Yet again, I am proof that modern marketing works. After just the right amount of targeted adverts, I looked up 'The Ministry of Time' by Kaliane Bradley to find out what the fuss was all about.
Showing posts with label action. Show all posts
Showing posts with label action. Show all posts
01 November 2025
29 July 2021
The Wolf in Winter
'War of the Wolf' by Bernard Cornwell
After a break of - ahem - one or two years, I recently returned to an old favourite, the Uhtred of Bebbanburg books by Bernard Cornwell. In times as changeable and traumatic as this, the entertaining company of this Dark Ages warlord was irresistible. Also, the thirteenth and last book in the series was published last year, and I'd only read books one to ten, so I had a little bit of catching up to do...
25 January 2021
Silly but it's Fun
'Come Again' by Robert Webb
11 May 2020
Hell Hath No Fury
'The Devil's Blade' by Mark Adler (Gollancz, 2020)
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" goes the old saying, and
there is no fury like Julie D'Aubigny's in 'The Devil's Blade' by Mark Alder.
17th Century France: When wannabe diva Julie D'Aubigny is summoned to perform in a forest near Paris, she believes it's the opportunity to find a great patron and finally realise her dream of joining the city's Opera. Instead, she finds herself cornered by a secret society of aristocratic satanists, who sacrifice her beautiful voice at the point of a sword. Wronged and refusing to be silenced, Julie makes her own pact with the Devil and begins to hunt
down and slaughter the men who stole her future. But can she find them before the year is
out? Will the Devil keep to their
bargain? Can she save her own soul from
the fires of Hell?
22 September 2018
Love Struck
'The Gods of Love' by Nicola Mostyn
I laughed when I saw the tag 'Bridget Jones meets Neil Gaiman' on the cover of 'The Gods of Love' by Nicola Mostyn, but it left me intrigued enough to borrow it when it appeared on the shelves of my local library. I'm so glad that I did.
Frida is a cynical divorce lawyer, independent, self-assured and, above all, great at her job. When the world's top tech company, NeoStar, invites her for a job interview, she sees it as the biggest opportunity of her career. But the day before the appointment, a stranger, Dan, bursts into her office, warning of a prophecy and insisting that she should stay away from NeoStar at all costs. Frida dismisses the bizarre visitor, unnerved but no less determined to go ahead with the meeting. When things don't turn out anything like she expected, however, she finds herself slipping into an alternative reality of terrifying gods, parallel dimensions and a conflict dormant for 3000 years. As the end of the world approaches, does Frida have what it takes to save us all?
I laughed when I saw the tag 'Bridget Jones meets Neil Gaiman' on the cover of 'The Gods of Love' by Nicola Mostyn, but it left me intrigued enough to borrow it when it appeared on the shelves of my local library. I'm so glad that I did.
16 November 2015
It's Raining, Men!
It's been a busy month! Hot on the heels of 'Jeremy and Amy', I finished Bernard Cornwell's latest Saxon Story, 'Warriors of the Storm', featuring the ever cantankerous warlord Uhtred of Bebbanburg.
'The Burning Land' by Bernard Cornwell (Saxon Story Five)
'The Death of Kings' by Bernard Cornwell (Saxon Story Six)
'The Pagan Lord' by Bernard Cornwell (Saxon Story Seven)
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| 'Warriors of the Storm' by Bernard Cornwell (HarperCollins, 2015) |
Holed up in the fortress at Chester,Uhtred awakes to news of smoke spotted on the horizon. Driven across the sea from Ireland, the formidable Ragnall Ivarson has begun an invasion, but things are not as they seem. As Mercia's future hangs in the balance once more, many questions are raised. Has Uhtred's son-in-law, Ragnall's brother, joined this fight? Will Uhtred's loyal lieutenant Finan's Irish connection prove a blessing or a curse as his countrymen join the would-be conqueror? Will the aging Uhtred's luck hold as tries to predict his enemy's next move? As his oathsworn mistress, Aethelflaed of Mercia, and King Edward of Wessex, her brother, are slow to act, Uhtred finds himself the only man ready to take a stand against this latest Norse threat to the fledgling England.
First of all, I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but I bloody love the imagery used on this one. It's almost 3D! I could practically hear the sound of weapons being struck against shields just by looking at it, so I was understandably desperate to get started on this latest Cornwell novel.
'Warriors of the Storm' is a good adventure story, although I did feel that it wasn't one of the best in the series. I thought it took a while to get going, but once it did, boy was it on form. The narrative has reached a maturity so that this no longer feels like Uhtred's story alone, It's become an ensemble piece of warriors, family and enemies, all familiar characters that are great to spend time with and root for or curse. As the royals take a back seat, this emerges as a more personal tale, one of alliances and ambitions closer to Uhtred's heart rather than those of his masters.
There are many references to Uhtred's ageing and our growling hero is in reflective mood. After a lifetime longing for what is rightfully his - the formidable fortress of Bebbanburg - the author seems to be finally revealing how Uhtred could end up exactly where he's always wanted to be. In previous books, sections have suggested that he does achieve his aim, and, to be honest, it's only going to be a matter of time before it becomes impossible for readers to ignore how unlikely it is for Uhtred to still be alive. Let's face it, he should've snuffed it by now, whether in war or through illness.
