David Baldacci - Deliver us from Evil

I am always a little wary when it comes to David Baldacci because I am never quite sure what is going to be served up. However I’ve just finished reading “Deliver Us From Evil” and I really enjoyed this book.

The book features Shaw the super spy who has been sent after human trafficking and arms dealer Evan Waller. The mission is pretty simple – snatch Waller and put him out of business – permanently.

Things however get a little complicated because somebody else is looking to put Waller out of business. A group of vigilantes operating out of England are on a mission to hunt down former war criminals and make them atone for their crimes. Waller it turns out has a murderous history in the KGB and Regina Campion intends being the one to make sure he pays.

But Waller is no wilting violent and doesn’t play nicely with others. To prove this point, early on in the book he tortures a terrorist who tries to double-cross him and it is not pretty.

After Shaw and Campion both fail to take out Waller, they begin contemplating what life on the run will be like with a madman hunting them across the globe.

This is one of those books which keeps you guessing to the end and there is a nice twist at the end.
We rated this book a 4 out of 5 and would thoroughly recommend it if you like a spy / action thriller. Baldacci at his best!

You can buy the book online from Kalahari by clicking HERE or from Loot by clicking HERE

50 people who stuffed up South Africa

We are all armchair politicians and have our own views about who has stuffed up South Africa but Alex Parker has gone one step further and now put together a list of the 50 people he believes has stuffed up the country and it could make for a really nice Xmas prezzie.

A collection of the 50 greatest villains of South African history, from Jan van Riebeeck to Shaka to Cecil John Rhodes to Hendrik Verwoerd to Thabo Mbeki to Julius Malema. These are men – mostly, but not exclusively – who have steered South Africa firmly in the wrong direction, affecting our history, our national psyche and our way of life, often wasting guilt-edged opportunities to do the right thing along the way.

But the obvious heavy-hitters are just the half of it: there are also lesser-known but influential historical figures (Bartle Frere, Lord Milner), nameless icons of our modern social problems (The Minibus Taxi Driver, The Man I Sat Next To At The Polo), criminals (Ananias Mathe), chancers (Mark Thatcher), traitors (Kevin Pietersen) and punks (Kevin Pietersen). Part history, part social commentary, this is a fascinating read that delves into South African politics, war, sport and culture.

Appropriately, Alex Parker’s irreverent but scathing writing is brought to life by Zapiro, who adds the finishing touches with his iconic caricatures.

You can support a South African author and buy the book online for R140 by clicking HERE.

Patricia Cornwell - Port Mortuary

Shoot me now.... I have just limped my way through "Port Mortuary" the latest offering from Patricia Cornwell and I am reminded why I don't buy her books.

Without being overly nasty, this was one of the most painful books I have ever attempted to read. Put in perspective; imagine being in the mind of somebody who suffers from a severe form of schizophrenia and then is trying to put their thoughts to paper.

The write up for the book reads:

Kay Scarpetta has been training at the Dover Port Mortuary, mastering the art of 'virtual autopsy' - a groundbreaking procedure that could soon revolutionise forensic science. And it is not too long before these new skills urgently need to be put into practice. A young man drops dead, apparently from a heart condition, eerily close to Scarpetta's home. But when his body is examined the next morning, there are stunning indications that he may have been alive when he was zipped inside a pouch and locked inside the cooler. When the revolutionary 3D radiology scans reveal more shocking details about internal injuries unlike any Scarpetta has ever seen, Scarpetta realizes that this is a case of murder - and that she is fighting a cunning and uniquely cruel enemy. Now it is a race against time to discover who and why before more people die. But that time is running out ...

But if you read the book you would think you are reading about the mental breakdown of Cornwells' "flagship" character Scarpetta.

If you are a Cornwell fan you can buy the book online from Kalahari for R204 by clicking HERE or from Loot for R201 but you are probably better off donating that money to charity.

We rated the book a lowly 1 out of 5

Lauren Beukes - Zoo City

This book has actually come up for mention twice in the last two days and because it is a South African author, I thought it was important to highlight it on this blog.

I have not read it, but I am very keen to get feedback from anybody who has read the book. The two people I know who said they have read it, said they were blown away by the quality and the story line.

Here's the preview of the book:

Zinzi has a talent for finding lost things. To save herself, she has to find the hardest thing of all...the truth. Zinzi has a Sloth on her back, a dirty 419 scam habit and a talent for finding lost things. But when a client turns up dead and the cops confiscate her last paycheck, she's forced to take on her least favourite kind of job - missing persons. Being hired by famously reclusive music producer Odi Huron to find a teenybop pop star should be her ticket out of Zoo City, the festering slum where the criminal underclass, marked by their animals, live in the shadow of the undertow. Instead, it catapults Zinzi deeper into the underbelly of a city twisted by crime and magic, where she'll be forced to confront the dark secrets of former lives - including her own. Set in a wildly re-imagined Johannesburg, it swirls refugees, crime, the music industry, African magic and the nature of sin together into a heady brew.

Title: Zoo City

Author: Lauren Beukes

ISBN: 978-1-77009-818-3

You can buy the book online from retailer Loot for R122 by clicking here or you can buy it from Kalahari.Net by clicking here or on the book cover.

Caught - Harlan Coben

My wife and I spent some time this evening trying to work out whether we enjoyed the latest offering from Harlan Coben - Caught.

There is no question it was a page-turner. I started it earlier today after downloading it to my kindle and it was finished by 4pm. I don't know exactly what it was but this story was more about curiousity than necessarily a cracking plot.

The book starts with local do-gooder Dan Mercer being setup in a sting which would seem to indicate he was having an inappropriate relationship with a 13 year old boy. Mercer's life is wrecked in a very public and humiliating manner on a sleaze TV show and his world falls apart... especially when it later appears that he may be implicated in other cases.

Barry Sergeant: Brett Kebble - The Inside Story

Being interested in financial markets, I have been meaning to read the Barry Sergeant book - Brett Kebble - The Inside Story - for a while now. One of my colleagues gave me a copy and I just finished it this morning.

Have to say it was a bit of a mixed bag and if you have no interest in mining, the Kebbles or stockmarket investing then this book will just be one big question mark for you.

Make no mistake this book was heavy going. With so many companies, personalities, fake business entities etc. I won't lie I battled through it. I think you would need to be an auditor to try and keep track over what Kebble was actually doing!

The Kebble "fraud" is likely to be one of the those stories which will hang around for so many years. As a mining character he was larger than life and almost everybody I have met had a story to tell about him and when the story of him being killed in a hail of bullets in Melrose broke, it took a long while for the dust to start to settle.

No questions asked, this was a very heavy read and if you are looking for braindead entertainment this isn't it. If you are looking for clues as to who actually killd Kebble, then the story skirts around this a bit but doesn't nail it down.

Still it was definately an interesting read and will probably go down as one of those collector items in South African investment history. Well done to Barry for putting together such a comprehensive read.

Title: Brett Kebble - The Inside Story
Author: Barry Sergeant
ISBN: 978-1-77007-306-7

You can buy the book from online retailer Loot for R166.00.

We rated the book a 3 out of 5 but found it very heavy going!

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Hot video games - 2010/05/25

Wanna know what video games are hot? As usual on a Sunday night we compile a list of the top video games from various online retailers.

It looks like Red Dead Redemption is the title of choice across all the retailers.

