The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson

This is a who-dunnit, with the main protagonist being an investigative reporter who takes up a commission to write an old man's biography. But his real mission is to investigate the disappearance of a young girl.

The journalist's task is complicated by the fact the events took place many years previously and there is considerable antagonism displayed by other family members to the supposed biography. In addition, the journalist faces an impending spell in prison and is embroiled in a messy love life.

This is the first book of a trilogy and I confess I haven't read the other two in the series yet.

What I liked about this book: I liked the density of the story. There was a real sense of place and the characters were well rounded. Tension and uncertainty were maintained throughout the book and the resolution of the mystery was credible but unexpected. The plot was complex. There was no artificial happy ending.

What I didn't like: The book began slowly and I was put off by the extended family and the parade of different characters with their foreign names, making it hard to follow who was who - despite the helpfully provided family tree.

In fact, the main problem I had with the beginning of the story was my uncertainty about who to identify with. Initially, it seemed unclear who the main character was, until the author appeared to settle on the journalist. It was brought home to me how important this element is to a reader. Near the beginning of any book, we expect to know who the story is about. Who do we focus our attention on?

There is a part of the book, near the end, where a particularly horrendous series of crimes is uncovered. This is never satisfactorily dealt with (maybe it is revisited in subsequent book in the series) and almost pushed aside as being too complex to address. I felt the late revelation of this aspect of the story, and the almost dismissive trivialisation of the crimes, was unsatisfactory and undermined some of the realism of the rest of the book.

But this is a great book and well worth reading. It demands some attention. I plan to read the next two books in the trilogy, but I am waiting for some dedicated reading time to appear in my schedule.

---

Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Love in the Time of Cholera was written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a Colombian author, and originally published in Spanish in 1985 and since translated into English.

The story is set on the Caribbean coast of South America and sprawls across a period of 50 years spanning the late 19th and early 20th Century. The language is dense and the tale is complex with a host of characters. On the surface, this is a story of a long running love affair - bordering on the obsessive - between a somewhat indifferent woman and her ardent suitor.

Underneath the surface, this is a story of social constraints, of class structure and racism, of shifting values and sexual morals, of contradictions, of obsessive love, of the different faces of affection and desire, of disease and decay and, above all, it is a tale about the ageing process and mortality.

What I liked about the story: I liked the density of it, the complex moral questions it posed, the depth and scale, the lovely language, the settings, the vivid descriptions and, I have to admit, the eventual happy ending.

What I didn't like about the story: It was, in my opinion, too long. I kept reading only to find out what happened in the end and found the early middle section rather slow. So, I confess, I would have enjoyed the book far more if it was much shorter and it came alive for me in the final third. I was not convinced by the main female character who failed to generate much sympathy in me and I didn't really understand the hero's preoccupation with her. (He met many more far more interesting women as the book progressed and I wanted to shake him and shout at him "Ditch the bitch!".)

---

Lord of Light, by Roger Zelazny

Lord of Light  is an epic book set on a planet colonised by human beings - but with a twist. There are also gods on the planet. These gods may be - I don't know for sure -  reasonably accurate representations of Hindu gods. But, like the gods of ancient Greece, they are divine in their Attributes but are all too human in their failings. (The Attributes of the gods are their 'special powers'. Their failings are many: greed, pride, arrogance, cruelty, lust, etc.)

I have not read books by Roger Zelazny before. He has a terrific reputation as a sci-fi writer. I am not sure if his other books are written in the same style; a complex, god-like style of narration with flowery language, reminiscent of an ancient myth. This is somewhat of an acquired taste.

The 'hero' is a resurrected god (don't ask, you have to read the book). Priests use mind probes to discover whether humans are worthy, from a Karma point of view, of reincarnation. For any particularly tricky problems, the priests can phone Heaven. But the priesthood is corrupt. And the gods deliberately manipulate the planet to keep mankind in a state of perpetual pre-scientific ignorance - intervening to destroy scientific advances such as printing presses and flushing toilets whenever these are re-invented. The resurrected god is keen to deny his godhood and, inadvertently, becomes a famous fake Buddha. Then he sets about trying to destroy Heaven, with the aid of other fallen gods, a host of double-crossing demons and a zombie army.

What I liked about the book: This tale cleverly blends together Hindu and Buddhist mythology, along with a subtext of social commentary and a wonderfully cynical view of religious beliefs and religious hierarchies . The story is not set on Earth (although there is a feel of the middle-ages about it); the flora and fauna are distinctly alien and well portrayed. There is a nice sense of history and past events from this other world are hinted at within the text, without the need to explain everything. This gives added richness to the constructed world within the book. The plot is complex, the action dense, and the dialogue is pacey. In places, the book is very funny indeed. I loved the irrelevant digs at religion and the priesthood. And I liked the ending.

