Author Topic: What books are we reading at the moment ? (Read 846969 times)

Steph · « **Reply #4550 on:** 08 July, 2016, 11:18:51 pm »

Quote from: Jakob W on 08 July, 2016, 09:14:15 pm

I think Charlie has a thing for Krads; wasn't there one in the first book? (Must actually catch up with the series - is this the one after the Vampires?)

Yes, it is. The central character is a PHANG (no spoiler, it's all over the preview)

rafletcher · « **Reply #4551 on:** 09 July, 2016, 08:36:48 pm »

The first in a projected series of "The Vinyl Detective" by Andrew Cartmel, "Written in Dead Wax". Recommended (and rightly so IMO) by Ben Aaronovitch. Enjoyable.

T42 · « **Reply #4552 on:** 10 July, 2016, 08:19:02 am »

Quote from: T42 on 07 July, 2016, 09:05:19 am

1½ chapters into David Mitchell's Ghostwriter. Bodes well.

Duly promoted to excellent, fascinating, generally bloody marvellous and so neatly interwoven that my reading is punctuated by little "OK, gotcha" chuckles.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #4553 on:** 12 July, 2016, 10:11:27 am »

Whilst being stuck at home while I recover from my busted shoulder I have worked my way through nearly all of Ken MacLeod's novels.

Excellent hard SF and space opera with the twist that they all explore socialist, Trotskyiest and anarchist politics but with great sense of humour and often a distinctly Scottish twist.
If you haven't read any then I highly recommend them.

T42 · « **Reply #4554 on:** 12 July, 2016, 10:48:43 am »

I read some of his years ago, but I never really enjoyed them, mostly because I discovered Iain Banks' novels at the same time and they put KM's in the shade. Consider Phlebas remains my favourite SF novel of all, I think.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #4555 on:** 12 July, 2016, 11:26:29 am »

Quote from: andrewc on 25 June, 2016, 09:12:05 am

Just started Charlie Stross's latest, "The Nightmare Stacks". Another Laundry novel.

I read that on Sat night. Fun but not as good as I'd hoped.

Quote from: T42 on 12 July, 2016, 10:48:43 am

I read some of his years ago, but I never really enjoyed them, mostly because I discovered Iain Banks' novels at the same time and they put KM's in the shade. Consider Phlebas remains my favourite SF novel of all, I think.

His later SF was distinctly mediocre by comparison. I love Consider Phlebas and when a lent copy didn't return, I bought another. It is so gut-wrenchingly sad though. The Use of Weapons and The Player of Games are also so very good, with TUoW maybe edging it out.

DaveJ · « **Reply #4556 on:** 13 July, 2016, 09:16:05 pm »

Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood, short stories. Three stories in so far, and very good.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #4557 on:** 19 July, 2016, 12:27:56 pm »

When The Music's Over ~ Peter Robinson. Either the 23rd Inspector Banks novel, or else the first Superintendent Banks one. Banks investigates historic child abuse by $SLEB.

T42 · « **Reply #4558 on:** 19 July, 2016, 12:48:18 pm »

The novel David Mitchell wrote after Ghostwritten. Can't remember the title: it's in the next room but ICBA fetching it.

On the Android chopping-board I'm still reading Dan Simmons' The Fifth Heart. Thus far (damn near 400pp in) Sherlock has rubbed shoulders with Henry James, Sam Clemens, Teddy Roosevelt, John Hay (Lincoln's old secretary) and divers other members of the American aristocracy. Moriarty's ugly head has appeared (or was it Jared Harris?), Watson & Doyle have been dismissed as fabulist hacks and the name of Hercule Poirot dropped. The plot has thickened so far you could grow Herculean leeks in it, at that.

IanDG · « **Reply #4559 on:** 20 July, 2016, 10:04:49 am »

Gloriana - Michael Moorcock. Been a long time since I read a Moorcock book.

I have 'Dancers at the end of time' and the 'Jerry Cornelius' series lined up too.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #4560 on:** 20 July, 2016, 10:28:18 am »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 19 July, 2016, 12:27:56 pm

When The Music's Over ~ Peter Robinson. Either the 23rd Inspector Banks novel, or else the first Superintendent Banks one. Banks investigates historic child abuse by $SLEB.

Not one of the better Bankses. Perhaps the time approaches to kill him utterly to DETH like Graham Hurley did with Joe Faraday and start again with Annie Cabbot.

Canardly · « **Reply #4561 on:** 24 July, 2016, 12:13:41 pm »

Ancient Evenings, N. Mailer (again).

