Author Topic: What books are we reading at the moment ?  (Read 835726 times)

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5800 on: 08 November, 2019, 10:48:21 pm »
The Terror, by Dan Simmons, a fictionalised account of Franklin's attempt to navigate the Northwest Passage with HMS Terror and Erebus.  Enjoying it so far.
 I think shit's gonna get weird.  :thumbsup:
Blimey, was I really reading that for more than two months?  Well, it is nearly 1000 pages...  Just finished it and I'm feeling slightly bereft now.  One of the best things I've ever read.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5801 on: 09 November, 2019, 08:44:33 am »
One of the best things he wrote, too. Better than his other one about the Yeti. Drood I'm not too sure of.  Both worth reading, though.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5802 on: 15 November, 2019, 09:11:00 pm »
The Years of Salt and Rain - Kim Stanley Robinson

Rereading it now after 15 years. A lovely thoughtful book. Always get classed as SF just because of the premise that the black death wipes out 99% of Europe's population rather than 50%.
In reality its an alternate history and a meditation on life, religion and the human condition.

Favourite quote so far "God falls on on the earth line rain in that he doesn't create clear water but mud".

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5803 on: 16 November, 2019, 09:22:51 am »
ITYM The Years of Rice and Salt.

One of our favourites too. See you in the Bardo.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5804 on: 18 November, 2019, 09:15:01 am »
If you’ve not already read them, Jon Courtenay Grimwoods excellent “Assassini” trilogy is on offer at Amazon.  First volume is 99p
https://twitter.com/joncg/status/1179010251665883144?s=21
I gave up after 20% or so on my Kindle and am glad that I only wasted a pound.  It's impossibly hard to keep track of who's doing what because the author's writing style and command of grammar is so poor. 

It's absolute drivel; a zero- or one-star review from this unit.

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5805 on: 18 November, 2019, 09:28:55 am »
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga.

Winner of the 2008 Booker. Meh. I get it, but it hasn't really grabbed me.

Just finished this.  I enjoyed it. A lot of content to think on

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5806 on: 20 November, 2019, 09:23:28 pm »
Casanova's story of his life. Yes the 3,600 page one. Lots of historical detail requiring mobile phone alongside ebook to check up on descriptors and history. It's actually quite a good read but he does contradict himeself repeatedly. Fascinating insight into 18th C way of doing things. (not particularly those things.).
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5807 on: 21 November, 2019, 10:01:22 pm »
I'm Travelling Alone by Samuel Bjork.

Page turning scandi thriller.  Better than some Jo Nesbo's.

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5808 on: 22 November, 2019, 11:07:19 am »
When Christ And His Saints Slept - Sharon Penman

12th-century history with a bit of fiction woven in.  Thumbs up so far...

Mr Larrington

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Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5809 on: 24 November, 2019, 12:32:41 pm »
Cold As The Grave ~ James Oswald.  Maclean volume 9, which I had somehow missed.  Latest Alfa so far undamaged by Demonic Forces.  New on due in February 2020 according to the Mega-Global Big River Corporation of Seattle, USAnia.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5810 on: 25 November, 2019, 02:44:11 pm »
I finished reading a murder mystery called 'Holy Island'  by LJ Ross last week. Well, I finished reading after 20% because it was awful. The whodunnit aspect may have been engaging had I continued but I couldn't get past the Mills and Boon touches. Our hero was a strong and moody DCI with a firmly chisled cliche, deep blue piercing commonplaces, and a hackneyed backstory which meant he was living alone on Lindisfarne under some sort of suspension. He and the pretty young Professor of Cults (or something like that) - a native of Holy Island of course, who had been sent out against his will to help with the investigation - took an instant dislike to each other, so you could see which way that was heading. And then he had to wait for a 'CSI' team to be sent out to him, presumably no SOCos being available from Newcastle, which is apparently 'a large city' some miles to the south.

A lot of people like this sort of thing judging by the 5* reviews and the massive-selling DCI Ryan series which followed Holy Island. I'm not one of them.

Steph

  • Fast. Fast and bulbous. But fluffy.
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5811 on: 25 November, 2019, 04:33:46 pm »
ITYM The Years of Rice and Salt.

One of our favourites too. See you in the Bardo.

