The Martian - David Weir

I rated this book 9/10
First published February 2014

I’m stranded on Mars.

I have no way to communicate with Earth.

I’m in a Habitat designed to last 31 days.

If the Oxygenator breaks down, I’ll suffocate. If the Water Reclaimer breaks down, I’ll die of thirst. If the Hab breaches, I’ll just kind of explode. If none of those things happen, I’ll eventually run out of food and starve to death.

So yeah. I’m screwed.

A bold, tense tale of survival on Mars.

What a brilliant read! Mark Watney finds himself stranded on Mars as the rest of his team presume him dead and make their get away from the Red Planet without him. Reporting via journal/blogging entries, we follow Watney's desperate (and often witty) struggle to survive everything that the planet throws at him. Weir uses such realistic terms to describe Watney's daily trials, that it's hard not to believe that this could be a real issue in the not so distant future. 

Strong characters, laced with humour and full of suspense; this is a fast and addictive page turner to put on your reading list.

I absolutely can't wait until the film starring Matt Damon is released in October. 
The advert for it looks pretty spot on so far...

Available at Waterstones

Stone Rider - David Hofmeyr

I rated this book 7/10
First published in July 2015

Adam Stone wants freedom and peace. He wants a chance to escape Blackwater, the dust-bowl desert town he grew up in. Most of all, he wants the beautiful Sadie Blood. Alongside Sadie and the dangerous outsider Kane, Adam will ride the Blackwater Trail in a brutal race that will test them all, body and soul. Only the strongest will survive.

The prize? A one-way ticket to Sky-Base and unimaginable luxury.

And for a chance at this new life, Adam will risk everything.

Stone Rider is a little like a mix between Death Race, Mad Max and with a dash of Elysium thrown in for good measure. 

It features bikes (though the spelling "bykes" was probably unnecessary) and plenty of bloodshed, and is the kind of YA novel that I wish I had thought up. Right up my street!

Hofmeyr's writing style is simple - the sentences are short and the descriptions are fairly minimal. It took me a little while to get used to this, but eventually the short sentences lend themselves to quick and brutal action scenes that keep the pages turning.

I wasn't keen on Adam as a main protagonist - he is a modest and shy orphan, with exceptional riding skills that don't really come across as well as they probably could in the book. He blacks out whenever there is a hint of danger and avoids violence at all costs. The only female in the book is drawn to him despite him being characterless - I like Sadie though, she's very well represented. Kane has to be my favourite character however, and Hofmeyr has really put some thought and understanding into the background of this strange teenager; given him plenty of grit.

Overall a great read that I would recommend without any reservations. Full of friendship, action and full on racing!

(Thank you to Penguin Random House for the proof copy)

Available at Waterstones

Boy in the Tower - Polly Ho-Yen

I rated this book 10/10...

Ade loves living at the top of a tower block. From his window, he feels like he can see the whole world stretching out beneath him. His mum doesn’t really like looking outside – but it’s going outside that she hates. She’s happier sleeping all day inside their tower, where it’s safe.

But one day, other tower blocks on the estate start falling down around them and strange, menacing plants begin to appear. Now their tower isn’t safe anymore. Ade and his mum are trapped and there’s no way out . . .

A strange, scary thriller for kids that grown ups will love too.

I've been raving about this book since I finished it a couple of weeks back. It's a thrilling, scary kids book with a sci-fi edge to it; but is more about the personal experiences of Ade. Ade finds his life is shaken up by the strange occurrences that are happening in his town. Buildings are falling down and killing the people inside them, and nobody really knows why. 

But things get much worse for Ade, when he realises that his mum is going through some tough personal issues of her own and can't bring herself to even look out of their tower block window, let alone leave and escape the city through the front door. And still the buildings around them fall, and it will be their turn soon!

It's this exploration of his mum's difficulties that make 'Boy in the Tower' work on multiple levels. I know that many adults have read and enjoyed this book alongside their children, because they draw a completely different message from the text than the kids do.

'Boy in the Tower' is a fast and gripping read about a brave young boy facing some massive challenges. I'd recommend it both for (brave) 9-12 year olds and parents alike. And that ending! My heart was in my throat!

Available at Waterstones

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

I rated this book 9/10...

A murder mystery, family saga, love story, and a tale of financial intrigue wrapped into one satisfyingly complex and entertainingly atmospheric novel.Harriet Vanger, scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families, disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.

