View Full Version : The Book Thread
lukemillar
12-06-09, 08:01 AM
Along with the MTB thread, the car thread, the running thread......
This is a good one though. Just recommend books that you have read! I'm a big reading fan but I rarely go and buy a book unless someone recommends one or gives me one (a book, that is ;) )
Just finished My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. Absolutely blown away and would definitely recommend it. Very emotionaly stirring and a lot to think about even after you have finished it. I have read a few of her books but so far, this is the best.
It is about to be released as a motion picture which will invariably pale in comparison to the book, so read it instead!
:)
The Key to Rebecca, Ken Follett - WWII based espionage thriller set in N.Africa.
Eye of the Needle, Ken Follett - similar to the above.
Aggerssor, Andy McNab - half way through and pretty good so far.
Read a few of Dan Browns as well - always a good read.
lukemillar
12-06-09, 08:20 AM
Also:
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
and
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran
Are very compelling reads.
I personally enjoy fairy stories & humour so anything by Terry Pratchett. Also read a good one called Magician by Raymond E Feist.
The Electric Michelangelo by Sarah hall
Anthing by Terry Pratchett
The Medrith Gentry series by Laurell. K .Hamilton
His Dark Materiels aka The Golden compass/Northern lights, the amber spyglass and the subtle knife by Phillip Pullman
I personally enjoy fairy stories & humour so anything by Terry Pratchett. Also read a good one called Magician by Raymond E Feist.
Check out the Medrith Gentry Series by Laurell K Hamilton then, be warned-they are v v rauncy in places ;)
mr.anderson
12-06-09, 09:14 AM
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett - excellent!
Anything by Patrick Robinson, if your into counter terrorism/naval warfare you'll love these.
Nimitz Class (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimitz_Class_(novel)) (1997)
Kilo Class (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilo_Class_(novel)) (1998)
H.M.S. Unseen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.M.S._Unseen_(novel)) (1999)
USS Seawolf (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Seawolf_(novel)) (2000)
The Shark Mutiny (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shark_Mutiny_(novel)) (2001)
Barracuda 945 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barracuda_945_(novel)) (2003)
Scimitar SL-2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Scimitar_SL-2_(novel)&action=edit&redlink=1) (2004)
Hunter Killer (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hunter_Killer_(novel)&action=edit&redlink=1) (2005)
Ghost Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Force_(novel)) (2006)
To the Death (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=To_the_Death_(novel)&action=edit&redlink=1) (2008)
Diamondhead (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diamondhead_(novel)&action=edit&redlink=1) (2009)
I've yet to read the last two but the rest are in chronological order and follow on from each other.
Also by the same author, One hundred days, absolute fantastic read, all about the memoirs of Falklands battle group commander Admiral Sandy Woodward.
Just finished reading "Escape" by Carolyn Jessop, based on her life story of being a wife in a polygamous marriage within the FLDS. A very dramatic life stlyle indeed. Certainly opens your eyes to certain religous cults and their bigoted view of the rest of the world.
Just started reading, The first casualty, Ben Elton.
Will give my thoughts on this as and when i finish it.
Anything by Kathy Reichs - foresnic anthropology/pathology/crime/sex.
Currently reading her latest novel, 'Devil Bones' - really good.
im reading a couple of books I got from my daughter on mothers day.
slummy mummy - dont know who wrote it and I cant be bothered going upstairs to look - but it makes me laugh out loud
how to kill your husband - same as above
Baby and toddler meal planner - annabel karmel (probably not everyones choice) lol
The following are, at the moment, my fave books/trilogies. I reccomend heartily!
If sci-fi's your bag I reccommend:
Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds (but not his others - as they peter[sic?] out)
Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F Hamilton
Permutation City by Greg Egan ( a work of genius)
If you like WW2/modern day IT espionage stuff then:
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
Historical-based political/science/royalty/absurd boys own adventure stuff then:
The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson
UM, Left-Wing Fantasy try:
The Scar by China Mieville.
