Everybody's favourite Prince of Hell is back, and this time he has a baby....and a monkey. What could possibly go wrong.
With Beelzebelle, the 5th in Goody and Grant's Clovenhoof series, Jeremy Clovenhoof (aka Satan, exiled from Hell and now living in suburban Birmingham) is back leading the story and where he goes, chaos follows. Trailing along in his wake, trying to pick up the pieces are his neighbours Ben and the man-hungry Nerys, and his nemesis Michael (aka St. Michael, exiled from Heaven, also living in the Birmingham area). And what is that chaos? - well, start with JC getting a baby (and a monkey), joining SCUM (Sutton Coldfield Union of Mothers) and getting himself, Ben and Nerys made temporarily homeless, then throw in a new church being built by a slightly dodgy seeming chap, the death of Nerys' dog and the sudden appearance of a mighty monster - The Beast of Boldmere.
As expected from this series chaotic scene follows chaotic scene but somehow the authors manage to tie everything up by the end. Just when you think things cannot get any dafter they somehow manage to up their game finishing up with a scene of such magnificent insanity and (that word again) chaos that it would take the likes of Cecil B DeMille to film it (and I would love to see a visual version of the Clovenhoof stories)
What I really like about these stories is that in Jeremy Clovenhoof Goody and Grant don't portray Satan as 'Ultimate Evil' just someone who likes a bit of fun and mischief, okay, a LOT of fun and mischief. JC is one of those people you would end up hanging around with (even though you know it won't end well) and contrary to what you would expect from The Prince Of Darkness he does often try to do the right thing (often in a very convoluted and roundabout way, but the right thing nonetheless).
If I had to compare these authors with anyone, and I may have said this before, I would say Tom Holt at his best, but if I went in a shop with enough to buy only one book and it was a choice between the two I'd come out with Goody and Grant book every time.
5/5*
Thursday, 29 September 2016
Monday, 26 September 2016
All About Mia by Lisa Williamson - some thoughts
So, Friday I got home from work and there was some post for me......book shaped post.
On the plus side it was:
a) book shaped
b) from David Fickling Books
On the not so much of a plus side, the envelope was pink - very pink, very very pink indeed. But, as I said, it was book shaped and that trumps all.
What was inside was a sampler of a 2017 release 'All About Mia' (and a small pack of Harbour - another tick in the + column). 'AAM' is very much aimed at the female YA market, certainly not something I would expect to read, but on Sunday afternoon I needed something to read and AAM was close to hand and you know what? I really enjoyed it.
The story, as far as the sampler goes concerns Mia, a 16 year old middle sister. Oldest sister Grace is the academic one, younger sister Audrey the sporty one. Mia is neither academic or sporty, what she is, is Trouble (with a capital T, and possibly a capital R,O,U,B,L and E too). Not trouble in a nasty way, more Tracey Beakers and I found her fun as a character. The set up is that Grace comes home early from her gap year with 'a surprise' (no prizes for guessing what). When this doesn't get the reaction Mia hoped for from her parents it seems you are left with the idea that she is going to 'have escapades and get into scrapes'. I don't know what these will be but I look forward to finding out.
This is my fifth book from David Fickling Books and so far they have all been high quality, both in story and presentation.
A full review will appear here when the book is published in it's entirety.
Recommended
On the plus side it was:
a) book shaped
b) from David Fickling Books
On the not so much of a plus side, the envelope was pink - very pink, very very pink indeed. But, as I said, it was book shaped and that trumps all.
What was inside was a sampler of a 2017 release 'All About Mia' (and a small pack of Harbour - another tick in the + column). 'AAM' is very much aimed at the female YA market, certainly not something I would expect to read, but on Sunday afternoon I needed something to read and AAM was close to hand and you know what? I really enjoyed it.
The story, as far as the sampler goes concerns Mia, a 16 year old middle sister. Oldest sister Grace is the academic one, younger sister Audrey the sporty one. Mia is neither academic or sporty, what she is, is Trouble (with a capital T, and possibly a capital R,O,U,B,L and E too). Not trouble in a nasty way, more Tracey Beakers and I found her fun as a character. The set up is that Grace comes home early from her gap year with 'a surprise' (no prizes for guessing what). When this doesn't get the reaction Mia hoped for from her parents it seems you are left with the idea that she is going to 'have escapades and get into scrapes'. I don't know what these will be but I look forward to finding out.
