I ordered The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and it arrived yesterday, but I can't read it until Monday because of my exams. Grr.

New Jasper Fforde and John Irving novels on the shelves! Why wasn't I informed?

Saw a lady on the train last night reading one of his 'Thursday Next' Novels, which I hear are very good, but have never read any of them, do you guys recommend them?

I saw the film recently and it's excellent. Very tempted to buy the trilogy.


New Jasper Fforde and John Irving novels on the shelves! Why wasn't I informed?

Saw a lady on the train last night reading one of his 'Thursday Next' Novels, which I hear are very good, but have never read any of them, do you guys recommend them?

I think there's a bit of a Fforde fanclub within the forum.

Everlong - start with The Eyre Affair and read chronologically. Otherwise it'll not make as much sense. They are great books.

Noted, will get that first once I've got round to it, as I'm nearly all out of new stuff, and the Murakami ones I just bought are only short.

I bought The Book Thief by Markus Zusak today. I understand it's meant to be very good - has anyone else here read it?

I'm reading it at the moment and I've had a lot of trouble getting into it but now I am I'm really enjoying it.

Sarah loves it but I've got halfway through it twice and just lost interest. Not that its a bad book. I'll have to attempt it again in a few years I think.

New Jasper Fforde novel on the shelves! Why wasn't I informed?

Saw a lady on the train last night reading one of his 'Thursday Next' Novels, which I hear are very good, but have never read any of them, do you guys recommend them?

I think there's a bit of a Fforde fanclub within the forum.

Just seen a review for the new Fford in Metro. 2 out of 5!

If it's your first Murakami you may find yourself diving into all his work once you finish the first. The man's books are sublime.

If it's your first Murakami you may find yourself diving into all his work once you finish the first. The man's books are sublime.

I've started with 'In the Miso Soup', not all that far into it, but it's flowing nicely. Can see myself enjoying his stuff. Then it's Audition!

Just finished The Island at the Center of The World by Russell Shorto, fascinating read, especially as an American of Dutch descent. Taking a nice break with James Lee Burke's Swan Peak, and then going to move along to The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.

Got me 'The Eyre affair' and 'Lost in a good book' by Jasper Fforde on your guys recommendation.

The story takes place in two realms concurrently in the middle of the 21st century: On earth in the United States and Antarctica, and in a place beyond death called The City. The people in The City are there only as long as someone who remembers them is still alive on earth. They arrive, usually with the realization that they have died, and become members of the community there in ways similar to when they were alive.

On earth things have continued on the trajectories predicted at the beginning of the century: The polar ice caps are melting and biological terrorism is a major societal concern. However, the Coca-Cola Company is trying to make the best of both developments by planning to use water from Antarctica in its soft drink; they use publicity stunts which exploit people's fears in order to build brand interest. As part of their latest publicity stunt, they send a team of scientists to Antarctica to research the feasibility of using the "freshest water on earth", thus isolating their product from the regular water supply (which is assumed to be under constant threat of contamination at the hands of biological terrorists). A lethal virus is indeed released and as the global death toll mounts, the population of The City begins to fluctuate alarmingly.

There is no direct communication between the two realms. Those still alive know nothing of The City. Those in The City can only learn of events on earth by interviewing new arrivals, and indirectly through speculation on the reasons for the growth and decline of the The City.

The story is set partly in the City and partly in the realm of the living, where Laura Byrd (one of the central characters) is stranded in Antarctica. The City segments focus on several different people in The City; as the book progresses, increasing numbers of the City's residents seem to just disappear, leaving friends and their relatives (if any) in mystery. The lethal virus slowly kills off each person in the living realm which results in the abrupt fluctuation in The City - each day, more and more people miraculously disappear (and areas of the City itself also begin to vanish).

Chapters set in The City alternate with chapters dealing with Laura's struggle for survival in the Antarctic and her gradual realisation that she may be the last person left alive on Earth.

Started reading The Brief History of the Dead on the train yesterday. It's really interesting.

Good move! I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Stop reading before the last chapter, I promise.

I'm still reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo at the minute, which is fabulous.

Good move! I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

What Ade said.

I've got 'Lost In A Good Book' on my to-read pile.

And at home I shall be reading Scott Pilgrim vol 1, which arrived today, huzzah!

BTW, the latest Adrian Mole is a belter. I laughed, I cried, I read inside of two days.

If it keeps up like this I'll love this series of books. I've got 'Lost in a good book' sitting at home waiting to be read when I've finished this, so can get straight into that then.

After devouring the miniseries, I've spent the week reading Generation Kill by Evan Wright, which is every bit as good as the series in terms of really taking you inside the world of Recon Marines and really making you care about them even when they say or do things that you might not agree with. It also nicely complements the series since it does a much better job of explaining why the Marines were so angry at their commanding officers, and how they were utilised in an antithetical way in the invasion of Iraq. It also shows that the best lines from the show are taken straight from real life. Really fascinating and engrossing.

I have to say I'm really liking the 'Eyre affair', I'm up to the bit where Thursday has returned to swindon, argued with the students, and has found the car she saw at the hospital. (Sorry, I know a lot of people here have read it, just spoiler tagged it for those that haven't).

If it keeps up like this I'll love this series of books. I've got 'Lost in a good book' sitting at home waiting to be read when I've finished this, so can get straight into that then.

It does, and you will.

It's very very early days yet, but I'm not liking the new Fforde.