Book review - The Stars Malign by Loren Niva

The Stars Malign by Loren Niva

This novel leads by example as a method of dealing with the current world economic crisis and depression. Most of the characters are fuelled by a combination of various drugs and alcoholic drinks and take little interest in current affairs.

Although this world is not one I am familiar with the novel gives a great insight into the people who party through life on various cocktails of emotions. Most importantly it is entertaining and the characters are sufficiently varied.

Loren is depressed following an extended stay in Norway and based on what he tells us it is difficult to see why his girlfriend dumped him. Whatever he does thereafter back at his base in Florida there is little to mask his feeling of loss. The main story of the book is his plot to have a major party (his 30^th birthday) at which he will commit suicide. He continually emails his ex-girlfriend without any reply and in the hope she will arrive before his suicide.

Before the main party there is a weekend away with his best friends in Miami. The partying is extreme and not to be missed. It brings together a bunch of friends who just about get on together whilst partying in different manners ranging from getting drunk to getting high or just totally out of it.

Overall it is a great page turner and the only disappointment was the ending. I did realise later that the ending did however create an opportunity for a sequel.

I may, in my younger years, have engaged briefly in one or two activities similar to those described in the novel. In summary though my life does seem boring compared to the antics these guys get up to.

Fallen Angel by Kaleb Quist

Book review

Fallen Angel by Kaleb Quist

This novel demonstrates to us how easily it could be for society to divide and fall apart. The trigger for collapse may seem to be an important newsworthy event but not as important as changing the world as we know it. From my own personal interest I was pleased that author made occasional reference to other parts of the world that were continuing as normal despite the problems in the US.

In common with most thrillers there are goodies, baddies and ‘goodies who later turn out to be baddies’. Vincent, the hero and patriot, had lost his parents during a political murder trial (his father was a barrister). Vincent’s godfather, Ford, was a cop and took him under his wing. The relation between these two characters goes through many events, twists and turns and ultimately

The barrister turned president, Sammael, a Lord, is the chief baddie. His end is predictable but nonetheless enjoyable. The author demonstrated how the ruthless search for more power does not lead to satisfaction, actually the opposite. He turns out to be a rather hopeless character.

There is action, violence, occasional unsavoury imagery and love, but together it does seem realistic and believable; that is the most important issue in these types of novel and why it is important that the characters are well thought out.

The twist at the end I certainly did not see coming but the identity of the angel did make sense and completed the plot well. I particularly enjoyed the final part where the author unveiled how Vincent’s story made it around the world.

Snicker Snag by Drew Toop

Book review: Snicker Snag by Drew Toop

The first part of this book describes the school days of Richard when he appears to be a promising if distracted author. His brother has run away and he, perhaps, gets special treatment at school. His antics with friends Kowalski and Samantha are very humorous. He is quite open and relaxed with Samantha until any conversation gets to a part where it becomes clear Samantha ‘fancies’ him then Richard becomes very shy with amusing outcomes. Kowalski is a very dry ‘fat’ guy who creates an opportunity for ‘fat’ jokes but also leads Richard into adventures due to his fantasies. It is funny to see how the head teacher tries to befriend and understand Richard without any obviously positive outcomes.

The next part of the book is more tragic and involves the background to Richard’s older brother ‘Tadpole’ running away from home. The lack of effort from Richard’s parents in their upbringing is apparent although they think they are doing a good job. Tadpole is artistic and misunderstood but he also appears to still be around, perhaps living rough on the streets where Richard occasionally find his arty signature.

The final part of the book is quite complex and psychological (well that’s how I found it). This is not a criticism but you have to spend a bit more time reading and thinking about it in order to understand what is going on. Richard is on a downhill path and Samantha no longer fancies him and most people view his previously seen talent as fake. He daydreams about leaving home like his brother and he has many negative thoughts.

Overall it is a balanced and entertaining book that investigates the complexity of and dissatisfaction in many people’s lives during their upbringing. My favourite part was when a girl in class sends a note to Richard to say she likes him but when he turns out not to be impressed by his responses pretends the whole thing was a joke. At least that is how I read it but there are probably other interpretations for this and many other adventures described in this book. Overall it is complex but enjoyable psychology. 

