Geert's Book Reviews

Blauw Bloed door Pieter Aspe

2011-05-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Goeie plot, kartonnen karakters

Het huwelijk van inspecteur Pieter Van In komt onder druk te staan wanneer zijn vrouw, onderzoeksrechter Hannelore Martens, door haar jeugdvriend Valentijn Heydens wordt gebeld. Die wil haar nog diezelfde avond ontmoeten in het Brugse L’Estaminet. Zonder al teveel twijfel gaat Hannelore op zijn verzoek in, al wil zij haar ware motivatie niet voor zichzelf toegeven. Tijdens de afspraak laat haar oude liefde dreigbrieven zien waaruit blijkt dat iemand zijn vader wil vermoorden. Wanneer nog geen dag later de vader van Valentijn dood wordt aangetroffen en alles op zelfmoord wijst, kan Hannelore niet anders dan haar man op de hoogte stellen van de geheime afspraak. De echtelijke ruzies verbleken echter in het niets wanneer blijkt dat er nog een tweede moord op stapel staat.

In dit zesde boek van de Van In-reeks merk je toch al duidelijk meer structuur in het opbouwen van de verhaallijn. Daar waar Aspe’s eerdere werken nogal chaotisch van opbouw waren, zie je nu dat er zorg besteed wordt aan de geleidelijke ontwikkeling van de plot. De karaktertekeningen, alhoewel nog steeds erg stereotype en oppervlakkig, krijgen meer ruimte en het is dan ook als lezer makkelijker om de motivaties van de hoofdrolspelers te slikken. Al blijf ik het moeilijk hebben met de zorgeloosheid waarmee Hannelore vreemdgaat (of niet), de reactie van onze held komt als erg geloofwaardig over. Spijtig genoeg blijven de schetsen van de andere protagonisten flauwe clichés. Het rijkeluiszoontje, de sloerie, de machtsgeile politicus, de corrupte carrièreman… niet veel nieuws onder de zon.

Het zou onrechtvaardig zijn om deze roman pulp te noemen, maar een maatschappijkritisch tijdsportret is dan weer drie bruggen te ver. Het blijft immers een brok lectuur voor de luie uurtjes.

The McAtrix Derided by Adam Roberts

2011-05-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

A humorous snack

There once was a guy named Nero, at least that was his internet-alias. The bloke lead a quiet and rather ordinary life. That is, until he became aware that he was actually rather notorious in being exceptionally not exceptional. He was so plain and bland that people refused to notice him while walking in the street. This capability of turning invisible became his most unique gift. Regrettably this again made him not so common anymore, which led him to lose his only talent. Ah, it all has something to do with a cat in a box and a guy named Schrödinger not being all that happy about it because he could never tell if he needed to feed the animal or not. But that is a totally different story.

As with many spoofs, you won’t enjoy The McAtrix Derides that much if you haven’t seen the original film. Even so, you should have watched actually the complete trilogy to understand all the jokes. The Robertski Brothers (alias of the author Adam Roberts) follows the three films rather closely, just interpreting the essence a bit differently. This leads to sometimes rather hilarious episodes that can easily be visualized by the reader just because it’s so easy to imagine Keanu Reeves getting stuck in those silly situations. The pace never really drops and keeps the story enjoyably fresh. But do not expect major literature or deep insights. This book is pure entertainment and has no other aspirations.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

2011-04-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

A real American mythology

When Shadow is getting ready to be released from prison he is eager to start his life anew. Returning to his wife, starting a new job. But fate has something else in store for him. A few days before he is allowed to leave, his wife Laura dies in a car crash while going down on Shadow’s best friend Robbie, the guy who was going to provide Shadow with a new job. Alone and without any prospect on a bright future, Shadow reluctantly accepts the job of bodyguard for a mysterious guy called Mr. Wednesday. Soon enough it becomes clear that Wednesday is one of the old American Gods and is on a mission to fight the New Gods. Shadow supports his employer while travelling across America, but does not realize that his task is much bigger than he could anticipate.

With Neil Gaiman there are no boundaries to the fantasy worlds he creates. In American Gods he elaborates on the realm he created in the famous Sandman comics and builds upon the premise that gods only exist because people keep believing in them. In what is basically a road movie, Neil slowly reveals that crazy reality with a panache that is so typical to this fantastic author. Although the pace of the story is rather slow, it brings enough fresh ideas to invigorate the reader’s attention. His visual style lends itself perfectly for the more exuberant chapters like the one with the succubus-like prostitute, a chapter that in my twisted mind deserves even an actual spin-off. For readers with enough knowledge of mythology is probably is also a lot of fun to try to link the characters to known mythological figures.

Treasure of Khan by Clive and Dirk Cussler

2011-03-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

Being boring

Oil has always been one of the great motivators for battle and corruption. In a world where oil is getting more and more scarce, newly discovered oil fields are worth more than a small oil company can bargain for. That is why Borjin, the head of such a small Mongolian venture, has concocted a plan to safeguard the discovery of an immense oil reserve in Chinese province of Inner Mongolia. Not only is he negotiating with the Chinese government to re-unite this area with Mongolia, he also has a secret weapon up his sleeve. With that weapon he is able to control the oil reserves of all the world powers, including the Chinese. It’s exactly at one of the trial runs of this weapon that Dirk Pitt gets involved. And that might be the end of Borjin’s plans for world domination.

If being boring would be an art form, Treasure of Khan would definitely be hanging in The Louvre. Not that there is technically something wrong with this Clive and Dirk Cussler novel. On the contrary, it is neatly plotted and well-balanced in the amount of action the reader gets. A bit too well balanced, I might say. With the regularity of a clock, our heroes are submitted to life-threatening situations out of which they miraculously escape... in the nick of time. As this sequence progresses they learn more of the evil plans at hand and get prepared for the final action sequence out of which our heroes will come as the ultimate winners. Surprise! Someone who is not familiar with the works of the Cussler-family, might find this story fresh and exciting, but the more experienced fan will begin to see the formulaic structure. And if there is one killer for a good thriller, then predictability must certainly be it.

So if you do not get annoyed by being able to predict the outcome of the story, then this is your book. If not, then you could do worse than skip this one. Believe me!

Blaze by Richard Bachman

2011-02-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

Back-to-basics

Clayton Blaisdell, Jr. is a mentally challenged con artist. His partner in crime, George, comes up with one final heist: they should kidnap a millionaire’s child and ask for a ransom that will be the ticket for a carefree retirement from their petty crimes. But George won’t take part in the kidnapping, because George is dead. Now Blaze has to fend for himself. He has no reason to quit his plans, because the inner voice of George is always there to reprimand him and push him further. But then Blaze starts to see the light. He is no slave anymore. He doesn’t have to listen anymore. And the plan turns sour...

Despite all the apologies Stephen King gives in the foreword of Blaze, this long lost novel written under the nom-de-plum of Richard Bachman, still delivers with virtue. True, it is not a classic tale of horror and suspense, but is certainly showcases the character driven inner narrative that King puts with so much craftsmanship in his most personal novels. It comes very close to The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Gerald’s Game and Dolores Claiborne in the sense that it also creates a feeling of complete isolation and keeps the reader hooked on a, be honest, rather uneventful story. A true proof of his talent, I would say.

The signs of it being one of King’s first novels are rather obvious, although King did update the story before publishing it in 2007. The simplicity and naiveté of the story only shows up in his earlier works, whereas his later novels are bulging under the massive amount of thoughts. It’s truly refreshing to read this kind of back-to-basics story. Why can’t he safe some more trees by publishing more books like these, instead of massive monsters like Under the Dome? Ah, probably because we’re all hooked, not?

