Actually, that's a complete lie. I finished it in two days of buying when it was released, and very glad I am that I did. We're now in the time frame where all of us buggers who bought it immediately and read it immediately, are now (unintentionally) spoiling the plot for those patient souls who are waiting for partners, kids, siblings, workmates, neighbours or the bloke in the pub to finish their copy.
There will be no more mention of Harry and Co. in this post, other than to say... "I really enjoyed the book".
So, what else have I been reading?
1. "Slant" - Greg Bear
Sci-Fi: Sequel to "Queen of Angels". The entire planet's population has largely been therapied - i.e. no-one has mental illness anymore, but then someone releases a virus... plus there are a gang of rich nutters planning for cryogenic sleep, hoping to wake up in a world without the riff-raff.
2. "Saving Fish from Drowning" - Amy Tan
A band of obnoxious (based on the narrator's description) Americans get lost in Burma. Their guide, murdered ten days before their trip, narrates their mishaps. There's lots of humour and Amy Tan is one of my (many) favourite authors.
3. "Labyrinth" - Kate Mosse
'Dan Brown for girls': It's the only way I can sum this up. That and "romantic Da Vinci Code, set in France". Despite what I've just said, I enjoyed this - lots of switching between 12th and 21st Century France, dealing with the destruction of the Cathars.
4. "The Lovely Bones" - Alice Sebold
Great book. I read this while I had 'prawn lurgie' and could not put it down. The first couple of pages are nasty, as our heroine is murdered, and, no, that isn't a spoiler. She tells the story of coming to terms with her death and how she watches her family and friends deal with her murder.
5. "The Traveller" - John Twelve-Hawks
Who thinks he made his name up? More sci-fi, and absolutely brilliant. It's an anti-surveillance society warning, as the heroes try to escape a sinister, all-powerful organisation. This is the first of a coming series of books which I'm eagerly awaiting. All I can say here is that JTH had better not go all George RR Martin on me.
6. "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" - Bill Bryson
Brilliant. Laugh out loud funny. I don't read many autobiographies - can probably count the number I have read on one hand. BB chats about growing up in the 1950s - what was happening in the US and how he didn't notice it... well, he was a child.
7. "The Hungry Tide" - Amitav Ghosh
This one gave me itchy feet, as it is set in the Ganges Delta and I just wanted to go and see everything. I also learned a lot about river dolphins. Apparently, it's about 'one man's desire' but it's really about the stories of several people and how their stories impact on the others. It's a beautiful novel.
8. "As used on the famous Nelson Mandela: Adventures in the underground arms and torture trade" - Mark Thomas
"Stand up" discredits what Mark Thomas does. Go and see his show, then read the book. It will make you angry... while laughing hysterically at the antics of undercover nun and the after-school arms club, which prove just how easy it is to import and export arms and torture equipment around the world.
9. "Ringworld" - Larry Niven
More Sci-Fi, classic sci-fi. Four people - two humans, one Kzin and a Puppeteer (now why might they be called Puppeteers?) head off to the centre of the universe, where a galaxy-ending explosion is happening, to visit a ring world. Brilliant. If you like Iain M Banks, you'll enjoy seeing where he got some of his ideas from.
10. "Lisey's Story" - Stephen King
I believe this is SK's latest novel, and I have just finished it. I couldn't put it down. The widow of a dead writer is threatened by an avid fan. The action takes place over only a couple of days but the action depends on her memories of her life with her husband and the stories of his childhood. It's like a combination of "Rose Madder" and "It". I loved it and am now disappointed that I have finished reading it.
There's knitting in it too! A big yellow afghan.
And there we have it. I have one more comment, in closing:
"George RRRRRRRRRR Martin. When are you going to publish the next book in the 'Ice and Fire' series? This stupid three formats of publication (hardback, large paperback and small paperback) is really trying my patience. Do we have to go through all three before we get the next novel.
"It has been 18 months since 'Feast for Crows' was published, when do we get the other half? Which has apparently already been written. This is reaching a point where I'm not sure if I can be arsed to read the next one."
(I'm watching Brookmyre's publication habits too).
3 comments:
Oooh, you have similar reading tastes to me :) I got so fed up George that I stopped reading the series. Mark Thomas is a complete and utter genius, funniest man on the planet. Been lucky enough to see him twice now.
It's really nice meeting people with similar tastes as they've usually read something you haven't. If you like what books you have in common, chances are you'll like the other stuff they're reading.
Mark Thomas is ace. Saw him in Manchester in November. We protested outside the BBC afterwards.
Oh, The Lovely Bones was great, wasn' it. I heard they're making a film out of it, although I don't know how that'll go off.
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