What Books Are We Reading?

[Sancho]

Other than that I've been mostly reading Warhammer 40k novels, which are surprisingly good for the most part.

Which ones, pray tell?

Currently I'm reading "Atlas Infernal", by Rob Sanders. Not as grimdark as 40k novels normally are.

Atlas Infernal is a very good one. A bit of a different take on the whole 40K universe.

I'm a big Dan Abnett fan, if he wrote it, chances are I'll love it. Ravenor, Eisenhorn, Gaunt's Ghosts...

The name escapes me, but there's two books about the Eldar. I've already read the first one, Path Of The Warrior I think it's called, and it was brilliant. The second one was just released.
Dead Men Walking, about the Death Korps Of Krieg is another very good one.

I find that, as long as you stay away from the Space Marine novels, there's usually a lot to enjoy.

[MrBump]

Buddhism, Plain & Simple - Steven Hagen.

Really good introduction to the subject, very clear and well written.  Seperates Buddhist philosophy from Cultural Buddhism.  Anyone interested in this subject and wanting an introduction should definitely check it out.

Mark.

[Philly Q]

Mary, Mary - James Patterson

Just picked it up for lack of anything else to read.  Patterson is a terrible writer, his success is an absolute mystery to me.  He just churns out book after book, plus the ones he "co-writes" with Andrew Gross, Maxine Paetro etc.... and they are all equally awful.  Their only saving grace is that they only take a couple of hours to read and you never have to engage your brain for a second.

[_tom_]

haha I like books like that, pretty much the only things I read are Lee Child or James Patterson books :lol: :oops:

[Philly Q]

Lee Child is OK, they're not great literature but at least they're not badly written.  Same goes for John Grisham.

Patterson's actual writing is so bad.  The dialogue, the descriptions.... the only "trick" he knows is to have very short chapters so the books move fast.  I HATE the bits in the Alex Cross books where he's with his kids, his various girlfriends or his grandmother - not only are they tedious soapy distractions from the main plot, but the way the characters interact, the conversations they have make me cringe!!  :x

I'm often surprised by how many popular writers are actually very bad at writing!  Dick Francis, Clive Cussler, Michael Crichton (Congo is the worst book I've ever read).  Critics always take the piss out of Dan Brown's writing, but he's not the worst - I think his first few books were OK, but The Lost Symbol was terrible.

[Ian Price]

Patterson's actual writing is so bad.  The dialogue, the descriptions.... the only "trick" he knows is to have very short chapters so the books move fast.  I HATE the bits in the Alex Cross books where he's with his kids, his various girlfriends or his grandmother - not only are they tedious soapy distractions from the main plot, but the way the characters interact, the conversations they have make me cringe!!  :x

Yeah - I agree with that Philly. I've read a few of his Alex Cross books. The best things about Kiss the Girls was that it got Ashley Judd on screen for me. I like her a lot.

The dialogue is pretty poor though. From memory there was one cringe inducing section in Kiss the Girls where he wrote about how great the brisket prepared by Nana cross is.

[38thBeatle]

I like Lee Child's books too. I am also keen on Peter James -mainly because they are set in Brighton & Sussex and I know the places in the stories-a bit shallow of me but sometimes shallow is good. I also have a soft spot for Robert Goddard though some of his more recent books have been not quite up to the mark in my opinion though apparently his latest on is supposed to be a return to form.

[Elliot]

Currently two massive 17th century works of tedium: Samuel Rutherford's The Due Right of Presbyteries and John Goodwin's MS to AS - I would not recommend either of these to anyone, but as my other job is a part time history tutor, I have to wade through them.  Fiction wise I am reading Treasure Island in Latin...slowly!

[FELINEGUITARS]

Fiction wise I am reading Treasure Island in Latin...slowly!

You have to read it in Klingon to get the full value

[ElectricTurkey4369]

Has anyone here read any Cormac McCarthy books?

[Philly Q]

Has anyone here read any Cormac McCarthy books?

Only No Country For Old Men - which I read after I saw the film, which (it turns out) represents the book pretty well.

[Loomer]

Other than that I've been mostly reading Warhammer 40k novels, which are surprisingly good for the most part.

Which ones, pray tell?

Currently I'm reading "Atlas Infernal", by Rob Sanders. Not as grimdark as 40k novels normally are.

Atlas Infernal is a very good one. A bit of a different take on the whole 40K universe.

I'm a big Dan Abnett fan, if he wrote it, chances are I'll love it. Ravenor, Eisenhorn, Gaunt's Ghosts...

The name escapes me, but there's two books about the Eldar. I've already read the first one, Path Of The Warrior I think it's called, and it was brilliant. The second one was just released.
Dead Men Walking, about the Death Korps Of Krieg is another very good one.

I find that, as long as you stay away from the Space Marine novels, there's usually a lot to enjoy.

I absolutely ADORE the Gaunt's Ghosts series, and Eisenhorn too. I've also just realised, that the protagonist Czevak from "Atlas Infernal" is basically just Doctor Who in the 40k universe.

[Sancho]

I absolutely ADORE the Gaunt's Ghosts series, and Eisenhorn too. I've also just realised, that the protagonist Czevak from "Atlas Infernal" is basically just Doctor Who in the 40k universe.

If you liked Eisenhorn, you'll probably enjoy Ravenor too. You remember what happens to him in Eisenhorn? It builds from there. Excellent.
Interesting observation about Czevak. I'll ask my wife, once she's read the book, if he reminded her of someone. She's the resident Dr Who nutter of the family ;)

[Loomer]

I absolutely ADORE the Gaunt's Ghosts series, and Eisenhorn too. I've also just realised, that the protagonist Czevak from "Atlas Infernal" is basically just Doctor Who in the 40k universe.

If you liked Eisenhorn, you'll probably enjoy Ravenor too. You remember what happens to him in Eisenhorn? It builds from there. Excellent.
Interesting observation about Czevak. I'll ask my wife, once she's read the book, if he reminded her of someone. She's the resident Dr Who nutter of the family ;)

Seriously, at one point he says "I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry". Completely like the Tenth Doctor!!

[Sifu Ben]

I'm reading Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie, I really enjoyed his First Law series, nice to read heroic fantasy that has a very English feel to it.