BOOK REPORT-Gillian Flynn Special

Gone are the days this girl needs to look for work after being let go from her job as film reviewer and feature writer for magazine Entertainment Weekly. Now she is the main feature presentation herself, drawing in rave reviews. Oh how things go around. Last year E.W. even ran a cover feature on the movie adaptation of her brutally brilliant bestseller 'Gone Girl'. Irony? Karma? Just imagine if they asked her to write it!? I'm sorry but I think she's busy. Last year we reviewed one of 2014's best movies and her bold book that literally scripted it. Now Flynn is reuniting with director David Fincher and star Ben Affleck, penning the script for their rail twist on 'Strangers On A Train', whilst her other two books 'Sharp Objects' and 'Dark Places' are being respectively adapted into a T.V. serial and Charlize Theron and Chloe Grace-Moretz movie this year. Sure 'Gone Girl' is Gillian's million dollar, bread and butter, mansion mortgage acquiring bestseller but boy should you check out this girls other two books like we did this week to complete a terrific trilogy. One swimming in the deceptive darkness of modern murder incorporated into the human condition. Her debut 'Sharp Objects' is on machete point. Cutting, unflinching and critically cold. The object of horror legend Stephen King's reading desire gives us something so unsettling, your skin will crawl as you try to do the same through the pages you just can't leave alone like itched scars. Someone tell King there's a new queen for the librarian throne. The maddening murder mystery continues on 'Dark Places' the book that blew her up before 'Gone Girl' went nuclear across the world, invading every home, coffee shop and table. Practically as important a decoration as the cups and cloths like this one should be. Her darkest scribe takes us to places are most nauseating nightmares couldn't take us to, as Gillian sheds light on just how terrifying the psychological thriller genre of horror can get. Sure its all doom and gloom reading in this sweet Summer, but man this woman is on fire. She's so far gone. You may not find her behind the newsprint, but you will in every stand and book store. She's here. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

BOOK REPORT

STAR TREK-THE THREE MINUTE UNIVERSE: Boldly going through the collection of 'Star Trek' books you should pocket this gem of decades gone by based on the original series. Original when it was William Shanter and the late, great Leonard Nimoy instead of Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as Kirk and Spock. As good as any Trekkie book we've explored this one visits a race of 'Sackers'. No not alien experts in making American Football tackles, but rather creatures without face or real form. Which in book terms is a useful and literally possible way of representing actual 'Trek" aliens that don't just look like regular humans with funny noses, cheek bone structures and big ears. Someone better check Will Smith out. Here these non-humanoid Sackers look so bad they induce nausea on sight if their sonically high pitched language hasn't deafened your drums already. But lets face it, you've probably dated worse. These sacks of crap want to steal a critical device that could rip a hole in the very universe Kirk and crew are trying to protect and preserve. Yet this exploration of new life brings new civilisations to the franchise and its science fiction genre. Sure you could read this all in about three minutes, but that doesn't mean its not out of this universe.

LONE SURVIVOR: Inspiration doesn't come much stronger than this. This survival of the fittest inspired the hit Mark Wahlberg film last year that was truly a great shot of battling with the harsh realities of modern warfare. In his call of duty, Mark did real life 'Lone Survivor' Marcus Luttrell proud with honour. Still just like with Bradley Cooper's depiction of real life friend and 'American Sniper' subject Chris Kyle, you just have to read the real story behind the subject of a star powered movie. The real story of against the cruelest of odds survival is what is really worthy of award and commendation. After losing his team to the violence of Taliban rebels after letting go what was thought to be goat farmers, Luttrell found himself in the middle of his own personal, hell war zone all by himself, until he was helped out by some incredible villagers. This story is inspiring in more ways than one just like it is enlightening. Showing that there is more to just one side of war and grey areas to the black and white nature of how the media or popular consensus treats the conflict between countries. Even if you haven't seen this film you need to take a look at this book for the sake of Marcus, for all he sacrificed and survived. This is the brave. The proud. You may have been through a lot in your life, but not this much in one day. So lets take a moment. For the man. For his men.

