The GF book thread

[Elite]

Blackwater: The Complete Saga (Michael McDowell) - 8.5/10

 

Generational family saga focusing on a wealthy family in Alabama. It's a slow burn but once you are invested in the characters it was a joy to read. The character development was exceptional, every member of the family had their own arc and everything links together over a span of about 50 years. There is some subtle supernatural stuff which just adds to the lore of the setting the author has created. Highly recommend this one.

 

The Long Walk (Richard Bachman) - 8/10

 

The first book I've read from King under the Bachman alias. I love a macabre, dystopian story and this perfectly fit the bill. Loved all the characters and their back stories, no one does the coming of age type stuff better than King even in this morbid backdrop. Wasn't overly keen on the ending, so lost a point on that but overall very enjoyable book.

 

And Then She Was Gone (Lisa Jewell) - 7.5/10

 

This is the type of stuff my mum reads and I was skeptical as I often pigeon hole books like this as 'Housewife fiction' rightly or wrongly. However, after giving this a chance i enjoyed it. The mystery kept me captivated throughout and it all tied in nicely to give a satisfying outcome.

 

 

[Mudface]

23 minutes ago, Elite said:

The Long Walk (Richard Bachman) - 8/10

 

The first book I've read from King under the Bachman alias. I love a macabre, dystopian story and this perfectly fit the bill. Loved all the characters and their back stories, no one does the coming of age type stuff better than King even in this morbid backdrop. Wasn't overly keen on the ending, so lost a point on that but overall very enjoyable book.

 

The other books in the original collection are also good to excellent- he withdrew Rage after some 'copycat' school shootings, but you should still be able to find a copy online or second hand. The Running Man novel is so much better than the ridiculous film as well. Thinner is a nicely nasty story published after King was outed as Bachman.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bachman_Books

 

 

[Elite]

2 hours ago, Mudface said:

 

The other books in the original collection are also good to excellent- he withdrew Rage after some 'copycat' school shootings, but you should still be able to find a copy online or second hand. The Running Man novel is so much better than the ridiculous film as well. Thinner is a nicely nasty story published after King was outed as Bachman.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bachman_Books

 

 

I'm going to work my way through everything eventually. Got a huge backlog already on Audible to get through. I've got The Shining and Under The Dome in waiting within that backlog. Once those are polished off and all my other non-King stuff I'll get The Running Man. I actually love the movie!

[Paul]

On 20/02/2024 at 06:38, Paul said:

Enjoyed Jade City without absolutely loving it. Now started one called The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown about a magic book that allows the bearer to access any door in the world from any other door. 

The Book Of Doors was absolutely brilliant. It has a relatively sedate start, but once it gets going, it’s a real page turner. Highly recommended. 

[Paul]

I’m now going to start Past Crimes by Jason Pinter, an SF thing. 

[SasaS]

On 15/01/2024 at 13:11, SasaS said:

 

Thanks. Will check him out.

 

On 15/01/2024 at 19:43, NoelM said:

Scrublands is a good place to start, it's the first one and it spawns two different series of books.

 

Not bad, Chris Hammer, now I'm on Trust, after Scrublands and Silver.

 

Scrublands is a bit strangely structured in that a lot happens outside of the story and feels like he was introducing events and characters as an afterthought or writing without a strict plan/concept. Closer to Nordic than American or British crime.

 

Aussie setting is new too me in the genre, so that's refreshing and a plus. Still a bit too many twists and turns, for all to be explained in the end Poirot style. 6 or 7 out of 10 so far.

[NoelM]

49 minutes ago, SasaS said:

 

 

Not bad, Chris Hammer, now I'm on Trust, after Scrublands and Silver.

 

Scrublands is a bit strangely structured in that a lot happens outside of the story and feels like he was introducing events and characters as an afterthought or writing without a strict plan/concept. Closer to Nordic than American or British crime.

 

Aussie setting is new too me in the genre, so that's refreshing and a plus. Still a bit too many twists and turns, for all to be explained in the end Poirot style. 6 or 7 out of 10 so far.

I agree with the convoluted plot, the strength of the story was in the location and variety of characters. I'm now reading another Aussie series by Garry Disher (Hirsch series)and it's much lower key on plot, simple enough stories and crimes, but really good on small town life in remote locations. The main character is a local copper, not a detective, he was demoted and banished but relishes the remote life.

 

[Elite]

Birds in Flight (Anni Taylor) - 6.5/10

 

Decent mystery set in Australia about a woman and her daughter that go missing. 

 

The Shining (Stephen King) - 7/10

 

Never really grabbed me this one like the other King stuff I've read lately. It's good but I'm not really a fan of straight up horror stuff. 

 

The Killer Inside Me (Jim Thompson) - 8.5/10

 

Loved this. Deputy Sheriff in a small town, who happens to be a sociopathic killer. Very enjoyable.

 

[TheBitch]

Step forward and receive rep whoever recommended The force by Don Winslow. 
 

“Probably the best cop novel ever written” 

 

Its like The Shield, The Wire and The Godfather wrapped up in 450 pages of brilliance. 
 

The Cartel arrived yesterday so I’ll start that after the next Harry Hole book I’ve got lined up. 

[Elite]

4 hours ago, TheBitch said:

Step forward and receive rep whoever recommended The force by Don Winslow. 
 

“Probably the best cop novel ever written” 

 

Its like The Shield, The Wire and The Godfather wrapped up in 450 pages of brilliance. 
 