I waited so long to read this book and find out what the fuss is about and I was pleasantly surprised. Stieg Larsson has thrown together some fabulous characters at no cost to the winding plot. Let's face it, Salander is one of the most kick-ass female characters you'll find in a crime novel, she even rides a 125 Kawasaki. She refuses to be a victim, even when she is a victim.

I enjoyed the twists, and although it took a while to set the scene and the characters, it was worth sticking with through to the end. There were some very disturbing scenes to get through, so not one for the faint hearted, but they didn't seem to be put in place solely for the shock value. Unfortunately, Larsson didn't completely detach his writing from the popular 'woman as victim' theme - but that was my only gripe.

If you haven't already read this book (and I'm sure you have), it's worth putting on the TBR pile and getting stuck in.

A new book featuring Larsson's characters is due out in August 2015. That Which Does Not Kill has been written by David Lagercrantz as Larsson sadly died of a heart attack in 2004 aged 50.

The Girl with all the Gifts - M. R. Carey

I rated this book 10/10

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh.

'The Girl with all the Gifts' is a zombie novel with a big twist, and the stereotypes that are assumed from the phrase 'Zombie Novel' should be overlooked in this instance. It's not your usual 'shopping centre siege' type of horror, and it doesn't really try to be.

This is more haunting and emotional, as it centres around children in particular. Set 20 years after the end of the world, Melanie is the young girl at the heart of this book, and her character is a strong one. The relationship between her and her teacher is disconcerting and eerie - the whole story has a strange feel to it that grips the reader all the same.

I would love to see the screenplay of this in the future. I think that Carey will do a great job of bringing his characters to life.

The Calling - James Frey

I rated this 4/10

Twelve thousand years ago, they came. They descended from the sky amid smoke and fire, and created humanity and gave us rules to live by. They needed gold and they built our earliest civilizations to mine it for them. When they had what they needed, they left. But before they left, they told us someday they would come back, and when they did, a game would be played. A game that would determine our future.

I wasn't sure about this book. The short sentences and tendency to 'list' ("We came here, we have been here, and we are here now." "But we are not together. We are not friends. We do not call one another, and we do not text one another...") felt quite jarring to me. I also wasn't keen on the use of present tense to tell the tale (personal preference of course, it has the opposite effect of drawing me in and I find it distracting). I also felt that maybe James Frey had written this book solely with the big screen in mind. It reads like a film script, switches back and forth between players with more than a little similarity to Battle Royale and The Hunger Games.

Having said this, I found myself slowly being drawn into the book - more for the characters than the plot. They were good enough, all different in their own right, with Jago standing out the most for me as being well rounded and believable. Chiyoko was fascinating, but why would she clap her hands "yes" and not just nod her head?! Chris and Sarah however, were the usual 'too good to be true' protagonists that I felt were flat and uninteresting.

I wasn't madly taken by Endgame - a lot of incidents felt forced and I couldn't get around the fact that the Endgame was not made public knowledge, causing outright war between nations... I also couldn't get my head around Chiyoko using sex as a weapon (this is YA fiction, we shouldn't be glamorising that), and that An's disability is not portrayed in a good light at all; in fact, quite the opposite.

I read it quickly and it was quite addictive. I can see people who liked The Hunger Games perhaps enjoying this too, but I'm not sure I would be 100% happy recommending this to teenagers.

The Running Man - Richard Bachman

I rated this 9/10

It's not just a game when you're running for your life.
     Every night they tuned in to the nation's favorite prime-time TV game show.
     They all watched, from the sprawling polluted slums to the security-obsessed enclaves of the rich. They all watched the ultimate live death game as the contestants tried to beat not the clock, but annihilation at the hands of the Hunters. Survive thirty days and win a billion dollar jackpot—that was the promise. But the odds were brutal and the game rigged. Best score so far was eight days.

     And now there was a new contestant, the latest Running Man, staking his life while a nation watched.

The Running Man is the first book I have ever picked up written by Stephen King. I have always been under the impression that King's novels are massively far-fetched and have random paranormal twists to them that make no sense at all. I don't know where I got this feeling from, but how wrong I have been! At least in this case anyway!

