What are you reading?
- Thread starter Gavin
- Start date
robbeal
Hyper Poster
Ooh, books, i've actually done quite a bit of reading recently, which is odd for me!
First, I read America Unchained by Dave Gorman, which was very entertaining and has made me want to do some sort of American road-trip even more. Just waiting for LoveFilm to send us the DVD now!
Then, I continued down a similar theme and finished off Yes Man by Danny Wallace. The film was okay, but the book is so much better, and being Dave Gorman's ex-flatmate has obviously rubbed off because the humour is very similar. If anyone enjoyed the film i'd recommend the book, because its infinitely better.
At the same time, i've been re-reading Deception Point by Dan Brown at work. Its a bit far-fetched but I always enjoy reading a Dan Brown and picturing just how it would translate to film. Its so east because all his books are written in a style that makes translation to film very easy.
Now, having finished that lot, i'm on to reading Heavier than Heaven, the biography of Kurt Cobain, by Charles Cross. Its a very detailed record of essentially everything that happened in his life, but its an intriguing read all the same, even if it doesn't paint him in a particularly good light.
First, I read America Unchained by Dave Gorman, which was very entertaining and has made me want to do some sort of American road-trip even more. Just waiting for LoveFilm to send us the DVD now!
Then, I continued down a similar theme and finished off Yes Man by Danny Wallace. The film was okay, but the book is so much better, and being Dave Gorman's ex-flatmate has obviously rubbed off because the humour is very similar. If anyone enjoyed the film i'd recommend the book, because its infinitely better.
At the same time, i've been re-reading Deception Point by Dan Brown at work. Its a bit far-fetched but I always enjoy reading a Dan Brown and picturing just how it would translate to film. Its so east because all his books are written in a style that makes translation to film very easy.
Now, having finished that lot, i'm on to reading Heavier than Heaven, the biography of Kurt Cobain, by Charles Cross. Its a very detailed record of essentially everything that happened in his life, but its an intriguing read all the same, even if it doesn't paint him in a particularly good light.
A
Anonymous
Guest
I am reading Memoirs of a teenage amnesiac by Gabrielle Zeving because i think she has such a great imagination and she also wrote a book called elsewhere that was amazing.
Wow, haven't posted in here for a while. I've only posted reviews in here of the first two Percy Jackson books. I've now finished reading all 5 books and I loved every minute of reading them. An excellent series which is ended very well in the The Last Olympian. Can't wait for a second series of books to be written. However the same writer released a new book last month which I now own a signed copy of 
It's a new series of books which is very similar to the Percy Jackson books just with Egyptian gods instead of Greek ones. Yay. Looking forward to reading it. I'm going to leave it for a little while though, catch up on the Bond books.
Talking of Bond books, I finished reading The spy who loved me today.
Excellent, if very short, book. I love how it's a James Bond book yet he doesn't even come in till half way through and he isn't even the main character. I loved the very different style used. The way Fleming builds up this female character is fantastic, giving you a great insight into her past stories in great detail. Then the action begins and it just doesn't stop, all set in one location and then Bond enters and it gets even more exciting. It also ends really well.
So a very short book but it's a great read and I look forward to reading another Bond book now.
It's a new series of books which is very similar to the Percy Jackson books just with Egyptian gods instead of Greek ones. Yay. Looking forward to reading it. I'm going to leave it for a little while though, catch up on the Bond books.Talking of Bond books, I finished reading The spy who loved me today.
Excellent, if very short, book. I love how it's a James Bond book yet he doesn't even come in till half way through and he isn't even the main character. I loved the very different style used. The way Fleming builds up this female character is fantastic, giving you a great insight into her past stories in great detail. Then the action begins and it just doesn't stop, all set in one location and then Bond enters and it gets even more exciting. It also ends really well.
So a very short book but it's a great read and I look forward to reading another Bond book now.
LiveForTheLaunch
CF Legend
The Great Gatsby
Super short novel, but pretty interesting. I found it hard to follow in the beginning for some reason, but it got far more easy to understand as the novel went on. Chapter seven was very intense, and the story really is just all about love and affairs, but the end was pretty sad. Well-written, very good character development and uh, yah, an interestnig story of a tragic hero.
