Second Quarter Review Stats

I have two more reviews to post from this week, but they'll have to go in the next quarter's stats, otherwise I'll get confused because the post will be dated July...

Review stats for the second quarter of 2009

Books:
Positive - 15 (83%)
Negative - 3 (17%)

Films & TV:
Positive - 8 (67%)
Negative - 4 (33%)

Live Entertainment:
Positive - 5 (100%)
Negative - 0 (0%)

Audio Books:
Positive - 2 (100%)
Negative - 0 (0%)

Total number of reviews - 37
Total positive - 30 (81%)
Total negative - 7 (19%)

Nearly half the number of reviews compared to the first quarter, which is interesting - I definitely haven't been watching as many films recently, and the books I've been reading have been taking longer to read (partly because they're bigger books, and partly because I've stopped taking a lunch break).  Still overwhelmingly positive, though!

Cue two negative reviews from earlier this week...

Night of 400 Billion Stars and The Last Days of Newgate reviews

Our trip to the theatre on Monday night was a painful experience, only saved by a mad dash for the exit at the interval.  It was supposed to be comedy and music around the theme of science and space.  However, the comedians were not funny and the musicians could not sing.  As Dave said, the only reaons for coming back for the second half would have been to see how many other people gave up when we did!


I bought The Last Days of Newgate by Andrew Pepper on the same day as The Railway Detective, since they are both Victorian-set police novels.  However, Pyke, the Bow Street Runner who stars in Newgate, turned out to be essentially the anti-Colbeck - a criminal himself, who resorts to violence as the way to solve most problems, has many unpleasant characteristics, and consorts with lowlifes.  The book itself was sensationalist and quite nasty - probably much more realistic than The Railway Detective, but not nearly as much fun.  I persevered until Pyke did something utterly idiotic purely because the result would provide more action and excitement than the sensible course, and then I gave up.  I think I shall return to the world of Detective Inspector Colbeck, where everything is civilised and orderly.