Books - What are you reading?

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Funny timing, I was telling a friend about this book about an hour ago.

How is it? I love the original Karla Trilogy but sceptical about this.

I am loving it. Dense, intricate plot like classic Le Carre, and really beautifully constructed sentences. I find myself going back over them just for pleasure.

Ah excellent, time to put in a hold request at the library.

Finally finished slogging my way through the Foundation trilogy. I can sort of see why they’re regarded as classics, and I definitely enjoyed chunks of each book, but I’m not sure I’d recommend them as a must read or anything.

I've been reluctant to read it for two reasons. Firstly, because the Dune continuation books, written by Frank Herbert's son and A.N. Other, were total shite. Secondly because I was at school with Nick Harkaway, back when he was plain old Nick Cornwall, and I generally found him quite annoying. I guess I'll just have to get over the second reason. It didn't stop me from really enjoying China Miéville's The City & The City, when I had similar reservations.

They're the kind of books that only work if almost every character is an idiot and doesn't question the daft plot. He even added a secret society of psychics that turns anybody difficult into an idiot.

Gliff. Beautifully written, but slightly less than the sum of its parts. Similarly Juice has some cracking writing regarding enduring climate breakdown and things generally going to shit but turns unconvincing and pedestrian whenever muck and bullets start flying.

How many are in the series and what’s the first one?

Cant remember if anyone on here other than me enjoyed Semiosis and the sequel (Sue Burke), but I've been -mostly- enjoying the recent 3rd instalment - Usurpation.
It doesn't feel as focussed as the other books and I've been slightly fed up with some of the meandering both from the plot and some of the characters. Definitely enjoyed the first book most of all - that was a fantastic bit of sci-fi.

There are seven (if you include Karla's Choice) in the series.

The first is Call for the Dead. The best known is Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Thanks

Call for the dead incoming

Good man.

The Spy who came in from the Cold is such a huge step up from the first two. If you're not impressed by those two (I see them as really just of historical interest), at least try that one before chucking it in. Not trying to rain on @Jingle_Jangle 's parade, but some authors stun with their first novel and others take a while to get into their stride. Le Carre was definitely in the second category, but when he found his style boy did he pump out a series of bangers. The first two books could have been written by a differen person.

I’ve got the first 4 ready to go. I have a habit of sticking with a terrible book when I know I should give up.

Like the book I’m 91% through called Butter. I only read to fall asleep, but this book makes me want to lay awake, it’s so bad. Literally nothing happens. Cannot wait for it to be over.

Butter has been sat on my shelf for months. I've heard good things but maybe it'll stay there a while longer after that review!

Eh, he never wrote anything that ungripping, the first two Smiley books are just old fashioned and a bit twee. Somehow, between them and the third one he switched up to redefining the genre, rave reviews, a recommendation from Graham Greene on the cover and so on. For all I know he spent a year reading Graham Greene, because there are some similarities.

Looking for a recommendation on a new book now I've cleared my backlog.

Really like books like Name of the Wind, the Joe Abercrombie books, Suzanne Clark etc.

I also enjoyed Mythago Wood and the newer Pullman books.

Twee… I’m down with that

If you like the darker Joe Abercrombie stuff I'd definitely recommend Empire of the Vampire (Jay Kristoff - and much better than the title necessarily suggests) or any of the Mark Lawrence series. For more general narrative fantasy, have you tried Robin Hobb or Brandon Sanderson? Have enjoyed both. Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards series is loads of fun in a fantasy heist style. NK Jemesin's Broken Earth trilogy is really good at a slight more earnest fantasy vibe.

Honestly give it a go. It’s probably me.

The thing that really annoyed me about the book. The two main characters have very similar names. If you’re writing a book why would you give the two people such closely spelt names. You could choose any names!!!

I'm on the 4th book of the Expanse series at the moment. Absolute trash but really easy to blast through. I'm off work with a stinking cold at the moment and managed to get through 200 pages in a day. Beats sitting around feeling sorry for myself anyway.

Elon Musk in Cartoon Form

I'm sure some people on here remember'L.A. Confidentiel' which must have been an important factor in Lance's downfall. It was never published in English because of threats from Lance's lawyers, but the French courts were clearly unsympathetic and publication went ahead there.

Now we have this:
https://www.editions-delcourt.fr/bd/album-elon-musk

A cartoon strip biography of the great defender of free speech, published only in French because no English publisher would print it.

Forbidden fruit are irresistible so I've ordered my copy- I've also read what's available as a trailer on line and it seems to live up to expectations

Just finished this. Going to buy some copies for Christmas! Recommend all of Henry Hemmings books, great author.

Have you seen this thread?

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/330883/