Planet Rugby Forum

Had a look and couldn't find one so thought I may as well start.

Just finished Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy. Meh. Keeps you turning the pages I suppose but nothing to write home about at all, in terms of story or characters. It's either not written very well or not translated very well.

Reading Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan at the moment, can't believe I didn't get around to it earlier. Brilliant so far! Will comment in more detail when finished it.

Thinking about Hitch 22 next, any use?

Bump. Anyone read Hitch 22? Did he finish it before he was diagnosed?

Apposite wrote:Bump. Anyone read Hitch 22? Did he finish it before he was diagnosed?

I on the other hand thought the Millennium Trilogy was fantastic!

About to start Matterhorn when I get time, this final year of uni is pretty hectic. Bought Matt Hampson's book as well the other day, meant to be a good read.

Apposite wrote:Had a look and couldn't find one so thought I may as well start.

Just finished Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy. Meh. Keeps you turning the pages I suppose but nothing to write home about at all, in terms of story or characters. It's either not written very well or not translated very well.

Reading Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan at the moment, can't believe I didn't get around to it earlier. Brilliant so far! Will comment in more detail when finished it.

Thinking about Hitch 22 next, any use?

I liked Larsson's Trilogy, especially the last one where Lisbeth becomes de facto the main charachter.
Yes, there was a huge marketing plot but they are bloody good books.
Am halfway through the Leopard b y Jo Nesbo and loving every bit of it

Matterhorn sounds good, post your thoughts when done.

What did you find fantastic about the Millenium trilogy? I thought they were pretty much airport books. A cut above the likes of Dan Brown but not much more than that.

Apposite wrote:Matterhorn sounds good, post your thoughts when done.

What did you find fantastic about the Millenium trilogy? I thought they were pretty much airport books. A cut above the likes of Dan Brown but not much more than that.

I don't agree with you, Dan Brown has become worse and worse and some of his books are really shit.
I love the introspection of the complex figure of Lisbeth.

Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

tanu wrote:

Apposite wrote:Matterhorn sounds good, post your thoughts when done.

What did you find fantastic about the Millenium trilogy? I thought they were pretty much airport books. A cut above the likes of Dan Brown but not much more than that.

I don't agree with you, Dan Brown has become worse and worse and some of his books are really shit.
I love the introspection of the complex figure of Lisbeth.

I agree that Brown is shit, I just don't see how Larsson is anything more than someone who churned out a few pageturners with fairly farfetched plots and predictable clichéd characters. As I said I found them mildly entertaining but I was only reading them to see what all the fuss was about (and I didn't pay for them) and I certainly wouldn't have bothered reading all three if they weren't so quick to get through.

6/10 at best IMO. If I wanted to read dark-ish novels with an element of whodunnit-ness I'd vastly prefer the likes of John Connolly.

One rider is that I found the language extremely clumsy the whole way through the books and it's entirely possible they were translated cack-handedly in which case they undoubtedly read far better in Swedish and possibly in some of the other translations.

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

How would you compare it to something like LOTR? (I have read very little fantasy really)

Apposite wrote:

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

How would you compare it to something like LOTR? (I have read very little fantasy really)

Completely different. Less magic and elves and shit. Much much more political intrigue, rape and violence.

Apposite wrote:
One rider is that I found the language extremely clumsy the whole way through the books and it's entirely possible they were translated cack-handedly in which case they undoubtedly read far better in Swedish and possibly in some of the other translations.

this is very true , I have found that about Camilla Lackberg's books, she is idolized all over the world but found her two novels absolute shite

I'm reading Mark Kurlansky's "Salt" at the moment. Pretty terrific, especially if, like me, one is a fan of condiments.

Just started The Wheel of Time series.

tanu wrote:

Apposite wrote:
One rider is that I found the language extremely clumsy the whole way through the books and it's entirely possible they were translated cack-handedly in which case they undoubtedly read far better in Swedish and possibly in some of the other translations.

this is very true , I have found that about Camilla Lackberg's books, she is idolized all over the world but found her two novels absolute shite

Did you read Larsson's books in Italian or English?

