Back to normal life a bit more this month — so back to a normal reading schedule too, after last month's binge.

As before, I'm reading around the thriller genre. Partly because I thoroughly enjoy such books, and partly to learn as a writer.

The thrillers I'm drawn to are more the 'someone good is determined/compelled to put right a really terrible situation at great personal risk/cost by using their knowledge and skills. They may succeed or fail in the end, or even succeed while also failing in some way' variety than either the more gung-ho action or the psychological style thrillers. Sometimes this overlaps nicely with speculative fiction, which I also enjoy.

So, I've read three thrillers this month, plus also treating myself to a literary novel which has long been on my reading list and I've been looking forward to.

So, here's what I read this month:

• The Andromeda Strain, Michael Crichton
  He is one of the big names in speculative fiction and rightly so. This one is seen as a classic and is the one that established his fame. However, I couldn't help feeling it could have done with another draft that tightened it up a bit more around the core theme, and focused the plot. There were a lot of characters who weren't fully developed, a lot of bureaucracy playing out, and a lot of 'telling'. A lot of key plot points were played out through characters recounting them in memos or meetings, rather than us being there with key characters for the events. So it all felt a little detached. But hey, it's a massive bestseller and highly acclaimed, so what do I know?
  
• Autumn, Ali Smith
  Should have won the Booker over Lincoln in the Bardo. Looking forward to reading the next three, but will space them out as treats.
  
• The Swiss Spy, Alex Gerlis
  Well crafted, well written spy thriller.
  
• Uncommon Danger, Eric Ambler
  Ambler is the godfather of spy fiction and often cited as an influence on Le Carré. I also think there was a lot of inspiration in here for The Swiss Spy. Great writing.