Disturbia

by Christopher Fowler | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0751519103 Global Overview for this book
Registered by rem_DYI-991976 on 8/29/2004
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17 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by rem_DYI-991976 on Sunday, August 29, 2004
Duplicate copy for bookcrossing.

Highly recommended. Christopher Fowler is a British horror writer who has a very dark twisted sense of humour and writes London brilliantly and vibrantly. I promote him through bookcrossing because I think it is a shame that such a good British talent is unknown even here.

This is one of his best.

From the blurb:
'After this city hits midnight, everyone becomes equal. That's when anything can happen.

It's 2am and Vincent Reynolds is running for his life through the stormswept London streets. He's discovered a secret and wants to tell the world - if he can stay alive till dawn.

His adversary - an English gentleman obsessed with puzzles, playing his deadliest game.

His allies - a motley crew of insomniacs, misfits and street people.

His only hope - to discover the solutions to ten lethal challenges that will lead him, from dusk to daybreak, through the nightlife of a hidden city hidden even to its inhabitants...'

One review from amazon:
'After having picked this wonderful book up by accident , i do have to say that Christopher Fowler just might be one of the best writers i have seen, fast paced and well thought out and a very good understanding of Old london history, i really couldn't put it down , i was left shaking and eager for more of his work , so i bought everything i could find of his and i'm going to read all of them one after the other.'

Journal Entry 2 by rem_DYI-991976 on Friday, September 17, 2004
Book Ring Rules (Adapted from psychjo and kleptokitty)

1) Everybody should leave a journal entry when receiving the book and after the read! Please let us all know what you think about it...
2) Also PM the next person on the list for a mailing address and when that person doesn't answer within 7 days MAX! please PM the one after...
3) Everybody should also try to read the book soon (max - one month?)- but in a joyful speed. It's not about how many books someone can read within a certain amount of time - it's about enjoying it...
4) You can send the book via surface mail or airmail - that is completely up to you.
5) If you find you don't have the time to read it when it's your turn please PM and I'll move you to a later slot.
6) Enjoy :-)


Participants

Rachels-ratty (UK)
Netstation (UK)
Perfect-circle (UK)
Glitterlover (UK)
Chelseagirl (UK)
Fellraven (UK)
Zab (UK)
Molyneux (UK)
Allycat898 (UK)
KathyS (UK)
Celestewa (Australia)
crimson-tide (Australia)
catsalive (Australia)
GateGypsy (Japan)
Firegirl (US)
PrincessAurora (US)
Amaranta20 (US)
Mytilus (UK)
Flambard (UK)
UrbanSpaceman (UK)
Concertina8 (Austria)
Kirlepigen (Denmark)
Dodau (UK)
Myopicmeringue (UK)
Lpree (US)
Koalabare (UK)
joannascott (UK)
DP31 (US)
ldpaulson (US)
mrsordonez (US)
icekween01 (US)
sunlightbub (UK)
Miss-R (UK)
catrionamoore (UK)
lottiotta (UK)
rmg (UK)
rillaith (UK)
jherusalem (US)
heles7 (UK)
moonysshadow (Germany)
angellica (UK)
coolboxuk (UK)
neverbelilith (UK)
WelshHelen (UK)
soffitta1 (UK)
fireflywishes (US)
MandaJo (US)
ajsmom (US)
yvensong (US)
...
back to me (UK).

Journal Entry 3 by rem_DYI-991976 at book ring in a RABCK, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Friday, September 17, 2004

Released 19 yrs ago (9/17/2004 UTC) at book ring in a RABCK, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

On way to start the ring.

Journal Entry 4 by short-rach from Hucknall, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Catch! Brought to my door first thing this morning by a perpetually smiling and whistling postie. He's on something I swear ;-)

T'is is my bag already - shall be diving into it as soon as my backside hits *my* seat on the bus in a short while!


Journal Entry 5 by short-rach from Hucknall, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Friday, September 24, 2004
Most excellent, I'm getting quite into Christopher Fowler now, thanks Nia!

Loved the dark humour, the puzzles, the solidity of the characters. Another winner, what more can I say?

Nia popped a secret quote from the book under the address label on the envelope. As I can't do that (handing book over) I shall pop mine here!

"They were still waiting for a train on the empty platform at Golders Green station. The electronic board above them promised to deliver one in five minutes. London Transport minutes were longer than real-life minutes, and could be stretched infinately" pg 137.

With Nia's permission the order has been slightly adjusted - this is heading to Netstation before perfect-circle ('cause I'm tight about postage!!)

