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My first Book Watch column for 2012

Jan 192012

Originally published in the New Zealand Herald on Sunday, 15 January 2012. Reproduced here courtesy of the NZ Herald. Snuff By Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, $55) Long time readers of my blog know well my fondness for Sir Terry Pratchett, so it will come as no surprise that I loved Snuff. Pratchett returns us to the City Watch of Ankh Morpork, and more specifically to Commander Sam Vimes who is about to go on holiday. Vimes isn’t much good at holidays, however, so it’s just as well that crime seems to follow him, wherever he goes. Sam Vimes has become a complex, admirable and likeable character, and I’d venture to say one of the best in modern writing. Pratchett never disappoints. The Glass Harmonica – a sensualist’s tale By Dorothee E. Kocks (Rosa Mira, $11, ebook) Music, love, virtue, sex, desire – it all comes together in The Glass Harmonica, a [...read more...]

Book Review: Ruby Blues by Jessica Rudd

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Jan 012012

Ruby Blues by Jessica Rudd, Text Publishing, RRP $37, ISBN 9781921758560, Available now. Funny. Smart. Exhausting. Ruby Blues starts with a bang (ah-ha, pun) and keeps an incredible momentum. How did Jessica Rudd managed to write a story with this much pace and not go mad? Well, her Dad is an Aussie ex-PM (yes, that Rudd), I guess. My lovely Henchperson Rachel reviewed Campaign Ruby (the prior “Ruby” book) and found it oddly ambiguous (ridiculous plot, good book), so when I saw this title coming out I couldn’t resist trying this one myself. And, true to good Henchperson form, Rachel’s summing up of Campaign Ruby still applies here: ridiculous plot, good book. The plot is a total blast from go to whoa, literally hurtling from Canberra to Melbourne to New York, with several love interests, blackmail, political suicide, political resurrection, Twitter, childbirth and an intern character who is so “right now” it [...read more...]

Book Review: 21st Century Dodos by Steve Stack

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Dec 232011

Book Review: 21st Century Dodos by Steve Stack

21st Century Dodos : A Collection of Endangered Objects (and Other Stuff) by Steve Stack, The Friday Project (Harper Collins NZ), RRP $26.99 or 99p as an ebook from Amazon.co.uk, ISBN 9781906321734, Available now. You may remember Steve Stack from such guest posts as Guest Post: Steve Stack on Copyright Pages, and uh… that’s it actually. So you know he’s funny. Because you read the post, right? Lucky little readers are us then, because the funny Mr Stack also writes books! And this is his newest endeavour… an endangered list for inanimate objects (and ideas). Of course, it’s much more than just a list, it’s a pleasant jaunt down memory lane. Particularly if you were a 70s or 80s child. Mix tapes? BASIC? Computer tapes? Teletext? Intermission? Cap guns? If any of these things mean anything to you, you’ll enjoy 21st Century Dodos’ journey with these stops and more along the way! [...read more...]

Six Quick Questions with Bestselling Author Cassandra Clare

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Dec 082011

Author of The Infernal Devices – the prequel trilogy to the bestselling The Mortal Instruments. All text courtesy of Walker Books. 1. The first book in The Infernal Devices, Clockwork Angel, ended on a cliffhanger as Will went to seek help from Magnus Bane, but we weren’t told why. Can you tell us where Clockwork Prince picks up? Clockwork Prince picks up about two weeks after the end of Clockwork Angel. We still don’t know why Will went to Magnus, and a Council is being held to determine whether Charlotte should get to keep her position as the head of the Institute after the disastrous events of Clockwork Angel. 2. You mentioned that Will is hiding a big secret that might be revealed in Clockwork Prince. Can you give us any clues as to what this might be? That would be telling! I can only say that it is a [...read more...]

Three Short Book Reviews – History, Loudmouths and More History

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Dec 072011

Three Short Book Reviews - History, Loudmouths and More History

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, Hurrican 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 [...read more...]

New Release: The Infernal Devices Book 2 : Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

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Dec 072011

New Release: The Infernal Devices Book 2 : Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

The Infernal Devices Book 2 Clockwork Prince 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 [...read more...]