The GF book thread

[Edward.]

Yeah just about finished it now. Make my way through Joe Abercrombie and see if Grey Sister is a little more affordable or if I can get it second hand. What are The Red Queens Wars like? Finished The Iron Druid Chronicles recently, really enjoyed the whole series. 

[Jose Jones]

9 hours ago, Paul said:

Just read the first two books of The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. It’s the story of the rise and fall of a great warrior wizard in his own words from apparently after the fall. Really good and not especially nerdy which is always a bonus with fantasy. 

 

I've just read these too.  First one I picked up because I wanted a book for the plane for a work trip, got sucked in, then borrowed the second from the library (old school).  I agree, very readable, although I found the second one a trifle slow going plot-wise.

Can't believe the bastard hasn't finished the third book yet though and appears to be George RR Martin-ing it.

[skend04]

The list of books I've got to read on my Google account is quite long. I've just realised if you turn the accessibility function on on the phone it'll turn the book into an audiobook! I might finish some of them now without having to stare at the phone screen.

[SammyAftershave]

The Sisters Brothers

Patrick DeWitt

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sisters-Brothers-Patrick-deWitt/dp/1847083196/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540905822&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Sisters+Brothers

 

I've had this sitting on the shelf for a couple of years. I recently saw that they've made it into a film starring John C. Reilly, Jake Gylanhall and Joachim Phoenix and Directed by the bloke who did 'A Prophet' so thought I'd better get it read before I see that. An absolute breeze to read and what a treat. Highly recommended.

[El Rojo]

8 minutes ago, SammyAftershave said:

The Sisters Brothers

Patrick DeWitt

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sisters-Brothers-Patrick-deWitt/dp/1847083196/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540905822&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Sisters+Brothers

 

I've had this sitting on the shelf for a couple of years. I recently saw that they've made it into a film starring John C. Reilly, Jake Gylanhall and Joachim Phoenix and Directed by the bloke who did 'A Prophet' so thought I'd better get it read before I see that. An absolute breeze to read and what a treat. Highly recommended.

Amazing book. One of the few recent novels I've actually gone back to read a second time.

 

His other work is well worth your time too, though I haven't read his newest.

[SammyAftershave]

Aye, it's 'Ablutions' next up for me.

[Anubis]

Re-reading Every Dead Thing. Had trouble concentrating on it first time round but have given it another go as I’d like to get into the Charlie Parker books. Enjoying it much more this time around.

[Sugar Ape]

I reread all the Parker books recently and they really are superb. Books 3 and 5 are sensational so I suggest you at least keep reading until you’ve done them. 

 

If you read book 4 hit me up in here because there’s a novella you should read really between books 4 and 5. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

I loved the first but the second is third person isn’t it? I wasn’t so sure when I fired up the audiobook. 

[Sugar Ape]

No it’s still first person. Off the top of my head the second book opens with a chapter from the POV of an FBI agent or ATF, something like that then goes to POV of Parker the next chapter. 

[Anubis]

5 hours ago, Sugar Ape said:

I reread all the Parker books recently and they really are superb. Books 3 and 5 are sensational so I suggest you at least keep reading until you’ve done them. 

 

If you read book 4 hit me up in here because there’s a novella you should read really between books 4 and 5. 

Cheers. Will do.

[Paul]

7 hours ago, Sugar Ape said:

I reread all the Parker books recently and they really are superb. Books 3 and 5 are sensational so I suggest you at least keep reading until you’ve done them. 

 

If you read book 4 hit me up in here because there’s a novella you should read really between books 4 and 5. 

Yeah, I did the same over the summer. And agreed on 3 & 5. 

[Paul]

Currently reading the new Richard Morgan book, Thin Air. It’s set on Mars in the same universe as Black Man (it also seems consistent with the Altered Carbon universe too although hasn’t been credited as such). I’m really enjoying it. 

 

Got the new Bosch waiting, the new Beastie Boys book by Mike D and Ad-Roc and also Will Ashon’s new book Chamber Music about the Wu Tang Clan’s Classic first album.

 

I fucking love reading. 

[Ian Sea]

I’m currently reading The Reapers; the 8th Parker book. Great series although I find I have to read something else between them. Certainly the first few were pretty heavy. 

[Elite]

Just finished the latest Charlie Parker, brilliant as always.

 

Anyone found anything similar? The supernatural element sets the series apart from other PI/Detectives books.

