Onslow College

54,419 pages read and 3,477 team points

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R.Kennedy

22,106 pts

(19,814 pages read)

Lady of Quality

By Georgette Heyer

4 stars

Two strong-willed main characters and an abundance of interesting supporting characters make this an interesting book. Dialogue driven - don't expect any action-packed scenes.
Sprig Muslin

By Georgette Heyer

5 stars

Delightfully hilarious. I love how the characters are full of quirky flaws and how the misadventures and misunderstandings abound.
Bath Tangle

By Georgette Heyer

5 stars

Georgette Heyer is the natural successor to Jane Austen but with a little more humour injected. Very character driven.
The Death of Chaos

By L.E. Modesitt

3 stars

I enjoyed this book up to the end where it was highly disappointing. It was signalled but still disappointing. Maybe the author had a deadline and the book was getting too long.
Servant of the Empire

By Raymond E Feist and Janny Wurts

4 stars

Still really enjoying this series. A lot happens in this book, more characters are introduced and the machinations of the great game continue unabated. Really interesting world fleshed out in detail. Looking forward to the last book.
Daughter of the empire

By Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts

5 stars

Amazing. Combines the best of both authors. Takes place in the worlds of Feist but has the sensitivity and female perspective of Wurts. Starts with a bang and will have you turning pages until the end.
The Order War

By L.E. Modesitt

4 stars

Another interesting tale from Recluce. Plenty of action in this one. Modesitt again follows the theme of the underdog winning despite overwhelming odds.
Over Work

By Brigid Schulte

4 stars

This is a recent book, published last year. I was horrified by the situation in the US where there is virtually no protection for workers. It is based on what I term rampant capitalism, where workers are not seen as people. Women are disadvantaged along with pretty much anyone who is not a white middle class male. Schulte also compares this with the Japanese culture of overwork and the term karoshi - death from overwork. This is mirrored in South Korea and China. Japan has now changed regulations to prevent karoshi but this has not appreciably changed the culture. Schulte points out that this leads to a lot of inefficiency as in both US and Asian cultures the appearance of hard work matters more than the outcome. For example Japanese workers work the longest hours but register among the lowest productivity rates of all advanced countries. She compares this to Iceland which has a 36 hour working week and a focus on wellbeing of workers and has much higher productivity. Workers in Iceland have more energy, take fewer sick days and are happier. Very thought-provoking book with lots of examples.
The Magic Engineer

By L.E. Modesitt

4 stars

Though rather long, this fantasy story progresses reasonably well, though again there is a lot of day to day description that is probably unnecessary. Explores themes of good and evil and how parents can put expectations on children according to their desires rather than letting them be their own person. You can't force a square peg into a round hole.
The Towers of the Sunset

By L.E. Modesitt

4 stars

The harrowing tale of the foundation of Recluce. Against all odds the protagonists succeed in making their way across the country, and then across the sea to found a new nation, while being harassed on all sides by enemies. They then have to defeat the forces of evil to develop it.
Would that be funny?

By Lorin Clarke

3 stars

Partly biographical, partly autobiographical and plenty of humour. Lorin writes about her life as John Clarke's (AKA Fred Dagg) daughter. Though born in NZ, Clarke moved to Australia in 1977 so most of his career and life - especially as recounted by Lorin - was there. However, Fred Dagg was the quintessential NZ farmer and arguably his most famous persona. Heartwarming and humorous but a little disjointed to read.
The Magic of Recluce

By L.E. Modesitt Jr.

4 stars

The first book in the Recluce series. Written in first person. (Modesitt seems to experiment with the perspectives and tenses of his writing.) This first of his many coming-of-age stories is not too bad. He develops his ideas more fully in later books. The series is not chronological.
Rosy is my relative

By Gerald Durrell

5 stars

Gerald Durrell is probably best known for the mini-series 'The Durrells' based on his early autobiographical books of his life with his family on the Greek Island of Corfu. This is a novel but delightfully infused with the same irreverent sense of humour. There were several moments when I had to smother laughter so I didn't disconcert the rest of my family while reading in the lounge. Hilarious and heartwarming.
Overcaptain

By L.E. Modesitt

3 stars

Sequel to from the forest. Long book with very little happening. A couple of more exciting bits at the beginning and end with mainly day to day happenings in the middle. Also written in present tense which can be a bit distracting at first.
From the forest

By L.E. Modesitt Jr

4 stars

I tend to binge read an author so yet another story about Recluce. Modesitt tends to jump around time periods so we are back at an earlier time in Recluce history when the mirror lancers were the peace keepers. Very classic Modesitt.
Why Q needs U

By Danny Bate

5 stars

A delight for anyone interested in linguistics, spelling or history. We find out how the English Alphabet developed and why words are spelt the way they are. However, it is told with humour and by examining each letter one by one. Great read. Highly recommended.
Fairhaven Rising

