10. The Scarlet Pimpernel (Baroness Emma Orczy)
Pleasure: 9/10 Stars
Utility: 0/10 Stars
This book is the only one in the mystery genre where I saw the movie first but was still really surprised by the book. The central figure of this novel is the origin of such greats as Zorro and Batman; the clever, mysterious stranger who has made it his life goal to aid people in need.
Set during the French revolution of the 1790s, The Scarlet Pimpernel is a figure shrouded in mystery. The only known facts about him are that he is an Englishman and that he possesses an almost supernatural ability to evade capture. This man is the head of a small band of nineteen Englishmen who (for sheer sport) rescue aristocrats right under the noses of the French republican government from Madame Guillotine. The story, however, follows Marguerite St. Just nee Blakeney, a pillar of the French society who married an Englishman thought to be the greatest fool in England. The plot follows Marguerite's interactions with one M. Chauvelin, an accredited agent of the French republican government. Chauvelin obtains evidence that Marguerite's brother, an employee in the French government, is involved with the Scarlet Pimpernel's operations. He uses this evidence to blackmail Marguerite into finding out the identity of the bane of the republic. I won't ruin the ending for you. You should seriously read this one!
The style is easily readable and the pace moves quickly so you don't get bogged down in extended dialogues or philosophical meditations. I promise that if you read this one, it'll blow your mind! Pick it up today!
13 May 2014
07 May 2014
Review of Good Omens
9. Good Omens (Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett)
Pleasure: 5/10 Stars
Utility: 0/10 Stars
My low-ish rating of this book probably says a lot more about my personality type and reading preferences than the quality of the writing. I'm very much a "meat and potatoes" type reader. I'm sure that if I saw Good Omens as a movie, I'd have laughed a lot but when it comes to reading I usually choose material that leads to "Aha!" moments, serious thoughts or tears. That said, there were a few things that elicited a chuckle. For those of you who haven't ever read this one, here's a brief synopsis:
Aziraphale (an angel) and Crowley (a demon), both corporeal beings, have been on opposing sides of the cosmic struggle since the Garden of Eden. But over the course of the previous several millennia, they've really settled into earthly life and enjoy living in our world. When the apocalypse comes about, both of them determine to try working together to thwart the "ineffable" divine plan. The only problem is that the Antichrist (a 10-year-old boy named Adam) has been misplaced and they're having to figure out where he is and stop him before the world comes to an end.
The plot is a bit more complex and nuanced than that but that's essentially what the story is about. Along the way, we meet the 4 bikers of the apocalypse, the head of an army of witchfinders and his lone soldier, a witch and several other zany characters.
Perhaps it was because the humor was so British and stuffy that I found a lot of the jokes a bit dry for my taste. Among the things that got a genuine laugh out of me was the group of 4 roughnecks who cross paths with the 4 bikers of the apocalypse and receive permission to join them. The four of them spend a long trip coming up with names for themselves. Just as War, Famine, Death and Pestilence are bad things in this world, the four knuckleheads who join up with them try to come up with other things that make life miserable such as "Really Cool People" or "Things Not Working Properly Even After You've Given Them A Good Thumping". Another funny bit came at the beginning when Aziraphale and Crowley, incorrectly believing they are watching over the antichrist, arrange for an extremely virtuous gardener and an extremely demonic nanny to be employed by the boy's parents. The gardener always tells him to love others no matter what horrible things they do to him and always treat others as he himself would want to be treated while the nanny comes up with all sorts of perverse variations of the classic nursery rhymes involving piles of steaming human flesh and raining down the dominion of Satan the great lord. Both urge the boy to listen only to them and pay no attention to the other. As you can imagine, what happens is that you are simply left with an extremely confused boy.
Anyway, please don't let an (overall) mediocre/slightly negative review turn you from reading a book. I am sure that my personality and reading tastes account for about 90-95% of this review. It's an expression of my personality, not the quality of the writing.
Pleasure: 5/10 Stars
Utility: 0/10 Stars
My low-ish rating of this book probably says a lot more about my personality type and reading preferences than the quality of the writing. I'm very much a "meat and potatoes" type reader. I'm sure that if I saw Good Omens as a movie, I'd have laughed a lot but when it comes to reading I usually choose material that leads to "Aha!" moments, serious thoughts or tears. That said, there were a few things that elicited a chuckle. For those of you who haven't ever read this one, here's a brief synopsis:
Aziraphale (an angel) and Crowley (a demon), both corporeal beings, have been on opposing sides of the cosmic struggle since the Garden of Eden. But over the course of the previous several millennia, they've really settled into earthly life and enjoy living in our world. When the apocalypse comes about, both of them determine to try working together to thwart the "ineffable" divine plan. The only problem is that the Antichrist (a 10-year-old boy named Adam) has been misplaced and they're having to figure out where he is and stop him before the world comes to an end.
The plot is a bit more complex and nuanced than that but that's essentially what the story is about. Along the way, we meet the 4 bikers of the apocalypse, the head of an army of witchfinders and his lone soldier, a witch and several other zany characters.
Perhaps it was because the humor was so British and stuffy that I found a lot of the jokes a bit dry for my taste. Among the things that got a genuine laugh out of me was the group of 4 roughnecks who cross paths with the 4 bikers of the apocalypse and receive permission to join them. The four of them spend a long trip coming up with names for themselves. Just as War, Famine, Death and Pestilence are bad things in this world, the four knuckleheads who join up with them try to come up with other things that make life miserable such as "Really Cool People" or "Things Not Working Properly Even After You've Given Them A Good Thumping". Another funny bit came at the beginning when Aziraphale and Crowley, incorrectly believing they are watching over the antichrist, arrange for an extremely virtuous gardener and an extremely demonic nanny to be employed by the boy's parents. The gardener always tells him to love others no matter what horrible things they do to him and always treat others as he himself would want to be treated while the nanny comes up with all sorts of perverse variations of the classic nursery rhymes involving piles of steaming human flesh and raining down the dominion of Satan the great lord. Both urge the boy to listen only to them and pay no attention to the other. As you can imagine, what happens is that you are simply left with an extremely confused boy.
Anyway, please don't let an (overall) mediocre/slightly negative review turn you from reading a book. I am sure that my personality and reading tastes account for about 90-95% of this review. It's an expression of my personality, not the quality of the writing.
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