HANDED TO NETSTATION - 25/09/04

Journal Entry 6 by wingNetstationwing from Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom on Sunday, September 26, 2004
Collected from Rachels-ratty at yesterday's meet-up in Nottingham, thanks, and thanks also to Daemonwolf for setting up the ring. I'll journal again when I've finished it.

Journal Entry 7 by wingNetstationwing from Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom on Thursday, October 21, 2004
An excellent introduction to Christopher Fowler, I enjoyed this a lot. I like books where the author feels comfortable to introduce little allusions and in-jokes, but still maintains the pace of the plot. Dark humour, conspiracy theories, the realms of academe, and some truly gruesome events all mix together quite happily and, though the denouement was not entirely unexpected, Fowler handles it well. The author only occasionally falters but those small slips are easy to overlook when one is fully absorbed in the narrative.

The puzzles are great fun. I could solve two, have a guess at another two, but the other six completely defeated me. Then again I didn't have an Insomniacs Club to help * me * out. Thanks for sending this out on a ring Daemonwolf. I now have yet another author to look out for!

On to perfect-circle tomorrow to get the ring back in order.

Journal Entry 8 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Thursday, October 28, 2004
arrived today and will be read next.

Journal Entry 9 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Thoroughly enjoyed this, possibly even more than Psychoville, even though I didn't manage to solve a single one of the clues! Again, excellent writing and totally unable to put this down for too long. I'll definitely be seeking out more of Fowler's books.

Off to Glitterlover in the next couple of days.

Journal Entry 10 by perfect-circle at on Saturday, November 6, 2004
Released on Saturday, November 06, 2004 at about 7:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Postal Release in Controlled release, England United Kingdom.

RELEASE NOTES:

posted to glitterlover today

Journal Entry 11 by GlitterLover from Leyland, Lancashire United Kingdom on Sunday, November 21, 2004
received in the post so ready to read. Just finished Perfume and I think this may follow rather nicely.

Journal Entry 12 by rem_DYI-991976 on Sunday, December 12, 2004
Hi, just an update. I'm not posting any books out between now and January 5th for fear of losing them in the Yule deluge of post. Can I just ask that this book is held back till then. Happy holidays, all. :)


Journal Entry 13 by GlitterLover from Leyland, Lancashire United Kingdom on Friday, January 7, 2005
I don't usually read horror genre by choice. I was drawn in to the ring by the setting of London and secret parts of it's history.
How apt.
I have stormed through this book unable to let go of it and it has filled my thoughts when I have been unble to prioritise reading.
The conclusion doesn't sit well with me, not for any political or class opinion but it just seemed a little too unsubtle given the rest of the tale. Maybe it needed fleshing out a little more to give it the weight.
Great read though, it is always satisfying to be introduced to a new author and one that keeps me spellbound at that.
Thanks Daemonwolf!

Journal Entry 14 by chelseagirl from Faringdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Friday, January 21, 2005
Oops I've done it again - signed up for a ring and promptly forgotten all about it! What a lovely surprise having a book drop through the letterbox unexpectedly!!

Having read a couple of serious books recently, I'm now partway through some fluffy pink chick lit, but this is next in the pile - looking forward to it!

Journal Entry 15 by chelseagirl from Faringdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 1, 2005
I think I'm going to be the party pooper here - I was a bit disappointed by this book, though that is possibly because I'm in a bit of a blue fug at the moment :0(

It took me an incredibly long time to get going on this - I'd read a chapter at bedtime and then fall asleep on the first paragraph of the next one, and wasn't inspired enough to pick it up during the day. Over the weekend I had some free time and read about half the book – once I’d got through the first few chapters, which are really an introduction to the characters, I became more interested because of the thought of the puzzles - which are after all the main thrust of the novel. Unfortunately I quickly realised that I didn't have the faintest idea about any of the clues (well, I half got one) and from then on I was just reading the book to get it finished. I didn’t really identify with any of the characters and the ending especially was very disappointing, IMHO.

I didn't NOT enjoy Disturbia, but I didn't especially enjoy it either; as I said, though, that may be more to do with my mood than the book itself. I have another Christopher Fowler novel, Psychoville, in my TBR pile so will give him another chance when I'm more cheerful!

Thanks for organising the ring, daemonwolf! I'll contact Fellraven for an address and pass this on asap.

Journal Entry 16 by chelseagirl from Faringdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 1, 2005
I think I'm going to be the party pooper here - I was a bit disappointed by this book, though that is possibly because I'm in a bit of a blue fug at the moment :0(

It took me an incredibly long time to get going on this - I'd read a chapter at bedtime and then fall asleep on the first paragraph of the next one, and wasn't inspired enough to pick it up during the day. Over the weekend I had some free time and read about half the book – once I’d got through the first few chapters, which are really an introduction to the characters, I became more interested because of the thought of the puzzles - which are after all the main thrust of the novel. Unfortunately I quickly realised that I didn't have the faintest idea about any of the clues (well, I half got one) and from then on I was just reading the book to get it finished. I didn’t really identify with any of the characters and the ending especially was very disappointing, IMHO.

