Review of the Week: Q Magazine

Men's magazine. It's either boobs or more boobs.

Ok, so maybe that's a bit harsh. There are genuinely some decent titles out there. Forget Zoo and Nuts, FHM is a favourite of mine. The magazine has gone through a rapid makeover in recent months, with better interviews, photos and a fantastic Men's fashion section. Then you have Esquire and GQ, all very nice but all for the rich and upper class man. I just end up drooling over the Austin Read suits and pictures of Kiera Knightley, knowing that there's little chance of me getting either (I live in hope!)

So facing a dilemma over what glossy magazine to choose from, I decided to try my luck at Q Magazine. All I knew about Q was that it was a music magazine. I presumed it targeted men, and I gathered it would probably cover more indie artists, judging from the cover.

But alas, I was pleasantly surprised. You see, Q is more of a music bible. It covers every genre possible, from Nicki Minaj in R&B to Icelandic classic/ rock legends Sigur RA.

From just one magazine, I've opened up my mind, and ears, to a whole new wrath of music from people I had never even heard of, yet listened too. Suddenly, my iPod has hits from Santigold, Alabama Shakes, Saint Etienne and many many more.

The best thing about Q is their fantastic music reviews. Not only are they up-to-date, they offer a comprehensive library of artists, again across all genres. Each review gives you information about the artists, as well as selected songs that you should listen too. For me, this was vital, because it meant I could listen to the artists immediately just by searching for their music.

But Q is not all about reviews either. It also features articles on topical news items, such as illegal ticket sites and several interviews with artists and many other personalities. The magazine is also packed with all the latest pictures and gossip from within the music industry.

Altogether, it makes for a really interesting read, and has definitely changed how I view the music industry. So for any man out there struggling to find a decent glossy magazine to read whilst your girlfriend catches up with OK!, try Q. It will rock your world!

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

Book Review: A Perfect Spy by John Le Carre

For a title that connotates action, adventure and drama of an exquisite level you would anticipate blood, sex and danger. But what is actually brought to the reader is a tale so perplexing, and at times boring, that deeming it ‘perfect’ would seem false and obscure from the reality that is churned out from chapter to chapter.

Yes, there is a spy. And an interesting tangle of spy networks across the globe. Set in various European cities, thrown in with a British backdrop and the odd gun or mystery, it does have the elements for a proper crime tale. No doubt, the author has experience too, with over 70 years of writing to his name and the usual acclaims and accolades you would expect from a writer. Moreover, he is from Eton (Eton being the establishment of a younger James Bond - Carre knows his stuff!)
The main character, Magnus Pym, is a mysterious lone - ranger; caught up with many a heroine as his past unravels. His family and colleagues also provide substance and emotion; of love, of passion, of betrayal and death. Instead of car chases, suicide and gang culture beckoning from the print, we read into a book that is all about Pym’s childhood - letter’s to his son, before he commits suicide. Great, a ‘book within a book’. 701 pages of the past, with more secrets then the government expenses scandal! So what I imagined as a chase across the globe turns into a frightfully dull experience of ‘Who do you think you are?’ where the only action occurs at the end when Magnus decides enough is enough. Not a surprise to imagine I was thinking the same thing after this tiresome paperback!
So as I rushed through the chapters and repetitive back and forth into this spy’s story, all that revealed was a never ending flashback - a certain variation from the promising blurb at the back of the book, ‘revealing a life made up of secrets.’ The only secret I could make out was the fact I was getting two books for the price of one; the ‘This is your life’ family history added with a poor sense of crime and drama. Yes, there were parts of interest; the character of Jack Brotherhood carried most of the‘traditionalist’ spy virtues - many women, no sleep, a taking to Vodka. If the story were based on him, who at parts is seemingly easy to believe, it would have made the tale a pleasant and exciting journey from start to finish. But alas, this was not to be.
Perhaps John Le Carre tried to hard on focusing on a new type of spy - a more modern take on crime, although one would deem this hypocritical seeing as most of it was based on memoirs from the past! In future, I will stick to that certain familiar, if not stereotypical, portrayal of a ‘James Bond-esque’ spy drama that captivates the reader from cover to cover. A stereotype that for me, never fails to deliver. Thus bringing an essence of a truly‘perfect spy’ - which this book failed to deliver.

2/5 Stars

Picture Courtesy of Wikipedia

Other book review posts:

Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd

Review of the Week: 'Ordinary Thunderstorms' by William Boyd

So, I thought I would launch a new feature. Yes, another one! Review of the Week will be a small feature, changing each week, on various items which include; books, films, albums and places. The jourknow wishes to provide his opinion, and he will do so. Enjoy!

Ordinary Thunderstorms

‘A compelling fugitive chase through the dark side of modern-day London’ - Evening Standard

I could not say it better myself. To say I had a few sleepless nights due to the eagerness of turning the next page, completing the next chapter is short off the mark. From the first word, I was drawn into the setting and the narrative like flowers bursting into spring. It had everything I ever wished for: compelling characters, a strong storyline of action, adventure, crime and at some points, sexual fantasy all set in the quirky yet somehow familiar suburbs of London town.

Boyd, a familiar writer with accolades from the Costa Book Award, to Richard and Judy Bestseller for the prestigious‘Restless’ has done wonders for a story I was at first hesitant to read. A stubborn traditionalist when it comes to books, I normally‘judge by the cover’ or choose familiar titles and authors, so what chose me to pick this one? Ok, the cover did hold a certain mystery that appealed to me, and the James Bond familiarities (The main protagonist, Adam Kindred - being a modern day 007, perhaps?) made me feel comfortable as I purchased the read from Waterstones.

The plot, as it thickens, leads you too a wild goose chase at the best of times, between Adam Kindred - an American geologist/scientist/professor who is wanted for a murder he didn’t commit. Hmm - sounds a bit cliché and common to some book genres, however this uncovers a certain London that we take for granted. A realistic narrative (I know it is fiction - but how do we know it does not happen?) that leads to murder, prostitution, crime and more murder. The tone of the book is not menacing however, which is more to my liking. And what with the ever-changing events from one character to the next (The protagonist, A Police-woman, Chief Executive of a pharmaceutical company, his brother, a charming prostitute by the name of ‘MHouse’ and even a villainous assassin all share the limelight), this book makes for an engaging read from start to finish. It is realistic, it is identifiable with setting and time, and it is able to create a genre of reading that is familiar, but at the same time exciting to flick through!

Ok, there may be a few comparisons to your classic spy novels. Moreover, a slight undertone of a sexual nature does create an uncomfortable feeling for the reader (read it - and you will understand what I mean) - but this book has to be loved. With a twist at the end, it does take a while to get going due to the back and forth between assassin and escapee, yet what concludes is a cleverly written tale of a modern London in the depths of crime and corruption, each page becoming irresistible and you read on into the twilight hours.

4/5 Stars. Kieran Watkins
Warning: Lack of sleep may occur as a side effect of reading!

Picture Courtesy of Wikipedia