Underground Rises Up... And Zorro follows

I don't know whether it was just the recent comparison to the sluggishly paced "Half a Life", but I loved McGahan's "Underground".

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, it is the busy season to be sure.

Anyway, back to the task at hand of rating books. "Underground" is a cleverly tongue-in-cheek, politically motivated novel set firmly within the current fearful climate in the wake of 9/11 and other terrorist threats. It is fast-paced, readable and intelligent - although at timnes the main character is a little uneven (heartless real-estate tycoon grows a conscience), but I felt willing to forgive him overall. And not just because Andrew Bolt hated it (do you reckon he's ever even red a McGahan novel?), but because I simply enjoyed the overall experience.

McGahan is a rising star of Australian Literature (yes, I know - I am contradicting myself affter saying that I loathed most Australian Literature), and this novel just makes me want to read more. The second-most recent "The White Earth" is also completely brilliant - an interesting mix of gothic novel and political statement. I love the mixture and how this works with the history of the Australian landscape. If anyone is following this blog, you simply have to get into McGahan. He has a few earlier novels too, and while these don't look as impressive as the two mentioned above, they can't be too bad.

Appallingly, I have also read (but failed to post promptly) Allende's "Zorro" - which is on the list on "must-reads". Also a wonderful read. What drew me to this novel is not so much the subject matter, although who does not like a swash-buckling hero? - but Allende herself. She is an exquisite writer, one of the most beautiful modern writers I have read in recent years. Everything is of such epic proportions, but not in an over-stated way. If I could write like any other author, I would choose someone like her, or Marquez who has that added supernatural element as well.

Anyway, "Zorro" is nothing like the Hollywood films, focussing only on the lead up and early days of Diego de la Vega's alter ego. His childhood friendships, his membership in La Justicia, a Spanish secret society dedicated to the pursuit of justice, his loves, even how he comes up with that fabulous costume. Leave any preconceptions derived from Antonio Banderas at the door and allow a hero to unfold...

Can't promise another post anytime soon - have so much reading to do for work. But I will be updating THE LIST, as there are quite a new few titles of interest there. Enjoying the journey...