I’m taking my role as “influential reader” very seriously! And even though my reading pace has been atrocious this year (a very poor 8 books in 5 months… half of what I read this time last year). That pace will probably continue to deteriorate, with World Cup and then baby on the way!

Oh well… in the meantime, lets publish some very brief book reviews on books read courtesy of Netgalley!

Half a King – Joe Abercrombie

 

Highly enjoyable read. Having read all of Abercrombie’s previous work, and a big fan of his First Law trilogy, went into Half a King with lofty expectations. And the book didn’t really disappoint. And yet… something was missing. I’m aware this was written for a “younger” audience, and Abercrombie should be commended for keeping the gritty, dark style of his previous work into the “new genre”. However, perhaps “young adult” means shorter books, because it feels that at least half of the book was probably cut in the editing room. The story starts with little preamble, the setting and supporting characters doesn’t really get developed. The great world-building of the First Law books is just not there. So, good book… but could’ve been great. 4 out of 5!

The Oversight – Charlie Fletcher

There are many positives about The Oversight: incredibly atmospheric, interesting characters, compelling story… but it unfortunately doesn’t outweigh the fact that this was a very long and slow book where effectively, very little happens beyond setting up the sequel. Believe me, there’s nothing wrong with a trilogy, quadrology, cycle, series, sequence or however else you want to call it… but the one rule remains the same, the first book should stand on its own and be sufficiently engaging for you to consider the sequels. The Oversight sets the right mood, has all the right pieces, but just doesn’t deliver. And it’s a shame, because it feels like a missed opportunity. The sequel could probably be very good, but not sure if I’ll be jumping on board with just so many books to get through on my reading list. Shame indeed… 3 / 5 stars.

Reading wise, it’s been a slow quarter… work has caught up with me, and struggling to keep up with my reading targets. Sadly, only managed to read about 5 books over the last 3 months… way behind my usual standards… oh well.
On the plus side, I recently joined Netgalley, a site where you get to read advanced copies of books, since I’ve been branded an “influential reader” (awesome!!). So, let’s put my influential reader status to good use and review a couple of recent books I’ve read.

The First Fifteen Lifes of Harry August – Claire North

This was an incredibly fun read, and extremely happy to have come across it. The story itself might ring a bell to those who have read Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life. Basically, the main character gets to live his life over and over again, but each time he’s reborn, he remembers everything of his previous lives. As such, we get to ride along on his adventures as Harry August revisits the 20th century again and again. The story lacks a linear structure, one chapter we are on his sixth life, the next on the twelfth, which demands a lot of attention from the reader, and makes the book much better because of it. Overall, a highly enjoyable read, perhaps so far my favourite book of the year (it’s still early), and strongly recommended. 5 stars!

 

The Quick – Lauren Owen

This has been a hard book for me to review, as comparisons to “The Night Circus” and “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell” raised my expectations considerably. And though “The Quick” was a good read, can’t say it was great. I had not read much about the plot, which was a good thing, as the actual theme took me by surprise. The author did a great job in setting up the story and the atmosphere, and the book had some great moments. However, the pace felt a bit off: too much details on bits that felt unimportant, other sections rushed, without much development. It was a solid debut (I wish if I ever do write a novel, it would come close to this effort), but just did not do it for me. Shame, because I really really wanted to like this book, and perhaps because of those high expectations, it felt a bit flat to me. Nonetheless, will be keeping an eye out for further work from Lauren Owen. Let’s give it 3.5 stars.

Tune in for more reviews… although at my current speed of reading, might be a while… <deep sigh>

The success of HBO’s Game of Thrones has led to a number of avid readers rushing towards the books… to the point that a large number of friends have already read the to-date published 5, and are now desperate for more.

However, noting that Mr Martin is a notoriously slow writer (it took him 6 years between books 4 and 5, which was very frustrating for me particularly as the geographical splits of the books meant I needed to think back to Book 3, published (and read) 10 years before!), it might be some time before we get our hands on Book 6 (if at all… given constant fears by the fan-base that the author will “pull a Robert Jordan” (he who died before completing his Wheel of Time series) and leave the books unfinished.