The Killing Joke door Anthony Horowitz

2011-01-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

This book is a joke

How would you feel if you overheard a bloke in a bar telling a joke featuring your own mother? This is exactly what happens to Guy Fletcher when he visits his local pub. To be fair, the mother is the much loved actress Selina Moore and no-one actually knows that Guy is her son. Completely flabbergasted by the rudeness of the joke, Guy decides to track down its origin. Indeed, his life is already down the drain, so who cares what kind of silly things he gets up to. Not only will he fall in love during his quest, he will also find out that not all jokes are created just for fun. Yes, he will soon discover that there really exists an Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman.

Good ideas are not always guarantee to great stories and The Killing Joke sadly turns out to be one big proof of this rule. Although Antony Horowitz masterly succeeds in creating the perfect intro to a hilarious yarn, it does not take long before the story gets to a point where you’ve been before and starts repeating the same gimmicks. After a few chapters it is overly clear that the world of Guy has been turned into one big joke and the reader has no need in getting that obvious fact repeated over and over. The only reason why I kept reading on was that I still had some hope for a big conclusion, with –if allowed- a surprise ending. True, the denouement is rather surprising, but only in the way that it is in the race for most stupid and annoying ending of a novel ever. I would have fallen asleep, if it wasn’t for the annoyance I felt after finishing this book.

This book is a joke (no pun intended).

Het Dreyse incident door Pieter Aspe

2010-12-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

Een beetje te gewoontjes

Patrick Claes, een succesvolle beursgoeroe, wordt in zijn eigen huis neergeslagen. Wanneer hij wordt gevonden door zijn vrouw Judith denkt die eerst dat hij vermoord werd en belt direct de politie. Nog tijdens dat telefoontje komt Patrick weer bij bewustzijn en stelt vast dat de gangster is verdwenen met zijn collectie antieke pistolen. Pieter Van In krijgt de taak deze diefstal op te lossen, maar wanneer er echt doden beginnen te vallen beseft hij dat er meer aan de hand is. Ondertussen promoveert Hannelore tot onderzoeksrechter, wat betekent dat Van In ook op zijn werk ondergeschikte wordt van zijn vrouw. Dit maakt het voor Pieter zeker niet eenvoudiger.

In zijn vorige vier romans gaf Pieter Aspe blijk van een vaak al te overdreven jongensachtige fantasie. Bij wijlen leidde dit een quasi amateuristisch plot, waarbij kwistig werd omgesprongen met tientallen clichés van het misdaadgenre. Met Het Dreyse incident wil Aspe hier duidelijk resoluut mee kappen. De plot is verbazingwekkend ingetogen en van wilde escapades is al helemaal geen sprake. Hier en daar merk je nog een paar situaties die potentieel tot James Bond-achtige toestanden konden leiden, maar vakkundig worden teruggebracht tot meer realistische plotwendingen. Deze terughoudende aanpak geeft meer ruimte voor het uitdiepen van de karakters, maar dat blijft voor Aspe duidelijk nog zijn Achilleshiel. Meer dan een paar kartonnen personages krijgt de lezer immers niet voorgeschoteld. Dit wordt nu des te pijnlijker omdat de mist van het over het paard getilde verhaal nu helemaal is opgetrokken. Spijtig genoeg maakt dit alles dat Het Dreyse incident maar een simpel, betekenisloos verhaaltje wordt.

Duma Key by Stephen King

2010-12-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

It grows on you

The life of Edgar Freemantle, the owner of a successful Minneapolis based construction company, takes a turn for the worst. First his truck gets crushed by a crane. Although he survives this accident, his right arm gets amputated. Following his violent mood swings, mostly due to the excruciating pain he suffers during his recovery, he looses his wife as she files for a divorce. In order the break loose from this negative spiral Edgar’s psychologist, Dr. Kamen, gives him the advice to move away and start anew. Edgar takes a year-long vacation and rents a beach house on Duma Key. There he lets his growing obsession for painting take a hold of him, with enormously successful results. He becomes even known as a new American Primitive. But through his art he also awakens some dark and revenge bearing power. He will need all the help he can get to keep his sanity. Luckily his neighbours Jerome Wireman, a retired lawyer, and the woman he accompanies Miss Eastlake seem to have some answers.

With Duma Key Stephen King has plotted a decent and classic ghost story that can hardly be called original. It uses all the tricks in the book for writing scary yarns and does so with much craftsmanship. It starts rather slow but certainly gets up to speed for the final third of the book. Whereas the story is certainly lacking some freshness, the atmosphere and character setting is simply sublime. The true strength of the novel lies in a depiction of the mental struggle of its protagonist. It does reverb a bit King’s Bag of Bones novel, but with much more potency. As the novel grows on the reader the lacking originality is easily forgotten.

With Duma Key the master of horror proves, after some lacklustre attempts, that he hasn’t lost his touch at all. Although it is a big novel (611 pages), it certainly is a real treat for the Constant Reader.

Soap door Paul Mennes

2010-10-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Bladvulling

In Soap neemt Paul Mennes je mee op een waanzinnige tocht doorheen de psyches van David Tinea, een homo die nooit nee durft zeggen, Arkas, een rijke homo die op zoek is naar de ultieme bevrediging, en Raoul Kleinfelter, een travestiet die geniet van ruziënde mensen. Het begint allemaal redelijk onschuldig maar escaleert al snel in extremen van seks en geweld. Hoe meer de karakters verzeild raken in hun eigen web van emoties, hoe meer de tekst ontaardt in pure chaos.

Soap is in zekere zin een moeilijk te plaatsen werk. Op het eerste zicht is het een puberale aaneenschakeling van choquerende scènes en lijkt de auteur enkel maar gemotiveerd door de nood om als enfant terrible bestempeld te worden. Dan krijgt je weer als lezer de vage indruk dat tussen al dat extreme geweld ergens wel een sprankje van een doordacht fatalistisch beeld van de jongerencultus wordt opgehangen dat wel ergens iets van een weerspiegeling van een subcultuur zou kunnen weg hebben. Individualisme en nihilisme lijken dan misschien wel de diepere drijfveren te worden de karakters, slachtoffers van een vergeten zelfkant van de maatschappij. Maar het extreme blijft het subtiele domineren dat dreigt te worden kapot geramd –letterlijk- door de bij wijlen zielige profileringsdrang van de auteur.

Dit is nu typisch een boek waar je achteraf aan twijfelen gaat. Niet omwille van de inhoud, maar het gebrek eraan. Zoals inderdaad bij echte soap het geval is: dit boek lijkt niets meer dan bladvulling.

Horowitz Horror by Anthony Horowitz

2010-10-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

Nine ltittle gems

Horowitz Horror was first published in 1999 and contains nine short stories where the protagonist is predominantly a younger person, as such is seems to be written for a preadult audience.

The nine stories:

When it’s Bath Night Isabel has to deal with a rather hostile, old Victorian bath.
Do not by that Killer Camera, because is has a certain influence on the subjects it photographs.
The future is no secret anymore in Light Moves, but Ethan Sly should get worried when other people notice his good luck.
You never know where The Night Bus will stop.
Luckily Harriet's Horrible Dream is only a dream, not?
A school bully gets Scared while walking through the countryside.
How doesn’t want A Career in Computer Games, but be aware it might be a job for life.
The Man with the Yellow Face haunts a sinister photo booth, but is he maybe trying to tell you something?
The Monkey's Ear is pure rubbish, it can’t even get its spells right.

When Anthony Horowitz enters the world of creepy short stories, be warned that he will behave himself like a child in a candy store. It becomes very clear that his prefered habitat is the world of mystery and the supernatural, but the humour is never really far away. The nine easily digestible stories collected in this book are each little gems of guilty pleasure. It’s not surprising that the stinger always comes at the end, because if Horowitz knows one thing, it’s certainly the technique to plot a good suspense story. The mix of stories is so diverse that it is quite impossible to select your favourite. But rest assured, you will chuckle more than once.

