The Woman Who Died A Lot (Thursday Next #7) Review

The Woman Who Died A Lot (Thursday Next #7)

Jasper Fforde

Publisher: Hodder

The BookWorld's leading enforcement officer Thursday Next is four months into an enforced semi-retirement following an assassination attempt. She returns home to Swindon for what you'd expect to be a time of recuperation. If only life were that simple.
Thursday is faced with an array of family problems - son Friday's lack of focus since his career in the Chronoguard was relegated to a might-have-been, daughter Tuesday's difficulty perfecting the Anti-Smote shield needed to thwart an angry Deity's promise to wipe Swindon off the face of the earth, and Jenny, who doesn't exist.
And that's not all. With Goliath attempting to replace Thursday at every opportunity with synthetic Thursdays, the prediction that Friday's Destiny-Aware colleagues will die in mysterious circumstances, and a looming meteorite that could destroy all human life on earth, Thursday's retirement is going to be anything but easy.

I love Jasper Fforde’s sheer inventiveness and ingenuity when it comes to situations and plots. A single book from him has enough ideas to keep five lesser authors busy for their whole careers, but he just drops delightful ideas and wordplay like breadcrumbs and hopes you will keep up and follow him home.

This is the seventh book starring Thursday Next and instead of jumping into books, this time she faces an enemy she can’t outrun, outshoot or outthink: old age. Recovering from an accident, Thursday finds herself unable to ‘read herself’ into the Bookworld anymore and has to live entirely in the ‘real’ world – although her old enemies Goliath and Aornis Hades are up to something, Spec Ops has been reformed, her son has no motivation anymore and God has sworn to smite Swindon on this Friday...so it’s not exactly a relaxing week. Where Jasper Fforde excels is pulling together layered plots and sub-plots and making them work. Some of the plot line don’t have much in common other than Thursday and her family, but somehow that doesn’t matter much – it is the world building that ties everything together. It's nice as well to see our heroine aging and struggling with health - it makes her feel real especially if like me, you've been following her adventures over the last ten years. I've aged - why shouldn't my heroes!

I have to admit I enjoyed this adventure more than the last one as stories set entirely in the Bookworld just don’t seem to pop as much for me, fun as they were. This story doesn’t include any Bookworld characters and very few of Thursday’s old team, but has more involvement of Thursday’s family with Landen, Friday and Tuesday all given good development. Previously they hadn’t contributed much to the world, but here they round out Thursday as well as making their own impact on Swindon.

Overall, this is a fun read that is likely to make you scratch your head in confused enjoyment and just a joy to read. Pull up a chair, sit back and let Jasper Fforde take you to where he wants to go while you enjoy the scenery!

Recommended for fans of Tom Holt and Terry Prachett. 8 out of 10

Devil May Care Review

Devil May Care

Patricia Eimer

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

E-Arc courtesy of Netgalley and Entangled Publishing

After a month of planning not one, but two, demonic weddings, all Faith Bettincourt—the youngest Crown Princess of Hell—wants is to spend some quality time with her angelic boyfriend, Matt. But when a ghost from Matt’s past walks through Faith’s apartment door, her preoccupation with the weddings from Hell is all that’s keeping her from turning his ex, in all her devious angelic glory, into a down throw pillow.
Which is about when Matt’s zealous mother declares war on Faith’s family.Now Faith will stop at nothing to stop the craziness and make sure the impending nuptials go off without a hitch. All she’s got to do is rescue one of the grooms and go up against an army of so-called do-gooders, and everything will go back to normal. Or as normal as it can be where the Devil's spawn is concerned. With any luck, she might just be able to resuscitate her love life while she's at it.

A common theme running through many books is that families can be hell and in Faith’s case that is more literal than metaphorical. Her father is the Devil, she is demoness with wings, tail and horns and she is currently dating an angel who lives across the hall. Unfortunately his ex-girlfriend has shown up wanting him back, while her ex-boyfriend has also arrived on the scene, without any memories of their relationship and falls for her again. Add in two family weddings and Faith’s patience starts to run low...

