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.