This is my fifth book from David Fickling Books and so far they have all been high quality, both in story and presentation.
A full review will appear here when the book is published in it's entirety.
Recommended
Monday, 5 September 2016
Of Sand and Malice Made by Bradley P Beaulieu - A Review
Of Sand and Malice Made is a prequel to Twelve Kings (Twelve Kings in Sharakhai in the US) and tells a story in the earlier life of Pit Fighter heroine Ceda, aka The White Wolf. The book is made up of 3 novellas that make a whole tale.
In this story Ceda comes to the notice of Rumayesh, one of the Ehrekh, ancient beyond years. What Rumayesh wants she gets, how will Ceda escape her clutches.
With this prequel we return to the desert city of Sharakhai, destined to become one of the great creations of modern fantasy fiction. The whole city is almost a character in itself with it's markets, fighting pits, shadowy back streets and the docks where the mighty sand ships come and go. The story itself is very Arabian in feel, it reminded me of both Aladdin and one of my favourite TV series of recent years, Atlantis. It is certainly a nice change to get fantasy fiction in a different setting to the usual Euro Middle Ages that most Fantasy Fiction seems to have.
As a lead character Ceda really works well, she spans the gap between child and adult without being too much of either. She is a fighter to be feared, one of the best pit fighters there is, but still enough of a child to keep her sense of fear and wonder. Travelling the streets of Sharakhai with her is a joy.
As for the book itself, this is a really nicely put together volume. The cover art is lovely and there are two maps (and I do like a good map). The only down side really is that some of the interior art is a tad on the dark side but that doesn't detract from an excellent story.
As a prequel 'Of Sand and Malice Made' works as both a continuation of Beaulieu's Sharakhai series and an entry point for those who have not visited before. Whichever you are, this exotic, mystical city will catch hold of you and never let go.
5/5 stars
In this story Ceda comes to the notice of Rumayesh, one of the Ehrekh, ancient beyond years. What Rumayesh wants she gets, how will Ceda escape her clutches.
With this prequel we return to the desert city of Sharakhai, destined to become one of the great creations of modern fantasy fiction. The whole city is almost a character in itself with it's markets, fighting pits, shadowy back streets and the docks where the mighty sand ships come and go. The story itself is very Arabian in feel, it reminded me of both Aladdin and one of my favourite TV series of recent years, Atlantis. It is certainly a nice change to get fantasy fiction in a different setting to the usual Euro Middle Ages that most Fantasy Fiction seems to have.
As a lead character Ceda really works well, she spans the gap between child and adult without being too much of either. She is a fighter to be feared, one of the best pit fighters there is, but still enough of a child to keep her sense of fear and wonder. Travelling the streets of Sharakhai with her is a joy.
As for the book itself, this is a really nicely put together volume. The cover art is lovely and there are two maps (and I do like a good map). The only down side really is that some of the interior art is a tad on the dark side but that doesn't detract from an excellent story.
As a prequel 'Of Sand and Malice Made' works as both a continuation of Beaulieu's Sharakhai series and an entry point for those who have not visited before. Whichever you are, this exotic, mystical city will catch hold of you and never let go.
5/5 stars
Cat Castles by Carin Oliver (sample) - A Review
Ok,so,in the post today was a sample of a book called 'Cat Castle's (20 Cardboard Habitats You Can Build Yourself) by Carin Oliver, published by Quirk Books.
It is, basically, what it says it is - instructions on how to build various projects for your cat. From cardboard. As if your cat will actually be grateful for all the effort you put in. The book itself has 20 projects, this sampler has 2 - Airplane and Pyramid.
The instructions are fairly easy to follow, but, seriously, why would you want to bother. I like cats, cats are lovely but cats really couldn't care less if you spent half the afternoon building 'Cat Headquarters' or 'Crazy Condo'.
