A change of tack

I have never been, in the past, one for poetry. Yet reading another Charles Bukowski novel tempted me to give it another go, post school.

It left me with mixed feelings; some create a beautiful image others are very easy to relate to yet all of them are difficult to read the ending of lines without punctuation frustrates me and I feel it adds and awkwardness to reading. There maybe a subtly I am missing through not knowing it read allowed. In the same way that reading lyrics to a song you have never heard can be strange.

Nevertheless this mild tentative step into the poetic world has intrigued me and will fuel an new adventure into another form of the written word.

To Kill a Mocking Bird

This is a book that others have been forced to read and analyse to death through their school careers, thus I felt I had missed out and in reading it for pleasure may come to understand why it was so critically acclaimed and furthermore shoved down the throats of our school going youth. Maybe I am a little bitter about English literature that is taught in schools as due to my moving around I studied Romeo and Juliet three years in a row. But enough of my resentments, it lead me to pick up a book to 'catch up'.

So I sat down in the sunshine of Portishead and embarked on reading a novel expecting a revelation and for it to connect with my inner teenager. Within a dozen pages I had thrown it down in disgust. Not due to irritation with the narration, prose or even the story but due to my out right hatred of the narrow minded, dogmatic approach to teaching of a first year teacher. For those yet to read it this teacher berates a little girl for being able to read and write upon starting school.

Still once I had cooled off a little I realise that this strong aversion was the exact reason why I should pick the book back up. Although I hadn't noticed within those 12 short pages I had already been sucked in to that world so completely that it caused such a strong reaction. This comprehension gave me instant reverence for the writing of Lee and has inspired me on to read the rest of the book with bated breath for what more this story can stir in me.

You may have read this book and disagree, you may have been forced to stop after every page and think about the symbolism and the hidden context of race in America. But for that I care very little, after all books are for entertainment. They are created to give us enjoyment so I am an advocate of only reading what gives you gratification. When a story is told to the extent that you forget you are reading and you are sucked into a new world as if you were part of the narrative then it is needless to say that your full immersion shows an indulgence of the brain which leaves you perfectly entertained.

With that I will retreat into yet another book, maybe I'll see you there.

Excession

Excession is another Iain M Banks culture novel and again like the others it is a fresh story with in the same universe. This book starts with a prologue of a perpetually pregnant women’s day to day life being mildly disturbed. Then Banks proceeds to jump from character to character with no apparent link to join any of them. This cleverly draws you in as intrigue for one character causes you to read, and begin to care, about others. Before you know it you will have raced through the first half of the book with its gentle and easy to read style powered by your own willingness to know how each part of the story develops.

The anomaly that draws the attention as the focus of this story is what the culture have labelled an excession, something external to the culture’s knowledge or technology. Although it does nothing and very little information can be gathered about it the entire universe takes note, even those who don’t appear to be taking notice of anything.

This book draws the reader in taking you to the zenith of the story leaving you happy and contented with what you have experienced. This is like many of Iain M Banks’ novels it well worth a read. As it is a good story while still engaging your mind with subtle social commentary easily ignored in today’s society but unobfuscated in a fictional future.

I hope if you get the chance you will take to this book as I have and maybe venture further into Banks’ Culture universe.

Goodbye and good reading.

Ed

Solar

Solar is one of the best selling books of last year and is different for the fact that the protagonist is a physicist, a famous physicist. However unlike a Dan Brown novel the intelligent main character isn't used to solve problems, although he does find an answer to the world's energy problem that is not what the narrative follows. Alternatively it shows the man behind the genius and the troubles that cause him strife.
Even though this is a work of total fiction it feels like you are getting an insight into the mind and life of a burdened soul isolated at the top through a combination of bad decisions and bad luck.
I think this is a very readable book, there is so much to it that is engrossing to discover, hence my lack of elaboration. However, I doubt others will pick it up for the same reason I did, a book about a Nobel prize winning physicist (who could resist). So I urge you to pick it up as it is a compelling story which will keep you reading. So even though it is not the best book I have ever read, which is still Wasp, it is still worth the read.
With that I bid you goodbye and good reading.
Ed

The Player of Games

This book unlike some other Banks novels starts slowly and only hints that something may happen later on in the book. He takes his time developing the main character, a game player, as one who enjoys his own company & whose actions cause his to be seen as neither a good or bad man, just a man.

His talent for games of allsorts causes him to be chosen to be ‘champion’ of the culture society and to go and visit a civilisation that has its basis in a game, to the extent that every year on their home world the game I played in a tournament. Dependent on your finishing position would decide on things like promotions and even to the extent that the winner of the tournament became Ruler. The game player is entered into the tournament to help ties between the two societies however he was never expected to win a game.

