I've enjoyed most of Terry Pratchett's novels over the past fifteen years or so, particularly the Discworld ones. I am also very fond of the 'Bromeliad Trilogy', which I read first, and then read aloud to my sons when they were around eight or nine.
I hadn't read them for many years, but a few months ago decided to re-read the first of the three, 'Truckers'. I enjoyed it so much, I put the other two on my to-be-read shelf... and, a couple of days ago, started to re-read 'Diggers'.
This book follows directly on from Truckers, although it's not absolutely essential to have read it first. Hundreds of six-inch-high nomes managed to escape when the Arnold Bros store was closed down, and are now living in a disused quarry. Six months has passed, but to nomes that's like about five years in human time. Those who spent all their lives in the department store are still suspicious of the outside world; it doesn't seem right to eat food grown in the ground, or to see sky rather than a ceiling.
Still, they're mostly getting along, albeit with plenty of fights and arguments (the nomes must, surely, have been a prototype for the brilliant Nac Mac Feegles who appear on the Discworld from time to time). Then disaster strikes, in the form of humans. it appears that they are going to start mining the quarry some more, and there will no longer be room for the nomes.
Masklin, a reluctant leader, goes on a voyage of exploration with some of the other leaders in the hope of finding someone who can help them. Meanwhile, Dorcas, the mechanically-minded nome, has discovered a digger... the dragon Jekub. He doesn't let anyone know about his find until it's necessary to attempt to move it.. in hope of repeating the journey the nomes all took in the big truck at the end of 'Truckers'.
There's lots of humour, subtle digs at the world of humans, and at blind trust in the unknown. Not as brilliantly funny as 'Truckers', but a worthy sequel nonetheless, with rather a cliff-hanging and unexpected ending which - if I remember rightly - leads directly onto the final book in the trilogy, 'Wings'.
'Diggers' is still in print in the UK, but in the USA seems only to be available in a volume containing the entire Bromeliad trilogy.
Recommended to children who read fluently, or parents wanting an enjoyable read-aloud, or indeed anyone wanting a short break from reality with a good dose of humour.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 30th August 2008
I hadn't heard of Amanda Brookfield until a couple of months ago, when someone recommended 'The Simple Rules of Love' to me. I enjoyed it, and having decided to look for more books by the same author, was pleased to discover one fairly soon in a charity shop.
'Sisters and Husbands' is about two sisters: Becky and Anna. The book is written mainly from Becky's perspective. She is the younger, and has always rather envied her sister, who seems to have it all. Anna is attractive, intelligent, happily married, wealthy, wise, and apparently calm and unflappable. Becky has rather a difficult relationship with her mother, ever since their father died in a swimming accident twenty years previously. But Anna usually manages to mediate and keep everyone reasonably happy.
However, other than the occasional pang, Becky isn't seriously jealous of her sister. She looks to her for advice and encouragement, and loves her dearly. Becky is going through a difficult time at present. Her husband Joe is trying to become a restaurant owner, but that means putting a lot of time into his training, and a great deal of money into something that isn't guaranteed to succeed. Becky has a good job, but would really much rather give it up and embark on parenthood.
As Joe works longer and longer hours, Becky becomes frustrated and does something rash. Meanwhile Anna is unexpectedly pregnant, and determined not to have the baby. As a result of these and other stresses, unexpected memories of the past revive, and Becky realises that her view of their family is not at all the same as Anna's view. Both of them have to mature and change, and review their relationships with their husbands before they can move on.
Although I really wish novels like this made less use of bad language - one four-letter word which I've hardly ever heard in real life appeared countless times in conversations in this book - I very much enjoyed it. The characters are sympathetic and three dimensional, and there are some thought-provoking themes to do with fidelity, loyalty, and priorities.
'Sisters and Husbands' is mainly character-driven, but there are plenty of subplots to keep the pages turning, some unexpectedly moving moments near the end, and - in my opinion - a satisfying and hopeful conclusion. Recommended as light women's fiction.
Not currently in print, but fairly widely available second-hand.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 28th August 2008
I first came across books by Catherine Palmer some years ago, when browsing the rather small Christian fiction section on the MV Doulos. I read three or four of her books, and found them fairly enjoyable light reading, albeit a bit predictable.
