Engleby - Sebastian Faulks

Sebastian Faulks is a well regarded writer with many fine books on his CV including Birdsong (1993) Charlotte Gray (1998) and On Green Dolphin Street (2001). He seems to be always looking for new challenges in his writing and recently in 2008 he became the latest author to write an official James Bond novel 'Devil May Care', at the request of the trustees of the estate of Ian Fleming. Engelby written before the Bond novel in 2007 once again proves his versatility as a writer. In 'Engleby' Sebastian Faulks skilfully introduces us to the life of Mike Engleby. His story is gradually revealed and the reader gets drawn in to a disturbing world of obsession and ...  Read the complete review

Sebastion Faulks is probably best known for his 1993 novel 'Birdsong' - a novel of war and erotic love, which sold over 3 million copies. 'Engleby' was first published in 2007, as Faulk's eighth novel, and it is a million miles from the drama and agony of the trenches. As with many of the best novels, a lot of the main character's story echoes the life of the author. Sebastian Faulks was born near Reading in 1953. He attended the prestigious public school Wellington College in 1966 and in 1970 won an open exhibition to read English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. After university Faulks worked as a journalist in London. As we will see, his life is reflected in the ...  Read the complete review

Sebastian Faulks is a veteran of many best selling novels and I am always tempted to pick up a new book by him when I spot it on the shelves. His early novels Birdsong and Charlotte Grey focussed on war stories but over the past few years he has branched out and proved time and time that he is an extremely versatile author. Engelby is the story of our hero(???) Mike Engelby who is the lead character of the novel. The story spans a period of roughly 50 years from the 1960s to the present day and is mainly told through the eyes of Mike Engelby using a first person narrative technique. The story commences in the 1970s when ...  Read the complete review

Obsession. Stalking. A chance encounter and something just clicks in your subconscious. Before you realise what's happened, you have an almost irresistible compulsion to become part of that person's life. To invade their circle of friends. Your imagination takes over. In your head, the object of your passion belongs to you. You know everything about her... But what happens when it all goes too far? Sebastian Faulks' novel - published in paperback in March 2008 - is a chilling account of how a seemingly ordinary boy from a working-class family wins a place at public school, then one of the country's top Universities, and finally becomes a well-respected ...  Read the complete review

Engleby is a novel by the fantastic author Sebastian Faulks following the life of teenager from working class family who goes from a quiet, intelligent young boy who is bullied from an early age to a mentally disturbed man. The novel entails decades of often far inbetween diary accounts from Mike Engelby himself, the only regular accounts during his university days, when events of most importance takes place... I don't want to ruin it for anyone but the book deals with fascination, stalking and murder. I think the book is a real masterpiece with Sebastian's ability to inhabit the character so well and write accounts so realistically. Descriptions and ...  Read the complete review