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What books are we reading now?

Pandora's Star by Peter Hamilton, and the Jack Aubrey books by Patrick O'Brian.

Great books. :)
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Meaning to check that out, is it as good as the Nights Dawn series?

I think Anne Coulter should be banned under international law.
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Its very good. I'm stuck now waiting for the next one - just like the Night's Dawn series... :mad: :D

Big ol' cliffhanger... again...
 
I am currently reading "How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-by-step Guide to Teach Yourself Hieroglyphs" (though I haven't got very far) which I saw when I visited the British Museum the other month.

I have been wanting to read a historically accurate account of the history of Rome, so I will definitely check out the books mentioned previously in this thread.
 
Anyone read any of the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett? I have always wanted to perhaps read one, but I have not really heard anyone say anything good or bad about them. Would anyone recommend them?
 
Discworld is on beyond rocking. The books are fantasticly funny, yet at times really touching and insightful as well. Pratchett is an absolute master.
 
Read pretty much every one. That he manages to turn out two a year, and keep making them better is incredible. Nightwatch was one of the recent best.

That fact that he sells buckets should give you an indication of how good he is. I'd start with some of the earlier books, such as Mort, Reaper Man or even the first, The Colour of Magic. Its also good to see how as a fantasy writer he develops is world and ideas. The Discworld has turned from a pastiche of Tolkein and other types of fantasy into a satirical version of our world. Small gods is another fave, hell, they're all good.
 
Not had chance to read much these last few weeks. The last couple of novels I've finished over the last month are Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan and Sunstorm by Arthur C Clarke and Stephen Baxter. I'll probably get the sequel to Altered Carbon next (think its called Broken Angels) and that should tide me over until Peter F Hamilton's Judas Unleashed is released in Oct/Nov.
 
That fact that he sells buckets should give you an indication of how good he is.
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Not a very good yardstick. Plenty of "authors" who can barely write a coherent sentence are on the best-seller lists for other reasons entirely. Tons of utter crap Star Wars and Star Trek "novels" sell to the faithful by the truckload, but that is hardly a tribute to their quality. Remember Kirk and Spock's discussion of "the literature of the period" in The Voyage Home?

Kirk: The novels of Harold Robbins, the collected works of Jacqueline Susanne
Spock: Ah, yes. The giants.

:D

Joe
 
Anyone read any of the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett? I have always wanted to perhaps read one, but I have not really heard anyone say anything good or bad about them. Would anyone recommend them?
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There are some really funny books amoung them. Sometimes I laughed so much I couldn't finish the page! But ration yourself. If you read too many close together, they get less funny, as you tune into the offbeat way of looking at things, and it stops being hysterically funny, and becomes mildly amusing.
 
That fact that he sells buckets should give you an indication of how good he is.
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Not a very good yardstick. Plenty of "authors" who can barely write a coherent sentence are on the best-seller lists for other reasons entirely. Tons of utter crap Star Wars and Star Trek "novels" sell to the faithful by the truckload, but that is hardly a tribute to their quality. Remember Kirk and Spock's discussion of "the literature of the period" in The Voyage Home?

Kirk: The novels of Harold Robbins, the collected works of Jacqueline Susanne
Spock: Ah, yes. The giants.

:D

You forgot the Da Vinci Code in that. But seriously, he deserves the sales.

Joe
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I'd have to go with Joe on this, popularity is not always an indicator of quality.

Unfortunately my reading has just about stopped from a combination of football season starting and looking for a new job.
 
But seriously, he deserves the sales.
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I wasn't disputing that, just pointing out that sales don't necessarily mean quality. And I did forget The Da Vinci Code. Finally. After months of effort. Thanks ever-so-much for reminding me. ;)

Regards,

Joe
 
Well, I'm glad it's not just me who thought 'The Da Vinci Code' sucked big time! Boy did that book ever irritate the hell out of me! :mad:
 
oatley, shut up and read Pratchett!! :D :D :D

Another fun read is National Lampoon's "Bored of the Rings", at least the first half. Read it in episodes then leave it alone. If you read it in one sitting it loses it's luster and becomes tedious towards the end. :( Pace yourself with this. But definitely read Discworld! :D
 
oatley, shut up and read Pratchett!! :D :D :D

Another fun read is National Lampoon's "Bored of the Rings", at least the first half. Read it in episodes then leave it alone. If you read it in one sitting it loses it's luster and becomes tedious towards the end. :( Pace yourself with this. But definitely read Discworld! :D
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I think that's true of a lot of smart-ass satirical comedy, Pratchett included.
 
oatley, shut up and read Pratchett!!
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OK, OK, I can take a hint! If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that you were getting a commission on the side!

Once I finish the Masters Of Rome series, I'll get a discworld novel!
 
Ah, but where to begin? The first ones aren't bad, but really Pratchett has pulled off a marvel in that almost every book is better than the one before it. And while he used to say that it didn't matter what order you read them in, that's no longer true.

I read "Reaper Man" first but "Mort" might be a better introduction. I'd say skip "Equal Rites," even though it has one of Pratchett's finest characters, Granny Weatherwax. It's better to meet her in "Wyrd Sisters." But "Pyramids" is truly stand-alone, needing nothing before or after, and it's a reasonably good slice of what the man can do.
 
This ring and no other was made by the elves,
Who'd pawn their own mother to grab it themselves...

Ah, yes, Bored of the Rings. Goodgulf Grayteeth, Dildo and Frito, Moxie and Pepsi and Spam. I'll have to dig out my copy and read it again. :)

Joe

"Six two is your height, One-ninety your weight
You cash in your chips
Around page eighty-eight"
 
Anyone else read "Eragon?" I'm rereading it before I buy "Eldest," but oh man is it painfully obvious this was written by a 15 year old. Sometimes I just want to laugh at his sentences.
 
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