It's January. What are you reading?

[Vertigo]

Ah yes I did have similar problems though the characters in The Eyre Affair are sufficiently well known for me to wing it! I picked up a couple of his Nursery Crime books recently in a charity shop; have you read any of those?

 

[The Judge]

I could cope with Jane Eyre, fortunately, but it actually made me go back and read the original which I'd last read donkey's years ago, and I was impressed at how he had very cleverly used the plot and fitted in Thursday's antics in the book. Fortunately, the Dostoevsky characters were there in OOOTIM mostly to make fun of how no one -- not even the characters themselves -- remember who everyone is with all the complex names!

I've not seen any of the Nursery Crime books around. I'm a bit miserly when it comes to experimenting with authors, and thanks to some recent major disappointments I'm becoming more so. I frequent a couple of remainder shops which is where I take a chance on new things as the books are considerably cheaper there -- which is where I got all the Ffordes as it happens -- and I tend to use Waterstones etc only for books I'm already sure I will enjoy eg because I've read the first in the series or they come very highly recommended. So unless the NC books drop into the remainder shops in the near future, I'll wait for your verdict on them!

 

[Vertigo]

Don't hold your breath; I have so many books on my pile at the moment that it is around number 30 and that still puts it well above the half way mark (and that's just the books I actually own). The other place I'll go for authors I've not tried before is Abe books; I can usually find most there for around a couple of pounds.

 

[dask]

Split Images by Elmore Leonard -- a taut, edgy, writ-as-it's-spoke crime novel, understated and atmospheric.

Sounds worth looking for. Thanks.

 

[The Judge]

I've heard a lot of good things about Elmore Leonard over the years, but never got round to picking up any of his books until a few months ago, and this was only the second of his I've read. The other was called Stick, and that had the same pared-back, exactly-as-it's-spoken not-easy-to-interpret narrative as if it was being told by one of the characters themselves (probably to a defence lawyer or probation officer...). That one took me a little while to get into, but it was entertaining, if slightly sickening, in its portrayal of the criminal underbelly of Miami. Split Images was a bit easier to follow as I knew more what to expect, and is set in Detroit and Florida, and was written and set in the early 1980s.

I think any of his are worth reading, though, if you can't immediately get hold of either of those two.

 

[dask]

Sounds good. Thanks again.

 

[tobl]

being way from home for a few days gabe me timo to read lol
read the great space, volume 6 of the scrapyard ship series, full force and effect by tom clancy, tge terran gambit, and finishing the last passenger by manel loureiro

 

[soulsinging]

I've heard a lot of good things about Elmore Leonard over the years, but never got round to picking up any of his books until a few months ago, and this was only the second of his I've read. The other was called Stick, and that had the same pared-back, exactly-as-it's-spoken not-easy-to-interpret narrative as if it was being told by one of the characters themselves (probably to a defence lawyer or probation officer...). That one took me a little while to get into, but it was entertaining, if slightly sickening, in its portrayal of the criminal underbelly of Miami. Split Images was a bit easier to follow as I knew more what to expect, and is set in Detroit and Florida, and was written and set in the early 1980s.

I think any of his are worth reading, though, if you can't immediately get hold of either of those two.

I just moved to the Detroit area, and between that (Leonard was from there), his recent passing, and my love of old school crime fiction (more Hammett/Chandler than Patterson/Sanford) I am definitely looking to pick up some of his books. I bought Killshot at a used (remainder?) shop around the corner, so looks like we have a few budding experts on him around here.

 

[HareBrain]

Now embarking on a reread of Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco. Already wishing for an abridged version, but I'll try to stick with it.

Well, that didn't last long. My remaining life is too short to wade through so much waffle, and would be even if I were immortal. My theory is that Eco feared no one would believe he did 60,000 hours of research covering every occult theory ever, in exhausting detail, if he hadn't included the results of all that work in the text.

Next up, a reread of Hayao Miyazaki's manga Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind.

 

[Vertigo]

Well, that didn't last long. My remaining life is too short to wade through so much waffle, and would be even if I were immortal. My theory is that Eco feared no one would believe he did 60,000 hours of research covering every occult theory ever, in exhausting detail, if he hadn't included the results of all that work in the text.

That was almost exactly my thoughts on The Name of the Rose. You don't inspire me to attempt Foucalt's Pendulum.

 

[Connavar]

I just moved to the Detroit area, and between that (Leonard was from there), his recent passing, and my love of old school crime fiction (more Hammett/Chandler than Patterson/Sanford) I am definitely looking to pick up some of his books. I bought Killshot at a used (remainder?) shop around the corner, so looks like we have a few budding experts on him around here.

Elmore Leonard is a modern master one of few contemporary authors as good writer word for word to old masters like Hammett. He deserves all the critical acclaimed he got from mainstream critics.

Killshot is not near his best. I have read many of his books. He has some pretty loved,acclaimed books from 70s to now. Fans,critics usually agree It depens on which setting you want, Miami,Detroit, Pronto/Riding the Gap(Raylan aka Justified). The Hot Kid series a great depressing era hardboiled PI. He is great at noir books with great dialouge of wise cracking low life,criminals.

He is a great western author too. Hombre is brilliant, sparse,mean prose.

Imho start with are his Detroit/Miami books: Stick, Swag, Pronto,Riding the Gap, 52 Pick Up, La Brava for examples. Not to sound like a fanboy but im glad i have read only 13 of his 30-40 books. Many great ones left.

 

[ratsy]

I finished Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi. This was a really enjoyable read.

I think I will start The Thousand Names by Django Wexler. I've had it for sometime and am finally going to give it a go.

I also have a novel beta I will be starting this week on a plane ride, which Im looking forward to

 

[Bick]

I'm still reading Redemption Ark, by Alastair Reynolds. It seems to be taking me a while, but I'm very much enjoying it. My slow progress having more to do with a lack of time I have to read it right now than the lure of the book. I think it's better (so far; I'm halfway through it), than the first in the series.

 

[Vertigo]

I finished Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi. This was a really enjoyable read.

I found Agent to the Stars surprisingly good and very funny for something that he seemed to treat as very much a throw away experiment. I think he managed to prove that he was capable of writing a novel, anyway!

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

After the very well-written Chronocules (but with a cast of characters who, although complex, are for the most part not very likable at all), I have just started Kampus by James E. Gunn, (1977), which seems to be an extrapolation of the Student Power movement of the 1960's/1970's into an extreme. Should be interesting.

 

[GOLLUM]

Hi everyone.

I am now posting the February reading thread.