7.5/10
Super short novel, but pretty interesting. I found it hard to follow in the beginning for some reason, but it got far more easy to understand as the novel went on. Chapter seven was very intense, and the story really is just all about love and affairs, but the end was pretty sad. Well-written, very good character development and uh, yah, an interestnig story of a tragic hero.
7.5/10
BetaKitten
Mega Poster
Interveiw with a Vampire - Anne Rice
I've seen the film before and i was intrigued by how it would compare with the book... So i thought i'd give it a go... Got the other two books in the trilogy on hold too...
So far so good...
I've seen the film before and i was intrigued by how it would compare with the book... So i thought i'd give it a go... Got the other two books in the trilogy on hold too...
So far so good...
Madame_Furie has just finished Interview. She reads it every few years... Has since 1984 or something LOL!
I read Interview, and then "The Vampire Lestat". I tried Queen of the damned and "The Vampire Armand", but found them both tedious.
Interview is a good book though, I was shocked because I thought the film was pretty gash. "Lestat" was good just because it's set in late 15th/early 16th century Venice and I loved the setting - just out of my favourite period and the wrong country, but close enough
I'm currently reading Under the dome - Stephen King's latest epic disasterpiece. It's been pretty standard "king fayre" so far, and running into the last 5th of the book, it looks like the ending will be predictably awful too.
It's like The Stand, crossed with Needful Things, crossed with Dreamcatcher... Yeah, it doesn't sound so good when you put it like that (though I do have a secret love for Needful Things, I recognise it's pretty awful really).
Also, paperbacks thicker than they are wide = chore!
Actually, I've not finished it, but it's so predictable I'll give a final review anyway.
Better than Cell, but still a long way from classic King. He's picked up some of the "page turner" ability again though, and for the most part, it's got a good "one more chapter, then bed, honest" vibe going on. Then there are bits you just don't care about and it's annoying.
You don't feel for any off the characters really, they're all simple clichés, he's spending less time on character description, location description and scene setting and more time on action, action, action... Bits of old King flash through, but it's predictable, shallow and mildly satisfying for it
If you want a big book that's easy to read with a bit of violence, conspiracy and decent escapism, go for it. If you're after a deep story, with complex characters and superb descriptive writing - avoid. 3/5
I read Interview, and then "The Vampire Lestat". I tried Queen of the damned and "The Vampire Armand", but found them both tedious.
Interview is a good book though, I was shocked because I thought the film was pretty gash. "Lestat" was good just because it's set in late 15th/early 16th century Venice and I loved the setting - just out of my favourite period and the wrong country, but close enough
I'm currently reading Under the dome - Stephen King's latest epic disasterpiece. It's been pretty standard "king fayre" so far, and running into the last 5th of the book, it looks like the ending will be predictably awful too.
It's like The Stand, crossed with Needful Things, crossed with Dreamcatcher... Yeah, it doesn't sound so good when you put it like that (though I do have a secret love for Needful Things, I recognise it's pretty awful really).
Also, paperbacks thicker than they are wide = chore!
Actually, I've not finished it, but it's so predictable I'll give a final review anyway.
Better than Cell, but still a long way from classic King. He's picked up some of the "page turner" ability again though, and for the most part, it's got a good "one more chapter, then bed, honest" vibe going on. Then there are bits you just don't care about and it's annoying.
You don't feel for any off the characters really, they're all simple clichés, he's spending less time on character description, location description and scene setting and more time on action, action, action... Bits of old King flash through, but it's predictable, shallow and mildly satisfying for it
If you want a big book that's easy to read with a bit of violence, conspiracy and decent escapism, go for it. If you're after a deep story, with complex characters and superb descriptive writing - avoid. 3/5
Sorry, don't mean to piss on your fire while you're so little into it.
Don't get me wrong, it's not been a waste of time. I've enjoyed it in parts and it's a good page turner. It's not gah like Lisey's Story or just shallow and pathetic like Cell. It's just, as you say, not pre-accident King. It was just last night finishing it, I just wanted to weep... So, enjoy it while it's good
Still, you may think differently to me - I just doubt it... You'll see...