Burn it by Jennifer Williams

Book review

Burn it by Jennifer Williams

This is fairly off the wall stuff based on the workings of a female mind. At times it is tragic and self-pitying but at others realistic and hopeful. Often it is bitter and pessimistic but fortunately there seems to be few regrets.

The issue that defines the book as being based in the current era is the impossibility faced by the majority of new graduate pursuing a first job, or even an interview. This part of the book makes me realise how fortunate I was to graduate in an era when every student, even those with below par degrees, could pick and choose their company and geographical locations. My generation, probably not much older than the writer, can sit around in our devalue houses, albeit with the mortgage mostly paid off, discussing how awful the economy is for others and how our annual pay rise was only 1% again.

<spoiler>The description of the rape is difficult to read but demonstrates to men how initial enthusiasm of a partner can change in an instant, no matter how far things have progressed, and as soon as an instruction is ignored a crime is committed, leading to years of psychological trauma, irrespective of whether charges are pursued </spoiler>

<spoiler> I feel that the lack of a career and mental stimulation enhances the damage caused by the rape. It shows how the ongoing global economic disaster is far more than an economic problem.</spoiler> It is social.

Overall I definitely got something out of this and I want to know what happens next for this person.

The Accident by Dorice Grey

Book review: The Accident by Dorice Grey

We all have times in our lives when we wish we had a guardian angel looking over us or even that we may talk to. Some of us have even experienced events that would confirm this phenomenon. Personally I have heard very convincing claims though no hard evidence of my own.

The way this book is written convinced me that this is a true story. The coincidental event that brings the guardian angel into play must occasionally occur and cause a problem for god or the committee who oversee our crazy lives.

The guardian angel becomes emotionally involved and his superior appears to decide to promote him as a route out of his predicament. A temptation awaits the promoted angel and his emotions fight with his new responsibilities.

Original, unusual and believable I would to hear more about the source of this novel. Understated but one of those that keeps you thinking when you are awake at night, in a positive way!

A Departure by Tom Ward

Great psychological analysis of some people left alive following an apocalyptic event in Britain.

It was quite gory in places when you tried to imagine some of the scenes of human decay and flies. It would be easy to make a few basic mistakes in this type of novel but it was well thought out.

The characters were believable and as usual with survivors in a disaster story you constantly speculate on who the ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’ are. I particularly enjoyed the chapters set in the densely populated refugee camp run by the local MP.

One can easily imagine the decisions you would have to make, however uncomfortable, should this type of event arise. I constantly found myself thinking about where I would head for (Ireland or Wales – low population and plenty of land and sea, Scots cannot be trusted of course). I wondered how I would handle some of the confrontations that the hero came across, and even sexual possibilities that would inevitably arise. My only conclusion is that the population would become divided black and white into good and bad. I hope I would make it into the good side and not get taken advantage of by the bad.

The motoring and road scenes were well thought out and the plane crash scene chilling. Sticking to the minor roads definitely seems to be a good idea.

Well done and thanks for this provocative effort.

Arabelle's Shadows by Fleur Gaskin

Book review: Arabelle’s Shadows by Fleur Gaskin

I thought this was going to be a book about the easy lives that I perceived most models live. I discovered industrious, jet-setting girls who are flat out busy attending auditions but rarely make enough to cover their expenses. This is probably the truth for all but the top 10% in the modelling world.

I expected a story about the shallow minds of models and the stories of what they get up to. I discovered psychologically damaged young girls who are often taken advantage of.

I hoped I would find some interesting sexual content to excite the male mind. I found myself ashamed to be a bloke considering the father and male friends or Arabelle.

Any single bloke who thinks that a brief affair with a young (perhaps drunk) attractive girl is harmless will have second thoughts when they read this gripping novel.

My eyes were opened wide but not in the way expected. I will definitely be more sympathetic in my attitude to models in the future and consider the correct attitude to the fairer sex in all circumstances. 

It is not often you read a book by a female that portrays the attitude of blokes (and their sex drive) so well. It is sad but enlightening, thank god the end was uplifting.

