Arabesk by Jon Courtenay Grimwood Review

I've been meaning to post a review about Jon Courtenay Grimwood's Arabesk for ages, its one of my favourite sci-fi thrillers. Arabesk is really a collection of three books, Pashazad, Effendi and Felaheen which I read seperately but when they came together as this huge, oversized 876 page paperback I had to grab it (regardless of the fact that I still own the books in their seperate components hehe)

Ashraf Bey (aka Raf) is a fleeing street punk who arrives in El Iskandryia from Northern America. In El Iskandryia Ashraf assumes the guise of the Emir's son, a position of power which he exploits as a sometime detective, sometimes as fleeing refugee of the law, the lines are never quite clear and Ashraf tends to find himself in difficult situations.

El Iskandryia the greatest of Africa's cityscapes is a city where old meets new, where West meets East and cultures collide. Brilliantly written, brilliantly conceptulised all three books of Arabesk are yummy and a true treat. Part sci-fi, part exotic thriller full of intelligent action, cunning intrigue and always, always set amoungst a blend of clashing social differences.

Blurb:
With its face to the sea and its back to the desert, El Iskandryia is North Africa's most urbane city. A metropolis where cultures meet and clash, where money can buy you everything but safety. On the run from a Seattle prison, Ashraf Bey finds himself main suspect in an Iskandryian murder, hated by the woman he was supposed to marry and responsible for the welfare of his nine-year-old cousin . . . all in a world where Germany won the First World War. In a Middle East where the Ottoman empire still dominates . . . effendi Ashraf Bey is a fugitive from the US justice system, definitely; son the of Emir of Tunis, possibly; and Chief of Detectives in the El Iskandryian police force, apparently . . . Small wonder he's a little confused. Raf's ex-fiancee Zara doesn't want to see him. His nine-year old niece is busy doing things with computers that are strictly illegal. And when the city starts to fall apart, Zara's father is accused of mass murder and Raf begins to learn the true cost of loyalty . . . felaheen Detective. Diplomat. Uncle. Killer . . . Ashraf Bey has been many things since arriving in El Iskandryia but not, as yet, a son to Moncef, Emir of Tunis. And now it may be too late; Moncef is either already asassinated, or hovering on the edge of death. And despite refusing Emir's chief of security's plea for help, Raf still finds himself being drawn towards Tunis . . .

Likes:
An intelligent sci-fi/parallel cultural thriller that's well written. Great dialogue, awesome characters and a real, gritty, intense storyline makes this book a beautiful buy. From the vivd painting of El Iskandryia, the twists in the plots, adult love interests and blurring the distinction between street mafioso and corrupt governments everything in this fat book is a real literary treat.

Dislikes:
All three books are great but of the three I would have to say that Felaheen although good lacks the sharpness of Raf's previous two chapters in El Iskandryia. (And if that's all I can gripe about you know its good! hahaha)

Conclusion:
As in most cases my books are geared toward more adult readers, this probably isn't the best read for teens but if you're a young adult looking to break your teeth on something a little more real I'd give this great consideration. I loved this book and can't help but urge anyone into sci-fi or even the fantasy genre to give this a try as its a brilliant read and even though its an alternate version of a parallel North Africa its nevertheless gritty and real in so many ways :)

Breakin it down
story 9/10
characters 9/10
addictiveness 8/10
readability 8/10
Big total
9 outta 10

Right, gonna go get ready for a long party bank holiday weekend.
Peace up,
Vice x

Carnival Weekend!!

Bank holiday weekend - BRING IT ON!!! loool!

Supposed to be blazing, blazing weather on Monday, think I'm going to take up a BBQ invite from a friend on Sunday (she promised me loads of cute boys hehe) and then down to Carnival on Monday for dancing, dancing, winding, grinding, dancing and moooooooore dancing!!!

Love those action packed party weekends :p

Peeps, love it, live it and wishing you all a great weekend!!