A must read for those horror buffs that are still young at heart.

A Stir of Echoes by Richard Matheson

2010-10-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Guaranteed suspense

It all started out like an ordinary evening among friends. Ann and Tom Wallace are visiting their neighbours and bring Tom’s brother-in-law, who is in town for a short stay, with them. It’s a friendly and cosy gathering. Nobody is suspicious when the conversation is entering the topic of the dark supernatural. Tom quickly becomes known as the most sceptical of the audience, but still lets himself be hypnotized by Phillip. When he awakes he does not recall anything he did, but the others do… and can’t stop laughing. It’s only later that night that Tom notices that this episode of hypnosis is not fully over yet.

You can’t go wrong with a Richard Matheson novel. And let that be known to everyone. The reason why Matheson is the God of suspense is that his novels are treasure troves of superb plotting, based upon a structure that finds his roots in cinematic theory. It is not without reason that he is one of the most wanted screenwriters of the last decennia. Both I Am Legend and Hell House are prime examples of his craftsmanship. Although A Stir of Echoes has many of these qualities, it never approaches the level of his best works. But that is not saying much. It may be so that the plot is less exciting because the same storyline has been exhausted by many other writers, it still keeps a steady pace throughout the novel and is guaranteed to submerge the reader fully in its world. A must for every fan of dark fantasy and suspense.

Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy

2010-08-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

A boring book in many ways

When in the early 80’s the brand new Pope, John Paul II, delivers an ultimatum to Warsaw to stop its repression, he does not seem to be aware of the consequences his actions will have on the world of politics. One of the main political players is Yuriy Andropov, chairman of the KGB, and his is far from happy with what the leader of the Catholic Church has decided to do. Therefore he demands immediate action.

At the same time Jack Ryan gets involved into his first field assignment. His mission is to help transport a Russian defector and his family to the United States with the help of the British SIS. The defector has information that might save the life of the daring pope. But Jack is fully prepared for his task and will have to do with all the support he can get.

To be honest, I did not read a Clancy novel before I started on Red Rabbit. But because the cover suggested that this story would describe how Jack Ryan started his life as a hero, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to begin with this novel. I watched and liked the film version of Hunt for the Red October, so I already had some idea of what Tom Clancy’s opus is all about. All this did not help to drown my disappointment while reading Red Rabbit.

The story is quite realistic, although it is clearly written with a feeling of American superiority in mind. As a European I have difficulties understanding this American patriotism, but that would not necessarily hinder me in enjoying a good story. But sadly enough that is exactly what is missing from this book. Tom really was in the mood of making weaving a story strongly hooked into reality, but as you may know reality is not always synonym for exciting. The story drags and drags and although it keeps the promise of a big final alive, it never delivers. Some story arcs just die without any denouement. Where the narrative really shows the craftsmanship of a talented writer, the plotting can’t get me enthusiastic at all. I will have to try one of his earlier works, I guess.

Black Wind by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler

2010-08-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

The fatigue will kill you...

At the end of World War II the Japanese army was prepared to embrace some desperate measures. By creating a revolutionary new strain of a deadly virus they hope to turn the stakes on that dreadful war. Blah, blah. They have one small problem: how to get that evil concoction distributed on American soil? Ah, here is the solution: lets launch it from a submarine. No that won’t work. Maybe we can drop it from an aeroplane that takes off from a submarine? Cool idea, let’s do that. Of course, in the end things turned out a little bit different, because as far as we know there was never a viral attack from our Japanese friends. Really? But jeez, what happened to that deadly virus?

Dark Wind is the first project where father and son Cussler work together. Yeah, this is bound to be a great idea, not? Well, this book is like all the other Cussler-thrillers not really ashamed to be a bit formulaic and naive. So, that is certainly no reason to dislike Dark Wind. For starters, you won't expect to get a John Le Carré-novel when you get a hold of some Cussler-adventure. And secondly, who cares... as long as you get some enjoyment out of it. It's supposed to be just entertainment. Not? Well, that is exactly what is wrong with this novel: it's boring, predictable, stupid, far-fetched, childish... do I need to continue? It reads like it was been written by a 12-old boy. I was under the impression that the son of Clive Cussler was a few years older, but I can be mistaken. I am so annoyed by this dreadful waste of paper that I cannot be bothered to get the right arguments...

Do yourself a favour and throw this book away… far away (as long as you recycle it, this stays cool).

Just After Sunset by Stephen King

2010-06-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

King's best short story collection

Just After Sunset is a collection of short stories: In "Willa" a husband goes looking for his wife after a terrible train wreck; "The Gingerbread Girl" tells the story of how Emily, after losing her daughter, starts to run away from everything. But in the end, you will have to face your foes and stand up to fight; It is only to hope that "Harvey's Dream" doesn't become reality; An authors alias tries to solve a lover's dispute at a "Rest Stop"; Riding on your "Stationary Bike" is good for your health. Or not?; In "The Things They Left Behind" a man gets worried when random objects start to appear in his room; Something drastic happens to Manhattan during "Graduation Afternoon"; "N." is the remarkable account of an extreme case of obsessive–compulsive disorder and a port to another world; "The Cat from Hell" is not so easy to get rid of; In "The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates" Annie gets a call from someone she did not expect; Even a "Mute" hitchhiker can cause some trouble; "Ayana" suddenly shows up at the bedside of a dying man; There is "A Very Tight Place" that you certainly don't want to get stuck in.

If ever Stephen King has to defend himself as Master of Horror, then rest assured that Just After Sunset will be submitted as strong evidence. All 13 stories reach a level that is seldom seen in the genre. They are witty, funny, horrendous and sometimes even nauseatingly gruesome gems of craftsmanship. Don't expect any experiments or completely new insights into the horror short story, just some plain and decent, I tend to even claim classic, examples of how you write a good fright story. While reading them, you just can feel how Stephen King was enjoying himself as he was jamming on his keyboard. And that is a lot of the enjoyment that Just After Sunset has to offer.

Do not hesitate: read this book... but only just after sunset!

Wings by Terry Pratchett

2010-06-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Wings brings the Bromeliad trilogy to a higher level

The task at hand for Masklin is very clear: find the Ship that will get the nomes away from Earth. But it should have been explained with a bit more detail. For starters: where is that Ship located? The Thing says that it is hidden somewhere in space, but that completely ignores that space turns out to be bigger than everything. At least Masklin has found out that there is a way to get into space. It’s to be found in Florida. Now it is only a matter of getting in that big white bird, with the strange name of Concorde. At least that is the start of a plan.

With Wings Terry Pratchett concludes his Bromeliad Trilogy. This book tells the story of Masklin’s quest for The Ship and plays in parallel to the second book Diggers. The story really gets going now. The action is hilarious and the contact with the Humans gives the book an added edge. Not only is this episode funnier that the previous two, but it also has an extra layer of depth. The analogy with the Bromeliad frogs becomes clear and shows us a nice piece of moral fairytale.

Wings clearly brings the trilogy to a higher lever and you can take that literally.

A Widow for One Year by John Irving

2010-06-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

Great beginning, dying at the end

1958. Ruth Cole is four years old. At that age she is unable to grasp what is going on between her parents. Her father, Ted Cole, writes successful children’s book, but has more attention for young mothers and makes it his life’s mission to paint as many of them as possible. What happens after they have posed for Ted is known to everyone in the family except Ruth. Her mother Marion on the other end is very unhappy and lonely. That’s why Ted hires a young student Phillips Exeter Academy named Eddie O’Hare to officially help him with his writing. But actually his assignment implies keeping Marion happy. This is also not very clear to Ruth. She even gets a terrible fit when she discovers Eddie naked on top of Marion and thinks that he was hurting her mother.