This is one of those books were the banter between the characters is fun, frivolous and laugh out loud amusing. It could almost be a chick-lit frothy read with demons and angels thrown in for decoration. Faith has the same relationship and family issues as any young woman – although gratefully she is confident in herself and her abilities. Her family are familiar to most people with an over-protective Dad, a hippy Mum, an older half-brother who’s a pain and a bitchy sister – but despite their sniping and banter – but despite their sniping and mockery with each other there is a strong core. And when someone attacks one of them, they pull together.

Outside of the relationships, there is some investigation into drug thievery at the hospital Faith works which doesn’t really go anywhere but ties up some loose ends from the first book, Luck of the Devil. Overall, this is a fast, fun read – light hearted and amusing so a perfect anecdote for the wet, miserable winter days!

Recommended for fans of Mary Janice Davidson and Kerrelyn Sparks, 7.5 out of 10

Snuff Review

Snuff

- Terry Prachett

Publisher: Corgi

According to the writer of the best-selling crime novel ever to have been published in the city of Ankh-Morpork, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a policeman taking a holiday would barely have had time to open his suitcase before he finds his first corpse. And Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch is on holiday in the pleasant and innocent countryside, but not for him a mere body in the wardrobe. There are many, many bodies and an ancient crime more terrible than murder. 
He is out of his jurisdiction, out of his depth, out of bacon sandwiches, and occasionally snookered and out of his mind, but never out of guile. Where there is a crime there must be a finding, there must be a chase and there must be a punishment. 
They say that in the end all sins are forgiven. But not quite all.

Another visit to the Discworld with Terry Prachett! This another Sam Vimes story but this time he and his family have left Anhk-Morpork behind to have a holiday in the country. The first half of this book is Discworld’s version of Midsomer Murders. Sam Vimes wanders about the country, where someone is always watching you, talking to people and becomes sure that something isn’t right about the country...especially with Goblins in the area...  

After so many books set in the colourful and fragrant Anhk-Morpork, it’s a refreshing change to see the countryside surrounding the premier city of Discworld. Terry Prachett manages to subvert a dozen English countryside stereotypes every two pages – whether it’s the local barflys at the pub, to the upstairs-downstairs relationships in the big house they is some amusing and clever take on traditions. Personally, I loved the idea of the spinning maids – it had me smiling all through the latest episode of Downtown Abbey! J

The second half of the story is more action packed with river chases and close escapes –more Twenty-Four less Midsomer Murders. There is even some deep philosophical ponderings about the nature of evil – and if you understand how evil minds work, does that make you evil...? It’s quite deep, but subtly done and adds to Sam Vimes character after so many books. The other element that adds to Sam Vimes personality is how much he loves his son, young Sam. Young Sam is a joy and delight to read about, with his obsession with poo and complete disregard for knowing what he should be afraid off.

This is another entertaining visit to the Discworld showing that Terry hasn’t lost his knack for making the ordinary sublime and ridiculous normal. Good, clean(ish) fun.

Recommended for fans of Tom Holt and Jasper Fforde. 8 out of 10

The Song of the Quarkbeast Review

The Song of the Quarkbeast (Last Dragonslayer #2)

- Jasper Fforde

Publisher: Hodder

As the background Wizidrical Power slowly builds after the Big Magic, King Snodd IV of Hereford realises the man who controls Magic controls almost anything. But one person stands between him and his plans for power and riches: Jennifer Strange, sixteen-year-old acting manager of Kazam. It may involve a trip on a magic carpet at the speed of sound to the Troll Wall, it may involve a second Quarkbeast sniffing around town. It might also involve the mysterious Transient Moose, and a powerless sorceress named Once Magnificent Boo. But one thing is certain: Jennifer Strange and her faithful assistant Tiger Prawns will not relinquish the noble powers of magic to big business and commerce without a fight.

This is the second visit to the weird and wonderful world of Jennifer Strange, foundling and acting manager of Kazam, a magic agency which delivers pizza via flying carpet and finds lost objects through spells. Once again Jennifer has a lot on her plate – King Snodd of Hereford wants a competition between Kazam and their magical rivals iMagic to see who will Court Magician. The twin of Jennifer’s Quarkbeast is being hunted around town and the future of magic could be at stake. So like any other day really.

