Books completed (and general book talk)

[Truk_Kurt]

I understand that. I prefer having books to read rather than the digital ebook or audiobook. I have been offered the option of getting a Kindle as a christmas gift before but turned it down in favour of books.

[Alex79]

The old style Kindle's are brilliant mind, you might change your mind if you have a go on one! Not the Kindle tablets you get now, but the older black and white ePaper ones with the eInk that even sometimes bleeds through slightly to the next page. They emulate 'real books' so well. I've got a Kindle Touch from about 15 years ago and still use it now. Battery lasts weeks, too! My mum always said she'd never use a Kindle but we got her one and she loves it. Worth a look if you ever fancy it!

[Truk_Kurt]

It's not so much being against using a screen for reading, it's more liking have the physical collection. I'm the same with magazines, I subscribe to PC Gamer, FourFourTwo and GP Racing. I know it would be slightly cheaper for me to just have the digital versions but I like having the feel of the magazine in my hands. I honestly can't explain it haha, weird how the brain works.

[Alex79]

Oh no I know exactly what you mean, it's the reason I prefer physical graphic novels. Digital is great, and it's convenient, but nothing beats having a nice collection on a shelf and holding a real book. And the smell of new books...is that weird? Well I like it anyway...

[Rhaegyr]

Oh no I know exactly what you mean, it's the reason I prefer physical graphic novels. Digital is great, and it's convenient, but nothing beats having a nice collection on a shelf and holding a real book. And the smell of new books...is that weird? Well I like it anyway...

Another book sniffer here haha.

My girlfriend thinks it's bizarre when she catches me but I don't really care. I'm sure there's some science behind it too.

[Alex79]

Oh no I know exactly what you mean, it's the reason I prefer physical graphic novels. Digital is great, and it's convenient, but nothing beats having a nice collection on a shelf and holding a real book. And the smell of new books...is that weird? Well I like it anyway...

Another book sniffer here haha.

My girlfriend thinks it's bizarre when she catches me but I don't really care. I'm sure there's some science behind it too.

Yeah! And so what if I'm banned from every Waterstones in the UK!

[Truk_Kurt]

Finished Six Four and thought it was great. A real page turner. Despite its length (it’s the biggest book I’ve read since order of the Phoenix many years ago) every page felt pretty essential. The main characters felt fleshed out and it was a gripping story. Minor complaints would be there are a lot of character with similar names which often got me confused and it was also a little difficult to remember who did what job and the relationship between various departments in the force and with the press. It felt really authentic though which doesn’t surprise me given the author used to be a detective. Overall very good though and another great recommendation from BackPagePod. 4/5

[duskvstweak]

2023 Reading

Far from the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson - 4 stars
The Body Scout by Lincoln Michel - 4 stars
The Big Time by Fritz Leiber - 2 stars
Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4 stars
The Sleeping Dragon by Joel Rosenberg - 3 stars
War Surf by M.M. Buckner - 4 stars
No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull - 3 stars
The Lola Quartet by Emily St. John Mandel - 4 stars
Have You Eaten Yet? Stories from Chinese Restaurants Around the World by Cheuk Kwan - 4 stars
Taste: My Life through Food -Stanley Tucci - 4 stars
The Second Life of Nick Mason by Steve Hamilton - 3 stars
The Shortest History of China by Linda Jaivin - 5 stars
Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel - 4 stars
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard - 4 stars
The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land by Thomas Asbridge - 4 stars
Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World by Hannah Lewis - 4 stars
The Tommyknockers by Stephen King - 2.5 stars
The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates - 2 stars
Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm - 4 stars
The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon - 3.5 stars
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - 3.5 stars
Your Table Is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D' by Michael Cecchi-Azzolina - 4 stars

[Truk_Kurt]

Just finished reading Blood, Sweat & Chrome.

Interesting insight into the tumultuous production of Mad Max Fury Road. It was a nightmare process to get it off the ground and then to actually film it. But in the end one of the greatest action movies of all time was the result. I hope to see more books like this about the production of films. If anyone has any recommendations, let me know.

[Truk_Kurt]

I finished Wool over the weekend. Overall it has been a great read but I found the first half to be much stronger than the second half. I enjoyed the world building and was really intrigued by the mystery of the Silos and the outside world in the first half and whilst that intrigue remained in the second half, it was only for one part of the story. I also thought the ending seemed rushed, a certain relationship unconvincing and there was too much description in certain parts about how Juliette or Walker would be fiddling about with machines or tech. It has been a great recommendation though and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series as well as watch the TV show.

[Alex79]

I finished Wool over the weekend. Overall it has been a great read but I found the first half to be much stronger than the second half. I enjoyed the world building and was really intrigued by the mystery of the Silos and the outside world in the first half and whilst that intrigue remained in the second half, it was only for one part of the story. I also thought the ending seemed rushed, a certain relationship unconvincing and there was too much description in certain parts about how Juliette or Walker would be fiddling about with machines or tech. It has been a great recommendation though and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series as well as watch the TV show.

I remember a few years ago, Matt Purslow was talking about the Wool series on the IGN podcast and making a mental note to read them one day and never got round to it. You just reminded me. He was saying they'd make a good TV show but I'm not sure there was actually one in the works at the time - are they making a show of it now, then?

[Truk_Kurt]

I finished Wool over the weekend. Overall it has been a great read but I found the first half to be much stronger than the second half. I enjoyed the world building and was really intrigued by the mystery of the Silos and the outside world in the first half and whilst that intrigue remained in the second half, it was only for one part of the story. I also thought the ending seemed rushed, a certain relationship unconvincing and there was too much description in certain parts about how Juliette or Walker would be fiddling about with machines or tech. It has been a great recommendation though and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series as well as watch the TV show.

I remember a few years ago, Matt Purslow was talking about the Wool series on the IGN podcast and making a mental note to read them one day and never got round to it. You just reminded me. He was saying they'd make a good TV show but I'm not sure there was actually one in the works at the time - are they making a show of it now, then?

It's already been made, it's called Silo and is an AppleTV production. A couple of weeks ago they announced that the second series is coming. The first season just covers the first half of the book. If you like send me a DM on here or Twitter and I would gladly send you my copy, it only cost me a quid from a charity shop.

[Alex79]

Thanks mate, that's a kind offer, I did download the eBooks ages back though and never read them so do have them already

[Truk_Kurt]

Thanks mate, that's a kind offer, I did download the eBooks ages back though and never read them so do have them already

Cool, well let me know what you think when you get around to them.