Solarversia: The One Year Game by Toby Downton - Book Review

Book to be published on 31st August 2015. You can pre-order it here Solarversia Pre-order here

I received this advance copy in return for an honest review.

This book is based on the premise that by 2020 a massive online virtual reality video game would exist. Solarversia imagines a virtual world representing our own solar system. The main story of the book tells the story of Nova’s journey through the one year game in Solarversia in 2020. The more you read Solarversia, the more you learn about the virtual reality world.

Nova’s story is the biggest strength of this novel because it adds a human element about the implications of creating a virtual world. Nova has to achieve a balance between playing Solarversia and her life in the real world. Nova wants to become a game designer, which could become a reality if she were to win the 2020 year long game in Solarversia. However, across the year she realises the value of good friends and family support. Nova’s best friends are Burner and Sushi. Both her friends play a key role in this novel, though I do not want to give anything away.

The parallel story which is linked to Nova’s journey is the Holy Order’s quest to create a super artificial intelligence called MAGI. The chapters related to the Holy Order are narrated by Casey. Casey murdered his girlfriend and felt worthless and felt his life was over until he joined the Holy Order. The Holy Order being a fanatical group, commit acts of terrorism to spread fear across the world. AI plays a major role in Solarversia as AI is used in the game to generate puzzles for the 10 million players to solve.

Although prize money is a big motivator for many of the gamers (called Solos) who play Solarversia, many of them have a passion for playing the game and there is the social aspect to Solarversia. Nova chose a place on the player grid to be next to her friend Sushi, so they could be Solarversia sisters. Not only is this book well plotted, it also tries the place virtual reality in a more realistic setting. The world today is dominated by technology and social media. For better or worse the world is well connected in cyberspace. Solarversia is what one would could the next step, a visual interactive space where people can communicate with each other and play games with each other.

My opinion on the Holy Order storyline is that it was well thought out and necessary to place this book in a real life context. Cyber warfare is a modern day reality with many systems getting hacked, including online game networks. Moreover, this novel is the first book by Toby Downton, and it was the first year long game, so there is room for a sequel.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who has read Ready Player One or other similar novels. The main character Nova is likable and her being British is a nice touch as many big Science Fiction novels are written by American authors and set in the USA, so this is a nice change. There is a small romance element to this novel, but it is not overbearing or unrealistic.

Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn Book 3) - Book Review

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Publisher: Gollancz

Publication Date: 2010

The third book in the epic Mistborn series, and it ends with a bang.

Synopsis

Who is the Hero of Ages?

To end the Final Empire and restore freedom, Vin killed the Lord Ruler. But as a result, the deepness - the lethal form of the ubiquitous mists - is back, along with increasingly heavy ashfalls and ever more powerful earthquakes. Humanity appears to be doomed.

Having escaped death at the climax of The Well of Ascension only by becoming a Mistborn himself, Emperor Elend Venture hopes to find clues left behind by the Lord Ruler that will allow him to save the world. Vin is consumed by guilt at having been tricked into releasing the mystic force known as Ruin from the Well. Ruin wants to end the world and stopping it seems impossible.  

From the very beginning this novel is action packed and draws you in. Whilst reading the chapter where Elend and Vin are using allomancy to fight the Koloss, I could imagine it vividly as if I was there. Sanderson's writing draws you in and then there is no going back. Good fantasy, in my opinion needs strong world building to help create the reality of this book in my head, and this book and the two before it, achieve that. 

The Hero of Ages is more than an epic conclusion to the original Mistborn trilogy; it is also a great character study. Sazed has fallen out of love with his studies because of losing someone he loved. Vin blames herself for the terror that Ruin is causing. Elend is worried about the morality and ethical issues surrounding his decision to become an absolute ruler. Spook, a former member of Kelsier's crew, who now works for Vin and Elend, has to deal with the feeling of being weak compared to the Survivor Kelsier.

I really liked this book a lot and I feel it resolves most of the mysteries outlined in the first two books. The story is well written and certainly makes me want to try reading more novels by Brandon Sanderson.

Rating 9.7/10 

Out of this World Book Challenge

There is a lot of negativity in the world today, so I am challenging myself to a unique challenge. The challenge is to read books that take me out of the world and help change the way I view the world. This involves several reading challenges.

1. Read a fantasy book.
2. Read a classic piece of literature written before 1900.
3. Read a classic piece of literature written before 1800.
4. Read a book by an author that I have not read.
5. Read poetry daily.
6. Read a book that I have not read in a while.
7. Read a Science Fiction book.
8. Read a book that was translated into my native language.

