Ross. Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I am around three-quarters through 'The Secret Scripture' by Sebastian Barry. I had it recommended to me a couple of years ago, and I'm very impressed by it so far. Barry's prose is poetic, almost effortless. I will make an effort to read more of his work after I've finished this. A film adaptation of the novel is scheduled to be released at some point this year, so I'll have to make sure I see it when it is. Been meaning to read more of his stuff since reading "The Temporary Gentleman" about 8 or 9 months ago. Thoroughly enjoyable book as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewDon Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Been meaning to read more of his stuff since reading "The Temporary Gentleman" about 8 or 9 months ago. Thoroughly enjoyable book as well. I would happily recommend 'The Secret Scripture' to almost anybody, although I have been warned that the ending is slightly underwhelming. I'll likely make 'The Temporary Gentleman' my next read, and I've also heard good things about 'The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty'. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Nooka Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 (edited) I love Ian M Banks, especially the earlier ones, and like Reynolds too. Is it important to read Peter F Hamilton in sequence? Never heard of him. Not particularly, I started with The Reality Dysfunction which is the first part in the Nights Dawn Trilogy. There's so much going on in those books it's hard to give you an idea what they're about. It's a bit of a sci-fi horror, the dead start taking over living peoples bodies, it's much better than it sounds.....honest! It's terrific and had me hooked for 3 very long books back to back. If you like Banks then I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy Peter F Hamilton. I've also read Fallen Dragon which is great and has the advantage of being stand alone so probably a better introduction. Edited January 21, 2016 by Tommy Nooka 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint dave Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Here Comes Everybody by James Fearnley The story of The Pogues. 8/10 Inside story charting the rise and fall of The Pogues , very centred on Shane McGowan's slide into an alcoholic shambles which forces the band to sack him on a tour of Japan. James Fearnley , also the accordion player , tells the story well , hinting at Macgowans dark childhood as the reason for his lifestyle. Good read. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tout P'ti FC Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I've taken a fancy to reading my first Rebus. Is there any merit in reading these in sequence, or do they stand well in isolation? Doubt I'll ever find time to read all of them, so what would be a good "entry level" Rebus? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Gaines Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 They definitely stand well in isolation. My personal favourite is Resurrection Men. Anyways, I've always thought Stephen King doesn't do big climaxes well. But I finished Firestarter and I have to say, that was extremely well done. Doing The Long Walk next. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tout P'ti FC Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Cheers. My mother in law has most of them, so I'll have a Wee hunt later and pick a couple for my reading pile. I'm just about finished a cycling book about Hinault, so in mood for some fiction next. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillonearth Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I've taken a fancy to reading my first Rebus. Is there any merit in reading these in sequence, or do they stand well in isolation? Doubt I'll ever find time to read all of them, so what would be a good "entry level" Rebus? For me, the first few are just Rankin feeling his way with the character - they're much more standard police procedurals than what they became and would be a bit underwhelming if they were the first ones you read. I'd maybe start with The Black Book and read them in sequence from then on. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Sanchez Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain It's a bit patronising 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasy23 Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 I've taken a fancy to reading my first Rebus. Is there any merit in reading these in sequence, or do they stand well in isolation? Doubt I'll ever find time to read all of them, so what would be a good "entry level" Rebus? If you can, read them in order. You can usually pick up a volume with 3 novels in each for a decent price. They do stand up ok in isolation but there is a bit of back stories involving other characters running through the books. Black and Blue is my own personal favourite. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Sanchez Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 The Death Ship by B. Traven It's quite funny 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBairn Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 (edited) Marvels. Graphic novel. Marvel universe (shockingly) from the perspective of a normal photographer. Gets great reviews, I wasn't to impressed. I'm not a huge fan of Alex Ross' artwork which probably didn't help. Edited February 12, 2016 by MattBairn 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Gaines Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 That's a fucking howler from Thomson. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasy23 Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 (edited) That's a fucking howler from Thomson. Dafuq? :-D Edited February 12, 2016 by peasy23 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shandon Par Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 The Necessary Death of Lewis Winter by Malcolm Mackay Tartan Noir - Weegies shooting or stabbing other Weegies. I wasn't convinced at the start as it's not exactly flowery in writing style but once used to the short, concise bursts of the writing style it flows well. Part of a trilogy and it's short and punchy enough to make me want to find the other two books. Bare bones, stripped back and none the worse for it. Also signed up for an Audible free trial and am currently listening to James Ellroy's The Cold Six Thousand. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Stoned, by Andrew loog Oldham. Xmas present, meh. Didn't really find out anything that I didn't know already. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Books read this year. Hanna Arendt - Eichmann in Jerusalem 3/5 Honore de Balzac - Old Man Goriot 4/5 Hans Fallada - Alone in Berlin (not quite finished it yet but whatever happens in the last 50 pages it's getting 5/5) Next up - Arthur Conan Doyle - The Hounds of the Baskervilles. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Not particularly, I started with The Reality Dysfunction which is the first part in the Nights Dawn Trilogy. There's so much going on in those books it's hard to give you an idea what they're about. It's a bit of a sci-fi horror, the dead start taking over living peoples bodies, it's much better than it sounds.....honest! It's terrific and had me hooked for 3 very long books back to back. If you like Banks then I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy Peter F Hamilton. I've also read Fallen Dragon which is great and has the advantage of being stand alone so probably a better introduction. Read Fallen Dragon and he's good on the science bits but he hasn't got any of the anarchic wit of Banks, or the writing quality. The sex scenes were squirmy. Maybe I've been spoilt by Banks and am being too critical. I like Alistair Reynolds though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Nooka Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Read Fallen Dragon and he's good on the science bits but he hasn't got any of the anarchic wit of Banks, or the writing quality. The sex scenes were squirmy. Maybe I've been spoilt by Banks and am being too critical. I like Alistair Reynolds though. He does like his dodgy sex scenes but I've never read a sex scene that doesn't make me squirm in some way or another, Banks was guilty of that too tbh, Ximenyr for example!! I haven't noticed that much of a difference in the quality of writing but I'm probably not a very perceptive critic in that regard. I prefer Hamilton to Reynolds, there's much more going on in Hamiltons books. Granted I've only read Revelation Space by Reynolds (so far) but it felt a bit sterile compared to Hamilton. The sheer scope of The Nights Dawn trilogy amazes me and I've read quite a few Sci-fi opuses in the last few years (this one has the lot, super soldiers , monsters, spaceship battles, aliens, everything really), I seriously wish I could read it again with a clean slate. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 He does like his dodgy sex scenes but I've never read a sex scene that doesn't make me squirm in some way or another, Banks was guilty of that too tbh, Ximenyr for example!! I haven't noticed that much of a difference in the quality of writing but I'm probably not a very perceptive critic in that regard. I prefer Hamilton to Reynolds, there's much more going on in Hamiltons books. Granted I've only read Revelation Space by Reynolds (so far) but it felt a bit sterile compared to Hamilton. The sheer scope of The Nights Dawn trilogy amazes me and I've read quite a few Sci-fi opuses in the last few years (this one has the lot, super soldiers , monsters, spaceship battles, aliens, everything really), I seriously wish I could read it again with a clean slate. I might give Nights Dawn a go then. Think I might still be mourning the fact there will be no more Culture books. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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