Regarding 'Six Black Candles' by Des Dillon:

I'm thinking the author perhaps read 'Catcher in the Rye' as one of his first 'big boy' books, after being introduced to proper education, and then tried to mingle Salinger's style with 'Ah-wurked-ma-wae-oot-the-gutter-an-goat-masel-a-education' style! His family must be so proud of him!

Some interesting wee tales with some interesting wee twists that are, I must admit, interestingly written. But Dillon seems to be trying to portray the characters in his book as 'typical' of the Irish Catholic immigrant descendants who had to 'slum' it in some dump called Coatbridge. Oh, the degredation of it all - yet he portrays them as a bunch of ill-educated, foul-mouthed, ne'er-do-well hypocrits.
 
Well, I doubt that the inhabitants of Coatbridge will fully appreciate his sentiments... nor will
The Catholic Church
The sectarian bigots,

Nor any self-respecting ...
Catholics
Protestants
Jehovah's Witnesses
Pagans
Witches... need I continue?

Perhaps there is a section of our reading society that does appreciate this type of book but I, for one, am glad I am not part of it.

"Tell it how you see it, and write it as you'd tell it," certainly does spring to mind but, for me, if he'd been telling me it on the bus, I'd have hopped off at Airdrie, headed for Shotts and signed myself into Hartwood just so I didn't have to listen to any more.

MY PERSONAL OPINION:

I have a copy of Des Dillon's 'Six Black Candles' - I almost didn't read it! I wanted to ditch it as soon as I read the obligatory 'dedicated to...' message at the start. But I persevered, telling myself, "This is a Scottish writer, be objectived and give Dillon the benefit of the doubt", so I read on... and would describe it as nothing more than a clever wee novel for the intellectually challenged.