A Widow for One Year starts off very promising. The scenes are often funny, sometimes hilarious, but nevertheless throughout the set-up you get a glimpse of the true pain the main characters must be suffering. The general denominator seems to be how different people try to deal with the same kind of loss. In the case of A Widow for One Year it clearly culminates on the loss of your own children. Although the main characters are depicted with all their faults and foolery, the reader slowly starts to understand the humanity behind the craziness. This build-up is where John Irving shows his craftsmanship and truly hints at the better parts of The World According to Garp. But the something strange happens. It seems as though after the first half of the novel the author loses interest. It wallops between tedium and superficially created action. As though fully aware of the slow pace, John Irving inserts crazy twists without a point. There’s even a murder scène that pops-up out of the blue. Also the denouement is completely predictable in the sense that everything slowly flows to the most obvious conclusion.

Whereas it was a joy to start reading this book, it sadly turned out to become a real struggle to finish it. Irving has written much better novels. Only recommendable for Irving-completists, I’m afraid.

Trojan Odyssey by Clive Cussler

2010-03-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

Where plotting went overboard

Dirk Pitt, the until the previous novel Valhalla Rising unknown son of Dirk Pitt, is diving together with his sister Summer Pitt to find the source of a brownish contamination in the ocean's waters, when they stumble upon a strange historical artefact. At the same moment the father is trying to rescue a gigantic maritime hotel from total devastation due to a enormous hurricane. Little do they know that this is only the beginning of revealing a plot so devious that the whole world will suffer from its consequences?

To say that the Trojan Odyssey has an unbelievable plot is like stating that water is wet. If this book was a parody on some of the most crazy James Bond stories, then it would indeed be an excellent book. But, unfortunately it is not. Although the story arc about Homer's Odyssey is very entertaining and quite informative, the main storyline can only be catalogued as completely absurd. If only ten percent would be true, it would mean that the whole world has gone mad. It can always be that this preposterous plotting is to the liking of the fans, but only a hint of realism would be nice to keep the interest of the average reader.

Unless you really want to know how silly things can get, skip this book and pick up one of Clive Cussler’s earlier works.

Poirot’s Early Cases by Agatha Christie

2010-03-01T12:00:00.001-08:00

A great collection

In The Veiled Lady Poirot is a bit bored with the lack of interesting cases that comes his way when a mysterious lady rings his doorbell. This adventure transforms our hero into a burglar and delivers a reasonable, although a bit farfetched conclusion to an amusing mystery.

Nothing is what it seems in The Lost Mine, where Poirot gets involved in solving the mysterious dissapearance of the Chinese businessman Wu Ling. It’s quite amusing when Poirot visits the opium den, but I never got the clue as to why that would lead to the solution to the mystery.

The Chocolate Box is a nice little example of a fair detective story. It gives the reader enough clues as to the nature of the crime, so when the denouement follows it should be no surprise to the avid detective fan. Simple but effective.

The Art of Discworld by Terry Pratchett and Paul Kidby

2010-02-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

A must have for Discworld fans

You know that feeling of browsing through old holiday snapshots? That melancholic feeling of those great times of the past. Those little moments that are still carved into your brain, hopefully never to erode away. Well, that is exactly the sentiment you experience when browsing through the Art of Discworld. That is, if you are one of those many people who have read quite a few of the Discworld novels. Have you never read one of those? What are you waiting for? Skip the Art of Discworld (for now) and start reading the books!

Paul Kidby is arguably the best artist to ever try envision the wonderful world and characters of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. The incredible amount of details he puts in the drawings make you want to study them again and again, each time discovering new aspects. The most noteworthy pieces are the depictions of the Great A’Tuin, Death, The-ook-ook-Librarian and of course Nanny Ogg’s cat Greebo.

Accompanying the excellent reproductions are the comments of the big chief Pratchett himself and to a lesser amount Paul Kidby’s remarks. Terry Pratchett reveals some of the creative processes behind the conception of many of the beloved characters.

Diggers by Terry Pratchett

2010-02-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

The in-between book

Now that Masklin and Torrit have left to explore the place where those big metal things take off into the air, Grimma has to fend for herself. That is, she has to take care of the nomes that have taken shelter at the quarry. But they are not alone. A very insistent human being is trying to invade their place. Grimma has to be creative to keep that pesky big annoyances away, but is afraid that they ultimately will have to flee to The Cottage. Luckily Dorcas, the techno geek of the nomes, has a secret weapon at hand: Big John.

Diggers is the second part of the Bromeliad trilogy, an adventurous fable about gnomes that want to return to their original homestead, intended for a younger audience. But the weak point of many trilogies also applies here: the second episode is a bit lost in between. The setting has been neatly composed in the first book and the finale has to wait until the next book. So, narratively it isn’t a great novel, but it still is a good read. It’s always nice to look at our world from the perspective of a little gnome. The best part is that it nicely introduces the final volume Wings, which as I type this is lying next to me. I can’t wait to start reading.

Aunts Aren't Gentlemen by P.G. Wodehouse

2010-02-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

Breaking the boundaries of silliness

One morning Bertie Wooster wakes up to find himself covered with pink spots. His valet Jeeves advices him to go immediately to a doctor. Not being a person that ignores good advice Bertie catches a cab and gets on his way to Doctor E. Jimpson Murgatroyd. Suddenly his car gets invaded by the notorious Orlo Porter. Luckily Porter does not immediately recognise Bertie, because if he would, the day would not turn out that well. When his doctor advises Bertie to take a break and leave for the countryside, an adventure starts where Porter and an illustrious cat will play a major role.

P.G. Wodehouse is known for his bizarre characters that are put in crazy situations. Aunts Aren’t Gentlemen is certainly no exception to this. This book is the last one where Bertie Wooster and his faithful valet Jeeves play the main parts. Although the story itself almost breaks the boundaries of acceptable silliness, it gives cause to some quite entertaining confrontations. Of course Bertie gets tricked into doing things he was not intending on doing, but always seems able to make the best of it. Jeeves’ actions are not that pronounced this time, although his few interventions are hilarious. And if you ever want to know why cats can make you win horse races, then this is the book to read.

Koko by Peter Straub

2010-02-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

The devastation of war

Not all memories from their time in Vietnam are fully understood by the four war veterans who gather for a reunion held at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. Michael Poole invited Tina Pumo, Conor Linklater and Harry Beevers to join him and share stories of the time they battled in the same platoon. But that’s not all they will talk about. The Stars and Stripes magazine recently ran an article on a series of ritualistic murders in the Far East. All of the victims had their eyes and one ear removed, but more significantly: a special playing card was slipped in their mouth. On the card each time one word was written: KOKO. This name has haunted the four veterans since they left Vietnam and is now going to completely change their lives once more.

Whereas the bibliography of Peter Straub mainly consists of supernatural thrillers, Koko is one of his most ambitious diversions from the genre. It not only reads like a great psychological thriller, it also creates a atmosphere that draws the reader very effectively into a grim and depressing post-war trauma. It sounds amazing that Peter Staub himself is not a war veteran, because it really reads like he has been there and experienced all that crazy shit that happened during this bizarre war. The pacing of the novel is a bit uneven where you have to endure some really big and thought heavy chapters to reach just a few suspense filled pages. In a way the story is not the main driver of Koko, it is the slow, creepy ghost of the devastation that jumps you at the gullet. Maybe in that respect it still is a supernatural thriller.

Valhalla Rising by Clive Cussler

2010-02-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

Action-adventure rules…

When Dirk Pitt, aboard the NUMA research vessel, notices the large cruise ship Golden Dolphin on the horizon, a dark plume of smoke catches his attention. Due to a strange fire the maiden voyage of this immense pleasure ship was cut short. The ship features a high-tech propulsion system, developed by Dr. Egan, that would change the complete naval industry. When Dirk arrives at the site he manages to rescue many people form drowning, including Kelly Egan, the daughter of the engineer. She carries a leather briefcase with a content that hides more secrets than one could ever imagine.

