Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion
ABOUT BOOKS AND READING
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What are U reading these days? (PART SIX) (2010)
LOLIt's just something we know to be true. Mothers are like that, ;)
Jim, My prescription: chicken soup for the stomach and a good book to take your mind off the misery. nina
Starting The Darkest Road tonight, #3 in the Fionavar Tapestry.Just finished The Wandering Fire, #2, and it was outstanding. I've seen this trilogy compared to LOTR and I must confess, it's better than LOTR. Yes, you heard right. It is that good. Kay blends Celtic mythology and Arthurian legend seamlessly into one amazing story.
Jackie wrote: "Starting The Darkest Road tonight, #3 in the Fionavar Tapestry.Just finished The Wandering Fire, #2, and it was outstanding. I've seen this trilogy compared to LOTR and I must co..."
From various reviews, I see that these books have many fans. At Amazon, one of them says:
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RE: "The Fionavar Tapestry" trilogy:
"There are many threads to this tapestry and Kay [author, [author:Guy Gavriel Kay|60177]], as usual, weaves them together in ways that can render the reader breathless with wonder over his stunning mastery of his art as he brings this magnificent saga to a close. The celtic lore of Arthur Pendragon, Guinivere, Lancelot du Lac and the dog Cavall are irredescent threads that glisten like teardrops throughout the weave for they are so heartbreaking and yet beautiful. Kay's inclusion of these figures from arthurian legend in this story adds a new dimension to a mythos that has lingered in the hearts and history of the celts."
FROM: http://www.amazon.com/Darkest-Road-Fi...
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Just finished Primal Fear by Willam Diehl. The book is very close to the Richard Gere/Edward Norton movie with a few extras thrown in. Although I can't imagine where these characters will go next, I'll be reserving the next installment at the library.
Katherine wrote: "Just finished Primal Fear by Willam Diehl. The book is very close to the Richard Gere/Edward Norton movie with a few extras thrown in. Although I can't imagine where these characters will go next, I'll be reserving the next installment at the library."
The IMDb trivia for the movie, "Primal Fear" (1996) says:
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"When trying out for the role of the altar boy ["Aaron"], Edward Norton went into the audition in character, complete with stutters and all, and this won his role."
"2,100 actors auditioned for the role of Aaron Stampler - Matt Damon was one of them."
FROM: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117381/t...
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Below is a link to the Netflix description of "Primal Fear":
http://movies.netflix.com/Movie/Prima...
It says that the movie is a "twisty thriller".
Katherine, is the book (Primal Fear) or the movie part of a series?
I just finished reading, "The School of Essential Ingredients," by Erica Bauermeister and have started re-reading it. It was so interesting and pleasant I don't want to let it go. nina
Nina wrote: "I just finished reading, "The School of Essential Ingredients," by Erica Bauermeister and have started re-reading it. It was so interesting and pleasant I don't want to let it go. nina"Nina, I see that the GR member reviews of The School of Essential Ingredients were mostly thumbs-up!
Traci's review says:
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"The School of Essential Ingredients is more than a cooking school. Chef and instructor Lillian proves it's a chance to rediscover your own life. The School of Essential Ingredients allows readers a peak into the life of each student and we watch with pleasure as their worlds realign and come together.
"While nothing earth-shattering really happnes here, the pacing is beautiful--it reads so quickly, but has that lovely, languid slowness that I crave on a January afternoon. This is a perfect read for a snow-bound day at home."
FROM: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
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Joy H. wrote: "Katherine wrote: "Just finished Primal Fear by Willam Diehl. The book is very close to the Richard Gere/Edward Norton movie with a few extras thrown in. Although I can't imagine where these charac..."
Show of Evil is a novel that picks up the story ten years later.
Katherine wrote: "Show of Evil is a novel that picks up the story ten years later."Thanks, Katherine. I see that the GR description of Show of Evil (1995) says: "This is the stunning sequel to Primal Fear."
