cover story
Summer vacation can be a good time to catch up on your reading, so this week we take a look at a few of the year’s best-selling and most talked about books as well as the most anticipated upcoming releases in the hope that some of them might catch your fancy. Happy reading!
New/Recent
The Associate by John Grisham
The latest legal thriller from one of the world’s favourite novelists, The Associate is the story of an idealistic law student Kyle McAvoy who has a secret that forces him to take a job he doesn’t want, becoming "a pawn in a deadly game of corporate espionage". The Associate is a typical Grisham novel, and based on the fact that his books have sold over 250 million copies, this can’t be a bad thing. If you’ve read any (or all -- don’t judge me) of the twenty novels John Grisham has written before this one, you probably know what to expect -- a riveting tale with lots of twists and turns, and a book that, once you start reading, is impossible to put down. Oh and be warned: a movie adaptation of this novel is in the works. And no matter how dreamy Shia LaBeouf may be, we all know what book-to-film transitions usually result in. So read the book before Hollywood ruins it for you!
Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer
Did you know that Edmund Hillary might not be the first person to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest? English mountaineer George Mallory may have accomplished the feat in 1924, but whether he made it to the top or not remains a mystery -- Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew Irvine disappeared during the expedition and Mallory’s body wasn’t found until 75 years later in 1999. The topic has been a source of much debate over the years, and in Paths of Glory, a book that was inspired by the story of George Mallory, Jeffrey Archer takes a look at the life of the legendary mountaineer and explores the mystery that has been left behind due to his tragic disappearance.
3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares
A continuation/spin-off of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants series, 3 Willows is the first of three planned novels about Polly, Jo, and Ama -- three girls who are about to attend the same school that was attended by the original sisterhood (Lena, Tibby, Carmen and Bridget, who found a magical pair of pants that fit them all perfectly). Why do I get the feeling that no one who has a Y chromosome will want to go anywhere near this book?
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith
This year, Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series got a tenth volume. The very successful series that not only amuses but also gives a glimpse into the conditions of Botswana, has also made its way to television and radio. In Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, series protagonist detective Mma Precious Ramotswe continues to solve mysteries, including helping the proprietor of a local football team find out the reason behind their losing streak, while also trying to save her little white van.
The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun by J.R.R. Tolkien
It is no secret that The Lord Of The Rings is the purest form of awesomeness. J.R.R. Tolkien was a master storyteller who revived the fantasy genre and has left a lasting impact on the world of fiction. Now, more than three decades after his death, a hitherto unpublished book that he wrote even before The Hobbit has been released. Written by Tolkien during the 1920s and 1930s, and published (with added notes and commentary from his son Christopher Tolkien) earlier this month, The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun retells the "Norse legend of Sigurd and the fall of the Niflungs" in the form of an epic poem. Mythology fans ahoy!
Upcoming
The Bourne Deception by Eric Van Lustbader
The seventh book in Robert Ludlum’s Bourne series, and the fourth novel by Eric Van Lustbader since he took up the series after Ludlum’s death in 2001, The Bourne Deception picks up from where The Bourne Sanction left off, continuing Jason Bourne’s journey as he fakes his death to find out who is trying to assassinate him. Meanwhile, after an American passenger airliner is shot down over Egypt by what seems to be an Iranian missile, a massive investigation begins, which inevitably ends up intersecting with Bourne’s search for his assailant. Yet another action packed thriller by Lustbader. (And in case Bourne fans are wondering, an eighth book is also being written and is currently under the working title of The Bourne Objective. Expect that one sometime next year.)
The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly’s upcoming The Scarecrow is the story of crime reporter Jack McEvoy, who has been forced out of work; in his final days at the paper, Jack starts to focus on Alonzo Winslow, a teenage drug dealer jailed after confessing to a brutal murder, eventually realises that Winslow might actually be innocent, and ends up tracking a dangerous killer. The crime mystery gives reader a chance to hear the villain’s thoughts through its alternate viewpoints, and if nothing else, is likely to someday make a Hollywood executive very happy.
