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AuthorThread
 11/13/2009 05:54:31 PM · #176
surely is not similar to the two last book i've read of Ken Follet, The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, but i've read the others and so now i want to read this... but i already know that i'm in accord with you Bear! ;-)
 11/13/2009 05:59:24 PM · #177
Originally posted by GiorgioBaruffi:
surely is not similar to the two last book i've read of Ken Follet, The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End...


Now those are a lovely pair of historical novels. Rich and layered.

R.
 11/13/2009 07:44:20 PM · #178
Originally posted by GiorgioBaruffi:
surely is not similar to the two last book i've read of Ken Follet, The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, but i've read the others and so now i want to read this... but i already know that i'm in accord with you Bear! ;-)


Pillars of the Earth - one of my all time favs.
 11/14/2009 02:36:26 AM · #179
"The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski - 6/10

The only reason this book gets a 6 is he writes very well. If not for that, it'd get about a 3/10. I'm sometimes upset by the end of a book, but not often angry that I'd spent a lot of time reading it - in this case I was indeed angry I'd spent the time. Still, there are a TON of people who love this book and highly recommend it. I'm just not one of them. In fact, I recommended a reading friend of mine avoid it entirely.

"The Shack" by William P. Young - 6/10

Theological fiction, which is not my usual reading fare. I read it because a friend gave it to me and asked me to read it. The only other time I've tried (not counting Anne Rice's fourth vampire book) was "The Celestine Prophecies" and I thought that SO poorly written I stopped at Chapter 3 and never finished it (which for me is very rare indeed.) "The Shack", has better writing, though still a bit condescending and over-explanatory at times. It is, without doubt, a book that will appeal to established Christians far more than to non-Christian readers. (I generally share books - I pass them along to others when I'm finished. I gave this one to my visiting Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm looking forward to seeing what they thought of the book.)
 11/14/2009 07:26:39 AM · #180
The Lost Symbol
Dan Brown

This is the 5th dan brown book ive read, but havent actually read him in 3 or 4 years. it was a nice read, very much in the style of dan brown, which i thoroughly enjoy, but there were a few plot issues which i didnt like as much. example, it took him 482 pages to tell me something i had know from the 13(around that point) page. kinda irritating and disappointing. other then that, it was a good read and kept me highly entertained on my three days of terrible flying last week
 11/14/2009 08:37:38 AM · #181
To Kill A Mockingbird
By Harper Lee

Already a favorite movie, the book fills out the characters and adds a lot of warmth. Well worth the time if you've never read this classic. Still very important and relevant.
 11/14/2009 12:39:16 PM · #182
The Lost Symbol

This book is like eating a pound of chocolate. It's enjoyable at first, but you kind of get the feeling that you're probably poisoning yourself. Also, you'll pay for it later. LadyK was right about the big reveal. It wasn't much of one, and was hinted at almost immediately. I did get a kick over the book's other big secret, though. Never saw it coming, but a bit of sleight-of-hand is indulged in by the writer that's not entirely fair.

Mr. Brown is not the best writer in the world. Did anyone actually edit this book? There are some startling grammatical blunders that really irked me. Also, the book is full of cliches, like "radiant" females, men who "stride" a lot, and vexed characters whose interrogatory dialogue are statements being "demanded". I've concluded that Dan Brown can't write women very well. His characters are just actors on an action set, really, so that's no surprise. This thing is over a hundred chapters long. Silly, short chapters, which you can scarf down like handfuls of popcorn in the movie theatre, where, incidentally, this story will undoubtedly end up being told.

In short, I liked it. ;-) But, like the chocolate, what I'm about to experience having finished all of it in one go is going to make me regret it.

Edit: the denouement is extremely disappointing, btw, consisting of nothing but gobbledygook. The last half dozen or so pages are thoroughly disappointing. The only book I've ever become impatient with at the very end, and one of the very few I was glad ended.

Message edited by author 2009-11-14 13:40:09.
 11/14/2009 12:52:05 PM · #183
I have never read a Dan Brown book. I feel like such an outsider.

Just finished "The Magician's Assistant" by Ann Patchett. A nice read. Kept me interested and I liked the characters.
 11/14/2009 01:10:44 PM · #184
The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti
I think the book was originally intended to be Young Adult literature, but it's too well written to be ignored by any adult. It's a wonderful adventure story about an orphan in another place and time.
I'd rate it an 8 out 10 just because I think it should have gone on longer.
 11/14/2009 07:00:28 PM · #185
I just read EDGAR SAWTELLE too.
I agree the writing was so good all the way thru and then at the end I could barely get my head around what happened. Can't even believe the ending, if I understood it right... was not so sure could end that way.... I was also disappointed because I so loved it all the way along. Not even sure I can rate it.

Originally posted by Melethia:
"The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski - 6/10

The only reason this book gets a 6 is he writes very well. If not for that, it'd get about a 3/10. I'm sometimes upset by the end of a book, but not often angry that I'd spent a lot of time reading it - in this case I was indeed angry I'd spent the time. Still, there are a TON of people who love this book and highly recommend it. I'm just not one of them. In fact, I recommended a reading friend of mine avoid it entirely.

