Book review thread

[duncs500]

I tend to favour a paper book, but I have the kindle for when I want to travel light (however if I'm into a book, may use it at home too).

[mik]

Just finished the Algebraist.

I liked the Algebraist but Player of Games is my favourite Iain M Banks.

Too many good options, although I didn’t really love Feersum, whereas II did more recently consume and love Consider Phlebas. The chapter involving the leader of The Eaters is powerful.

[RobYob]

My holiday reading was the opening five books of the redonkulusly large Percy Jackson universe. My son loves them and I enjoyed the TV adaptation so I thought I'd give them a go.

Good fun with some appropriately epic stuff and I now know heaps more Greek gods than before.

I'm not about to read The Iliad though.


Back to Banks' Culture I was browsing a nearby bookshop on they had the huge glossy illustrations inspired by book on discount. Was tempting but I decided how I imagined "Falling outside the normal moral constraints" would look was far cooler than anything you could put on a page.

Going back for a full reread of The Culture series is tempting as it has been decades since I read Consider Phlebas. Mind you after watching Good Omens S2 I should probably give The Crow road another go.

And there's a bunch of new Polity universe novels too.

[ZedLeg]

Ah, makes sense.. although using a phone to read a book.. shudder!

I literally just got a big screen phone so I can read more on it

It’s fine but I prefer a real book. I also read on my ipad but it’s usually comics.

[ZedLeg]

Just finished the Algebraist.

I liked the Algebraist but Player of Games is my favourite Iain M Banks.

Too many good options, although I didn’t really love Feersum, whereas II did more recently consume and love Consider Phlebas. The chapter involving the leader of The Eaters is powerful.

Yeah, the memory of that came crashing into my head when I was trying to recall which one was which

[Zonda_]

Excellent! Glad this has popped up again.. need a few recommendations for my holiday next week

Does everyone just Kindle these books or are some still old skool dragging an extra bag around?

Also, DJ I have a mental picture of your missus tapping her fingers bored whilst you use her kindle!

Kindle for me, I find most books too small print to read these days.

[mik]

Yeah, the memory of that came crashing into my head when I was trying to recall which one was which

It’s definitely one that doesn’t leave your head easily

Far less “whaaat??” than the above, I also have a real soft spot for the opening scene in Matter (where you are first introduced to Turminder Xuss - the knife missile, and his character & capabilities). I’ve only read Matter once, but I must have read that specific chapter 10+ times for some reason….

[Jimmy Choo]

I've been gorging on the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovich, and I can't seem to stop.

I found them when looking for something to tie me over until Jim Butcher pulled his finger out with the Dresden Files series. They're very good.

I'm really struggling to get traction on any books at the moment but I suspect that's more about my headspace at the moment.

[DeskJockey]

I've been gorging on the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovich, and I can't seem to stop.

I found them when looking for something to tie me over until Jim Butcher pulled his finger out with the Dresden Files series. They're very good.

I'm really struggling to get traction on any books at the moment but I suspect that's more about my headspace at the moment.

Try something completely out of your normal? I find it quite enjoyable as a "palate cleanser".

[Swervin_Mervin]

Yeah, the memory of that came crashing into my head when I was trying to recall which one was which

It’s definitely one that doesn’t leave your head easily

Far less “whaaat??” than the above, I also have a real soft spot for the opening scene in Matter (where you are first introduced to Turminder Xuss - the knife missile, and his character & capabilities). I’ve only read Matter once, but I must have read that specific chapter 10+ times for some reason….

It's sooo long ago that I read Consider Phlebas that I can't recall that My memory ain't great though.

Surface Detail was the most recent Culture book I read - I'm working through them in series so only have Hydrogen Sonata left. My plan once finished is to go straight back through them!

[Gavster]

Excellent! Glad this has popped up again.. need a few recommendations for my holiday next week

Does everyone just Kindle these books or are some still old skool dragging an extra bag around?

Also, DJ I have a mental picture of your missus tapping her fingers bored whilst you use her kindle!

I'm a kindle devotee for many reasons:

1. Reading in any situation with the backlight, e.g in bed, or in the living room with the lights down low.
2. Notetaking - I read non-fiction quite often and always highlight passages; Kindle makes it very easy to highlight notes and find them at a later date, wherever I am in the world.
3. Preventative action on decluttering. By using kindle prima facie, I'm preventing ever needing to clear out my bookshelves again. This is an advance win for future Gavin

[ZedLeg]

Yeah, the memory of that came crashing into my head when I was trying to recall which one was which

It’s definitely one that doesn’t leave your head easily

Far less “whaaat??” than the above, I also have a real soft spot for the opening scene in Matter (where you are first introduced to Turminder Xuss - the knife missile, and his character & capabilities). I’ve only read Matter once, but I must have read that specific chapter 10+ times for some reason….

It's sooo long ago that I read Consider Phlebas that I can't recall that My memory ain't great though.

Surface Detail was the most recent Culture book I read - I'm working through them in series so only have Hydrogen Sonata left. My plan once finished is to go straight back through them!

I’ve only read a handful of the books tbh, I avoided his sci-fi for years as I don’t enjoy his other work.

I love the whole premise of Player of Games and the imagery of the planet on fire was great.

[ZedLeg]

I’ve also got into reading Warhammer novels. No interest in painting figures or that but the lore of the series is incredibly dense and I’m enjoying picking through it. Bought a humble bundle of books and I’m working through it.

