The Cult of Information: the Folklore of Computers and the True Art of Thinking - Theodore Roszak

Advantages: I learned something new
Disadvantages: Too many pointless characters, plot loses its way

...conclusion we return to the 1950s where everything is explained and there are some surprises in store. I was pleased some things were at least explained but I felt that this was a lazy way to achieve this. To introduce the characters and draw you in at the beginning in this way was an excellent device but to use the same means to provide a scant conclusion seemed like cheating to me. It would be dishonest of me to say I didn't enjoy this novel but it certainly wasn't what I was expecting and definitely not what the blurb suggested. A novel without clues ought not to be described as a mystery yet all of the publisher's information pointed to that genre. I think it would have been more advantageous for the publishers to play on the "noir" style of the novel, the intrigue and the darkness that had the hallmarks of a 1940s thriller. Vaguely... Read review

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Advantages: Diverting and amusing
Disadvantages: Trivial omissions

...those 'Bluffer's Guide to...' books. And Jack Nicholson is on the cover instead of Arnie. Kicking off with a definition of what makes a 'cult movie', the introduction sets the tone for pretty much the whole book. While going into some detail about what constitutes a cult film, consulting dictionaries and setting out a few of the selection criteria for the films listed later in the book, the author also takes time to have a pop at little-loved stinkers like Howard The Duck and the Police Academy series. There is little pandering to readers, and little reverence in this book. If the writers think a film is rubbish they will blast it, and quite right too. If you can't back up an opinion, you don't deserve the right to voice it. Next up comes a brief history of cinema, from its silent origins to the present day. This is a bold move - as... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Good second half, some interesting details
Disadvantages: Clunky plot, a bit meandering

...halfway through it was much better. The main character is Adelia - "The Mistress of the Art of Death" - i.e a forensic pathologist. Her struggle to conceal her profession is quite prominent in the plot as female doctors were unusual in the twelfth century. She is helping Simon of Naples discover the killer through the clues left on the bodies of the victims. I found this quite interesting although I'm not sure how realistic it would be in the twelfth century. The plot does wander a bit as it is so concerned with Adelia and her origins and training. The character of Rowley (the King's so-called tax inspector) is ok but the romance seems to have been thrown in as a bit of an afterthought and didn't add anything to the story for me. Mansur and Gyltha offered some light relief as the servants as did Gyltha's grandson Ulf. Simon of Naples was... Read review

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