Apache Dawn

Apache Dawn by Damien Lewis is concerned with the experience of four British Army Air Corp pilots during their time in Afganistan during 2007.

This a book, written by a skilled journalist, it shows as far a possible  the thoughts an experiences of four pilots in Ugly flight. The respect that the pilots have the ground crew and the importance they play comes out in the book. The Soldiers first philosophy, that the Army Air Corp are first and foremost soldiers is clear in the book. It is very positive book, with little criticism of anything other than Health and Safety officials and possibly public reaction in 2007 to returning soldiers.

The problem for this the book, is  Apache by Ed Macy came out at the same time and that was a more personal account, first account of what is takes to be an Apache pilot.

The Vanishing Act

The Vanishing Act by Mette Jakobsen starts with the body of a boy being found on an island, of four people (a fisherman, daughter (the only one named with a 'real' name), priest and a magician/circus performer/cabinet maker) and a dog. It sounds as if this a start of a thriller, but actually is a book that is about the people on the island and their secrets. Part philosophy book (the author has degrees in philosophy and creative writing so not really that surprising) and a search for a community to come to terms with their pasts and the loss (for whatever reason) on a member of that community, wife, mother, or lover. The dead boy strangely becomes the vehicle for a father and daughter to work through their loss.

A nice book and fairly short at 217 pages worth a look though.

A Blink of the Screen

A collection of short stories by Terry Pratchett containing both Discworld and non-Discworld stories. Stories included cover quite a range of time 1963 ( surprisingly well written one when he was 13  - The Hades Business) to 2010. Most of the non-Discworld pieces I had not read previously, except the very good 'Hollywood Chickens'.  

The star story is a Discworld one, the excellent 'The Sea and the Little Fishes' with the always 'good' Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, I won't spoil the story by giving away the plot.The Josh Kirby illustrations further enhance the book.

I would recommend this book to any Pratchett fan (you probably have this book already have it or it is on your Christmas list) or just a fan of good short stories.

Double Cross

Double Cross by Ben Macintyre is a book I have been waiting for to come out in paperback after reading his earlier book Agent Zigzag. I wasn't disappointed.

The book is mainly about the British run double agents during the second world war and their role in deceiving the Germans. Deceptions including sowing confusion about where and when the D-Day landing would take place. It isn't quite 'warts and all' and does take quite an affection view of the spies and spymasters, but does point out some of the mistakes that the Allies made - including how everything could have been destroyed because of a refusal to circumvent the animal quarantine laws. Actually, one of the heroes of the book (and in some respects a surprise one) was an Anglophile German playboy Johnny Jebsen. Who initially comes across as an crook and chancer; but who may have actually protected the secret of the network of double agents even under skilled interrogation and until his death likely outside a concentration camp.

The book is well written book that is paced well and kept my attention. Agent Zigzag and Operation Mincemeat only got a brief mention in this book, and this pleased me because the author hadn't taken the easy way and rehashed his earlier books.

After reading this book and Agent Zigzag I am going to have to read Operation Mincemeat!

Zero point

Zero point by Neal Asher is the second book in The Owner series, see http://scott-turner.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/depature.html for a review of the first book.

The new villain Serene Galahad behaviour does reflected her name; this cross between Hilter, Stalin and Vlad the Impaler, who slaughters billions of people and than blames someone else for it. She see humans (if they are not useful to her) as a plague on the planet and aims to cure that particular problem.

The story really centres on Serene taking over the world, and her attempts to quash rebellion on a space station by Saul and on Mars by his sister Var. Saul is attacked, in effect dies but in some ways comes back stronger than before. Earth forces attack the space station and threaten Mars.

I was not disappointed in this sequel. A good book with themes such as committees holding up technological progress so they can maintain power; does technology dehumanise; environmental impact on humanity and the warped ideas that may occur if fixing these is taken to far.

The Hundred-Year-Old Man who Climbed Out of The Window and Disappeared

The Hundred-Year-Old Man who Climbed Out of The Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson; a strange title but  agreat book. 

A 100 year climbs out of his retirement home bedroom window in part to avoid his party and things just seem to happen to him. Forrest Gump (with a lot more intelligence) meets Douglas Adams, the main character does not have to do anything to find excitement it just seems to find him.

This book has a great twist in that the character you think is going to be this harmless very old man who is going to need to be protection is anything but. The way the book switches from the past to the present really works well and reveals the main character Allan Karlsson has been behind the scenes of many of the great events of the twentieth century (without really trying - Forrest Gump bit), as well as being probably one of the brightest people ever (speaks several languages, nuclear physics is not a problem, international diplomacy, etc) not bad for someone with only three years of formal education - this guy makes James Bond look incompetent. The switching between the past and present also does help develop the story.

The 'supporting' cast are also great in the present day story, including another character who is a polymath just because in the past he was getting money to be a student (but he did have to complete); but starts the story as a Hot-Dog seller. Who falls in love with a red-haired woman who is hiding an elephant on a Swedish farm. A crime boss whose lieutenants are in fact wiped out the others and has links I didn't expect. A quite lonely police officer. An ambitious prosecutor, who is looking for fame. A businessman who knows how to produce the best 'Swedish' chickens and 'Spanish' Watermelons.

This story is funny, good read that doesn't insult the reader, whilst still having a great feel-good factor.

Control Point

Control Point by Myke Cole is an interesting fantasy spin of a military adventure story. Oscar Britton, the main character is a lieutenant in the US Army who develops a prohibited magical ability - to open gates between any two points and goes on the run. He gets captured and is sent to a 'black ops' place where he is forced to join the army as a civilian contractor and learn to control his ability to become a weapon.

Some interesting questions are raised. Is it right to force people to join the military is they have a special ability? Is it right to persecute people because they have an ability that is not on an list of acceptable abilities? Should society have some controls built into to protect society from those with powerful abilities? In these contexts it reminds me a bit of Amped (expect the military bit).

The book is a fast paced adventure story with a fantasy twist. I think the book has a wide appeal. If you like fantasy stories set in the modern world; or military adventures of government agencies fighting secret/illegal wars; or stories about 'mutant' abilities appearing in a modern context this book might be for you.