Author Topic: What books are we reading at the moment ? (Read 846987 times)

Ham · « **Reply #3700 on:** 17 February, 2015, 10:21:09 pm »

Quote from: Ham on 16 February, 2015, 08:00:17 pm

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 16 February, 2015, 06:15:45 pm
Quote from: Ham on 16 February, 2015, 12:06:05 pm
Quote from: Mr Larrington on 16 February, 2015, 11:51:54 am
Finally finished "Angelmaker", which was OK but not, I think, worthy of the praise plastered all over the cover. Which means I'll have to think of something else for Miss von Brandenburg's birthday present chiz. Now on "Prayer For The Dead", the fifth instalment of James Oswald's Inspector McLean series. Halfway between Rebus and Peter Grant - set in Edinburgh and with mild supernatural overtones. I am fervently hoping that no further Heavy Things land on top of his newly-restored Alfa.

Which Alfa? I may have to acquire, although I will first have to manually disengage the automatic safety mechanism that clicked in with the words "supernatural overtones"

Doesn't say specifically but it's from the 70s and has a roof, so my guess would be a Tipo 105/115 GT - the 1963-77 one.

Hot damn. A roof you say? Probably the GT Junior, ordinary version. Even an writer couldn't destroy a Zagato bodied one, shirley?

I may have to get involved.

OK, so which was the first one.....Natural Causes.... HOW MUCH? ? ? ? let's have a look anyhow......

Quote

Instant Order Update for a forgetful dickhead. You purchased this item on 24 July 2013

Don't remember an Alfa in that, don't remember the opening passages, must have been on a freebie/cheapie and succumbed to the Great Amazon Kindle Software Update of 2014 - the one where they trashed the collections of anyone who shared accounts across devices and people.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #3701 on:** 17 February, 2015, 10:30:48 pm »

The Alfa may not have shown up until volume two...

Ham · « **Reply #3702 on:** 18 February, 2015, 10:41:30 am »

Turned out what I was looking at was the first few pages of volume 2 at the end of Vol 1, turned back to the beginning and remembered reading (and enjoying) but leaving me with the vol 2 option at nigh on £6, which roughly translates into "wait until Amazon does 'em on special"

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #3703 on:** 23 February, 2015, 01:12:51 am »

Risk of getting this thread split and bits of it carted off to "Vroom" notwithstanding, in "The Book Of Souls" the Alfa is identified as a 1969 GTV, which would perforce make it:

a 1750, and
way past my bedtime

tiermat · « **Reply #3704 on:** 25 February, 2015, 06:05:29 pm »

This week's read is "Annihilation" by Jeff Vandermeer, the first in the Southern Reach trilogy.

Quite good so far.

Ham · « **Reply #3705 on:** 26 February, 2015, 10:00:25 pm »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 23 February, 2015, 01:12:51 am

Risk of getting this thread split and bits of it carted off to "Vroom" notwithstanding, in "The Book Of Souls" the Alfa is identified as a 1969 GTV, which would perforce make it:
a 1750, and
way past my bedtime

Mmmmm.... The 1750 was the best of the engines IMO, as having owned 1300, 1600, 1750 & 2000 at different times. Not that I was ever addicted to them, no.

Ruthie · « **Reply #3706 on:** 26 February, 2015, 10:03:30 pm »

Wolf Hall. It's a good read.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #3707 on:** 27 February, 2015, 09:15:35 am »

Dear Ms. Mantel,

I was shocked, and disappointed, to find that your prize-winning novel "Wolf Hall" does not have any actual wolves. In it.

Money back please!

Sir David Attenborough

citoyen · « **Reply #3708 on:** 27 February, 2015, 01:34:09 pm »

Never mind Wolves, Wolf Hall doesn't even have Wolf Hall in it.

(click to show/hide)

Ruthie · « **Reply #3709 on:** 27 February, 2015, 04:33:07 pm »

Quote from: citoyen on 27 February, 2015, 01:34:09 pm

Never mind Wolves, Wolf Hall doesn't even have Wolf Hall in it.