The idea of this challenge is to wider my horizons about the world. As a bonus challenge I also intend to read the diary of Anne Frank to get an insight into the cruel reality of living in fear of your life.

I hope to finish this challenge no later than late August, so I better get on reading then. 

The Art of Storytelling

Last night I watched a documentary about the history of video games. The documentary did more than just chart the history of video games but it explored individual elements. One particular element of modern gaming being story. Games like Skyrim, Halo and many more, are very much story driven games.

As humans we have always sought escapism, due to the horrors of reality. As intelligent being we comprehend the world more and have far more complex thoughts. We like to try to escape anxiety by taking our minds out of this reality and into an imagined reality. In Ancient Greece you had the Greek myths and Homer's epic poems telling the story of Gods and heroes. The Enlightenment and the industrial revolution led to the growth of Romanticism and the human desire to re-connect with nature.

Tolkien's Lord of the Rings was a novel for lovers of pure escapism. Beautiful landscape and forests were described by Tolkien, which for me and many other readers helped ease my mind. Is the Lord of the Rings fantasy or is it a representation of the old world; a world governed by folklore, belief and love for nature. Looking past the orcs and trolls and one can see that the Lord of the Rings is much more than fantasy.

Books have been a popular source for escapism for over 200 years, though the 20th century is more significant due to higher levels of literacy across the social spectrum in the developed world. Movies have co-existed with books for a century, but now the video game industry has become a bestselling medium to tell stories. Moreover, video games have got more interactive, with the option to make decisions that effect the story.

RPGs are primarily story based but other genres of video games are starting to rely on a creation of a fictional world with history to create an amazing game. There is world building in games like Final Fantasy, Elder Scrolls, Halo and Mass Effect. I have not played all these games but I am aware of what game developers have achieved. Moreover, despite fears the video games would prove too addictive, there are many people who enjoy playing video games but also are avid readers of books.

Book sales for books aimed at younger readers are growing and the growing booktube community shows the extent of the popularity of YA fiction. Human imagination is being stimulated more than possibly ever before, so there is hope that solutions to the world's problems could be found and that human society could function better.

A Darker Shade of Magic - V. E. Schwab - Book Review

Published by Titan Books in February 2015




A fantasy book set in London, but not just one London. In this novel there are four Londons: Grey London, Red London, white London and Black London. This book is an urban fantasy, using the common themes you expect from a gritty fantasy novel; that being plenty of shady characters.

The main character Kell is a magician, one of two, who can travel between different Londons. In Grey London he encounters the young thief Deliliah Bard, who gets mixed up in a dangerous adventure with Kell to save all of the worlds.

This novel is nice a fast moving and reads well. I found this book an addictive read, with a good plot and interesting characters. My only criticism is that it leaves me wanting more, as there is the potential for more detailed world building and a further examination of the developing relationship between Kell and Delilah. Is the relationship just friendship or will it lead to more?

I would recommend reading this book if you enjoy reading books by Neil Gaiman and Brandon Sanderson. I am very much excited for the sequel which will be published next year.

Rating 8.8/10 'Addictive Reading'

Reading Update - Spring Time

I have spent the last two weeks in Australia visiting my dad, which was amazing. I certainly aime to go there again in the near future. Recently I have read A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab, which was really god and I have re-read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Currently I am reading The Name of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, which I am enjoying at the moment.

My TBR pile for the rest of May include The Name of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson and hopefully making a start on 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. I also plan to post more book reviews this month, so watch this space.

Connecting Dreams with Reality

Recently I have read Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, which got me thinking about how the imagination of human minds can change reality. Kafka on the Shore explores the story of a 15 year old boy who decides to run away from home. A story about a young person trying to create themselves a new identity enables Haruki Murakami to use dreams and philosophical ideas to develop a very interesting story.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, is another book which connects dreams with reality. Alice is like any young girl who has a wild imagination, the mind can wander. I remember when I was young; I often daydreamed and escaped into my own Wonderland. I will not go into what my wonderland was like, it was a little weird, but what is normal anyway? In Alice's dream world she drink a potion which makes her smaller and eats cake to make herself smaller. I interpret this to relate to growing up, as an adult everything looks smaller until you explore the big outside world. The randomness of Alice's world may relate to how people will get confused if they are not accustomed to new things.

