Stickied What are you reading right now?

[Veggie Legs]

I just finished The First Law Trilogy. I throughly enjoyed it.

Spoiler

What a c*** Bayaz turned out to be. No happy endings here and it left me feeling a bit disheartened when I finished it.

I think I slightly preferred the second book but all three were good.

I see he released three more books in that world:

Best Served Cold (2009)
The Heroes (2011)
Red Country (2012)

Are they worth getting?

Yes, definitely. The Heroes is the weakest of the three, in my opinion, and Red Country is probably the strongest, but I enjoyed all of them.

 

[This Charming Mike]

Recently finished Turning My Back On The Premier League by Lee Price, an ex-Man Utd fan who starts following local side Dagenham and Redbridge after growing increasingly disillusioned with the state of football at the highest level. Initially, it's a good read, with Price providing an excellent insight into lower league football, something most of us are all too familiar with but by the end of the book I was figuratively screaming at my Kindle as he offered out the same old tired cliches and seemed to be completely oblivious to what goes on further down the leagues. Readable, but very annoying.

 

[Smally]

About a quarter of the way through Filth by Irvine Welsh. It's ok so far, hope it picks up soon though

 

[lordofthepies]

Flying through The Goldfinch. It's really quite good.

 

[Techno Natch]

I've just finished the book about Robert Enke. Very tough reading towards the end, the author does a very good job of explaining what Robert went through and the affect depression can have on people.

It's a tough subject that many don't understand, not just in football but in every part of society. I do think that's changed slightly over time and books like this help.

 

[mowgli]

Hereward - The Devils Army by James Wilde. The second in the Hereward series about Englishmen fighting back after the battle of Hastings. I thought the first one wasn't that good but as i bought them both together decided to carry on with it and this is much better, i've see there's at least another 2 in the series so will keep me busy.

 

[Oaf]

I just finished The First Law Trilogy. I throughly enjoyed it.

Spoiler

What a c*** Bayaz turned out to be. No happy endings here and it left me feeling a bit disheartened when I finished it.

I think I slightly preferred the second book but all three were good.

I see he released three more books in that world:

Best Served Cold (2009)
The Heroes (2011)
Red Country (2012)

Are they worth getting? It will be a while before I read any of them as I fancy a change now, Robert Enkes book is next for me.

Yeah, I intend on reading those three as well at some point, and I always seem to see that Red Country is possibly the best of all of his books in that world.

As for the ending...

Spoiler

At first I was a bit disheartened as well, but after time I realised it was absolutely perfect for the series. Nobody was really happy with how it ended (well, apart from that bastard Bayaz)... which kept it pretty consistent with the theme of the series where everybody seemed to be having a pretty shit time of it all anyway.

 

[smat]

AUSTERITY: THE HISTORY OF A DANGEROUS IDEA by MARK BLYTH

This is with the aim of being able to explain why I'm going to vote Green without a load of shit coming out of my mouth, but it's not really working because I'm having to re-read every paragraph three of four times and the election'll be ancient history by the time I've understood it. I am stupid.

 

[Sparrow]

Finished reading Where's Your Caravan? by Chris Hargreaves (Torquay manager) the other day. Gives a good insight into being a footballer in the lower reaches of the Football League and at Non-League.

 

[Greenacres]

Recently finished Turning My Back On The Premier League by Lee Price, an ex-Man Utd fan who starts following local side Dagenham and Redbridge after growing increasingly disillusioned with the state of football at the highest level. Initially, it's a good read, with Price providing an excellent insight into lower league football, something most of us are all too familiar with but by the end of the book I was figuratively screaming at my Kindle as he offered out the same old tired cliches and seemed to be completely oblivious to what goes on further down the leagues. Readable, but very annoying.

If you liked that (to start off with, if not at the end) then you might also like Left Foot Forward by Garry Nelson, if you can get a copy. He played for several clubs but most notably for Charlton and Brighton, so likely to be of more interest to a fan of one of those teams, but also an insight into the life of a footballer away from the bright lights.

 

[mistermagic]

I've read the whole Bernard Cornwell series on King Alfred up to the 6th book and will buy the 7th one this weekend. There is at least another 1 more in the series after that as well, it will be interesting to see how he ends the saga.

You'll be very happy to know that I got books 2, 3 & 4 for my birthday. Not sure when I'll read them but I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Techno Natch]

Yeah, I intend on reading those three as well at some point, and I always seem to see that Red Country is possibly the best of all of his books in that world.

As for the ending...

Spoiler

At first I was a bit disheartened as well, but after time I realised it was absolutely perfect for the series. Nobody was really happy with how it ended (well, apart from that bastard Bayaz)... which kept it pretty consistent with the theme of the series where everybody seemed to be having a pretty shit time of it all anyway.

Spoiler

Yeah I agree. Thought it was good how Bayaz developed, for a while he looked like the traditional good old mage who helps the good guys.

I am about 130 pages into Wool, another book from the Top 100. Set in an underground Silo after what I assume to be a nuclear fallout.

So far it is excellent.

 

[mowgli]

You'll be very happy to know that I got books 2, 3 & 4 for my birthday. Not sure when I'll read them but I'm looking forward to it.

For me this is the best series of books that Cornwell has written and i've read all his books.

