Angela Carter was awesome. Love those stories. Not only the themes and subject matter, but the quality and artistry of the writing itself
Just started 'Let the Right One In' by John Ajvide Lindqvist. Not really into horror or rather I haven't read much horror, but I'm liking it so far. Got to read it for Monday so I'm going to be glued to it as much as I can until I've finished it.
'Into the Forge' by Dennis L. McKiernan, book one of the 'Hel's Crucible Duology'. I have read most of his books, and have enjoyed them more with each reading. I have to admit I'm having a difficult time reading this particular book, not because of the writing style, he has always been able to bring the characters, environs, battles, and flavours of Mithgar to the forfront. These are not the things that are disconcerting to me. What I'm having problems with is the fact that the further I get into the book the more I see 'Lord of The Rings'. Unfortunately the books seem to be paralleling one another within the timelines and occurances of the story. I am hoping that this book will branch off in some new direction soon, but at this point in time I am fearful.
Good book. I read it not so long back and really, really enjoyed it, even if the prose was a little on the clunky side from the translation. I've just got cracking with Inversions, by Iain M. Banks. Hopefully it'll be up to his usual standard.
Currently reading a couple of Orwell's essays. I find that he's better at writing nonfiction than fiction.
As I recall, that one and his Dark Tower trilogy do parallel the Lord of the Rings in many ways. His later books develop story lines that are more original
My main reads right now: The Gate of Ivrel by CJ Cherryh The Ultramarines Omnibus, by Graham McNeill And a book on Gender and Power in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica (which is basically research for a story I am working on).
Currently reacquainting myself with Raymond Chandler with "The Big Sleep." Hence, the pulpy username. It's funny, I've read almost all of Chandler's books and can't remember any of his plots. Yet, I have read only two Dashiell Hammett's books (Malteese Falcon, The Glass Key) and I vividly remember both of them, yet I prefer Chandler. go figure. Maybe it's an LA vs Frisco kind of thing.
Yes, I have read his other books, and they are very original and I have enjoyed them very much. I have only found the duology recently, and it was an unexpected and somewhat unfortunate suprise to see the parallel.
I'm currently reading 'The Cellist of Sarajevo' by Steven Galloway. Quite the read too. I'd highly recommend it. Cheers, S
I just read New Moon by-- do I really even need to say who wrote it? Still not my cuppa tea. It dragged and was terminally ansty. However, purely from the perspective of the writing itself, I've seen far worse. She does fall deeply into the me me me trap of first person writing, After reading about the hole in her chest for about the hundredth time, I wanted to pack it with C4 and a detonator. But other than that, the writing was competent, if a bit dull. Until now, I had only seen tiny fragments of Meyers' writing. At least now when I say I have noi interest in her writing, I know why beyond the subject matter.
I enjoyed it, I must admit, despite it being horror. Didn't like certain bits of it because.. well, uhh, too detailed for my liking but it was interesting and very engaging. Going to start reading some Oscar Wilde plays. I was going to a while ago but never got round to it. And I don't know how I've only read 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. Ah well, time to change that!
I'm reading: the Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Brooker and Japanese Horror Stories by Edogawa Rampo (a japanese author who named himself after a transliteration of Edgar Allan Poe)
I'm reading "The Stand" at the moment. I'm reading the uncut version of the book and I'm at page 900. Really great book, long and tedious sometimes, but the positives of its plot out weigh.
I got about 350 pages into that and gave up. It was waaaaaay too tedious and endlessly digressive. The writing wasn't good enough to keep me reading (I tolerate digressions, etc. in the work of some writers because those writers have styles that are enjoyable in themselves) and the story was taking forever to get anywhere, and I just found myself thinking "You know, I could be reading something good right now, instead of plowing through this interminable self-indulgent mess."
Hubby is car shopping at the moment and keeps dragging me off to check out car yards, so for the past three days I've been taking And Another Thing by Jeremy Clarkson with me to stave off the extreme boredom. Finished it today. Not sure what to read next........
"The Doomsday Book" by Connie Willies. I love a SF author thats funny, smart, intellectual and have a keen insight into human nature. To few SF authors are got that human touch.
I was rather unconvinced by his analysis, which was pretty much clinched when he criticised the Biblical account of the exodus on the grounds that it was too influenced by 19th century German romanticism.
Picked up a few books by, Jared Diamond. The Third Chimpanzee - The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal Guns, Gems and Steel - The fate of Human Societies. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed Something different.
