Timstar Posted July 16, 2013 Author Share Posted July 16, 2013 I have The Wheel of Time on my TBR, even bought the first book. It's good to read some reviews here about it...although I'm still unsure whether to start it or not. I've been in the same boat for a long long time. I was the same before I started it, but I was persuaded into it and have since been persuaded to stick with it. Hope it's worth it in the end! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 16, 2013 Author Share Posted July 16, 2013 The Black Lung Captain - Chris Wooding Synopsis Darian Frey is down on his luck. He can barely keep his squabbling crew fed and his rickety aircraft in the sky. Even the simplest robberies seem to go wrong. It's getting so a man can't make a dishonest living any more. Enter Captain Grist. He'sheard about a crashed aircraft laden with the treasures of a lost civilisation, and he needs Frey's help to get it. There's only one problem. The craft is lying in the trackless heart of a remote island,populated by giant beasts and subhuman monsters. Dangerous, yes. Suicidal, perhaps. Still, Frey's never let common sense get in the way of a fortune before. But there's something other than treasure on board that aircraft. Something that a lot of important people would kill for. And it's going to take all of Frey's considerable skill at lying, cheating and stealing if he wants to get his hands on it... Strap yourself in for another tale of adventure and debauchery, pilots and pirates, golems and daemons, double-crosses anddouble-double-crosses. The crew of the Ketty Jay are back! Review I loved this book, from the first page to the last. It is simply tremendous fun and superbly written, it would have me laughing out loud on one page and on the next I would be on the edge of my seat desperate to read on. It had me almost in tears at the funeral of a character who had never even been in the book! The characters, introduced in the first book, are now expanded on and we see their relationships develop in a very real and believable way. My favourite was the mutual animosity between the fighter pilot 'Hawkins' and 'Slag' the ships cat, and we see it from both their point of views. Every character has their own distinct personality without conforming to stereotypes. The story has perfect pacing, never boring and never going over the top, Wooding remembers to bring it back to the characters as they are the heart and soul. I cannot think of a single thing I didn't enjoy about it. Blurring the lines between Fantasy and Science Fiction, The Black Lung Captain is a triumph that will appeal to everyone. I cannot wait to read more Wooding! Overall 10/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 Looks like I'll have to get back to that series then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 I was the same before I started it, but I was persuaded into it and have since been persuaded to stick with it. Hope it's worth it in the end! I will keep an eye on the reviews then! I've also decided to start the series, as soon as I'm done with the current read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 I will keep an eye on the reviews then! I've also decided to start the series, as soon as I'm done with the current read Good luck, hope you enjoy it! I finished The Pillars of the Earth audio book by Ken Follett and narrated by John Lee, at over 40 hours long it is a brilliant, epic historical fiction. The scale and scope are incredible, the whole story is very well thought out with genuinely horrible moments that almost made me feel sick. There was clearly a lot of research gone into it, especially on 12th century cathedrals and churches. I have been meaning for a while to get into some other historical books and I will definitely be reading/listening to more Follett. Overall 10/10 I also read Joyland by Stephen King, which isn't much longer then some of his short stories. It is enjoyable but nothing ground breaking compared to his last few novels. A carnival-based whodunit story King-style. Not quite up to his usual standard, especially the characters as they don't have a chance to develop over the mere 200 pages. Overall 6/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 I loved The Pillars of the Earth. It's one of my favorite books and I must be due for a re-read soon! I vaguely remember there being a mini-series on BBC a few years ago, but unfortunately never managed to watch it. It sounds like Joyland is one to miss then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 I loved The Pillars of the Earth. It's one of my favorite books and I must be due for a re-read soon! I vaguely remember there being a mini-series on BBC a few years ago, but unfortunately never managed to watch it. I found it on Netflix and am now half way through the series. It doesn't begin to do the book justice. At 8 hours for the whole series there is still loads cut out, and it seems to be mainly the motivation of the characters, I understand their motivations after reading the book but if you hadn't read it it wouldn't make much sense. They have also added random scenes and pieces of extra story for no apparent reason. It has also been 'toned' down a lot in terms of the violence which is understandable for TV I guess but it loses all its shock value and makes you love the good characters and hate the bad ones. It is still interesting seeing it bought to life though. So I will watch the rest of it. It sounds like Joyland is one to miss then. You certainly wouldn't be missing much. Probably just one for the die hard King fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 Necessary Evil - Ian Tregillis Synopsis The history of the Twentieth Century has been shaped by a secret conflict between technology and magic. When a twisted Nazi scientist devised a way to imbue ordinary humans with supernatural abilities - to walk through walls, throw fire and see the future - his work became the prized possession of first the Third Reich, then the Soviet Army. Only Britain's warlocks, and the dark magics they yield, have successfully countered the threat posed by these superhuman armies. But for decades, this conflict has been manipulated by Gretel, the mad seer. And now her long plan has come to fruition. And with it, a danger vastly greater than anything the world has known. Now British Intelligence officer Raybould Marsh must make a last-ditch effort to change the course of history - if his nation, and those he loves, are to survive. Review Thus completing the Milkweed Triptych, Necessary Evil is a not perfect but fine and satisfactory conclusion to to Tregillis' first work. All the pieces, that Tregillis spent the first two books creating, nicely fall into place. A brilliant blend of historical fiction, sci-fi and