The Hit List

[Claire]

Damn you, Riley...i wanted to finish it first. And i only just have.

Mike, i don't think you do it justice. I would agree that Northern Lights is relatively lacklustre, and The Subtle Knife may start similarly, but from there on in (gets much much better from about 50 pages in), and for the third book - in its entirety - i was gripped.

The Amber Spyglass certainly does build to a climactic finish, but I think you could hardly say it's slightly anti-religious! The whole book - it's fundamental rationale - is that religion (Catholicism in particular) has been a sorely misguided mistake since its very conception.

Furthermore, Mike, I'm intrigued for you to qualify this "average writing technique" comment. I think the book is extremely well written. It is billed as a work of children's literature, but as a teacher of top set GCSE students, I can only say that the pick of the vocabulary and the ideologies would be way beyond them, or at least, something amazing to learn from. The rest demonstrates a fluidity of style and quality of characterisation that I will be dying to get into a lesson at the earliest possible opportunity. It's an adult book masquerading as something only supposedly better suited to a younger audience. Like all the best kids' films. I am an enormous Potter fan, and I'm sure have credited Rowling's writing here, but I would argue that His Dark Materials is conceptually better. what do you think?

I think i'm just thoroughly impressed by an author who can remove you to something so wholly different. That's why I also love books like The Time Traveller's Wife and The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and The Lord of the Rings. Their imagination , mine, 1s

[Mike]

I wonder why we all like reading so much. It could be escapism . . . I suppose (not knowing a great deal about it). It is nice to see a well constructed world in a book (which Pullman does). I suppose the thing is I felt that I have read books and seen films etc about multiple dimensions and travelling between them before so it felt like a bit of a re-hashing. I don't mean to nock the enjoyment factor though, I raced through it!

[Andy]

For me, the whole saga is brilliantly written I have to admit. The amount of stuff in it makes it a wonderful tool to teach a child with (not so much an entire class because we have tried it at our place and the Northern Lights takes too long to get into if you are only reading it for 15-20 minutes at anyone time. We just set it for them to read now. A book like Millions is probably better to teach but not as good to read). Sometimes I feel our view on children's literature is misguided because we have read so much other stuff. What is for sure, there are some brilliant books out there, especially for teenage boys, much more than there was 10-15 years ago and certainly more than there was 30 years ago anyway.

I haven't read them but I do believe the Garth Nix books - Lirael, Abhorsen, etc are worth reading.

[stimpsonslostson]

I'm halfway thru Subtle Knife (I read it upon release and am rereading the trilogy), and I'm enjoying it far more than I remember doing the first time around. (This could be me taking the time to READ it, I had to reread HP7 to get all the detail rather just what happened). I agree with Claire that the Northern Lights isn't as good as the other books and that the trilogy as a whole picks up speed.
That could be down to character development necessarily in the opening of any story. Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, His Dark Materials and numerous other series of books start off slowly and build up to a climax as all the treads and layers become resolved. (I also think that there may be an element of the author "getting into the groove", Terry Pratchett talks about getting into his characters heads and the story telling itself according to "what the character would do or how they would react".)

On the subject of us all reading, I think there may be an element of upbringing here, I was talking about it with Bex- We both love reading and agree that it probably stems from being read stories as a child. My motivation to learn to read was to be able to keep going with a story after my parents had finished the chapters they were reading to me at bed time. (I used to drive my brother mental by reading by torchlight). Its a habit I've never lost- I still read in bed.
Did your parents read to you?

The escapism aspect also rings true, a good book is usually one in which you become absorbed. These also tend to be the ones with well resolved worlds- I think Tolkein is the master of this, his descriptions put you right in the heart of the landscape and it becomes a more immersive experience.

On books for older children, I was a huge fan of the Hardy Boys (Bex liked Nancy Drew)-escapism at its finest and my first taste of books I HAD to finish. Narnia was another favourite. The childrens/teens books I've read recently seem very sophisticated by comparison, incorporating complex and emotional themes. Rowling and Pullman being prime examples. I suspect this is due to authors using their life experience to write "proper" books for a younger audience.

just my 2p worth!
P

[Andy]

I too enjoyed reading the Hardy Boys. Still can never understand the importance of Chet.... a token fat kid in books even at that young age! I suppose Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series is the modern equivalent. It is much more high-tech - the film Stormbreaker should give you an idea - and bar the odd moment where you think bollocks (compared to the 90 moments in the Hardy boys books) then they are great reads. Horowitz is actually a very good author and his other books are worth checking out.

