May Reviews

Good morning, I’m sick again and the sun has disappeared so I can’t sit around in the garden writing. I’m going to laze in luxury in my room instead. I have two book reviews to write; I’ve been putting them off because of working, but it’s Saturday and I actually have a bit of free time.Continue reading “May Reviews”

Review – ‘The Black Lion: Satan’s Kingdom’ by Anthony Karakai

 

2013

A modern spy thriller set in Hungary

Jackson is one of an elite covert force, ‘The Black Lions’, recruited from the CIA and ready to deal out violent justice. His team mates are a mixed bag of ex-security services from around the world.

Continue reading “Review – ‘The Black Lion: Satan’s Kingdom’ by Anthony Karakai”

Review: ’17 Equations that changed the world by Ian Stewart

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2012
Profile Books

Covering everything from Pythagoras’s theorem to Schrodinger’s Equation and chaos theory, Professor Ian Stewart takes the reader through seventeen important equations that have helped to advance human understanding of the universe (and how to measure it) over the last 2500+ years.

I wish I’d had this book while I was studying A level maths and later while studying for my degree. Ian Stewart explains the concepts involved clearly and comprehensively, including their history.

A great book for students and general readers.

Review: Knot in Time (Tales of Uncertainty Book 1) by Alan Tucker

2012

Dare Heisenberg (adopted great-nephew of the great Heisenberg of Uncertainty Principle fame) is a drop-out living on the streets of Denver. A disappointment to his adopted-parents, his teachers and just about everyone he ever met, including himself, Dare doesn’t really see much of a future for himself. That is until one night he meets a blob named Bob. Bob has an offer for Dare that changes his existence. Dare can go on as he is or join the Keepers, who regulate time and space.

Naturally he accepts.

Dare is sent on his first mission, which goes horribly wrong and sets off a chain of events which results in Dare ending up on (and above) Mars with giant hamster aliens and an indestructible spider-creature. Oh, yes and four anti-matter bombs. Dare and his new friend Lauri must race against time to prevent the destruction of a species.

I was sent this e-book to review at the request of www.everythingbooksandauthors.com (thanks Toni); it’s been a while since I read much science fiction but I used to enjoy it so I thought I’d give this book a go.

Overall I’d say I enjoyed the novel, especially the final third, when it felt like the author had really got in to his storytelling stride, describing the scenes and action well. I grew to sympathise with Dare, a character whose self-centredness irritated until he started to develop.

The only significant negative point I could make is that the pacing is a little uneven.  The first hundred pages were slow, but once the action started it sped up. The change in pace came at a point that, when I read it, felt disjointed; as though this were two separate stories that had been put together but the join wasn’t smooth. It also felt a little rushed towards the ending, with an element of deus ex machina. I also found some of the early descriptions of Dare’s family background and education repetitive and laboured.

These are minor quibbles and this is an enjoyable sci-fi novel, with an interesting premise; the author clearly has some understanding of current theories in physics. In addition, I especially liked the pahsahni (giant hamster aliens) and their back-story. It is a good introduction to Sci-Fi suitable for YA audience.

I’m hoping to do write a few more reviews for www.everythingbooksandauthors.com, Toni the Admin is really nice, she gets back to you quickly and doesn’t preasurise readers/reviewers. I’ve got a great long list of books I’m reveiwing at the minute, so expect a few more over the next week or so!

Rose

New books from the library

I went for a trip to the library today, to take back a book and came home with three more.

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I’ve read a few Jasper Fforde books, so I thought I’d give this one a go. It features a recurring character Thursday Next.

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It’s been a while since I read any classic horror and one of the librarians brought this book to my attention.

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I love Tom Holt’s comic fantasy, this is the first historical fiction novel of his I’ve read though. I’m a decent way into it already and it’s very enjoyable do far.

Expect reviews sometime in the next few weeks.

Got to go to the day job tomorrow, so I shall disappear for a few days. Bye,

Rose

I’ve got quite a few books to review

I found my way to a website called http://www.everythingbooksandauthors.com/ this morning, and on their ‘Special Offers & Freebies’ page there were a few books that I thought looked interesting. I’m going to read them all and review them.

I love having the Kindle for PC app. I have so many books on it, most of them free.

Bye

Rose
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