The Cartel arrived yesterday so I’ll start that after the next Harry Hole book I’ve got lined up. 

Yeah it's really good that. Get on The City of Dreams trilogy if you haven't already.

[YorkshireRed]

Reading a nice book at the moment.
 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.
 

Probably not going to be everyone’s kind of thing on here, but I’m enjoying it so far. 
 

I’d thought it was going to be a love story. It centres on two friends who meet at a young age, in difficult circumstances. There are many bumps along the way but they remain drawn together over a passion for video games.

 

Although love is certainly part of it, I think this book is more about friendship. 

Sometimes a book is just right for where the reader is in life, as they travel through the pages. For me it’s certainly right book, right time. 
 

7.5/10

[corro]

Just finished Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Some read. Outstanding.

He’s a fantastic writer.

[Elite]

7 minutes ago, corro said:

Just finished Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Some read. Outstanding.

He’s a fantastic writer.

Really can't take to his style.

[corro]

14 minutes ago, Elite said:

Really can't take to his style.

Yeah I know what you mean. I’d read the border trilogy and got into his way of writing. It took a bit of getting used to but worth the effort 

[Edward.]

On 15/03/2024 at 12:30, Elite said:

Yeah it's really good that. Get on The City of Dreams trilogy if you haven't already.

I thought the Power of the Dog was a dreadful read. Really looking forward to reading it after reports on here. Thought it was very repetitive and too long. 

[Elite]

4 hours ago, Edward. said:

I thought the Power of the Dog was a dreadful read. Really looking forward to reading it after reports on here. Thought it was very repetitive and too long. 

Maybe you don't gel with him, happens to us all with certain authors. Maybe try City on Fire by him, that's one of my favourite ever books.

[Edward.]

23 minutes ago, Elite said:

Maybe you don't gel with him, happens to us all with certain authors. Maybe try City on Fire by him, that's one of my favourite ever books.

I'll look into it. I'm not sure I'm into this genre of books to be honest. I didn't really like his style of writing either. I watched the first episode of The Sopranos the other day on a flight didn't really like that either, although I have seen the odd episode here and there and enjoyed them and really wanted to watch more. 

[Elite]

Dungeon Crawler Carl (Matt Dinniman) - 7.5/10

 

Great fun, the audiobook is a must though, great narration. Definitely one for the gamers though.

 

California Fire and Life (Don Winslow) - 5/10

 

I'm a big Winslow fan but this was a bit all over the place. It was one of his first books and there were glimpses of stuff he now excels at but overall, not great.

 

Resurrection Walk (Michael Connelly) - 8/10

 

The best book in the Haller/Bosch/Ballard universe for a while. Really enjoyed this one.

[Paul]

On 03/03/2024 at 19:26, Paul said:

I’m now going to start Past Crimes by Jason Pinter, an SF thing. 

This was a bit shit really. Clichéd and predictable. Now started Essex Dogs by Dan Jones which is in the Bernard Cornwell vein of historical adventure stories. 

[NoelM]

On 30/03/2024 at 11:44, Elite said:

Dungeon Crawler Carl (Matt Dinniman) - 7.5/10

 

Great fun, the audiobook is a must though, great narration. Definitely one for the gamers though.

 

California Fire and Life (Don Winslow) - 5/10

 

I'm a big Winslow fan but this was a bit all over the place. It was one of his first books and there were glimpses of stuff he now excels at but overall, not great.

 

Resurrection Walk (Michael Connelly) - 8/10

 

The best book in the Haller/Bosch/Ballard universe for a while. Really enjoyed this one.

Yes, agreed on the Winslow and Connelly books. I really struggled to finish California Fire and Life, hard to believe it's written by the same guy who wrote City on Fire and Broken.

[polymerpunkah]

Captivating History of Scandinavia

 

A series of audiobooks covering the (mainly political) history of the Scandinavian countries plus Iceland and Finland.

 

Basic, but informative.

 

Got me wanting to read more about Queen Margaret I of Denmark (a woman well ahead of her time) and Denmark's role in WWII (and a fellow named Duckwitz).

[bossy]

Sweet Caress by William Boyd. I think I listened to this on audiobook when it first came out, but I’m really enjoying the book regardless. Like many of Boyd’s it’s  biographical fiction, covering the lifetime of photographer Amory Clay as she Zelig’s her way through the 20th Century. His writing is romantic but kind of profound, and I’m a fan of nearly everything he’s written. Not read his James Bond yet though.

[Elite]

City in Ruins by Don Winslow out now, thought it was only being released in a few months for some reason.

 

I'm currently reading What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson, so once that's done I'll be straight on it 

[Kepler-186]

All Together Now? by Mike Carter
 

One Man’s Walk in Search of his Father and a Lost England

 

Journalist and travel writer Mike Carter retraces the Peoples’ March for Jobs in 1981 in 2016 after the death of his father who’d abandoned his family but was very politically active at the time. 
 

Liverpool features as the march began here, as do other places left behind and hollowed out by the Thatcherite civil war of the 80s. 
 

There’s an excellent passage on page 246 with a mental health nurse and social worker. 
 

If you’ve read Stuart Maconie’s retracing of the Jarrow crusade this is an equally engaging book. 

[The wanderer]

On 15/03/2024 at 23:30, Elite said:

Yeah it's really good that. Get on The City of Dreams trilogy if you haven't already.

Is the 3rd book out yet ? I picked up The Cartel from the library the other day , wow , it’s a real page turner.