Although Valhalla Rising means the return of Clive Cussler’s superhero for his 16th adventure, it was the first time I read about this amazing character. Of course, I clearly missed out on some character development found in the previous novels, but I still got a good notion about what kind of super intelligent, deeply honest and charming person this Dirk Pitt really is. No-one will be able to argue that the Valhalla Rising lacks action and momentum. Truly, I believe that if the book would contain one ounce more action, it would spontaneously combust. This action-packed, high-octane drive comprising of a list of narrow escapes hurts the authenticity of the novel quite a lot. The premise that links to Viking warriors and Jules Vernes’ novels becomes a bit too far-fetched. But then again this will likely be absolutely no concern to the action-adventure oriented audience.

Disclosure by Michael Crichton

2010-01-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

Interesting premise drives decent thriller

High-tech company executive Tom Sanders has it all made. Today he is on his way to his office at DigiCom where it is certain to be promoted to division leader. There are some minor set-backs on a production line that he leads, but nothing he cannot handle. But all is not well. When he enters the building he notices his ex-girlfriend Meredith Johnson talking to the big company chief. What’s happening? Is the upcoming merger going to reshuffle the complete organisational structure? When he gets called for a one-to-one meeting with Meredith Tom’s career is about to be completely blown away.

Disclosure builds on the fairly interesting premise of the danger associated with a growing trend of sexual harassment cases on the work floor. Is this a legal tool only reserved for female employees only or can males also be sexually intimidated? Crichton spins a story that is slow at getting up to speed, but once its setting is clear it delivers on many fronts. One of the more powerful aspects of the story is the duality that is been kept alive throughout the story. It is never a clear cut case and most of the time it bathes in moral ambiguity. The only minor drawback to this set-up is that, following the typical formula of any decent thriller novel, the story begs for a factual resolution and Crichton made sure that this was also the case for this novel. Although the resolution might not be fully in line with the build-up of the story, it still maintains a certain level of authenticity many readers will be able to appreciate.

Truckers by Terry Pratchett

2009-12-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

A must-read, action-packed and hilarious fairy-tale

Now it has taken long enough. Masklin, a four-inch-tall nome, has enough of dragging big rats and other garbage to his home. Not that he doesn’t like doing these chores. It’s just that he’s the only one left performing them. Apart from Grimma, a young female nome, and a few older folks all others have died or disappeared. It’s time to go on a quest for other tribes. But the big question is: how will they travel. Luckily they are living close by a truckers rest stop, so hitchhiking should not be a big problem. Then Masklin discovers that there are other worlds out there…

Terry Pratchett, mostly known for his Discworld series, does not always write stories about flat worlds. Sometimes he diverts and creates some little treasures of humorous fairytales without linking them to his bestselling series. The Bromeliad Trilogy is one of those excellent, but lesser known stories. It all starts with Truckers, the first book of the trilogy. Again Pratchett shows how fluently he creates fantastic characters that will be remembered and sets scenes for some wonderful adventures. Although not as full of jokes as is typical for the Discworld series, the dosage of humor versus action is much more balanced. For me is was actually the first time that I needed to continue reading, not because of the jokes, but because of the action-packed narrative. I can’t wait to start reading Diggers, the second book of this trilogy.

Others by James Herbert

2009-12-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

Mediocre due to being too formulaic

Nicholas Dismas is a Private Investigator. When in pure Raymond Chandler style the beautiful Mrs. Ripstone enters his bleak office, it quickly becomes clear that his next case is not going to be an easy one. Years after giving birth she wants to find out what happened to her baby. At the time the doctor told her that her son died at birth, but she never got the opportunity of saying farewell to the remains. After visiting a clairvoyant she is convinced that her boy is still alive and calls Dimas to help her locate him. At first Dimas is not convinced that he will find anything. Then he discovers a link that leads him even to his own nightmares.

James Herbert is a very competent genre author and that really shows in Others. The build-up to climax is well written and keeps true the momentum of the story. The vivid descriptions are sometimes even worth a reread, just to engulf yourself more into the bizarre environment that the author has created. Sadly enough, although the craftsmanship clearly shows, it is also quickly evident that the story is rather formulaic. You do not have to be a thoroughbred reader to be capable of anticipating what is about to come. The climax becomes laughable because it is so easy to predict the next hurdle that our hero will need to take (who’s left in the house?). Luckily James Herbert succeeds is adding a good pay-off to the end. This certainly reduces the damage, but might not be enough to save the story.

Cell by Stephen King

2009-11-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

Disappointing 'not-a-zombie'-novel

The future is looking bright for Clayton Riddell, an artist from Maine. He has just signed his first comic book deal and is heading home to celebrate with his spouse and son. He even bought a very expensive present for the wife. But then suddenly everything changes. Total havoc turns the streets into a living nightmare. People start to fight with each other to the death. Drivers crash into cars killing everybody that stands in their way. The cause: a mysterious pulse transmitted through cell phones. Clayton’s only luck is that he does not own such a lethal device.

Stephen King finally writing a real zombie-novel? Whoa, that must be great! I immediately hoped that it would turn out to be like an old-fashioned horror-novel that, without restraints, returns to the roots of the genre with some inimitable King-touches as an added bonuses. But to my disappointment King decided to create yet another “totally different” view on the zombie-genre. Indeed, it is quite new and innovative in many ways, but not always the right ones. For example, what would a zombie-novel (yeah, I know they are called phoners, but who cares…), without a devastating battle between the survivors and their brain dead adversaries? Where’s the blood? Where’s the gore? Why would King think that readers are interested in a group of people constantly talking about probable causes to their -I suppose- life-threatening situation? To be honest the whole situation does not look like much fuss, because there are easy ways to survive without getting in touch with the phoners. In the end it turns out that Cell is an tuned-down version of the Richard Matheson’s masterpiece I Am Legend without any denouement. If you’re not a Stephen King completist –like me- you should skip this disappointing novel and read I Am Legend (not the movie) if you haven’t done already.

The Sigma Protocol by Robert Ludlum

2009-09-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Such a shame...

While on vacation in Switzerland Ben Hartman, an American investment banker, suddenly stands face to face with his old school friend Jimmy Cavanaugh. They have hardly said hello when without any warning Jimmy pulls a gun on Ben. Thanks to his quick reflexes Ben manages to deflect the assault and kill his attacker. In the meantime, United States Department of Justice Agent Anna Navarro is on the trail of a series of seemingly unrelated deaths. When Anna and Ben’s paths cross, they start to unravel a plot that has already influenced the face of our planet gravely and only promises to widen its influence even more. One thing is clear: Jimmy’s death was not the last…

The Sigma Protocol was published a few months after the death of its author Robert Ludlum in 2001. After struggling through this dome of a novel, one cannot avoid to wonder if publishing this work was a good idea. All the Ludlum trademarks are obviously present: fast plot, many twists, an enormous list of kills and a mega explosive finale. But… maybe The Sigma Protocol has too much of the stuff. It become too much formula and not enough inventiveness. After a while it starts read like some sermons: run, almost getting killed, alley killed instead, run, find other alley, almost getting killed, alley dead, run and so on. A good editor would have cut the size of the novel into half and made it an exciting story. Now we remain with something that drags and drags. This should never have been allowed to be Ludlum’s last…

Classics of the Supernatural

2009-07-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Not really what it promises

The problem with creating a horror anthology is finding a common denominator for the stories collected. Just ghost stories was clearly a theme too broad for editor Peter Haining, so he narrowed it down to ghost stories that were made into film. At least that is what he claims in his introduction. But you get seriously disappointed when it becomes clear that it collects stories by authors who have written stories that were made at one point into a celluloid version. A neat marketing trick? Sadly enough, the average story included is not that remarkable. Only a few exceptions like Casting the Runes by M.R. James and Lucy Comes To Stay by Robert Bloch.

