Ten Seconds from the Sun
Registered by lellie of Trimley St Mary, Suffolk United Kingdom on 3/15/2008
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
17 journalers for this copy...
Picked up duting a charity shop trawl.
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Amazon Editorial Review:
A breathtakingly visceral psychological thriller from the author of Surface Tension, which Booklist—in a starred review—praised as "intelligent, original, stylish, ambitious, and brilliantly etched."
Russell Celyn Jones is the author of five previous novels; he is a regular reviewer for the London Times and a former Booker Prize judge.
Bookring
1.arturogrande (UK) been and gone
2.Shausha (USA)
3whiskeyjane(USA)
4.sunfi (USA)
5.Brianset (USA)
6.Bug2004 (USA)
7.jlautner(USA)
8.deereads (CANADA)been and gone
9.lauraloo29 (Canada)been and gone
10.mrbaggins1 (South Africa) <---it's here
11.lucy-lemon (UK)
12sharonrocks (UK)
13.mazzlestar (UK)
14.Fifna (Nederlands)
15. GingerWhinger (Austria)16.MarcThomas (FRANCE)
17.Mallary (FRANCE)
18.darkhorse4460 (UK)
20. back to lellie
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Amazon Editorial Review:
A breathtakingly visceral psychological thriller from the author of Surface Tension, which Booklist—in a starred review—praised as "intelligent, original, stylish, ambitious, and brilliantly etched."
Russell Celyn Jones is the author of five previous novels; he is a regular reviewer for the London Times and a former Booker Prize judge.
Bookring
1.arturogrande (UK) been and gone
2.Shausha (USA)
3whiskeyjane(USA)
4.sunfi (USA)
5.Brianset (USA)
6.Bug2004 (USA)
7.jlautner(USA)
8.deereads (CANADA)been and gone
9.lauraloo29 (Canada)been and gone
10.mrbaggins1 (South Africa) <---it's here
11.lucy-lemon (UK)
12sharonrocks (UK)
13.mazzlestar (UK)
14.Fifna (Nederlands)
15. GingerWhinger (Austria)16.MarcThomas (FRANCE)
17.Mallary (FRANCE)
18.darkhorse4460 (UK)
20. back to lellie
Journal Entry 2 by lellie at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, October 11, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (10/11/2008 UTC) at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Happy reading
Happy reading
Journal Entry 3 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Thursday, October 16, 2008
Thank you, lellie!
Journal Entry 4 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, October 26, 2008
This is one of the best books I've read in a long time - brillintly well-written, gripping and VERY thought provoking.
The protagonist is Ray Greenland, who at first sight appears to have the ideal life, with a beautiful wife, two lovely children and a job he loves piloting boats on the Thames.
But in the second chapter, (very early on, so it's not really a spoiler), we find out that as a child, he killed someone.
The book is a thoughtful and very well reasoned - although deeply shocking at times look at a man whom the red top and middle-market tabloids would condemn as evil - a child who killed another child.
It's written in the first person, so all the way along, we are privy to Ray's thoughts - the confusion, the daily remorse, the growing terror of being exposed.
The air of menace - not from Ray, who is a gentle character - but from bad influences around him, is palpable. In fact, there were times when I felt my heart rate going up as I read.
There is a very interesting passage in the book, where Ray talks about being called 'evil' - a world often used whenever such a complex issue comes up. And the book's take on it really made me think - I'll share it with you.
'I heard someone call me cruel. A cruel boy who committed this evil act without remorse. I knew what cruel meant and I understood that to be true in my case because I'd once stoned a tortoise. But evil? I'd heard politicians on the TV refer to the IRA as evil. What I didn't know then is that when an act of terrorism is called evil, you close down all discussion about why it was committed in the first place. It's comforting, I suppose, and convenient, to shout:'Satan is among us!' But that's not evidence. It can't advance the knowledge'.
My one criticism of the book is that at times, Ray's reasoning and use of language seems more like that of a university Professor (which the author is) than a Thames boatman, but that's just a minor quibble. This is one book which I think will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you for sharing, lellie - it's now on its way to Shausha.
The protagonist is Ray Greenland, who at first sight appears to have the ideal life, with a beautiful wife, two lovely children and a job he loves piloting boats on the Thames.
But in the second chapter, (very early on, so it's not really a spoiler), we find out that as a child, he killed someone.
The book is a thoughtful and very well reasoned - although deeply shocking at times look at a man whom the red top and middle-market tabloids would condemn as evil - a child who killed another child.