Don't get me wrong, it's not been a waste of time. I've enjoyed it in parts and it's a good page turner. It's not gah like Lisey's Story or just shallow and pathetic like Cell. It's just, as you say, not pre-accident King. It was just last night finishing it, I just wanted to weep... So, enjoy it while it's good
Still, you may think differently to me - I just doubt it... You'll see...
Finished two books this past vacation.
First, the book for Pre-AP English II, The Once and Future King by T.H. White. Once I really started to read it, I really liked it and got sucked into it. The ending was a tad disappointing though as it gave no further detail to anything that happened. No epilogue or anything. But still a really good book. 8/10
And, since I've never seen the movie beginning to end, I read The Exorcist. I really didn't expect it to be as sexual and vulgar as much as it was, but that didn't make it bad, it actually made it a better book. It was a tad creepy but it was still a good book. Now I need to REALLY watch the movie. 7/10
First, the book for Pre-AP English II, The Once and Future King by T.H. White. Once I really started to read it, I really liked it and got sucked into it. The ending was a tad disappointing though as it gave no further detail to anything that happened. No epilogue or anything. But still a really good book. 8/10
And, since I've never seen the movie beginning to end, I read The Exorcist. I really didn't expect it to be as sexual and vulgar as much as it was, but that didn't make it bad, it actually made it a better book. It was a tad creepy but it was still a good book. Now I need to REALLY watch the movie. 7/10
MinteButtons
Mega Poster
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness.
I read the first two books and got hooked.
I'm sure lots of people are surprised that I'm not reading twilight.
I read the first two books and got hooked.
I'm sure lots of people are surprised that I'm not reading twilight.
Finally finished In Search of Schrödinger's Cat by John Gribbin, after reading it on and off for a while, but since I broke up from college last week I have had the time to read it. Now I've started reading Alton Towers: Past and Present by Michael Fisher, partly for my extended project at college. It was weird as I ordered it from WHSmith on Tuesday and saw that they had just got it in at the Air shop at Alton Towers yesterday, but I got it cheaper anyway. On a side note Towers was great yesterday, 28 rides, front row on all the big coasters, finishing with me and my cousin with an Air train to ourselves on the front row in the rain! Anyway, back on topic, In Search of Schrödinger's Cat was an interesting read but I would only recommend it if you already know quite a bit about quantum physics and if you are really interested in it, or it may be quite difficult. Alton Towers: Past and Present is a history of the Towers themselves which I look forward to reading!
^I would disagree. I know a few people who have read In Search of Schroedinger's cat with almost no knowledge of quantum physics, and they have understood it perfectly. You have to be willing to think though, so anyone who can't be bothered with that should avoid it.
On a vaguely similiar note, I'm just starting Godel, Escher, Bach. I shall update soon.
On a vaguely similiar note, I'm just starting Godel, Escher, Bach. I shall update soon.
^Fine, that's fair enough. I was only going on my own experience and I thought that there were parts which would be difficult to understand, as I felt some parts already assumed some knowledge including things that I already knew and therefore I felt I could understand it better. Yet if you know people who have fully understood it from no knowledge then that may be the case. I do agree that you have to think though, it's not a book that you can just read and automatically take everything in.
Mysterious Sue
Strata Poster
CF Book Club
It's an alternative to the 'now showing' topic, but with less CGI and a spine!
So, if anyone wants to review a book they've read recently, or just wants to recommend their favorites, then please put hand to keyboard...
I'm currently reading 'The Man in the High Castle' by Philip K. Dick. Wiki describes it as 'daily life under totalitarian Fascist imperialism'. It is fairly hard going! But, I'll review it when I've finished and let you all know if it's worth the struggle!
It's an alternative to the 'now showing' topic, but with less CGI and a spine!
So, if anyone wants to review a book they've read recently, or just wants to recommend their favorites, then please put hand to keyboard...
I'm currently reading 'The Man in the High Castle' by Philip K. Dick. Wiki describes it as 'daily life under totalitarian Fascist imperialism'. It is fairly hard going! But, I'll review it when I've finished and let you all know if it's worth the struggle!