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What are you reading at the moment? (Part 4)


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Old 03-09-2012, 16:38
KitKat21
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Beyond Evil - Neil White.
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Old 03-09-2012, 19:04
Sue_C
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I've finally finished Pillars of the Earth. I seem to have been reading it all year. Tbh I enjoyed the tv seies more than the book. I found the book to be too long and somewhat erratically paced. I felt that the story either needed to be lengthened into two or three books or cut right down to one shorter book without some of the side/back stories. I really didn't like the Canterbury story towards the end of the book, introducing fictional characters into a well known historical event just didn't work for me. Ian McShane & Rufus Sewell in the tv version made it much more enjoyable and I don't think that the tv series covered the whole story.

I was planning to start on World without End as soon as I'd finished Pillars but have had enough of Kingsbridge for the time being.

I've started on A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin. This has been sitting on my Kindle for a while and is relatively short at just over 200 pages. It was written in the 1950s and is the first novel from an author of several books which have been made into films, including The Stepford Wives, Rosemary's Baby and The Boys from Brazil. I've only read a few chapters, but it's good so far.

I'm also about half way through listening to the Poison Tree by Erin Kelly. So far, so good, but I dislike all three main characters intensely. i hope that I'm not supposed to be liking them!
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Old 03-09-2012, 19:30
poppycat
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I found some old childhood books in my parents' attic and am currently re reading stories about aspirational ballerinas and girls with ponies. Aah, it really takes me back.
Ah! I did the same a few weeks ago. Even found a couple of Enid Blyton's St Claires books which I used to love. Also found my original copy of Lord of the Rings, which I got when I was about 8.

But back to the present just started Brass Ring by Diane Chamberlain. It's ok, not really pulling me in like some of her other books did from the start, but I shall keep going and see if it gets better.
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Old 03-09-2012, 19:37
KitKat21
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Ah! I did the same a few weeks ago. Even found a couple of Enid Blyton's St Claires books which I used to love. Also found my original copy of Lord of the Rings, which I got when I was about 8.

But back to the present just started Brass Ring by Diane Chamberlain. It's ok, not really pulling me in like some of her other books did from the start, but I shall keep going and see if it gets better.
I almost downloaded Brass Ring, I do like Diane Chamberlin but wasn't quite convinced to try it!
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Old 04-09-2012, 11:38
Lizzy11268
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I've finally finished Pillars of the Earth. I seem to have been reading it all year. Tbh I enjoyed the tv seies more than the book. I found the book to be too long and somewhat erratically paced. I felt that the story either needed to be lengthened into two or three books or cut right down to one shorter book without some of the side/back stories. I really didn't like the Canterbury story towards the end of the book, introducing fictional characters into a well known historical event just didn't work for me. Ian McShane & Rufus Sewell in the tv version made it much more enjoyable and I don't think that the tv series covered the whole story.

I was planning to start on World without End as soon as I'd finished Pillars but have had enough of Kingsbridge for the time being.

I've started on A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin. This has been sitting on my Kindle for a while and is relatively short at just over 200 pages. It was written in the 1950s and is the first novel from an author of several books which have been made into films, including The Stepford Wives, Rosemary's Baby and The Boys from Brazil. I've only read a few chapters, but it's good so far.

I'm also about half way through listening to the Poison Tree by Erin Kelly. So far, so good, but I dislike all three main characters intensely. i hope that I'm not supposed to be liking them!
I didnt like them at all! Until the end which is thought provoking. Had me wondering if I would do what one of the characters does if I was in their position!
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Old 04-09-2012, 12:19
Sue_C
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I didnt like them at all! Until the end which is thought provoking. Had me wondering if I would do what one of the characters does if I was in their position!
Oh good, I'll carry on listening then.
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Old 04-09-2012, 15:39
-Sid-
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I've finally finished Pillars of the Earth. I seem to have been reading it all year. Tbh I enjoyed the tv seies more than the book. I found the book to be too long and somewhat erratically paced. I felt that the story either needed to be lengthened into two or three books or cut right down to one shorter book without some of the side/back stories. I really didn't like the Canterbury story towards the end of the book, introducing fictional characters into a well known historical event just didn't work for me. Ian McShane & Rufus Sewell in the tv version made it much more enjoyable and I don't think that the tv series covered the whole story.

I was planning to start on World without End as soon as I'd finished Pillars but have had enough of Kingsbridge for the time being.

I'm also about half way through listening to the Poison Tree by Erin Kelly. So far, so good, but I dislike all three main characters intensely. i hope that I'm not supposed to be liking them!
I know what you mean about Pillars of the Earth being quite wordy (though that didn't spoil my enjoyment of it - I thought it was an absolute masterpiece!). But World Without End, though quite long, is much more fast-paced, so do give it a go at some point

I don't think the characters in The Poison Tree are meant to be likeable as such, but they are interesting. I found the whole story very dark and seductive.
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Old 04-09-2012, 17:27
JumpTheShark
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I've finally finished Pillars of the Earth. I seem to have been reading it all year. Tbh I enjoyed the tv seies more than the book. I found the book to be too long and somewhat erratically paced. I felt that the story either needed to be lengthened into two or three books or cut right down to one shorter book without some of the side/back stories. I really didn't like the Canterbury story towards the end of the book, introducing fictional characters into a well known historical event just didn't work for me. Ian McShane & Rufus Sewell in the tv version made it much more enjoyable and I don't think that the tv series covered the whole story.

