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The 'It's Christmas Again!' Update
Happy
Christmas one and all. Not much more than reviews
this month. The interview with Michael McGan is
still being sorted and we hope to have it completed
for next time (however, lots of beer will need
to be consumed on our part and I'm sure Mr McGan's,
so no promises :)
BookLore
is changing to a new format during 2003 to
tie in with the move to the database. Any comments
would be appreciated as the site evolves... and
remember, a book is for life not just for Christmas.
*Chrissi
'offically' behind... :) |
 Night
Watch by Terry Pratchett
The
new Terry Pratchett Discworld novel, Night
Watch, is reviewed by Nigel. Sam Vimes
finds himself walking the beat again, but
not quite in the fashion he would like. The
Watch was never like this... well, actually
it was, just like this... |
 Black
Water by Jefferson Parker
Not due to be published until January 2003
Black
Water by Jefferson Parker was kindly sent
to BookLore by the publisher HarperCollins.
A young woman lies dead in the bathroom of
her home. Her husband is found shot in the
head but still alive. It looks like an attempted
murder/suicide, but something tells Detective
Merci Rayborn that there's more to the story... |
 Bonneville
Stories by Mark
Doyon
Sent in by the author Bonneville
Stories is set, funnily enough, in Bonneville,
where good people lose limbs, fight lightning,
and slip into sinkholes. They pitch over bicycles,
tumble off ladders, and expire without warning.
They spin the wheel and take their chances.
It's all in a day's work. |
 Rich
Man's Coffin by Kenneth Gardner
Based
on a true-life figure, Rich
Man's Coffin is a novel revolving around
the life of 'Black Jack' White, a former slave
who escapes from captivity in his native Mississippi
in 1828 and ultimately finds work on a whaling
vessel in New York. Finding himself in a distant
and foreign land, his simple plan to become
a wealthy whaler soon took a strange twist;
and he found himself thrust into the violent
life of the local cannibals. |
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 Mr
Nice by Howard Marks
During the mid 1980s Howard Marks had forty-three
aliases, eighty-nine phone lines and owned
twenty-five companies trading throughout the
world. At the height of his career he was
smuggling consignments of up to thirty tons
of marijuana. Told
with humour, charm and candour, Mr
Nice is his own extraordinary story. |
 Compulsion
by Shaun Hutson
Victim has sent in a review for Compulsion
by Shaun Hutson. A gang of teenage youngsters
is running riot on the streets. Terror and
hatred have become part of everyday life for
local residents and, just when it seems things
cannot get any worse, the gang targets Shelby
House - an old people's home. But
enough is enough. The senior citizens of Shelby
House decide to take the law into their own
hands and fight back... |
 The
Longing by Wendy Lindstrom
Denise has sent in a review for the second
book in the trilogy about the Grayson brothers.
The
Longing picks up where the first book
in the series, Shades of Honour, left off.
Kyle Grayson is reeling with heartache and
a deep sense of betrayal from a ruined courtship,
a courtship which saw his fiancée marrying
his older brother, Radford. |
 First
Aid to Mental Illness; A Practical Guide for
Patients & Caregivers by Michael G. Rayel,
M.D.
The
value of first-aid intervention has long been
recognized in the treatment of physical illness.
However, to date, the concept of first aid
has eluded the realm of mental health.
Reviewed
by Denise First
Aid to Mental Illness addresses this balance. |
 Altered
Carbon by Richard Morgan
Chrissi has been forced to read Altered
Carbon
following Nigel's ranting last month. Against
all sense (she hates hard SF) she actually
enjoyed it. Can it really be that good? Yep... |
And
finally...
...we thought this Harry
Potter Synopsis was
very funny and as it seems to be in the public
domain decided to include it. Apparently Ms
Rowling is not too impressed but how can she
argue really? Have a look and see what you
think. |
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The 'Back on Track' update
Hi
everyone. We have finally stopped the rot with
a half decent update this month. As well as a
goodly number of reviews (many thanks to new reviewer
Denise)
we have added two new articles, one from author
Keith
Rommel on Writing
a 'Killer Query' and one on BookLore
Review Scoring
and why scores may appear high (money does not
change hands... unfortunately:)
We have also added a new Quiz,
updated the Publication
Dates page and tidied up the Links
page.
Next time we should have an Interview with Michael
McGan, author of Fleeting
Thoughts,
as well as lots more reviews and other book related
items of interest. Come back soon :)
*In
Joke for the faithful. Ssssh... Terry Pratchett
publishes Night Watch this month so Chrissi will
be behind again.... hehehe :) |
 The
Bone Vault by Linda Fairstein
Not
due for publication until January 2003 BookLore
was kindly sent a copy of Linda Fairstein's
next novel, The
Bone Vault, by the publisher Little, Brown.
One of Chrissi's favourite authors, it wasn't
long before it was finished. Any good? Of
course... read the review to find out why. |
 Blood
Lust by Rhys Wilcox
Leeds
has been overrun by vampires. The world saving
duties fall upon an age-old vampire hunter
guiding five reluctant twenty-something students
through the nightmare... and two of them are
already dead! Blood
Lust is a union of comedy and horror that
Kenneth Williams would have been proud of...
ok, Sid James maybe :) |
 Dice
Angel by Brian Rouff
Jimmy Delaney, owner of Jimmy D's, is on another
bad roll. Unless he can come up with $50,000
in back taxes by Friday he will lose the saloon
to a rogue revenue agent with a personal grudge.
Can a mysterious woman who enters his life
be the answer? Will the Dice
Angel save Jimmy D's with a supernaturally
hot hand or does Lady Luck bite off, chew
up, and spit out another Las Vegas loser? |
 Avenger
of Blood by John Hagee
Avenger
of Blood is
the powerful sequel to Devil's Island that
follows the apostle John and the family of
Christians he has befriended as they confront
danger and the many challenges that face first
century believers. |
 Talon
of the Silver Hawk by Raymond E. Feist
Talon
of the Silver Hawk
is a powerful new epic fantasy series from
Raymond E. Feist, one of the great masters
of the genre. Set on the planet Midkemia after
the Riftwar
new characters are introduced while some old
ones carry on regardless:) |
 Fleeting
Thoughts by Michael McGan
Chrissi has been at the Review copies again,
as if she didn't have enough to read! After
hearing Nigel rant about Fleeting
Thoughts
without being able to explain what it is actually
about she decided to decide for herself...
chalk up one more convert:). |
 Christmas
Every Morning by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Christmas
Every Morning
has been reviewed by Denise.
