What books are we reading at the moment ?

[L CC]

I'm working my way through the entire back catalogue of Peter James'- Detective Roy Grace.

I don't know why, the author is sexist & racist and the characters are both unconvincing and somewhat dull.

I've never been "dangerously moist" in my life and all the women are either victims or outstandingly beautiful or both.

The blurb describes him as "a tenacious yet troubled detective known for his unorthodox methods" yet the books go into tedious (and if you read a lot of them) repetitive telling-not-showing detail of how all the procedures are followed.

I haven't seen the TV adaptations, apparently John Simm stars. Which gives it an air of competence I'm not getting from the poor writing.

Anyway, on book (checks) 7, and book 19 Stop Them Dead was released today. It only takes me 3 or 4 days to get through them.

As recommendations go, this one isn't glowing, is it?

[Mr Larrington]

IIRC there was a one-off short story featuring Grace and Rebus and it was not up to Sir Ian's usual standards.

[FifeingEejit]

Having finally finished the illiad I'm now reading Niel Gunn's "Second sight" which I'm rather enjoying when I get a chance to read.

Sent from my IV2201 using Tapatalk

Moved onto "A Room with a view", they've moved onto Rome, it's interesting enough but as usual i'm not picking it up as easily as I should.

[Steph]

Just finished 'Terminal world' by Alistair Reynolds. Steampunk meets Vernor Vinge's "Zones of Thought"

I worked out the hidden twist very early on, but it isn't developed. The geographical and calendar clues to where the story is set are copious, and I found them amusing.

Special shout re the Carnivorgs, or Vorgs. Feral cyborgs that use human body parts that the previous owners are rendered incapable of needing, while the Vorgs "Feed/On/Brain/Tissue/Give/Me/Brains"

[T42]

The delightful (so far) Siege of Krishnapur, by J. G. Farrel.  The opening, at least as far as I have read, is rather reminiscent of Jane Austen but, being set in 1857 and chapatis appearing mysteriously in unexpected places, one suspects the delightfulness will soon be mitigated...

Finished it.  Was right: although the attitudes that shaped Jane Austen's work persisted the ending, and most of what went before, is not very similar.

Bloody good, though.

[Auntie Helen]

The delightful (so far) Siege of Krishnapur, by J. G. Farrel.  The opening, at least as far as I have read, is rather reminiscent of Jane Austen but, being set in 1857 and chapatis appearing mysteriously in unexpected places, one suspects the delightfulness will soon be mitigated...

Finished it.  Was right: although the attitudes that shaped Jane Austen's work persisted the ending, and most of what went before, is not very similar.

Bloody good, though.

if you can find the book Zemindar by Valerie Fitzgerald that’s really worth a read. Covers the buildup to the revolt of 1857 and the siege of Lucknow.

It also has the mysterious chapattis.

[T42]

The delightful (so far) Siege of Krishnapur, by J. G. Farrel.  The opening, at least as far as I have read, is rather reminiscent of Jane Austen but, being set in 1857 and chapatis appearing mysteriously in unexpected places, one suspects the delightfulness will soon be mitigated...

Finished it.  Was right: although the attitudes that shaped Jane Austen's work persisted the ending, and most of what went before, is not very similar.

Bloody good, though.

if you can find the book Zemindar by Valerie Fitzgerald that’s really worth a read. Covers the buildup to the revolt of 1857 and the siege of Lucknow.

It also has the mysterious chapattis.

Ta, I'll have a gander. My previous reading on the topic was Flashman.

[rafletcher]

Having abandoned the thrid offering from Peter Papathanasiou - supposedly a "fast paced crime thriller", but in fact a moribund and sluggish disaster of a book, I've started on Mick Herron's "The Secret Hours". Predictably excellent. A sort of pre-cursor to the Slough House series, or at least with hints of the past of a number of the protagonists.

[T42]

The Singapore Grip by J. G. Farrell. Set in the 1940's: Westerners complacently while Japan looms over the horizon.  Good.

[Quint]

Having just finished the four books I got for last Christmas (The Hyddenworld series by William Horwood - 4 books) which were hard to put down, I went on a visit to my local bookshop in Woodstock where I stumbled upon The Restless Republic by Anna Keay about the short time Britain was a republic, very readable so much so that (again) I couldn't put it down, I wish all history was written like this. I am now bereft and unable to find anything to read

[rafletcher]

Having abandoned the thrid offering from Peter Papathanasiou - supposedly a "fast paced crime thriller", but in fact a moribund and sluggish disaster of a book, I've started on Mick Herron's "The Secret Hours". Predictably excellent. A sort of pre-cursor to the Slough House series, or at least with hints of the past of a number of the protagonists.

Well that was a solid 4 stars. It lost the fifth with a contrived and, given the supposed intelligence of the characters, unbelievable denouement. It did, however, shed light on the back story of 2 of the main characters of the Slow Horses series, ‘though I suspect one will be bowing out.

Now on to John Connolly’s Land of the Lost Things a sequel 15 years in the coming.

[Regulator]

Just finished Minarets in the Mountains by Tharik Hussain.  Well worth a read in my view.

I'm part way through Justin Butcher's Walking to Jerusalem, which seems somewhat apt at the moment.

I also recently picked up copies of The Sea Ahead (Shally Hunt) and Andrew Eames' Blue River, Black Sea, both of which I've just started.

[T42]

The Singapore Grip by J. G. Farrell. Set in the 1940's: Westerners complacently bickering while Japan looms over the horizon.  Good.

Finished last week. Rapacious rubber barons, scheming women, geriatric generals, towering racism and precipitous pratfalls.  Bloody good.

[L CC]

I'm working my way through the entire back catalogue of Peter James'- Detective Roy Grace.

I don't know why, the author is sexist & racist and the characters are both unconvincing and somewhat dull.

I've never been "dangerously moist" in my life and all the women are either victims or outstandingly beautiful or both.

The blurb describes him as "a tenacious yet troubled detective known for his unorthodox methods" yet the books go into tedious (and if you read a lot of them) repetitive telling-not-showing detail of how all the procedures are followed.

I haven't seen the TV adaptations, apparently John Simm stars. Which gives it an air of competence I'm not getting from the poor writing.

Anyway, on book (checks) 7, and book 19 Stop Them Dead was released today. It only takes me 3 or 4 days to get through them.

As recommendations go, this one isn't glowing, is it?

And that's me done. All 19. What a load of tripe.

Up next- more fantasy romance.

It's entertainment, OK. Not every novel has to be improving literature.

[Regulator]

The Singapore Grip by J. G. Farrell. Set in the 1940's: Westerners complacently bickering while Japan looms over the horizon.  Good.

Finished last week. Rapacious rubber barons, scheming women, geriatric generals, towering racism and precipitous pratfalls.  Bloody good.

 I read that years ago.  I'd had to read The Siege of Krishnapur as one of my set texts when I was at school. Have you read Troubles?

[citoyen]

I read Troubles a few years ago. I think I was put off it for ages because I had entirely the wrong idea of what kind of book it was but I absolutely bloody loved it. Kind of Evelyn Waugh-esque in its ability to be both very funny and very bleak at the same time, and as well written as anything Waugh did, but without the "of their time" attitudes.

Really must get around to Siege of Krishnapur and Singapore Grip some time.

[Mr Larrington]

Past Lying, #7 in Val McDermid's Karen Pirie series.  Bit light on killin's so far and the prime suspect is unlikely to be arrested due to being dead.  Hmmmm.

[T42]

The Singapore Grip by J. G. Farrell. Set in the 1940's: Westerners complacently bickering while Japan looms over the horizon.  Good.

Finished last week. Rapacious rubber barons, scheming women, geriatric generals, towering racism and precipitous pratfalls.  Bloody good.

 I read that years ago.  I'd had to read The Siege of Krishnapur as one of my set texts when I was at school. Have you read Troubles?

No.  I dunno, I tend to avoid stuff about la condition irlandaise these days.  Didn't even want to watch Branagh's Belfast film and I come from the place. Well, a few miles away.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

The Singapore Grip by J. G. Farrell. Set in the 1940's: Westerners complacently bickering while Japan looms over the horizon.  Good.

Finished last week. Rapacious rubber barons, scheming women, geriatric generals, towering racism and precipitous pratfalls.  Bloody good.

May I recommend 'The Plot' by N. Dorries?  Due for publication in a day or three.

I need someone to read it so I don't have to.

[T42]

I shall wait eagerly until it's remaindered and then ignore it.

[Mr Larrington]

I heart image editing software… by Mr Larrington, on Flickr

[Regulator]

I heart image editing software… by Mr Larrington, on Flickr

I'm nicking that... 

[Mr Larrington]

The price stickers were robbed off of an apparently genuine picture of the “autobiography” of colossal bellend Piers “Morgan” Moron

[Beardy]

I’ve just finished An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka and really enjoyed it. I’ve read his Alex Verus novels, which I also found very good which is why I grabbed this new one when I saw it.

I was somewhat discombobulated when I  realised that this is the first book in a new series which is only just published, and because even I read faster than the author writes, I’m now going to have to wait while he gets on with it. Then I’ll read that faster than he writes the next one and I’ll have to wait. And repeat.

I know this is a first world problem, but it’s still annoying.

[spesh]

I’ve just finished An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka and really enjoyed it. I’ve read his Alex Verus novels, which I also found very good which is why I grabbed this new one when I saw it.

I was somewhat discombobulated when I  realised that this is the first book in a new series which is only just published, and because even I read faster than the author writes, I’m now going to have to wait while he gets on with it. Then I’ll read that faster than he writes the next one and I’ll have to wait. And repeat.

I know this is a first world problem, but it’s still annoying.

Quoth readers of the A Song of Ice and Fire series: "Oh, puh-leeeeeeeese..."

(A Dance with Dragons came out in 2011 - the last I'd seen, George R. R. Martin was practically admitting that it might be 2025 before the next book, The Winds of Winter, is finished.)