What are we all reading right now?

Currently ridiculously busy at work so not had as much chance to read as I would usually. Which probably directly correlates with the shocking lack of sleep I'm having.

Although I still have a number of books I haven't started yet, I'm currently going back and rereading Olen Steinhauer's Milo Weaver series of books as it's been a while since I read them and I fancied some spy action.

To continue the fantasy thread, I'm not really a huge reader of this genre and tend to prefer crime fiction. However, one fantasy series I have enjoyed is Ben Arranovich's Rivers of London series. A work colleague who likes that genre piqued my interest one day with the premise of police procedural and fantasy magic when we were discussing books we were currently reading.
 
I read the early ones (the original trilogy) years ago along with the addendums - some of the best laugh out loud lines I can recall which caused me to get some very puzzled / cross looks on the 263 back to Eston. John Vincent Omally, Jim Pooley and their local The Flying Swan are legendary in my head. The characters are so well written and well named (Soap Distant, Archeroy, Marchant - the bike) the situations are masterfully crafted and the stories are pure joy.

I'm so glad you've reminded me of these because I'm going to re-read them from the start and hopefully enjoy them as much as I did back then- along with the newer ones that I must admit I have not read anything of 'The Final Brentford Trilogy' series.
Glad to find another fan!

If you ever come to a Brentford match. (When such things are allowed) behind the old stadium on the Ealing road there is a building that was the old Bricklayers Arms . This was where Rankin got the inspiration for Neville the part time barman, old Pete et al. Below the bricklayers Arms sign they've painted a flying Swan in tribute.

"The sun was shining, birds were signing, the 65 bus trundled towards Ealing Broadway. And I'm expected to do battle with the forces of evil. It all seems a trifle unfair"
 
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Normandy 44 - James Holland
Lost Soldiers - James Webb

I've seen a few mentions of Harry Pearson on here. I have only read one of his books, Achtung Schweinehund. Really enjoyed it. A book that mirrored a lot of my childhood. Lent it to a person the same age as me he thought it was good as well. My Dad did not enjoy it. So probably for the 50 to 60 age range.
 
Nice one. I’m seeing him tomorrow for the first time since he went off to Durham Uni and went straight into lockdown as the girl giving out the gowns at the matriculation ceremony had, unbeknownst to her, contracted Covid, which then spread to nigh on all 300 at the college.

That is pretty unlucky🤦. Anyway enjoy!
 
The Crowe film was an amalgam of a few books, then tweaked a bit. Master and Commander is the first book in the series, Far Side Of The World is the 10th, which the plot is mainly derived from, but then changed from the War of 1812 between Britain and America to a few years earlier against the French in case US audiences didn't like being the enemy. It is a fine film based on a truly magnificent series of books.

While the likes of Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow produce rollicking good yarns yet pay attention to historic detail as much as they can, Patrick O'Brian is in a different class all together. The quality of his writing is outstanding, far superior even to most of the writers of classic all time novels. Dickens wrote pulp fiction compared to this.

The novels are not just tales of Napoleonic era naval conflicts, which are superbly brought to life and are realistic since are often taken from real incidents of the time, but they are deep dives into espionage, politics, discovery, wildlife, medical techniques, belief's and advances, philosophical meditations on love, power, relationships, religion, class, gender and, er philosophy even. Frankly it touches on just about everything. That could be tedious, were they not so well written. O'Brian is able to fill a chapter where nothing but the monotony of naval routine takes place for weeks and no event of any real note occurs and yet you are devoured by it. The action, when it comes, is outstanding, but these are not books where it is one buccaneering exploit after another. Rather, they usually build slowly. These are masterpieces like The Godfather I and II, not episodes of Miami Vice. It is the difference between a necking spiced Rum and Coke and sipping a Diplomatico Ambassador over ice.

One of the first Aubrey-Maturin novels I read was Desolation Island. In it there is a gripping chase through heavy South Atlantic seas against a Dutch Man O War. It was so gripping and powerful I had it fixed in my memory that it took up half the book. When I got back round to re-reading it - if you like the series, you will finish it then go back - I was amazed to find the chase itself was actually only a handful of pages.

