Literature Fiend

Every book changes your literary journey.

J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter

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Firstly, I’ve got to say that J.R.R. Tolkien by Humphry Carpenter was a real eye-opening biography. I was completely in the dark going into this book, having never read the Silmarillion, The Hobbit, or Lord of the Rings (I know, I know. Don’t shoot!!!) but left in awe of his achievements both academically and creatively.

It’s great to see that Carpenter doesn’t shy away from the truth and paints Tolkien as a highly intelligent, if not, slightly eccentric man.  It was inspiring to see how the creation of Middle Earth and its history/language was basically a lifelong work.  

The book takes you quite swiftly through Tolkien’s childhood in Birmingham and South Africa, then touches on his time as a soldier in WW1, Oxford as a student and teacher, his writing struggles, philologist, to his lifelong marriage.

One thing I enjoyed reading about was his life as an English Professor, in which, Tolkien would often meet with his peer group to smoke and read aloud the Bard poems in Old Norse.

I mean, who doesn’t, right?

Among these peers was C.S. Lewis who, most famously, wrote the Narnia Books for children.

 I was totally absorbed in this biography, thanks to Carpenter’s simple and engaging writing style. It has just the right amount of detail; some biographies tend to bang on and on for ages.

I now see Tolkien as a God Damn genius who is revered in his field of Philology and Literature. It was refreshing to see how ordinary he was; disorganised, constantly missing deadlines, and struggling to finish work as he had so many ideas.

A sheer perfectionist. 

Comes the Blind Fury by John Saul

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The front cover of Comes the Blind Fury with a blind girl wearing a white bonnet

In Comes the Blind Fury, John Saul describes the fictional Paradise Point with such clarity that you can hear the crashing waves, visualise the drifting fog, and taste the sand blowing off the dunes.

What’s in the fog? Well that’s a different story… Let me rewind a tad.  

This novel was one of the many pulp horror paperbacks printed in the big boom of the 70s and 80s. What I love most about these books is the crazy cover art.

At the beginning of Comes the Blind Fury, we meet Dr Cal and June Pendleton, who, with their 12-year-old adopted daughter Michelle, are moving from Boston in search of a more tranquil existence at Paradise Point.

It’s a small community with a Doctors Surgery (where Cal Pendleton will be working), a school, a little cemetery, and the point ends with a straight drop to the beach below.

Set in the 1980’s for most of the novel, we’re told in the preface (and on the blurb, so no spoiler here) that in 1880 a blind girl called Amanda is bullied by her classmates and forced off Paradise Point to the jagged rocks below. 

A century ago, a gentle blind girl walked the cliffs of Paradise Point. Then the children came – taunting, teasing – until she lost her footing and fell, shrieking her rage to the drowning sea.

Blurb from the 1978 paperback edition

So, it’s a place with a dark history, eh? Do the Pendleton’s even stand a chance?

Amanda has unfinished business (well wouldn’t you?) and is interwoven into the present day (the 1980s) really well.  Although it isn’t the best story in the world, John Saul makes you care about the characters. I particularly enjoyed the gradual change in Michelle and Cal Pendleton’s father/daughter relationship.

For a novel which explores themes such as death, revenge, friendship, and loss I had a lot of fun reading Comes the Blind Fury. The twist at the end was kind of refreshing but extremely messed up; I didn’t see it coming.

I’ll certainly be checking out more by John Saul in the future.  Are there any novels by John Saul that you’d recommend? I’d love to add them to my TBR list.

The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

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Cover of The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

After becoming hooked to The Vikings TV series, I did a little internet search (as you do, right?) and came across The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell.

And wow!  This is the first book in the Saxon Stories (10 books and counting so far…), and I’m hooked once again. 

The story follows Uhtred who was born a Saxon but is captured by the Vikings during one of the many raids. At 11 years old, Uhtred is raised in the ways of the Danes and becomes a warrior, proudly wearing the Hammer of Thor around his neck.

As you’d imagine, he’s constantly torn between the two sides. Not just regarding who he should be fighting for, but he’s also stuck between two religions: the Christian English and the Pagan Danes. In this story, he’s young, brash and has little respect for people in positions of power. This makes for an extremely humorous read.

Bernard Cornwell smoking a pipeIt’s skillfully written in the first person and is full of “little nuggets” of 9th century living at a time when England was ravaged by Viking forces. Think seal-skinning, Viking longships, Ale, and honour.

