Kiwi Readers discussion
Most recently read book by NZ author?
Stonedogs by Craig Marriner. I read it, on recommendation from a friend and was captivated right from the start. Definitely a dark confusing book, just how i like them.
Ethan wrote: "Stonedogs by Craig Marriner. I read it, on recommendation from a friend and was captivated right from the start. Definitely a dark confusing book, just how i like them."
I just had a look on Amazon about Stonedogs. Looks like I might like it as it's a similar genre (gangs and drugs) to Behind the Hood (set in South Auckland), which I loved. Though, I see Stonedogs is set in Rotorua like Once Were Warriors.
I just had a look on Amazon about Stonedogs. Looks like I might like it as it's a similar genre (gangs and drugs) to Behind the Hood (set in South Auckland), which I loved. Though, I see Stonedogs is set in Rotorua like Once Were Warriors.
The last book from a NZ author that I read (other than my own) was Chandler's Run by Denise Muir. It was a random buy from a sales bin and I really enjoyed it. The story was set in the 1850's when the first settlers came to NZ. She explained in great detail through her story about how people survived. Very enjoyable, except for the ending. Im not sure what it was but it just ended to abruptly for me. Not sure if there is another book to follow. I would recommend it to all NZ readers.
I've just finished The Spanish Helmet If I had any doubts about trying New Zealand authors this story convinced me I was silly to have doubts. :) Too be honest I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy a story set in NZ, but now I want to go for a trip around the country.
Have just read Overkill by Vanda Symon. Really enjoyed it so have also purchased Bound. Overkill
Highly recommend.
Overkill and Bound are both terrific books Beth. For me, Vanda Symon is one of the best New Zealand writers, of any kind, to emerge in the past few years. I'm really looking forward to THE FACELESS, her new standalone novel (ie not one about Sam Shephard) coming out in April/May.Right now I'm reading Nobody Dies by Zirk van den Berg, which was published back in 2004 in paperback, and re-released last year in e-book form. Back when it was first published it drew a lot of praise from the Listener and Sunday Star-Times critics etc - which was unusual for 'genre' fiction at the time.
Overkill has now been added to my list of NZ books to read. Wow and is a real like hold in my hand book. :) Amazing how used to been able to get the electronic versions I have become. Sounds like a good read, worth the wait I'm sure. Thank you for the recommendations.
Last one read was Janet Frame's "Faces in the Water". I can't capture my feelings for that book in a few words, so I'm not gonna try. Atm, I'm reading C.K.Stead's "Mansfield", and loving it.
I've recently completed Fleur Beale's Dirtbomb. I'm going to try it out on my Year 12 Practical English class. I think it will appeal to them. Fleur is coming to our school for a couple of days early in the term so I wanted to be "ready".
Just finished The Laughterhouse: A Thriller by Paul Cleave, which is released in the USA in a couple of months, and in New Zealand in November. Truly terrific - possibly the best crime novel I've read all year. Another recent cracker (and up there for best book of the year so far) was The Faceless by Vanda Symon.
We have some super talented crime/thriller writers here in New Zealand now, and the standard just keeps rising...
I'm reading Rangatira by Paula Morris and finding it quite interesting to imagine Auckland as it is described in the earlier pages. I also have Passionless People Revisited by Gordon McLauchlan lined up.
Last book I read was The Forrests by Emily Perkins, great stuff!
I haven't read any New Zealand books since Behind the Hood, so I better start getting back into good ol' Kiwi books. I'll check out the next month read as it looks like something I'll like. By the way, Behind the Hood didn't put me off Kiwi books, quite the contrary, I loved it and gave it a 5star review. I can be harsh in my reviews, but this one was a fantastic read. It's set in South Auckland. Just think of a more adrenalin laced Once Were Warriors with one very nasty villain. But unfortunately for society, I thought Tama was very realistic, because you hear about so many guys like him when you turn on the news. Anyway, that's my bit for the day.
Oops, the monthly book read is for the other Kiwi group. Anyway, there's a good list of books at the bottom of the main page here that I'll check out.
The last NZ book I've read is
which I thought was fantastic. Grim in certain points, and hard to read in others, but the author brought Minnie Dean and the Reverend to life in my opinion.
For you guys reading Kiwi books my fast-paced eco-thriller 'Milkshake' is currently FREE to download on Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/Milkshake-ebook...
