The GF book thread

[Paul]

Am just finishing Ian M. Banks first one, Consider Phlebas. I found it a bit meh, anyone read any of the others and do they get any better?

 

I've read them all and loved them all. However, I can't remember which is which in many cases. A good way in is short story "The State of the Art" in the collection of the same name. It's a decent way of introducing The Culture.

[chauncey]

 

Not a great lover of graphic novels but just finished this and it is every bit the masterpiece people claim it to be.

[KMD7]

I don't read nowhere near as much books as I would like to. These are some of the best I have read in the last few years.

 

Papillon and it's sequel Banco by Henri Charriere.

 

Heroes and Hidden voices, both by John Pilger

 

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Classic

 

The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. 11 books in all, about the best in Heroic Fantasy genre I've read, couldn't put them down when i started them.

 

I'm not a big sci fi head but was given the Nights Dawn trilogy series by Peter F Hamilton to read by a friend. Absolutely mind blowing I highly recommend it.

 

Just finished The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. I really enjoyed it.

 

I've just started on The Girl with the Dragon tattoo this week. Really liking it so far.

[Jose Jones]

I finished Stephen King's latest, 11/22/63, last week. Like many of his more epic novels, it starts brilliantly, has a bit of duller section, goes ace again and then has a disappointing ending.

 

Finished this last week and pretty much agree with that critique Paul.

[Ian Sea]

I've never read a Stephen King book. Not sure why really but reading this thread has made me want to give him a try; can anyone recommend a good book to start with from him?

[Bobby Hundreds]

I've never read a Stephen King book. Not sure why really but reading this thread has made me want to give him a try; can anyone recommend a good book to start with from him?

 

I enjoyed tommyknockers. His books are all very similar but still good reads. Salems lot was pretty good too and IT started well but kind of drifted into shittyness. I don't know.

 

The dome was good too.

[Ian Sea]

I enjoyed tommyknockers. His books are all very similar but still good reads. Salems lot was pretty good too and IT started well but kind of drifted into shittyness. I don't know.

 

The dome was good too.

 

I've seen the film of IT, and Green Mile too; not sure if I should read one of those books first or stear clear of ones I've seen the films of and go for something completely fresh to me.

[Paul]

I've never read a Stephen King book. Not sure why really but reading this thread has made me want to give him a try; can anyone recommend a good book to start with from him?

 

Depends whether you like horror or not. I tend not to be a horror fan and so would err towards the likes of Different Seasons (four short stories, three of which have been filmed - one classically so), The Green Mile, Under The Dome, The Dark Tower novels or The Stand.

 

However, if you like horror, go back and check some of the reviews on here. Andrew (aws) is a big Stephen King fan and his posts are worth checking out. I've read two of King's horror novels. I was disappointed with Salem's Lot which I didn't find lived up to the hype about how scary it is, but Duma Key - a relatively new one - was genuinely creepy.

[Frankenhooker]

I've not long finished Cormac McCarthy's 'Suttree' for the second time. I really struggled the first time I read it, that was probably twenty years ago. I couldn't get my head around the prose, the lack of punctuation and the use of obscure words didn't help either.

 

This time I absolutely loved it, probably up there with my favourite novels and certainly my favourite book by McCarthy. There's no plot as such, it's basically the story of the titular character's struggle to find his place in the world. One minute it's extremely comedic the next absolutely heart-breaking. The writing is so fantastic that you actually feel like you are on the Tennessee river.

 

It's a book that stays with you for days, I finished it on Wednesday and I'm still constantly thinking about it. Great book.

[silverlining]

McCarthy is possibly my favourite author, ever since I read Blood Meridian nearly 20 years ago. A book that alternates between punching you in the guts and punching you in the head.

 

A pitiless, blood-soaked, utterly amoral masterpiece

[Sugar Ape]

I've never read a Stephen King book. Not sure why really but reading this thread has made me want to give him a try; can anyone recommend a good book to start with from him?

 

Check this thread out mate http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/gf-general-forum/102214-best-stephen-king-book.html I would go for Pet Sematary as it is not overly long like a lot of his books, and his style can take a bit of getting used to. Or one of his collections of short stories as Paul said. Pet Sematary is also by far the scariest King book imo.

 

And IT is a fucking immense book, with so much more to it than the film.

[Frankenhooker]

McCarthy is possibly my favourite author, ever since I read Blood Meridian nearly 20 years ago. A book that alternates between punching you in the guts and punching you in the head.

 

A pitiless, blood-soaked, utterly amoral masterpiece

 

Blood meridian is another book I really struggled with when I was in my mid-teens, I haven't read it since. That said, on the strength of Suttree I went out and bought it so that'll be the next book I start.

[silverlining]

It's a truly marvellous book. Of course, it is almost entirely unwelcoming to the reader, lacking punctuation, exposition, empathy, humour, or any redeeming characters at all; there are no women, nor any interest in them; no interest in allowing the reader a moment of respite or solace; it's pitilessly grim from start to finish and reading it offers no joy, or comfort.

