Book review thread

[JLv3.0]

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

What next? Crypyonomicon had been mentioned

Cryptonomicon next, yes, but make sure you dig in for a challenging read at first. It takes a lot of getting into but is thoroughly worth it.

[RobYob]

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.

If you fancy another excellent fantasy read might I suggest The Name of the wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

Re:JLs above comment on Crypyonomicon I wonder whether it's driving audio book suitable? Snow Crash was great to listen to but more complex stories like Iain M Banks' stuff get frustrating as you can miss a lot very quickly and rewind quite often.

[DeskJockey]

Currently reading "Eyeless in Gaza" by Huxley. Was a birthday present and it is possibly one of the most frustrating books I've read since I had a go at reading the Icelandic Sagas in the original language.

It is peppered with random French and Latin quotes (which makes sense as the protagonist is a public school boy) and words that have me asking Google for a definition. It is very much of its time (1930s) including using the N-word a couple of times. Nothing much seems to happen, but I will finish it because I hate not finishing a book. After that I am going back to my comfort zone with either "The Hydrogen Sonata" (Banks) or "The Diamond Age" (Stephenson).

[ZedLeg]

Currently reading "Eyeless in Gaza" by Huxley. Was a birthday present and it is possibly one of the most frustrating books I've read since I had a go at reading the Icelandic Sagas in the original language.

I've read the obvious Huxley books (Brave New World and The Doors of Perception) and enjoyed them but I've never really felt the need to read any more.

Started The Player of Games by Banks last night, It's the third of his that I've read and I'm starting to notice his main characters are very similar between books.

If you fancy another excellent fantasy read might I suggest The Name of the wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

Would you say those books are high fantasy Rob? I've got the urge for some dumb grand fantasy.

Also, multiple quotes in a post, it's as if we've become gods

[JLv3.0]

Re:JLs above comment on Crypyonomicon I wonder whether it's driving audio book suitable?

I would say on the whole, yes, very much so. However from memory (and I read it a long time ago now, back when I actually read books!) you get the odd visual doodad on the page that warrants viewing. Not sure if it would hinder the story much if you couldn't see them, I guess.

[DaveE]

Re:JLs above comment on Crypyonomicon I wonder whether it's driving audio book suitable?

I would say on the whole, yes, very much so. However from memory (and I read it a long time ago now, back when I actually read books!) you get the odd visual doodad on the page that warrants viewing. Not sure if it would hinder the story much if you couldn't see them, I guess.

Think I might buy it on cassette, Amazon has it listed for £9000 - bargain!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cryptonomicon- ... dpSrc=srch

[RobYob]

Would you say those books are high fantasy Rob? I've got the urge for some dumb grand fantasy

Not high but not dumb either, like Gentleman Bastards I recon, the characters spend more time scraping a living than fighting epic fights.

Bit like IM Banks you get many skirmishes and maneuovrings before all hell breaks loose.

As for big and really dumb, I enjoyed listening to the full Belgariad again last year, that is truely tropetastic popcorn fantasy.

[Beany]

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.

Cryptonomicon is a good read (And presume, listen) as is Anathem, although Anathem needs a bit more concentration - it's not a casual read.

[ZedLeg]

Started The Player of Games by Banks last night, It's the third of his that I've read and I'm starting to notice his main characters are very similar between books.

Finished this on the train this morning. It was very good, the best of his I've read so far. A very different kind of story than Consider Phlebas and The Algebraist, much more low key. Would recommend.

Going to start the Three Musketeers on the train home, looking forward to it. I've read The Count of Monte Christo a few times but never read this.

[JLv3.0]

I should have really got into Iain M. Banks' books, and really tried, but always found myself bored to death and not caring what happened next.

[ZedLeg]

I get that, I'd ignored his SF stuff for years because I didn't like his other stuff. He seems to be better at plot than characters so you never get particularly attached to anyone. Doesn't help that all three of the books I've read have had the same type of slightly unlikeable main character.

I've been looking for some new Sci Fi to get into though and this is ticking the boxes so far.

[RobYob]

I should have really got into Iain M. Banks' books, and really tried, but always found myself bored to death and not caring what happened next.

Agreed, most are slow moving, Surface Detail springs to mind as one that keeps things on the boil although I needed a wiki in the end to work out some of what happened!

Half way through Cryptonomicon audio book, it's brilliant thank you.

[PreacherCain]

I am halfway through "Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World" by Simon Winchester and recommend it wholeheartedly. Not as shooty as an Iain M Banks, but extremely interesting and, I'd have thought, right up our collective and slightly "on-spectrum" street.

[RobYob]

Sounds excellent!

My favourite engineering book is "Don't tell mum I work on the rigs, she thinks I'm a piano player in a whorehouse"

Light on technical, big on funny.

[240PP]

Just finished reading How Not To Be a Boy by Robert Webb. Basically telling the story of his childhood (he had quite a rough ride), through school and university and up to the start of his TV career. Unsurprisingly it reads like one long episode of Peep Show

I've seen most of his TV stuff, Mitchell and Webb and the odd panel show but never knew he could write so well.

[Jimmy Choo]

In the last couple of weeks I've listened to Player of Games and I'm almost done with Rivers of London.

I've also had a binge on the Dresden Files short stories in preparation for the latest release.

[DaveE]

I am halfway through "Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World" by Simon Winchester and recommend it wholeheartedly. Not as shooty as an Iain M Banks, but extremely interesting and, I'd have thought, right up our collective and slightly "on-spectrum" street.

Just ordered that solely on the basis of the title!

[Carlos]

I enjoyed the Secret Race by Tyler Hamilton a couple of years ago and found it quite an eye opener in terms of what cyclists would do to be competitive. Any suggestions for something similar ?

[unzippy]

As for big and really dumb, I enjoyed listening to the full Belgariad again last year, that is truely tropetastic popcorn fantasy.

Belgariad, Mallorean, spin offs and the Sparhawk ones - I think I first read them when I was 9 or so (grew up without a TV, read an awful lot). On average re read them once a year or so.

Mind you, WTF he was on with The Redemption of Althalus? Didn't get that at all

[unzippy]

I'm almost done with Rivers of London.

Love these