Just started Main Street, by Sinclair Lewis, a couple of days ago. Quite good.
Finished two young adult books recently.
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
Nation, by Terry Pratchett
Enjoyed both of them.
Finished Sea of Trolls. It wasn’t too bad. I had guessed some of the “surprise” but since it was aimed at a younger audience I guess that isn’t a surprise.
Reading The Reconciliation by Clive Barker, the second Imajica book. The premise is interesting but not particularly original and Barker tends to write so much. At several points I’ve wanted to reach through the pages, grab him by the shirt and yell “Get to the point!”
I’m also reading Great Expectations, which I’m enjoying quite a bit.
“Monster Island” – Zombie novel about a guy going to Manhatten to score some AIDS drugs for a ruler in Africa. Written by a guy with an MFA, so it’s a bit fancy at times. Marred by stupid decisions by the African soldiers (who supposedly knew how to fight zombies in Africa), a “gotcha” moment written for the movie, and the hero who is at times a coward but, when the leader of the soldiers gets killed, takes over command of the unit. Skipped to the end.
“Rapunzel’s Revenge” – graphic novel aimed at girls, but I highly recommend you read it first. Where else do you get a heroine with 20-foot long braids that she uses like bull whips. Bonus: story is set in the Old West (but with magic). Great book.
“Daughter of Time” – Josephine Tey’s recount of the Richard III / murder of the princes story, told from the viewpoint of a bedridden detective. Short, still excellent. Wished I had read this in college; as it makes some important points about bias in research and how to treat “eyewitness” testimony. Fun read.
The Cold Moon by Jeffery Deaver
The Clinic by Jonathan Kellerman
And after those two, it’ll be:
The Sleeping Doll by Jeffery Deaver
The Woods by Harlan Coben
I just picked up House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski. I wish I’d picked it up earlier. It’s insane, but I like it.
I havent picked it up yet cause this seems like a christmas holiday book for me , but thats still six weeks away and I may get it sooner.
It seems for us fans of Katherine Neville ,that she brought out a sequel to the Eight. One of the more interesting books that I had come across and pretty much wrote off any sequel.
To my surprise I am wandering in Chapters and noticed The Fire wooot.
http://www.katherineneville.com/
Declan
I’m glad to see someone else enjoys Chelsea Handler. She makes me laugh.
Currently I’m reading “Such a Pretty Fat” by Jen Lancaster, an author VogueVixen introduced me to. I’m also reading “How to Rig an Election: Confessions of a Republican Operative.”
I just now discovered the Straight Dope group on Goodreads and plan to peek around at what everyone’s reading there.
Just finished “The Blade Itself” by Joe Abercrombie. Exceptionally fun read with no serious flaws except vague, halfassed worldbuilding, like early Glen Cook but way more verbose. Probably the best fantasy I’ve read other than GRRM, Cook, and Gene Wolfe.
I read this and the second in the series and had a similar “meh” reaction. The idea of smart zombies seems appealing in theory, but is pretty un-scary in practice.
I picked up The Sunne in Splendour at the library yesterday. The size is a bit intimidating. I’m only a couple of chapters in so I don’t know what to think of it yet.
Welcome!
Usually when I pick up the first book in a trilogy, I know after a few chapters whether I want to continue with the series and I’ll go ahead and buy them. With The Blade Itself, it took a lot longer. Pretty much the whole book was hanging out with Glokta, Jezal, and Logen. I liked the characters but I kept thinking “Where’s this going? What’s it about?” But I liked Abercrombie’s style and kept reading, and by the end I was hooked. The second and third books are much tighter, and now I’m happily waiting for more.
I’ve just rediscovered Lois McMaster Bujold. I finished The Curse of Chalion. Next up is The Sharing Knife.
Walker in Eternity, I first read La Vey’s Satanic Bible back in 1973, & thought it rather silly. “Remember, E-V-I-L is only L-I-V-E spelled backwards.” Deep, Anton, deep.
One collection I’m looking forward to reading is Groucho Marx’s The Groucho Letters: Letters to & from Groucho Marx.
Love, Phil
I’ve just finished Anathem and have nothing waiting on the shelf - feels good to take my pick on Amazon. I reckon I’ll get Gene Wolfe’s new one as the first point of order, which is out tomorrow. I bought The Scar by Mieville a few months back but lost it on a business trip without even starting it, so I’ll probably pick that one up again.
For the Classics, my wife is reading Swann’s Way at the moment and reminding me what a masterpiece it is. I reckon it might be time to pick up Vol II, Within a Budding Grove. Maybe line it up for the Christmas break.
ETA: I forgot that a friend gave me a book on fell-running called feet in the clouds - came hugely recommended. Anyone come across this one?
Ooh, read The Paladin of Souls. It’s awesome.
I liked The Sharing Knife, but it’s less impressive than the Chalion or Vorkosigan books. A little romance novel-y.
I just finished Me of Little Faith by Lewis Black. Not sure what’s next; I need to check my shelf and see what books are due back to the library soon.
I kinda liked it. I was sort of taken aback when it was held up by author, friend and foe alike as an example of an atheist answer to the Narnia series. It seems to me not particularly “atheist” in setting at all - there is, after all, an afterlife, angels, etc. in the story.
I read Paladin of Souls about this time last year. I liked the fact that the hero was a middle-aged woman at a cross-roads in her life (when I started the book, my younger daughter had just married & moved out, and I’d just started my current job). I also like the idea of four Gods, one for each season, with the Bastard thrown into the deck for a Joker.
Per The Sharing Knife, I suppose it’s part something called the Legacy series. Is the entire series romance novel-y? (I’ve never cared for romance novels.) Maybe I’ll read this book last.
How about The Hallowed Hunt?
Love, Phil