got some reading done

hello reader

blimey. it feels like quite some time since i gone done a post of this nature. which is comment on some novels what i read, look you see. and i am (somewhat) confused by exactly how many i just read. as a standard, or normally, i would do all of this after reading two (2), but the covers for the ones i read give every indication that i actually read 3 (three). then also one of them felt like two shoved together. 

anyway, sticking with what is usual (or the norm) for this sort of thing (not that sort of thing) a look at what i have most recently read, and then some spoiler free comments. kind of. 

it was improbably so that The President Is Missing off of James Patterson and Bill Clinton (that one) turned out to be a really good novel, so this follow up, The President's Daughter, was a straightforward purchase. this is not as good, it's not bad, but it takes an awfully long time to tell a contrived, detail free story. as it turns out The Furies of John Connolly turned out to be two "novels" in one. both, for us fans of Charlie Parker tales (and there are many), were good, but frustratingly could have been great. or greater. more better, if you will

right, then, both (or either if you are only interested in one) in some more detail. but, as ever, do be warned, consider a *** SPOILER WARNING *** for each book in place from here on out. 

starting where i did with these two is to commence with The President's Daughter, where the former president as an author appears to outrank the big selling writer. i actually do wonder how big the market remains for a Clinton novel, with his era oddly looking progressively better with each new incumbent. 

provenance, as some of you will immediately clock from the type of price sticker, was Morrisons. from what i remember, no, not a straightforward decision to buy. well, yes, i was always going to get it, but i thought let me hold on as Tesco shall likely sell it to me for £4.50. but then i ended up in Morrisons more frequently than i expected, and how patient do you wish for me to be for 50p.

the plot? well, the title could be applied to everything from a Disney teenager coming of age family comedy to a particularly salacious (and thoroughly entertaining) work of erotica intended for a more mature audience. alas, it is neither of those. due to circumstanced depicted at the start the president hero of the first novel (i forget the character name) is president no more, and the primary reason for that is not at all happy with the now former president so kidnaps his daughter. yada yada yada......

overall i think i dragged reading this entire out over three (3) months. granted, yes, some of that can be attributed to being busy and not getting chance to read. but, still, you know, i can't leave a book i started unfinished, and so very little about this one compelled me to pick it up and read. which is kind of strange, as fundamentally there's not much wrong. simple, straightforward and enjoyable writing, and a not too bad story. perhaps it was the pacing of it that if found so cumbersome. that and the several preposterous things one had to assume would be happening, and the ludicrous number of "plot twists" thrown into the mix. 

quite a lot of what i enjoyed in the first novel pertained to it being a "homage" to the latter Jack Ryan adventures of Tom Clancy. it was of course sad when that author passed, and the tales ceased. mostly, then, everything in this second novel feels like it was one of them ones you picked up hoping would be fairly close to "like" a Clancy novel, but turned out to be too much of a knock off. oh. the, and i did put a spoiler warning out there, ending of this one makes clear a third novel is intended. hopefully it's somewhat more of an enjoyable read, for yes, i will pick it up anyway. 

an easily all too more anticipated novel for me would be the most recent John Connolly to arrive in paperback, The Furies. i had deliberately avoided any details, so was indeed surprised to pick it up - the moment i saw it - and find that it, according to the cover at least, was two (2) novels in one. oh. bonus, i thought, but also oh dear, i thought, as they were clearly going to be two quite short(ish) ones. no matter. 

for provenance, if it actually matters, bought on sight, which means the full tilt £5.50 what Tesco charge for novels what are not their "book of the week" or what have you. could not really care less, i wasn't going to leave it and wait to find if it was cheaper anywhere else. 

so, the first novel in the set, The Sisters Strange. also the best, and very easily the more frustrating that it wasn't a more fuller, larger, expanded book. but, then again, from what i can work out this novel is some serial he did during the lockdown plague, taped together as one novel with some bits added in for good measure. my assumption would be that all who would wish to read a John Connolly novel shall have done so long before i write of it, but still, spoilers. there is truly some amazing stuff here, be it the glorious writing style, the dazzling creation of characters, and the mythology / imagery conjured up. yet it is rendered reasonably shallow, for it lacks the depth he would normally dive into with this kind of thing. a great shame, but perhaps he was too hesitant to go full tilt Dan Brown with some aspects. 

to go quasi cynical but thank the generosity, everything of the second novel here, The Furies, says that it was somewhat hastily knocked together from a few ideas kicking around to give a sense of value to the "main" novel published in the set. rather brief, it is, but not entirely devoid of interest. essentially, or in essence, this somewhat shows off the "day to day" cases what protagonist Charlie Parker does to pay the bills, presumably in between the major things which form the arching plot of the more regular novels. dark, sinister, disturbing and uncomfortable, they are. and once again, so brilliantly written. 

not sure what's going on with Mr Connolly and his creation. there's a weird feeling to it all, for the Charlie Parker story has not "progressed" for some time now. including this one, that's three on the bounce where no major "new" story arc has come in. covering them, i was disappointed to find that one novel was to be a prequel, and yet that was brilliant. then the next one to come along focused 98% on Louis and Angel, which i thought would be ho hum but was brilliant. and here we are, with what feels like some "filler" tales, and whilst not brilliant, still thoroughly good reads. next, i believe, is The Land Of Lost Things, a sequel to The Book Of Lost Things. which i recall as being good, but not Charlie Parker good. presumably it shall be another couple of years before another Charlie Parker "proper" novel comes along, just have to hope i am still around to enjoy it. 

right, well, as ever - specifically with this sort of post but also in general - not too sure if this is of much use or interest to anyone, but here we are. 

yes, indeed i have already commenced (or started) reading another novel. not got too far in to it, but by default it is very likely (to be positive) to be the best ever work of fiction i what i have ever read by a gay vicar who was on Top Of The Pops once. more than you might think, in answer to any question which may come to mind in respect of that nice genre.

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!