Before she became the Girl from Nowhere-the One Who Walked In, the First and Last and Only, who lived a thousand years-she was just a little girl in Iowa, named Amy.

Usually in my reviews I tend to start off with a quick plot summary. But any sort of recap would risk spoiling aspects of the story, so I’ll instead start off with an introduction. The Passage begins with the story of Amy Harper Bellafonte. Harper because her mother’s favourite book was To Kill a Mockingbird. Amy’s mother is a waitress, her father a businessman who drifted through, left and, some time later returned. To the detriment of all. In the end Amy is left at a convent with a nun. And the next chapter tells us, through a series of emails, about an expedition to discover how to end death.

The Passage is a big book. A lot of words, and a lot of story to tell. And to be honest, it takes a bit of getting into. This did not grip me from the opening chapter. In fact for a while I was wondering what all the hype^[1] was about. But I generally like to finish books I start, so I kept with it, and pretty soon I was rewarded; it turns out to be very gripping indeed.

Unfortunately I can’t say that I loved this book. I did enjoy it, and I would recommend it. But it was interesting and engaging rather than lovable. Maybe because there was no one central character to hold it all together. I did start to really like Wolstaff, but never loved him. Likewise, I found Peter’s story really interesting, but I never found myself wondering what was going on inside his head. I think my favourite character was Alicia, but we never got her POV, so it may just have been the fact that her and Peter were such good friends, and so I saw her through his eyes :) Excellent writing, if so, but not enough to make me love her.

It takes a lot for me to love characters.

Mid-way through this book I did have mini-flashbacks to reading Carrie Ryan’s books, but don’t worry, they are nothing alike apart from some similarities of isolated communities. The Passage is a well-written, at times scary, always entertaining story. I was never bored during it, unlike Dead-tossed waves, and there is no silly all-dominating love triangle. Although there are romances, and thwarted love as well, of course.

There is also however, a cliff-hanger sort of ending. Not entirely, because some plotlines do end, but there is also that ambiguous ending that could be “we’ll leave it up to the reader to imagine the future” or, as I have read on the interwebs, there may be a sequel. I’ve done my usual and avoided all reviews/articles about the book til I finished it, so I’ll go off and investigate that fact now.

Other reviews: Estellas Revenge ; Medieval bookworm ; The Speculative Scotsman ; Bookfoolery and Babble

Inception dir. Christoper Nolan

First off all I guess I say, don’t try and find out about this film before you go see it. Just keep your mind open and go. Of course that is the way I try and see every film, so maybe it doesn’t mean much, but I do honestly think that knowing very little about a film is the best way to get the most out of it^[1]

Okay, the briefest of plot outlines; Cobb’s job is to enter your dreams and find ideas that are hidden away. This is called extraction. But is the reverse, inception, possible? Can he plant an idea in someone?

There is plenty to enjoy about this film; it is smart, action packed while not being violent, there are no romances/sex show-horned in because that is what the audience expects, even the language is clean, with one exception. It is in many ways a “grown-up” film^[2] albeit one based on some pretty fantastical notions.

And Himself, whom I went to see it with loved. As did his friends. As have all the facebook comments about it. But, now, a few days after going to the cinema to see it I have to say that I don’t love it. I like it, and I enjoyed it, and I would have no problem watching it again. But I feel no grá for it. Probably because I didn’t engage fully with any of the characters. That’s a problem when you try and make their motivations a mystery from the audience. It means we are kept at a distance from them, and unless they are superbly written and acted, that keeps love at a distance. Show ▼

Also, if you look too closely at a lot of the plot points, they don’t necessarily make total sense. And in many ways Ellen Page’s character was just an audience-proxy with very little to do. Or was she Show ▼

As I said, I did like the film, the one or two action scenes with Gordon-Levitt fighting as the world spins round him were fantastically done. And there is so much to coo over. And there are many many questions to linger in your mind. Which is, of course, what the box-office likes, as you’ll go back again to see if you can find more clues, won’t you? :)

And of course, it isn’t really about the plot, is it? No, it is about the character of Cobb, and love and guilt^[3] and emotion and memory. And if the film is really about him, and I didn’t love him as a character, I guess it stands to reason that I didn’t love the film. Still enjoyed it, mind, and you should totally go see it too. And then let me know what you thought.

