Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 1953

pdurrant · 10-09-2020, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: A random pick, The Collected Stories by Arthur C Clarke. 1183 pages of short stories! I picked this up five years ago, so it's time I read it.

If I get tired, I might pick a quick novel to read as an intermission in this massive tome.

So far they're all quite fun. I was amused to see him recycling/re-writing one plot for a later sale elsewhere. I do like that the stories are in the publication order.

SeaBookGuy · 10-09-2020, 07:25 PM

Finishing up Breakfast at Sotheby's, pick-up-and-put-down short essay style on the commercial art world from a longtime insider.

Luffy · 10-10-2020, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

So far they're all quite fun. I was amused to see him recycling/re-writing one plot for a later sale elsewhere. I do like that the stories are in the publication order.

This must be a good find. I've never read a thick short story volume.

poohbear_nc · 10-10-2020, 02:30 PM

Finished John Banville's Snow - no author can better evoke 1950's Ireland in the winter - the bone numbing chill both of the weather and the Catholic church hierarchy.

A crime novel, rather than a mystery, set in a locked snowed-in house at Christmas, that focuses on the individual miseries of the suspects and police force. A Catholic priest is brutally murdered in the night. Where it almost doesn't matter if the Protestant detective solves the case or not -- the Archbishop is sure to suppress any discoveries. Thin on actual mystery, but knee deep in atmosphere and character ... brooding.

Banville teases the reader by using character names found in his previous books - Quirke and Osbourne.

I either read a new Banville novel straight through or drop it after a chapter or two ... I read this one through.

My only quibble (and it applies to many current novels) is that the conclusion is slammed abruptly onto the end of the novel, and its tone is jarringly out of tune with the previous pages. Maybe this was intentional.

haertig · 10-10-2020, 03:03 PM

Recently finished "The Eye of God" by James Rollins. A good Action/Adventure/Thriller book, as are all of his. Rollins is one of the few authors, in my opinion, that can keep a series standing up after more than three books.

Also just finished "Outland" by Dennis Taylor. That was a pretty decent, but not great, book about alternate Earths. I like that genre. Most of the ones I've read recently border on the "young adult" line however. I don't mind that, but would prefer something maybe a little more in depth. I keep dreaming of finding an alternate Earth book or series that deals more with people going through a portal (there is always a portal) and then adapting to the new environment more than trying to make the new environment just like home. For me, the experience is cheapened when you start dragging generators, trucks, bulldozers, and all kinds of stuff through the portal, then start building sheds, fences, etc. In one book, they even drug an airplane through the portal ("Wildside", by Steven Gould). Just go over there and fight off the Smilodons with sticks or something (there is always a Smilodon that pops in for a brief cameo, but rarely anything more substantial).

[edit] p.s. - Oh wait, they drug some really big airplanes through the portal in "Surveyor" by James S. Peet too! But at least those fit in with the overall story since the portal was a bigger, government deal and not a "hobbyist portal" like in some other books. [/edit]

Just abandoned "Runner" by Patrick Lee at 25%. A real shame, because I thoroughly enjoyed his "The Breach" series. Runner was humming along great, well written, good story, and it had me hooked ... up until chapter 11 where a new character "Owen" was introduced and the book turned down a road I didn't want to follow. Sadistic (mostly mental, but a little bit physical). The length and detail of chapter 11 make it clear that Owen and the story about him was going to be prominent going forward in the book. Not something I want to read. I am really bummed about this - I was looking forward to reading more from Patrick Lee, but I'm afraid this one chapter was enough to turn me against reading any more of his books.

Uncle Robin · 10-10-2020, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

My only quibble (and it applies to many current novels) is that the conclusion is slammed abruptly onto the end of the novel, and its tone is jarringly out of tune with the previous pages. Maybe this was intentional.

EVERY blurb for EVERY "psychological thriller" suggests that you are right to think it was intentional, If I had a buck for every "that shocking twist at the end" review these days, I could afford to pay kobo's full price for the books I buy.

Fbone · 10-10-2020, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Next another freebie I picked up over the years, Resurgent (Star Brigade #1) by C.C. Ekeke.

