Book Review : Apocalypse Now Now by Charlie Human

Apocalypse Now Now by Charlie Human
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ah, yes, the title. Apocalypse Now Now is a play on the name of the movie Apocalypse Now and in South Africa, Now Now can mean anything from in 5 minutes to never. If you say that you'll do something now now, it can mean you might do it right then, or never ever.

I really really loved this book because of the intro chapters, where the main character, Baxter is running a porn syndicate in his school and trying to prevent an all out war between the school gangs. But shit really hits the fan once his girlfriend gets kidnapped by a serial killer called the Mountain Man.

It's a wild wild ride with zombies, monsters, shape-shifters, drugs, guns, and what not.

I won't go into more details, but this is the most fun I've had in recent times while reading a book.


Special addition for blog readers: I created a new category on my goodreads shelf for this book only and titled it Awesome Books. Yes, it is that good. From the intro chapters, to the south african mythos and the middle chapters where we get introduced to the world of the Hidden who have been hiding from the human community.

It is all interesting in the way that you don't read this kind of stuff in mainstream fiction where a writer actually goes deep down into the roots of his own culture and brings it to the masses in a format that really makes the reader think, speculate, and enjoy the words on the page.

This book is amazing because the way the author has amalgamated the worlds of Cape Town and the super natural community, no one else could have done it any better. There is humor, laugh out loud moments and scenes in the book that would make you think. As a package, it couldn't have been any better.

And, at the heart of it all, is a teenager with a love story and a load of new responsibilities on his shoulders. This is the kind of books that makes a person want to pick up the pen, dive deep into his own cultural mythology and spin a yarn that will leave the reader begging for more.

Once I was done reading, I was ecstatic for the next book, Kill Baxter and I knew I'd be reading that one in record time.


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Book Review: All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka

All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time travel is a tricky business and when you're talking about a time loop where a character is destined to repeat the same day again and again, it gets even trickier.

This was a short book and it offered all it had to offer in the span of 150 or so pages. Any more than that, and things would've started to get boring. I liked many things in this book, the science of the jackets, the explanation of how the alien Mimics attack the Earth and how the world tried to fight back. There were several touching moments in the book, the interactions between the primary characters, the beautiful chapter about coffee, the end was pretty brilliant too.

But that said, the only thing I wanted more of was the battle scenes. There are several, but they seem to get over in a flash. When you're talking about super-powered armor that can completely obliterate the enemy, there should be some explosive over-the-top action.

I keep wondering how Matthew Reilly would've tackled the same novel. There would have been explosions, close calls with death, daring escapes and the world almost ending in the aftermath.

That said, it's a good book if you wanna spend a few days with extremely believable characters.

Regular gripe: no overpowering villain in the book.


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Book Review : Personal by Lee Child

Personal by Lee Child
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've often said that reading Jack Reacher books is like eating your favorite dish where all the ingredients have been changed just a little, but the taste of the dish has an undercurrent of everything you like and then something different.

Personal sees Reacher settling an old score because the army has called for his services as an old sniper has cropped out of the woodwork. The problem here is that it was Reacher who put him in the jail in his old life as a military policeman.

Things get interesting when the sniper takes a shot at the French president and Reacher gets involved in the mix because he knows about the way the sniper thinks.

There are lot of good thinking scenes and good fighting scenes. The last fight scene is exceptionally written and Lee Child's understanding of how fights take place and the mechanics of every street fight shine through just as they've done in the last 15 or 16 Reacher books.

In all, you get an excellent scheme unraveled by Reacher, great dialogue (I said nothing), Reacher's inventiveness and the way he shreds every problem presented to him. The hallmarks of the folding toothbrush, buying only one set of clothes, thinking things through, everything is there in the book.

If you've liked Reacher books in the past, you're going to love this one and if you've never read a Reacher book, this is the best time to start.

For ofcourse, Reacher is, Sherlock Homeless.


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Book Review : Half A King : Joe Abercrombie

Damn, I wrote a long review but goodreads ate that and it didn't publish.

So, i'll write a short review.

Read this book.

It makes a strong case for the next two books. Not the classic Joe Abercrombie blood, guts and swear words fest, but the book is good in its own skin.

ta

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That was the good reads review of Half A King. Now this is the blogger review.

The book is excellent, if you're looking for a journey in both physical as well as metaphorical sense. We see the lead Yarvi grow from just a youth who has been burdened with responsibility to a youth who knows how to shoulder the weight that has been thrown on his back.

Abercrombie spins a good story, with characters that are memorable and it really sets the stage for the next two books. The surprises in the story do take you by surprise and there are ample.

There is a range of emotions going through the book that is just excellent. All I'd say here is that get this book and prepare yourself for the next two. 

Books Review - Skin Game by Jim Butcher

Skin Game by Jim Butcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The good thing about the Dresden Files is that it's like coming home to family members and having a good meal together and trading stories.

And it's brilliant how Jim Butcher manages to give new faces to old characters. The book picks up from where the previous book left off, there is a parasite growing in Harry Dresden's body and he has been tasked by his "fairy godmother" Mab to steal shit while working with some really bad characters.

The book follows the similar formula from the previous books, Dresden is stuck without any help in the growing dangers, but still the dude manages to make it even while being broken and messed up bad.

The struggle of the main character is what makes these books worth reading. The really emotional moments in the book really tug at your heartstrings and man, it's a roller coaster.

The book has Dresden's steady supply of pop culture references, wise ass quips and him squaring off against opponents on bigger power level than him in all manners and still, the crafty bugger manager to make it through.

