Week #5 - The Colour of magic

Insomuch as I've read Pratchett's books, The Colour of magic always has been one of my favorite. Many people will disagree, whether its characters or pacing or whatever else. Each Pratchett reader is in it for something different.

Plot (From Amazon.com)

Inside a magical realm known as Discworld, a naive tourist is on holiday until a terrible fire breaks out, forcing him to flee along with an incompetent wizard. As the clueless pair set out on a magical journey across the disc, neither realizes that they are merely pawns in an elaborate board game being played by the Gods. After encountering a pair of barbarians, they take a trip to an inverted mountain housing dragons that only exist in imagination, survive a fall off the edge of the disc and attempt to beat the wizard’s former classmate to a collection of spells that could save Discworld from total destruction.

Review

Twenty-odd years after Terry Pratchett hit the scene with The Colour of magic, I found myself reading this wholly interesting book. Generally, the discworld books are pretty hard to come by. After managing to find a copy though, I was chuckling from the first page and didn't stop until the final cover.

Pratchett's penchant of making fun of the good-old-fantasy-setting is both good natured and does not take itself seriously. because of these key elements, Pratchett's writing is free and unfettered. He is open and descriptive. one can almost see the pockmarked shell of the great A'Tuin, the world-turtle on whose back stands the four elephants that support the disc that is the discworld.

As the setting for the first book in what is no doubt an amazing and timeless series, Pratchett manages to both hook the reader as well as keep them interested, throwing in a good mix of anachronism, malapropism and good old comedy just to keep the reader guessing.

Rating

9.5 out of 10

Week #4 - Fleshmarket Alley

Rankin seems to have struck Gold in his Inspector Rebus series. This was my very first Rebus book and I must say it was a good buy.

Plot
Inspector John Rebus has confronted Edinburgh's most hardened criminals, its bloodiest crime scenes, and its most dangerous backstreets - but nothing could have prepared him for what he finds on Fleshmarket Alley.

In the city's red-light district, men live out their sordid fantasies, and women with no other choice sell their bodies to make a buck. It's a neighborhood of lost inhibitions, forgotten scruples, and hopeless dreams. In its seediest clubs, refugees seeking asylum are subjected to the whims of the most ruthless characters in the crime world - men Rebus knows all too well.

Review

This was my first Inspector Rebus novel and I found it quite entertaining. I would recommend it to most people who prefer suspense to action. The action was much more concentrated towards the latter end of the story, but the thrill and anticipation followed though from the very start to the penultimate conclusion. 

For those readers out there who prefer the English style of theatre and television, this is definitely for you. On the other hand, people who revel in the American versions of the same will find the pacing a bit off for their liking. It reads very much like a Agatha Christi novel, but with much darker undertones and a much more uncouth lead character.

If there's one thing Rankin did badly in this novel was that he made rebus a bit too flawed. the character becomes tolerable, but certainly not lovable. He balances this off with his female lead, Siobhan. She becomes quite the likable character. Rebus becomes like the slightly older and overprotective uncle to Siobhan's wild schoolgirl. The sexual tension is there and is slightly overdone in my humble opinion. His inclusion of it hurts the book a little, but not enough to spoil it completely.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

In Between Weeks - Books-a-Plenty

As you may have realized I've been trying to cover the backlog of the past weeks with the last couple days posts. I'm unto the 6th week of the year and I already have my 5 books read. It just takes time to post up the reviews and the plot. I see I have a follower, and I'm glad. I'd advise everyone who reads to become a follower if you're interested. The more people means the more motivation I have (and the more people to see me fail if I do). So in case you were wondering why it was called "Weekbooks" and you were seeing posts daily, the reason is because I've started this blog in February meaning that I missed posting my books for the earlier part of the year. Thanks for dropping by :)

Week #3 - Lord of the Flies

William Golding's Lord of the Flies is a classic of modern literature. It is one of the top one hundred books of our century.

Plot

In a fictional world that closely resembles our own, a group of young men are stranded on an island. After the exuberance of Childhood is replaced by the very real fear of starvation, the thin veneers of society begin to fall away, revealing the dangerous side of humanity. From civilization to savagery, the book describes the loss of both innocence then sanity by these group of young men as their population dwindles.

