What are you reading and book reviews - Page 68

Redeemer34 · 21-06-2011, 22:19

Currently rereading magician by Feist. Was the first fantasy I ever read thanks to my wife. Since then that's all i read, been working through the wheel of time series.

Garp · 22-06-2011, 00:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redeemer34

Currently rereading magician by Feist. Was the first fantasy I ever read thanks to my wife. Since then that's all i read, been working through the wheel of time series.

I've been reading Wheel of Time, currently on Crown of Swords, but taking a break. It's quite a slog at times!

semi-pro waster · 10-07-2011, 13:22

It seems that it's been a while since I've remembered to update this so a quick run down of the last few books I've read.

Fountain Society by Wes Craven - I wasn't quite sure what to expect here as although I've enjoyed a few of his films I had no idea what he was like as a writer, the answer is fairly decent, it's not a great novel and there are a few things that could probably have been done better but it's not bad at all.

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis - it's funny in places, there's nothing particularly that stands out as being inconsistent in style but I found that I didn't engage with the characters much so had little interest in it. If it's to show the vapidity of that world then it's a marvellous demonstration of that but aside from that I didn't get anything much from it.

Jarka Ruus by Terry Brooks - a book that I picked up randomly in a library sale, it's quite entertaining and I've ordered the next couple of books to see how it develops. It's not the best fantasy novel ever I'm sure but it's more than reasonable.

The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson - very funny in places with a great turn of phrase yet there was something about it that left me a little bit flat, as if it should have led to more than it did. Here again it may well have been the intention but I couldn't help hoping for a bit more of a conclusion than was reached.

Cross Fire by James Patterson - I picked it up in the airport as I wanted something undemanding to read and it is that, if you've read a few of the Alex Cross books you can probably predict most of the major points in the storyline without even trying.

Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton - I was recommended this by someone and it's a good book although probably as much a comment on society as it is a story. Written well over half a century ago it's probably still relevant in many ways regarding relationships in society.

10lb Penalty by Dick Francis - it's ok, it's much like any other Dick Francis book though so if you like them then you'll probably like this, if not...

Jingo · 18-07-2011, 09:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redeemer34

Currently rereading magician by Feist. Was the first fantasy I ever read thanks to my wife. Since then that's all i read, been working through the wheel of time series.

Good old Pug

My mum has been ploughing through the whole Feist collection in order and is itching for the next release - I enjoyed them but haven't read many of them as I found them entertaining but not gripping; I'll return one day as I'm keen to experience the addicition felt by others world wide

Currently reading I shall wear midnight in the Discworld series, the book of five rings which I read annually, and Invisible Cities by Calvino to satisfy some academic whimsy.

Pickers · 18-07-2011, 10:41

I bought myself Sam Bourne - The Last Testament. Going to start reading it shortly. I liked "The righteous men" by the same author and this week at school is looking pretty chilled so reckon I'll get this one polished off soon!

semi-pro waster · 27-08-2011, 12:05

It's been a while since my last update and I've finished another half dozen books in the meantime, if there's more I can't remember them at the moment.

Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad - I didn't know much about this when I picked it up although I've read Heart Of Darkness. It's quite an interesting book, somewhat bleak but gripping, I found I was often not quite sure how the narrator felt towards the titular character but ultimately I think he was concerned for him.

Tanequil by Terry Brooks, the second in the High Druid of Shannara series. Like the first it's quite entertaining while never being especially challenging, good for easy reading anyway.

Quite Ugly One Morning by Christopher Brookmyre. His first published novel, I can't believe I've missed it up to this point but it gives good background for much of his later novels.

Straken by Terry Brooks. The last in the series, it finishes off the story fairly well but it does I suppose also leave it open potentially for further books about other characters in the series. I'd recommend the series overall if you're looking for a relatively undemanding set of fantasy novels.

Accidental Empires by Robert X. Cringely. Quite an intriguing book about the history of the computing industry, most of the basic facts are correct as far as I'm aware although as he himself points out he doesn't need to include everything as he's giving a commentary instead of a complete history. It's a bit dated now (I read the 1996 edition) and there may be an updated version but that impacts little on the main points, with the benefit of hindsight you can see he was quite far off with some of his predictions but also spot on with others.

Sum: Tales From The Afterlives by David Eagleman. A very short book I've just read as part of the OcUK Book Club. Some of the ideas about what happens when we die are quite novel and some aren't so unusual but all are well imagined and thought provoking, it doesn't come to any definitive conclusions but it was never supposed to, it's effectively just a springboard for more thoughts.

The Man In The High Castle by Philip K. Dick is my current book.

Tak · 18-10-2011, 17:30

Didn't think it deserved its own thread and it is book related - Snuff (the new discworld book) is £5 in hardback in tesco this week, in case anyone was after a copy

Joe 90 · 18-10-2011, 18:36

Not seen this thread since I got my kindle so I'll have to make an addition...

I'm about half way through The Circuit by Bob Shepherd

https://kindle.amazon.com/work/the-c...8YE/B003GK21IK

It's about private security in the middle east surrounding Afghan/Iraq & Bob is ex-SAS so gives an interesting insight in to it all.

I'd recommend it to anyone who has even just a slight interest in the military or the conflict in the middle east. A lot of what is in there was seen over here in the media, but it gives a more accurate perspective on it all.

Del Lardo · 21-10-2011, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Takhisis

Didn't think it deserved its own thread and it is book related - Snuff (the new discworld book) is £5 in hardback in tesco this week, in case anyone was after a copy

Read it in a couple of days and it's very good. Back on form after the terrible* Unseen Academicals.

