Issue 103

Gil

Space by Stephen Baxter

After finishing a book as down-to-earth Aussie as Ion L Idreiss’ Silver City, I jumped into a different kind of Earth – Stephen Baxter’s Space.

Space is centred on physicist Enrico Fermi’s famous paradox on extraterrestrials – if life in the universe is inevitable and accepting the probability that civilisations exist, why aren’t they here?

Baxter kicks around the notion that they are here, and have been in the past, basing his novel on a series of steps through time/travel by a number of earth characters. He explores both the changes these travellers find in Earthly civilisation as well as the changes they find in other civilisations.

Unfortunately the end is as vague and unsatisfying as the beginning (which may be true for civilisations, but is not very satisfying in a book).

Sim

Fat, Fifty and F***ed by Geoffrey McGeachin

I’m not normally into the humour genre, but I really enjoyed Fat, Fifty and F***ked by Geoffrey McGeachin. There was no messing about, no minced words – it got straight to the point and kept me entertained the whole way through.

The book follows Martin’s journey, from his 50th birthday, redundancy, bank robbery, murder, falling in love with a beautiful unusual woman, running from the law in a campervan, meeting up with an interesting old school mate and even a bit of politics and conspiracy.

I loved it and constantly laughed out loud. I am sure you will too!

For more info about this book or Geoffrey’s other books visit http://homepage.mac.com/geoffreymcgeachin/

Tim

Never Go Back by Robert Goddard

This book centres around a group of British Royal Air Force veterans who get together for a 50-year reunion at a castle in the north of Scotland. The castle was the site where these soldiers were part of a psychological experiment during the war. But, one of the party dies in mysterious circumstances on the way to the reunion, and others soon follow.

Suspicion immediately falls on one of the veterans, Harry Barnett, who must team up with his old friend Barry Chipchase to find out the truth. This book takes more than a few twists and turns on the way to its conclusion, and held my interest all the way through.

Bernie

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Many of you may have seen the film that was released in early 2006. This was always a book I wanted to read and even more so after I saw the film.

It is the story of a young girl named Sakamoto Chiyo who is sold, along with her sister, to a Geisha House in Gion, Japan.

After being separated from her sister, Chiyo begins her training as a Geisha under the watchful eye of Mrs Nitta. Nitta sees great potential in Chiyo and this is noticed by the deceitful Hatsumomo, who is the Geisha House’s most beautiful and popular Geisha. She goes about undermining Chiyo’s success in everyway she can.

Chiyo is soon noticed by Mahema, another well known Geisha in Gion. Chiyo becomes Mahema’s protégé and takes on a new name Sayuri. Sayuri rapidly begins to outshine Hatsumono and quickly takes her place as the most popular and beautiful Geisha in Gion.

Sayuri’s world changes dramatically with the outbreak of World War II.  Her past success soon becomes irrelevant, and her beauty is diminished by the manual labor and malnutrition. The luxurious life she once knew is replaced by one of despair and loneliness.

The story explores themes of determination, personal growth and is an interesting and realistic insight into the life of a Geisha.