What Are You Reading?

[AchtungBaby]

Just under a hundred pages into Summer of Night, but I already love it.

 

[Kurben]

I wasn't in love with the second one, true, but The Mammoth Hunters is where the prevalence of 'cave porn' starts I got very, very tired of it very, very quickly.

True, the cave porn is very tiring. I always skip these scenes (and to be honest they started in the second and is afterwards an ongoing theme. I always thought she had one or two scenarios that she just put when it was time (wonder if she was pressured? her heart does not seem to be in the writing there). The reason i like Mammoth Hunters is because she needs good secondary Characters to be worth reading. Ayla and Jondalar can't carry a book on their own shoulders. They need other characters. And i think the Mammoth camp is well portrayed with the different people.

 

[Kurben]

I finished "The Accident" by Linwood Barclay and did not like it very much. It started out good but went downhill fast after the halfway mark. With thrillers, there is a line an author can cross where there are just so many twists, turns and shocking surprises that the novel loses believability. Not only did Barclay cross the line but he took a running start and leaped over it like an Olympic long jumper. Most of the shocks and surprises seemed forced. Hopefully, this is not the case with his other books. I've read one of his books before this one and loved it but this one was a mess.

Personally i was also disapointed by the Accident. Usually Barclay is better. I totally agree that he drove that story down in a ditch.

 

[MadBoJangles]

My sister raves about Linwood Barclay.
I have never read any of his work, is he worth adding to my future reading pile? (except "The Accident" ofc!)

 

[One Lucas Simms]

I don't know what to read next, I picked up breathless by Dean Koontz and read the synopsis but that sounds a bit like firestarter. I have a bunch of James herbert books and still a load of King books. I'm wondering if it is possible to enjoy Salems Lot without being a fan of the vampire genre? that's the only reason I've not read it yet, I've just never been into vampire stories/films.

This isn't the lame teen sexy vampire schlock or some crazy Anne Rice interview documentary ... Salem's Lot is fantastic. As with most of King's books, it's the characters that really drive the story ... the vampires, while important, are simply a foil to advance the story of the characters. It's how I imagine actual vampires would affect a community ... no one tries to marry a vampire or falls in love with one.

 

[fljoe0]

My sister raves about Linwood Barclay.
I have never read any of his work, is he worth adding to my future reading pile? (except "The Accident" ofc!)

I read "Never Look Away" and thought that was very good. I read something nice things that SK said about him too. I think "The Accident" was just a bad day. The book was actually pretty good for a while but it just got ridiculous in the 2nd half. I'm willing to try again because I think he's much better than "The Accident."

 

[MadBoJangles]

I read "Never Look Away" and thought that was very good. I read something nice things that SK said about him too. I think "The Accident" was just a bad day. The book was actually pretty good for a while but it just got ridiculous in the 2nd half. I'm willing to try again because I think he's much better than "The Accident."

Thanks, I will see if I can borrow a couple of his books from my sister then

 

[EMARX]

I'm reading The Way Some People Die, by Ross Macdonald and Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell. Both excellent.

 

[skimom2]

True, the cave porn is very tiring. I always skip these scenes (and to be honest they started in the second and is afterwards an ongoing theme. I always thought she had one or two scenarios that she just put when it was time (wonder if she was pressured? her heart does not seem to be in the writing there). The reason i like Mammoth Hunters is because she needs good secondary Characters to be worth reading. Ayla and Jondalar can't carry a book on their own shoulders. They need other characters. And i think the Mammoth camp is well portrayed with the different people.

You're very likely correct on when the pornyness started (lol). It's been years since I read any but the first one--I just re-read that one last year. I remember liking most of when they were in the camp, so I'm likely mixing up the order of the books in my old noggin

 

[Mr Larry Underwood]

re rereading joyland. It has become a may tradition now

 

[Moderator]

Have 57 pages left of Game of Thrones and Clash of Kings is waiting in the wings. We don't have HBO so I've only seen snippets when they've had a free weekend as I didn't want to watch it out of order. I'd like to get through all of the books before trying to find it elsewhere on video to do a binge watch.

 

[Waya]

Mz. Waya, M'am...neither B&N nor Amazon have info on Cronin's latest, could you give me a hint where to find?

On Cronin's facebook, he says "City of Mirrors" will be out in fall, possibly October. Probably too soon for advance orders from Amazon and B&N.

 

[Kurben]

My sister raves about Linwood Barclay.
I have never read any of his work, is he worth adding to my future reading pile? (except "The Accident" ofc!)

Yes, he is worth a read. If you read and liked Harlan Coben you probably like Barclay. Never Look away, Fear the Worst and Too late for Goodbyes are three good Barclay.

 

[Kurben]

I'm reading The Way Some People Die, by Ross Macdonald and Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell. Both excellent.

Ross MacDonald is excellent. He ought to get more recognition because he is on a level with Chandler, Hammett and John D MacDonald. Often when people talk about these books they mention these three authors but forget Ross MacDonald. It is a pity that the US forgets one of its big stars. But this might be a misconception from my side. It is just the impresssion i get from reading some crime critics history.

 

[TarkDower]

Ross MacDonald is excellent. He ought to get more recognition because he is on a level with Chandler, Hammett and John D MacDonald. Often when people talk about these books they mention these three authors but forget Ross MacDonald. It is a pity that the US forgets one of its big stars. But this might be a misconception from my side. It is just the impresssion i get from reading some crime critics history.

I tried grabbing the Way Some People Die from the person selling used books for cheap on eBay but they didn't have it. I assume the rest of his work is worth a read?

 

[Kurben]

Absolutely!!! You must check out his Lew Archer books. The Barbarous Coast, The Galton Case, The Zebrastriped Hearse, The Far side of the Dollar, The Ferguson Affair, Blue City, The Chill, The Wycherly Woman, The Ivory Grin. Just some that i remember in quick thought. Some of these are not Archer (The Chill) but most are.

 

[TarkDower]

Absolutely!!! You must check out his Lew Archer books. The Barbarous Coast, The Galton Case, The Zebrastriped Hearse, The Far side of the Dollar, The Ferguson Affair, Blue City, The Chill, The Wycherly Woman, The Ivory Grin. Just some that i remember in quick thought. Some of these are not Archer (The Chill) but most are.

Gah! I went from scrounging for books to filthy rich in prospects overnight! Thanks for all the great recommendations

 

[EMARX]

Have 57 pages left of Game of Thrones and Clash of Kings is waiting in the wings. We don't have HBO so I've only seen snippets when they've had a free weekend as I didn't want to watch it out of order. I'd like to get through all of the books before trying to find it elsewhere on video to do a binge watch.

I read the first 4 volumes and really liked them and then the gaps between books widened and I didn't want to go back and re-read before the subsequent books were published.

 

[EMARX]

Ross MacDonald is excellent. He ought to get more recognition because he is on a level with Chandler, Hammett and John D MacDonald. Often when people talk about these books they mention these three authors but forget Ross MacDonald. It is a pity that the US forgets one of its big stars. But this might be a misconception from my side. It is just the impresssion i get from reading some crime critics history.

I read a lot of his work decades back and wanted to get back to him. I like Archer the best in the genre.

 

[Haunted]

On Cronin's facebook, he says "City of Mirrors" will be out in fall, possibly October. Probably too soon for advance orders from Amazon and B&N.

THANKS!!!