Books 2009
My book blog stopped back in January on book 5, instead of filling you all in on everything I have read since then, I'll blithely pretend that there has been no break at all.
43) The Inferior, by Peadar Ó Guilín
Whatever I say here actually won't do justice to this book, so I won't try very hard. This felt fresh the way a lot of SF doesn't any more. The world building was extremely deft, sucking me in until I began to blink on finding myself back in our own, less interesting, less stressful, world. The characters were interesting, although I think the best thing about characterization was the sheer range of different types. I can't quite chase that thought to its conclusion, but it was something that helped make this book stand out.
I don't know if The Inferior is aimed at YA or adults, the content is pretty difficult even for this old adult to handle at all times. The packaging suggests YA, however, although there is a small warning that it is not suitable for young children - this should be a big warning.
In the interests of full disclosure, Peadar is, or was, a friend of an ex-boyfriend of mine, and there are other people we have in common. I met him once or twice in College, over ten years ago, although I bet he doesn't remember me. He was an unpublished but very good writer then, it's great to see that he's continued and is now published.
44) The Strain, by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan (audio book narrated by Ron Perlman)
This one, on the other hand, was probably the most disappointing book so far this year. I heard del Toro interviewed on the Front Row podcast, talking about The Strain, and thought it sounded interesting.
It isn't. It was supposed to be about a virus that causes vampirism, but actually the virus (which is actually visible to the naked eye) turns people instead into zombies, or something much more like a zombie than a vampire. I had trouble following most of the plot, since my mind kept wandering, and the narrator has not got the most interesting voice I've ever heard, but I'm still not happy with the explanation for why the world wasn't long okay overrun by these zombie/vampires. It is book one of a trilogy - and luckily nobody can make me have anything to do with the next two books.
43) The Inferior, by Peadar Ó Guilín
Whatever I say here actually won't do justice to this book, so I won't try very hard. This felt fresh the way a lot of SF doesn't any more. The world building was extremely deft, sucking me in until I began to blink on finding myself back in our own, less interesting, less stressful, world. The characters were interesting, although I think the best thing about characterization was the sheer range of different types. I can't quite chase that thought to its conclusion, but it was something that helped make this book stand out.
I don't know if The Inferior is aimed at YA or adults, the content is pretty difficult even for this old adult to handle at all times. The packaging suggests YA, however, although there is a small warning that it is not suitable for young children - this should be a big warning.
In the interests of full disclosure, Peadar is, or was, a friend of an ex-boyfriend of mine, and there are other people we have in common. I met him once or twice in College, over ten years ago, although I bet he doesn't remember me. He was an unpublished but very good writer then, it's great to see that he's continued and is now published.
44) The Strain, by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan (audio book narrated by Ron Perlman)
This one, on the other hand, was probably the most disappointing book so far this year. I heard del Toro interviewed on the Front Row podcast, talking about The Strain, and thought it sounded interesting.
It isn't. It was supposed to be about a virus that causes vampirism, but actually the virus (which is actually visible to the naked eye) turns people instead into zombies, or something much more like a zombie than a vampire. I had trouble following most of the plot, since my mind kept wandering, and the narrator has not got the most interesting voice I've ever heard, but I'm still not happy with the explanation for why the world wasn't long okay overrun by these zombie/vampires. It is book one of a trilogy - and luckily nobody can make me have anything to do with the next two books.