The GF book thread

[NoelM]

I just started the new Stephen King book Fairy Tale, 100 pages in and again his character introduction, development and building of stories is so brilliant. Some of his endings can be a bit of a let-down but the way he hooks you into a novel is really incredible.

[Paul]

9 hours ago, NoelM said:

I just started the new Stephen King book Fairy Tale, 100 pages in and again his character introduction, development and building of stories is so brilliant. Some of his endings can be a bit of a let-down but the way he hooks you into a novel is really incredible.

It arrived on my Kindle this morning after I’d started a new book last night. I’ll read it next. 

[Paul]

Finished Predator: Eyes Of The Demon a few days ago, which is a collection of short stories set in the Predator universe. Some are set in the past, some in the future and the narrative perspective switches between humans and predators. It was really good; far better than I expected. I think I’ll read a few more of these now. 
 

Currently on The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake which is a contemporary-set fantasy thing. It’s been great over the first few chapters. 

[Rico1304]

On 08/09/2022 at 17:12, Paul said:

Finished Predator: Eyes Of The Demon a few days ago, which is a collection of short stories set in the Predator universe. Some are set in the past, some in the future and the narrative perspective switches between humans and predators. It was really good; far better than I expected. I think I’ll read a few more of these now. 
 

Currently on The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake which is a contemporary-set fantasy thing. It’s been great over the first few chapters. 

I’m on that Atlas 6 - is it teen fiction? It seems a bit ‘light’ 

[Paul]

On 11/09/2022 at 21:11, Rico1304 said:

I’m on that Atlas 6 - is it teen fiction? It seems a bit ‘light’ 

Don’t think so (although she has done a YA novel). I finished it last night. Thought it was a great start and then it meandered a bit. Have ordered the second one though which is due next month. 
 

Now on that Red On Red book about us and The Mancs. 

[Guest]

Different Seasons by Stephen King is 99p on amazon kindle...

 

 

[Rico1304]

Mark Lawrence has a new trilogy due out. 

[NoelM]

On 07/09/2022 at 09:44, NoelM said:

I just started the new Stephen King book Fairy Tale, 100 pages in and again his character introduction, development and building of stories is so brilliant. Some of his endings can be a bit of a let-down but the way he hooks you into a novel is really incredible.

Update - Finished Fairy Tale and I loved it. It's not horror but dark fantasy, references to Jack in The Beanstalk, Rumpelstiltskin and other Grimm classics.

It's been compared to The Talisman and the Dark Tower which i have not read, I tried the latter twice but didn't like it, I may make it third time lucky.

[Paul]

5 hours ago, NoelM said:

Update - Finished Fairy Tale and I loved it. It's not horror but dark fantasy, references to Jack in The Beanstalk, Rumpelstiltskin and other Grimm classics.

It's been compared to The Talisman and the Dark Tower which i have not read, I tried the latter twice but didn't like it, I may make it third time lucky.

I started that this morning after finishing Red On Red (which was really good). 
 

On The Dark Tower, the first book is fucking shit but it’s great from the second book onwards (although I seem to recall it has a bit of a mare on the last one too). 

[Paul]

23 hours ago, Rico1304 said:

Mark Lawrence has a new trilogy due out. 

Mad how prolific he is. 

[Rico1304]

4 hours ago, Paul said:

Mad how prolific he is. 

He tweeted about it earlier in the week, saying he’d handed the 3rd book of the trilogy to his publisher.  I thought I’d missed it but he writes all 3 before publishing the first. 

[Elite]

Just started Fairy Tale and I'm hooked straightaway which rarely happens.

[SasaS]

Richard Coles (yes, that one): Murder Before Evensong.

 

It is billed as from a series of "Canon Clement Mysteries" so the good reverend intends to continue, for which, as far as I am concerned, there is really no need.

 

Listened to it as an audio book, read by Coles himself, which was not the best decision, he may appear on radio and TV, but he is no audio book "narrator", he reads too fast and struggles to strike a proper tone between the narrator voice and characters.

 

As a murder mystery, it doesn't deliver; lack of structure and proper pacing, one of those crime novels which would rather be high literature, but does not quite hit the necessary literary heights, whilst at the same time failing to make you guess and quite quickly, even care who done it. Also, you'd possibly expect some Midsummer Murders-like lighthearted entertainment from it (set in the '80s, a provincial vicar embroiled in a fight with some of his parishioners over his plans to put a toilette in the church) but it is actually quite morose.

 

On a positive side, it is not too long and as I said, Coles is a very fast reader, so it comes in under 8 hours.

Unlike J.K. Rowling's Ink Black Heart, which is 32. But much more entertaining, even if about 4 to 5 hours too long.

