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Connor MacLeod's Book Club

uxintro@outside.ofa.dog

Joined 1 year, 9 months ago

Summary to follow. Find me @uxintro@chinwag.org

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reviewed Soon I will be invincible by Austin Grossman

Soon I will be invincible (2007, Pantheon Books) 4 stars

Review of 'Soon I will be invincible' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Despite some of the negative reviews here, I loved this book.

Yes, it is full of comic-book cliches. That's sort of the point.

Since I love superheroes, but refuse to pay stupid prices for comic books that are read in 5 minutes, I have been looking for supers novels for some time.

This one definitely fit the bill. Cliched? Yes. Good anyway? Yes. Did I have to keep looking at the cover so I didn't imagine Dr Impossible looking like Dr Horrible? Yes.

Come to this book like a 10 year old boy picking up a Superman comic and you won't be disappointed. Come to it expecting something deep and meaningful and reflecting all aspects of the human condition and ... well, you shouldn't.

Austin, thanks heaps for this book. I can't wait to read more.

reviewed Magnificat by Julian May

Magnificat (1997) 4 stars

Review of 'Magnificat' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

It took me 20 years to get from Intervention to the end of Magnificat. I suppose that is a risk you take when you get involved in a series while it is still being written.

The main surprise in this book (I won't give a spoiler here, though it was introduced at the very end of Diamond Mask) was a great shock. I've known the character involved for all of those 20 years and his/her ending was very sad. And knowing why it had to happen was even worse. I'm pleased to say that I didn't feel the need to cry, but it was probably a close call.

I don't think this series is necessarily for everyone, but I loved it. It was exciting and interesting and internally coherent.

Now I'd best read the Exiles.

reviewed Jack the Bodiless by Julian May

Jack the Bodiless (Paperback, 1993, Del Rey) 4 stars

Review of 'Jack the Bodiless' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I don't remember the first time I read this book. It was a long time ago (probably when the rest of the trilogy was still being written I suppose, because I don't remember reading them at all).

Too tired for a proper review right now, mainly because I didn't sleep long enough last night because I couldn't put this down until I'd finished it. Maybe that tells you something.

I just have to ask: crippling diseases aside, is Jack a Mary-Sue?

reviewed 1984 by George Orwell by George Orwell

1984 by George Orwell (2021, Independently Published) 4 stars

Nineteen Eighty-Four: A Novel, often referred to as 1984, is a dystopian social science fiction …

Review of '1984 by George Orwell' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I first read 1984 as a 13 year old and was blown away by it. I managed to have to read it again for school purposes twice in during high school and even still managed to like it.

This was on the other side of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Reading it in 2009 is different. Orwell's pessimistic world view with the ultimate victory of three different versions of totalitarian socialism has obviously not come to fruition.

Unfortunately, I was still scared to my bones reading this book. Sure, the enemy(ies) might be different, but I'm not sure that Orwell was all that wrong in his view of human nature. Could his vision still come true: perhaps. In the same way as he saw: no.

Orwell's command of the English language is superb. I went into reading this book again after 20+ years thinking I knew it. Of course …