Big up and bless,
Chilli xxxxxxxx

Temeraire by Naomi Novik Review

Okay, books with dragons, sometimes cheesey, sometimes sweet. Temeraire by Naomi Novik fortunately is a sweet read. Temeraire is the first in an ongoing series set in a fantasy parallel of the Napoleonic Wars between France and Great Britain. Naomi has taken a loose stance on the historical wars, slanted the whole reality slideways and thrown dragons into the mix! She does it well too, the book's lightly written and makes (well- it did for me loool!) a great read that I chewed through pretty quickly.

Here's the blurb:
Naomi Novik's stunning series of novels follow the global adventures of Captain William Laurence and his fighting dragon Temeraire as they are thrown together to fight for Britain during the turbulent time of the Napoleonic Wars. Captain Will Laurence has been at sea since he was just twelve years old; finding a warmer berth in Nelson's navy than any he enjoyed as the youngest, least important son of Lord Allendale. Rising on merit to captain his own vessel, Laurence has earned himself a beautiful fiancee, society's esteem and a golden future. But the war is not going well. It seems Britain can only wait as Napoleon plans to overrun her shores. After a skirmish with a French ship, Laurence finds himself in charge of a rare cargo: a dragon egg bound for the Emperor himself. Dragons are much prized: properly trained, they can mount a fearsome attack from the skies. One of Laurence's men must take the beast in hand and join the aviators' cause, thus relinquishing all hope of a normal life. But when the newly-hatched dragon ignores the young midshipman Laurence chose as its keeper and decides to imprint itself on the horrified captain instead, Laurence's world falls apart. Gone is his golden future: gone his social standing, and soon his beautiful fiancee, as he is consigned to be the constant companion and trainer of the fighting dragon Temeraire!

Likes:
The historical fantasy, the fresh and funky slant with the addition of dragon eggs to the military era. The blistering naval battles that run at top speed. The great creativity and thought gone into Temeraire the dragon.

Dislikes:
A couple of loose ends in the book, some points made without giving substance or grounds, also Laurence, the main character, does at points appear to be somewhat '2D' -not enough depth to build a full-fledged character. Also (and just a wee gripe lol!) can't stand some of the colloquialisms, old skool language like calling someone 'my dear' gets my back up.

Conclusion:
A good, solid read. A great historical fantasy that if you give it the chance will allow you to spend several happy hours enjoying a goooooooood read. Enjoy dragons, naval warfare, full scale imperialisms then yeah check this book. If you're one of those peeps who like history as a clear-cut set in glass kinda deal then move on and try something else.

Breakin it down
story 8/10
characters 6/10
addictiveness 7/10
readability 8/10
Big total
7.5 outta 10

Big up peeps,
Chilli xx

Breaking it Down - The Book Scores

9.5 outta 10 Who is Charlie Keeper? by Marcus Alexander
9 outta 10 The Year of Our War
9 outta 10 Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
8.5 outta 10 Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
8 outta 10 The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan
8 outta 10 The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
8 outta 10 Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman
8 outta 10 Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
8 outta 10 Coraline by Neil Gaiman
7.5 outta 10 The Painted Man by Peter Brett
7 outta 10 Sabriel by Garth Nix
7 outta 10 Bitten by Kelly Armstrong
6 outta 10 The Terror by Dan Simmons
6 outta 10 The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
5 outta 10 Twelve by Jasper Kent
5 outta 10 Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky
4.5 outta 10 The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert Redick
4 outta 10 The Dragon’s Nine Sons by Chris Roberson


Don't forget we're 3 chicks with 3 different views. And although each review is given after great consideration, lots of chin scratching, eyebrow wiggling, deep looks into the distance and a truly unhealthy amount of coffee we're still into different flavours. Me and Chocolate are into YA and Teen but Vice is into high brow SciFi and Fantasy. Dig the scores but check the review to see who wrote it. If you're into fresh, funky fantasy Vice's stuff might not be you're kinda thing and if you're into raw, gritty, neon SciFi my or Chocolate's reviews might not exactly tickle your mojo.