By L.E. Modesitt Jr

3 stars

Was a bit slow moving for much of the book, which means that probably only fans would survive to where the action occurs. A fairly typical L.E. Modesitt storyline. I was definitely a fan of his earlier books but these later ones seem awfully familiar.
Fat loss plan

By Matt Roberts

3 stars

A great step by step plan for if you live in the UK. Otherwise the food plan might be tricky. We don't have much turkey and swordfish in the supermarkets here. Gives exercise and food plan for every day for 8 weeks. I assume that if you follow it you will become lean, fit and fabulous. If only reading a weight loss book had had the same effect.
Becoming Aotearoa

By Michael Belgrave

4 stars

This slowed me down a bit! However, 'Becoming Aotearoa' is a comprehensive history of New Zealand that should be read by anyone wanting to understand New Zealand and New Zealanders. It is exceptionally comprehensive but includes lots of stories and details to keep interest. As well as historical accounts, it covers the economic and political background of the times and goes right up to the present day.
Colors of Chaos

By L.E. Modesitt Jr

4 stars

Sequel to the White Order. It follows Cerryl in becoming the youngest head mage in Recluce history. A fair bit of economic and political theory involved in explaining the reasoning behind motivations and events.
The White Order

By L.E. Modesitt Jr

4 stars

Part of the Recluce Series - a fantasy series describing the clashes between chaos and order. Fairly enjoyable. L.E. Modesitt describes the action but leaves a lot of reading between the lines. If you know the series, this is telling the story from the chaos point of view and sets up the idea that perhaps chaos is not all bad and order is not all good.
Black Beauty

By Anna Sewell

5 stars

This was a favourite when I was a child. Written from the perspective of a horse in the 1800s, it highlights the plight of horses in their heydey, when they were the primary means of transport. There is quite a lot of social commentary (which I didn't notice as a child) and I suspect Anna Sewell was quite ahead of her time as an advocate for animal rights.
The gift of not belonging

By Dr Rami Kaminski

3 stars

Interesting book. Dr Kaminski is a psychiatrist who has come up with the term 'otrovert' for someone who is neither extravert nor introvert. Otroverts are socially capable, emotionally independent and enjoy rich one-to-one relationships. However, they feel isolated in crowds and often misinterpreted as standoffish. The book frames otroverts in a positive way and give validation for those who feel they don't quite fit the mould but would never rebel outwardly and try their best to fit in while not really needing to. If you are confused, don't worry, you are not likely to be an otrovert. If you are interested, there is a quiz you can take at the end of the book to see if you are likely to be one or not. Apparently, I'm likely to be an otrovert. However, I score highly on most psychiatry quizzes so I'll take that with a grain of salt.
The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King

By J.R.R. Tolkien

5 stars

Everything comes together in this last book of the Lord of the Rings. It all looks fairly dire but of course Frodo and Sam win through and all the main characters make it to the end. However, I would not recommend reading all the Appendices like I did. Far too dense with information and only for die-hard fans.
The bookseller at the end of the world

By Ruth Shaw

4 stars

Extraordinary autobiography interspersed with vignettes about books and book buyers. Ruth has been in dark and dangerous places both physically and mentally but her humour and resilience still shines through. Was quite different than I thought from the title.
The Lord of the Rings - The two Towers

By J R R Tolkien

5 stars

This is where the Fellowship splits into two main stories. We first follow Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas chase after Pippin and Merry and discover the fate of Gandalf. Then we follow Frodo, Sam and Gollum as they try to get into Mordor. Again the book is more engaging than the films, which I found a little overwrought. Though much of the story is fairly well told in the movies, it is hard to capture the depth of the characters and the tone of the book. I advise fans of the movies to read the book (books) if you haven't already.
The mysterious affair at Styles.

By Agatha Christie

4 stars

Early Agatha Christie introducing Hercule Poirot. Lots of clues leading us to suspect a series of different individuals. Can Poirot sort out the clues and solve the mystery? Of course he can. I hadn't read any Agatha Christie before although I've seen several movies.
Red Rocks

By Rachael King

5 stars

Great read. As a Wellingtonian, I could relate to the characters and recognise the places in the story. A mix of real life and Celtic myth, this book takes you on a journey of discovery. Very enjoyable read.
The Fellowship of the Ring

By J.R.R. Tolkien

5 stars

I hadn't read this since well before the movies came out. The book really is superior in all ways. Tolkien's humour and simple descriptive writing wins through. His world building is unsurpassed. You can't help being drawn into the story and experiencing it with and through the characters.
The Last Battle

