What book are you currently reading?

[AlRums]

That's the one in the POW camp isn't it? If it is that's very good too. I tried to read his series in modern Japan (can't remember the name) but it didn't grip me as much as shogun.

Yeah Changi POW camp, Noble House was the most modern one I remember. I couldn't get invested into those outside of King Rat and Shogun, just too slow.

I will admit my Shogun phase came from the TV series in the 80s

 

[The Seeker]

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in his first basketball novel. Samuel "Sooley" Sooleymon is a raw, young talent with big hoop dreams—and even bigger challenges off the court.

"Hard to put down ... the pages turn quickly ... building to a climax that won't leave readers doubting whether this is a John Grisham novel." —Associated Press

In the summer of his seventeenth year, Samuel Sooleymon gets the chance of a lifetime: a trip to the United States with his South Sudanese teammates to play in a showcase basketball tournament. He has never been away from home, nor has he ever been on an airplane. The opportunity to be scouted by dozens of college coaches is a dream come true.

Samuel is an amazing athlete, with speed, quickness, and an astonishing vertical leap. The rest of his game, though, needs work, and the American coaches are less than impressed.

During the tournament, Samuel receives devastating news from home: A civil war is raging across South Sudan, and rebel troops have ransacked his village. His father is dead, his sister is missing, and his mother and two younger brothers are in a refugee camp.

Samuel desperately wants to go home, but it's just not possible. Partly out of sympathy, the coach of North Carolina Central offers him a scholarship. Samuel moves to Durham, enrolls in classes, joins the team, and prepares to sit out his freshman season. There is plenty of more mature talent and he isn't immediately needed.

But Samuel has something no other player has: a fierce determination to succeed so he can bring his family to America. He works tirelessly on his game, shooting baskets every morning at dawn by himself in the gym, and soon he's dominating everyone in practice. With the Central team losing and suffering injury after injury, Sooley, as he is nicknamed, is called off the bench. And the legend begins.

But how far can Sooley take his team? And will success allow him to save his family?

Gripping and moving, Sooley showcases John Grisham's unparalleled storytelling powers in a whole new light. This is Grisham at the top of his game.

 

[The Seeker]

 

[The Seeker]

I recently finished John Grisham's latest novel and it's one of his best. Very compelling from beginning to end.

 

[The Seeker]

This is a great American Western novel.

 

[The Seeker]

Straight as an arrow FBI special agent Kate O'Hare and international con man Nick Fox have brought down some of the biggest criminals out there. But now they face their most dangerous foe yet—a vast, shadowy international organization known only as the Brotherhood.
Directly descended from the Vatican Bank priests who served Hitler during World War II, the Brotherhood is on a frantic search for a lost train loaded with $30 billion in Nazi gold, untouched for over seventy-five years somewhere in the mountains of Eastern Europe.
Kate and Nick know that there is only one man who can find the fortune and bring down the Brotherhood—the same man who taught Nick everything he knows—his father, Quentin. As the stakes get higher, they must also rely on Kate's own father, Jake, who shares his daughter's grit and stubbornness. Too bad they can never agree on anything.
From a remote monastery in the Swiss Alps to the lawless desert of the Western Sahara, Kate, Nick, and the two men who made them who they are today must crisscross the world in a desperate scramble to stop their deadliest foe in the biggest adventure of their lives.

 

[Reiser99]

Got through a few books recently.

Dune - I can see how it inspired so much and the outline of why people love it so much but for some reason it didn't fully do it to me. There were parts I really liked but the climax especially fell flat. Glad I read it but no real inclination to read the sequels, especially given what I've heard about the later ones. Am looking forward to the movie though.

Blood of Elves - the second Witcher book. A collection of short stories centered around Geralt accepting his destiny in relation to Ciri. Most of them made it into the show. It's not top class for me but pretty solid.

Warbreaker - pretty much what you expect from Sanderson which isn't a bad thing. A solid B+ and while it still had the usual big climax I think Sanderson did a better job than usual of sprinkling peaks throughout the book. Weirdly arranged marriages seem to be his best romances. https://coppermind.net/wiki/Warbreaker

Liar's Poker - Michael Lewis' first book looks at the bond market in the 1980s and the rise and fall of Salomon Brothers. Some of the attitudes and extravagances are amazing but not really shocking given what we've seen since then. If I didn't know it before hand I do know now I could never be a trader and I don't think I'd really want to be one.

Shogun - only 140 pages or so in and really am liking this one, feels like the plot is only bubbling so far but the research and detail put into it is clear. For those who don't know it's historical fiction about a British Pilot General who washes up on the shores of Japan in the 1600s.

Shogun is possibly my favourite book.

I've got everything from Sanderson so far and I'm enjoying the huge universe he's building.

I've just finished the witcher books apart from season of storms and was wondering if anyone else has finished them. I watched the series and enjoyed it, but the I found the books actually quite different to the series and I didn't enjoy the writing style at all. Overall, considering I'd seen lots of positive reviews I was actually very disappointed with the series. I'd go into more detail, but don't want to spoil the book for others.

 

[The Seeker]

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I'm reading "Hail Mary" by Andy Weir (who wrote the martian which i also loved)...very much enjoying it...need to know what happens! actually forward to bed when i read

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I'm reading "Hail Mary" by Andy Weir (who wrote the martian which i also loved)...very much enjoying it...need to know what happens! actually forward to bed when i read

I see that gets a decent rating so I'll probably ask for that as a present as I'm running out of decent Sci-Fi to read, cheers.

