What Are You Reading Right Now? ( Hwæt béon ðu bocrædung?) Showing 2,451-2,500 of 10,106

[Darcy]

Along with Insurrection, I'm reading Crossing the Wire: One Woman's Unlikely Journey to the Afghan War, and Her Surprising Revelations about the Dangers We Face and The Tudor Conspiracy

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I have decided not to go on with Prophecy: Clash of Kings and am thinking about reading a Michael Jecks book while I wait for Insurrection to come in the mail.

The Jecks will be
The Oath

[Jane]

Am into An Iliad by Alessandro Baricco. It's an interesting premise: the author has adapted the Iliad; each chapter is the 1st person POV of a different character.

[Beorn]

I seem to have lost that Eat Your Heart out so now as well as that Robert Fabbri I have the following on the go:
Hidden Agendas
An inspirational politics book.
and
a curiously fascinating history book:
The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

How did you lose it? :-) lol.
Partner steal it to read or something?

[Tim]

I have to admit I'm reading the new Dan Brown book, and quite enjoying it.

[Bobby]

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/99...
Wanted to read this for quite a while.

[Kathy]

Tim wrote: "I have to admit I'm reading the new Dan Brown book, and quite enjoying it."

Tim,
I'm glad you like this audio. Some of the reviews weren't that favorable, but from the description, I felt like this might be a decent book.

[Jane]

Reading
The Palace of Illusions

Retelling of Mahabharata, the Indian epic, in the voice of one of the main female characters, Panchaali.

[Darcy]

While I have Insurrection on hold so that I can read in big chunks (re: the week end), I picked up Mrs. Queen Takes the Train but am already dubious. She's not coming off as someone who should be the head of any state. So, I set that aside for the moment as it did my head in, and am now reading some shorts to fill in small gaps of time with
and

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Darcy wrote: "While I have Insurrection on hold so that I can read in big chunks (re: the week end), I picked up Mrs. Queen Takes the Train but am already dubious. She's not coming off as someone who should be t..."

Oh my dear, you were very brave trying Mrs.Queen Takes the Train. When I first saw that even the premise did my head in and I gave it a wide berth. Hehe.

[Darcy]

'Twas a christmas gift from my baby brother. But I can't complain too much, he also got me

and

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Good work baby bro.

[Michael]

Terri wrote: "I have decided not to go on with Prophecy: Clash of Kings and am thinking about reading a Michael Jecks book while I wait for Insurrection to come in the mail.

The Jecks will be
[bookcover:The Oat..."

Hope you like it!

[Michael]

Darcy wrote: "'Twas a christmas gift from my baby brother. But I can't complain too much, he also got me

and "

You must read Flashman first. A brilliant evocation of the period, with superb characterisation of the bully and coward!

[Darcy]

I've read it and have the next one somewhere in this mess of a library I still need to get in order. I really enjoyed it. I've read The Reavers as well. Definitely a George MacDonald Fraser fan.

[Michael]

Darcy wrote: "I've read it and have the next one somewhere in this mess of a library I still need to get in order. I really enjoyed it. I've read The Reavers as well. Definitely a George MacDonald Fraser fan."

Same here. A superb historian and writer.

[Mark]

I'm waiting to receive my copy of Ben Kane's, "Rebellion."

[Beorn]

Terri wrote: "How did you lose it? :-) lol.
Partner steal it to read or something?"

I honestly have no idea. It seems to have disappeared off the face of the planet. It's weird really.

I have five books on the go at the moment thanks to giving into temptation each time I go to the library. I'm at least trying to prioritise the library books as I only have them for a fixed period of time.
The books that are officially "on the go" at the moment for me are:
1) The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium
2) Sharpe's Tiger
3) Hidden Agendas
4) Heat: How to Stop the Planet From Burning
and
5) Legendary Warriors: Great Heroes in Myth and Reality

So a bit of everything really.

I picked up the frankly brilliant offer on Hannibal: Fields of Blood in Tesco for hardbacks of that AND the previous in the series for a mere £8.

[Paula]

Hi Paul, The Year 1000 is a great book. I love it! I often refer to it when doing research

[Jane]

Still working my way slowly through

But for a less cerebral read I'm partway through: , Oh, my goodness, it's as good or better than . I am so happy there are some of the same characters from the first book. A new trio of sympathetic characters, Kalliades, Piria, and Banokles, who were very minor in the first book, have been added [or roles expanded].
Luckily the library has the whole Troy trilogy. I have checked out to conclude the story.

