Myles McKay recommends
Myles McKay is a trainee solicitor at MTG.
Read on to find out which six books Myles recommends, and why…
I have always loved reading, and, as anyone looking at my suggestions may have guessed, I am something of an escapist. I love any book that will take me away from everyday life, and all of these books are based in either different times, places or worlds.
The Name of the Wind
Patrick Rothfuss
A brilliant fantasy novel. Patrick Rothfuss writes brilliantly and employs a split narrative, of an old barkeep struggling in his day-to-day life, whilst reliving the glories of his youth. I only hesitate to recommend it as it has been 13 years since the second book in the trilogy was released, and the third one is still yet to be published!
The Gift of Rain
Tan Twan Eng
Set during the tumult of World War II, on the lush Malayan island of Penang, The Gift of Rain tells a riveting and poignant tale about a young man caught in the tangle of both wartime issues and those which are common to young people everywhere. It explores diaspora, and conflicting loyalties in a time of great duress, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
American Gods
Neil Gaiman
An epic, and deeply strange book. The protagonist, Shadow, is informed that his wife has been killed in a car crash a few days before he is due to be released from prison. He meets the enigmatic Mr Wednesday on his flight home, and the book follows the pair of them as they travel across America.
All Men Are Mortal (Tous les hommes sont mortels)
Simone de Beauvoir
My French is sadly not up to reading the original, but I found this book truly fascinating. Regine, a successful actress, meets Fosca, and he reveals to her that he is immortal. She seeks to attain her own immortality through his memory, so he tells her his life story.
Lords and Ladies
Terry Pratchett
Another fantasy book, this time from my favourite author, Sir Terry Prachett, who uses the lens of comedical fantasy to explore real life issues. The entire Discworld series is brilliant, but as I cannot recommend all 41 books, I have chosen this one. In Lords and Ladies Sir Terry flips the usual working order of fantasy novels and this book features well-meaning witches and evil elves. This book works fine as a stand alone, although I would recommend reading the other books in the witches series first!
Wolf of the Plains
Conn Iggulden
Finally, I have a historical book, and again it is the first of a trilogy. This novel is heavily based on fact, with only occasional dalliances from the the historical sources for the sake of improving the story. The protagonist is Temujin, who is better known under the title he later bestows upon himself, Genghis Khan. The first book follows his rise to power, and how he battled the odds to rise from his humble beginnings to uniting the Mongol tribes.