I love that so much of the joy of this series is from acting sensibly in a ridiculous world. Jennifer and her fellow foundling ‘Tiger’ Prawns are the only sensible people who behave in a way we would find normal – and this makes them geniuses – or close to it. There is a lot of fun from the silly situations such as the mysterious X’s outing to the zoo to the transient Moose’s appearances around the hotel. The plot is simpler than The Last Dragonslayer, but fast paced and never less than interesting.

Jasper Fforde has one of the most fascinating comic writers – he seems to be able to take some as simple as building a bridge and base so much plot and intriguing plot elements on it to make it the most interesting story. Some elements are laugh out loud funny, while others are wry smiles, but either way you are left entertained and wanting more amusing adventures!

Recommended for fans for of Robert Rankin and Amanda Ashby. 8 out of 10

Audiobook Review: Good Omens

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

Written by Neil Gaimen and Terry Prachett

Read by Stephen Briggs

According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter--the world's only totally reliable guide to the future--the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just after tea...

Neil Gaimen and Terry Prachett and two of the most popular and inventive British writers and this come through in spades. Good Omens is essentially the story of the Apocalypse and the end of the world. But somehow it’s so much more fun, thrilling and imaginative than that suggests. Set in Britain we follow a demon and an angel, a witchfinder and a descendant of a witch as well as the son of the devil himself as they all orbit the end of days. With everything from Atlantis rising to aliens landing thrown in as well there is no end of unusual and unexpected elements which will have either laughing over the sheer absurd or wondering how you missed something so obvious!

Having read the book in the past, I was aware of what to expect, but one of the joys of this audio is the life given to the characters and events by Stephen Briggs. He seems to throw himself fully into the story telling, and your ears become glued to the ups and downs of the anti-christ. I loved how some of the elements felt so British and yet universal – from cold calling salesman (and women) making the world a worse place to every tape in car turning into a Best of Queen album after 2 weeks. (Although these days it could equally be a best of Michael Jackson album!)

Little side stories build up to one big finale where everyone gets a chance to shine. In fact having been rewatching Supernatural season 4 & 5 recently, I have to say it reminds me a bit of these book – but with much less deliberate humour! This is a fun audio book that will distract and entertain and leave you wishing these authors would collaborate more often.

Recommended for fans of Tom Holt and Jasper Fforde. 9 out of 10.

One of Our Thursdays Is Missing Review

One of Our Thursdays Is Missing (Thursday Next 6)

- Jasper Fforde

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

It is a time of unrest in the BookWorld.
Only the diplomatic skills of ace literary detective Thursday Next can avert a devastating genre war. But a week before the peace talks, Thursday vanishes. Has she simply returned home to the RealWorld or is this something more sinister?
All is not yet lost. Living at the quiet end of speculative fiction is the written Thursday Next, eager to prove herself worthy of her illustrious namesake.
The fictional Thursday is soon hot on the trail of her factual alter-ego, and quickly stumbles upon a plot so fiendish that it threatens the very BookWorld itself

This is the sixth book based on Thursday Next and her adventures in the bookworld, but this time the focus is on the written Thursday Next, who appeared as a main character in the last book – First Among Sequels. The written Thursday is a little different from the ‘real’ Thursday – she’s less sure of herself and her skills. She doesn’t know the real world and lacks some of the intuition that Thursday usually has. However, this means she is a little more vulnerable and naïve. With the exception of a short visit to Swindon, the majority of this story takes place in the newly rebuilt bookworld – which is now a sphere but on the inside – so you look up and see other islands of the bookworld.

One thing that you can’t escape is the sheer inventiveness of Jasper Fforde’s worlds. He has so many ideas and witty one-liners that I find it difficult to think of him ever doing anything normal. (I’m willing to bet he brushes his teeth with bark and mint leaves, using a pink elephant to rinse!) And this always makes his book a delightful journey – like getting off a long, boring coach journey to find yourself in a perfect 1950s diner complete with Elvis Presley performing (before he was famous) and the Fonz on a motorbike – it’s familiar, comfortable and yet completely surreal and unexpected all at the same time. I loved exploring the new geographical bookworld and meeting a lot of new characters. The written Pickwick is brilliant, and I loved Thursday’s new butler with the expressive eyebrow. It was fun to see some cameos of the ‘real’ people during a quick visit to Swindon as well, but on the whole this focusses on new characters and internal bookworld politics. This does mean that it is probably more accessible to new reader than other books.

