DANGER: Read This Book At Your Peril

The Book: Game of Thrones by George RR Martin

The Quote: "I read my eyes out"

The Reviewer: Anne McCaffrey

The Verdict: It wasn't until I was halfway through the book that I noticed this quote at which point I became distinctly worried. There was still too much I wished to read. I'm too young to lose my sight.

Having now finished the book i'm happy to say that while I enjoyed it immensely I did not 'read my eyes out'. There is still 5 books to go however . . .

Less effort, please

The Book: The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

The Quote: "If this does not win the Booker Prize for Fiction it will be because it is too good."

The Reviewer: Scotland on Sunday

The Verdict: Ah ok, Carol can rest assured that that is the reason she didn't win then - must try not as hard next time Carol!
I wonder what Roddy Doyle, author of Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha - which actually did win the 1993 Booker prize that Carol Shields was shortlisted for - would have to say about this speculation.

Come Again?

The Book: Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre

The Review: "You want to know what this terrific book is like?  It's like the Osbournes invited the Simpsons round for a root beer, and Don DeLillo dropped by to help them write a new song for Eminem."

The Reviewer: Andrew O'Hagan

The Verdict: What? I mean really, what? If you do want to know what this fantastic, Booker prize winning, novel is like I suggest ignoring this trippy outburst from Andrew O'Hagan and simply picking up the novel.  Afterall, it's like Holden Caulfield and Jack Kerouac are trapped in a Hunter S. Thompson novel by Skeletor, or something like that!