JRD Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 A Song Of Ice And Fire: A Clash Of Kings Working my way through the series, read the first two this week, absolutely tremendous. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raidernation Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Working my way through various James Patterson books, one-a-day reading at its best! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 I recently bought this at Waterstones (f**k knows why, I don't think I've ever actually been completely satisfied at the end of a Stephen King book) - anyway I haven't started it yet. IMO his novels, particularly the longer ones, are all the same inasmuch as there is a great amount of time taken in layering plot and character (which I enjoy) - but then the endings are abrupt set pieces, always seeming a bit too 'easy' to resolve the issues and obstacles created in the novel; a la The Stand, It, Under the Dome and I'm sure many others. I always come away feeling that the author simply ran out of ideas, and brought everything together as quickly as he could. I don't want to get into this book to find out that it's another one to add to the above list - without spoilers, your advice would be appreciated. Many of Kings books could easily be described as formulaic and reliant on stereotypes, but this is certainly a departure and a lot fresher. He's taken an interesting topic, could you change the past, and then examined what would happen if you tried. While being set in the real world there's a bit which touches on one of his other books, It. See if you can spot it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 A Thousand Suns: Alex Scarrow I loved this, always a sucker for this type of thing. Flicking between present day America and the last days of WW2, it starts with a wrecked B-17 bomber being discovered off the coast of Rhode Island. How did it get there and why does the US government want it to remain unfound? Great character, good story: 8/10 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 (edited) Just Daft: The Chic Murray Story I'd bought this a while back and hadn't got round to reading it. Started it yesterday and finished it today, an absolutely wonderful book about one of Scotlands finest funny men. Full of stories along with the odd transcript of sketches, and one liners. If you are a fan of Chic Murray you should have a read at this. It's sad that so little recorded material of his is still available. Not in the book, but one of my favourite anecdote about Chic: When staying at a Rothesay hotel, there were the usual toast and marmalade (in little round pots) on the breakfast table in the morning. When the landlady came into the room, Chic lifted a tiny pot of honey and said "I see you keep a bee!" Edited September 8, 2012 by jester 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footiechick Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Holiday reads The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood 8/10 child murderers now living with new identities and the flashbacks to the day it happened. (similar to Boy A but ok) No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay 6/10 a teenager wakes up one morning to find her entire family gone without a trace. years later she wants to find out waht happened, and strange things start to happen. pretty unbelievable but ok for holiday reading. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes 7.5/10 was given this book as don't normally read this sort of stuff but was ok. Good characters. An accident leaves Will in a wheelchair and Lou is employed as his carer and she has to try and change his mind from ending his life. The House of Silk (Sherlock Holmes) by Anthony Horowitz 8.5/10 first Holmes novel I've read and enjoyed it. Kept imaging Cumberbatch and Freeman as the duo. Fallen by Karin Slaughter 7/10 typical Slaughter novel, but ok for holiday reading. Where the Bodies are Buried by Christopher Brookmyre 9/10 good, fast paced book. just started the fdollow-up Where the Devil Drives. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellboy1978 Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Ben Kane- The Last Legion. Brilliant Roman novel for anyone whos interested in that stuff. Set in 80-60BC when ceaser is taking power for himself and conquers gaul, the charecters to follow in this have all been taken into Crasus doomed legion in Parthia. Following the lives of a Gaul, a Gladiator and a Soothsayer. Great twist halfway through, very enjoyable read looking forward to book 2- Silver Eagle. 9/10 Really good trilogy this. Thouroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Would also recommend the Eagle series by Simon Scarrow if you liked this trilogy. 10 books in the series so far about 2 soldiers in the Roman legions. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bee thousand Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 El Clasico by Richard Fitzpatrick - a rivetting history of the rivalry between Barca and Real, how it affects the politics between Catalunya and Spain, loads of great interviews with legendary players and managers from both sides, the Pep/Mourinho spat, interesting stuff from behind the scenes at Barca's academy, Figo's transfer, Madrid's ruthless chairmen, Franco's influence on the classic Madrid era and loads more Great stuff, I couldn't put it down 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLip69 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Took Anthony Beevors Second World War on holiday along with Simon Sebag Montefiores, Jerusalem, A Biography. Both cracking reads in their separate ways. Currently reading Ben MacIntyres Double Cross, if it is half as good as Operation MIncemeat or the ZigZag man I will be a happy man. