Saturday May 30, 2015
Books in May
- The Woman Who Died a Lot by Jasper Fforde
It's a very long time since I read my last Thursday Next novel*, by which time I was becoming tired of them. However this one seems substantially better - or I have left a long enough gap to become re-interested.
The plot is complex and entertaining (as usual) all the way through - and well worth reading. If I have any comment - apart from "haha that was hilarious" - I do feel that the ends of the books can lack the high qualities of the rest of the story. There's nothing actually wrong with the endings - they are usually happy and well-rounded - just that with this type of book I think his style is cramped by having to provide such an end, even though I am glad he does - I hate unresolved endings.
*I am guessing this may have been Something Rotten and I skipped a few books before this one. - The Bones Beneath by Mark Billingham
Great book as usual.
For me personally there was a "but". I did not really enjoy the Shakespearian-like tragedy of the story. You just knew.... everyone's fate was inevitable from the opening paragraph.
I suppose every Holmes needs his Moriarty, and for some reason every detective needs to be flawed. However I have never been able to empathise much with Thorne and his flaws - he seems a bit like Noddy - destined to carry on making mistakes and not learning.
Mark puts a lot of emphasis on the location used for this book (and maybe I do not like Thorne out of London) - he suggests in the author's notes and throughout the book how excellent it would be for a holiday; but having read this book I would not be so keen on a visit - despite the obvious beauty and peace of the place (and the events described are of course fictional).
[I took this in bookBook format to read on holiday - and I must say I missed the sound of Mark reading his own work...]
- Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel [read by Simon
Vance]
I saw the TV adaptation of Mantels first two novels - and it was excellent. So excellent that listening to this second book almost seemed superfluous - all the characters came to me as depicted. Of course there is a lot more detail, and I did note that (unlike the TV drama) we are prepared somewhat for the third novel and what we know to be Cromwell's ultimate fate. - The Lost Prophecies by the Medieval Murderers [read
by Paul Matthews]
Another collection of short stories by the Medieval Murderers who are authors (and performers); you can read more about them here.
A mysterious book of prophecies written by a sixth century Irish monk has puzzled scholars through the ages. The Black Book of Bran* is said to have predicted the Black Death and the Gunpowder Plot. It is even said to foresee the Day of Judgement.
- Prologue: Kerry, October 574, by Bernard Knight
In which the book is created. - Act 1: Exeter, February 1196, by Bernard Knight
In which Crowner John confounds a band of treasure-hunters. - Act 2: Crimea, 1272, by Ian Morson
In which Nick Zuliani dices with death in a Russian blizzard. - Act 3: Westminster, 7th July 1325 by Michael Jecks
In which Keeper Sir Baldwin and Bailiff Simon Puttock investigate murder most foul in the abbey crypt. - Act 4: Cambridge, November 1357,by Susanna Gregory
In which Matthew Bartholomew and Brother Michael become embroiled in a bloodthirsty college feud. - Act 5: Shoreditch and Warwick, 1608, by Philip Gooden
In which player Nick Revill receives a letter from a mysterious uncle. - Epilogue: Yorkshire, March 2135, by C. J. Sansom
In which we confront the Day of Judgement.
- Prologue: Kerry, October 574, by Bernard Knight
A Light on the Road to Woodstock
I have not read this short story before; it explains how Cadfael came back from the Holy Land as a soldier and ended up joining the abbey at Shrewsbury
Adapted from the books by Ellis Peters and read on Radio 4 extra by Nigel Anthony.
"Returning from the Crusades to a country he hardly recognises, Brother Cadfael finds intrigue and deception almost as soon as he lands in the court of his master Roger Mauduit."
Posted by Christina at 7:03 PM. Category: Books of the Month