Astory of joy and loss, connection and forgiveness,
that presents each day as a gift to be opened
and every loved one as a treasure to be rediscovered. |
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 Four
Blind Mice by James Patterson
Another Chrissi favourite is James Patterson
and his new novel, Four
Blind Mice,
sees another outing for detective and psychologist
Alex Cross. Three young military wives have
been savagely killed during a 'girls' night
out and a master sergeant at the army base,
stands accused: his knife was the murder weapon;
his fingerprints were on the blade; and DNA
at the crime scene has been matched with his
hair and skin |
Altered
Carbon by Richard Morgan
If you are a SF fan Altered
Carbon
is going to blow your mind... it is good in
so many ways. In the 26th century mankind
has spread through the galaxy and what religion
cannot guarantee technology has already delivered;
when your consciousness can be stored in a
cortical stack and routinely downloaded into
a new body, even death has become little more
than an inconvenience... as long as you can
afford a new body. |
 Amazing
Women: Amazing Firefighters by Marsh Engle
Amazing women float in and out of our lives
everyday, yet do we ever take the time to
celebrate their life? Marsh Engle's Amazing
Women book & journal series urges the
reader to take the time to recognize the extraordinary
power of the feminine spirit.
Denise has reviewed the latest in the series,
Amazing
Women: Amazing Firefighters. |
 Touch
the Face of God by Robert Vaughan
In Touch
the Face of God Lt. Mark White, a B-17
bomber pilot, meets Emily Hagan only weeks
before he ships out to England. They fall
in love through letters as each faces the
war on separate sides of the Atlantic, but
will the war and a misunderstanding tear them
apart forever? |
 The
Feng-Shui Junkie by Brian Gallagher
When
Julie returns home unexpectedly early from
a short holiday, only to find a strange lemon-yellow
Wonderbra hanging on the inside doorknob of
their Dublin flat, she is confronted by the
inescapable fact that her husband Ronan is
having an affair. But who with? And above
all, why? And who is The
Feng-Shui Junkie? |
And
finally...
...we have received a couple of books from
publishers and authors this month that will
be reviewed next time. Firstly, we have Black
Water by Jefferson Parker, an author
who has been compared to Michael Connolly.
Secondly, we have Bonneville
Stories by Mark Doyon, a collection
of darkly comic tales set around the fictitious
town of Bonneville. Both look potentially
very good but we will let you know next time. |
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The 'Even Smaller' update
Another
quiet month I'm afraid, what with Weddings, Honeymoons
and Parties… all hopefully back on track
next time.
A number of books from authors are currently being
read and reviewed. Nigel has a copy of Blood Lust,
a humorous vampire horror story and initial reports
are that it is very good. BookLore has also managed
to get a proof copy of Linda Fairstein's next
novel, The Bone Vault, thanks to publisher Little,
Brown. Not due for release until January 2003
Chrissi is happily reading it for next months
update.
We
will have a bit of a reviewer push in October
and try and bring you what you deserve next time.
The
site servers are currently experiencing traffic
problems with a lot of "Page Cannot Be Displayed"
messages and lost graphics, etc. Our provider
assures us this is being sorted out so hopefully
all will be back to normal very soon.
*Happy
anniversary, again:) |
 The
Beach House by James Patterson
Chrissi
has reviewed the latest thriller from James
Patterson. The
Beach House sees Jack Mullen investigating
the death of his brother, something the Police
say was an accident. Things don't quite add
up thought and Jack tries to find the truth...
only to discover that money can buy just about
anything. |
 Schild's
Ladder by Greg Egan
Schild's
Ladder
is the latest SF novel from Australian author
Greg
Egen. An experiment gone wrong threatens
to destroy mankind and ultimately the Universe
(ours anyway).Can Tchicaya and Mariama sort
out there differences and solve the riddle? |
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Fleeting
Thoughts by Michael McGan
Nigel has added his thoughts about Michael
McGan's collection of personal speculations
on Life, the Universe and the Pilgrim Fathers.
Fleeting
Thoughts is a
clever series of postulations that the word
tangent was designed for... good fun. |
 The
Man Who Broke Napoleon's Codes by Mark Urban
Another
code based book from Chrissi... where does
she find them all? The
Man Who Broke Napoleon's Codes tells the
true story of Major George Scovell who, as
the logistics officer in Wellington's army,
was entrusted with setting up communications
during the Peninsular War. |
And
finally...
..strangely, we have received a number of
review requests from religious authors, for
both fiction and non-fiction. We don't have
any reviewers at the moment suitable for these
items, so if anyone out there would like copies
for review we could use the extra input. If
theology is your game then send an email to
editors(at)booklore.co.uk. |
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The 'Short but Sweet' update
Nothing
if not honest... as promised last time a short
but sweet update due to the current workload.
We should be back on track next time with lots
of goodies. Meantime, enjoy the reviews and remember,
if you would like anything specific reviewing
don't hesitate to send in a request to editors(at)booklore.co.uk.
*Happy
anniversary :) |
 Little
People by Tom Holt
The
latest novel from Tom Holt involves Little
People, namely elves. It tells the story
of Michael, a young boy who has been psychologically
damaged by the fact that he saw an elf when
he was eight... and for the unlikely hero
it wasn't his last. |
 The
Science of Discworld II - The Globe by Terry
Pratchett
The imaginatively titled The
Science of Discworld II is the sequel
to the fantastic Science
of Discworld. In the first instalment
we saw the authors discussing mankind and
his impact on the environment. In this book
they discuss Mind and what it is to be a thinking
thing and how this has actually come about. |
 Tickled
Pink by Christina Jones
Christina Jones has kindly sent us a proof
copy of her new novel Tickled
Pink,
which we believe will now be in the shops.