 What I didn't like about the book: I must say, there were too many characters for me to follow and I was confused by the many different gods with similar sounding names. (Knowing a little about Hindu gods might be a big asset and help with a deeper enjoyment of this book; then, again, it might not.) The style in which the book was written became somewhat irritating to me. The language was semi-detached (although the dialogue was great). And I missed the fact that the main part of the book is an extended flashback. The flashback begins with the second chapter and is heralded at the end of the first chapter by the words "Sam stared ahead, remembering." I missed the significance of this and was thoroughly confused, until I worked out there had been a time shift and I was reading about events that happened before the opening chapter.

I am going to add Roger Zelazny to my list of sci-fi authors who I want to read more of.

---

The Longest Way Home, by Robert Silverberg

Having just read Silverberg's The World Inside, I must say I was expecting a different sort of book. The World Inside is almost a collection of short stories, each chapter with a different main character and each character with a different 'voice'. I described this book previously on this blog.

The Longest Way Home is a first person narrative with the story related by a 15 year old boy on a colonised planet where the human race is divided into Masters and Folk. The boy is the eldest son of a powerful Master, sent to visit distant cousins. But, while he is away from home, the local Folk rise up in rebellion. In the ensuing mayhem, he flees for his life and attempts the long walk home to his father's city.

Along the way he survives due to the indifferent help of various alien species and the unwitting help of non-colonised Folk. Along with learning some vital survival skills, he grows in understanding and self awareness.

The story ends with the possibility of a sequel but, as far as I know, there is none.

What I liked about this book:
The narration was gripping and I could hardly bear to pause in my reading; I was so keen to find out what happened next.

The depiction of the two divisions of human was, pretty obviously, a parable about slavery and/or serfdom. The various types of alien sentient species were wonderfully depicted as being entirely different from humans in both their anatomy and physiology, and in their society and culture.

The boy's plight was realistic. I enjoyed the moral ambiguity and the hero's dawning realisation that perhaps his people's superiority was not a given right.

There was a gentle love story but no forced happy ending. The real ending was satisfying with a variety of possibilites still open for the future of this young Master.

What I didn't like about this book:

Well, there was nothing to not-like, really. Maybe the first person narrative constrains the story - it would have been interesting to understand what the aliens (for example) were thinking about the young Master who lived with them. And the 'Folk'.

Maybe this book isn't really a Sci Fi novel? Apart from the setting on an alien planet, there was no real 'science' or technology involved. But, as a 'what if...' story, it was great.

Also, I am delighted to discover a new (to me) and great science fiction writer who seems able to write in different styles and can create SF worlds with great conviction.

---

Super-State: a Novel of a Future Europe by Brian Aldiss

This book imagines a near-future scenario, where there is a united European state.

The story starts with a wedding and introduces a host of characters in the first few pages. The narrative evolves in a light hearted manner, jumping from one interesting scenario to another. Human beings worry about the usual things - family relationships, love and lust and power. Global warming is a reality and the climate is changing, along with the sea levels and the landscape. The politicians argue over whether to go to war against a Moslem nation.  The airwaves are hijacked by mysterious messages from the 'Insanatics'. The mathmatical formula that will drive the economics of the superstate, and end all its problems, is under development. Meanwhile, the first manned flight to the moons of Jupiter is about to discover alien life.

What I liked about this book:
There are some wonderful comic aspects to the book. The opening wedding is conducted with a proxy robot as a stand-in, when the bride is trapped at her restaurant opening on Mount Everest and is unable attend in person. Robots are barely tolerated and spend most of their time locked in cupboards where they discuss the strange thing called the 'human condition' among themselves.  A roving reporter interviews people on the street and the narrative is interspersed with their amusing responses. The entrepid space explorers' ship is damaged and they face near starvation, but their privations are ignored until they discover alien life and, finally, resort to eating it.

What I didn't like about this book:
For me, there were too many characters and they were introduced too quickly and with minimal exposition of their personalities. Occasionally, the narrative lingers on one character or situation and, just as you were beginning to care about them, it moves on to something else. I found myself disengaging from the book every time this jump took place.

So, great themes, wonderful scenarios and some very funny parts. But reading this book is a bit like channel hopping without any control. You jump from a soap opera with multiple characters, to a scene with an intimate glimpse into someone's personal life, to a news broadcast, to an advert, to a series of interviews, to a family saga and then back into the middle of another soap opera. Sadly, although I can appreciate its humour and imagination, it failed to engage me. I expected some connecting event at the end, something to draw all the disparate threads, characters and themes together. It didn't happen.

