June 30, 2016

“The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco – A Sinister Abbey

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (Book cover)
Virtually every single murder mystery that's being written today takes place in the present day, with few daring to venture further back in time when one had to rely on logical deductions rather forensic technology to move the case forward.

It is rather rare to see a good murder mystery that takes us hundreds and hundreds of years into the past, as Umberto Eco did with his world-famous The Name of the Rose, which as some of you know graced the silver screen as a renowned movie starring none other than Sean Connery.

June 27, 2016

“The Crossing” by Michael Connelly – Cops and Lawyers; The Partnership

The Crossing by Michael Connelly (Book cover)
Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller are both rather well-known icons of the thriller world at this point, both operating on the same side of the law, but each one in their own respective domain. Harry Bosch is a detective while Mickey Haller is a defense attorney, the kind whose clients are rarely innocent.

The two don't cooperate more than need be, but in The Crossing by Michael Connelly, they are left no choice but to pool their forces to stop an innocent life from being wasted.

June 24, 2016

“The Supreme Gift” by Paulo Coelho – The Virtues of Love

The Supreme Gift by Paulo Coelho (Book cover)
The meaning of life is probably the oldest question we've been struggling with, one to which the majority of us don't expect to find an answer to, not any time soon at least. The lines of thought vary greatly why each and every one of us lives, ranging from the fulfilment of a unique destiny to complete meaninglessness and nihilism.

Some of the greatest thinkers, however, never give up on the question and strive to uncover the essential element behind our reason for being... and thankfully, many of them happen to be authors, like the renowned Paulo Coelho.

June 21, 2016

“Steppenwolf” by Hermann Hesse – Reconciling Our Psyches

Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse (Book cover)
Hermann Hesse was definitely a very unusual person whose life followed a rather difficult path.

Amongst countless afflictions he had to deal with was the deteriorating mental health of his first wife, a variety of physical ailments as well as a non-stop criticism from German nationalists who accused him of being a pacifist during the First World War.

June 15, 2016

“Dead Shift” by Richard Phillips – The End of One Adventure; Only the Start of the Next

Dead Shift by Richard Phillips (Book cover)
The Rho Agenda Inception series, though intended as a prequel, basically became a whole adventure on its own with its set of unique questions and mysteries we're dying to have answers to. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and with Dead Shift, Richard Phillips concludes this series, and with a huge bang no less.

Just a quick disclaimer, though you probably could enjoy this book without having read the two previous ones, I find it doubtful. It is a continuous story, and without context many of the book's events lose meaning and impact. In any case, on with the show!

June 12, 2016

“The Girl in the Ice” by Robert Bryndza – A Chilling Connection

The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza (Book cover)
Serial killers have captured our imaginations since the times of Jack the Ripper; the idea of an unpredictable, homicidal psychopath who cannot be reasoned with really helps to bring out the fear and paranoia within us.

After all, in modern society where most people learn to keep their “dark urges” covert, anyone could potentially be a serial killer, even those close to you.

June 9, 2016

“Dead Wrong” by Richard Phillips – The Elusive Sun Staff

Dead Wrong by Richard Phillips (Book cover)
When the choice between life and death fluttered before the eyes of Jack Gregory, he didn't hesitate much and opted to stay in the world of the living, no matter the cost.

As it turned out, the price he paid was a rather unusual one, as an alien entity became bound to his soul, basically using Jack as a host. What's more, Jack quickly found out that this alien has rather homicidal ambitions and a tendency to cause visions.

June 7, 2016

“One Plus One” by Jojo Moyes – Merging Opposite Worlds

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes (Book cover)
It is said that opposites supposedly attract in life, but most of us have observed that only to be true for magnets. As it happens, people who are quite different tend to have unfulfilling friendships or relationships, if not outright being on bad terms.

Nevertheless, in life as in literature, miracles do happen sometimes and the most surprising combinations can lead to the most unexpected results, as it does Jojo Moyes' One Plus One.

June 3, 2016

“Red Platoon” by Clinton Romesha – Surrounded by Death

Red Platoon by Clinton Romesha (Book cover)
Though wars are quite often depicted in both movies and literature, some of them even lauded for their realism, there is simply nothing that can come close to first-hand accounts of the people who have actually survived through them.

Those of us fortunate enough never to witness war can never really be certain that what we're presented with is an accurate depiction of reality... unless it comes from people like Clinton Romesha, a United States Army solider who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in the 2009 Battle of Keating.

June 2, 2016

“Make Me” by Lee Child – Reaching for the Truth

Make Me by Lee Child (Book cover)
Living life in the shoes of a person such as Jack Reacher is truly hard. A master of all trades and badass in all categories, the same rules that apply to the average person are often forgotten. In situations that most people would much prefer ignoring, Jack will be the one to intervene.

Though that may make him somewhat like a hero, it also draws him onto some dark, twisted and dangerous paths that may very well prove lethal for him, as is the case in one of his newer adventures, Make Me by Lee Child.