However, as much as I am intrigued and love the bookworld, there is something a little flat about it. I felt the same way with The Well of Lost Plots which was also set primarily within books. I need some of the drama and intrigue from the real world Swindon to fully connect to the book and the characters. I like the bookworld to one of many courses rather than the whole dinner! That said there are some great character developments as the written Thursday has to deal with the shadow of the real Thursday always being held over her and adding some different angles to Thursday who has only ever been a first person narrator before now. I like the depth this gives to the character – both written and real.

Overall this is a fun book with so many different views of books and reading that it will make your head spin if you think too hard. There are some great ideas in the bookworld – the mime-field had me in stitches – and it is always good to spend some time with old friends – even if you’ve never met them before.

Recommended for fans of Tom Holt and Terry Prachett. 7.5 out of 10

Ninja Verses Pirate Featuring Zombies Review

Ninja Verses Pirate Featuring Zombies (How To End Human Suffering 1)

-       James Marshall

Publisher: Chizine Publications

E-Arc Received Courtesy of netgalley and Chizine Publications

In a world where Zombies control banks and governments, only one young man sees the way things are and emerges from the Chaos and destruction: Guy Boy Man. While he tries to end human suffering worldwide and in his high school, Guy Boy Man meets a cute Pink-Haired girl named Babydoll15 who has a Unicorn that follows her everywhere. An Epic Romance begins, but forces Beyond Their Control are intent on keeping the young couple apart. One of those Forces may - or may not be! - Guy Boy Man's closest friend, a handsome African-American Ninja named Sweetie Honey; another could be four Exotically Beautiful, genetically engineered and behaviorally modified Eastern European Girls; yet another, the principal of their High School ...not to mention an impending standardized test known as the Zombie Acceptance Test! Will Guy Boy Man find a way to be with Baby Doll15 in a World Where Everyone Is Doomed to become either zombies or zombie food?

It took me a long time to read this book. I even put it down and read a few other books before I finished it (something unheard of for me as I like to just focus on one book at a time!). I requested this book thanks to the title –  Ninja Verses Pirate Featuring Zombies...of course, I wanted to read it! However, I really struggled with this book.

It is written in first person by our ‘hero’ Guy Boy Man and as such is close to a stream of consciousness with rambling asides and clever word play, but this makes it very difficult to follow. Two pages will go by as a he digresses on a series of episodes about how horrible humans are before returning to the conversation in high school that he was having. I found this very hard to focus and meant that my concentration wandered nearly as much as Guy Boy Mans.

For some time I was intrigued as to whether the zombies and troubled teens were real or just one guys interpretation of society today. This idea kept me reading for a while as I continued to translate the happenings into ‘real’ world, but after a while this wore a little thin. There are some funny lines in here but you have to dig through a lot to find them and it’s a lot of effort. To be honest this felt like a lot of work to read and I don’t know if I could recommended it to anyone else.

2 out of 10 (for a few funny lines and a great title only!)

The Last Dragonslayer Review

The Last Dragonslayer

-          Jasper FForde

Publisher: UK – Hodder

In the good old days, magic was powerful, unregulated by government, and even the largest spell could be woven without filling in the magic release form B1-7g. But somewhere, somehow, the magic started draining away. Jennifer Strange runs Kazam!, an employment agency for state-registered magicians, soothsayers and sorceresses. But work is drying up. Drain cleaner is cheaper and quicker than a spell. Why trust a cold and drafty magic carpet when jetliners offer a comfy seat and an in-flight movie? And now potions are eligible for VAT... But then the visions start. The Last Dragon is going to be killed by a Dragonslayer at 12.00 on Sunday. The death will unleash untold devastation on the UnUnited Kingdom, setting principality against dukedom and property developer against homesteader. And all the signs are pointing to Jennifer Strange, and saying"Big Magic is coming!"

I love Jasper Fforde books! He has created a perfectly unique world where magic still exists, even if it is declining and is more suited to rewiring your house rather than answering your deepest desires. The unUnited Kingdoms are familiar but slightly skewed version of the real world UK, split into various kingdoms each ruled by a king or Duke, with currency counted in moolah, and foundlings are indentured servants until the age of 18. Jennifer Strange still has two years to serve at Kazam Towers, a home for magicians whether still working or retired, when a strong prophecy telling of the death of the final dragon sets in motion a series of events which could change everything.

