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

[Patricia]

Thrones, Dominations was a bit wooden. Hoever Jill Paton Walsh's next outing with Lord Peter Wimsey, A Presumption of Death, is an improvement, with some nice descriptions of wartime Oxfordshire.

But I think her Imogen Quy series is rather better than her Wimsey books (--they are about a college nurse in Oxford, who turns detective).

[nekokami]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

hmm... sounds quite interesting. have you read any of them ? can you comment on the style and the quality of the plot ?

I've read all of them, and I thought they were quite well written. The advantage here is that the main characters in these books are NOT Holmes and Watson (though they do occasionally appear), but characters who were relatively incidental to the story in "A Scandal in Bohemia", so it's easier for the author to avoid messing up the characterization of well-established existing characters.

They are not additional Holmes stories, but they are period mysteries, the characters are engaging, the plots hang together, and there's quite a bit of humor. I'd recommend the first one with no reservations to anyone who likes Victorian-era mysteries. After that, it would depend on whether you like the characters. I've re-read all but the last one, I think (only because I don't have it yet-- I read hardcovers from the library, usually).

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Patricia

Thrones, Dominations was a bit wooden. Hoever Jill Paton Walsh's next outing with Lord Peter Wimsey, A Presumption of Death, is an improvement, with some nice descriptions of wartime Oxfordshire.

But I think her Imogen Quy series is rather better than her Wimsey books (--they are about a college nurse in Oxford, who turns detective).

i gave up after Thrones (i found it too big a disappointment) but maybe i'll try a Presumption of Death, if you say it's better. i'll also look into the Imogen Quy series, which i had never heard of before. thanks for the recommendation.

Originally Posted by nekokami

I've read all of them, and I thought they were quite well written. The advantage here is that the main characters in these books are NOT Holmes and Watson (though they do occasionally appear), but characters who were relatively incidental to the story in "A Scandal in Bohemia", so it's easier for the author to avoid messing up the characterization of well-established existing characters.

They are not additional Holmes stories, but they are period mysteries, the characters are engaging, the plots hang together, and there's quite a bit of humor. I'd recommend the first one with no reservations to anyone who likes Victorian-era mysteries. After that, it would depend on whether you like the characters. I've re-read all but the last one, I think (only because I don't have it yet-- I read hardcovers from the library, usually).

ok, i'll definitely check them out, they sound good (i do like period mysteries aside from the authentic ones we've mentioned so far i also quite like the Anne Perry books for example). as you say, it's probably a lot easier to use an existing but little-shown character as a "jumping off point" than to try your hand at a sacred monster like Holmes (or Wimsey), and really all i ask of a book is that it be well-written and intelligently plotted in its own right. after that of course if you don't like the characters there's nothing to do but that's purely subjective... i hope they have (at least one) at my library ; that's where i get a lot of my books as well, especially if it's an author i don't know yet.

[GeoffC]

Can anybody recommend this

"Carpe Diem: How to Become a Latin Lover" - Fictionwise, Harry Mount, as an introduction to Latin...(the language you.....)

[Lobolover]

chapter 26 of "The lair of the whit worm" .

[astra]

Just finished The Burning Stone [Crown of Stars, Book 3] by Kate Elliott.

As its predecessors it has some flaws. Sometimes too much of unnecessary descriptions, on some occasions it is a tedious read but mostly it is a very interesting book. Plot lines become more clear and show a promise for future intrigue. Quite often I could not put down the book, just wanted to read on and on to learn what is going to happen.
7 out of 10

Now, a short respite from Epic fantasy when I am going to read The Secret History of Moscow by Ekaterina Sedia

[DixieGal]

Originally Posted by astra

Now, a short respite from Epic fantasy when I am going to read The Secret History of Moscow by Ekaterina Sedia

I'm feeling a bit bloated on scifi/fantasy also. When I finish *our* Joe Swope's Need for Magic, I think I'll read something financial. I like the Rich Dad/Poor Dad series, but the latest offering is on how to make $$$ on real estate during the housing crisis - not interested. Anybody got a suggestion for something POSITIVE and current relating to finance?

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

I'm feeling a bit bloated on scifi/fantasy also. When I finish *our* Joe Swope's Need for Magic, I think I'll read something financial. I like the Rich Dad/Poor Dad series, but the latest offering is on how to make $$$ on real estate during the housing crisis - not interested. Anybody got a suggestion for something POSITIVE and current relating to finance?

Napoleans _Thing and Grow Rich_ which is on Manybooks.net and _The Richest Man in Babylon_ which still seems to be copyrighted.

BOb

[pilotbob]

Actually George Samuel Clason died in 1957... so wouldn't _Richest Man_ be in the public domain now?

BOb

[DixieGal]

Ahem...

I believe I asked for CURRENT......

But I love ya anyways!

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Ahem...

I believe I asked for CURRENT......

But I love ya anyways!

The books are old, but the information is just as basic and valuable as it was when written. If everyone followed the advice in Richest Man we would have alot less forcolsures and backruptcies.

Good luck on your quest:

BOb

[Lobolover]

Got "The house of sounds and others" by M.P.Shiel and will start soon.

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Napoleans _Thing and Grow Rich_ which is on Manybooks.net and _The Richest Man in Babylon_ which still seems to be copyrighted.

BOb

I believe that we now have three versions of Napoleon Hill's 'Think and Grow Rich' here.

[Lobolover]

"The weaver in the vault" by CAS .

[BlackVoid]

Originally Posted by cherdman

Reading Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe...Holy cow...

...soon I will start the Mass Effect novel Revleation (in anticipation for the 360 game).

I am reading the same. IT IS GREAT! The first book is a bit slow, but it really gets better in the 2nd. I am now a Wolfe fan.

Before that I tried the Vorkosigan Saga by Bujold, but I was REALLY disappointed. The hero who is always right and always wins - it is just totally unrealistic and predictable. I really hate all-knowing superheroes in books. I also tried Stardoc - the same syndrome, LAME. These superhero books are like the Holywood movies - after 10 minutes you know the ending and also know who will die. They are sooooo predictable.