Martin has claimed he will not let anyone else to finish his story, and if he doesn’t get to complete it, so be it (it’s rumoured that he has already told the TV show creators how the saga should end in case he meets his maker).

As such, a number of friends have asked me what other fantasy books I recommend… which is tricky as I’m not that much of a fantasy nerd as some people tend to believe (for instance, I’ve never read the Wheel of Time series, nor any of the Terry Brooks or Tad Williams fantasy epics… haven’t even read The Magician by Raymond Feist (yet… it’s on my list). So, take this advice with a grain of salt, as there is much out there that I haven’t found the time to get around to it.

In any case, here’s a couple of recommended reads for those waiting to The Winds of Winter.

Joe Abercrombie’s First Law Trilogy

     

Dark, gritty… very similar to ASoIF, yet unique in many ways. Highly recommended. There are a few stand-alone novels which are also very much worth a read.

Scott Lynch’s Gentlemen Bastards sequence

    

These books are fun. It reads more as heist movies than anything else, following the capers of a group of thieves, set in a fantasy world. Three books published so far, and looking very much forward to the next instalment.

Patrick Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicles

   

Fantasy at its finest. The story of a hero of legend, telling his tale to a biographer over the course of three days. First book was incredible; second, a bit muddled but still good… third, let’s hope for an awesome conclusion when it comes out.

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower

There’s no easy way to define the Dark Tower genre… is it a fantasy, or a Western, or a sci fi or a… actually not gonna bother. Let’s say it’s Epic Fantasy, to make it fit on this list. Because these books are epic in every sense of the words. It starts a bit slow, The Gunslinger being a good book, but not great… but then it just gets better and better. If you haven’t come across Roland from Gilead, you don’t know what you are missing.

There are a few other Fantasy series that you could try, such as Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series (the magic system is incredible), or Peter V Brett’s Demon Cycle (Brett wrote the first book on his blackberry during his commute, and it’s actually quite a fun read). But for now, those listed above are definitely my top recommendations beyond Game of Thrones. That might change… once I come across the next great fantasy series. Will keep you posted!

My all-time favourite books, so far…

This blog has quickly converged towards a place where I list my favourite of everything. Previous blog entries included my top videogames of all time, as part of a review of each console I ever owned and its impact in my life.
So, it will seem right to focus my latest post on my top books of all-time.

I’ve read over 500 books in my life (excluding student textbooks, as I doubt I ever read one cover to cover).
It doesn’t sound like a lot… considering I’m 32, and placing my proper reading age at 6… it means 26 years of reading (ie, 20 books per year). However, it’s only the last 5 years were my reading has truly picked up.

Since 2008, I’ve kept a detailed list of every book I’ve read, month by month (geek, I know), and it goes as follows:

2008 – 41 books

2009 – 69

2010 – 55

2011 – 45

2012 – 37

2013 – 38

In other words, more than half of the books I’ve read in my life have been read over the last 5 years. This is mainly due to a concentrated effort on my part to read more and get into more classics (also, during 2009 I had little to do at work, so read quite a lot in the office…).

Out of those 500 books, there are very good books, and there are very bad books. It is extremely annoying to read a bad book… unlike a bad movie which only costs 1.5-2 hours of your life, a book is an investment, considering the amount of time it takes (depends on the book length). If you consider only 3 books a month, the cost of opportunity (ie, you could’ve read a better one) is massive. And I really hate not completing a book… will try to go through it no matter what.

To say books have defined me is an understatement… they’ve been a constant throughout my life: reading Tintin, Asterix and countless Enid Blyton books when I lived in Egypt 25 years ago… Hardy boys, Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park as a teenager, loads of Sci Fi and Fantasy later on…

But here it is… my favourite books of all-time (so far). I’m steering away from classics in this list (The Iliad remains to this day my top story, but it’s not necessarily my best book, if you know what I mean), but rather contemporary books which I’ve come to love.

