Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
glazbagun said:
Lacrimosa said:
I'm currently reading Ian Banks - The use of weapons. Finished his two previous books (Consider Phlebas and Player of games), even though they don't have to be read chronologically. Liked them a lot, very sophisticated science fiction. Any recommendations here for something similar? I know Asimovs Foundation series are really good.
My one recommendation would be to save Excession til last. With the possible exception of Player of Games, it's my favourite.It's not really similar, but the standalone story Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
The Robot series isn't bad overall.
As for Ian M Banks, as good as his scifi was, his 'normal' work (as Ian Banks), in my humble opinion, is even better.
Completed 'Cannery Row', followed immediately by 'Sweet Thursday' by John Steinbeck.
From this very nice Heron volume
From the collection (which I do not possess, but I am working on it
)
There are few story tellers in history with Steinbeck's easy to read style, with such a deep understanding of human nature, emotions, and motivations
He writes in the time of my parents, of a culture that I witnessed first hand slowly disappearing before my eyes as a child and youth, yet in such a way that I can feel that I am actually there. He builds characters with lives and motivations that I know personally, whose lives and histories I can recognise.
For the PH car angle: His knowledge of the foibles and mechanics of owning and operating a Model T Ford (in Cannery Row) are impressive
I could find little enough to criticise, though I have never had to back my father's 'T' up a hill for lack of fuel flow because my father cleverly located the fuel tank higher up than standard to avoid just such a necessity. (to be honest, Father's 'T' is a bit of a 'hotrod'. It's been know to travel in excess of 50mph on a slight decline with a fair tail wind. All components manufactured prior to 1916).
Both books were a great and pleasant read and not to be passed over. 'Cannery Row' being by a small margin the better of the two for me.
It is fair to say, by Steinbeck's own admission in the opening pages, that 'Sweet Thursday' was written by popular demand. "What happened to the denizens of 'the Row' after...
From this very nice Heron volume
From the collection (which I do not possess, but I am working on it
)There are few story tellers in history with Steinbeck's easy to read style, with such a deep understanding of human nature, emotions, and motivations
He writes in the time of my parents, of a culture that I witnessed first hand slowly disappearing before my eyes as a child and youth, yet in such a way that I can feel that I am actually there. He builds characters with lives and motivations that I know personally, whose lives and histories I can recognise.
For the PH car angle: His knowledge of the foibles and mechanics of owning and operating a Model T Ford (in Cannery Row) are impressive
I could find little enough to criticise, though I have never had to back my father's 'T' up a hill for lack of fuel flow because my father cleverly located the fuel tank higher up than standard to avoid just such a necessity. (to be honest, Father's 'T' is a bit of a 'hotrod'. It's been know to travel in excess of 50mph on a slight decline with a fair tail wind. All components manufactured prior to 1916).
Both books were a great and pleasant read and not to be passed over. 'Cannery Row' being by a small margin the better of the two for me.
It is fair to say, by Steinbeck's own admission in the opening pages, that 'Sweet Thursday' was written by popular demand. "What happened to the denizens of 'the Row' after...
Goaty Bill 2 said:
glazbagun said:
Lacrimosa said:
I'm currently reading Ian Banks - The use of weapons. Finished his two previous books (Consider Phlebas and Player of games), even though they don't have to be read chronologically. Liked them a lot, very sophisticated science fiction. Any recommendations here for something similar? I know Asimovs Foundation series are really good.
My one recommendation would be to save Excession til last. With the possible exception of Player of Games, it's my favourite.It's not really similar, but the standalone story Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
The Robot series isn't bad overall.
As for Ian M Banks, as good as his scifi was, his 'normal' work (as Ian Banks), in my humble opinion, is even better.
Lacrimosa - depends what you like about IMB, although he's near the top of the tree for SF authors in most people's eyes. Some good alternatives to consider:-
Greg Bear - start with Eon, then maybe the darker Forge of God. This is 'hard', super-conceptual sci-fi, but still easy to read. Mind-opening stuff, but occasionally the characterisation suffers.
Peter F Hamilton - the Mindstar series are engaging and an interesting concept but lighter-weight. The Commonwealth Saga is on a par for scope with IMB's Culture series, but the novels are (much) bigger and can be harder going. Void trilogy arguably even more so. He's often compared to IMB, but IMHO IMB has better 'style'.
Neal Stephenson - start with Snow Crash, maybe - slightly silly but very good, or Cryptonomicon, which is more serious but excellent and probably not really sci-fi. He's also longer, harder work, but VERY in-depth and very engaging - he's clearly very well read. Usually near-future or contemporary.
