[Archived] Holiday Reading

[Cheeky Sidders]

AVOID AT ALL COSTS any book that says "If you liked...... you'll like this" or "BETTER than ......"

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Wise words! Well, except when I've said it. Those bloody awful Emperor books by Conn Iggulden are a good example of the "If you liked... you'll love this" type of blurb. As I've said before they're absolute rubbish and even less historically accurate than Carry On Cleo. DON'T READ THEM!!!

Colin, got to agree about The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime as I found it to be very thought-provoking, funny, quite moving and strangely wise. As for Michael Palin, I read Hemingway's Chair a good few years ago and found it quite entertaining. It even inspired me to try a shot of grappa while on holiday in Italy but I'm afraid it was even more vile than it was described in the book.

Flopsy, I read the first of Scarrow's Eagle books and found it fairly entertaining but it's pretty simplistic stuff. If you're tempted to read anything else set in the same period I strongly recommend you give Eagle In The Snow and Imperial Governor a whirl. You won't be disappointed. Alternatively, if you want to have a dip into ancient Greek history you could do a lot worse than try Gates Of Fire by Steven Pressfield. It tells the story of the heroic but doomed Greek army holding off the Persians at Thermopylae in 480BC. Epic scale, epic events and will occupy your every spare moment as you won't want to put it down. Any book that has Blue Phil and myself in solid agreement must have something going for it! Personally, I think it should be required reading by all European Citizens because if it was not for those brave Greeks making a stand 2486 years ago Western Civilisation as we know it would not exist. Great bunch of lads, them Greeks.

[Rovers Air Force]

Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (ISBN 0-7528-7732-1)

I found this to be a very entertaining read (700 pages in 3 days)! The plot centers on two female leads, and is set in medieval and modern day France. Similar to DVC (Read the times) it centralizes on the search for the "True Grail", although it lacks the detective/riddle solving premise of Dan Browns work it more than makes up with its more believable/enjoyable/thoughtfully theories on the Grails true existence! Fans of DVC should enjoy this as will those others who found DVC not to their taste.

Cell Stephen King (ISBN 0-340-92144-7)

A fairly standard affair from the King of goth horror, some how mobile telephones, sorry cells, suddenly give of an EMP pulse that sends those who here it totally stark raving loony!! The plot centers on one Clayton Riddle as he tries to make his way home across the US, to see if his son is OK whom of course has a mobile, dammit sorry Cell! Gory as always, if you like King you will probably like this.(398 pages in 2 nights)

Want to Play?/Live Bait P.J. Tracey (ISBN 0-141-01132-7/0-141-01133-5)

A mother and daughter have teamed up to combine to differing styles of writing to create a most enjoyable read! both books have 6 central characters, 4 top draw computer programmers and two cops.

In the first, Want to play?, the geeks realize a bloody serial killer game, serialized on the web, is being played out for real on their local streets! they have to convince the coppers that they are not responsible and help find out who is!

The second, Live bait, see the geeks exonerated in any wrong doings, and now using their geekery for the power of good! They devise a computer program/system for tracking and linking, seemingly un-related crimes, then then stumble on to a rather nasty set of events!!!...

The Hit man Diaries Danny King (ISBN 1-85242-828-7)

Blacker than black comedy! It the diary of a hit man who is looking for love whilst training an apprentice, whose first job is to probably kill him! Laugh out loud funny read alone or be ready for some odd looks! 282 pages 8hrs no stop!!!

Witness To War Richard J. Aldrich (ISBN 0-552-15108-4)

A fantastic collection of diary extracts from those who lived through (and those who did not) WWII. set in chronological order it uses the diary extracts to paint a picture of the publics reaction to events as they happened in the war! fabulous late night or bathroom reading all the extracts are short and sweet, fabulous! (Still reading)

[RoyRover]

I read Dan Brown's Angels and Demons not so long ago. Like the Da Vinci code it's a great page turner. I've also read some Frederick Forsyth books of late. Avenger is a great book, although parts of it are a bit ridiculous. I'm in the middle of Forsyth's Icon, which is absolutely brilliant.

[FourLaneBlue]

Wise words!  Well, except when I've said it.  Those bloody awful Emperor books by Conn Iggulden are a good example of the "If you liked... you'll love this" type of blurb.  As I've said before they're absolute rubbish and even less historically accurate than Carry On Cleo.  DON'T READ THEM!!!

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Hate to say I told you so but...well...I did tell you so!

Couldn't help comparing it unfavourably to the superb 'I Claudius' books.