 

Or any other works from Connolly, I've only read his Parker stuff.

 

 

[Elite]

On 11/1/2018 at 12:25 PM, Sugar Ape said:

I reread all the Parker books recently and they really are superb. Books 3 and 5 are sensational so I suggest you at least keep reading until you’ve done them. 

 

If you read book 4 hit me up in here because there’s a novella you should read really between books 4 and 5. 

Was Mr. Pudd in book 3? Great character. In fact, all the antagonists are.

[Sugar Ape]

2 hours ago, Elite said:

Was Mr. Pudd in book 3? Great character. In fact, all the antagonists are.

 

Yeah book 3. Pudd and Brightwell are the best two villains in the books. 

 

There isn’t really another series like the Parker books. Any others I’ve read like that focus on the supernatural a lot more, and tend to be more overtly supernatural creatures like Vampires or Werewolves etc... not beings that corrupt the nature of men like in the Parker novels.

 

Have you read the Dave Robicheaux series by James Lee Burke? Some of the books do have supernatural elements but on a much smaller scale that the Parker ones. He’s the best crime writer in the world in my opinion now Robert B.Parker has passed away; in fact I’d say he’s one of the best writers period.

 

Or something with a lot more supernatural elements would be the Dresden files by Jim Butcher. I’ve mentioned them loads on here over the years and they’ve my favourite series along with Charlie Parker. 

 

They’re similar to the Parker ones in that after 2/3 novels the world becomes much bigger and everything is connected. Robicheaux is a more serious read, Dresden more lighthearted and fun.

[Elite]

The Dresden files sound more up my street, I'll give them a try. I've been reading a few Linwood Barclay books inbetween Parker and Bosch, they are good light hearted reads.

[Hades]

How do you read books these days? Library? Purchase? Hardcover? Paperback? E-reader? Tablet? Phone?

 

For me it's a mix of e-reader for "borrowing" fiction books, tablet for non-fiction/image-heavy material and purchasing paperbacks for the occasional gem I'll return to often.

[Strontium]

You can't beat the aesthetics of an actual,  physical book. Especially if it's a hardback. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

19 minutes ago, Strontium Dog said:

You can't beat the aesthetics of an actual,  physical book. Especially if it's a hardback. 

This. Although paperbacks are cheaper and easier to lug around, there's something satisfying about holding a proper hardback.

 

I've got a couple of leather-bound 19th century editions of poetry - one Milton and one Shelley (with some of the words blanked out by the publisher, to avoid offending the Church or the aristocracy) - and the feel of them adds to the experience of reading the great poems.

[Aventus]

Buying a kindle has got me back into reading again, I know there's a lot of people that are in the camp of you can't best a physical paper book, but there's nobody that can argue with the convenience of a kindle Thousands of books able to stored on it, millions in the online store that can be downloaded on the go, or if you come across them through more nefarious means you can email it to your kindle and it shows up in seconds. You can easily switch between them you've got a few going at once. 

 

Change font type, and size. Google any strange words you don't know by holding your finger on the word. Highlight sentences and paragraphs for later reference, kindles with backlights so you can read in the dark. Battery lasts like a month off one charge. 

 

Plus I'm a bit weird and hate the feel of paper on my finger tips, especially if it's after a shower or something, properly goes through me. Paper books also seem to give me dry eyeballs. Again, weird I know. 

 

A kindle just has too many advantages to ignore. 

 

 

I'm going to try and work my way through the discworld books, been on my bucket list for a while. I've just finished Guards! Guards! That was brilliant, right up my street. 

 

Now I'm onto the colour of magic.

[Tony Moanero]

I’m very much a physical book man, paperbacks and hardbacks. I can’t get on with ebooks at all and have never managed to finish one. I loan books from the library whenever possible.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

I tend to pick up books from charity shops or a local book exchange. I like browsing an eclectic range and never knowing what I'll pick out.

[SasaS]

Tablet; e-reader, kindle for tablet and PV for tablet for comic books, I find screens under 10 inch too small, I like the screen page to be as close to the physical page as possible in size.  I would still read paper books if I could, but this is a luxury only for the summer, when I can read outside, I struggle to read under artificial light and need a backlit screen. I miss the feel and ritual of holding and reading a big hardcover book, the smell of books too.

And I prefer audio books to reading now, whenever I can I choose audio book over reading and I am much more particular about reading then listening.