Books

[Eoin McLove]

What did you make of Orbital, out of curiosity?

I liked it. It's interesting in that nothing really happens; there's no story. There are characters who have their own lives but their lives are far away and they exist in a state of suspended animation while the world turns in front of them. It's about the earth itself maybe? An unusual read but beautifully written and observed (or imagined!). I'll have to try another of her books at some point and see what else she can do.

[Thorn]

Yeah that's a fair enough summation, I'll probably go back to it at some stage. Kudos for not resorting to aliens or big nasty space monsters to liven it up I suppose. It actually reads like what it would feel like to be floating in space I imagine. Calming but ultimately going nowhere.

[Eoin McLove]

Yeah that's a fair enough summation, I'll probably go back to it at some stage. Kudos for not resorting to aliens or big nasty space monsters to liven it up I suppose. It actually reads like what it would feel like to be floating in space I imagine. Calming but ultimately going nowhere.

Yeah, and just observing the earth going through its cycles. The writing really carries it.

[Don Gately]

That to me sounds interesting,  will pick it up at some stage.
Currently reading Inspector Imanichi Investigates, by Seicho Matsumoto. I really like this guy writing,  I read Tokyo Express last summer and really liked it.

[Mooncat]

Just finished Into Thin Air. It was fucking awesome.

I'd been meaning to read it since I reread Into The Wild last year, but only just got around to it now and read the entire thing in a weekend. I haven't done that with a book in years.

Krakauer is a great writer and it's engaging the whole way through. You can really put yourself on the mountain with him, and the events invoke just about every emotion there is to offer.

Interestingly, I did find him a little bit self-serving too, like regularly making himself look good. potentially to help obscure that when it became time for hero time, he frequently got himself offside and looked out for himself (the depiction of him in the Everest film is quite different from the depiction of himself in the book).

That minor quibble aside though, couldn't recommend this one enough.

[Carnage]

He did something similar in Into The Wild, if memory serves. Inserted a lengthy aside about how great a mountain climber he was into a story that had nothing to do with it. It's a while since I read it so maybe I'm misremembering it, but I found it quite irritating at the time.

[Mooncat]

He did something similar in Into The Wild, if memory serves. Inserted a lengthy aside about how great a mountain climber he was into a story that had nothing to do with it. It's a while since I read it so maybe I'm misremembering it, but I found it quite irritating at the time.

He did a whole chapter about his solo ascent attempt of the Devil's Thumb in Alaska near the end. Whereas I agree it was a bit self-serving to add that in there, I actually really enjoyed the chapter and his account, which was pretty hair-raising. I think throughout that book he's trying to make the comparison that someone on the fringes like Chris McCandless reminds him of himself a bit and that's why he's so intrigued by him. It's a fair comparison, but yes it also does come across that Krakauer has a fairly high opinion of himself. Throughout Into Thin Air he consistently implies that's he just as good as any of the guides.

[boozegeune]

I'll have to try another of her books at some point and see what else she can do.

I read The Western Wind by her last year, it was one of my favourite books of the year, can highly recommend.

[Eoin McLove]

I'll have to try another of her books at some point and see what else she can do.

Beauty. I'll keep an eye out. Cheers 

[ochoill]

From my last post: finished Solaris, great book, lovely sci fi.  The general story on the ship over the planet is good but the history / geographic / biological descriptions of the planet itself hold it together.  Just reads great.

Ripped through Slaughterhouse Five after that, had never read it before, totally class.  Didn't know what to expect going into it but loved the way it is put together.  Definitely one I would read again.

Started Neuromancer the other day, had it on the shelf a while.  Already enjoying it, the writing is lush and - maybe because of how used to seeing the aesthetic we would be nowadays - the imagery vivid.

(Tore through more Chainsaw Man and Delicious in Dungeon in the middle of those too).

[Eoin McLove]

From my last post: finished Solaris, great book, lovely sci fi.  The general story on the ship over the planet is good but the history / geographic / biological descriptions of the planet itself hold it together.  Just reads great.

Her writing is so good. Her descriptive prowess is what really makes it. There's a particularly original, or new to me, take on how the Earth looks to the naked eye from that vantage point that really struck me. That musty have come from someone who doesn't some time in space. Remarkable writing.

Edit. I was thinking of Orbital. I've never read Solaris, but I'm not a sci fi nerd.

[ochoill]

Edit. I was thinking of Orbital. I've never read Solaris, but I'm not a sci fi nerd.

I don't read a ton of Sci Fi myself but enjoyed this a lot.  I would read anything really it wouldn't bother me but just never know where to start with Sci Fi outside of grabbing classics and going from there.  I saw Orbital in Easons the other day and went to pick it up based on this thread here but put it back to force myself to read what I already have on the shelf at home first

[Carnage]

Started Neuromancer the other day, had it on the shelf a while.  Already enjoying it, the writing is lush and - maybe because of how used to seeing the aesthetic we would be nowadays - the imagery vivid.

Neuromancer has one of the best opening lines of any book. Great description.

I loved Solaris, wasn't sure about Slaughterhouse Five, I must give it another look, it was one of my Dad's favourites.

[Carnage]

Currently on Robert Harris' Act Of Oblivion, dealing with the fallout of Charkes I's execution and the hunt for those that signed his death warrrant. Only 70 or 80 pages in but it's as good as you'd expect so far. Harris must bury himself in research.

Finished this the other day, really enjoyed it - apart from the ending, which felt rushed and anticlimactic. It's (loosely) based on actual events and characters, so he's limited in what he could do with the story but as the finale is wholly fictional, he could have sexed it up a bit I feel. Still a good read, as most of his are.

Also finished Val McDermid's Report For Murder, a pageturner about an intrepid reporter trying to clear the name of her friend's who's been banged up for the obvious. Crime novels generally aren't high art anyway but this was very average, with very stilted dialogue and not much of a twist. Fairly misandrist too (every woman is complex and caring (the few men are brutes and thugs). Wouldn't be inclined to read more of hers, so that's that itch scratched.

Just about to start Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I thought Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell was very overrated so wasn't going to bother with this 'til I saw Alan Moore giving it high praise. The premise is interesting and it's a short read (245 pages) so I'll give it a go.

[Carnage]

Just about to start Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I thought Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell was very overrated so wasn't going to bother with this 'til I saw Alan Moore giving it high praise. The premise is interesting and it's a short read (245 pages) so I'll give it a go.

Finished this, it was fantastic. Pissed all over JSAMN. Reminded me of The Wasp Factory if anything, a very odd book but very satisfying. I'd advise going in blind.