Sunday 13 February 2011

Books

Ok, so I'm still reading...

Let me update you with what I have read, and what i have thought about it....

Simon Pegg Nerd Do Well.

I've been a fan of Simon Pegg's since Spaced. First time round and everything.
Genius show in every way shape and form.... although the arty episode was perhaps a little overly quirky... If you haven't see it have you been living in a cave?
Although if you have.... congrats on getting broad band. Probably a 3g dongle would work...
Anyway...where was I? Ah yes... Simon Pegg... I'm a fan.
So... I put his autobiography on my Christmas list, and Santa dropped it down the chimney.

And I really struggled with it... really struggled.

I struggled mainly because nothing much happens..... and Simon doesn't really tell us anything when stuff does happen. Its probably a sign that he's a bit young to reveal anything significant, and also that he is guarded about revealing anything really interesting in his life. No problem with that he admits this as part of the prose however - It just left me a little cold. It was also a little poncy at times. Although possibly Nerdy is the right word... And, his random fiction with Canterbury is kind of bad.

Highly not recommended. With Regret.
Watch his movies instead.... Go watch Paul, it looks good :)



Play Dead. Harlan Coben


Harlan Coben is an American author who I discovered when I won a copy of Caught through Waterstones via Twitter.
Tenuous. Yes.

Play Dead is a very standard fair "who done it" set in the US, and follows the story of a beautiful couple ( she is a successful millionaire and he is the best basket ball player in the world.) They elope to Australia to secretly marry... and tragically he drowns...

Or so we all think.....

OK. Its twisty, its turny... is he dead, is he not dead... if he's not dead, why is he not dead...

The story spins on a couple of horribly implausible events, and plot devices. Some of them come as a surprise, and some of the surprises turn out to be fakes.

Ultimately some of the devices employed here really ruin the book, making it an Ok read for a plane journey, and that is about all.

Very Average. Although amusingly stupid at times.



The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo/The Girl who played with Fire/The Girl who kicked a Hornets Nest.
Steig Larsson




I finished the third in the Millennium trilogy yesterday.
Completely Amazing.

Now, this is not a series for the faint hearted, there are some very graphic scenes within it - both of a violent and sexual nature ( 18) I would suggest. However this is such a beautifully crafted work that it is fully worth the read, and in fairness, all the hype.

Lisbeth Salander is a brilliant character - A socially inept genius, abused by the state and exceptionally cynical of all authority.

Mikael Blomkvist is a steady journalist - A promiscuous investigator who thrives on exposing corruption.

Together (ish) the series follows their story that exposes the truth about Lisbeth Salander, and all that this brings.

It is a great series of books, and well worth the read. If you don't own them, go buy them.
If you do own them - Read them!

Really Highly Recommended.



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