But hopefully we've all got a little something for everyone. Big up to Who is Charlie Keeper? for still sitting (well more chilling than sitting) at the top. Got to point out that WhoisCK? is the one book that got devoured by all 3 of us. Check Chocolate's review and Vice's to get a full picture of it. Although why, why, WHY can't I write my own review I don't know. Think the girls reckon 3 different reviews of the same read might be too much. But watch this space, I might just put up my own post when those two girlies are doing their hair hehehe


Bless up peoples,
Chilli xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For the Peeps! xx

Hi Guys!

So sorry for the slow updates recently. Apart from all the usual parties and naughtiness going on lifestyle just seems to have been all kindsa busy.

Will do our best to post more often :)

Love ya,
Chilli, Chocolate &Vice
xx

(Wait, Vice is screaming up a big 'hi' to everyone. That girl is too lazy to drag herself upstairs to the PC! Guess coffee has got too much of a strong place in that girl's heart lol)

Twelve by Jasper Kent

I bought this one on recommendation and also admittedly after checking out the Amazon reviews which were all positive.

Doh!

Twelve by Jasper Kent is a period vampire piece set in war torn 19th Century Russia. Russia was fighting back against (historically true up to a point) Napolean's Grand Armee (big arse army) of 250,000 troops. Napolean, one of the great military strageists of the era, with such a large army at his back seemed an unstoppable force. He manages to cut huge chunks of Russia into bits and invades as far as Moscow. Russia in desperation throw anything and everything against the invading army, they use conventional troops and other more specialist squads. Twelve orbits around the story of a small squad of 4 spies who as part of a special branch use unconventional means to defeat enemies, spying, reconissance, propaganda, guerilla tactics etc. As part of their tactics they bring in a team of 12 hardcore soldiers to aid in their fight, the twist is unbeknown to some of the specialist squad is that these 12 are vampires, true they do an impressive job in killing off Napolean's french soldiers but all of which comes at a price.

The book has all the right ingredients but none of it seems to mix right. I can't stand books that write from first person point of view (er that's a personal gripe not something that other people might have issue with) The story has adult points, been historically well researched but honestly this seems to have been written by one of those old school 70's/80's writers stuck in that nerdy teenage mentality. The love affair (c'mon now!) is fumbled and even though adult you've got to wonder if they're kids fumbling through schoolyard politics. Aaaahh there just seems to be too many wrong choices and decisions in this story, I think that modern readers used to higher levels of intrigue and interaction might not dig this read.

Here's the blurb:
On 12th June 1812, Napoleon's massive grande armee forded the River Niemen and so crossed the Rubicon - its invasion of Russia had begun. In the face of superior numbers and tactics, the imperial Russian army began its retreat. But a handful of Russian officers - veterans of Borodino - are charged with trying to slow the enemy's inexorable march on Moscow. Indeed, one of their number has already set the wheels of resistance in motion, having summoned the help of a band of mercenaries from the outermost fringes of Christian Europe.Comparing them to the once-feared Russian secret police - the Oprichniki - the name sticks. As rumours of plague travelling west from the Black Sea reach the Russians, the Oprichniki - but twelve in number - arrive. Preferring to work alone, and at night, the twelve prove brutally, shockingly effective against the French. But one amongst the Russians, Aleksei Ivanovich Danilov, is unnerved by the Oprichniki's ruthlessness...as he comes to understand the true, horrific nature of these strangers, he wonders at the nightmare they've unleashed in their midst.

Likes:
The ingredients to this book, the ideas are great, the setting and stage is perfect and the idea of these vicious, barbaric soldiers turning out to be vampires adds a funky twist.

Dislikes:
1st POV. Stupid decisions made by characters who are potrayed as being experienced 'specialists'. Uncomfortable love intrigue that reeks with fumbling of immaturity.

Conclusion:
This is a book for the older school, the older generations who grew up on 80's scifi and fantasy. For those used to fresher reads you might struggle with this. Alot of potential but never quite fulfilled. For once I'm going to have to go against the majority of Amazon reviews.

Breakin it down
story 5/10
characters 5/10
addictiveness 5/10
readability 6/10
Big total
5/10

For my peeps, big up!
Bless up,
Chilli xx

Dragonfly Book Reviews

For all the bookies & bloggers out there take a quick look at Sara's Dragonfly reading challenge. We love it, think its funky and want to take the time to big it up!

