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Not only a very smooth style and sympathetic characters, but some drops of humour, too. 🙂

M. Gauthier has a very nice style. Clear, not rushing, taking his time to explain and describe characters (who's who?, so to speak, at least for the major characters), events, setting, ... I'm liking it a lot so far, but one has to remain focused, of course.

6 stories done, halfway in terms of pages (281 in total, 142 done). One story was not much to my liking (i.e. mainly because of the writing), despite some nice ideas, especially with the world/setting (city split into several islands, because of canals).

Three stories done. So far, no real complaints. New for me, however, was the WW2-story, as I (have) never read WW-stories.

So close to throwing the book away, even if the premise looked very interesting. Still, I've read this far, might as well carry on till the end. Especially the annoying characters Jamie (oh, Daniel, I still love and want you. No, I don't. But I do. Well, not really, but still...) and the overreligious Rena really ruin the whole story. As someone else wrote, a bit too many coincidences.

So far, not bad at all. Some excitement, different kinds of characters, except that Jamie - main character - is a bit too annoying with her thinking about her partner/husband/lover (former or is it still on?) Daniel. This put a stain on the reading process. Daniel here, Daniel there, oh my sweet Daniel. Knock it off, would you?

6 stories to go. Overall points of the Belgian jury, so far: 3.4-3.5/5.

14-17/02/19: La Foire du Livre à Bruxelles. J'y vais le 14/02. Qui pourrais-je rencontrer là-bas?

https://flb.be/

9 short-stories, or 189 pages, to go. Although not every story was to my liking, the majority was, some very much, even. Points of the Belgian jury so far (after 17 stories), rounded off, 3.5/5, not close enough to 4/5, but that might change once the remaining stories are read.

Parts 1 & 2 done. So far, good stuff, although not every story is a hit, imho.

Book 2, Diggers, out. Very nice continyztion. The nomes have found shelter at/in a quarry, although life Outside isn't as wonderful as in the Store. Masklin & co have gone to the airport to seek the mothership in space. Humans have come to re-open the quarry, the nomes try to prevent it, must even escape.

One day, the Store is to close definitively and the whole population needs to move. How? Lorries. How? Manual, ropes, wood, and manual labour and collaboration. Lead by the Outsiders, indeed. Not going to a new Store at all. The stars? With an aeroplane?

So far, very entertaining. Typically Pratchett: fun, play on words & slogans, wonderful imagination.

On to book 2: Diggers, starting with a small recap of book 1.

First book (Truckers) is out. A fun ride. A bunch of nomes from the Outside arriving at The Store, where thousands other nomes live, each on their own floor and department. Each department has a chief, its own rules, ... it's like various nations and each holding the belief that the Outside doesn't exist, that the Store is the one & only world. Fun, the play on words, the personification of the Store's name, ...

Rtc

Themes like race, identity, supremacy, One population (angels and other halflings) suddenly in a minority, with humans growing in number and thus taking over command, utilising the captured angels for their own purposes. Which are? And yet, one sort of "outcast" & a water-creature join forces to free their kindred, but this doesn't go as planned. Fluently written, page-turner. On to part 2, 10 years later.

So far, very nice, short chapters, smooth reading.

So far, a fun and smooth read, a real page-turner, but I'll have to read it in bits and pieces, as an other book is more prioritary.