Friday 1 June 2012


I’m sorry that I haven’t blogged in quite some time.  It has been a busy time in my real life. However, things are gradually slowing down and so things will be getting busier on this blog. 

Now, I know I maybe a little slow on the uptake.  But, something just recently dawned on me. This summer is going to be a bit boring for a semi- republican sport hating avid reader/arts lover like me. So, I have set myself an Olympian reading challenge. I want to start to get through the books that are; sitting on my to be read table, sitting on my kindle (both whole books and samples), waiting on my TBR list on Goodreads, and on my Amazon Wishlist.      I will try and review all the books that I read (or at least those book that I rate higher than 1 star on Goodreads). I will pin all titles on my pininterest board http://pinterest.com/vikzwrites/books-helping-me-ignore-the-torch-and-races/

Monday 9 April 2012

Thief of LivesThief of Lives by Lucy Sussex
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

why am I reading this book?

This is another book for the Australian Women's Writers Challenge. This brilliant challenge maybe found at www.goodreads.com/group/show/59176, https://www.facebook.com/AustralianWomen... and http://www.australianwomenwriters.com/p/... It's not too late to get involved. Get reading.

about this book

This is part of a series of novella size books which is currently being by published Twelfth Planet Press (http://www.twelfthplanetpress.com/). These books are short story collections. This book is a series of fairly unrelated stories;

Alchemy
Fountain of Justice
The Story of O
Thief of Lives

What I thought

This book is an interesting introduction to the work of an interesting writer. I will definitely read more from this author.




View all my reviews

Sunday 8 April 2012

Mistification. Kaaron WarrenMistification. Kaaron Warren by Kaaron Warren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

why am I reading this book

I am reading this as part of the Australian Women's writers challenge (http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/5917...) (http://www.australianwomenwriters.com/p/...)

Summary

A young boy grows up in a room with his grandmother, hiding from a foe who he can only hear and going on covert stealing missions. This book shows him; growing up, leaving his cage, falling in love and developing his own talents.

Themes

This book looks at the concepts of myth, story and realty. Marco gift allows him to throw a mist over peoples eyes. This mist allows him to distort reality, giving the person a new story and allowing Marco to alter their history. Through out his journey he encounters people who tell them his story. As a reward, he alters their story to take away their painful memories. Marco becomes aware that these stories are needed if humanity are to survive. Humans would go mad if they were forced to face the truth.

In addition, it takes a look at the difference between the world as it is portrayed in the media and the reality of our own lived experience. Marco spends his life in a room watching TV with no sound and this does not prepare him for the real world.


my thoughts

I was fascinated by the world that Warren creates within this work. I loved the ideas that she explores. The stories interspersed within the narrative make for interesting reading. But, the characters, especially Marco, left me cold. They didn't engage me. Therefore, I was not able to give it a five.






View all my reviews

Friday 23 March 2012

The Trojan WomenThe Trojan Women by Euripides
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

why am I reading this I am reading this book since it is the chosen read of The Classics of the western Cannon reading group (Good read) http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1986...

summary This play is set in the aftermath of the Trojan wars. These events are viewed from the perspective of the Trojan Women. It shows their grief at the death of their husbands and children, following the defeat of the Trojan armies.It shows their fear of their future and of their future life in slavery.

Conclusion The stories of the women are heart breaking. The story of Casandra is particularly heart rending. Her sadness at the loss of her husband and son bring tears to the eyes. The play brings home the pain of war. And, since we are always at war, this book always seems timely and modern. I am glad that the reading group encouraged me to read it.

View all my reviews

Wednesday 21 March 2012

Love and RomanpunkLove and Romanpunk by Tansy Rayner Roberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



summary

I have beeb listening to Galactic suburbia http://www.galactisuburbia.podbean.com/ for quite some time and I was interested in reading this book. It couldn't have been better for me. It takes the Roman world, turns it into a mythological sphere and then brings it forward to the modern world.

structure

The narrative is told in a series of short stories that contain a overarching narrative arch. Each is set in a different historical period. Each one shows the fight that takes place between the Julias and various mythological creatures.

characters

Some of the characters are historical characters altered slightly. While, others are fictional characters placed in historical settings. The final section being fully fictional contains fictional characters. But, they are all believable. The research is evident but the author uses it with a light touch.

conclusion

READ THIS BOOK,


View all my reviews

Monday 23 January 2012

To Ride Pegasus (The Talents of the Earth Series)To Ride Pegasus by Anne McCaffrey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Since I read this book out of sequence, it took me a long time to get into it. I only continued because it was written by one of my favourite authors and part of one of my favourite series. It was well worth the effort. This well-written book charts the beginning of an organisation for the talents. It shows the problems, and successes, of a group of people who began the organisation. It asks the question- how do we treat those who are different and how do we treat those with unique talents. It is well worth a read.

View all my reviews

Wednesday 18 January 2012

The Curse of Tutton CommonThe Curse of Tutton Common by Geoff Tristram
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I didn't want to write this review. I wanted to like this book. Firstly, because it is a local author. Secondly, it is self published and I admire authors who are brave enough to take that route. And thirdly, because, I like boring museums. I find them a refreshing anti-dote to the flashy ones born in the 1980s/1990s. And, at first, I liked this book. The quiet humour matched the quiet backdrop of the story. However, once the main character enters the tale it becomes a series of pratt - falls and the story goes out the window. I am sorry. But I hated this book.


View all my reviews

Friday 13 January 2012

1Q84: Book 1 and Book 21Q84: Book 1 and Book 2 by Haruki Murakami
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This review will also consider 1q84 vol 3. To paraphrase Douglas Adams, 1Q84 is big very big and just as you think that you understand it it gets stranger. It is physically big, spilling into three volumes (with no less than 300 pages each). Since I have the Kindle version, I have no idea how much it weighs but I am betting it's not light weight. Its scope is surreal, (view spoiler). Thematically, it's large, covering; publishing, writing, gender, religion, cults, domestic violence, memory and revenge (just to name a few of its' themes). It also crosses many genre borders; literary fiction, magic realism, romance, mystery, horror, weird fiction, world fiction, Japanese fiction and (maybe) epic fantasy. I suggest that you plunge in feet first (or heart first) and enjoy bathing in this warm bath of a book. (thanks for the two headed god of Sword and Laser for that metaphor)

View all my reviews

Friday 6 January 2012

The Magician's ApprenticeThe Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well this the first book read as part of The Australian Women's Writers challenge. This book takes quite a while to get going. In fact, had I not have been reading this for the Australian Women writers challenge, I would have given up on this book after chapter one. I am glad that I kept reading. Since, although this book is not mind blowing or world changing, it is an enjoyable read. In addition, it does deal with issues such as; freedom, gender, and sexuality. It is well worth a read and I look forward to reading The Magicians Guild; the Black Magician.

View all my reviews