Jayneflakes
12-06-09, 10:29 AM
The Ministry of special cases (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ministry-Special-Cases-Nathan-Englander/dp/0571235441/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244801611&sr=1-1) by Nathan Englander. This is an often dark, sometimes comic account of the Argentinian Disappeared. It starts off following a family and has the usual family disagreements, but takes a dark turn when the teenage son is taken by the Secret Police. From there it is a heart wrenching dive into the chaos that enveloped Argentina. It is not often that a historical novel can move me to tears, but this one did.
Grass Soup (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grass-Xianliang-Chinese-Martha-Avery/dp/1567920306/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244801915&sr=1-2) by Zhang Xianliang. The true story of a Chinese political prisoner and his survival in a hard labour camp. A gentle reminder that China takes great care in hurting it's own people in an attempt to stop them from thinking outside of the party line. Deeply inspiring and not a little uncomfortable as you read of starving prisoners of conscience as you tuck into your lunch.
Lords of Chaos (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lords-Chaos-Bloody-Satanic-Underground/dp/0922915946/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244802162&sr=1-1) by Micheal Moynihan and Didrik Soderlind. The true story of the Black Metal underground in Norway circa 1993. Darkly intriguing and often curiously sad. The things these young men did for the extremity in their hearts is both strange and saddening. Proof that Metal Music has depth and meaning that people will kill for.
Hmm, nothing like a nice uplifting read for a Sunday afternoon. Good thread though. :smt045
Mr Speirs
12-06-09, 10:41 AM
The Moonshine Mule - Author Tom Fremantle's 19th century American ancestor Colonel Arthur Fremantle travelled through America in 1863, when the country was gripped by the turmoil of Civil War. He travelled on stagecoaches, steam trains and Mississippi rafts, ate skunk meat, met General Robert E Lee and witnessed Gettysburg before sailing home to New York. His 20th century relative strikes out on a similar journey, aiming to walk the 2,700 miles from Mexico to Manhattan with just a mule for company, starting his journey just ten days before the events of September 11. This is engaging comic travel writing that illuminates America past and present with its uniquely peripatetic method. Like his ancestor, the modern Fremantle beds down each night outdoors, sleeping as well as walking his way across the American landscape.
Thats the gist of it but the book is fantastic!!! The generosity and kindness of the people he meets is astonishing and almost makes you want to sell all your possessions and live like this. For me it completely changed the way I thought about america and Tom Fremantle manages to paint the country as an almost timeless and mystical place, mainly due to the fact he hardly ever visited any cities.
Loved it and anyone who reads it would too.
yorkie_chris
12-06-09, 11:10 AM
"the one that got away" Chris Ryan... he's written some fiction too which are pretty good!
"unscathed; escape from sierra leone" Major Phil Ashby
"state of fear" Micheal Crighton
"without remorse" Tom Clancy in fact any of the John Clark/Jack Ryan series from him.
Avoid the "op center" novels they're wank and nothing like the proper Clancy ones.
Geoff Thompson... anything from him is worth a look especially if you like a bit of martial arts done properly, "Red Mist" I think is his first fiction one and it's awesome!
Anything by Patrick Robinson, if your into counter terrorism/naval warfare you'll love these.
Hmmmm, read loads of his stuff, good but corny as f#ck. You can half-hear some ****** in a sparkly suit playing god bless america on guitar...
Hmmmm, read loads of his stuff, good but corny as f#ck. You can half-hear some ****** in a sparkly suit playing god bless america on guitar...
True, it is a bit America is the greatest nation ever to walk this earth, but still a good read.
Another 2 books which i'd rate in my top 5.
50 dead men walking.
1 dad man running.