[blue phil]

  Any book that has Blue Phil and myself in solid agreement must have something going for it!

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Well we both seem to like the historical stuff - particularly the Romans . I'll have to try the Imperial Governor ; if it can top Massie's books it'll be worth taking on holiday .

Recently got a book on Agincourt by Michael Jones for my next hols but it's already been devoured . Excellent stuff . Also in the process of re-reading Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars , a solid copy of which I picked up cheap at a book fair recently . If you like that you'll also love the Robert Graves' Claudius books as recommended by Four Lane Blue

[Flopsy]

If we're on the Roman theme (I thought the Emperor series was perfectly alright if not totaly accurate) Valerio Massimo Manfredi's "The Last Legion" is a very good try (as are the rest of his books) combining Roman and British legends together.

Michael Marshall's Straw Men series is a very good Thriller/Serial Killer series.

[Flopsy]

Michael Curtis Ford's The Ten Thousand is quite good if you're looking at the Greek/Spartan history.

I havent read his others but, I ve heard they aint bad. God bless amazon

this aint bad

The Great Siege: Malta, 1565

Ernle Bradford

[Cheshireblue]

Sebastian Faulks? It's not often I don't finish a book but "On Green Dolphin Steet" has me bored to tears.

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I can't remember the last time we agreed on something Colin, so this is worthy of note.

Birdsong was dreadful, as was on Green Dolphin Street. Gave up on them both. I can't even remember why I started the second one.

I'm working my way through the Flashman Diaries at the moment by George Macdonald Fraser. Very entertaining. For those of you unfamiliar with old Flashy, he was the bully from Tom Browns Schooldays and these are supposedly the tales of his life. He is an unmitigated coward, drunk and womaniser who stumbles from historical event to historical event in his own inimitable fashion. Historically quite accurate, but very amusing.

[Radagast]

"The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time" by Mark Haddon is rather an eye-opener. It sort of drags you along in a morbid/intersting/ let's see what happens next way due to the fact that it is written from the point of view of someone who is autistic.

Having lived next door to an autistic bloke for a number of years  it really rang a few bells. I don't think you have to know anyone autistic to be enthralled by it.

I was given a compendium of Michael Palin's books for Chrimbo. Better than underpants though. Sometimes I'm reading it and thinking "the photographers are the stars of this one Michael, you're just putting the words inbetween the pictures."

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I really enjoyed this book - it managed to be a zippy little couple of days read and yet somehow still seem relevant and thought-provoking

'The Woman who walked into doors' by Roddy Doyle. Excellent tale of domestic violence by the ever-excellent Doyle.

I read this...cripes...almost five years ago for my sixth year dissertation. Doyle's usual mix of the hilarious and the heartbreaking. A really good read, probably the best Doyle book that I've read, but The Snapper remains my personal favourite.

About a month ago I decided to finally see what the fuss was about with Steven King's Dark Tower books. The first, The Gunslinger was a thoroughly bizarre yet totally compelling experience that prettymuch forced me to read the second in hope of answers to the million questions posed by its predecessor.

The second and third were definitelty more immediate and less dream-like - I really love how they both open with very immediate and memorable events (book 3, ten pages in: BAM! 70 foot bear!) and don't really let up, although the third has one of the most frustrating endings I've read in a long while.

[Flopsy]

ive read them all, absolutely brilliant

[Cheeky Sidders]

Now that summer is here and the World Cup is over I figured it was time for a bit of a round-up. Since last time I have been spending a lot of my time reading very dull academic texts but now that I've got rid of all that rubbish I've been able to plough through a few novels. Among them were...

Excavation by James Rollins - billed as suspenseful page turner but turned out to be the most infantile novels I have ever had the misfortune to part with my hard-earned cash for. Complete and utter pigshite and I would not recommend it to anyone.

Labyrinth by some vacuous tart - this book was foisted on me by a work colleague and I was assured that it was a cracking read and I had to ignore the "chick lit" tag it had acquired. It had also been recommended on this thread by Rovers Air Force. In short, it's a badly written yarn set in two time periods about a set of 2d characters that it's hard to find even an atom of empathy for as they try to solve a big mystery. This book is monumentally boring and after 300 pages of this childish, tiresome bilge I gave up on it. DO NOT READ THIS RUBBISH!