I recently finished reading The Elephant to Hollywood, an autobiography by one of my favorite actors, Michael Caine. The book has just come out; it was first published in September of this year (2010). I borrowed it from our public library. I'm rating this book 5 stars because I was so happy to find a book which I enjoyed thoroughly. (Those are few and far between these days.)The word "Elephant" refers to the area of London where Caine grew up. This is a true rags to riches story.
Below is an excerpt from the GR description:
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"Now he shares the spectacular story of his life, from his humble upbringing in London's poverty-stricken Elephant and Castle, his military service, touching marriage and family life, and lively adventures with friends, to legendary meetings with fellow stars, forays as a restaurateur, and hilarious off-screen encounters from his glittering five-decade career. Caine brings his gift for storytelling and his insider's view to a tale that is funny, warm, and deeply honest."
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That's as good a description as any I could write.
Caine is married to a beautiful Indian woman whom he first saw on a TV commercial. He was so taken in by her beauty that he found a way to meet her. They fell in love and are still married after 37 years. Below is a link to a photo of her and Michael:
http://images2.fanpop.com/images/phot...
His wife's name is Shakira.
My favorite film with Michael Caine is "Educating Rita" (1983). I believe that's one of his favorites too.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085478/
http://movies.netflix.com/Movie/Educa...
"The romantic comedy earned a trio of BAFTA Awards (including Best Film), a pair of Golden Globes and three Oscar nominations."
The film is streamable from Netflix. Hmmm, I think I might watch it again. :)
PS-Michael Caine's real name is Maurice Joseph Micklewhite. Wiki says: "Unlike many actors who adopt their stage name for everyday use, Caine still uses his real name when he is not working."FROM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_...
Joy,I once heard Michael Caine interviewed and the question asked him was, "Which place do you prefer to live, London or LA?" His reply I have never forgotten.
He said, "I miss where I'm not." nina
Nina, that's an excellent reply from Michael Caine. His comments are always interesting.
I am not reading our book club selection for next month as I think it is boring. Have you read, "Homer and Langley," by Doctorow? Good writer but uninteresting subject to me. nina
Nina wrote: "... Have you read, "Homer and Langley," by Doctorow? Good writer but uninteresting subject to me. nina"Haven't read Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow. One of the GR reviewers (Nick) calls it an "excursion into madness". See his review here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Another GR review (by Cassy) says: "This book is essentially the rambling of an old, blind man, Homer as he reflects back on his life spent with his trusty brother, Langley in their family’s mansion in New York City."
See Cassy's review here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
If I ever do read anything by Doctorow, the first book would be Ragtime because I enjoyed the film (which concentrates on just one of the several narrative threads). Here's my review:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
The book I'd intended to take along for travel reading on a plane trip this month was The Host by Stephenie Meyer --partly because it's thick, and partly because my oldest daughter (who gave it to me earlier this year) has been champing at the bit for me to read it. As it happened, our travel plans had to be changed at the last moment, and we'll be staying home for Christmas; but since I'd promised her I would, I'm going ahead and reading it anyway. I started on it today, and I'm already enthralled!
I read it because I heard they were making a movie of it. I liked it, it was different.
It's nothing like Twilight. I thought I'd say that because a lot of people are turned off by Twilight and I wouldn't want anyone to be discouraged by that.
Jackie wrote: "It's nothing like Twilight. I thought I'd say that because a lot of people are turned off by Twilight and I wouldn't want anyone to be discouraged by that."Thanks for pointing that out, Jackie. I've edited my post to clarify it.
I didn't mean for you to edit your post. Just wanted it known that it's not a Twilight-ish novel. All too often authors use a similar format for their books, so if a person doesn't like a particular book, they probably won't like the others the author writes. My point is that whether we like Twilight or not, The Host is a very different kind of book.