The human imagination is a powerful tool. Humans have invented planes, toasters, TV and many great inventions. Ideas and dreams manipulate our mental space but can also manipulate our physical space. Another example of how one idea can change the world is more related to arts and culture. The Lord of The Rings is considered one of the best geek franchises ever and the reason it exists is due to one Oxford University Professor; who wrote the Hobbit on the back of papers he was marking. The Lord of the Rings was the sequel and it helped set the standard for future fantasy books.

Ideas are inspired by observing the world around us and giving our observations time to mull over in our minds. My dreams are often half related to past memories. Moreover, must human creations are created using ideas created by our ancestors. Most electrical goods could not exist without Testla's scientific work around Alternating Current. History fascinates me because the events of the past are still impacting heavily on the events in the present. Early Science Fiction writers like H.G Wells and Jules Verne imagined human travelling in space and by 1969 we had sent man to the moon. Dreams become reality, but only if they are pursued. I am no expert in interpreting dreams, but one cannot deny the impact they have on the modern world.

Orcs Trilogy by Stan Nicholls - Book Review

Orcs is a fantasy series about a band of orcs. The war band called the Wolverines, led by Stryke, complete a mission to steal an object for Queen Jennesta. However, the object is stolen and Stryke decides to lead his war band in pursuit. Once they obtain the object they realise that it is a magical artifact that they call a star. Stryke decides to pursue the rest to find out the truth about his race and essentially deserts Queen Jennesta.

This book is simply a fantasy novel with lots of battles. The events of this novel take place at the same time as a religious war between humans. The Mannis believe in many gods and can be described as pagan, whereas the Unis are monotheistic and consider the elder races as an evil to be vanquished.

I like the fact that the orcs get a starring role in this series and that they are described as a race that is forced to kill others on the command of a Sorceress Queen. The dialogue between the orcs is funny and the Queen Jennesta takes pleasure in ripping out heart to absorb magic. This book is aimed at a mature audience. All in all a decent book.

On the other hand I did feel at time that the battles added little to the story and that the plot pacing was not perfect. The last few chapters were amazing with plenty of plot reveals and sword and sorcery. Read this book if you are a fan of gritty fantasy without a long complex plot.

Rating 6,9/10

Divergent by Veronica Roth - Book Review

First Published by HarperColins in 2011.

Synopsis 

Sixteen-year-old Tris is forced to make a terrible choice. In a divided society where everyone must conform, Tris does not fit in. 

So she ventures out alone, determined to discover where she truly belongs. Shocked by her brutal new life, Tris can trust no one. And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her.

The Hardest choice lies ahead. 


In this book a world is imagined as a place where people are divided to maintain a peaceful society. Set in a future Chicago, people are divided into five factions, Abnegation, Erudite, Dauntless, Amity and Candor. Each faction expects its members to behave to a certain way, for example Abnegation members are meant to always be selfless whereas the Dauntless are supposed to be brave. Similar to the Hunger Games, Veronica Roth uses the story of a strong female character to spark conflict in a society of controlled liberties.

Tris or Beatrice is a sixteen year old girl who must choose her faction, either to stay at the faction she was born into, Abnegation, or to join a new faction. The problem is that during her assessment carried out in a simulation, Tris found out she was Divergent. Divergent are those who can make there own choices and later in the book you learn they can manipulate simulations, making them difficult to control.

This novel is a story about intense training, friends and enemies and some romance. As the book progresses more is revealed about the mysterious Four, Tris's instructor and lover. This book uses character development, along with world building to set the scene for hopefully and action  packed trilogy. I am looking forward to reading Insurgent.

The best things about this book were the world building and the fast paced action packed story. The one negative probably being a slightly sluggish start due to a lack of knowledge about the world Divergent is set in. Like many novels which rely on world building, it is always difficult to strike the correct balance between world building and plot progression. Although the next two books are more like to focus almost entirely on plot and character development, though I am hoping for more information about Candor and Amity.

Rating 8.7/10

Reading for pleasure making a comeback?

As a commuter I get a lot of reading done on my bus rides to and from work. However, I also notice many others, including teenagers and young adults, reading on the bus as well. Moreover, an article in the guardian shows the huge growth in the YA Fiction book market. Books such as The Hunger Games and Divergent have been adapted into movies. Evidence seems to suggest a new generation of readers is emerging.

Younger people are starting to pick up books more often because of a greater variety in fiction targeted at young adults. Young adults use youtube and social media a lot, and the most talked about books on youtube are YA. Genres including fantasy, dystopian, paranormal romance and contemporary fiction are the main players in the growing community of bookworms on the internet.