It tells the story of Posy and Lola, two women
brought together following failed relationships. |
 When
She Was Bad by Louise Bagshawe
In When
She Was Bad
we meet Lita Morales, an Hispanic girl from
the poor end of the Bronx who has two major
assets: she's utterly gorgeous and she also
has a brain like a steel trap. Her ambition
burns so brightly it's almost overwhelming.
Life is going to give her exactly what she
wants - success, power and money. |
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 Blindsighted
by Karin Slaughter
Chrissi has picked up
Blindsighted
after Nigel's review last month and was even
more blown away. This book is a must for any
horror/thriller fan, with excellent writing
and a great plot. |
 Barney
Thomson by Douglas Lindsay
As promised last month Victim has added reviews
for the first three Barney Thomson novels
with The
Long Midnight of Barney Thomson, The
Cutting Edge of Barney Thomson and A
Prayer for Barney Thomson. |
 Murder
in LaMut by Raymond E. Feist & Joel Rosenberg
Another title in the never ending Riftwar
series Murder
in LaMut
tells the story of Durine, Kethol and Pirojil,
three mercenaries who have spent twenty years
fighting other people's battles. Now they
have been given an assignment that seems,
on the surface, like cushy work - to protect
a lady and her husband and deliver them safely
to the city of LaMut. All is not what it seems
however. |
And
finally...
..we have received several books from authors
this month so look out for some in depth reviews,
including a horror story about vampires with
a comic twist from Rhys Wilcox and Fleeting
Thoughts by Michael McGan, a collection of
humour pieces in the form of essays, stories,
and satirical bits on things such as time-travel,
psychics, and TV soap operas. |
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The 'Not all Websites are Interactive' update
Hi
everyone, welcome to the August update. We have
had another good month for authors. Nigel has
finished Sardurvial
Dissenting, Keith Rommel's as yet unpublished
novel about a fallen angel trying to redeem himself
and return to heaven. We also have an informal
Interview
with Keith that makes interesting reading, as
well as a short Author
article with links to free sample chapters.
Also reviewed is a proof copy of Karin Slaughter's
debut novel, Blindsighted,
due for paperback release in October… a very
good thriller to rival the best.
What of the database we hear you ask... having
started to play around with PHP and MySql we have
added BookLore
Interactive to the site using the fantastic
GeekLog
code. The idea is to provide an interactive forum
for user of the site to discuss books, authors,
news or any old thing really. Have a look, set
up a user account and start some seriously profound
discussions… or use it to arrange pub-crawls.
*Another
month without a Pratchett review. I think we can
safely say Chrissi has failed her task. A months
washing-up as a penance. :) |
 Hard
Eight by Janet Evanovich
Chrissi
has reviewed Hard
Eight by Janet Evanovich, the, errr…
eighth book to feature Stephanie Plum, the
bombshell bounty hunter of Trenton, New Jersey.
Why is a giant rabbit stalking Steph? Don't
ask me… |
 Sardurvial
Dissenting by Keith Rommel
Sardurvial
Dissenting is the latest novel from Keith
Rommel. Sardurvial, a fallen Angel in the
service of the Father (aka Satan) is having
a change of heart and wants to return to heaven
and gain God's forgiveness. However, dissent
from one of the Fathers subjects is not tolerated
and Sardurvial has to fight for his very life. |
 Enigma
by Robert Harris
Chrissi is reading titles to do with codes
and cyphers following her enjoyment of The
Code Book. Enigma
by Robert Harris is a fictional account of
Bletchley Park and it's code breakers. |
 Career
Girls by Louise Bagshawe
Chrissi has finished yet another Louise Bagshawe
novel. This time we have Career
Girls, the story of best friends who become
deadly rivals.
Their hatred would take a lifetime to die…
or so they believed. |
 Russian
Experiences by The Raven and Marie Claire
This
will be the last e-book reviewed for a while,
unless we can get some dedicated e-book reviewers.
The non-fiction title Russian
Experiences by The Raven and Marie Claire
is reviewed by Denise M. Clark and Dan Murr.
It tells about real life in the Communist
country, recently called the USSR, now known
as the Russian Federation. |
The
Long Midnight of Barney Thomson by Douglas
Lindsay
Things have gone Barney mad at the moment.
No sooner do we receive a review for The
Long Midnight of Barney Thomson from Ray
do we get reviews for the first three novels
from Victim. Not enough time to do them all
this update so check back next month for more. |
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Blindsighted
by Karin Slaughter
Nigel has read a proof copy of Karin Slaughter's
debut
novel, Blindsighted,
due for release in October. The sleepy town
of Heartsdale, Georgia, is jolted into panic
when a women is found dead in the local diner.
When a second victim is found, crucified,
it is apparent the murder wasn't a one-off
attack but the work of a seasoned sexual predator.
A violent serial killer... |
 Dancing
in the Moonlight by Christina Jones
Chrissi has managed to finally get a copy
of Christina Jones's first novel Dancing
in the Moonlight. A romance, it tells
the story of stable jockey Rosa Brennan and
her dream of becoming a top jockey, with more
than a little help from a handsome friend.
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 Station
X by Michael Smith
This ties in nicely with the Enigma
review opposite. Station
X by Michael Smith tells the
true story of Bletchley Park
and the people who worked there during
the Second World War to
break Germany's codes. Chrissi has got really
hooked on this code stuff... as you can probably
tell.  |
 The
Cold Calling by Will Kingdom
Chrissi has reviewed The
Cold Calling by Will Kingdom. When
Maiden is revived in hospital after dying
in a hit and run incident, his memories are
not the familiar ones of bright lights and
angelic music, only of a cold, harsh place
he has no wish to revisit… ever. But
his experience means that Bobby Maiden may
be the only person who can reach The Green
Man, a serial murderer the police don't even
know exists. |
And
finally...
...the September update may be on the brief
side as Chrissi and Nigel are getting married
(about time. Ed.) early that month and lots
of beer has to be consumed... as well as a
bit of organising and other stuff not nearly
as important.  |
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The 'Revenge of the Smilie' update
I
don't know… do you know how much e-mail we
have received complaining about the lack of smilies
in the last two updates? Go on, guess… none!
Not a single lament for the happy faces. So, back
by non-popular demand…. 
We
have received a manuscript
copy
of Keith Rommel's next novel, Sardurvial Dissenting.