It's written in the first person, so all the way along, we are privy to Ray's thoughts - the confusion, the daily remorse, the growing terror of being exposed.
The air of menace - not from Ray, who is a gentle character - but from bad influences around him, is palpable. In fact, there were times when I felt my heart rate going up as I read.
There is a very interesting passage in the book, where Ray talks about being called 'evil' - a world often used whenever such a complex issue comes up. And the book's take on it really made me think - I'll share it with you.
'I heard someone call me cruel. A cruel boy who committed this evil act without remorse. I knew what cruel meant and I understood that to be true in my case because I'd once stoned a tortoise. But evil? I'd heard politicians on the TV refer to the IRA as evil. What I didn't know then is that when an act of terrorism is called evil, you close down all discussion about why it was committed in the first place. It's comforting, I suppose, and convenient, to shout:'Satan is among us!' But that's not evidence. It can't advance the knowledge'.
My one criticism of the book is that at times, Ray's reasoning and use of language seems more like that of a university Professor (which the author is) than a Thames boatman, but that's just a minor quibble. This is one book which I think will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you for sharing, lellie - it's now on its way to Shausha.
book received in the USA thank you, will put on my TBR pile, one book ahead of it.
starting book today, thanks, seems really good.
book was good, maybe not as good as I thought it would be but still good. Will Pm next in line. It is a coincidence because next in line is whiskeyjane and my first name is Jane.
I just returned home from vacation this evening and my neighbor brought over the book. Always good to come home to a new book! I will read next and then send to next reader.
Hi Jane (Shausha)!
Hi Jane (Shausha)!
Journal Entry 9 by whiskeyjane at -- Mail or by hand -rings, RABCK, meetings, New Mexico USA on Thursday, April 2, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (4/4/2009 UTC) at -- Mail or by hand -rings, RABCK, meetings, New Mexico USA
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES: In the mail to sunfi, 05/11/09 - sent media rate.
This was a suspenseful book. I was tempted to skip ahead to read the ending but I somehow managed not to do that. It was a creepy story. A good read that kept me up late reading a few nights. Thanks for sharing this book lellie.
This was a suspenseful book. I was tempted to skip ahead to read the ending but I somehow managed not to do that. It was a creepy story. A good read that kept me up late reading a few nights. Thanks for sharing this book lellie.
This one just arrived safely in sunny Ohio. I have a number of other rings/rays ahead of this one but I'll get to it as soon as I can, thanks lellie for including me in this one. Thanks whiskeyjane for mailing this to me and including a little note, it was simply delightful. It seems like there are specific folks that I'm constantly mailing books to and you've inspired me to start including little notes in those.
Interesting tale, I wasn't too pleased with the end though. I'll have it on its way to the next reader in the next couple of days.
Journal Entry 12 by sunfi at -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, Ohio USA on Saturday, July 11, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (7/11/2009 UTC) at -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, Ohio USA
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Brianset requested to be skipped so its on its way to Bug2004, it should arrive in the next couple of weeks.
Brianset requested to be skipped so its on its way to Bug2004, it should arrive in the next couple of weeks.
Re'cvd yesterday. Have several in front of it, but will get it moving as quick as I can. Thanks for sharing! :)
Mailed off today....so, so sorry for the horribly long delay!
A wonderfully written and interesting story! Sorry that I stalled it for so long, but glad I got to read it.
A wonderfully written and interesting story! Sorry that I stalled it for so long, but glad I got to read it.
Received today. I forgot all about this! I look forward to reading it. Thank you!
Wow. What a zinger!
Mark Swain goes to prison for murder when he's 12 years old, is released ten years later, deeply regretful and not even fully aware of why he did what he did. His life, with the help of a sympathetic parole officer, gets on some kind of track and he eventually falls in love, gets married, has two children. His past never fails to be in his present, however, if only in his mind. He has changed his name and cut all ties with his family, and is ever alert to being found out, because he has failed to tell his wife of his past.
When the worst reminder of his act shows up his life begins to spin out of control.
As we learn bits of the story it takes on an appalling dimension. Nevertheless I found myself utterly sympathetic to this man who had committed many bad acts and I wanted everything to work out for him. Yet, with dread, I felt it could not end well. I had to keep reading to find out, to get through it.
Utterly riveting, really well-written, and like some of the back-cover reviewers say, it continues to ripple after the last page.