Modern Suburbia by Chris Merlo

Modern Suburbia by Chris Merlo

Lovable villains who sometimes concern you with their attitude but it comes together really well in the end and explains the start of the novel and some of the hero’s actions. Nathan is the star and he goes through hell after being arrested driven by a big axe to grind against his boss.

At first Nathan seems like a very sloppy getman for the bigger fish but gradually his master plan is revealed to us. The risk he takes keep us right on the edge and we expect his demise in several of the action-packed scenes.

There is something in this novel for gamblers, computer nerds, fight fans, copbugs and unexpectedly romance seekers! It’s four out of five for me and had to keep it going to the end to see what the outcome could be. Have to admit I did not guess but found one of the final scenes where Nathan gloated to his imprisoned enemy worrying because he was putting his forthcoming fortune at risk.

Delilah Dusticle by AJ York

Book review: Delilah Dusticle by A.J. York

This is a nice short tale for a child to read before coming into their teens.

We are introduced to rich people, hard-working people, business and love, old times and modern reality. I nearly became uncomfortable in one or two parts where I was thinking about a child reading it but each time my worries were soon dispelled by the next development. It is unusual for a children’s book to contain tension but there are definitely one or two places where this was felt, not that it did the story any harm.

Even in a story for children one often wonders whether there is history in the author’s life that relates to part (or all) of the plot. I can only guess that a teenager’s infatuation found its way into this novel hopefully with the intention of showing that things often turn out ok in the end. There is also an air of the false atmosphere that surrounds many comfortably off people. A type of sadness is portrayed of the many people who live in large cities with few or no friends.

All in all this is a good way to entertain your child and to get them thinking a little of adult issues.

Mystical Circles by SC Skillman

Book review: Mystical Circles by SC Skillman

Throw a bunch of youthful eccentrics together in a claustrophobic environment and you have the perfect recipe for paranoia. The better people get to know each other the more suspicious they seem to become. Given that the leader seemed like he was trying to run a cult I feared a dark and nasty end to this one but I was pleasantly surprised at how the author turned things into a feel-good finish.

A female journalist finds that her much younger sister has joined a residential group ‘wheel of love’ and fallen for the leader. She goes there with the leader’s permission (who wants publicity) to write an article but with the ulterior motive of bringing home her sister. It is quite a brave move given the confined environment but she fits in reasonably well and likes several of her new companions.

The closed environment gives the author an opportunity to introduce some unpredictable but interesting characters. The group includes a welsh poet, a cleric in trouble with his boss for writing blasphemy, a potentially nymphomaniac girl (though I was pleased to find out later she wasn’t - one of the advantages of a female author), a shaman and a psychologically damaged young man, Rory, who threatens some very nasty moments. It is probably just as difficult to control this group of characters in a novel as it would be in real life but the author does this really well.

The countryside environment with woodland walks and pleasant views took me out of the city and reminded me a need to get away more often. It was easy to see how this could be a restful place where one could readily fall in love with a stranger.

An accountant property guy (the leader’s father) was also staying to try and persuade his son to give the whole thing up due to financial losses. This was made difficult by their personal history going back to marriage break up many years earlier.

All in all it had many possibilities and every time I worked out what I thought would happen in this mystical mystery I was soon proved wrong. Along with Disconnect this is my favourite read of the year so far.

In a Season of Dead Weather by Mark Dillon

In a season of dead weather by Mark Dillon

Good collection of short ghost stories, some very scary and others more though provoking.

For those of us who like reading alone late at night this one regularly sends a tingle down your spine. In some of the stories you wonder if people are just paranoid but in others you feel there probably is somewhere in your city where people go down stairs to a different world.

The best one was when a haunted guy commits suicide and then somebody sees the monster that haunted him rolling on his grave in satisfaction.

Importantly for this genre a good UFO type story is included.

Shoes: Are you my Mate?

Book review

Shoes: are you my Mate? by Camille Brown

Interesting little storybook for young kids that helps them to identify friendship and promotes helping your friends. Fairly harmless fun and should be fine for bedtime reading. My son seemed to enjoy it especially the bit where three shoes are tied to the bumper of a car (a useful introduction to weddings).