Both by Martin McGartland. Based on his life in NI during the sectarian troubles, i've recommended these before and i know a couple of people have read them on here. The 1st book i read in about 2 days, couldn't put it down. :thumbsup:
yorkie_chris
12-06-09, 03:37 PM
"Holding the zero" Gerald Seymour
"Immediate action" and "Bravo 2 zero" Andy Mcnab
gear's of war-aspho field's.
:smt023Don't often get time to read, but just finished 'Angels In My Hair' by Lorna Byrne. FAB!
lukemillar
02-07-09, 08:12 AM
Just finished Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. Only heard about it because it has been made into a film, but decided to read the book first.
Would definitely recommend it and would encourage people to read the book first. While the film isn't bad, it just can't capture the subtly and thoughts of the characters that is expressed in the book
Bluewolf
02-07-09, 08:20 AM
.
I'm currently ploughing my way through both volumes of Ray Bradbury's short stories (Stories Vol.1 & 2)... nearly all 2000 pages of them! :eek:
Bradbury definitely has one of the most transparent, simple and beautiful writing styles around, I heartily recommend him.
Also been reading lots of my old favourites, including Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins and George Orwell.
Just started reading, The first casualty, Ben Elton.
Will give my thoughts on this as and when i finish it.
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
Didn't think i was going to like this as A) Not a great lover of Ben Elton.
B) I was half expecting his comedy style to come out in the book...couldn't have been further from the truth.
An absolute blinding book, very well written, keeps you gripped from the 1st to last chapter. Highly recommended.
Also just finished "Blood River" by Tim Butcher. Again, Fan-bloody-tastic.
Blood River, subtitled A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart is an account of the journalist Tim Butcher's attempt in 2004 to follow the route first travelled by Henry Stanley in 1876 - 1877. This gripping book, complete with photographs, etchings and hand-drawn maps, charts Butcher's progress along the Congo River, Africa's largest river, from Lake Tanganyika in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west.
This is not an uplifting book, but it is a revealing one. It challenges the complaisance of the west not by ranting, but by presenting a picture of how badly broken the “heart of Africa” really is, and how this detrimentally affects the continent of Africa as a whole. The book raises questions rather than answering them, and the resolution of Butcher's journey is certainly not mirrored by any pretence of resolution for the Congo, but that is as it should be for a travel book which reveals more than the reader is comfortable with knowing about the enormous problems of a forgotten state.
Also just finished "Blood River" by Tim Butcher. Again, Fan-bloody-tastic.
Blood River, subtitled A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart is an account of the journalist Tim Butcher's attempt in 2004 to follow the route first travelled by Henry Stanley in 1876 - 1877.
If you liked that and wanted soemthing slightly more light hearted try:
Red Tape and White Knuckles: One Woman's Motorcycle Adventure Through Africa By Lois Price
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Tape-White-Knuckles-Motorcycle/dp/0099513595/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246532798&sr=8-1
I really enjoy Wilbur Smith books, historical based fiction. Lots of war, sex and great characters.
River God, Warlock and Seventh Scroll all link in with each other. I often find myself totally lost in my imagination reading them...quite good fun :D
Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett. A great medieval story.
World Without End, based 300 years or so after Pillars of the Earth, a bit samey but still good. They both have some very naughty bits in them too!
Reading "Ash, a Secret History" at the moment, I like medieval fiction :)
Lots of war, sex and great characters.
Try the Ben Elton one i read, it's got all that and more.
kellyjo
02-07-09, 02:53 PM
Anything by William Horwood - Duncton Chronicles, Wolves of Time, Stonor Eagles - a bit like Lord of the Rings meets Watership Down.
And Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean M Auel, fantastic!
The Duncton ones sound familiar - are they the ones about moles?
If so, yes they are very, very good
MCN_LiamM
02-07-09, 03:43 PM
The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson
Sounds daft,it is... and slightly disturbing. Ronson is an investigative journo who decided to look into the US army using psychic techniques.