Take2
1. God of War 1 + 2 Collection (PS3)
2. Red Dead Redemption (PS3)
3. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (PS3)
4. PlayStation Network Card R200 (PS3/PSP) In Stock
*Note the Code will be emailed to you
5. Official XBox 360 Hard Drive (250GB) In Stock
6. World of Warcraft 60 Day Pre-paid Game Card European Server Version (PC)
7. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (Xbox 360)
8. Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360) In Stock
9. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PC DVD-ROM)
10. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City (PS3)



Kalahari.Net
1. Red Dead Redemption - PS3
2. Red Dead Redemption - Xbox360
3. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa - PS3
4. Red Dead Redemption Limited Edition - Xbox360
5. God of War Collection: God of War & God of War II - PS3
6. Starcraft 2 Special Edition - PC
7. Alan Wake - Xbox360
8. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa - Xbox360
9. Avatar: Into the Ferno - PS2
10. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa - Adidas Ball Bundle - PS3

Amazon.com
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Nintendo Wii
2. Red Dead Redemption - Xbox360
3. Red Dead Redemption - PS3
4. New Super Mario Bros - Nintendo Wii
5. Supreme Ruler 2020 Gold Demo [Game Download] - PC pre-sale
6. Alan Wake - Xbox360
7. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board - Nintendo Wii
8. ModNation Racers - PS3
9. Super Street Fighter IV - PS3
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops - Xbox360 …

Want It All- S.A's Largest Online Shop Click Here
1. Red Dead Redemption - Xbox360
2. Red Dead Redemption - PS3
3. Starcraft II - Wings of Liberty (PC)
4. Super Street Fighter IV - PS3
5. God of War III - PS3
6. Alan Wake - Xbox360
7. 3D Dot Game Heroes - PS3
8. Mario Kart DS - Nintendo DS
9. Assasins Creeed II - PS3
10. Call of Duty II - Xbox360

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Bestselling Books - 2010/05/23

Want to know what books are selling well at the various online retailers? As usual on a Sunday night we compile a list of the bestsellings books from the various online retailers.

There is a new South African title on the Kalahari list with Antony Altbeker's book: "Fruit of a Poisoned Tree".

On the Amazon list Peter Lillbacks' book "George Washingston's Sacred Fire" has been the top seller for the last week.

Take2
1. Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest - Larsson, Stieg
2. Savor the Moment - Roberts, Nora
3. Wild Fire - Feehan, Christine
4. Vampire Diaries - The Return: Shadow Souls - Smith, L. J.
5. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 1, Books 1 & 2 - Smith, L. J.
6. Dead and Gone - Harris, Charlaine
7. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 2, Books 3 & 4 - Smith, L. J.
8. Lion's Heat - Leigh, Lora
9. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Larsson, Stieg
10. Girl Who Played with Fire - Larsson, Stieg

Kalahari.Net
1. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest - Stieg Larsson
2. The Return: Nightfall - LJ Smith
3. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
4. The Return: Shadow Souls - LJ Smith
5. Savor the Moment - Nora Roberts
6. 9th Judgement - James Patterson
7. Fruit of a Poisoned Tree: A True Story of Murder and the Miscarriage of Justice - Antony Altbeker
8. The Lost Boy - Aher Arop Bol
9. Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel
10. The Awakening: Bks. 1 & 2: AND The Struggle - LJ Smith

Amazon.com
1. George Washington's Sacred Fire - Peter A. Lillback
2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Vintage) - Stieg Larsson
4. Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything - Geneen Roth
5. Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 10) - Charlaine Harris
6. The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage) - Stieg Larsson
7. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novel - Stephenie Meyer
8. The Help - Kathryn Stockett
9. With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa - E. B. Sledge
10. The Real George Washington (American Classic) - Jay A. Parry …

Want It All- S.A's Largest Online Shop Click Here
1. Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything - Geneen Roth
2. Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 10) - Charlaine Harris
3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest - Stieg Larsson
4. Spoken from the heart - Laura Bush
5. The Big Short - Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis
6. The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) - Rick Riordan
7. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novel - Stephenie Meyer
8. The Real George Washington (American Classic) - Jay A. Parry
9. Savor the Moment - Nora Roberts
10. 61 Hours, a Reacher Novel - Lee Child

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Popular books - 2010/05/10

We were a little slack this weekend in putting together a bestsellers lists so let's do a quick recap of the top seller books at the various onlineretailers.

Lolly Jackson lives on! In the Kalahari bestseller list his biography by Vincent Marino is in the topsellers this week.

Amazon.com
1. Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 10) - Charlaine Harris
2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stiegg Larsson
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Vintage) - Stieg Larsson
4. The Real George Washington (American Classic) - Jay A. Parry
5. Spoken from the Heart - Laura Bush
6. The Help - Kathryn Stockett
7. The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage) - Stieg Larsson
8. The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) - Rick Riordan
9. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis
10. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer

Take2
1. Savor the Moment - Roberts, Nora
2. Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest - Larsson, Stieg
3. Wild Fire - Feehan, Christine
4. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 1, Books 1 & 2 - Smith, L. J.
5. Dead and Gone - Harris, Charlaine
6. Bad Moon Rising - Kenyon, Sherrilyn
7. Lion's Heat - Leigh, Lora
8. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 2, Books 3 & 4 - Smith, L. J.
9. Vampire Diaries - The Return: Nightfall - Smith, L. J.
10. Girl Who Played with Fire - Larsson, Stieg

Kalahari.Net
1. Vampire Diaries: Bks. 3 & 4 - LJ Smith
2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest - Stieg Larsson
3. Evita's Kossie Sikelela - Evita Bezuidenhout
4. The Struggle: Bks. 1 & 2 - LJ Smith
5. Dis Koue Kos, Skat - Marita van der Vyfer
6. Stripped: The King of Teaze - Vincent Marino
7. The Return: Nightfall - LJ Smith
8. Jamie Does - Jamie Oliver
9. Solar - Ian McEwan
10. Speak Xhosa with Us: Beginners to Advanced: Beginner - Advanced. Includes: CD-Rom, Text book package - Tessa Dowling

Want It All- S.A's Largest Online Shop Click Here
1. Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 10) - Charlaine Harris
2. Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest - Larsson, Stieg
3. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis
4. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
5. Lover Mine: A novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood
6. Savor the Moment (The Bride Quartet, Book 3) – Nora Roberts
7. Burned (House of novels)
8. Women. Food and God. An unexpected path to almost everything
9. Spoken from the Heart - Laura Bush
10. Publication: Manual of the American Psychological Association

Harlan Coben - The Final Detail

I’m a big Harlan Coben fan, but this latest read was a bit wishy-washy for my liking.

The story kicks off with long running hero Myron Bolitar disappearing to a tropical island after some rather traumatic events in the previous novel.

He’s called back to reality after his best friend and business partner Esperanza is arrested and charged with murder following the death of one of their clients.

With Esperanza refusing to talk to him it makes Myron’s case that much harder to solve.

And so begins a search through dodgy night clubs, a missing persons case which is nearly 20 years old and an assortment of people who have a grudge against Myron which ends with a couple of intriguing twists in the tail.

My problem with the book is that it lacked the “compact” nature of other Coben books. Particularly the last 30% of the book seemed to drift and wind a bit.

You got the sense that the book was going somewhere and you got the surprises you wanted, but too much introspection and I guess “dawdle” in the latter part of the book.

The wife commented that she was disappointed there were fewer fight / action scenes and maybe that was what was different about this book – too much focus on

Myron trying to understand himself as a person and not enough knuckles being cracked!

Still it was fun enough to keep me as the reader interested and pass the time.