The illustrations are wonderful, I will say that, but probably for the wrong reasons. With cat expressions that range from 'why did you bother' and 'I am not going in there' to 'Seriously, if this gets printed I am going to puke in one of your shoes, and you won't know which one until it's too late' they did make me chuckle.
On a serious note though, one thing troubled me. With the Airplane Habitat there are instructions to make a propeller and attach it with wire, and for me this is wrong - NEVER construct a plaything (which it is when it all comes down to it) for a pet with bits of wire. The wire is not necessary. The cat won't care if the propeller doesn't turn.
So, all in all, a strange little book. If you like crafting and cats this could be just the thing for you (as long as you are prepared for the cat to not be bothered about the time you've put in)
3/5 stars
It is, basically, what it says it is - instructions on how to build various projects for your cat. From cardboard. As if your cat will actually be grateful for all the effort you put in. The book itself has 20 projects, this sampler has 2 - Airplane and Pyramid.
The instructions are fairly easy to follow, but, seriously, why would you want to bother. I like cats, cats are lovely but cats really couldn't care less if you spent half the afternoon building 'Cat Headquarters' or 'Crazy Condo'.
The illustrations are wonderful, I will say that, but probably for the wrong reasons. With cat expressions that range from 'why did you bother' and 'I am not going in there' to 'Seriously, if this gets printed I am going to puke in one of your shoes, and you won't know which one until it's too late' they did make me chuckle.
On a serious note though, one thing troubled me. With the Airplane Habitat there are instructions to make a propeller and attach it with wire, and for me this is wrong - NEVER construct a plaything (which it is when it all comes down to it) for a pet with bits of wire. The wire is not necessary. The cat won't care if the propeller doesn't turn.
So, all in all, a strange little book. If you like crafting and cats this could be just the thing for you (as long as you are prepared for the cat to not be bothered about the time you've put in)
3/5 stars
Tuesday, 30 August 2016
Kings or Pawns by J J Sherwood - A Review
Kings or Pawns is the first in J J Sherwood's 'Steps of Power' sequence and a very promising start it is too.
In an Elvish land a young elf becomes king and a general, tired and possibly slightly disillusioned after many years of fighting must carry on leading the army in a war he longs to quit but cannot.
The new king, Hairem, is beset by his corrupt government and even when he tries to right wrongs in said government he is thwarted by those who want to keep their power and ill gotten games. A lot of the early stages of KoP is scene setting and plot building, as you would expect but the ideas are interesting enough to keep the reader hooked in until the sub plots and side quests kick in in the second half of the book. And oh, what a busy second half it is, plenty of twists and turns leading to a satisfactory conclusion (although you may have to stop for breath by the end).
The character list in the second half really seems to explode, and my only fault with KoP (and it's only a little one) is that there is so much going on in the later stages that it feels 'over busy - I had to check it was under 400 pages as it felt like an epic, almost 'Sanderson-esque' in scope.
I will add that, as a long term fan of High Fantasy I have never been a fan of the elven races but the ones in this series look like changing my mind.
A well paced, if at times over busy, introduction to a series that promises to be Epic in size and scale
4/5 stars
Oh, and one final thing, check out the cover art - "HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!"
In an Elvish land a young elf becomes king and a general, tired and possibly slightly disillusioned after many years of fighting must carry on leading the army in a war he longs to quit but cannot.
The new king, Hairem, is beset by his corrupt government and even when he tries to right wrongs in said government he is thwarted by those who want to keep their power and ill gotten games. A lot of the early stages of KoP is scene setting and plot building, as you would expect but the ideas are interesting enough to keep the reader hooked in until the sub plots and side quests kick in in the second half of the book. And oh, what a busy second half it is, plenty of twists and turns leading to a satisfactory conclusion (although you may have to stop for breath by the end).
The character list in the second half really seems to explode, and my only fault with KoP (and it's only a little one) is that there is so much going on in the later stages that it feels 'over busy - I had to check it was under 400 pages as it felt like an epic, almost 'Sanderson-esque' in scope.
I will add that, as a long term fan of High Fantasy I have never been a fan of the elven races but the ones in this series look like changing my mind.
