Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 697

poohbear_nc · 08-12-2011, 01:51 PM

I've been having a great time reading Patricia Wentworth's "Miss Silver" mystery novels. Miss Silver isn't a dominant character - but is consulted at some point in the action - to provide a common sense evaluation of the situation. Wentworth creates some wonderfully eccentric characters in each book - very recognizable if you have read a lot of British fiction, esp. set around WWII. Open Road Publishers have produced fine ebook editions - with minimal typos or formatting glitches. The only bothersome format problem I've noticed is occasionally an unexpected line break within a paragraph.

Hamlet53 · 08-12-2011, 02:12 PM

I am a few chapters into All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. I recall liking it when I read it the first time, it must have been around the age of 13 or 14. Now I realize already I was too young then to really appreciate it.

I am also struggling to maintain any interest in Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver in order to finish it for my local library's afternoon book-of-the-month club. Usually 10-15 ladies and 1-2 men.

carld · 08-12-2011, 02:43 PM

I was curious about Amanda Hawking's books since she's had so much success self-publishing in the YA paranormal market. So I picked up Hollowland, the first book of her zombie series. I'm surprised that I'm finding it kind of underwhelming so far. I guess I was expecting something really special, but the writing is a bit flat.

thinkpad · 08-12-2011, 03:48 PM

Just finished But can you drink the water. Telling the story of a British family moving to South Africa and there new life there. I thought it was a good read and very funny. I felt I could relate some because I've been to Durban on holiday.

Started re-reading the fantasy: Kinshield Legacy before starting on the sequel: The Wayfarer King that has just been released.

bevdeforges · 08-12-2011, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassidym

Just finished Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. Extraordinary book about the Marines in Vietnam. Scary and depressing but powerfully written.

Ooh, I've got that in my TBR list. Looked interesting, if perhaps a bit grim.

At the moment, I have three books going:

How to Live by Sarah Bakewell - it's a sort of biography of Michel de Montaigne based on his Essays.

The King's Speech by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi. It's not the book the movie was based on, but rather a bio of Lionel Logue, the "hero" of the movie (or rather the speech coach who worked with the King). Written by his grandson (with help from a journalist), it's actually quite interesting and offers insights they couldn't fit into the film.

La Seduction by Elaine Sciolino - that book about how seduction explains the French way of life. Just started it, but so far it's pretty good.

Illinifan · 08-12-2011, 04:39 PM

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz.

Quirky and funny so far. Nice summertime, light read.

Fbone · 08-12-2011, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Another 60s sci-fi on my list is The Genocides by Thomas M. Disch. I'll read this next.

Interesting but a few "Wha?" disbeliefs. The ending was not as promising as Earth Abides. I wonder when facing genocide will we act similarly.

Doing a change-up for my next read. The Fiddler's Gun a self published novel by A.S. Peterson. It's about a spunky 17yo girl who becomes a sailor on the run from the Royal Navy. Setting is colonial America.

First impression not promising. The trade paperback is poor quality. Uneven pages and difficult to read small font. The author probably figured most people would buy the 99c Kindle version.

pdurrant · 08-12-2011, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Asimov's SF, September 2011 by Dell Magazine Authors

Not as much to my taste as usual.

Next: Analog SFF, October 2011 by Dell Magazine Authors

WT Sharpe · 08-12-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

The High Crusade is simply wonderful. I can't recommend it enough.

I've purchased so many unread books that I couldn't see buying another at this time, but Poul Anderson's The High Crusade looked so interesting that I did add a new folder to my bookmarks list: "Books to Buy." This is the first entry in that folder.

Thanks, Paul!

wachuko · 08-12-2011, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benham

Try Point Of Impact by Stephen Hunter. I am currently reading that and it is really good! OR, better yet try Hunter by Robert Bidinotto. There is a bit of Gabriel Allon in Dylan Hunter. This is Robert's first book and I hope it is not his last.

I have to read Secret Servant before getting to Portrait Of A Spy.

Thank you!

I will get them this week.

xg4bx · 08-12-2011, 11:27 PM

currently reading Taming Fire by Aaron Pogue. its fantasy and kind of reads like Harry Potter and Eragon tossed in a blender with a touch of the seriousness of GRRM. its not graphic but it definitely skews a tad more mature. definitely a steal for its mere 99 cent asking price.

wachuko · 08-12-2011, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wachuko

Thank you!

I will get them this week.

Well... can't find Hunter for my Sony reader. And Point of Impact, I saw the movie, that will spoil reading the book

caleb72 · 08-13-2011, 01:11 AM

Just finished Slaughterhouse-Five. Interesting read.

Fbone · 08-13-2011, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Doing a change-up for my next read. The Fiddler's Gun a self published novel by A.S. Peterson. It's about a spunky 17yo girl who becomes a sailor on the run from the Royal Navy. Setting is colonial America.

