What book you reading ?

[mothhawk]

Where The Wild Flowers Grow, by Leif Bersweden

A botanical journey through Britain and Ireland.

[Andraste]

Hi all,

Just finished reading this thread from post #1 - shhh, don't tell anyone, I'm supposed to be working!

I'm without a new read at the moment

Miriam Margolyes 'This Much Is True' will hopefully drop through my letterbox in the next week or so - she's by far one of the most interesting women in the world in my opinion so I can hardly wait.

In the meantime I'm re-reading 'Dawnthief' by James Barclay, the first of his 'Raven' series which I really enjoy and would recommend to those who enjoy books like Sapkowski's 'Witcher'.

Not for the first time I wonder how I might go about procuring the film/tv rights to the Raven books as I can't believe no one's snapped it up. Maybe posting this here will stand in court as proof that it was my idea first

[Nicos]

Just finished Bilgewater by Jane Gardam

Fiction - about a girl growing up in a boy’s school where her father is a housemaster. Quite light and amusing .

[1batfastard]

Hi All,
Nicos - I have had it for a while amongst other Biographies, I can't get over his father abusing him and Billy still having anything to do with him that really shocked me, I new he was abused but not in detail.

I also knew Billy had been in the territorials but not as a Para RESPECT! On the whole so far I am enjoying it as an insight to a favourite comedic entertainer of mine since the late 70's.

I have just started chapter five and hope the other four are as eye opening to say the least apart from an obvious miss :- Everybody dancing in the streets on D-Day I think she meant VE or VJ day. still I am looking forward to getting in even deeper into the real man behind what we see as fans.

I am not a big an of Ms Stephenson starting each chapter with what she and Billy where doing etc, etc, etc. I thought the book should concentrate on him alone and those little insight spoil the book IMPO but as I say generally a great fascinating read.

Geoff.

[Andraste]

I've also read & thoroughly enjoyed 'Billy' - well reviewed Geoff

[rary]

Good evening, not on about reading a book, more to voice my disappointment in the film portrail of of books, two in particular, first was apple TV with their presentation of Isaac Asimovs Foundation series, their presentation is so far off from the book that it's a different story, second is Primes presentation of the Wheel of Time, they have the names right, but after watching it the past three nights I think I must have missed out on some of the books and yet I have the 14 volumes that was printed. Now I know there can be differences between book and film yet Peter Jackson has shown that with modern film technology films can be produced which follow closely the written word of the books, even Tom Cruises films of Jack Reacher is more accurate than those two presentations

[Andraste]

I most enjoy books that come in a series so was really looking forward to 'Smolder', book 32 of Laurell K Hamilton's 'Anita Blake' series. They fall into the fantasy/paranormal fiction genre, with Anita cast as a vampire hunting necromancer, but after the first book or so there's a definite leaning toward mild-ish (depending on how sensitive you are) erotic fiction.

It's been 2 years since the last Anita Blake book & to be honest, I was disappointed. Just as the story gets going it ends without any satisfying conclusion or even a cliffhanger. Hamilton promised 2 book releases in 2023 but 'Smolder' is half a book. Fans & those who hate a story half finished now await the release of 'Slay', which will essentially be the 2nd half.

I'm left feeling a bit ripped off. There's a large part of me that feels they should be giving 'Slay' away free to anyone who bought 'Smolder' to thank them for continuing to buy books from this series, potentially since 1993 if they've been reading since book 1 was published. It's so blatantly 1 book split into 2 to maximise sales revenue that I feel they're taking advantage of a long-time readership base.

[1batfastard]

Hi All,
Rary:- I think you have hit the nail on the head with your comment, so often the books are superior to the films in characters and storyline, not only that but it's somebody else version of the story the problem is that the Witcher has a plethora of history with it apart from the books i.e. being the video games it has spawned and where most of the fans come from.

Andraste:- I think your comment is particularly true as half written storylines turned into books just seem to be cheating the fans ( Alla G R R Martin and the final GOT book). All that the fan wants is a completed novel, Conclusion not if's but's and maybe's. Obviously if there is to much material then either the author saves it for a second part or has to end the novel and draft the material into a new adventure etc. etc. etc.

As with the Witcher series the main complaint from HC was the writers where not keeping true to the book, to me changing characters/stories or even jumbling them up out of sequence seems to be the MO and not involving the book writer is a complete failure of any books adaption to screen again as in the Witcher bring the author in late looks like desperation and by then the series has gone off on another tangent already IMO.

Anyway I am currently seven chapters into ' Staying Up by Rik Gekoski ' (Again I have had this book like most of my books being honest sitting on the shelf silently waiting it's turn to be read.

Being a life long supporter of CCFC through the tempestuous seasons that have taken the fan on a yearly ' will they won't they voyage ' no matter what division they have been in, the book is a little insight into a fans view of his team at it's lowest and it's highest points.

WHAT IS LIFE LIKE BEHIND THE SCENES AT A PREMIERSHIP FOOTBALL CLUB?