I’ve read all Jasper Fforde’s adult books save one which is still sitting on my TBR pile and this, his first YA novel has all the hallmarks of his previous books. There are some fantastically inventive ideas, some brilliant names – Tiger Prawns! – and a more linear story than his adult stories. Jennifer is a straight talking, full of common sense girl who is brave and intelligent. She is determined and stubborn – and I just love how she deals with the magicians, the king and the dragon that all have so much power than her but don’t necessarily want the right thing. I love the Quarkbeast – a fearsome looking creature who is completely loyal to Jennifer and eats metal. There is so much to enjoy!

The story is a little slow at the beginning as we are introduced to the world and the differences from our own, but the pace soon picks up and gallops to an exciting conclusion. There are a wide variety of characters – some good, some not, some merely eccentric but they expand the world and give Jennifer an assortment of people to conflict with. Magic, sponsorship endorsements, dragons and ancient wizard pacts all mix together to make a very tasty read.

If you want an entertaining and slight bizarre story filled as much innovation as twelve other books, then pick up this book. If you want a fun, exciting read, pick up this book. Hell, if you just want a great book to read, pick up this book!

Recommended for fans of Tom Holt and Douglas Adams. 9 out of 10.

Undead and Unworthy Review

Undead and Unworthy (Undead 7)

-          Mary Janice Davidson

Publisher: UK – Piatkus

Nobody reigns over the undead with more savvy than her heroine Betsy Taylor, back to rule the nights as Vampire Queen and survive the days as a new suburban bride. But it's not all marital bliss. Betsy's husband, Sinclair, has been perusing The Book of the Dead, Betsy's being hounded by a ghost who's even more insufferable in death than in life, and a pack of formerly feral vampires has decided to pay an unwelcome visit.

I stopped reading this series a while ago as I found it a little repetitive after a while with far too many characters for such a small number of pages. However, a break is as good as a change and coming back after a couple of years means I was able to look at the series with fresh eyes.

Betsy is the vampire queen – able to go without blood for longer than other, take god’s name in vain, see and hear ghosts and some strange magical powers that allows her to be invulnerable to stakes and pretty much everything else people throw at her – and for some reason someone always wants to kill her. Not that she cares much – she just wants to go show shopping! This is very mucha a light hearted romp through the crowded urban fantasy genre. There are many similarities to a typical UF book: hot vampire lead – check, loyal but human best friend – check, heroine with mysterious, unknown powers that make her special – check, bad guys who are evil for the sake of it – check. But rather than heavy angst or soul searching Betsy and her gang seem to take everything in their stride with the focus more on the banter than any investigation or research.

The plot moves forward through conversations and heavy snarking at each other rather than action. And while I did enjoy the banter at first, I found myself missing character development and getting a little tired from all the talking. There are at least ten main characters and Mary Janice Davidson attempts to squeeze in some character development for at least four of them  - but without explaining too much of what they were like before, during or after. This made it difficult for me to connect to any them – especially as for the most part the book is told in first person from Betsy’s point of view.

The short page count and easy style meant I whizzed through this book quicker than a teenager on a scooter on the pavement! There is minimal thought needed and while I wouldn’t add this series to my must read list, if I get the chance to pick up the next couple of books in the series on the cheap I would read them for some light hearted relief from my usual UF fare.

Recommended for fans of Victoria Laurie and Shanna Swendson. 6 out of 10.

Go Team Vampire!

Early Review: Luck of the Devil

Luck of the Devil

-       Patricia Eimer

Kindle Book

E-Copy courtesy of netgalley and Entangled Publishing

Being the youngest daughter of the Devil isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The days of teenage rebellion and vows of chastity made just to tick off her father are over, and now all Faith Bettincourt wants is a nice, quiet life. Unfortunately, thanks to the unexpected arrival of her demonically-downsized sister, a ditzy succubus roommate, and dear old Dad himself, Faith’s plans for a relaxing vacation spent watching reruns go up in flames. Now it’s all Faith can do to keep the family reunion from Hell (literally) under wraps, and the angelically-inclined hottie across the hall from realizing there’s something weird about his neighbour. And, thankfully, it’s working. Until an angelic stalker shows up in a bid to steal her powers and take over the world.

