What are you reading?

[WS_Jack_III]

Finished The Hunger Games trilogy. I enjoyed it very much and it is one to recommend to the students at the school I work at.

I think the first one is the best, the second has a great ending and third has some interesting parts. I do feel that the overall ending is a little rushed and a slight let down though. The whole love triangle thing gets slightly annoying too but there is enough cool dystopia stuff in there to keep you going.

[MrZigster]

Has anyone got any good recommendations for short story collections? I'm getting annoyed at not getting time to finish long arsed novels.

If you like SciFi, Larry Niven is my favourite short story writer. Terry Pratchett is also a fan I believe, which is high recommendation indeed.

[Celery]

Has anyone got any good recommendations for short story collections? I'm getting annoyed at not getting time to finish long arsed novels.

The best literary buy I've made in years was Roald Dahl's Collected stories - about 900 pages of short stories he wrote for adults throughout his life. Many of the stories were made into episodes of Hitchcock Presents so if you like darker stories with a twist these are for you. Some absolute corkers and the hardback's available for about a tenner on Amazon.

Another favourite of mine is Guts by Chuck Palahniuk. It's in a book called Haunted but most of the stories in there are a bit crap so better off just reading it here: http://chuckpalahniuk.net/features/shorts/guts

(be warned, you will need a strong stomach)

Edited April 19, 2014 by pea tear griffin

[kaosmark2]

Has anyone got any good recommendations for short story collections? I'm getting annoyed at not getting time to finish long arsed novels.

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman is utterly fantastic. I am a bit in love with the man but it's genuinely excellent. I've read several of his short story collections (there's often overlap as well), and that's definitely the best one.

I also recommend looking at http://www.tor.com/ a lot of quite notable authors post short stories related to their main books there.

I also recommend the Laundry series by Charles Stross. They're not short stories, but they're relatively short novels that are very easy to get through, and the first 2 books have a short after the main one. Think Lovecraft meets James Bond meets geek office humour (some of his short stories are on tor).

[Spindles]

Larry Niven is one of my favourite writers, particularly the work he has done with Jerry Pournelle. Footfall and Lucifer's Hammer are 2 of my favourite books of all time, both of which I re-read every few years.

I've just re-read Ben Elton's 'High society', a mildly comic look at uk drug law. Set in the britpop era it has some good arguments for a ground up rethink of our law.

[bunique]

Just finished Gone Girl - excellent, twisted stuff, really enjoyed it!

[WS_Jack_III]

No country for old men.

Loving it so far but still find Cormac Mccarthy's writing odd at points.

[mrpman]

I liked No country for old men, managed to draw me in, and I think now I've read a few of his books I'm used to it.

One for your lists - The Book Thief, aimed at young adults, don't read in public from around 3/4 of the way through.

[zero000]

Almost finished Keith Richards' autobiography, it's a brilliant read throughout.

[Katster]

Big Brother was good. I am now reading Duma Key by Stephen King and Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackmen. Both good. Next on the list is here to paternity because I'm nosey and want the male perspective on things.

[bunique]

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. I love him!

[Spindles]

I have to confess that I put anansi boys down unfinished a couple of years ago. My dog eared copy might have to get picked up again soon as it's almost the only unread book remaining in the house.

I've been trying to read Mister B Gone by Clive Barker. It's a strange little book that I put down after about 50 pages the first time round, some nights I have plenty of time to read at work so am trying to get through books I didn't get into before.

Apart from that I've just sort of enjoyed the long earth books from Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter, neither are what you would call an adventure story and are more a sort of journey through a theoretical universe with occasional plot points thrown in to justify, but enjoyable and easy to consume all the same. I'll be buying the next one.

[kaosmark2]

I have to confess that I put anansi boys down unfinished a couple of years ago. My dog eared copy might have to get picked up again soon as it's almost the only unread book remaining in the house.

Apart from that I've just sort of enjoyed the long earth books from Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter, neither are what you would call an adventure story and are more a sort of journey through a theoretical universe with occasional plot points thrown in to justify, but enjoyable and easy to consume all the same. I'll be buying the next one.

!

I'm judging you really harshly for putting Anansi Boys down. It's not as good as Neverwhere/American Gods/Stardust, but it's still a cracking book. I find it astonishing that you've managed to leave it.

I've only read the first Long Earth book, and I thought it was enjoyable without being anything particularly good. I'll be ordering the second one soonish (probably once my reading pile diminishes back to below 2 dozen), but I felt that rather than being a combination of the best of both, as Good Omens was, it lacked sparkle or anything to make it stand out.

What I'm desperately looking forward to is the 3rd book in the Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss. The first (The Name of the Wind), was excellent fantasy with a nice style, and the second truly astounding. I've been twitching in anticipation for nearly 3 years now, and I really want it out soon. It'll probably be one of the few times I actually buy a hardback book instead of being cheap and waiting for a discount version of the paperback.

[jump]

Yeah, I second Anansi Boys being a good read. All of Neil Gaiman stuff is excellent quality, which reminds me I need to read Ocean At The End of The Lane.

Currently reading Damned by Chuck Palahniuk, I'm really enjoying so far and I keep thinking the parents in it are Chris Martin & Gwyneth Paltrow.

[kaosmark2]

I need to read Ocean At The End of The Lane.

Yup. It's really excellent. He captures the essence of classic "stepping off the path" child fantasy brilliantly. Gorgeously written.

[thegremlin_1999]

Third the Anansi Boys sentiments, and second KM's Kingkiller love/frustration. There's a novella in GRR Martin's latest short story collection mind.

I've been reading Sandman Slim series which was complete B-Movie trash but hugely enjoyable. New one out next month too.

[thegremlin_1999]

This might be of interest to those of you (kaosmark2) who love Pat Rothfuss' Kingkiller books.

A Bast story in an anthology and an Auri novella coming!

http://www.gollancz.co.uk/2014/07/patrick-rothfuss-new-story-the-slow-regard-of-silent-things/

[kaosmark2]

This might be of interest to those of you (kaosmark2) who love Pat Rothfuss' Kingkiller books.

A Bast story in an anthology and an Auri novella coming!

http://www.gollancz.co.uk/2014/07/patrick-rothfuss-new-story-the-slow-regard-of-silent-things/

Ooooh.

[thegremlin_1999]

Ooooh.

Figured you'd be intrigued.

[Spindles]

Raising Steam, by Terry Pratchett. I'm about halfway through (hoping for a quiet night at work, might get it finished) and it's just a great little read.

[thegremlin_1999]

Ooooh.

Going on from the source of this ooooh...

Just finished the slow regard of silent things.

It's beautifully written and more than a little odd. I think I loved it (but I'm not quite sure...)

Kaosmark2? You read it?

[kaosmark2]

Going on from the source of this ooooh...

Just finished the slow regard of silent things.

It's beautifully written and more than a little odd. I think I loved it (but I'm not quite sure...)

Kaosmark2? You read it?

Not yet! I have money for books now though, so will order it today!

Thanks for the reminder.

Edited November 11, 2014 by kaosmark2

[Spindles]

Finished re-reading Footfall by Niven & Pournelle last night, great alien invasion story. Starting Lucifer's Hammer by the same tonight (again, re-reading, it's an old favourite, even if it's really dated now and the portrayal of black people is pretty racist by today's standards).

[kaosmark2]

Recently finished The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. Absolutely loving the Gentleman Bastards series and really excited for the 4th. Thoroughly recommend any fans of fantasy or tales of con artists get into it ASAP.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

Ploughing through Anne Mcaffery again. I find her strangely relaxing, especially at night time, and I sleep well afterwards.