Nigel is currently reading it so expect a review
next month, along with an author interview. Also
sent in by those nice people at Random House is
a proof copy of Karin Slaughter's Blindsighted,
a crime thriller to rival the best... check the
review next month to see if the book matches the
hype.
Please enjoy the reviews and if there is any particular
book anyone wants reviewing, just ask. 
*No
Pratchett reviews from Chrissi this month... complaints
to editors(at)booklore.co.uk. |
 The
Stone Monkey
by Jeffery Deaver
Chrissi reviews the latest Lincoln Rhyme
thriller, The
Stone Monkey by Jeffery Deaver. Lincoln
Rhyme and his partner Amelia Sachs manage
to track down a cargo ship carrying illegal
immigrants, as well as the notorious killer,
the Ghost. When the Ghost's capture goes disastrously
wrong,they find themselves in a race against
time - to stop the Ghost before he can murder
the two surviving families who have vanished
deep into the labyrinthine world of New York's
Chinese community. |
 The
Salmon of Doubt by Douglas Adams
The
Salmon of Doubt comprises ten chapters
of the Dirk Gently novel on which Douglas
Adams was working at the time of his death
in May 2001, along with an astonishing collection
of pieces recovered from his beloved Macintosh
computer. |
 Jessie
by Anna Jacobs
Chrissi has read Jessie,
the third book sent to BookLore by the author
Anna
Jacobs. Jessie Burton is lively and intelligent
and she wants more than the respectable life
in service her mother has long planned for
her. And times are changing: railways are
being built across the land, bringing new
freedom and possibilities. |
 Without
Fail by Lee Child
Chrissi has reviewed her first novel
by Lee Child,
Without
Fail. Jack Reacher walks alone. No job,
no ID, no last known address. But he never
turns down a plea for help. Now a woman tracks
him down, because she needs a hand with her
new job. Her task? Protecting the Vice-President
of the United States. |
 Exhortation
- The Art of Persuasion Is Tempting by Tony
Vogiantzis
Tara sent in this review for Exhortation
- The Art of Persuasion Is Tempting
by
Tony
Vogiantzis.
The
story takes place in Europe where four notorious
bank robbers have set out to rob every major
European City bank. |
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 Decipher
by Stel Pavlou
If it is a well researched Action/Adventurer
yarn to rival Michael Crichton you want look
no further than Decipher
by Stel Pavlou. There
is a signal emanating from deep within the
ice of Antarctica. Atlantis has awoken. Ancient
monuments all over the world from the Pyramids
of Giza, to Mexico, to the ancient sites of
China are reacting... to a brewing crisis
not of this earth, but somewhere out in the
solar system. |
 Muriel
Gray
Two Muriel Gray reviews this month. The
Ancient, a very gory account of an Inca
priest trying to be reborn, is reviewed by
Nigel while Chrissi adds her thoughts on Furnace,
the novel Nigel loved and Kevin hated... what
does Chrissi think? |
 Critical
Mass by Steve Martini
In Critical
Mass Joselyn 'Joss' Cole is trying to
get away from her old life as a public defender
in LA. When a rich client is subpoenaed
to appear before a federal grand jury and,
just minutes before testifying, he is killed
in a fiery explosion on board his floatplane
and life becomes complicated again. |
 City
of Bones by Michael Connelly
Chrissi reviews the latest Harry Bosch novel,
City
of Bones, by Michael Connelly. When the
bones of a twelve-year-old boy are found scattered
in the Hollywood Hills, Harry Bosch is drawn
into a case that brings up the darkest memories
from his own haunted past. The
bones have been buried for years, but the
cold case doesn't deter Bosch. Unearthing
hidden stories, he finds the child's identity
and reconstructs his fractured life, determined
that he not be forgotten. |
And
finally...
...we would like to wish Victim
a very happy birthday and hope he enjoys all
the books he is going to get... so much so
he shares his views with us all. |
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| The
'Jubilee' update
We have had a bit of a reviewer push this time…
more of a slave drive actually. We wanted to go
through the 300 review mark so we pushed a little
harder than usual and thanks to the response we
have 20 reviews this month, making a total of
304. Not many by some sites standards but we are
quite pleased.
Anna
Jacobs
has been nice enough to send us three of her novels,
Lancashire
Lass, Lancashire
Legacy and Jessie.
She writes predominately historical romances but
also some Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Check
out the reviews and see what you think
We have been scouring the web to try and bring
you some information in the way of Publication
Dates and think we have created a useful list
now (which is more than can be said for the last
one! Ed.). If you want the release date for a
particular author or book mail editors(at)booklore.co.uk
and we will see what we can do.
We have also tidied the site a little and pulled
all the Articles
together into a new section, whilst at the same
time adding two new ones. The first, The
History Of BookLore, was a request of Anne
Weale who writes the Bookworm on the Net column
for The
Bookseller, the UK's leading book trade weekly.
The second is Three
Go Mad In Wales about a day trip to Hay-On-Wye,
which has the world's largest concentration of
bookshops selling old and out-of-print books.
*Oh
dear.... Chrissi has gone insane! She has decided
to continue with ALL of Terry Pratchett's books...
starting with Only You Can Save Mankind... |
 Pulling
Power by Christian Cook
Christian
Cook has kindly sent us his latest novel,
Pulling
Power, which tells the story of five lifelong
friends and a game of Russian Roulette with
power plugs and life support equipment...
sounds weird but it is another great read
from an up-and-coming author. |
 2nd
Chance by James Patterson
Lindsay Boxer, San Francisco's only woman
homicide detective, is back in James Patterson's
2nd
Chance - the mind-blowing new thriller
in the Women's Murder Club series. |
 Ender's
Game by Orson Scott Card
Vex has reviewed Ender's
Game by Orson Scott Card, the first in
the Ender saga. They are simple on the surface
but question the ethics of mankind and his
role in the cosmos… a
must for every Science Fiction fan. |
 Anna
Jacobs
We have been sent several books by the author
Anna
Jacobs. All historical romances, Lancashire
Lass and Lancashire
Legacy have been reviewed by Chrissi while
Alma has read and reviewed Jessie.
