A Book under the Sun

written by Richard Matherson There is no doubt that I was drawn to this book only because I had watched Will Smith's portrayal of Robert Neville in a post-apocalyptic world. A recent quote shared in GoodReads had further pushed me to seek this book. The book was the original masterpiece, which of course Hollywood had modified to provide an action oriented cinematic experience with Will Smith at the helm. Although most readers preferred the book's original narrative, I enjoyed the portrayal in both the book and the movie, with a higher bias towards the latter due to the dog. One-liner intro:  One of the earliest attempt to infuse science into a paranormal horror story. Best part:  Scientific thoughts in a paranormal (vampire) story, a slightly unexpected ending Not-so-best part:  Not as exciting; supposedly horror element is not as horrific; the dog which I loved from the movie is not as important

by Richard L. Carpenter illustrations by Paul Davis It has been a hectic year and I was shocked by how much time has flown past since I last typed a blog entry here. Fortunately I got myself a nice read to share here to get myself jump started into continuing in this blog. I have always been interested in the Japanese culture. Their products and cultures have pervaded most of lives nowadays, from the sushi and sashimi bars sprouting everywhere to the manga and anime which I chased with a fervour much like housewives following soaps. My hectic pace of life have not avail me the chance to plan a trip to the land of the Far East, but this book here gave me some preparation on what to expect from this isolated nation. One-liner intro:  What to do and not to do when in Japan (as the title suggested). Best part:  Refreshing look into the nation and its culture; summarized and concise, without too lengthy explanation; examples of what others did wrong when...

by Michelle Brown Note: This is a book review based on a free copy from the author. Many thanks go to the author for this generosity. This book is one of those few which catch me in a grip in the beginning and just force me to flip through the story, trying to unravel the mysteries and know the truth behind. It is, unfortunately, also another book which left me disappointed in its choice to sparingly use obscenities in its story. How employing such useless words in a book could make it into a better story is just beyond me. One-liner intro:  A original page turner of a horror story that is marred by obscenities. Best part:  Imaginative and original future world, which is getting harder to achieve since more and more stories featured an apocalyptic future; exploring a world of liberal gender relationship (this may not be 'best part' for different readers). Not-so-best part:  The use of obscenities, which is an obscenity unto itself; storytellin...

The end of August will see the return of MPH's book sales in Singapore EXPO. With volumes and price cuts to offer for your favorite paperbacks, hardcovers and magazines, this will be a bookworm's chance to replenish his stock, especially if he has missed the golden opportunity to do so in the last GSS (Great Singapore Sales). Date:             30th Aug (Fri) - 1st Sep (Sun) 2013 Admission:   (30th Aug) 3.00p.m. - 9.00p.m.                      (31st Aug - 1st Sep) 9.00a.m. - 9.00p.m. Entry fee:     Free Location:      Singapore EXPO, Hall 6B Website:        Singapore EXPO Events page  (link may expire after the event) View Singapore EXPO in Larger Map

written by James Lovegrove Being in love with Lovegrove’s novel, especially his Pantheon series, could be addictive. Even so, I was rather surprised to find that this latest story following the same pattern to be so disappointing. Although his style of military action never cease to run out of steam throughout the course of the novel, the novelty behind the idea seemed to have dwindled, leaving behind just a husk of a story which tried to continue the legacy of a bestselling series.  One-liner intro: Military action mythical sci-fi coupled with voodoo magic  Best part: Introduction of a relatively misunderstood religion and myth; military action  Not-so-best part: Voodoo priestess playing an unimportant role; lack of grandiose; disappointingly unimpressive gods and their manifestation

Just as the whole of Singapore celebrates the middle of the year with the annual GSS (Great Singapore Sales), so does all libraries in Singapore, but with its Double Your Loan promotion. So what are you waiting for? Go get double the amount you could borrow now! Date:            10 th  June - 11 th  Aug 2013 Admission:   10 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily (libraries within malls will follow the mall's opening hours) Entry fee:     Free Location:      All Singapore public libraries

written by Mark Millar penciled by Bryan Hitch Doctor Doom had been the antagonist of the Fantastic Four for as far back as I had read Marvel Comics. You wouldn’t get one without getting the other, and you wouldn’t get a good Fantastic Four story without exploring how the villain plotted against the family or how he was involved even though the situation didn’t involve Doom directly. As cruel as he gets, even Doom has a master. So who would be powerful enough to make even the evil doctor bow to and call him master?  One-liner intro: A brilliantly engaging read with twists and turns to get you hooked to the question: Who is the Master of Doom?  Best part: Showing that even Doctor Doom has a teacher; death of Uatu (not really…); really surprising twists in the beginning.  Not-so-best part: A rather dull final part wanes off to a rather usual ending; a more brilliant stroke by one of the most brilliant mind in Marvel-verse would be nice.