IMDb ; My friend Amy ; Girls can play ; Cinematical’s Likes and dislikes ; and there is a full on spoiler warning for the Metafilter discussion

Knock, Co. Mayo

And the total and utter hypocrisy of the so-called^[2] catholic people on that show. Giving out that what Coleman was rambling on about, calling it superstition and not authenticated. Well, come on, think about it, isn’t religion just codified superstition? mixed in with a bit of tradition, and of course oppression of the majority by the minority.

That’s not to say I believe in what Coleman says. I don’t. I don’t believe in those sort of visions. And as for Knock itself, my god^[3] is it tacky! And a money making exercise for the church, just like all those old indulgences and pilgrimages. Maybe Coleman is a modern-day Luther about to start his own religion.

It is all just a bit too BrassEye!

Charlie Yost, the Chicago gunman, called on Horace Appleby one morning in June as he chatted with Basher Evans before going off to the Wellingford races.

Horace Appleby is a criminal, specialising in “inside jobs”, his modus operandi is to secure the position of butler in a respectably well-off establishment and then arrange the details whereby his companions carry out the actual burglary. But he is not too happy with the American, Mr. Yost, and Yost’s blatant disregard for Appleby’s most important rule, never carry a gun. So he refuses to pay Yost his cut, as you can imagine, Yost is not too happy about this. Not wanting to overly provoke a man who carries a gun Appleby things that maybe a job down the country might be just the thing.

Can you believe that I’ve gotten this far in life without reading anything by P.G. Wodehouse? And indeed may have continued on in such ignorance if I hadn’t picked up Do butlers burgle banks? on a pure whim. I’m very glad that I did, because this is just such an enjoyable experience. I loved all the characters, and the writing is just perfect!

Okay, so it isn’t the most serious of plots, the criminals here are not the hardened sort, and the idea of robbing a bank in order to save it may not work in real life, but that doesn’t matter. It works in the book. And the characters, while in many ways stock characters are not cardboard cut-outs, all of them, from the overbearing aunt to the plodding “country copper” have that something about them that just make them entertaining. And the dialogue… I as very much reminded of some Georgetter Heyer books as I read this. Although set in very different times I suppose they are concerned with the same social circle, but it is more the fact that the dialogue just works so well.

Other reviews: The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gent ; By singing light ; Book Smart

It was midnight in Ankh-Morpork’s Royal Museum.

In the back streets of Ankh-Morpork football is king. And those “Faces” in the shove, or crowd, are just as important as the players. After all, no one really ever sees the game itself, apart from the odd and fleeting glimpse. And in the shove Trev Likely is a name people know, he is Dave Likely’s son after all, Dave Likely the man who scored four goals! and ended up kicked to death in a game. Trev has promised his mum he won’t ever play the game. But now Vetinari is taking an interest. Football has always been frowned on, but now it is being updated and modernised. And wizards of the Unseen University are taking centre stage.

And then there is the story of Mr. Nutt, who no ones very much about.

I miss the covers of Josh Kirby. I mean Paul Kidby is grand, but I still miss the originals.

But it is what’s inside the covers that is really important. And although this isn’t the best Discworld book I’ve read it is still a very entertaining read. It seemed a little longer than the usual Discworld stories, and not quite as laugh out loud funny. But then again, humour is a very subjective thing, maybe others will differ with that opinion.

As always with Pratchett’s books there is that wonderful blend of truth and humour in his books;

Plate after plate sparkled under Glenda’s hands. Nothing cleans stubborn stains like suppressed anger.

Hee, that is so true!.