Stephen King writes as Richard Bachman in this gritty, dystopian, reality-tv themed thriller and it was entirely down my street. Richards was a brilliant character and I liked him instantly. He has his head screwed on in an ever more chaotic world, and has his morals and values in all the right places as society becomes ever more corrupt around him...

"Spare me the cheap snatch," Richards said. "I'm married." - pg 40

The Running Man is very fast and very furious, keeping me engrossed on a hot, packed train even whilst I had other commuters coughing down my ear and standing on my toes. I couldn't tear my eyes from it.

Despite the extreme poverty, the brutal massacres and bloodshed that is rife in this Big Brother nation, King lets us glimpse the hope, warmth and loyalty that is present in all walks of humanity. He tackles class and race issues, builds towering skyscrapers and advanced weaponry; and sets us down running with "...MINUS 100 AND COUNTING..."

"We've been on for six years. To date, we have no survivals. To be brutally honest, we expect to have none."
"Then you're running a crooked table," Richards said flatly.
Killian seemed more amused than horrified. "But we're not... Mr Richards. People won't be at the bars and hotels or gathering in the cold in front of appliance stores rooting for you to get away. Goodness! no. They want to see you wiped out, and they'll help if they can..." - pg 39

I will be highly recommending The Running Man. I haven't seen the film starring Arnie, but the book has quickly become one of my all time favourites. I have the rest of Bachman (AKA King)'s titles, and I will be working my way through them.

Never Go Back - Lee Child

Rated 6/10

I was so lucky to receive an advanced proof copy of this from the publisher, and managed to finish it just as the hardback was released on our shelves in the store.

The latest instalment of Jack Reacher was quite enjoyable, despite me only having read books 1 - 5 previously. This is the 18th Reacher story (correct me if I'm wrong), and while its certainly more entertaining than some of his previous titles, it is by no means the best.

Reacher finds himself stuck right in the middle of an action packed mission to clear his name after tracking down a lady that he really liked the sound of over the telephone.

"He made sure his shirt was tucked and he brushed his hair with his fingers. He had no idea what he was going to say. He had liked her voice on the phone. That was all. He had sensed an interesting person behind it. He wanted to meet that person. Simple as that." - pg 19

This may sound familiar, but we all know that Lee Child's style is very much formulaic, and we've managed to get over that by now! Child also continues to use the short sentences that we're accustomed to from Reacher novels, and it was quite a relief after a day in work to not have to think much about what I was reading. Nice and easy.

There was enough action throughout this book to keep me entertained, as Lee Child sends Reacher on his usual kick ass vigilante mission. The build up was great, but the ending seemed rushed, and I never really got a feel for the top bad guy. I didn't really dislike him as a character (like I did in Tripwire for example).

And so Never Go Back is a great read for Reacher fans, but new readers might wonder what all this 'Reacher' fuss is about.

The Games - Ted Kosmatka

"The boy lay motionless in
the tube as the machine moved
all around him."

Rated 8/10

This stunning first novel from Nebula Award and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award finalist Ted Kosmatka is a riveting tale of science cut loose from ethics. Set in an amoral future where genetically engineered monstrosities fight each other to the death in an Olympic event, The Games envisions a harrowing world that may arrive sooner than you think.

My Thoughts: The Games was one of the many books that I found difficult to tear away from. I loved the theme of the title; genetic engineering, super computers, vaguely dystopian and very much appealing to the geek in me.

Although Vidonia didn't really appeal to me as a character (she seemed very much the 'token' lady, and her relationship with Silas was forced and unnecessary), most of the others were introduced with skill and I loved the way that Kosmatka gave us their little quirks and charms. Even the very minor characters (such as James Mitchell for example, who appears on just one page) were described without any kind of jarring awkwardness. Fair enough, the characters didn't 'grow' much during the course of events, but they were well rounded enough from the start to be interesting.

The one thing that let this book down was the fact that the first half of the novel was written with such style, suspense and a real building of tension that had me eager to turn pages - and then the last half of the book went obliterating that build-up completely, rip roaring to a speedy (and not entirely tied up) car-crash ending. I wanted more from it; I needed answers. It's as if Kosmatka had a really epic idea in place, but then ran out of space and had to bring it to a speedy close. I loved the scope of the plot that was set out before us, and then was disappointed to see it come to an abrupt ending.

And so, if you're looking for a neatly sculptured novel with developing characters and a steady plot line then you're in the wrong place. The Games is pure entertainment and nothing more.