Until this book, every fan was dying to know the answer to this question. In 1997-98, Rick Gekoski became the first supporter to be allowed into the inner sanctum of a top club, Coventry City. This is his account of their struggle for survival in the toughest league in the world; the journey of a stranger in a hostile land where the natives are suspicious of outsiders and do not speak his language. What he discovered surprised him and will surprise the reader too.

'If I had known that you were going to write this sort of book, I never would have allowed you access to myself or the team. Having said that, I think it's one of the best books about football ever written. The closest anybody could get to what it's really like' Gordon Strachan, manager of Coventry FC, to the author. (Courtesy of Google books)

EDIT:- A must read for any Coventry City fan or just a good read for any football fan in general for a little peek behind the curtain of a football club.

Geoff.

[Florence Fennel]

The Magicians Assistant by Anne Patchett

[1batfastard]

Hi All,
Just about to start A Slow Burning byStanley Pottinger,

Synopsis:- Nat Hennessy - saw his father battered to death by a drunken black looter during the Great Blackout of 1977. Twenty years later, Nat, now a cop, has the chance to avenge the brutal murder - but only at the cost of compromising his own integrity. Cush Walker - must live with the memory of witnessing his father's lynching at the hands of the Ku-Klux-Klan. A pioneering brain surgeon, he has dedicated his life to eradicating the bigotry that caused the tragedy. Camilla Bissonnette - engaged to one man, loved by the other, she discovers a secret in her own past that has profound implications for both. Now she lies in a coma and needs the technical skills of Cush to save her. But even this is not enough without a chilling personal sacrifice.(Courtesy of EBay.)

EDIT:- Surprisingly better than I thought it would be.

Geoff.

[Andraste]

I've now finished Miriam Margolyes 'This Much Is True' so a quick review:

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her life & early years & felt I gained an insight into her mindset & the formation of her views & outlook on life.

There's quite a bit of 'name dropping' when reflecting on her extensive acting career that didn't always do much to benefit the flow for me as a reader - she's done so much with so many people that I started to tire of reading the lists of actors she's worked with on each project.

Nevertheless, there were quite a few high profile things I hadn't realised she'd been involved in & there will be a few additions to things we now 'must see' list. I was delighted to learn that she was the voice of the iconic Cadbury's Caramel bunny in the adverts of my youth I was also interested to note that a fair few of the people she mentioned not enjoying working with/disliking are some that I've often had at least a niggling feeling about myself despite admiring them (forgive the digression but e.g. Bill Oddie - love his knowledge & standpoint on nature etc., think his early years were heartbreaking, but don't think he's funny & have always thought he comes across as a bit of an ar*ehole).

Do note that this is a memoir not a joke book & don't expect it to be "packed with eye-popping, hilarious and candid stories" as reviewed by the Daily Mail (although frankly if you give any view expressed by the Daily Mail any credence it's your own fault really). There were many amusing parts & I laughed aloud at least twice, but those sort of tales are likely to be recounted in the her latest release (earlier this month) 'Oh Miriam' which I'll be looking out for secondhand as I'm too tight to pay new release prices.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend 'This Much Is True' to any Miriam fans out there who are interested in learning more about the woman behind the funny stories.

[Jay22]

I’m back to my crime novels, this time LJ Ross’ DCI Ryan set in Northumberland.

[Vince G]

Not looked through the entire 9 pages here but I am reading a book called "Killing Thatcher". It is an account of the Brighton bombing that nearly wiped out Maggie's government. It includes extensive interviews with politicians, investigating British police, Britsih army and Gardaí, IRA, people from all standpoints in the then Irish debate, and the bomber himself.

I am just over half way through it, so thus far it has all been about what has led the protagonists to attempt the assassination, and the bomb has just detonated and the ensuing manhunt has begun. Irrespective of your political persuasions, and whether you view the event as an attack on democracy or an attack against a government perpetuating an archaic occupation, it is briliantly written and well worth a read.

[mothhawk]

A Three Dog Problem by S. J. Bennett.

Can't decide if I like it or not. As a royalist, I'm not sure I like Bennett's use of Her Late Majesty as the prime amateur detective in the story, though so far the actual storyline is good.

[Andraste]

Just finished 'Minding My Peas & Cucumbers' by Kay Sexton. Nice easy read (I felt a bit preached to at times) with an off-beat mix of tips, anecdotes and some nice basic/everyday recipes that I'd usually have all the store cupboard ingredients for that will keep this book out of the recycling bin.

I've also recently read 'Don't Laugh, It Will Only Encourage Her' by Daisy May Cooper but it's hardly worth a write-up as a memoir (she's only 37).

I'm now 3 chapters in on 'Our Plot' by Cleve West which I'm really enjoying so far.

Edited to add: I've finished 'Our Plot'. It was a good read. Wish I'd read it before/in the early days of getting our allotment as there are a lot of useful observations - I found myself nodding & smiling as I read.