With the start of the New Year, as I’ve mentioned previously, it was time to rev up a new season of my Book Challenge. For those who haven’t read any of my previous posts, this is where I challenge myself to read a certain number of books in a year. As an avid reader in my youth who had lapsed, I decided that a challenge of those nature was the best way to kick myself in the rear as it were and get me reading again. This is my third year, but my first year of putting the results on a blog. Each year I’ve read more and more books and I hope I can top last year’s total.
Without further ado, the first book of the year was by an author that I’d sworn never to read a book by. Not to say I’d never read a few pages by him in the past just to see, but this year I read a whole novel by… Tom Holt. I’ve nothing much against Tom Holt. I suppose I tarred him with the same brush as Robert Rankin, who is terrible and unfunny. Tom Holt is merely unfunny, but more of that in a moment.
The book I read was Flying Dutch and in a nutshell it was entertaining, but not in any way funny nor even amusing. But as long as a book is entertaining and easy enough to read, then I can give some leeway. This book was at least breezy and decently-written. I wouldn’t want to unread it.
To sum up the plot, it’s the “real” story of the Flying Dutchman and involves immortality, an unholy stench, and an insurance conspiracy of epic proportions. There isn’t much to the plot, but what “twist” there is I won’t give away here. I can’t say that I would recommend this book as a must read, but then again I wouldn’t tell someone not too. Well, not strongly. There are just much better books out there to read.
Score: 37/100
Book I am Reading Now: The Amazing Adventures Of Cavalier And Clay by Michael Chabon