Alkaline Posted February 3, 2010 Report Share Posted February 3, 2010 I recall reading some Frank Herbert but can't recall the title. Something about a poet and the computer intelligence commander of a spaceship demanding worship (it was a play on ship IIRC)Destination: Void? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted February 3, 2010 Report Share Posted February 3, 2010 Destination: Void?Nope, it was the Jesus Incident, but it's set in the same universe. Thankyou Wikipedia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted February 4, 2010 Report Share Posted February 4, 2010 Nope, it was the Jesus Incident, but it's set in the same universe. Thankyou Wikipedia!Chucking caution to the wind and starting with the sequel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted February 4, 2010 Report Share Posted February 4, 2010 Chucking caution to the wind and starting with the sequel Yeah, I grabbed it from my local library as it was the only Frank Herbert they had in. That probably explains why I had difficulty getting into it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirsten Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 I bought We Need To Talk About Kevin about two years ago because everyone had been banging on about it, then attempted to read it, thought it was dull and abandoned it.Started it again recently and enjoyed it more this time around. I finished it last night and it was decent enough. A bit predictable in places, but all in all, entertaining.Now onto Richard Wiseman's 'Quirkology'. A depressing extract from an early page:"Maverick Victorian scientist Sir Francis Gaulton might be considered the founding father of the approach, and devoted much of his life to the study of offbeat topics. He objectively determined whether his colleagues' lectures were boring by surreptitiously measuring the level of fidgeting in their audiences, and created a 'Beauty Map' of Britain by walking along the high streets of major cities with a punch counter in his pocket, secretly recording whether the people he passed were good, medium, or bad looking (London was rated the best, Aberdeen the worst)."Yeah... good luck finding staff, new Hollister store... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemonade Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 I'm reading "Shutter Island" by Dennis Lehane. I haven't read any of his other stuff, but I really enjoyed the films of Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone, so I thought I'd try and get through the book of this one before the film comes out next month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 I'm reading "Shutter Island" by Dennis Lehane. I haven't read any of his other stuff, but I really enjoyed the films of Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone, so I thought I'd try and get through the book of this one before the film comes out next month.Gone Baby Gone is a fantastic film. I wouldn't mind reading the book as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaki Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 I've read all Dennis Lehane's books. He's one of my favourites. Gone Baby, Gone is part of the "Kenzie and Gennarro" series. If you are to read them you're better working through them in chronological order. Shutter Island is his poorest effort in my opinion. Worth a read though. All his books are being made into films it seems. I've been impressed with both so far - good adaptations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monster Zero Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' by Oscar Wilde. Picked it up for 3 quid in Asda. Part of my ongoing quest to read the so-called classics. This one is OK so far actually. I have a pile of those 2 quid green Penguin books waiting my attentions.I picked up the 3 graphic novels that make up 'Strangers in Paradise' by Terry Moore in Oxfam for less than a tenner so was reading them in bed. I am now reading 'Preacher' for the zillionth time, book 1 finished last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemonade Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 I've read all Dennis Lehane's books. He's one of my favourites. Gone Baby, Gone is part of the "Kenzie and Gennarro" series. If you are to read them you're better working through them in chronological order. Shutter Island is his poorest effort in my opinion. Worth a read though. All his books are being made into films it seems. I've been impressed with both so far - good adaptations.I enjoyed Shutter Island. Looking forward to the film now, though of course I've spoiled the "twist" for myself.I've just started 1984 by George Orwell. Big Brother is watching, and all that nonsense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaki Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 I enjoyed Shutter Island. Looking forward to the film now, though of course I've spoiled the "twist" for myself.I've just started 1984 by George Orwell. Big Brother is watching, and all that nonsense.It was the "twist" that ruined it for me! I think it might work better in a film. I'm reading The Speckled People by Hugo Hamilton. Autobiographical tale of growing up in 1950's Dublin with a German mother and a staunch Irish Republican father, told through the eyes of a child. "Thoughtful and compelling, smart and original, beautifully written" according to Nick Hornby. I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarmaTsunami Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 Read Hemingway's 'Fiesta' or 'The Sun Also Rises' which was immensely enjoyable. Young Hemingway writes 'banter' dialogue in such a natural, unforced way that it makes me jealous. I can't write dialogue for shit.The road to hell is paved with unbought stuffed dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 Currently reading the Exorcist and then moving on to Legion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirsten Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 Stephen Fry's 'The Stars' Tennis Balls' is quite good so far. Like the rest of his novels, seems to be quite easy to read. Hoping I can finish it soon, though, looking at my three 'to read' piles is depressing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funky_peanut Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 May I sugges tthe book. 