So I had just decided to give The Accidental Terrorist by Steven Lang a miss. I've felt guilty since page 35, when I stopped reading, just unable to get into it. I will never know what happened to the characters, but I don't really care, and life's too short to read bad books right?Mostly I've been annoyed at myself for not getting into a "Literary" book. A winner of the NSW Literary Awards in 2006, I felt like I should carry on. The other reason I felt I should carry on, was I've had a bookmarked review of it sitting in my browser for god knows how long, many months at least. So as I decided to abandon it, I thought I'd have another look at the review, and see how I got it so wrong. The review was the only thing that sparked my interest, I wanted to read it at some point right?
WRONG.
As easy mistake though.
I wanted to read The Unknown Terrorist by Richard Flanagan, not the Accidental. Bah.
"...The Unknown Terrorist, his literary thriller about a Sydney pole dancer mistakenly pursued for being part of a terrorist plot."Aha.
I was slightly confused when I read the blurb of the Accidental Terrorist
"When Kevin returns to his home town on the southern cast of NSW he finds himself drawn to a community that lives in the hills..."Errr......yeah...not usually the genre that would catch my eye.
Unfortunately, and I feel ashamed to admit this, but generally Australian stories don't really interest me. Especially if they're set in rural or regional Australia. I don't know whether its because its just SO different to what I'm used to, its so removed from my scope of life, that I just can't get interested.
But then, it could also be argued that my favourite genre of murder mysteries and crime thrillers are far removed from my own life experience also. And I will be the first to admit that.
Mum's got a sizeable collection of books (for the life of me cannot find the authors name) by a female writer, and they're kind of romance novels, but set in a historical context in outback Australia in colonial times. They just don't interest me at all. Not because they're romance, no no, I quite enjoy romance from time to time. Just never been keen on these ones, no matter how many times Mum suggested it when I was after a new book to read.
The only times I can be interested in Australian settings appears to be if they sit smack bang in the middle of the crime genre. Then I actually find it quite novel to read the same books I read nomally, but set in places I relate to, Vodka Doesn't Freeze for example, and the Tara Moss series with Makedde Vanderwall, a forensic student that models on the side for extra money (yep, write about what you know lol)
I mean its not a blanket ban or anything, just a general lack of interest.
So, I'm off to the Library to try to pick up the right book this time.
7 kindred spirits ~ This bugs them too!:
I love Tara Moss' books! I was surprised at how much I liked them.
I also like these light hearted murder mystery books about a cookie shop owner too. They'[re by Joanne Fluke and you can check them out at www.murdershebaked.com
They may not be your style, but that's ok. They also have recipes through them whic is cool!
Haha -- that's great! I can imagine trying to persevere with a book but unable to shake the feeling that something isn't right, before realising it's not even the book you meant to read. That's better than being disappointed with the right book though :)
OK, sorry to burst your bubble but I've actually read ALL of those books, and I found them really really good and entertaining! I also learnt a lot about the early history of Sydney which is certainly not my bag. The books are by Vivian Stuart, who may even be a man and the series is called The Australians. I couldn't get enough of them, the books only started to get a bit dry towards the end when they'd gone 2 or 3 generations from the original settlers, and I just don't care enough about someone or rather's son's troubles or whatever. Same problem with the 2nd trilogy from Traci Harding. When will authors stop following up stories with stories about their children! Pet hate.
Anyhoo, I also don't generally like Australian based stuff, though I think being a SFF preferred reader discounts me from having literary opinions. If they drive cars instead of ride horses and have to meticulously run them down after riding them, well, the magic is lost.
Blurb about the accidental terrorist DOES sound rather dry. Ebay?
Sounds good P-Emma, I'll check them out. Recipes in the book sounds cool!
I can bake?
My style is actually quite far reaching generally, so I'd love to hear anyone's recommendations.
Hey Fever Dog, welcome over from Blonde as a Brunette :)
Yeah it was really frustrating. I'm just glad I didn't push any further with it. Hmm, debatable point there I think. I can justify reasons why I personally might not like a book, but put it down to a difference of opinion if I've read a good review of it. ;)
Eca you have well and truly burst my proverbial bubble.
Not.
(how 90's) to each his own I guess. Even your impassioned plea for this series doesn't inspire me to read them sorry.
And I quite liked the second trilogy by Traci Harding. Its her subsequent books/series' I lost interest in unfortunately.
Fortunately Acc. Terr. was a library book, so I simply returned it.
I'm not such an aussie book fan either, but do you know what suprised me?
Bryce Courtney's "Jessica".
usually I'm not so big on him but I couldn't put Jessica down.
I've heard that K, I actually had it recommended to me on Monday too.
Have you read the Potato Factory? I missed the min-series they did on TV with Lisa McCune, and I've wanted to read it ever since.
No, but I think my parents have it. i might ask tonight when i'm over there - I've run out of material.
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