Edited by author 05-18-2005 07:04 PM
This is not a genre that I would normally have considered - gay fiction! I am reading this book purely because it won the 2004 MAN BOOKER PRIZE - and want to see just how outstanding such an award winning new novel is, in contrast to some of the dire 'kindling' to which I have been so recently subjected. The 'ed said read books and learn, so I am reading books - and learning.

~~~

THE LINE OF BEAUTY - BY ALAN HOLLINGHURST

Within the first few chapters, the reader knows that this is an author worth reading - the language, the intellectual flow, and the depths of this author's ability to provide you with seemingly effortless visualisation are a refreshing surprise. Admittedly, I don't dwell on the first gay sex scene but Hollinghurst's intricate command of the English language is so compelling that I read on... into the enticing realms of Notting Hill hoi polloi upsides high society - the exploits of public schoolboys, Ox-bridge graduates and the not so conservative lives of Tory politicians...

UPDATE - This novel has suddenly struck a chord (not a love chord) of familiarity in it's concept; post-war London in the twenties and the comical upsurge in limp-wristed characters referred to as 'noodienawdies' and 'bletherinskites' - swallowing up posh Belgravia addresses, even if they were nothing more than attic bedsits rented from the wealthy families who inhabited these mansions. Now I can't get the theme out of my head - Nick's a modern-day noodienawdie!

============

It's a big book - 500+ pages - I'll update my review as I progress through the chapters without giving away too much.

http://www.eddieelwood.co.uk
http://www.scottishwriters.co.uk

MY FINAL ANALYSIS:

THE LINE OF BEAUTY - BY ALAN HOLLINGHURST

Why did this win the Man Booker Prize in 2004? Well, to be perfectly honest, it is a very beautifully written book. The author has a fine command of the English language and knowledge of the Arts in their various other forms. (Either that or a very fine editor.)
Sadly, I can make no further advances on what I have already said about this book. I simply lost the plot of the entire thing, despite feeling a deep appreciation for the author's eloquent literary style.
It is basically the story of a few Oxford graduates, some gay, some straight, and their various associations encapsulated within the boundaries of a Tory MP and his family. High society, secrets, scandal, the re-election of Maggie into Government and the predictable downfall of noteable characters just about sums up the entire 501 pages if you had to remove all the wonderfully descriptive embellishments. I just didn't get where the book was trying to take me.
For me, it was simply a well-written story about 'the other side of life' - a side that no more endears itself to me now than it did prior to my picking up a copy of 'The Line of Beauty'.

My advice - borrow it from the library and determine, for yourself, how good it is.

Eddie Elwood

http://www.scottishwriters.co.uk

LIFE OF PI - YANN MARTELL

Thought I would try another Booker winner, so popped into the local library and got a copy of 'Life of Pi' today.
Librarian highly recommended it, so Im looking forward to getting my head into this one later on tonight.

http://www.scottishwriters.co.uk
http://www.eddieelwood.co.uk

Edited by author 06-13-2005 06:58 AM
LIFE OF PI

BY YANN MARTEL

A review by Eddie Elwood
For the website at http://www.scottishwriters.co.uk

This is a very good book; I loved it!

Yann Martel's take on 'Life of Pi' is an intriguing tale worthy of many an evening's debate. I became so engrossed in it that, by the end, I was believing almost every word and felt compelled to go off in search of evidence. I wanted to meet like-minded people who would be happy to talk about it over drinks! This is the type of book that befits inclusion in the national curriculum, such is its ability to engage the reader.

Even the title of the book is cleverly woven into the storyline, not only in the explanation of why Pi is so called, but also the very significant choice of date for the main event - this cannot possibly be mere coincidence.

A great deal of research has obviously gone into the writing of this novel, although it comes across almost as fable-like with more than just a hint of Noah's Ark, and several other fine threads. For fans of Homer's 'The Odyssey', watch out for settings reminiscent of the Lotus-eaters and Cyclops. "My name is Nobody..." is straight from the Homeric translation of The Odyssey.
 
The factual elements are abundant and my only slight criticism, if I have to have one, would be to comment on the lack of any firm reference to Ivan Pavlov, who could so easily have been cited here.

It is no surprise that 'Life of Pi' won the Man Booker Prize 2002 and became a number one bestseller.

May the memory of Richard Parker live on forever...

I am currently reading 'ANGELS & DEMONS' by the now infamous Dan Brown and, frankly, I can't see what all the hype is about, and I'm half-way through the book! I haven't read anything new. This book is money for old rope that's holding up a washing rinsed in a new fabric softener!
If you have never read conspiracy theories before, then you might you be a little surprised at some of the claims; if you are a conspiracy buff, then this is hardly a page turner.
Advise - hire it from the library first.

http://www.eddieelwood.co.uk

Aparently, nobody else on this entire site reads books, so here I am again, alone, recounting my humble opinions on the books I read.
Since my last rendition relating to Dan Brown's 'ANGELS AND DEMONS', I have read several novels and have listed as many here as possible.

VERNON GOD LITTLE - DBC PIERRE
Another Booker Prize Winner and well deservedly so. I was hesitant to read this book as the blurb didn't really appeal to me but, once I got into it, describing it as a page-turner falls far short of what it actually is. I thought this was a great book and exceptionally well written, considering the context in which the writer works. The basic literary style is reminiscent of Salinger's 'Catcher in the Rye', the story being recounted by a teenage boy, but this teenager finds himself swallowed up by events surrounding a high school massacre. This highly plausibly (sadly) story literally hijacks your attention, holding it to baited-breath-ransom right to the end. Like 'Life of Pi', I was compelled to read to the end almost uninterupted in a desperate need to discover the final conclusion.

http://www.eddieelwood.co.uk

ACCIDENTAL DEATH by IRIS V. PENN

