Introduction

Before you begin reading, I have just a few words to say.

Firstly, this blog far from represents the entirety of the material that I have read this year, as I'm sure is the case with many of these blogs; I merely selected the best literary works of my reading year to review and display here. All of the entries on this blog are posted on books, which naturally rules out all of the fanfiction, webcomic, magazine and article material I've read; it is not even a comprehensive list of all the books. Just a friendly disclaimer.
Secondly, the entries' dates bear very little relation to the actual date of borrowing or completion. Being the lazy student I am, I often put off writing entries for months after finishing a book. Please disregard the dates as largely irrelevant. It will spare you some puzzling.
And thirdly, as blogs tend to work, the oldest entries are at the bottom, and because my entry count seems to be unfortunate in this way, there is exactly one entry on the second page. Just to ensure that you don't miss it. I recommend you begin reading from the oldest entries up, to gain a more accurate perspective of my year in books; after all, they always say one must put themselves in someone else's shoes to truly understand that someone's experiences.
Finally, this div, the one containing the posts, happened to block my artist's signature, but for future reference, the art on the right is mine, and I reserve the rights to it. It's getting kind of old now, that particular piece of art, seeing as I drew it sometime at the beginning of the year, but it's worth a mention nevertheless. Just so you know I'm not violating copyright laws.
Thank you for reading, and enjoy.

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Day of the Predator | Alex Scarrow

Sometimes, a nice light read as a break from something heavier can work wonders. This was only about four hundred and fifty pages, I think, the text was large, and the themes simple; at the time I was trying to plow through this mammoth of a book series that unfortunate fans know as The Wheel of Time, so this book was a relief, of sorts.

I read the first in the series a few years ago. The vibe the series gives off is less science fiction than a set of fast-paced action novels; rather than exploring in detail an aspect of technology that could bring hope and trouble to a futuristic world, the technology- of time travel- is more of a setting, a setting for the dangerous and desperate adventures the three agency recruits journey through, particularly Liam, as they jump back and forth through time putting history right when it's pushed from its original course by the use of time travel. Perhaps it does set the Time Riders series firmly in the children and young teenage fiction section; I think I've grown out of this kind of story somewhat- a few years since, I thought the first book was utterly riveting- but the plots are still suspenseful and exciting and the characters intensely likable, leading the reader to share their ups and downs.

 Perhaps it's because nothing truly new was introduced in this, only a different undertaking through history and an extension of what the first book begun, but I think this book has lost some of the original's sparkle, as is often the case with adventure series like these. There are plot holes, as there almost always are with this sort of story, but the background and the development of the fictional world and the technology that shapes the story is appealing and engaging, if not overwhelmingly convincing. The intended readership age is a little queer to try and perceive; clearly, the story was designed for younger readers, but I get a vague feeling that Scarrow is maturing as an author: not yet delivering the complex themes and intrigue of adult literature, but there are some elements that don't quite belong, somehow. Perhaps the next six-something books show a continuation of this budding trend; I wouldn't know.

 All in all, the prose isn't seamless, the development isn't perfect, but I think it would be a wonderful and engaging series for someone a little younger than I am now. As for me, I think I've outgrown these books by now, which is something of a shame considering I only ever read two of them, but I would definitely still recommend them. Great reads.
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