I'd love to read both of those but their respective price tags rule that out. In terms of music-related reads, Ian Glasper's Subhumans book is next on ny list.

Quote from: Carnage on January 02, 2024, 10:31:39 AMI'd love to read both of those but their respective price tags rule that out. In terms of music-related reads, Ian Glasper's Subhumans book is next on ny list.
I got one as a present so not so bad. I'm eying up that Hetfield book of his guitars at the moment. Not cheap either mind.....

Anyone read Michael manns heat 2 book and is it any good?

Quote from: Blizzard Beast on January 08, 2024, 07:52:00 PMAnyone read Michael manns heat 2 book and is it any good?

I have not read "Heat 2" (which I think is a shit name for the book) but I've heard Mann talk about it on a few podcasts. He's now going to make it into a film apparently.

I think, given that Mann is a master director, that I would wait for the movie.

That said - it's £2.99 on Amazon currently - Kindle edition.

I see Colin Barrett's first novel is out "Wild Houses", looking forward to it, love his short stories.
Reading Prophet Song, very good

I enjoyed Young Skins, haven't read the second collection yet. He didn't waste any time getting a novel written.

Hoping to pick up Mike McCormack's This Plague Of Souls during the week, I've loved everything else he's put out.

Currently reading Joe Hill: 20th Century Ghosts, a short story collection (including The Black Phone). Only a couple of stories in, it's alright so far.

Finally finished Blood Meridian. After dipping in and out here and there for months I just committed to it and read the second half in a couple of evenings. Loved it in the end, though it was a hard go. Kind of similar to Heart of Darkness or Moby Dick where it feels like a real achievement to have finished it. Loved the kid, Judge, and Glanton characters. Plus the ambiguous ending (and also ambiguous epilogue) were really cool and required some thought afterwards. Been a while since I just lay in bed thinking about a book for like a hour after I finished it. Really good stuff. I think the whole dance scene is McCarthy telling us that we need to participate in the dance, otherwise evil wins unopposed. Interesting thought for current times (or any time really...).


Just realized I posted this in the wrong topic...

Anyways:

Did anyone ever reading the Fighting Fantasy series? The ones where you choose your own adventure by picking the paragraph numbers based on which choices you make? I just started re-reading them again as an adult (they were originally out in the 80s/early 90s) and I've gotta say they are a lot of fun. They're also fairly adult for books that were aimed at tweens/teens. There was one scene in House of Hell that had devil worshippers sacrificing a virgin and smearing the blood on themselves. The 80s, eh?

Quote from: Mooncat on January 18, 2024, 07:01:35 PMDid anyone ever reading the Fighting Fantasy series? T

I used to love those FF books back in the 80s/90s. They were pure enjoyment. I was baffled as to how they arranged the pages and paragraphs - I was a thick young fella. 

I have one or two of them at home which have survived house moves.

It was one of those childhood pipe-dreams to read all the series but I never got next or near it, the school library had 3 of them and Waterstones only seemed to stock the same 10 or so titles. (I had the same thing with "The Hardy Boys" and "Asterix" - of which I still pick up the latter if I spot one in a second hand shop, great craic.)


#1540 January 23, 2024, 12:08:27 PM Last Edit: January 23, 2024, 12:15:27 PM by StoutAndAle
Ripped through "The Dead Zone" by Stephen King. Absolutely brilliant. I don't read a lot of fiction, definitely not sci-fi and the like but this was class.

Then I watched David Cronenberg's movie adaptation starring Christopher Walken. Very enjoyable and a bit of 80s craic.

Picked up a copy of "Salem's Lot" for a long haul flight next month.

Was in a bookshop in Amsterdam. They had wrapped books with clues on the wrapping. Picked up the one that said nautical adventure. Turned out to be Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad. Enjoying it so far, even if a bit rambling.

Starting Ubik by Philip K Dick with a few mates at the end of the week.

Quote from: Mooncat on January 18, 2024, 07:01:35 PMJust realized I posted this in the wrong topic...

Anyways:

Did anyone ever reading the Fighting Fantasy series? The ones where you choose your own adventure by picking the paragraph numbers based on which choices you make? I just started re-reading them again as an adult (they were originally out in the 80s/early 90s) and I've gotta say they are a lot of fun. They're also fairly adult for books that were aimed at tweens/teens. There was one scene in House of Hell that had devil worshippers sacrificing a virgin and smearing the blood on themselves. The 80s, eh?

I bought a load of these a few years back and I see the price of them has ahot up. They're great, I would recommend the 'Sorcery!' books as well (written by Steve Jackson), if you haven't read them.

Picked up the Irvine Welsh omnibus for €1.50 in a charity shop. Started "Trainspotting" last night and burned my way through over 100 pages.

Never read any of Welsh's stuff before.

Quote from: StoutAndAle on January 25, 2024, 09:41:17 AMPicked up the Irvine Welsh omnibus for €1.50 in a charity shop. Started "Trainspotting" last night and burned my way through over 100 pages.

Never read any of Welsh's stuff before.

You are in for a treat. One of the best, in my opinion. Trainspotting is so fucked up. The film seems like a Disney cartoon by comparison. The cold blooded evil of Begby chills me every time I read him but also the humor in the books is deeper, darker, more substantial and laced with existential horror.  Disturbing stuff on many levels but incredibly addictive.