I was planning to start on World without End as soon as I'd finished Pillars but have had enough of Kingsbridge for the time being.
As the previous poster said, WWE is a lot less plodding and there's more action. However I find the characters a lot less sympathetic than in Pillars.

Just finished Perfect People by Peter James, now moving onto Prophecy by the same author. I'm not enjoying Prophecy much because I can't connect at all with the main character or get any sense of chemistry between her and the love interest. But I also didn't much like the main characters in Perfect People, and still enjoyed it because the plot was strong. I will persevere.
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Old 04-09-2012, 20:09
Beautiful_Harv
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Touch- Mark Sennen
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Old 04-09-2012, 21:18
Aarghawasp!
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I just finished the Beast House series by Richard Laymon. Downloaded them together as the Beast House Chronicals. I remember reading the first as a teenager but I hadn't read the others.
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Old 04-09-2012, 21:21
Sue_C
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Thanks for the comments above. I don't seem to be able to make multi quoting work in Opera.

World Without End is still near the top of my reading list, I'd like to read it before the tv series is broadcast, I'll probably have to end up recording it.

Things have started to happen in the Poison Tree, I'll definitely be carrying on to the end and am looking forward to finding out what happens.
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Old 05-09-2012, 06:23
kate36
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'marker' by robin cook, excellent
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Old 06-09-2012, 09:29
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'Lullabies for little Criminals' by Heather O'Neill
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Old 06-09-2012, 21:42
Beautiful_Harv
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The Damned United - David Peace
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Old 06-09-2012, 21:51
Mirela
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I'm halfway through "The Long Earth" by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter. It's a brilliant read
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Old 06-09-2012, 22:58
howmanytimes
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I'm a third of the way through Death of Kings by Bernard Cornwell, the final book in what I've found a fascinating series.

It is told during the time of the transformation from our tribal past to the spread of Christianity and civilisation in the middle ages, through the eyes of Uhtred of Bebbanburg, who was born as a Saxon and raised as a Dane.

The series has seemed repetitive at times, but I've enjoyed it very much nevertheless. I'd recommend it to anybody who likes historical fact-based fiction.
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Old 06-09-2012, 23:11
shmisk
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Beyond Evil - Neil White.
I found that a bit hard going, it never really 'grabbed' me
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Old 06-09-2012, 23:43
Sue_C
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I'm a third of the way through Death of Kings by Bernard Cornwell, the final book in what I've found a fascinating series.

It is told during the time of the transformation from our tribal past to the spread of Christianity and civilisation in the middle ages, through the eyes of Uhtred of Bebbanburg, who was born as a Saxon and raised as a Dane.

The series has seemed repetitive at times, but I've enjoyed it very much nevertheless. I'd recommend it to anybody who likes historical fact-based fiction.
I haven't reached the last book yet. I was part way through Sword Song, went on to something else and basically forgot about it (probably in the excitement of buying a Kindle!). I think Uhtred is a good character - he does incredibly stupid things at times and seems like a real human being. It would be a good book to go back to.

There's a new Thomas of Hookton story coming out in a couple of weeks, it's called 1356. I enjoyed the previous books in that series too.

The Sharpe books have never appealed to me. I thought that the Arthurian series was excellent, also Stonehenge.
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Old 07-09-2012, 10:54
poppycat
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Didn't get on with Diane Chamberlain's Brass Ring so put that to one side for now.

Am now reading Angelfall by Susan Ee. Very interesting take on the post apocalyptic theme and enjoying it so far.
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Old 07-09-2012, 12:53
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I'd recommend it to anybody who likes historical fact-based fiction.
Got the first of this series on my 'to read' pile as am very interested in the Anglo Saxon and Viking eras.
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Old 07-09-2012, 13:20
19Nick68
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Pantheon - Sam Bourne. Struggling to get into it though.
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Old 07-09-2012, 17:46
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I have just finished Anna Karenina - really struggled to finish it. It just seemed to dragged on and on.
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Old 07-09-2012, 18:32
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I have just finished Anna Karenina - really struggled to finish it. It just seemed to dragged on and on.
I agree with you. Just listened to it on radio4 x. For once better than the book. I shall give the film a miss.
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Old 07-09-2012, 19:08
KitKat21
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Here she Lies - Katia Lief.

Would highly recommend any of her books for those who like crime/thrillers.
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Old 07-09-2012, 19:24
Lizzy11268
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Here she Lies - Katia Lief.

Would highly recommend any of her books for those who like crime/thrillers.
Are they in a series or can you just pick one up? I really like crime thrilers and I've read all my authors for this year! There's a lot of it about and its hard to know what is a good one and what isnt.
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