Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
Can't go far wrong with Flashman.
Just finished Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid - had a long train journey on Tuesday which was the only reason I persevered with it - it's a 'reboot' of the Austen novel. I read it at A Level so was interested what one of my favourite authors could do with it - the answer is, nothing much. It was always a 'girly' book but Austen writes such great characters you can look past that, McDermid seems to have sucked all the life out of them and rendered this a 2nd rate chick-lit. Awful.
So at Kings Cross yesterday for the return journey I bought The Farm by Tom Rob Smith (Child 44 etc.) - a complete contrast, I stayed up until midnight to read it, I'm about 2/3 the way through and I'm still guessing whether mum's mental or not, one minute I think she is, then the next....
Just finished Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid - had a long train journey on Tuesday which was the only reason I persevered with it - it's a 'reboot' of the Austen novel. I read it at A Level so was interested what one of my favourite authors could do with it - the answer is, nothing much. It was always a 'girly' book but Austen writes such great characters you can look past that, McDermid seems to have sucked all the life out of them and rendered this a 2nd rate chick-lit. Awful.
So at Kings Cross yesterday for the return journey I bought The Farm by Tom Rob Smith (Child 44 etc.) - a complete contrast, I stayed up until midnight to read it, I'm about 2/3 the way through and I'm still guessing whether mum's mental or not, one minute I think she is, then the next....
blindswelledrat said:
By a startling coincidence I did exactly the same with the same two books.
Except I wasn't finding The Goldfinch tedious at all, I was just too lazy to make the effort.
I hate myself for being lazy. I enjoyed Eeny meeny as a cheap thriller but four or five weeks later when I read your post I had to google it to check if I had read it whereas I know if I had made the effort with the other one I would remember it for years.
Ha, how funny. The coincidence is probably closer than that as my comment does the Goldfinch a dis-service. I was enjoying the narrative and writing but I was just finding it slow and hard-work when I really needed a page-turner. I will return to it after Flashman. Except I wasn't finding The Goldfinch tedious at all, I was just too lazy to make the effort.
I hate myself for being lazy. I enjoyed Eeny meeny as a cheap thriller but four or five weeks later when I read your post I had to google it to check if I had read it whereas I know if I had made the effort with the other one I would remember it for years.
blindswelledrat said:
I urge other people on here to read the following, despite the fact that when I describe it, it will sound a bit s
t and you wont really fancy it.
Do No Harm:
THis is basically a series of anecdotes chartering the life and career of a prominent brain surgeon. Each chapter is different anecdote about various patients/conditions he has encountered. Or to put it another way it is a series of snapshot days from the career of this chap. Largely written in laymans terms it is surprisingly easy to read and even more surprisingly utterly compulsive and a total page-turner. Just buy it and accept it as a promise that you will love this and I will accept untold abuse unchallenged if you don't. Also, just read the critics reviews on the amazon page if you doubt me.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Do-No-Harm-Stories-Surgery...
Thanks so much for the recommendation. I've just finished this book, and it truly ranks right up there with the best. I've been doing exactly what you have done in your post, telling everyone I know how good this book is.t and you wont really fancy it. Do No Harm:
THis is basically a series of anecdotes chartering the life and career of a prominent brain surgeon. Each chapter is different anecdote about various patients/conditions he has encountered. Or to put it another way it is a series of snapshot days from the career of this chap. Largely written in laymans terms it is surprisingly easy to read and even more surprisingly utterly compulsive and a total page-turner. Just buy it and accept it as a promise that you will love this and I will accept untold abuse unchallenged if you don't. Also, just read the critics reviews on the amazon page if you doubt me.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Do-No-Harm-Stories-Surgery...
Right! Cover me! I'm going in!Shadow R1 said:
Got a few to get through. 
I tried the tomb a Fargo adventure, didn't like it.
Black wind and Atlantis found were very good.
I haven't read The Tombs, but I did enjoy the other Fargo ones I've read. I don't like the Isaac Bell series though - just something about the period it's set that I don't find very interesting. At one point I avoided all the non-Dirk Pitt Cussler novels, but (other than IB) I find them all a very good read.
I tried the tomb a Fargo adventure, didn't like it.
Black wind and Atlantis found were very good.
Soul Reaver said:
I just started reading Stephen Donaldsons "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever" for the 3rd time!
From memory, the first couple of chapters are scene/background setting and aren't really representative of the rest of the book and trilogy. Worth sticking with IMO.DibblyDobbler said:
grumbledoak said:
I have a small "didn't finish" collection that I may some day try again. This one, thus far, is unique in that I simply threw it out.
*possibly* my Favorite books of all time!Einion Yrth said:
DibblyDobbler said:
grumbledoak said:
I have a small "didn't finish" collection that I may some day try again. This one, thus far, is unique in that I simply threw it out.
*possibly* my Favorite books of all time!
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