So let’s get on with it:

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell – Susanna Clarke

This is hands-down one of the best books I’ve ever read… perhaps my top fantasy book of all-time. The plot was incredible, the characters extremely well made, the Napoleonic setting was spot on. I’ve kept looking for more books by Susanna Clarke, but as far as I could tell, beyond a couple of short stories, this seemed to be it. Everyone who hasn’t read this should go and buy it now!

A Song of Ice and Fire – George R R Martin

I have to admit, it was quite disappointing when I started seeing everyone reading the books, particularly as I had spent years trying to convince people to read them. No one seemed to care about fantasy… until HBO came along. The first three books (with A Storm of Swords the best of the lot) where amazing. Books 4 and 5 have been a bit of a let-down if I’m honest… way too much time has passed between publications, and the split by geography just didn’t work for me… however, hopefully Winds of Winter will be upon us soon!! Let us pray…

Harry Potter – JK Rowling

Not living in the UK or the US at the time, I came across Harry Potter a bit later than most… it was sometime in 2000 or so, when I saw the story on CNN of people lining up for the release of Goblet of Fire when I got curious. Then, I found my then 60 year old uncle was reading the third one, and I figured… time to get on board the Harry Potter train. And what a ride it was… the books kept getting better and better each time, from the cuteness of the first two, to the dark adventures of the last set. I tip my hat to you Ms Rowling… well done!

The Dark Tower – Stephen King

 Early in our relationship, my wife Kathrin looked at my book collection and asked… “Wait, have you not read the Gunslinger??” I had not. Had never been much of a Stephen King fan at the time. Noting my taste in all Fantasy, Kat forced upon me to start the Dark Tower series… The Gunslinger was alright, a neat book but nothing mindblowing. I would’ve stopped there, but Kat insisted… keep going. And going I did, and going, and going… and really grateful that I did. These books are awesome!! Lots of people disagree with the ending, I thought it was perfect. “Long days and pleasant nights” and “let’s palaver” have now become part of our language… extremely geeky, I know, but great fun!

Jurassic Park – Michael Crichton

I’ve read Jurassic Park three times. First, in Miami just before the movie came out (when given the choice always try to read the book first!), while my mom did shopping I would read… then in Summer Camp, a previous camper left it next to my bunk, so every night will read a bit… then probably 10 years later, because I felt like it! Love the book, love the movie, love everything about Jurassic Park. Been a loyal Michael Crichton fan ever since (except for the two books they published posthumously, clearly a money grabbing scheme by his estate, because they sucked, frankly)

Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien

It has to be on the list.  I remember struggling a bit with the Fellowship, particularly the first part in the Shire, which just goes on and on and on. But kept at it, and its such an incredible story. The movies, of course, were even more amazing!

His Dark Materials – Phillip Pullman  

Let’s get it out of the way… the movie sucked! And that was painful to watch… very disappointing. Because His Dark Materials is an amazing amazing story. The first book was awesome, the second was interesting, but then, midway through the third, when I realised what Pullman was aiming at towards religion… I was blown away. Great, great books.

The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger

Yes, a sobfest romantic story made my list. Because, quite frankly, this book was a piece of genius. Everything worked, and loved every bit of it. Another case of “Movie was awful, book was awesome.”

Atlas Shrugged – Ayn Rand

 What to say about Atlas Shrugged…. takes forever to read, its extremely repetitive. About a third of the book is a speech from a guy basically repeating what was said in the other two thirds! Yet nonetheless, despite its many flaws, this book had a major impact on me. Its message kept resonating on me for a long time after I finished it, and though I don’t agree with a lot of it, I agree with enough to make this one of my top reads.

Moneyball – Michael Lewis

Moneyball made me want to change careers. When I finished it, long time before the movie came out, all I could think of was… I want to do this for a living!!! I did change careers in the end… though not to sports, sadly. Still, by a mile my favourite sports book, and the only non-fiction book on this list. Michael Lewis, I salute you!

