David Stringer's Blog, page 3

My reading 2016

As you all know I’ve been doing a Goodreads reading challenge this/last year 2016, and completed it.  My self given target was 45 books in a year, a feat I have never come close to before.  And so how did I finish up?

Well, I squeezed one last book in since my last blog.  Leaving me on a grand total of 50 books read, with Goodreads stating I completed 111% of my challenge.

Reading Challenge – 109% complete

And here we are, Mid-December 2016, eagerly awaiting Christmas and some time off work! I mean festive cheer and seeing the family

Reading Challenge – 104% complete

Hello December, the time of year where we all start to think about Christmas, family and the end of the year.  And so along with all that distraction and merriment, well almost,  I continue to check on my progress of how many books I can read in a year!  I have already surpassed my target of 45 books, which I’m still pleased with, and I motor on.

So what have I read since???

 

Book number #46 – Station Eleven by Emily St.John Mandel

This is a multi award winning, review glowing book about people surviving a pandemic flu which has wiped out 99% of the worlds population. We follow a group of actors and musicians that travel around various settlements performing Shakespeare and surviving the new world as best as they can together.

Now this isn’t quite the hard gripping dystopian thriller I was expecting or hoping for, but instead get an elegantly written (and yes I am using the phrase ‘elegantly written’ as this is something I thought to myself during the book) The author is, I suppose you could say ‘obviously’ due to the awards etc, but the author is very good at what she does here. The world is perfectly described and set to you, as are the characters and their turmoil’s. She has written a piece of literature set with a dystopian back ground.

So why not five stars. Well, I loved and would of enjoyed more scenes like we get with the prophet and his followers, I was gripped and genuinely felt worried myself when things start to happen with the company as they try to escape him. I also felt a little disorientated at times with the continuous flashbacks in time, sometimes twenty years ago, or five years ago…or last week, with various characters in the book I found keeping track a task. Could be just me? not the brightest and often tired when reading, but did find myself a little lost with what was happening at times, however this doesn’t take too much away from the book and story.

So overall a very well written dystopian book, which for me could of done with a little more grit.  4 out of 5 stars.

 

Book number #47 – The Ill-made Knight by Christian Cameron

This book was given and recommended to me from a family member and is the first book by Christian Cameron I have read. So what do we find, well this is a historical fiction book set in the Hundred Years’ War between France and England, with our main character William Gold who I do start off quite liking, but later on start wondering if I do. The character build up is good, with the young Williams hard start to life described well and his turmoil’s from there had me gripped and interested from the off set, as we share his journey through life as he sets out to become a hero and knight! With numerous knocks along the way.

So what did I enjoy. Well the author describes the finer details of battle, armour wearing and conditions of fighting in (like mud) very, very well and clearly his hobby of doing re-enactment battles has paid off here as you, as a reader, do feel right there on the fields fighting and scraping with all the characters. The obvious brutality of battle comes across very well, as does the often unmentioned naughty side of war, like robbery, pillage and rape.

What did I not enjoy. I think, whilst reading, as this is told by our Main character in later life while in a pub getting drinks from his audience, that it dawned on me that this could be just some old drunk guy making up stories bigging himself up in order to get some free wines. Once I thought this, it took something away from the way the story was told. So probably my fault for being a cynic, but drunk made up stories I hear whenever I visit my local, ha ha, from lot’s of people who claim they could of played football for England I hear all the time. It’s also quite a lengthy book, with a lot of detail, and waffle, where the main character tells practically every detail in his life to this audience, so god bless them, they must of been stuck buying this old guy drinks for days!!

I then, around the 25% mark of the book, got bored and felt both the story and character had no real direction other then that he wanted to be a knight, it all got a bit…samey. No adventure. No end battle or task to help achieve his goal. Just him wondering around France, battling. So although I love a good, hard done to making it good type of a yarn, I got weary and tired of old William Gold quick.

3 out of 5 stars.

 

Right then, let’s see how many more books I can squeeze in before the year ends!!

2016 Reading Challenge – Completed!

Middle of November 2016, and I’ve completed my Goodreads Reading Challenge! Boom! That’s 45 books read in (less than) one year, which if you check my earlier blogs, I suspected would be too much for me.  Smug face time. 

Goodreads Reading Challenge update – 96% Done.

