Pink Freud Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 (edited) Stone Junction by Jim Dodge. 9/10 For anyone that feels the world is not as it should be, and that they are very much alone. This is a truly beautiful book, which whilst being incredibly hopefull is also realistic enough as to be never, ever called "life affirming". For anyone who has ever sat in a roomfull of people and thought he was the only sane person there, but was too scared to speak up. Edited January 30, 2009 by Pink Freud 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Are these the books that weren't published until after the guy died? He only wrote about five or six, correct? That's the ones - he only wrote 3!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDoctor Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I'm two thirds of the way through The Accident Man by Tom Cain about a former Marine now working as a freelance assassin, who is set up by his paymasters to kill Princess Diana in the Paris tunnel in 1997. It's a work of fiction, which Cain goes to great lengths to point out, set around an actual event and it's an imagination of what life in the intelligence community would have been like at that time. Basically the main character, Carver, receives order to kill a suspected Middle Eastern terrorist in Paris by blinding the driver of the black car. Another assassin are chasing the car with a camera, using the flashbulb to present the image that it's papparazzi, leading them to Carver who blinds the driver with a laser, leading to the fatal crash. It's only later he realises that it's the Princess of Wales he has killed and that both he and the other assassin were to kill each other, thus destroying any evidence. Now he and the other assassin's partner, a hot Russian bird, are on the trail of those that set them up. Good thriller so far and Cain's next book, which isn't long out I believe, follows on from there, called The Survivor. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mak Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I reckon they would be excellent books to learn about such an historical character an events of that time. Apparently old Genghis was a bit of a shagger. Yeah, he had several wives. I always enjoy historical novels, Bernard Cornwell's ones are brilliant. They do help with learning about what was going on at that point in history, although obviously they're still fiction and can't be seen as a textbook or anything. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mak Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Finished the third and final book in the Conqueror trilogy, "Bones of the Hills". If possible, it was even better than the two that went before it - I'd describe the three of them together as "epic", the best books that I've read in a long time. They've also made me interested in this period of history in general, might do some reading on more factual books about the time. In a total change of direction, I've started "Pawn of Prophecy" by David Eddings, the first book in his fantasy series "The Belgariad". Seems pretty good so far, only about 100 pages in, though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnash Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 The Satanic Verses - Salman Rushdie 6/10 Rushdie takes us on a journey through the fortunes of two actors after fate brings them together. Along the way we witness tales of love and faith. It's meant to be a work of literary genius, and it probably is. The problem is that it's damned difficult for mere mortals to get what he's trying to say. That said, even at a lower intellectual level it's an enjoyable read which is deeply moving in places as well as funny and thought provoking. Blind Faith - Ben Elton 8/10 Elton's novels just seem to get better an better. This one is about a world in the near future where everyone is meant to share everything - including their 'blind faith' - about themselves with everyone else. It's a satire on celebrity culture and lazy spirituality at the same time. Highly recommended. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oddjob Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Oh, and currently surging through Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carre. Fúcking well not bad so far. Great author. Blind Faith - Ben Elton8/10 Elton's novels just seem to get better an better. This one is about a world in the near future where everyone is meant to share everything - including their 'blind faith' - about themselves with everyone else. It's a satire on celebrity culture and lazy spirituality at the same time. Highly recommended. Sorry, but I wouldn't read anything by ben elton, ever. I'm reading Butcher's Broom by Neil Gunn. It's about Scotland during the Highland Clearances. Classic. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calum_gers Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Over the last few weeks, John Grisham - The associate... pretty poor, normally quite a fan, but nothing really happened, and there wasn't much legal wrangling. Stephan leather - Soft target...really enjoyed, so much so i went out and bought another few of his the other day. Quite like the genre, but normally find most authors are just poor at it. Provided you don't kiss me (clough biography) - Duncan Hamilton, actually thought it was really good, really easy read. Penguin History of America - about half way through, its a history of America, you get what you pay for. Also, Cobra 405 - nonsense, and one of jeremy clarksons books which was dire. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Hutchwright Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Over the last week or so I've read both Tales Of The City and More Tales Of The City by Armistead Maupin. Despite hearing people rave about these books for many years, for some reason I never thought they'd particularly appeal to me, however they really are great. They started off life as serials in the San Francisco Chronicle, and follow the lives of the residents of 28 Barbary Lane and their various shenanigans in the 'Frisco. They really are stupidly entertaining and, given that the novels I read have a tendency to err towards the brow furrowing, they're making for a refreshing change. I've purchased the entire series (Tales...., More Tales..., Further Tales Of The City, Baby Cakes, Significant Others and Sure Of You), with the intention of working my way through them in the next few weeks. I'm fair looking forward to it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Henry Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Great author.Sorry, but I wouldn't read anything by ben elton, ever. I'm reading Butcher's Broom by Neil Gunn. It's about Scotland during the Highland Clearances. Classic. I vaguely remember going to see a stageplay based on a Neil Gunn (I think) book when I was a kid. It was about some folks who died when they were out fishing or something along those lines, would that be right? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el Gringo Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 "Cloudstreet" by Tim Winton, an Australian novelist. My sister (who lives in Australia) sent me it in response to me sending her a Christopher Brookmyre book. While it's not really like Brookmyre, I can see why she thought it would appeal to me. Not much really happens in it, it's more of a character study, but extremely enjoyable and well-written nonetheless. I recommend it, as I do anything by Brookmyre. There's a lot of Scottish football references in his books, and it's the kind of humour that would appeal to a lot of the posters on here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oddjob Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I vaguely remember going to see a stageplay based on a Neil Gunn (I think) book when I was a kid. It was about some folks who died when they were out fishing or something along those lines, would that be right? Ah. Was it to with ghillies and fishing? Neil Gunn rocks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadgersNadgers Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Has anyone read Sean Connery's autobiog 'Being a Scot'? I'm reading Barack Obama's book 'The Audacity of Hope'. He's a very perceptive, clever man, hope he brings some of his thoughts and ideas to the Presidency. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Idiot Bástard Son Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 In a total change of direction, I've started "Pawn of Prophecy" by David Eddings, the first book in his fantasy series "The Belgariad". Seems pretty good so far, only about 100 pages in, though. An old favourite. Read the lot of them and the follow up series The Mallorean a few times. Also read the teo Sparhawk series. Kinda grew out of them as I got older but they were good old, swashbuckling, forces of good v forces of evil stuff. Despite the books getting thicker they're still fairly easy to whizz through (I finished the third one in a matter of days which is most unlike me). Sorry, but I wouldn't read anything by ben elton, ever. I only ever read Popcorn and didn't like it. I felt it was too cliched and formulaic. Disappointing. I'm reading Butcher's Broom by Neil Gunn. It's about Scotland during the Highland Clearances. Classic. The Silver Darlings is a fine piece of work. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClydeNewcomer Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Just finished reading "I am legend" by Richard Matheson. Pretty good , very different from the movie that it spawned.Felt I sould read it after hearing that the film ruined the story...and it did , - in the movie the main character is an all action hero who saves the world,but in the book he is a pisshead who is completely bonkers!Quite good - 7/10 I just finished another Richard Matheson book - HellHouse dynamite 9/10 Now reading desperation by the boy king 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnash Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Sorry, but I wouldn't read anything by ben elton, ever. Then you don't know what you're missing. And thinking Ben Elton is a twat doesn't mean you won't like his books. I only ever read Popcorn and didn't like it. I felt it was too cliched and formulaic. Disappointing. Popcorn is ok, but his more recent work is much better. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oddjob Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Then you don't know what you're missing. I'd put Ben Elton in the same vein as Jeffrey Archer, and I certainly wouldn't read any of his books either. The Silver Darlings is a fantastic read, as is Highland River and The Lost Glen. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBM Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 (edited) great expectations by charles dickens sometimes brilliant, sometimes boring, but difficult to understand Edited February 5, 2009 by JBM 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowden til i die Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 The Watchman by Frederick Forsyth. I enjoyed it anyway 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnash Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I'd put Ben Elton in the same vein as Jeffrey Archer, and I certainly wouldn't read any of his books either. Aye, Ben Elton is practically Jeffrey Archer's double. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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