Mark Swain goes to prison for murder when he's 12 years old, is released ten years later, deeply regretful and not even fully aware of why he did what he did. His life, with the help of a sympathetic parole officer, gets on some kind of track and he eventually falls in love, gets married, has two children. His past never fails to be in his present, however, if only in his mind. He has changed his name and cut all ties with his family, and is ever alert to being found out, because he has failed to tell his wife of his past.
When the worst reminder of his act shows up his life begins to spin out of control.
As we learn bits of the story it takes on an appalling dimension. Nevertheless I found myself utterly sympathetic to this man who had committed many bad acts and I wanted everything to work out for him. Yet, with dread, I felt it could not end well. I had to keep reading to find out, to get through it.
Utterly riveting, really well-written, and like some of the back-cover reviewers say, it continues to ripple after the last page.
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to deereads.
Sent to deereads.
It's here - safe and sound in it's lovely re-usable bookcrossing envelope lol!!! (*excited* first one I have seen) Thank you for sharing and sending along to me. Will be next up as soon as I am finished my current read. :-)
Great book!! Thank you for sharing with me!!! Have contacted next in line and it will be travelling again soon.
Arrived safe and sound today. I have another ring before it, but I will keep it moving. Thank you!
I did not enjoy this book. I found myself skipping sections just to get to the end. I did have empathy for Ray. I think he paid for his crime and should be allowed to move forward. I did not like Lily. I'm not a huge fan of jumping back and forth from the past to the present. I get confused.
I already have the next address, so this book will be on its way to South Africa this week. Thank you for sharing!
I already have the next address, so this book will be on its way to South Africa this week. Thank you for sharing!
Arrived in a very cold South Africa where we're caught right in the middle of Soccer World Cup Fever. The wind is eerily blowing through the steel rafters outside my office and I long for summer. Thanks for sharing. I have a couple in front of this one but will get 'round to it ASAP
This one had a slow start but the deeper I got into the story the more it filled me with sadness and dread. What a terrible burden to live with and to realize that your wife and children can at any moment find out you are not who you are. The dread was that I keep thinking that Ray Greenland was going to tip over the edge, especially after the disappearance of a main character into the Thames....is he not so psychologically flawed that he'll go for the kids?
Thanks for sharing. A good read. Contacting the next in line.
ETA: Lucy-Lemon asked to be skipped. Contacting next in line
Thanks for sharing. A good read. Contacting the next in line.
ETA: Lucy-Lemon asked to be skipped. Contacting next in line
Released by Surface mail today to sharonrocks in the UK. Thanks for sharing
Arrived safely, thanks for sending! Looking forward to reading this.
Just a note to say I finished this book quite a while ago and contacted GingerWhinger, but haven't heard back yet. I'll give them another try and if I have no luck I'll move on to the next in line.
edit: GingerWhinger has asked to be skipped, so now contacting MarcThomas.
edit: MarcThomas also no longer wants to read the book, so will now contact Mallary.
edit: Mallary has her PMs turned off and a message on her shelf that she doesn't want to receive bookrings, so I'll try the next reader.
edit: GingerWhinger has asked to be skipped, so now contacting MarcThomas.
edit: MarcThomas also no longer wants to read the book, so will now contact Mallary.
edit: Mallary has her PMs turned off and a message on her shelf that she doesn't want to receive bookrings, so I'll try the next reader.
Released 11 yrs ago (8/30/2012 UTC) at Wallingford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Finally on its way to darkhorse4460!
Journal Entry 28 by darkhorse4460 at Wallingford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Sunday, September 9, 2012
Thanks Fifna - this has arrived safely with me. Until you contacted me I had forgotten totally about this bookring. But it looks a good one, and I know I once met the author years ago.
Journal Entry 29 by darkhorse4460 at Wallingford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
I thought this was beautifully written and extremely thought provoking. Like Ian McEwan, RCJ has the ability to expose a character's thought processes and motivations through first person narrative in a way that allows the reader to comprehend why they behave as they do, even if what they do is bad or irrational. I really felt for Ray and his predicament and wanted things to turn out right for him, despite what he had done in the past and some of the not so sensible moves he makes in the present. The tension and dread that all will be revealed and what the consequences would be is almost too much to bear. It wasn't easy going reading and it raises all sorts of uncomfortable moral questions about how we deal with child criminals.
This book has been on a long journey. I'm going to lend it to my mother to read and check to see if lellie wants it back. If not I'll take it to a bookcrossers meet where I'm sure it will find more interested readers.
