April Reading Thread

[HareBrain]

I wonder if it was just the two I read being weaker - Moving Pictures (great concept, very on point but didn’t really enjoy it)

I think that might have been a bad choice. I read that almost 30 years ago and abandoned about 20 pages before the end, something I don't think I've ever done with any other book. I've read other Discworld books since that I've quite enjoyed, even if they didn't knock my socks off.

I think the problem for me with Thief of Time was that it jumps around a lot at the beginning, and has a premise that is both quite complicated and doesn't really interest me. I think it's also quite heavy on the "forced whimsy" feeling that isn't so prevalent in some of his others.

 

[Simbelmynë]

I think that might have been a bad choice. I read that almost 30 years ago and abandoned about 20 pages before the end, something I don't think I've ever done with any other book. I've read other Discworld books since that I've quite enjoyed, even if they didn't knock my socks off.

Any discworld recommendations to try and revitalise my interest? I have a bunch on my shelf from a charity shop which I’ll take a pic of later when I get home from work. I’ll try and remember the one’s I’ve already read... roughly 1 to 10 with a random later few. Definitely read Interesting Times and Thief of Time.

 

[HareBrain]

Any discworld recommendations to try and revitalise my interest?

Hopefully others with more range will chime in, but I liked Guards! Guards! and enjoyed Going Postal. And although I haven't read it for ages, I think my favourite is still The Colour of Magic.

 

[hitmouse]

The City Watch books are the best. Sam Vimes is a brilliant creation.

 

[Elckerlyc]

The Truth.

 

[Simbelmynë]

I read Guards! Guards! and A Colour of Magic years ago and enjoyed both a lot.

I haven’t read Going Postal, if I’ve got it at home I’ll pick it up. May start a thread in the Pratchett forum to help me choose from the unread entries I have on my shelf.

 

[Dave]

I'm in some agreement with @HareBrain about Pratchett, and I think I've said this before here, but on the raving recommendations from friends I went out and bought both The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic in about 1986/7. I read them both, didn't like them much, and couldn't understand all the fuss about him. I never read any more. However, on the advice of people here on Chronicles, I did read Guards! Guards! a few years ago and found it much better. I still haven't read any more though. I probably should.

I finished La Belle Sauvage and I'm waiting for a delivery of three new books coming next Wednesday. In the meantime, I'm reading Brian's The Gathering (Chronicles of Empire) which I had downloaded on the Kindle but never had the time to read. You have also given me the idea here to re-read some old standards by discussing The Chrysalids. There are very few books that I have read multiple times. The Chysalids and Shades of Grey being two that easily come to mind. It is probably time again.

 

[Simbelmynë]

I finished La Belle Sauvage

What did you make of it Dave?

 

[Dave]

Isn't it mostly a 'hero's journey' story, with the ordinary world, his various tests, friends and foes, the mentor with the supernatural aid, and the moment of despair? The description of their journey on the river during the flood was well written. There is a lot of background given to the state of their world at this much earlier time, while Lyra is still a baby, and that cleared up some things for me that I hadn't really understood. It also brings in new mythology with the fairy, the commonwealth and the Thames spirit. The parts where Pullman needs to explain his perspective on religion always seem a little bit too obvious though. I'm going to read the second book.

 

[Foxbat]

Busy reading volume 6 of Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet (Victorious). It’s not bad but nothing ground breaking or world changing. I was going to stop after volume 3 but then I discovered the rest on sale for kindle at 99 pence each. I guess at that price, not bad is good enough

 

[tobl]

Busy reading volume 6 of Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet (Victorious). It’s not bad but nothing ground breaking or world changing. I was going to stop after volume 3 but then I discovered the rest on sale for kindle at 99 pence each. I guess at that price, not bad is good enough

and it gets even better

 

[anno]

Years ago a neighbour gave me 4/5 books by Dean Koontz saying “if you like Stephen King...”
I still don’t get it, still on the shelf waiting for another attempt.

 

[Danny McG]

I'm now well into the third story in the new Stephen King anthology If It Bleeds
This is the bomb, it really is, I would have bought this book for this story alone, a fitting sequel to The Outsider.
It's one of those "I don't want this tale to finish but I've really got to see what happens" stories

 

[Garfunkel]

I'm now well into the third story in the new Stephen King anthology If It Bleeds
This is the bomb, it really is, I would have bought this book for this story alone, a fitting sequel to The Outsider.
It's one of those "I don't want this tale to finish but I've really got to see what happens" stories

I've not read The Outsider - hopefully that won't be an issue for enjoying the story.

I'm around halfway through 'Salem's Lot and things are getting ready to kick off.

 

[Danny McG]

I've not read The Outsider - hopefully that won't be an issue for enjoying the story.

I don't think it would, a couple of explanatory paragraphs scattered throughout the tale pretty much cover the background

 

[Brian G Turner]

Busy reading volume 6 of Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet (Victorious). It’s not bad but nothing ground breaking or world changing. I was going to stop after volume 3 but then I discovered the rest on sale for kindle at 99 pence each. I guess at that price, not bad is good enough

Happens to us all.

 

[Paul_C]

I'm currently enjoying another Jeff Noon detective story, this time one of his Nyquist series The Body Library.

. . . which I liked a lot.

Enough to buy the latest Nyquist book, Creeping Jenny, which I started last night.

 

[Simbelmynë]

Isn't it mostly a 'hero's journey' story, with the ordinary world, his various tests, friends and foes, the mentor with the supernatural aid, and the moment of despair? The description of their journey on the river during the flood was well written. There is a lot of background given to the state of their world at this much earlier time, while Lyra is still a baby, and that cleared up some things for me that I hadn't really understood. It also brings in new mythology with the fairy, the commonwealth and the Thames spirit. The parts where Pullman needs to explain his perspective on religion always seem a little bit too obvious though. I'm going to read the second book.

I’m not so familiar with the specifics of what makes a story a hero’s journey but in a general sense it seemed like it.

I thought it was well written too, but although the ending was exciting I felt overall it wasn’t as compelling as the first His Dark Materials book (the second of which I thought was the best actually). His handling of more mature themes is very good, as in The Amber Spyglass (although it’s a darker side of these themes explored in La Belle Sauvage) and quite important for children’s or YA authors to try and tackle. I applaud him for it, although at the time I read it I felt like probably not that many kids would be reading it. I don’t think it would have kept me hooked in my teens as it was quite slow paced for a children’s fantasy. I know Pullman says his books aren’t necessarily for children, but that’s how they come across in voice. How many young people have read it or not I don’t know.

All in all a good book but for me a little disappointing in comparison to the previous trilogy. Still, I also liked it enough to want to read the second one.

 

[Dave]

^ An older children's book, I think. I would have read it in my teens, but I agree with you that more adults are probably reading it. Too long since I read the original trilogy to compare them for me.

 

[kythe]

I just read the Star Trek book "The Lost Years" by J.M. Dillard. I know Star Trek novels aren't top-notch literature, but they tend to be my go-to for "fluff" reading. There is just something charming and familiar in going back to stories about The Original Series. This one takes place between the show and the movies, to fill in the gaps of the crew's adventures during a time when they each went their own separate ways.