Recently I was given a few more books by this author, by a friend who move away. So, wanting something undemanding, I embarked yesterday on 'A whisper of danger'.
The story features Jess, who works as the illustrator of children's books, and her ten-year-old son Spencer, generally known as Splint. He's a highly intelligent boy, who's very fond of his mother. She is devoted to him, although she's surprisingly strict at times, and rarely seems to discuss important things with him. I felt it was slightly surreal that in the first chapter she let him know that, not only had she been left a mansion totally unexpectedly by an old art teacher of hers, on Zanzibar Island, but that they were packing up and moving there within a week!
I also found it slightly bizarre that, although Jess had apparently grown up in Africa, and lived there until six years previously, she was surprised at the lack of supermarkets on Zanzibar, and that she had to haggle for prices.
Still, these early irritations soon disappeared, as Jess and Splint get caught up in an exciting adventure. The house is full of valuable paintings, there's a sunken wreck accessible from their beach, Jess's old art teacher was apparently murdered, and - most confusing of all for her - her husband, who walked out on her eleven years previously, suddenly reappears in her life. She is afraid to trust him, but it's clear that he's very different from the irresponsible alcoholic she remembers, and she is very reluctant to let him know that he is Splint's father.
The book is fast-paced and well-written, and by the time I was about half-way through I found it very difficult to put down. The characters weren't deeply sympathetic, but believable enough; there were quite a few of them, but I found them easy enough to distinguish and remember.
It's American Christian fiction, so there are several Biblical references and conversion experiences described. However they're not done in an over-pushy style. An old African woman quotes Scripture in a way that works well, and God is mentioned in a realistic way; there are no unnecessary explanations of what salvation means, or sermons as asides.
All in all, I found this an enjoyable book. It's apparently the second in a series of three, and I'm pleased to see that I have the third in the series too from the same source.
Recommended to anyone who likes a light read with a little excitement, and doesn't mind a Christian influence.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 26th August 2008
As always, I'm slowly reading my way through Georgette Heyer's excellent historical romance books, of which I have most in my collection. They're my 'comfort reading' - the books I turn to when I want something that will engage my mind and my heart, and give a guaranteed satisfactory ending.
I last read 'Bath Tangle' in 2002, almost exactly six years ago. I've read it at least twice before then, and thus had some memory of the plot. The story opens with the funeral of the Earl of Spenborough, who is particularly mourned by his strong-willed and temperamental daughter, Serena.
The Earl also left a widow, his second wife Fanny, who was considerably younger than him - indeed, she is a few years younger even than her stepdaughter. They are very different: Fanny is gentle, rather naive, and likes to be looked after, while Serena is hot-tempered and independent.
Nevertheless, Fanny and Serena are very fond of each other, and decide to set up house together. This is reasonably successful, but after a few months they decide to take a break in Bath, where they meet a strange variety of people.
Naturally it's a low-key love story; the 'tangle' in the title gives a clue that the threads are not at all straightforward. Serena was once engaged to Lord Rotherham, an old friend of her father's; however she broke the engagement, since they spent their time arguing hotly. To her annoyance, Rotherham has been appointed as one of her trustees. Serena claims that the only man she ever loved was Hector, a young man who went off to join the army seven years previously.
The plot is enlivened by the encroaching Lady Laleham, who tries to push her shy daughter Emily into Rotherham's circles - Emily, to be fair, is nice enough, albeit not very intelligent and very innocent. Emily has a delightful grandmother, too, whom her mother is ashamed of. And Rotherham's oldest ward, the boastful and rather annoying Gerard, has developed a youthful passion for Emily.
There are a lot of people but they're introduced gradually, and as always with Georgette Heyer, seem immediately believable - even those who are actually slightly caricatured. I could actually relate better to Fanny than to Serena, but certainly admired the latter as one of Heyer's typically modern heroines, set in the early 19th century amidst its restrictive society rules.
All in all, an enjoyable light read. Recommended, and almost continually in print.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 24th August 2008
I do like Rosamunde Pilcher's novels! She has a wonderful gift for characterisation, and manages to create people whom I care about so much that I find it hard to say goodbye to them when the books finish.