Jackie, my post needed clarifying anyway. :)
Yes, the Twilight series is supernatural fiction with a focus on vampires and werewolves, while The Host is science fiction, completely unrelated to the Twilight scenario. Its premise is that near-future Earth has been largely taken over by a parasitic alien species (very similar in some ways to the Gh'oul race on the TV series Stargate!) who take over the bodies of human "hosts." But some hosts fight back; and some rebel "wild" humans remain unassimilated.
Sort of like The Puppet Masters by Robert A. Heinlein? I actually have The Host here & was thinking of getting rid of it since I didn't care for "Twilight". I read the first book, but couldn't bear to read the rest. I had no interest in the movies either.
Werner, I hadn't thought of it, but yes, the alien race is similar to the Goa'uld. I'm a huge 'Gate fan. I love how the Goa'uld were ancient 'gods' from mythology, even though they were power-hungry and insane. Great storytelling, unique.
Jackie, I heartily agree! I'm a Stargate fan myself; loved both the original movie and the series, though of late years I haven't been able to watch the latter regularly, and have lost track of the continuing storylines. (Wasn't sure I spelled Goa'uld correctly, though; I'd never seen it written. I always tended to think of them as Gh'oul, since they're a pretty ghoulish species. Their cousins the Tokra are much nicer, though; who knows, maybe in this book Wanderer and her "host" will wind up with a similar amicable accommodation. :-) )Jim, I haven't read The Puppet Masters, but I think the premises are similar. Readers' reactions to different books by the same author can be sharply different, especially when the two books are in very different genres. So not liking the Twilight series isn't necessarily predictive of how you'd respond to The Host. As I recall, one thing that was a turn-off to you with the former was the teenage-girl narrative voice. The narrative voice here (so far) is that of a long-lived parasitic alien, who's melded to a great extent with the consciousness and memory of a woman who's young, but past her teen years. Her voice is significantly different from Bella's; and the dream-consciousness of her "host," Melanie, also doesn't sound --to me, anyway-- much like Bella's.
I'll keep it around & give it a try then, Werner. Yes, I wanted to slap most of the characters in Twilight, especially Bella. I've never seen Stargate, but I liked "The Puppet Masters".
Whenever you try it (The Host), Jim, I'll be interested in what you think of it!
And I'll be awaiting what you both think of it.
I went looking for a cozy mystery similar to Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Pollifax series. I found Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin by Nancy Atherton. It's an uncomplicated mystery which kept me engaged most of the time. I skimmed over parts which dealt with uninteresting side events. The mystery was good enough to encourage me to now try Aunt Dimity's Good Deed. The stories are told in the first person by Aunt Dimity's niece. I find that first person narratives draw me in faster.PS-Aunt Dimity turns out to be a deceased aunt with whom the niece communicates for advice. A bit hokey, but it works. :)
PPS-One of the GR reviewers says: "Some of the mysteries are more about figuring out a family secret rather than a murder." This is true of this "next of kin" story.
Joy, you might want to try Outfoxed or Hotspur by Rita Mae Brown. They're about "Sister" Jane, the 70 year old master of a hunt in VA who solves murder mysteries. Mom liked them & passed them along to us. I see from GR, that Brown has written a lot of other mysteries, too. At a glance, they seem to have an animal slant to them.
Thanks, Jim. I'll make note of your recommendations and check them out at our local library.
Re the animal slant to many of Brown's mysteries, I haven't read any of her work; but being a librarian, I've read quite a few reviews of her novels in the library trade journals. One of her mystery series is as much about her amateur sleuth's cats as about the human protagonist; sort of like the animals in Bunnicula, these cats are portrayed as much more intelligent and clued-in to human affairs than any realistic animals would be. (They intentionally help solve the mysteries, for instance.)
Werner wrote: "Re the animal slant to many of Brown's mysteries ..."Werner, thanks for adding that info.
Below are some excerpts from the GR description of Outfoxed:
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"As always, her glimpses of the world through the eyes of animal characters make her tale even more compelling..."
"...her animals give us humans a second look at ourselves, revealing Rita Mae Brown's keen understanding of human nature. Clearly, that understanding is what makes her novels so unforgettable..."
