Book review thread

[JLv3.0]

Snow Crash is still a wonderful read as well, that's how it all started for me with Stephenson.

[RobYob]

Some excellent suggestions already, Snow Crash has been on my audiobook folder for ages, I'll make a start on it Monday.

In non fiction I've enjoyed "The Invention of Nature" a biography of Alexander Humboldt, a scientist/explorer/polymath of ludicrous energy and a peer of Darwin, Napoleon, Goethe, Bolivar and Jefferson.

A world changing person.

[Beany]

Some excellent suggestions already, Snow Crash has been on my audiobook folder for ages, I'll make a start on it Monday.

Just realised that I could audio book the shit out of a few books while I'm traveling between Leeds and Herts.

Brilliant.

[RobYob]

This should excite and infuriate nerds world wide in equal measure.

Rothfuss wrote two brilliant novels in the as yet unfinished Kingkiller trilogy. We've only been waiting seven years for the fucking epic conclusion while the author has been distracted by playing D&D with the Penny Arcade crew and other nerdgasmic pursuits.

[PreacherCain]

Having seen trailers for the BBC adaptation I've been re-reading "The City and The City", and have realised that I made an assumption on first reading it that really can't be justified based on the text (the two cities being in parallel, seperate but overlapping realities rather than the same one. Blame Phillip Pullman). Which I find interesting; it's making me want to re-read other Mieville books I've enjoyed. Kraken is next on the list.

[ZedLeg]

Speaking of Phillip Pullman, has anyone read La belle Sauvage? I was a big fan of His Dark Materials but haven't got round to this yet.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Just realised I did read a book last year, after consuming 1Q84. It was The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell.

He's one of my favourite writers - I started with The 1000 Autmns of Jacob de Zoet, and then Cloud Atlas, before working my way through his back catalogue. Bone Clocks is classic Mitchell - multiple plot lines and tales intertwined through time, starting with the main protagonist in Kent in the early 80s, then proceeding through different characters and locations in each decade since through to the near future, with a "big boss fight" (for want of a better description), before then shifting pace right down as we see the main protagonist again in a post-apocalyptic Ireland in 2043. The last chapter shifts from the fantasy/reality that the preceding chapters root themselves in, and instead paints a not entirely unbelievable picture of the future direction of humanity. It's fairly odd in that respect in that it feels like a book whereby 85% is one novel and the last 15% is altogether different albeit with characters from the first part.

It's possibly my favourite of his work, and brilliantly demonstrates his ability to paint vivid landscapes and scenes in your mind. I've got Slade House sat around waiting to be read at some point now.

[PreacherCain]

The Bone Clocks is an awesome piece of writing; Slade House is from the same conceptual "universe", albeit not directly linked to the story of The Bone Clocks - I'd be interested to see what you reckon once you've read it.

[Swervin_Mervin]

You might be waiting a while! I tend to have periods of devouring anything I can lay my reading eyes on, but at the moment I'm firmly in an off period. I'm off to Cornwall for a week soon, so that might be when I make time to get back into the saddle. Or I may just end up getting p1ssed with my dad, as is usually the case.

I struggle to understand why Bone Clocks was only long-listed for the Man Booker. Much as I loved number9dream and Cloud Atlas, Bone Clocks is where he really mastered his skill for me, and is my firm favourite. Black Swan Green as well, but more because of the semi-autobiographical style.

[DaveE]

Snow Crash is still a wonderful read as well, that's how it all started for me with Stephenson.

Apparently this is required reading within the Amazon product management team - I should check it out really...

[JLv3.0]

You really should, it's a magnificent read, doesn't age and was so far ahead of its time.

[DaveE]

You really should, it's a magnificent read, doesn't age and was so far ahead of its time.

Just added to my Kindle

[RobYob]

You really should, it's a magnificent read, doesn't age and was so far ahead of its time.

Just added to my Kindle

Started the audiobook in the car this morning, quite tempted to turn North up the M1 and keep going!

Amusing and terrifyingly prescient at times.

[IanF]

The Code Book, by Simon Singh

Interesting of you want to learn about the history of cryptography.

I’ve read all his books: the Big Bang one is very well written, whilst the Simpson one is ok. Fermat’s Theorem wasn’t bad either thinking about it.

Reading Chickenhawk - I’m liking his writing style so far. I fancy getting my heli-license at some point..

[IanF]

Snow Crash is still a wonderful read as well, that's how it all started for me with Stephenson.

Will add this to my list.

[V8Granite]

I go through a lot of audio books travell8 g to work and back and this one was fascinating.



Lots of derringer do, what appears to be a very honest account from a guy I knew who lived in Rhodesia at the time and it shows how much involvement the British had in keeping Mugabe in power.

Well worth a read if you are interested in anything military.

Dave!

[duncs500]

In non fiction I've enjoyed "The Invention of Nature" a biography of Alexander Humboldt, a scientist/explorer/polymath of ludicrous energy and a peer of Darwin, Napoleon, Goethe, Bolivar and Jefferson.

A world changing person.

I read that, I'd forgotten all about it until you mentioned it. Good book.

[ilmostro]

Local Tesco has book donation thing where you pay 50p to charity. This was 50p well worth it, still shrink wrapped!

[RobYob]

Finished Snow Crash on the drive on this morning. Yep an astounding piece of storytelling.

What next? Crypyonomicon had been mentioned, I also have to read Infinity Engine the final of Neal Asher's Transformation trilogy.

[ZedLeg]

Currently reading Thieves Republic by Scott Lynch. It’s the third book in his Gentlemen Bastards series and I’m enjoying it so far.

Finished this on the train this morning, another excellent book. His stories all seem to take a while to get going but the pay off is worth it.

Unsure whether to read another Iain M Banks book or The Three Musketeers next.