A note of caution for anyone reading this out of order (as I did): Although the author says that each book is standalone and there aren't many spoilers, you do hear about characters from previous books who are alive/dead. This isn't a 'massive reveal' spoiler, but you can work out who 'wins' in previous books as a result.
Reviews and Comments
Reader of a wide range of genres, including a lot of non-fiction. I’m an active member of a sci-fi book club and occasional attendee at a post-apocalyptic book club.
Trying this out as an alternative and hopefully replacement for Goodreads, though I'm posting on both sites at the moment.
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Paul reviewed Winterkeep by Daisy Meadows (Graceling Realm)
Four years after Bitterblue left off, a new land has been discovered to the east: …
Enjoyable but watch out for spoilers if reading out of order
4 stars
Paul rated Winterkeep: 4 stars
Winterkeep by Daisy Meadows (Graceling Realm)
Four years after Bitterblue left off, a new land has been discovered to the east: Torla; and the closest nation …
Download! by Phil Hardy
The CD revolution was a bonanza for the record industry. The new digital medium attracted sales in its own right …
Landslide by Michael Wolff
A searing description of the final days of a dysfunctional incumbency, as described also in the equivalent satirical allegory "Dire …
Paul reviewed Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (Penguin classics)
"Originally designed as a story for boys, Stevenson's novel is narrated by the teenage Jim …
An old-fashioned classic
3 stars
An enjoyable classic tale of pirates and treasure, though now very dated (no female characters other than someone's mum for example).
Paul rated On The Edge: 4 stars
Paul reviewed Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
A drop in pace from previous books
3 stars
I enjoyed this book - the third in the Throne of Glass series - but not as much as the previous two. I think the reason for this is that the main characters are split up, and therefore the narrative has to keep jumping between them, which slows down the pace. It wasn't clear how some characters - especially the witches - fitted in to the story, although perhaps that is revealed in later books. The ending was quite grim as well, with a negative outlook for the characters I liked.
Paul reviewed The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard
Welcome to the Scattered Pearls Belt, a collection of ring habitats and orbitals ruled by …
Okay, but too short
2 stars
I quite like the setting of this book, but as with most novellas it feels like I've been short-changed - half the price of a novel but one quarter the content. As such there's minimal world-building or character development, and the story gets wrapped up too quickly.
Paul reviewed Diddly Squat by Jeremy Clarkson (Diddly Squat, #1)
Welcome back to Clarkson's Farm. Since taking the wheel three years ago Jeremy's had his …
Amusing but short
2 stars
This is a short collection of columns which Clarkson has previously published in a newspaper. They're moderately amusing, but there isn't much here if you've already watched Clarkson's Farm.
Still relevant today
4 stars
This book turned me into an environmentalist as a teenager. Although some of the tips have been superseded (for example, leaded petrol is thankfully a thing of the past), many are still depressingly relevant.
Paul rated Siege: Trump Under Fire: 3 stars
Paul reviewed Julia by Sandra Newman
A different perspective but not worth a new book
2 stars
This book tells the story of 1984 from the perspective of Julia instead of Winston Smith. An interesting idea, but I don't think it is worth a new book - especially as there is quite a bit of overlap between the two characters, given their relationship forms a key part of the story. The only way I could see this working is if chapters alternated between viewpoints - a bit like Game of Thrones where you read about the same scene from different perspectives.
I didn't feel that the situation was anything like as chilling as the original. Smith feels constantly watched and oppressed (which he is), whereas Julia seems to have more freedom and agency - or at least the impression of such. Smith is also an integral part of the rewriting of history - that's literally his job - even though he's uncomfortable about it, whereas Julia is …
This book tells the story of 1984 from the perspective of Julia instead of Winston Smith. An interesting idea, but I don't think it is worth a new book - especially as there is quite a bit of overlap between the two characters, given their relationship forms a key part of the story. The only way I could see this working is if chapters alternated between viewpoints - a bit like Game of Thrones where you read about the same scene from different perspectives.
I didn't feel that the situation was anything like as chilling as the original. Smith feels constantly watched and oppressed (which he is), whereas Julia seems to have more freedom and agency - or at least the impression of such. Smith is also an integral part of the rewriting of history - that's literally his job - even though he's uncomfortable about it, whereas Julia is mainly responsible for fixing machines (when she's not bunking off) and seems happy, even enthusiastic, about collaborating.
Had this been told from the perspective of O'Brien, or Big Brother, that might have been more interesting - I would really like to see how things work from the perspective of someone who is operating the system, as opposed to a cog in the machine. As it stands, this feels like a book published for the purpose of celebrating the 75th anniversary of the original novel. I certainly don't agree with the LA Times: 'reads like the original — only better'. Doubleplusbad thoughtcrime.
Paul reviewed Effective investing by Mark Dampier
Investing can be one of the most reliable passports to a better life. But where …
A good introduction to funds
3 stars
A good introduction to investing in funds, though with a few unfortunate outdated comments about a great fund manager who has now fallen from grace (funds closed / transferred and ongoing regulatory investigation), ETFs being used mainly by traders (the largest index trackers from iShares and Vanguard are ETFs), and an amazing long-term investment in a company that nearly collapsed and has sold or closed its core businesses.