This is a first novel, self-published by its author and, initially, sold in a bid to raise funds for the deaf. With an avid interest in horseracing, the author has admitted to having based the storyline loosely on true events. It is a mysterious mingle of murder, drugs and the underworld that could lurk within the British racing establishment.
As a fan of racing, I found myself recognising part of the story, so reading a book such as this can only make one wonder at the full extent of the truth!
This is not quite up to Dick Francis standard, but then the author is not an ex-jockey writing to a commercial contract. She writes as a normal, everyday race-goer with possible connections - the kind of person we all want to know when trying to pinpoint our winners.
For a first time writer with the courage to 'print or be damned', then this book deserves to be read by anyone with an interest in the world of horse racing. Despite a few small teething problems, I enjoyed the story and found it intriguing.

If you are interested in reading a copy of this book, it is available at £6.99 including postage & packaging for an author signed copy. Please email enquiries via the website at www.scottishwriters.co.uk

QUITE UGLY ONE MORNING - DAVID BROOKMYRE

I don't go in much for brutal murders and crime scenes but when I do it is usually a Brookemyre. This is for purely selfish reasons as I enjoy reading a local name in books and appreciate good, descriptive writing - even if it is the blood and guts brutality of Scotland's crime scenes.
My first introduction to Brookemyre was a few years ago, via the NYK writer known as 'The Mad McDade fae Coatbridge'. He presented me with a copy of 'ONE FINE DAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT' and as soon as I read the Lanarkshire connections I was hooked - Brookemyre most certainly incorporates actual facts into his fiction, of this I can assure you.
Murder, mystery, blood and gore,
Guns, drugs, hoodlums and more... that's Brookemyre.
I now own most of his titles and that's saying more than I can write, coming from someone who doesn't particularly like reading violence and who has never completed an Irvine Welsh.

http://www.eddieelwood.co.uk

DRIFTNET - LIN ANDERSON

A first novel by Scots born writer Lin Anderson, introducing (which, I assume, means there is a follow-up) her forensic scientist character known as Rhona MacLeod.

Perhaps the order in which I have read my last several books has tarnished my objectivity here. If I hadn't read 'THE LINE OF BEAUTY' and the Brookmyres, perhaps I would have been prevented from drawing comparisons in certain elements of the plot, so I apologise in advance for a biased 'report'.

Owing to my personal dislike for reading violent crime, this title is not one that I would have chosen for myself, but this was passed to me to see what I thought.
On the plus side, I completed the book in about a day whilst on holiday, so it held my interest enough to finish it and, if this is the first in a series of 'Rhona MacLeod' stories, I will probably read the next one to find out how the characters develop. On the downside, I read the entire book in a day, so I cannot recommend it as a lengthy, enjoyable read.
 
'DRIFTNET' is a good enough story with a few interesting twists but I like my stories to be either utterly believeable or utterly fantastic, and this one just lacked that fluency that controls the margin between plausibility and improbability. Yes, there are weirdos surfing the Internet and honing young boys for their personal use, and yes, politicians and police force employees may be corrupt, but if someone's life is in danger, (as is stated on the back page blurb), then I want to be made worry about that person, be scared for that person, and fear for that person's life like it was my own. 'Rhona MacLeod' just didn't quite hit the mark with me but there is real scope for improvement as the series progresses, as I am sure it will.

Perhaps I'll re-read it and come back with a second opinion.

IN SEARCH OF SHERGAR - By COLIN TURNER

Couldn't help reading this one again as I like my mysteries totally plausible and enveloped in believeable facts, and then I like to pick them to bits when compared to documented evidence. The Shergar mystery and everything surrounding it still holds ample prime space on my book shelves and will do so until someone, somewhere, solves the mystery. I have my own theories on this and, if all else fails, I'll write them myself!

http://www.eddieelwood.co.uk

THE CALL OF THE WILD - By JACK LONDON

Once in a while, it does you good to re-read the stories from your youth. A dose of good descriptive work is what is called for when you are wondering just exactly where to start on your summer reading, and Jack London could certainly provide his readers with plenty of that. It never ceases to amaze me how a writer can embroil his readers so deeply that they fear for the life of a dog! Like White Fang, it's a fairly short book so there are no reasonable excuses for not fitting it into your reading schedule and certainly no excuses for new readers to overlook the older 'greats'.

THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE
By ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

I had to re-read this after hearing how highly praised it had been during the run up to the announcement of Scotland's Top 100 Books and I have to admit that I was mildly disappointed by their raving reviews. How can anyone compare a short story derived from a dream and written as an allegory to the immensity of something like George Orwell's 1984? I am bamboozled and cannot grasp the alleged 'greatness' of this particular piece of prose. I enjoyed the story and can appreciate the depths to which many may dissect its underlying meaning but, surely, this can't be much more than a brief psychological thriller that has probably been analysed to death be every Freudian theorist and student since the day it first arrived in print. I certainly would not vote this to be the best Scottish Book of all time, no matter what the specialists say. If this wins, then it is probably owing to the fact that, as a short story, it was the easiest and quickest for the judges to re-read. But it is still a 'must read' to any budding scholars, writers or critics and should be on every Scottish reader's book shelf.

http://www.eddieelwood.co.uk
http://www.scottishwriters.co.uk

Hi I just read a great book published in Scotland on OCD anxiety attacks and depression called Man Interrupted about this bloke who is terrified of germs and drugs. He goes to hospital and they have him confronting his anxiety by hanging out with druggies and drugs addicts. Its hilarious book but also inspiring. Anyone else read it? Billy