Official Review: In A Council Estate, Far Far Away...
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
- Leen282
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 28 Mar 2020, 00:53
- Currently Reading: Live Your Life of Abundance
- Bookshelf Size: 134
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leen282.html
- Latest Review: Beautifully Scarred by Cewanda Todd
Official Review: In A Council Estate, Far Far Away...
In his book In A Council Estate, Far Far Away... John E. Statham combines two stories. The first one is about a teenager, Billy Wiggott, growing up in the seventies, living in a council estate, going to high school, and running. He is very good at running, but less so at academic stuff. The second story talks about a spacecraft with aliens visiting our galaxy, getting in trouble, and crash-landing on earth. The aliens performing the crash-landing are Garok and Trudan. Billy, Garok, and Trudan meet and develop a bond. The author provides us with the viewpoints of each of the main characters, against a background of important happenings of the time. He includes details about living circumstances, popular music, the moon landing, and running events.
There are so many things I like about this book. First of all, the author adds a lot of humor to this book. It already starts with the very first sentence of the introduction, which puts a smile on my face. The funny comments and jokes continue to appear at unexpected moments throughout the book.
I also love the numerous typos and grammatical mistakes. It takes some getting used to since they look like genuine errors left after a round of poor editing. However, they are included on purpose; the author intends to write in the style of a young adult who is less than proficient in English. He shows a lot of creativity coming up with different ways of reflecting the teenager's clumsy brain using spelling mistakes. At the same time, language is an integral part of the humor mentioned above. I want to give one example, where the aliens 'are talking through a demise that is late in trans' - also known as a translator.
Further, the book has a lot of unexpected plot twists. In particular, one is a real brainteaser, making me rethink the first part of the book and how I imagined things. I will not say more about this to avoid giving away spoilers.
There is only one thing I like a bit less. On one or two occasions, there is a contradiction in the story. The contradictions are small and do not influence the flow of the story, but it bothers me a bit when Billy puts an item on the dining table before going to bed and waking up the next morning having that same item in his bedroom.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I can recommend this book to anyone who likes reading humorous light stories with a sci-fi element, dated half a century ago. There is no adult content, and hardly any profanity. As mentioned, the book is full of errors, but since this is done on purpose, I did not deduct any points for that.
******
In A Council Estate, Far Far Away...
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
-
- Posts: 346
- Joined: 20 Apr 2020, 04:09
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 14
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kachi-ejiogu.html
- Latest Review: The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings
- Leen282
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 28 Mar 2020, 00:53
- Currently Reading: Live Your Life of Abundance
- Bookshelf Size: 134
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leen282.html
- Latest Review: Beautifully Scarred by Cewanda Todd
Billy's character apparently partly is autobiographic. He's a really cool nerdy sporty teenager. I can recommend the book.Kachi_Ejiogu+_ wrote: ↑29 Jun 2020, 09:32 Despite the contradictions that came up intermittently, I think I love this piece. I'm inclined to believe Billy's character was also developed professionally. Great work.
- NetMassimo
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 6637
- Joined: 24 Jul 2019, 06:37
- Currently Reading: Star Maker
- Bookshelf Size: 426
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-netmassimo.html
- Latest Review: The Ripsons by Joe Morrow
- 2024 Reading Goal: 60
- 2024 Goal Completion: 36%
Massimo
- Leen282
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 28 Mar 2020, 00:53
- Currently Reading: Live Your Life of Abundance
- Bookshelf Size: 134
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leen282.html
- Latest Review: Beautifully Scarred by Cewanda Todd
The inconsistencies are really small, the book is a very enjoyable read.NetMassimo wrote: ↑29 Jun 2020, 11:00 Despite the inconsistencies you mentioned, this seems an intriguing double-story full of humor and twists in a science fiction framework. Thank you for your great review!
- Elvis Best
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: 12 Oct 2017, 02:36
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 86
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-elvis-best.html
- Latest Review: Teething Problems by Mark Fletcher
- Tonika632
- Posts: 661
- Joined: 05 May 2020, 04:27
- Currently Reading: White Night
- Bookshelf Size: 110
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tonika632.html
- Latest Review: Chemicals and Christians by Martha McLaughlin
- Leen282
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 28 Mar 2020, 00:53
- Currently Reading: Live Your Life of Abundance
- Bookshelf Size: 134
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leen282.html
- Latest Review: Beautifully Scarred by Cewanda Todd
I agree, a book with humor always brings that little bit extra.Elvis Best wrote: ↑29 Jun 2020, 15:45 I love books which have lots of humor in them. It really makes for enjoyable reading for me. Great review.
- Leen282
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 28 Mar 2020, 00:53
- Currently Reading: Live Your Life of Abundance
- Bookshelf Size: 134
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leen282.html
- Latest Review: Beautifully Scarred by Cewanda Todd
Totally strange, even surreal at times, very entertaining.
- LinaJan
- Posts: 774
- Joined: 10 Apr 2020, 08:06
- Currently Reading: Zona: The Forbidden Land
- Bookshelf Size: 275
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-linajan.html
- Latest Review: Shifting Sands by Barry Litherland
- Leen282
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 28 Mar 2020, 00:53
- Currently Reading: Live Your Life of Abundance
- Bookshelf Size: 134
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leen282.html
- Latest Review: Beautifully Scarred by Cewanda Todd
I hope you'll enjoy it
- Harty Muli
- Book of the Month Participant
- Posts: 2002
- Joined: 28 May 2020, 09:21
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 273
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-harty-muli.html
- Latest Review: Singularity by Jayme A. Oliveira Filho
- Usma Khann
- Posts: 231
- Joined: 10 Jun 2020, 22:53
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 17
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-usma-khann.html
- Latest Review: The Fox by M. N. J. Butler
- Leen282
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 28 Mar 2020, 00:53
- Currently Reading: Live Your Life of Abundance
- Bookshelf Size: 134
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leen282.html
- Latest Review: Beautifully Scarred by Cewanda Todd
Thanks, it was a pleasure reading this book.
- Leen282
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 28 Mar 2020, 00:53
- Currently Reading: Live Your Life of Abundance
- Bookshelf Size: 134
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leen282.html
- Latest Review: Beautifully Scarred by Cewanda Todd
Indeed. And the different layers fit nicely together. Thanks for stopping by.Usma Khann wrote: ↑30 Jun 2020, 23:45 This novel is definitely composed in a lot of layers and seems to have something for everyone. Appreciate the review.