It's mentioned a lot thobut.

mattc · « **Reply #3710 on:** 27 February, 2015, 08:13:03 pm »

Dnfed the book, but I'm 90% sure the telly version visits there lots.

$:-\$

citoyen · « **Reply #3711 on:** 27 February, 2015, 08:38:00 pm »

Telly version covers both books though.

I need to catch up with the telly version. I've only seen the first episode so far but I've got the rest saved up. Might be worth a binge at some point.

Also need to re-read the books before the third part comes out later this year.

L CC · « **Reply #3712 on:** 27 February, 2015, 09:46:31 pm »

Just finished Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go.
Feel like a grown up again. Loved it's meaty thought-provoking deceptive simplicity.

lisat · « **Reply #3713 on:** 27 February, 2015, 10:50:12 pm »

Just finished Hannibal by Thomas Harris. Easy read for the train journey.
Although a bit ghoulish.

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #3714 on:** 28 February, 2015, 03:09:48 pm »

When Andustar gave me his no longer required Sony e-reader, it had lots and lots of Agatha Christie novels on it. Eventually it packed in and I got a Nook, but since I had the e-reader, I started working my way through all the Poirots in order, and this week I finished them (apart from the Sophie Hannah one, which I will read soon).

The thing about the Poirots is that apart from Murder on the Orient Express which is genius, the plots are all the same. Someone is murdered. Poirot says "someone knows something which is a clue to who the murderer is. That person needs to come and tell me before the murderer kills them too." Then the person who knows the clue gets murdered, and then he works it all out.

T42 · « **Reply #3715 on:** 04 March, 2015, 01:17:54 pm »

Just finished Andy Weir's The Martian. Highly recommended.

The guy must do Audax. Here's the last sentence of the book:

(click to show/hide)

ian · « **Reply #3716 on:** 04 March, 2015, 01:50:24 pm »

I'm sorry, said it before, but I got through about a third of the way through The Martian – thought it was awful. The formulaic (outline problem > propose solutions > solve problem)ⁿ. The prose couldn't have been flatter if a hippo had sat on it to contemplate joining Weight Watchers. I didn't you know could make being stranded in Mars sound less exciting than spending a night a Basingstoke Travelodge but by god, this guy has done it. Is it too late to order a pizza? Let's review the leaflet. Hmm, ham and pineapple. I know I will try phoning Dominoes. Oh, a pizza has arrived. The main character seemed to have left his personality back on Earth. The interior lights were out and I wasn't sure anyone was home. Did anyone care about him? Did he care about anyone? He didn't seem to have actual life. Maybe he finds it under a rock later in the book. Perhaps he marries a one of those little robots we've left crawling around down there.

Science was off too. No knock-you-over wind on Mars for starters, and erm, you're not going to grow plants successfully like that. Blah.

T42 · « **Reply #3717 on:** 04 March, 2015, 03:55:49 pm »

Oh well.

tiermat · « **Reply #3718 on:** 04 March, 2015, 03:58:39 pm »

Quote from: tiermat on 25 February, 2015, 06:05:29 pm

This week's read is "Annihilation" by Jeff Vandermeer, the first in the Southern Reach trilogy.

Quite good so far.

Now onto "Authority", the second in the trilogy.

Still have NFI what is happening.

T42 · « **Reply #3719 on:** 04 March, 2015, 04:09:14 pm »

Quote from: tiermat on 04 March, 2015, 03:58:39 pm

Quote from: tiermat on 25 February, 2015, 06:05:29 pm
This week's read is "Annihilation" by Jeff Vandermeer, the first in the Southern Reach trilogy.

Quite good so far.

Now onto "Authority", the second in the trilogy.

Still have NFI what is happening.

Looks entertaining. Might have a go.

