Reading Challenge 2021

[RobMCFC]

About 200 pages into Springsteen one, enjoying it so far

Read it a few years ago - his narrative style in unusual, but the book is all the better for it. An excellent read.

1. The Stand - Stephen King - 10/10

Finally able to post a completed book - started "The Stand" on December 13th and finished last night. Superb characterisation and a plot that's probably more relevant today than it's ever been. I thought that an epic story deserved a detailed review, so I've posted it (spoiler-free) on my blog here:-

Book Review – The Stand by Stephen King

Introduction The Stand is considered by many readers to be Stephen King’s finest work, and whilst I’m not averse to reading hefty tomes, its 1300 page-plus length has always put me off when th…

monkeyarkwright.wordpress.com

 

[ob]

Read it a few years ago - his narrative style in unusual, but the book is all the better for it. An excellent read.

1. The Stand - Stephen King - 10/10

Finally able to post a completed book - started "The Stand" on December 13th and finished last night. Superb characterisation and a plot that's probably more relevant today than it's ever been. I thought that an epic story deserved a detailed review, so I've posted it (spoiler-free) on my blog here:-

Book Review – The Stand by Stephen King

Introduction The Stand is considered by many readers to be Stephen King’s finest work, and whilst I’m not averse to reading hefty tomes, its 1300 page-plus length has always put me off when th…

monkeyarkwright.wordpress.com

The Stand is one of my favourite books and for me a deserved 10/10

 

[I'm With Stupid]

1. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrel
2. Don't Believe a Word by David Shariatmadari
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
5. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse

I read my first Wodehouse last year, but this is the one that everyone raves about. It didn't disappoint. Genuinely hilarious book. His character descriptions in particular are amazing: "Big chap with a small moustache and the sort of eye that can open an oyster at 60 paces."

I'll definitely be reading more of his stuff. They do a very sneaky thing of including the first chapter of another book at the end of these to get you interested.

 

[RobMCFC]

1. The Stand - Stephen King - 10/10
2. Red Snow - Will Dean - 7/10



Red Snow by Will Dean. This is the second in a Scandanavian crime series featuring deaf newspaper reporter, Tuva Moodyson (the first book, Dark Pines, was excellent). I have mixed feelings about this one. The setting – rural Sweden in the depth of winter – is well depicted by the author. He doesn’t over-describe it, but you always get a great sense of the isolation, cold and small town paranoia. This story focuses on an apparent suicide and murder at the town’s liquorice factory; a factory that employs a lot of the townsfolk. The main character has good depth and some of the supporting cast are fleshed out nicely, but I thought the ending was a bit of a letdown. Plus, as an amateur author, I couldn’t help noticing that although it is generally well written, the use of rambling sentences, stringing lots of phrases together with “ands” became a bit jarring after a while.

 

[RobMCFC]

A short novella has enabled me to finish my next book in a couple of days.

1. The Stand - Stephen King - 10/10
2. Red Snow - Will Dean - 7/10
3. The Seventh Perfection – Daniel Polansky - 6/10



The Seventh Perfection by Daniel Polansky - This novella is certainly unusual. It’s main selling point is that it is told in the second person narrative style, so you are effectively playing the main character. Manet is an investigator with a perfect memory who serves a God king in a fantasy city. She comes into possession of a locket containing a picture of a woman and by interacting with people inside and outside of the city, she has to has to track down the person in the picture. It’s a tough read because there are no scene descriptions, the main character does not say anything, so all you get to read is the words of the other characters as they interact with Manet. For those who are old enough to remember the form, it’s a bit like the old Bob Newhart records where you only hear him talking – except this time it’s reversed because you hear everything else. It was an OK read, but not one I’d recommend. Far better is Polansky’s Low Town fantasy trilogy, which is a brilliant read and features a memorable narrator, Warden.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

 

[Deleted member 77198]

When we did the Top 100 books thread, loads of people said they wanted to do a bit more reading, so I thought we could make a challenge of it. Here are the rules:

1. Pick a target (e.g. 25 or 50 for the year)
2. Books have to be more than 50 pages
3. Books that you started reading in 2020 but finished in 2021 can be included
4. Audiobooks are fine
5. Books within books (e.g. the complete works of Shakespeare) are counted individually

When you've finished a book, keep a list on the thread and maybe post a few thoughts about it. This is good for giving other people ideas about what to read next.

Anyone interested?

I don’t read books to be honest.

I do have books where I’ve read chapters or multiple chapters out of interest (usually on physiology, health, fitness, training, nutrition).

However, I have bought one recently that is my target to read start-to-finish (I actually can’t think of a book I’ve ever done that with before!)

 

[NeilYoungIsBack]

I'm really enjoying reading the various books of Michael Connolly (creator of the Bosch TV detective) in the order they were written.

Currently halfway through The Closers. Next up is The Lincoln Lawyer.

 

[PragueBlue]

Currently reading Zmizela v Mlze by Michaela Klevisova and Robinson Crusoe.

My aim is to get through all Agatha Christie books in Czech translations but doubt I'll get through them all this year but depends how long the lockdown lasts I guess.

 

[JRockBlues]

A short novella has enabled me to finish my next book in a couple of days.

1. The Stand - Stephen King - 10/10
2. Red Snow - Will Dean - 7/10
3. The Seventh Perfection – Daniel Polansky - 6/10

View attachment 9663

The Seventh Perfection by Daniel Polansky - This novella is certainly unusual. It’s main selling point is that it is told in the second person narrative style, so you are effectively playing the main character. Manet is an investigator with a perfect memory who serves a God king in a fantasy city. She comes into possession of a locket containing a picture of a woman and by interacting with people inside and outside of the city, she has to has to track down the person in the picture. It’s a tough read because there are no scene descriptions, the main character does not say anything, so all you get to read is the words of the other characters as they interact with Manet. For those who are old enough to remember the form, it’s a bit like the old Bob Newhart records where you only hear him talking – except this time it’s reversed because you hear everything else. It was an OK read, but not one I’d recommend. Far better is Polansky’s Low Town fantasy trilogy, which is a brilliant read and features a memorable narrator, Warden.

Read the duology of Those Above and Those Below by him a couple of years ago. Definitely want to read more of his work and the Low Town trilogy is on my list to pick up at some point.