It’s now the end of October, Halloween is here! and I have two months left to complete my reading challenge on Goodreads.  So how have I fared since my last blog?

 

The Vagrant by Peter Newman

This is a book I’ve been looking forward to reading for a while, with some great reviews, recommendations and looking at the front cover (which is great) the lead character, The Vagrant, looks awesome. So what did I find. Well the lead character and some of his companions (Mainly a baby and a goat) I loved, as well as one or two other characters we meet along the way.

Downside. For me I found the whole enemy, mutant, demon thing a bit confusing and certainly not an easy read. The biggest failing for me was that these enemies are so random that they become frustrating, unconvincing and therefore lost me and a little of my interest. However the world building is good, and a sense of the desperation of everyone in this battle torn land was easily absorbed by me.

So overall an interesting, had me engaged and entertained read…most of the way through. Just found the writing, me picturing the mutant/demonic enemies confusing even after numerous re-reads of lines, which did switch me off and made bits hard going. Worth a read though, just wish we had either more about our main character and his band of mis-fits and/or less of the enemy.

3 out of five stars.

The Travelling Bag and Other Ghost Stories by Susan Hill

As it’s Halloween time it felt appropriate to read a scary ghost book, a genre I have never read and must confess avoid (even films) as I’m a bit of a big wuss. So when recommended this, a book written by the author that I’m told wrote the very scary ‘Woman in Black’ thought this seemed a good place to start the genre.

And this book includes four short stories: The Travelling Bag, Boy Twenty-One, Alice Baker and The Front Room. I got quite into the first story, but I do like my pre-Victorian style London stories, with one friend in a gentlemen’s club sharing a tale to another. The writing flow’s well and easily, as you fly through the four stories with ease, the Author is obviously at the top of her game.

But why the dropped stars. Although majority of the stories are a little, creepy, none had me spooked which I kind of expected! I’m a wuss remember. So was disappointed with that, but stars given as a nice easy read.

2 stars out of 5!  It’s ok.

 

 

 

 

Goodreads Reading Challenge – 91% done!

It is now coming close to the end of October, It’s dark now in the mornings as I set off in the cold heading to work!  And it’s normally windy and drizzly with rain as I head home.  Although I’ve had an interesting, and for me, a strangely socially full last few weeks since my last blog, which has included the wife’s birthday and the Nottingham Beer Festival.

So how has this effected my reading? Not too much I’m pleased to say.  I’ve decided to hit a few books that have sat on my shelf, again for quite awhile, to see how they fare.

 

Book number #40 – Dissolution by C.J. Sansom

I picked this book up quite a while ago, must admit the material of the front cover being scripture like really appealed to me and it was kind of recommended to me by a family member who only really reads historical fiction which involves battles, blood and gore so was expecting another battle type book set in Tudor times. And I was pleasantly surprised that wasn’t the case.

With a lot of historical fiction books, sometimes the authors can bog you down in facts, figures and names as they try and impress you with their knowledge. What I liked with this book is you don’t get any of that. You do still however get the feeling of what life was like back then, and I do feel I’ve learnt a little about 1537 England back then with the Reformation in full swing, about Lord Cromwell the Vicar-General of King Henry VIII who is more than keen to shut down any papist institutions he can find and claim their lands, and about how the people felt in a country seemingly in such turmoil, but the author does this without labouring any point. He almost tricks you into it.

Another major plus point for me was the main character, Matthew Shardlake, a commissioner of Cromwell’s who has the interesting trait of being a hunchback! This made him, for me, a lot more interesting then your normal hero types, as he has to deal with both the ailments and restrictions that this causes as well as how society back then treated people with deformities. He is sent to investigate a murder of a co-worker and to conclude the work he was doing of dissolution of a monastery.

From there, the story unfolds with more mysteries, murders and mishaps appearing along the way. Really enjoyed the book, any downside? Not really, I kind of guessed the murderer along the way, but won’t say anymore as spoiler free here! So easily recommend to you by me and I look forward to reading the rest in the series.

Five out of five stars!

Goodreads Reading Challenge – 87%

It’s now early October 2016, the dark mornings and autumn chills have firmly settled in, as has my central heating settled ‘on’, and as a family we’re starting to prepare for Halloween.  So, progress with my reading challenge? still doing well but it’s being a disappointing last couple of reads.

Why? I hear you cry.