Banks uses both societies, the culture a civilisation he uses time and again in his books, and the alien one to draw parallels with our own. Not only showing the good but the bad as well.

This book, although it gives the reader scope to think on the topics brought up within the story the story its self is mediocre and plods along to an abrupt twist with a delivery that the gravitas of it is increased due to the lackluster appearance of the story to that point.

I would say of this book that if you are a Banks fan it will be enjoyed however for newer readers of si-fi to give this one a miss there are better books out there.

I am legend

Thanks to the blockbuster film with Will Smith or even just the back cover you will know that this story is about vampires. However, I think this is a great injustice as it takes some of the gravitas out of the first few pages. Richard Matheson cleverly builds the world around Neville, held up in his house just to stay alive. Also, to label the novel as a vampire story is short sighted as it was the inspiration to the zombie genre. Yet to think of this as purely a piece of horror fiction is wrong. With it written from a third person perspective a modicom of distance is given between the reader and Neville yet you are pulled through his mental ups and downs. With the collapse of the society around him, morals become just an ignorable nagging, left at the way side in order to survive.
This book is nothing like the film, as I mentioned earlier I think it even detracts from it. Thus, I would urge you to read it and if I had my way people would read this before any other zombie or recent vampire novels, having read Bram Stoker's Dracula is always a must.
So, after having given away the threat that befalls Neville to any of you who didn't know already I bid you goodbye and good reading.
Ed

Consider Phlebas

Consider Phlebas, to me an unpronounceable name for Ian Banks first attempt at science fiction and if you ask me it was a success.

As with most si-fi this book starts out with being told there is a war between the humans and an alien race. However for this story there is a novel twist the humans are portrayed as they bad guys.

The protagonist is a humanoid working as a special agent for the three legged, practically immortal giant aliens known as the Idirans. He is descended from a species of human created solely to be spies so have the ability to change their appearance at will as well as having valuable home grown weapons like venomous spit. Horza as he is known is a mercenary for the Idirans because the way he sees it is that they are on the side of life. Compared to the Culture, the human society, who have created A.I. called minds to run most of the external affairs leaving them to lives of luxury and pleasure seeking.

In my opinion this is a good long read but at times Banks seams to be trying to hard, he tend to flick from one dangerous adventure to the next deadly situation without stopping to recover your breath. It appeared to me at least that he seamed scared of the idea you the reader may get board. Still this leaves for a fast paced interesting read that never lets up. This is handy if you are scared of big books as it is a good 500+ pager yet still what is better than being sat out in the sun with a good book?

(Exepose 18/05/07)

Wasp

Books, we know we should read them it seams like the done thing for those of intelligence. But do to this representation it some times feels like a chore to pick up a big book sit down and try and work your way through it.

However, I come to you with a suggestion, a small book. More specifically Wasp by Eric F. Russell a mere fourteen chapters and only 175 pages yet so engrossing most will not put it down until they are finished.

Wasp is a book with the plot based on the idea that a small wasp can irritate a driver of a car to the point of crashing and killing all the passengers. The idea a small almost insignificant, in size, being can cause the death of four giants and a huge machine. This then links with the timing of the piece set years into the future where a one James Mowry is sent to be a “Wasp” on an alien planet. Mowry’s work is used to help earth fight a war against an alien race far more numerous than humanity.

This compelling book to me is similar in many ways to George Orwell’s Classic 1984 with its way of gripping writing telling the tale of literally one man against the world.

For me whether you are interested in si-fi or not this is still a must for anyone and everyone.

(Exepose 18/05/07)

Rum Diary

Today's book is rather like the over looked brother of another book. However, things are looking up for our friend rum diary as it is set to hit the big screen soon with Johnny Deep in the lead. The book whom's shadow rum diary is in is Fear and loathing in las Vegas. Both are works by Hunter S. Thompson with heavy drinking journalists as the protagonist.
The rum diary was actually Thompson's first published novel but enough of the boring stuff, what was it like to read?
Well after seeing the name Thompson on the front cover I thought I knew what I was in for, I wasn't. Some books race at an unrelenting pace seemingly scared of losing the reader's attention, others are so over descriptive that it takes pages for a character to just enter a room and start talking. This was different, when a friend asked me to describe it I found myself saying 'imaging you are floating gently down a river, surrounded by beautiful scenery and your rather sozzled'. Strange eh? But on reflection this metaphor is rather analogous to the journey Thompson takes you through. It feels like a lot happens but slowly, not slowly it is only 200 pages long, perhaps sedately or unhurried. Which fits perfectly with the idyllic scene set; sun, beaches, plan trees and plenty of rum.
Unlike fear and loathing this isn't about a self destructive man on the edge rather more someone coming to terms with his own short comings. I think the protagonist is written very truthfully, he isn't a man you would aspire to but possibly the man you could be, there is something very real about Paul Kemp.
For the relaxed Caribbean world it drags you into I would say that this is worth the read. If you can grab a seat in the sun and this book you can have many 'mini breaks' off to Puerto Rico.
Happy reading
Ed