De vierde gestalte by Pieter Aspe

2009-07-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Een intrigerend en complex plot

Trui Andries, een kalligrafe uit Brugge, wordt dood aangetroffen in een sloot voor haar appartement. Al gauw blijkt dat ze niet verdronken is maar vergiftigd. Wanneer commissaris Pieter Van In zich met de zaak gaat bezighouden blijkt dat Trui gekoppeld was met een satanische beweging. Het duurt niet lang voor er een volgende dode valt. Van In beseft dat hij voor een puzzel staat die niet eenvoudig op te lossen is.

Het is nu ondertussen al wel duidelijk dat de schrijfstijl van Pieter Aspe erg knullig aanvoelt met de bij de haren getrokken vergelijkingen en sullige karakterbeschrijvingen. Je leest Aspe dan ook niet om de literaire kwaliteiten. Het leuke aan zijn boeken is vooral de plot. Niet altijd even realistisch of even doordacht, maar steeds intrigerend genoeg om de lezer geboeid te houden spint Aspe zijn verhaal met een jongensachtig enthousiasme. In De vierde gestalte is dit niet anders. Bij momenten mag je alleen maar hopen dat de echte politie geen voorbeeld neemt aan de onorthodoxe praktijken van de commissaris, maar dat is nu juist het leuke aan het karakter van Pieter Van In. Als extra biedt de relatie met zijn zwangere Hannelore nu ook een verhaallijn dat in tegenstelling tot zijn vorige boeken wel te pruimen valt.

Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett

2009-07-04T01:26:00.000-07:00

When you have some time to kill...

Of course, it is only a clock, a machine devised with the sole purpose of telling time. Yes, it is an accurate clock. An extremely accurate clock to say the least. But why would it do any harm. It wouldn't be stopping time, would it? No way. Or it must be that it's located on the Discworld, a place where time is slow to wake-up and has some strange habit disappearing when needed the most. When Jeremy, an excellent craftsman although quite a bit estranged from realty, decides to make the perfect clock, he is doing more than just killing time... a lot more.

Where does he keep getting those great ideas? This time Terry Pratchett takes his readers on a trip through the quantum space of time. Although many characters excel in doing a great return performance -like the pieced-together Igor and Death with his entire family- it are the new players that steal the show. Lu Tze and his apprentice Lobsang Ludd show us how much fun you can have with keeping it humble. No wonder they resonate so well with things that will make you think about Buddhism. But certainly the most hilarious newcomer must me Ronnie, or previously known as the fifth Horsemen of the Apocalypse. But do not bother him too much, because he has to finish his milk round before his customers get annoyed.

The Thief of Time is again an excellent showcase of the talented and versatile Terry Pratchett. A must read for anyone with some time to kill.

Lisey's Story by Stephen King

2009-06-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Not the best of King's bibliography...

Lisey Debusher Landon has lost her husband Scott. He was a famous writer and Lisey lived a quite life in his shadow. Never did she complain when she had to travel along on those numerous literary tours because she always enjoyed the deep love they felt for each other. Two years ago Scott suddenly died and Lisey's life came to a sudden standstill. Now it is finally time to clean out his office and make sure that the unpublished work of her husband is getting in the right hands. But that seems not as easy as it looks. When she gets some threatening calls she realizes that is all becomes too serious. At the same time history catches up with her and it becomes clear that her dearest Scott possessed powers that will make normal people insane.

As a big Stephen King fan this novel was a really tough nut to crack. For starters it is quite a heavy piece of writing. With more than 500 pages it is simply too long. Certainly if you see what is actually occurring in the book. Notwithstanding some quite horrific scenes the main part is a lot of romantic and feely-touchy rambling. On top of that King uses a plethora of silly, non-existing and most of the time meaningless words, as such that the joy of reading quickly disappears completely. For the romantic souls it all might be interesting and enjoyable, but then again the horrific stuff might not be their cup of tea. Whereas for a horror fan it will certainly turn out to be a bit too lame. I can believe that King intended this novel as a tribute to all writers and their symbolic lake of inspiration, but for me it never reached the impact that On Writing, his non-fiction tribute to the art of writing, has brought over me.

It really hurts me to say this, but Lisey's Story will not be a book that I will reread very soon.

Fort Europa door Tom Lanoye

2009-04-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

De toekomst ligt niet in Europa

In Fort Europa treden zeven figuren op het toneel, ieder met hun eigen verhaal en argumentatie: een ondernemer die het kapitalisme verdedigt, een Belg die zijn volk typeert, een jood op zoek naar de waarheid, een stamcelbiologe met een missie om de Europeaan te verbeteren en drie oude hoeren die plannen maken. Zij worden afgewisseld door dialogen tussen anonieme personen die zich onder andere afvragen wat zij het meest zouden missen aan Europa. Maar een ding is zeker: er moet iets gebeuren, want de toekomst ligt niet hier. Maar waar dan wel?

Tom Lanoye schreef de theatervoorstelling Fort Europa, Hooglied van versplintering in opdracht van ZT Hollandia. Met deze voorstelling probeert hij een antwoord te vinden op de vraag hoe het zover is kunnen komen met het Europa van vandaag en hoe het nu verder moet. Zijn betoog is verre van een hulde aan de instelling, maar eerder een synthese van de illusies die zich achter Europa schuilhouden. Soms pathetisch, vaak haarscherp brengt hij zijn betoog via een groep mensen die allen op een kantelpunt in hun leven staan. De conclusie laat hij aan de lezer, maar niet zonder duidelijk te maken dat het tijd voor actie is. Fort Europa nodigt ons uit om buiten onze wereld te treden en de toekomst op te zoeken.

Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk

2009-04-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

An engrossing masterpiece

When 17 would-be writers answer the invitation of Mr. Whittier to travel to a secluded place and stay there for three months in order to write their masterpiece, they have no clue of what kind of strange experience this retreat will result in. This writer's workshop is inspired on what happened when Lord Byron, Mary Shelley and others had similar experiences at the Villa Diodati by Lake Geneva in Switzerland in the nineteenth century, resulting in the creation of the story of Frankenstein and ultimately also Dracula. During their three months of seclusion all participants relate strange and sometimes horrific stories that reveal their deepest and darkest secrets, but more importantly they create in the meantime their own myth that will bring them their much desired piece of fame. At least that is what they all hope will happen.

Haunted is quite a remarkable book and that can be taken as a serious understatement. It is actually a collection of 23 short stories, according the author all loosely based on real events, woven together by the story of a writer's workshop that goes horribly wrong. The stories cover a wide spectrum, but are all showcases of some weird escapade that is sometimes shocking, funny or simply gross. By far the most engrossing story is Guts. It explains how a guy is finding some erotic relief in his own outdoor swimming pool by using the suction power of the water intake. Of course this goes not as planned and has some life threatening consequences. In less capable hands this would turn into a funny anecdote, but in the hands of Chuck Palahniuk this becomes a masterpiece of nauseating and perverse fiction. While reading this 9-page story I really had to take a break because I was indeed beginning to feel a little bit queasy, something that almost never happens to me. I loved it. Clearly not intended for the feeble hearted reader, but for those who can stomach this kind of visual prose Haunted may turn out to be a masterpiece indeed.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

2009-01-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

A simply wonderful world

The four Pevensie orphans Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are evacuated to the enormous country house of Professor Kirke. When Lucy, during a game of hide and seek, finds a big wardrobe in an empty room, she decides to use it as her hiding place. To her big surprise she notices behind the fur coats at the back of the closet a spot of white snow. The world behind the wardrobe turns out to be the wonderfully strange world of Narnia. At first her friends do not believe what she has discovered, but it won't take long before the others are face to face with the faun, Mr. Tumnus, the lion Aslan and the evil White Witch.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a real treat for anyone who likes simple, but not less exciting fantasy. The power behind this book is that it brings the story without too much need to moralize. There is certainly some moral lesson behind what is happening, certainly when considering the actions of Edmund, but it never reaches the level of the Victorian Alice in Wonderland or the Wizard of Oz. Of course this book dates from the 50's and is written in an era that differs much from Victorian times, still it strongly reverbs the explorative nature of those times. The colorful characters are brought to life in a dreamlike setting that is bursting of opportunities for the six sequels that will follow this book. The humor is omnipresent, but certainly is at its best when the narrator intervenes with his commentary. Again a wink to Victorian novels. If you want to be engulfed in a wonderful and not too complex world, then The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a good start.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

2009-01-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

Remarkable, but not touching a nerve.