In terms of Sci-Fi I like Iain M. Banks (Scottish) and Alasdair Reynolds (Welsh), both their earlier works in particular are very reliable.

My favourite sci-fi I've read in the past couple of years are

Roadside Picnic - Arkady Strugatsky

And the seemingly very underrated Annihilation trilogy. I gave one of them 5 stars which is pretty much unheard for me for a book from the past 50 years (I've a preference for old East European authors for no reason I can fathom). I have seldom felt so transported inside a book and a world. I almost felt like I was reading one of those weird fever dreams you get when you have the flu. Everything I like in film and book is pretty slow paced with a focus on atmosphere, so be warned.

Annihilation (Southern Reach, #1)

Area X has been cut off from the rest of the world for …

www.goodreads.com

Also, although he is completely ignored in his native Scotland as being too old fashioned yesterday I finished my third Walter Scott book, Ivanhoe (set in the time of Richard the Lionheart). His others Waverley (set in the Bonnie Prince Charlie uprising) and Rob Roy (my favourite, but includes a fair bit of impenetrable dialogue for non-Scots) are also very good. I've given all three 4 stars and will be seeking out more of his work. Worth a shot for anyone who doesn't mind long dead authors and likes historical settings.

I usually trawl charity shops to pick up some cut price beautifully preserved ancient editions of classic books and drop a few quid to a charity into the bargain. It's a win-win.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I see that gets a decent rating so I'll probably ask for that as a present as I'm running out of decent Sci-Fi to read, cheers.

In terms of Sci-Fi I like Iain M. Banks (Scottish) and Alasdair Reynolds (Welsh), both their earlier works in particular are very reliable.

My favourite sci-fi I've read in the past couple of years are

Roadside Picnic - Arkady Strugatsky

And the seemingly very underrated Annihilation trilogy. I gave one of them 5 stars which is pretty much unheard for me for a book from the past 50 years (I've a preference for old East European authors for no reason I can fathom). I have seldom felt so transported inside a book and a world. I almost felt like I was reading one of those weird fever dreams you get when you have the flu. Everything I like in film and book is pretty slow paced with a focus on atmosphere, so be warned.

Annihilation (Southern Reach, #1)

Area X has been cut off from the rest of the world for …

www.goodreads.com

Also, although he is completely ignored in his native Scotland as being too old fashioned yesterday I finished my third Walter Scott book, Ivanhoe (set in the time of Richard the Lionheart). His others Waverley (set in the Bonnie Prince Charlie uprising) and Rob Roy (my favourite, but includes a fair bit of impenetrable dialogue for non-Scots) are also very good. I've given all three 4 stars and will be seeking out more of his work. Worth a shot for anyone who doesn't mind long dead authors and likes historical settings.

I usually trawl charity shops to pick up some cut price beautifully preserved ancient editions of classic books and drop a few quid to a charity into the bargain. It's a win-win.

finished it, less "believable" than the martian but i still very much enjoyed

I didn't like annihilation...just too weird, but i thought it was very we'll rated and thats how i found it

 

[Wasps92]

The Anglo-Saxons: A history of the beginnings of England by Marc Morris.

A cracking read, I love English history.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Any of you do audio books? I haven't been able to keep up on reading as I read all day for work and the last thing I want to do is crack open a book but I miss the literature. I've already switched from magazines to podcasts.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I love audiobooks

 

[The Seeker]

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

I love audiobooks

is there a particular service you use?

 

[Yulia]

@die_mole I started to use audiobooks, trying not to tire my eyes after work as well. Already "listened" to the Dune like that,and other books. I usually use just youtube..

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

is there a particular service you use?

Audible for me.
I think Prime members can get 3 months free trail. (1 month = 1 credit)
They also do sales so 1 credit = 2 books etc

Also found that when you cancel they usually give you 1 free credit extra and if you go to cancel again 3 months half price.
I have currently 93 books in Audible largely fantasy ones (Only real regret was getting the Game of thrones ones I didn't really like the narration in it)

Also another plus about Audible is they now have a large selection of books inculded in the membership largely classics but still something.


Not that I was asked but books i have enjoyed so far
The entire Stormlight arhieves series and Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson
Dune
Ready Player One - Will Wheaton does a great job
11.22.63 - Really enjoyed the narration
Shoe Dog
The Martian
Total Recall - Love me some Arnie

About to start the First Law series

 

[big ginger 8]

Audible for me.
I think Prime members can get 3 months free trail. (1 month = 1 credit)
They also do sales so 1 credit = 2 books etc

Also found that when you cancel they usually give you 1 free credit extra and if you go to cancel again 3 months half price.
I have currently 93 books in Audible largely fantasy ones (Only real regret was getting the Game of thrones ones I didn't really like the narration in it)

Also another plus about Audible is they now have a large selection of books inculded in the membership largely classics but still something.


Not that I was asked but books i have enjoyed so far
The entire Stormlight arhieves series and Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson
Dune
Ready Player One - Will Wheaton does a great job
11.22.63 - Really enjoyed the narration
Shoe Dog
The Martian
Total Recall - Love me some Arnie

About to start the First Law series

Really enjoyed Total Recall.

Stephen Pacey the narrator for the First Law books is really good.

The first Sandman, Piranesi and Kings of the Wyld have all also been quality audiobook listens.

I use Audible but for Americans, Libby seems to be a really good shout. It's the public library app for it.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

yeah I looked into Libby and went through all my library cards . . . the one from my hometown is the only one that hasn't been deactivated so I'll be using that