The 5th Wave - Rick Yancey

There will be no awakening.

Rated 10/10

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

My Thoughts: This book was powerful from the very first sentence. It's a dark and gritty teen read (though it has a maturity in style that adults will enjoy too). Relentless and full of action throughout, I actually couldn't put it down. 

The characters are strong, very strong; and as they are children from the age of 5 upwards, they are battling with self-discovery alongside the inconvenience of a full on alien invasion. But not the cheesy, big-eyed, hairless, green life forms you might see in an old film or tv programme - we're talking something a lot more sinister than that. Something that could really make your skin crawl...

What struck me the hardest about this novel was Yancey's style. It's no holds barred, grown up writing; short, sharp, shocking. 

Packed full of violence, death and the urge for survival; this is a book for those not too faint at heart. If you love grit and grime then this could be for you - might be best not to read in the dark...

Hard Landing - Stephen Leather

"Trish Elliott ran her hand across
her stomach for the hundredth
time since she'd left the doctor's
surgery."

Rated 7/10

Dan 'Spider' Shepherd is used to putting his life on the line. Working for an elite undercover squad he has lied, cheated and conned in order to bring Britain's most wanted criminals to justice."

My Thoughts: Hard Landing is a fast-paced read packed with action and tension. The concept of an undercover officer being stationed inside a high security prison is one that instantly had me hooked, and you really get a feel for the inmates’ life behind bars. I love that this is a British crime thriller and I couldn’t put the book down once I had started it. The book reminded me somewhat of a Nick Stone thriller.

I had a slight problem with the over-usage of logos and colours to describe the inmates’ attire; I know that clothing would be important in a prison, but it could have been done a little more sparingly to make the text flow smoothly and to get a little more detail than “He was wearing a white Addidas tshirt” and such. Similarly, his descriptions of the food was always a repetitive and off-hand "It was awful, but he ate it anyway" job.

The book is clearly plot based and I think that Leather has just about scraped by on the descriptions of protagonists that he gives the reader. He has imagined some real larger-than-life characters and should have fleshed them out a bit more so that we can really connect to them. I didn’t feel shocked or upset when protagonists died or were killed, and I know that I could have been if I’d been introduced to them more thoroughly. Dan Shepherd didn’t have any depth to him and didn’t really do it for me (though he’s an ex SAS hard man so he should have);  Ironically enough I found myself sympathising more with the antagonist at one point as he was well-rounded in comparison, even Carpenter’s family were more relatable than Shepherd’s.

The heat really builds during the last third of Hard Landing, when there’s a bit of a twist in the plan of action and things don’t work out quite as you would expect them to. I did find myself skipping pages towards the very final conclusion of the book to get to the ending, as I knew what was going to happen by this point and didn’t need to read the build-up. Having said this, I was desperate to finish, and it was full of action right up until the very last page!  

All in all a great read. I don’t think I’ll rush out to get the next in the series, but if it lands on my bookshelf somehow then I’ll read it.

When The Eagle Hunts - Simon Scarrow

"The heaving tumult around
the ship was frozen for an instant
by sheet lightning."

Rated 10/10

It is the winter of AD 44 and after a series of bloody battles, Camulodunum (modern day Colchester) has fallen to the invading Roman army...

My Thoughts: Wow! Definitely the best addition to the Macro/Cato series so far.

Throughout these epic novels, Scarrow seamlessly switches from the personal POV of Macro and Cato to the view point of the army as a whole, to the ongoing invasion of Britain, and back again without a glitch. It's very cleverly done and keeps you hanging on to every word. He doesn't bombard the reader with technicality or historical terms that might leave people like myself scratching their heads over it - but he includes enough for the more studied in Roman history to really get their teeth into. I really admire his style for this - it is quite some skill.

As for 'When The Eagle Hunts', it's a fast and furious read with non-stop action and dilemma. Scarrow doesn't really need to set his main protagonists up, however he does describe their roots enough for new readers to be able to enjoy it without going too far and re-explaining everything.

Although Scarrow's plotline hides fresh suspense round every corner, his characters are immense and really enjoyable to follow. New faces Boudica and Prasutagus are very well-rounded and likeable, alongside some of the more familiar comrades (Vespasian for example, with his softer qualities but stern exterior is a particular favourite of mine). Scarrow gives even the most minor of characters a full bodied personality, and it's for this reason that the reader can easily grow attached to the likes of Maxentius and Diomedes despite them only appearing for a handful of pages.