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StewartyMac Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Got through a few books on holiday last week. Finally read 'The Great Gatsby', and although it's beautifully written, the plot, such as it is, is somewhat dull. Only really comes alive in the last few pages. The majority of the characters are incredibly unlikeable, but I suspect this may have been deliberate. I daresay life in the American upper/middle classes in the 20's was pretty much like that though. Also got round to reading the book version of one of my favourite films of all time, Sleepers. Although the abuse sections are obviously more graphic than the film, it's otherwise quite startling how good a job they made of the movie. Reading the book was just like watching it again, right down to the dialogue, which was near identical. And last of all, I have finally, after many years, got round to reading James Herbert's RATS trilogy properly. Finished the first one, and I'm halfway through the sequel, 'Lair'. The first one is an astonishing read, with the scenes with the rats themselves so horribly vivid, I actually had a nightmare about rats last week . The second one's been not quite as good so far, a dull start, but it's picking up a bit now. Still got the last part, 'Domain' to read. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_B Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 The Black House, by Peter May. Entertaining enough read, set on Lewis. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nkomo-A-Gogo Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Just got a lamp for beside my bed so will be getting stuck into books now. Just finished one called the drop by Michael Connolly. Im not keen on American crime writing and prefer Scottish or English. Something really annoyed me about the ending and for anyone who has read it... The guy Hardy who had confessed to killing 37 people was just transported to jail on a bus with loads of other inmates. Im sure he would have been given the hannibal lector treatment in America I am a big fan of Mo Hayder, very close to the bone stuff. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 The Map by T.S. Reader Poor attempt at Zafon.6/10 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bold Rover Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Bought the Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell last night. About 4 chapters in, it's pretty good so far. Nice one, Ron. I haven't read it - on my huge list of to read books. Animal Farm is one of my favourites and 1984 is wonderful, though more to be admired than enjoyed, I feel. I'm on a minor Dickens roll at the moment, mainly because they're free for Kindle - that's the Bold price. Loving a reread of David Copperfield. Last read it at primary school, and now realise that Dickens is far to clever for kids. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberdeenHibee Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 "The Old man and the Sea"- Ernest Hemingway. Read it at school a few years back, loved it whilst everyone else hated it, so bought it again and read it a few weeks back. I love the sea, and you can almost get lost in the world and interpret the overall metaphors as you so wish... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Henry Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 LA Stories by Ry Cooder. A collection of short stories based on and in Los Angeles. It reads a lot like Kinky Friedman's straighter stuff, with a touch of Tom Waits. A whole load of vignettes. It's good. Nothing really amazes me, but it's enjoyable. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_bully_wee Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 (edited) Just finished reading the play "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams in English. Absolutely hated it. Edited October 4, 2012 by the_bully_wee 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Henry Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Just finished reading the play "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams in English. Absolutely hated it. Welcome to the world of Tennessee Williams. All of them are like that. Rich southern women coming to terms with shit. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_bully_wee Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Welcome to the world of Tennessee Williams. All of them are like that. Rich southern women coming to terms with shit. Sadly, now comes the year-long process of critiquing the play and writing essay upon essay on it. The other book we're doing is The Great Gatsby, which by all accounts sounds pretty naff too 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Henry Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 (edited) Sadly, now comes the year-long process of critiquing the play and writing essay upon essay on it. The other book we're doing is The Great Gatsby, which by all accounts sounds pretty naff too Gatsby is the finest novel ever written. Some of the prose is genuinely breathtaking, a classic storyline... beautifully written. Fitzgerald was a genius. I could honestly read the final page from now until next year and not get tired of it. I can quote swathes of it off by heart. Give it a chance. It's not very long, even if you don't like it, but if you like the written word, you'll love it. Edited October 4, 2012 by Savage Henry 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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