People who read for pleasure can sometimes be very introverted, so it is no coincidence that we readers blog or vlog about books. So read that book in public with pride and ignore the comments from people who say reading is boring. Both the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter franchises were born from great books, and many consider them to be exciting and engaging.

I myself am doing a re-read of the Lord of the Rings and also planning to read Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel. Keep reading :)  

Update, end of winter, books that I have read

Spring is on its way and I intend to post more often on this blog. I have read many great books recently; the one that sticks out is Wonder by R.J Palacio. A book review of Wonder will be on my blog this weekend hopefully.

On World Book Day I bought myself Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. I am looking forward to reading this book. Currently I am re-reading The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, my favourite book. Bus journeys fly by whilst I am reading this epic novel.

I do intend to do some discussion blog posts where I talk about novels and the big issues: education, identity, culture, politics and society itself. The first discussion shall be on education, so look out for that blog post this month.

Keep reading :)

Paper Towns by John Green - Book Review

Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publisher: Bloomsbury
First Published: 2008

The thing about Margo Roth Spiegelman is that really all I could do was let her talk, and then when she stopped talking encourage her to go on, due to the facts that 1. I was incontestably in love with her, and 2. she was absolutely unprecedented in every way, and 3. she never really asked me any questions....

Quentin Jacobson has always loved Margo from afar. So when she climbs through his window to summon him on an all-night road trip of revenge he cannot help but follow. But the next morning, Q turns up at school and Margo doesn't. She's left clues to her disappearance, like a trail of breadcrumbs for Q to follow. And everything leads to one unavoidable question: who is the real Margo? 

This was my first experience of reading a John Green book, and I enjoyed it. Paper Towns is a contemporary young adult novel, with themes leaning towards love, friendship and individual identity. John Green uses the characters of Quentin and Margo to show two schools of thought: conformity and nonconformity. Quentin, despite having a small friendship group feels accepted by society and wants to go to college and lead an ordinary life. Margo, on the other hand, has lots of friends but feels isolated and believes the materialistic society to be fake.

The journey that Quentin has to take to try and find Margo involves him learning to think like her. He has to listen to her music and read obscure poetry to fully try and find out who Margo really is. The entire novel could be described as an emotional roller coaster which is both happy and sad.

The novel is mostly set in Orlando, Florida. School life does dominate this novel as it is Quentin's final few weeks of high school. Without giving too much away there is a lot of teenage themes in the novel, involving parties, rebellion and complicated relationships. I think the characters in this book are likable, even Margo. Margo may come across as a snobbish, rebellious hipster, but she is her own person and not a follower of the crowd. Moreover, Margo receives little love from her parents, who are never that concerned when Margo disappears for a long period of time.

The only drawback to this novel is that; it could have been longer. Moreover, it would have been nice to have had some chapters narrated by Margo herself, so the reader can get to know her character better. This book is aimed at teenagers and young adults but I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading YA fiction. I myself have read only some YA novels, but after reading Paper Towns I will definitely read more YA fiction this year.

Rating: 9/10

January wrap up and February TBR

In January I managed to read quite a lot. I have found a new author that I like in Brandon Sanderson and have read the first two books in the Mistborn Trilogy. The magic system in Mistborn is genius and I love the character development. I will certainly read more of Sanderson's other book series and finish off the Mistborn trilogy. 

Also, I finally have read the last book in the Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle, by C.S. Lewis. It ties up the series perfectly and I am a fan of the quality of C.S. Lewis's writing style. Moreover, it is interesting to read influential books in the development of the fantasy genre. Fantasy is my favourite book genre and I plan to read a lot more fantasy books this year. 

I have also read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, which was an unusual and interesting read. Though it felt like it ended too soon, so I really need to get my hands on Hallow City soon. I also re-read Jingo by Terry Pratchett, which is clever and funny. 

At the start of this month I have finished A Tale of Two Cites by Charles Dickens, which was an intense and enjoyable read. In February I plan read the rest of the Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke, I have read Inkheart. I also intend to read the last book in the Mistborn trilogy. There are other books I may read this month but I have not fully decided on those yet. 

I am currently re-reading The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, happy reading. 

Reading on a budget

In this post I intend to show you that it is possible to read lots of books and spend little money. Reading is my passion and can get expensive if you over buy but there are ways to get books cheaper.

