|
| The Night Climbers | 
 enlarge | Author: Ivo Stourton
Publisher: Black Swan
Category: Book
List Price: £7.99
Buy Used: £1.91
You Save: £6.08 (76%)
New (17) from £2.57
Avg. Customer Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 25809
Media: Paperback
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5 x 1
ISBN: 0552773832
EAN: 9780552773836
ASIN: 0552773832
Publication Date: September 11, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence!
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 16 more reviews...
 A poor relation of 'The Secret History' September 28, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have always loved Donna Tartt's `The Secret History' and clearly Stourton does too! The story is told by James, a rather unimaginative and easily influenced student who has recently arrived to study at Cambridge. He falls in with a group of friends and has a major inferiority complex for the next 400 pages. The group comprises of Francis, the illegitimate and bi-racial son of a Lord; Jessica, I think she was supposed to be enigmatic, but instead she was just two-dimensional; Michael, an aspiring politician; and Lisa, a minor character from a Martina Cole novel.
It is interesting that the `blurb' on the back of the book said that James falls in love with Jessica and finds himself in a `fatal love triangle' with the group's leader, Francis. This wasn't the case at all. All the way through James appoints himself as protector of Francis, wanting him all to himself, describing his body and face in minute detail and trying to distance Jessica so that he can have Francis to himself. If anyone, he was in love with Francis not Jessica! Rarely have I read a book which is so unintentionally homo-erotic.
I don't want to completely trash this novel because there were good things about it, but there was also an awful lot wrong; the dialogue was totally unrealistic; I was expecting more about night-climbing than the 10 or so pages that I got; and the influence of `The Secret History' is so apparent that it is difficult to read this book without seeing it as a pale comparison. At times the writing was good, if old-fashioned, so I would be inclined to skip over this one and buy the book that Stourton will write in about five years time.
cambridge rooftops September 25, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Having read Night Climbers of Cambridge by Whipplsnaith I was intrigued by this book. The storyline was inventive but I found Stourton's writing to be a little plodding and quaintly old fashioned. However, it did keep me interested and there are some clever twists, especially in the final pages. I doubt it would have appealed to me though if I hadn't first read Whipplesnaith's book. I will keep an eye out for Stourton's next offering as he does show great promise.
Cambridge rooftops September 25, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Having read Night Climbers of Cambridge by Whipplsnaith I was intrigued by this book. The storyline was inventive but I found Stourton's writing to be a little plodding and quaintly old fashioned. However, it did keep me interested and there are some clever twists, especially in the final pages. I doubt it would have appealed to me though if I hadn't first read Whipplesnaith's book. I will keep an eye out for Stourton's next offering as he does show great promise.
Cambridge rooftops September 25, 2008
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
Having read Night Climbers of Cambridge by Whipplsnaith I was intrigued by this book. The storyline was inventive but I found Stourton's writing to be a little plodding and quaintly old fashioned. However, it did keep me interested and there are some clever twists, especially in the final pages. I doubt it would have appealed to me though if I hadn't first read Whipplesnaith's book. I will keep an eye out for Stourton's next offering as he does show great promise.
 Good, but not great September 15, 2008
I finished this one today and for a first novel it is very well written. It's not my usual sort of book though and whilst I think it is a good story, I wasnt overly keen on the story as a whole. I felt the plot was overshadowed by the depiction of the greed of the 80s and the characters were hateful. But, maybe that is what the author wanted. I'd be interested to read his next book though to see where he goes from here.
|
|
|
Learn how to have your own
Amazon Shop
Travel Maps and Guides
zeugma
| | Holiday Travel |
alpharooms.com for cheap holiday deals in spain and worldwide
Disneyland Paris for a great family holiday or short break.
Holday Cottages throughout Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and France with Cottages4you
Hilton - need we say more, you will find Hilton Hotels in most areas throughout Britain, in cities and in the countryside.
Don't forget Travel Insurance
Airport Parking
|
|
|
|