I love the way Cornwell describes battle scenes. It really feels like you’re in the thick of it. Also, most characters like Ragnar Lothbrook, Ubba, Guthrum, and Ivar the Boneless are real historical figures.  To give that air of authenticity, he uses the Old English spelling for place names which are all given at the beginning of the novel.

The Last Kingdom is a great historical novel which provides intricate details of 9th Century life without becoming a bore. I’m already on to the next book, The Pale Horseman which is equally as good.

How far into the Saxon Stories are you? Let us know in the comments below.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

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Ready Player One by Ernest Cline was a very interesting novel.  Those of you who grew up in the 1980s will be in for a trip down memory lane as it’s littered with pop culture from that period.

It is set in a Dystopian 2040s, in which, the world is in a very dark place. An energy crisis, caused by a depletion of fossil fuel and global warming has left humanity with a depressing future.

To escape from this, people spend most of their time in the OASIS; a virtual reality simulator created by a computer programmer called James Halliday.

I could imagine the OASIS as being a real paradise where providing you have enough money, could lead to endless possibilities; I mean you can even purchase a spaceship and travel from world to world! It’s a scary thought for the future, that’s for sure.

Anyway, upon his death, Halliday announced in his will that he’d left an Easter egg hidden in the OASIS simulation and the first one to find it would receive his estate. For those who are unaware, an Easter Egg is a signature left within a video game by its creator (or programmer).  To get this final prize, a series of keys must be won by completing puzzles set out by Halliday.  These often involve old school games such as Pac-Man, Dungeons & Dragons to mention a few.

The novel follows Wade Watts who lives in poverty but is able to access the OASIS thanks to his online school. In his spare time, he actively looks for the Easter Egg; people like this are called “Gunters”

I really loved this novel, not only for the story, but for the references to 80’s pop culture; namely films, books, and computer games. As our protagonist is hunting for the clues inside the OASIS I was looking for the references on each page; a game within a game if you will.

Overall, it was easy to dip in and out of thanks to the short chapters, and the characters were really easy to like. For a debut novelist, Cline manages to create a world (OASIS Simulation) that is very appealing, I began to wish one existed. The only gripe is that for me the book went on a little bit too long.

Have you read Ready Player One?  Post in the comments below or join in the discussion on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 






The Woman in the Window by A.J Finn

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Image of font cover

Woman in the Window hardback front cover

I can’t remember how I heard of this novel. The title – The Woman in the Window – like so many other thrillers these days, has an unmistakable ring to it, just like The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl.

But why the hell not?

Being an author is a cut-throat market with many not even making a full-time wage, so a catchy name that evokes a response from potential readers is a good way to go! After all, it’s the writing style and story that always rises to the top.

A.J Finn’s novel has created quite a buzz since its publication in 2017; in fact, the movie rights were sold in multiple countries before it was even published.

Meet Anna Fox, a 38-year-old woman who delights in spying on her neighbours through her window. Early on, we learn that she hasn’t really got anything else to do! As an agoraphobic (who hasn’t left the house in over a year) she lives alone, drinks way too much red wine, and watches the same black and white movies on repeat.

Anna’s husband has left and taken her daughter with him. One evening, stacked on painkillers and booze, she hears a scream from her neighbours’ apartments and sees something horrific!

The question is, can she trust herself?

Don’t worry, I haven’t told you anything that isn’t in the synopsis of the book. One thing I’d say is that The Woman in the Window has a clever plot with many twists and turns.  One of these twists I worked out on page 121 (of 500) but after some careful thought, I think this was a device by Finn to take you away from the finale as I didn’t see it coming at all.

I had a strange experience with this novel; once I stopped reading, I wasn’t that enthused about getting back to it. However, when I did start reading, I found it hard to stop! You do the math, eh!

Overall, a good reading experience that really introduces you, sympathetically, into the life of an agoraphobic person and which keeps you guessing about the integrity of each character until the very end.

Click here to buy The Woman in the Window from Amazon

Have you read Finn’s popular page-turner? Post your thoughts in the comments below or join in the discussion on Facebook or Instagram. 






Psycho by Robert Bloch

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Psycho by Robert Bloch

“Really, the classic Hitchcock film with Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates is based on a novel?” is what I blurted out when I read an online article on Robert Bloch.

Then I made haste to the nearest library…

I’ll be honest. Psycho the film pretty much follows the novel, however, there are some major differences that make it well worth reading.

The Bates Motel is located on an old highway which isn’t busy anymore and is about 20 miles from a little town called Fairview. Norman lives in the big house behind the motel with his “difficult” Mother; that’s all you need to know, for now!

