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Book Review: The Rapture by Liz Jenson

By Amazon, Books & Authors, ReviewsNo Comments
The-Rapture-Liz-Jensen I bought The Rapture by Liz Jensen after hearing about it on The TV Book Club. The rapture is a story about the end of the world, yet it has more. The two main characters include Gabrielle a psychologist whose in a wheel chair following an accident and Bethany a psychotic child locked up in an institution after killing her mother.

Gabrielle comes to work at the institution where Bethany is locked up and starts to work with Bethany. After trying all other treatments they begin to try ECT (electric convulsive therapy) which Bethany loves as she claims it helps her see the future. After Bethany predicts several ecological disasters accurately Bethany predicts a big one that will change life for all of man kind. By this point Gabrielle is convinced Bethany can predict the future as is her scientist friend come lover Fraser. Gabrielle and Fraser try to tell people but they will not listen, after all who’d listen from a prediction with no scientific basis from a “crazy person”.

Liz the author does describes scenes and people in so much detail that you can picture them perfectly in this critics have dubbed a thriller. Whereas this detailed description makes reading the story like watching a film, it does at times hinder the stories progression. The most significant incidence of is when Liz goes in to much technical detail of how the ecological disaster Bethany has predicted will happen. Liz goes in to great scientific detail about how it will occur and although I do commend her on her research it felt like too much detail to me.

As the book draws to a conclusion you begin to care about the characters which comes from understanding were the characters have come from and why they are flawed. By the end of the book it makes you question what man kind are doing to the planet and it’s potential consequences. The book was a pleasure to read and gave me much to think about. You can buy The Rapture by Liz Jensen on Amazon.

I am currently reading I am What I am by John Barrowman, One Day by David Nicholls, Look Back in Hunger: The Autobiography by Jo Brand & Astral Travel for Beginners by Richard Webster so expect more book reviews soon.

Signing off for now,

Antony

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Friday 10 September 2010

I want…The Dead by Charlie Higson

By Books & Authors10 Comments

I loved The Enemy by Charlie Higson, indeed I even wrote a book review: Book Review: The Enemy by Charlie Higson.

Now I´ve just discovered on The Young Bond Dossier that the much awaited sequal entitled The Dead is to be realised in October 2010. And look here´s the cover:

I´m so excited, I´ve found it on Amazon: The Dead by Charlie Higson. The plot from Amazon:

Product Description
A terrible disease is striking everyone over the age of fourteen. Death walks the streets. Nowhere is safe. Maxie, Blue and the rest of the Holloway crew aren’t the only kids trying to escape the ferocious adults who prey on them. Jack and Ed are best friends, but their battle to stay alive tests their friendship to the limit as they go on the run with a mismatched group of other kids – nerds, fighters, misfits. And one adult. Greg, a butcher, who claims he’s immune to the disease. They must work together if they want to make it in this terrifying new world. But as a fresh disaster threatens to overwhelm London, they realize they won’t all survive
(From: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0141384654?ie=UTF8&tag=theyoungbondd-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0141384654, Last Accessed: 16 June 2010)

It goes a year before the first book when adults start getting ill and sounds like it promises to be another gripping book. You can be assured when it´s in my hands and has been read it will be reviewed.

Looking forward to the release,

Antony


A book review can now be found here: Book Review: The Dead by Charlie Higson.

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Sunday 27 June 2010

Book Review: The Self-Preservation Society by Kate Harrison

By Books & Authors, ReviewsNo Comments
The-Self-Preservation-Society-Kate-Harrison The Self-Preservation Society by Kate Harrison was a book I picked up because it was on offer.

In it you meet Jo Morgan who puts all her energy in to minimising the risk in her life. Accident prevention is part of her job as is planning for catastrophes that might happen. But it is not just a job to her, it´s a way of life. Her long term boyfriend Dennis her senior at work also shares this way of life and it seems to be their bond.

Then Jo is the victim of a hit and run accident and everything starts to change as Jo realises that she can´t avoid all risks in life. Jo goes on a inner journey to explore why she has a deep desire to prevent accidents and plan for catastrophes. With guidance from new found friends Jo starts to take risks and begins her outer transformation. Jo´s life with Dennis starts to fall apart as a new one is created through her inner soul searching and outer risk taking. The conclusion of the book is the transformation of Jo to a much happier well rounded individual.

Jo Morgans character feels some what false at times because Jo´s views on risk minimisation in life are too extreme, especially at the beginning of the book. The plot is far too predictable and I would find myself reading other books rather than finishing this one.

You can buy The Self-Preservation Society by Kate Harrison on Amazon.

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Friday 18 June 2010

Book Review: The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett

By Books & Authors, ReviewsNo Comments
the magicians assistant The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett is a story of Sabine who we meet when she looses her gay husband Parsifal suddenly. She knew he had HIV but expected it to be a few more years before his death.

Parsifal was a great magician and Sabine his loyal assistant. Parsifal had been in love with Phan who died from AIDS recently. Parsifal knowing that he was HIV positive and had no family decided to marry his life long friend Sabine. This was so that she would be entitled to his inheritance and because on a deep level he truly loved her.

After Parsifal’s death the lawyer explains to Sabine that Parsifal has family in Alliance, Nebraska. This is a great shock for Sabine who thought Parsifal had no family. Why didn´t she know about them? Why did he never talk about them and deny all knowledge of having a family?

You join Sabine on an emotional journey as she meets this family and discovers more about Parsifal´s childhood. During the days Sabine learns more about Parsifal and in the nights she dreams meeting first Phan and eventually Parsifal. Along the way Sabine learns more about herself and realises that Parsifal has given her a most precious gift, more precious than money and security she thought he´d left her.

This book becomes an absolute page-turner as the reader connects with Sabine and needs to know what will happen next. The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett is available to purchase on Amazon.

Upcoming book reviews: The Self-Preservation Society by Kate Harrison & The Rapture by Liz Jensen. I´m also currently reading: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebond & Astral Travel for Beginners by Richard Webster. So expect more book reviews soon.

Take care,

Antony x

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Saturday 5 June 2010
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