Elke

This is a most unusual book. It's divided into (or united by?) 6 different stories which are told in part poetic, part rough language. Each time the reader has finished one of the stories and moves to the next, it's with deepest regret to leave the characters. After a few pages into the new story, you can hardly wait to get on with this one. Most amazing!

Hmmm - it really can't be compared with the first book. However, it's not so bad like I expected. It is a pity, that Frank Herbert just skipped several years and as a reader you can't follow his ideas and thoughts how Paul, Alia and all the others would develop into. Personally, I didn't like the direction the story took but it was nevertheless an interesting read.

This book has got all which makes it a marvellous book. The author managed to describe the main characters in a few well-chosen sentences without tiring descriptions and explanations - brilliant!
The story itself is quite straightforward but never boring - on the contrary. Each chapter brings new aspects of Dune to the reader.

Although I've seen from your reviews and the rating that the second book is not so good, I'll give it a try. At least, I'm forewarned ;-)

Yes, it's very easy to imagine that the situation described in this book will come true. And so it's a very disturbing book if you keep this in mind while reading.
I liked the style of the book very much: Emmi Itäranta didn't try to describe each and every single detail or event in the past. And so the reader has got the chance to live out his or her own imagination - really amazing!

Somewhere I've read about this book, that there was not one dull page in this book - and I can only agree with that. Which is most astonishing, as this book has got 1006 pages (at least, in my edition). As it's such a rich novel, I really don't know where to start and describe only a few keywords:
Footnotes: sometimes separate stories in itself - not annoying at all but a great pleasure.
Mix of history and fantasy: absolutely compelling.
Characters: next to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell the author has created some persons with loving detail (regardless whether it's a good or bad guy).
What a shame that it's over - I would have liked to read on and on ...

The second book with Harry Dresden starts at quite a fast pace and it doesn't stop there. After the first third of the book the story starts with some kind of showdown which you will find in other books only at the end. And the narration holds its pace - it's really incredible how Jim Butcher managed to keep up the suspense for so long. If you intend to read that book: do it on a weekend or when you are on holiday. It's really a pity to have to stop reading because you have to work ...

This book was quite an unexpected brilliant discovery for me. The summary doesn't reveal too much so that the tale could be of any type.
Hmmm - every description I would write, would spoil the fun and excitement for you, so I leave it at that.
Just one more thing: although it's a short story, it has many twists and turns - and although the reader almost always believes to know how the tale will progress: it's wrong - or I'm just bad at guessing ;-).

I've read this book the second time now and it was as indescribably hilarious as the first time.
One could say that Pratchett and Gaimann tried to accommodate too much characters in that tale: prophets, angels and demons, fortune teller and witch-finder, Bikers of the Apocalypse, a gang of kids. As each thread of the tale has its own small and great events it never gets boring.
Beside the Them I like the Bikers most - just to think of their new means of transport and how one of them has taken over the job from another makes me laugh.

With "Anansi Boys", Neil Gaiman has produced a really great piece of literature. It's a combined "Ghost-Voodoo-Comedy-Family"-epic with lovingly portrayed characters. Neil Gaiman conveys the impression to the reader that it took much pleasure to him in writing this novel and narrating stories about: two young men who are sons of a god, old ladies of the neighbourhood (who one could call "witches"), a potential serial killer and - apparently - normal people.
It's real fun to dive into that story: I've enjoyed it completely.

Absolutely charming, delightful stories if you like Victorian (and earlier) settings in England.
In one story you'll recognise a retold fairy tale in others you'll think you are plunged in a Jane Austen novel - all of them with such an amazing subtle touch of magic. It's really wonderful, I loved all stories.

For me the third volume in the series is the best so far. It has got more of a story line, it doesn't seem to be so hectic like the first two. Perhaps Mr Aaronovitch didn't have to explain so much and could concentrate on the narration itself. I'll definitely continue with the fourth volume as I HAVE to know what happens next.