Issue 101

Gil

The Nano Flower by Peter F Hamilton

I’ve just finished reading The Nano Flower, by Peter F Hamilton. He’s a British science fiction writer who I think is up there with the best of the genre.

This book is a future world epic in which mega multinationals are the real power in the world and follows their struggles to gain control of the technology offered by the alien Nano Flower. The characters are very well defined and while the premise of the book is a bit ‘out there’ it’s beautifully written and very believable.

I’ve now just begun reading Ion L Idriess’s The Silver City (How’s that for a change of pace?)

Sim

The Expected One by Kathleen McGowan

I go through phases with books and at the moment I am quite enjoying historical fiction. The Expected One is a book I borrowed from my local library and I really liked it. It centres on a female author, Maureen, who wrote a book about famous women in history and how they’ve been treated. One of the women she wrote about was Mary Magdalene.

As Maureen and her unusual bunch of friends uncover more about Mary Magdalene and the circumstances of her life, an ancient mystery unfolds, which will affect history as we know it.

It was a well written, fantastic book, with intriguing characters and a gripping storyline. I definitely recommend it.

Tim

A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil by Christopher Brookmyre

A Tale Etched In Blood and Hard Black Pencil is the latest novel from Scottish crime author, Christopher Brookmyre. It starts with the discovery of two partially destroyed bodies in the forest, but it is soon revealed that the investigating police officer recognises both the victims and the main suspects from her school days.

What follows is tale that shifts between the past and the present to show how the main characters’ times at school eventually led to the double murder. Some of the personalities we meet in the schoolyard ring alarmingly true, and there are a couple of very funny scenes that will have you laughing out loud.

If you can navigate your way through all the Scottish slang used in the book, it’s a thoroughly entertaining read.

Bernie

Cloudstreet by Tim Winton

Cloudstreet is one of my favourite books of all time. I originally had to read it for my year 12 English class – but since then I have re-read it about 20 times.

The book has a very Australian flavour and comments on social justice and family values in the 1950s.

It tells the story of two very different families who find themselves living together in one huge house on Cloudsteet.

The story follows their lives over the next 20 years as they live through the post war era. We see how each family member deals with their own personal struggles and tragedies as they go through life under the watchful eye of the house.