"The Shack" by William P. Young - 6/10

Theological fiction, which is not my usual reading fare. I read it because a friend gave it to me and asked me to read it. The only other time I've tried (not counting Anne Rice's fourth vampire book) was "The Celestine Prophecies" and I thought that SO poorly written I stopped at Chapter 3 and never finished it (which for me is very rare indeed.) "The Shack", has better writing, though still a bit condescending and over-explanatory at times. It is, without doubt, a book that will appeal to established Christians far more than to non-Christian readers. (I generally share books - I pass them along to others when I'm finished. I gave this one to my visiting Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm looking forward to seeing what they thought of the book.)
11/14/2009 08:04:12 PM · #186
Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

9/10 Excellent Book...Very well done

This really reminded me of some of my relatives when I was growing up...
 11/14/2009 08:07:52 PM · #187
Ghosts - Cesar Aira

Quite gripping with a quick yet powerful ending. Nine.
 11/14/2009 10:01:49 PM · #188
What Einstein Told His Cook II - actually a very interesting book on food chemistry. A little dense sometimes but overlal entertaining. And silly jokes pepper the text, adding levity. More pictures would be nice. 8/10
 11/15/2009 05:11:55 AM · #189
Cloud Atlas
David Mitchell
8/10

This book is broken into separate narratives from different eras connected by a similar thread. It begins with a notary sailing the Pacific in the 1800's and extends to a post apocalyptic world. One of the most exciting and scary narratives takes place in a futuristic Korea. Well worth reading for that alone.
 11/15/2009 06:18:50 AM · #190
Originally posted by datcat:
Cloud Atlas
David Mitchell
8/10

This book is broken into separate narratives from different eras connected by a similar thread. It begins with a notary sailing the Pacific in the 1800's and extends to a post apocalyptic world. One of the most exciting and scary narratives takes place in a futuristic Korea. Well worth reading for that alone.


Thanks for reminding me about this novel, I think it is time for a re-read - I was thoroughly gripped first time round.
 11/16/2009 02:26:41 PM · #191
I am (was) reading "The Far Pavilions" by M.M. Kaye. Great ripping yarn! But it was due back at the library Saturday and I couldn't renew. So now I've requested it again and have to wait for a copy to be available so I can finish the book.
 02/07/2010 12:21:22 AM · #192
I have been spending most of my reading time lately on Autobiographys. I recently finished Barbra Walters "Audition", then read Maureen McCormicks "Here's the Story" Both books are worth reading, these two women have both had very interesting lives very different from one another yet both faced alot of the same challenges and fears in life.

Lastnight I started on Larry King's "My Remarkable Journey" But today I picked up Ozzy Osbourne's "I am Ozzy" I think I will set Larry aside for a week or two because I can not wait to read I am Ozzy. I have heard it is really good.

Anyway. If you like Autobiographys the first two I mentioned above are both very interesting. I'll post again after I read the other two.
 02/07/2010 12:37:22 AM · #193
I picked up The Old Man and the Sea in the airport in Kauai. I had heard that despite how short it is, its a tough read. I don't know who told me that but they were wrong. It was a pleasant read and helped pass the time on the way home. (I had it done well before I got home). Its a great story and I can see why it won the Pulitzer prize for fiction in 1953 and the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954.
 02/07/2010 12:39:54 AM · #194
Point and Line to Plane by Wassily Kandinsky.

* * * * *
 02/07/2010 01:00:27 AM · #195
I have been readig Stephen Booth the english crime writer really cracking plots and stories
02/07/2010 01:03:18 AM · #196
Crimson Shadow trilogy by R.A. Salvatore. 10/10. Salvatore works his magic, this is a great fantasy trilogy
 02/07/2010 01:15:56 AM · #197
Been reading some easy genre lit lately. Just finished The Strain (Del Toro and Hogan) today. Pretty good horror suspense.

I've also been reading Lynn Flewelling's new fantasy "Tamir" trilogy. Just finished book two. She has a real gift for creating characters you care about. I enjoyed her "Nightrunner" series as well.

Now starting The Crazed by Ha Jin, about a stroke victim and his student, and next on my list is Cloud Atlas (David Mitchell).
 02/07/2010 06:47:26 AM · #198
Swan Peak-James Lee Burke

A classic James Lee Burke featuring Dave Robicheaux-9/10
 02/07/2010 09:22:34 AM · #199
Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay 4/10
Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay 3/10

I have seen Dexter the series... at least the first 3 seasons of it, and thought the series was brilliant. Normally the books are much better than the screen adaptations, and on the advice of my brother, I picked up the first couple books. This is one of the rare cases where the screen adaptation is much better than the books. I found the writing to be childish, and by the middle of the second book, I couldnt wait to abandon the book series altogether.
 02/16/2010 06:20:10 AM · #200
I just finished Ozzy Osbournes "I AM OZZY"... This is the first book in a long time that I had trouble putting down. Amazing life, amazing story. Why the man is still alive and walking around could or should be the 8th wonder of the world. If you are a fan of Ozzy, Black Sabbath or both. This is a must read. It is very well written, the British Slang may be a bit confusing to some people, however it is not hard to figure out what the words mean. Over all if I were asked to rate this book on a DPC scale of 1-10 it is hands down a 10! Blue Ribbon For The Oz Man!!!!
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