[Paul]

Just finished Fairy Tale by Stephen King. The bit in our world is absolutely fantastic; vintage King in terms of his incredible ability to evoke a time and place in America and the people within it. However, the bit in the other world irritated me. It was slower and duller and ever so slightly clichéd. A book of two halves then. Worth a read but ultimately disappointing for me. 
 

Got the sample of Nick Cave’s new book now. 

[Paul]

Finished Faith, Hope and Carnage by Nick Cave and Sean O’Hagan. It’s a long form interview over the course of a year from the summer of the first lockdown. It deals with faith, music, religion, art, grief, love and more. I am not especially a fan of his music, but the guy is absolutely fascinating. He is incredibly thoughtful and amazingly open about all the shit he’s had to deal with over the last few years. Highly recommended.

[Paul]

Started Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. I’m usually very suspicious of literary/prize-winning fiction but it was strongly recommended by a friend so I’m giving it a go. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

On 02/10/2022 at 13:20, Paul said:

Just finished Fairy Tale by Stephen King. The bit in our world is absolutely fantastic; vintage King in terms of his incredible ability to evoke a time and place in America and the people within it. However, the bit in the other world irritated me. It was slower and duller and ever so slightly clichéd. A book of two halves then. Worth a read but ultimately disappointing for me. 
 

Got the sample of Nick Cave’s new book now. 

Totally agree with this. I actually gave up on the stuff in the other world. It was amazing prior to that. 

[YorkshireRed]

A couple I’ve been wading through recently…

 

The Border (Don Winslow).
 

Last one in The Power Of The Dog trilogy. Probably the weakest of the three, but the other two set a high bar, so it was still very enjoyable.

 

7.5/10

 

Windswept And Interesting (Billy Connolly).

 

An enjoyable and entertaining autobiography. I can’t help reading it to myself and hearing his voice though. Probably adds a point to the score.

 

8/10.

 

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson next. Looking forward to this one as I’ve enjoyed other books by her in the past.

[Paul]

On 12/10/2022 at 07:34, Paul said:

Started Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. I’m usually very suspicious of literary/prize-winning fiction but it was strongly recommended by a friend so I’m giving it a go. 

Finished this. Can’t deny it’s brilliantly written. So full of pathos and incredibly evocative characters. However, too much unremitting misery for my liking. Back to genre fiction for me…

 

But in the meantime, I’ve started Parenting Hell by Rob Beckett and Josh Widdecombe which is from their podcast. 

[Paul]

Finished Parenting Hell. Funny. If you like the pod this is a no brainer. Now on Bob Mortimer’s book The Satsuma Complex. Not sure about it yet. 

[Captain Willard]

There’s a new Cormac Mcarthy book out, the Passenger. Probably will be his last big novel as he’s 89. I’m going wait for the paperback as lugging hardbacks on trains is too hard.
 

In my opinion, he’s the best living author in the world. Blood meridian is an astonishing book then there’s the Road and No Country for Old men. Well worth reading if you haven’t already. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

20 minutes ago, Captain Willard said:

There’s a new Cormac Mcarthy book out, the Passenger. Probably will be his last big novel as he’s 89. I’m going wait for the paperback as lugging hardbacks on trains is too hard.
 

In my opinion, he’s the best living author in the world. Blood meridian is an astonishing book then there’s the Road and No Country for Old men. Well worth reading if you haven’t already. 

There's a sequel to The Passenger coming out (next month?), apparently. 

[Captain Willard]

1 minute ago, Numero Veinticinco said:

There's a sequel to The Passenger coming out, apparently. 

Yes but I think it’s a lot shorter. I think he realised he’d left too many loose ends according to the reviews.
 

He does have an odd habit of adding a final chapter or few paragraphs that don’t seem to bear any resemblance to the rest of the book or film. The last scene of no country for old men is a good example of this. No link to any of the preceding scenes. An odd quirk. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

Just now, Captain Willard said:

Yes but I think it’s a lot shorter. I think he realised he’d left too many loose ends according to the reviews.
 

He does have an odd habit of adding a final chapter or few paragraphs that don’t seem to bear any resemblance to the rest of the book or film. The last scene of no country for old men is a good example of this. No link to any of the preceding scenes. An odd quirk. 

Seems to have worked for him. I have to admin, I haven't read any of his works but the films based on his books are really good. 

[Captain Willard]

13 minutes ago, Numero Veinticinco said:

Seems to have worked for him. I have to admin, I haven't read any of his works but the films based on his books are really good. 

Blood meridian is probably the best though very violent. I also like the Crossing but they’re all good. If I went on mastermind the books would be my specialist subject.