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July 02
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Tim
gave  to:
The City & the City (Hardcover)
by
China Miéville
bookshelves:
2009-reads
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Tim said:
"Mieville’s urban fantasies are complex and thought provoking, and this is one of his most challenging stories. In southern Europe, the cities of Ul Qoma and Bezel occupy nearly the same physical space, but the Orwellian caveat is that residents of ...more
Mieville’s urban fantasies are complex and thought provoking, and this is one of his most challenging stories. In southern Europe, the cities of Ul Qoma and Bezel occupy nearly the same physical space, but the Orwellian caveat is that residents of neither city are allowed to acknowledge the existence of the other under threat of severe punishment from an organization called Breach, which is charged with keeping the cities apart. Bezel police detective Tyador Borlu is called to a homicide case that he thinks will be open and shut. A young woman is found dead in a vacant lot, and as the story unravels the plot thickens as it becomes know that she had ties to radical groups in both cities. Borlu has to team up with a rival detective in Ul Qoma in order to try and solve the case and keep the precarious balance between to two cities from falling apart. This was a thought provoking story (as all Mieville’s stories are) but the thing that keeps it from being truly successful is the lack of context for much of the jargon in the novel. The reader is kept in the dark for much of the story about the nature of the cities and the problems and restrictions they face. This book also marks a radical departure from Mieville’s previous books with its clipped style and lack of detailed descriptions. So in the end it is a mixed bag, an interesting premise that ultimately sags under the weight of the author’s stylistic choices.(less)
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Tim
is currently reading:
Trust No One (Hardcover)
by
Gregg Hurwitz
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
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June 25
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Tim
gave  to:
Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries (Hardcover)
by
Neil deGrasse Tyson
bookshelves:
2009-reads
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my rating:
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Tim said:
"It's hard to be a science geek and not be fascinated by black holes, sinkholes of time and space and possibly even gateways to other worlds. I have seen Tyson interviewed on many documentaries, and was happy to see that he writes in the same engaging...more
It's hard to be a science geek and not be fascinated by black holes, sinkholes of time and space and possibly even gateways to other worlds. I have seen Tyson interviewed on many documentaries, and was happy to see that he writes in the same engaging manner in which he speaks. This books collects a number of short essays he has written on various topics of science over the past couple of years and they make for compelling and quick reading. He sticks to space science for the most part, but covers a large chunk of the history of science and tries to dispel many of the myths that have sprung up around science and scientists. Great bedtime reading for science fans.(less)
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Tim
gave to:
The Tourist (Hardcover)
by
Olen Steinhauer
bookshelves:
2009-reads
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my rating:
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Tim said:
"In late 2001 Milo Weaver was at the end of his rope, strung out on amphetamines and suicidal from the stress of being a secret agent (codenamed "Tourist") for the CIA, hot on the trail of an international killer and money launderer. After b...more
In late 2001 Milo Weaver was at the end of his rope, strung out on amphetamines and suicidal from the stress of being a secret agent (codenamed "Tourist") for the CIA, hot on the trail of an international killer and money launderer. After being shot and nearly killed in the line of duty, he retreats to a desk job until the blow back from one of his older cases forces him back out into the open and on the run. This was a fine if convoluted spy novel filled with everything you'd expect: code names, poison, secrets and exotic destinations. The names, code names and secret identities become a chore to handle, at times I felt like I needed a scorecard to remember who was who and what shadowy agency they worked for. The only downer was some of the overwrought family drama the author felt compelled to stick in. Otherwise this is a fine, taught spy drama, recommended for fans of John LeCarre or Grahme Greene. (less)
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June 24
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Tim
marked as to-read:
The Best of Michael Moorcock (Paperback)
by
Michael Moorcock
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
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Tim
marked as to-read:
The Universe - Order Without Design (Hardcover)
by
Carlos Calle
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
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Tim
marked as to-read:
Newton and the Counterfeiter: The Unknown Detective Career of the World's Greatest Scientist (Hardcover)
by
Thomas Levenson
bookshelves:
to-read
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Tim
marked as to-read:
Roadside Crosses (Kathryn Dance, #2)
by
Jeffery Deaver
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
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Tim
marked as to-read:
In the Midst of Death (Matt Scudder Mystery)
by
Lawrence Block
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
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June 22
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Tim
gave to:
A Fifth of Bruen: Early Fiction of Ken Bruen (Paperback)
by
Ken Bruen
bookshelves:
2009-reads
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Tim said:
"Before ken Bruen became a noir mystery star with his Jack Taylor series, he was a scuffling writer peddling his stories in the pubs of Ireland. This collection of his early work doesn't contain much crime, but it does introduce many of themes found i...more
Before ken Bruen became a noir mystery star with his Jack Taylor series, he was a scuffling writer peddling his stories in the pubs of Ireland. This collection of his early work doesn't contain much crime, but it does introduce many of themes found in his later work. The darkness of alcohol abuse. the possibility of redemption and the ever present threat of violence are all accounted for. The stories here are short and raw, and while they are not quite as polished as the great stories he would write after this it is still an interesting antecedent to his more famous work.(less)
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Hard Boiled
— 10 members
— last activity 06/23/2008 01:51PM
