1984 - George Orwell

Author: George Orwell
ISBN: 978-0-141-18776-1
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 326
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin

"Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skilfully rewrites the past to suit the needs of the Party. Yet he inwardly rebels against the totalitarian world he lives in, which demands absolute obedience and controls him through the all-seeing telescreens and the watchful eye of Big Brother, symbolic head of the Party. In his longing for truth and liberty, Smith begins a secret love affair with a fellow-worker Julia, but soon discovers the true price of freedom is betrayal."

I purchased this book after it was recommended to us by a friend at our flying club. I came home and went straight onto the net where I saw so many good reviews for this book. It sat on the shelf for a couple of months and when I did eventually pick it up, I was hooked.

It's about a man called; Winston Smith who is a Party member and works for the Ministry of Truth, re-writing political history. He finds himself questioning the Ministry and rebels against it.

In the book it talks of a world where no one is safe, you must watch what you think, what you do, how you act, in fear of being reported to the Thought Police, you can trust no one, not even your own family, your own child..... Everywhere you go and everything you do is seen by those who are watching.. I won't go on as I'll end up giving the whole book away.

If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it. I am so glad I read it. Some of it does resemble the world today and the way it is heading.

Don't you just hate it when...

You can't get into the book you're reading? I have tried to read The Host, but didn't feel like I wanted to read it so have put it back onto my TBR pile. Then tried Contact by Carl Sagan, I thought it started off OK then I found myself not being able to take any of the story in. I never used to worry about putting a book down, but putting Contact down made me feel so guilty! I know it's a good book, I love the movie. But may be I have to face I don't get on too well when it comes to reading Sci Fi? Saying that, I'm now reading 1984 by George Orwell lol.

I AM LEGEND BY RICHARD MATHESON.

Author: Richard Matheson
ISBN: 978-85798-809-3
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 160
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Orion

"Robert Neville is the last living man on earth ...but he is not alone. Every other man, woman and child on the planet has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood. By day he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for the dawn. How long can one man survive like this?"

After watching the movie I just had to read the book, I'm a sucker for that. If I love the movie I have to find out if there was a book, and I go and get it. I have to say I totally love the movie, love Will Smith, he's great actor and in 'I Am Legend' he is brilliant!

So, I've read the book and I was not disappointed. My son Jim and his partner Emma, bought this for me, and so it makes the book that bit more extra special. However, if I did dislike it I would say so. But I am happy to announce I love this book.

I was expecting it to be the same story as the movie, after all the book came first, but it isn't. It is like reading about a totally different story. A really good one at that. In the movie they took the basics and created a movie for modern day. However, I thought the book was so good I don't see why they don't make a movie that is true to the book.

In this book there's no Zombies, but Vampires, who are hunting Robert Neville and he must do whatever he can to survive. I won't say more than that. It's a short book of just 160 pages and can easily been read in a day, if you have the time to sit and read it.

I loved the authors style of writing and in some parts of the book I was taken back in memory to when I read The Fog by James Herbert and Pet Semetary by Stephen King. I saw some similarities in the style of writing. I was well and truly hooked. I loved it. :)