Title: The Final Point
Author: Harlan Coben
ISBN: 978-0-7393-4117-9

Rated the book a 3 out of 5.

You can buy it online from Loot for R140 or click on the book cover above and buy it through online retailer Kalahari.Net

Happy reading!

Popular video games - 2010/05/02

And here are the bestselling video games from the various big name retailers:

Take2
1. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PC)
2. PlayStation Network Card R200 (PS3/PSP)
3. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City (PS3)
4. God of War 3 (PS3)
5. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City (PC DVD-ROM)
6. World of Warcraft 60 Day Pre-paid Game Card European Server Version (PC)
7. Exclusive: Far Cry 2 (PC DVD-ROM)
8. Grand Theft Auto IV (PC DVD-ROM)
9. Metro 2033: The Last Refuge: Special Edition (PC DVD-ROM)
10. Super Hits Atari: Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 Deluxe Edition (PC)

Want It All- S.A's Largest Online Shop Click Here
1. Super Street Fighter 4 (PS3)
2. Starcraft II - Wings of Liberty - Collectors edition (PC)
3. God of War 3 - PS3
4. Just Dance - Nintendo Wii
5. Starcraft II - Wings of Liberty - PC
6. Splinter Cell Conviction - Xbox360
7. Pokemon Soul Silver - Nintendo DS
8. Pokemon Heartgold - Nintendo DS
9. Super Street Fighter 4 - Xbox360
10. Red Dead Redemption - Xbox360



Amazon.com
1. Red Dead Redemption - Xbox360
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Nintendo Wii
3. Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel - Nintendo Wii
4. Red Dead Redemption - PS3
5. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty - PC
6. New Super Mario Bros - Nintendo Wii
7. Super Street Fighter IV - PS3
8. Wii Sports Resort - Nintendo Wii
9. Just Dance - Nintendo Wii
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops - Xbox360

Kalahari.Net
1. God of War Collection: God of War & God of War II - PS3
2. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa - PS3
3. God of War 3 - PS3
4. Age of Empires Collector's Edition (Exclusive Range) - PC
5. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City - PS3
6. Big Family Games - Nintendo Wii
7. Splinter Cell Conviction - Xbox360
8. Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA 4) - PC
9. Splinter Cell Conviction - PC
10. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City - PC

Hot books - 2010/05/02

Sunday is here and once again we are looking at what books are hot with the various online retailers:

I see that the Laura Bush book "Spoken From the Heart" is now on the Amazon bestseller list is a newcomer on the list. Other new titles include "Savor the moment" from Nora Roberts and Burned from PC Cast and Kristin Cast.

Take2
1. Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest - Larsson, Stieg
2. Lion's Heat- Leigh, Lora
3. Savor the Moment - Roberts, Nora
4. Bad Moon Rising - Kenyon, Sherrilyn
5. Vampire Diaries - The Return: Shadow Souls - Smith, L. J.
6. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 1, Books 1 & 2 - Smith, L. J.
7. Wild Fire - Feehan, Christine
8. Girl Who Played with Fire - Larsson, Stieg
9. Dead and Gone -Harris, Charlaine
10. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 2, Books 3 & 4 - Smith, L. J.

Want It All- S.A's Largest Online Shop Click Here
1. Dead in the Family: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel – Charlaine Harris
2. Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest - Stieg Larsson
3. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine – Michael Lewis
4. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse – Stephenie Meyer
5. The Help - Kathryn Stockett
6. Women. Food and God. An unexpected path to almost everything
7. Savor the Moment (The Bride Quartet, Book 3) - Nora Roberts
8. Lover Mine: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood - JR Ward
9. The 9th Judgement - James Patterson
10. Burned - PC and Kristin Cast

Amazon.com
1. Dead in the Family: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel – Charlaine Harris
2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Vintage) - Stieg Larsson
4. Spoken from the Heart - Laura Bush
5. The Imperfectionists: A Novel - Tom Rachman
6. The Help - Kathryn Stockett
7. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis
8. Samuel Adams: A Life - Ira Stoll
9. The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage) - Stieg Larsson
10. The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) - Rick Riordan

Kalahari.Net
1. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella - Stephenie Meyer
2. Eet Vir Volgehoue Energie 4 - Liesbet Delport; Gabi Steenkamp
3. Vampire Diaries: Bks. 3 & 4 - LJ Smith
4. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest - Stiegg Larsson
5. Burned - P.C. Cast; Kristin Cast
6. Spirit Bound - Richelle Mead
7. Evita's Kossie Sikelela - Evita Bezuidenhout
8. Savor the Moment - Nora Roberts
9. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - Malcolm Gladwell
10. Solar - Ian McEwan

Hot video games - 2010/04/25

Starcraft II is dominating the bestseller lists this week along with Grand Theft Auto.

Here are the bestsellers from the various online retailers:

Take2
1. God of War 3 (PS3)
2. PlayStation Network Card R200 (PS3/PSP)
3. Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening Expansion Pack (PC DVD-ROM)
4. World of Warcraft 60 Day Pre-paid Game Card European Server Version (PC)
5. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PC DVD-ROM)
6. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City (PS3)
7. Exclusive: Far Cry 2 (PC DVD-ROM)
8. Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight (PC DVD-ROM)
9. Street Fighter IV Collector's Edition (PS3)
10. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare GOTY Edition (PS3)

Kalahari.net
1. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City - PS3
2. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa - PS3
3. Starcraft 2 Special Edition - PC
4. God of War Collection: God of War & God of War II - PS3
5. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa - Adidas Ball Bundle - PS3
6. Splinter Cell Conviction - Xbox360
7. Empire Earth II Gold - PC (R27.95!!!)
8. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City - PC
9. Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight - PC
10. Age of Empires Collector's Edition (Exclusive Range) - PC

Amazon
1. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty - PC
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Nintendo Wii
3. Super Street Fighter IV - PS3
4. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition - PC
5. Super Street Fighter IV - Xbox360
6. Red Dead Redemption - Xbox360
7. Just Dance - Nintendo Wii
8. New Super Mario Bros - Nintendo Wii
9. God of War III - PS3
10. MLB 2K10 - Xbox360

Want It All- S.A's Largest Online Shop Click Here
1. God of War III - PS3
2. Just Dance - Nintendo Wii
3. Tom Clancy Splinter Celll - Xbox360
4. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty - PC
5. StreetFighter 4 - PS3
6. Pokemon Heartgold Version - Nintendo DS
7. Pokemon SoulSilver - Nintendo DS
8. Red Dead Redemption - Xbox360
9. Batman Arkhum Asylum - PS3
10. Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Xbox360

Bestselling Books - 2010/04/25

Want to know what books are selling well on the various online retail platforms?

I see that the new James Patterson book - 9th Judgement - is moving up the various bestseller lists and the Sookie Stackhouse is also proving popular.

Here they are:

Take2
1. Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest - Larsson, Stig
2. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 1, Books 1 & 2 - Smith, L. J.
3. Lion's Heat - Leigh, Lora
4. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 2, Books 3 & 4 - Smith, L. J.
5. The Return: Nightfall - Smith, L. J.
6. Vampire Diaries - The Return: Nightfall - Smith, L. J.
7. Bad Moon Rising - Kenyon, Sherrilyn
8. Girl Who Played with Fire- Larsson, Stieg
9. Vampire Diaries Vol 1 Books 3 & 4 TV Tie - Smith, L. J.
10. Vampire Diaries - The Return: Shadow Souls - Smith, L. J.