"all the way down to the crow who tips off the hounds on where to find the fox."
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Just started a new mystery, Die Trying by Lee Child. Starting out well.
jim,I know those cones are absolutely a nessacity ubt I am always so sorry for the animal. Please extend my sympathy to lilly. nina
Mary JL wrote: "Just started a new mystery, Die Trying by Lee Child. Starting out well."Mary JL, I browsed some of the GR reviews of Die Trying. One review made me smile. It said:
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"AHHHHH this book made me become so enamored of the series that my heart starts beating faster when I passed the Lee Child shelf in the library. ... I feel like an 8 year old boy reading Batman comics for the first time, enthusiastically filing my hero’s survival techniques in my little brain, nevermind the fact that they would never work in the real world."
From: K's review at: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
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I just finished The Fionavar Tapestry, truly an epic masterpiece. I'll be starting A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin later tonight in anticipation of the HBO series slated to premiere in April.
I just finished Sharpe's Tiger. Very good. Can't wait to read the rest of the series. I have the first 5 books, I think. I've read the 5th one, too. Richard Sharpe is a fictional British soldier who participates in many of the pivotal battles of the empire around the 1800's. Bernard Cornwell takes some liberties with historical fact, but explains when & where in the afterword. Usually he sticks to the facts & often the characters are actual historical figures.
I like this kind of historical fiction. History told from the POV of a common British soldier is just awesome. It really makes the past come alive & gives me a way to relate to it. I remember it better.
Jim: I just picked up the first Sharpe book at a used book sale and will be giving the series a try. I have heard good things about the series!
I'll be interested to hear what you think. I've been told this isn't the best of the series, though.
Jackie wrote: "I just finished The Fionavar Tapestry, truly an epic masterpiece. I'll be starting A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin later tonight in anticipation of the HBO series..."
Jackie, I see (at the GR description) that Game of Thrones (1996) has won several awards.
Literary awards:
Nebula Award Nominee (1998)
Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (1997)
World Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel (1997)
Jim wrote: "I just finished Sharpe's Tiger. Very good. Can't wait to read the rest of the series. I have the first 5 books, I think. I've read the 5th one, too. Richard Sharpe is a fiction..."Jim, thanks for the review. I've always enjoyed historical fiction.
Here's an Inside Look at A Game of Thrones from HBO:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GViug6...
It looks so good!
I am wondering if the Sharpe series is what the mini- series on Masterpiece Theater of that name is based upon??? nina
Yes, Nina. PBS / Masterpiece Theater did them according to a Google search. There is more on them here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_...
More specific to the shows:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category...
Jackie wrote: "Here's an Inside Look at A Game of Thrones from HBO:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GViug6...
It looks so good!"
Just found this post. Thanks, Jackie. I don't know why I didn't get a notice about the posting.
Nina wrote: "I am wondering if the Sharpe series is what the mini- series on Masterpiece Theater of that name is based upon??? nina"Nina, a member review at Netflix said:
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"The "Sharpe's" series was made for BBC television starting in the 90s."
"Sharpe's Series in order 1) Rifles, 2) Eagle, 3) Company, 4) Enemy, 5) Honor, 6) Gold, 7) Battle, 8) Sword, 9) Regiment, 10) Siege, 11) Mission, 12) Revenge, 13) Justice, 14) Waterloo (of course)"
FROM: http://movies.netflix.com/Movie/Sharp...
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Also see the Netflix listings at:
http://www.netflix.com/Search?oq=&...
http://www.netflix.com/Search?oq=&...
Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group
Books mentioned in this topic
The Thirteenth Tale (other topics)A Game of Thrones (other topics)
The Sight (other topics)
Hotspur (other topics)
Aunt Dimity's Christmas (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Diane Setterfield (other topics)George R.R. Martin (other topics)
David Clement-Davies (other topics)
Rita Mae Brown (other topics)
Nancy Atherton (other topics)
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;-)
Thanks.