A fine book. Funny, heart-breaking, multilayered. The characters are well realised, the structure elegant, the ideas neatly played out and so much is...moreA fine book. Funny, heart-breaking, multilayered. The characters are well realised, the structure elegant, the ideas neatly played out and so much is said with the characters having to say it. Even the silences speak volumes. Highly recommended.(less)
This most unconventional of climbers has produced a very unconventional book. Dawes bares more of himself than most autobiographers and deals with all...moreThis most unconventional of climbers has produced a very unconventional book. Dawes bares more of himself than most autobiographers and deals with all aspects of his life, warts and all. Defintely worth a read, although if you're a keen climber and understand the scene that he played a pivotal role in you'll get more from it.(less)
A personal view of comics history from one of the finest writers of comic book stories of the modern era. He's also far nuttier than I imagined, but i...moreA personal view of comics history from one of the finest writers of comic book stories of the modern era. He's also far nuttier than I imagined, but in a good way. I hadn't realised the degree to which 'The Invisibles' is auto-biographical and I expect most other people hadn't either. It's got a great 'reading list' at the end too.(less)
This took some getting into and having reached the end, I'm not sure how much of it I understood. It's magnificently ambitious though and recommended....moreThis took some getting into and having reached the end, I'm not sure how much of it I understood. It's magnificently ambitious though and recommended. (less)
This is a very scholarly take on the subject, going into great details about a lot of very obscure bands and genres that I'm not sure even exist. It d...moreThis is a very scholarly take on the subject, going into great details about a lot of very obscure bands and genres that I'm not sure even exist. It did make me think, gave me a deeper understanding of pop music's history and recent developments. You'll probably have to be a 30 something bloke to want to read this but if you're a music obsessive (or have been, aren't so much these days and are concerned as to why) then it's definely worth a read.(less)
I really enjoyed this. It's readable and fun. It made me want to try (again) to read Moby Dick and to get more into Baseball (having read Moneyball th...moreI really enjoyed this. It's readable and fun. It made me want to try (again) to read Moby Dick and to get more into Baseball (having read Moneyball this make this my second baseball book of the year).(less)
There's much to admire here, but I was left a little unsatisfied towards the end. When you're dealing with huge themes on a vast canvas, you expect so...moreThere's much to admire here, but I was left a little unsatisfied towards the end. When you're dealing with huge themes on a vast canvas, you expect something a little more weighty and profound than the ending you get. I suppose there's a sequel somewhere but I think this could be more self-contained. Well written and intellectually ambitious as ever, but I'd only recommend it if you already read and like 'Drood' or 'The Terror'.(less)
Another good effort from Ben Aaronovitch. Probably the best plotted of the series and I reall enjoyed it. A good holiday read. Jim Butcher's Dresden s...moreAnother good effort from Ben Aaronovitch. Probably the best plotted of the series and I reall enjoyed it. A good holiday read. Jim Butcher's Dresden series (which I abandoned as being too soapy but are very popular) are probably the closest to this. If you like the urban noir (and it's actually very gentle) then you should try the Felix Castor books by Mike Carey. I think they're really really good, much tighter, darker and exciting.(less)
This is a great beast of a book and yet it still feels hurried in the end and one of the most interesting sides of it seems underdeveloped. What shoul...moreThis is a great beast of a book and yet it still feels hurried in the end and one of the most interesting sides of it seems underdeveloped. What should be a taut and through provoking thriller sprawls and yet doesn't tick either box properly. His previous book Anathem was such a brilliant masterpiece that this was bound to suffer perhaps, but still, I expected more.(less)
I was a little disappointed by this as I'd had such high expectations. I thought it lacked narrative drive, only really picking up in the final third...moreI was a little disappointed by this as I'd had such high expectations. I thought it lacked narrative drive, only really picking up in the final third and it felt a bit bloodless. Compared to writers like China Mieville or Neil Gaiman who conjures genuinely weird an uncanny and charmingly strange and moving, it felt a bit ordinary. If you don't usually read the fantastic though, you'll probably get more flavour from it than my jaded palate did.(less)
I was a little disappointed with this. I did enjoy it but didn't find it all that good as a character study and I thought the story in the past rather...moreI was a little disappointed with this. I did enjoy it but didn't find it all that good as a character study and I thought the story in the past rather dwindled away. Worth reading but I'd hope there are worthier books around when it comes to prize giving time.(less)
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