Author Topic: What books are we reading at the moment ?  (Read 835489 times)

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6050 on: 05 September, 2020, 12:51:40 pm »
The Three Body Problem Cixin Lui.

I'm pretty sure that this book bored me so much that bits of my brain fell off.

In memory I continually mix up the first bit of this with another whose first section is called The Tea Shack. This latter is delightful but the rest of the book not so much.  I'd rather like to roll the two together into a sort-of The Three-Body Tea Shack.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6051 on: 05 September, 2020, 03:15:57 pm »
Belatedly starting Charlie Stross' Laundry Files series.  Indications good thus far.


Speaking of Mr Stross......   



https://twitter.com/cstross/status/1302243803965919232?s=20
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

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 #6052 on: 05 September, 2020, 05:26:02 pm »
Belatedly starting Charlie Stross' Laundry Files series.  Indications good thus far.


Speaking of Mr Stross......   



https://twitter.com/cstross/status/1302243803965919232?s=20

 :thumbsup:
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 #6053 on: 22 September, 2020, 01:34:08 pm »
Boy's Life, by Robert R. McCammon.  Lots of scene-setting, 1960s atmosphere, and character development, quite reminiscent of some of Stephen King's non-supernatural writing.  I've been enjoying it a lot.

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 #6054 on: 22 September, 2020, 01:53:11 pm »
“O goody!” exclaimed Mr Larrington during his weekly pilgrimage to Mr Sainsbury’s House of Toothy Comestibles. “A new Jo Nesbø!”  Specifically The Kingdom.  Not a Harry Hole novel.  It joins the sizeable “to-read” pile which still contains, for starters, half the Laundry Files and new-ish boks from Carl Hiaasen and Val McDermid.
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 #6055 on: 22 September, 2020, 03:38:35 pm »
Just finished "Sicily 1943" and am well stuck into "Italy’s Sorrow: A Year of War 1944–45" both by James Holland

The Italian campaign really was a nasty deadly slug fest for both the military and civilians caught in the middle.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6056 on: 22 September, 2020, 03:41:55 pm »
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman of whose House of Games and weekly lockdown quiz I am a fan.

This book is also good, not least because of the short chapters.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6057 on: 23 September, 2020, 01:07:46 pm »
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman of whose House of Games and weekly lockdown quiz I am a fan.

This book is also good, not least because of the short chapters.
Mr Big River is trying to entice me to buy that for Kindle, probably because I bought some Anthony Horowitz a while back...

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6058 on: 23 September, 2020, 11:33:34 pm »
The Book of Hidden Things.
I liked the cultural references to walkmen and times before mobile phones and the internet.  There was some good stuff in there but ultimately to be GOOD it needed more work.  6/10
simplicity, truth, equality, peace

ian

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6059 on: 24 September, 2020, 10:41:34 am »
Trying to prove myself wrong by reading the latest Rivers of London book. It's OK. I think the issue is that he spends ages on minutiae that don't really move the plot forward. Honestly, I swear I read eight pages about him watching some CCTV footage of someone in a cubical, another entire chapter dedicated to a party in the park. It all adds up, and if you've a limited attention span like me, you forget what the actual plot is supposed to be, since the last mention of it was a couple of chapters back. Oh yes, that. I'm at 50% and I could detail everything that's actually happened and is relevant to the plot with a single sentence. I'm not sure I'd even need a comma.

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6060 on: 24 September, 2020, 11:44:57 am »
I must admit later on in that book he was referring to a character and I didn't know who it was.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6061 on: 24 September, 2020, 01:15:26 pm »
I must admit later on in that book he was referring to a character and I didn't know who it was.

That's why I use eBooks these days.  Search button.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

ian

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6062 on: 24 September, 2020, 01:35:18 pm »
I'm sure one of the characters introduced early turned from female to male in the space of two pages, which must count as a really quick sex change. JK Rowling would be furious. Or quite possibly I missed something. He has a habit of introducing all the characters by skin colour and ethnic background which I find a tad grating.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6063 on: 25 September, 2020, 12:07:59 am »
He has a habit of introducing all the characters by skin colour and ethnic background which I find a tad grating.

Some authors seem to make a habit of that.  Like they're trying to make it easier to remember who everyone is...

ian

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6064 on: 25 September, 2020, 10:25:32 am »
I confess I'm generally against the intros that begin with a long introduction as to what the character's hair colour, eye, skin colour is, and what they're wearing if it's of no real relevance to the story being told. This information can be imparted, as necessary, in the narrative. It's a lot less clunky to mention that 'she raised her glasses to get a better look' then tell me, the first introduction, a full description including her eye prescription. Unless, of course, this is a clever way of expressing Peter's police procedural outlook where he compiles a description of everyone he meets. But it's still a bit annoying for the casual reader.

