Finished the latest Expanse novel, Thiamat's Wrath. Very enjoyable, sadly it's now at least another year to the next one (but hey... better than GRRM or Patrick Rothfuss would ever manage 
).
).Books The BOOK thread
- Thread starter Livvie
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How do you guys rate Cormac McCarthy? About two thirds into The Road and impressed. The stylised staccato writing of it is effective, but took a bit of getting used to.
Just curious about whether his other work is worth exploring. Don't ruin the end btw!
Just curious about whether his other work is worth exploring. Don't ruin the end btw!
Blood Meridian is amazing, mate.
Yeah Blood Meridian and All The Pretty Horses are terrific. I actually found The Road the least engaging of his novels I've read.
I just finished the Beekeeper of Aleppo. Christ I need a happy book now. It was a good read but don't go there if you're a little down.
Does The Fellowship of the Ring get any better? I'm about 100 pages in and it feels a bit of a slog so far...is this just Tolkien's style?
Really picks up once they get to Bree, are you there yet?
Ah you’re not even past the Old Forest yet. Be sure to stick with it. It definitely starts slow, your patience will be rewarded.
Typically how long do you fellas read for per week?
I try to do an hour a day.
I’m currently wrapping up a PHD, I’d say I’ve averaged something like 5 hours a day over the last four years. But it’s not proper reading, the number of books I’ve sat down and read cover to cover in that time wouldn’t be much at all.
Sorry @2cents, I really couldn't carry on reading TFOTR, I found it a real slog and I read for enjoyment . I'll give it another go over the summer.
Started The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Only about 50 pages in but enjoying it so far.
. I'll give it another go over the summer.Started The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Only about 50 pages in but enjoying it so far.
Sorry @2cents, I really couldn't carry on reading TFOTR, I found it a real slog and I read for enjoyment
Fair enough. I guess you’ve seen the movie? If so I can definitely understand why you’d find the first half a slog.
For me when I read the trilogy now, the first part of TFOTR is probably my favorite. But that’s after lots of readings over the years.
Finished The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro this morning. I quite enjoyed it and was surprised to see the Goodreads average rating so low. Not as good as Remains of the Day, but good nonetheless.
I was bored by The Buried Giant, it is just lot of wandering making me ask me questions like 'why am I reading it?', 'is it a test of patience?' while I found Remains of the Day amazing. So yes, I am one of the people that rated it badly and finished it. But well I didn't like either two of his other books so I am probably not a reader of his books, with RotD the exception.
I have started rereading the Martian Chronicles. It is like discovering a new book since I nearly forgot every thing, I probably remember 4-5 entries.
I have started rereading the Martian Chronicles. It is like discovering a new book since I nearly forgot every thing, I probably remember 4-5 entries.
For me his early books are his best but they are much darker (Outer Dark, Child of God and Blood Meridian). Blood Meridian is brilliant the best one of what I read. But a lot of McCarthy fans rate his best boot as Suttree (which I haven't read yet).
I'd definitely recommend Blood Meridian (I think anyone with even a mild interest in the Western genre should read that one and Warlock by Oakley Hall). Also Suttree (even though I haven't read it yet, I trust the recommendations I received and its on my list to read in 2019).
Sorry @2cents, I really couldn't carry on reading TFOTR, I found it a real slog and I read for enjoyment
Started The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Only about 50 pages in but enjoying it so far.
Oh nice what made you pick that up? I just finished Secret History. Let me know when you are about halfway in as I want to get the opinion of someone else whose read it on something
I recommend Joseph Vargo's gothic horror books. "Darklore Manor and other tales of Terror" and the Dark Tower series are probably masterpieces of modern gothic literature that have gone under the radar.
Currently reading A Clash of Kings and Pet Semetary...admit the decision to read both were influenced by the recent entertainment on TV. Been putting off ASOIAF for too long anyway.
You haven't read the Silmarillion, have you?
It gets better, and the pacing is better in the next 2 books.
Currently reading A Clash of Kings and Pet Semetary...admit the decision to read both were influenced by the recent entertainment on TV. Been putting off ASOIAF for too long anyway.
You haven't read the Silmarillion, have you?
It gets better, and the pacing is better in the next 2 books.
You haven't read the Silmarillion, have you?
It gets better, and the pacing is better in the next 2 books.
Silmarillion is much better than LotR for me. I found LotR unbearable and some of the only 5 books I forced myself to finish even though I hated them (other two were Dickens)
It came up on my recommendations when I was browsing Amazon, saw the synopsis and it looked interesting so thought I'd pick it up.