Our protagonist, Norman Bates is different. He’s described by Bloch as a loner who is overweight, has glasses and an alcohol problem (don’t we all?) which is a far cry from Anthony Perkins’ portrayal in the films (see photo below.)

Psycho by Robert Bloch

Anthony Perkins, as Norman Bates, outside his Motel.

I really liked Bloch’s “version” as it made more sense that it was the alcohol that-made-Bates-do-the-thing-that-I-can’t-say-as-it-would-ruin-the-novel. Although you probably already know!

It’s written from a first person viewpoint with each chapter dealing with one of the 5-6 characters in the story. This means that you get to know more about the thoughts of each person. From this, I learned that Norman Bates is well-read and really understands academic subjects such a psychology and physics which adds a certain depth to his character.

The Mother, Norma Bates cuts a really spooky figure in this novel too. I like the way she’s always lurking in the shadows and is described as having a “shrill” and “high pitched” voice.  Read this section to see what I mean:

“He didn’t even have to look up to know she was there. In fact, he didn’t look up; he pretended to continue his reading, instead. Mother had been sleeping in her room, and knew how crabby she could get when just awakened. So it was best to keep quiet and hope that she wasn’t in one of her bad moods.

‘Norman, do you know what time it is?’

He sighed and closed the book. He could tell now that she was going to be difficult; the very question was a challenge. Mother had to pass the grandfather clock in the hall in order to come in here and she could easily see what time it was.

At 150 pages, this novella is straight to the point but really gets you living each character’s actions.  Personally, I loved Hitchcock’s film of Psycho but after reading this, I have a much better understanding of Norman Bates and what happened at that bloody  Motel.

Click here to buy Psycho from Amazon

Have you read Psycho by Robert Bloch? Post your thoughts in the comments below or join in the discussion on Facebook or Instagram. 

 






The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S Lewis

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Cover of The lion, the witch and the wardrobe Yes, I’ve watched the films, who hasn’t? They’re great! But I had really fond memories of reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe when I was younger.  And like the Pevensie children in the novel, I was drawn back!

This novel is by far the most popular in The Narnia Series, and it’s easy to see why. Published in 1950, it offers complete escapism for the reader; Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are evacuated from London to avoid the Blitz and are sent to a big house in the countryside.  This is one location in the novel and the other, of course, is the magical world of Narnia.

Much of this story is etched into my memory from reading the books and watching the films but I did find one part of the story (don’t worry, it’s not a spoiler) I’ve never really paid attention to before.  It’s a conversation between Peter, Lucy, and Professor Digory Kirke, which goes like this:

“But there was no time,” said Susan. “Lucy had had no time to have gone anywhere, even if there was such a place. She came running after us the very moment we were out of the room. It was less than a minute, and she pretended to be away for hours.”

“That is the very thing that makes her story so likely to be true,” said the Professor. “If there really is a door in this house that leads to some other world (and I should warn you that this is a very strange house, and even I know very little about it) – if, I say, she had got into another world, I should not be at all surprised to find that the other world had a separate time of its own; so that however long you stayed there it would never take up any of our time. On the other hand, I don’t think many girls of her age would invent that idea for themselves. If she had been pretending, she would have hidden for a reasonable time before coming out and telling her story.”

I loved this part because you have two children worried about their little sisters sanity, only for a well respected Professor (and adult) to basically say, “Why not? Keep your minds open to other possibilities.”  A great lesson for anyone reading this novel!

The writing style is very simple and easy to read which is such a difficult thing to achieve. I also really liked the little drawings scattered throughout the book.  Overall, a brilliant story by C.S Lewis, and one which I feel has more than enough depth for adults and children to enjoy.

Click here to buy The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on Amazon

If you’ve read The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe or any of the Narnia series, please post your comments or join in the discussion on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 






The Chalk Man by C J Tudor

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The Chalk Man font cover

The Chalk Man popped up on my Facebook feed many times over a month or two. Stephen King actually tweeted a comment saying “If you like my stuff, you’ll like this.”

I guess marketing’s golden “rule of 7” really does work because I eventually bought it for my Kindle. The author C.J Tudor is relatively unknown, in fact, this is her first published novel.

So, full of expectations I gave it a go!

For those who grew up in the 80’s & 90’s, you’ll find this novel nostalgic. No mobile phones, not many computer games, just pure meeting-in-the-park vibes.

The novel begins in 1986, when  Eddie – the protagonist – witnesses a horrific accident at the fair.    From this tragic incident, Eddie develops a friendship with his teacher, Mr Halloran.