His moral afterwards seemed to be ‘if you lose your friend you should go and look or him’. Also this one would probably be good for good for brothers and sisters who don’t always get on.

Triceratops by Marcus Gorman

Book review: Triceratops by Marcus Gorman

This one concerns rampaging, wild musicians in New York but on different planet to the rest of us.  Death isn’t really what I look for in my favourite novels so I was disappointed to read of Xavier’s suicide so early in the novel. The characters are pretty crazy but I did like some of them.

I usually find characters that think about sex within a novel to be in bad taste but the female character’s feelings in particular read real to me. This is a little surprising given the male writer but who cares? It is the carefree attitude to sex that gave me that essential escape that is required from any novel. It is unusual to read about thoughts like this without it coming across as crude and distasteful but well done for managing this.

Overall the story was a bit lengthy but the (slightly too many) characters came together well. There are numerous colourful characters to get to know and boring is not amongst their traits.

Syd and Marcy by Beaird Glover

Book review: Syd and Marcy by Beaird Glover

This is quite violent and dark in many places but if you like your humour at its blackest you may enjoy it. At the beginning of the book the crime all seemed so unrealistic and unlikely but thankfully I don’t live in the US. I know from reading the news that gun and other crime is common in the US and this is probably a realistic characterisation of the typical persons involved.

It is hard to comprehend how you can consider calling the US an advanced society when so many people carry weapons whilst not being in their right mind. This novel shows that nobody is safe and the future cannot possibly be good.

Any British reader considering this will surely have their views on outlawing guns confirmed. It was not my usual escape and whilst I cannot say that I thoroughly enjoyed the read it was quite gripping in places. At the end my thoughts were provoked and I suppose that is all you can ask for.

Book review: Rich in Small Things by Helen J Beal

Book review: Rich in Small Things by Helen J Beal

The book appeals to me instantly as it relates to a young lady who loses her job in the city and finds that her skills are suited to online gambling. I am one of many who believe that many bankers are no more than professional gamblers. All gamblers, no matter talented, either hit a losing streak sooner or later or go for that one big risky deal. The excuse after a failure is that their methods worked perfectly until that one unlucky market crash but now everything is back to normal and they should be given another chance. Anyway, back to the book…

Melissa finds she is a natural at online gambling and soon finds she is a class act on the real poker table too. Like many of us she finds that drink played a part in her one big mistake and she is suddenly indebted to Ukranian thugs.

Melissa’s private life echos her profession as a steady relationship is followed by a fling. She throws herself at an East End wide boy, Henry. Before her big loss she already knows he works for the Ukranians.

In the biggest gamble of all Melissa, with a new female friend, embarks on a journey that takes the story on a long drive all the way from London, via Europe and Eastern Europe to Mongolia. This is a big change in direction for the book and we enter the world of treasure hunts, rallying, car mechanics and travelling. The Ukranians tag along to keep an eye on their debtor but there are numerous new characters forming the other teams. It takes a while to get to know all the personnel but it is worth the effort. My usual gripe applies where I would love to see a list of characters at the start of a novel like this, even with a little of their background.

The competition is fun and there are plenty of sexual possibilities for Melissa and her friend. Eventually Melissa takes a liking to a fellow competitor as the story moves towards the end. We are invited to feel sorry for the Ukranian family at the end but this is a little difficult to pull off. Even Henry becomes a nice guy though he has always been a likeable rogue with a small conscience.

So what does this all tell us about the author. At the start when Henry was talking in the first person I felt that only a bloke could have written some bits. My view changed as I progressed but we know that this author is good at putting herself into the shoes of others (and their thoughts). The author changes the personality of Henry as the book progresses and successfully makes us feel sympathetic towards the Ukraninan thug family (two reasons why I would bet the author watches Eastenders). Every bloke loves a girl who gambles though and this story is a delightful ride. Anyone interested in motor mechanics, rallying, treasure hunts and gambling will surely stay the course.

