The GF book thread

[TheHowieLama]

Pay your subs, you scrounging bastard.

Negged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh wait...

[TheBitch]

Very good.

 

Peasant.

[Paul]

His Dark Materials trilogy, right? I’ve finished up my stack, so been looking for something new.

 

Did you ever get around to We are Legion?

Yes. His Dark Materials: Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. There are also two excellent short stories set in Lyra’s world: Lyra and The Birds (in Lyra’s Oxford) and Once Upon A Time In The North. Then The Book Of Dust trilogy (set in the same world with some of the same characters - including Lyra as a baby) was begun with La Belle Sauvage last year, which is fantastic.

 

The sample to WAL is sitting on my Kindle now, by the way. I’ll probably read it after I’ve finished re-reading the K & G books.

[Pidge]

Read Northern Lights a couple of years back, the subtle knife last year.  Will take a look at Amber Spyglass, just not in any rush to. Mainly because I haven't got a copy and I have a sizeable backlog to work through.  Borrowed the other two, but my mate can't find the third one.  Might pick up a second hand copy at some point.  Excellent reads.

 

Might look at something like it soon because I've been reading some heavier stuff recently and think I need something a bit more easy going.  Read half of The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan over the last three days.  Been a very interesting travel companion (Sagan lives up to his reputation and I enjoy this kind of speculative quasi-scientific exploration), but picked it up last night when I got back in and had no energy for it.  

 

Also read In a Free State by V.S Naipal.  It doesn't pull any punches in it's illustration of post-imperialist Africa.  The characters have been designed to hold you at arm's length, there are some pretty nasty (but sadly realistic) attitudes on display (basically everyone holds everyone else in contempt in one way or another) and I found the last few chapters genuinely chilling.  Recommend giving it a read, although don't expect to particularly enjoy it...

 

Considering Ubik as my next one, or I have a couple of YA novels on my Kindle picked up in various sales.  Not sure I'm in the right mood to tackle any Dick.

 

Erm...

[Scrump]

Currently working my way through the Culture series by Iain M Banks.

 

Excellent writer - went too soon.

[Paul]

Yeah. Amazing books.

[Sut]

I've got to read 10+ books for key stage 2 kids (8-11 years) for Uni

Can anyone with kids about this age recommend anything they're reading at the minute please?

Goodnight Mister Tom,

Shadow of the Minotaur,

Kensuke’s Kingdom,

Stone Age Boy,

The Water Tower,

Storm breaker,

When the whales came.

 

These are books I’ve read with my year 4, 5 and 6 classes the past few years.

[Bjornebye]

About to finish Pablo Escobar: My Father

 

Written by his son. He doesn't hold back on how much of a cunt his dad was despite not knowing everything. Very good read.

[Paulie Dangerously]

Goodnight Mister Tom,

Shadow of the Minotaur,

Kensuke’s Kingdom,

Stone Age Boy,

The Water Tower,

Storm breaker,

When the whales came.

 

These are books I’ve read with my year 4, 5 and 6 classes the past few years.

Cheers for that. Now you've revealed you're a teacher be prepared for 12 months of increasingly desperate DMs from me

[Bobby Hundreds]

Just finished consider phlebas. It was alright.

 

Think I need some non fiction.

[Rico1304]

We’ve had to read the Magic Faraway Tree to Izzy over the summer. It’s fucking shite.

[El Rojo]

I've only read the last few Charlie Parker books (John Connolly), which were top notch for the genre. Really like the broader, sinister world that he's gradually building.

 

I've ordered Every Dead Thing with the aim of reading right through. Is the quality good from the beginning?

[Elite]

I've only read the last few Charlie Parker books (John Connolly), which were top notch for the genre. Really like the broader, sinister world that he's gradually building.

 

I've ordered Every Dead Thing with the aim of reading right through. Is the quality good from the beginning?

The first book sets the tone but the quality improves as the series unfolds.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Like any series, I find the quality varies. Some feel very much like filler stories, whilst others move along at a great pace. I've got to the point where I can tell, so skim read in places as it can get quite formulaic. Every Dead Thing is brilliant, but they falter a touch before Black Angel, where the tone was really set for the books going forward.

 

The great thing about the series is how everything starts to layer and overlap, and the high points are well worth putting up with the odd missteps. I've kept a few unread, so I'm working my way through the more recent ones now in a back-to-back binge.

[Paul]

Agree with the boys above.

[TheBitch]

Just finished consider phlebas. 

 

 

Just started this yesterday.

 

I'd like to add this is a great thread, I'd not have found any of the great series I've gotten through without it.

[polymerpunkah]

"China: A History"

 

by John Keay

 

An excellent general history of China, from soup to nuts.

 

Well worth reading.

[Bobby Hundreds]

I've read upto the burning soul of the Charlie Parker series. I started getting bored with the formula.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

"China: A History"

 

by John Keay

 

An excellent general history of China, from soup to nuts.

 

Well worth reading.

 

"A great bunch of lads"

[REDTALISKER]

Just started this yesterday.

 

I'd like to add this is a great thread, I'd not have found any of the great series I've gotten through without it.

 

As is the way of things, everyone is going to have a opinion, but for me Bank's best Culture novels were Use of Weapons, Excession and The Hydrogen Sonata. I'm sure other people could bring up a totally different three novels and they probably wouldn't be wrong. No doubt already been brought up but it's worth repeating that some of his non sci-fiction novels are good too. The Crow road often gets mentioned but I have huge soft spot for Espedair Street.

[Paul]

Yep. I still really like The Wasp Factory, even now I know the twist.

[El Rojo]

Yep. I still really like The Wasp Factory, even now I know the twist.

It was all a dream.

[Paul]

Good stuff. I’m looking forward to seeing if you and a few others like it.

Finished it this morning and thought it was ace. Downloaded the second to start later. Cracking read. I thought it might be a bit too “quirky” from the blurb, but it’s not; it’s ace.

[Numero Veinticinco]

Finished it this morning and thought it was ace. Downloaded the second to start later. Cracking read. I thought it might be a bit too “quirky” from the blurb, but it’s not; it’s ace.

Excellent news. I really liked it too. Seems quite unique to me. I’ve certainly not read anything like it before.

[Pidge]

Anyone read Infinite Jest?

 

Picked it up again the other day (finished some other books I've been working away at and then read the Carpet People over the weekend for the first time in years - still love it) but still finding it pretty dull.  If it wasn't for the promise of those first few chapters (and the overall premise) I'd have dropped it off at Oxfam.

 

As it is, I'm not sure whether it's worth persevering.  Half tempted to re-read some Murakami (hard boiled wonderland) next while I'm enjoying reading, rather than torpedo my enthusiasm by dragging myself through 900 pages of needlessly elliptical, self-regarding drudge.