Brian Aldiss: A Rude Awakening
The Horatio Stubbs trilogy ends on a rather grim note. A view of army life in Sumatra shortly after the Second World War. Humid, irritable and dangerous. (***)
Leo Benedictus: The Afterparty
Really pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Always slightly put off when something is described as 'post-modern' but this was most decidedly not up its own arse. Intelligent and witty satire of celebrity culture. (****)
Richard Cowper: The Custodians
Four long stories, or four short novellas depending on how you look at them, from this 'forgotten' SF author. Three of them were outstanding and the other very good. Out of print but worth hunting down. (****)
Sjon: The Whispering Muse
More magical myth and fable from Iceland. Sjon always challenges the reader but he also always delivers. (****)
Margaret Atwood: The Blind Assassin
Read this with a few people at the same time and we documented our thoughts on here. Enjoyed it. Could have done without the aliens but otherwise rather splendid. (****)
Brian W Aldiss: A Soldier Erect
Starts out as a continuation of Horatio Stubbs' sexual adventures but ends up as quite a dark and grim account of the Battle of Kohima. Some remarkable passages. (****)
Jen Campbell: Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops
One of those rare humour books that actually made me laugh out loud. Several times. (****)
Patrick Easter: The Watermen
God, this was a much more pleasant read than the Patrick O'Brian I attempted a few weeks back. A most entertaining 18th century adventure caper. (***)
Richard Cowper: The Road to Corlay
A wonderful slab of 70s SF/Fantasy. In the year AD 3018, Britain has succumbed to floods and is now split into seven separate island kingdoms. The soldiers of the Church are hunting down member of a peaceful religious sect. Meanwhile, in the early 21st century, a scientist goes into a coma while undergoing a brain experiment. Somehow the two things are linked. Absolutely loved this, got completely wrapped up in it. (****)
Faiza Guene: Bar Balto
The story of a murder narrated by the corpse along with all the suspects. Starts off with some real promise but the voices become less convincing as the book progresses and the ending is a terrible let down. (**)
Christopher Isherwood: A Single Man
A wonderful short novel. Rather fine. (****)
Joseph Conrad: Heart of Darkness
I honestly have no idea why this is considered a classic. A dull and plodding build up to one of the most anti-climactic endings in literature. A waste of time. (*)
Brian Aldiss: The Hand-Reared Boy
Hugely controversial novel at the time due to its frank portrayal of young men's view of sex and still quite shocking today. Also, very funny and tragic. (****)
Valeria Luiselli: Faces in the Crowd
An excellent translation of a highly promising debut. Expect to read more of Luiselli, hopefully translated by Christina MacSweeney. (****)
Chris Priestley: Mister Creecher
A splendid reworking of the Frankenstein story with a remarkable twist at the end. (****)
Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games
I crammed this in a little over a day so that I finished it before seeing the movie. A great book, quite thrilling to read. (****)
Philip K. Dick: Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?
Not his best work. Not bad, just not great. (***)
Miyuki Miyabe: The Devil's Whisper
I liked the insight it gave into ordinary Japanese life but as a mystery novel it was far-fetched and easy to second guess. She has better books. Avoid this one. (***)
Chip Kidd: The Learners
Worthy sequel to The Cheese Monkeys. No idea why these two books aren't more widely read. They are wonderful. This one is a lo-fi Mad Men. Oddly delightful. (****)
Justin Torres: We the Animals
Started out with great promise but ended up annoying the fuck out of me. (**)
Helen Smith: Alison Wonderland
Completely bonkers detective novel cum anti-vivisection thriller cum unrequited love story cum road trip. Loved it. (****)
Maxime Chattam: Carnage
99-page crime novel set in Brooklyn but originally published in French. Brevity comes at a price but it cracks along at a decent page and is thoroughly enjoyable. (***)
Thomas E. Kennedy: Falling Sideways
A bit Borgen. A bit cold and distanced but I enjoyed it. (***)
Andrew Crumey: Sputnik Caledonia
Not quite as successful as Mobius Dick (a book I loved) but still full of more wit and invention than most of the supposedly exciting literary novels I get sent to review. I have no idea why Crumey isn't up there alongside David Mitchell as one of our most acclaimed British novelists. (****)
Mordecai Richler: Barney's Version: A Novel
Very different to the film, which shifted time, some locations and conflated characters, but I managed to enjoy this without losing any of my admiration for the movie version. Which is quite something. (****)
Scott,
I didn’t realise you made money when people buy through your links. Would you make money through links to any book on Amazon?
