Welshrogue

A movie production crew head to the inhospitable Bear Island in the arctic circle to make a highly secretive film. There are more secrets to be discovered than just the movie though.

Half set on board the arctic trawler Morning Rose and half set on Bear Island itself, the story is your average MacLean thriller. People who do not appear to be who they say they are, events that taken separately are accidents but together are something more sinister, and a plot that holds on to its secrets right up until the end.

This is not one of MacLean’s best works, scenes often get bogged down with some of the conversation but still fairly enjoyable.

Its the start of World War II and Britain is bankrupt. In a desperate attempt to convince the US that they have enough money to pay for support, the British Government turn to the business of buried treasure.

An interesting idea, and one that is pretty similar in style to Jack Higgins or Ken Follett, close but no cigar though. There seems to be an uneven pace to the plot, the first 200 pages drag, and then it speeds up before the climax is over before you are ready for it. There are good characters but while they are well described, they still feel slightly one dimensional.

Not a bad book by far, its just that if Ken Follett had written it, it would have been a lot better.

5) Never kiss and tell. If someone asks, don’t deny, don’t admit, don’t lie.

6) If you love someone, tell them every converstation you have with them. You never know when it might be the last one you have.

A talented and dashing young Formula 1 driver begins to act erratically and kills a fellow driver during a race. His manager and a journalist try to find out what is happening before anyone else can be killed, but what they find out is not what they are expecting.

Probably the fastest Alistair MacLean book to read, Dusty Death is a lightweight thriller that is heavy on speed and light on making sense. Written in 1973, it conjures up what Formula 1 racing must have been, rather than the very business like racing we see today. The book doesn’t delve that deeply into the in’s and out’s of the race circuit, rather keeping its focus on the main players. Even with the book not being a classic, it is still very enjoyable with a plot that only reveals itself at the end of the story.

Its funny that MacLean was known for using the same names for different characters in different books, and Dusty Death was no exception. What is different is that there are certain phrases such as “All sins forgiven” which also was a crucial phrase in Where Eagles Dare. Many critics feel that MacLean’s later books lacked the originality of his earlier works and perhaps this is a good indication of that.

I still enjoy reading Dusty Death, faults and all, because its a good tale, not perfect but never boring.

A CIA operative is double-crossed during a sanctioned assassination of a German businessman with ties to terrorists. His search for revenge reveals that he wasn’t the ultimate target, more a means to an end.

The Third Option feels like a Tom Clancy novel in many ways yet without the boring technical paragraphs. It started off well enough but it felt almost like an anti climax towards the end. I found that I wanted more but didn’t get it. The characters are OK but not outstanding. The book itself
felt more like the middle tome of a series rather than a stand alone. While it did make several references to previous books, it didn’t feel strong enough to be read by itself.

An enjoyable enough book, probably more enjoyable if read in series. I will definetly read the first ones to see if they help the story.

Nicholas Angel is a victim of his own success. With an arrest record that towers above all others in the metropolitan police force it is decided that for the good of the force, he must be moved, to Sandford. The most peaceful town in the country. Once there he realises not everything is as it seems.

The boys from Shaun of the Dead are back with their take on cop buddy movies. Simon Pegg & Nick Frost pair up as the most unlikely duo since the last cop buddy movie. They even reference other cop buddy movies. This is not just another cop buddy movie.

Hot Fuzz is a very clever movie that is good AND witty. There are many one liners that will probably be missed the first time around but you will catch enough of them to laugh time and time again. This is probably as gruesome as Shaun of the Dead with some inventive death scenes.  While being a parody of the buddy movies, Hot Fuzz is still original, while taking parts from the aforementioned movies. The dialog is what keeps the movie from straying into Scary Movie territory, with a very sharp edge to a lot of the conversations.

A great following up to Shaun of the Dead and yet another movie I will have to buy on DVD when released in three weeks time!

Several ships carrying gold bullion have been hijacked and Secret Service Agent, Philip Calvert is on the case. Dealing with the ruthless hijackers as well as the treacherous conditions might be more than Calvert can handle.

A classic example of Alistair MacLean’s writing. The story, set in an enclosed space or area, this time, the Western Isles off Scotland. The main character who might not be perfect but can work out what is happening eventually. Other characters who aren’t who they seem. A twisting plot that keeps the reader guessing right until the last few pages. Its all here. Some great lines and paragraphs show exactly what MacLean was capable of when he was firing on all cylinders.

True, today is very different from 1966. 12 million in gold bullion is still a big number but lottery winners get more than that every couple of weeks. The limitations of the communications at the time are almost laughable compared to the technology that we have today. There are various reasons why When Eight Bells Toll is dated and yet none of them detract from the excellent story telling within.

Alistair MacLean’s style of writing has inspired so many good writers. Dean Koontz, for example, wrote his first novel, Icebound, in a very similar style to MacLean. Matthew Riley has written several novels that capture the adrenaline rush of MacLeans books. Not stopping to fill in unwanted details, jut keeping the reader turning the pages.

A fast read, an enjoyable read and a read that although dated, stands up well against the test of time!

Myron Bolitar makes two teenage girls promise him that if they are ever in trouble, need a ride home after a night out, or having been drinking and can’t drive to call him. One does and then disappears leaving Bolitar, and his trusty psycho Win trying to track her down before its too late.

Ah, the welcome return of Myron Bolitar and friends. Harlan Coben has created with Myron, Win, and everyone else who occupies his writing universe, some wonderfully colourful characters that make you smile as they do even the simplest of things. Take Win, or rather, Windsor Horne Lockwood III, is such an enjoyable character to read about that you almost want to slow down to savour every word.

Promise Me actually reveals a little of Win’s history which makes it more understandable why Win is considered such a dangerous person. There is even some cross over from a couple of Coben’s stand alone books.

Promise Me is the same brilliant style of writing as his other books, and like his other books, un-put-down-able. Once you start reading you are hooked and find that the book is over way too soon. I honestly can’t think of a single Harlan Coben book that has disappointed or failed to produce.
Every one is a page turning experience that is enjoyable every time you read it.

Promise Me is a brilliant thriller, with characters you know and love, and a plot that twists and turns right up to the end. Loved it.

On the Top Gear website recently, Jeremy Clarkson questioned the direction of the show and invited mere common folk to post what they wanted from a show that is about cars. Here is what I said.

Both my sons, 3 years old and nearly 2 know what sound a Ferrari makes. They both know that the correct response to the question ‘What sound does Clarkson make?’ is POWERRRRR. These are young children but they know that a TVR is better looking than Ford and if their father ever won the lottery then a Wiesmann Roadster would be making its way to Canada.

Growing petrol is pretty pointless. Bring back the tests where you have a bowl of cold water in your lap as you drive over crappy roads. Try to destroy another Toyota. Test drive cars that people want to own, not cars they have to own.

As much as the show is a British show, it is huge around the world and when you go into the details of a car that is, well, British, the rest of the world just yawns and is glad they don’t have speed cameras. Television is entertainment. I wouldn’t buy a car based on a tv show, OK, yes I would but I am like a squirral wrapped in clingfilm, clearly nuts!

The challenges where Clarkson has to beat Hamster and Captain slow to the local chippy by driving a F1 car are what we want. I want to see fast cars that i would never be able to own, and if I did, never be able to insure, and if I could, never be able to drive because I would lose my license in the first five miles. My wife is addicted to the show as I am.

Don’t go to America, they won’t understand the show or the insults. Go to the south of France and drive fast in a baby Aston. Don’t get side tracked to things that are done without a car. More supercars, more beautiful cars, and more cutting sarcasm as there can never be too much of that!

Oh, and come back for series 10!