A well paced, if at times over busy, introduction to a series that promises to be Epic in size and scale
4/5 stars
Oh, and one final thing, check out the cover art - "HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!"
Monday, 22 August 2016
The Wrong Train by Jeremy de Quidt - A Review
It's late at night, a boy runs for the train but on catching it he realises that it's not the one he meant to catch. He gets off at the first possible station he can but doesn't recognise it. After a while an old man and his dog turn up and regale the boy with a story while he waits for a train to take him back.
And so begins one of the creepiest, scariest books I've read in a while.
The stories the old man tells, you see, are of the ghostly and unsettling variety.
As the night goes on the boy gets more uncomfortable with the old man and the old man himself gets slightly more sinister. It's clear from the off that the old man is in charge of the game, indeed all the events and storytelling seem to be leading towards what he refers to as 'my little game'. And when it comes time to play, when all becomes clear - well, let's just say this reviewer had his socks knocked clean off.
The storytelling here is very much of the highest standard, the stories within a story idea works really well and I'm not ashamed to say, the author unnerved me at times. There were certainly several occasions when I could see where he was taking the story and I thought 'NO!! He's not going to do that. I was wrong and he did.
The Wrong Train is aimed at a Young Adult audience but shouldn't be restricted to that bracket. It is not a comfortable read but it is a very good one. This book will be enjoyed by older readers too.
So, in short, I cannot recommend The Wrong Train Highly enough. Go get yourself a copy soon as you can (it's from David Fickling Books)
5* It's been a long while since a book unsettled me like this and I loved every uncomfortable minute of it
And so begins one of the creepiest, scariest books I've read in a while.
The stories the old man tells, you see, are of the ghostly and unsettling variety.
As the night goes on the boy gets more uncomfortable with the old man and the old man himself gets slightly more sinister. It's clear from the off that the old man is in charge of the game, indeed all the events and storytelling seem to be leading towards what he refers to as 'my little game'. And when it comes time to play, when all becomes clear - well, let's just say this reviewer had his socks knocked clean off.
The storytelling here is very much of the highest standard, the stories within a story idea works really well and I'm not ashamed to say, the author unnerved me at times. There were certainly several occasions when I could see where he was taking the story and I thought 'NO!! He's not going to do that. I was wrong and he did.
The Wrong Train is aimed at a Young Adult audience but shouldn't be restricted to that bracket. It is not a comfortable read but it is a very good one. This book will be enjoyed by older readers too.
So, in short, I cannot recommend The Wrong Train Highly enough. Go get yourself a copy soon as you can (it's from David Fickling Books)
5* It's been a long while since a book unsettled me like this and I loved every uncomfortable minute of it
Sunday, 21 August 2016
The Call by Peadar O'Guilin - A Review
Imagine, if you will, an Ireland that is cut off from the rest of the world, an Ireland where the Aes Sidhe, the early dwellers in the Emerald Isle who were banished by human settlers have decided it is time to come back. That's what you have in 'The Call' and it makes for a dark, chilling but ultimately rewarding read.
The general gist of the story is that Ireland is now isolated, ever since the day when planes fell from the sky and boats washed up on the shores, all more or less empty. No-one enters or leaves the island. The Aes Sidhe, a kind of Irish fairy folk, have decided it is time to end their exile and are trying to force their way ever closer from their land to this. These fairy folk are not what you might expect though - no tinkerbells here. These are a nasty, vicious race and they are coming for the nation's children.
It is because of this children are sent to special schools where they are taught survival skills so they will be ready when The Call comes.
What is The Call? At some point in each child's life they will be taken, without warning, and transferred to the land of the Aes Sidhe, an horrific, grey land where they have to survive The Hunt. They are gone from this world to that for 3 minutes and 4 seconds but are in the lands of the Aes Sidhe for 24 hours. If they survive The Hunt they are returned to this world, if they are caught they are tortured, disfigured, often (but not always) killed and then their dead bodies sent back. Very few who are Called and survive are without scars both mental and physical.
