Currently reading
The Aeneid (Penguin Classics)
A Little History of the World
The Annals of Imperial Rome
With the emphasis on food, drink and the like, this book started really well. Just like an original Bond in fact. But soon it became boring mainly because, I think, that Bond was too nice. A modern man (with all the sensibilities and political correctness that that entails) set in a sixties world. The whole thing jarred very badly. Shame
1
I am not sure why I didn't enjoy this. Maybe because the 'baddies' were so obvious and 'evil' and the goodies all had good intentions. Interesting settings - Gibraltar andTangiers - but not sure I will give no 2 a go.
This was excellent. Characters (all real people) came alive on the pages and, despite knowing the story pretty well, Harris managed to create an astonishing amount of tension, even the last few years when nothing much happens. Very good.
1
Old Flames
I loved the atmosphere of post war London, and it was a decent enough story but it was a struggle to wade through, too many sub plots. Last one for me.
I hated both the characters so much I couldn't really care what happened to them. But clever story, great suspense.
1
More politics which also means more bathos and hideous hindsight. A truly brilliant look at a vanished era before WWI.
I grew to love this more and more. All the characters were believable and engaging and Amina's self-realisation at the end almost made me weep.
This got a bit better as he started getting into the story. But as far as conspiracy theories goes, this just didn't ring true. Very disappointing. Three stars out of loyalty...
1
