*What book are you reading? (part 2)

[DotCommunist]

I'm on Grunts by Mary Gentle. Its quite funny, the idea is a bog standard tolkien middle earth clone world, and the orcs decide to steal a dragons horde, a horde cursed with 'you will become like those whose treasure you stole'. Through unexplained dimensional oddity the dragons horde contains US Marine corp weaponry, vehicles etc. So Orc MArines. Its one joke but its a good joke, and she writes well so it carries

 

[Voley]

I've been wanting to read some Lovecraft, don't think I've read anything by him aside from a couple of short stories when I was a teenager. Wasn't he a massive racist though - does any of that come through in his writing?

In the one I've read so far, yes it does. It's written from the pov of a professor from a previous time though so actually gives it a feel of authenticity. Probably not intended tbf but I could imagine someone from that time believing in the superiority of his race. Others by him are meant to be worse from what I've heard mind. I've only read one story so far.

 

[8115]

I've just read an incredible book called "This is the Life" by Alex Shearer. I'm pretty sure I got it in a charity shop. It's about a man looking after his dying brother and its reminiscent of Raymond Carver at his finest, without being a pastiche.

 

[moonsi til]

In the past 2 weeks I have read 5 books due to being on holiday. It was great lounging with a beer/sangria & just relaxing into a book. From those I recommend The Underground Railroas by (I think) Colson Whitehead & Revolutionary Ride Through Iran by Lois Pryce.

 

[rubbershoes]

Seven deadly sins by David Walsh

He is a journalist who spent ten years on and off trying to prove Lance Armstrong was doping. I've read many of the other books about this so little of it was new. It's still a fascinating read to see Lance's web of influence stifle the truth for so long before the weight of evidence gets too much. Mennonite farmboy Floyd Landis had to clear his conscience and tell all

 

[Wesley rodgers]

The long goodbye. (Chandler.) Re-reading his novels and short stories.

 

[krtek a houby]

About to finish an Inspector Rebus. I've only read one Rankin before (one of his early ones - not Rebus) and this is quite an agreeable page turner.

Fleshmarket Close.

 

[krtek a houby]

I've been wanting to read some Lovecraft, don't think I've read anything by him aside from a couple of short stories when I was a teenager. Wasn't he a massive racist though - does any of that come through in his writing?

Sometimes but his real rants were contained within letters to his contemporaries, I believe. He did marry a Jewish woman, but then, racism is hardly logic.

The ugly sentiments aside, his stories are cracking reads and very influential.

 

[ginger_syn]

Doctor who and the daleks by David Whitaker, an interesting read and fun.

 

[ginger_syn]

I'm on Grunts by Mary Gentle. Its quite funny, the idea is a bog standard tolkien middle earth clone world, and the orcs decide to steal a dragons horde, a horde cursed with 'you will become like those whose treasure you stole'. Through unexplained dimensional oddity the dragons horde contains US Marine corp weaponry, vehicles etc. So Orc MArines. Its one joke but its a good joke, and she writes well so it carries

Always think of this book when watching the Lord of the rings films. Its a good read.

 

[DotCommunist]

Always think of this book when watching the Lord of the rings films. Its a good read.

the author is clearly having a lot of fun, introducing the Alien made me laugh out loud. I mean why not? Aliens is a great marines in trouble And monster film, throw it in there.

 

[ginger_syn]

I really feel i shouldn't have laughed out loud at the elf splitting bit, but I did.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Just finished reading The Radium Girls by Kate Moore. All about the young women who worked painting watch and instrument duals with radium in the 1920s in the US, and their fight to get compensation.

Plenty of depictions of the effects of radiation from the radium deposited in their bones. They suffered horrendous medical problems as a result, with plenty of them dying young.

Unsurpringly, the companies behaved like complete bastards.

 

[DotCommunist]

This is the first in the Broken Earth trilogy. Fantasy has to be pretty engaging/unusual to grab me these days and this one manages it. Its really well written with an intriguing world. Got a 2016 Hugo in the best novel category. A deserved win by the looks, the writing is commanding

 

[flypanam]

Ismail Kadare - The traitor's niche.

Set in the Ottoman empire after the death of Ali Pasha, a pretty good story, told well, about the Albanian state under Hoxha.

 

[TruXta]

This is the first in the Broken Earth trilogy. Fantasy has to be pretty engaging/unusual to grab me these days and this one manages it. Its really well written with an intriguing world. Got a 2016 Hugo in the best novel category. A deserved win by the looks, the writing is commanding

Decent read. I think all three won the Hugo.

 

[Wilf]

Decent read. I think all three won the Hugo.

Hmmm.... and in my local library. I like a bit of intelligent fantasy writing me.

 

[DotCommunist]

I moved straight onto Obelisk Gate without pause having read Fifth Season in a couple of days.So thats a recc lol

 

[D'wards]

The Moon's a Balloon - The David Niven autobiography.