Macro's touch of brutal humour is always welcome to break up the more serious and bloodied battles that are consistently encountered, and the way that the great Prasutagus is revealed as the novel continues only adds to this relief. And Cato - Cato got awesome!!!

It's not often that a series gets even better as it goes along, but Scarrow is a master of his genre and I'm looking forward to The Eagle And The Wolves.

Casino Royale - Ian Fleming

"The scent and smoke and
sweat of a casino are nauseating
at three in the morning."

Rated 4/10

This, the first of Fleming's tales of agent 007, finds Bond on a mission to neutralize a lethal, high-rolling Russian operative called simply 'Le Chiffre' - by ruining him at the baccarat table and forcing his Soviet spy masters to 'retire' him. It seems that lady luck is taken with James - Le Chiffre has hit a losing streak. But some people just refuse to play by the rules, and Bond's attraction to a beautiful female agent leads him to disaster and an unexpected savior.

My Thoughts: I had high expectations of my first ever Bond novel, being a huge fan of action thrillers, sleek cars and powerful characters. I was bitterly disappointed. 

The book is nothing at all like the films; James Bond comes across as a bit weak, highly chauvinistic (I was surprised at Fleming's very obvious sexism) and with no ounce of the smooth and suave character that you see in the films. He was not desirable in the slightest.

Aside from this, there was virtually no action in Casino Royale at all - ***SPOILER: he spent the first 120 pages gambling and the last few pages being tortured and then saved by someone almost entirely unrelated to his plot, falling stupidly for a woman he earlier described as a bitch and preparing to propose to her after a matter of weeks because she sleeps with him and it feels a bit like rape.(?!?)*** 

I do, however, like the fact that he gets naked randomly at any given opportunity - it's amusing, typical and highlights Bond's confidence and arrogance perfectly. 

And where was the beautiful Bentley that Bond adores? I think he drives it up the road once or twice and that is it. 

James Bond, however, has been turned into an absolute legend by the big screen, and I can see that the book does show a lot of potential for this kind of adaptation. It needed a fair amount of work: It was very clever to transform M into a female for the movies, for example, and you can forgive Bond for being a player in the films because he is just so cool.

I will not be picking up another Bond novel if I can help it, but I will continue to watch the films. And this is why Casino Royale gets 4 stars instead of none!!!

Ghostman - Roger Hobbs

"Hector Moreno and Jerome Ribbons
sat in the car on the ground level of
the Atlantic Regency Hotel Casino
parking garage, sucking up crystal
meth with a rolled-up five spot, a
lighter and a crinkled length of tin foil."

Rated 8/10

I make things disappear. It’s what I do. This time I’m tidying up the loose ends after a casino heist gone bad. The loose ends being a million cash.But I only have 48 hours, and there’s a guy out there who wants my head in a bag.
He’ll have to find me first.
They don’t call me the Ghostman for nothing...

My Thoughts: I couldn't put this book down! I liked the detailed explanations of the choices he made, the procedures he took, the weapons he used. For those not quite so clued up on these things it was very helpful, and above all, interesting. I liked the attention to sensory descriptions. I liked the fact that I almost forgot the Ghostman is a criminal.

It's a proper action packed read with an anti-hero at the centre of the whole thing. Two tales twisted into one. Enough cliff hangers to keep me glued. Cue guns, cars and dirty money. 

The short sentences and chapters and repetition of 'I' were a little distracting, but Ghostman is a fantastic debut - well written, well researched and one that makes you feel as if you were reading through the latest action movie. Fans of Lee Child, Robert Crais and other similar authors, should add this book to their 'to read' list.

Without Fail - Lee Child

"They found out about him in
July and stayed angry all
through August."

Rated 4/10

Featuring Jack Reacher, hero of the new blockbuster movie starring Tom Cruise. This time, he's in the line of fire, protecting the Vice President of the United States.

My Thoughts: I was pretty disappointed with the 6th book in the Jack Reacher series. The first few were brilliant - fast, furious and somewhat believable despite the larger than life protagonist and plot lines.

Without Fail lacked most of the drama that we have come to expect from Lee Child's thrillers. The plot didn't tie up (I won't spoil it, but the antagonists had a very poor motive for killing the VP). 