fantasy with perfect pacing kept me glued to the book for hours on end. The reason it's not quite perfect is that it didn't leave me as awestruck as The Coldest War did. Everything was tied up in a neat bundle which is great but doesn't provide 'shock' value. Still a great piece of work and a great trilogy. Overall 9/10 Ian's website states that his next work will be a book called Something More Than Night, not giving much away all it says is: "...a Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler-inspired murder mystery set in Heaven, starring swell dames and femmes fatales, Seraphim and Cherubim, dirty priests and the Voice of God." I will certainly look out for this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Glad you enjoyed it, Tim. Agree with you that it wasn't as good as The Coldest War. Ian's website states that his next work will be a book called Something More Than Night, not giving much away all it says is: "...a Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler-inspired murder mystery set in Heaven, starring swell dames and femmes fatales, Seraphim and Cherubim, dirty priests and the Voice of God." I will certainly look out for this! Interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 Finished reading Hide and Seek by Jack Ketchum, he isn't known for particularly long stories but this was even shorter then regular. The plot and characters were weak and the book was lacking of any real horror. There was one good portion, when they actually played hide and seek it was very tense but ultimately anti-climatic. This was only his second book but definitely not up to the standard I have read so far. Even his first book was much better. Overall - 5/10 The first five Saxon books by Bernard Cornwell are only £1.49 in paperback on Amazon so I snapped them up, plus the sixth for £3.85. I believe the seventh is also coming out soon. I've heard great things about the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 The first five Saxon books by Bernard Cornwell are only £1.49 in paperback on Amazon so I snapped them up, plus the sixth for £3.85. I believe the seventh is also coming out soon. I've heard great things about the series. I've only got the first one so far - thanks for the heads up! <<heads over to Amazon>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 I've only got the first one so far - thanks for the heads up! <<heads over to Amazon>> Great deal isn't it! Though I take no responsibility for your TBR pile Some of his others are cheap as well, including the Warlord Chronicles, a couple of his stand-alone books and for some reason the 2nd and 3rd books of the Holy Grail trilogy, but I have all those already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I've managed to restrain myself. Think I should read the first book before buying any more of them. Probably. Until tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 I've managed to restrain myself. Think I should read the first book before buying any more of them. Probably. Until tomorrow That was my first thought... then I quickly came to my senses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 That was my first thought... then I quickly came to my senses Yeah, you're probably right . . . <<heads back to Amazon>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) The Shrinking Man - Richard Matheson Synopsis While on a boating holiday, Scott Carey is exposed to a cloud of radioactive spray. A few weeks later, following a series of medical examinations, he can no longer deny the extraordinary truth. Not only is he losing weight, he is also shorter than he was. Scott Carey has begun to shrink. Review This is a fantastic book! Gripped me from page one. The story unfolds in a non-chronological order, after seeing Scott get hit by a radiation 'wave' it skips to him being less then an inch tall, living in a cellar, sucking the moisture out of sponges and being terrorised by a Black Widow. These scenes are interspersed with the scenes of his gradually, relentless shrinking. Matheson portrays the events with remorseless logic. The doctors and reporters all want a piece of him whilst being pushed away by his Wife and Daughter who can do nothing for Scott. Scott himself is no hero, we see him descend into frustration, anger and self-pity as he descends towards the floor. He doesn't go down bravely, he doesn't go down fighting, he goes down sulking. This, in my opinion, is a much more realistic reaction that most people would probably have, especially after the humiliation he endures. Matheson doesn't shy away from the tough questions either, the concept of suicide comes up repeatedly to Scott but he doesn't do it, he doesn't know why he doesn't either. He knows he has nothing to live for and will ultimately die anyway, but he would rather go through the motions and cling on to every breath he can get. Again I believe this makes the character very relate-able. Matheson also addresses the issue of Scott's sexual frustration, as you'd expect in the common man whose Wife treats him like a boy. There is also a vague scientific explanation for his shrinkage as well. The Shrinking Man is a brilliant thrilling tale and at nearly 60 years old hasn't even begun to show signs of aging. Overall 10/10 Edited July 29, 2013 by Timstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) ^ That was a bloody great review, and it might not be my usual kind of book to read, but I'm kinda interested in reading it! I might actually add it on my wishlist... Although I should definitely read my already-own copy of I Am Legend by Matheson... Edited July 29, 2013 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 ^ That was a bloody great review, and it might not be my usual kind of book to read, but I'm kinda interested in reading it! I might actually add it on my wishlist... Although I should definitely read my already-own copy of I Am Legend by Matheson... Aww thanks! and yes...yes you should! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Aww thanks! and yes...yes you should! Fully noted... It's supposed to be really great, though, so I shouldn't worry about getting to reading it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I've added The Shrinking Man to my wishlist. Shame it's not available on Kindle yet. I'm surprised I haven't read it before as the title is so familiar to me. Maybe I have heard it mentioned a lot previously - I suppose it's a sort of classic, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I've added The Shrinking Man to my wishlist. Shame it's not available on Kindle yet. I'm surprised I haven't read it before as the title is so familiar to me. Maybe I have heard it mentioned a lot previously - I suppose it's a sort of classic, isn't it? Maybe you're thinking of Running Man by Richard Bachman... No, I seriously don't think that's it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 I've added The Shrinking Man to my wishlist. Shame it's not available on Kindle yet. I'm surprised I haven't read it before as the title is so familiar to me. Maybe I have heard it mentioned a lot previously - I suppose it's a sort of classic, isn't it? It is part of the sci-fi masterworks collection so it is kinda a classic of the genre. It was adapted for the screen by Matheson but named The Incredible Shrinking Man and starred Charlton Heston. I also believe many of the re-printed editions were renamed that as well after the film was a success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 Now time for some lists.... Reading Plan WarBreaker - Brandon Sanderson Cabal - Clive Barker The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time 2) The Heroes - Joe Abercrombie The Wind Through the Keyhole - Stephen King (Dark Tower 8) The Man in the High Castle - Phillip K. Dick The Shrinking Man - Richard Matheson The Daylight War - Peter V. Brett The Black Lung Captain - Chris Wooding (Ketty Jay 2) She Wakes - Jack Ketchum Necessary Evil - Ian Tregillis On the Road - Jack Kerouac Joyland - Stephen King Books read this year: Paper - 37 Kindle - 7 Audio - 8 Total - 52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) I also have two challenges that I am slowly chipping away at. One is 50 books to read before you die which I have printed on my book mark. The other was that I thought I would try and go through the Hugo Award winners. 50 Books to read before you die Hugo Award winners (by year) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien 1953 - The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester 1984 by George Orwell 1954 - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 1955 - They'd Rather Be Right by Mark Clifton The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and Frank Riley (also known as The Forever Machine) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 1956 - Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 1958 - The Big Time by Fritz Leiber Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 1959 - A Case of Conscience by James Blish A Passage to India by EM Forster 1960 - Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein The Lord of the Flies by William Golding 1961 - A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr Hamlet by William Shakespeare 1962 - Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein A Bend in the River by VS Naipaul 1963 - The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 1964 - Way Station by Clifford Simak The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger 1965 - The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 1966 (tie)- And Call Me Conrad by Roger Zelazny Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 1966 (tie) - Dune by Frank Herbert The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank 1967 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes 1968 – Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny The Bible 1969 - Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner The Cantebury Tales by Geofrrey Chaucer 1970 - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin Ulysses by James Joyce 1971 - Ringworld by Larry Niven The Quiet American by Graham Greene 1972 - To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks 1973 - The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov Money by Martin Amis 1974 - Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling 1975 - The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin Moby Dick by Herman Melville 1976 - The Forever War by Joe Haldeman The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame 1977 - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pulman 1978 - Gateway by Frederik Pohl Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 1979 - Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 1980 - The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier 1981 - The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time-Mark Haddon 1982 - Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh On the Road by Jack Kerouac 1983 - Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad 1984 - Startide Rising by David Brin The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope 1985 - Neuromancer by William Gibson The Outsider by lbert Camus 1986 - Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card The Colour Purple by Alice Walker 1987 - Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card Life of Pi by Yann Martel 1988 - The Uplift War by David Brin Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 1989 - Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh The War of the Worlds by HG Wells 1990 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons Men Without Women by Ernest Hemingway 1991 - The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift 1992 - Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens 1993 (tie) - A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 1993 (tie) -Doomsday Book by Connie Willis Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe 1994 - Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey 1995 - Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold Catch 22 by Joseph Heller 1996 - The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandre Dumas 1997 - Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden 1998 - Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman The Divine Comedy by Alghibri Dante 1999 - To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 2000 - A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge 2001 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling 2002 - American Gods by Neil Gaiman 2003 - Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer 2004 - Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold 2005 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke 2006 - Spin by Robert Charles Wilson 2007 - Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge 2008 - The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon 2009 - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman 2010 (tie) - The City & The City, China Miéville 2010 (tie) - The Windup Girl, Paolo Bacigalupi 2011 - Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis 2012 -Among Others by Jo Walton So not that many read, but I am only passively working through them. Edited July 30, 2013 by Timstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I've added The Shrinking Man to my wishlist. Your review is very nicely written and makes me want to read the book ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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