 

I've read it three or four times and the worst thing about it is that it makes most other books seem pointless and weak and unworthy

[silverlining]

It's a truly marvellous book. Of course, it is almost entirely unwelcoming to the reader, lacking punctuation, exposition, empathy, humour, or any redeeming characters at all; there are no women, nor any interest in them; no interest in allowing the reader a moment of respite or solace; it's pitilessly grim from start to finish reading it offers no joy, or comfort.

 

I've read it three or four times and the worst thing about it is that it makes most other books seem pointless and weak and unworthy

[El Rojo]

It's a truly marvellous book. Of course, it is almost entirely unwelcoming to the reader, lacking punctuation, exposition, empathy, humour, or any redeeming characters at all; there are no women, nor any interest in them; no interest in allowing the reader a moment of respite or solace; it's pitilessly grim from start to finish reading it offers no joy, or comfort.

 

I've read it three or four times and the worst thing about it is that it makes most other books seem pointless and weak and unworthy

 

It's unremittingly bleak though. In the end I was speeding my way through just to get over the trauma of it. Not comparing like with like but David Peace's work (bar the comparatively light Damned United) has a similar effect on me.

 

Not sure if it's a compliment to how McCarthy's writing style lends itself to film or the Coen Brothers' talents, but No Country For Old Men is probably the most faithful adaptation of a novel I've ever seen. Captures the atmosphere of the book perfectly and the casting is just immense.

[silverlining]

It's unremittingly bleak though. In the end I was speed my way through it just to get over the trauma of it. Not comparing like with like but David Peace's work (bar the comparatively light Damned United) has a similar effect on me.

 

Not sure if it's a compliment to how McCarthy's writing style lends itself to film or the Coen Brothers' talents, but No Country For Old Men is probably the most faithful adaptation of a novel I've ever seen. Captures the atmosphere of the book perfectly and the casting is just immense.

 

Totally agree re no country for old men

 

And in some way it's maybe too faithful, I loved it, but it's structure doesnt easily lend itself to a film

 

Ie the denouement being entirely offscreen

[aws]

I've never read a Stephen King book. Not sure why really but reading this thread has made me want to give him a try; can anyone recommend a good book to start with from him?

 

Start with The Stand.

[Ian Sea]

Depends whether you like horror or not. I tend not to be a horror fan and so would err towards the likes of Different Seasons (four short stories, three of which have been filmed - one classically so), The Green Mile, Under The Dome, The Dark Tower novels or The Stand.

 

However, if you like horror, go back and check some of the reviews on here. Andrew (aws) is a big Stephen King fan and his posts are worth checking out. I've read two of King's horror novels. I was disappointed with Salem's Lot which I didn't find lived up to the hype about how scary it is, but Duma Key - a relatively new one - was genuinely creepy.

 

Check this thread out mate http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/gf-general-forum/102214-best-stephen-king-book.html I would go for Pet Sematary as it is not overly long like a lot of his books, and his style can take a bit of getting used to. Or one of his collections of short stories as Paul said. Pet Sematary is also by far the scariest King book imo.

 

And IT is a fucking immense book, with so much more to it than the film.

 

Start with The Stand.

 

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm not a massive fan of the horror genre, which is probably why I've steared clear of King for so long, so I'm going to go with The Stand as a starting point.

 

I'm currently reading Against All Enemies by Tom Clancy, which is my first attempt at a Clancy book. It's been OK so far, good enough for me to have read about 350 pages, but not what I'd hoped for. Fingers crossed it improves.

[VladimirIlyich]

Can we make this a sticky,its taken me half an hour to find this thread?

[Captain]

Subscribe to the thread, problem solved.

 

Last book I read was Ian McEwan's Solar which had its moments but was overall disappointing.

[VladimirIlyich]

Subscribe to the thread, problem solved.

 

Last book I read was Ian McEwan's Solar which had its moments but was overall disappointing.

 

How do I do that?

 

Edit:Found it.

[Anubis]

Just finished The Minority Council, the fourth Matthew Swift novel by Kate Griffin. Good read and a good page turner, as they've all been.

[Paulie Dangerously]

I'm 2/3 into Darkly Dreaming Dexter. I don't normally go for things described as a "sensation" but am really enjoying it. The contrast between his outward appearance and longer monologue is a delight

[VladimirIlyich]

I'm 2/3 into Darkly Dreaming Dexter. I don't normally go for things described as a "sensation" but am really enjoying it. The contrast between his outward appearance and longer monologue is a delight

 

Isnt Dexter a gym rat in the books? Yet hes never in the gym in the tv series despite being fit as a fiddle and strong as an ox.

[Paul]

Just read the Hunger Games trilogy which starts brilliantly as a pacey, tense, dystopian thriller and goes downhill from there, ending as a pile of sub-Twilight teenage angt-ridden dross.

 

Got the first Walking Dead compendium up next which comprises the first eight graphic novels in one volume (about 50 issues of the comic).