Did you enjoy it? I'll get through some more tonight but I'm finding it enjoyable so far.
You haven't read the Silmarillion, have you?
It gets better, and the pacing is better in the next 2 books.
I haven't no, I was planning to pick up that and the Hobbit after the 3 LoTR books, but it may be a while before I do
I have next to no interest in Westerns as a genre, but you reckon the quality of his writing makes it still a worthy read? Reckon I will give Blood Meridian a go.
I'd say so yeah, Blood Meridian isn't what you'd call a typical Western as such, almost veers closer to existential horror in some respects set against a Western backdrop.
Sounds good. He seems to write psychological horror well, evocatively.
Soon finished with 'Sleeping Giants' which is the first book in the Themis series by Sylvain Neuvel. Loving every bit of it, especially they way it is written and how the style of writing is an essential part of the history (interview form with an undisclosed interviewer).
Some of the best SciFi I've read for a while.
Some of the best SciFi I've read for a while.
Just read it, fantastic book. Plays as a thriller, despite it being a true story where you (likely) know where it’s going. Utterly amazing sequence of events, and has made me sceptical of essentially everything that we hear out of Silicon Valley.
On a completely different note, has anyone read ‘A Little Life’? It’s such a tough read that I don’t know if one can honestly recommend it, but it’s excellent. One of the most heart wrenching books that I’ve ever read.
I haven't read it yet, but I'm definitely putting it on my list. Thanks.
I never come in this thread for some reason.
I couldn’t decide how I felt about Secret History. The first half (until the event) was great, but it then seemed to stumble through the rest of the book. By that point I felt like you were stuck with a group of unlikable, and scarcely believable characters.
I agree with the bold. I feel a number of books I read are like that. For the characters I found them realistic and reminiscent of quite a few people I've known. She was a college friend of Bret Easton Ellis (Less than Zero, American Psycho) so I get the impression they were both part of this circle of 1980s liberal arts undergrads that liked to do lots of drugs and party because both their writing has their northeast suburban rich kid feel to it
The character I was really disappointed with was the professor Julian. He was built up in the opening as a special type of character that IMO just fizzles and was extremely useless and underwhelming. What I didn't like about him was Tartt kept telling us he was this charismatic brilliant professor but she never really shows him being brilliant and charismatic just tells us how he taught some obscure princess. [/quote]
I love reading Cold War spy thrillers and have read the George Smiley trilogy by the excellent John le Carre numerous times.
All the books by the wonderful Gerald Seymour are very good.
For a change I bought The Human Universe by Prof Brian Cox. I have learnt so much about science and physics especially the birth of our universe.
I admit to being a science geek and am trying to understand the basics of Quantum Mechanics.
All the books by the wonderful Gerald Seymour are very good.
For a change I bought The Human Universe by Prof Brian Cox. I have learnt so much about science and physics especially the birth of our universe.
I admit to being a science geek and am trying to understand the basics of Quantum Mechanics.
Reading East of Eden and my god it's good. Don't really want it to end as I guess the next book I read won't be as good.
I've just started Secret History and loving it so far - extremely well-written and an interesting portrayal of how memory recollection and of certain times/memories in themselves can be very paradoxical and contradictory. The characters are pretentious as feck but then that partially feels like the point to an extent. Disappointing to hear it seemingly dips as it goes on but suspect the writing will (hopefully) be strong enough to allow me to sustain interest all the same.
Decided I'm going to fill my journeys listening to Audible. Book me up real good and proper!
Started book three in the 'Three Body Problem' trilogy by Liu Cixin.
It is very, very good. His world building and establishment of characters is up there with the best in the genre. Makes a welcome change from the dull SciFi we've been fed these last years.
It is very, very good. His world building and establishment of characters is up there with the best in the genre. Makes a welcome change from the dull SciFi we've been fed these last years.
@Jippy How are you liking McCarthy?
I just started what some consider his best, Suttree to treat myself to a slow read. I love tasting his sentences.
I just started what some consider his best, Suttree to treat myself to a slow read. I love tasting his sentences.
The Road was good and the curious pacing/staccato delivery works really well. Also liked that it didn't bother with what had caused the apocalypse.
Did a charity shop run and got The Counsellor by him. Will see how that goes.
What do people think of Ian McEwan? Picked up Atonement. Early days but seems a tad dense.
Nice, I really loved the Counselor movie.
McEwan is one novelist I haven't read but I keep meaning to. Let me know how it goes, I know Atonement is highly rated
I read Amsterdam a couple of years back - interesting at times but also some weird choice I felt plot-wise. Not delved into anymore of his stuff yet though.