I didn't NOT enjoy Disturbia, but I didn't especially enjoy it either; as I said, though, that may be more to do with my mood than the book itself. I have another Christopher Fowler novel, Psychoville, in my TBR pile so will give him another chance when I'm more cheerful!

Thanks for organising the ring, daemonwolf! I'll contact Fellraven for an address and pass this on asap.

Journal Entry 17 by Fellraven from Redditch, Worcestershire United Kingdom on Thursday, February 10, 2005
Received from chelseagirl in today's post - many thanks. I shall read this next. Nice bit of male flesh on the cover too.

Journal Entry 18 by Fellraven from Redditch, Worcestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Funnily enough I rather agree with Chelseagirl about this book. It didn't hold my attention in the way I had expected it to and I kept picking it up, reading a couple of chapters and then putting it down again. It was, indeed, touch and go a few times as to whether I'd persevere with it.

This novel was "clever" rather than truly engrossing, the creation of night-time atmosphere depended too heavily for my taste on endless references to the rain (which may or may not have been an in-joke). What I didn't feel in reading it was any real sense of imminent danger or threat. I'm down for the Psychoville ring as well so it will be interesting to compare the two.

Of the tasks or challenges, I worked out numbers 1, 4 (but probably only because it's been the subject of a TV drama-documentary very recently) and 10 (which draws on one of those "Eny fule kno" type of bits of general knowledge), which I suppose isn't too bad considering I know bugger all about London.

Anyway, off to Zab who, according to his bookshelf, lives in "Hebden Bridge, England, Australia".

Journal Entry 19 by Zab from Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, February 26, 2005
Thank you for the book Fellraven. I received it on Thursday. All the journal entries make this sound like a hard read, but I'll find out soon enough.

Journal Entry 20 by Zab from Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, March 13, 2005
A reasonably good read, I thought. All characters were hard to identify with, and the London-based trivia were a bit tiring. But with Christopher Fowler you know that the story is prone to some weird twists.

The book is now winging its way to Molyneux.

Journal Entry 21 by Molyneux from Oxford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Friday, March 18, 2005
Received this book a couple of days ago - thanks Zab! I too had forgotten I'd signed up for this ring, but after reading the reviews I'm really looking forward to it - my introduction to Christopher Fowler - so going to begin this weekend!

Journal Entry 22 by Molyneux from Oxford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Monday, March 21, 2005
I started this book on Friday night & finished it off at lunch time today - just couldnt put it down! What an excellent book it is - well worth reading & I will now look out some more novels by this author.

I loved the puzzles - but I couldn't help thinking back to the London Renegades Treasure Hunt back in September...thank goodness their clues weren't so sinister!

On to Alleycat898 when I have an address.

Journal Entry 23 by Molyneux from Oxford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Monday, April 18, 2005
Posting it off to the next person on the list today!

Journal Entry 24 by allycat898 from Lincoln, Lincolnshire United Kingdom on Friday, April 29, 2005
Thanks for the book, just finished a book so this will be my next.

Ally.

Journal Entry 25 by allycat898 from Lincoln, Lincolnshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Found the start of the book a bit slow going, but enjoyed it once I got engrossed. Didnt solve any of the clues though. Well worth the read. I'll pass it on once i get KathyS address. Thanks for sending this out on a ring.

Journal Entry 26 by allycat898 from Lincoln, Lincolnshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Posted off to KathyS today.

Journal Entry 27 by KathyS from Ramsey, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Thursday, May 19, 2005
Arrived safely this morning and is next on my TBR pile. I'm hoping this will mean that it will be moving again within the month but RL has meant that reading has taken a bit of a back seat just recently. But I'll keep you posted!

Journal Entry 28 by KathyS from Ramsey, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Monday, May 30, 2005
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. But then I'm biased as I LOVE London and it was great to be able to picture Vincent standing in Covent Garden or Red Lion Square.

But, like Glitterlover, I was disappointed with the ending. Having been on Vincent's side all the way through, I felt let down that he'd made the decision that he did - but hey, maybe that's the point! Who could say that they would do differently in his position?

My first experience of Christopher Fowler, I shall definitely be seeking him out again. Thanks for sharing Daemonwolf :o)

This will be on it's way to Australia and Celestewa as soon as possible.