Eddie and his friends, Fat Gav, Hoppo, Metal Mickey and Nicky start drawing chalk men on the pavement outside each other’s houses in a code that only they understand. It is these drawings that eventually lead the gang to an unexpected discovery.

When the novel picks up again in 2016, it reminded me so much of the structure of IT by Stephen King but without the depth. Of course, IT  is over 1,000 pages so that’s not a negative comment.   I really enjoyed that The Chalk Man has so many sub-plots running throughout the novel which all tie up nicely at the end.

After the excellent beginning (the incident at the fair is all I’ll tell you) it took about 100ish pages for something else to happen. Although this was a little frustrating, I kind of liked that the gang were just riding around on their bikes and wasting time at the local park.

That’s exactly what I was doing in the 1980’s!

Overall, a good psychological thriller that deals with tragedy, friendship, childhood, betrayal,  and secrets.

Roll on the next one from CJ Tudor.

Click here to buy The Chalk Man

If you have any thoughts on The Chalk Man, then I’d love to hear them. You can join in the discussion on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Alternatively, write in the comment section below. 

 






The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

This is a photo of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy paperback front cover.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has always been on my list but always got pushed to the back. I was out drinking on a Friday night when a friend recommended that I read it.

I promptly ordered it from Amazon, forgot I’d ordered it, and got a nice surprise through the letterbox on Monday.

So, like a true bookaholic, I ploughed through my current book (Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks) and started on The Hitchhiker’s Guide.

It’s totally wacky, to say the least. The Hitchhiker’s Guide is a “Lonely Planet” type guide which includes facts, events, and statistics about the Galaxy.  I really liked this concept. This device gave Adams the opportunity to do anything and go anywhere – no questions asked!

I don’t think I ever felt settled reading this book though. A mere 17 pages in, and you’re introduced to a drink called the “Galactic Gargle Blaster” and something called an “Algolian Suntiger.” As you follow the main character Arthur Dent on his adventures, stuff gets crazy, and some of the things that happen really test the imagination which was brilliant.

It took me a while to get used to some of the character names, luckily there aren’t that many. You’ve got a Zaphod Beeblebrox, Slartibartfast, Agrajag, and Marvin the Paranoid Android to name a few.

A quote from Douglas Adams that reads "In the beginning the universe was created. This made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move"

There are some really funny moments in this novel. The notorious Vogon race who inflict unbearable torture through the reading of their poetry; the supercomputer called Deep Though that has been built for one reason only – to determine the answer to life, the universe, and basically everything!

I predict that you’ll be surprised at the answer!

There are 4 other books in the series, but I can’t see myself reading them anytime soon. That said, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is an entertaining read that will test the limits of your imagination. It’s also quite a short novel at 226 pages.

Click here to buy The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

If you have any thoughts on The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, then I’d love to hear them. You can join in the discussion on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Alternatively, write in the comments below. 

 






Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks

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Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks

Uncommon Type

I’m really frustrated about this book of short stories by the “legend” Tom Hanks.  A review I read on Uncommon Type said that each story revolved around a different kind of typewriter… I liked the idea instantly, I expected it to be brilliant.

Although the stories were lovely ideas, they just didn’t get going for me, and often had really abrupt endings that left me thinking, “Who cares?”

I actually struggled at times to keep reading. Perhaps the idea is to give the reader a little snapshot of American society, a very brief snapshot. But, plugging away did offer some reward.

Towards the end of the book, I found two stories that were fun. The first one is called These are the Meditations of My Heart and the second was Steve Wong is Perfect. I won’t go into any detail as they are both very short.

Overall, I’m not doubting Hank’s writing ability whatsoever but rather the stories themselves. There was a touch of America, past and present, with the occasional laugh. But – perhaps I’ll be kind and say I enjoyed 3 out of 17 stories (Three Exhausting Weeks being the third) – it just wasn’t’ enough.

That said, it depends on the type of reader you are. Some will probably love it, I mean it is Tom Hanks – sadly Uncommon Type didn’t float my boat.

After reading a few different reviews on Amazon,  many who purchased the audiobook seemed to really enjoy it – perhaps this is the way to go if you’re thinking about giving it a try. It’ll be like Forest Gump reading you a bedtime story, and that’s pretty damn good!

Click here to buy Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks

Have you read Uncommon Type? If you have any other thoughts on the collection of short stories by Tom Hanks, I’d love to hear them. Post in the comments below or join in the discussion on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 






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