Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
TheJimi said:
TheHeretic - have you read Foucault's Pendulum?
I had The Name Of The Rose on my list to read but after wading my way through FP - I went off Eco.
Nope, never read it. TNOTR is the only one of his I have read. I'm a massive fan of Sherlock Holmes, so it appeals immediately. Was FP hard to read? I struggled with this one when I forst read it. Very heavy going I found, but I got into it. I had The Name Of The Rose on my list to read but after wading my way through FP - I went off Eco.
Legend83 said:
Just finished:
My first venture into science fiction - it was truly superb (even if I didn't understand 25% of it!).
Now onto:
So far, so very very interesting.
Mullane's book is pretty good. Just finished "The Last Man on the Moon" by Eugune Cernan, which is also nicely written (albeit he does wear his Christianity on his sleeve throughout it - fairly right-on American I guess, but also a little disappointing in some ways).My first venture into science fiction - it was truly superb (even if I didn't understand 25% of it!).
Now onto:
So far, so very very interesting.
I just finished The Railway Man, by Eric Lomax.
True story of a British POW, captured after the fall of Singapore, sent to various POW camps, tortured, beaten, humiliated and starved.
He eventually gets liberated, and back to the UK, to be treated with indifference, nobody understand anything about what has happened to him and many 1000's of other POWs and returning soldiers.
It took 50 years before he even started to receive treatment, and then he finally got to meet his chief antagonist face to face. An unusual ending too.
A great book, a bit too much British stiff upper lip, but that was the way such men are, well worth a read.
True story of a British POW, captured after the fall of Singapore, sent to various POW camps, tortured, beaten, humiliated and starved.
He eventually gets liberated, and back to the UK, to be treated with indifference, nobody understand anything about what has happened to him and many 1000's of other POWs and returning soldiers.
It took 50 years before he even started to receive treatment, and then he finally got to meet his chief antagonist face to face. An unusual ending too.
A great book, a bit too much British stiff upper lip, but that was the way such men are, well worth a read.
Hugo a Gogo said:
Tango13 said:
I've just finished 'the Martian' by Andy Weir, very entertaining. It's currently 77p for the kindle edition but only until Tuesday night. If you don't buy a copy by then you'll have to wait 'till next year as a deal has just been done with a major publisher.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Martian-ebook/dp/B009I...
bought it last night, interestinghttp://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Martian-ebook/dp/B009I...
Just finished 'Penal Colony' by Richard Herley. Interesting read, I can see the logic of the place too. 
Only violent criminals are brought to the island penal colony of Sert. Gunships circle the waters. There are no warders and no rules. There is only the Community, which provides a rigidly imposed order in exchange for a modicum of security and comfort. Madmen and sociopaths roam beyond the gates. Into this world descends Anthony John Routledge, sentenced for a crime he did not commit. Before Routledge is permitted to join the Community, he survives assault, attempted buggery, and murder, and kills three men. Then, the elders draft him to work on a plan to escape. They succeed, achieving victory both against those who condemned them and the barbarians who wait outside the gates to destroy them.
Only violent criminals are brought to the island penal colony of Sert. Gunships circle the waters. There are no warders and no rules. There is only the Community, which provides a rigidly imposed order in exchange for a modicum of security and comfort. Madmen and sociopaths roam beyond the gates. Into this world descends Anthony John Routledge, sentenced for a crime he did not commit. Before Routledge is permitted to join the Community, he survives assault, attempted buggery, and murder, and kills three men. Then, the elders draft him to work on a plan to escape. They succeed, achieving victory both against those who condemned them and the barbarians who wait outside the gates to destroy them.
g3org3y said:
This was pretty decent. Plenty of background regarding PKD and certainly inspired me to read more of his work (VALIS & A Scanner Darkly freshly delivered from Amazon). If you're a science geek, worth a read.
I bought that a couple of years ago when I spotted it in a 2nd hand bookshop. Thought it very entertaining, and a little disturbing with regard to what they were trying to achieve!Currently reading Jasper Ffordes first Thursday Next novel. I fancied something different, I can only describe it as akin to The Laundry books by Charles Stross but maybe more surreal!
marcosgt said:
King Herald said:
Just finished 'Penal Colony' by Richard Herley. Interesting read, I can see the logic of the place too.
...Before Routledge is permitted to join the Community, he survives assault, attempted buggery, and murder
He survives murder?????...Before Routledge is permitted to join the Community, he survives assault, attempted buggery, and murder
M.
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