#28. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

Title:	The Girl Who Played With Fire
Author:	Stieg Larsson
Genre:	Scandinavian Murder/Crime Fiction/Thriller
Synopsis:	Journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander are reunited after a journalist and a scholar are murdered whilst investigating a connection between prostitution, the government and organised crime. An old conspiracy is raked up and intrigue and violence abound as we discover more of Lisbeth's past and some of it comes looking for her.
Verdict:	Larsson’s story and characters continue to be gripping, unexpected and really carefully presented. More pieces of the puzzle are revealed by the picture as a whole is still a mystery.
Pages:	569
Read:	December 2009

#27. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Title:	The Handmaid’s Tale
Author:	Margaret Atwood
Genre:	Post-Apocalyptic Fiction/Thriller
Synopsis:	Via a kind of diary we find the main character in a patriarchal oppressive religious society which is based around infertility and ritual.
Verdict:	This book scared the bejesus out of me on a whole other level. The idea that women’s rights could slowly – or not so slowly – be phased out again, even in a developed country and then completely removed left me feeling panicky and convinced that a) I have never appreciated those rights before and b) I should be doing a lot more personally to cement and advance gender equality. The first person account seemed stream of consciousness rather than recounted later – as it is described in the book – but I was too creeped out be much bothered by that.
Pages:	324
Read:	December 2009

#26. The Hyperion Omnibus by Dan Simmons

Title:	The Hyperion Omnibus
Author:	Dan Simmons
Genre:	Science-Fiction
Synopsis:	Pilgrims on the way to visit the Time Tombs share their stories as an intergalactic war threatens. Their interlacing tales and fates that bring them to this point at this time drive a compelling plot as they try to uncover the divisions within their company and identify the enemies outside their civilisation.
Verdict:	Very layered, intriguing high-concept sci-fi. Impressive and carefully planned.
Pages:	779
Read:	December 2009