Kalahari.net
1. The Gabriel Method: The Revolutionary Diet-Free Way to Totally Transform Your Body - Jon Gabriel
2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest - Stieg Larsson
3. 9th Judgement - James Patterson
4. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
5. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
6. The Struggle: Bks. 1 & 2 - LJ Smith
7. The Return: Nightfall - LJ Smith
8. The Return: Shadow Souls - LJ Smith
9. Vampire Diaries: Bks. 3 & 4 - LJ Smith
10. Jesus seen die kindertjies - Gloria A. Truitt

Amazon
1. Dead in the Family: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel - Charlaine Harris
2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Vintage) - Stieg Larsson
4. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis
5. The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage) - Stieg Larsson
6. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
7. Savor the Moment (The Bride Quartet, Book 3) - Nora Roberts
8. Lover Mine: A Novel of the Black Dagger - J. R. Ward
9. The Help - Kathryn Stockett
10. The 9th Judgment (The Women's Murder Club) - James Patterson

Want It All- S.A's Largest Online Shop Click Here
1. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
2. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
3. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis
4. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson
5. Women. Food and God. An unexpected path to almost everything
6. Dead in the Family: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel - Charlaine Harris
7. The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage) - Stieg Larsson
8. The Help - Kathryn Stockett
9. Changes: The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher
10. Oprah: A biography

Popular music - 2010/04/25

On the Amazon site there is a new face at the top of the rankings with the Natalie Merchant CD. She also makes it to the top of the Want It All music list as well. Haven't heard of her before - anybody know what the CD is like?

Need You Now from Lady Antebellum is also proving to be popular on three of the four lists.

It is all Afrikaans this week on the Kalahari website!

Here are the full lists:

Take2
1. Madonna - Sticky & Sweet Tour (DVD/CD)
2. Now the DVD Vol. 15 (DVD)
3. Cliff Richard And The Shadows - The Final Reunion 2009 (DVD)
4. Now 54 (CD)
5. Ray Dylan - Ek Wens Jy's Myne (CD)
6. Eden - Dekade (CD) In Stock
7. Romanz - Ek Sal Getuig (CD)
8. Watershed - A Million Faces : 20 Hits 10 Years (CD)
9. My World 2.0 - (Import CD) - Justin Bieber
10. Nadine - Live In Europe (DVD)

Kalahari.net
1. Now 54 - Various
2. Ons Lieflinge / Our Darlings Vol.2 - Drome - Rudi En Corlea
3. Tweeduisend-En-Tien - Laurika Rauch
4. Afri-frans - Various
5. Die Grootste Afrikaanse Treffers Ooit! - Various
6. Afri-Spaans - Various
7. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
8. 100 Acoustic Memories - Various
9. My Worlds - Justin Bieber
10. Soldier Of Love - Sade

Amazon
1. Leave Your Sleep (2CD) - Natalie Merchant
2. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
3. The Age of Miracles - Mary Chapin Carpenter
4. Fearless Love - Melissa Etheridge
5. Live At The Troubadour [CD / DVD Combo] - James Taylor
6. Emotion & Commotion - Jeff Beck
7. Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna - Glee Cast
8. Country Music - Willie Nelson
9. Soldier of Love - Sade
10. Crazy Heart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Various

Want It All- S.A's Largest Online Shop Click Here
1. Leave Your Sleep (2CD) - Natalie Merchant
2. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
3. Soldier of Love - Sade
4. Emotion & Commotion - Jeff Beck
5. Valleys of Neptune - Jimi Hendrix
6. I learned the hard way - Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
7. Women & Country - Jakob Dylan
8. Slash - Slash
9. Sticky & Sweet Tour- Madonna
10. Broken Bells - Broken Bells

Consent to Kill – Vince Flynn

This is the first Vince Flynn book I have read and quite simply – it was a really nice, simple and uncomplicated read. A few places were a little unbelievable but if you’re a fan of action movies and want a similar thing in book format then this is probably the closest you are going to come.

As far as anti-terrorist experts go CIA superagent Mitch Rapp is as big and deadly as they come. He’s the kind of guy who you really don’t want to wake up to because you will know without question why he is there.

Suffice to say in his line of work, he has irritated a few people along the line including an influential Saudi businessman whose son Rapp had supposedly bumped off in a previous novel and now he is seeking revenge. Rapp finds himself and his wife in the sights of a dangerous hitman who will let nothing get in his way.

The end result is a really entertaining action thriller for those who just want to switch off for a bit.

Title: Consent to kill

Author: Vince Flynn

ISBN: 978-1-4165-0501-3

Rated the book a 3.5 out of 5 and would thoroughly recommend it.

You can buy the book online from retailer Loot for R84.

Popular music - 2010/04/11

Who would possibly have believed that a bestseller list in 2010 would be topped by Jimi Hendrix and Cliff Richard?!

Here it is - a list of the hottest music according to various online resellers:

Amazon
1. Valleys Of Neptune - Jimi Hendrix
2. Emotion & Commotion - Jeff Beck
3. I Learned The Hard Way - Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
4. Women and Country - Jakob Dylan
5. The Sticky & Sweet Tour - Madonna
6. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
7. Volume Two - She & Him
8. Soldier of Love - Sade
9. Leave Your Sleep (2CD) - Natalie Merchant
10. Slash - Slash

Kalahari.Net
1. Tweeduisend-En-Tien - Laurika Rauch
2. Now 54 - Various
3. 100 Acoustic Memories - Various
4. Hits From LM Radio (Not Original Artists) - Various
5. Sand & Water - NIANELL
6. Ons Lieflinge / Our Darlings Vol.2 - Drome - Rudi En Corlea
7. I Dreamed A Dream - Susan Boyle
8. Die Grootste Afrikaanse Treffers Ooit! - Various
9. 10 Jaar - Platinum Treffers - Juanita Du Plessis
10. Afri-frans - Various

Take2.co.za
1. Cliff Richard And The Shadows - The Final Reunion 2009
2. Madonna - Sticky & Sweet Tour
3. Cliff Richard And The Shadows - Reunited
4. Eden - Dekade
5. Now the DVD Vol. 15
6. Ray Dylan - Ek Wens Jy's Myne
7. My World 2.0 - Justin Bieber
8. Now 54
9. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
10. Watershed - A Million Faces : 20 Hits 10 Years

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2010 FIFA World Cup – South Africa

World Cup fever is definately here and I saw this title and realised I want my own little momento of 2010.

Experience all the emotion and passion of the world’s biggest rivalries as you live the dream of competing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Take on the challenge of leading your home nation from qualification right through to a virtual re-creation of the FIFA World Cup Final and feel what it is like to score the goal that lifts a nation.

• Win the 2010 FIFA World Cup - Compete as one of 199 teams from qualification right through to a virtual reproduction of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final. Play in any of the 10 official stadiums that come to life with the pageantry and festivity of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.


• 2010 FIFA World Cup Online - The first-ever full and authentic 2010 FIFA World Cup online tournament. Compete as your favourite country against rivals in the group stage through the knockout rounds to be crowned 2010 FIFA World Cup champion. Navigate the Globe to locate top countries and opponents among all 199 participating nations.


• Spectacular Presentation - 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ comes to life in spectacular fashion with all the emotion and pageantry of the official tournament, including all 10 official licensed stadiums. Experience confetti cannons, streamers, giant banners, seat cards, flags and fireworks as if you were in South Africa.


• Battle of the Nations - Represent your country in the 2010 FIFA World Cup online tournament against your rivals to win global supremacy. Earn individual and team points and prove your nation is the best. Every performance is rated, recorded and uploaded and your ratings all count towards player and nation leaderboards.


