Review: 2084

Publisher: Unsung Stories

 

Absolutely fantastic concept and execution. A real joy to read, when not feeling alarmed, uncomfortable and concerned about life and what's going to happen next.

 

I would thoroughly recommend this book, the stories are superb and there is something for everyone to feel something about and react to.

 

Below are just a few of the highlights that I wanted to point out.

 

Babylon

This is a scary one, you can see the world actually turning in to this, the them vs. us, the poor vs. the rich, world powers vs. the other. It's a story of race in essence I feel.

You can also see North Korea in the state/situation described in this story.

It's a great start to the collection, it's unnerving as has so much potential to be real....maybe not literally but in some ways.

 

Here comes the flood

Again a relatable and realistic story looking at climate change.

I think there is a lesson in this story which is along the lines of think about now because of what will happen to the future. Also seems to be a comment on our collective denial that things are this bad and will get worse.

 

The Endling Market

Now this story felt different, it felt like you were being told it person to person. It was written in a conversational style.

But again it was dealing with extinction and something that again, is very real and alarming in the world today.

A change of tone and pace and a good un. 

March-April-May
I totally got this story (I think and hope) and could see that indeed social media is worrying and can indeed suck people in, feed their perceptions, world view, understanding, exposure to life. It's pretty alarming.
Real life can be online exclusively for some people and that's alarming - says the tweeter and blogger I know!

Bravo!

BG

Review: Kin

 

Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books

 

It's great to have Snorri Kristjansson back, I indeed enjoyed his Valhalla series which were of course fab action packed but sensitive Viking joys.

 

 

But SK is back in a very different way, he's got women in charge now and leading the way in these new books. Helga is  good lead character in some ways, but I didn't fall in love with her. But for sure SK adopts the female voice and PoV well indeed. The other strong women surrounding Helga also make this book awesome, especially her adopted mother.

 

The Viking family that we get to know, fear and become part of in this novel feels modern in a way. I'm not sure if this is intentional, buy I suppose a family is a family regardless of when the book is set and the world is placed. 

The baddies were the kind that you love to hate, or even hate to love and that was also cracking.

Overall, a good page turner with good depth of characters and family. I did indeed enjoy the read.

Happy Reading

BG

Review: The Man Who Hated

Publisher: City Fiction

 

So, it seems that this is part of a series 'Novella Nostalgia', in which TD is taking classic/old films and twisting them/using them as inspiration for a Novella or two. from this one, I am indeed inspired to see Falling Down which is the film linked to this book, and I also think it would aid me in appreciating this novella more.

 

This is, being a novella, a quick read. But, despite this fact, you still get the depth of Milton's character. His idiosyncrasies, his issues , him in general. Dave and Lucy are a tad cheesy for my liking though, they seem superficial and 2D in comparison to Milton.

 

I love the blunt end sentences, the way of writing, how the style changes when Milton is the focus and he's speaking.

 

One tip however, don't eat lunch while reading the final action.

 

I would indeed like to read more from this collection. Novel concept and well executed here.

 

Cheers

 

BG

Review: Swinging: the games your neighbours play

Publisher: The Friday Project

So, I thought this book was going to be an amusing work of fiction. Boy Geek read a couple of chapters ages ago and also thought that is what this was. It's not, it's like an essay, come extended opine on, yep, swinging. 

The author of this book is indeed, obviously, eloquent, intelligent, well educated, but I couldn't help but think whilst reading this that he was using this as a means to justify to himself his chosen path in life after coming out of rehab.

Indeed, sex, swinging and all that's related is written about with taste and sensitivity. There is nothing gratuitous or uncomfortable. There is nothing that ends up making one feel like you are getting too involved in something you shouldn't be. But all the time I did read this book, all I could think was that I was, for sure, just reading one man's justification to himself for choosing a new lifestyle in an attempt to bring intimacy etc to his life. Indeed forgive me if I am wrong and I'm sure I am, but I couldn't see past this.

I would like to know the thoughts of others who have read this piece.

Cheers

BG