Welcome to Writers Talkback. If you are a new user, your account will have to be approved manually to prevent spam. Please bear with us in the meantime
In my opninion, it breaks all the rules and starts off by describing the scene. Almost fell asleep at that point. I only carried on with it, because it was Gaiman.
I've just finished The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I can honestly say it's one of the most exciting books I've ever read. A twist and turn on every page, and a true gothic atmosphere coloured with Mediterranean spice. Set in pre-Civil War Barcelona, it's reminiscent of Angel Heart - nothing is at it seems. There's also a welcome visit to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, from Zafon's earlier novel, Shadow of the Wind.
I've not finished this book yet, but need to mention it ... Jo Nesbo, The Redeemer.
don't read on if you're weak in the stomach and hate gore.
The murder which has just been committed begins with the woman having her eye sucked out by a powerful vacuum cleaner.
This is a CRIME novel???????
I have to say the book is excellent and is apparently part of a series, like the Tom Thorne books etc. so I need to get them!!!
Wow!
Just started reading Secret Son, set in Morrocco (my honeymoon destination) so it should get me in the mood for the culture. Hopefully the planes will be running by thenw.
I can't concentrate on writing at the minute (think the move stress is creeping up on me), so this morning I started reading Fallen by Lauren Kate. It's the other YA angel book that came out at the end of last year, and I'm quite enjoying it up to now.
I have finally finished reading 'The Brutal Art' by Jesse Kellerman.
It seemed to take me ages to get into it but in the end the more I read the harder it was to put the book down!
I am about to start 'The Book of Tomorrow' by Cecelia Ahern...which I've had for ages and ages...
And speaking of things written by Cecelia Ahern...Samantha Who? finally comes out on DVD in UK this week...it feels like I have been waiting decades for this...although it must be a couple of years since the first series was on TV.
gone back to oldies. Read To Serve Them all My Days (RF Delderfield) and ordered the DVD to enjoy some time in the future, now 2/3rds of the way through my all time favourite Howard Spring, Fame Is The Spur.
Oh yes, and each tea time, as I eat here in my office, I read a bit of the 'double' biography of Elvis Presley, hefty two part book by Peter Guralnick. It's good stuff but has *holes* in it.
Yes, it does Dorothy, I keep looking at my name as if it belongs to someone else and then I'm thinking 'did I really write this'. I should imagine I will come down to earth some time in the next five years:) but I think this first one will always be the sweetest.
It is, it's magic and it is so encouraging. I haven't stopped feeling that way even after 30 years ... I can't wait for next week and copies of my book actually in my hand! I even got excited yesterday when my editor said my second book was 'engrossing' and we are a long way from getting that into my hands!
Well done, Niddy. Must be lovely reading your own story in print.
Just finished Glass Houses, book 1 in the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine. Really liked the narrative voice of the 16-yr-old heroine. Just a little bit disappointing in the end. Finished with a cliff hanger.
Have now started William Hussey's first of the Witchfinder trilogy, Dawn of the Demontide, which Tracy featured on her blog (see her recent thread). Only just out, so up to the minute in technique, form, subject matter, etc. It's reeeeeally good. More bloodthirsty than I expected. Shows what you can get away with.
Also reading Anthony Horowicz's Book One of The Power of Five: Raven's Gate. Also good (five years old), but it'll have to wait until I've finished Witchfinder.
I finished Fallen last week (excellent. Great story, loved the characters, the little surprises that made me laugh or go "OMG!" and the building tension. Can't wait for the sequel - Torment), and now I'm debating whether to start reading something new. I've gotten halfway through Shiver, Kissed By An Angel and Dead Until Dark, and have put them down and not picked them back up again. I should really finish them, but don't fancy any of them right now. I have tons of books to read, but maybe it's a too much choice dilemma.
Loved 'Fame is the Spur' and 'To Serve the all my days', read them when I was young dorothy.
Currently reading The Blue Afternoon by William Boyd, Looking Good Dead by Peter James, and have just ordered The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall. He wrote my all time fave book, and what's more my reading group's and many members of its fave book after reading it, The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint.
Can't recommend it enough 'THE MIRACLE LIFE OF EDGAR MINT' by BRADY UDALL.
Finished Trial By Blood by John Macken, good thriller. Very unexpected for a time, until I got my suspicions about one of the characters. Good writing, too.
Now reading Nevil Shute, An Old Captivity and wondering how he made a trip from England to Iceland by sea plane interesting to someone who knows nothing about aircraft whatsoever ... but he does!
Stepped aside from Dawn of the Demontide to read Robert Pattinson A to Z, simply because a neighbour wrote it and it's fresh out. Also I've got to read Twilight in the near future. Can't wait to get bach to the Willam Hussey Witchfinder book though.
[quote=dora]I only carried on with it, because it was Gaiman.[/quote] - and very gorgeous he is, too *sigh*. The film version was excellent - did you see it?
[quote=Baggy Books]Of Mice And Men. Read a couple of pages, then I nodded off. Since then, I haven't gotten back to it.[/quote] well worth getting back to this one, Baggy - you won't be sorry.
I am currently reading 'Relentless' by Dean Koontz, and am slowly coming to the conclusion that he has written too, too much and should stop before he becomes merely silly. My disbelief suspenders are stretched to the very utmost limit...