• Home & Away Tactics - CPU mimics international football by creating strategic, defensive formations for weaker teams playing away from home. Plus, weaker teams raise their level of play on their home pitch.


• Altitude Effects - Less air resistance at altitude means the ball travels faster and further. Plus, player will noticeably fatigue faster and their stamina challenged while playing in cities at higher elevations versus sea level.


• Authentic Stadiums - Compete in all 10 official stadiums of 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

You can buy the Nintendo Wii title from Loot for R368.

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Hot video games - 2010/04/11

Want to know which video games are selling well at the moment? Here is the Sunday breakdown on the various online retailers.

God of War 3, Starcraft II and 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa are three prominent titles this weekend!

Amazon
1. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty Collector’s Edition - PC
2. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board - Nintendo Wii
3. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction - Xbox360
4. Just Dance - Nintendo Wii
5. Super Street Fighter IV - PS3
6. Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010 with Gun Bundle - Nintendo Wii
7. God of War III - PS3
8. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Nintendo Wii
9. Red Dead Redemption - Xbox360
10. Pokemon SoulSilver Version - Nintendo DS

Kalahari.Net
1. God of War 3 - PS3
2. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa - PS3
3. Settlers 7 - PC
4. Stronghold Collection - PC
5. Assassin's Creed 2 - PC
6. Need for Speed Undercover - PC
7. Warhammer: Dawn of War 2 Chaos Rising - PC
8. The Sims 3: High End Loft - PC
9. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City - PS3
10. Virtua Tennis 2009 - Nintendo Wii

Take2.co.za
1. God of War 3 - PS3
2. Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening Expansion Pack - PC
3. Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight - PC
4. Final Fantasy XIII - PS3
5. World of Warcraft 60 Day Pre-paid Game Card European Server Version - PC
6. PlayStation Network Card R200 - PS3/PSP
7. Stronghold Collection - PC
8. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat - PC
9. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare GOTY Edition - PS3
10. Warhammer: Dawn of War 2 - Chaos Rising Expansion Pack - PC

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Bestselling books - 2010/04/11

Another Sunday is here and once again we take a look at the bestselling books making the various online retail charts.

Again the Amazon list is topped by a food title! I keep telling you - food and politics seems to be the American hot topics at the moment!

Amazon
1. Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything - Geneen Roth
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
3. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis
4. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson
5. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella - Stephenie Meyer
6. The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson
7. Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independance - Benson J. Lossing
8. Dead in the Family: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel - Charlaine Harris
9. Wives of the Signers - Mary W. Green
10. Changes (Dresden Files, Book 12) - Jim Butcher

Kalahari.Net
1. Evita's Kossie Sikelela - Pieter-Dirk Uys
2. The Struggle: Bks. 1 & 2 - LJ Smith
3. Vampire Diaries: v. 1 & 2 - LJ Smith
4. The Gabriel Method: The Revolutionary Diet-Free Way to Totally Transform Your Body - Jon Gabriel
5. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
6. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest - Stieg Larsson
7. The Girl Who Played with Fire -Stieg Larsson
8. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
9. SAICA Legislation Handbook 2009/2010 - SAICA
10.Vampire Diaries: Bks. 3 & 4 - LJ Smith

Take2.co.za
1. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 1, Books 1 & 2 - Smith, L. J.
2. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 2, Books 3 & 4 - Smith, L. J.
3. The Return: Nightfall- Smith, L. J.
4. Vampire Diaries Vol 1 Books 3 & 4 TV Tie- Smith, L. J.
5. Vampire Diaries - The Return: Nightfall- Smith, L. J.
6. Lion's Heat- Leigh, Lora
7. Bad Moon Rising- Kenyon, Sherrilyn
8. Girl Who Played with Fire- Larsson, Stieg
9. Vampire Diaries - The Return: Shadow Souls - Smith, L. J.
10. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Larsson, Stieg

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Hot Easter Games

And no new faces on the video game bestselling lists:

Kalahari.Net
1. Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight - PC
2. Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Limited Edition - PC
3. Final Fantasy XIII - PS3
4. Singstar: ABBA - PS2
5. Ben 10: Vilgax Attacks Special Edition with Free Ben 10 Watch - PS2
6. Virtua Tennis 2009 - Nintendo Wii
7. Just Cause 2 - PS3
8. Just Cause 2 - Xbox 360
9. Heavy Rain - PS3
10. Assassin's Creed 2 - PC

Take2.co.za
1. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Limited Edition (PC)
2. God of War 3 (PS3)
3. Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening Expansion Pack (PC)
4. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
5. Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight (PC)
6. World of Warcraft 60 Day Pre-paid Game Card European Server Version (PC)
7. Assassin's Creed II (PC DVD-ROM)
8. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (PC)
9. Stronghold Collection (PC)
10. Exclusive: World In Conflict Complete (PC)

Amazon.com
1. Xbox 360 Arcade - Xbox360
2. Pokemon HeartGold Version Software Only - Nintendo DS
3. Just Dance - Nintendo Wii
4. God of War III - PS3
5. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction - Xbox360
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Nintendo Wii
7. New Super Mario Bros - Nintendo Wii
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Xbox360
9. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board - Nintendo Wii
10. LittleBigPlanet: Game of the Year Edition - PS3

Easter Bestselling Books

It is the end of an interesting Easter weekend for South Africans and that means that as has become our tradition we compile a list of the best-selling books on the various online retail platforms.

There are two interesting titles on the Kalahari list which jump out at me. First up there is the new Pieter-Dirk Uys book and secondly "Sokker – Alles wat jy wil weet maar te skaam is om te vra" by Tim Sandham. Will definately see if I can get my hands on these two books to do a review on them.

Interestingly there is a new Stephenie Meyer topping the Amazon list and considering how much I enjoyed Twilight, I think I might need to follow this one.

Kalahari.Net
1. Evita's Kossie Sikelela - Pieter-Dirk Uys
2. Nuwe kinderverseboek - Riana Scheepers; Suzette Kotze-Myburgh
3. The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson
4. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest - Stieg Larsson
5. Vampire Diaries: Bks. 3 & 4 - LJ Smith
6. The Struggle: Bks. 1 & 2 - LJ Smith
7. Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I: 40th Anniversary Edition - Julia Child; Louisette Bertholle
8. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
9. The Gabriel Method: The Revolutionary Diet-Free Way to Totally Transform Your Body - Jon Gabriel
10. Sokker – Alles wat jy wil weet maar te skaam is om te vra - Tim Sandham

Take2.co.za
1. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 1, Books 1 & 2- Smith, L. J.
2. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 2, Books 3 & 4 - Smith, L. J.
3. The Return: Nightfall - Smith, L. J.
4. Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest - Larsson, Stig
5. Vampire Diaries Vol 1 Books 3 & 4 TV Tie - Smith, L. J.
6. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Larsson, Stieg
7. Vampire Diaries - The Return: Nightfall- Smith, L. J.
8. Bad Moon Rising- Kenyon, Sherrilyn
9. Girl Who Played with Fire- Larsson, Stieg
10. Eclipse - Meyer, Stephenie

Amazon.com
1. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella - Stephenie Meyer
2. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis
3. Changes (Dresden Files, Book 12) - Jim Butcher
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
5. The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that could save your life - Ben Sherwood
6. The Age of the Unthinkable: Why the New World Disorder Constantly Surprises Us And What We Can Do About It - Joshua Cooper Ramo
7. America's Prophet: Moses and the American Story - Bruce Feiler
8. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson
9. Conservative Victory: Defeating Obama's Radical Agenda - Sean Hannity
10. Hungry Girl 1-2-3: The Easiest, Most Delicious Free Recipes on the planet - Lisa Lillien

On the reading list?