First impression not promising. The trade paperback is poor quality. Uneven pages and difficult to read small font. The author probably figured most people would buy the 99c Kindle version.

And it got worse. Very inaccurate historical fiction. Women did not wear hoop skirts and bonnets in 1775 Georgia colony. They didn't say "ok." Orphans were not treated so well either. The orphanage was run by Methodist nuns who kept boys and girls in the same dorm to the age of 17. They ate three fabulous meals each day while the townspeople starved. The book's character says there are no British in the Savannah area yet we know the colony was established by 114 colonists from Britain in 1733. Were there really pirates still around off the US coast in the 1770s?

The book was full of cliches and plot inconsistencies. The book received almost all 5-star reviews. Unexplainable.

I left off after 32 pages so maybe it got better but I wasn't going to go after it. The author's strength is in military (particularly naval) themes.
Also, the book was written for very young adults. One point of interest, this was the first time I saw the word "shew" used.

DixieGal · 08-13-2011, 08:08 AM

I just finished my 36th book for 2011, Terra Incognito by Ruth Downie. It is the second book, Medicus being the first. I got both of them for free or cheap in the "Free or Cheap for Kindle" threads.

They were really good, 5 stars. Ruso, the main character, is a doctor travelling with the 20th Legion in barbarian Britain in the year 118. He is presented with mysterious circumstances, a complicated relationship with his slave, and lots of details about daily life in Roman Britain.

The author, Ruth Downie, has done her research, but she says that she did not stick to true timelines. If something was interesting to her, it went into the story.

These books are funny, serious, educational, and very well written and edited. They get my highest recommendation.

08-13-2011, 08:08 AM	#10455
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I just finished my 36th book for 2011, Terra Incognito by Ruth Downie. It is the second book, Medicus being the first. I got both of them for free or cheap in the "Free or Cheap for Kindle" threads. They were really good, 5 stars. Ruso, the main character, is a doctor travelling with the 20th Legion in barbarian Britain in the year 118. He is presented with mysterious circumstances, a complicated relationship with his slave, and lots of details about daily life in Roman Britain. The author, Ruth Downie, has done her research, but she says that she did not stick to true timelines. If something was interesting to her, it went into the story. These books are funny, serious, educational, and very well written and edited. They get my highest recommendation. Last edited by DixieGal; 08-13-2011 at 08:10 AM.

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08-12-2011, 01:51 PM	#10441
poohbear_nc Bah! Humbug! Posts: 63,470 Karma: 135239851 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	I've been having a great time reading Patricia Wentworth's "Miss Silver" mystery novels. Miss Silver isn't a dominant character - but is consulted at some point in the action - to provide a common sense evaluation of the situation. Wentworth creates some wonderfully eccentric characters in each book - very recognizable if you have read a lot of British fiction, esp. set around WWII. Open Road Publishers have produced fine ebook editions - with minimal typos or formatting glitches. The only bothersome format problem I've noticed is occasionally an unexpected line break within a paragraph.

08-12-2011, 02:12 PM	#10442
Hamlet53 Nameless Being	I am a few chapters into All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. I recall liking it when I read it the first time, it must have been around the age of 13 or 14. Now I realize already I was too young then to really appreciate it. I am also struggling to maintain any interest in Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver in order to finish it for my local library's afternoon book-of-the-month club. Usually 10-15 ladies and 1-2 men.

08-12-2011, 02:43 PM	#10443
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I was curious about Amanda Hawking's books since she's had so much success self-publishing in the YA paranormal market. So I picked up Hollowland, the first book of her zombie series. I'm surprised that I'm finding it kind of underwhelming so far. I guess I was expecting something really special, but the writing is a bit flat.

08-12-2011, 03:48 PM	#10444
thinkpad David Posts: 1,808 Karma: 8916183 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Norway Device: Kindle, E.Edge (sold), Irex Iliad (retired)	Just finished But can you drink the water. Telling the story of a British family moving to South Africa and there new life there. I thought it was a good read and very funny. I felt I could relate some because I've been to Durban on holiday. Started re-reading the fantasy: Kinshield Legacy before starting on the sequel: The Wayfarer King that has just been released.

08-12-2011, 04:39 PM	#10446
Illinifan Connoisseur Posts: 95 Karma: 210032 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Dayton, OH Device: iPad 4, iPhone 4, iPod touch, Sony PRS 300	Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. Quirky and funny so far. Nice summertime, light read.

08-12-2011, 11:27 PM	#10451
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	currently reading Taming Fire by Aaron Pogue. its fantasy and kind of reads like Harry Potter and Eragon tossed in a blender with a touch of the seriousness of GRRM. its not graphic but it definitely skews a tad more mature. definitely a steal for its mere 99 cent asking price.

08-13-2011, 01:11 AM	#10453
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	Just finished Slaughterhouse-Five. Interesting read.