bookshelves: currently-reading
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bookshelves: classic, poetry
To be honest this was likely to stay on my currently reading status for an age as I never tire of Blake's prose and consistently return yo it,dipping in and out of various bits as the mood takes ]]>
bookshelves: humour
This book though fictional and based in humour taught me much of the manipulative powers of TV and particualry reaality trash such as X factor.
I hope this book does for reality shows what the God delusion has sone for religion.
Not neccessarily the best written book I have read and the characters are blatantly stitched together from existing judges but the'Do the maths' tone throughout really points out why X factor and it's like such be loathed. ]]>
Andrew Skelton
took the never-ending book quiz.
| questions answered: | 150 |
| correct: | 92 (61.3%) |
| skipped: | 101 |
| best streak: | 9 |
| questions added: | 0 |
bookshelves: crime
It's funny how the first world war seems to being out Elton's best work,This is in no way alike Blackadder goes forth it's a far more serious proposition and really shows how Elton has grown from novels which provide comic respite with politics added.
Ben Elton does his usual thing of giving his characters a 'man out of time feel' in some respects ,certainly the poltical correctness that many accuse him is evident but Elton is writing a period piece for a modern audience.
This is a fine book, A great whodunnit against the backdrop of an insane war which Elton goes to some length to explain to.
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bookshelves: classic, fantasy, horror
This would have recieved more Stars had the whole style of the book been more in the vein of Jules Vernes section of the book.
From what I understand this is the only 'novel' by Edgar Allen Poe though in respects of the version I have(an older copy not pictured)it would be more a Novella being 70 pages only.
The Poe story was largely dismissed by the author later on although has been attributed as being of interest to Herman Melville and undoubtably Jules Verne who provides the second part/sequel apsect of this novel.
The Poe version of the tale is largely unfinished and though tidied up by the author reads at a pedestrian pace but does introduce characters and circumstances taken up by Verne later on.
Poe uses Arthur Gordon Pym as the narrator of the journal and also the individual to whom the adventure takes place in doing so he creates a descriptive account of the tale however the dialogue between characters in short supply which is I think it's weakness,Verne uses dialogue far more and in doing so creates an interesting interplay between characters.
Ultimately it's an interesting book which combines connected work by two of literatures greats,Poe sets the scene but ultimately Jules Verne steals it. ]]>
bookshelves: fantasy, horror
A bit disapointed in this one to be honest,the narrative is as fast and compelling as book one and yet the elements that were introduced towards the end of book one present themselves again here but developed to a point that Istarted to lose interest.
A book of this type has to stretch imagination a litle,walking cadavers etc are afterall uncommon!!however I think this needs keeping in check and this book could have used a less is more approach.
That said a midpoint book in a trilogy is often used to set up the end and can often be a little pedestrian or seemingly poorly worked through until book 3 ties up the open ends.
I will at some point read book 3 and hope it isn't just dwindling returns ]]>
Got this as a giveaway and much as the other reader mention below I was quite unprepared for what I was getting ...however I kind of like being unprepared and as a taster of what I may expect if I was to read the series of books it promotes it does have some interest.
This book is almost a fanzine of sorts and it feels so in the way that those old Punk ones did back in the early eighties almost a collection of lists and random bits of pieces which may or may not interconnect or be of interest.
It is shocking,lurid and confrontational but in that way it is also something of a one off,It's far from badly written and is compelling.
Not much more I can say especially as the main part of this novella is a section from a larger bit of work but as an introduction this will either intrigue or repulse...or in my case both!!! ]]>
Thanks for the add,looking forward to reading the book,first time i have won anything!! ]]>