Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 333

WT Sharpe · 05-27-2010, 09:06 PM

Thanks to an endorsement by neilmarr, I just finished reading Life...with no breaks by Nick Spalding. It's a wonderful book, written as a challenge to himself entirely in one sitting. It has the comfortable feel of a dialogue between two friends, and like a dialogue between two friends, it's at times funny and other times poignant; but always interesting. Highly recommended.

shootingMaNs · 05-28-2010, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

This is a story about a group of Hammer's Slammers. You do know that Baen are publishing the three volume "Complete Hammer's Slammers"?

http://www.webscription.net/p-1056-t...-volume-1.aspx
http://www.webscription.net/p-1110-t...-volume-2.aspx
http://www.webscription.net/p-1254-t...-volume-3.aspx

The third volume isn't out yet - it should be available (in ebook) in mid October. They are/will be also available as trade paperbacks. These are the general release versions of the hardbacks from Night Shade Books. (I have the very nice limited edition leather-bound hardbacks on my shelf, bought before Baen signed up to release them as well. But I'll probably only get around to reading them in ebook...)

Didn't know that. Bought the first two ebook volumes this morning.

Currently reading "Flood" by Stephen Baxter. So far, a great disaster novel.

neilmarr · 05-28-2010, 02:26 AM

***I just finished reading Life...with no breaks by Nick Spalding***

Glad you liked that wee book, WT. I swapped a few mails with Nick after I'd read it and it seems to be doing pretty well. Cheers. Neil

FlorenceArt · 05-28-2010, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluesman7

Well, sorry to say that Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin just didn't do it for me.

Made it through the first third of the book before I decided it was time to move on.

C'est la vie...I think a little Dennis Lehane injection will wake me up and put me right.

Sorry to hear that! Dennis Lehane is good, or maybe I shouldn't say that? Which one are you planning to read?

Still wanting to re-read Winter's Tale. I don't suppose it's available as e-book? I don't have the p-book any more.

pilotbob · 05-28-2010, 09:56 AM

I finished _The Machine Stops_. It is refreshing to finish a book so quickly after the last 4 monsters I read.

Was thinking of starting _Topper_ but perhaps I will catch up on some periodicals until the June MRBC selection is made.

BOb

Bluesman7 · 05-28-2010, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Sorry to hear that! Dennis Lehane is good, or maybe I shouldn't say that? Which one are you planning to read?

I like to use Lehane's books as "beach reading" in between the more critically acclaimed titles I have on my lists...(Best Of Decade, Best Of Last 25 Years, Pulitzer/Booker Awards, etc.)

The one I'm reading currently is "Sacred"...the third in the Kenzie/Gennaro series.

I did feel a twinge of guilt for giving up on "Winter's Tale" but I don't seem to respond to fantasy as a genre all that well. (Though I try not to let prejudice keep me from trying new books.)

WT Sharpe · 05-28-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I finished _The Machine Stops_. It is refreshing to finish a book so quickly after the last 4 monsters I read.

Was thinking of starting _Topper_ but perhaps I will catch up on some periodicals until the June MRBC selection is made.

BOb

Yes! Topper! It's a page turner whose irreverent humor holds up amazingly well! One of my all-time favorites!

In an era of Hollywood remakes, I'm surprised no one has decided to remake the movie based on it. This book is hilarious!

Read Topper, BOb! You'll enjoy it! You can always read the magazines in the bathroom!

FlorenceArt · 05-28-2010, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluesman7

I like to use Lehane's books as "beach reading" in between the more critically acclaimed titles I have on my lists...(Best Of Decade, Best Of Last 25 Years, Pulitzer/Booker Awards, etc.)

The one I'm reading currently is "Sacred"...the third in the Kenzie/Gennaro series.

I did feel a twinge of guilt for giving up on "Winter's Tale" but I don't seem to respond to fantasy as a genre all that well. (Though I try not to let prejudice keep me from trying new books.)

Well, just check the Reader's Rights Declaration, it's right there:

Quote:

Right #3 The Reader shall have the right to hate any book for any reason whatsoever
Right #4 The Reader shall be free to stop reading any book at any time

I don't see Winter's Tale as a fantasy book personnally, but my recollection is rather vague, and there were some fantasy elements.

I liked the Kenzie/Gennaro series, but not as much as Mystic River and Shutter Island.

Bluesman7 · 05-28-2010, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Well, just check the Reader's Rights Declaration, it's right there:

I don't see Winter's Tale as a fantasy book personnally, but my recollection is rather vague, and there were some fantasy elements.