 

[Cheese & Biscuits]

I've just finished re-reading The Code Book by Simon Singh. Not as good as I remember but still a good little read about the evolution of cryptography and cryptanalysis.

I read the digital version this time and it makes about difference as you need to flick back and forth to view the figures he's describing. It's the first time I've wished I had a paperback when reading a book in a long while.

 

[Van Der Graaf]

Not had much time recently, still chopping away at The File: A personal history by Timothy Garton Ash. Interesting read thus far, and a good insight into how the Stasi worked.

Just had Berlin Now: The Rise Of The City And The Fall Of The Wall by Peter Schneider (of Wall Jumper fame - a book I keep meaning to purchase). Any recommendations on books relating specifically to Poland, Albania and Romania during Soviet/Yugoslav times? Reason I ask is I'm hoping to do a few days in one of them for my birthday in August.

 

[mistermagic]

This is my review of Lords of Finance. Fantastic but you need to take an interest otherwise you'll find it boring (WHICH IT ISN'T!).

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1212481393?book_show_action=false

 

[Techno Natch]

I'm halfway through Wool by Hugh Howey now. Does anyone know what order the books in the series go? I want to order the next book now but can't seem to find out without reading a spoiler by accident

 

[Veggie Legs]

Wool, Shift, Dust.

 

[Techno Natch]

Thanks Veggie.

 

[silkyman]

Recently finished Turning My Back On The Premier League by Lee Price, an ex-Man Utd fan who starts following local side Dagenham and Redbridge after growing increasingly disillusioned with the state of football at the highest level. Initially, it's a good read, with Price providing an excellent insight into lower league football, something most of us are all too familiar with but by the end of the book I was figuratively screaming at my Kindle as he offered out the same old tired cliches and seemed to be completely oblivious to what goes on further down the leagues. Readable, but very annoying.

Sounds horrendous. Lots of patronising shite? I know a couple of twats who used to be huge United fans. (In the 'watched every game in the pub' sense. Used to mock people for watching Macc until FCUM turned up. Then it was like they had invented non League football and expected us to treat them and FCUM like some sort of mystical wonderment.

 

[Aber gas]

Just finished John connolly's a song of shadows . Excellent as usual . The charlie Parker series just gets creepier and more fucked up .

 

[Cheese & Biscuits]

I've just started rereading The ODESSA File by Frederick Forsyth.

It's been a few years since I first read it and I had forgotten how harrowing the passages about the concentration camps was. I can't remember the whole story so looking forward to enjoying it again. It was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed first time 'round.

 

[Oaf]

I've just finished Mick Foleys Have a Nice Day. A really good read, especially as a wrestling fan. Brilliant seeing the career of Mick Foley through his own eyes, watching him work his way up to the big time. And he's a damned entertaining writer too. I'd probably say that there was a bit too much "WCW is shit, WWE is awesome" type stuff, but that's purely a product of the era it was written in, during the Monday night wars era where it felt like everybody wanted to take as many digs at the opposition as possible.

But yeah, I now look at the man and his matches with a new found appreciation. Will probably check out his other books at some point.

 

[Smally]

I loved that book too when I read it, probably about 8 years ago now. His second one is pretty good too, until he goes on a HUGE rant about how wrestling is no worse on TV than say soaps and sitcoms when it comes to showing violence. He cares about it but I got bored reading that part

 

[Techno Natch]

I've just finished reading Wool by Hugh Howey. Brilliant book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

I am reading Dice Man again for now after I first read it five years ago. I do love the idea of it.

 

[Veggie Legs]

I loved the idea The Dice Man, but I thought the book was terrible. It started off ok but I found it increasingly stupid, unbelievable and boring.

 

[mowgli]

The Eagle's Vengeance by Anthony Riches. The 6th book in The Empire series about a legion in the Roman army, just gets better with every book and i've got 2 more after this.

 

[Techno Natch]

I loved the idea The Dice Man, but I thought the book was terrible. It started off ok but I found it increasingly stupid, unbelievable and boring.

I can't remember it that well to be honest but saw it on my shelf and thought it would see me through until the end of the month. I do remember it getting pretty crazy.

I only got a few pages in though as I found "Shift" in the library.

 

[SUTSS]

I've been reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. It's a pretty good read so far. Although it doesn't go into huge detail on any particular subject and there is definitely a bit of artistic licence taken with some explanations that maybe don't have the scientific backing the author is claiming they have but this can be forgiven a little as it is clearly aimed at the layman and not someone who has studied the evolutionary history of man.

 

[Oaf]

I started to read Jurassic Park yesterday.

I consider JP to be my favourite film, so I've gone into it with high expectations. It's been good so far from what I've read, a lot more science heavy than the movie but that's ok. I seem to remember seeing that it's quite different from the movie, but I actually quite like that idea... give a fresh twist on my favourite movie of all time. I mean, I've already read the bit about the family on the beach and the girl wanders off and gets attacked by the little dinosaurs, which is the opening of JP 2 It's already mixing everything up.

But my intention is to read JP before rewatching JP1-3 before Jurassic World comes out. Completely dedicate myself to hyping up the arrival of the new JW movie... which may well just end up being shit anyway, but fuck it.