Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
leglessAlex said:
shirt said:
Also read Murakami's 'Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki' recently. My first Murakami novel. 8/10, maybe as I'm new to his style. Can be a bit trudging in places but paints bleak and beautiful landscapes with his words. Very strong last couple of chapters. Also the best made book I've had it ages. Super high quality paper, binding and printing. A bit geeky this but it was a joy to hold as well as read!
I love Murakami, one of if not my favourite author. However, I don't think that was a great book to start with! It's good you enjoyed it, I would recommend Norwegian Wood, The Wind Up Bird Chronicle or 1Q94 by him if you're going to read more of his books.
i did go to buy some other Murakami novels but was disappointed with the quality of the book. the 'colorless' copy i have is the one with the tokyo rail map. i'd hoped i could find his older work with the same kind of lavish production.
/book geek
Just finished:
A decent WW2 yarn about the Danish resistance. Despite loving the Pillars of the Earth, I have found other Follet books (including this one) a bit paint-by-numbers, to the point that some of it becomes almost cringeworthy.
Now something completely different as mentioned on here before:
So far, so
.
A decent WW2 yarn about the Danish resistance. Despite loving the Pillars of the Earth, I have found other Follet books (including this one) a bit paint-by-numbers, to the point that some of it becomes almost cringeworthy.
Now something completely different as mentioned on here before:
So far, so
.Just finished the Anne of Green Gables set. Read them as a child & didn't enjoy them, but Mum was reading them when she died - it was one of her favourites, so I read them all for her, much gentler days & I can see why I appreciated them now & not as a child.
The Girl with all the Gifts - M. R. Carey
blurb said:
NOT EVERY GIFT IS A BLESSING
Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class.
When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite. But they don't laugh.
About 1/4 way through, not bad so far. They're filming it in Birmingham & Shirley/Solihull - my home town, so it caught my curiosity... Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class.
When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite. But they don't laugh.
I've just read Swan Song by Robert McCammon.
It's an end of the world, good vs evil type book much like The Stand but different in how it's approached. It's a long book but an excellent read and well recommended.
I also read Judas Pig recently too. A great book but disturbing to think it's based on real events.
It's an end of the world, good vs evil type book much like The Stand but different in how it's approached. It's a long book but an excellent read and well recommended.
I also read Judas Pig recently too. A great book but disturbing to think it's based on real events.
Nom de ploom said:
Finished The Woods by Harlan Coben, first of his I've read and really enjoyed it, the first person style was good and the interplay between the main characters came across really well.
there was a point about a third in where it started to drift a bit but it was a decent page turner.....
looking for my next read now....
If you like his books you should try Jo Nesbo and his Harry Hole series (in order I'd suggest). They are some of the best police/thriller/detective books I've ever read with plot twists which you just don't see coming.there was a point about a third in where it started to drift a bit but it was a decent page turner.....
looking for my next read now....
Legend83 said:
A decent WW2 yarn about the Danish resistance. Despite loving the Pillars of the Earth, I have found other Follet books (including this one) a bit paint-by-numbers, to the point that some of it becomes almost cringeworthy.
About the best of his I've read is "On wings of eagles", basically a true-story account of getting some EDS executives out of Iran at the time of the revolution. A bit slow in parts but I quite like it, and usually seeing "based on a true story" will put me off completely.I've just finished "Wicked Prey" by John Sandford, that was a good book, now on "The Corporal's Wife" by Gerald Seymour which is reasonable so far but there's a lot of random jumping about that can make it hard to follow.
I've been knocking the crap out of my kindle unlimited subscription recently.
It's very good for getting you in to books you wouldn't bother with otherwise.
So I read book three in the 'man of war' series by H. Paul Honsiger. I like these. Slightly cheesy classic Sci-fi, but well done and keeps your attention.
Oh, and books 1-12 in the 'Comet Clement' series by Kevin George. Not quite an epic, and he tries too hard in places, but still worth reading. Near future expanded version of 'Armageddon' et al, but it goes wrong and humanity is doomed, apart from a few potential survivors.
