What book are you reading...

TrixiBuG · 10 Oct 2012 at 12:35

Just finished a e-book called Woof. V.very funny and easy to read, great value at £Free

(not free any more! :eek:

)

Also been reading the Mageborn series by Michael G Manning. Not a bad fantasy story tbh again worth a read for less than £4 per book (first book was only 79p)

Also read and finished Terry Pratchett's Dodger. Its not a Discworld book which is probably why I struggled to get into it. Got some good historical references in it - Sweenie Todd, Sir Robert Peel etc etc - but it didn't light my fire like Discworld books do

uchuff · 10 Oct 2012 at 12:37

No idea if it's any good yet but just picked up the Humble eBook Bundle, had been thinking I should find something new to read so grabbed it.

PermaBanned · 10 Oct 2012 at 17:30

Finished Paper Towns. Wow. You can see why they study it in some schools. There's just so much in it. Some books you read for the characters, some for the story... Paper Towns? Well, it can be a lot more like a mirror.

If you do read it, i'd strongly recommend finding someone to talk about it with. There's so much to get out of it, it really helps.

Pinkeyes · 11 Oct 2012 at 11:21

I've just finished Last Chance to See - Douglas Adams

Very funny, very thought provoking and one of the best books I have read. Cannot recommend it enough.

bruce · 11 Oct 2012 at 13:01

After enjoying the Troy series by David Gemmell, got the Rigante set of books, nearly halfway through, it's just fantastic...A truly great author.

Adnams Drinker · 11 Oct 2012 at 13:41

My current read of choice is the official Steve Jobs autobiography. Got it on Tuesday and have jumped ahead to read the bits about the development and launch of the iPhone and iPad first, but fully intending to read it in its entirety after that.

The man was undoubtedly a genius, but like most geniuses, came with some major character flaws - some would say in Jobs' case, more than his fair share of character flaws!

leemk · 11 Oct 2012 at 14:32

Just finished 'Bitter harvest : Zimbabwe and the aftermath of its independence' , the memoirs of Ian Smith.
Very interesting read , minority rule might have left a sour taste with the rest of the world but he knew what would happen if the other groups where in charge ( although he might have been a raving racist and just sweetened his account a bit).
My claim to fame is meeting him in 78 in Salisbury.

Hades · 11 Oct 2012 at 16:08

Ive just finished Swan Song by Robert R McCammon. It's a post apocalyptic novel inspired by The Stand. I thought it was excellent and it is one of those books that I just wanted to keep reading. If you liked The Stand then give this a try.

PapaLazaru · 18 Oct 2012 at 22:37

Nearly finished The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick deWitt.

Really enjoying it.

Naffa · 18 Oct 2012 at 23:04

Language Instinct by Steven Pinker

Top stuff. :cool:

Castiel · 18 Oct 2012 at 23:43

Naffa said:
Language Instinct by Steven Pinker

Top stuff.

It is, but it has its critics, particularly those opposed to Nativism. If nothing else it throws up some interesting evolutionary and cultural questions and is an excellent primer.

I'm reading Chomsky's Revolution in Linguistics and some other essays by John R Searle (you can find most readily available free online) .........You could try New Horizons in the Study of Language and Mind by Chomsky, and The Architecture of Language by the same....

Pighardia · 19 Oct 2012 at 00:36

I just finished After Dark by Murakami.....loved it, though it is not his best tbh. It is still great, just not quite as amazing as a few others. Just got 1Q84 to go now, but I think I will save that one.

I feel like re-reading A Scanner Darkly for some reason. Might start it on Saturday.

No1newts · 19 Oct 2012 at 09:25

I'm reading first of the Thomas Covenant Chronicles.

Good so far.

toshj · 19 Oct 2012 at 09:36

Empire by Niall Ferguson at the moment. Good read so far, but I always treat populist history fare with a bit of cynacism - insofar as I'm too lazy to actually check whether he's right, but equally too lazy too see what he's leaving out!

Naffa · 19 Oct 2012 at 09:44

Castiel said:
It is, but it has its critics, particularly those opposed to Nativism. If nothing else it throws up some interesting evolutionary and cultural questions and is an excellent primer.

