Grand unified books thread

[BuddhaRhubarb]

Reading Guy Gavriel Kay's "A Song For Arbonne". It took some patience, but now about halfway through, I'm quite enjoying it. Thank you Languish for helping me get past my fear that Kay was just some hist.romance crap, which the book jackets have always led me to think, thus keeping me far away.

any Medieval experts out there want to chime in on the history? is any of it truish? or are the names of places all as fake as they sound? it's a region/time period that I have not studied at all.

[Josephus]

I read two of his books Yisabel and his most recent one Under Heaven which is a perfect vehicle for Languishites since it takes place in medieval China and has some ccool battle scenes.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

I also have several Cornwell ready on the nightstand. The last two of His King Alfred series (the first of which was awesome) as well as the Stonehenge one and the Azincourt one.... Go thrift stores. (where I buy 90% of my books.) But think I will pick up that "Under Heaven" one you mention, as there's an ad in the back of the ed. the one I'm reading now, that makes it sound interesting.

Also found the new Tim Powers paperback the other day. almost nothing excites me more than that, genre fic wise.

[Malthus]

I also have several Cornwell ready on the nightstand. The last two of His King Alfred series (the first of which was awesome) as well as the Stonehenge one and the Azincourt one.... Go thrift stores. (where I buy 90% of my books.) But think I will pick up that "Under Heaven" one you mention, as there's an ad in the back of the ed. the one I'm reading now, that makes it sound interesting.

Also found the new Tim Powers paperback the other day. almost nothing excites me more than that, genre fic wise.

Cornwell's Alfred series is excellent. He's reall matured as a writer - I liked Sharpe well enough, but they were more formulaic.

[Malthus]

Here's a book that looks interesting for Languish parents ...

http://www.amazon.com/Go-Fuck-Sleep-Adam-Mansbach/dp/1617750255?tag=5336612429-20

[Kleves]

Anyone read any good noir recently? Aside from Kerr, Huston, Lehane? Keep in mind: good noir, so no Crais, Ellis, or such nonsense.

[Norgy]

Anyone read any good noir recently? Aside from Kerr, Huston, Lehane? Keep in mind: good noir, so no Crais, Ellis, or such nonsense.

James Crumley?

I liked The Last Good Kiss when I read it yonks ago. Of course, if you haven't yet read all of Chandler, go for those.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

Anyone read any good noir recently? Aside from Kerr, Huston, Lehane? Keep in mind: good noir, so no Crais, Ellis, or such nonsense.

You've read Jim Thompson, Patricia Highsmith? if not, those. modern noir.... hmmm tougher, for light noir I like Walter Mosley, at least the first few of his anyway.

Crumley, as Norgy says, also. hmmm now I need a good modern noir.....

[Zoupa]

Reading Philp Kerr's A Quiet Flame. Excellent post-ww2 noir about a German cop, reluctantly drafted into the German army, then swept to Argentina where he gets involved in various sorts of nastiness - I highly recommend it (it's the 5th book in a series - the whole series is great).

Hmm is there something called the Berlin Trilogy by him? I think I have it in french but my mum stole it. 

[Zoupa]

Anyone read any good noir recently? Aside from Kerr, Huston, Lehane? Keep in mind: good noir, so no Crais, Ellis, or such nonsense.

James Crumley?

I liked The Last Good Kiss when I read it yonks ago. Of course, if you haven't yet read all of Chandler, go for those.

I second Chandler. I just finished the Big Sleep. It's cooler than the Fonz.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

picked up John Varley's "Titan" Trilogy for a buck apiece at the old thrift store. Been meaning to reread that (read them & loved them as they came out 20 odd years ago) series for some time. My pile on the nightstand is starting to teeter.

[Scipio]

Just purchased the Thor Omnibus of the Walter Simonson Run for 40% off the cover price.  God bless my tax return.

[Ideologue]

Just purchased the Thor Omnibus of the Walter Simonson Run for 40% off the cover price.  God bless my tax return.

Sweet.  If I had the cash, I'd have liked to have picked that up.

[Grey Fox]

I'm reading The Black Magician trilogy, currently on book 2.

It's the french translation & I must say it is one of the better translation that I have read. Executed perfectly but I'll give some credit to the original author for crafting a wonderfull & compelling story.

[Norgy]

Hmm is there something called the Berlin Trilogy by him? I think I have it in french but my mum stole it. 

Yes. I have read some Philip Kerr. It is very uneven. Sometimes, it's like his publisher just put together his notes from the toilet and called it a novel.

Rankin is better, in my opinion, and for those looking for some okay mystery novels, Norwegian author Jo Nesbo's aren't bad.