Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
Asterix said:
Wills2 said:
Asterix said:
Boris' Churchill thingy.
Only on Chapter Four but it's highly enjoyable to read.
I'm about to start that. Only on Chapter Four but it's highly enjoyable to read.
I'm about half way through now. Very interesting and still a delight to read.
'Margrave of the Marshes' was like that (another superb book).
"12 Years a Slave" - Much better than the film which felt like "My Slave Summer Camp" to me...
"American Assassin" - Silly espionage thing, entertaining in a sub-Bourne, sub-Bond, sub-Reacher way. Not as enjoyable as Ben Hopes, in my opinion.
"The Whaleboat House" - I think I've read all of Mark Mills' other books and loved them all, but this one is just not grabbing me...
M.
"American Assassin" - Silly espionage thing, entertaining in a sub-Bourne, sub-Bond, sub-Reacher way. Not as enjoyable as Ben Hopes, in my opinion.
"The Whaleboat House" - I think I've read all of Mark Mills' other books and loved them all, but this one is just not grabbing me...
M.
K12beano said:
Sam99 said:
1Q84 - By Haruki Murakami.
Try and get all three books in one cover.
Read it twice - thoroughly enjoyed it.
I enjoyed 1Q84.Try and get all three books in one cover.
Read it twice - thoroughly enjoyed it.
Was a bit worried that the other books weren't going to be as good. Thoughts?
Not as good as 1Q84 though , for me anyway.
lowdrag said:
I have just finished "The House of Silk" by Anthony Horowitz. A little investigation revealed that he has written Midsomer Murders and Foyle and is currently engaged on a new TV series. However, we are talking books, and for me what a book! For the aficionados of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle this is a must, for Horowitz takes up the pen of Dr. Watson and writes a tale that is worthy of Sir Arthur. Holmes is back, and back with all his cunning and brilliance, as is the style of Sir Arthur reincarnated.
So, if you liked the originals, then you must surely go out and buy this. I could hardly put it down.
I utterly love the originals and have owned this for a while but have been a bit reluctant to read it as I really didn't want to be disappointed by it. Thanks for the recommendation. So, if you liked the originals, then you must surely go out and buy this. I could hardly put it down.
Finally fished 'The Tamuli'. I see now why I'd only ever read it the once prior. Book 3 in particularly is deathly.
I was going to read 'The Dreamers', also by Eddings, but couldn't face it so soon on the back of the Tamuli, so read instead 'Blue Labyrinth' by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
Readable, though I prefer the earlier Pendergast books.
I was going to read 'The Dreamers', also by Eddings, but couldn't face it so soon on the back of the Tamuli, so read instead 'Blue Labyrinth' by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
Readable, though I prefer the earlier Pendergast books.
Michael Lewis' "Flash Boys"
I'm pretty sure I was alerted to it somewhere in this, or maybe the Finance, forum on PH - but thanks to whoever recommended it.
A clearly told documentary of the way markets develop - with unintended consequences in the case of those regulating - from the inside. A few twists and turns on the way with almost a Wild West theme which keeps you on edge - and rooting for the "good guys" right to the end.
A must for anyone interested in how our economy can go bad! And right up to date to 19 Dec 2013, which was a remarkable day (I won't reveal any more of the plot).
Very readable even if you don't follow every last detail of the technicalities (either IT or markets)
I'm pretty sure I was alerted to it somewhere in this, or maybe the Finance, forum on PH - but thanks to whoever recommended it.
A clearly told documentary of the way markets develop - with unintended consequences in the case of those regulating - from the inside. A few twists and turns on the way with almost a Wild West theme which keeps you on edge - and rooting for the "good guys" right to the end.
A must for anyone interested in how our economy can go bad! And right up to date to 19 Dec 2013, which was a remarkable day (I won't reveal any more of the plot).
Very readable even if you don't follow every last detail of the technicalities (either IT or markets)
^^^ very informative!
just finished 'lights out in wonderland' by dbc pierre. i'm going with 7/10. very well written and acerbic as ever but for some reason i didn't find it that accessible. ludmilla's broken english was so easy to read and a riot with it. this just seemed a bit too clever for its own good.
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. bit geeky this but it was a joy to hold as well as read!
next up, either irvine welsh's skag boys or hemingway's men without women.
just finished 'lights out in wonderland' by dbc pierre. i'm going with 7/10. very well written and acerbic as ever but for some reason i didn't find it that accessible. ludmilla's broken english was so easy to read and a riot with it. this just seemed a bit too clever for its own good.
