Books you're currently reading???

[DanaC]

Oh, I might give that Sykes book a go. Sounds fun.

If youliked that, you'd probably really like Neil Oliver's History of Celtic Britain. He also did an earlier series, History of Ancient Britain, which looks at the very earliest habitation of Britain and takes it right up to the Bronze Age. I love Oliver's style. Very accessible and almost lyrical in places. I could listen to him all day :p But then his Scottish brogue probably helps that.

Here's part 1 of his history of Celtic Britain:

The first five minutes or so recaps what went before in the Ancient Britain series, then moves onto the Celts.

[Trilby]

thanks Dana! I love this stuff!

[wolf]

The Wasp Factor - Iain Banks

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

This is my first Banks book. It's one of his non-SF ones, apparently.

It is fucked up.

(I mean that as high praise at about 20% completion)

[DanaC]

The Wasp Factory is one of my all time favourite books ever. My bro got it whne it first came out (80s) and it did the round o fthe whole family.

It was Banks's debut novel. My God, what an opening salvo.

I hope you haven't been given The Twist yet. Avoid any and all spoilers, because I never saw it coming :p


You can tell which of his are sci-fi and which are 'straight' novels (though many of his straight novels have elements of magical realism to them) by how his name is presented on the book: Iain Banks = straight novel, Iain M Banks = sci-fi.

I haven't really got into his sci-fi (I started Consider Phlebus years ago and didn't click with it), I may give them another go, they're highly respected amongst the sci-fi literati apparently.

Here are a couple of recommendations though for his straight novels:

The Bridge. This has influenced quite a few authors and tv makers over the years. I think Life on Mars may have taken some of its influence from there. A very strange and slightly disturbing book. It all takes place on a giant bridge into which are built apartments and offices and a whole community. Very bureacratic, with importance given to which level you live and work on. There is no end to the Bridge, it just goes on. The main protagonist awakes to find himself there with no memory of before.

Walking on Glass: Again very strange book. This was his second outing, released not too long after Wasp Factory. It contains one of my favourite ever literary devices, which I won;t detail in case it spoils it for you:p It is made up of three separate but ultimately connected story strands, with one of them taking place in a bizarre old castle. Like the Bridge this seems to exist outside of time and reality as we understand it. The occupants engaged in a never ending series of games. My recollection of the other two strands is a little hazy, but something about the couple in the castle just stays with me.

I'm probably not doing it justice, but it really is worth reading.

Espedair Street is also brilliant, but much more of a straight story. It doesn't have the gothic horror of Wasp Factory and Walking on Glass.

The Crow Road is really good, and was adapted into a tv series. I always loved the main character Prentice.

Complicity is an intriguing murder mystery but also a delving into human nature and sin. Be warned, it gets very dark.

A Song of Stone was a return to the slightly bizarre, magical realism of his earlier work. Again quite disturbing in its own little way :P



I am halfway through Transitions, which is his most recent novel. It really is very good. Compelling characters, intrigue and plotting, a kafkaesque agency, and a strange and twisted love story played out across multiple versions of reality.

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by Brianna

thanks Dana! I love this stuff!

Most welcome m'dear

[Gravdigr]

James Patterson's/Andrew Gross' "Judge & Jury"

[DanaC]

Ohhhh. My dad used to love James Patterson's books. I read a few of them that he loaned me. Pretty decent stories. Nicely paced, good sense of atmosphere and solid characters.

[Sundae]

I adore Iain Banks in both his incarnations.
A friend bought me The Wasp Factory and it blew me away.
I mentioned it recently, but I won't link to the post because it gives away The Twist.

Consider Phlebus is interesting, but Use of Weapons and Against a Dark Background are wonderful. Although I lent them to a hard-core sci-fi fan and he dismissed them, so I guess it's about what you're looking for from a book.

I dragged my poor ex-husband up to Scotland on holiday because of The Crow Road. We stayed close to Lochilphead - where we had the best chips I'd ever tasted, served by the surliest chippy EVAH. I was too scared to go back, despite how good they were.

"All your nonsenses and truths, your finery and squalid options..."

[DanaC]

Ohh. God some of the lines he writes just send a shiver down my spine.

[Sundae]

We're agreeing too much.
Say something stupid so I can attack you kthxby.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by Sundae

We're agreeing too much.
Say something stupid so I can attack you kthxby.

Chuh! YOU"RE the chippy!!

[Sundae]

Butt out, bitch!
Stop standing up for Dana - I knew you had a secret girlie gang behind my back and this just proves it.

This will be my last post because you've driven me away from the only board I ever felt comfortable on with your nasty comments. And always directed and me, no-one else. I'm fed up with being your target.

Goodbye.

[Trilby]

Sundae! Come baaaaaaack!

Even though it 'tis true and my attacks have been, indeed, directed at you AND Dana and I are in a girlie gang (we have matching fedoras!) I really, truly want you to come back to the cellar.



So I can beat up on you some more.

[Sundae]

Okay I'm back.
Dana has my address any time you decide to send me a fedora.

[Trilby]

UGH.

Disgusted.

Just finished Discovery of Witches and the author (Deborah Harkness) should be burned at the stake for resurrecting every effing cliche in the canon.

Hated it.

Will throw book across room now.

PS - what is your hat size, darling?