I'm looking forward to reading this Matt - it's been on my Kindle for a couple of months now. I almost have some time carved out for reading for pleasure - yay! :)
Matt wrote: "For you guys reading Kiwi books my fast-paced eco-thriller 'Milkshake' is currently FREE to download on Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/Milkshake-ebook......"
Shame it isnt available in NZ. I tried getting it in for Pennys Bookstore where I work but no one has it for sale. We dont deal with amazon...postage was too much!
Linda wrote: "Matt wrote: "For you guys reading Kiwi books my fast-paced eco-thriller 'Milkshake' is currently FREE to download on Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/Milkshake-ebook......"
You could try Book Depository, as they don't charge postage. My book is on there, so I assume Matt's would be too, and if not then you could ask them to get it. Plus, Book Depository gives the price to you in the currency of where you live. They are a LOT cheaper than Amazon.
Linda wrote: "Matt wrote: "For you guys reading Kiwi books my fast-paced eco-thriller 'Milkshake' is currently FREE to download on Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/Milkshake-ebook......"
Page & Blackmore in Nelson have it via their online store - or as mentioned already, try Book Depository (I know people who have bought it from there) - Its currently showing as 'unavailable' there. But I think if you request a copy it activates something at their end, or something...!) From memory it is around $15.50 inc delivery from the UK
Matt wrote: "Linda wrote: "Matt wrote: "For you guys reading Kiwi books my fast-paced eco-thriller 'Milkshake' is currently FREE to download on Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/Milkshake-ebook......"
Thanks Matt, will do.
Once again, 'Milkshake' is currently FREE for about 48 hours on Amazon:- http://www.amazon.com/Milkshake-ebook...So far over 5,000 copies have been downloaded during free promo periods
The sequel, 'The Destiny Stone' is due out shortly
My two recent NZ reads were Lives We Leave Behind by Maxine Alterio and The Faceless by Vanda Symon. Very different books from each other but both great.
Just rereading all my Ngaio Marsh. Still good reads.
Read recently 'Fox Boy', which has inspired me to find 'Season of the Jew' and at the moment I'm reading 'Sydney Bridge Upside Down'.
Recently finished Ben Sanders third book Only the Dead. God this boy can write!
Have added some titles noted here to my TBR - thanks for that.Finished and enjoyed Sydney Bridge..... recommend it to lovers of 50-60's style thrillers. Events revealed as hindsight, implied threat, innuendo - as opposed to pools of blood and screaming victims (maybe one!) Worthy of being republished and of being wider read.
Staying in the 60's for some light relief I have A Good Keen Man by Barry Crump out of the library and he's just the ticket!
While in the C's shelf I found a ChCh novellist Fay Anith Cossar - myth, time travel, fantasy... a fairly busy looking read.
Kaden wrote: "My most recent Kiwi author book I have read would be by Paul Cleave called The Cleaner.This book is so good that my housemates are taking turns reading it. Set in Christchurch about a serial kil..."
I have just finished a proof of Joe Victim, that follows on from The Cleaner. It is even darker than the first with lots of black humour, I loved it.
You can read the entire first volume of my Changels series Changels Initiation https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... (sorry the book search function on this thing is hopeless) for free on Goodreads or on m.changels.info using your mobile.
Just read Joe Victim: A Thriller by Paul Cleave. Very, very good. Now onto Cross Fingers by Paddy Richardson. Two thirds of the way through, and I think it could be Paddy's best yet - even better than Hunting Blind, which was a finalist for the Ngaio Marsh Award in 2011
Had a run of Kiwi stuff in the past week, all of it very, very good. Started with Joe Victim: A Thriller by Paul Cleave, then Paddy Richardson's Cross Fingers. Then yesterday I read both Liam McIlvanney's Where the Dead Men Go and Harry St John's Leave Her Hanging
Had a run of Kiwi stuff in the past week, all of it very, very good. Started with Joe Victim: A Thriller by Paul Cleave, then Paddy Richardson's Cross Fingers. Then yesterday I read both Liam McIlvanney's Where the Dead Men Go and Harry St John's Leave Her Hanging
On NZ History I have finished Wulf by Hamish Clayton. I enjoyed his style and found it a book to savour. Earlier this year I finished The Fox Boy by Peter Walker.Has anybody a suggestion of pieces about NZ set in a earlier date, what happened in the first 200 years of the Maori arrival?
I've just finished FIRE by Deborah Challinor and I really enjoyed it. It's been on my TBR pile for ages and the holidays are a great time to catch up. Some great suggestions here I'll be taking a closer look at.