Bindi wrote:

Apposite wrote:

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

How would you compare it to something like LOTR? (I have read very little fantasy really)

Completely different. Less magic and elves and shit. Much much more political intrigue, rape and violence.

A mate keeps recommending that I watch Game of Thrones. I might give the books a read first because if I like the TV series I will be kicking myself for not reading the books.

Apposite wrote:

Bindi wrote:

Apposite wrote:

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

How would you compare it to something like LOTR? (I have read very little fantasy really)

Completely different. Less magic and elves and shit. Much much more political intrigue, rape and violence.

A mate keeps recommending that I watch Game of Thrones. I might give the books a read first because if I like the TV series I will be kicking myself for not reading the books.

One of the better epic fantasies. I read the books a couple of years ago, and have been amazed and how faithful the TV series is.
I suspect subsequent series will diverge, as the writing becomes less focused in these books, but I'd recommend reading them...and before watching the TV series too.

bealonian wrote:

Apposite wrote:

Bindi wrote:

Apposite wrote:

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

How would you compare it to something like LOTR? (I have read very little fantasy really)

Completely different. Less magic and elves and shit. Much much more political intrigue, rape and violence.

A mate keeps recommending that I watch Game of Thrones. I might give the books a read first because if I like the TV series I will be kicking myself for not reading the books.

One of the better epic fantasies. I read the books a couple of years ago, and have been amazed and how faithful the TV series is.
I suspect subsequent series will diverge, as the writing becomes less focused in these books, but I'd recommend reading them...and before watching the TV series too.

Cheers.

Apposite wrote:

tanu wrote:

Apposite wrote:
One rider is that I found the language extremely clumsy the whole way through the books and it's entirely possible they were translated cack-handedly in which case they undoubtedly read far better in Swedish and possibly in some of the other translations.

this is very true , I have found that about Camilla Lackberg's books, she is idolized all over the world but found her two novels absolute shite

Did you read Larsson's books in Italian or English?

Italian. I tend to read non-english speaking authors in Italian as I generally find them better translated

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

Yup I'm on the second book too was pretty blown away to how similar the tv series is-if everything translated that well to film noone would have any complaints

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

Unfortunately, the quality takes a serious dive later on in the series.

Noddy and the Magic Rubber (1954)

Freddie Forearm wrote:

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

Unfortunately, the quality takes a serious dive later on in the series.

I've read all 6 but I think it was book 4 that I seriously struggled with. 1-3 are good & will keep you turning pages.

I'm reading this at the moment:




It's a tad disjointed (deliberately so, it would seem, ie I don't think it's intended to present a comprehensive argument) and a bit under-referenced even for my straightforward tastes, but interesting enough and a nice easy read, as you'd expect.

ellebelle wrote:

Freddie Forearm wrote:

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

Unfortunately, the quality takes a serious dive later on in the series.

I've read all 6 but I think it was book 4 that I seriously struggled with. 1-3 are good & will keep you turning pages.

I enjoyed the first 3, but was unable to wade through the 4th.

Trying to read more in english, easy reading stuff etc...

was advised to look into the Sharpe's series by Bernard Cornwell, is it any good?

ellebelle wrote:

Freddie Forearm wrote:

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

Unfortunately, the quality takes a serious dive later on in the series.

I've read all 6 but I think it was book 4 that I seriously struggled with. 1-3 are good & will keep you turning pages.

What about 5 & 6? I can handle one sub-par book but if the entire last half is shite I probably won't bother with it.

Apposite wrote:

ellebelle wrote:

Freddie Forearm wrote:

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

Unfortunately, the quality takes a serious dive later on in the series.

I've read all 6 but I think it was book 4 that I seriously struggled with. 1-3 are good & will keep you turning pages.

What about 5 & 6? I can handle one sub-par book but if the entire last half is shite I probably won't bother with it.

