What Are You Reading Right Now? ( Hwæt béon ðu bocrædung?) Showing 3,951-4,000 of 10,106

[Sandra]

I am reading The Tudor Conspiracy by C. W. Gortner. This is a new author for me. I am about a third of the way and so far it is a pleasant read, but nothing special. Anyone have any comments about this author?

[Darcy]

I've read both the prequel and the one you're reading. They're all right, bit nothing astonishingly surprising. I like them for mass transit, because how they're formatted and the chapter sizes. It's almost a cozy series

[Sandra]

Dawn wrote: "OMG and I'd written off Follett but if his book is all about building a cathedral.....I love building and cathedrals are an impressive feat!!"

If you love books about the construction of cathedrals, have you read the The Heaven Tree Trilogy by Edith Pargeter. I read them many years ago and still have them in my library.

[Jane]

That was an excellent one! I got it from the library, but didn't like it well enough to buy it.
I have recommended it to people [not on GR, though].

[Crystal]

Just finished and having a hard time starting anything new after it. I may have to go on a short Hemingway kick.

[Marilee]

Haydn wrote: "Mmmm, I have "the pillars of the earth" plus the other two books in the trilogy in my TBR pile. They are big books and I need the kick to get me started on them. The consensus here seems to be it's..."
I really enjoyed reading Pillars of the Earth, though it is quite a time investment.

[Darcy]

Marilee's book The Pillars of the Earth

[Marilee]

Erica wrote: "I liked Pillars of the Earth but he could have done without learning how to build cathedrals. I think I could build one myself now. I got 50 pages into the second book and had to set it aside. I wa..."

And yet, many readers, myself included, find the building bits interesting, or so many reviews say. Of course, different strokes for different folks … and all that. That is why skimming was invented, I guess. I do a lot of that reading novels with violent war scenes.

I found the building bits fascinating because I've visited some of the great cathedrals in Europe and was awestruck by their grandeur, imagining how they were constructed so long ago without modern building apparatus and methods.

[Linda]

I finished Colin Falconer ISABELLE...(sorry, could not bring up book title. I had just paid full price when it went on sale! It was worth it. I am reading Sarah's Key by Tatiana Rosenay(sp) free on line. It is very good. It is not just another WWII book. It grabs and holds. I should know for at the end of each chapter I have to go back to the beginning and turn every page until I get to the new chapter. I just don't know why my Nook acts this way occasionally. I reprimand it in the strongest terms and still it persists in such misbehavior!

[Cindy]

Loved that book!

[Simona]

Marilee wrote: "And yet, many readers, myself included, find the building bits interesting..."

Me too. It was my favourite part. (Yes, I am a curious person and I like to know how things work!)

[Alicja]

Just finished Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae, the ending made me like it more than I initially did which was great. Now reading Trouble and Her Friends, then Two Boys Kissing and The Afghan Campaign. And still working bit by bit on The Three Musketeers, which is turning out to be a longer read than initially anticipated.

[Darcy]

HAHAH, Alexandre Dumas is sneaky one.

[Simona]

But good! :)

[Alicja]

Oh yes, he is good. It is hilarious and very antic-filled. But sneakily a longer read than expected.

[Darcy]

Simona wrote: "But good! :)"

Spoken truth.

[Bobby]

Darcy wrote: "The Signature of All Things for Bobby

Me: Robert B. Parker's Bull River"

I guess I need to be re-trained!! How quickly one forgets. Thanks Darcy.

[Haydn]

I have to agree with you both Marilee and Simona. As an engineer by trade I am fascinated by making things and conversely taking them apart, so the thought of Cathedral building and all it's complexities is probably what attracted me to these books in the first place. It's just the size of the books and the reviews that put me off. Although it shouldn't. :(

[Lisa]

Haydn I think you meant Ken Folletts Century trilogy, as the third book has just been released. If you haven't read that I would recommend it. I like it better than "Pillars".

Derek I can't wait to see what you think of Vlad. I for one really really enjoyed it.

[Bryn]

Finished Of Merchants & Heroes, seemed very authentic to me & quite thoughtful.

Started Tun-huang by a Japanese historical novelist. Once I'd got used to his enigmatic brevity of style, might be seriously promising. 11th century north-west outskirts of China.

[Deb]

I feel like a failure as a historic reader but I am forced to admit that no matter how hard I try I CANNOT enjoy Bernard Cornwell!My most recent attempt was
I thought that if I bought it I would have more time and more commitment.

Anyhow, I hate wasting books, and lots of people here seem to love Cornwell so if anyone would like my copy of Stonehenge, or a copy of let me know after the 9/2/14 and I'll send them to you.

[Bryn]

Deborah, you're not alone. There may be few of us.

[Andy]

jus starting Byzantium with what must be the smallest type font EVER! opticians for me next week :)

[Bryn]

Marina wrote: "It was great to read about Rome before it was all ''Roman''. Reads more Greek than Roman, anyway, I thought..."

Very much so. Hard to think of what I've read more Greek.

[Derek]

Bryn wrote: "Deborah, you're not alone. There may be few of us."

I'm a serious fan of Bernard Cornwell but I can see why some folk wouldn't be. Isn't it marvellous that we can disagree so fundamentally on HF.

[Jane]

Bryn wrote: "Deborah, you're not alone. There may be few of us."

I think Cornwell's writing is uneven, so I partially agree with you. I DO NOT see the great attraction of the Uhtred books, which people seem anamoured of, on here. To me, they were enjoyable, but not the best I've ever read. What is the attraction that I don't see??

[Jon]

Sacrilege! No seriously, I'm a big fan of Mr Cornwell and for me it's the pace of the stories, the strong characters and his underlying sense of humour. Admittedly, I don't think Stonehenge is a strong example, but if you've tried The Warrior Chronicals and The Arthur Books and feel the same, then all hope is lost. :-)

[Jane]

Jon wrote: "Sacrilege! No seriously, I'm a big fan of Mr Cornwell and for me it's the pace of the stories, the strong characters and his underlying sense of humour. Admittedly, I don't think Stonehenge is a st..."

I've liked SOME of his, but it's not across the board. I've read book I of Arthur and didn't feel like continuing with the series, though I liked it well enough. A couple of the Uhtreds I gave 4**** [2 of the later ones] and the rest 3***. Rest of my ratings from anything I've read of his range from 2** to 4****, with most 3***.
I didn't see the humor. I did like that he's not vulgar or excessively gruesome. To me, his characters were not outstanding.
I guess all hope is lost in my case. :)

[Alicja]

To date no author has written a universally loved novel, one where every single review consists of 5 stars, because it doesn't exist. Our tastes and likes vary so much and none can ever please anyone. And I find that awesome, it would be too boring if everyone just agreed. :P

Concerning Cornwell, I love Uhtred because he is my kind of action hero. He is unapologetic with his actions (even when he makes mistakes, and he does that a lot), he refuses to let others (even kings) steamroll over him, and he keeps a sense of humor during some of the most intense times of battle. Plus, he cracked a 800s version of the "yo mamma" joke in The Pale Horseman that still has me sometimes chuckling to myself in remembrance. But that's just what I like and Cornwell has hit most of my melty sweet spots with him (now if only he'd fall for another warrior boy it would be perfect, but I guess I'll have to be content with what I've got).

[Jane]

Alicja wrote: "To date no author has written a universally loved novel, one where every single review consists of 5 stars, because it doesn't exist. Our tastes and likes vary so much and none can ever please anyo..."

Good assessment, Alicja. He's still not my favorite, but I'm getting an inkling why he's popular with a lot of folks in A&M.

[Anirudh]

Darcy wrote: "Marilee's book The Pillars of the Earth"

i read this and i really liked this book a lot..one of ken follets better books.i wondered why he hasnt written more of such books

[Portia]

The Pillars of the Earth was one of those "can't put it down" reads for me.

[Jane]

Portia wrote: "The Pillars of the Earth was one of those "can't put it down" reads for me."

Try Cathedral of the Sea, Portia. It's been compared to Pillars, but I'd say it's not QUITE the same...

[Marilee]

Anirudh wrote: "Darcy wrote: "Marilee's book The Pillars of the Earth"

i read this and i really liked this book a lot..one of ken follets better books.i wondered why he hasnt written more of such books"

But he has written another, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5..., World Without End. It's a sequel to Pillars, of a sort.

[Deb]

Bryn wrote: "Deborah, you're not alone. There may be few of us."

Thank goodness, I can't even pinpoint why I don't like it.

[Bryn]

Deborah wrote: "Thank goodness, I can't even pinpoint why I don't like it."

You don't need to pinpoint. :) I just sort of know I don't much like being in Bernard Cornwell's brain. Must be an incompatibility.

[Deb]

Jane wrote: "Jon wrote: "Sacrilege! No seriously, I'm a big fan of Mr Cornwell and for me it's the pace of the stories, the strong characters and his underlying sense of humour. Admittedly, I don't think Stoneh..."

Jane, I too see no humour in his books. They just seem leaden and heavy, a bit of mitigating humour would allow me to enjoy them a little more. It is just that so many readers whose taste I like and respect enjoy him. I kept thinking I would find something to like if I looked hard enough.

[Derek]

As a writer I still have absolutely no idea why some readers are effusive in their praise and others find my work just "OK". But as others have said, we're not all going to like the same things and that's what it's all about. I was interested by Deborah's comment that "I can't even pinpoint why I don't like it." I think that's true of many of us.

[Jane]

Derek wrote: "As a writer I still have absolutely no idea why some readers are effusive in their praise and others find my work just "OK". But as others have said, we're not all going to like the same things and..."

I know for me: it often comes down to the mood I'm in when I read a book. Also, if I really like a book [4 or 5 stars], it has touched me personally in some way.

[Deb]

I guess that is one of the wonderful mysteries of books; how one book will leave you feeling as though you have had an epiphany, yet leave close friends politely uninterested. The mood to which you sit down to a book is major. I try not to write off a book until I have tried it at least three times.

But I normally have a pretty good idea why I do or do not like a book, I am a bit Meh when I can't pinpoint the reason.

[happy]

I'm currently reading Jack Higgins's latest Sean Dillon political thriller



So far it has been a fun quick read - if I want to meet my goal for this year on books read, I've got to have some of those to balance the history tomes I end up reading :)

Also if anyone is interested my thoughts on



https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Bryn]

Tun-huang was great and I've gone straight onto The Blue Wolf: A Novel of the Life of Chinggis Khan by this author. Both short novels.

[Lisa]

Gosh Happy, the last Jack Higgins I read was Solo, years ago! It was a good read then. I don't know much about his later stuff, perhaps I need to revisit. Have you read any others?

[happy]

This is the first one I've read any in 10 yrs or so. They were some of the first Sean Dillon ones.

It came into the library and Mrs Happy thought I might enjoy it :)

This one is set post UBL, and Dillon and the Team are fighting the his successors in Al Quida (SP) and are trying to stop Iran getting a nuke

I've only got 50 pgs or so to go, so when I get a chance I'll probably go back and fill in some of the gaps

[Allison]

happy wrote: "I'm currently reading Jack Higgins's latest Sean Dillon political thriller



So far it has been a fun quick read - if I want to meet my goal for ..."

I'm interested Happy, thanks. The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England is in my tbr pile.

[Lisa]

happy wrote: "This is the first one I've read any in 10 yrs or so. They were some of the first Sean Dillon ones.

It came into the library and Mrs Happy thought I might enjoy it :)

This one is set post UBL, a..."
I look forward to then, I like Solo, as a quick read, but When the Eagle has Landed was a clear fave. I used to read a lot of WW2, Alastair McLean and the like, but haven't read that style for ages.

[Dawn]

Finished The Eagle's Prey by Simon Scarrow

I've started The Tyrant's Law by Daniel Abraham and
restarted The Spring of the Ram by Dorothy Dunnett

And thinking of starting The Eagle's Prophecy by Simon Scarrow and
Arrows of Fury by Anthony Riches and
To Wear The White Cloak by Sharan Newman

[[deleted user]]

That's all?

[Bobby]

Burning Paradise

[Dawn]

Derek wrote: "That's all?"

Well, no! But I thought it was too long already. :)

There a couple more I've finished and another I've restarted and a few more I'm thinking of starting.....