Still in his pre filmstar days, but the man is some raconteur. Interesting to read about a lad who is not the most studious and pretty mischevious, but entrenched in the public school system of the 20s.
How they tried everything to get him into a top public school, but in the end the kids that don't make the grade are fucked off to the forces. Often as officer class

 

[DotCommunist]

I read the Death's Head 3 books from David Gunn. Its really shamelessly trashy military sci fi, tight plotting and war is hell etc. This bio:
'The brief biography of the author provided by his publisher states that Gunn comes from a service family, that he has undertaken assignments in the Middle East, Central America, and Russia, and that he lives in the United Kingdom'
of the author is well sparse and amusingly might be an unacknowledged nom de plume for Jon Courtenay Grimwood. Who knows. I can't say it was crap because I read all three but... very brain bubblegum.

Finished Angel Station by Guy Gibson, a scottish sci fi author which was a little more engaging. Onto his Shoals sequence of novels.

 

[Wilf]

Just started The Son, by Jo Nesbo. It's another Norwegian crime thriller but without Harry Hole (or indeed anybody from those novels). In fact the style and plotting feel like a Harry Hole novel, with a different cast. Very competent writing/translating, as you'd expect, but it's a bit like another trip round the same block.

 

[Wilf]

I moved straight onto Obelisk Gate without pause having read Fifth Season in a couple of days.So thats a recc lol

I got the 5th Season out of the library, after your discussion on here. It's on my pile.

 

[Wilf]

Just started The Son, by Jo Nesbo. It's another Norwegian crime thriller but without Harry Hole (or indeed anybody from those novels). In fact the style and plotting feel like a Harry Hole novel, with a different cast. Very competent writing/translating, as you'd expect, but it's a bit like another trip round the same block.

Entirely random thought: it's interesting reading someone with a long running series based around one character trying to do the same with another leading cop or whatever. In the one I'm reading you can see him establishing what will no doubt be a tense but productive relationship between the old established cop and the new high flying degree educated rookie (just about the biggest cliché in there is in crime thrillers). I'm a very undemanding reader of fiction, I like to forget the author and just get absorbed in the story. But reading an author developing a new set of characters, really brings the author and their toolkit back into view.

 

[hash tag]

Seven deadly sins by David Walsh

He is a journalist who spent ten years on and off trying to prove Lance Armstrong was doping. I've read many of the other books about this so little of it was new. It's still a fascinating read to see Lance's web of influence stifle the truth for so long before the weight of evidence gets too much. Mennonite farmboy Floyd Landis had to clear his conscience and tell all

By Contrast to that is Christophe Bassons book My Clean Break A Clean Break by Christophe Bassons, Peter Cossins | Waterstones
A right carry on is Anquetil's Sex, Lies and Handlebar tape Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape by Paul Howard | Waterstones

I have just picked up Michelle Lyons Death Row and read the first two chapters at work last night Death Row: The Final Minutes by Michelle Lyons | Waterstones

 

[krtek a houby]

Black and British - A Forgotten History by David Olusoga. Fascinating and harrowing.
Also reading Loop by Koji Suzuki, apparently it's part of his Ring trilogy but so far, it appears to be a stand alone effort. Which is fine, as I haven't read the other two in the series.

 

[extra dry]

Something by Martin Mcgartland IRA informer. And a horror by C.J Tudor.The chalk man. Only a few pages in, bit like S. King.

 

[flypanam]

A coffee table book called ‘Soviet era postcards from the Eastern Bloc’ lots of postcards of brutalist buildings, really beautiful book.

Keith Gessen’s ‘A terrible country’ a novel based on gessen’s experiences returning to Russia to stay with his gran.

 

[sojourner]

Face To Face, by Professor Jim McCaul.

I somehow came across the work of Harold Gillies, and became fascinated with it, and it led to finding this book. I'm totally engrossed by it.

 

[circleline]

Really fascinating. Gutted though that I missed this year's Open Gardens event, where No.49 Bankside opened up its 'secret' walled garden (right next door to The Globe theatre) for the very first time. If only to exclaim at how damp and dank it seemed. (The cellars date back to the Tudor inn that stood on this site previously and the fishponds are (presumed, falsely) rumoured to date from the original pike gardens from Tudor times).

49 Bankside | London Parks & Gardens Trust

 

[krtek a houby]

Black and British - A Forgotten History by David Olusoga. Fascinating and harrowing.
Also reading Loop by Koji Suzuki, apparently it's part of his Ring trilogy but so far, it appears to be a stand alone effort. Which is fine, as I haven't read the other two in the series.

Just add regarding Loop

Spoiler

Having finished it today - it totally is part of The Ring mythos but in a weird alternative world/cyberpunk way