Book number #38 – The Days that Remain by Wayne Wightman

I purchased this book on Kindle, while scanning around for a new read, and trying a few samples. Thought I’d be brave and try something new and something Post-apocalyptic, as don’t believe I’ve read from that genre before. Watched enough films and TV on the subject, so why not. Found this on the ‘recommended for you’ tab and with lot’s of nice reviews, was tempted to take the plunge.

And it started off interesting me, with a young lad living with his parents out on some distant farm, away from most civilisation anyway. Unaware of all the mayhem the rest of the world has found themselves in…until the now extreme weather conditions catches up with them. Won’t go on anymore for fear of adding spoilers, but his life is suddenly turned upside down and adventures pursue him.

Sadly, around the 20% read mark, I’d lost interest. A few grammatical errors put me off a tad, but so did the almost simple story. Nothing surprising happens, things always fall into place…a bit too easy for my liking and the story plods on at a similar slow pace. Was at no point looking forward to or wondering what was about to happen and it became a bit of a slog to finish it, even skim read a few bits.

So two stars, as it’s ok, nothing special.

 

Book number #39 – The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell

Many years ago I read the first of this Saxon series, The Last Kingdom, and loved it! Along with some Conn Iggulden and Valerio Massimo Manfredi books I fell in love with historical fiction as a genre. I bought this book, in hardback, and it has sat on my ‘to read shelf’ at home for a good number of years as I look forward to getting round to starting it. Well, with my goodreads reading challenge doing well, I couldn’t resist opening up this book and cracking on with the series I knew I would love and have savoured to tuck into, almost like a good wine, waiting for a special occasion to start it.

And maybe that has been the problem, maybe I built it up a tad, or my memories have been built up over time of the first book? But wow, was I disappointed and bored with this instalment! The lead character Uthred who I’m sure I really got on with and liked originally, I pretty much despise in this book. He’s quite unlikable, petulant, arrogant and an overall bit of a door knob! I didn’t warm to King Alfred either, but had more interest in him then Uthred, although not sure the interpretation of this King could later go on and be remembered as King Alfred the ‘Great’ who goes on to defeat the Viking invasion and become a dominant leader, but that’s a side issue.

So overall, I felt disappointed and bored of the book, plot and characters. I have the next instalment in hardback on my ‘to read shelf’ but not sure I want to bother now. So unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this at all and feel flat about that.

Again, a kind two stars out of five.  Can’t give Bernard Cornwell one star can I?

 

 

Goodreads reading challenge – 82% done.

It is now the end of September, the rain is appearing more regular and the central heating is starting to come back on again.  Summer is over.  So, how has my reading being going? Well I think, I’m now 82% done!

Reading challenge in Sorrento -78% done.

Well I’m back from my travels, where I had a fantastic time on the Sorrento Coast, Italy.  While there I got a bit of reading in, although did do some exploring and sampling of the local areas; Pompeii for example.  Really enjoyed it over there, the weather was fantastic and the people we met where very nice and friendly.  Hoping to get back there one day, but I’m back…and literally as I stepped off the plane the rain came down and has stuck with me since.  Good old Britain.

So, what have I read?

 

The Martian by Andy Weir

Wow! I absolutely loved this book and it has in fact become one of my favourite books of all time.

As I suspect you know, there is a big budget Hollywood film made about the book, which I have just finished watching and am obviously going to say (bookish snobbery) isn’t as good, misses lots out and has a different ending.  But hay, that’s Hollywood! The story is, in a nutshell, about an astronaut that get’s left for dead on Mars and his efforts to then stay alive and survive the environment he is now in.

This is a fantastic, realistic and plausible thriller which had me engrossed from the beginning. The main character (Mark) is very likeable, very grounded and very…well believable and the moments of humour etc. he comes out with, had me laugh out loud on more then one occasion. I found myself routing for him throughout.

Recommend with ease! Stop reading this review, go read the book! 5 out of 5 stars!!

Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfega

These are a collection of fictional short stories written by an award winning and highly rated author! Admittedly the front cover showing an old fashioned American 50’s style looking UFO caught my eye and piqued my interest. ‘Homesick for Another World’. But this was possibly my mistake, expecting sci-fi style short stories which isn’t the case, which is not a problem as I like all genre’s, just this is what I was kind of expecting. Instead I walked blindly into short stories about modern day life but with grime, dirt and characters that are, well, kind of unlikable. I didn’t like them. They all had flaws, like real life which is what I suspects makes the stories appealing to others and normally me, but ugly flaws which means you can’t class them has hard done by types or make you feel, relate or route for them….they are just not nice people, in a detached way. I like a good baddie as much as the next reader, but these I don’t, there not even really baddies just different?, indifferent?