It looks like a rainy start to the Easter weekend – at least in Johannesburg!

The wife has claimed her Kindle back so I’ve had to search high and low through our bookshelves to find something decent to read. I even went so far as to look at what was on the daughters shelf and came across her copy of “Twilight”.

Up until now I have had absolutely no desire to read it. I love science fiction of the vampire nature, but my impression of Twilight was a lame, soppy, romantic series for teenagers.

I appear to have gotten it a little wrong and the book is actually quite well written and story line is sound! Maybe that explains why it has been such a phenomenal success on all the best-seller lists?

So what else are people reading this weekend?

Hot Video Games – 2010/03/28

Two new titles are creeping up the respective lists – Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight and Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening Expansion Pack

Here are the full lists:

Kalahari.net
1. Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight (PC)
2. Battlefield Bad Company 2 – Limited Edition – PC
3. Empire Earth II Gold – PC
4. Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening Expansion Pack – PC
5. Virtua Tennis 2009 – Nintendo Wii
6. Street Fighter IV – PS3
7. Final Fantasy XIII – PS3
8. Assassin’s Creed 2 – PC
9. Ben 10: Vilgax Attacks – PS2
10. Need for Speed Undercover – PC

Amazon.com
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 – Nintendo Wii
2. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board – Nintendo Wii
3. Pokemon HeartGold Version Software Only – Nintendo DS
4. God of War III – PS3
5. Pokemon SoulSilver Version Software Only – Nintendo DS
6. New Super Mario Bros – Nintendo Wii
7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – PS3
8. Just Dance – Nintendo Wii
9. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction – Xbox360
10. MadWorld – Nintendo Wii

Take2.co.za
1. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Limited Edition – PC
2. God of War 3 – PS3
3. Final Fantasy XIII – PS3
4. Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight – PC
5. Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening Expansion Pack – PC
6. Street Fighter IV – PS3
7. Assassin’s Creed II – PC
8. Exclusive: World In Conflict Complete – PC
9. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat – PC
10. World of Warcraft 60 Day Pre-paid Game Card European Server Version (PC)

Bestselling Books – 2010/03/28

As usual on a Sunday night we compile a list of the bestselling books at the various online retailers:

There is a new Harlan Coben title climbing the Amazon ranks and the Jon Gabriel title also seems to feature.

Kalahari.net
1. The Struggle: Bks. 1 & 2 – LJ Smith
2. Eclipse – Stephenie Meyer
3. Vampire Diaries: Bks. 3 & 4 – LJ Smith
4. Plaasmoord – Karin Brynard
5. The Gabriel Method: The Revolutionary Diet-Free Way to Totally Transform Your Body – Jon Gabriel
6. Breaking Dawn – Stephenie Meyer
7. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything – Elizabeth Gilbert
8. New Moon – Stephenie Meyer
9. Jesus word gebore – Gloria A. Truitt
10. Moses in die mandjie – Julie Dietrich

Amazon.com
1. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine – Michael Lewis
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson
3. Now Eat This!: 150 of America’s Favorite Comfort Foods, All Under 350 Calories – Rocco DiSpirito
4. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest – Stieg Larsson
5. The Help – Kathryn Stockett
6. Change Your Brain, Change Your Body: Use Your Brain to Get and Keep the Body You Have Always Wanted – Daniel G. Amen M.D
7. The Girl Who Played with Fire – Stieg Larsson
8. Conservative Victory: Defeating Obama’s Radical Agenda – Sean Hannity
9. Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything – Geneen Roth
10. Caught – Harlan Coben

Take2.co.za
1. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 1, Books 1 & 2 – Smith, L. J.
2. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 2, Books 3 & 4 – Smith, L. J.
3. The Return: Nightfall – Smith, L. J.
4. Black Jack – Leigh, Lora
5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo -Larsson, Stieg
6. Vampire Diaries Vol 1 Books 3 & 4 TV Tie – Smith, L. J.
7. Born to Be Wild – Warren, Christine
8. Master of Fire- Knight, Angela
9. Eclipse – Meyer, Stephenie
10. The Gabriel Method – Gabriel, Jon

Hot video games - 2010/03/21

And as usual we chuck in the bestselling video games as well:

God of War III seems to be kicking ass both at home and abroad!

Take2
1. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Limited Edition – PC
2. God of War 3 – PS3
3. Final Fantasy XIII – PS3
4. Street Fighter IV – PS3
5. Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight – PC
6. Heavy Rain – PS3
7. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat – PC
8. Assassin’s Creed II – PC
9. Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening Expansion Pack – PC
10. Street Fighter IV Collector’s Edition – PS3

Kalahari.net
1. God of War 3 – PS3
2. Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight – PC
3. Battlefield Bad Company 2 – Limited Edition – PC
4. Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening Expansion Pack – PC
5. Final Fantasy XIII – PS3
6. Heavy Rain – PS3
7. Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast – PC
8. Battlefield Bad Company 2 Limited Edition – Xbox360
9. Sacred 2 Gold – PC
10. Empire Earth II Gold – PC

Amazon.com
1. God of War III – PS3
2. Pokemon SoulSilver Version Software Only – Nintendo DS
3. Pokemon HeartGold Version Software Only – Nintendo DS
4. Just Dance – Nintendo Wii
5. New Super Mario Bros – Nintendo Wii
6. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board – Nintendo Wii
7. Final Fantasy XIII – PS3
8. Battlefield Bad Company 2 – Xbox360
9. Wii Sports Resort – Nintendo Wii
10. God of War: Collection – PS3

Trusted Online Electronic Store Click Here

Bestselling books – 2010/03/21

Sunday is here and once again we profile the bestselling books on the various only retailers for the bestselling books.

I see my Michael Lewis pick has shot to the top of the Amazon bestseller list! Gonna be a goodie when I get my grubby little paws on it.

Take2
1. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 1, Books 1 & 2 – Smith, L. J.
2. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 2, Books 3 & 4 – Smith, L. J.
3. The Return: Nightfall – Smith, L. J.
4. Black Jack – Leigh, Lora
5. Vampire Diaries Vol 1 Books 3 & 4 TV Tie – Smith, L. J.
6. Born to Be Wild – Warren, Christine
7. Hot Rocks – Roberts, Nora
8. Pleasure of a Dark Prince – Cole, Kresley
9. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – Larsson, Stieg
10. Master of Fire – Knight, Angela

Kalahari.net
1. The Struggle: Bks. 1 & 2 – LJ Smith
2. Fees Van Die Ongenooides – P.G. du Plessis
3. SAICA Legislation Handbook 2009/2010 – SAICA
4. Vampire Diaries: Bks. 3 & 4 – LJ Smith
5. The Gabriel Method: The Revolutionary Diet-Free Way to Totally Transform Your Body – Jon Gabriel
6. Evita’s Kossie Sikelela – Pieter-Dirk Uys
7. Operational risk management: The practical application of a qualitative approach – J. Young
8. New Moon – Stephenie Meyer
9. The Return: Nightfall – LJ Smith
10. Captain in the Cauldron – Mike Greenaway

Amazon.com
1. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine – Michael Lewis
2. Change Your Brain, Change Your Body: Use Your Brain to Get and Keep the Body You Have Always Wanted – Daniel G. Amen M.D.
3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest – Stieg Larsson
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Vintage) – Stieg Larsson
5. The Help – Kathryn Stockett
6. The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage) – Stieg Larsson
7. Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes: The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes without Drugs – Neal D Barnard
8. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer – John Grisham
9. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang – Chelsea Handler
10. Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything – Geneen Roth

Gone For Good – Harlan Coben

Now THIS was a cracking little read. I really enjoy the easy reading style of Harlan Coben and this book was no exception… In fact I’d go as far as to say that I reckon this was probably the best of his books which I have read.