And I really liked the character of Glenda, the no-nonsense cook at the Unseen University, who comes to realise just why her neighbourhood is like a crab-bucket. I’ll leave you to read the book to find out why.

Overall though it is just an average Discworld novel, but of course, that means it is a a very good book.

Other reviews: BookLust ; Things mean a lot ; The Wert Zone ; Alec’s Oddments ; Paperback reader

One of the bonuses of working in a library is the fact that I get first dibs on the sales! yay!

In the beginning, about 13.7 billion years ago, to be reasonably precise, there was a very, very small dot.

Halloween hasn’t quite arrived when Samuel Johnson calls in to the Abernathy’s as he attempts to get a head start on everyone else. Dressed as a ghost and accompanied by his dog, a little dachshund called Boswell, he in for a disappointing evening. Mr. Abernathy wants nothing to do with Samuel’s tricks nor with treats. He has plans for this evening. His wife found a book recently, and together with the Renfield’s they are about have some ‘fun’.

And this fun is timed to the Large Hadron Collider being tested, and might just bring about the end of the world. Not that they were attempting to do so, they were merely bored, and you know what they say about the devil and idle hands.

This was a fun read. And informative,not to mention full of useful advice.

‘Nefarious’ means very wicked indeed, in a cunning way. If you plan on being nefarious, it pays to look the part: dress in black: wear a hat, preferably one with a wide brim and no flowers; and perhaps from a moustache that you can twirl. It also helps to have a deep and sinister laugh, to indicate when you’re being nefarious. You know the kind: ‘BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!’ That kind.

Plus, it had footnotes! I really enjoyed it. The blend of humour and plot was just about perfect.

In a way it reminded me a little of Terry Pratchett’s books. The narrator talking directly to the reader and the footnotes are probably why. Plus it doesn’t talk down to reader; it shares a laugh with the reader.

That being said if you don’t like digressions and footnotes then you might not enjoy it, and if any mention of science puts you off, well, I’d still give this a go, there is science but it it all told in a very readable fashion.

Read an extract here or scroll down here and listen to a sample.

other reviews: A book blog. Period ; The foggy foot review ; Leaf through books ; Blood sprayer ;

Romance ensues. Bella and Edward are sooo meant to be. Meant to be so much that Edward will break into her house and watch her sleep. So much so that he’ll protect her by lying to her. He loves her so much that he wants to lock her up and keep her safe and never ever ever have sex with her! Or something.

Oh, there are also werewolves. The local Native American tribe have certain members who can shape-shift into werewolves, and one of these also loves Bella. And hates vampires. And so epic war breaks out… oh, no actually that didn’t happen.

I’m sure something happened in this film. Oh, there was a god-awful looking ring as Bella and Edward got engaged in the most lacking-in-romance-scene ever. And, erm, there was a battle with other vampires with no danger and no tension and no blood-shed, on account of vampires shattering like plaster. Which is a really great idea! not.

Yawn

Of course if only Bella got together with both Edward and Jacob then everything would have been sorted a long time ago. Or is that more Laurel K Hamilton rather than Meyer-esque.

Sparkling elsewhere: The Dawn Blog ; Eclipse in lolcats ; LDS Sparkledammerung (book)

Tis odd though, going though my life back then, I posted a lot more, for one thing. And about such randomness. I mean, I always suspected you lot were insane to come here and read this, but reading back through the archives confirms my suspicion. You crazy fools!

Also, have been casually being keeping up to date on the escapades of Raoul Moat over in England and shaking my head a lot. First of all, the craziness of his actions. But also, the people who know him seem to have no problem heading off to the tabloids and moaning and griping about him. Hello people! you are insulting a crazy^[1] dude with a gun, who has already shot people, and is living in the woods! Ever think that maybe you’d wait til he was arrested and behind bars before putting yourselves on the firing line.

And while I’m mentioning criminals, can I just let you all know that when I take over running the world all these crazy suspended sentences will be suspended no longer and you’ll be behind bars like you deserve!