Some of the highlights for me: Uri Gellar is a US army spy, US generals walking into walls and a shed full of de-bleated goats on a US army base
Anything by Tom Sharpe - absolutely hilarious
Next one is Dead Spy Running by Jon Stock
The first of three books. Supposed to be exceptionally good. Similar story to the Bourne films. My Dad works with the author and got me a free copy. The film rights have already been sold to Warner and the first book only came out last week!
Not a massive sci fi fan but...
Excession
Consider Phlebas
Look to windward
The player of games
all by Iain m banks, or
The old man and the sea by Earnest Hemingway, very simple writing style, doesn't waste a word, also
Down to a sunless sea, written about 30 years ago about the crew and passengers of a 747 trying to escape to the southern hemisphere after an all nuclear war in the north, brilliant
northwind
02-07-09, 07:29 PM
I'm just reading Matter by Iain M Banks, I thought he'd gone rubbish but apparently he was just being lazy, turns out he can still write.
I just had to pick 5 books of mine for my brother, he said quote "Give me some of your rubbish to read". So I gave him:
Vurt by Jeff Noon
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stevenson
A Tale Etched In Blood and Hard Black Pencil by Christopher Brookmyre.
Vinland The Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson
and THe Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein
Vurt is a near-future psychedelic drug trip/fantasy set in manchester, his first novel and still his best, brilliant stuff.
Cryptonomicon is sort of hard to describe, it's a part historical (WW2), part present day... thingy. Everything from the fall of Manilla to diving for nazi gold, via cryptographic mathematical theory.
A Tale Etched... is Brookmyre (famous for his dark but comic crime stories) doing friends reunited, a scottish high school class is reunited by a murder. Naturally it's grim and needlessly OTT, but it's hilarious and well crafted too. It might work best for those who grew up in the scottish school system though :)
Vinland is KSR's short story collection, I'd sooner have just given him the Mars series but fair play, that's about 8 inches of book. I love this though. They're not all good but the best bits are just fantastic. There's one of the stories here:
http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/history.htm
And The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is, well, it's the american revolution set on the moon, more or less, with a dash of clockwork orange and 2001. And it's pretty amazing even now, most older scifi has gone off with age but this is 12 years older than I am and still feels absolutely cutting edge.
thedonal
02-07-09, 08:53 PM
Just re-reading HG Wells' The War Of The Worlds. One of my favourite books- just had to re-buy it as my old copy- 1967 print bought for 10p at a church fair about 20 years ago- is falling apart.
I'll miss the smell of the pages. I love the smell of old books. Smells like....smells like literacy!! lol.
I'm also reading some H P Lovecraft too. Stories I've missed out. Wells at work, Lovecraft at bedtime. Scary!!
Aside from that- I dunno. Love anything by Alaistair Reynolds. Iain (M) Banks. Terry Pratchett. William Gibson- The Sprawl Trilogy is aces- Neuromancer, Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive.
I love books!
Samurai Penguin
02-07-09, 09:19 PM
Just finished - Valis by Philip K ****
Currently reading - Everything Is Under Control by Robert Anton Wilson
"the one that got away" Chris Ryan... he's written some fiction too which are pretty good!
Just had a new Asda open by us, and they were selling a 3 book set of his for a fiver. Thought I'd give them a go!:D
Speedy Claire
04-07-09, 08:48 AM
A few that I`ve read over the last few months and have particularly enjoyed:
"A Thousand Splendid Suns" Khaled Hosseini
"Kite Runner" Khaled Hosseini
"Ugly" Constance Briscoe
"Beyond Ugly" Constance Briscoe
"The Prophet" Khalil Gibran
"I believe In You" Khalil Gibran
and my current read, which I`m reading for about the 3rd time in as many weeks
"The Secret" Rhonda Byrne
I saw the kite runner in asda yesterday and a thousand setting suns, might give em a go if they,ve got the speedy thumbs up.;)
Btw if you fancy something a bit older try a tale of two cities by dickens or great expectations also, cracking reads despite being fom a diffferent era.
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