The GF book thread

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Darwin's Sacred Cause: Race, Slavery and the Quest for Human Origins: Amazon.co.uk: Adrian Desmond, James Moore: Books

 

Just finished this (the day after Chuck's birthday). It's a biography which focuses on his lifelong hatred of slavery and racism. It's an interesting enough read - although it does tend to get a bit bogged down in the details of 19th Century academic/scientific disputes. It also tends to skim over some points you would typically expect of a Darwin autobiography: there's next to nothing on the Galapagos or public reaction to the Origin. I think it's probably best considered as an important and interesting companion to other biographies of Darwin: it probably shouldn't be the only biography you read (as it is with me).

 

Good book, like. Makes me want to read the Origin again.

[Sut]

Roadwork (Stephen King) - another one of the Bachman Books. A great story about a man who's despair and grief sets him in the path of progress and he refuses to get out of the way.

 

The House with a Clock in its Walls (John Bellairs) - a young lad loses both parents and goes to live with his uncle who just happens to be a wizard. Tries his hand at a spot of necromancy to impress one of the popular kids in school and awakens the spirit of an evil wizard's missus. Kids' book about a junior wizard written 20-odd years before Harry Potter.

 

Cujo (Stephen King) - absolutely brilliant. Read this when I was 17 and loved it then. Thoroughly enjoyed it and the paragraph near the end about how Cujo just wanted to be a good dog and that free will was not a factor in his actions brought a lump to the throat. This is the one that he says he can't actually remember writing.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Just finished one of the best books I've ever read, powerful, tense, haunting and poetic. I can't remember the last time I got so anxious as a book drew to a close.

 

It's The Anniversary Man by R J Ellory. It's a detective/thriller/murderer story, I've read loads of these and this is the literally the best I've ever read.

 

Please read it. I've also read A Quiet Belief In Angels by the same author which is the book he's famousish for, which was good, but this was soo much better. In my top 5 books of all time.

 

I found most of the book to be fairly good but the ending was poor it was building up and intriguing and kind of finished with it was just some mad bloke.

[Sugar Ape]

Live by night, Dennis Lehane.

 

Great book by Lehane as usual, sort of a follow up to The Given Day, as it focuses on the younger brother of the Coughlin family.

 

It's the story of his rise from a low level Boston thug to one of the biggest gangsters in the country. Set during prohibition, it starts off in Boston, has a good couple of chapters set in a prison and then moves to Florida for the rest of the book. Really enjoyed this.

 

8.50/10.

 

Dark Harvest, Norman Partridge.

 

Again another really enjoyable book, won the Bram Stoker award in 2006. Set in a small American town in the early 60's where the townfolk aren't allowed to leave, but every Halloween the October Boy, basically a re-animated scarecrow with a pumpkin head armed with a cleaver, tries to make his way though the middle of the town to the church in the centre.

 

All the males aged between 16-19 are starved for 5 days and let loose to try and catch him armed with baseball bats, clubs, knives etc... and the winner gets a car, money and the chance to leave the town and start a new life.

 

It's quite a short book at around 165 pages and can be got quite cheap on Amazon second hand, definitely worth a look.

 

8/10.

[Sut]

Not sure on the copyright issues surrounding copy and pasting the extract here so I'll just put the link to the site.

 

Joe Hill's got a new book out this year that looks ace.

 

Read an exclusive excerpt from Joe Hill's scary new novel NOS4A2

[JagSquared]

I have just finished the "a song of ice and fire" series now and I'm utterly struggling to find anything else to read. Any ideas?

 

Wouldn't mind another fantasy series, as long as magic is subtle, the characters are believable and aren't easily identifiable as good or evil. Essentially I just want to read the winds of winter but i'll obviously have to wait. I don't think anything can touch GRR Martin in this genre.

[Sugar Ape]

I have just finished the "a song of ice and fire" series now and I'm utterly struggling to find anything else to read. Any ideas?