I liked the Kenzie/Gennaro series, but not as much as Mystic River and Shutter Island.

I like those rights you pointed to...though I guess I still can't get past the bit of guilt. (I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.

)

Read and enjoyed "Shutter Island". Looking forward to "The Given Day" and "Mystic River" (which I've seen but don't remember all that much about at the moment).

As to "Winter's Tale" perhaps you are right and I shouldn't categorize it as "Fantasy" per se...though it does make use of quite a bit of fantasy and allegory. And though I can clearly see that Helprin has talent and a way with words, the story and characters themselves just didn't hit me where I live.

FlorenceArt · 05-28-2010, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluesman7

I like those rights you pointed to...though I guess I still can't get past the bit of guilt. (I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.

)

Read and enjoyed "Shutter Island". Looking forward to "The Given Day" and "Mystic River" (which I've seen but don't remember all that much about at the moment).

As to "Winter's Tale" perhaps you are right and I shouldn't categorize it as "Fantasy" per se...though it does make use of quite a bit of fantasy and allegory. And though I can clearly see that Helprin has talent and a way with words, the story and characters themselves just didn't hit me where I live.

Ah, well, nothing I can say to that

Will have to check The Given Day, I hadn't heard about it.

DixieGal · 05-28-2010, 10:29 AM

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb. That's right, dragons. It was a freebie from B&N. The cover was interesting, okay? Gimme a break, you know I despise dragon stories. And the cast of characters was several pages long, and I fell asleep reading who owns which dragon. And it stinks of YA lit. But I like Hobbs, so I plan on giving it a fair try, 20 pages or so to decide. It's about dragons.

FlorenceArt · 05-28-2010, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb. That's right, dragons. It was a freebie from B&N. The cover was interesting, okay? Gimme a break, you know I despise dragon stories. And the cast of characters was several pages long, and I fell asleep reading who owns which dragon. And it stinks of YA lit. But I like Hobbs, so I plan on giving it a fair try, 20 pages or so to decide. It's about dragons.

That's what I'm reading also. Almost at the end now. Definitely not her best, but OK after a while.

pshrynk · 05-28-2010, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb. That's right, dragons. It was a freebie from B&N. The cover was interesting, okay? Gimme a break, you know I despise dragon stories. And the cast of characters was several pages long, and I fell asleep reading who owns which dragon. And it stinks of YA lit. But I like Hobbs, so I plan on giving it a fair try, 20 pages or so to decide. It's about dragons.

So....

Any dragons in that story?

FlorenceArt · 05-28-2010, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshrynk

So....

Any dragons in that story?

About nineteen I believe. Plus the two that have disappeared but will no doubt resurface sooner or later in the course of the trilogy

DixieGal · 05-28-2010, 11:01 AM

Trilogy? Awww crud. I MUST get back to Discworld soon, because I have fallen as low as dragons. I'm almost at rock bottom, which is, of course, insecure women who love vampires.

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05-27-2010, 09:06 PM	#4981
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	Thanks to an endorsement by neilmarr, I just finished reading Life...with no breaks by Nick Spalding. It's a wonderful book, written as a challenge to himself entirely in one sitting. It has the comfortable feel of a dialogue between two friends, and like a dialogue between two friends, it's at times funny and other times poignant; but always interesting. Highly recommended.

05-28-2010, 02:26 AM	#4983
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	*I just finished reading Life...with no breaks by Nick Spalding* Glad you liked that wee book, WT. I swapped a few mails with Nick after I'd read it and it seems to be doing pretty well. Cheers. Neil

05-28-2010, 09:56 AM	#4985
pilotbob Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,832 Karma: 11844413 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Device: Kindle Touch	I finished _The Machine Stops_. It is refreshing to finish a book so quickly after the last 4 monsters I read. Was thinking of starting _Topper_ but perhaps I will catch up on some periodicals until the June MRBC selection is made. BOb

05-28-2010, 10:29 AM	#4991
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb. That's right, dragons. It was a freebie from B&N. The cover was interesting, okay? Gimme a break, you know I despise dragon stories. And the cast of characters was several pages long, and I fell asleep reading who owns which dragon. And it stinks of YA lit. But I like Hobbs, so I plan on giving it a fair try, 20 pages or so to decide. It's about dragons.

05-28-2010, 11:01 AM	#4995
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Trilogy? Awww crud. I MUST get back to Discworld soon, because I have fallen as low as dragons. I'm almost at rock bottom, which is, of course, insecure women who love vampires.