Loved that book1
Mae angen arnaf i byw, a fe fydda'i

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5812 on: 29 November, 2019, 07:37:11 pm »
Nothing To Hide, the second of James Oswald's Constance Fairchild series.  Bit more overlap with McClean this time: as well as Madame Rose, DC Harrison and Grumpy Bob also put in an appearance.  And edging closer to McClean's "Eek, a ghostie!" territory too.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

lou boutin

  • Les chaussures sont ma vie.
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5813 on: 29 November, 2019, 08:23:55 pm »
I am reading Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood.  I was champing at the bit to read The Testaments, the sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, but was really disappointed.  It wasn't quite what I expected; neither was what she talked about at The Testaments lecture tour come to that - albeit what she did talk about was interesting.  So, I hope that Cat's Eye isn't a disappointment.

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5814 on: 29 November, 2019, 09:46:34 pm »
I am reading Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood.  I was champing at the bit to read The Testaments, the sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, but was really disappointed.  It wasn't quite what I expected; neither was what she talked about at The Testaments lecture tour come to that - albeit what she did talk about was interesting.  So, I hope that Cat's Eye isn't a disappointment.


That title gave me flashbacks to an old Andre Norton story I read over 40 years ago !


 https://www.tor.com/2018/07/23/space-adventure-political-sf-andre-nortons-catseye/
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tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5815 on: 30 November, 2019, 11:12:09 am »
Lots of Ray Bradbury.  Enjoying his short stories (even Dandelion Wine is essentially a series of shorts) but would like a "proper" novel.
simplicity, truth, equality, peace

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5816 on: 30 November, 2019, 03:20:19 pm »
Bill Bryson’s “The Body”. Quite interesting.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5817 on: 30 November, 2019, 03:50:55 pm »
Lots of Ray Bradbury.  Enjoying his short stories (even Dandelion Wine is essentially a series of shorts) but would like a "proper" novel.

Something Wicked This Way Comes?
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

CrazyEnglishTriathlete

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Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5818 on: 30 November, 2019, 07:49:13 pm »
Unreliable Memoirs - Clive James - still one of the best books I've ever read.  Utterly funny and yet gets to the heart of male insecurity.
Eddington Numbers 130 (imperial), 182 (metric) 571 (furlongs)  114 (nautical miles)

Ruthie

  • Her Majester
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5819 on: 01 December, 2019, 09:37:52 am »
Lots of Ray Bradbury.  Enjoying his short stories (even Dandelion Wine is essentially a series of shorts) but would like a "proper" novel.

Oh, I did this last year! Have you tried The Martian Chronicles?

I just finished ‘Birdsong ‘ by Sebastian Faulkes. Just reading it was traumatic. What a tremendous book it is. 26 years old, wow.  I thought it was a new book!
Milk please, no sugar.

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5820 on: 01 December, 2019, 12:36:29 pm »
Became bored with Casanova for now. Came across the graphic and little known story of soldiers' trench life just after the first battle of the Somme.  Her Privates We. Frederick Manning. Due to the bad language in the book it was initially published anonymously for seven years.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5821 on: 01 December, 2019, 12:41:03 pm »
Lots of Ray Bradbury.  Enjoying his short stories (even Dandelion Wine is essentially a series of shorts) but would like a "proper" novel.

Oh, I did this last year! Have you tried The Martian Chronicles?

I just finished ‘Birdsong ‘ by Sebastian Faulkes. Just reading it was traumatic. What a tremendous book it is. 26 years old, wow.  I thought it was a new book!
If you like SF Ruithie try Hiero's Journey Sterling E Lanier. There are some terrific mental battles in it, some of which are rather spooky.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5822 on: 09 December, 2019, 07:24:01 pm »
"Agency", the sequel to William Gibson's scary "The Peripheral" is released shortly.  Here's a lengthy but rather good profile from The New Yorker.


  https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/16/how-william-gibson-keeps-his-science-fiction-real#
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5823 on: 10 December, 2019, 09:13:59 am »
Having seen a trailer for the film I've just started Jonathan Lethem's book Motherless Brooklyn, about an NY PI with Tourette's. Not bad so far.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

ian

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #5824 on: 10 December, 2019, 09:33:55 am »
Doctor Sleep. I find Mr King's books a bit hit and miss these days and I think I skipped the last couple, but this one is a bit old-school King, as befits the sequel to The Shining, and is all the better for it. It's not better for my bedtime though, as it's 'just another chapter' territory. Will see if holds out to a satisfactory conclusion.