BOOK REPORT

Get To Tha ChapTAAR

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER-TOTAL RECALL: Recall this! Arnold Schwarzenegger is the definition of the American dream and he details all of this in page after page of the volume of his life for a mammoth, monster machine of an amazing autobiography 'Total Recall' (not to be confused with the classic Phillip K. Dick book that inspired one of his biggest movie hits). The man who wrote 'The Encyclopedia Of Bodybuilding' gives you 600 reps here in an epic, power bar motivational piece of prose, that also shows some great humility amongst the "get off your ass" inspiration. You just can't put this cinder book down like the heaviest iron pumped in training. Everything is detailed here from the Austrian who came to America with some incredible and impossible goals but unbelievably achieved them all. The bodybuilding of being Mr. Olympia, the politics of being Governor of California and that little movie career inbetween that you may have heard about too. Even the hardships of the heart and marriage trouble of the seemingly indestructible, 90's figure of real super heroic standards are brought to honest page shedding light. The titanic sized triple threat has something for everyone here, even if you're not a movie buff. Interested in working out? Then you can follow Arnie's regime all the way to the free weights of Golds Gym. Politics your choice of coffee table talk? Then the 'Governator' will inspire you into a deep debate of knowledge and power. Still for film fans Schwarzenegger tells all about his hit movies from 'Terminator' to 'Twins' and 'Predator' to 'Junior' with some top tip, trade secrets (including some of the films he should have been a part of). Still throughout it all, family and famous friends, Arnold remains Arnold and that's what makes these chapters compelling. Sorry we cant resist...Hasta La Vista...bookshelf!

FURIOUS COOL-RICHARD PRYOR & THE WORLD THAT MADE HIM: Laugh now, but David and Joe Henry are on to something. The writing pair where writing a film about the greatest comedian of all-time when penning this book. Now there's been rumours that Eddie Murphy is about to star in one about his idol Richard Pryor. The brothers here give a detailed account of this mans life for a brilliant biography that serves as an appropriate accompaniment to Richard's 'Pryor Convictions' autobiography. Wrote with the help of family and friends and some real conviction this isn't just an appropriate account, it's also a gem of a guide that features inspired italics of descriptive and deep bookends to chapters that read like treatments to scripts. This 'Furious' heaven is worthy of moviemaking and the moments of a man that still brings tears to our eyes. Striking the fine, familiar line between comedy and tragedy, the Henry's give us gold. Yet it will always be Richard Pryor that will have the last, lasting laugh. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

BOOK REPORT

This week we take a train from New York to Japan.

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3: 3...2...1! Check me! Books that hold you hostage have never been so taught turning tense. This one from New Yorker Morton Freedgood, writing under the pen name pseudonym John Godey has been adapted into a movie three times. One T.V. one, an original Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw classic and a hugely popular modern movie from the late great Tony Scott, starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta. You can tell, too from this book just why this story has been such a novel idea for filmmaking. Written in seventies stagnating New York City grit and grime, this tunnel vision look of no light at the end of dark despair holds a ticket to die. Still with carriages of character, tracks of tension and railroads of action this book has it all. Still you might want to read this transit take over a subway sandwich instead of transport. A paranoid N.Y.C. system for years prohibited trains from leaving Pelham station at 1:23...and they still try and prevent it now to this day. Some things are just timeless. Get on board!

SOUTH OF THE BORDER, WEST OF THE SUN: Haruki Murakami of Japan is to the Western world of writing and reading what Studio Ghibli is to the filmaking and movie one. The 'Norwegian Wood' and 'Sputnik Sweetheart' wonderful writer offers us more beauty of love over his poetic prose of compelling chapters. Short, but sweet this is just a tactile, terrific taste of the menu of this mans bookworm serving, versatile volumes. Based on the title of a Nat King Cole song and surrounded by the seasons of our lives this story studies a man who has it all, the whole nine. A man living the high-life in Uptown Tokyo, only to face the shadows of his past when an old flame reappears threatening to torch everything he's worked so hard for and burn it all away. Temptation in this turner almost seems too much. Engrossingly evocative, albeit a little too explicit this raw and revealing look of love and life is a master of wisdom and woe at work. Bordering on a classic, its time for this books moment in the sun. Time to shed some light on a generational writer of Elmore Leonard and Cormac McCarthy styling's and standards. No matter how many of his matters of the heart that you read, there'll be nothing quite like your first love. TIM DAVID HARVEY

BOOK REPORT

A week into the new month and two down, two to go...at this rate could we beat 52 for 52?