Book review: Disconnect by Imran Siddiq

Book review: Disconnect by Imran Siddiq

This is a fast and thrilling read once you get settled into the planetary time zone. Some of the initial parts of the book bear comparison with Cormac McCarthy’s The Road given that two of the principle characters are a father and son surviving in a future poverty-stricken underworld. Thankfully this novel has several more dimensions to it.

The original setting is a planet with a two-class structure. The wealthy live on the surface in a lovely environment and the remainder live underneath surviving on the daily ejection of waste from those above who are mainly unaware of the existence of the underworld. It all contrasts well with recent apartheid regimes and current class structures on our planet so it seems easy to pick up on the scene.

It also has a touch of Romeo and Juliet as the hero of the underworld illegally meets the girl of his dreams, Rosa, in the world above. The romantic interest combined with the forthcoming war keeps this one buzzing right to the end. Rosa has a rich family but isolated from friends for reasons of security and family overprotection. She has never met another sixteen year old until the hero turns up with his father’s maintenance ship. It serves as a reminder of where our current communities seem to be heading as gradually nobody talks to neighbours, rarely venture outside and most communication is made on a computer.

There is certainly scope to hear more from Galilei, Jupiter and Europa and it will be interesting to see how the next volume plays. Any Star Wars fans will surely enjoy this new epic.

Book Review: Catching the Barramundi by Rebecca Burns

This is a new publication by the author comprising a selection of short stories, some of which have been published elsewhere in the last two years.

The important thing with a book of short stories is not to read it in one go. Discipline yourself. Read one short story each day either before going to bed or during a break. In this way you can extend the length of these stories and ruminate about characters and outcomes. The best short stories rarely end suddenly but leave you hanging to fill in a few pieces by yourself; for this reason the above collection works well for me. I spent a fair bit of time putting myself into a characters position when I completed a short read and decided how I would feel and what I would do in their circumstances. This is a great way to drift off to sleep. Even the stories describing difficult or tragic circumstances can be ‘spun’ into a decent ending if you use your imagination.

The stories themselves focus heavily on relationships, often broken. My personal favourites follow:

‘Snails on the Road’ describes a family after the father has left for another woman but leaves us with hopeful possibilities. It is easy to read and warm-hearted even though the characters are having a difficult time.

‘Phillip Turpin gets a girl’ is my personal favourite as it reveals considerable depth in a hard-working man’s personality. 

‘Painting the Hay Bales’ reveals a little known (to me) art form within a smallholding drama linked to a relative in the city. It made me consider how close the City of London and the farming community really is.

In summary this collection worked for me and I am pleased to recommend it for anyone looking to chill out at the end of a day.

Book Review: 'Eternal' by Virginia Gamsky Hust

A must read for coming of age vampire fans especially as it is written in a naïve fast-readable style with plenty of conversation.

Andromeda, Mishra, Gabriel, Mica, Lady Maura and Michael are just some of the exotic stars in this epic and the good news is there is a sequel to follow. Kidnap, bondage, bile and some sexual references in the promiscuous vampire world means that this is not suitable for young teenagers. It is a bit racy in places for the rest of us but, crucially, not offensive.

Vampires aside the story in itself is a thriller well worth reading with various characters paranoid about who is after them and who is with them. There is plenty of skulduggery and worldwide travel to keep the intrigue going.

Personally I would like a list of characters at the start; this helps with this type of novel if you do not read in one go and need an occasional reminder who some people are when you pick it up again.

The author keeps the story tense and nearly every page appears to have sexual possibilities; these are rarely realised and this may be a clue to the author’s character but it does the novel no harm at all. In fact it gives the text an unusual and unique style rarely seen in female authors and is possibly the result of an upbringing in faith. The story becomes more serious though in the second half of the book as we concentrate on the possible endings and final conflicts.

3/5 for me but vampire fans will surely rate higher and it will be good to see how this writer develops her style.

Book Review: City of Pillars by Dominic Peloso

First published in 2000 I have just discovered this gem for fans of psychological manipulation and paranoia.

This book is that it contains one of the best and shortest prologues ever. It is chilling and sets your mind racing. Once you reach the end of the prologue there is no escape from reading the book.

