Literary Brooding

Force of Nature (Aaron Falk #2) by Jane Harper Paperback, 384 pages Published September 26th 2017 by Macmillan Australia There is always trepidation when you commence reading the second novel of an author who has seemingly come out of nowhere with a best seller. There is probably not many people who have not read ‘The Dry’ which featured Australian Federal Police (AFP) officer Aaron Falk. In ‘Force of Nature’ we move into the oppressive Australian bush which is dense, thick, quiet, dark and damp. It provides an appropriate backdrop for a group of a women who are ‘encouraged’ to undertake a corporate bonding session by navigating from one point to another. It does not take long for the group to lose their way and find themselves facing other unknown dangers, including the possibility of being stalked by a serial killer. Aaron Falk and his partner Carmen Cooper are investigating the dealings of the company Bailey Tennants and have been relying on Alice Russell to procure the info...

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline Paperback, 374 pages,  Published April 5th 2012 by Arrow Books (first published August 16th 2011) It is 2044 and earth has been wasted by the depletion of fossil fuels and ignoring the impact of climate change which has resulted in widespread poverty and social inequality. A place of solace is the online virtual reality world OASIS that provides education, work, retail and social opportunities. OASIS is owned by GSS and created by James Halliday, who when he dies announces in his will that hidden in OASIS is an Easter Egg. That the person who finds the egg will inherit the company GSS and his personal fortune. Halliday provides a cryptic clue and the establishment of an online scoreboard to monitor who progresses through each stage. For five years no names appear on the scoreboard. Matt Watts a teenager living in the stacks, which is mobile homes stacked on top of each other, is dirt poor, making average grades through high school, ignored by ...

Into the Thinnest of Air (Ishmael Jones #5) by Simon R. Green Expected publication: March 1st 2018 by Severn House Publishers I have long been a fan of the works of Simon R Green having first stumbled across Blue Moon Rising in the late 90s. As a fantasy novel it was something completely different with some risqué humour and really interesting characters. Over the years whenever I have seen any of Green’s works on the book shelves in Australia I have grabbed them. So I was really excited when offered the opportunity to read Green’s latest work. Two investigators Ishmael Jones and his partner Penny are attending the re-opening of Tyrone Castle and are hoping for a nice normal weekend. However, when you are staying at a castle that has a history of being a smugglers den and scene for a mass poisoning things quickly go astray. As something sinister is abducting the guests the question is supernatural or human at work. Green never fails to create characters that are imperfect, funny...

Here we are in 2018 and time to catch up with what I have been reading so far this year. True Stories - Helen Garner  Hardcover, 208 pages, Published October 30th 2017 by Text Publishing   Before I start the most extraordinary cover design. I am a huge fan of Helen Garner's works so here is my advance warning of bias and plenty of gushing over prose. Garner has presented to us a series of short stories. What I love about these stories is that you are dropped into the middle of whatever is happening, you go on a journey with the characters and then you check out of their lives again. There may be some people who do not like this style but I do love it. Garner's descriptions are simple but ever so effective 'She had henna'd hair, a silver tooth earring, a leopard sash, black vinyl pants.' Words are used sparingly and it takes a writer with great skill to achieve put down complex stories that resonate. I had several favourites and there is not one weak story ...

Been a tough couple of months and while the reading has continued the blogging has not. So this will be a massive catch up. For 2017 I read 60 books and for 2018 I am aiming for 55. City of Crows - Chris Womersley Set in France in 1673, the plague is sweeping across the populace. Charlotte has suffered the loss of her husband and three children. She is determined to protect her Nicolas and they seek sanctuary in Lyon. on their journey they are attacked, with Charlotte left to die and her son taken by slavers. She summons a man to assist recover her son and they travel to Paris. There is witchcraft involved and plain old self-serving individuals who make things difficult. I have to admit that it is difficult to find the words to convey my thoughts on this book. I enjoyed the rich details, the layers of French society and culture that is revealed. The characters are well crafted and carry their own emotional baggage. I was really immersed in the pages. Yet the ending left me beref...