[Swervin_Mervin]

It’s definitely one that doesn’t leave your head easily

Far less “whaaat??” than the above, I also have a real soft spot for the opening scene in Matter (where you are first introduced to Turminder Xuss - the knife missile, and his character & capabilities). I’ve only read Matter once, but I must have read that specific chapter 10+ times for some reason….

It's sooo long ago that I read Consider Phlebas that I can't recall that My memory ain't great though.

Surface Detail was the most recent Culture book I read - I'm working through them in series so only have Hydrogen Sonata left. My plan once finished is to go straight back through them!

I’ve only read a handful of the books tbh, I avoided his sci-fi for years as I don’t enjoy his other work.

I love the whole premise of Player of Games and the imagery of the planet on fire was great.

What I find hugely ironic is that Musk claims to be such a fan, to the extent of naming SpaceX ships after Culture ships. And yet he's probably so far removed from subscribing to many of the social construct ideas of the Culture series.

But then he's an idiot.

[RobYob]

What I find hugely ironic is that Musk claims to be such a fan, to the extent of naming SpaceX ships after Culture ships. And yet he's probably so far removed from subscribing to many of the social construct ideas of the Culture series.

But then he's an idiot.

Musk already lives a "post scarcity" existence, he wants all the power and cool toys of special circumstances now. Just forgot the bit about the post scarcity being for everyone.

[duncs500]

Finished the nine book Expanse saga and it absolutely delivers more of the epic Sci Fi the TV series translated so well.

Very cool to read the final three books that the series didn't cover (for understandable reasons) and reach the entirely satisfying conclusion.

I've got a sample of this on my Kindle. Will buy the full thing when I've cleared my backlog. I loved the TV show.

I'm on the first book now. Wow, I loved the series anyway, but the book is on another level. I wasn't sure if having seen the series would spoil the books but it absolutely hasn't, apart from the characters looking like the actors that played them in my mind's eye it's got so much depth and granularity that you don't get in the series, and inevitably details that couldn't be included.

I haven't read a book that grabbed me and got me hooked like this in a long time.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Finished the nine book Expanse saga and it absolutely delivers more of the epic Sci Fi the TV series translated so well.

Very cool to read the final three books that the series didn't cover (for understandable reasons) and reach the entirely satisfying conclusion.

I've got a sample of this on my Kindle. Will buy the full thing when I've cleared my backlog. I loved the TV show.

I'm on the first book now. Wow, I loved the series anyway, but the book is on another level. I wasn't sure if having seen the series would spoil the books but it absolutely hasn't, apart from the characters looking like the actors that played them in my mind's eye it's got so much depth and granularity that you don't get in the series, and inevitably details that couldn't be included.

I haven't read a book that grabbed me and got me hooked like this in a long time.

I might have to check that out soon. I'm just coming to the end of Against a Dark Background, which is probably my favourite of Ian M Banks' non-Culture sci-fi books. That leaves me Hydrogen Sonata and I'm done, so am looking for new ideas.

[Zonda_]

Finished the nine book Expanse saga and it absolutely delivers more of the epic Sci Fi the TV series translated so well.

Very cool to read the final three books that the series didn't cover (for understandable reasons) and reach the entirely satisfying conclusion.

I've got a sample of this on my Kindle. Will buy the full thing when I've cleared my backlog. I loved the TV show.

I'm on the first book now. Wow, I loved the series anyway, but the book is on another level. I wasn't sure if having seen the series would spoil the books but it absolutely hasn't, apart from the characters looking like the actors that played them in my mind's eye it's got so much depth and granularity that you don't get in the series, and inevitably details that couldn't be included.

I haven't read a book that grabbed me and got me hooked like this in a long time.

I’ve started reading the first book sample on Amazon and I think I’m going to buy it, odd as I’ve tried to watch the series 3 times and just cannot get into it.

[duncs500]

I've got a sample of this on my Kindle. Will buy the full thing when I've cleared my backlog. I loved the TV show.

I'm on the first book now. Wow, I loved the series anyway, but the book is on another level. I wasn't sure if having seen the series would spoil the books but it absolutely hasn't, apart from the characters looking like the actors that played them in my mind's eye it's got so much depth and granularity that you don't get in the series, and inevitably details that couldn't be included.

I haven't read a book that grabbed me and got me hooked like this in a long time.

I’ve started reading the first book sample on Amazon and I think I’m going to buy it, odd as I’ve tried to watch the series 3 times and just cannot get into it.

I got the sample on my Kindle too before buying, by the end of the sample it started pulling me in and has just got better from there.

[Zonda_]

I'm on the first book now. Wow, I loved the series anyway, but the book is on another level. I wasn't sure if having seen the series would spoil the books but it absolutely hasn't, apart from the characters looking like the actors that played them in my mind's eye it's got so much depth and granularity that you don't get in the series, and inevitably details that couldn't be included.

I haven't read a book that grabbed me and got me hooked like this in a long time.

I’ve started reading the first book sample on Amazon and I think I’m going to buy it, odd as I’ve tried to watch the series 3 times and just cannot get into it.

I got the sample on my Kindle too before buying, by the end of the sample it started pulling me in and has just got better from there.

Turns out book one is on offer for 99p so I bought it!