Sonchai Jitpleecheep Series and The Last Six Million Seconds by John Burdett
Patrick Ness’ latest book was recommended by a friend who shares similar reading interests. Once started it is difficult not to put down. The novel kept a fast pace and was not predictable. I was curious to know how the novel was going to progress and especially the ending. After the strange ending I had to go back and re-read previous chapters to confirm the reasoning behind the final chapter. I look forward to reading some of Patrick’s previous novels.
Lee Child has written eighteen Jack Reacher novels of the life and escapades of a retired USA military police colonel. His way of life is intriguing and especially how he manages to remain hidden from Big Brother. His travels across America, usually by bus or hitch-hiking always lands him in trouble that is solved in his own inimitable style.
John Burdett is an English lawyer who practised for well over ten years in Hong Kong. His main character is Sonchai Jitpleecheep, a Thai policeman who spent numerous years abroad. John’s in depth knowledge of the east is amazing and sheds light on the Asian different way of thinking since Somchai is half Thai and half American.
I read an interesting book last week. It is called Goat Mountain by David Vann. He writes in a very interesting style and the plot is pretty dark, but it was compelling reading.
Then I read The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (who is actually JK Rowling). I really enjoyed it. Great characters.
Now I’m going to start on Stephen King’s Under the Dome.
I’ve just finished reading “Mr. Standfast”, by John Buchan. It’s the third instalment of the Richard Hannay trilogy, which starts with “The 39 Steps.” Not the sort of thing I should have been reading at bedtime, though, because I always ended up with dreams where I had to save the world single-handed against impossible odds. (This is the fourth book I’ve read by John Buchan, and they’ve all had that effect on me. )
Before that, I read “The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!” by Gideon Defoe. The plot is quite a bit different to the film version (which I loved) - darker and a bit more “adult”, for want of a better word - but it’s very funny and good entertainment.
Prior to that, I read “A Silent Witness” by R. Austin Freeman - a cracking whodunnit first published in 1914. A doctor finds a body, which has vanished by the time he returns to the spot with a policeman. A few weeks later, he acts as a temporary locum for another doctor and a series of attempts are made on his life. Are these things connected, and if so, how? Read it and see!
The brightest star in the sky, by Marian Keyes
A real feel-good book, a gently teasing look at the lives of ordinary people, with an entertaining twist. See how quickly you can work out what’s going on!
Pigeon English, by Stephen Kelman
Often described as this decade’s “Curious incident of the dog in the night time”, it’s another story told from the point of view of a child, this time an immigrant in the badlands of inner city London. It is by turns touching, moving, amusing, heart warming and heart rending. Every bit as good ad TCIOTDITN, and way better than Mark Haddon’s books since, I really can’t recommend this book enough.
Nicholas Nickleby, by Charles Dickens
Some people might be surprised, but this is a hilarious book, with proper cartoon villains and genuine ‘laugh out loud’ moments. It can take a while to get into the style of writing if you’re not used to Victorian texts, but well worth persevering with.
The last three books I read comprised parts I, II and III of Joe Abercrombie’s the First Law trilogy.
I liked them because they are something different - kind of like fantasy, but without this black and white, good vs evil analogy that pervades works such as Lord of the Rings.
My favourite character in the books was a wizard called Bayaz, who is like an evil version of Gandalf.
All of the characters in the books are evil to a greater or lesser etent. Everybody is very self-serving and most are quite ruthless.
I can highly recommend this trilogy, as well as the next (which I have just started reading).
(This is the fourth book I’ve read by John Buchan, and they’ve all had that effect on me. 
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