Forget watching reruns. With the way things are going, Faith will need the luck of the Devil just to survive until Monday.

This was such a fun read! I was entertained from the minute I started reading with this cosy supernatural story. There is a great family dynamic between Faith and the rest of her family – including her sister and half brother. Not to mention her whacky mother and her father, Satan the devil. Plus there is her uncle and cousin... I loved the dysfunctional family element which made them all relatable and feel like a normal family. Some of the one-liners are hilarious and had me laughing out loud.

In addition to the family reunion from hell, there is an intriguing little mystery regarding Faith’s stalker as well as her burgeoning relationship with her mysterious neighbour which adds a lovely fission of romance. While the big finale seemed a little underwhelming, I did like that Faith was able to handle herself. One little niggling point was the sub-plot regarding the stolen meds from the hospital seemed to fizzle out and didn’t go anywhere, but I can’t really complain as I had such an enjoyable ride.

This is amusing from the start and a fast paced fun adventure. I’m hoping for a lot more adventures with the family from hell! More please! J

Recommended for fans of Nina Harper and MaryJanice Davidson. 8 out of 10

Married with Zombies Review

Married With Zombies

-       Jesse Petersen

Publisher: UK – Simon and Schuster

Meet Sarah and David. Sarah and David are like any other couple. They met, they fell in love, but now they're on the verge of divorce. On a routine trip to the marriage counsellor, they notice a few odd things -- the lack of cars on the road, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counsellor, Dr Kelly, is ripping out her previous client's throat. Meet the zombies. Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But just because there are zombies, it doesn't mean your other problems go away. And if the zombies don't eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

Zombie’s are new obsession of mine – I only discovered I liked them a year ago. Most of the books I’ve read since, have been set after the zombie uprising – either a few months or at least decade later. This book is different in that it is set firmly during the zombie apocalypse. Sarah and David turn up for yet another marriage counselling session only to find their counsellor is eating her previous clients. From then on it’s a matter of survival for this couple who had discovered that lives had taken a drastic turn from their happy ever after plan.

There is plenty of marital sniping at each other which will be familiar to anyone who has ever been in a long term relationship – everything from leaving the toilet seat up to forgetting to fill up on gas, can and does cause tension between the two of them. Adding to the issue are the zombies of former neighbours and friends, extreme religious groups and various other obstacles as Sarah and David discover that surviving zombies can be a marriage survival technique. It’s fast paced, feels realistic – how else to survive than to raid your knowledge of zombie films like Dawn of the Dead and Zombieland? And it’s unusual to discover a hero couple who have been together years and it certainly brought a different point of view to the story – a point of view I found refreshing.

This is a fun, fresh and amusing read that I zoomed through and enjoyed. While this doesn’t ask the big questions about what being human truly means like a number of other zombie books, it does ask what does being married really mean?

Recommended for fans of Shaun of the Dead and Jasper Fforde. 7.5 out of 10.

Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Sausages: Early Review

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sausages

-       Tom Holt

Publisher: UK - Orbit Books – Released 2^nd February 2011

I recieved an e-Arc via netgalley & Hachette Books

Polly is a real estate solicitor. She is also losing her mind. Someone keeps drinking her coffee. And talking to her clients. And doing her job. And when she goes to the dry cleaner's to pick up her dress for the party, it's not there. Not the dress - the dry cleaner's.
And then there are the chickens who think they are people. Something strange is definitely going on - and it's going to take more than a magical ring to sort it out.

All those little annoyances when working in an office – coffee disappearing, people swearing they’d spoken to you earlier when you know they haven’t - have a perfectly logical explanation which Tom Holt explores in his latest novel. Polly, a real estate solicitor and her musician brother get caught up in events that don’t seem to make any sense but are somehow fascinating, amusing and relatable. Regular people are put into odd positions and then there are the chickens who think they are people...or are they people who think they are chickens...? Somehow Tom Holt manages to put the ordinary in extra-ordinary and keeps the plot humming along with amusing scenes and a central mystery that I just had to know what was happening.