I am not a massive fan of Rowling's writing style when it is compared to Pullman/Horowitz/generally any other successful teenage author. I am decidely unkeen on Lemony Snicket as well. His style of placing in dictionary definitions seriously bugs me.

On the subject of other potential teenage reads - The Sally Lockhart Quartet by Pullman are apparently wonderful books but I haven't ventured onto them yet. I have other things to read at the moment. The Ruby in the Smoke was made into a TV adaptation starring Billie Piper. Mortal Engines (not sure about the others in the series) by Philip Reeve is fabulous. The Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer are great. Montmorency by Eleanor Updale is worth checking out. Witch Child by Celia Rees is ace if you persevere past from pages 10-70 (personal opinion is great opening, cut the bit on the ship in half and get onto the main stuff). There is seriously a lot out there compared to when I was a teenage 13 years ago.

[Claire]

Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, His Dark Materials and numerous other series of books start off slowly and build up to a climax as all the treads and layers become resolved.

I think Tolkein is the master of this, his descriptions put you right in the heart of the landscape and it becomes a more immersive experience.

I would totally agree with this. I think The Return of the King is a spectacular book for sheer pace and momentum; The Lord of the Rings overall just captivates me entirely. I'm thinking of reading it for the third time in NZ - i'd only need to take one (bloody massive) book - would that be really sad? i love the films too!

[Mike]

Nope not sad at all. I think I have read this book about 3 or 4 times. . . .

[Andy]

As a whole, I don't particularly like the way Lord of the Rings is written. I still get irritated by Tom Bombadil even now and I think the ending drags on too much. It is a good book and a wonderful templar for fantasy writing but it is not my cup of tea. The Battle of Helms Deep is my favourite section.

[stimpsonslostson]

I'd second the sentiment about Tom Bombadil, I've read the books more often than is probably healthy (I take it with me on field trips- one book that'll last me ages, and I don't mind rereading it). I almost always skip chunks (esp. TomBom), sometimes I start at the council of Elrond- as this is where I think the story REALLY begins to pick up steam.

Has anyone else read Eragon and its sequel Eldest by Paolini? Its another fantasy trilogy (the final installment is due this year- Brisingr) focussing on a farmboy who finds a dragon egg, this leads him eventually into a quest to rid the lands of an evil emperor.

I wasn't overly impressed, the author was 16 when he started the stories and it shows; limited vocabulary, clumsy characterisations and some of the WORST romance I've ever read!
The stories remind me of Starwars set in middle earth. Elves, dwarves, dragons, evil emperors, magic... I'll not spoil the plot for anyone who wants to try em. Suffice to say it wears its influences so proudly on its sleeve that I can think of atleast 4 authors who could sue for copyright infringements! Its not all bad, the plot ticks along well for the most part and the action sections are quite good.
Overall its like he started out to have a go at writing his own version fantasy book for a school assignment, was encouraged and somehow got published. That said I'll still read the final book just to see if it improves any (I also want to find out the ending).
So... Eragon Eldest

[Mike]

Don'ts for Husbands - 1913 by Blanche Ebbutt

An interesting book by a rather unfortunately names Blanche Ebbutt. It is full of contradictions like 'don't treat your wife like cotton wool' followed by 'don't forget that your wife deserves your gentlest humour and grace'. Its like saying - we want it both ways. Don't restrict us (we are free) but keep us in a manner we have become accustomed to, look after us, protect us and treat us with lots of touching gifts.

for entertainment.

[Fez]

FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS - Hunter S Thompson

rolling stone corrospondant thompson is given the task of covering the mint 400 race in las vegas, and drives there from los angeles in a red convertable with his attorony and enough drugs and alcohol to have the mother of all benders en-rounte. arriving at their hotel surrounded by other pressmen and an alarming amount of halluninary zoo animals, thompson struggles through acid trips, freak outs and a seriously dangerous lawyer recording every drug induced second of madness in a writing style as original and unique as has ever been committed to paper. always irreverant and occasionally paranoid, thompson manages to stumble into all sorts of trouble helped and hindered by the drugs and his attorony in equal measure. the stoned pair gatecrashing an anti-narcotics convention in the city is far too funny to relate here, and even smashed out of his mind on ether, thompson natural humour and intellect shine through making this far more than just a tale of some junkie. a must read of modern literature.