Three excellent novels by all accounts. |
 Web
Site Story by Robert Rankin
Robert Rankin delves into the world of cyberspace
with Web
Site Story. A computer virus is about
to make the deadly species crossover from
machine to mankind. The Black Death was spread
by rats. But this plague will be spread by
a mouse. The computer mouse. |
 Terry
Pratchett
We have a deluge of reviews for Terry Pratchett
books this month. Chrissi has decided to continue
her odyssey with Only
You Can Save Mankind, Johnny
and the Dead and Johnny
and the Bomb while Nigel has reviewed
the excellent The
Science of Discworld.
We also have another review for The
Truth sent in by Vex and The
Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
sent in by Ray.
An amazing six in total!! |
 Wicked
Pleasures by Penny Vincenzi
Sexy,
glamorous and fun, Wicked
Pleasures by Penny Vincenzi is the story
of a brother and two sisters who find out
that they all have different fathers: none
of them Alexander, Earl of Caterham, who was
married to their mother for almost twenty
years... |
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 Barney
Thomson and the Face of Death by Douglas Lindsay
Barney Thomson gets another outing in Barney
Thomson and the Face of Death by Douglas
Lindsay. A novelette set between The
Cutting Edge of Barney Thomson and A
Prayer for Barney Thomson this story sees
Barney involved in even more murders he is
powerless to prevent yet gets the blame for. |
 Furnace
by Muriel Gray
Following Kevin's low score Nigel has reviewed
Muriel Gray's Furnace
as he believes it is a great novel. A tense
horror thriller that will
keep you on the edge of your seat until the
very end. |
 Time
Travel in Einstein's Universe by Richard Gott
Vex has been trying to work out how to win
the lottery and he has started with Richard
Gott's Time
Travel in Einstein's Universe... I'm not
sure if that will work but then I haven't
read the book yet... by the way, when is Vex
coming back from Barbados anybody?? |
 Bitten
by Kelley Armstrong
Victim
has sent in a review for Bitten
by Kelley Armstrong. Elena Michaels is a 21st-century
girl: self assured, keenly intelligent, fighting
fit. And like every woman, she has her secrets.
Nothing extraordinary about that. Except that
Elena really is extraordinary. In fact, she
may well be the most extraordinary woman alive.
Because Elena is the only female werewolf
in the world. |
 The
Movie by Louise Bagshawe
Three
women in search of a dream - but one of them
with a nightmare in her heart.
Chrissi has reviewed The
Movie by Louise Bagshawe, a story of Hollywood
and the search for happiness in its cruel
merry-go-round. |
 Code
to Zero by Ken Follett
48
hours that could change the world's political
landscape... a man wakes up to find himself
lying on the ground in a railway station,
his mind stripped bare of all recollection.
Code
Zero by Ken Follett tells the story of
Luke Lucas and his search for the truth. |
And
finally...
...we are pleased to report that Christina
Jones has a new book, Tickled
Pink, being
published in August or September. Hopefully
we will be getting a proof copy so we will
bring you a review as soon as possible. |
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| The
'On time at last' update
Can
you believe it? We have finally managed to get
an update posted on time! Now don't get carried
away, this is not a sign of things to come…
more of a pure fluke really.
Good
news on the author front again. We have received
the promised copies of Pulling
Power by Christian
Cook and Barney
Thomson and the Face of Death by Douglas
Lindsay, two books Nigel has been eagerly
awaiting. Reviews for both next month.
Chrissi
at long last (started in January 2001!) has finished
her self imposed torture (not the books, but Nigel's
constant digs. Ed.) of reading and reviewing all
of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. This month
sees The
Last hero posted… what next we hear you
ask.
Ray
has also been subjected to the hard questioning
promised last month… check out the interview
and see what is needed to be a BookLore reviewer.
*Wanted
- Chrissi requires another impossible task - the
complete works of Shakespeare perhaps? Ideas here
editors(at)booklore.co.uk
:) |
 Once
by James Herbert
The first page in this book has the following
warning: Once
- A scary Tale of Faerefolkis & Evildoers,
of Lovers & Erotic Passion, of Horror
& Belief. Written only for Adults by James
Herbert.
This basically sums up a wonderful horror
story form one of the genres greats... a must
read for any fan. |
 Wild
Justice by Philip M. Margolin
Martin Breach is not a man who likes unfinished
business. So when Dr Clifford Grant takes
his money, but fails to deliver the heart
as promised, his days are numbered. In order
to save himself, Grant's business associate
knows he has no option but to terminate the
partnership. And his partner. Wild
Justice is reviewed by Chrissi. |
 Landover
Series by Terry Brooks
Landover is a genuine magic kingdom, complete
with fairy folk and wizardry, just as the
advertisement promised. But after he purchases
it for a million dollars, Ben Holiday discovers
that there are a few details the ad failed
to mention. Magic
Kingdom for Sale - Sold and
The
Black Unicorn, the first two books in
the Landover series by Terry Brooks, are reviewed
by Chrissi. |
 The
Last Hero by Terry Pratchett
Chrissi
has finally completed her quest started in
January 2001!! She has finished the latest
Terry Pratchett Discworld novel, The
Last Hero, to complete the set and post
reviews for all the books in this series to
date. (Think of a task to set her next! Ed.)
It tells the story of Cohan the Barbarian
and his horde taking fire, in the form of
some very high explosive, back to the Gods
to set the record straight for their fickle
handling of his friends, namely horrible deaths,
which he thinks was a bit unfair. |
 Undergrowth
and other Hidden Tales by John Shire
Bryn has been nothing if not persistent so
we thought we would add another review from
Hollow
Hills Publishing.
Undergrowth
and other Hidden Tales by John Shire offers
three compelling stories linked by themes
of power sought and power misused; tales that
are fantastical in nature, dark, eerie and
uncanny. |
|
 Time
Detectives by Terry Deary
Jay has managed to get hold of the first two
Time Detective books, The
Witch of Nightmare Avenue and The
Pirates of the Dark Park by Terry Deary.
