September 2018: Reading Thread

[AndrewT]

I've watched the film a few times over the decades and this weekend (way outside my normal reading preferences) I'm finally having a go at the book.

Margaret Mitchell
Gone with the Wind

The account of the Civil War and Reconstruction from a Southerner's perspective was very powerful, among the best ever written. But part II of the book, taking place in the war aftermath, began to annoy me mightily. Now I'm not what you would call a PC person but Mitchell just goes over the top with the race thing. Even in part I there is a little of that, enough that it would never be assigned reading in any school except perhaps as a grad project of some kind. Part II becomes almost unreadable though. I did appreciate the realism and the writing quality is second to none.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

I am about to start the famous Tripods trilogy by John Christopher (The White Mountains [1967], The City of Gold and Lead, and The Pool of Fire [both 1968].) Also included in the nice boxed set I have is the author's 1988 prequel When the Tripods Came.

 

[hitmouse]

I am about to start the famous Tripods trilogy by John Christopher (The White Mountains [1967], The City of Gold and Lead, and The Pool of Fire [both 1968].) Also included in the nice boxed set I have is the author's 1988 prequel When the Tripods Came.

Loved these as a kid. I was not aware of a prequel.

 

[Rodders]

Me neither.

 

[Vertigo]

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie - a very good book, particularly as a debut, thought maybe a little over hyped. I'd recommend it but don't let all the gender hype put you off and persist for the first fifty to a hundred pages of slightly confusing narrative (make allowance for it being a debut); it does settle down and improve as it goes along. More here.

 

[dwndrgn]

My wife was the same - I really enjoyed it, but she was put off by the lack of emotional content.

I don't know if it was emotion that was missing or if it was just too many Bobs to remember and it felt very repetitive - probably intentionally - and I ended up wanting to just skim all of it and find out what happens at the end of the book. At which point I said Why do I even care? and moved on.

 

[Happy Joe]

Started accumulating and reading R. A. Salvadore's fantasy books (at least as many as the E-book dealers have.
Nearly finished with the Cleric Quintet and started reading the drow (dark elf) books. I forget the series (if there is one)..
So far they are very readable and keep my attention; although sometimes the fight sequences become a bit tiresome... I can recommend them...

Enjoy!

 

[Vince W]

Whoa. Someone call @Brian G Turner. The forum's in a time slip again.

 

[Happy Joe]

Ooops... sorry was still thinking it is last month... (Makes note to check the date before posting next time).
P.S. The Author is R. A. Salvatore