The Name of the Rose – Umberto Eco

When it comes down to it, beyond the Medieval monastery setting, it’s really just a tale of a (monk) detective and his young sidekick looking to solve a murder. Yet, it’s so much more… extremely well researched and executed… a wonderful novel.

The Book Thief – Marcus Zusak

This is a story narrated by Death. And that made it stand out from the rest, an incredible voice, full of both naivety and wisdom, telling the heart-warming story of a girl and her quest to survive during the war. It’s an incredibly touching book, and one that I hold in the highest regard.

The Pillars of the Earth – Ken Follet

This is perhaps one of the finest historical fiction books I’ve read. I got completely enthralled with the story of the Kingsbridge cathedral and the people that built it. Ken Follet kept at it with a sequel (World Without End), which was good (but not great), and then his 20^th century history cycle, which has been okay (but not as good), but for now, Pillars remains his best work.

American Gods – Neil Gaiman

I’ve always been a mythology nerd… I know all my Greek, Norse and Egyptian gods and their stories. So, reading what Neil Gaiman did, putting them in a modern setting as forgotten gods, was incredible. Not the first time someone has done this, and not the last for sure, but somehow none have worked better as with American Gods. HBO is adapting the book into a TV show… it could be a new “Game of Thrones” phenomenon… expect to see many American Gods books on your commute.

River God – Wilbur Smith

This book was a magnificent read… perhaps the best novel of Ancient Egypt I’ve ever come across with. It’s the story of the Egyptian Kingdom as told through the eyes of the slave Taita, and it’s an exquisitely crafted tale of intrigue, action, war… truly awesome book.

The Name of the Wind – Patrick Rothfuss

Patrick Rothfuss’s tale of a hero in hiding, forced to chronicle his life story over the course of three days, is as good fantasy as it gets. The tale of Kvothe, from tragic childhood, to learning magic (and naming) at university, and countless more fantastical adventures, is truly a joy to read. The third (and one would guess final) has not been published, and no clue when it will be completed… but looking very much forward to that one!

The Magic Faraway Tree – Enid Blyton

When my parents moved to Egypt for a year, back when I was seven, they got me a collection of Enid Blyton books to read… and read them I did it… and loved them all. The stories of the Faraway Tree were my first real exposure to fantasy, letting my imagination run wild amidst the magical creatures so wonderfully created. The Magic Faraway Tree defined my taste in reading… so blame Enid Blyton for my insane collection of fantasy books.

The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman

Another Neil Gaiman book on my list (yes, big Gaiman fan), though this one was more of a children book. It’s basically the retelling of the Jungle Book, but instead of a jungle (you guessed…) a graveyard, and instead of a bear and a panther, you get ghosts! But instead of being just a rehash of a classic story in a different setting, you get an amazing standalone story about a boy named Nobody, and his amazing journey towards growing up. Can’t recommend this book more!

The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern

This is the newest book on the list (it was published just two years ago, I think). I loved every minute of it… think of “Something Wicked this Way Comes” (awesome Ray Bradbury book), but with a bit less Wicked and more Magic instead. The magic circus setting for this surprising love story was quite inspiring, and I’m really looking forward to reading more from Erin Morgenstern.

The Neverending Story – Michael Ende

I got the book as a present once, think I was 10 or 11 at the time. Had seen the film by then, but never really got interested in it. But the book… to this day I remember my edition, which had Bastian’s story in red letters, and Atreyu’s in green… a book within a book. Neverending story was a wonderful read, I hold it very dearly, and consider it one of the best stories of all time.

***

And that’s it… those are my all-time favourite books.There are a number of recent reads, such as Wolf Hall, The Rook, The First Law Trilogy, or some a bit older (Fatherland, Life of Pi, The House of Spirits), that make a compelling case to be included… and who knows, as I’m always changing my mind, perhaps next time I make a list I’ll mix it up.