BookieMonster

Three books that have passed over my desk recently and I have passed my eyes over recently… with varying results.

People, People, People : A Brief History of New Zealand by Stevan Eldred-Grigg, Bateman Publishing, RRP $24.99, ISBN 9781869538132, Available now.

A short and well-produced history of New Zealand, the best part of People, People, People is by far the excellent selection of illustrations, paintings, and photos. The text is aimed at younger students or international students but I’m not sure how well the book will fare in that sector, considering the fairly obvious political bias at work (not surprising with Eldred-Grigg – you get what you get).

Does what it says on the cover and does it well.

The Two of Me by John Dybvig, Hurricane Press, RRP $29.99, ISBN 9780986468445, Available now.

Both publisher and author clearly know the public’s opinion of the subject of The Two of Me, billing it very much as a “don’t make your mind up before you read” book. Which is fair enough, The Two of Me has a lot going for it – it’s pacy, it’s lively, it’s easy to read – but the story doesn’t really bear out the premise – that John Dybvig has changed as much as he says he has. Centred around a health scare the “inspiring story” really is not actually that inspiring at all. Man has health scare, determines to take better care of his health and he does. Man decides he is alone in the world, determines to meet someone and coincidentally does shortly thereafter. Man determines not to act like so much of an a*sehole. Man fails. This isn’t overcoming great obstacles, people.

At one point Dybvig tells an editor “I don’t need to know anything to have an opinion.” Yes, indeed. General sports autobiography type readers will probably enjoy.

The Spanish Helmet by Greg Scowen, Whare Rama Books, Available on Kindle and Kindle Apps for US$0.99, Paperback RRP US$16.99, ISBN 9781463558482, Available now.

A conspiracy thriller with a New Zealand twist, The Spanish Helmet centres on Matthew Cameron, archaeologist and historian, who travels to NZ to investigate findings that point to an alternative history of New Zealand, in particular that the Spanish were in NZ before the Dutch and that Celts had travelled to NZ before the Maori arrived.

Sigh.

The story itself is reasonably well-written and for people who don’t want to think too hard (so most of your conspiracy thriller types then) it’ll be a fun and quick read.

But for me there was way too many moments of clunk to enjoy reading. My favourite happens right at the beginning when Dr Cameron is convincing his fellow academic to cover for him while he travels to NZ to “investigate”.

“Anyway, Warren believes that New Zealand was settled by someone other than the Maori,” Matt said, “his particular studies follow the theory that the Celts discovered New Zealand some thousands of years ago. He’s struggled to find evidence to support his theory and believes the government is out to stop him, but now he thinks he has something and wants me to go and look.”

“Sounds great.”

That’s academic inquiry, that is!

The idea that academics have a vested interest in stopping New Zealanders from knowing the “true story” of New Zealand habitation is more than a little laughable. Not quite as laughable as the shady secret-police style organisations in The Spanish Helmet who are busily tailing said academics, but still.

The Spanish Helmet isn’t going to re-write New Zealand history any more than The Da Vinci Code rewrote Christian history. Let’s just hope that Tom Hanks doesn’t get hold of it.

Cassandra Clare

Love and lies can corrupt even the purest heart…

Tuesday 6th December 2011, worldwide cult-teen literature sensation Cassandra Clare releases the hugely anticipated second instalment in the bestselling urban fantasy series The Infernal Devices today.

With an incomparable underground fan following, The Infernal Devices is the prequel trilogy to international bestselling series The Mortal Instruments, which has sold over two million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 19 languages.

Set in the magical underworld of Victorian London during the reign of Queen Victoria, 16-year-old orphan Tessa Gray has at last found shelter with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Still reeling from her terrifying confrontation with the mysterious and murderous Magister, and her own brother’s betrayal, Tessa finds herself drawn ever-deeper into the Shadowhunter’s dangerous supernatural underworld.

In a desperate attempt to help her friends, Tessa tries to uncover the truth about the Magister and learns that his vendetta against the Shadowhunters is deeply personal, blaming them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life.

Meanwhile, Tessa’s feelings for the fiercely devoted Jem and the handsome yet self-destructive Will are growing more complicated, and soon she is forced to acknowledge that any choice she makes will either save the Shadowhunters of London – or end them forever.

The first book in The Infernal Devices series, Clockwork Angel, debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestseller list and spent ten weeks in the charts.

Cassandra’s first book in The Mortal Instruments series, City of Bones, is being made into a blockbuster Hollywood film set to star Lily Collins (The Blind Side, Abduction) and Jamie Campbell-Bower (Harry Potter, Twilight) in the lead roles.

To find out more about The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments series visit: www.walkerbooks.com.au

Snuff by Terry Pratchett, Doubleday, RRP $55, ISBN 9780385619264, Available now.

Every new Discworld book is a cause for rejoicing. When I am old and infirm I will read nothing but Discworld, or possibly listen to them depending on the state of my health.

Snuff is the 39th Discworld novel (yes, you read that right, 39th) and it returns us once again to Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh Morpork City Watch. Sam is out of his element in Snuff, however, because he’s on holiday. But this is Sam Vimes, people. And Sam Vimes does not do holidays.

Strange things are afoot in the countryside, and I’m not just talking about the locals or the turkeys. And if there’s one thing that Vimes does well, it’s chase crime and bring criminals to justice.

Unseen Academicals introduced us to the Discworld version of orcs and Pratchett continues that in Snuff, featuring goblins with the typical Discworld slant. He also touches on genocide, slavery, and slaughter, and really has no business making them into a story as touching and funny and compelling as Snuff, except of course this is Pratchett, so he does.

Snuff follows a fairly typical Vimes story arc and it’s a plot line that remains as satisfying as it was in the very first Vimes book (Guards, Guards in case you were wondering). There’s plenty of action, there’s the reappearance of the Summoning Dark which Sam first acquired in Thud!, and there is the lovely lady Sybil who is the icing on the cake of every Vimes story. There’s also excellent references to crime fiction and Jane Austen.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a policeman taking a holiday will barely have had time to open his suitcase before he finds his first corpse.

39 Discworld books and Pratchett hasn’t faltered once, he hasn’t repeated the same story over and over nor has he turned into a parody of himself. Sam Vimes has become (in my oh so humble BookieMonster opinion) one of the greatest characters in modern literature, he has depth, conflict, certainty, softness and a very human hard edge. He is so very admirable and likeable. Vimes is now Pratchett’s greatest creation and I would guess that with every book he has a little bit more Pratchett in him.

I’m rambling sentimentally now but I can’t help it – every Pratchett book is a joy to read and every book may be the last. If you haven’t done so already, discover him now, collect every book, read them all again and again, and then pass them on to your children.