1. Tip 1 - Buy second hand books. - Charity shops are good places to go to find cheap second hand paperbacks. Often you can find classic novels, like Animal Farm, for a fraction of the price of the same books new. Used books are often in good condition and you still get the same book. I own a old paperback version of the Hobbit, printed in the 1980s, it is the same book as the fancy movie cover addition and is a lot cheaper. Car boot sales are also good places to buy second hand books cheaply as well.
2. Tip 2 - Tackle your unread books. - Sometimes you are tempted to buy books on impulse, I have done this myself a few times. However, often there is a pile of unread books waiting for you at home. So f you are stuck on choosing a new books, check your own shelves first. 
3. Tip 3 - Borrow books from the library - I will admit, I should use the library more, as public libraries allow you to borrow books for free. The only downside is that there is no guarantee that the library will have the kind of books you like, though it is worth experimenting with new books.
4. Tip 4 - E-books - There are many classics available free of charge on the internet, which can be downloaded and put onto your e-reader. Moreover, they are cheaper than penguin classics with their fancy introductions, which are only there for English Literature students. When I choose to read a classic I prefer to simply read the book and then do research online if I wan other opinions of that specific book. Buying e-books can sometimes save you money as well, if you do not mind using an e-reader. Standard e-readers are generally reasonably priced, do not buy an iPad to be used primarily as an e-reader. Top range tablets are expensive and can be bad for your eyes if you stare at them too long, which is no good for readers who want to get lost in a book. E-ink e-readers are better for hardcore readers. 
5. Tip 5 - Re-read books - Like my favourite films, I cannot resist reading my favourite books again. Sometimes you can understand a book better on a second reading. Moreover, re-reading your favourite books is a good way to keep reading fun and to stay in the habit of reading regularly.

Follow some of these tips and reading books becomes a very cheap hobby. Happy reading. 

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn 2) - Brandon Sanderson - Book Review

Vin has killed the Lord Ruler and the Final Empire has fallen but Vin and Elend still have a city to protect from three armies. "Evil has been defeated but the war has just begun."

The plot for the second Mistborn novel is arguable more epic than the first. The full extent of Vin's power is revealed in this book. Moreover, Vin's character is explored more as she is both Elend's bodyguard and lover. I also enjoyed reading more about Elend and his doubts about his own identity. Elend feels like he is a disappointment compared to Kelsier the Survivor.

This book, as a sequel did not disappoint. Like the first book the battles involving Vin using Allomancy are described in an exciting way that makes you continue to read. The remaining members of Kelsier's crew feature a lot in this book, with more funny disagreements between Ham and Breeze. The writing is is good and easy to read and be warned this book can pull you out of this world and into the world of the Mistborn trilogy.

9.5/10

Reading Update and My Favourite Booktubers

Hi fellow readers, hope you are all good. 2015 has so far been a good reading year. I have read a good amount of books this month, so without further delay here is the list of the books that I have read this month.

1. The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson
2. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs
3. Jingo - Terry Pratchett - (Re-read) 
4. The Last Battle - C.S. Lewis
5. The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson - (Currently Reading) 

All the books I have read so far have been fun reads which are pure escapism. I do intend to read so more classics this year as well as reading more fantasy books and some non-fiction. My bookshelves are getting rather full so I do plan to slow down with book buying and also to buy more e-books on my Kindle. 

The second part is a list of my favourite booktubers. Booktube is, for those who do not know, is a large community of book vloggers who talk about books by posting videos on YouTube. I discovered it around 4 to 5 years ago, back in its early day and now it is one of the largest growing YouTube communities.

1. Ariel Bisset - www.youtube.com/user/ArielBissett 
2. Lindsey Rey www.youtube.com/channel/UC1VyYW1dxsY6z9j-dCWLEwA 
3. Elizziebooks www.youtube.com/user/elizziebooks 
4. The Readables https://www.youtube.com/user/thereadables 
5. Kristina Horner https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKyiEG0MgCFvG_9xEqcJlJQ

There are many others I like but these are the ones I watch the most. I enjoy watching people talk about book, which help me discover new authors. Moreover, I like the fact there is a large community of book lovers aged around 16 to 30, who are passionate about reading books. 

Matilda - Roald Dahl - Book Review

Matilda - written by Roald Dahl
Published in 1988

Matilda is intelligent for her age, by the age of 4 she was reading books by Charles Dickens and other classics. Her parents ignore her amazing intellect and consider her to be a problem child. This short novel tells the story of Matilda's fun battle against her horrible parents and the headmistress Miss Trunchbull.