This book has been on a long journey. I'm going to lend it to my mother to read and check to see if lellie wants it back. If not I'll take it to a bookcrossers meet where I'm sure it will find more interested readers.
Journal Entry 30 by darkhorse4460 at Pigeonhole @ Daventry Moot Hall in Daventry, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Released 11 yrs ago (12/16/2012 UTC) at Pigeonhole @ Daventry Moot Hall in Daventry, Northamptonshire United Kingdom
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
To be released at the meetup on Sunday
Journal Entry 31 by retromonkey at Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom on Sunday, December 16, 2012
Won this in the rather lively book swap game today. I know a lot of people were interested in it, so will make sure I pass it on quite quickly. Thanks for sharing.
Journal Entry 32 by retromonkey at Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom on Sunday, March 3, 2013
This was an interesting book that focusses on a child killer. It just goes to show how our prejudices can be broken down, as we learn the facts behind the case. Are we too quick to judge those labelled as 'killers'? I felt lots of empathy for Ray. Despite what he'd done as a child, I felt he had a right to a normal happy life. Very thought provoking.
Will take this back to the Pigeonhole at Daventry, and use it as my bookshop game book, so others can fight over who wants to read it next.
Will take this back to the Pigeonhole at Daventry, and use it as my bookshop game book, so others can fight over who wants to read it next.
Journal Entry 33 by retromonkey at Daventry, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Released 11 yrs ago (3/3/2013 UTC) at Daventry, Northamptonshire United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
My entry in the book swap game at today's meet at 'The Pigeonhole' in Daventry.
Yay! I won this in the book swap game at the meet at Pigeonhole today. Very pleased, as I thought it sounded very interesting at the previous meet, when Retromonkey won it in that book swap game. Must get to this pretty soon.
*Note to self: MarthaK-H and Willowfae both want to read this after me.*
*Note to self: MarthaK-H and Willowfae both want to read this after me.*
I was pretty gripped by this book, and I found myself rooting for Ray, despite the crime he committed as a boy, and I thought he deserved to live his life normally, as he was genuinely remorseful and also seemed to appreciate everything he has in his life because he's fully aware it could all be taken from him in one fell swoop. It was a rather uncomfortable read, though. Lots of tension, and you're expecting him to be 'exposed' once the unpleasant Celestine's on the scene. Well worth a read, see what you think...
Now reserved for MarthaK-H :)
Now reserved for MarthaK-H :)
Released 11 yrs ago (4/4/2013 UTC) at By hand, by hand -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Enjoy the read, Marfie! Reminder: Willowfae would like to read it after you :) x
Journal Entry 37 by MarthaK-H at Forest Cafe in Salcey Forest, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Saturday, August 17, 2013
Released 10 yrs ago (8/18/2013 UTC) at Forest Cafe in Salcey Forest, Northamptonshire United Kingdom
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Taking to the meet. Happy reading!
Journal Entry 38 by Korky at Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom on Monday, August 19, 2013
Picked up at the meet after having it recommended, nice to see it's been through so many hands.
Journal Entry 39 by 
AnonymousFinder
at Lanzarote (lugar indeterminado en la isla) , Las Palmas Spain on Sunday, November 9, 2014
AnonymousFinder at Lanzarote (lugar indeterminado en la isla) , Las Palmas Spain on Sunday, November 9, 2014
Enjoyable read... Not sure about the ending.
KORKY'S MUM
KORKY'S MUM
Journal Entry 40 by AnonymousFinder at Lanzarote (lugar indeterminado en la isla) , Las Palmas Spain on Sunday, November 9, 2014
AnonymousFinder at Lanzarote (lugar indeterminado en la isla) , Las Palmas Spain on Sunday, November 9, 2014
I enjoyed reading this book. Russell Celyn Jones really knows how to ratchet up the tension. Surprisingly believable main character and very well written.
KORKY'S DAD
KORKY'S DAD
Journal Entry 41 by Korky at Lanzarote (lugar indeterminado en la isla) , Las Palmas Spain on Sunday, November 9, 2014
The sense of menace throughout this book was strong. Interesting characters and plot made this a pacy read, but like mum I was a bit unsure about the ending.
Journal Entry 42 by Korky at Güime in Lanzarote - San Bartolomé, Las Palmas Spain on Sunday, November 9, 2014
Released 9 yrs ago (11/6/2014 UTC) at Güime in Lanzarote - San Bartolomé, Las Palmas Spain
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Left at La Veranda.