Love and Money, set in 1987 by Greg McGee. Really funny in places with some incisive commentary on that awful period in our history.
You may be interested to know I've just published an historical fiction-thriller, largely set in NZ, 700 years ago and 9 years ago. A free 'taster' of 'The Destiny Stone' is available here on Good Reads, on my author page.
Who would've thought there were so many interesting Kiwi books out there! I'm only just starting to discover more Kiwi authors. The last book by a NZ author that I read was The Denniston Rose by Jenny Pattrick. So good! Can't wait to read the sequel.
I done quite well this year so far, I have been focusing on NZ. Let's see how long it lasts.The Colour of Food: A Memoir of Life, Love and Dinner, Hunting Blind, The Laughterhouse: A Thriller, The Spanish Helmet, Sentence of Marriage and The Fallen all worth the time to read.
I'm into the second half of the The Luminaries, really enjoying it, Eleanor Catton has a great writing style.
Looking at Janet Frame's poetry again.Reading Brian Turner's poetry.
I've just finished Wulf by Hamish Clayton. I wasn't that impressed by it. But it seems to have got some pretty good reviews so as always, everyone has their own likes and dislikes. I don't like to think that I didn't enjoy it because it wasn't 'fast-moving' because I don't believe a fast-paced plot is important to a good story. But it was sort of 'meh' for me.
Struggled with 'The Totem Hole' by Kiwi author Paul Shannon. His 1st novel 'Davey Darling' was short listed in the Commonwealth writers' best 1st novel section of their competition so Penguin snaffled him. He's thought to be going to be a great NZ novelist obviously.I have given up trying to read such a depressing and miserable story. Threw the book out.
I know you are all going to scream in horror and tell me I'm a bad Kiwi not to support our writers but
BUT
BUT...
please why do we have to have this...rubbish...?
'Set in the raw hinterlands of Wanganui and the corrupted paradise of the Pacific...'
AND
rich and powerful...explores finding honour while navigating the complex ways of love...'
I am sick and tired of this stupid belief that to have NZ literature taken seriously we must present a 'deep dark underbelly' of nastiness.
The main characters in the novel -two dull young men - have wasted their lives. (my opinion). They work on the family farm and their recreation is then drinking themselves senseless and trying all sorts of drugs at the weekends. They never have the gumption to take up or seek out opportunities which life always offers.
Boring, dull and joyless characters with no redeeming features. The book could have been lightened with humour but oh no! We must make the great Kiwi statements which are deep and meaningful nothings.
The morning of the wedding the two brothers are duck shooting and Jesse pots an albatross. This is meant to be very symbolic and meaningful as we get the bird's thoughts every so often. Where is the honour? And where is the love? Lust, yes but not love. Aaron’s claim to love is really lust.
Dour, bleak, grim and so typical of so much of the NZ literature which is published and vaunted as a great Kiwi read.
Frankly I avoid NZ literary novels. I have found so many of them depressing and all to this pattern of 'deep, dark and nasty'. The characters are never more than whining, hopeless people, who live nasty little lives wasting all their opportunities and taking the easy road without making a serious decision or attempting to control what happens.
When a novel is without any hope readers are not going to enjoy it or want to read more.
I think that's literary fiction in general. That's why I read genre novels; you generally get some protagonism in them.
Just finished, and really enjoyed, FALLOUT, the brand new book by Paul Thomas, fifth in the Ihaka trilogy, released yesterday. It was very, very good. Check it out.
I'm just about to start reading Tizzie by kiwi author P.D.R Lindsay, looking forward to it. Will report back here when I'm done :)
Currently reading Magpie Hall by Rachael King and recently finished the quietly impressive Let The River Stand by Vincent O'Sullivan. I loved Paul Cleave's The Cleaner which I finally read a couple of months ago and will definitely be reading more by him.
Kiwi Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
Screwed for Money (other topics)Smashed Nuts: (other topics)
The Sound of Her Voice (other topics)
In Dark Places: The Confessions of Teina Pora and an Ex-Cop's Fight for Justice (other topics)
Double-edged Sword: The Simonne Butler Story (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Andrene Low (other topics)Nathan Blackwell (other topics)
Simonne Butler (other topics)
Michael Bennett (other topics)
Thomas Ryan (other topics)
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Tackles slightly disturbing subjects well.
Good beach reading, whatever the weather.
Her next novel comes out in March.... and I've put it on request at the library. Just found that their new books list has a NZ Author category, so will look at that for new (to me) Kiwi authors.