There is also one massive plot hole that doesn't add up. It was to do with the 'messages' and one particular message that the bad guys sent the VP that would have given the game away right off the 'bat'. Completely out of character for them as they do such a good job of attempting not to be identified the whole way through. 

Froleich was an awful character! Supposedly a strong and professional woman and yet going round and round in circles about an ex from years ago; At one point pretty much a full chapter was made from her blaming Reacher over her ex's death - it drove me insane and could have been completely skipped - not great at all!!!

In fact, a fair amount of this book could have been skipped over.

I did love Neagley as a character however, and I loved the relationship she has with Reacher - a full set of Reacher-style thrillers could probably be made from her and I would definitely pick them up.

I have given this book 2 stars simply because it is a Jack Reacher book - and that in itself makes it worth them. Reacher is still a fantastic character and I still wish he was real, and I still wish he wasn't Tom Cruise on the big screen, and I will still be reading through the rest of the series!!!

Halfhead - Stuart B. MacBride

"There's blood everywhere."

Rated 9.2/10 (Awesome!)

There are worse things than the death penalty...

My Thoughts: The first sentence had me hooked and pretty much set the theme up for the whole novel in an instant. A really dark and gritty sci-fi read with plenty of shocking gore and a racing plotline. I couldn't tear my eyes from the pages.

I had the privilege of a quick exchange of Tweets with Mr MacBride as I was reading this on the train to work:



                 Me ‏@Gemininski

Reading Halfhead by @stuartmacbride and wondering why I've never picked this up before. It's ace!

Expand

27 NovStuart MacBride ‏@StuartMacBride

@Gemininski Phew! That was a worry. Some people absolutely loathe it. Glad you're not one of them.

Expand

28 NovMe ‏@Gemininski

@StuartMacBride not at all! Though I do worry in parts that someone is looking over my shoulder at what I'm reading and backing away slowly.

And I did indeed find myself shielding the odd page from commuters who found themselves within reading distance. There are some pretty sickening scenes in there, and one particularly that I had to stop reading for a moment to take a deep breath and continue on. The strong dystopia element satisfied me, and I only wish that the book could have delved a little further into it, and into the whole concept behind the halfhead.

I love to be kept in suspense when reading. I love to be shocked. I love vivid characters that I actually care for and plenty of action... This book covered all bases. I want more!

An epic sci-fi/crime thriller that is something that little bit different. 

Theme: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Style: 4/5

Overall: 9.2/10

Echo Burning - Lee Child

"There were three watchers,
two men and a boy."

Rated 5.2/10 (average)

Jack finds himself suffering the intense heat of a Texas summer, and (leaving behind a messy situation) hardly worries about the dangers of who will pick him up when he hitches a ride. But it's a beautiful young rich girl driving a Cadillac who gives Jack a lift.

My Thoughts: I know what to expect when I pick up a Reacher novel - action, girls and plenty of cheese. The previous four books in this series that I read had everything going for them, but 'Echo Burning' didn't really hit the mark with anything in the way that I expected it to.

The first few scenes in the book were great. Plenty of action and it set the story up well - but after this everything went downhill. Reacher believes a complete stranger based entirely on his gut instinct and then most of what she says turns out to be lies. But he still believes her, and still based on his gut instinct. I think that this discredited his character a little bit and I would never have put him down as a man that falls for silly tricks and lies.

This plot seems to be scrambling and clutching at straws. It doesn't read comfortably and it doesn't run smoothly. Some of it seems a little vague, other parts felt as if Lee Child just couldn't dig his characters out without making new things up and throwing more random information into the mix. Jack Reacher doesn't tell his comrade any of the information that he has figured out at all towards the end, and the one single reason for this is to keep us, the reader, guessing. It just doesn't read well at all. She would need to know!

All told, I did keep reading and I did get hooked. I think this was mainly because Jack Reacher is such a stunning character and I can't get enough of him. It is disappointing that Reacher's personna was nearly destroyed in this one and I hope that 'Without Fail' picks it up a bit.

Theme: 2/5
A little bit lacking in this one, mainly because it seemed so forced.

Plot: 2/5
Again, not as fresh and exciting as some of Reacher's previous adventures, but it did keep the pages turning.

Characters: 3/5
Jack Reacher is awesome. But his character was a bit questionable in this one, and most of the other characters weren't memorable, even the antagonists!