FOXCATCHER: Catching Oscar buzz, this Fox could trap some serious Academy gold come months end. With the superb Steve Carell and the sublime Mark Ruffalo snaring Oscar nominations for Best Actor and supporting respectively. Still controversially, lead Channing Tatum hasn't received his just deserves from the Academy. The man he played, wrestling Hall of Famer Mark Schultz originally wasn't too pleased either, going on a Twitter tirade against Bennett Miller's movie as he felt it wrongly represented him. Only this week however the canvas master has retracted his statements and spoke volumes about the film. Still, big fans of our Oscars favourite ourselves it was time to get the real story behind the movie cameras...and its more intense than the compelling, choke hold film itself. Shocking and heartbreaking the tragedy of the Schultz family by the hand of the vile Du Pont is laid all out on the floor by the champion Mark Schultz in this moving, wonderfully wrote memoir that has you pinned from round one, page one! From glory to misery he details it all even going into vivid detail about the techniques of his trade that will even hold non sporting fans like that first practice scene in the film. Despite the dark clouds that loom over this prose, there's an inspiring, unconditional, never say die theme and message from Mark that will be left engraved on the psyche of your courage. This man no matter the means will never tap out. Time to tap in.

JACK REACHER-ONE SHOT: BANG! If the fuse running on Tom Cruise's 'Mission Impossible' franchise wasn't enough (he's chosen to accept another self destructing tape this July), Cruise now has another franchise on his hands thanks to 'Jack Reacher' and with writer Lee Child (the master of the American detective novel who hails from...Coventry) and his bookshelves and stores of doorstop volumes you can book yourself in for more sequels. This 'One Shot' was the chapters that inspired this Jack's first cinematic reach and its a great unraveling mystery, just clocking in at an evening choking, leaf under 500 pages. It all starts with an ex military guy going all American sniper on some Indiana workers clocking out from their mundane day to day work life, but what unfolds meets more than the crosshaired eye. Just like a James Patterson 'Alex Cross' detective or a Michael Connelly 'Lincoln Lawyer' table read, you'll burn through these daunting page loads quicker and more satisfied than they appear. This P.I. with no magnum is even close to 'Bourne', but like Jason this Jack isn't all that when compared to the British intelligence trade of a 'James Bond' or 'Sherlock Holmes'. Still with this one you've just got 'One Shot'. I suggest you take it. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

BOOK REPORT

Happy New Year! And we're back! Five books down already and its still January. Last years quarter of a century, 25 books that failed to match 2013's 52 for 52 weeks is about to be shelved. With one of the books about to be reviewed in a feature on its own eight part series, lets take a look at four of this months finest..

AMERICAN SNIPER-Oscar buzz is surrounding the Clint Eastwood film 'American Sniper' to the tune of six nominations in the clip. Thanks to in part Bradley Cooper's perfect performance of scope as American hero Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military grade history. The movie based on this magnificent memoir is just as compelling as these chapters thanks to the perfect tribute and fitting homage from Clint and Cooper. Their visits to Kyle's hometown and humbled help is even detailed quite nicely by Chris' widowed wife in the movie adapted book package. Yes, Chris Kyle tragically died but he leaves us with an amazing autobiography that gives readers reason to his position as a deadly soldier from a distance. With his wife by his writing and loving side the war of fighting for your country and marriage, miles and lives away from your partner is brought to the forefront in parts of the book that will resonate with everybody from soldiers to civilians. War effects us all, whether we like it or loathe it not. Somehow between all the bullets and back and forth, this mans work brings us peace.

