanwhile one former crew member is hunting for the one man who can bring his daughter back to life.
A Memory of Light
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Reviewed on 12th January 2013
The final book in The Wheel of Time, completed by Brandon Sanderson following the death of Robert Jordan, but including passages and an epilogue written by the original series creator. Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, must make the Light's final stand against the Dark One, as the Last Battle begins across the whole world.
The Mystery of the Spiteful Letters
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Reviewed on 12th January 2013
Finally in book four of the five find-outers series the team get a proper mystery to solve. The children are home for the school holidays when Pip and Bets maid (so it's a bit out-dated) receives a horrible letter and runs away. The children set out to find who wrote it before Constable Goon.
The Tombs
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Reviewed on 8th January 2013
The fourth book in the Fargo series, featuring millionaire treasure-hunters Sam and Remi Fargo, sees the adventurous couple on the trail of Attila the Hun, chasing around the world following a variety of clues, with unscrupulous opponents on their heels. A new co-author joins Cussler, which I had hoped would make a change to some of the earlier books' shortfalls, but that's not really the case.
The Redeemer
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Reviewed on 8th January 2013
Harry Hole's sixth adventure sees the alcoholic detective, fresh from the ongoing storyline of the previous three novels, investigating the assassination of a Salvation Army official in the middle of an Oslo Christmas concert. As usual, things aren't quite that simple.
Night of the Living Trekkies
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Reviewed on 4th January 2013
A surprisingly awesome book in which a Star Trek convention in a Houston hotel is overrun by zombies, and we follow unwilling hotel staffer Jim Pike as he tries to rescue his sister.