September 28, 2016

“Dictator” by Robert Harris – The Great Orator

Dictator by Robert Harris (Book cover)
The job of public speaker, or orator as some would prefer to call it, is one of those things that looks much easier than it is. At the surface, it's just about reciting a speech to a bunch of people in front of you.

However, digging deeper it becomes apparent that there are countless factors to take into account when speaking in front of the masses, from treading carefully on taboo subjects to using the right words to elicit the desired emotions from the audience.

September 25, 2016

“Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd” by Alan Bradley – On a Reclusive Trail

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley (Book cover)
Despite being only twelve years of age, Flavia de Luce is the kind of girl who would put most adults to shame with her deductive skills as well as her highly-developed common sense.

Even though she is basically a genius for her age, she still finds herself rejected from Miss Bodycote's Female Academy, and so Flavia sets out on the long trip back home to England.

September 23, 2016

“Narcissus and Goldmund” by Herman Hesse – Flesh and Spirit Collide

Narcissus and Goldmund by Herman Hesse (Book cover)
Different authors write for different reasons, and there certainly is no shortage of them; some want to simply tell a story they have on their mind, others want to shed light on an issue... and a select few like to use the writing medium as a tool to study life itself.

I believe Herman Hesse can definitely be classified amongst them, with his novels often being a bit more reminiscent of parables where he meditates on the more profound aspects of human life.

September 19, 2016

“The First Hostage” by Joel C. Rosenberg – No Free World

The First Hostage by Joel C. Rosenberg (Book cover)
The Middle East is a place known equally for its beauty as well as for being a hotbed of conflict for the past few decades.

There are always violent tensions and volatile situations that lead to pain and suffering for one group or another, and what's worse is that there is absolutely no end in sight.

The majority of us only know of what's happening there and what the future could bring thanks to short news snippets (often biased) and minutes-long documentaries that heavily generalize everything.

September 17, 2016

“Last Bus to Wisdom” by Ivan Doig – Teachings of the American Unknown

Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig  (Book cover)
Glorified in books and movies since it was possible, the idea of escaping the comfort and safety of your home and put yourself at risk to aimlessly travel the country (or even the world) has become somewhat a staple of North American culture, as well as many other places on Earth.

The idea behind it is to learn about how the world really works, about what it means to survive when left to your own devices, and about how far you can push yourself. Many see it as a major coming-of-age moment, as is the case in Ivan Doig's Last Bust to Wisdom.

September 12, 2016

“Neverwhere” by Neil Gaiman – A Labyrinth of Light and Shadow

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (Book cover)
Back in 1997 a certain author by the name of Neil Gaiman burst onto the literary scene and asserted himself as a talent to be reckoned with, publishing his first novel, Neverwhere.

It rapidly became a major landmark (so to speak) in the genres of urban and young adult fantasy, to the point where numerous versions of it were produced over the years.

September 9, 2016

“The Sister” by Louise Jensen – A Tragedy of the Past

The Sister by Louise Jensen (Book cover)
How much do we really know about the people close to us, the ones we call our best friends and would trust with our lives?

If, like most people, you are blessed enough to live a normal life, then chances are you actually do know most of what there is to and your friend isn't hiding some dark skeletons in the closet of their past.

September 7, 2016

“The Prisoner of Heaven” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon – Connections from the Deep Past

The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Book cover)
With his unforgettable Gothic image of Barcelona Carlos Ruiz Zafon has made many fans around the world, and thankfully it's a city he keeps on going back to in his The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series, which also includes The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game.

Before delving into this third book in the series, The Prisoner of Heaven, it should be mentioned that at the start, Zafon intended to write a collection of books that were connected by their themes and characters and could be read in any order, making for an interested journey that could begin at any point the reader chose.

September 5, 2016

“The City of Mirrors” by Justin Cronin – Father of the Apocalypse

The City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin (Book cover)
To start with a little disclaimer of sorts, this is the third book in a trilogy, and if you haven't read the previous ones, The Passage and The Twelve, then chances are you wont understand much or enjoy this novel nearly as much as you could. In other words, reading the other two books before this one is a bit of a necessity.

Two books ago Justin Cronin started a vast, sprawling and epic trilogy called The Passage, telling the story of a few human survivors in the wake of a viral apocalypse, one that turned countless people into mindless killer vampire-like creatures.

September 3, 2016

“All the Old Knives” by Olen Steinhauer – The Last Dinner

All the Old Knives by Olen Steinhauer (Book cover)
For the most part, spy novels are always about a threat in the immediate future, about saving the country, if not the entire world, right in the nick of time.

We're used to seeing spies as basically being supermen/women who travel the world and put themselves in all sorts of danger because they know it to be the right thing to do.

However, Olen Steinhauer decided to take a slightly different approach with his latest novel, All the Old Knives, preferring to place his focus on the past.