Setting: 4/5
The setting did the job, and of course, the rain starts pouring at just the right moment.

Style: 2/5
It just didn't cut it for me this time. Where's the bloody action? Where's the big cheesy action hero banging heads together to get results? Why's he turned so gullible all of a sudden?

Overall: 5.2/10

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to any established fan of Jack Reacher. Definitely don't pick this one up if it's your first meeting with him though!

Click here to grab this at Waterstones.com ... 

Ring of Fire - Rick Broadbent

"It is the unusual that makes
sport such and addictive drug"

Date Finished: 20th June 2012

Ring of Fire is an insider’s account of the acclaim, heroism and pressures of being a MotoGP racer. It is a high-octane revelation of the feuds, danger, politics and adrenaline inside MotoGP World Motorcycling Championship.

My Thoughts: I adored this book. It is really well written - Broadbent is a master of weaving the spectrum of events together with all of the drama and focus that the sport deserves. He captures every moment as if there were a camera set up right there. He gives me access to the side of the riders that I don't see on track and it makes me love them more.

Ring of Fire entertained me to no end and I'm so pleased that he has a new book out about the TT. It appeared instantly on my 'to-read' list and I'm really looking forward to it.

A magic little book that I would recommend to any casual or avid motorsport fan.

I RATED IT 10/10

Lion of the Sun - Harry Sidebottom

Date Finished: 3rd March 2012

In Mesopotamia, AD 260, Ballista faces yet another enemy, the man the Syrians call The Lion of the Sun, in this third novel in the 'Warrior of Rome' series. Betrayed by his most trusted adviser, Roman Emperor Valerian has been captured by the Sassanid barbarians. The shame of the vanquished beats down mercilessly like the desert sun as the frail old emperor prostrates himself before Sharpur, king of kings. Ballista looks on helplessly but vows under his breath to avenge those who have brought the empire to the brink of destruction with their treachery.

My Thoughts: This is the third book in the Warrior of Rome series - a set of books that I adore. Ballista and his entourage are fantastic characters and I had very high expectations of this upon finishing the first two reads.

I was a little disappointed that Ballista's entourage don't feature in this as much as the last two. It wasn't quite full of the comradary and warmth that is conjured up through the relationships between Ballista and his bodyguard Maximus, his secretary Demetrius and his minder Calgacus.

On top of this, I found the plot line a lot more difficult to follow. It was more focussed on politics and less on action.

Having said this - the ending of Lion of the Sun is fantastic and well worth the struggle to get to it. I didn't really get pulled into the build up but it really was good. I've had customers pick this book up before the first two and then coming back and asking me for Fire in the East. Those who know a lot about Ancient Rome will absolutely adore it and will probably find that it flows a little more easily for them.

One other point to note is that Ballista's wife Julia is a brilliant character and she really does flourish in Lion of the Sun. She is strong, calm and level headed, and can really hold her own. I would love to read a Kate Quinn-esque novel revolving around Julia and the children. It would be ace.

All in all, a good read, but overshadowed by its predecessors.
I RATED THIS 6/10

The Visitor - Lee Child

Date Finished: 7th November 2011

It's tough being a high-flying woman in the Army. Very tough. When Sergeant Amy Callan and Lieutenant Caroline Cook are found dead in their own homes—in baths filled with Army-issue camouflage paint, their bodies completely unmarked—Jack Reacher is under suspicion. He knew them both—and he knows that they both left the Army under dubious circumstances, both victims of sexual harassment. A former U.S. military policeman, a loner and a drifter, he matches the psychological profile prepared by the FBI, and is arrested by ambitious Special Agent, Julia Lamarr.

My Thoughts: Jack Reacher is at it again. This time he gets roped in to something pretty huge against his will. The fourth in Reacher's series is just as quick and easy to read as the last three, and again, I found it very tricky to put down.

Having said this, The Visitor didn't quite hit the same mark as the last books for me - this one is more of a "whodunnit" and has less of Reacher muscling his way about banging heads together for results (which is what I love most about his over-the-top mountain of a character). It keeps you guessing right until the very last pages however, and although the conclusion also didn't cut it for me, the suspense was brilliant. A must read for Reacher fans, but perhaps shouldn't be the first choice for those not familiar with the series.

I RATED THIS 8/10