0.4 by Mike Lancaster
published by Egmont
Challenge: None (read in 2010)
Source: Review Copy (UK paperback)
It's a brave new world.
'My name is Kyle Straker. And I don't exist anymore.'
So begins the story of Kyle Straker, recorded on to old audio tapes. You might think these tapes are a hoax. But perhaps they contain the history of a past world...If what the tapes say are true, it means that everything we think we know is a lie.
And if everything we know is a lie does that mean that we are, too?
This book was completely awesome. It is original in its ideas, was creepy and left you thinking.
The story consists of transcripts of tapes recorded by Kyle describing events that he went through one summer. I loved this format and particularly loved that the end of tapes cut themselves short and you don;t always know what Kyle was about to stay. The story is supposed to have been published several years after they were taped and I loved that every so often an editors note would be added in offering a fuller description of something mentioned or a discussion of what Kyle meant by a phrase. It reminded me of the book "after the hole" by Guy Burt for using such a format (even though they are completely different.
The main story had an "invasion of the body snatchers" idea behind it. Something has happened which is presumably alien which has changed all but a few people. All forms of communication have been cut and the characters can't quite work out what. It is really creepy in places and what I love about it is that as the reader a lot is left often (even the fact that everything actually happened) and it leaves you thinking about what went on as you only view the events from the perspective of a few people.
All in all one of the best books I have read this year which is unique in its ideas and execution. Fab stuff
published by Egmont
Challenge: None (read in 2010)
Source: Review Copy (UK paperback)
It's a brave new world.
'My name is Kyle Straker. And I don't exist anymore.'
So begins the story of Kyle Straker, recorded on to old audio tapes. You might think these tapes are a hoax. But perhaps they contain the history of a past world...If what the tapes say are true, it means that everything we think we know is a lie.
And if everything we know is a lie does that mean that we are, too?
***
The story consists of transcripts of tapes recorded by Kyle describing events that he went through one summer. I loved this format and particularly loved that the end of tapes cut themselves short and you don;t always know what Kyle was about to stay. The story is supposed to have been published several years after they were taped and I loved that every so often an editors note would be added in offering a fuller description of something mentioned or a discussion of what Kyle meant by a phrase. It reminded me of the book "after the hole" by Guy Burt for using such a format (even though they are completely different.
The main story had an "invasion of the body snatchers" idea behind it. Something has happened which is presumably alien which has changed all but a few people. All forms of communication have been cut and the characters can't quite work out what. It is really creepy in places and what I love about it is that as the reader a lot is left often (even the fact that everything actually happened) and it leaves you thinking about what went on as you only view the events from the perspective of a few people.
All in all one of the best books I have read this year which is unique in its ideas and execution. Fab stuff
Comments
The more I hear about this book the more tempted I am to give it a go. We shall see :D
Great review and will get my hubby to loosen the ban to slip this one in.
The cover is captivating and your stamp of approval is the sealer for GET IT.