 

Wouldn't mind another fantasy series' date=' as long as magic is subtle, the characters are believable and aren't easily identifiable as good or evil. Essentially I just want to read the winds of winter but i'll obviously have to wait. I don't think anything can touch GRR Martin in this genre.[/quote']

 

I know what you mean, I struggled to get into anything else after reading them. I'd recommend American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

 

That's what I re-read after reading them, it's only a one off book and in a modern setting but Gaiman is a great writer and the book is really easy to get into. Or Neverwhere by the same author.

 

You could check out the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher as well. They are completely different to Game of thrones, a much lighter and easier read, but they are fun and you'd fly through them. The magic isn't exactly subtle in them though.

[clone number 3]

I have just finished the "a song of ice and fire" series now and I'm utterly struggling to find anything else to read. Any ideas?

 

Wouldn't mind another fantasy series, as long as magic is subtle, the characters are believable and aren't easily identifiable as good or evil. Essentially I just want to read the winds of winter but i'll obviously have to wait. I don't think anything can touch GRR Martin in this genre.

 

Have you tried Joe Abercrombie? Not quite up there with Martin, but similar "believable" fantasy.

 

The Blade Itself: Book One Of The First Law Gollancz S.F.: Amazon.co.uk: Joe Abercrombie: Books

[piscinin]

I have just finished the "a song of ice and fire" series now and I'm utterly struggling to find anything else to read. Any ideas?

 

Wouldn't mind another fantasy series, as long as magic is subtle, the characters are believable and aren't easily identifiable as good or evil. Essentially I just want to read the winds of winter but i'll obviously have to wait. I don't think anything can touch GRR Martin in this genre.

 

The malazan book of the fallen is the closest thing to SoIF I've read. It has the advantage that it's finished, but is very large and much more involved. The plot is much looser, the scale is even more epic than SoIF, consequently it takes a while and some effort before the big picture starts to emerge and pieces start fitting together. It has the same multi-viewpoint, muti-arc episodic structure and the characters are just as rich, complex and flawed. There's a lot of philosophizing: The decline and fall of civilizations, what happens when capitalism eats itself, etc which can make it seem stodgy to some. It is definitely not a page turner. Think of it as 1984 to SoIF's Animal Farm.

 

Most of the other really good stuff is linear narrative, single viewpoint, etc.

 

The farseer series is a much more leisurely read which works very well at an emotional level. Thomas Covenant stands out for the characterization of the anti-hero and the world is a tree-huggers delight. The Amber Chronicles picks up the theme of political intrigue in SoIF and plays it out in a scfi-fantasy setting. River into Darkness/Moontide is quite good too: What if Darwin discovered magic instead of evolution . . .

 

BTW Usually mentioned in the same context is Wheel of Time. But I aborted 1/2 way through that as it lost all focus and the author was obviously just churning out stuff for the sake of sales.

[mattyq]

Whilst not strictly fantasy i really like Charles Stross and his 'Laundry Files' series

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charles-Stross/e/B001H6IW0Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

[aws]

I have just finished the "a song of ice and fire" series now and I'm utterly struggling to find anything else to read. Any ideas?

 

Wouldn't mind another fantasy series, as long as magic is subtle, the characters are believable and aren't easily identifiable as good or evil. Essentially I just want to read the winds of winter but i'll obviously have to wait. I don't think anything can touch GRR Martin in this genre.

 

Try the Passage by Cronin. No magic but if you like apocalyptic wastelands populated by mutant vampires you'll be right at home.

[JagSquared]

Some interesting suggestions here. Mazalan seems like a good pick as does the Passage. I have gone for a couple of Sci Fi classics. Dick's "The Penultimate Truth" set underground colony during a nuclear World War 3 and Arthur C. Clarke's "Rendezvous With Rama" what looks to be a first contact story. Both have perked my interest so I will see how I go before going back to a Fantasy series.

[Liverpool lad]

Band of Brothers

 

Fucking amazing book

[Sut]

Band of Brothers

 

Fucking amazing book

 

Read Ambrose's Pegasus Bridge.

 

2 more books into the Chronological readthrough of Stephen King (only 50-odd to go).

 

The Running Man (Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman) - I'd forgotten how this book went, my memories of it distorted by the film and I have to say that this is far superior. While the film is just full of bombast and lycra, the book's a well crafted little dystopian future tale.