---

The World Inside, by Robert Silverberg

This novel is set on a future Earth where most of human kind lives a highly artificial life in giant skyscrapers, freeing up the surrounding countryside for food production.
 The constraint of living in an enclosed, structured and crowded society has resulted in social customs that include extreme politeness and the free sharing of sexual partners. Fertility is encouraged. Contraception is a sin. Any dissent from the social structure results either psychological reprogramming or in a death sentence - where the offender is hurled down the chute into the furnaces at the base of the towers.

Like the society it depicts, the book is highly structured too, in an interesting way. Each chapter is narrated from the point of view of a different character or couple. And each chapter is almost a short story on its own. (Indeed, initially I thought this was a collection of short stories; but some of the later chapters bring the characters together.) The ending is grim and hopeless.


What I liked about the book:


This was a fantastic and vivid portrait of a possible future world. The beliefs of the high-rise society were really well portrayed in a very sympathetic manner. Different view points are well conveyed. Each narrator had his own distinctive voice - not an easy thing to achieve when presenting the views of members of a highly co-ordinated and homogeneous society.


What I didn't like about the book:


Now, I am quibbling, because there is little not-to-like in this great book. But, initially published 40 years ago in 1971, some aspects of the world see strangely old-fashioned. For example, the 'nightwalkers' of the tower block are men; women wait to be visited. The men have jobs; the women stay at home and look after the children and order the meals.

Having said that, it is amazing how many aspects of this book seem bang up-to-date; the electronic music with light shows, the computer and databases, the requirement to be 'politically correct', the intensive farming methods ....


Kindle edition and paperback edition:

---

Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

This is what I wrote about Blink on the Shelfari review site, a few months ago:

'Interesting book and very readable. It explores the role of intuition in our thinking (the blink being that sudden feeling or understanding; rapid cognition) and how this may contribute to great decision making, but can also lead us astray.

I would have, personally, found the book more useful if there has been some guidance on when to trust the "blink" and how to develop the ability to "blink" more successfully. '

Recently, I picked up the book and re-read the final chapter and realise I had missed the point.

Blink ends with a "conclusion" involving a tale about a female trombone player, Abbie Conant. Abbie was chosen for an orchestra on the basis of an audition where she played the trombone behind a screen. As they listened, everyone knew she was the one trombone player they wanted for their orchestra.

Abbie's problems began when she stepped in front of the screen and the music director realised she was a woman. Since she was a woman, his eyes told him, she could not have the strength to play a 'masculine' instrument like the trombone. She was demoted and given less pay than her male colleagues. Although she was picked because of her effect on the ears of the music director, she faced discrimination because of her effect on his eyes.

She took the case to court. And won. Now many orchestras conduct screened auditions and the number of women in orchestras has increased as a direct result.

What was the point I missed?

The first point is: we should encourage and allow the blink moment to happen, by keeping our minds free of prejudices and preconceptions.

The second point is: as we may not know what these prejudices and preconceptions are, we should be prepared to expend some effort creating situations to enable the blink to happen.

---

Do you believe your perceptions are always logical?

Do you believe you can hear clearly without being distracted by what you actually see ?

I was fascinated by a recent Horizon programme on the BBC that proves you can't.

Don't believe me? Try the McGurk effect for yourself.

---

Black Dogs, by Ian McEwan

This is a book about two obstinate old people with a failed marriage - and how dangerous challenges can shape our lives.

I had previously read Ian McEwan's more recent book, On Chesil Beach, and had not particularly enjoyed it. Since Ian McEwan is one of our most respected British authors, I was determined to have another go.

What I liked about this book:

• The sympathetic portrayal of the main female character, who we first meet as an old woman. Later we learn of her experiences when young and how these shaped her life. (To start with, I thought the narrator was going to favour the analytical, but cold, husband.)
  
• The underlying tension created by the vague menace of the episode of the 'black dogs', introduced early into the narrative, but not revealed in full until near the end.
  
• The linking of the fall of the Berlin wall into the narrative - as this was such a powerful news story and had such tremendous resonance for those of us who lived through the age of the Wall and saw its fall.
  
• The fact that walking plays an important role in the story. (As I am a keen walker and involved in my own epic walk around the coast).
  

---

What I didn't like about this book: The book starts with an interesting preface. I would have liked to know more about the narrator, his family and, particularly, what happened to his neice, Sally. The main story opens at a languid pace and, being told through the eyes of a third person, I felt somewhat distanced from the main characters and the events that slowly enfolded, until the pace picked up and the story came alive in the second half of the book.

