Books you're currently reading???

[TonyE]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Tony, I know you were Quarantine (sp?) but are you also Carruthers?
I'm not stalking you, it's just wonderful and strange to come across people in geographical proximity on a global forum. And by proximity I mean less than an hour away - which is housemates by the standards of many Dwellars.

Hi Sundae, Feel free to stalk. I am not Carruthers, I've only had the 2 usernames here.

[wolf]

Zendegi - Greg Egan

More future history than science fiction, but interesting.

[Sundae]

Looks like I will take Mum's Kindle to Glasgow.
Recommendations?
Some description rather than just title and author please.

I will hijack this thread for the next 3 days.

[DanaC]

Stephen Leather's 'Nightfall: The First Jack Nightingale Supernatural Thriller'

Followed by 'Midnight'.

I am eagerly awaiting the next one which will be released in January.


One of my favourite recent discoveries. Starts out fairly normal PI type stuff. Then descends into oddness. I really like the central character Jack Nightingale. He's very well drawn.

The whole thing has a quirky dark humour. Very well written. Bags of character and a plot that keeps you wanting to know more.

Check out the Look Inside free sample:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nightfall-Ni...A3TVV12T0I6NSM

http://www.jacknightingale.com/

[wolf]

Because it's that time of year, I've read A Christmas Carol for the umpety-umpth time.

How does it get better everytime, even though it's so familiar ...

Now reading Killer Genesis - by Axel Kilgore ... pen name for Jerry Ahern

Sundae, I really enjoyed More Blood, More Sweat, and another Cup of Tea, but it might not do as well for you ... it's a collection of blog entries by a British Emergency Medical Technician. I hang out with EMTs and I found it funny and truthful, but some of the stuff might get a bit grimmy for civilians. And it's only 49 pence, or whatever you call your smallest clanky money.

I was looking over the Amazon.co.uk offerings, didn't know if you'd read Stieg Larson's Millenium trilogy yet. The first one takes a bit of getting into, and there are some nasty bits, but overall, it's a solid mystery.

then I had this idea ... Since you're going to Glasgow, do you want to read something set there? I found a website that lists books set in Scotland.

[Sundae]

Ta.

Haven't read Larson yet - good idea. I can do nasty bits.

And I think I'll try the Medical Technician thing - Mum used to be a despatcher for the Ambulance Service. I heard plenty of anecdotes that I was really too young to deal with, because I was the only one awake when she came home (Dad also worked shifts and my siblings slept like the dead - I'd hear her come in and get up to make her a cup of tea).

I value a good British book, some of my favourite authors (Kate Atkinson, Ian Banks, Rankin et al) write about Scotland, but I will check that site before I go.

[Gravdigr]

"The Quest of Lee Garrison" by Max Brand

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by wolf

Zendegi - Greg Egan

More future history than science fiction, but interesting.

I adore Greg Egan's work. I remember the first of his that I ever read. It was called Quarantine I think (or Quarantined). The book cover was awful. Looked like one of the worst pulp sci-fi hack jobs. God alone knows why I picke dit up, there was just something about it that caught me. It was awesome. Really truly awesome. Mindblowing stuff.

I've since read several of his stories and haven't yet found one that didn't stretch my mind a little :p


He's also done some really great non-fiction essays on issues that matter to him (like Australia's approach to asylum control for instance).


Wolf, have you ever read any Jeff Noon? If not check his stuff out. He's a British author and his work sits somewhere between sci-fi and magical realism (according to a website I just looked at he is the 'celebrated pioneer of urban fantasy'). Very much a child of the Gibson era, but with a touch of Clockwork Orange. All his early stuff is set in Manchester, though it's very much an imagined Manchester. Despite the way its warped into something different, as a Manc, I totally recognise it.

First one's called Vurt and won the 1994 Arthur C Clark award.
Don't know if it's available on Kindle though.

It was available as an audiobook on cassette (!). I have a copy, but it's a bit fucked on the sound I think...

It's on my list of top ten favourite books of all time. That said, it has its critics, and as Noon's debut novel it isn't as polished as his later work. Pollen, the followup to Vurt is in some ways a better book. It's beautiful and lyrical and has a depth and texture to it that I can still feel when I think of it.

Both those early books are special to me, because that was the initial discovery. Since then he's written some really important stuff, that pushes the envelope and plays with the very idea of literature and words. And numbers too...Nymphomation for instance.

I could go on all night, so I better stop now.

This page is a brilliant write up of his works, in order. Shows the progression of concepts and styles.

http://www.themodernword.com/scripto...oon_works.html

[infinite monkey]

I recently finished my third Kate Atkinson book with the Jackson Brodie character.

When Will There Be Good News? Before that Case Histories and One Good Turn.

I think the next JB book is Started Early, Took My Dog. My library doesn't have it yet.

I've never really been into serial character books, but these are so good!

edit: I think I have a crush on Jackson. Is that wrong?

[Trilby]

YAY! I'm so glad you like them!1

I, too, have a crush on Jackson. In the series he's played by Jacob Isaacson which really is perfect casting, IMHO.

Thanks to Our Gal Sundae I HAVE SETMD!! She mailed it to me for my birthday last Feb. I'd be happy to send it your way.....lemme know if ya wanna.

[Trilby]

PS - have you noticed Kate Atkinson's love of Emily Dickinson?

She wrote a book that is very quirky (but I quite liked) called Emotionally Weird where she uses lots of lines from Emily's works.

And she really makes me feel like I've been to Scotland.

[infinite monkey]

She's a wonderful writer. I'll have to pick up Emotionally Weird. I'll let you know about SETMD. I still need to give you the Girl on the Volkswagen Floor!

[Trilby]

yes, woman, you DO need to give me that one! LOL!

I am really dying to read it. I live two minutes from the old Ontario parking lot.

[infinite monkey]

We should do lunch...after winter quarter is underway and I'm not so stressed!

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

We should do lunch...after winter quarter is underway and I'm not so stressed!

total deal.

I'll even insist you pick the place.