THE CASTLE - FRANZ KAFKA

I have to say that I enjoyed The Trial and his short stories more, but that this is perhaps his most disturbing and complete novel. In The Castle Kafka transports the reader to a world of bizarre and surreal extremes, but one that reflects our society and human nature in a rather frightening way. The Castle is a book full of alienation, isolation, difficulty, hopelessness and infuriating bureaucratic measures that to me were quietly terrifying. I think that the book is a fairly difficult read in that it deals with weighty topics often of a very philosophical and metaphysical  nature and describes them in complex and long conversations. I was reminded a little of early greek philosophy where writings consist of imagined conversations to describe philosophical view points. The book is not finished like the other two novels that Kafka wrote, this somehow suits The Castle, making it feel like the travails of the protagonist stretch on forever into infinity. Definitely worth a read for a different way of looking at the world and how to write a novel. No one else creates such labyrinth worlds (except perhaps Borges who often spoke of his love of Kafka) and the parallels between this and modern society are a little chilling (if you have ever tried speaking to any organisation over the phone then you will know what I am talking about). DIRGE.

TREE OF SMOKE - DENNIS JOHNSON

This is by no means a bad book. It has some interesting characters and covers a wide range of themes and scenarios in its setting of South East Asia during the Vietnam War. However it is not a great book either. For me it is slow and ponderous and rather than using its 600 odd pages wisely it seems full of unnecessary detail and tiring prose. I did enjoy this book but for me its not his greatest. I much preferred  Jesus' Hands which is great collection of loosely linked short stories.

FACTOTUM - BUKOWSKI

Not a great deal to say about this except more of the same. Bukowskis second novel about semi-autobiographical character Henry Chinaski details more hilarious stories of low life America. Menial jobs, drinking, women and gambling ensue. I guess you could be disappointed with the similarity to his first novel, personally I reckon he has hit the right formula and so why the fuck would you change it? Righteous.

THE YELLOW BIRDS - KEVIN POWERS

Succeeds where many books about war have failed, particularly those written by ex-servicemen about conflict in the Middle East as this one is. Bravo Two Zero and Jarhead were too much about military jargon and all the other associated bullshit with military. This book is a powerful and compelling story about three men in the Iraq war. Gung-ho Nihilist Sergeant Sterling, childish and detached Private Murphy and the narrator Private John Bartle who tells of his experiences before, during and after the war. This could be a book stuffed full with cliches and horrible genre tropes, but instead this is a brilliant, hallucinatory, sad and daring novel that succeeds to my mind in portraying realistic experiences, thoughts and emotions of those involved in conflict. Written with a poetic verve and with scenes that could so easily have been mishandled by a lesser writer this book is the best I have read in an age. What a first novel! I look forward to his next output. Like a young Cormac McCarthy!

BUTCHERS CROSSING - JOHN WILLIAMS

An extremely well crafted tale about the American frontier in the 1870s. Will Andrews packs in his studies at Harvard and heads west to return to nature and find something of himself. He is soon convinced on heading into the colorado mountains to a hidden valley full of buffalo. Things go wrong and, on their return to the frontier town Butchers Crossing much is changed. The book is a classic portrayal of the American west with hard men and harsh country. There is for me a great sense of futility throughout the book but this is by no means a depressing novel. Overall a well balanced story with gritty characters and an almost perfect style of prose all create a great read. For fans of Blood Meridian et al.

LAST EXIT TO BROOKLYN - HUBERT SELBY JNR.

Somehow despite the horrible fate that meets many of the characters within this book the prose seems to contain a celebration of life in New York. The novel is a collection of stories that fit loosely together, taking place in the same area and with some recurring characters. The stories depict life in New York in an honest and brutal light which is mirrored by the clear and easy to read style of prose. The descriptions never veer from the areas that may be glossed over by other authors and the way he writes speech manages to capture the essence of these people better than any author I can think of. Top stuff. Fucked up people in a fucked up city.

THE BIG SLEEP - RAYMOND CHANDLER

Classic American Hardboiled detective fiction. The book comes complete with twists, turns, tough guy detectives, grifters,gallons of whisky, classy cigarette smoking, fast talking, and of course good looking dames. This is Noir at its best. Clelrly a huge inspiration for films like Chinatown and L.A confidential, this is THE original in this genre. A world of stylish broads and sleazy criminals.