The last Tom Holt book I read (May Contain Traces of Magic) didn’t click with me but right from the first page of Life, I wanted to know what happened next and how all the various strands would come together. This is Tom Holt very much on top of his game telling a very British story. I’m never sure how well this type of humour translates but by the end I was sorry to have finished as I had been entertained by a coherent and fascinating story. If you like a little humour in your trans-dimensional mysteries then this is the book for you.

Recommended for fans of Terry Prachett and Robert Rankin. 8.5 out of 10

Audiobook: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency Review

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (Unabridged)

Written by Douglas Adams

Read by Douglas Adams

What do a dead cat, a computer whiz-kid, an Electric Monk who believes the world is pink, quantum mechanics, a Chronologist over 200 years old, Samuel Taylor Coleridge (poet), and pizza have in common? Apparently not much; until Dirk Gently, self-styled private investigator, sets out to prove the fundamental interconnectedness of all things by solving a mysterious murder, assisting a mysterious professor, unravelling a mysterious mystery, and eating a lot of pizza – not to mention saving the entire human race from extinction along the way (at no extra charge).

I have this book on cassette tape – that’s how long I’ve had a copy! It was one of the first audio books I bough and I still listen to the story regularly as I love the story so much. Douglas Adams is one of the best known British comic writers, best known for The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, but to my mind his Dirk Gently books are superior. The main reason I prefer them? There’s a more coherent plot to them. Dirk Gently is a fantastic comic creation, a lazy genius who thinks outside the box, has more curiosity than a cat (and more lives!) and somehow manages to solve the most bizarre cases on very little fact.

What I love about this audio reading is that it’s by Douglas Adams himself, so as author and reader he stresses the words he meant to be important. He may not do voices particularly well but he conveys the spirit of the character through their speech and ponderings. This feels like a very intimate book on tape as a result – being read to by the author himself.  Added to the fact that this story has some great insights into life, the universe and everything and has some particularly funny lines (the horse’s thoughts are hilarious). As a book this is a great little read to while away an afternoon. As an audio book it gives over 6 hours of amusing lines and a murder mystery to solve.

Recommended for fans of Terry Prachett and Monty Python. 9 out of 10.

May Contain Traces of Magic Review

May Contain Traces of Magic

- Tom Holt

Publisher: UK – Orbit

There are all kinds of products. The good ones. The bad ones. The ones that stay in the garage mouldering for years until your garden gnome makes a home out of them. Most are harmless if handled properly, even if they do contain traces of peanuts. But some are not. Not the ones that contain traces of magic. Chris Popham wasn't paying enough attention when he talked to his SatNav. Sure, she gave him directions, never backtalked him, and always led him to his next spot on the map with perfect accuracy. She was the best thing in his life. So was it really his fault that he didn't start paying attention when she talked to him? In his defence, that was her job. But when 'Take the next right' turned into 'Excuse me,' that was when the real trouble started. Because sometimes a SatNav isn't a SatNav. Sometimes it's an imprisoned soul trapped inside a metal box that will do anything it can to get free. And some products you just can't return.

Tom Holt has written in the these area of comic fantasy for years and he’s one of those authors that I occasionally find myself picking up in order to read something slightly different. The last few books he’s written has combined a boring, normal job in a world where magic can happen, your boss can be a goblin and at any point you might be trapped in a repeating loop. This books follows a similar theme with the ‘hero’ Chris a salesman trying to flog rubbish magical items to real magic shops. (I use the inverted marks over hero as Tom Holt’s heroes tend to be less heroic than just lazy, useless or just plain ordinary. It’s this ordinariness that tends to make Holt’s book sparkle as anyone can relate to the boring office job with repetitive tasks. This time though something was a little lacking for me. Some of the observations were spot on, while a lot failed to hit the mark for me. What kept me reading was the intriguing stop involving continual demon attacks and how Chris was involved. However when I got to end of teh novel, a lot still failed to add up for me. The Sat Nav bit seemed interesting at first but that plot point fizzled out and didn’t really go anywhere. While the ending was sweet, the separate points didn’t make a complete picture and I felt slightly cheated that the plot was a bit incoherent. Overall, this was a different read but not one I’ll remember in a few weeks.

Recommended for fans of Terry Prachett and KE Mills – but I’d read Tom Holt’s The Portable Door first. No real relation to the characters here but it was a better book! 5 out of 10