---

---

Farewell Summer, by Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury is one of my favourite science fiction authors. And his non-science fiction books are pretty good too.

I have to confess, I found Farewell Summer hard going. But, in the final few chapters, the book finally came alive for me – so alive, I started it again and read it through from the beginning. (This is the first time I have ever read a book through, twice, all in one sitting).

This is a book about growing up and growing old, set in a small American town during a long, hot, Indian summer. Here the young boys, led by 13 year old Doug, decide to wage war against the old men who dominate the life of the town. After the first shot is fired (from a cap gun) and, inadvertently, causes a real death, the boys set about trying to stop time; stealing the old men's chess pieces and stopping the clock in the town hall.

The old men and the boys grow older. Eventually, the season turns and the warring generations reach an uneasy truce.

This is book about youth, old age and the realisation of mortality. At only 159 pages, and with plenty of white space due to the shortness of the chapters, this is a novella, rather than a novel. I wasn't surprised to find this is actually an extension to Ray Bradbury's original book, Dandelion Wine - snipped by the publishers as being too long.

The book may be short and the writing sparse, but don't be fooled. The prose is thick; with poetry, with references, with characters, with imagery, with nostalgia, with poignancy, with universal truths.

Read it slowly. Then read it again.

The book (in my edition anyway) ends with an 'Afterword', where Ray Bradbury describes his writing techniques and talks about the background to the book - all fascinating stuff and worthy of another post. (Visit Ruthless Scribblings.)

---

Talyn, by Holly Lisle

I have been following Holly Lisle's excellent short courses and bought her PDF book, Create a Plot Clinic.

Then it occurred to me. I am learning from a writer whose books I have never read. What if I hate her novels? What if her writing is poor, sloppy, uninteresting or just plain bad?

I was seized with an immediate need to find a Holly Lisle novel and read it.

This was not as easy as it sounds. Holly is American and I couldn't find her books in our local bookshops. Neither was she on our library's shelves. But, I tracked one of her books down to a library in deepest, darkest Lincolnshire and ordered it.

So, what's it all about?
Talyn is a female soldier experiencing a crisis of national and personal identity. The story is set in a world Holly Lisle has created. There is magic and Talyn uses magic to defend her city and her country. There is also sex - quite a lot of sex and some violent sex - so this book is not for children or for prudes.

Points of View
Although Talyn herself narrates the story, some parts of the book are written from the point of view of another person; an enemy soldier. There is no device used to do this and sections of the story flip-flop between Talyn's first person narrative and the soldier's third person sections. (I believe this story structure is unusual and, indeed, can't think of another book where this happens.) Initially, this caught me by surprise, but the shifts were handled elegantly and I found the story was enriched as a result.

---

What I liked about Talyn.

• The alternating point of view.
• The page-turning adventures.
• The sex scenes with a definitely female perspective.
• The strong female lead.
• The incredibly real world, created for this novel.

Holly Lisle talks in details about world building, for this book and others, on her website.

---

What I didn't like about Talyn.

• Um..
• ... hang on, let me think.
• Maybe the book was a bit too long.
• Maybe the villain was a little bit OTT evil.
• And I am never keen on magic as a device in books - although this is all the rage these days.

I am back on a mission again - to find another Holly Lisle book to read.

The Undomestic Goddess, by Sophie Kinsella

This is not the type of book I usually read.

Science fiction, action adventure and psychological thrillers are my usual choices. I am not a 'girly' girl and I don't like literature that is marked as 'chick lit'. The cover alone would put me off picking this one of the shelves.

But, I am making a real effort to broaden the genres I read. And have read one of Sophie Kinsella's books before and found it entertaining. So, when I found this for sale in a charity shop, I bought it.

What I liked about the book

Told from the point of view of the main character - a young female lawyer who falls from grace and ends up doing something completely different - this was frothy fun. The story moved at a pace and there was always something happening. The language chosen was easy and clear, without being patronising. So, I will confess to enjoying this amusing (but ridiculous) story.

What I didn't like about the book

I just couldn't quite picture the main character as a seriously good lawyer - she was more a Bridget Jones character, dippy and scatterbrained. The basic plot was unlikely. The love interest was too obvious. The ending was predictable.

Who would enjoy it?

Young women (probably younger than the main character) who like the idea of being seriously successful, while living a wildly crazy sort of life with no ties. Great for holiday reading, reading while travelling; or for cheering yourself up when life gets just a bit too serious.