Lolita is the story about the forbidden love of an older man for a thirteen year old girl. The main character Humbert Humbert is obsessed with young girls he refers to as nymphets, or sexually attractive girls between the age of nine and thirteen. The whole history is narrated as a confession to the jury of his trial and gradually builds towards the main reason for his downfall. Although Humbert himself clearly evolves during his narrative, the person that changes the most is the little girl, Dolores Haze. She grows from a victim towards a woman who clearly has full control over her young life. The damage that Humbert causing is killing the girl in many cruel ways, but Humbert is completely ignorant and blinded by his uncontrollable obsession.

Although Lolita is far from an endorsement of paedophilia, it is also not the dramatic and tragic eye-opener to the problem. Nowhere in the book do you get the feeling that it is a realistic view on the problem. The character of Humbert is, apart from a rather spineless nitwit, also very unconvincing in motivating his actions or even his forbidden urge. It feels as if he actually is a scientist analysing his own behaviour, without any personal involvement. Although the actions that he takes are in fact extremely cruel to the subject of his desires, it never really gets the reader involved or touched. The strongest feeling that comes out of the book is cynicism. The view on American society that Nabokov depicts is much more interesting than the story of Humberts love for nymphets. The tragicomedy is strongest when Humbert gets into a mode of paranoia and deconstruction. At that point the character evaluates his own morality and comes to a conclusion that is a rather powerful denouement to a not evenly as strong character study. Lolita is a novel that has it's merit, but fails to really touch a nerve.

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

1999-07-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Introducing the best witch of them all

On the Discworld legend goes that the eighth son of an eighth son is destined to become a wizard. That is why, a few moments before he has an appointment with Death, the wizard Drum Billet is on his way to the village of Bad Ass. Indeed, the wife of Gordo Smith is about to give birth to their eight heir. Drum Billet has to hurry, because he hasn’t got that much time to give his staff to the newborn baby. But he is about to make a big mistake. And it’s up to Granny Weatherwax to get it fixed.

Although the story of Equal Rites is not that special, the book is a milestone in the Discworld saga because it introduces one of its most beloved characters: Granny Weatherwax. The funniest parts of the book are also related to her: for example her memorable out-of-body experience and her experiments with getting control of a flying broomstick. You cannot but fall in love with that character. Ah, and she will become so much more interesting when joined with Nanny Ogg, but for that you will have to until the sixth Discworld novel Wyrd Sisters.

The equality theme is rather conspicuously interwoven in the novel, but Terry Pratchett never reaches that level of shrewdness we are so accustomed to. Actually this topic never gets deeper than the wizards proclaiming that "women are not allowed in the Unseen University". In my opinion this is certainly a missed opportunity.

Nevertheless Equal Rites is a good read and certainly a must read for every fan of the Discworld.

Sourcery by Terry Pratchett

1996-04-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Decent but not original

The wizards of didn’t know what was started when they banished Ipslore the Red from Unseen University. Because Ipslore fell in love, he was not allowed anymore to enter the university as the risk of creating a dreaded sourcerer became too high. Indeed, when the eighth son of an eighth son, commonly known as a wizard, gets an eight son, that descendant will automatically be a sourcerer. And no one wants that, no way? Sadly for the wizards, that is exactly what Ipslore had in mind as revenge. He would nurture his eighth son and let him become Archchancellor of Unseen University. He succeeds in his plan, apart from one small detail: Iplsore dies. His son Coin will have to fend for himself. Which he does. With a vengeance.

With Sourcery Terry Pratchett has delivered a decent and fun episode of the Discworld series. This time the focus lies on the Unseen University and one of the all-time favourite characters Rincewind. Our anti-hero is accompanied by a colourful ensemble: the Luggage, the Librarian, Nijel the Destroyer and Conina the Hairdresser, daughter of Cohen the Barbarian. The plot is rather standard for a Discworld novel and the humor is more subdued than the more exuberant stories have showcased. Not to say that it lacks originality, but it certainly does not excel in it. Nevertheless, it still succeeds in tickling the funny bone and is a must read for the fans of the wizard-series.

Mort by Terry Pratchett

1995-12-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

Does it get any crazier?

Mort, the child of a farmer, did not really show any aspiration to follow in the footsteps of his father. His problem was not that he didn’t have the will, but more that he kept thinking too long before doing anything. Giving up all hope to ever achieve anything useful, his father sent him to a local hiring fair in the hope to land him an apprenticeship. But even that did almost turn out to be a disaster. Almost. Luckily just before the market was about to close, a rather peculiar entity showed up and addressed him in CAPITALS. To the other people this person looked like an undertaker, but Mort saw right through it... literally.

This fourth book of the popular Discworld series was elected as one of the most beloved books in the BBC's 2003 Big Read contest. And that is arguably due to the character of Dead. It’s the first of the Death series, although Death himself already appeared briefly in the previous books, and elaborates on the fantastic world of Death also known as Death’s Domain. It also introduces some strange concepts like the ‘reannual plants’, plants you have to sow one year after you harvest them. It’s these kind of crazy idea’s that make Mort such a wonderful gem of a book. Nevertheless, the actual story tends to get pushed a bit to the background, which sometimes leads to a quite difficult to comprehend story arc. Luckily the denouement gets first price in shedding some light on this chaotic story. At least that is what I thought... or maybe it was not and I got completely transcendental too. Who’s talking there in capitals?

Cabal by Clive Barker

1993-02-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

Part one of a never to be completed trilogy

Boone is fully aware that something is seriously wrong with his mental health. Because his memory seems to be full of holes, he decides to consult a psychiatrist named Decker. It does not take long for Decker to link Boone to the brutal mutilation murders of eleven people, murders that recently have terrorized the city of Calgary, Canada. Shocked by this dreadful news, Boone decides to flee. He awakes in de middle of a horrific murder scene and sees only one way out: suicide. But then he hears of the mythical place of Midian, a sanctuary to the monsters of this world. He actually does not have to go look for it, because in a way it has already found him. Although he is not yet aware it, Midian will offer him a very important role.

Cabal is one of Clive Barker’s early novella’s and is distinctive for its rather straightforward plotting. Compared to the story of Imajica, Cabal can even be called ‘simple’. But that simplicity does not compromises its narrative power. To the contrary: it is very powerful in luring the reader into a fantastic world. It does very well compare to The Damnation Game for its rawness and impact. Although Cabal offers an extremely enjoyable and horrific ride, it somewhat leaves the reader with a feeling of dissatisfaction. Indeed, it reads as part one of a trilogy. A trilogy that was never completed. It introduces a very interesting mythology and puts everything in readiness for the big story… but sadly that still needs to be written.

Cabal was made into a quite enjoyable movie adaptation Night Breed and did start a comic book series with that same title.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

1993-01-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

The vampire novel!