 

The Dark Tower 1: The Gunslinger (Stephen King) - I'd not read any of these the first time I'd read King's stuff (at that time there were only 3 volumes, I think). Whips along at a great pace, even with all of the flashbacks and I've been sorely tempted to jump ahead on the readalong to get to the next one. Really enjoyed immersing myself in the world he's created and am looking forward to the next one.

[Sugar Ape]

I think I'm going to read all the Dark Tower books in one go, I'm just not sure at what point to start them, from when the first one was released or towards the end.

[Sut]

I decided to let it wait and have started to read Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. Only 13 books to go before I read Volume 2!

[aws]

I think I'm going to read all the Dark Tower books in one go, I'm just not sure at what point to start them, from when the first one was released or towards the end.

 

They're all in sequence. A few weaknesses here and there but overall a great read.

[Sugar Ape]

 

They're all in sequence. A few weaknesses here and there but overall a great read.

 

I'm going to try and read every king book in order, from Carrie onwards. With the Dark tower series though, I think I'd rather read them all together rather than read them where they fall in order chronologically.

 

I might try and do all the stand alone novels first and then read them last.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Just started the culture series, I like a bit of science fiction.

[Sut]

I'm going to try and read every king book in order, from Carrie onwards. With the Dark tower series though, I think I'd rather read them all together rather than read them where they fall in order chronologically.

 

I might try and do all the stand alone novels first and then read them last.

 

I'm thoroughly enjoying doing the Long Read. Rattled through the first 60-odd pages of Rita Hayworth... last night.

[Paul]

Just started the culture series' date=' I like a bit of science fiction.[/quote']

 

I finished the latest one last week. It was good.

[aws]

I'm going to try and read every king book in order, from Carrie onwards. With the Dark tower series though, I think I'd rather read them all together rather than read them where they fall in order chronologically.

 

I might try and do all the stand alone novels first and then read them last.

 

Good plan. More or less what I did. You'll also then pick up the "other world" thread running through a lot of the books which is elaborated in the Dark Tower.

 

Don't miss out the books he wrote in collaboration with Strauss - Talisman then Black House. I'd do them last of all if you're not Kinged-out.

[Sut]

Different Seasons (Stephen King) - featuring:

 

Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption - A great story that's overshadowed by a perfect film. 3/5

 

Apt Pupil - A teenaged boy spots a Nazi war criminal living in his neighbourhood and blackmails him into telling him all the "gooshy" parts of life in the extermination camp. Marathon Man meets Silence of the Lambs. 2/5

 

The Body - original story for the film Stand by Me. Ace film. Ace (if a bit slight) book. 3/5

 

The Breathing Method - in a strange gentlemen's club in New York, a doctor tells the story of a young woman who is determined to have her child at all costs. The best story in the book - I love the idea of this Twilight Zone meets the Diogenes Club setting and the macabre tales that are told there. 4/5

 

Christine - just skimread this one really. It seems far too long and the lead characters just left me cold. 1/5

 

Pet Sematary Awesome book. Remember this scaring me shitless as a teenager and thoroughly enjoyed rereading it. Love the way King just shifts effortlessly from heartwarming to heartbreaking to outright horror. My favourite bits are Louis's glimpses into a world just outside our own and love the fact that SK doesn't bother to explain, rather leaving it to your imagination. That closing line is an absolute killer as well. 5/5

 

Cycle of the Werewolf - a short story stretched out over 100-odd pages thanks to the illustrations. Enjoyable fluff. 3/5

 

Caught up to the Guardian's King blog and am just starting The Talisman now.

[KMD7]

Just finished 'Headhunters' by Jan Nesbo. Cracking read. 9/10

[Remmie]

I'm going to try and read every king book in order, from Carrie onwards. With the Dark tower series though, I think I'd rather read them all together rather than read them where they fall in order chronologically.

 

I might try and do all the stand alone novels first and then read them last.

Tom Ross the bad mong meant to reply to this post with the following:

 

The good looking bad boy in Carrie is called Tom Ross.

 

Good strong name.

 

But he actually reported it instead.

 

DERP!