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6065 on: 25 September, 2020, 10:53:55 am »
I shall be pleased to get my hands (literally) on a real book this afternoon, the first since Herts. libraries went into lockdown in March.  The kindle has been useful, but for some strange reason, not as enjoyable as a physical book. Plus I don't buy books, only borrow them, and of course I can't borrow to the kindle.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Steph

  • Fast. Fast and bulbous. But fluffy.
Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6066 on: 25 September, 2020, 03:11:39 pm »
Belatedly starting Charlie Stross' Laundry Files series.  Indications good thus far.


Speaking of Mr Stross......   



https://twitter.com/cstross/status/1302243803965919232?s=20

 :thumbsup:

Just pre-ordered Dead Lies Dreaming.

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn! Ia!
Mae angen arnaf i byw, a fe fydda'i

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6067 on: 25 September, 2020, 03:55:48 pm »
I'm sure one of the characters introduced early turned from female to male in the space of two pages, which must count as a really quick sex change. JK Rowling would be furious. Or quite possibly I missed something. He has a habit of introducing all the characters by skin colour and ethnic background which I find a tad grating.

If you missed something, I missed the same thing... I wondered if that character might be trans However, I couldn't be arsed to pursue the matter.

I think that the Peter Grant series has now reached a logical end; the last one seems like a potboiler. 

ian

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6068 on: 25 September, 2020, 08:18:17 pm »
I'm sure one of the characters introduced early turned from female to male in the space of two pages, which must count as a really quick sex change. JK Rowling would be furious. Or quite possibly I missed something. He has a habit of introducing all the characters by skin colour and ethnic background which I find a tad grating.

If you missed something, I missed the same thing... I wondered if that character might be trans However, I couldn't be arsed to pursue the matter.

I think that the Peter Grant series has now reached a logical end; the last one seems like a potboiler.

Glad it wasn't just me. It just seems cluttered with unnecessary detail which, to be honest, obscures the plot. Last night's chapter included everyone getting a 'New York Chinese' and, erm, eating it.

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6069 on: 25 September, 2020, 09:45:54 pm »
I'm sure one of the characters introduced early turned from female to male in the space of two pages, which must count as a really quick sex change. JK Rowling would be furious. Or quite possibly I missed something. He has a habit of introducing all the characters by skin colour and ethnic background which I find a tad grating.

If you missed something, I missed the same thing... I wondered if that character might be trans However, I couldn't be arsed to pursue the matter.

I think that the Peter Grant series has now reached a logical end; the last one seems like a potboiler.

Glad it wasn't just me. It just seems cluttered with unnecessary detail which, to be honest, obscures the plot. Last night's chapter included everyone getting a 'New York Chinese' and, erm, eating it.


Maybe the spurious detail is there to hide the lack of content, characterisation , narrative development and plot.

ian

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6070 on: 30 September, 2020, 10:46:57 am »
Yeah, I got to the end, and a big meh to False Values. Like I say, it's always been a series that I figured I'd like more than I did, but they were an OK read. Should have probably called it a day when the Faceless Man got his.

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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 #6071 on: 30 September, 2020, 11:15:57 am »
From what Mr Aaronovitch said at Miss von Brandenburg's local bookshop last year, the next one is likely to feature a goodly amount of Abigail.  He also spoke of setting one in or around Furryboottoon, as an act of revenge on Stuart MacBride.  The thought of Nightingale meeting D/S Steel fills me with joy :demon:
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

ian

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6072 on: 30 September, 2020, 12:28:10 pm »
Maybe that's where Future Peter is, casting his eye back on current events. Oh, if only he knew then what he knows now. If only! I'm a bit surprised that he didn't wake up at the end to find that it had all been a dream.

(Honestly, if someone can explain the time-shift...)

I seem to be a minority among the five-star reviews. I sometimes think I'm reading a different book. Remember my gripes about The Martian, a book seemingly enjoyed by everyone but me. Not that I got close to the end. Maybe they produce special ian editions, part of some grand prank.

On the plus side, there's a new Sandman Slim book which is a lot better because he's got a Monster Arm and a Big Gun.

Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6073 on: 30 September, 2020, 01:59:02 pm »
Ian, many thanks for your critique. You articulated similar thoughts to mine; but I didn't bother to set them down in a rational, orderly format.

I agree about Guleed; I think that she's the most resolved character.


Re: What books are we reading at the moment ?
« Reply #6074 on: 30 September, 2020, 03:17:45 pm »
He has a habit of introducing all the characters by skin colour and ethnic background which I find a tad grating.
I think it's supposed to feel police-speak-ish, IC1 female and all that.
The female/male character is Victor, yeah? On audio all that just slides on past with me relying on Kobna to give them differentiating voices.