Michael Best

Oh dear.

I have tried but, despite my best hopes, I really cannot get on with this book. It is easy enough to read, so I could carry on through to the end but why bother with something which is becoming rather boring?

Just scrapes in as a 3 rather than a 2.

Cover blurb comparisons with Le Carre (certainly early Le Carre) seem off the mark.

For the most part, I struggled to believe in Marian.

Problem one: I really dislike dialogue with no speech marks.

Problem two: I strongly disliked David Hartley.

There was an awful lot in this book I did like, but those two problems were a heavy burden.

Bored. Dislike of the style (perhaps, not helped by the translation?).

Wow! I loved this book. A great story, beautifully written.

Simply a near perfect read in its genre.

First half 5 stars; the Mills & Boon, bosom heaving 2nd half is 3 stars at best.

Not for me. I knew it would be silly, but I did not find it funny or engaging.

Possibly just under a full 4.0.
It reminded me, to some extent, of early Le Carre (say The Spy Who Came In From The Cold) in terms of the nastiness and immorality of the espionage game portrayed, but with Wilson's own style.

Sadly, having struggled to get through half this book I eventually gave up. The writing style, if not some of the content, seemed incredibly immature. I bought two of Ms Thomas's books in a sale, but I doubt I will ever find the enthusiasm to read the second.

For me, a frustrating read. At times wonderful but, at others, confusing and exasperating.

Not hard sci-fi but more a speculation on societal structures.

I have come rather late to Ms Le Guin's main works, but definitely better late than never!

Thankfully, a short read.

The romance tale is rose tinted tosh. In fact, it simply seems to be there so that she can detail the old, country wedding ritual of that region.

This is an incredibly bleak, angry and, by the end, a somewhat frustrating read for me. I felt the second, child spirit, voice unhelpful at times, and the anger of the writer too uncontrolled.

I think that it was only last year that I came upon Edward Wilson's Catesby series. Deliberately, I am making my way through them slowly because I find them a complex, morally ambiguous delight to be savoured.

Some tremendous ideas but I found the pacing quite erratic.

As for the portrayal of female characters, it felt very like much an SF novel coming out of the 1950's.

It is many years since I last read a Ross Macdonald/Lew Archer book and I had forgotten how much I like his writing.

I accept that I am not a tremendous fan of short stories but, even so, nearly all the tales in this collection seemed incredibly mundane to me. I accept that I may have missed something terribly deep and meaningful but, if so, I missed it in every one of the stories (save the last, about Cowboy Chicken).

Possibly a 2.75. It is pretty insubstantial, but an enjoyable, lighthearted read.

Probably a 3.5.

The tale is frightening, the telling of it a touch messy at times. The jargon - frustrating.

This is a strange book - part adventure story, part curious romance - both comic and philosophical. I don't know if I would be safe recommending it to anyone yet I really liked it.

DNF. After 50% read, I still do not have a clue what is really going on. I fear the superficial story is without purpose if one does not understand the subject matter and context for the satire - and I have not that necessary understanding.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Easy to read, yet informative.

An excess of melodrama, plus an unpleasant degree of anti-German racism spoiled an excellent read.

This is so close to a 5 for me. Precision writing with humanity at its core.