The schools set up to train the children are brutal places, designed to turn their pupils into warriors that may have a fighting chance. Into one of these schools comes our heroine Nessa. She is not like the other kids as she suffered from polio as a youngster which has left her with weak legs. Some think she should not be there but she is a battler and does what she can to keep up or improve her chances.
Most of the story revolves round the time at school, the interactions between pupils and staff, the training and just waiting to see who will be called next (seriously, they just disappear leaving only a bundle of clothes - they always turn up naked in the AS land - and the surprise never wears off).
Things start to get a bit more frantic though when a fairy hill is discovered on school land, The Sidhe are getting closer, The Calls are getting more regular, sometimes with several pupils going at one time and still Nessa waits till they decide it is time to take her.
I found Nessa to be a quite likeable lead character. Although she has her disability she makes the most of her situation and doesn't get all mopey about life. Quite a large part of the story questions (through some of her fellow pupils) whether she should actually be allowed to be at the school as it is training pupils to survive and it is quite obvious to them that with her disability she will not do so and so should have been 'terminated, at a younger age to allow more resources for those who might have a chance.
I will say that I really enjoyed this book. It is dark, it is unsettling, at times the tortures performed by the Aes Sidhe are downright horrific but above all it is a tale well told.
The Call is classed as YA fiction and would probably appeal to fans of such things as The Hunger Games and Maze Runners. Myself though I would recommend it to all ages (YA and upwards obviously)
5*
Also, a quick nod (and my thanks) to David Fickling Books who published this and were kind enough to supply me with a copy when I asked. They are publishing some cracking fiction, check them out if you get the chance.
The general gist of the story is that Ireland is now isolated, ever since the day when planes fell from the sky and boats washed up on the shores, all more or less empty. No-one enters or leaves the island. The Aes Sidhe, a kind of Irish fairy folk, have decided it is time to end their exile and are trying to force their way ever closer from their land to this. These fairy folk are not what you might expect though - no tinkerbells here. These are a nasty, vicious race and they are coming for the nation's children.
It is because of this children are sent to special schools where they are taught survival skills so they will be ready when The Call comes.
What is The Call? At some point in each child's life they will be taken, without warning, and transferred to the land of the Aes Sidhe, an horrific, grey land where they have to survive The Hunt. They are gone from this world to that for 3 minutes and 4 seconds but are in the lands of the Aes Sidhe for 24 hours. If they survive The Hunt they are returned to this world, if they are caught they are tortured, disfigured, often (but not always) killed and then their dead bodies sent back. Very few who are Called and survive are without scars both mental and physical.
The schools set up to train the children are brutal places, designed to turn their pupils into warriors that may have a fighting chance. Into one of these schools comes our heroine Nessa. She is not like the other kids as she suffered from polio as a youngster which has left her with weak legs. Some think she should not be there but she is a battler and does what she can to keep up or improve her chances.
Most of the story revolves round the time at school, the interactions between pupils and staff, the training and just waiting to see who will be called next (seriously, they just disappear leaving only a bundle of clothes - they always turn up naked in the AS land - and the surprise never wears off).
Things start to get a bit more frantic though when a fairy hill is discovered on school land, The Sidhe are getting closer, The Calls are getting more regular, sometimes with several pupils going at one time and still Nessa waits till they decide it is time to take her.
I found Nessa to be a quite likeable lead character. Although she has her disability she makes the most of her situation and doesn't get all mopey about life. Quite a large part of the story questions (through some of her fellow pupils) whether she should actually be allowed to be at the school as it is training pupils to survive and it is quite obvious to them that with her disability she will not do so and so should have been 'terminated, at a younger age to allow more resources for those who might have a chance.
I will say that I really enjoyed this book. It is dark, it is unsettling, at times the tortures performed by the Aes Sidhe are downright horrific but above all it is a tale well told.
The Call is classed as YA fiction and would probably appeal to fans of such things as The Hunger Games and Maze Runners. Myself though I would recommend it to all ages (YA and upwards obviously)
5*
Also, a quick nod (and my thanks) to David Fickling Books who published this and were kind enough to supply me with a copy when I asked. They are publishing some cracking fiction, check them out if you get the chance.
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