I first read 'Voices in Summer' in 2001, so it was more than time for a re-read. I found I had almost completely forgotten the book, and the people, so perhaps they weren't as memorable as I had thought.
The main character is Laura, newly married to Alec, but suffering from some internal problem - never clearly spelled out - which requires occasional surgery. She has to go into hospital for an operation at the time when she is supposed to be going to Scotland with Alec and some of his old friends. Alec looks forward to this annual holiday all year, so Laura is determined he should go without her. He agrees, so long as she goes to stay with some older relatives of his.
There, Laura meets some delightful people, has time to ponder some things that worry her, and has a few very unpleasant shocks as well as some nice surprises. There's a low-key 'whodunit' subplot, unusual for Pilcher, when some very nasty anonymous letters start appearing. The revelation, when it came, was fairly easy to guess... but only towards the end.
Perhaps not the greatest novel - this is one of Pilcher's earlier ones, first published in 1984 - but a mostly pleasant light read. Only just over 200 pages, but even then I found myself caring what happened, hoping all would turn out well for Laura in the end.
Recommended to anyone who likes character-based light women's fiction that's more thought-provoking than 'chick-lit'. Still in print in the UK, and widely available second-hand, or as part of a compilation of the author's books.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 22nd August 2008
I suppose I was about nine or ten when I first started reading Malcolm Saville's books. He wrote several series; some for children of around that age, and others for teenagers. The one I liked best, and which I re-read several times, is the 'Lone Pine' adventure series, set mostly in Shropshire.
It's been twenty years or so since I last read them, but this year decided I'd gradually re-read the whole series: not all at once, but interspersed with other books. I like reading light teenage fiction from time to time, particularly stories like these which began in the 1940s.
'The Gay Dolphin Adventure' is the third in the Lone Pine series, written in an age when the word 'gay' meant 'cheerful'. The Gay Dolphin is the name of a hotel, owned by Mrs Warrender. Her son Jon is 17, and his cousin Penny, who lives with them, is 15. They decide to embark on a hunt for treasure, based on several old documents, a few maps, and a letter from their late Uncle Charles. Before long they meet David Morton and his twin brother and sister, Dickie and Mary, and join forces.
This is an exciting book, which introduces Miss Ballinger, a short but big-built woman who appears in various others of the series later on. It's set in the real town of Rye, where there used to be 'free traders' (ie smugglers). Much of the geography of the town is apparently real - or was, sixty years ago when the book was first published, although the hotel itself is fictional.
The story is fast-paced, and if the style seems old-fashioned at times, it's not sufficiently so to be annoying. Friendship and loyalty are important in these novels, and as with so many books for children, there's a strong moral good vs evil theme.
This series was intended for teenagers when first written, but would probably be enjoyed more by today's ten- and eleven-year-olds who haven't yet developed too much sophistication. They would also make a very good read-aloud for children of any age. Of course, teenagers who like this kind of innocent adventure may still enjoy them; and as an adult I still think 'The Gay Dolphin Adventure' is an excellent book.
No need to have read the two earlier books in the series - Mystery at Witchend and Seven White Gates - but I always like reading books in order if I can.
The original hardbacks were published in abridged form in paperback in the 1970s - which is when I came across most of them - but have more recently been republished again by the 'Girls Gone By' publishers. It can often be found second-hand too, particularly the Armada paperback versions.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 20th August 2008
I very much like Philip Yancey's books, which I started reading over ten years ago. He is one of the clearest modern Christian writers, who writes in a way that often mirrors ways I had begun to think about topics, expressing his thoughts honestly and openly, in an unusual but very encouraging way.
I was particularly impressed with two books he wrote with the late Dr Paul Brand, which were combined in the volume 'In the Likeness of God'. So while in the UK in the summer, I ordered the third book which they wrote together, 'The Gift of Pain' from Amazon UK.
I've been reading it, a bit at a time, for the past three weeks or so. Like the others, it's written from Paul Brand's first person perspective with plenty of anecdotes and some autobiographical details alongside more general thoughts and explanations.
The main thesis is that pain is an invaluable part of our nervous system; to demonstrate this, the first part of the book charts much of Dr Brand's early life, and his calling into medicine and - eventually - working with a leprosy mission in India as an orthopaedic surgeon.