Discarded after 56 pages. This wasn't to my liking. I didn't care for the made up words for time, distance, race and everyday objects. Several humanoid and non-humanoid alien races added to my confusion. To me it seemed this was too ambitious for this author. It also had an amateurish feel to it.

Next is something I actually spent money on, How Dark the World Becomes by Frank Chadwick. Bought during the Kobopocalypse.

Uncle Robin · 10-10-2020, 11:54 PM

The Big Book of Female Detectives ended up being quite a good read - 74 stories of which fewer than 12 failed to resonate with me. Not bad for a book of over 1100 pages. Now on to something shorter and possibly lighter, The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden

CRussel · 10-11-2020, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Next is something I actually spent money on, How Dark the World Becomes by Frank Chadwick. Bought during the Kobopocalypse.

I quite liked this. Got it as part of a Baen Monthly Bundle when it was not one of the books I was buying the bundle for. Pleasant surprise.

haertig · 10-11-2020, 12:30 AM

After abandoning "Runner" as mentioned above, I just starting in on "Dust" by Hugh Howey. The third book in the Silo trilogy (the others are Wool Omnibus and Shift Omnibus). Wool is one of the few books that I rate 5 out of 5 stars. Shift was a a prequel to Wool, and I rated it a 4. I'm happy that Dust is going back and continuing the story from where it left off in Wool. Good to see a few of the old characters back.

Uncle Robin · 10-11-2020, 02:30 AM

I started The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden on the strength of review excerpts on the cover etc. that talked up how "uproariously funny" it is. Forty percent in and I'm finally seeing signs of life on the laughter front, hope fully there's more to come like this:

Quote:

Holger didn’t say anything, but he let his brain go in four different directions at the same time. Anyone who has involuntarily driven around with an atomic bomb in the back of his truck knows the feeling

Camellia · 10-11-2020, 02:39 AM

Picking up The Making Of The Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes. This one's going to take me a long time to finish, but it should be a good ride!

Uncle Robin · 10-11-2020, 06:19 AM

The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden was too long and laggy between the genuinely laugh out loud funny scenes. A few deft turns of phrase were scant payoff for overly long labrynthine setups.

Next up, Death Plays A Part by Lesley Cookson, picked up using VIP Points 17 months ago. The copy in my purchase history is apparently no longer available. Not sure what the difference between it and the edition currently for sale on Kobo are. I am, however, glad I downloaded and deDRM'd it before it vanished - it shows up in "My Books" on the Kobo website, but clicking on it brings up a 404 page.

pdurrant · 10-11-2020, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Next is something I actually spent money on, How Dark the World Becomes by Frank Chadwick. Bought during the Kobopocalypse.

I rad that back in 2013. I gave it 5/5 in calibre. Let's see if I said anything about it... "A most enjoyable Crime/Mil SF story." I hope you enjoy it too.

LDB · 10-11-2020, 11:30 AM

It's time for the quinquennial reading of The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll.

10-10-2020, 03:03 PM	#29285
haertig Wizard Posts: 1,899 Karma: 31522252 Join Date: Sep 2017 Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26	Recently finished "The Eye of God" by James Rollins. A good Action/Adventure/Thriller book, as are all of his. Rollins is one of the few authors, in my opinion, that can keep a series standing up after more than three books. Also just finished "Outland" by Dennis Taylor. That was a pretty decent, but not great, book about alternate Earths. I like that genre. Most of the ones I've read recently border on the "young adult" line however. I don't mind that, but would prefer something maybe a little more in depth. I keep dreaming of finding an alternate Earth book or series that deals more with people going through a portal (there is always a portal) and then adapting to the new environment more than trying to make the new environment just like home. For me, the experience is cheapened when you start dragging generators, trucks, bulldozers, and all kinds of stuff through the portal, then start building sheds, fences, etc. In one book, they even drug an airplane through the portal ("Wildside", by Steven Gould). Just go over there and fight off the Smilodons with sticks or something (there is always a Smilodon that pops in for a brief cameo, but rarely anything more substantial). [edit] p.s. - Oh wait, they drug some really big airplanes through the portal in "Surveyor" by James S. Peet too! But at least those fit in with the overall story since the portal was a bigger, government deal and not a "hobbyist portal" like in some other books. [/edit] Just abandoned "Runner" by Patrick Lee at 25%. A real shame, because I thoroughly enjoyed his "The Breach" series. Runner was humming along great, well written, good story, and it had me hooked ... up until chapter 11 where a new character "Owen" was introduced and the book turned down a road I didn't want to follow. Sadistic (mostly mental, but a little bit physical). The length and detail of chapter 11 make it clear that Owen and the story about him was going to be prominent going forward in the book. Not something I want to read. I am really bummed about this - I was looking forward to reading more from Patrick Lee, but I'm afraid this one chapter was enough to turn me against reading any more of his books. Last edited by haertig; 10-10-2020 at 03:11 PM.