As with all books that I love, this has been a satisfying read, but all that matters in the end, is spending a few days in Dresden's worth, like sitting with a good friend and having a good time for 3-4 days.

The whole Dresden series is worth a read, but the things really pick up after book 3-4. And then, you just don't want to stop reading.


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Review of Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

Prince of Fools by Mark  Lawrence
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I fucking loved reading this book!

The funny moments made me laugh out loud, the scary moments scared me and the moments in the book that make you feel something deep within your soul, made me feel that inner wild calling to just go out there and do something.

The wild in the book called out to me.

The characters of Snorri and Jal are drawn picture perfect. For some reason, I kept imagining Snorri has Hager the Horrible and Jal as Calvin. But that's how they fit in my head.

The book is a cracking read, it doesn't let down in any area. From the beginning to the end, it's a tight fucking read. Like Tuco said, Tight! Tight! Tight!

I only slowed down in reading this one because I didn't want the adventure to end!

The end of the book was the most satisfying part for me. Many book that are book one of a series leave you hanging at the first part, because they think it's a tv series or something. BUT, Prince of Fools ties everything up in the most satisfying manner.

I'll surely be looking forward to the next part!


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Three (Legends of the Duskwalker #1) by Jay Posey

Three by Jay Posey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I finished this book, I had more questions in my head than answers. There is lot about the tech that remains unanswered, there is a lot about the world that the book takes place in that needs further digging in.

I could never really get with the book as in I didn't feel the sense of danger or peril to the protagonist. BUT, that said, the book has great action sequences, the atmosphere buildup is great in all parts, it scares you at times and it makes you want to yell at the people in the book to do things that they are not doing.

What happens in the book?

The bounty hunter Three is a mysterious dude who escorts a mother and her son through dangerous territory while they're being chased by bad guys. But everyone in the group is hiding secrets that get revealed through the course of the book.

The second book by the author is also releasing some time in future. I am sure that book will explain things in more depth than this book did.


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Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Emperor of Thorns by Mark  Lawrence
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I took my time in reading this book because, first of all, I didn't want to leave the Jorg and Broken Empire universe, and second, some books are meant to be digested. It's like eating a dish that has been cooked all day and it has so many flavors that you want to spend all day eating it.

I am definitely coming back to the trilogy for a second read because I am sure that there is a lot that I might have missed in my slow reading through the book.

What is the book about? Well, our lovable murderer King Jorg has his eyes set on the the title of the Emperor and he also has some scores to settle with the Dead King and even when he has no plan in his head, he is always meeting things head on.

Mark Lawrence's writing is like a burning butcher knife through slabs of meat. It's powerful, it makes you think, it evokes images that you might not ever see while reading the usual fantasy books, and it leaves afterimages that will stay with you for a long time to come.

I loved the book for the "lessons" embedded in the prose. There is always this tongue in cheek sense of humor that makes you feel slightly guilty for finding it funny.

And a fitting finale. There was simply no other way and no better way to end a trilogy.

Right now, I'm really looking forward to reading Prince of Fools which is going to release sometime in June this year.


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Fiend - Peter Stenson

Fiend by Peter Stenson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reading this book currently, gave it a pause because the thing called life came in between and I keep thinking about the characters and keep meaning to get back to finishing the book.

Really well drawn out characters, situations and the whole emotional aspect of the book is like a punch in the face. And the author doesn't hold back anything. The first two night that I read this book, I took it slow, because it was too good and I knew it'd make me sad once the book was over.

This book would make the perfect movie.

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Finished this book once I got some spare time and I steeled myself for the ending. I had a feeling it was going to be terrible, because how else do zombie novels end? But, the author really made the ending somewhat bittersweet, beautiful, sad, and it felt right in many ways.

I say this is one kickass novel. It's definitely going to be one of those books that I re-read every year. Brilliant!


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Hearts In Atlantis - Stephen King

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This one pissed me off because of many reasons. The first half of the book is fine as a story, it's all stephen king, it's scary, it has the small town people making a living, it has a child who has some kind of special ability, but then when i got done by the first half, the second half had me completely WTF'd by it. Why didn't the story continue as it should have? Why do we have to switch gears and get into a totally different story?

The closure of the book left me with a ripped off feeling, too. I mean, if you skip the whole second half, reading a few pages in between and read the last few chapters, you'd get the whole idea of the story. What I think, is that the Vietnam bits were just not my cup of tea, because I cannot for the life of me, relate to it. Maybe it's me, maybe it's others, too, but this one just didn't work for me.

Reading king's books leaves you with a weird feeling of not wanting to pick another king book for a considerable time. It's so with all his books. Some authors, you pick a book, read a book and the next thing you want to do is read more fucking books by that same author. Not so with King. I can digest, perhaps, one book every six months. I loved reading Duma Key, but that one also left me drained and exhausted.

Anyway, will probably read some Dilbert book or something next.

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Review: Under The Empyrean Sky by Chuck Wendig

Under the Empyrean Sky by Chuck Wendig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The good thing about this book is that it doesn't slow down and there is enough material in the book that will keep readers waiting for the next two books. Book two, Blightborn comes out in July this year and it's going to be as exciting as this one, I am sure.

All in all, it was a very fast read. I just zipped through the book in a few hours.

What is the book about? A lot of things, growing up, government control, corn, environment, family, love, standing up for friends, family and all the things you love. It's scary in parts and cute, too.

Good fun, give it a spin if you want to read something light.

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