Books 2nd Edition, Foreword by m0r1arty Options

[thirtyhelens]

Note to self: Buy Keith Olbermann's book this weekend.

[maian]

Finished Jasper Fforde's Lost In A Good Book and I can't wait to see what happens to Thursday Next, er, well, next. Easily one of the most brilliant writers around today for the sheer wealth of ideas he manages to fit into his books whilst still having plots that are so tight and interesting. Although, as a result of reading this book I am now deathly afraid of coincidences.

This post has been edited by maian: Sep 12 2006, 12:42 PM

[widowspider]

Finished Jasper Fforde's Lost In A Good Book and I can't wait to see what happens to Thursday Next, er, well, next. Easily one of the most brilliant writers around today for the sheer wealth of ideas he manages to fit into his books whilst still having plots that are so tight and interesting. Although, as a result of reading this book I am now deathly afraid of coincidences.

[luvmusic]

Finished Jasper Fforde's Lost In A Good Book and I can't wait to see what happens to Thursday Next, er, well, next. Easily one of the most brilliant writers around today for the sheer wealth of ideas he manages to fit into his books whilst still having plots that are so tight and interesting. Although, as a result of reading this book I am now deathly afraid of coincidences.

So am I! What a coincid... arggghhhhhhh!

Reading Joseph O'Connor's 'Desperadoes' - good, but no match for his 'The Salesman' and 'The Star of the Sea'.

[gulfcoast_highwa...]

'Firefly - The Official Companion : Volume One' arrived today. Iy's very comprehensive.

Full scripts for episodes up to and including 'Our Mrs Reynolds' (the reminaing 8 eps will be in volume 2) and lots of lovely pictures fo the prettiest cast ever put on TV (or film, for that matter).

[ipse dixit]

Hee hee! I still need to nick me sen a copy. They're lined up on the shelf right there....Gah.

[Jessopjessopjess...]

The Wasp Factory Iain Banks

For years I've intended reading this, intrigued by peoples' descriptions of it being sick, twisted and gruesome. But it wasn't what I expected and is so much stronger for it.

From the very start we are immersed the world of Frank Cauldhame, a disturbed teenager living a secretive life on a remote Scottish island. Frank is totally sociopathic, and dedicates his days to killing animals with ritualistic significance. Every small part of his existence is given strange totemic value; places are named with almost spiritual reverence and important events in the past remembered and respected.

But as bizarre as this all seems, and how unlike our own childhoods his experiences, Frank is totally sympathetic as a character. His self-generated myths and beliefs are completely convincing through the twisted logic we hear in the first-person narrative, and the use of very black humour - with some violence verging on slapstick - further charms us. Depsite his casual acts of cruelty, we empathise with his unorthodox upbringing perhaps because of the isolation we all have felt at times, and because Frank believes what his is doing is right so fervently.

My only criticism would be the climax. An inevitable endgame takes place which seems a little too spectacular, undermining the carefully controlled build-up. Through this we come to learn a surprising truth about Frank and his past, but ultimately I found this not to have any relevance; I am left wondering what we are supposed to conclude about this revelation, if anything.

Although I feel a little behind everyone having only read it now, this is certainly one of the most involving, intriguing and original books I have ever read.

[widowspider]

Hee hee! I still need to nick me sen a copy. They're lined up on the shelf right there....Gah.

Steal me a copy, will ya?

[ipse dixit]

Steal me a copy, will ya?

I'm too afraid.


ed. Perdido Street Station update - I have about 200 pages left. It's been very easy reading and quite enjoyable, but I've lost patience with a couple of the creature desciption things (how creepy-fanboy are the khepri? And I couldn't be bothered with the whole handlinger thing) and the lengthiness does give the impression that no-one bothered editing it. As for the slake-moths, I'm essentially envisaging them as Venom - eyes + wings.

This post has been edited by ipse dixit: Sep 14 2006, 02:38 PM

[Jessopjessopjess...]

I'm too afraid.

How about me?

[Jubei]

I've just finished The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman, part 2 in His Dark Materials. Just the Amber Spyglass to go. Really enjoyed it. I so didn't get the connection with Jonpari - if I'd just said it out loud, duh! I was guessing he was Sir Charles. Never mind. Anyway, looking forward to seeing where this will go. So far Mr Pullman seems to be taking quite a stab at the church, i wonder whether he'll follow it through, or whether he'll quail at insulting the church and make them out to be misled goodguys in the end. We'll see.

This post has been edited by Jubei: Sep 14 2006, 02:42 PM

[Crutch]

Haunted by C.P. It was okay but nothing special, even if some stories were really good. His non-ficiton shorts are overall better.

Now reading: Ask the Dust by John Fante. Good shit.

This post has been edited by Crutch: Sep 22 2006, 06:06 PM

[sweetbutinsane]

I've just finished The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman, part 2 in His Dark Materials.  Just the Amber Spyglass to go.  Really enjoyed it.  I so didn't get the connection with Jonpari - if I'd just said it out loud, duh!  I was guessing he was Sir Charles.  Never mind.  Anyway, looking forward to seeing where this will go.  So far Mr Pullman seems to be taking quite a stab at the church, i wonder whether he'll follow it through, or whether he'll quail at insulting the church and make them out to be misled goodguys in the end.  We'll see.

I do love those books. I wasn't too sure at first, but I did stick with them and I'm glad I did. The last one is my favourite.

I've just started reading The Magician's Nephew, which is the first book in The Chronicles of Narnia for those who didn't know. I have a huge book with all seven stories in which I've had for a few years and have never read properly, so I figured I'd better start reading them now.

[Ghost_862]

Has anybody read Kingdom Of Fear by Hunter S Thompson?

I saw it in a shop today for the first time ever but didn't know whether it was worth buying.

[widowspider]

No, sorry.

I'm currently ploughing through The Queen's Fool by Phillippa Gregory. I really enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl by the same author, as very few writers tackle the Renaissance/Elizabethan age in historical fiction, and she does it brilliantly. There's lots of politics and a different look at many famous historical figures like Henry VIII, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.