Roald Dahl's writing is fun and is perfect for children, but as an adult I enjoyed reading it. The chapter's where Matilda puts super glue on her fathers hat and the hair dye are funny and shows children the power of imagination. Miss Trunchbull makes a formidable villain who represents a time when schools still used harsh punishments to discipline children.

Roald Dahl was clearly a believer in encouraging children to love to learn rather than to bully them into it. Matilda's teacher Miss Honey represents a kinder teacher who straight away is amazed by Matilda's academic ability. The character of Matilda shows that there is nothing wrong with being a bookish child who loves to learn and make use of the brain t its maximum potential.

There are many lessons to be taken from Matilda, the main being that one must not underestimate the power of the mind.

Rating 9.9/10

The Final Empire (Mistborn 1) - Brandon Sanderson - Book Review

A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash fields.

But now a troublemaker has arrived and there is rumour of revolt. A revolt that depends on criminal that no-one can trust and a young girl who must master Allomancy - the magic that lies in all metals.

This was the first time I read a Brandon Sanderson book, and it was amazing. Unlike a lot of fantasy I have read in the past, this book has a fast paced thrilling story. The magic system is logical and well thought out and the use of light and shade creates a world full of tension.

The main characters are Vin and Kelsier. Vin was a teenage girl living in a Skaa thieving gang. Kelsier was a man ready to cause trouble among the nobility. The skaa are basically peasants the working people who are subject to the wrath of the Lord Ruler. Vin ends up becoming a member of Kelsier's gang of thieves who happen to be allomancers, who are planning to do the hardest job yet, destroying the Final Empire.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about a strong willed heroine. Vin is a character who end up being torn between love and her duty to help Kelsier bring down the Final Empire.

The battle scenes  involving Vin and Kelsier using Allomancy are well described, it was as I was watching a fantasy action movie in my head.

A good quick and thrilling read. 9.4/10

Book Review: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

After three years in prison, Shadow has done his time. But as the time until his release ticks away, he can feel a storm brewing. Two days before he gets out, his wife Laura dies in a mysterious car crash, in adulterous circumstances. Dazed, Shadow travels home, only to encounter the bizarre Mr Wednesday claiming to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America. Together they embark on a very strange journey across the States, along the way solving the murders which have occurred every winter in one small American town. But the storm is about to break... Disturbing, gripping and profoundly strange, Gaiman's epic novel sees him on the road to the heart of America.

A novel of epic proportions. Shadow, a recently released convict finds the life he left behind in pieces, his wife is dead and he has no job to return to. By a strike of luck Shadow meets Wednesday, (who turns out to be a god), and he offers Shadow a job. Together they travel across America searching out for the forgotten gods, in preparation for a war against the newer modern gods.

Gaiman uses many different mythologies to help shape this epic novel. Many themes are also dealt with in this novel, including; death, life, love, religion, belief, deception and many more. Despite the serious themes, this book was fun to read. The plot was unpredictable, deep and thrilling and the the relationship between Shadow and Wednesday was interesting to read about.

Favourite Quote: 'What I say is, a town isn't a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore, it know's it's not foolin' a soul.'

American Gods is a long book, but in my opinion is worth a read. However, despite its length I still think it needs a proper sequel, and Anansi Boys does not count as it is a spin off novel. I believe that Shadow is a character which can be developed further and Gaiman could also incorporate more myths as well. All in all a very good book

9.2/10

Happy New Year

It is the new year and I have decided to set myself some reading resolutions. I often fall into the habit of re-reading my favourite books. Well, this stops now. I aim to read mostly new books that I have not read.

With my Christmas money I have bought 'The Final Empire' by Brandon Sanderson. I really want to read more different fantasy novels. Currently I am reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman, which I am really enjoying. A book review should be up in a few days time.

I also plan to read more classics, including the Great Gatsby and Wuthering Heights. As a reader I really like the fact that there are so many different books to choose from. For example, I have also bought Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs which contains old photographs to add to the story of the book. I am ready to try anything new and interesting. Reading for pleasure for me means reading a book you enjoy, though new books often surprise me.

My plan for this blog is to review at least 3 books a month, starting with American Gods.

New releases that I am looking forward to include Armada by Ernest Cline and The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett. In terms of films I cannot wait to see the Avengers: Age of Ultron and The Theory of Everything.

Happy new year, and keep reading. :)