Kim Stanley Robinson - Mars trilogy. KSR has a clear social(ist) perspective, but as with Stephenson you cannot fault the vision and the detail. Good characterisation too. I'm less impressed with his later novels (20xx series).
Dan Simmons - Hyperion / Endymion - stunning pair of books, quite dark. I also rather like the quirky idea behind Ilium (& Olympos too).
Isaac Asimov - was the author that got me into sci-fi. A lot now feel rather dated, but the Foundation series is still worth reading, albeit is a slow-burn. As are the Caves of Steel series (original trilogy + Robots and Empire, which 'bridges' nicely into the later Foundation books (F & Earth in particular)).
Charles Stross - his 'Laundry' series is lighter-hearted, not-quite-sci-fi. They overlay geek-ness onto different horror tropes (Stoker, Lovecraft (repeatedly), other mythology), all written in different spy-themed literary styles (he's openly and deliberately imitated Deighton, Fleming, Price etc...). All centre on an occult version of MI5. In terms of humour they're up there with Pratchett, but are set rather closer to home. He also does proper sci-fi too...and probably barmitzvah's and weddings if you ask nicely...
Oh, and of course (in case you haven't already) you really should read the increasingly-inaccurately named Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy. Short, VERY funny, and while now a little dated have clearly inspired many others...
Edited by havoc on Thursday 20th September 13:41
havoc said:
Isaac Asimov - was the author that got me into sci-fi. A lot now feel rather dated, but the Foundation series is still worth reading, albeit is a slow-burn. As are the Caves of Steel series (original trilogy + Robots and Empire, which 'bridges' nicely into the later Foundation books (F & Earth in particular)).
Yeah - I cut my teeth on his stuff, remember reading and re-reading under the covers. The other that springs to mind is David Morrell's [sp?] First Blood (Rambo) for some reason.Did you read any of the Richard Morgan stuff (Altered Carbon etc)? Probably the only other set of books I've re-read a few times.
andy_s said:
Did you read any of the Richard Morgan stuff (Altered Carbon etc)? Probably the only other set of books I've re-read a few times.
AC and sequels are very readable, fast-moving, ultra-violent cyberpunk, albeit will never be confused with literature. Netflix series actually pretty watchable too...not perfect, but decently done...liked Purefoy as Bancroft.
I've just finished "Find Me", by Laura Van Den Berg. A bit of a different style of a book from my usual thing, but a reasonably good read if a bit weird in parts. Set in current times but with a massive outbreak of a deadly disease, to which the main character is immune.
ETA. I was a bit disappointed with it, because I thought I'd read on the cover notes that the story was that the main character was immune and was then being chased by people who wanted to do something (presumably unpleasant) with that immunity. But when I read the cover notes again, there's nothing of the sort on there. I must have been reading another cover in the same bookshop.
ETA. I was a bit disappointed with it, because I thought I'd read on the cover notes that the story was that the main character was immune and was then being chased by people who wanted to do something (presumably unpleasant) with that immunity. But when I read the cover notes again, there's nothing of the sort on there. I must have been reading another cover in the same bookshop.
Edited by droopsnoot on Monday 24th September 12:32
Any John Le Carre fans here?
I picked up a copy of A Legacy Of Spies on Saturday, and quite fancied it, but after doing a bit of digging, it turns out that it answers a few questions from previous books, so I’ve decided to start the series from scratch, then I’ll pick up Legacy Of Spies in due course.
Ergo, currently I’m reading Call For The Dead
I picked up a copy of A Legacy Of Spies on Saturday, and quite fancied it, but after doing a bit of digging, it turns out that it answers a few questions from previous books, so I’ve decided to start the series from scratch, then I’ll pick up Legacy Of Spies in due course.
Ergo, currently I’m reading Call For The Dead
Just commenced Do No Harm by Henry Marsh as recommended on here a couple of times. So far so fascinating and he is an excellent writer which helps. Fairly poignant for me given my father died of a glioblastoma in April this year, one of many conditions covered in this book.
Also picked up Zafon's Shadow of the Wind for 49p in MenCap so that will be up next.
Also picked up Zafon's Shadow of the Wind for 49p in MenCap so that will be up next.
I've recently finished reading Catch-22 and its got to be my favourite book to date. There were times where I was laughing out loud whilst reading, something not many books can do. Im very much interested in ww2 novels, so this fit the bill perfectly. I fully recommend it to those who havent read it already. I can see why it has the high rating it does.
p1doc said:
just getting into jo nesbo, cracking deals on amazon for 9books for £27,99 inc p+p so that is my reading sorted for a while
just finishing into the storm first in destroyermen series very good
Into the Storm is good fun, I am onto the fourth into the series now and it is getting a bit formulaic.just finishing into the storm first in destroyermen series very good
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