Actually Dracula does not need a lot of explanation. Everybody must have experienced at least once the myth of Count Dracula in any form: film, television or book. No character has ever ignited so much imagination than the Chief Vampire of Transylvania. It is absolutely no surprise that this book is still read by thousands of people worldwide.

The narrative unfolds itself by combining letters, newspaper clippings, journal entries and even phonograph records. This certainly adds to the mysterious atmosphere that dominates the first half of the book, but turns a bit against the story when the action really starts. Simply by reading a letter written by Miss Mina Murray, you are already informed that Mina will survive the struggle described by her. Technically this method also puts extra constraints on the author. Knowing this, it is fun to see how many tricks Stoker needed to keep the flow of letters going. At one point in the story he has to send Doctor Van Helsing back home, just so he can respond with a letter. Of course, it would have been quite silly to have two people writing each other letters while they are living in the same house.

The story itself is very powerful, but to modern readers it is often perceived as being dense and overcrowded with details. This is typical to Victorian novels, in which the women are always tender and caring and the men brave and intelligent. It seems that these conclusions have to be underlined on every page of the book. Still Bram Stoker succeeds in winning the attention of the reader by supplying an unprecedented richness to the story. The plot is filled with unexpected twists, remarkable action sequences and rather eerie -sometimes almost erotic- confrontations with evil entities. No situation is left unused to heighten the mystery. Even for the spoiled modern reader, some lugubrious scenes can still be experienced as hair-raising; a treat that most modern novels can't claim so easily.

Keeping in mind that this is a typical Victorian extravaganza and that the story suffers a bit under its form, one can but only admit that Dracula must be 'the' classic vampire novel. Although there is a lot of 'derived' work on the market, no one can truly claim to know the legend of Dracula without having read Bram Stoker's novel.

The Damnation Game by Clive Barker

1992-09-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

Pure raw horror

Marty Strauss, a gambling addict, has just been released from prison when he gets hired as a personal bodyguard of Joseph Whitehead, one of the richest men on earth. What first seems as a common security assignment, quickly turns out to be much more dangerous. Joseph has some debt that he needs to repay and it is not to some earthly power. When the mansion gets invaded by a devilish man named Mamoulian, it becomes clear that a simple gun won’t help against his powers.

The Damnation Game is the first novel by Clive Barker, directly written after he published his first trilogy of highly renowned Books of Blood. Although it is actually his debut, all the strong characteristics of his later works can be found in this Faustian story. Clive tackles subjects like incest, self-mutilation and cannibalism with a unseen rawness that makes the shivers run down your spine. Certainly the scene where Mamoulian first shows up at the mansion is horrendously detailed in its gruesomeness. If I only think about the description of the severed finger, I get the creeps. At first reading it might seem that the story is not very original, but that seems hardly an issue. The power of The Damnation Game lies mostly in its depiction of the deterioration of oneself due to the destructive power of an addiction.

To call this book a masterpiece might be going a bridge too far, but at least it great literature. But be warned: if you’re looking for a feel-good story, go search somewhere else!

Christine by Stephen King

1992-06-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Carmageddon avant la lettre

Loosely based upon a short story he wrote earlier, Stephen King created in 1983 with Christine one of the scariest and notorious entities of his numerous books. Randall Flag, Annie Wilkes and Penny Wise the Clown have found their best means of transportation: Christine.

The pimplish Arnie Cunningham is a basic loser, the sort of which every high school has to have at least two. So, it is not surprising that he becomes the joke of the century when he buys a car more fitted for the scrap-yard than for the road. It - or better 'she' - even got a name: Christine. But the car is more than Arnie ever bargained for. She's not only a rusted '58 Plymouth Fury but also a vicious, jealous creature that ruthlessly takes what it wants and kills everyone that tries to hinder her or her beloved Arnie. The only hope of salvation for Arnie is Leigh Cabot - the other girl. But in a love triangle, it is said, one person is always unwelcome.

I am convinced that no-one can ever again write a story about a possessed car without getting compared to this masterpiece of horror. What Poe did with ravens, King does with cars: he makes them diabolic to the extreme. The way King succeeds in bringing an inanimate thing to live and still keep it believable is hard to equal. The evilness that radiates from Christine is certainly heightened by the person of George Le Bay, who like some other memorable characters of King starts to develop a suspiciously close resemblance to Mr. Satan himself. Undoubtedly, this masterly crafted story is one of the mile stones of horror, but there is also another more tender side to this book. Not often King succeeds in writing down a more convincing love story than in Christine. The debt of the characterisation is so strong that the reader cannot but relive the power of juvenile love while reading the chapters where Dennis starts to fall in love with Leigh. This makes the story more human, but at the same time more gruesome. This strong point is also very clear in John Carpenter adaptation for the cinema. A film that showed in the theatres the same year as the book was first published.

Simply a must read for everyone who's in for a few goose bumps that are hard to get rid of.

Trivia: Stephen King mentions in the book that the car had 4 doors, but there never was a 4-door 1958 Plymouth Fury. The only model available was a 2-door.

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

1991-03-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

Lazarus, come forth!

Dr Louis Creed is uneasy as he drives his family, wife Rachel, children Eileen and Gage, and cat to their new home, a rambling white-frame house on the outskirts of Ludlow, New England. The children are tearful, Rachel is short-tempered. But the place is just perfect and the family meets Jud Crandall, an old and wily neighbour. He takes them exploring and shows them the Pet Sematary, where local children have buried their pets for generations. Only Eileen is slightly disgruntled. After all, her beloved cat is going to live for ever...

This horror story is so well-written that it simply must be classified as a 'Classic'. It has a bone-chilling suspense, very convincing characters with 'real' emotions and a plot-line that cannot disappoint. Although the decisions Louis Creed takes are quite unconventional, Stephen King still succeeds in letting them seem quite the natural to do. Even while reading this book I was constantly wondering: "What should I do if confronted with such a situation?", and I guess that's a really good sign.

But there is much more. This book has a depth that reaches far beyond the average horror story. Like the author himself has confessed it showed him levels of blackness that he had "no desire to re-visit". And I could not agree more. The main theme is clearly "death", or to use the words of Zelda, the sister of Rachel: "Oz the Gweat and Tewwible". But Stephen approaches this theme in such a personal way that the reader is bound the get a bit uncomfortable. It sneakily whispers into your ears that death might actually not be as far in the future as you like to believe. This makes this book ever creepier. So, be prepared to be thrilled in more than one way.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

1988-06-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

A detective masterpiece

Off the coast of Devon lies an island clouded in mystery. It carries the name of Indian Island because its form resembles an Indian. The silence surrounding the mansion is suddenly disturbed when eight guests arrive. Both Thomas and Ethel Rogers, the butler and the cook, are awaiting the guests. But they already have a problem. Their host hasn't arrived yet. And even stranger: there's a framed copy of the nursery rhyme "Ten Little Indians" hanging on the wall. They decide to go ahead with dinner in absence of their host. But when suddenly a gramophone record starts to play, it becomes clear that it is dangerous to trust anyone on this forsaken island.

And Then There Were None is arguably one of the best works by Agatha Christie. Originally published in 1939 under the title Ten Little Niggers, it still hasn't lost a single bit of its attractive power. The basic idea is as simple as it gets, but the denouement is simply a showcase of the inventiveness that is so characteristic of the English author. I have read this novel now for the third time and still I discover new aspects that show the ingenuity of the plot. Never will the reader feel unfairly treated, although it requires a very astute sleuth to predict the outcome at a first reading. The characters are quite stereotypical, but that cannot be avoided if you require that the reader keeps track of ten possible suspects and as such is easily forgiven.

And Then There Were None is simply a must read for anyone with a liking for a good detective novel.