Reading: The Book Thread

[David]

Just toiled through the three body problem...

not yet convinced about the sequels....

[KungFooBob]

Just toiled through the three body problem...

not yet convinced about the sequels....

The 2nd one is a bit odd, it's translated by a different person to the first and there's quite a difference in style.

[David]

Thanks for that...i will see if the library have it.

[Scootabout]

I Am Pilgrim, by Terry Hayes, was my latest read. It managed to grip me for 900 pages. Pretty gory in places, it's story of a secret serviceman who tries stop a plot to destroy the USA through the unleashing of a deadly virus. Nail-biting stuff.

[ZRX61]

Junior Johnson, A Brave Life.

Recommended.

[Count Steer]

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley.

Published in 2024, her first novel. Read a very positive review and it sounded like my sort of thing so I bought it.

Timey-wimey stuff pulling people about to die in the past into the present-ish. Lots of scope for humour as they see our time through different eyes. A different take on time travel. It has a first novel feel but that's not necessarily a minus. Probably ott to buy the hardback but the paperback should be out soon.

[ZRX61]

Panzer Ace, Von Rosen.

[Sunny]

Mickey 7. I liked it.

The premise is that colonising civilisations need an 'expendable' to do the dangerous stuff when first arriving on a new planet. Enter Mickey. It's pretty light sci-fi, and an easy read (handy if you have to sit still with your foot elevated for a while )

Be interested to see how they've changed it for Mickey 17 (the film version).

[asmethurst99]

Got a few books for my birthday- tore through 1971 by David Hepworth very good re music.
Half way through killing Commendatore by murakami predictably odd but to his usual standard.

[Count Steer]

Another William Boyd, his latest 'Gabriel's Moon'. Been a bit of a fan since his first 3 starting with 'A Good Man in Africa' back in 1981.

This one is a bit of an 'accidental spy' story set around the time of Congolese independence, Bay of Pigs etc etc.
Easy style and easy to read, keeps your interest. The ending made me wonder whether the author plans further adventures of Gabriel Dax.

[KungFooBob]

I couldn't find a better place to put this...

https://deadline.com/2025/02/consider-p ... 236300861/

They're going to fuck it up aint they?

[Rockburner]

I couldn't find a better place to put this...

https://deadline.com/2025/02/consider-p ... 236300861/

They're going to fuck it up aint they?

It'll be a surprise if they don't.

[Sunny]

I couldn't find a better place to put this...

https://deadline.com/2025/02/consider-p ... 236300861/

They're going to fuck it up aint they?

I can't even conceive how they'd do it. But I'll probably watch it.

[ZRX61]

Churchill's Few.

[Count Steer]

I couldn't find a better place to put this...

https://deadline.com/2025/02/consider-p ... 236300861/

They're going to fuck it up aint they?

Probably but possibly less of an advertising mess/eyesore than the Deadline web site in that link.

If I was going to make telly out of Banks books I think I'd start with something other than the Culture ones just to get a bit of practice first.

[Count Steer]

Finally got round to reading 'Piranesi' by Susanna Clarke. Found it in Sci fi/fantasy in the local library. I dislike the fact that wizards and magic etc gets bunged in with sci-fi but, as someone once said 'some of the things we do/use today would look like magic to people not long ago'.

Quite where Piranesi fits is anyone guess.

Alternate reality accessed by ritual that seems a bit like magic?

But that's not in the Dewey Decimal system.

It's a bit like an adventure in an Escher drawing.

Easy read, nice clear writing, not overlong.

Different.

Enjoyed it.

[Rockburner]

I couldn't find a better place to put this...

https://deadline.com/2025/02/consider-p ... 236300861/

They're going to fuck it up aint they?

Probably but possibly less of an advertising mess/eyesore than the Deadline web site in that link.

If I was going to make telly out of Banks books I think I'd start with something other than the Culture ones just to get a bit of practice first.

Against a Dark Background would make a good mini series.

[Count Steer]

I couldn't find a better place to put this...

https://deadline.com/2025/02/consider-p ... 236300861/

They're going to fuck it up aint they?

Probably but possibly less of an advertising mess/eyesore than the Deadline web site in that link.

If I was going to make telly out of Banks books I think I'd start with something other than the Culture ones just to get a bit of practice first.

Against a Dark Background would make a good mini series.

Yup*.

Apparently there were plans to film 'Player of Games' back in 1990 but it was abandoned. Seems an odd (but logical) choice if you're going to do Culture stuff. Odd because it's a bit 'static' but logical because it would have been relatively easier to film than some of the others because of that.

* then you can do a prequel series, 1 episode for the story of each of the other 7 Lazy Guns.

[Count Steer]

Just read John Scalzi's 'Starter Villain'. Marv.

Global villains, volcanic island lair, intelligent (genetically uplifted) cats, stroppy, foul-beaked, unionising, strike-prone dolphins. I even liked the bonus story at the end. Will have to put Scalzi on my reading list if they're all as funny as this one.

[KungFooBob]

Just read John Scalzi's 'Starter Villain'. Marv.

Global villains, volcanic island lair, intelligent (genetically uplifted) cats, stroppy, foul-beaked, unionising, strike-prone dolphins. I even liked the bonus story at the end. Will have to put Scalzi on my reading list if they're all as funny as this one.

Can't beat a bit of Scalzi, I've read the old man's war series, the impirox stuff and most recently the Kaju Preservation thingy.

I must pick up Starter Villain, it was nominated for a Hugo or a Nebula iirc.