Just started another series (17 of them!) 'A Quest of Heroes' by Morgan Rice. Should keep me busy for July.
It's very good for getting you in to books you wouldn't bother with otherwise.
So I read book three in the 'man of war' series by H. Paul Honsiger. I like these. Slightly cheesy classic Sci-fi, but well done and keeps your attention.
Oh, and books 1-12 in the 'Comet Clement' series by Kevin George. Not quite an epic, and he tries too hard in places, but still worth reading. Near future expanded version of 'Armageddon' et al, but it goes wrong and humanity is doomed, apart from a few potential survivors.
Just started another series (17 of them!) 'A Quest of Heroes' by Morgan Rice. Should keep me busy for July.
I have have just started "I shall wear Midnight", the fourth and presumably last tale of Tiffany Aching. Besides the witching and humour, "Crivens!", I do love Pratchett's descriptions of ordinary tiny farming village people's life, e.g. chapter two - "Rough Music" covers a pretty awful topic, but it is just so humanely done.
I've just finished the 'Dawn of Amber' trilogy. Before this I read the Chronicles of Amber. I have to say, I really enjoyed the chronicles, and the main characters from the books are fantastic.
The 'Dawn of Amber' trilogy was written by a completely different author. Usually when this happens, it is nowhere near as good as the originals, but I have to admit, he knew the back story and the style so well he did a fantastic job with the trilogy (to the point where it didn't feel like a different author).
My only beef was the ending. Very brief, and I thought there was going to be more set up to the Corwin side of the chronicles. But this aside, the ride was a lot of fun!
I am moving on to Dhalgren now, anybody have an opinion on this? This is the first time I have started this book.
The 'Dawn of Amber' trilogy was written by a completely different author. Usually when this happens, it is nowhere near as good as the originals, but I have to admit, he knew the back story and the style so well he did a fantastic job with the trilogy (to the point where it didn't feel like a different author).
My only beef was the ending. Very brief, and I thought there was going to be more set up to the Corwin side of the chronicles. But this aside, the ride was a lot of fun!
I am moving on to Dhalgren now, anybody have an opinion on this? This is the first time I have started this book.
grumbledoak said:
I have have just started "I shall wear Midnight", the fourth and presumably last tale of Tiffany Aching.
Not quite.The Shepherd's Crown - out shortly, and the very last Discworld book
Veeayt said:
Total recall by Swarzenegger. Very inspiring.
I read that about a year ago or so.... I found myself reading with Arnie's voice in my head. Mind you, I seem to do that with anyone's autobiography. 
Currently reading another Jack Reacher, book #12 now since December, although interspersed by other crime fiction novels too.
Just read Brilliance by Markus Sakey and thought it was excellent - kinda crime thriller I guess but a bit different and great writing
The first of the Hellequin chronicles by Steve McHugh. i enjoyed it I guess but have to assume he hasn't read the Harry Dresden books cos if he has its a serious rip off. And not as good
13 Roses by Michael Cairns which is one of the best 'apocalyptic/zombies' things I've read in a very long time. Mainly because despite being pretty damn grim in places there is actually an underlying 'something to aim for' which is sadly lacking in nearly all the current crop - ie there's some sort of hope in the story! Great read
The first of the Hellequin chronicles by Steve McHugh. i enjoyed it I guess but have to assume he hasn't read the Harry Dresden books cos if he has its a serious rip off. And not as good
13 Roses by Michael Cairns which is one of the best 'apocalyptic/zombies' things I've read in a very long time. Mainly because despite being pretty damn grim in places there is actually an underlying 'something to aim for' which is sadly lacking in nearly all the current crop - ie there's some sort of hope in the story! Great read
toasty said:
Something wicked this way comes - Ray Bradbury - 1962
2 boys get caught up in a nightmarish traveling carnival. It may be old but doesn't come across as dated at all. Spooky stuff.
Thanks, I'll look out for that.2 boys get caught up in a nightmarish traveling carnival. It may be old but doesn't come across as dated at all. Spooky stuff.
I'm currently reading The Riverside Villas Murder by Kingsley Amis.
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