By C.S. Lewis

2 stars

Now I remember why this was my least favourite book in the series. Though some parts were novel, they were unbelievable. (I mean, the Narnians don't question why Aslan is doing evil????) I also felt the ending was too trite. Oh they all die in the end and live happily ever after. Except Susan. Poor Susan.
The Silver Chair

By C.S. Lewis

4 stars

A good story with lots of setbacks for the main characters.
The horse and his boy

By C.S. Lewis

4 stars

This is one of my favourites of the Narnia series. It's great when a horse is one of the main characters.
The Origins of an Experimental Society: New Zealand 1769-1860

By Erik Olssen

4 stars

This has taken me since the challenge began to read as I can only cope with bits at a time. It is a heavy read but extremely interesting. It begins with the arrival of James Cook in New Zealand and takes us through the colonisation of New Zealand by Europeans. It gives context to the political, sociological and ideological background of the times. I particularly like the objective tone to the book and how every statement is thoroughly and meticulously researched. It neither vilifies nor romanticises but rather describes how New Zealand came to be so unique.
The Colour of Magic

By Terry Pratchett

3 stars

The first (and far from best) book in his Discworld series. It introduces the Discworld and Rincewind - one of his most beloved and wacky characters. It is a bit disjointed and lacks the clever wit of later books but is still a deliciously irreverent read - parodying anything and everything he can twist his mind to. P.S. it ends on a cliffhanger - requiring you to read 'The light Fantastic' to find out what happens next.
Northanger Abbey

By Jane Austen

2 stars

Boring. I thought it would be similar to Pride and Prejudice, which was both humorous and often insightful. However, this book was not either of those. No wonder she had difficulty getting this published!
All Things Bright and Beautiful

By James Herriot

5 stars

More heartwarming and hilarious stories from a country vet in the Yorkshire Dales 1930s - 40s. Very interesting to read about how vets worked before the modern drugs and techniques were available.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

By C.S. Lewis

4 stars

Another great adventure with the same characters from Prince Caspian, with the addition of Eustace - a thoroughly unlikeable boy who is given the opportunity to redeem himself.
The Magician's Nephew

By C.S. Lewis

4 stars

A glimpse into a by-gone age of innocence and fantasy. I remember being terrified by parts of the book when a child however.
The Secret Garden

By Frances Hodgson Burnett

4 stars

Another classic I hadn't read before. Though today's taste might find it a bit slow moving, it still contains enough 'magic' to delight, especially if you want a heart-warming positive story.
Jane Eyre

By Charlotte Bronte

4 stars

Despite being written in 1847, it is surprisingly readable once you get past the rather plodding, dense language. Took longer than usual to read a book of this size however - nearly 6 hours.
Falcon for a Queen

By Catherine Gaskin

4 stars

Another rather depressing drama. Fine if you don't mind half the main characters dying. Great descriptive writing however, evoking the period and setting.
All Creatures Great and Small

By James Herriot

5 stars

Hilarious and sometimes poignant recount of a vet's experiences in 1930s - 40s Yorkshire.
Fiona

By Catherine Gaskin

4 stars

Don't look for happy endings here. A fraught drama set in 1830s West Indies.
Magnificat

By Norman Thelwell

5 stars

Very amusing for lovers and haters of cats.
Credible

By Mark Jackson PHD

4 stars

Quite controversial book in that it examines the evidence for or against some of the central beliefs in Judaism, Christianity - including Catholicism, and Islam. Very interesting approach. Mark Jackson (a pseudonym understandably) is a criminologist and private investigator so is looking at evidence and balance of probabilities.
Prince Caspian

By C.S. Lewis

4 stars

I am enjoying revisiting the book series I read and reread as a child. These books are fairly timeless.
The Jilter

By Kate Archer

4 stars

Another quick but fun read. Over the top characters in a mad romp with a little mystery thrown in.
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

By C.S. Lewis

4 stars

Great children's classic. Good holiday read either to or with children. Still has the same charm as when I read it ahem years ago.
Everything but the Medicine

By Lucy O'Hagan

4 stars

Quirky read with some very poignant moments. Real and thought-provoking.
The Undaunted

By Kate Archer

4 stars

A fun read with amusing characters. The plot rolls merrily along with a bit of mystery thrown in.
The Temptation of Lady Serena

By Ella Quinn

1 stars

Mmm. Read on recommendation but not my cup of tea. Pretty tedious and trite 'romance'. Good for sending you to sleep at night.
The Champion

By Kate Archer

5 stars

A likeable protagonist, a threatening villain, an unlikely hero who is managed by his butler and some meddling middle aged ladies. All the recipe for mayhem, especially when you throw in random animals that need rescuing and a huge untrained canine. Another fun read from Kate Archer.

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Onslow College

54,419 pages read and 3,477 team points

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