Well in that case it will throw up interesting points to discuss. It's just trying to read it. I have to reread it for my English Lit exam, and I'm not looking forward to it.
I'm still reading Cornelia Funke's Dragon Rider... its definitely not as good as her Inkheart series... yes its for younger audiences but its long and a bit boring at points...i don't see a young audience keeping with it that much... i've been reading it for weeks... since the last week of our Easter holidays... i now have a list of other books to read and i want to start them! So been trying to go to bed a bit earlier so i can read longer!
[quote=Baggy Books]But it's only when you look at other people's that you realise how good yours is. [/quote]
I started reading Pillars of the Earth when Writer's Mag suggested it a couple of years ago and i put it down very quickly because first of all the writing was really really bad and second the dodgy scenes were a bit too much... i mean who wants to be reading the thoughts of a rapist... no thanks...
Read An Old Captivity by Nevil Shute in about 24 hours. Totally engrossed in the story. I don't get that way very often with modern writers. I do with Steinbeck, though, Pixie ... no matter what it is.
Now reading Round The Bend by Nevil Shute. Read every single one before, now going through them all over again.
Good to have another 'fan', Liz! The smoking amuses me, but then it does in Howard Spring's books too, not so much in Delderfield's for some reason. The aircraft /flying details could be boring, in less skilled hands, with him I get interested and go with it.
He hasn't quite equalled the intensity and drama of On The Beach in any of the others, though, has he?
I am currently reading the 7th book in the House of Night Novel Series, Burned.
Its really good :) I recommend it to anyone who is into vampires and teenage romances
Comments
If you love horror and not easily offended, and I mean easily offended you might wanna give it a try.
At the moment I'm listening to Small Island and reading through the latest issue of Mslexia. I've also been looking through a few poetry books.
Plan to decide on my latest read tonight.
In my opninion, it breaks all the rules and starts off by describing the scene. Almost fell asleep at that point. I only carried on with it, because it was Gaiman.
Beautiful and disturbing. I highly recommend it.
don't read on if you're weak in the stomach and hate gore.
The murder which has just been committed begins with the woman having her eye sucked out by a powerful vacuum cleaner.
This is a CRIME novel???????
I have to say the book is excellent and is apparently part of a series, like the Tom Thorne books etc. so I need to get them!!!
Wow!
Excellent recommendation Lee, going to get that from Amazon tomorrow, cheers.
*SA*
It seemed to take me ages to get into it but in the end the more I read the harder it was to put the book down!
I am about to start 'The Book of Tomorrow' by Cecelia Ahern...which I've had for ages and ages...
And speaking of things written by Cecelia Ahern...Samantha Who? finally comes out on DVD in UK this week...it feels like I have been waiting decades for this...although it must be a couple of years since the first series was on TV.
Oh yes, and each tea time, as I eat here in my office, I read a bit of the 'double' biography of Elvis Presley, hefty two part book by Peter Guralnick. It's good stuff but has *holes* in it.
Just finished Glass Houses, book 1 in the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine. Really liked the narrative voice of the 16-yr-old heroine. Just a little bit disappointing in the end. Finished with a cliff hanger.
Have now started William Hussey's first of the Witchfinder trilogy, Dawn of the Demontide, which Tracy featured on her blog (see her recent thread). Only just out, so up to the minute in technique, form, subject matter, etc. It's reeeeeally good. More bloodthirsty than I expected. Shows what you can get away with.
Also reading Anthony Horowicz's Book One of The Power of Five: Raven's Gate. Also good (five years old), but it'll have to wait until I've finished Witchfinder.
Any recommendations?
*SA*
Currently reading The Blue Afternoon by William Boyd, Looking Good Dead by Peter James, and have just ordered The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall. He wrote my all time fave book, and what's more my reading group's and many members of its fave book after reading it, The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint.
Can't recommend it enough 'THE MIRACLE LIFE OF EDGAR MINT' by BRADY UDALL.
And THE LONELY POLYGAMIST, out tomorrow.
Now reading Nevil Shute, An Old Captivity and wondering how he made a trip from England to Iceland by sea plane interesting to someone who knows nothing about aircraft whatsoever ... but he does!
[quote=Baggy Books]Of Mice And Men. Read a couple of pages, then I nodded off. Since then, I haven't gotten back to it.[/quote] well worth getting back to this one, Baggy - you won't be sorry.
I am currently reading 'Relentless' by Dean Koontz, and am slowly coming to the conclusion that he has written too, too much and should stop before he becomes merely silly. My disbelief suspenders are stretched to the very utmost limit...
It's only time and energy holding me back!
Mcb, no I haven't seen the film.
[quote=Baggy Books]But it's only when you look at other people's that you realise how good yours is. [/quote]
I started reading Pillars of the Earth when Writer's Mag suggested it a couple of years ago and i put it down very quickly because first of all the writing was really really bad and second the dodgy scenes were a bit too much... i mean who wants to be reading the thoughts of a rapist... no thanks...
Now reading Round The Bend by Nevil Shute. Read every single one before, now going through them all over again.
He hasn't quite equalled the intensity and drama of On The Beach in any of the others, though, has he?
Its really good :) I recommend it to anyone who is into vampires and teenage romances