[Fez]

FEAR & LOATHING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL 1972 - Hunter S Tompson

as the national affairs editor for rolling stone, thompson joined the train of journalists covering the presidential election of 1972 hoping to see richard nixon fall before being re-elected for a second time. with the watergate scandal in the far future, the book focuses on the democrats in-fighting and ultimate defeat by a frustrated thompson who documents the demise of the candidates in critical detail, showing how sections of the political party would willingly back republican nixon purely in order to scupper each other. in doing so he pictures a world of squabbling, backstabbing and career gambling, a time when spin doctors were still just known as press sectaries even though the difference is only in the title. there are several revealing interviews with the major candidates aside from thompsons own thoughtful observations which make the book relevant even in todays political climate. obviously the drug and alcohol abuse from las vegas take a backseat for this book, but the authors brilliant style and honest remain intact.

[Fez]

HELLS ANGELS - Hunter S Thompson

although it was to be a drug fuelled rampage to las vegas that would make his name infamous as a journalist who put himself through the mental and physical grinder to get the truth about life down on paper, hunter s thompson was an accomplished and radical writer long before this, and one of these pre-fear and loathing exposés was hell angels. in the 60s, the motorcycle gang was viewed as a public menace that raped and pillaged its way across america like ironhorse mounted vikings from a middle-class nightmare, but the truth that thompson uncovered was as ever noticeably different from the hysterical image the new york times would have had the public believe.

putting himself in the firing line between the police and the angels, thompson investigates deep behind the headlines to find out a lot of the stories are half-fact and half-bullshit; the rapes that never took place, the riots the angels had nothing to do with and the official government line that was little short of a declaration of war. at the same time there is no attempt to make the gang into martyrs even though he spent a considerable time hanging out and drinking with them; a lot of them were thugs, criminals and scum but no more so than any other gang of outsiders the police didn’t like the look of.

then again, the catalogue of violent sex and death they were responsible for is still a shocking portrayal of the ugly side of life, yet thompson manages to give each episode a context and reason even if he stops before issuing a personal note of praise or condemnation. the introduction of beat generation icons ken kesey and allan ginsburg to the mix is an interesting tie-in to my recent reading of kerouac and william burrourghs, but the love of the open road and narcotics between the hell angels and the writers is markedly different – culminating with the stand off and fighting surrounding the veitnam protests.

the even-handedness of the text is startling when the post script details the beating thompson received from the angels when their publicity status reached such a level they thought he was riding on their coattails, when in fact it is probably the most balanced account of the gang committed to print. in the face of such sudden and unprovoked hostility it takes a man of stronger humility than me to not jump on the anti-gang bandwagon and label them all arseholes.

a masterful piece of investigative journalism

[Fez]

on the road - jack kerouac

in the uncertain days of the post-war depression the first stirrings of rebellious youth began with the emergence of the beat generation; a collection of young north american visionaries who wanted to travel beyond what their parents had come to expect from the drab suburban world and access new places both in a physical and, in the case of junkies like william burroughs, a chemical sense. along with the infamous heroin addict burroughs and maverick homosexual poet allen ginsburg, kerouac was one of the seminal personalities of a movement that both outraged and transfixed 1950s america.

the semi-autobiographical novel follows sal paradise [kerouac] and the fascinating dean moriaty; in real life a man named neal cassidy who wanted to be a writer but instead would be immortalised by his moriarty doppleganger. following frequent cross-country rides from new york to san fransico, denver to mexico and back again, the story follows the adventures of a rough band of friends which includes renamed versions of both burroughs and ginsberg though the general focus remains with paradise as the narrator and moriarty as the unhinged road travaller, charming womaniser and student of the world looking for the perfect state of being.

colliding with a mryiad of characters from the road, through broken loves, drinking sessions and underground jazz clubs, on the road is the essential guidebook for those of us who are depressed beyond the point of exhaustion with the empty modern world and would die to be a part of keroauc's multi-coloured philosophical travelogue if only for one day. a perfect novel that enriches life with its passion and belief in a better way of living.

[Fez]

junky - william s burroughs

if depression-era america could just about stomach embracing kerouac's ideas of free-thinking and living on the road without money but a simple determination to get to the next town anyway possible, william s burroughs' semi-autobiographical account of life on the fringes of society as a heroin addict crashing wildly from shooting up to prison, rehab, cold turkey and the next fix was too much to bear. when it became widely known that the author not only came from a respectable middle class family but was a harvard graduate, the illusion drug dependancy was a poorman's disease was permanently shattered.

this unflinching and unapologetically graphic account of life as a junky emerged at a time when anti-drug hysteria was just as rampant across the country as anti-communist feelings and the decrying of homosexuality. pre-dating irvine's trainspotting by half a century, this isn't a pleasant read for those of you unfamiliar with the darker side of life and it lacks the lyrical dynamism of kerouac, but there is something preversely attractive about william lee's [burroughs narrating alter-ego] account of his heroin addiction.