Customer Reviews

Blackwater

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
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Blackwater by Conn Iggulden is a fast-moving story told by Davey, a man who has lived his life as a tragic victim, often suffering at the hands of those closest to him. The book starts with Davey standing in the cold, calm, dark, nocturnal sea at Brighton beach, wearing his best suit and reflecting on his awful life.

Since childhood, his main tormentor has been his own brother, but things have recently got much worse. His wife treats him very badly, but he can suffer that because of his deep-seated love for her. It is because of her actions that two extremely violent men have joined the long list of people who have made his life a living hell.

Davey's tale is easy to read as it is written in conversational English. It moves at such a pace that the reader is always wondering how it will conclude and that view changes continually throughout the book. Even when the last word has been read, one is left puzzling over what could happen next.

Blackwater has a flavour of Ian McEwan's Saturday about it. I doubt that its pace and tension could be maintained to a lengthier version in a full-blown novel, but as a short story, I would rate it highly and would certainly recommend it to a friend.

The title of my review is as close to a spoiler as I could get without giving anything away.

Fantastic story!

Gripping & contagious...

A good story that is so completely gripping from the beginning that I couldn't leave it unfinished. Knowing what the plot is doesnt give you the slightest idea how thrilling and dark it really is. A fantastic read. Short but oh so sweet.

This book, although short, has you hooked from the word go, you are drawn into Daveys life, feel for him, get angry on his behalf, and root for him all the way, the end is unexpected to say the least, and you close the book thinking of Davey in a completely different light. Excellent piece of work, Im sure would work well transformed into a tv short thriller for those unfortunate enough not to be able to read- highly entertaining and tense plot, well done to the author. I was glued until the end. If you buy this book, you will not be disappointed- looking forward to reading more from this author, have the Emperor series lined up!

Blackwater by Conn Iggulden is one of the best short stories I've read in a while, from both novel sized anthology collections and the books in the Quick Reads series. It's a great dark thriller where you sort of wonder what you would do if faced with a similar situation to Davey the main character, although you'd hope you would be less of a doormat than Davey is, which gets him facing this terrifying situation in the first place. You see Davey's let others bully and walk all over him his whole life. Carol his wife, constantly cheats on him with the best concession he can get from her to wash the smell of her lovers off herself before sleeping beside him in their bed when she comes home in the early hours of the mornings. However one of her lovers isn't content to share Carol with Davey and hires a thug to come round his house while she's between his sheets, beat Davey up and threatening Davey he'll get a lot worse if he doesn't get lost.

If you're unfamiliar with the Quick Reads series, they are books published to increase literacy levels by encouraging those who don't like to read beyond magazines and comic books, to try fiction through cheap priced (current Quick Reads all sell of the rack for under two pounds in the UK, original Quick Reads like this 2006 published story were sold slightly more expensive at just under three pounds) short story length fiction and non fiction. I think Blackwater achieves these goals and those reading this as their first book ever, or just in a while, will definitely be encouraged to try other Quick Reads stories or regular length novels.