The story is a curious mix of characters where the good guys are not quite as good as they seem, while the bad guys are both really bad … but with a soft spot. The problem is you can never quite work out who is where until the end of the book.

In a nutshell the story reads a little something like this:

Eleven years ago, Julie Miller was found brutally strangled in the basement of her house New Jersey. On that day, Will’s brother, Ken Klein, became the subject of an international manhunt accused of the crime. He has not been seen since. Will has tried to get on with his life in the intervening years. He has a beautiful new girlfriend, Sheila, and a job working with the homeless. But when his mother reveals on her deathbed that Ken is still alive, and shortly afterwards Sheila disappears, the cracks start to show in his landscape again. But it is only when he finds that Sheila herself is wanted for a savage double-murder that his life actually starts to fall apart…

This book moves at a really nice pace and keeps you interested the whole way through!

Title: Gone for Good

Author: Harlan Coben

ISBN: 978-1-4091-1708-7

This is a really cracking little read and we rated it a 4 out of 5.

You can buy this book online from retailer Loot for R92 in paperback.

Well worth it!

The Big Short – Inside the Doomsday Machine

For anyone with even the vaguest interest in the stockmarket, daytrading or financial markets the new Michael Lewis book is apparently an absolute MUST HAVE!

Lewis is regarded as probably the finest financial journalist in the world at the moment and his books - including Liars Poker and Panic - have been absolute hits through the global financial crisis.

This is his latest offering and I can tell you now that I'm going to be reading this one. The synopsis reads:

"The Big Short" tells a story of spectacular, epic folly. It has taken the world's greatest financial meltdown to bring Michael Lewis back to the subject that made him famous. His international bestseller "Liar's Poker" exposed the greed and carnage of the City and Wall Street in the 1980s; he wrote it as a cautionary tale, but people seem to have read it as a how-to guide. Now, he wants to settle accounts. In this visceral tour to the heart of the financial system, Michael Lewis takes us around the globe and back decades to trace the origins of the current crisis. He meets the people who saw it coming, the people who were asleep at the wheel and the people who were actively driving us all of cliff. How could we have all been so deluded for quite so long? Where did it all start? Was it systemic? Was it avoidable? And who the hell can we blame? Michael Lewis has the answers. No one is better qualified to get to the heart of this labyrinthine story. And no one can make it such an enjoyable ride along the way.

It looks like an absolutely awesome read!

You can buy it from online retailer Loot in hardcover for R316

Tell no-one - Harlan Coben

This is a cracking little read from Harlan Coben.

If you like fast-paced crime fiction then this will definately tickle your fancy and it has a nifty little twist at the end of the tale!

The story line is good and reads a little something like this:

8 years ago David Beck and his wife were having a romantic getaway at a cabin in the woods when they were brutally assaulted. His wife’s body was discovered a few days after the assault, battered beyond recognition.

Fast forward 8 years and Beck is still battling to get on with his life and it isn’t helped when he receives a link to a street-cam which mysteriously features an image of his presumed dead wife. Suddenly Becks’ life is turned upside down as he begins to investigate the case again. However the deeper he digs the more people wind up dead or threatened.

The book rollicks along at a great pace and I’d finished reading it inside of two days – a real page turner (if you can use that term when you are reading something on the Kindle?)

Title: Tell no one

Author: Harlan Coben

ISBN: 978-0-440-24590-2

This is a cracking little read and I rated it a 4 out of 5 while my wife threw in her 2c and rated it 3 and a half.

You can buy the book online at Loot for R81 as a paperback. It is definately worth it!

Popular Video Games - 2010/03/14

And the popular video games are.... listed below.

One really interesting title which I saw there was Outrun 2006 which was listed for R27.95 under Kalahari. Geez

dunno if any of you remember the ORIGINAL Outrun MANY years ago... wow that takes me back to my youth.


Take2.co.za
1. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Limited Edition - PC
2. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat PC
3. Final Fantasy XIII PS3
4. Heavy Rain - PS3
5. Street Fighter - PS3
6. Assassin's Creed II - PC
7. Street Fighter IV Collector's Edition PS3
8. Street Fighter IV Collector's Edition - Xbox360
9. THQ Ultimate Box Set (9 Game Pack) PC
Titan Quest, TQ:Immortal Throne, Company Of Heroes, COH: Opposing Fronts, STALKER.: Shadow of Chernoby, Frontlines:Fuel of War, Supreme Commander, SC: Forged Alliance, Warhammer: 40K: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade 10. World of Warcraft 60 Day Pre-paid Game Card European Server Version (PC)

Kalahari.Net
1. Final Fantasy XIII - PS3
2. God of War 3 Ultimate Edition - PS3
3. God of War 3 - PS3
4. Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Limited Edition - PC
5. Battlefield Bad Company 2 Limited Edition - PS3
6. Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast - PC
7. Street Fighter IV - PC
8. Need for Speed Undercover - PC
9. Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight - PC
10. Virtua Tennis 2009 - Nintendo Wii

Amazon.com
1. God of War III - PS3
2. Pokemon SoulSilver Version Software Only - Nintendo DS
3. Pokemon HeartGold Version Software Only - Nintendo DS
4. Final Fantasy XIII - PS3
5. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City - Xbox360
6. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board - Nintendo Wii
7. Just Dance - Nintendo Wii
8. New Super Mario Bros - Nintendo Wii
9. Final Fantasy XIII - Xbox360
10. Wii Sports Resort - Nintendo Wii

Hot books - 2010/03/14

Is it just me or are the Americans obsessed with food and politics titles?!

Sunday is here and once again we take a look at what books are proving popular with the various online retailers.

It looks like LJ Smith is still dominating the local scene and I am still very tempted to get my hands on that Flash Forward book!

Take2.co.za
1. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 1, Books 1 & 2 - Smith, L. J.
2. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 2, Books 3 & 4 - Smith, L. J.
3. Pleasure of a Dark Prince - Cole, Kresley
4. The Return: Nightfall - Smith, L. J.
5. Black Jack - Leigh, Lora
6. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Larsson, Stieg
7. Girl Who Played with Fire - Larsson, Stieg
8. Hot Rocks - Roberts, Nora
9. Born to Be Wild - Warren, Christine
10. Flash Forward - Sawyer, Robert J.

