Named a Barnes and Noble “Discover Great New Writers”, Matt Burgess' debut novel Dogfight, is a gritty tale of the explosive relationship between two brothers living in Queens. Alfredo, a young drug dealer, is worried about the imminent release of his violent brother, Tariq, from prison. Imprisoned for an unsuccessful burglary that Alfredo was supposed to assist in, he is believed to have betrayed his brother. It also doesn't help that Alfredo has been dating Tariq's girlfriend, Isabel, who is now pregnant. Hailed as the book that celebrates the diverse culture of Queens, this book stands out for its lifelike dialogue, characters and emotions. At one moment humorous and at the next compelling in its drama, this is a must read.
Fall of Giants ***
Ken Follett
Macmillan
Author of the hugely successful Pillars of Earth series, recently made into a mini-series in America starring Donald Sutherland, Ken Follett begins his new series Century. Following the generations of five families from different countries, the series tells of their ever-changing fortunes over the course of three wars. Fall of Giants is set in the First World War and also features the Russian Revolution and woman's Suffrage. Although deeply moving and well paced, it can at times be hard to keep up with the long list of characters as the scene changes from the coal mines of Wales to the palaces of Russia and the Oval Office of the White House. Yet this novel of epic proportions is still worth reading, all 1008 pages of it!
My Booky Wook 2: This time it's personal ****
Russell Brand
HarperCollins
It may be debatable as to how necessary this sequel really is following the publication of Brand's first “Booky Wook” only three years ago, but the comedian follows on well where he left off and delivers a funny and candid picture of his new Hollywood life. Beginning with the celebration of his national fame, and the increase in sex it has led to, Brand describes many hilarious revelations of his various exploits. Yet there is a constant sense that he is seeking for a contentment that he has not achieved through fame alone. Perhaps where Katy Perry comes in. Brand demonstrates again his capability to write a witty and original account of celebrity life and its insanities in a highly saturated market.
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe ****
Charles Yu
Corvus
At its heart a touching story of a son's search for his father, this novel is livened up by its setting in a future universe in which time travel is possible – and common. Our protagonist Charles Yu, a Time Travel Technician, has the responsibility both to fix the machines and to save travellers from themselves – sometimes literally. However, Yu has his own troubles; while spying on himself in 39 universes in his attempt to find his father he shoots his future self in the stomach, only to find himself in a never-ending time loop as a result. A wonderfully witty and funny story, this novel combines huge life questions with the mundane worries of man lost in time.
Freedom *****
Jonathan Franzen
Fourth Estate
As author of The Corrections, winner of the 2001 National Book Award, Jonathan Franzen's next book was always going to be hugely anticipated and Freedom does not disappoint. Through the Berglunds, an externally disagreeable family from Minnesota, Franzen holds a mirror to middle-class America and the tragedy of suburban life, exploring the depression that grips every character. The two parents are caught in a love triangle while their only son is besotted with the daughter of their enemy – their right-wing neighbours. By combining a central trio of characters who compare themselves to Tolstoy's War and Peace with common popular culture, Franzen has created a thought provoking novel questioning the nature and cost of freedom in modern society.
The Goodman Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ *****
Philip Pullman Canongate Books
The latest of The Canongate Myth series (a series that seeks to re-write and re-tell mythology) will undoubtedly cause controversy from its title alone. Pullman surely realises and to an extent intended this to be the case. Once you get past the initial premise that a) Pullman considers the Bible to be a work of mythology and b) the notion of Jesus Christ being not one, but two people, twin brothers in fact, then this novel really is not as blasphemous and shocking as Christians may fear. Indeed it is a well written and engaging thought experiment on Pullman’s part, and works very well within the context of the rest of the series. Thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking, I did not want to put this book down. And with it being published with gold embossment on the hardback cover and an integrated material bookmark, it was at times difficult to remember that you were not in fact reading a new translation of the Bible. Excellent work.
Matt Burgess
Ken Follett
Russell Brand
Charles Yu
Jonathan Franzen
Philip Pullman 