BRUCE: Hungry hearts need to pick this one up. After Clinton Heylin's quote assisted drive and delve down E Street and Robert J. Wiserman's mixtape, chapters of sort 'Walk Like A Man', 'Bruce' brings us a biography as close to the man himself , as Springsteen has stated recently he wont be putting pen to paper for his own story. But lets face it he's done more than enough of that in his songs anyway. But when we say this biography by Peter Ames Carlin will have to do, this is by no means an insult. This is inspired! A real tour through the man and E Street's legacy, written by a fan not motivated by hero worshipping bias but by the honest and decency of what's real and right as he writes. We learn more about this bosses life from Jersey to Jungleland and love him all the more for it. A lot has been said, wrote, published and sold about this man over the years but with the cooperation of him and his closest nothing captures Springsteen quite like 'Bruce'.

THE LOST WORLD: Roaring into 2015, after starting last year reading the Michael Crichton classic 'Jurassic Park', it was only right we began this year with the sequel. Especially with the movie sequel 'Jurassic World' opening its legendary gates this Summer. Something truly has survived here as the dinosaurs are back for the 'Congo' and 'E.R.' creators sequel to his finest work. You'll be pleased that this brilliant book doesn't suffer sequel slump either as it is an enthralling and exciting page turner. This thriller also serves as a magical manual of prehistoric, scientific and chaos theory as deeply descriptive in this textbook nature as it is in its vivid, imaginative storytelling one. The dinosaurs are ruling the earth once again.

I, ALEX CROSS: Along came a spider again. After being introduced to our favourite D.C. detective and "America's Sherlock Holmes" last year we delve once again into the vast shelves and sections of James Patterson's work. This time Washington's finest is chasing a crime syndicate and scandal that could lead him to running all the way to the White House. After the wonderful work of Morgan Freeman in 'Kiss The Girls' and the 'Spider' sequel, we now have have something that could serve as a second installment to Tyler Perry's 'Alex Cross' reboot. Either way, from story to screen we sure would love to read and see more from Patterson and his own 007 to his Ian Fleming soon. Cross our hearts. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

BOOK REPORT-JOHN STOCKTON: ASSISTED

Stock Talk.

Pick and roll through this amazing, 'Assisted' autobiography and you'll find one of the greatest and most underrated Point Guards of real Magic and in fact NBA players as a whole when it comes to the leagues, all-time storied history. A quick Stock take sees a man who battled Michael Jordan's champion, Chicago Bulls in the final twice and although never winning a ring, a man who has an Olympic Gold Medal from Barcelona in 1992 after being an original member of that legendary 'Dream Team' (he reprised his role and Gold for 'Dream Team II' in Atlanta). A man who played all of his 19 years and almost two decades with the Utah Jazz franchise he helped personify in Salt Lake City. A man who is the all-time leader in the NBA when it comes to assists. Basically put the nicest and most selfless basketball player to ever walk this polished wood floored earth. No wonder this legends legacy lament is called 'Assisted'. You can easily roll like his pick through these 300 plus pages like one of his crisp assists with these humble, honest and heartfelt prose that aren't short of candor, charisma or charm either. Well read like this man speaks, this cool and collected read is frank and forthright...and to be frank this is one of the greatest basketball autobiographies-like he is players-of all time. That's coming after recent wonderful works from Jerry West and Julius Erving over the years too. Inspiring and influential from Karl Malone's powerful foreword to some coaches poetry off the dry-erase this is a purists dream. With dignity and respect, no nonsense or gossip b.s., this dear reader from John tells tales from behind the locker room that will be music to ever Jazz fan and beyonds ears. From foundation to family you have to hand it to a man that gives it to us straight. He may have rocked the short shorts, but this man who doesn't like the public eye of fame goes to great lengths to provide the savvy vision for fans, players, family men, husbands and fathers worldwide. When it comes to the NBA, Jazz piece assist accompaniment, don't pass! TIM DAVID HARVEY.