The Conscience Of The King by Alfred Duggan - now we're talking! This book is the fictionalised memoir of the semi-legendary Cerdic Elesing, king of Wessex and ancestor of virtually all kings and queens of England, including the current queen. Cerdic is not a likeable man as he lies, cheats, murders, loots and seduces his way to the top but displays a commendable sense of purpose. Superbly written and instantly engaging this book was a delight. I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in historical fiction as well as anyone who has dreams of being their one boss. Worth more than any of those motivational speeches as everyone can learn something from old Cerdic. Epic stuff and even King Arthur makes a brief appearance. For those in the know, it's in the same league as Eagle In The Snow and Imperial Governor.

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman - this book is for kids? Jeez! Let's get this straight, the Vatican does nothing but lie, children are used by mad scientists that often result in their deaths, there's a war, one of the central characters fights to the death in unarmed combat with another and there's a woman going round abducting kids who has a monkey that is even more sinister than the child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It's a bit different to Enid Blyton! Got to say I absolutely loved this book and found it to be a surprisingly grown-up read. Pullman has a surreal imagination but he always manages to explain himself very well to create his alternative world and I was never left feeling "this is all a bit geeky" as I have done when reading the likes of Pratchett, Tolkien and other fantasy novelists. The idea of all humans having their own daemon is just inspired and one of the most original plot devices I think I've ever read. Go on, treat yourself.

Next up is Complicity by Iain Banks.

Surely I'm not the only one who has read something lately? Come on, post your recommendations.

[blue phil]

Boris Johnson's ..The Dream of Rome is an entertaining , easy to read holiday book . A better writer than footballer I'm pleased to say

[Flopsy]

Labyrinth by Kate Mosse - Makes the DaVinci Code look like a masterpiece of literature.

His Dark Materials is an absolutely awesome trilogy that get better - it helps that you know some Catholic Dogma but its not vital.

Ive got a load of cheap books from the Works always a good place to look for some bargains - I'll give you a review of the ones Ive read when I get back next week.

I can recommend anything by Gordon Stevens (although hard to find now) Mill Millington's books "Things My Girlfriend and I have argued about" and "Love and other near death experiences" are, I think, a hoot. " A Year in the Merde" is rather amusing, Nelson DeMille and Lee Child are good authors if you like thrillers and then theres Jeffery Deaver, Kyle Mills, Michael Connelly, Eric L Harry and Jack DuBrul for some other not bad authors who very rarely write dross.

Stay well clear of anything with a greek letter in the title - it'll be pooh

[Rovermatt]

I don't usually read anything passed to me by my mum (her tastes being slightly high-brow and and arty farty) but I must recommend The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It is one of the most affecting books I've ever read; beautifully written and a bona fide page-turner.

It's set in Kabul, during the 70s just before the Russians invade and tells the story of Amir (the son of a wealthy merchant) who resolves to gain his father's favour by winning the local kite-fighting competition. The other main character is Amir's friend and servant Hassan, an illiterate Hazara who is completely devoted to Amir. I'll tell you no more because it's (a)very sad and (b)the crux of the story.

As mentioned above, His Dark Materials is excellent. Northern Lights is one of the most fantastic pieces of mainstream literature I've ever read. Only The Lord of the Rings has impressed me more. The sequels (The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass are good but nowhere near the first-the latter contains a stupid, forced and slightly distasteful love story between minors)

I also just finished The Godfather: The Lost Years by Mark Winegardener. As a Godfather devotee I loved it. Obviously it has nothing on Mario Puzo but it ties things together very nicely.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Rovermatt

[Cheeky Sidders]

I should have added that The Conscience Of The King by Alfred Duggan would appeal to fans of George Macdonald Fraser as Cerdic Elesing is very like Harry Flashman. He's essentially a complete rogue that exploits others to get what he wants. His method of ending an unhappy marriage would also be a lesson to many and he's fantastically xenophobic and heretical. I can see that he would appeal to many on here.

Available on Amazon at very reasonable rates.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Cheeky Sidders

[colin]

Well resurrected Sidders,

"The Sex Lives Of Cannibals" by J Maarten Troost"

The tale of an American who gets to spend three years on Tarawa which is the bottom sphincter of nowhere in the Pacific Ocean. Here it is

here

Light hearted, & enjoyable.

[Cheeky Sidders]

"The Sex Lives Of Cannibals"

I've often wondered about the sex lives of cannibals and their methods of foreplay. Presumably there are some things that require a heightened sense of trust...

[FourLaneBlue]

'The Rule of Four' is another book trying to benefit from the Da Vinci craze but is utterly, utterly awful and I had to stop reading after a hundred or so pages, something I rarely do and for only the most tedious of books.