*relatively

Justsomebloke · 22-10-2011, 14:25

I'm about 3/4's through a book on Manson & the Tate/LeBianca murders, I've just hit the trial chapter.
It's been a great read & once again reveals loads of things I've never heard of connected to the murders & the events leading up to the murders. The book is written from the prosecutors point of view/notes/experience.
If anybodys interested I'll post the author/title etc

21-06-2011, 22:19	#671
Redeemer34 Nice weak cup of Earl Grey Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 22	Currently rereading magician by Feist. Was the first fantasy I ever read thanks to my wife. Since then that's all i read, been working through the wheel of time series. __________________ La,la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la!

10-07-2011, 13:22	#673
semi-pro waster Provider of sensible advice about homosexuals Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London Posts: 2,615	It seems that it's been a while since I've remembered to update this so a quick run down of the last few books I've read. Fountain Society by Wes Craven - I wasn't quite sure what to expect here as although I've enjoyed a few of his films I had no idea what he was like as a writer, the answer is fairly decent, it's not a great novel and there are a few things that could probably have been done better but it's not bad at all. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis - it's funny in places, there's nothing particularly that stands out as being inconsistent in style but I found that I didn't engage with the characters much so had little interest in it. If it's to show the vapidity of that world then it's a marvellous demonstration of that but aside from that I didn't get anything much from it. Jarka Ruus by Terry Brooks - a book that I picked up randomly in a library sale, it's quite entertaining and I've ordered the next couple of books to see how it develops. It's not the best fantasy novel ever I'm sure but it's more than reasonable. The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson - very funny in places with a great turn of phrase yet there was something about it that left me a little bit flat, as if it should have led to more than it did. Here again it may well have been the intention but I couldn't help hoping for a bit more of a conclusion than was reached. Cross Fire by James Patterson - I picked it up in the airport as I wanted something undemanding to read and it is that, if you've read a few of the Alex Cross books you can probably predict most of the major points in the storyline without even trying. Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton - I was recommended this by someone and it's a good book although probably as much a comment on society as it is a story. Written well over half a century ago it's probably still relevant in many ways regarding relationships in society. 10lb Penalty by Dick Francis - it's ok, it's much like any other Dick Francis book though so if you like them then you'll probably like this, if not... __________________ "Your friend is the man that knows all about you, and still likes you." - Elbert Hubbard

18-07-2011, 10:41	#675
Pickers Absinthe Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Cornwall Posts: 2,692	I bought myself Sam Bourne - The Last Testament. Going to start reading it shortly. I liked "The righteous men" by the same author and this week at school is looking pretty chilled so reckon I'll get this one polished off soon! __________________ Pictures

27-08-2011, 12:05	#676
semi-pro waster Provider of sensible advice about homosexuals Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London Posts: 2,615	It's been a while since my last update and I've finished another half dozen books in the meantime, if there's more I can't remember them at the moment. Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad - I didn't know much about this when I picked it up although I've read Heart Of Darkness. It's quite an interesting book, somewhat bleak but gripping, I found I was often not quite sure how the narrator felt towards the titular character but ultimately I think he was concerned for him. Tanequil by Terry Brooks, the second in the High Druid of Shannara series. Like the first it's quite entertaining while never being especially challenging, good for easy reading anyway. Quite Ugly One Morning by Christopher Brookmyre. His first published novel, I can't believe I've missed it up to this point but it gives good background for much of his later novels. Straken by Terry Brooks. The last in the series, it finishes off the story fairly well but it does I suppose also leave it open potentially for further books about other characters in the series. I'd recommend the series overall if you're looking for a relatively undemanding set of fantasy novels. Accidental Empires by Robert X. Cringely. Quite an intriguing book about the history of the computing industry, most of the basic facts are correct as far as I'm aware although as he himself points out he doesn't need to include everything as he's giving a commentary instead of a complete history. It's a bit dated now (I read the 1996 edition) and there may be an updated version but that impacts little on the main points, with the benefit of hindsight you can see he was quite far off with some of his predictions but also spot on with others. Sum: Tales From The Afterlives by David Eagleman. A very short book I've just read as part of the OcUK Book Club. Some of the ideas about what happens when we die are quite novel and some aren't so unusual but all are well imagined and thought provoking, it doesn't come to any definitive conclusions but it was never supposed to, it's effectively just a springboard for more thoughts. The Man In The High Castle by Philip K. Dick is my current book. __________________ "Your friend is the man that knows all about you, and still likes you." - Elbert Hubbard

18-10-2011, 17:30	#677
Tak L'Oréal Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Portsmouth Posts: 9,977	Didn't think it deserved its own thread and it is book related - Snuff (the new discworld book) is £5 in hardback in tesco this week, in case anyone was after a copy __________________ The look on your face when a toddler rips out your heart and shows it to you? Priceless.... For everything else, there's FWOOSH!

18-10-2011, 18:36	#678
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	Not seen this thread since I got my kindle so I'll have to make an addition... I'm about half way through The Circuit by Bob Shepherd https://kindle.amazon.com/work/the-c...8YE/B003GK21IK It's about private security in the middle east surrounding Afghan/Iraq & Bob is ex-SAS so gives an interesting insight in to it all. I'd recommend it to anyone who has even just a slight interest in the military or the conflict in the middle east. A lot of what is in there was seen over here in the media, but it gives a more accurate perspective on it all. __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter

22-10-2011, 14:25	#680
Justsomebloke The Night Worker Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 5,228	I'm about 3/4's through a book on Manson & the Tate/LeBianca murders, I've just hit the trial chapter. It's been a great read & once again reveals loads of things I've never heard of connected to the murders & the events leading up to the murders. The book is written from the prosecutors point of view/notes/experience. If anybodys interested I'll post the author/title etc __________________

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