What are we reading?

Started by Martok, March 05, 2012, 01:13:59 PM

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Martok

Based on recommendations made over at the old site, I've been into the Horatio Hornblower books in a big way the last several weeks.  I'm currently halfway through Flying Colours, and probably about halfway through the series overall -- I started reading them in chronological order. 

(Speaking of which, I strongly recommend *against* doing that.  Read them in the order in which they were written instead, as otherwise the experience isn't quite as good.) 



At the same time, I've also been reading (although less intensely) What If? 2, a collection of essays examining major historical turning points, and what might have occurred had things gone another way.  Pretty interesting stuff, even if I do find a lot of the alternative scenarios to be very far-fetched. 

"Like we need an excuse to drink to anything..." - Banzai_Cat
"I like to think of it not as an excuse but more like Pavlovian Response." - Sir Slash

"At our ages, they all look like jailbait." - mirth

"If we had lines here that would have crossed all of them. For the 1,077,986th time." - Gusington

"Government is so expensive that it should at least be entertaining." - airboy

"As long as there's bacon, everything will be all right." - Toonces

LongBlade

At Bison's recommendation I'm reading Steven Saylor's series of a Roman detective, starting with Roman Blood. Put it down to historical fiction, it's good stuff.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Gusington

I am reading China Marches West: The Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia. It focuses on the interaction of the Mongols, Russians and Qing Chinese from the16th century til the 18th century. It is rather academic but something about it is very addictive too, I can't get enough of it. Probably because I haven't read a lot of Chinese history. Great book.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/China-Marches-West-Conquest-Central/dp/0674057430/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330973795&sr=1-3


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

bob48

Just finished Thunder Run, now reading Phoenix Squadron.
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!

MIGMaster

So what did ya think of Thunder Run ?

bob48

Both harrowing and inspiring really. I was impressed by the 'can-do' spirit and the confidence that those guys had in both themselves, each other, and thier equipment.

It also brought home the sheer horror of war like few books have ever done, and I've read a good many over the years.
Not a book that I will forget for a long time. Also, seeing some of the actual footage of it on youtube made a very vivid impression.

I did chuckle at the bit where they call in an airstrike, and it happened to be a Tornado. They had trouble understanding the pilot because he spoke 'British English'
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!

Arctic Blast

About 60 pages in to the newest Ciaphas Cain book, The Emperor's Finest, by Sandy Mitchell.

And I'm probably going to bust in to The Fall bu Guillermo Del Toro/Chuck Hogan after that. It's the second book in a series about a vampire plague...and the first book was stunningly good. Not really a vampire fan, but I took a shot because it was cheap. It was a pleasant surprise and now I'm hoping that the sequel holds up.

spelk

I do a lot of listening to books, due to my commute. So I'm half way through both of these

Castles of Steel by Robert K. Massie (to cajole my enthusiasm for Steam and Iron)

Mass Effect: Retribution by Drew Karpyshyn. (to whip up my enthusiasm for Mass Effect 3)



Silent Disapproval Robot


Dead Centre, the latest book in the Nick Stone series by former SAS member Abdy McNab.



MIGMaster

QuoteI did chuckle at the bit where they call in an airstrike, and it happened to be a Tornado. They had trouble understanding the pilot because he spoke 'British English'

Yeah - I could never get onto that British English.  ;D  I forgot about that until you mentioned it. There were some humerous little events...........

Gusington

I can't believe they have Castles of Steel as an audio book!

And Arctic Blast you and I have very similar taste in fiction. Checking out The Fall...thanks for posting that. And damn you as well.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Arctic Blast

Quote from: Gusington on March 06, 2012, 11:57:25 AM
And Arctic Blast you and I have very similar taste in fiction. Checking out The Fall...thanks for posting that. And damn you as well.

LOL. you've read the first book in the series, right? If not, you need to be tracking down The Strain first.

spelk

Quote from: Gusington on March 06, 2012, 11:57:25 AM
I can't believe they have Castles of Steel as an audio book!

From Barnes and Noble.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/castles-of-steel-robert-k-massie/1102808863?ean=9781415912614&itm=1&usri=castles+of+steel+audiobook

It comes on 33 CD's in unabridged disc form, so the download is 33 mp3 files.

Gabeeg helpfully aided me in getting hold of it, because it is country restricted to US residents only.

Gusington

33 CDs!!! Crazytalk. Arctic, in my search on Amazon yesterday I did see that the Fall is part of a series, yes. I can't buy it until I make some headway through my 25 book stack of fiction first. Been reading a lot more fiction than usual lately.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

MIGMaster

QuoteBeen reading a lot more fiction than usual lately.

You're not telling us a story are ya !  ;)