So, unusually perhaps, this book ended on a note of hope rather than relief. Normally, we want to cheer as yet another foolish Jarl gets his comeuppance on the battlefield, but in 'Warriors of the Storm' I both wanted to celebrate and read on as for the first time I felt Uhtred was finally going to get his just reward for a lifetime of service. Hopefully I'm not just being sentimental. Let's face it, Bernard Cornwell would reach Downton Abbey Christmas Special bastard levels if he blithely led us through nine books then didn't let Uhtred win his prize. Call me soft, but I think that would even make Uhtred cry.
Anyway, despite a slow start and a relatively small scale, 'Warriors of the Story' is a great historical adventure story, up to Bernard Cornwell's usual high standards. A fantastic way to escape modern realities between episodes of 'The Last Kingdom' on BBC 2. Just can't get away from the aersling lately...
Related Posts
'Sword Song' by Bernard Cornwell (Saxon Story Four)
'The Burning Land' by Bernard Cornwell (Saxon Story Five)
'The Death of Kings' by Bernard Cornwell (Saxon Story Six)
'The Pagan Lord' by Bernard Cornwell (Saxon Story Seven)
'The Empty Throne' by Bernard Cornwell (Saxon Story Eight)
24 February 2015
The Old Man and the Spy
It's taken a while, but I have finally finished the AudioGo recording of Ian Fleming's 'From Russia with Love'. This version was read by Toby Stephens, who fans will recognise as the villain Gustav Graves from 'Die Another Day'.
James Bond is a marked man. The Russian spy-killers SMERSH have decided they need to bag a big name and none come bigger than Bond. Orchestrated by Colonel Rosa Klebb and chess master Kronsteen, SMERSH set a trap with the twin temptations of the beautiful Corporal Tatiana Romanova and a top secret Spektor coding machine. Although suspicious, M and Bond decide it is a prize worth making a play for and before long the famous secret agent is on his way to Istanbul, unaware that Russia's top assassin, Donovan Grant, is on his tail...
Unfortunately, I found this story hard work. It starts well enough, with a focus on Grant and his origins, but once the story moved to the boardrooms of the Russian military, my mind began to wander. In the paperback, it's more than 90 pages before Bond makes an appearance, but it's hard to believe that it's purely his absence that stopped it holding my attention. I usually like it when Fleming tries something different, but I think this time it fell a bit flat and led to a lack of tension early on, for me anyway.
Whether I enjoy each Bond novel often seems to hinge on how much I like the female lead. Romanova seemed a bit too much of a push-over, little more than a pair of blue eyes and some fluttering lashes. That may appeal to a certain male audience, but I'm afraid I need a brain too please. I know that the girls can't outshine Bond and that these books represent the values of a different era, but it's always more fun when the ladies get a look in on the action rather than just being damsels in distress.
I think my love of the film version was also a big problem here. 'From Russia with Love' is one of
my favourites, so I had high hopes that the book would exceed the movie and flesh out the key characters, particularly Kerim and Klebb. To a degree it did, but unfortunately I didn't really like what I found out, especially about the apparently lovable Kerim. I'm very glad that the sexual politics of today don't accept 'taming' women the same way they did in 1957.
Overall, I was a bit disappointed by the book. Perhaps people who haven't seen the film will get more out of it because they don't know the basic plot, but I doubt there are many people who haven't watched it already and that doesn't make up for the dodgy way the female characters are portrayed and treated. On the whole, like Grant and Klebb, it's a bit odd, but that won't stop me pushing on with the rest of Fleming's novels.
I will return.... with the rather different 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue' by Marghanita Laski!
Related Posts
'Casino Royale'
'Live and Let Die'
'Moonraker'
'Dr No'
'For Your Eyes Only'
'Thunderball'
'Octopussy, the Living Daylights and Other Stories'
 |
| 'From Russia with Love' by Ian Fleming Read by Toby Stephens (AudioGo, 2012) |
Unfortunately, I found this story hard work. It starts well enough, with a focus on Grant and his origins, but once the story moved to the boardrooms of the Russian military, my mind began to wander. In the paperback, it's more than 90 pages before Bond makes an appearance, but it's hard to believe that it's purely his absence that stopped it holding my attention. I usually like it when Fleming tries something different, but I think this time it fell a bit flat and led to a lack of tension early on, for me anyway.
Whether I enjoy each Bond novel often seems to hinge on how much I like the female lead. Romanova seemed a bit too much of a push-over, little more than a pair of blue eyes and some fluttering lashes. That may appeal to a certain male audience, but I'm afraid I need a brain too please. I know that the girls can't outshine Bond and that these books represent the values of a different era, but it's always more fun when the ladies get a look in on the action rather than just being damsels in distress.
