What are we listening to? (audiobooks) - Page 115

badgoodDeb · 07-01-2016, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

Lovely, lovely pain meds! I hope you're on the mend soon, Charlie! In my one experience of a root canal, I thought the toothache that occasioned it was worse than the procedure, but I'm sure that's a YMMV situation.

That also sounds like a function of the very lovely pain meds!

CRussel · 07-01-2016, 05:34 PM

First root canal I had (45 years ago), it was like that. When he hit the pocket with the drill, and released the pressure, it was like all my pain was gone. This is different -- a dying tooth that isn't quite dead yet. And this dentist is not really an endodontist. Nice kid and all, but his father was a better dentist. So I'm surviving.

I have a couple of books I'm listening to now, but mostly the second book of The Sharing Knife, read by Bernadette Dunne.

booklover6 · 07-02-2016, 08:58 AM

I'm on book 3 of the Extinction Cycle by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. Fantastic post apoc. After I finish book 5, it's back to Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. #7 Lover Avenged is next. These are working very well as audio books, some I had to buy, some I got from the Brooklyn library.

issybird · 07-06-2016, 05:55 PM

I finished The Far Side of the World and it was a very good thing I hadn't loaded the next book onto my waterproof mp3 player,* as I'd have been mightily tempted to segue right into it.

I was a little let down with this at first, as I've tended to prefer the "plottier" books and it was obvious that not much was going to happen with this one. But it sneaked up on me. The title tells it; in the age of sail, a trip to the far side of the world doesn't happen in a hurry, and this was the account of the various ways time was killed, from singing to lessons to cataloging beetles to a tragic love affair. And then there was the inventiveness of it; as for example in the hilarious account of Stephen's falling overboard (again) and the repercussions.

For those who haven't read it in a while, this novel is both the halfway mark and the one with the author's note acknowledging that he's running out of war. So he's about to get more creative; I can't help worrying a bit that I won't like the meandering timeline as much as I've liked the books so far. But like them I will, I know.

*Two young girls very nicely drew my attention to it before I got into the water, as they feared I had forgotten it. Kudos to them; even an adult might not make that effort.

Catlady · 07-07-2016, 12:02 PM

I listened to Margot, by Jillian Cantor. This book imagines that Anne Frank's older sister--the title character--escaped the camps and was mistakenly listed as dead. She's made her way to the U.S., and by 1959, when the film version of Anne's diary is released, she is secretly living in Philadelphia as Margie Franklin. This was an intriguing tale about a little-known person who shared Anne's experiences in hiding.

I liked it enough to pick up another novel by Cantor, The Hours Count, about the children of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, but I haven't started that one yet, as some library holds have come through.

CRussel · 07-07-2016, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I finished The Far Side of the World and it was a very good thing I hadn't loaded the next book onto my waterproof mp3 player,* as I'd have been mightily tempted to segue right into it.

I was a little let down with this at first, as I've tended to prefer the "plottier" books and it was obvious that not much was going to happen with this one. But it sneaked up on me. The title tells it; in the age of sail, a trip to the far side of the world doesn't happen in a hurry, and this was the account of the various ways time was killed, from singing to lessons to cataloging beetles to a tragic love affair. And then there was the inventiveness of it; as for example in the hilarious account of Stephen's falling overboard (again) and the repercussions.

For those who haven't read it in a while, this novel is both the halfway mark and the one with the author's note acknowledging that he's running out of war. So he's about to get more creative; I can't help worrying a bit that I won't like the meandering timeline as much as I've liked the books so far. But like them I will, I know.

*Two young girls very nicely drew my attention to it before I got into the water, as they feared I had forgotten it. Kudos to them; even an adult might not make that effort.

Fear not. A couple of my absolute favourite moments come in the later books. And Jack and Stephen are back on the Surprise.

issybird · 07-07-2016, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

Fear not. A couple of my absolute favourite moments come in the later books. And Jack and Stephen are back on the Surprise.

Now that I've finished Far Side of the World, I figure I can watch the movie Master and Commander. I'm not sure what I'll make of Russell Crowe's Jack Aubrey, but I'm sure the visuals are stunning and will make much more accurate my sense of the ships. I'm always so surprised when I see a recreated vessel at how tiny they were!

Now I just have to be in the mood for watching something, which I almost never am. Has anyone else here seen it?

CRussel · 07-07-2016, 08:04 PM

Well, certainly I've seen it. And I quite enjoyed it, finding the recreation fairly accurate in ways that Hollywood often isn't. I did find Paul Bettany as Stephan not at all convincingly ill-looking, but Russell Crowe, while not nearly blonde enough, a good Jack. The movie is a weird amalgam of at least the two books, and parts of others, but still worth the watch.

I'm really getting more than ready to start doing a re-read of these books.

Conan46 · 07-07-2016, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

Now that I've finished Far Side of the World, I figure I can watch the movie Master and Commander. I'm not sure what I'll make of Russell Crowe's Jack Aubrey, but I'm sure the visuals are stunning and will make much more accurate my sense of the ships. I'm always so surprised when I see a recreated vessel at how tiny they were!

Now I just have to be in the mood for watching something, which I almost never am. Has anyone else here seen it?

Excellent movie. Loved the interaction between the characters, and beautiful scenery.
I really need to read the book

FizzyWater · 07-07-2016, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I loved it. Sebastian St. Cyr was a most interesting character who was nicely drawn as nobler than he would admit but with enough chinks in his armor to let you know that he's far from a perfect human being. His love interest, Kat Boleyn, was an interesting woman in her own right; a prostitute with a rather mysterious past who he would have married at one time. His father had his own secrets, and while understanding his motives makes him understandable as a character, I couldn't approve of everything he did. A wonderful mystery, with perhaps one too many remarkable escapes, but interesting through the final chapter. I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars. I feel compelled to warn the faint-hearted, though, that the villain of the book seems to be a character straight out of Criminal Minds; a rather nasty sort who rapes and kills women — not necessarily in that order.