If so, why not have a list of links to the books on Amazon that they are offering 50% or over discount on? At a recent book dinner, many booksellers said they now order many big discount books through Amazon for ease. Today I’ve ordered 2 Bill Bryson Shakespeare (46%) Anand Indian food made easy (50%) James Patterson 7th Heaven H/B £4.99, a couple of White Tigers (50%) and a Ross kemp Gangs 2 (56%).
If some of the booksellers reading this helped you out, you could make a tidy packet!
BTW Do you think a reason why book sales volume is up yr on yr is because many sellers like me buy loads of books from supermarkets and Amazon etc and the re sell them. That’s 2 sales registered instead of one.
Posted by: tj | October 21, 2008 at 04:41 PM
Scott,
I didn’t realise you made money when people buy through your links. Would you make money through links to any book on Amazon?
If so, why not have a list of links to the books on Amazon that they are offering 50% or over discount on? At a recent book dinner, many booksellers said they now order many big discount books through Amazon for ease. Today I’ve ordered 2 Bill Bryson Shakespeare (46%) Anand Indian food made easy (50%) James Patterson 7th Heaven H/B £4.99, a couple of White Tigers (50%) and a Ross kemp Gangs 2 (56%).
If some of the booksellers reading this helped you out, you could make a tidy packet!
BTW Do you think a reason why book sales volume is up yr on yr is because many sellers like me buy loads of books from supermarkets and Amazon etc and the re sell them. That’s 2 sales registered instead of one.
Posted by: tj | October 21, 2008 at 04:43 PM
A question regarding buying from clicking through - does it only give you a tip if I click and buy directly from Amazon itself, or will it also work if I buy it from one of their sellers through their site? I usually use the latter as they often work out cheaper on older titles.
Posted by: jem | October 21, 2008 at 04:51 PM
TJ, I think you make a good point about overall book sales.
Jem, I believe I get a kickback on whatever someone buys anywhere on Amazon as long as they arrived from my site.
Posted by: Scott Pack | October 21, 2008 at 09:39 PM
Sold another Something Beginning With and an Affinity Bridge limited edition yesterday.
Posted by: Scott Pack | October 22, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Ah, so that's why you link to Amazon! I always wondered why you didn't link to an author's site or the author's page on a publisher's site or something.
I'm so naive.
Posted by: Jeannette from Brussels | October 22, 2008 at 12:57 PM
I do try to link to an author's page or a publisher's page when I can but too often the book I am reading isn't on there. I find nearly every book I read or link to can be found on Amazon and as pretty much everyone has dealings with them it tends to work best.
And it pays for a few biscuits.
Posted by: Scott Pack | October 22, 2008 at 01:08 PM
So if I click on say your Mr Gum link (top right) and then order anything from Amazon, you get some cash?
Is it worth me (and others) doing this as I'm ordering at least 10 or 20 books/DVDs each day and would only be a very minor convenience. Would you get loads or peanuts?
Posted by: tj | October 22, 2008 at 01:39 PM
I'd get loads of peanuts basically.
I'd be very happy if you did but please don't feel obliged.
Posted by: Scott Pack | October 22, 2008 at 01:51 PM
Ooh, huzzah for the limited edition Affinity Bridge clickthrough. At £30, that should be a relatively hefty peanut.
Posted by: Em | October 22, 2008 at 03:04 PM
Weirdly my last 3 'click-thru' sales (via my blog) on Amazon were all Mr Men items and there is no mention of the little chaps anywhere on my site. Simon Armitage is usually my best seller, followed by copies of The Dig by John Preston.
Posted by: Juxtabook | October 24, 2008 at 08:24 PM