Also my now apparent sensitivities kicked in, which I’ve only just recently realised I’ve got, with some bad language (which I can live with) and some overly detailed sex scenes (which I’m not a fan of). This always makes me drop stars as means I couldn’t and wouldn’t honestly be able to recommend this to some of my friends and family. “Here ya go Mum, check out chapter two and what the lead character does to a prostitute”.

So, although I suspect a few people will disagree with my review/opinion, I’m writing it as a potential head’s up to people similar to me, so they know what they are walking into. Sorry to say I didn’t enjoy or like it, but recognise the author has obvious writing talent. I’ll also say this has been the most difficult review I’ve written, putting my finger on and trying to explain what I didn’t like has been hard, which I still don’t think I’ve done well.

One star out of five. 

Reading Challenge – 73% done!

Goodreads reading challenge 2016!  Well it’s now the middle of August, the sun is back out and the garden with the Insect Hotel is crying out for attention and clearing up.  That aside, how has my reading being going?  Well, progress wise, well.  I’ve reviewed a few more books given to be by Netgalley for an honest review, and dipped my toe back into the genre of Historical Fiction which I’ve left alone for a while as I’ve discovered new interesting genres (as per previous blogs).  So what have I read since my last blog?

 

Book #31 – Warp by Lev Grossman

This book has been re-released by the author, Lev Grossman, who I understand has had some success with more recent works. I Believe they’ve even made a TV series about them! So although I’ve not come across him or them books yet, thought let’s give this a try, let’s see where it all began.

The new foreword, by the author himself, is an interesting read and clearly he poured a lot of time (6 years), his heart and soul into this, his first book. So I’m gathering he’s clearly thought, now with a bit of a name, some success and no doubt followers behind me I will re-release this book and get the acknowledgement my earlier efforts deserved. As gather this originally didn’t sell well. 

And I’m afraid I can see why, only in that for me personally, I have no idea what the story is about or what is about to happen, going to happen or is happening. I have, sadly, given up after reading 50% of the book as have lots of other books on my ‘to-read-shelf- that I’m looking forward to and this has not grabbed me or piqued my interest in the slightest. Sorry to say I was bored, with no interest or like of the character(s).

So interesting new foreword, but after that…thumbs down. One star out of Five. Sorry.

Book #32 -The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 by Hendrik Groen

This is an amusing, heart warming read from a style of book or genre I don’t normally read. I think it also hit a little emotional note with me, as my 95 year old Grandma with dementia is currently in a care home, so this book reminded me and made me think of her and how her life is now a lot. My next visit I suspect will have me observing things a little differently I suspect.

The book is a diary written by Hendrik Groen, following his life and adventures in a care home, which is scattered throughout with little bits of wisdom, amusing tales him and his friends get up too as well as giving us readers a glimpse into the world of the elderly, getting old in a care home.

An entertaining, insightful, amusing and thought provoking read. 4 stars out of 5.

Book #33 – King Maker – Winter Pilgrims by Toby Clements

This book was passed to me by a family member who enjoyed it, so thought I’d give it a try, and I’m glad I did. It is an engaging tale of two characters (Thomas and Katherine) travelling and surviving a lawless and war ravaged 15th Century England. 

I did on the whole enjoy the detail, the descriptions and research that clearly has gone into the book which made it really easy to imagine what life was like that back then. The grim, the mud and the cold. Although I’m now going to contradict myself by saying that likewise at times, this got a bit much, and I felt bogged down or even tired reading it all.

The battle scenes are well written, and adequately gory enough for the readers out there that enjoy that side of a historical yarn. I myself, like some things to be left to the readers (mine) imagination. I also felt, especially at the end, this book is clearly the first of a series, leading to more books, so was reading towards the end knowing….it wasn’t going to be the end, which normally does disappoint me. Do like stand alone books.

So a nice, steady 3 stars out of 5. I liked it.

Right then.  Now off to the garden for some more clearing up, followed by choosing my next read[image error]