I had already read his biography, 'Ten Fingers for God', less than a year ago; so some of the material was not new to me. Nonetheless, it was written in such an interesting way that I didn't skim; there were extra reminiscences and asides which, as ever, were fascinating to read. There were also several medical histories which I had not previously read about.
Having shown what a nightmare a totally painless life can be (leprosy patients can lose fingers, even entire limbs because their lack of pain sensors mean they do not notice splinters or extreme heat) and how important it is to listen to our pain, the final section of the book looks at the real problems that do beset people with long-term severe pain. There are suggestions for coping, explanations about how pain actually works, and ideas for encouraging people to deal with pain naturally, as far as possible, rather than simply reaching for a pain-relief tablet.
In the course of this, there are comparisons made between the generally affluent West and the impoverished parts of the East, with some surprising conclusions drawn. Those who deal with pain on a daily basis, often taking it for granted, and living in extreme poverty, often seem to be more contented (and more able to deal with extreme pain) than those who live in comfort, surrounded by medication and all the money they need.
The style is excellent, the anecdotes well chosen and well-flowing, and the whole a very thought-provoking book. The Christian emphasis is low-key, making it a book that could be of interest to anyone, whatever their beliefs.
Highly recommended.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 17th July 2008
I started reading books by Wendy K Harris just over a year ago with 'Blue Slipper Bay', the second in her Undercliff series set on the Isle of Wight. I enjoyed it thoroughly, although it was a little confusing in places, having not read the first one. A couple of months ago I was given, and read the first in the series, 'The Sorrow of Sisters', and was totally captivated.
I was even more pleased when Wendy Harris herself commented on one of the reviews I wrote, and offered to send me the third in the series as soon as it was published. I was delighted when 'Rocken Edge' arrived, shortly before we returned to Cyprus from the UK, after a busy few weeks.
It was only this week when I finally sat down to read it, and was instantly hooked. The novel opens with Clare, a young teenage mother, tired and hungry, arriving with a heavy backpack, looking for Rose. The journey is further than she thinks, and she is almost collapsing with exhaustion by the time she finds the caravans. It's fairly clear she's suffering from mastitis, too, so not surprising that disaster strikes...
Meanwhile the elderly Fran, a sheep farmer in a low-key kind of way, finds something very surprising in her stable. She is unsure what to do at first, but gradually her emotions take over, and her life changes in unexpected, but mostly beneficial ways. She learns a great deal about herself over the next few days, including an unexpected ability to tell lies to her closest friends.
Then there's Rachel, who owns a café, and has been planning - with her partner Sandro - a big change: converting to an Italian restaurant in the evenings, starting on Valentine's Day. The new menus are printed, and people are already booking up for meals... but Sandro has vanished. Rachel is broken-hearted, and also very worried about what to do.
Oh, and there's Father Ryan, a most unpleasant Catholic priest in Ireland. He had sent Clare to the UK to give birth in his cousin's convent, and then to have her baby adopted. But something went wrong, and he decides to investigate.
These threads and others are skilfully interwoven in this sometimes tense but very enjoyable novel. Other characters from previous books are also mentioned, giving a sense of continuity and the satisfaction of knowing what has been happening to them. The writing is good, the conversations realistic, and the people all warm and well-rounded; well, other than Father Ryan, who is a most unpleasant piece of work. He is almost caricatured in his nastiness, although, sadly, perhaps even he is realistic.
There's a fair bit of introspection in the novel, as people ponder their hurts and past problems. I don't mind that, although it might seem a bit long-winded to those who prefer crisper action.
There's also a bit of discussion about the meaning of life, and global consciousness, and perhaps a tinge more New Age than I'm comfortable with. But Clare, a devout (if confused) Catholic is respected for her views, and there's a thoroughly likeable and helpful priest who appears towards the end of the book, so it's certainly not anti-Christian as such.
As with the other books, there are some thought-provoking passages, some parts which are moving, and the power of friendship is an ongoing theme. There are also some moral issues to ponder: is abortion always wrong? How far can people be trusted? When is it better to skirt around legalities rather than calling the police?
All in all, I thought this an excellent book, and am very grateful to the author for sending it to me. Highly recommended. I think it would stand alone, although in my opinion it's best to have read the first two in the series before this one.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 16th August 2008