'First and Last Men' by Olaf Stapleton.This book was written in 1930 and charts mankinds evolution over hundreds of millions of years from earth to other planets in the solar system.At first I thought it was crap for the first 2 chapters ..bearing in mind that it was written before world war 2 and has been wide off the mark up until this point for the majority of things but there are a couple of things that are bang on.But the best bit is just appreciating this guys imagination..especially for someone coming from such a mentally and socially regimented era as the 30's.the best part is the sheer details in which he describes mans evolution in the mental and physical sense...really something great.Sneak spoiler....at one point there are giant heirarchial brains involved Caution though! Unless you're dedicated reader there's a lot of boring stuff to go through or you can take the advice of the Foreward that advises you skip the first 4 chapters....wish I had done that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirsten Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 or you can take the advice of the Foreward that advises you skip the first 4 chapters....wish I had done that.Ha! I've never known that from a foreword. "Skip that, it's shit... the rest is GOLD though!"Finished 'The Stars' Tennis Balls' today. Damn, Stevie Fry books are so easy to read. It was good though, if a bit of a slow-burner.There's a ridiculous number of proof copies of books in our staff room at work. They're usually pish, so I never really look at them to see if I want them, but I noticed Nicholson Baker's 'The Anthologist' there a few weeks ago, so I had it. Gonna start it next. I do enjoy his way of writing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodsinho Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 I've got 3 books on the go at the moment, not the best way to do these things but they're all very different so it depends on my mood as to which I'll pick up.1 - Dune by Frank Herbert, this one's going to be the main project while I'm on holiday over the next couple of weeks but I imagine it'll be heavy going at times in which case I'll turn to...2 - Areas of My Expertise by John Hodgman, goto book for lols, rofls and made up facts.or3 - Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathon Wilson, an in depth look at the evolution of tactics in the world of football from it's 19th century roots to the modern era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funky_peanut Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Ha! I've never known that from a foreword. "Skip that, it's shit... the rest is GOLD though!"QUOTE]=Because the book was written in 1930 the first 4 chapters are horribly out-dated. At the time it was the future and the first 4 chapters are now the past lol...so yeah you're right the foreward does say that lol...good point! I've never heard of a foreward to suggest such a thing either. To be fair the foreward wasn't written by the author. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarmaTsunami Posted March 6, 2010 Report Share Posted March 6, 2010 Read Jeff Stelling's 'Jelleyman's Thrown A Wobbly' in an evening. Good, entertaining read, especially if you're a fan of Soccer Saturday.Then read Banana Yoshimoto's 'Kitchen', and based on the strength of this I will definitely be reading more of her work. Currently on J.M Coetzee's 'Disgrace'. Only a few pages in but I'm really getting into it. I like the way he writes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidm Posted March 7, 2010 Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 Read Jeff Stelling's 'Jelleyman's Thrown A Wobbly' in an evening. Good, entertaining read, especially if you're a fan of Soccer Saturday.Definitely something I'll be reading soon. Too much heavy stuff is hurting my brain right now!Current read is 'What Comes Naturally: The Making of Miscegenation Laws' by Peggy Pascoe. Very good, gives me a much less narrow, single-minded perspective on the history of race in America anyway. Very recommended.Still trying to get my way through 'Against the Day' too, just made it through halfway tonight.and then I think I'm going with American Psycho next. Yas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirsten Posted March 13, 2010 Report Share Posted March 13, 2010 Finished Nicholson Baker's 'The Anthologist'. It was okay, but I sort of got the impression the whole novel was just an excuse for him to show off his poetry knowledge. Yes, sir, you're very clever, I can see that...Started 'Guided by Voices: A Brief History: Twenty-One Years of Hunting Accidents in the Forests of Rock and Roll' by Jim Greer yesterday. I do love GBV, but I've never really known much about them, so should be interesting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaki Posted March 13, 2010 Report Share Posted March 13, 2010 I fancied a light read so recently read Power Play by Joseph Finder having enjoyed a couple of his other books. "Thirteen Hostages. Five Kidnappers. One Reluctant Hero." (groan) One of those painting by numbers thrillers that you could tell was written to meet a contractual obligation and a deadline. Finished it in 2 days guessing the next page correctly every time. Utter dogs dirt. Now reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini which is absolutely brilliant. I was blown away by A Thousand Splendid Suns and this is just as good. Modern classics. I think reading it directly after crap makes it even more enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted March 13, 2010 Report Share Posted March 13, 2010 I've just finished the Exorcist and have moved onto Legion. I have enjoyed both so far. Whoever proof read the version of the Exorcist that i have deserves to be shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarmaTsunami Posted March 16, 2010 Report Share Posted March 16, 2010 Saw a trailer for 'The Ghost' which looked decent enough for a thriller. It's based on a Robert Harris novel - anyone read it/recommend it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaki Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 Saw a trailer for 'The Ghost' which looked decent enough for a thriller. It's based on a Robert Harris novel - anyone read it/recommend it?The only book I've read by him was Archangel. Run of the mill thriller and wouldn't be inclined to read any more of his books. The Ghost might be the most awesome thriller ever but I doubt it. Not very helpful I'm sure. :]I actually miss reading David Simon's Homicide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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