Rob
I absolutely loved this book, once you're up to speed with the world building it shoots off like a rocket and keeps the pace up for the whole book. The characters are especially well written, showing charm and wit and sometimes one hell of a potty mouth lol, meaning that you're invested in their arc from the start. I cannot wait for the next one to be out.
When I started reading this book I had that feeling of deja-vu and post apocalypse fatigue but within a very short time it was clear that there is something different about it that separates it from the rest. This is down to the point of view the book is written from. Not only is the main character a woman, which we've seen before, but the entire lens that the book is read through is from the female perspective. I have read many books where the fact that the main character is a woman only affects the pronouns used and other than that could be applied to any other ‘walking dead' scenario but this was a real study of what it would mean to be a woman in an uncivilised world. I really recommend it.
I enjoyed IT but unfortunately I was still left a little disappointed. This was probably due to having seen the great mini-series, which unlike other adaptations of Stephen Kings books was pretty true to the book leaving me wanting it to speed up a bit and get to the culmination a lot quicker. If I came to this book fresh I can imagine I'd be gripped throughout but even knowing the end the last act was still pretty amazing.
Before reading this book it was hard to imagine how it would be interesting to read about a group of boys walking and walking and walking but King manages to make their story gripping, harrowing and entertaining.
End of watch was a satisfying conclusion the Kings Mercedes trilogy, nothing too deep but it was fun and fast paced. Look out for the upcoming series.
Finders Keepers carried on in the same form as the first, I really enjoyed it and look forward to the final instalment. From the hints in this one it looks like it's going to get full on Stephen king!
Despite a slow start this book ramped up to give a great conclusion to a really enjoyable trilogy. The 2nd book is the best in my opinion but the trilogy as whole gets 5 stars, I highly recommend it!
I liked the concept of this book but the central conceit turned out to be just a backdrop for some high school drama. This is not necessarily a bad thing but I couldn't get on with the central characters mopey self-centred attitude so found myself looking forward to reading something else.
This book takes a well worn trope and instead of upping the action to distinguish itself from the rest it focuses on the individual characters and their own stories. Despite this approach it still had a compelling back story making it a good read and a great setup for the next one.
I was gripped from page 1 and couldn't help but blitz through the whole thing. It's a simple story but told so well and the author avoided making people 2-dimensionally good or bad.
Three stars may not seem very good but I actually enjoyed reading it quite a lot. It was just a bit straightforward for the first two thirds of the book. It really started picking up after that though and I surprised myself at the end and wanted to go straight into the second one.
Children of Time is a great book in the vane of classic sci-fi books involving spaceships and strange cultures. Although it didn't grip me quite as much as most of my 5 star books I was so impressed with the core concept and the way an inherently unlikable species was endeared to the reader without anthropomorphising them. As it says on the cover, this is probably the best evolutionary sci-fi I've read.
This was an interesting take on the post apocalypse genre that focused on the relationships and experiences of the characters significantly more than the cause and wider fate of humanity. Although it started somewhat slowly the last third was riveting.
I'm a sucker for a narrative flashback and this one really hit the spot. Great characters and intriguing plot. The only thing stopping it being a 5 star book was a slightly less than conclusive ending.
Mr Mercedes was the first book I've read from Stephen King that had no supernatural/horror elements and that wasn't a huge tome. Even though it could be said to be a straight forward crime thriller, due to its relentless pace and great characters I loved it. Like all of his books it is written in a very cinematic way so you can really picture the characters and settings. The other thing I like about it is that it's a set trilogy so I'm looking forward to continuing and finishing the story.
After watching the first episode of the series I decided to read the book first and I'm so glad I did. This was my first Stephen King book and I loved it. The plot, characters and the writing style made it a really quick read despite its length and the ending wasn't a cop out either so I highly recommend it. Looking for some other Stephen King recommendations now.
The Shining is not a scary book but more of a psychological horror, which really got under my skin in a way no other book has. Having watched the film I was expecting pretty much that but what I got was a lot more depth about the Father/Son relationship and the devastating inner battle between the Fathers light and dark side. I now understand why King wasn't a fan of the movie as it barely scratches the surface of what King pinned the whole book on and what seemed to be a deeply personal journey.
P.s: I will never trust topiary again!
I thought having watched the film the book may have been a let down as I knew exactly what was coming; however, although this may have been true for the start, I was totally gripped for the second half and enjoyed (I think!) getting to know Annie Wilkes a lot better :s
I didn't think I'd get much of this book given how well known the story and, more importantly, the ending is; however, I found it gripping and emotional and flew through it.
I guess it's called a classic for a reason!
A solid read but nothing spectacular. I had a similar feeling after reading this as I did when reading King's other classics. Perhaps because other books/films/series have built on what King created they can seem predictable and old hat whereas his newer books like 112263 and Mr Mercedes are far from it.
Interesting read and a funny look at the human race from a different perspective but although at some point I thought there were multiple layers to the book it turned out to be fairly straightforward and disappointing at the end.
This was my first time reading a Star Trek book so being a huge fan of the shows/movies I had high hopes. Unfortunately these hopes weren't met. The plot was good and the central mysteries were engaging but for some reason I found it a slog to get through and didn't really care about the non TV crew members. Funnily enough I would love to see a TV adaptation of the story but I don't think I'll be continuing with the trilogy
Could have been a bit cleverer with the twist, retrospectively, but it's still a good paced mystery that I enjoyed reading.
Not bad. I Haven't read much Titans but I'm planning on reading rebirth and this is apparently helpful.