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

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

An interesting start to a series. A few too many timing coincidences, but interesting characters and a good read.

Next: Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer. Another of my purchases from earlier this year. Her 9th novel.

A good one.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by HarryT

"Service of all the Dead" by Colin Dexter.

The 4th book in the "Inspector Morse" series. We're still in "pre-TV Morse" days here, and the book Morse will be surprisingly different to those who are only familiar with the TV series.

This book has Morse investigating a puzzling series of murders associated with the church of St. Frideswide in Oxford. The usual complex web of theories and counter-theories follow, which are the joy of all the Morse novels, before the solution is finally revealed. Perhaps not quite as surprising as some of the others, but still a truly excellent book which I thoroughly recommend.

Different, and yet compellingly the same in many ways. I find Colin Dexter's Morse more obvious in some ways, and yet more complex. But John Thaw's version is still very recognizable. And I am enjoying my pass through these early Morse books.

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by caleb72

Now I'm reading a pulp western called The Shopkeeper by James D. Best. This is basically to ensure that I've read at least one book from the western genre as one of my book challenges this year.

This was better than I thought it was going to be. Was quite a good read considering and I became more interested in the characters than I thought I was going to be. I might even review it for my blog although I wasn't originally intending to.

Anyway - pulp western over.

Next up is a novella for my review blog. This one is called The Speed of Winter by B. Morris Allen. Any story that starts with the following lines is going to grab my attention:

The average speed of winter is five meters per second in the steppe and in the desert, but only two meters per second in the valleys. When I first read those words, I was in the high plains of my life, had I but known it, and winter was approaching at great speed. Now I am grey and cold, and winter drags on interminably as I wander the pale, silent valleys of this base.

I hope the rest of the novella is as good as this opening.

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by tecweston

Just Finished:

- 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King - not bad. The ending was kind of anticlimactic, but overall it was enjoyable. When I started reading it, a lot of people told me it was the scariest novel he ever wrote, but I didn't find anything about it scary in the least. Still fun to read, but no way is it scary.

Thanks for that. I haven't read it yet, but I like scary. If this one wasn't for you, could you list a couple that you would qualify as genuinely scary.

I'm always up for a scare - extra points for white knuckles on the Kindle.

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by caleb72

Next up is a novella for my review blog. This one is called The Speed of Winter by B. Morris Allen. Any story that starts with the following lines is going to grab my attention:

I hope the rest of the novella is as good as this opening.

Well that was quick...and bloody grim!

Actually I really enjoyed it as a novella. It was well written and - well - it crushed all hope you could possibly have. People who only like happy endings need not apply.

My next read is an anthology by Robert Dunbar called Martyrs & Monsters. This author seems to be part of a sub-genre of horror called "literary horror" and I've been meaning to try me some. I love horror and I quite often like literary - so what could be better than joining the two?

[benham]

Finished The Camel Club series by David Baldacci and started on The Last Man by Vince Flynn

[Lynx-lynx]

The other day whilst in my local library I just happened to pick up a display book in the history section, and now I've started a mini project which I'll intersperse with fiction books if I feel like something lighter.

The book,

Mirage, Napoleon's Scientists and the Unveiling of Egypt, Burleigh Nina

is, as the title suggests, about Napoleon's adventures/occupation of Egypt from 1798, and is supposed to focus on the Savants who accompanied Napoleon for the purpose of documenting Egypt from the scientific viewpoint.

I don't recommend this book - it doesn't meet it's expectations, doesn't particularly focus on the work of the Scientists, and at times appears to report gossip as opposed to fact.

However - it's started me off on a mini reading project of Napoleon's trip. To that end I've now acquired:

Bonapart in Egypt, J Christopher Herald (first published 1962)

At Aboukir and Acre, GA Henty (1899)

Napoleon's Egypt, Juan Cole (2007)

And am still sussing out Al-Jabarti's Chronicle of the French Occupation 1798. Al-Jabarti was an eye witness and his account will provide the Cairene's perspective.

So .... as I was saying I just happened to be walking past the history section of my local library when .........

[dreams]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

<snip>
Mirage, Napoleon's Scientists and the Unveiling of Egypt, Burleigh Nina

is, as the title suggests, about Napoleon's adventures/occupation of Egypt from 1798, and is supposed to focus on the Savants who accompanied Napoleon for the purpose of documenting Egypt from the scientific viewpoint.
<snip>

I read a book earlier this year that combined that part of history with a fictional story, Napoleon's Pyramids (Ethan Gage Adventure) by William Dietrich. This story did have some errors, but was an interesting read. I was interested to learn more about his Savants, but haven't seen any other books that looked interesting enough about the subject. I did come across an article, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/16/ar...JPbjajRRA&_r=0 and an interesting podcast (Stuff You Missed In History Class - Napoleon in Egypt: The Savants), http://www.avclub.com/articles/napol...savants,80315/

[Lynx-lynx]

Dreams thank you for those links!!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer. Another of my purchases from earlier this year. Her 9th novel.

That was fun! A good romp through late 1500s England and Spain, with a descendent of the eponymous hero of "Simon the Coldheart".

Next: An Agatha Christie, The Hollow. Her 45th mystery book.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Finished Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold. This is the original story of the Quaddies, and set well before any of the actual Vorkosigan stories. Much to my delight it has stood the test of time. Still an excellent story, and a fascinating concept of genetic manipulation to adapt to a specific environment, though the story and the characters are the basis which makes this stand up. Excellent, and it bodes well for my quick run through the Vorkosigan books.

OK, let's catch up here. Finished Cordelia's Honor, a compendium of Shard's of Honor and Barrayar, and also a slight detour to Labyrinth, a short story somewhat out of order. Enjoyed all of these a lot, and moved on to The Warrior's Apprentice, the first actual Miles book in the series. What a character! And what fun I'm having with these.

[NickyWithNook]

My reading glasses were broken and I'm using some cheap ones from the drug store that allow me to physically read but not that comfortably, so stuff is on hold. But I am going to start Second Shift by Hugh Howey when my new glasses come in! (Maybe tomorrow but they said the holiday might delay things.)

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Enjoyed all of these a lot, and moved on to The Warrior's Apprentice, the first actual Miles book in the series. What a character! And what fun I'm having with these.

Yes, a splendid series. And I can't buy the Ivan book until February!

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Yes, a splendid series. And I can't buy the Ivan book until February!

Ah, I bought the eArc when it first came out. I felt fleetingly guilty, until I actually started reading (about 30 seconds after hitting "Buy" on the site). Then I stopped feeling guilty and started enjoying it all.

Miles, especially the early Miles, is such a wonderful, raving, hyper-active lunatic that you can't possibly not laugh out loud at him. And cry with him too.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Next is The Variant Effect by G. Wells Taylor. Horror/science-fiction/police drama it looks like. I have had it on my TBR list for a year and the premise of it keeps intriguing me, so I figured it was time to try it out.

Well, that was interesting, I don't remember ever reading a zombie book before, but I enjoyed it. I don't care for the main characters, but then we aren't supposed to. I am going to continue onto the next one which is a short story, Variant Effect: Painkiller, only 18,000 words, so it won't take too much time.

Edit: And that was quick...finished on the way home from work. Now for something completely different, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, compiled by Nate the great.