[Beorn]

Jane wrote: "Still working my way slowly through

But for a less cerebral read I'm partway through:, Oh, my goodness, it's as good or be..."

How would you rate David Gemmell? I've heard mixed things of them to be honest. Someone told me they were quite... 'fantasy' (in the George RR Martin sense), and someone else told me they were straight up his-fiction...

Paula wrote: "Hi Paul, The Year 1000 is a great book. I love it! I often refer to it when doing research"

Yeah, it's certainly coming across as a likely candidate to be read and re-read. One of those great examples of a bargain charity shop spot!

[Jane]

Paul,
The only thing I've read of his is Lord of the Silver Bow and now I'm up to part three in Shield of Thunder. I can't really qualify myself to rate him, but what I've read so far is positive. Yes, this is an alternate version of the events leading up to the Trojan War and a re-imagining of the characters; and, I would imagine, in the 3d book, the Trojan War itself. I'd classify it as straight hf, just a different retelling. Maybe the different character interpretations and motivations would qualify it as fantasy, since it's not Homer. Maybe that's where your friend was coming from.

[Dawn]

Nothing Gemmell does is straight up HF. All of it has fantasy elements, typically some kind of alternate history. They are termed heroic fantasy.
I don't actually think any of his books are SF but some of the post-apocalyptic ones could be termed it in a pinch.
He's one of my favorite authors, I've read every book he wrote.

[Mark]

Dawn wrote: "Nothing Gemmell does is straight up HF. All of it has fantasy elements, typically some kind of alternate history. They are termed heroic fantasy.
I don't actually think any of his books are SF but..."

I have to agree with Dawn, I have read all his books. The only sci fi which could be counted as that is the joinings which are done by magic and science but he didn't really explain it fully in his books.

[Dawn]

Always good to see another Gemmell fan around. :)

[Mark]

Dawn wrote: "Always good to see another Gemmell fan around. :)"

He is a big miss Dawn. I will always regret not going to a book signing he did 20 years ago for our county library, I just couldn't get the time off from work. But I got all my books signed as a friend took them in for me.

[Dawn]

That is fabulous, I spent a lot of time haunting the used book stores 15 years ago just trying to find all his books. His older stuff was hard to come by at the time, at least here it was.

[Simona]

Dawn wrote: "That is fabulous, I spent a lot of time haunting the used book stores 15 years ago just trying to find all his books. His older stuff was hard to come by at the time, at least here it was."

Ok, now I want to read his books!

[Mark]

Simona wrote: "Dawn wrote: "That is fabulous, I spent a lot of time haunting the used book stores 15 years ago just trying to find all his books. His older stuff was hard to come by at the time, at least here it ..."

I would really recommend his books.

[Dawn]

You should try them Simona. My favorites are White Wolf (Drenai Saga, #10) and The Swords of Night and Day (Drenai Saga, #11)

I read them all out of order and it was never a particular problem. Though it felt like I was reading prequels when I got to earlier books. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Jane wrote: "Paul,
The only thing I've read of his is Lord of the Silver Bow and now I'm up to part three in Shield of Thunder. I can't really qualify myself to rate him, but what I've read so far is positive...."


I regard it as straight up hist fic too, Jane. Since supernatural Gods and Goddesses are not actually in it, communicating with people and nothing fantastical happens.

[Jane]

Terri wrote: "Jane wrote: "Paul,
The only thing I've read of his is Lord of the Silver Bow and now I'm up to part three in Shield of Thunder. I can't really qualify myself to rate him, but what I've read so far..."

Thanks, Terri. I feel vindicated.

[Bryn]

Jane is inspiring me to keep on with The Death of Virgil. Better, she found that reading aloud helps, and I had a great experience when I tried that: his voice came alive, I followed his thoughts -- they made consecutive sense to me, even as he jumps about. Still mentally exhausted after 20 pages.

Meanwhile, might drop My Name is Red or skim the last 120. Am without curiosity as to how the murder story or the love story ends. Feels like a clever game, this book, and lacks human content.

[Jane]

Bryn wrote: "Jane is inspiring me to keep on with The Death of Virgil. Better, she found that reading aloud helps, and I had a great experience when I tried that: his voice came alive, I followed his thoughts -..."

