#95 Player One, by Douglas Coupland (William Heinnemann)

Player One is one of the strangest books I've read this (last) year. It begins with what seems like the start of the apocalypse, throws together some of the most bizarre characters you could hope to meet, follows them in real-time for five hours as a host of questions relating to religion and the meaning of our existence are explored, and then ends.

Beautiful blonde Rachel, or 'Player One', is the key character within this setting. Unable to express or understand any emotion, the reader sees everything unfold through her eyes - and perhaps that's why everything is so curiously uninvolving.

The mood is such that when a sniper starts killing people from the top of a hotel, you don't really care, and while things start at a rollicking pace, the focus shifts from what seems a fascinating wider picture to the lives of a few people, and my interest waned as a result.

Douglas Coupland is often hailed as a 'visionary author', and while answers are few and between, he certainly poses some intruiging questions concerning the future of the planet and human nature, and there are some nice touches, such as using language you would normally associate with computers/technology to emphasise the disconnect between the characters (a conversation is not 'restarted, it is 'rebooted', for example).

But the fact I was more interested in what was happening away from where the characters were perhaps best illustrates how involved I was in the story.

That said, the final appendix dictionary, explaining (invented) terms that will be applicable in the future - "Deomiraculosteria: God's anger at always being asked to perform miracles" - was very funny in places and was worth an extra mark on its own.

So, rating time:

#95 Player One, by Douglas Coupland (William Heinnemann) - 7/10

Next up: Road Dogs, by Elmore Leonard (Pheonix)

Click here for the full list of books so far, and their rating

Oh dear, it's 2011

Seven days into 2011, you're probably wondering whether I completed the challenge - even if it's just because you're hoping I haven't so you can take the piss.

It's been a long year, but a hugely enjoyable one, even though I fell just one book short.

Yep, that's right. After 365 days, 119 blogs (so far) and more pages than the Queen, I came up just one novel shy from completing the task I set myself at the start of the year.

But I'm not too bothered (he writes through gritted teeth). At the very start of the year - and you can look this up to check I'm not lying - I said that the aim of the challenge was simply to compel me to read more, and in that pursuit I have been successful.

In hindsight, the fact I came up one short, and that a few reviews remain outstanding, suggests that I took on a bit too much. I'm not one for excuses, but my workload has been huge at times and it's taken its toll.

Indeed, I actually had an entire day - New Year's Eve - to read my final book, The Catcher in the Rye, in case you were interested. Unfortunately, it was on that very day that my company was taken over and, instead of my plan to leave nice and early, I was forced to spend numerous hours dealing with the ramifications.

Even then, I could probably have finished the book that evening with some dedicated reading, but I'd promised the Wench that I would go to a fancy dress New Year's Eve party with her and I couldn't go back on my word - even if it was to complete a challenge which had taken me the best part of a year. So it's her fault, you understand.

I do intend to read that 100th book, even if its somewhat belated, and complete the reviews. I also have a few more blogs in mind, and I want to reflect on the year as a whole, so I'll get to all of that over the next few days.

But for now, I'll end with some congratulations to my nemesis, the Friend of the Wench, with whom I have battled most enjoyably throughout the past 12 months, and who successfully completed his own 100-book challenge. Well done to him - and he's written a nice recap of the highs and lows of the year (and not just because it includes some pleasant words about me). You can read it here.

Back soon...