MR STANDFAST - John Buchan

The third Richard Hannay adventure.

This time Hannay and his usual friends are battling a German super spy who could destroy the allies chances of winning the Great War.

Unlike the first two featuring Hannay , this is much more political than  "The 39 Steps" and "Greenmantle".

The author is not fond of trade unions and Communism and all that goes with them. This does lead to a  couple of rather slow patches in the book  where Buchan wanders off with a bit of philosophizing but all in all a good adventure and the best of the three.  (1919)

AFTERMATH - Peter Robinson

PAPER VIEW - AA Gill

THE BAYOU TRILOGY - Daniel Woodrell

TIME FOR A TIGER - Anthony Burgess

This the first novel by Burgess written after he had been a school teacher in Malaya and he thought he was soon to be dead  of a brain tumour - he was writing to leave some money for his wife.

It has a wide selection of characters, English school teachers, alcoholic policemen, muslim policemen and Indians.  The novel is about how complex a country Malaya was after WWII when the communists were beginning their infiltration.  This is best exemplified in the novel where there is a notice in bar written in four different languages asking patrons not to spit on the floor.

It has humour, usually due to the exaggerated arrogance of the British and equally sad due to the fact that these 'tin pot 'generals are all rather pathetic.

I enjoyed it much more than Orwells's "Burmese Days" similar themes ,but George can be very intense at times.

If you were reading this as an editor in 1956 you would say that young Burgess has a future as a novelist. (1956)

WINTER'S BONE - Daniel Woodrell

A couple of times a year, if I'm really lucky I find a book that's extraordinary and 'Winter's Bone' is one, its an amazing book.

Set in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, 16 year old Ree Dolly goes looking for her father.  She lives in a area where everyone knows how to shoot  and 'most families are cooking up crank on the back porch'.

She finds out that asking questions is dangerous for your health.

The writing draws you in and makes it un-put downable.

It's a short read ,193 pages, its dark  and  tells a tale of people who have no time for authority and where a slight can go unforgiven for generations.

It has been made in to a movie and I am dreading how a screenplay will butcher this wonderful writing. (2006)

VANILLA RIDE - Joe R. Lansdale

What's truly remarkable here is that Lansdale has been able write a comic without any pictures and that comment is a compliment.

Hap and Leonard are friends, Hap is white and heterosexual, Leonard is black and homosexual.

There is no back story, I presume something must have been explained about them in early episodes but here there is nothing except they kill boat loads of people every time they step out side their respective dwellings.

Hap and Leonard go and rescue a friends granddaughter from some penny drug dealers- at which they succeed at with much slaughter.  The only trouble is these guys worked for the 'Dixie mafia' and they then keep sending car loads of goons to enact revenge.  This results in an absolutely massive body count, invasions of countries have been completed with less death.

Finally the ultimate ' pro hitter' is sent- Vanilla Ride.

As stated, a comic book, great fun, lots of laughs perhaps too many - the good 'ole boy wise cracking does get a wee bit tiresome as it is constant but that's being really picky, an awesome wet day relaxing read.
(2009)