Books

[Cook$]

I seem to start a book thread every so often, so here's another.

I've read a ridiculous amount this year. Got to be close to a hundred books. I pretty much gave up on reading things that I thought I should've read by now (read through a lot of classics and science) and pretty much started reading whatever for pleasure. I got given a Kindle, and it's my absolute favourite thing. I'm desperate for a Kindle Paperwhite but can't justify the expense. I signed up for Kindle unlimited, it's pretty much Netflix for books. So I pretty much started reading crime stuff, and thrillers and that sort of affair. There have been some great ones, and some terrible ones.
Highlights for me have been the Jack Reacher books (read 17 of them this year). Love them, easy enough to read, good attention to detail, but getting a bit tired towards the end)
The Martian by Andy Weir was excellent, and good science.
Currently reading I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes, and it's superb. Grown up Jack Reacher book.

Anyone care to share some?

 

[Spikerz]

I love, love, love reading.

Martian is amazing, all the Jack Reachers are great.

I tend to fall on the side of Sci-Fi/Urban Fantasy

The Rivers of London Series by Ben Aaronovitch
The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Anything Warhammer 40K by Black Library
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss
Diamond Age, Snow Crash, Necronomicon, Neal Stephenson
Honor Harrington series by David Weber

 

[Cook$]

I hated American Gods. Went on forever and just didn't get going. Neverwhere was pretty good.

 

[Missy-Q]

Shame. I thought the concept was great, and an indictment of American capitalism in an interesting format.

 

[Cook$]

Maybe the wrong genre for me. Not my cup of tea.

 

[Shepherd:03]

I love, love, love reading.

Martian is amazing, all the Jack Reachers are great.

I tend to fall on the side of Sci-Fi/Urban Fantasy

The Rivers of London Series by Ben Aaronovitch
The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Anything Warhammer 40K by Black Library
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss
Diamond Age, Snow Crash, Necronomicon, Neal Stephenson
Honor Harrington series by David Weber

Agreed on Kingkiller Chronicles - a friend gave me The Name Of The Wind and it was the best book I read that year. The Slow Regard of Silent Things novella was odd but good, and I'm getting frustrated waiting for the third main book. Have you read Paul Hoffman's Left Hand of God trilogy?

I was keen on the Black Library books, but they can be a little hit or miss and I've gotten pretty disillusioned with GW generally since Age of Sigmar came out.

I've just about finished Defeat Into Victory, a British Field Marshal's account of the war in Burma in WW2. There aren't many first-hand books at the high command level - it's pretty insightful about a less well-known part of WW2 and also just how crucial logistics and preparation are.

 

[smudgerebt]

The Jack Reacher books, the later ones have lost the way.

 

[I can't shoot straight]

I'm self employed, and work by myself so I listen to audiobooks all day. Great for passing the time, and keeping my mind active.

I've just finished, The Martian - Andy Weir, And The Dark Tower series by Stephen King
I loved them both, but the Dark tower series is very long.

 

[Canon Fodder]

Ready Player One (Ernest Cline) was good. The Book of Dave (Will Self) was excellent, avoid Umbrella by Will Self, I found it a confusing mess to read, but it could just be I'm too thick for it.

 

[Tony Harrison]

I read a lot when I was a teenager - all the Hitchiker's Guide books, and all the Tolkien stuff. There was a short story called "The Jaren" which I liked as well.

Recently, I bought "Dominion" by C J Sansom, based on what could have happened if Britain had surrendered in 1940. Very depressing and not a very engaging writing style, I thought.