10-11-2020, 06:19 AM	#29293
Uncle Robin Diligent dilettante Posts: 3,661 Karma: 52758936 Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: in my mind Device: Kobo Sage; Kobo Libra Colour	The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden was too long and laggy between the genuinely laugh out loud funny scenes. A few deft turns of phrase were scant payoff for overly long labrynthine setups. Next up, Death Plays A Part by Lesley Cookson, picked up using VIP Points 17 months ago. The copy in my purchase history is apparently no longer available. Not sure what the difference between it and the edition currently for sale on Kobo are. I am, however, glad I downloaded and deDRM'd it before it vanished - it shows up in "My Books" on the Kobo website, but clicking on it brings up a 404 page. Last edited by Uncle Robin; 10-11-2020 at 06:24 AM.

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10-09-2020, 07:25 PM	#29282
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,029 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	Finishing up Breakfast at Sotheby's, pick-up-and-put-down short essay style on the commercial art world from a longtime insider.

10-10-2020, 02:30 PM	#29284
poohbear_nc Bah! Humbug! Posts: 63,586 Karma: 135239851 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	Finished John Banville's Snow - no author can better evoke 1950's Ireland in the winter - the bone numbing chill both of the weather and the Catholic church hierarchy. A crime novel, rather than a mystery, set in a locked snowed-in house at Christmas, that focuses on the individual miseries of the suspects and police force. A Catholic priest is brutally murdered in the night. Where it almost doesn't matter if the Protestant detective solves the case or not -- the Archbishop is sure to suppress any discoveries. Thin on actual mystery, but knee deep in atmosphere and character ... brooding. Banville teases the reader by using character names found in his previous books - Quirke and Osbourne. I either read a new Banville novel straight through or drop it after a chapter or two ... I read this one through. My only quibble (and it applies to many current novels) is that the conclusion is slammed abruptly onto the end of the novel, and its tone is jarringly out of tune with the previous pages. Maybe this was intentional.

10-10-2020, 11:54 PM	#29288
Uncle Robin Diligent dilettante Posts: 3,661 Karma: 52758936 Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: in my mind Device: Kobo Sage; Kobo Libra Colour	The Big Book of Female Detectives ended up being quite a good read - 74 stories of which fewer than 12 failed to resonate with me. Not bad for a book of over 1100 pages. Now on to something shorter and possibly lighter, The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden

10-11-2020, 12:30 AM	#29290
haertig Wizard Posts: 1,899 Karma: 31522252 Join Date: Sep 2017 Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26	After abandoning "Runner" as mentioned above, I just starting in on "Dust" by Hugh Howey. The third book in the Silo trilogy (the others are Wool Omnibus and Shift Omnibus). Wool is one of the few books that I rate 5 out of 5 stars. Shift was a a prequel to Wool, and I rated it a 4. I'm happy that Dust is going back and continuing the story from where it left off in Wool. Good to see a few of the old characters back.

10-11-2020, 02:39 AM	#29292
Camellia She / Her Posts: 48 Karma: 13653962 Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Forma	Picking up The Making Of The Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes. This one's going to take me a long time to finish, but it should be a good ride!

10-11-2020, 11:30 AM	#29295
LDB Baker Street Irregular Posts: 460 Karma: 9920853 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Houston suburb Device: Oasis 3, PaperWhite 5, Aura One, Glowlight Plus, Scribe, Sage	It's time for the quinquennial reading of The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll.