Nosemonkey > Recent Status Updates

Picked up on a whim, expecting it to be a bit rubbish, and really rather fun so far. Not my period, so no idea how historically accurate it is, mind...

Not often that I read 250 pages of a book in pretty much one sitting. A good sign...

The relentless grief got a bit much. Started grinding to a halt. Haven't picked it up again in a few weeks. Will see if I can get back into it again down the line.

Very much enjoyed The System of the World trilogy (bar book two, which dragged), which is a kind of prequel to this one. So far enjoying this a lot too - WWII setting, focus on decoding random patterns and suchlike makes it feel like an easier to read thematic partner to Gravity's Rainbow. Can't pretend to understand any of the maths bits though...

Good opening. Still trying to work out how manybbooks have been spent on this seemingly interminable voyage to Peru, though... Is this the fourth?

Started promisingly, but has now devolved into a generic historical murder mystery. Why do so many works of historical fiction have to do that these days? Giordano Bruno is an interesting enough figure without throwing in a generic locked door murder and turning him into a 16th century Sherlock Holmes. May or may not persevere - but have briefly switched to Aubrey/Maturin for some *proper* historical fiction.

Coprophilia first, now floating orgies sparked by paedophilia, and a quest for sex plastic. But then it is a book about magical erections, I guess a lot of sex is only to be expected... Still fun and weird and confusing.

Distracted by other books for a while, picked up for a bit, and didn't put down again for 3, 4 hours. Even when I'm not following everything, the flow is so good it doesn't matter.

Slow due to work, but still hugely enjoyable and broad. Warning: keep an atlas / Google alongside to check where all the places are...

Finally found volume one at a reasonable price, and damn is it good. Astonishingly broad in scope, yet wonderfully readable. History at its best.

Got a bit lost for a bit with yet more characters introduced, but still more or less following,and still enjoying it.

Promising so far - like the sound of the system. Now to start setting up the flash cards...

Further in than I've made it before and still enjoying it, though slowing down a bit of late, distracted by other things. The Economist comes out *every week*, damn it...