Find out about the madness of the witch-hunts
and how pirates made England great. History
made fun for children. |
 Spirit
of Independence by Keith Rommel
This novel was sent in to BookLore by the
author Keith Rommel. Travis Winter, the Spirit
of Independence, was viciously murdered
in World War 2. Soon after his untimely death,
he discovers he is a chosen celestial knight;
a new breed of Angel destined to fight the
age-old war between Heaven and Hell. |
 My
Lurid Past by Lauren Henderson
Food
PR Juliet Cooper has never had any trouble
meeting men - she just doesn't want them hanging
round her flat on a Sunday. But after four
years of serial dating, she's discovering
that men have a tendency to repeat on you.
Meanwhile, her best friend Gillian's sex life
pretty much ended when she said 'I do'. My
Lurid Past is reviewed by Chrissi. |
 Collapse
- Why Buildings Fall Down by Phillip Wearne
Paul
has sent in a review for
Collapse - Why Buildings Fall Down. It
traces the work of the forensic engineers
who investigate the reasons for some of the
worlds leading structural collapse's of bridges,
buildings etc. |
 Holding
the Zero by Gerald Seymour
Kevin
has sent in another of his famously short
reviews for Gerald Seymour's Holding
the Zero. Gus
Peake should have kept his job and stayed
at home, but an old family debt of friendship
draws him to the remote wastes of Northern
Iraq and to a savage forgotten war between
Kurdish guerrillas and Saddam Hussein's military
strength. |
And
finally...
...does anyone out there review religious
fiction? We have been contacted by Ja'far,
author of The
Alternative and none of our current reviewers
are 'suited'. If you want to receive a copy
for review (subject to the author obviously)
just mail editors(at)booklore.co.uk. |
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The 'Happy Easter' update
Hi
chocoholics. A little late as usual. Someone made
Nigel spend a whole day in the pub drinking far
too much Stella with the usual consequences…
naughty Ray. So, with two reviewers the worse
for wear, not much got done. Ho-hum :)
A good month this time for Authors. We have received
a copy of Spirit
of Independence from Keith Rommel, which looks
intriguing to say the least. Nigel is currently
reading it so expect a review next time. We have
also been promised a copy of the latest novel
by Christian
Cook, Pulling
Power, which has a more serious tone than
Broken
Eggshells; watch this space. All we need now
is a copy of the latest Barney novelette (promised:)
and we will be made up!
Lastly, we welcome Lesley as a BookLore reviewer.
An old (old, as in long time ago, not withered
and ancient:) friend of Chrissi's from school
who is an avid reader. Expect reviews, bio and
a nice picture very soon...
*Good
news. Chrissi has resumed her Pratchett odyssey
and done another book… only one to go :) |
 Saucer
by Stephen Coonts
Stephen Coonts normally writes thrillers so
Saucer
is a bit of a departure. Rip Cantrell is a
member of a seismic survey team working in
the Sahara when they discover a metal object
buried in sandstone 140,000 years old... you
know the rest :) |
 Falling
Sideways by Tom Holt
Tom Holt's latest novel is about cloning and
long dead witches.. or so it seems. Falling
Sideways sees a continuing return to form
for Mr Holt that will have you laughing all
the way to the pond, where the frogs live. |
 Captive
of Gor by John Norman
Not one for the feminists I'm afraid.Captive
of Gor is a 70s fantasy yarn about a modern
day 20th century woman transported to the
planet Gor as a slave girl. Part of a huge
series by John Norman it is a forerunner of
todays fantasy epics. |
 The
Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by
Terry Pratchett
Terry
Pratchett's first Discworld outing aimed at
children.
The
Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
is a new take on the pied piper tale with
the rats playing a major part in a confidence
scam. |
 A
Kept Woman by Louise Bagshawe
Diana Foxton is A
Kept Woman.
The toast of New York she
fills her days with lunches, decorating and
shopping and turns 'trophy wife' into an art
form. Then her world is suddenly torn apart,
no money, no man, and no job, and shunned
by the glittering society that once embraced
her. |
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Fluke by James Herbert
Nigel has reviewed James Herbert's cult classic
Fluke.
The story of a dog who thinks he's a man...
or a man who thinks he's a dog. A star book
if ever there was one.. laugh and cry as you
find out what it's like to be a dog in a man's
world |
 In
The Red by Susannah Jowitt
Susannah Jowitt's novel In
The Red is a little out of date but is
worth a read nevertheless. As New Labour romps
to victory, three old friends celebrate 20
years of comradeship. But life is more complicated
since they were ten-year-olds smoking behind
the bike sheds. |
 Bleeding
Hearts by Jack Harvey
Ian Rankin writes as Jack Harvey in Bleeding
Hearts. A shot rings out, the woman dies
instantly. But she was not alone on the steps
of the London hotel. A number of other people
could also have been the intended target of
the invisible sniper. A thriller with a great
twist. |
 Midnight
Runner by Jack Higgins
One
of the richest and most dangerous women in
the world is seeking vengeance - and she has
undercover operative Sean Dillon in her sights
- in this action-packed new adventure from
the acclaimed master of the modern thriller.
The latest outing for Sean Dillon, Midnight
Runner by Jack Higgins sees him up against
the Rashid clan again. Not really one of his
best, which in truth is more or less a rewrite
of Edge
of Danger. |
And
finally...
...Ray has volunteered to do a 'Reviewers
Interview' so expect a deep and meaningful
psychological profile in the near future... |
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| The
'Damn, February only has 28 days' update
Hello
all. A bit late with a pants excuse as usual...
28 days I ask you... what was Pope Gregory thinking?
We have a decent number of reviews for you this
time along with a new quiz, which should keep
you occupied for all of 10 seconds. The new Barney
novelette has been released so check it out at
www.barney-thomson.com
. Hopefully we will have a copy soon and will
bring you a full and unbiased review….
And before you ask, still working on the DB
Does anyone want to sponsor Booklore to the tune
of 30-40k a year? (£ not $ Ed.)