The novel starts in San Francisco but any worries that it would be rather alien to my tastes rapidly dispersed. It reminded me of how I was shocked by this city on my only visit. The distance between huge wealth and desperate poverty is only a street or sometimes just the difference between light and darkness. In other words, whoever you are, there is the possibility of disappearing into the background should you ever have the need.

Thankfully what I thought was a great psychological drama only stuck in San Francisco soon became a worldwide travelling suspense and many more familiar places from my own travels were visited. Personally I have a weakness for any book that has the ability to entertain whilst informing me about other parts of the world. The chapters in Peru were particularly enjoyable.

In the end it was almost like reading two books. One is the story of the hero (lets call him) written in the first person. The second is reading your own mind to decide what you would do in similar circumstances. While this book provides excellent and gripping entertainment it also provoked me to consider the world we all live in and think deeply about people’s motivation and hidden agendas.

I have only just finished this novel but I know I will spend a lot more time thinking about it. I will probably need to read it again in a month or so.

Book review 'French Secrets' by Roisin McAuley

The opening chapters of this novel are tremendous. They rescue me from the Belfast winter rain and transported me into a warm hilly Californian climate where I could almost taste the wine. The characters were warm and everybody seemed happy.  I worried a bit when the story moved to Ireland but a bit more persistence and just when I thought California was going to be the peak we suddenly moved to the Bordeaux region of France. How wonderful. By now the plot was thickening nicely and it became clear to me that wherever else I was taken geographically I was going to have to finish this novel to discover the story of the ancient wines.

The Belfast Telegraph does the author a disservice with comparisons to Maeve Binchy. I find Roisin McAuley is not comparable to any female author of recent times. Thanks for writing this novel and for anyone out there in a cold wet miserable climate keep this book with you to warm your heart. Reading it is like a holiday.

5/5 is my rating

Book Review: Belfast Girls by Gerry McCullough

I started this book with a fair degree of trepidation given some of the poor fare served up over the years especially regarding the troubles. Initially it seemed to be more of the same but I stuck with it.

Written in a niave style made the pages turn quickly and eventually the author moved on to a quite interesting story that brought one of the girls to Dublin. Interesting characters were introduced who you quickly related to somebody in public life but this just made it easier to picture the scenes.

This is one of those books where it is easy to criticise in relation to the troubles as being too simplistic with an unlikely storyline, especially Sheila. However as time goes on I believe it will provide future generations with a useful insight to this era and the often crude behaviour of real people.

I started off thinking negatively of this book but by the end I felt that I had been taken on a fast journey that left me wanting more.

Book Review Policy

All genres welcome for book review.

We particularly like submissions from authors who write about or have connections to Ireland and Wales.

We enjoy novels that cover any of the following topics or issues:
Amateur Dramatics (or professional including agents)
Private Detective work
Paranoia
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Magic, tricks and illusions

Book Review: Managing Your Anger by Russell Kolts

Having spoken to several specialists I felt I needed something to hand that I could turn to when incidents occur. By incidents I merely refer to moments in every day when I feel I need help to deal with events. It is useful to understand how the body causes anger and helpful to realise that it is often a natural process.

I have read some parts of the book many times to remind myself of why I feel anger building up and how to handle it. Without this book I feel my problem may have worsened.

Book review: The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs by Alexander McCall Smith

A great introduction to this author that I have recommended to several friends.

Filled with jealousy and paranoia this short book is a great way to get a feel for this author's talents. Although it is one of his earlier works I only read it recently. Readers new to McCall Smith have no excuse not to finish its hundred or so pages if they spend an hour or so a day for a week.

Book Review: Oscar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol by Gyles Brandeth

Have just completed this amazing book. I was worried that the quality would deteriorate as the series of books continued but if anything it has improved. Based on Oscar's time in prison it is much darker than previous volumes but his character shines through and there is room for much humour. Having found much of this author's previous work unappealing I am hooked by this series and cannot wait to get to the next edition. Historically it is a fine lesson in how poor prison conditions were (no communication with fellow prisoners allowed) and face covered when out of your cell. The characters of those in the adjacent cells and some of the prison staff are very realistic and memorable. Recommend this to anybody for an education and drama.