I'm reading Chomsky's Revolution in Linguistics and some other essays by John R Searle (you can find most readily available free online) .........You could try New Horizons in the Study of Language and Mind by Chomsky, and The Architecture of Language by the same....

That's a fair cop, cheers. I haven't read anything by Noam on language yet, I wanted to read a popular book on the subject, and I feared that something by Chomsky might be a bit technical for me.

Though, Steven does mention that Noam helped him edit the book, and he's quoted on the back giving some rather favourable praise.

bakes0310 · 19 Oct 2012 at 12:36

Finished A Storm Of Swords 2: Blood And Gold by George R.R Martin couple of nights ago, seriously amazing. I got A Feast Of Crows to read next, cant wait to see what happens.

TehBluebear · 19 Oct 2012 at 13:23

Got Deadhouse Gates on order.

Been reading a fair few books recently. Completely finished the Dark Tower series, as well as The Stand and Eyes of the Dragon to read more on Randall Flagg.

This past week I've been introduced to Robin Hobb, and been thoroughly engrossed in the Farseer (Assassin) trilogy. In the last quarter of Assassins Quest now. Really, really enjoied every minute of it, and I think I'll be getting some more books by Hobb.

taB · 19 Oct 2012 at 14:14

TehBluebear said:
Got Deadhouse Gates on order.

Been reading a fair few books recently. Completely finished the Dark Tower series, as well as The Stand and Eyes of the Dragon to read more on Randall Flagg.

This past week I've been introduced to Robin Hobb, and been thoroughly engrossed in the Farseer (Assassin) trilogy. In the last quarter of Assassins Quest now. Really, really enjoied every minute of it, and I think I'll be getting some more books by Hobb.

Deadhouse gates is brilliant.

My advice with Hobb is that the Assassin books are by a long margin her best work. I would class the Liveship stuff as worth reading but the Soldier Son book I read was terrible (hence not reading the others) as is the first book of the Rain Wild trilogy in which nothing happens.

For myself I've recently finished the Hydrogen Sonata and thought it was a great addition to the Culture series. I do wonder where he is going to take it from here. The afterlife was covered (sort of) in Surface Detail and now with the most recent book dealing with Subliming, I would expect another Excession style Outside Context Problem.

Personally I would like a followup to The Algebraist to make an appearance at some point.

TehBluebear · 20 Oct 2012 at 19:25

taB said:
Deadhouse gates is brilliant.

My advice with Hobb is that the Assassin books are by a long margin her best work. I would class the Liveship stuff as worth reading but the Soldier Son book I read was terrible (hence not reading the others) as is the first book of the Rain Wild trilogy in which nothing happens.

For myself I've recently finished the Hydrogen Sonata and thought it was a great addition to the Culture series. I do wonder where he is going to take it from here. The afterlife was covered (sort of) in Surface Detail and now with the most recent book dealing with Subliming, I would expect another Excession style Outside Context Problem.

Personally I would like a followup to The Algebraist to make an appearance at some point.

WHAT! Since when was Sonata released!??! Time to feverishly check my bank balance! Was in WHSmiths today and saw no new Banks books, but did end up coming out with the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy 4-book collection and Way of Kings book 1.#

With regards to Robin Hobb's books, that's a bit of a shame. I've been really liking the Assassin books, and was hoping for more of the same calibre from her.

Muzza1875 · 20 Oct 2012 at 19:43

TehBluebear said:
Got Deadhouse Gates on order.

Been reading a fair few books recently. Completely finished the Dark Tower series, as well as The Stand and Eyes of the Dragon to read more on Randall Flagg.

This past week I've been introduced to Robin Hobb, and been thoroughly engrossed in the Farseer (Assassin) trilogy. In the last quarter of Assassins Quest now. Really, really enjoied every minute of it, and I think I'll be getting some more books by Hobb.

Probably my favorite books, the eyes of the dragon and The dark tower series.
Randall Flagg certainly is an interesting character.I haven't read The stand but i have seen the TV show in which he is terrifying.

Would love for those two books to come to the big screen, would be great to have The dark tower made into a TV series like A gmae of Thrones.