Medusa by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos
Adventure novelists Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos have captivated readers with their NUMA Files series that started with Serpent in 1999. This year sees the release of the eighth book, Medusa, which continues to follow the adventures of NUMA’s Special Assignments division team leader Kurt Austin. The new novel involves a rare jellyfish known as the Blue Medusa, a series of medical experiments, an ambitious Chinese criminal organization, and a secret virus that could start a worldwide pandemic. Scary stuff shaped into a suspense thriller that is sure to dazzle NUMA fans.
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
No book has generated nearly as much controversy in the last few years as Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. The mystery novel that took fragments of art and religious history, added a sprinkle of conspiracy theories to the mix, and then cloaked the whole mess in a shroud of fiction till you couldn’t tell it all apart, has been criticised, condemned, parodied, and then criticised some more, which might help explain why it has ended up selling more than 80 million copies worldwide. And now, six years after it was first unleashed on the world, The Code finally has a sequel. The Lost Symbol, once again, follows Harvard professor Robert Langdon; this time the story is reportedly set during a 12-hour period in Washington D.C. and focuses on Freemasonry. So come September, expect outrage, even more criticism, and a novel that will grip you, probably against your better judgement.
The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide by Stephenie Meyer
It is the new fantasy obsession of teenagers around the world. It is a captivating story set in a fascinating world that has established a global following and has generated a very loyal and devoted fandom. It is, in short, the new Harry Potter (cue: hate mail from Potter fans). Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series has become a huge phenomenon across the globe, so much so that people are even talking about how much people are talking about it. And capitalizing on the hype, Meyer is releasing The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide, which will provide readers with character profiles, genealogical charts, maps, and new material on the Twilight world. The book does not have a release date yet, so if you’ve read the other Twilight books and want to find out even more about Edward and Bella, you’ll still have to wait for a few more months as the book is expected to be published later this year. (You might also want to keep an eye out for the New Moon movie which is slated for a November release.)
By Sameen Amer
Us Magazine, The News - 22nd May, 2009
Summer vacation can be a good time to catch up on your reading, so this week we take a look at a few of the year’s best-selling and most talked about books as well as the most anticipated upcoming releases in the hope that some of them might catch your fancy. Happy reading!
New/Recent
The Associate by John Grisham
The latest legal thriller from one of the world’s favourite novelists, The Associate is the story of an idealistic law student Kyle McAvoy who has a secret that forces him to take a job he doesn’t want, becoming "a pawn in a deadly game of corporate espionage". The Associate is a typical Grisham novel, and based on the fact that his books have sold over 250 million copies, this can’t be a bad thing. If you’ve read any (or all -- don’t judge me) of the twenty novels John Grisham has written before this one, you probably know what to expect -- a riveting tale with lots of twists and turns, and a book that, once you start reading, is impossible to put down. Oh and be warned: a movie adaptation of this novel is in the works. And no matter how dreamy Shia LaBeouf may be, we all know what book-to-film transitions usually result in. So read the book before Hollywood ruins it for you!
Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer
Did you know that Edmund Hillary might not be the first person to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest? English mountaineer George Mallory may have accomplished the feat in 1924, but whether he made it to the top or not remains a mystery -- Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew Irvine disappeared during the expedition and Mallory’s body wasn’t found until 75 years later in 1999. The topic has been a source of much debate over the years, and in Paths of Glory, a book that was inspired by the story of George Mallory, Jeffrey Archer takes a look at the life of the legendary mountaineer and explores the mystery that has been left behind due to his tragic disappearance.
3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares
A continuation/spin-off of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants series, 3 Willows is the first of three planned novels about Polly, Jo, and Ama -- three girls who are about to attend the same school that was attended by the original sisterhood (Lena, Tibby, Carmen and Bridget, who found a magical pair of pants that fit them all perfectly). Why do I get the feeling that no one who has a Y chromosome will want to go anywhere near this book?
