What Are You Reading? 3

[Sister Jennifer]

Bride of the Rat God by Barbara Hambly. It's about people making a B-grade potboiler movie in the 1930s, but their work keeps being interrupted by a real (in the book) B-movie-style plot element, the Rat God. Complete with Hollywood car chases, explosions, eerie 1930s-style fake Asian mysticism (combined with respectful treatment of the Asian characters), and, of course, cursed jewelry that even the characters comment is not Asian in style. Yet it works well with some genuinely unsettling scenes. I thought it was a nice touch that the cover on the paperback is a parody the old monster-movie posters.

I like the sound of that one.

I've read, The Master And Margarita, was a very strange but enjoyable novel. I'd recommend that one for something different. Three Men In A Boat, loved it. The Bodysurfers, fantastic book of short stories, one of my favourite Australian authors.

Also, reread Equal Rites and the first book in the Hitch Hikers Guide trilogy.

Happy reading.

 

[BB08]

The Godfather - Mario Puzo

EDIT: I read the Kite Runner a few years ago and very much enjoyed. I have just purchased A Thousand Splendid Suns by the same author. Has anyone read this? Is it as good?

 

[Tonyblack]

Currently rereading Discworld - I'm on Monstrous Regiment at the moment. It's one of those Pratchett books that I didn't much care for on the first read, but like it more with each reread.

 

[BB08]

I didn't mind that one but I think I've only read it twice. It's been a while since I read the Last Continent, that one tickles me so much. Night watch I could recite in my sleep.

 

[Catch-up]

Currently re-reading Small Gods, and recently finished Witches Abroad. Both are as good as I remember them! I also recently finished A Green and Ancient Light by Frederic S. Durbin. Really enjoyed it!

Set in a world similar to our own, during a war that parallels World War II, A Green and Ancient Light is the stunning story of a boy who is sent to stay with his grandmother for the summer in a serene fishing village. Their tranquility is shattered by the crash of a bullet-riddled enemy plane, the arrival of grandmother’s friend Mr. Girandole—a man who knows the true story of Cinderella’­s slipper—and the discovery of a riddle in the sacred grove of ruins behind grandmother’s house. In a sumptuous idyllic setting and overshadowed by the threat of war, four unlikely allies learn the values of courage and sacrifice.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

Just started The Operator by Kim Harrison 2nd in the Peri Reed trilogy based in Detroit 2030 cyberpunk/matrix style novel.

 

[=Tamar]

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex (2007). YA. A young-teen girl and her friends manage to drive away two alien invasions. Given the amount of death and destruction before they succeed, it's a surprisingly pleasant story. It helps that the aliens are not super-intelligent. My favorite part is the explanation of how the Happy Mouse Theme Park keeps all the buildings pristine and graffiti-free.
It's also seasonal, because the alien leader, Smek, renames everything after himself, including holidays.

 

[Sister Jennifer]

I have just purchased A Thousand Splendid Suns by the same author. Has anyone read this? Is it as good?

Hi, yes I think as good as. Have some tissues ready.

Am reading All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, book one in The Border trilogy.

 

[Sister Jennifer]

Currently rereading Discworld - I'm on Monstrous Regiment at the moment. It's one of those Pratchett books that I didn't much care for on the first read, but like it more with each reread.

That one is a firm favourite of mine. I've read it a few times now.

 

[Tonyblack]

Currently rereading Discworld - I'm on Monstrous Regiment at the moment. It's one of those Pratchett books that I didn't much care for on the first read, but like it more with each reread.

That one is a firm favourite of mine. I've read it a few times now.

I like it more with every read.

 

[RathDarkblade]

I am currently reading Ancient Rome on 5 Denarii a Day by Phillip Matyszak, one of my favourite authors on ancient Rome and Greece. Witty, light, well-researched and aimed at the general reader. Maty is a Doctor of Roman History (Oxford) and teaches at Cambridge.

This particular little volume offers some delightful light reading about how to travel to ancient Rome, where to stay, what to wear and where to eat - and how to eat, what to do when invited to dinner parties - and how to get home afterwards, what to do if accused of a crime... etc., etc. Fascinating stuff.

 

[Sister Jennifer]

Did anyone get any good books for Christmas?

I was given, Born A Crime by Trevor Noah which I've just finished. Was very good.
A Farewell to Arms, which I'm really looking forward to reading.
:romance-smileyheart: Best of all I got a replacement copy of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, four books in one, which I've been wanting for a while as my original copy is incredibly badgered now.

Happy reading

 

[Catch-up]

Born A Crime is on my list! Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I've got the new Ben Aaronovitch coming too.

 

[The Mad Collector]

A definitely eclectic mix of books for Christmas
Soul Music - Folio Society edition
The Discworld Colouring Book
The 12 Doctors of Christmas - 12 short stories one for each Doctor Who with a Christmas theme
2016 Wisden
Olives, Lemons & Za'atar - a Middle Eastern cookbook
World's Best Beers

Read the colouring book (yes you can read it as it has appropriate extended quotes for each picture) and 12 Doctors of Christmas which was not as good as the original 11 Doctors stories for the 50th anniversary Soul Music I have read so many times but will reread this edition it is just so nice to hold as it is bound in Burgundy coloured velvet.

Looks like some great recipes in the cookbook several of which will definitely be tried this month and it is maybe a little worrying that I reckon I have had over half of the World's Best Beers considering that the book is almost 300 pages and has multiple beers per page .

 

[RathDarkblade]

A definitely eclectic mix of books for Christmas
Soul Music - Folio Society edition...
Soul Music I have read so many times but will reread this edition it is just so nice to hold as it is bound in Burgundy coloured velvet....

Mad, where did you get this from? I just had a look at the Folio Society's website, and all they have for Terry is Small Gods and Mort. So I'm confused...

 

[abumonkey]

I too would love to know if there's a secret Folio copy of Soul Music available! I just got their Small Gods for Xmas and have heard others are due out this year but had seen no sign of any so far....

 

[Sister Jennifer]

I'm reading Blandings Castle, I needed a fix of PG Wodehouse.

 

[Tonyblack]

I've been rereading Terry's later books and have come to the point of reading Making Money. This has been probably my least favourite book on past readings - however for some reason, this time it has been like reading a whole new book. I can't really explain it, except that I made an effort to immerse myself in Terry's writing and not concentrate so much on the story. I'm beginning to think that I have previously talked myself out of this book.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

I've just started the second in Ken MacLeod's trilogy The Corporation Wars: Insurgence, its about robot mining machines that has become sentient, drone warfare, virtual reality and A.I. enjoying it so far, I find his books make you think.

 

[=Tamar]

I just reread Strata. Since I have reread Sir pTerry's books over and over for years, quite a lot of them are fresh in mind, and it is a real eye-opener to reread his earlier work and see how much is there in seed form, as it were. And sometimes in glacial boulder form...