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. bit geeky this but it was a joy to hold as well as read!
next up, either irvine welsh's skag boys or hemingway's men without women.
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.
So far this year I have read the following:
A Dance With Dragons: 6/10. Getting too wordy. Not as good as the first three in the series. Should have learned things were heading that way from book IV.
The Luminaries: 3/10. Beautifully written, but oh so boring (if that makes sense).
Station 11: 5/10. Quite enjoyed this, but could easily have been so much better.
Gone Girl: 4/10. Slow to start, but steadily improved - until the very last page. What a let down. Could have had a really interesting or twisted ending, but no. Seemed to me the the author decided "Oh, I've had enough of this. Let's just stop here". With an interesting ending it could have been 7 or 8/10.
The Martian: 9/10. Superb. Loved the science fiction/science fact aspect and the way problems were solved. Highly recommended.
I Am Pilgrim: 9/10. Another real page turner. Exceptionally well researched and intriguing story.
So, here I am looking for something else to read that might fall into the 8 or 9/10 category. Any recommendations?
A Dance With Dragons: 6/10. Getting too wordy. Not as good as the first three in the series. Should have learned things were heading that way from book IV.
The Luminaries: 3/10. Beautifully written, but oh so boring (if that makes sense).
Station 11: 5/10. Quite enjoyed this, but could easily have been so much better.
Gone Girl: 4/10. Slow to start, but steadily improved - until the very last page. What a let down. Could have had a really interesting or twisted ending, but no. Seemed to me the the author decided "Oh, I've had enough of this. Let's just stop here". With an interesting ending it could have been 7 or 8/10.
The Martian: 9/10. Superb. Loved the science fiction/science fact aspect and the way problems were solved. Highly recommended.
I Am Pilgrim: 9/10. Another real page turner. Exceptionally well researched and intriguing story.
So, here I am looking for something else to read that might fall into the 8 or 9/10 category. Any recommendations?
I've just got through Julian Sayarer's Life Cycles; I'm sure it was recommended on here? One man cycles 18k miles around the world largely unaided. Thanks to whoever suggested it - really enjoyed it, written very well I thought, totally avoiding being a tedious record of time and place.
Next up, coincidentally, is 'The Martian'; with all the positive comments on here I look forward to starting. It's been in my to-read list for a while, and now a film looms I want to read it before it hits the screens, as with Gone Girl (yet to see the film as it happens).
Next up, coincidentally, is 'The Martian'; with all the positive comments on here I look forward to starting. It's been in my to-read list for a while, and now a film looms I want to read it before it hits the screens, as with Gone Girl (yet to see the film as it happens).
CR6ZZ said:
So far this year I have read the following:
A Dance With Dragons: 6/10. Getting too wordy. Not as good as the first three in the series. Should have learned things were heading that way from book IV.
The Luminaries: 3/10. Beautifully written, but oh so boring (if that makes sense).
Station 11: 5/10. Quite enjoyed this, but could easily have been so much better.
Gone Girl: 4/10. Slow to start, but steadily improved - until the very last page. What a let down. Could have had a really interesting or twisted ending, but no. Seemed to me the the author decided "Oh, I've had enough of this. Let's just stop here". With an interesting ending it could have been 7 or 8/10.
The Martian: 9/10. Superb. Loved the science fiction/science fact aspect and the way problems were solved. Highly recommended.
I Am Pilgrim: 9/10. Another real page turner. Exceptionally well researched and intriguing story.
So, here I am looking for something else to read that might fall into the 8 or 9/10 category. Any recommendations?
"Girl on a Train" is a good read.A Dance With Dragons: 6/10. Getting too wordy. Not as good as the first three in the series. Should have learned things were heading that way from book IV.
The Luminaries: 3/10. Beautifully written, but oh so boring (if that makes sense).
Station 11: 5/10. Quite enjoyed this, but could easily have been so much better.
Gone Girl: 4/10. Slow to start, but steadily improved - until the very last page. What a let down. Could have had a really interesting or twisted ending, but no. Seemed to me the the author decided "Oh, I've had enough of this. Let's just stop here". With an interesting ending it could have been 7 or 8/10.
The Martian: 9/10. Superb. Loved the science fiction/science fact aspect and the way problems were solved. Highly recommended.
I Am Pilgrim: 9/10. Another real page turner. Exceptionally well researched and intriguing story.
So, here I am looking for something else to read that might fall into the 8 or 9/10 category. Any recommendations?
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