I'M BACK! / READING HIGHLIGHTS OF 2010

I'M BACK!

   After over a month with a computer that seizes up after 5-15 minutes, I have finally gotten a computer that works as it should again. This is quite a relief, it's been a pain being cut off from interacting with all the nice people I've gotten to know in the last year. Most of these I've met through Twitter. I could mention names, but I'll go with the Norwegian saying:  No-one mentioned, no-one forgotten.

    I also missed being able to blog a lot. I have of course been reading quite a bit, and have some reviews lined up for the blog. 2010 has been a sort of test year for me when it comes to blogging, and it is something I want to continue doing. I'm planing to post 2-3 reviews a week on the blog from now on. The first one will be up later today (European time).

    I hope you will follow the blog in the future, whether you're here for the first time, or if you are a regular visitor.

READING HIGHLIGHTS OF 2010

   These are some of the books that I have appreciated reading the most in 2010. Not all of them were published in 2010, and I have not reviewed all of them. Some of them I read before I started reviewing, and some of them will be reviewed on the blog later.

-I'll start at the beginning, with the first book I read last year, one I got for Christmas in 2009:

PANSERHJERTE by Jo Nesbø

This is of course the original Norwegian edition, published by Aschehoug in 2009. It's a great book, Nesbø just keeps getting better.

The English edition is called The Leopard, and is published by Random House this Thursday (20 January).

Note: The Norwegian title translates as Iron Heart/ Heart of Iron. Or more directly Armor Heart/Heart of Armor. (Panser=armor, hjerte=heart.)

  THE PARASOL PROTECTORATE BOOKS by Gail Carriger

  Soulless (review) came out in 2009, and has since been followed by Changeless

  (review) and Blameless in 2010.

  The humor and action in these books have made them favorites of mine. They are not

  the type of books I would typically look for, so I am grateful that I discovered these

  through Twitter.

  Note: I have already read Blameless, and will review it soon.

LEGENDS OF THE RED SUN by Mark Charan Newton

Nights of Villjamur (review) was published in 2009 and was followed in 2010 by

City of Ruin (review).

 A more or less city-bound fantasy series. Interesting and different from the myriad Tolkienesque fantasy books out there. Book three is on the way, and Mark said on Twitter that he is already 10.000 words into book four. (Hope that wasn't supposed to be a secret, Mark.)

TOME OF THE UNDERGATES by Sam Sykes


Tome of the Undergates (review) is a 2010 debut novel.


This is action-packed Sword and Sorcery that manages to both be classic in style, and a fresh breath in today's fantasy landscape. 
Book two, Black Halo, is coming later this year. And I'm eagerly awaiting it.

THE WAY OF KINGS by Brandon Sanderson


The Way of Kings (review), published in 2010, this is the first of what is said to be ten books in The Stormlight Archive.


I really liked this book, and although I look forward to reading the rest of the series, I don't particularly look forward to the long wait until the last book is published.
If I remember correctly six years was mentioned.

INVISIBLE FIENDS: MR MUMBLES by Barry Hutchison


Invisible Fiends: Mr Mumbles (review) is another 2010 debut.


This is marketed as a children's book (9+), but I found it worked as a Horror novel for all ages. 
It is another book/author I've discovered through Twitter.
Book two, Invisible Fiends: Raggy Maggie, is already out.

WOLFSANGEL by M.D. Lachlan


Wolfsangel is a 2010 debut for M.D.Lachlan, but the author behind the pseudonym has published several books before.


Fantasy set in the lands of the old Norse Sagas.
I'll review this later in the week.

THE SOLARIS BOOK OF NEW FANTASY edited by George Mann


This collection of short stories was published in 2007. 


I won't say much about it here. But I have included it in my highlights of 2010 for a reason. A review will be coming shortly.


   This post is starting to approach the point where it's getting very long, so I'll round off with mentioning a couple of authors that I've read for the first time in 2010.

-IAIN M. BANKS: I've heard of him for years, and started on his Culture novels in 2010. I read Consider Phlebas (review) and The Player of Games -review coming up soon.


-IAN McDONALD: Also an author I've heard lots about, but never gotten around too before 2010. River of Gods (review) and Brasyl (review coming up), are the two I've gotten through.

REVIEW: INVISIBLE FIENDS: MR MUMBLES BY BARRY HUTCHISON

Cover Illustration: Jonny Duddle

INVISIBLE FIENDS: MR MUMBLES

BY

BARRY HUTCHISON

ISBN: 978-0-00-731515-4

Pages: 255

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Publishing Date: 4 February 2010

On the Cover:

Kyle hasn't seen Mr Mumbles in years. And there's a good reason for that: Mr Mumbles doesn't exist.

But now Kyle's imaginary friend is back, and Kyle doesn't have time to worry about why. Only one thing matters from now on: staying alive...

   This book starts out with a very intriguing prologue, and after reading that I was really looking forward to finding out what happens.
   In the first few chapters of the book you find out everything you need to now about Kyle and his situation. This is done in a natural way, and does not feel forced on the reader.
   Hutchison also sets the tone for the book nicely, it doesn't take long for the first scary thing to happen. And there's plenty of scares to come later in the book, after all this is Horror.


   The first person narrative works very well here. You get an instant feel for Kyle, and how the situation he's thrown into plays with his mind. And Hutchison is also very good at playing with the mind of the reader. It's difficult to get a grip on what is really happening, what is illusion and what is reality, and this helps keep an eerie atmosphere throughout the book.

   The story unfolds at a quite rapid pace, there really is not much of a rest between the action sequences. And there is plenty of action in the book. Hutchison is also very good at keeping you mystified, things that seem ordinary can come back as haunting riddles later.

   This is a very good debut by Hutchison. The story managed to grip me, and I will certainly get hold of the rest of the books in this series. And if you like a good horror story with a few twists and plenty of action along the way, I suggest you pick it up too.

   I have to end this with a little note. As you may have noticed this book was published by HarperCollins Children's Books, and on the back cover there is a label that says 9+. This should in my opinion be treated like video-game labels, not fit for children under nine, but with no upper limit of how old you should be to enjoy it. My + is 27, and I see no problem in recommending this to anyone who likes a good scare regardless of age.

   The next book in the series, Invisible Fiends: Raggy Maggie is out 5 August 2010.

LINKS: Barry Hutchison  HarperCollins Children's Books