Kalahari.Net
1. The Return: Nightfall - LJ Smith
2. Vampire Diaries: Bks. 3 & 4 - LJ Smith
3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson
4. Vampire Diaries: v. 1 & 2 - LJ Smith
5. The Struggle: Bks. 1 & 2 - LJ Smith
6. The Gabriel Method: The Revolutionary Diet-Free Way to Totally Transform Your Body - Jon Gabriel
7. The Metabolism Miracle: 3 Easy Steps to Regain Control of Your Weight...Permanently - Dianne Kress
8. Captain in the Cauldron - Mike Greenaway
9. Pleisters Vir Die Siel: Soos Uitgesaai in Brekfis Met Derrich Op RSG - Riekert Botha
10. Introduction to business management - J. Strydom; G. du Toit; B Erasmus

Amazon.com
1. Food Rules: An Eater's Manual - Michael Pollan
2. The Five Thousand Year Leap: 30 Year Anniversary Edition with Glenn Beck Foreword - W. Cleon Skousen
3. A Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror - Larry Schweikart
4. World Peace Diet: Eating for Spiritual Health and Social Harmony - Will Tuttle
5. Change Your Brain, Change Your Body: Use Your Brain to Get and Keep the Body You Have Always Wanted - Daniel G. Amen
6. The Help - Kathryn Stockett
7. The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet - Alicia Silverstone
8. Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight - Karl Rove
9. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
10. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang - Chelsea Handler

Blindman’s Bluff – Faye Kellerman

I just wrapped up reading this latest offering from Faye Kellerman and it very rarely takes me a week to wrap up a fiction novel which I guess says something about how gripping the story was.

The intro was slow, but it did pick up a bit of pace in the middle of the story and wrapped up nicely enough.

The book was again focuses on Peter Decker and his police crew who have been called to the scene of a masasacre at a ranch owned by a rich property developer. What initially looks like a robbery gone wrong, quickly unwinds into a potential family feud which appears to involve a violent local gang.

The pace is measured and there were no real “twists” in the story and couldn’t say it grabbed me.

Title: Blindmans Bluff

Author: Faye Kellerman

ISBN: 978-0-00-734646-2

Rated the book an uninspiring 3 out of 5.

You can buy this book online from Loot for R96 in paperback.

Popular video games - 10 March 2010

And here is the list of the bestselling video games. It looks like Battlefield Bad Company, God of War and Street Fighter IV are all the rage this week!

Kalahari.Net
1. Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Limited Edition - PC
2. Final Fantasy XIII - PS3
3. God of War 3 - PS3
4. God of War 3 Ultimate Edition - PS3
5. Battlefield Bad Company 2 Limited Edition - Xbox360
6. Battlefield Bad Company 2 Limited Edition - PS3
7. Street Fighter IV - PS3
8. Assassin's Creed 2 - PC
9. Virtua Tennis 2009 - Nintendo Wii
10. Rome Total War: Barbarian Invasion - PC

Take2
1. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Limited Edition (PC DVD-ROM) -
2. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (PC DVD-ROM)
3. Heavy Rain (PS3)
4. Street Fighter IV (PS3)
5. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
6. Assassin's Creed II (PC DVD-ROM)
7. THQ Ultimate Box Set (9 Game Pack) (PC DVD-ROM)
Titan Quest, TQ:Immortal Throne, Company Of Heroes, COH: Opposing Fronts, STALKER.: Shadow of Chernoby, Frontlines:Fuel of War, Supreme Commander, SC: Forged Alliance, Warhammer: 40K: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade
8. World of Warcraft 60 Day Pre-paid Game Card European Server Version (PC)
9. Street Fighter IV Collector's Edition (PS3)
10. Street Fighter IV Collector's Edition (Xbox 360)

Amazon.com
1. God of War III - PS3
2. Final Fantasy XIII - PS3
3. Final Fantasy XIII - Xbox360
4. Mass Effect 2 - Xbox360
5. Just Dance - Nintendo Wii
6. Pokemon SoulSilver Version Software Only - Nintendo DS
7. Xbox 360 12 Month Live Gold Card - Xbox360
8. Heavy Rain - PS3
9. Nintendo Wii - Nintendo Wii
10. New Super Mario Bros - Nintendo Wii

Bestselling books - 10 March 2010

We have not done a bestsellers list in a while so let's take a look what books are proving popular with the online retailers and see if there are any inspirational purchases in there.

It looks like the Kalahari.net and Take2 listings are heavily skewed toward the various LJ Smith books and I am very keen to get my hands on the Flash Forward book... I'm just worried it might ruin the TV series for me! Here is the list:

Kalahari.Net
1. Vampire Diaries: Bks. 3 & 4 - LJ Smith
2. The Struggle: Bks. 1 & 2 - LJ Smith
3. Screw It, Let's Do It: Lessons in Life - Richard Branson
4. Vampire Diaries: v. 1 & 2 - LJ Smith
5. The Return: Nightfall - LJ Smith
6. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
7. The Metabolism Miracle: 3 Easy Steps to Regain Control of Your Weight...Permanently - Dianne Kress
8. SAICA Handbook 2009/2010 - SAICA
9. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
10. The Reunion: v. 3 & 4 - LJ Smith.

Take2
1. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 1, Books 1 & 2 - Smith, L. J.
2. Vampire Diaries, Vol. 2, Books 3 & 4 - Smith, L. J.
3. Pleasure of a Dark Prince - Cole, Kresley
4. The Return: Nightfall - Smith, L. J.
5. Girl Who Played with Fire - Larsson, Stieg
6. Black Jack - Leigh, Lora
7. Born to Be Wild - Warren, Christine
8. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Larsson, Stieg
9. Hot Rocks - Roberts, Nora
10. Flash Forward - Sawyer, Robert J.

Amazon.com
1. Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight - Karl Rove
2. The Help - Kathryn Stockett
3. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang - Chelsea Handler
4. Change Your Brain, Change Your Body: Use Your Brain to Get and Keep the Body You Have Always Wanted - Daniel G. Amen
5. Final Fantasy XIII: The Complete Official Guide - Piggyback
6. Rework - Jason Fried
7. Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College - Doug Lemov
8. Hypothyroidism Type 2: The Epidemic - Mark Starr
9. American Conspiracies: Lies, Lies, and More Dirty Lies that the Government Tells Us - Jesse Ventura
10. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – The Millennium Trilogy (Volume 1) – Stieg Larsson

Admittedly I have been a little late to this whole Stieg Larsson lark, but as they say: Rather late, than never at all.

A very quick piece of trivia around Larsson – he was a Swedish author and journalist who died in 2004 (Born 1954). This trilogy was the first of his books to

be published in the US and 2009 proved a bumper year for him as these books remained top of the bestsellers lists for much of last year. It is definately interesting to see how almost five years after his death, the books have finally jumped into the spotlight.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is the first in the series and revolves around disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander, a young private investigator with many dark secrets.

Blomkvist is asked by a wealthy industrialist to investigate the disappearance of a young girl (his niece) who went missing almost 30 years ago.

Apart from the investigation there are three other key story lines in play – the first being Salanders battle with her own demons, the second being the future of the magazine operated by Blomkvist and partner and finally the relationship which develops between Salander and Blomkvist.

Initially I found the story a little slow going, particularly as the characters were introduced. My wife says that the second book – which she has read – is much quicker and easier to get into .

The other issue for me was that it was the first book I was reading on the Kindle and it did take a bit of getting used to. As the story built itself up though it definately gathered momentum and I found it harder to put the book down.

Initially the writing style was a little difficult to get my head around. There are places where the dialogue comes across as a little stilted and you get the sense that there are some sentences which have literal translations from Swedish to English – the book was tranlsated – but after a while you find yourself getting used to it.

A lot of work was also put into the development of the characters and there is a lot of depth to them. There are no larger than life “American” style characters and that makes them very believable.

Title: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Author: Stieg Larsson
ISBN: 978-1-84724-545-8

This was probably one of the better reads and I rated it a four and half out of five with just the dialogue thing bugging me. A brilliant read.

You can buy this book online from retailer Loot for R112.