I really enjoy this series. If you've only read the first one and didn't like the father's actions, just you wait!

It's not a cozy mystery series and the author isn't afraid to kill off characters (not gonna say more, don't want to spoiler it).

It's always interesting to me to read on this thread. I was frustrated with Davina Porter's narration for these books. I just didn't think her voice fit the characters. But I got used to her and I was willing to listen to the entire series by her.

issybird · 07-07-2016, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

I'm really getting more than ready to start doing a re-read of these books.

I could be persuaded to a read-along.

Except for the first book (which I think you planned to skip anyway), I haven't yet read them in any case!

CRussel · 07-07-2016, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I could be persuaded to a read-along.

Except for the first book (which I think you planned to skip anyway), I haven't yet read them in any case!

You're right, I would skip that, I've read it enough times. Maybe we should organize an O'Brien Book Club.

That would keep us focused. But I was likely to do a listen this round.

CRussel · 07-07-2016, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan46

Excellent movie. Loved the interaction between the characters, and beautiful scenery.
I really need to read the book

The catch is, it's parts of several books.

issybird · 07-08-2016, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

You're right, I would skip that, I've read it enough times. Maybe we should organize an O'Brien Book Club.

That would keep us focused. But I was likely to do a listen this round.

Listen, read, it would be up to the participant. Heck, in my case, I've read the first and listened to Patrick Tull narrate it, but I haven't heard Simon Vance's take on it yet!

I could well decide to do that.

I think it could be fun. It's always a pleasure to discuss wonderful books; it adds to my appreciation.

CRussel · 07-08-2016, 12:52 PM

Now, see, I've read it, and listened to the Patrick Tull narration. But I don't think I've ever listened to the Simon Vance version? Not sure. I know I've listened to segments of it. I remember we had a spirited (and friendly) discussion about the relative merits of each a couple of years ago.

If we could get a couple or four more people to come along for the ride, I'd be more than willing to start at the beginning and do a group read. Otherwise, I might just jump in where you are and read with you.

07-06-2016, 05:55 PM	#1714
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,313 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	I finished The Far Side of the World and it was a very good thing I hadn't loaded the next book onto my waterproof mp3 player,* as I'd have been mightily tempted to segue right into it. I was a little let down with this at first, as I've tended to prefer the "plottier" books and it was obvious that not much was going to happen with this one. But it sneaked up on me. The title tells it; in the age of sail, a trip to the far side of the world doesn't happen in a hurry, and this was the account of the various ways time was killed, from singing to lessons to cataloging beetles to a tragic love affair. And then there was the inventiveness of it; as for example in the hilarious account of Stephen's falling overboard (again) and the repercussions. For those who haven't read it in a while, this novel is both the halfway mark and the one with the author's note acknowledging that he's running out of war. So he's about to get more creative; I can't help worrying a bit that I won't like the meandering timeline as much as I've liked the books so far. But like them I will, I know. Two young girls very nicely drew my attention to it before I got into the water, as they feared I had forgotten it. Kudos to them; even an adult might not make that effort. Last edited by issybird; 07-06-2016 at 05:58 PM.*

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07-01-2016, 05:34 PM	#1712
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	First root canal I had (45 years ago), it was like that. When he hit the pocket with the drill, and released the pressure, it was like all my pain was gone. This is different -- a dying tooth that isn't quite dead yet. And this dentist is not really an endodontist. Nice kid and all, but his father was a better dentist. So I'm surviving. I have a couple of books I'm listening to now, but mostly the second book of The Sharing Knife, read by Bernadette Dunne.

07-02-2016, 08:58 AM	#1713
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,545 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre 1, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle, Kobo Libre Colour	I'm on book 3 of the Extinction Cycle by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. Fantastic post apoc. After I finish book 5, it's back to Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. #7 Lover Avenged is next. These are working very well as audio books, some I had to buy, some I got from the Brooklyn library.

07-07-2016, 12:02 PM	#1715
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,418 Karma: 52613881 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	I listened to Margot, by Jillian Cantor. This book imagines that Anne Frank's older sister--the title character--escaped the camps and was mistakenly listed as dead. She's made her way to the U.S., and by 1959, when the film version of Anne's diary is released, she is secretly living in Philadelphia as Margie Franklin. This was an intriguing tale about a little-known person who shared Anne's experiences in hiding. I liked it enough to pick up another novel by Cantor, The Hours Count, about the children of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, but I haven't started that one yet, as some library holds have come through.

07-07-2016, 08:04 PM	#1718
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	Well, certainly I've seen it. And I quite enjoyed it, finding the recreation fairly accurate in ways that Hollywood often isn't. I did find Paul Bettany as Stephan not at all convincingly ill-looking, but Russell Crowe, while not nearly blonde enough, a good Jack. The movie is a weird amalgam of at least the two books, and parts of others, but still worth the watch. I'm really getting more than ready to start doing a re-read of these books.

07-08-2016, 12:52 PM	#1725
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	Now, see, I've read it, and listened to the Patrick Tull narration. But I don't think I've ever listened to the Simon Vance version? Not sure. I know I've listened to segments of it. I remember we had a spirited (and friendly) discussion about the relative merits of each a couple of years ago. If we could get a couple or four more people to come along for the ride, I'd be more than willing to start at the beginning and do a group read. Otherwise, I might just jump in where you are and read with you.