RELEASE NOTES:

Hope it arrives safely at Celestewa's house in Australia :o)

Journal Entry 30 by celestewa from Perth City, Western Australia Australia on Tuesday, June 7, 2005
This book arrived today in Perth WA. Thanks to KathyS for posting it to me.

Journal Entry 31 by celestewa from Perth City, Western Australia Australia on Saturday, July 9, 2005
Disturbia was a very good title for this book, at times I felt a little uncomfortable. I loved the puzzles, I couldnt have solved them myself without a hell of a lot of research. I just loved the academics!

Having had only one fleeting visit to London didnt stop me enjoying the book, but I can imagine it would have been even better if I was a a local. I didnt expect the ending, which was also good.

Posted to crimson-tide on 12th July 05

Journal Entry 32 by wingcrimson-tidewing from Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Friday, July 15, 2005
Received safely - thanks.
I think it is number 4 on the list.

Journal Entry 33 by wingcrimson-tidewing from Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Sunday, August 21, 2005
I found this a pretty average read. Not wonderful but not bad enough to give up on. The beginning was slow, the characters all pretty one dimensional and the writing not all that great. Once the hunt was on I was more involved, but hey, you can't expect to end up with a really decent book just based on ten or eleven puzzles. Perhaps I missed all the little allusions and in-jokes Netstation was referring to; after all I don't even live in the UK, let alone London, although I did live in North London for 18 months waaaay back in the mid 80s. I kinda half solved 2 of the puzzles, but the others were beyond me.

The sections with the insomniac academics (plus detective) added some light comic relief from all that interminable rain and darkness, and imho were actually the better written parts. Hmmmm......

And the ending? Very disappointing and totally unrealistic I thought. As if he had to have a twist of some sort and that was the best he could come up with, but it just did not sit at all well with the rest of the plot and character development up to that point.

Off to catsalive tomorrow.

Journal Entry 34 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Monday, August 29, 2005
I received this today, thanks.

Journal Entry 35 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Monday, September 19, 2005
I have mixed feelings about this. Some of the darker parts were interesting but it didn't really grab me. I found it very slow going to begin with, parts of the chase quite good, the Insomnia Club excellent & the ending disappointing. I think I must have missed the in-jokes & I didn't even bother trying to solve the puzzles. I had to force myself to continue by having nothing else to read on the train. I'm still looking forward to trying the other Fowler books I'm signed up for, but I hope I find them more satisfying.

Thanks daemonwolf and crimson-tide. I PMd GateGypsy a while back but have yet to receive an address. I'll leave it another week before moving on to the next in line.

Posted to GateGypsy 26/9/5.

Journal Entry 36 by GateGypsy from Ladysmith, British Columbia Canada on Friday, October 7, 2005
Arrived in the mail the other day. Safe and sound. There are a couple of rings ahead of it, but I shall get to it ASAP. Thanx!

Journal Entry 37 by GateGypsy from Ladysmith, British Columbia Canada on Monday, October 17, 2005
Well, it was a fun read, and quick, which is good. The cover lies flat out: never at any point in the story does the main character end up running anywhere near Big Ben in torn jeans, shirtless. *laughs* In fact, it's raining or snowing in the vast majority of the book. Aside from a glaring plothole or two, I enjoyed this book, though it was absolutely nothing like what I expected (and I couldn't explain what I had expected in the first place.) I learned a couple new words, and it inadvertantly helped me with some research that falls in nicely with my newest story idea *laughs* so I can't really hold a grudge against this one.

It's already in the mail and on the way to Firegirl; should be with her in about a month.

Journal Entry 38 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Monday, October 17, 2005
I thought that very same thing about the cover, GateGypsy. Ripped off!

Journal Entry 39 by Firegirl from Tucson, Arizona USA on Tuesday, October 25, 2005
This book has arrived! Naturally, though I am not involved in that many bookrings/rays, they always seem to arrive in groups. Fear not, however! I will get to this one as fast as I can will move it along down the list. Thanks so much, daemonwolf!

Journal Entry 40 by Firegirl from Tucson, Arizona USA on Saturday, November 5, 2005
Try as I might, I just couldn't get into this book, which is weird as it really looked like something I would like. Perhaps the timing just isn't right for me. I'll have to try and find it again at a later date, perhaps. Thanks for sharing, just the same!

-----
This will go in the post to the next in line on Monday.

UPDATE 2/2/06: I did put this book in the mail as planned and stated above. No idea what happened but hopefully it pops up soon!

Journal Entry 41 by princessaurora on Tuesday, February 21, 2006
I'm so sorry I never registered this book. This seems to be happening with alarming frequency lately. I will send this on as soon as I get an address for the next person.

Are you sure you want to delete this item? It cannot be undone.