I've also been reading 'The Bush Dyslexicon' by Mark Crispin Miller which is a few years old (it predates the September 11th attack) but interesting in debating the intelligence and slips of America's man with his finger on the button. An interesting read and leaves little doubt where the sympathies of Bush lie - with nepotism and big business, which is after all what got him elected despite apparently receiving less votes in Florida than Gore. Although retaining a liking for malapropisms and comic gaffes, Bush appears as a clever and ruthless political animal. Recommended.

[stegraham]

I've just finished the new Jasper Ffrorde book, "The Fourth Bear" - genius!!! It's the second book starring Jack Sprat and Mary Mary of the Nursery Crime Division. ("The Big Over Easy" being the first). The series is kind of a spin off from his Thursday Next novels (brilliant). If you like your books a bit surreal then check them out!

Edited July 27, 2006 by stegraham

[arealbrfcfan]

read a book a few months ago called 'Life of Pi' written by Yann Martel. Its a great read, specially a good holiday read. Lent it to my mum when she went to Nice. Its a great adventure and an extraordinary story that keeps you interested all the way.

Other than that books i can recommend strongly are ;

The Third Policeman by Flann 'O Brien - Amazing Surreal literature with a major plot twist at the end for all you people who like your psychological endings. Told from a narrative prospective the narrator is witness to a whole host of strange happenings that occur in his local town/parish, after committing a massive robbery and murder he starts to realize him and his accomplice are witnessing their own personal hell.

[blue phil]

I also just finished The Godfather: The Lost Years by Mark Winegardener. As a Godfather devotee I loved it. Obviously it has nothing on Mario Puzo but it ties things together very nicely.

I thought The Godfather was one of the most overrated books I've ever read . Not a patch on the film . Puzo did the screenplay I know but Coppola was the driving force that turned it into a work of genius .

Try the DVD trilogy if you're a big fan Matt - some good extras in there . (Don't bother with no 3 though....)

[colin]

The Third Policeman by Flann 'O Brien -

Flann O'Brien is brilliant. He is funny, he is wise, he sees things that you and I see, but don't really think about. Worth a read.

I'll probably get scolded for this, but if Terry Pratchett had an Irish grandfather it would have been Flann

[Wolverine]

Been reading the Bourne trilogy by Robert Ludlum. The Bourne Identity starts in similar fashion to the film, but drifts gradually until it is unrecognisable. The Bourne Soupremacy so far is vastly different. They are ok reads if you can stand the daft dialogue and can put your brain in 'lo-tech past mode'.

Really enjoyed Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. It's all mixed up and odd with vastly different stories and writing styles.

Also like The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nightime by Mark Haddon. It's written from the pov of a child with aspergers and is quite thought provoking.

Other recommends are Yes Man by Danny Wallace, and A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson - superb holiday reading.

Then again, I can read the Red Dwarf Omnibus over and over...

[Claytons Left Boot]

We Die Alone by David Howarth - true story set in World War Two with the Germans chasing a Norwegian resistance fighter through the high mountains of Arctic Norway. Jan Baalsrud survived but you would not believe the hardship and suffering he went through. The assistance he received from locals during his escape, at the risk of their own deaths, reinforces ones belief in mankind. Brilliant.

Running With Reindeer by Roger Took - a decade of living in the Murmansk area of north west Russia, sometimes with the Saami people (Morten's lot), an adventure spent with the reindeer-herding and hunting community in this extremely remote and beautiful wilderness.

The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure by Adam Williams - fiction based on fact in China in the late 1800's. A brothel overlooking an execution ground offering safety from the Boxers massing secretly in the forests and hills. Couldn't put it down.

Currently reading Det er greit for meg by Per Petterson - text in Norwegian and as usual Petterson's story revolves around family relationships and life's struggles.

[FourLaneBlue]

I'm reading 'Gai-Jin' by James Clavell at the moment. It's part of his Asian sextext (oo-er!) of novels with also includes Shogun and Tai-Pan, the two of his other books I have read. They are rollockingly good reads and interesting from historical viewpoints. Apparentlt quite a bit of what he wrote isn't too authentic (mangling languages, anachronisms etc) but I think they are still pretty impressive as they pack in so much detail and description.

Characters are a bit thin and some stilted conversations happen but, all in all, they are good holiday reads. I'd probably recommmend reading Shogun first however (which is set the longest time ago) and Tai-Pan (which is the best of his that I have read).