*Sad
news. Chrissi has finally failed with only two
books to go... No Pratchett review this month
I'm afraid :( |
 The
Brethren by John Grisham
Three former judges, serving time in a minimum
security prison, are undertaking a bit of
blackmail to earn them a crust for when they
are released. When their scam snares the wrong
victim things start to turn nasty. The
Brethren by John Grisham follows the tried
and trusted format which we all now know and
love. |
 Nothing
but Blue Skies by Tom Holt
Victim has somehow managed to wangle a copy
of Tom Holt's Nothing
but Blue Skies even though he lives in
the back of beyond, namely Mansfield, where
books tend to be a good year behind and a
new release is Harry Potter and the Philosophers
Stone. The story is about irritable Chinese
Water Dragons
and why it is best not to kidnap them. |
 Sweet
Talking Money by Harry Bingham
More dastardly deeds in the Pharmaceutical
world in Sweet
Talking Money by Harry Bingham. Cameron
Wilde is a brilliant young scientist whose
career is one day ruined for no apparent reason.
She sets out to find out why in a well written
David and Goliath thriller medical thriller
in the style of Robin Cook. |
 Cold
Hit by Linda Fairstein
Another
outing for Assistant District Attorney Alexandra
Cooper in
Cold Hit by Linda Fairstein. Called to
a sombre crime scene where a young woman is
pulled from the river, Alex is thrown into
a world where priceless art meets big money
in a lethal mix. |
 Who
Killed Marilyn Monroe? by Liz Evans
This is not a search for the famous Marilyn
Monroe's killer but that of a Donkey of the
same name. Who
Killed Marilyn Monroe? by Liz Evans is
a thriller delving into the evil world of
the seaside and donkey rides... what will
they think of next? |
 Suzanne's
Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson
Hidden down here at the bottom is a romance
novel no less... and to top it all Suzanne's
Dairy for Nicholas is written by James
Patterson... yes, that James Patterson, the
thriller writer who brought you Roses
are Red, Violets
are Blue. What more can I say? |
|
 Orson
Scott Card and Ender
Nigel has finished the second two novels in
the Ender series by Orson Scott card. This
month he has added reviews for Xenocide
and Children
of the Mind. The first drags a little
bit but the second rounds the series off nicely.
Two more novels, Ender's Shadow and Shadow
of the Hegemon have been written since so
expect more reviews soon (ish. Ed.)  . |
 Airframe
by Michael Crichton
If you are wary about flying then do NOT read
this book. Michael Crichton's Airframe
deals with an incident aboard TransPacific
Flight 545
and the lengths the aircraft manufacturer,
and all involved, will go to cover up a costly
incident, regardless of passenger safety.
Eeek!  |
 Venus
Envy by Louise Bagshawe
Venus
Envy by Louise Bagshawe deals with female
relationships and how bitchy they can get
when jealousy, of a friend's life, clothes,
money, etc., etc., raises its ugly head…
and Alex Wilde has got it bad. She's 27, single,
bored out of her tiny mind at work and surrounded
by flatmates that would make a glitterball
feel square. (What does TDO stand for? Ed.) |
 The
Leaky Establishment by David Langford
Ever
wondered what goes on behind closed doors
at a top-secret nuclear research base? The
Leaky Establishment by David Langford
tells you in a wonderfully funny story all
you ever wanted to know but were afraid to
ask. Roy Tappen, hard pressed scientist, is
trying to smuggle a nuclear weapon core back
into work after inadvertently smuggling it
out. |
 Rat
Pack Confidential by Shawn Levy
This
is a biography of sorts that examines the
days of Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter, Joey in
the Las Vegas days. Rat
Pack Confidential by Shawn Levy pulls
no punches and looks at the good and bad,
sometimes very bed, of the Rat Pack. |
And
finally...
...we have a new article
from Victim regarding flamers and the personal
attack on one of the reviewers
last month.
Have a read and send in your views to editors(at)booklore.co.uk. |
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| The
'Happy Birthday' update*
Hello to everyone. We hope you have all recovered
from the New Year celebrations and have settled
into the coming year of the race that is rat (Very
Rankin. Ed.)
We have actually managed to pull together some
good stuff this time, despite covering our behinds
last time by saying we wouldn't… which in
fact means we don't actually manage to do anything
we say we will!
Anyway,
on with the show. We have an Interview
with Douglas
Lindsay, the author of the fine Barney Thomson
novels. Check it out, read the reviews, buy the
books and don't forget to mention Booklore.
If you find the interview interesting Mr Lindsay
has a new Barney Novelette
out in February that I'm sure he would be more
than delighted to sell you. Check out the Barney
Website here.
At
last we have put some quizzes together as requested
by Zero years ago. They are now all collected
on our fantastic new and improved (can you do
that, improve something that is new?) Quizzes
Page. We have given the answers for peeps out
there with small left brain bits.
Also added are some Animated
gifs as well as Paul's
reviewer bit (waiting for photo)!!!!! We have
also tidied up the site by splitting the Archive
page, which was getting a little on the large
size. It is now broken down by year to help speed
things up. We have updated the Poll as well to
a more book related question that people may answer.
And
at last we have the reviews… several have
been sent in this month for which we are, as ever,
very grateful. Keep 'um coming. Enjoy
*Yep,
that's right, time does fly! It was our second
birthday on the 19th January 2002, as can be seen
from our ever so detailed History
page… what do you mean you didn't know!!! |
 The
Player of Games by Iain M. Banks
Vex has sent in a review for The
Player of Games by Iain M. Banks. Set
in The Culture, a universe where man and machine
work together for there mutual benefit, Jernau
Morat Gurgeh travels to the Empire of Azad
to play the ultimate game. A game where the
stakes couldn't be any higher… life or
death. |
Bitten
by Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong's debut novel, Bitten,
is a horror come thriller where the main character
is a female werewolf living in New York. Elena
Michaels is trying to maintain a normal life,
including boyfriend, when a call comes from
the Pack (as in dogs:) which cannot be ignored
and as the only female werewolf things
are about to get a little on the complicated
side. |
 J
K Rowling and Harry Potter
Paul has sent in a mini review for the first
four Harry Potter books. We have added it
to Harry
Potter and the Philosophers Stone as we
hope anyone thinking of starting the series
will go here first for comments... and we
couldn't find anywhere else for it tbh...