ElyDave · « **Reply #4562 on:** 24 July, 2016, 12:25:37 pm »

Having hit a hiatus on 1Q84, and with it too big for the suitcase I've done a couple of trashy Clive Cussler/Dirk Pitts

Picked up 1Q84 again, read another three pages and couldn't concentrate in the heat. Now on Stephen King's The Stand (again)

tiermat · « **Reply #4563 on:** 24 July, 2016, 12:50:08 pm »

"In the Cold Dark Ground". Makes me realise that I should have read 7,8 and 9 of the Logan Mcrae series, first.

T42 · « **Reply #4564 on:** 24 July, 2016, 01:06:35 pm »

Finished Mr. Simmons' The Fifth Heart and am re-reading his Carrion Comfort on the tablet. CC is, I think, one of the best horror stories ever written.

The David Mitchell book I'm on is Number 9 Dream. Not as fascinating as Ghostwritten, but OK.

Steph · « **Reply #4565 on:** 26 July, 2016, 02:59:05 pm »

Reading a bumper fun book compendium of M.R. James' stories. Dated, yes. Overemphasis on antiquarian pursuits, yes. Occasionally bloody terrifying, absolutely. The bit in "Abbot Thomas" where he tries to pull out the bag of... treasure....

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #4566 on:** 26 July, 2016, 10:08:55 pm »

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and Blood in the Water by Gillian Galbraith.

rafletcher · « **Reply #4567 on:** 27 July, 2016, 12:21:04 pm »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 20 July, 2016, 10:28:18 am

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 19 July, 2016, 12:27:56 pm
When The Music's Over ~ Peter Robinson. Either the 23rd Inspector Banks novel, or else the first Superintendent Banks one. Banks investigates historic child abuse by $SLEB.

Not one of the better Bankses. Perhaps the time approaches to kill him utterly to DETH like Graham Hurley did with Joe Faraday and start again with Annie Cabbot.

I've got that lined up next. Just finished Peter Jame's latest Roy Grace. Again, possibly time to call time on them, they're getting more improbable and full of plot holes. Currently Stephen Booths latest Cooper & Fry offering. They've always been a bit crap, so it's no change this time.

I recently read my first Brian McGilloway - another police procedural, but set in (London)derry. Very enjoyable and will seek out some more.

rafletcher · « **Reply #4568 on:** 31 July, 2016, 06:48:59 pm »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 20 July, 2016, 10:28:18 am

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 19 July, 2016, 12:27:56 pm
When The Music's Over ~ Peter Robinson. Either the 23rd Inspector Banks novel, or else the first Superintendent Banks one. Banks investigates historic child abuse by $SLEB.

Not one of the better Bankses. Perhaps the time approaches to kill him utterly to DETH like Graham Hurley did with Joe Faraday and start again with Annie Cabbot.

Agreed. At leat 100 pages too long. And since when has a cracked shoulder blade been a clavicle? Still he'll have to retire at 65, and must be at leat 60 now.

Jaded · « **Reply #4569 on:** 31 July, 2016, 11:42:44 pm »

The spaces in between. Caroline Jones.

An eating disorder dissected.

billplumtree · « **Reply #4570 on:** 02 August, 2016, 08:29:25 pm »

The Book of the Bivvy, by Ronald Turnbull

For inspiration, and cos I like his style

billplumtree · « **Reply #4571 on:** 02 August, 2016, 08:38:08 pm »

And A Scots Quair, Lewis Grassic Gibbons, in the hope that the abysmal film Sunset Song has a decent book behind it. From the small amount I've read so far, it has.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #4572 on:** 02 August, 2016, 09:14:54 pm »

Quote from: billplumtree on 02 August, 2016, 08:38:08 pm

And A Scots Quair, Lewis Grassic Gibbons, in the hope that the abysmal film Sunset Song has a decent book behind it. From the small amount I've read so far, it has.

Brings back unhappy memories of Higher English. Death of A Salesman, Macbeth and Sunset Song. Talk about depressing!

Vince · « **Reply #4573 on:** 02 August, 2016, 09:48:46 pm »

Apache by Ed Macy as recommended else where in this parish. A tale well told. A little disappointing that the last 20% was taken up with index and glossary.

andrewc · « **Reply #4574 on:** 03 August, 2016, 03:00:23 pm »

I've just seen a tweet saying that Paul Cornell's "London Falling" (Shadow Police 1) is on special offer at Amazon for £1.09

Think a much darker & grimmer version of the "Peter Grant" books by Ben Aaronovitch. I'm currently 2/3rds of the way through the 3rd on, "Who Killed Sherlock Holmes".