Each book is also very different, in different parts of the world, against different enemies. Some are even predominantly on land. Maturin is an incredible character, not only what he brings to each situation as a protagonist, being Irish/Catalan assisting the British Navy, Physician rather than simple naval surgeon, Natural Philosopher and member of The Royal Society and Secret Agent, but also as a vessel to see the society of that age of the world through.
I think that about sums it up! I've re read and read them again 3 times and listened to the audio books too, which are pretty good.
Never read any fantasy I don't think, Terry Pratchet probably? or is the sci fi?, I will try some of the recommendations here.
one thing I would recommend is PG Woodhouse, if anyone has not tried him, its like slipping into a warm bath, and laugh out loud funny.
 
I think that about sums it up! I've re read and read them again 3 times and listened to the audio books too, which are pretty good.
Never read any fantasy I don't think, Terry Pratchet probably? or is the sci fi?, I will try some of the recommendations here.
one thing I would recommend is PG Woodhouse, if anyone has not tried him, its like slipping into a warm bath, and laugh out loud funny.

Wodehouse is the master. He is the only one that comes close to Pratchett. Maybe Tom Sharpe on occasion.

If you are reading Pratchett, my personal opinion is the Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic, the first two, are great for introducing you to Discworld, but there is an element of him getting into his stride. As Discworld is basically our world with anthropomorphic personifications added, you don't need to start there. These are devices to explore, in a funny way, philosophical concepts such as death and time, human nature via trolls, dwarves, etc. For instance 'wee free men' are small, ginger, aggressive and speak with Scottish accents.

There are sub-series in the Discworld catalogue, Vimes and the City Watch, the Witches, Rincewind and the Wizards, so I'd advise starting at the beginning of one of those series.
 
Wodehouse is the master. He is the only one that comes close to Pratchett. Maybe Tom Sharpe on occasion.

If you are reading Pratchett, my personal opinion is the Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic, the first two, are great for introducing you to Discworld, but there is an element of him getting into his stride. As Discworld is basically our world with anthropomorphic personifications added, you don't need to start there. These are devices to explore, in a funny way, philosophical concepts such as death and time, human nature via trolls, dwarves, etc. For instance 'wee free men' are small, ginger, aggressive and speak with Scottish accents.

There are sub-series in the Discworld catalogue, Vimes and the City Watch, the Witches, Rincewind and the Wizards, so I'd advise starting at the beginning of one of those series.

Guards! Guards! would be my starting point, this and Men at Arms in the Watch series can help set the scene for the wider Discworld.

All personal preference though.
 
Guards! Guards! would be my starting point, this and Men at Arms in the Watch series can help set the scene for the wider Discworld.

All personal preference though.

My favourite is Guards! Guards!

The missus likes the Witches series best, but only just.

My son likes the Rincewind series best.

Funny, I was just reading Terry's final tweet the other day.

AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER.

Terry took Death’s arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.

The End.

:LOL::cry:
 
Black Diamonds and The Blue Brazil - A chronicle of coal, Cowdenbeath and football by Ron Ferguson

A quite poignant and funny book about Cowdenbeath the football club, and the social history of the town

Another nod to Harry Pearson's The Farther Corner which I havent long finished. A superb follow up to The Far Corner.
 
I'm currently enjoying Bill Bryson's 'The Mother Tongue', an exploration of our language and where it sits in the wider diaspora of spoken languages. As is often the case with him, it's a complex subject made accessible and enjoyable by someone clever and skilled enough to lay it all out in front of dummies like the rest of us!
 
I'm currently enjoying Bill Bryson's 'The Mother Tongue', an exploration of our language and where it sits in the wider diaspora of spoken languages. As is often the case with him, it's a complex subject made accessible and enjoyable by someone clever and skilled enough to lay it all out in front of dummies like the rest of us!
I really like this book. Have always been a fan of Bryson but also fascinated by languages. I suggest Lingo by Gaston Dorren for a good guide to European languages
 
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