sort of logical though don't you think? |
 Contest
by Matthew Reilly
This is Matthew Reilly's first novel, the
one no one wanted to publish, tweaked and
updated now he is selling loads (aren't publishers
ruthless:). Contest
follows the now 'standard' Reilly formula
for non-stop action, but this time with a
science fiction twist thrown in. A very good
novel, as always, and amazing that Matthew
Reilly had to self publish. If novels this
good are ignored, what other gems are lost
to readers? |
 The
Deadhouse by Linda Fairstein
When the police get wind of Lola Dakota husbands
plan to hire a hitman to kill her, she agrees
to take part in an undercover operation to
fake her own murder. The sting seems successful
and her husband is arrested. However, less
than a couple of hours later and Lola is dead
again . . . this time for good. Assistant
District Attorney Alexandra Cooper is brought
in and the trail leads to an old penitentiary
called The
Deadhouse. |
 Tell
Me Your Dreams by Sidney Sheldon
Chrissi has reviewed Sidney Sheldon's Tell
Me Your Dreams which deals with mental
illness. Three young women are suspected of
committing a series of brutal murders. The
police make an arrest that leads to one of
the most bizarre murder trials of the century. |
|
Orson
Scott Card and Ender
Nigel has started reading the Ender series
by Orson Scott card. This month he has reviewed
the first two instalments, Ender's
Game and Speaker
for the Dead. Simple on the surface these
stories question the ethics of mankind and
his role in the cosmos… and they are
also great fun with lots of aliens, spaceships,
guns and explosions . |
 The
Shocking History of Phosphorus by John Emsley
Chrissi
has been doing her popular science thing this
month with two non-fiction books. First we
have The
Shocking History of Phosphorus by John
Emsley. Now, when Chrissi said she was reading
a book about the 13th element I finally thought
she had flipped. It is however, a gripping
read apparently and as good as any thriller
and just as unlikely… but all true nonetheless! |
 Nathaniel's
Nutmeg by Giles Milton
This is the second nonfiction book reviewed
by Chrissi this month. Nathaniel's
Nutmeg by Giles Milton is a popular history
title that takes a look at the early spice
trade and the impact on the people involved.
As any reader of history will tell you the
greed of man knows no bounds and this book
highlights the lengths some are prepared to
go to for riches. |
 Terry
Pratchett
Chrissi
has only managed one Pratchett this month,
namely Thief
of Time,
about which Paul has also done a short review.
Terry Pratchett's 26th Discworld novel, Thief
of Time tells the story of the perfect
clock and its not-so-mad maker Jeremy... with
an Igor to help of course. |
 Last
Chance Saloon by Marian Keyes
The
Last
Chance Saloon by Marian Keyes examines
the problem of being single in later life.
Should you take what you can get rather than
be lonely? If this is a question you are currently
asking yourself read this book, it has plenty
of good advice.
|
And
finally...
...and finally, we send our best wishes to
a Booklore fan, who we feel is in serious
need of a bit of TLC. He is a poor repressed
reader living in an Autocracy where free thought
and expression is not tolerated. I would even
go so far as to say, despite his best efforts
to change, his mind has been wiped and replaced
with used toilet roll. May you be free soon
m8. A bit hypocritical I know but there you
go. |
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The '2002 - A Very Happy New Year' update*
Well, another small update this month and again
somewhat late, due to the predicted parties and
the 'odd' beer. We hope all our visitors had a
splendid time, but without the hangovers we suffered
:). So, excuses aside, there are just a few new
reviews again this time. Next month will also
probably be a smallish update but at least we
should be on time so we can get back on track.
Again, Happy New Year.
*As
in we wish everyone a very happy new year for
2002 - we are not predicting that it will be,
as we don't do horoscopes, being a 'serious' review
site... unless that's what you want of course
:). |
Web
Site Story by Robert Rankin
Robert Rankin delves into the world of cyberspace
with Web
Site Story. A computer virus is about
to make the deadly species crossover from
machine to mankind and no one is safe. The
Black Death was spread by rats. But this plague
will be spread by a mouse. The computer mouse.
eek!! |
 Area
7 by Matthew Reilly
The indestructible
Shane Schofield is back in Matthew
Reilly's Area
7. The President is at the top of everyone's
hit list and only Shane can protect him...
will he succeed? If you have read Ice
Station you will already know the answer
but don't let that stop you |
 The
Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
The
Eyre Affair is Jasper Ffordes debut novel
and a good one it is too. Characters from
famous novels are being kidnapped and Thursday
Next is the literary detective
trying to find out why. Watch out for the
dodos! |
 Likely
To Die by Linda Fairstein
Gemma Dogen, a leading neurosurgeon, is found
in her office at a New York medical centre,
soaked in her own blood and Likely
To Die. Alexandra
Cooper, Assistant District Attorney, takes
on the case and tries to piece together motives
for the crime. |
 About
A Boy by Nick Hornby
Simon has kindly sent in a review for Nick
Hornby's About
a Boy, a story about two children, one
12 and the other 36... men never grow up!
The story is by turn very funny and very sad.
This is Nick Hornby's second novel (High Fidelity
being the first) and firmly establishes him
as a writer of merit. |
|
 Timeline
by Michael Crichton
Not giving anything away as it's in the title
but Timeline
by Michael Crichton deals with time travel
of a sorts when a group of historians enter
life in 14th century France. |
 Dead
Famous by Ben Elton
Ben Elton has managed to bring the 'reality'
phenomenon to the written page
in Dead
Famous. A murder has been committed under
the watchful gaze of just about everyone...
how was it done?. |
 Manhattan
Is My Beat by Jeffery Deaver
An early Jeffery deaver novel Manhattan
Is My Beat tells the story of an old black
and white film that was based on a true crime
that happened years before. When video store
worker Rune finds the films biggest fan dead
she realises there may be more to the story
and sets out to solve
the murder. |
Terry
Pratchett
Chrissi, being too busy Christmas drinking,
has failed in her self imposed task of reading
at least one Terry Pratchett a month... sad
times  .
We have, however, got reviews for The
Last Hero and The
Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
from Nigel, so all is not lost... depending
on your point of view of course  . |
 Lightning
by Dean Koontz
This is a fairly old book but Lightning,
by Dean Koontz, is a classic thriller with
a touch of Science Fiction thrown in. It will
have you on the edge of your seat from beginning
to end, making
it one of our highly recommended star
books. |
And
finally...
...this months quiz is to find out if a new
quiz has been added... phew... think we got
away with it people. |
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