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith
This year, Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series got a tenth volume. The very successful series that not only amuses but also gives a glimpse into the conditions of Botswana, has also made its way to television and radio. In Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, series protagonist detective Mma Precious Ramotswe continues to solve mysteries, including helping the proprietor of a local football team find out the reason behind their losing streak, while also trying to save her little white van.
The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun by J.R.R. Tolkien
It is no secret that The Lord Of The Rings is the purest form of awesomeness. J.R.R. Tolkien was a master storyteller who revived the fantasy genre and has left a lasting impact on the world of fiction. Now, more than three decades after his death, a hitherto unpublished book that he wrote even before The Hobbit has been released. Written by Tolkien during the 1920s and 1930s, and published (with added notes and commentary from his son Christopher Tolkien) earlier this month, The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun retells the "Norse legend of Sigurd and the fall of the Niflungs" in the form of an epic poem. Mythology fans ahoy!
Upcoming
The Bourne Deception by Eric Van Lustbader
The seventh book in Robert Ludlum’s Bourne series, and the fourth novel by Eric Van Lustbader since he took up the series after Ludlum’s death in 2001, The Bourne Deception picks up from where The Bourne Sanction left off, continuing Jason Bourne’s journey as he fakes his death to find out who is trying to assassinate him. Meanwhile, after an American passenger airliner is shot down over Egypt by what seems to be an Iranian missile, a massive investigation begins, which inevitably ends up intersecting with Bourne’s search for his assailant. Yet another action packed thriller by Lustbader. (And in case Bourne fans are wondering, an eighth book is also being written and is currently under the working title of The Bourne Objective. Expect that one sometime next year.)
The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly’s upcoming The Scarecrow is the story of crime reporter Jack McEvoy, who has been forced out of work; in his final days at the paper, Jack starts to focus on Alonzo Winslow, a teenage drug dealer jailed after confessing to a brutal murder, eventually realises that Winslow might actually be innocent, and ends up tracking a dangerous killer. The crime mystery gives reader a chance to hear the villain’s thoughts through its alternate viewpoints, and if nothing else, is likely to someday make a Hollywood executive very happy.
Medusa by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos
Adventure novelists Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos have captivated readers with their NUMA Files series that started with Serpent in 1999. This year sees the release of the eighth book, Medusa, which continues to follow the adventures of NUMA’s Special Assignments division team leader Kurt Austin. The new novel involves a rare jellyfish known as the Blue Medusa, a series of medical experiments, an ambitious Chinese criminal organization, and a secret virus that could start a worldwide pandemic. Scary stuff shaped into a suspense thriller that is sure to dazzle NUMA fans.
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
No book has generated nearly as much controversy in the last few years as Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. The mystery novel that took fragments of art and religious history, added a sprinkle of conspiracy theories to the mix, and then cloaked the whole mess in a shroud of fiction till you couldn’t tell it all apart, has been criticised, condemned, parodied, and then criticised some more, which might help explain why it has ended up selling more than 80 million copies worldwide. And now, six years after it was first unleashed on the world, The Code finally has a sequel. The Lost Symbol, once again, follows Harvard professor Robert Langdon; this time the story is reportedly set during a 12-hour period in Washington D.C. and focuses on Freemasonry. So come September, expect outrage, even more criticism, and a novel that will grip you, probably against your better judgement.
The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide by Stephenie Meyer
It is the new fantasy obsession of teenagers around the world. It is a captivating story set in a fascinating world that has established a global following and has generated a very loyal and devoted fandom. It is, in short, the new Harry Potter (cue: hate mail from Potter fans). Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series has become a huge phenomenon across the globe, so much so that people are even talking about how much people are talking about it. And capitalizing on the hype, Meyer is releasing The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide, which will provide readers with character profiles, genealogical charts, maps, and new material on the Twilight world. The book does not have a release date yet, so if you’ve read the other Twilight books and want to find out even more about Edward and Bella, you’ll still have to wait for a few more months as the book is expected to be published later this year. (You might also want to keep an eye out for the New Moon movie which is slated for a November release.)
By Sameen Amer
Us Magazine, The News - 22nd May, 2009
No comments:
Post a Comment