Bryn,
I found a book which discusses The Death of Virgil:
The Guernica Bull: Studies in the Classical Tradition in the Twentieth Century, Chapter 4. I'm still reading DoV. My limit is maybe 20-30 pp. at a time. I try to stop at one of the big gaps [spacings between sections]. My voice has given out by that point and why push myself?
You are inspiring me to soldier on!

[Bryn]

Jane wrote: "... I try to stop at one of the big gaps [spacings between sections]..."

Or when you luck on a paragraph end? Sorry, have to have a laugh. Paragraphs go on for pages, guys.

Yes, I have that trouble with reading aloud, which I'm addicted to doing with plays or poetry -- ragged throat.

Thanks for the book with a chapter on DoV. Another onMarguerite Yourcenar, for her fans. It's even affordable...

[Jane]

Bryn wrote: "Jane wrote: "... I try to stop at one of the big gaps [spacings between sections]..."

Or when you luck on a paragraph end? Sorry, have to have a laugh. Paragraphs go on for pages, guys.

Yes, I h..."

SENTENCES go on for pp. and Herr Broch loved semicolons and commas... He must have had an aversion to periods, though. :)

Thanks for the info on Yourcenar. I liked

Memoirs of Hadrian

[Carolyn]

Am currently reading John Boyne, This House is Haunted and loving it - if you have a copy already, get started !!!!

[Simona]

At Dawn, 2534: I just might. My library has all the Drenai series, in italian of course: I hope it's a good translation.

At Jane, 2540: I loved Memoirs of Hadrian too, but other books, like L'Amante anglaise, not so much.
And what are you saying about The Death of Virgil makes me think of Ulysses, which I liked when I was much younger: much more fervour in my tastes then.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Carolyn wrote: "Am currently reading John Boyne, This House is Haunted and loving it - if you have a copy already, get started !!!!"

Here's the link for that one, Carolyn. :) This House is Haunted

I thought...hey where do I know that authors name from...???
Then I remembered, he wrote
Crippen: A Novel of Murder
Which I didn't like. But when I read it, i wasn't really into that kind of history. I think one day I shall reread it and see if I like it better.

[Bryn]

Simona wrote: "And what are you saying about The Death of Virgil makes me think of Ulysses..."

Like Ulysses, except historical fiction. Yay. Instead of an ordinary day in Dublin, he gives the treatment to Virgil and Augustus. I just love that he chose to 'do a Ulysses' on a historical subject and am determined to support him. Even when it hurts.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Jane wrote: "Thanks, Terri. I feel vindicated."

;)

[Jane]

Bryn wrote: "Simona wrote: "And what are you saying about The Death of Virgil makes me think of Ulysses..."

Like Ulysses, except historical fiction. Yay. Instead of an ordinary day in Dublin, he gives the trea..."

@Simona, Broch, an Austrian, used the same technique as Joyce.
@Bryn, I liked your last statement comparing the two. Food for thought.

I have Cassandra: A Novel and Four Essays, which is similar in structure, and also a metaphor, I think, to read maybe in a few months.

[Jane]

Bryn wrote: "Jane is inspiring me to keep on with The Death of Virgil. Better, she found that reading aloud helps, and I had a great experience when I tried that: his voice came alive, I followed his thoughts -..."

I skimmed My Name is Red towards the end too. For the life of me I cannot remember anything about it. It started out with such promise...

[Simona]

I bought and read Istanbul: Memories and the Citybefore visiting the town the first time. I was really excited, because I had wanted to go there for a long time (and I still love Istanbul and bleed for it now), but when I finished the book I felt disillusioned and quite depressed.
IMO, Pamuk has brilliant intuition and can make almost poetry sometimes, but then...he loses himself. And the reader.

[Linda]

Amongst My Enemies by William F. Brown, started today, is another WWII novel set in the waning days of the war. Again, the Soviet army is coming west while the Nazis are moving east. For the people in those border countries, there is no hiding place. My sixth sense tells me there may be a German hero in this book.

[Jane]

Simona wrote: "I bought and read Istanbul: Memories and the Citybefore visiting the town the first time. I was really excited, because I had wanted to go there for a long time (and I still love Istanbul and bleed..."

I agree. I tried this one too but gave up not too far along.

[Simona]

Welcome in my one person club, Marina! He's great.

[Mark]

Simona wrote: "Welcome in my one person club, Marina! He's great."

Make that 3 of us :)

[Nate]

I just borrowed my friend's copy of The Blade Itself, excited to get to it. Glad you guys seem to like him so much.