T42 · « **Reply #3720 on:** 04 March, 2015, 04:15:47 pm »

Quote from: ian on 04 March, 2015, 01:50:24 pm

I'm sorry, said it before, but I got through about a third of the way through The Martian – thought it was awful. The formulaic (outline problem > propose solutions > solve problem)ⁿ. The prose couldn't have flatter if a hippo had sat on it to contemplate joining Weight Watchers. I didn't you know could make being stranded in Mars sound less exciting than spending a night a Basingstoke Travelodge but by god, this guy has done it. Is it too late to order a pizza? Let's review the leaflet. Hmm, ham and pineapple. I know I will try phoning Dominoes. Oh, a pizza has arrived. The main character seemed to have left his personality back on Earth. The interior lights were out and I wasn't sure anyone was home. Did anyone care about him? Did he care about anyone? He didn't seem to have actual life. Maybe he finds it under a rock later in the book. Perhaps he marries a one of those little robots we've left crawling around down there.

Science was off too. No knock-you-over wind on Mars for starters, and erm, you're not going to grow plants successfully like that. Blah.

FWIW the science is off in most SF. When it's way out hyperspace etc you just sit back and enjoy the ride, when it attempts to be a bit closer to reality people stick pins in it. If Jim Lovell's book Lost Moon bore an SF label people would be picking at it.

I thought the bloke a wee bit too serendipitous but all it all it was a good yarn and had a few good chuckles in it.

ian · « **Reply #3721 on:** 04 March, 2015, 05:43:35 pm »

Quote from: T42 on 04 March, 2015, 04:15:47 pm

Quote from: ian on 04 March, 2015, 01:50:24 pm
I'm sorry, said it before, but I got through about a third of the way through The Martian – thought it was awful. The formulaic (outline problem > propose solutions > solve problem)ⁿ. The prose couldn't have flatter if a hippo had sat on it to contemplate joining Weight Watchers. I didn't you know could make being stranded in Mars sound less exciting than spending a night a Basingstoke Travelodge but by god, this guy has done it. Is it too late to order a pizza? Let's review the leaflet. Hmm, ham and pineapple. I know I will try phoning Dominoes. Oh, a pizza has arrived. The main character seemed to have left his personality back on Earth. The interior lights were out and I wasn't sure anyone was home. Did anyone care about him? Did he care about anyone? He didn't seem to have actual life. Maybe he finds it under a rock later in the book. Perhaps he marries a one of those little robots we've left crawling around down there.

Science was off too. No knock-you-over wind on Mars for starters, and erm, you're not going to grow plants successfully like that. Blah.

FWIW the science is off in most SF. When it's way out hyperspace etc you just sit back and enjoy the ride, when it attempts to be a bit closer to reality people stick pins in it. If Jim Lovell's book Lost Moon bore an SF label people would be picking at it.

I thought the bloke a wee bit too serendipitous but all it all it was a good yarn and had a few good chuckles in it.

Yeah but, there's reams of technical description, and that kind of problem solving is the grist of the book, so it ought to stand up to scrutiny. I can suspend disbelief about hyperdrives and the like because it's a device that nudges a plot where it needs to go, how it works is generally not integral to the plot. Unless it's a book about hyperdrives. Which sounds pretty dull. Unless they're like the one on our mothership which went wrong and turned everyone on subdecks 1829-345G through H inside out. It's still a bit weird down there and they never did get rid of the smell.

Anyway, it's not for me to dictate what others enjoy (I made that mistake when I tried to prove that Dan Brown's Inferno was actually readable and people that said otherwise were just being intellectual bullies, and as a result ended up mentally soiling myself) but I don't get the hype about this book and the comparison with Robinson Crusoe is a bit cheeky, since Defoe wrote a classic novel where you cared about Robinson, and there was tension and characters, and entire thing is memorable. Everyone remembers the footprints in the sand.

Ham · « **Reply #3722 on:** 04 March, 2015, 05:48:51 pm »

.... and the infinite improbablitiy drive is a perfect example of how it should be done. And, if you don't agree with it, you can drink the tea.

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #3723 on:** 04 March, 2015, 05:53:12 pm »

Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #3724 on:** 04 March, 2015, 09:27:58 pm »

But how many people remember Robinson stripping naked, swimming out to the sinking ahip and filling his pockets with Useful Things? This seems unlikely for any non-marsupial life form.

Did your mothership's Accident with the hyperdrive happen in the summer of 2006, ian? If so it would explain a lot.