Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
brrapp said:
coppice said:
vanordinaire said:
Do report back; I adore Annie P but the reviews of this have been mixed so far. Postcards was especially brilliant I thought. Obviously I'm nowhere near finished yet, but my summary so far is that it's an epic in the style of James A Michener, with some plot twists remeniscent of Cormac Mccarthy and descriptive prose as good as William Fiennes. So yes, I'd recommend it.
toasty said:
Tony Angelino said:
In an attempt to broaden my horizons I have gone for a real change and am limping my way into James Joyce Ulysese on audio book, heavy weather at the moment (and I'm only 40 mins in!). Won't be long before I start to think i'm simply not clever enough to enjoy/understand it.
Stick with it. Every chapter is in a different writing style. The morning chapters were more of a struggle than the drunken evening ones. From chapter 4 onwards the focus moves to Leopold who's a much more interesting character than Stephen.
After each chapter I read up on Wikipedia to ensure I was following the story correctly. I was, just about.
DoctorX said:
Spotted this in the latest hardback releases in WH Smith, being marketed as "For fans of I am Pilgrim". Worth a punt at 98p on the Kindle. Anyone read it? Will I get a return on my substantial investment?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nomad-explosive-thriller-...
Enjoyed that. Good for fans of Lee Child/Stephen Leather with a touch of Tom Clancy. Unfortunately the price has gone up to 99p though.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nomad-explosive-thriller-...
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
Sebring440 said:
Welshbeef said:
Do you think the type of books you read /genre has any link to he kind of car you drive?
Definitely!I drive a Porsche 944 and I enjoy fantasy!
What about you?
You need to read PH'er book about taking a 944 to / through Africa then
DoctorX said:
DoctorX said:
Spotted this in the latest hardback releases in WH Smith, being marketed as "For fans of I am Pilgrim". Worth a punt at 98p on the Kindle. Anyone read it? Will I get a return on my substantial investment?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nomad-explosive-thriller-...
Enjoyed that. Good for fans of Lee Child/Stephen Leather with a touch of Tom Clancy. Unfortunately the price has gone up to 99p though.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nomad-explosive-thriller-...
King Herald said:
I'm 3/4 through Wilbur Smiths latest offering, Golden Lion. It is pitiful, like reading some book aimed at school kids. I have an idea it is not even him writing any more????
I've read every book he ever wrote, and the early ones were incredible, but he has lost direction now.
Wow! is he still alive and writing? I was brought up on his books in the sixties. He must be ancient by now.I've read every book he ever wrote, and the early ones were incredible, but he has lost direction now.
King Herald said:
I'm 3/4 through Wilbur Smiths latest offering, Golden Lion. It is pitiful, like reading some book aimed at school kids. I have an idea it is not even him writing any more????
No, he's turned it into a franchise, like Clive Cussler. Infuriating.There are so many authors of varying abilities writing the "Clive Cussler" books now. I wish they would just admit that Cussler has nothing to do with it any more and call it the Clive Cussler Universe, or inspired by Clive Cussler, or something similar. But it's a great, money-spinning franchise, so what do I know?
havoc said:
Out of all of that genre, I found Gerald Seymour the most engaging. Still dip into his stuff on occasion, even if the subject matter is pretty dated in most cases...
Well, Harry's Game was published in 1975, and covered "subject matter" that was of its time.As have all further books from the author.
Not sure what your point is?
Realised the other day that I never got round to reading Pratchet's final book, The Shepherds Crown. Think I was waiting for it on paperback and then forgot. Enjoyed it but I don't think it's as good as his earlier stuff, reading the note in the back it sounded like he usually spent a bit more time polishing them once he's finished the main story, but sadly didn't have time on this one
In some way quite a fitting end though realised where it was going when Granny started scrubbing the house. Killing off one of the major characters, who then hangs around in everyones memory for so long is kind of a fitting tribute
In some way quite a fitting end though realised where it was going when Granny started scrubbing the house. Killing off one of the major characters, who then hangs around in everyones memory for so long is kind of a fitting tribute
Sebring440 said:
No, he's turned it into a franchise, like Clive Cussler. Infuriating.
There are so many authors of varying abilities writing the "Clive Cussler" books now. I wish they would just admit that Cussler has nothing to do with it any more and call it the Clive Cussler Universe, or inspired by Clive Cussler, or something similar. But it's a great, money-spinning franchise, so what do I know?
Which thankfully is what has happened with Robert Ludlum, for example the Jason Bourne series has been continued by Eric Van Lustbader, which is a good way to spot ones that aren't worth reading as it seems he's not even bothered reading Ludlums original series.There are so many authors of varying abilities writing the "Clive Cussler" books now. I wish they would just admit that Cussler has nothing to do with it any more and call it the Clive Cussler Universe, or inspired by Clive Cussler, or something similar. But it's a great, money-spinning franchise, so what do I know?
While on holiday I managed to get through Jeremy Clarkson's The Top Gear Years, Lee Child's Echo Burning, Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep, Stuart McGuire's Cold Granite, Ann Cleeves' Blue Lightning, John Grisham's Rogue Lawyer and most of Bill Bryson's Little Dribbling.
It's always interesting to see what books previous guests have left behind at holiday accommodation. This year the oddest item was a biography of Denis Healey.
It's always interesting to see what books previous guests have left behind at holiday accommodation. This year the oddest item was a biography of Denis Healey.
Sebring440 said:
havoc said:
Out of all of that genre, I found Gerald Seymour the most engaging. Still dip into his stuff on occasion, even if the subject matter is pretty dated in most cases...
Well, Harry's Game was published in 1975, and covered "subject matter" that was of its time.As have all further books from the author.
Not sure what your point is?
The same can be said of most politico-military thrillers to be honest.
King Herald said:
I'm 3/4 through Wilbur Smiths latest offering, Golden Lion. It is pitiful, like reading some book aimed at school kids. I have an idea it is not even him writing any more????
I've read every book he ever wrote, and the early ones were incredible, but he has lost direction now.
I read that recently, in fact when I first read your post I thought it was mine, until you didn't agree with my opinion of it. I didn't think it was that bad, if you don't like it don't whatever you do read "Those in Peril".I've read every book he ever wrote, and the early ones were incredible, but he has lost direction now.
I've read a couple by Luca Veste recently, cop thrillers set in the Liverpool area and pretty good, quite readable, though I shouldn't really have read the second straight after the first. I've also done "Private No1 Suspect" by James Patterson, not bad if you can accept the macho superhero that is the main character. Currently on "The Night Ferry" by Michael Robotham which isn't bad, but not as good as "Say you're sorry" was.
I'm working my way through the Lee Child 'Reacher' stuff (again!) right now.
Prompted in part by the trailer for the new movie, I've re-read 'A Wanted Man', 'Never Go Back', and I'm half way through 'Personal', all in the last week. Some of the chronology is out within the series, so I've not bothered with starting at the beginning. I'll just read 'em all as they seem to work just as well as stand-alone books as they do within the series. The three I'm staring with were just the ones close to hand (because they wouldn't fit into the bookcase when I first finished them).
Prompted in part by the trailer for the new movie, I've re-read 'A Wanted Man', 'Never Go Back', and I'm half way through 'Personal', all in the last week. Some of the chronology is out within the series, so I've not bothered with starting at the beginning. I'll just read 'em all as they seem to work just as well as stand-alone books as they do within the series. The three I'm staring with were just the ones close to hand (because they wouldn't fit into the bookcase when I first finished them).
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