A Brief History of Time

The best book in the last 20 years? Should it be the most influential? If so then for me it has to be Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time.

That last statement may have confused you however I say it as it was one of the driving factors in converting me from a mathematician to a physics.

This book just falls into the 20 year or under category as like me it was first published in 1988. It I think is well known as being one of those books people are scared of due to a fear of not understanding. However if you read it and only understand half you are still half way there & you will get a lot out of it. It stretches your imagination and perception just like any good novel yet you can stand back from it and say this is true. (or is it?). Either way instead of transporting you to a different weird and wonderful world through an author’s eyes it opens your eyes to the beauty that surrounds us. If like some you are not mathematically minded then there is still no need to worry. You can still take in the basic concept so giving not only a sense of wonder but also I like to think a sense of understanding as to why.

So I say to you go out there next time your wanting a book. Pick it up cheap, read, enjoy and hopefully understand. And if not you can still turn heads by saying I have read Hawking’s book.

(Exepose 22/10/07)

Altered Carbon

For all science fiction novels there is a certain donee you must accept upon reading, this book by Richard Morgan is no different.

Death is no longer the end, if you have enough money. All people have 'stacks' atop their spinal cord where all memories and thoughts are digitally stored. Thus were the body, or 'sleeve', to die the mind can be placed in another body and the person will live on. As a result real death has become rare with even those too poor to be resleeved being put into digital storage, occasionally using rented sleeves for relation's weddings and alike.

This brings us to the plot of our novel. A very wealthy man suffers real death and awakes, from a back up copy of his brain, questioning why? The police investigate and find the man to have committed suicide. A prognosis he does not deem to aline with his own ideas. His thinking being he had wanted to end his life he would have made sure he didn't come back. So enters our protagonist, although not by choice. Takeshi Kovacs a former UN Envoy, a solider of the protectorate who can adapt quickly to new environments and bodies, recently discredited and imprisoned for his criminal activities. Kovacs finds himself released onto Earth a planet he had never previously visited and into the custody of Laurens Bancroft, our aforementioned wealthy man. Bancroft gives Kovacs the ultimatum of find the real reason for his death or return to storage.

Finding himself between a rock and a hard place with the bankroll to pay for an army Kovacs delves deep into the quasi-cyberpunk dystopian that Earth has become in search of answers. Due to Takeshi's often blase way of investigating his presence is soon noticed and his own past brings about additional obstacles in his search for the truth.

Throughout this decent into a sordid underground of a modernistic society Morgan develops our protagonist to become much more than just an anti-hero, in some aspects he is also the victim. This style helps to pull you head first through the dark and gritty world it is set without loss of sight of a light at the end of the tunnel.

All told this is one of the best si-fi novels I have found of late. It has an intriguing plot which will keep you reading, with characters which will make you care and set in an all too convincing view of the future.

Thus if si-fi is your thing or your looking to give it a chance I would urge you to start here, with Altered Carbon.

Women

Right a bit of a novelty here as I come to you from a train racing towards Bristol, from my phone. So getting my excuses out the way early.
The book, women by Charles Bukowski. This is one that is very different to any I have read or even bought before. The reason I bought it I must admit was a tv show, californication. If you are familiar with that show and I mention the main character of the book is called Hank you may already be able to guess the sort of thing that goes on.
Hank is an alcoholic, womanising writer and the narrative is from his point of view. I must concede that initially I thought the writing was trash and style crass. However, as I proceed through the book a realisation dawned on me. That realisation was that really the style was clever and elegant as it was the characters whom where crass and uneducated. Thus, when reading through a scene heavy with dialogue it feels dominated by f'ing and blinding. To which I sometimes feel a little offended but then what Charles B has cleverly done is draw you into that world. The elegance is shown first in a sophistication and eloquent monologue of Hank's thought's about the life he leads.
So if you can get past the odd swear I would suggest this is well worth a read.
Ed