5 & 6?
What? Do you mean the fact that the third was split into two?
You mean AFFC and ADWD?
I'll tell you anyway.
They're both turgid and predictable, ADWD feels particularly frustrating.
Repeats certain trying writing traits over and over and over again.
You'll also be left fairly pessimistic about his ability to see out the series, and that's not neccessarily because of the plot.

Vanished Kingdoms: The History of Half-Forgotten Europe by Norman Davies.



Quite a lengthy tome but if you read it as a series of essays it is rather good.

SirRobKey wrote:Vanished Kingdoms: The History of Half-Forgotten Europe by Norman Davies.



Quite a lengthy tome but if you read it as a series of essays it is rather good.

By half forgotten Europe, what does he mean?
Is it focussed on particular regions, the smaller and less dominant powers?
Is the language very academic?

Womack wrote:I'm reading this at the moment:

It's a tad disjointed (deliberately so, it would seem, ie I don't think it's intended to present a comprehensive argument) and a bit under-referenced even for my straightforward tastes, but interesting enough and a nice easy read, as you'd expect.

I've read Michael Wood's stuff before, immensely enjoyable.

His series In Search of Alexander the Great is one of my favourite tv shows too.

Floppykid wrote:

SirRobKey wrote:Vanished Kingdoms: The History of Half-Forgotten Europe by Norman Davies.



Quite a lengthy tome but if you read it as a series of essays it is rather good.

By half forgotten Europe, what does he mean?
Is it focussed on particular regions, the smaller and less dominant powers?
Is the language very academic?

The empires that have existed in the past and exist no longer. It goes from early ones like Aragon and Alt Clud right up to Eire and the USSR (I haven't got to these yet). A lot of them come about because of alliances between tribes and rulers and don't last as long as a century. Davies' writing style is very readable I find; there are a lot of very good quotes and he doesn't write in extreme academic way.

An excellent book written by my Waikato broer.

The Kiwi Man Cave



Hope every Kiwi on the bored have one of them!

Almost finished PBD and can't recommend it enough. Will be digging out the rest of Sagan's, er, oeuvre*

*never used that term before and I don't think I ever will again.

bealonian wrote:Just started The Wheel of Time series.

Any good? Looking for a new series to get stuck into as i have a bit of travelling coming up and going to get the kindle loaded.

Apposite wrote:Almost finished PBD and can't recommend it enough. Will be digging out the rest of Sagan's, er, oeuvre*

*never used that term before and I don't think I ever will again.

Every human-being on the planet should be required to read Demon-Haunted World before they're allowed to join civilization.

assfly wrote:

Womack wrote:I'm reading this at the moment:

It's a tad disjointed (deliberately so, it would seem, ie I don't think it's intended to present a comprehensive argument) and a bit under-referenced even for my straightforward tastes, but interesting enough and a nice easy read, as you'd expect.

I've read Michael Wood's stuff before, immensely enjoyable.

His series In Search of Alexander the Great is one of my favourite tv shows too.

+1

Reading shake hands with the devil ' the failure of humanity in Rwanda'

muffstuffa wrote:Reading shake hands with the devil ' the failure of humanity in Rwanda'

If you like that, then try 'Blood River' (sorry, forgot author's name, but he was formerly Torygraph African correspondent). Same theme (albeit from a travel angle) but a different failure of humanity.

Freddie Forearm wrote:

Bindi wrote:Reading George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series. Up to book 2. Quite good - amazing how close Game of Thrones TV series stuck to the 1st book,

Unfortunately, the quality takes a serious dive later on in the series.

Too many eunuchs, not enough boobs.

Just finished Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin and am now plowing through Unseen Academicals, which is refreshingly different from the rather formulaic Pratchett books of late Discworld vintage (thus far). Also got Sahib by Richard Holmes on the go, as well as An Utterly Impartial History of Britain, or 2000 Years of Upper Class Idiots in Charge by John O'Farrell which should be required reading for the likes of bill (just for our amusement at his reaction).

During my recent bout of horrendous puking and shitting (thank you, norovirus) I also revisited Hellboy books 1-8, BPRD 1 and Lobster Johnson: Iron Prometheus. Excellent stuff.