I think my love of the film version was also a big problem here. 'From Russia with Love' is one of
 |
| 'From Russia with Love' by Ian Fleming (Penguin Modern Classics, 2004) |
Overall, I was a bit disappointed by the book. Perhaps people who haven't seen the film will get more out of it because they don't know the basic plot, but I doubt there are many people who haven't watched it already and that doesn't make up for the dodgy way the female characters are portrayed and treated. On the whole, like Grant and Klebb, it's a bit odd, but that won't stop me pushing on with the rest of Fleming's novels.
I will return.... with the rather different 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue' by Marghanita Laski!
Related Posts
'Casino Royale'
'Live and Let Die'
'Moonraker'
'Dr No'
'For Your Eyes Only'
'Thunderball'
'Octopussy, the Living Daylights and Other Stories'
16 June 2014
No Limit!
No no no no no no no no no no no no there's no limit!
OK, now I've got that out of my system, here is a post about 'Dr No' by Ian Fleming, an AudioGo 007 Reloaded version of the novel read by Hugh Quarshie.
Returning to active duty after a near fatal encounter with the Russians, James Bond is given an easy assignment; investigating the disappearance of two MI6 operatives based in Kingston, Jamaica. But the case is not as it seems. Before too long M's 'bit of a holiday' looking into a suspected affair and elopement has evolved into something far more sinister. As Bond joins the dots, he finds all the threads lead to Crab Key, home to rare birds, a guano plant and the secretive spider at the web's centre, Dr Julius No.
'Dr No' is much more meticulously paced than 'Live and Let Die', the last Bond story I listened to as an audiobook. It's still not a long novel, but it includes much more tension, character development and back story and is the better for it. Bond lives a hyper-real, ultra-violent life just within sight of reality, so it helps to actually bring the story back down to Earth by making readers care about the characters. In 'Dr No', Quarrel and Honeychile Ryder are much more developed than Solitaire in 'Live and Let Die', so there is a greater sense of danger that makes you genuinely root for these people and want to find out what happens next.
I thought Solitaire was a complete waste of space, but I absolutely fell in love with Honeychile Ryder. Although in some ways a victim of circumstances, she's not been sat around waiting for Bond to arrive and sort everything out for her. She has her own aims, talents and desires, some more sensible than others, but whether her decisions make good sense or not, at least she's trying and she's not afraid of using her skills and knowledge to make her way independently in the world. You go girl!
While the heroes seem more real, the villain Dr No was as unreal as they come. Perhaps it was a deliberate dichotomy or maybe a villain as completely off the wall as this one is so unbelievable to prevent readers having nightmares. Having said that, while No was a typical megalomaniacal Bond villain who seemed completely detached from reality in his underground lair, he was scary. Normally this sort of character becomes borderline camp in the films, but on the page and in his own domain claustrophobia sets in and you begin to doubt that even 007 can overcome this madman's manipulations.
Overall, 'Dr No' is a great adventure story, action-packed, tense and with real punch in places. It has dated in the last 57 years, but, to be fair, all the Bond books I've encountered so far have, like so many of their contemporaries. If you can see beyond this, however, I would recommend it.
Now, what next?
Related Posts
'Live and Let Die'
'Casino Royale'
'For Your Eyes Only'
 |
| 'Dr No' by Ian Fleming, read by Hugh Quarshie (AudioGo 2012) |
Returning to active duty after a near fatal encounter with the Russians, James Bond is given an easy assignment; investigating the disappearance of two MI6 operatives based in Kingston, Jamaica. But the case is not as it seems. Before too long M's 'bit of a holiday' looking into a suspected affair and elopement has evolved into something far more sinister. As Bond joins the dots, he finds all the threads lead to Crab Key, home to rare birds, a guano plant and the secretive spider at the web's centre, Dr Julius No.
'Dr No' is much more meticulously paced than 'Live and Let Die', the last Bond story I listened to as an audiobook. It's still not a long novel, but it includes much more tension, character development and back story and is the better for it. Bond lives a hyper-real, ultra-violent life just within sight of reality, so it helps to actually bring the story back down to Earth by making readers care about the characters. In 'Dr No', Quarrel and Honeychile Ryder are much more developed than Solitaire in 'Live and Let Die', so there is a greater sense of danger that makes you genuinely root for these people and want to find out what happens next.
 |
| 'Dr No' by Ian Fleming (Penguin Modern Classics, 2004) |
While the heroes seem more real, the villain Dr No was as unreal as they come. Perhaps it was a deliberate dichotomy or maybe a villain as completely off the wall as this one is so unbelievable to prevent readers having nightmares. Having said that, while No was a typical megalomaniacal Bond villain who seemed completely detached from reality in his underground lair, he was scary. Normally this sort of character becomes borderline camp in the films, but on the page and in his own domain claustrophobia sets in and you begin to doubt that even 007 can overcome this madman's manipulations.
Overall, 'Dr No' is a great adventure story, action-packed, tense and with real punch in places. It has dated in the last 57 years, but, to be fair, all the Bond books I've encountered so far have, like so many of their contemporaries. If you can see beyond this, however, I would recommend it.
Now, what next?
Related Posts
'Live and Let Die'
'Casino Royale'
'For Your Eyes Only'
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