The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb

Being born a bastard is unpleasant. Being born a royal bastard is worse: all the fancy titles, the royal education, the privileges, all gone. It even extends to not having a name. However, a royal bastard is not to be underestimated, for they can carry out useful tasks; tasks such as assassinations. The Assassins Apprentice speaks of a royal bastard given the name Fitz at six years old when no name had been chosen. Fitz’s father, Prince Chivalry was next in line to the throne, however, having produced a bastard, Chivalry was humiliated and pressured, which led to him stepping down and eventually being murdered. Fitz grows, and people around him soon realize that he is not only smart, but also a very useful asset. King Shrewd buys Fitz’s loyalty and turn him into a Royal assassin.

I greatly enjoyed this book. It had many adventures and displays a perfect fictional balance. The book has many undermining plots, assassination attempts, magic, and interesting characters. I finished book 1 called the Assassins Apprentice and now I am already well into book 2 Royal Assassin. I greatly recommend this fictional series as I really enjoy entering the world of war, magic, and murder! I would given it a 7/10, for I have read better in this domain, but I still very much like the books. I will keep posting about Book 2 of the Farseer Trilogy. 

Theo Clive-Worms

Our man in Havana

Since I loved the novel "The tenth man", I decided to try out another of Graham Greene's novels. I came across "Our man in Havana". This is the book I am currently reading. It is a lot longer than the one I had read before, as well as, in my opinion, less interesting.

The story takes place in Havana. The main character is a vacuum cleaner retailer, named James Wormold, who is asked to become a spy for the British secret services. His wife had
left him and he is living with his sixteen year old daughter, Milly, who is spoiled and very materiallistic. Since, he isn't earning enough money to support both of them, he decides to accept the job and become a spy as his "side job".

He only tells two of his friends about his secret and decides to keep it from his daughter. Since he knows nothing about being a spy, the man fakes all his reports and makes up "partners". After he realizes that his plan is working, he

I recently finished reading the book "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. I took me a while to get through it, but it was worth it.
The book has 2 love stories in it; one between Jane and Charles and the one between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. The more recognised one is the one between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth is the second daughter of Mr and Mrs Bennet, she is the most sensible and intelligent and very down to earth. On the other hand, Mr Darcy is a rich gentleman from a wealthily family that is self conceded and a bit arrogant. Mr Darcy never falls for the lower class but he ended up falling in love for Elizabeth Bennet and he exposes his feelings to her. As Elizabeth judged his wrongly, she does not accept his offer for marriage but then afterwards realises that she loves him too. They eventually get married in the end.

I really enjoyed this book because it is a very different kind of love story to the ones that I usually read because of the separation of the upper class and the lower class. Being rich is what defines you during that time, so that is how people decided who they were going to marry.
I liked the fact that I could feel the connection between Mr Darcy and Elizabeth from the get go. If i had no idea what the story was about when I ready it, I would have know that Elizabeth and Mr Darcy would have ended up together.

I would most definitely recommend this book to everyone that has a decent level in English.

Tess of the D'Urbervilles pt2

Since Tess's father is unable to go and pick his daughter up because of his drunkenness, Tess goes in search of her father and mother. In this chapter, Mrs D'Urberville reveals to Tess that she has been diagnosed with a serious heart condition: this introduces the topic of astrology and superstition. At the moment, a lot of information is being revealed and many topics are being introduced such as the ones mentioned previously and the topic of purity (first shown at the May Dance).

Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

I have recently started this book by Thomas Hardy, the same author of The Mayor of Casterbridge. An uneducated and poor family in rural England, the Durbeyfields, finds out that they may have noble blood and their name is actually D'Urbervilles. Meanwhile, the eldest daughter of this family, Tess, is at the May Dance where she meets a boy but due to bad timing they're unable to dance together. I am quite taken by this novel and will hopefully be able to finish it this term, so I'll keep you all updated as the story progresses.

The tenth man

The Tenth Man

The novel The tenth man was the first book I read this term. The story takes place in France, where one in ten prisoners is executed. Once the prisoners are told this rule, it is up to them to choose who will be the one to die. There are no volunteers so, in order to avoid conflict, they decide to draw lots. One of the chosen men is a rich lawyer. Therefore he offers the others a deal: If any of them agrees to take his place and die instead, their family will receive all his fortune. Surprisingly, one of the prisoners accepts the deal. A few years pass and the lawyer is released. However, he now has to face the life in Paris with no money, nor a home. This is very difficult, therefore he decides to visit his old house and see whether somebody lives there (presumably the family of the executed prisoner). He uses a false identity and begins work there. He is offered a salary, as well as a place to live. Will the family realise that he is to blame for the death of their relative?

I enjoyed this book so much for many reasons. Firstly, it is fairly easy to read, the language is not too sophisticated, as well as it is easy to follow. Furthermore, there is so much action happening and there is so much suspense that the interest of the reader is present at all times. There aren't too many descriptions either. The story is very interesting and the reader has no idea what will happen until the end. There is also a plot twist.

I strongly encourage you to read this book, because it is truly interesting and you will finish it very quickly.

"Stung" by Joss Stirling

I am reading the book Stung right now and I am nearly finished. I am really enjoying this book. It has got so much action in it so it never gets boring and the story line is amazing. You never know whats going to happen next!

The book is about a girl called Kate who used to be a part of a secret spy association for teenagers (YDA) until she had a mission in Jakarta that went horribly wrong. Her partner completely turned on her and she ended up being framed for several murders which were actually done by the Scorpions which is a huge gang of murderers, kidnappers and drug dealers. She had been on the run for 2 years until Nathan was assigned by the YDA to track her down and bring her back to there. Nathan eventually found her. It was hate at first sight. Kate couldn't think of anything worse than going back to the people who thought that she was a murderer and kept trying to escape from Nathan though eventually he talked some sense into her. She then started to listen to him and he told her that the YDA wanted her to be safe and to make sure that she was ok. Kate then explained what had happened in Jakarta and added that she thought that there might be a double agent in the YDA working for the Scorpions...

The rest of the story revolves around the mystery of who the double agent might be and romance between Nathan and Kate.

I am absolutely loving this book and I really can't wait to find out who the double agent might be. I recommend this book mainly to girls as there is some romance in it although there is a lot of action and mystery in it as well.