Bless up peeps,
Chocolate xx

The Terror by Dan Simmons Review

I had lots of different thoughts on Dan Simmons' The Terror. Its a huge book and took some reading. The storyline is brutal and lives up to its title, everything and I do mean everything that these 19th Century mariners go through is terrifying, their situation, their location, their foes, the climate, the misery and hoplesness of it all is simply shocking. If any one group of men picked the worst hand or had the worst luck in history it is these sailors stuck in the Northern Pole, their two ships frozen in ice for two years with a unkown unexplicable predator killing them, rapidly dwindling supply of foods, the onset of scruvy and no real chance for rescue. Horrifying.

Here's the blurb:
The men on board Her Britannic Majesty's Ships Terror and Erebus had every expectation of triumph. They were part of Sir John Franklin's 1845 expedition - as scientifically advanced an enterprise as had ever set forth - and theirs were the first steam-driven vessels to go in search of the fabled North-West Passage. But the ships have now been trapped in the Arctic ice for nearly two years. Coal and provisions are running low. Yet the real threat isn't the constantly shifting landscape of white or the flesh-numbing temperatures, dwindling supplies or the vessels being slowly crushed by the unyielding grip of the frozen ocean. No, the real threat is far more terrifying. There is something out there that haunts the frigid darkness, which stalks the ships, snatching one man at a time - mutilating, devouring. A nameless thing, at once nowhere and everywhere, this terror has become the expedition's nemesis. When Franklin meets a terrible death, it falls to Captain Francis Crozier of HMS Terror to take command and lead the remaining crew on a last, desperate attempt to flee south across the ice. With them travels an Eskimo woman who cannot speak. She may be the key to survival - or the harbinger of their deaths. And as scurvy, starvation and madness take their toll, as the Terror on the ice become evermore bold, Crozier and his men begin to fear there is no escape...

Likes:
Dan Simmons has researched this and researched it well. He clearly shows he understands the layout, discipline, technology (or lack of) and medical capabilities of 19th Century British naval ships. Perhaps more importantly he paints how abyssmal the sheer cold is and how destructive it can be, the frostbite, the loss of toes and fingers, how it can crush a ship and how the cold leaches inside the very ships. The horror of all the eventful situation(s) is painted very clearly and as a reader it stays with you, long after you've read the book you know you're going to look at the original artic explorers with a whole lot of new respect bordering on the disbelief of their ludicrous bravery and determination to conquer the insurmountable.

Dislikes:
Its not an easy book to read, as much as it grips you it isn't as addictive as other novels. Its not something you'd be determined to read in a day or two, this one will take you a couple of weeks. Dan does wonder off the track in some major elements, going from strict understanding of logic and military precision to some odd fantastical moments. I've nothing wrong with fantasy (you know this!) it just seems at odds with the rest of the writing style in the book and the fantasy ending does seem a little at odds (not a spoiler just a pointer lol!)

Conclusion:
As many points that I had against this there's still something strangely compelling about this story. If you're into teen, normal fantasy, feel good books I'd avoid this, you won't like it. However if you have the intrigue and guts for something new I'd go with it. Its one of those books that will stick with you, memories of the images it conjures up will - I can guarantee it - will stay with you for life.

Breakin it down
story 8/10
characters 9/10
addictiveness 5/10
readability 6/10
Big total
6/10

Peoples, hope you're doing well!
Bless up,
Vice xoxox

K'Changa from Who is Charlie Keeper?

Just had a request from Chilli to post this video of some of London's trickers trying some K'Changa moves from WhoisCK?

Yeah you guessed it Chilli is still blowing on and ooooooon about Who is Charlie Keeper? looooool

I do have to say that the video is pretty crazy, I don't know how people can move like that but its pretty impressive :p I think that if WhoisCK? does ever get converted into a movie the action sequences in it will be off the scale. For real.

Well I'm off to watch some of the animated Batman movies,
Much love and bless up peeps,
Vice xx