Review
Golding's masterpiece displays both insight as well as a sense of adventure at first. Then it slowly turns from adventure into despair and finally to horror as we see the boys' descent from civilized schoolchildren to uncouth barbarians. The transition is so believable that it is scary. After reading Lord of the Flies, one is prompted to ask themselves what they would do in such a situation.
On the positive side, Golding's English flows uninterrupted, painting pictures of greenery, of rolling seas and vast forests from our adolescent protagonists point of view. The sheer details he puts into characters like Ralph and the Little 'uns leaves us in awe of the way he paints with his literatic brush.
One must look hard to see something wrong with Lord of the Flies, and indeed, in my experience, the only thing wrong with it is the fact that it isn't read by quite enough people. Golding's work is as pertinent now as it was then. Many authors and directors have reproduced his small-scale post-apocalytic world in much wider scope, but Golding's island is possibly more believable than their versions because it exists cut off from the rest of the world.
We see devolution of one facet of the boys and the struggle to remain civilized from another facet, with one facet eventually swallowing up the other. his work is a reflection of the human condition. It is quite possibly one of the best books one will ever read in one's entire life. Strongly recommended, but not for those with weak stomachs.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Week #2 - Inkheart

Inkheart - Cornelia Funke

Plot

In Inkheart, we see the subtle lines between the written word and the world we live in blurred. Mortimer Folchart is a bookbinder by trade, but when he reads aloud, characters leave the books they are in and come to life in our world. Mortimer learns that for one entity to leave their world, an entity from ours must be taken to fill the void. After losing his wife he grows close to his daughter Meggie, and together they bond; going on adventures to bind books. When a dark stranger visits them one rainy evening looking for a book, however, things turn sour very fast and a secret that Mortimer has kept from Meggie comes to haunt them.

Review

Funke's book was originally penned in German and so I suspect there are many nuances that have been lost in translation. Notwithstanding that, this book is a very good read, not just for the teen or young-adult demographic which she was writing for, but for adults as well. Her use of third-person perspective allows the story to be told from outside the point of view of any one of the main characters. However, even though she does this, the book is in no way any less engaging. One finds oneself sucked into the pages as if Mortimer himself were calling one to his world.

On the downside, the book itself was short, but since it is the first part of a trilogy, that much can be expected. There is also the issue of characters acting "out-of-character" on occasion. Although her slips are few, and far between, one gets a bit of a shock when one adopts the mindset of a certain character and finds the character doing something that they wouldn't do under normal circumstances. I do admit one can argue that circumstances in this book are far from normal, but the point still stands. Us readers love surprises, but not the type that can't easily be explained away (unless you're into those mystery type stories).

All in all, Inkheart was a good read and an impressive story. Funke is by no means a new writer and it shows with the way she weaves the words together to create a tapestry of life and colour. One is amazed at how the world unfolds and when one closes the cover, one can't wait to dive back in.

Rating

9 out of 10

Week #1 - Cujo

I've been a Stephen King fan for a while. I've never seen the movie Cujo, but I have heard many things about it, both positive and negative.

Plot

In a strange tale of madness, a small-town dog goes on the rampage leaving five people killed (including a young boy) as Rabies strikes, combining with some sinister intent that lies under the surface in the town of Castle Rock.

Review

King is spot on with this book, mixing thrill and suspense together, even finding time to throw in a little twanging of the heartstrings (true atypical King style, so it stands out). The reader is enveloped by King's wit and the handling of his story matter. One can truly believe that the reader is inside the mind of the dog, or the little boy, or even the adulterous wife. The multiple plotlines intertwine seamlessly and makes for a good afternoon read.

On the downside is King's tendency to leave some plotlines loose. As a "constant reader" (as King refers to us in his many forewards) I find myself wanting, nay, deserving to see the end of a good story wrapped up neatly in one tight package. However, one may argue since King likes to base things on possible reality (sometimes) he leaves these threads blowing in the wind to give it a sense of continuity. I believe one can achieve continuity even if one ties up plot points properly (see A Brighter Sun - Samuel Selvon)

Rating

8.5 out of 10

The One Book a Week Plan

Each year there are 52 weeks, and each year I promise myself to read more. I've finally decided that I won't read properly unless I'm on a strict regimen and that would only be accomplished if I have to report to someone. And here, dear blog, is where you come in. As far as whether anyone will read and/or comment on my reading is left to be seen. The fact of the matter is I need to do this or else I will never truly say that I have utilized all 52 weeks of this year. And so ladies and Gentlemen, the Book-a-week project is born. Anyone who would like to recommend a book can do so in the comments, and I shall see if I can find it. If more than one book is recommended I urge the commenters to decide among themselves which one I should read. Thank you for reading and I hope to see you again.