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[jester1470]

Not sure if there are any other fans of Stuart MacBride but he's doing a signing at Waterstones on Saturday.

From his website:

"Waterstones Union Bridge
Aberdeen Signathon!

Yes, on Saturday the 2nd of August you'll find me hunched behind a table in Aberdeen's Union Bridge branch of Waterstones from about 12:30 until people stop turning up. And knowing my luck, that'll be about 12:35.

After that I'm sodding off to the pub - you have been warned ;}#

This is to mark the launch of my Novella SAWBONES, which is kind of cool. In a full of dismemberment and moral-ambiguity kind of way.

What more could you want on a Saturday?"

[Frosty Jack]

ick ick ick. I find MacBride totally unreadable. The 'ooh, I know that place' factor just can't make up for his awful writing style.

[french_disko]

Originally Posted by Frosty Jack

ick ick ick. I find MacBride totally unreadable. The 'ooh, I know that place' factor just can't make up for his awful writing style.

Have to agree - the books are readable only in their simplicity (easy to skim through in a few nights) and the familiarity of the geography.

However, this is also what's annoying about them - the writing is bubblegum lite and the murders that happen round the corner from you seem absurd at times.

His beard also looks really shite in the cover photo.

[Cloud]

I like his books, they scream EVENING EXPRESS/DAILY RECORD at me and that's what makes them readable - I think they're actually intentionally written to be sensationalistic, as reflected in the hack character (forgotten his name and can't find the books to check).

Having said this, I didn't walk through Seaton Park again at night after reading his first book :/

Granted, he's no Rankin - but was Rankin even Rankin after his first few books?

[Alan Cynic]

I quite enjoy them in an un-challenging way, but my mum never forgave him for describing the skyscrapers at Hazlehead as having long corridors, with various flats off of them, when in reality there's a central square with four flats on each floor.

I have inherited this pickyness, sadly

[soundian]

Originally Posted by Alan Cynic

I quite enjoy them in an un-challenging way, but my mum never forgave him for describing the skyscrapers at Hazlehead as having long corridors, with various flats off of them, when in reality there's a central square with four flats on each floor.

I have inherited this pickyness, sadly

I've never forgiven him for calling Queen's Road Queen's Street.
I read the first one while I was travelling and it was alright for that purpose but I've never had the urge to read it again because I don't think I would manage to finish it if I did.

[Shaki]

I read the first 2 and quite like them, average crime pageturners with a local flavour. According to the reviews of the latter 2 his writing gets better so I'll probably read them too. Not bothered about meeting the man or getting his signature though and he does have a crap beard.

Originally Posted by Cloud

Granted, he's no Rankin - but was Rankin even Rankin after his first few books?

yes. he was.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by soundian

I've never forgiven him for calling Queen's Road Queen's Street.

There's quite a few silly little mistakes like that, it's irritating to read. The first book certainly had flaws but I think he's improving a lot, need to pick up the new one.

Used to work with him in my old job (and his seeing as he's now a full time author). Nice guy, great sense of humour. Strange beard.

[daveofficer]

Originally Posted by Chris

Strange beard.

heh.

says you.