RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
I was a bit disappointed with Those Above & Those Below. They were fine, but if you liked them, I'm pretty confident you'll love the Low Town trilogy.
Reading Challenge 2021
- Thread starter I'm With Stupid
- Start date
I'm With Stupid
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- Joined
- 6 May 2013
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- 20,275
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
6. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
I think this might be my favourite one so far this year. I can't remember given a shit about the characters in a book more than this. I actually threw the book on the sofa and told the author to fuck off at one point. A working class story written by someone who's actually lived it, which seems to be something of a novelty these days.
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
6. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
I think this might be my favourite one so far this year. I can't remember given a shit about the characters in a book more than this. I actually threw the book on the sofa and told the author to fuck off at one point. A working class story written by someone who's actually lived it, which seems to be something of a novelty these days.
I'm With Stupid
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 6 May 2013
- Messages
- 20,275
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
6. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
7. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Pretty pleased with myself. My first Agatha Christie book and I guessed the killer correctly.
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
6. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
7. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Pretty pleased with myself. My first Agatha Christie book and I guessed the killer correctly.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
1. The Stand - Stephen King - 10/10
2. Red Snow - Will Dean - 7/10
3. The Seventh Perfection – Daniel Polansky - 6/10
4. The Midnight Library - Matt Haig - 6/10
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - Nora is a woman who is deeply dissatisfied with life. She spends a lot of time thinking about the big decisions she’s made and the regrets and perceived loss that they’ve caused. When she loses her job and her cats dies, it’s the final straw and she attempts suicide. However, she finds herself in limbo between life and whatever lies beyond; in her case it takes the form of a library where the helpful assistant informs her that she can take any book from the shelf and step into a life that might have been had her decisions been different. It’s one of those infinite parallel lives books, and there is some entertainment for the reader as Nora steps into her new life only to be bamboozled by what’s going on; she knows some of the people, but in many cases she is unaware of how she got where she is and what to do next. For example, what is her daughter’s name or what the hell is she going to say in the 45-minute speech she is about to give?
It’s a bit like Sam from Quantum Leap. To be honest, although it’s well written, a lot of the book is predictable as Nora learns that the grass is not always greener in one of her parallel lives and for the most part, this just repeats until the end of the book.
2. Red Snow - Will Dean - 7/10
3. The Seventh Perfection – Daniel Polansky - 6/10
4. The Midnight Library - Matt Haig - 6/10
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - Nora is a woman who is deeply dissatisfied with life. She spends a lot of time thinking about the big decisions she’s made and the regrets and perceived loss that they’ve caused. When she loses her job and her cats dies, it’s the final straw and she attempts suicide. However, she finds herself in limbo between life and whatever lies beyond; in her case it takes the form of a library where the helpful assistant informs her that she can take any book from the shelf and step into a life that might have been had her decisions been different. It’s one of those infinite parallel lives books, and there is some entertainment for the reader as Nora steps into her new life only to be bamboozled by what’s going on; she knows some of the people, but in many cases she is unaware of how she got where she is and what to do next. For example, what is her daughter’s name or what the hell is she going to say in the 45-minute speech she is about to give?
It’s a bit like Sam from Quantum Leap. To be honest, although it’s well written, a lot of the book is predictable as Nora learns that the grass is not always greener in one of her parallel lives and for the most part, this just repeats until the end of the book.
denislawsbackheel
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- 28 May 2008
- Messages
- 26,063
- Team supported
- We went to Rotherham…
Not seen the movie then...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
6. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
7. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Pretty pleased with myself. My first Agatha Christie book and I guessed the killer correctly.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
1. The Stand - Stephen King - 10/10
2. Red Snow - Will Dean - 7/10
3. The Seventh Perfection – Daniel Polansky - 6/10
4. The Midnight Library - Matt Haig - 6/10
5. Crowfall - Ed McDonald - 7/10
Crowfall by Ed McDonald - This is the final part in the Raven’s Mark fantasy trilogy. Set in a world where gods battle each other for control of the world, the story focusses on Blackwing Captain Ryhalt Galharrow, who receives messages form his God, Crowfoot, in the form of a raven tattoo that rips itself from his arm. The three books feature far more magic than I usually care for in a fantasy – machines that spin light from moonbeams, weird creatures, cracks in the sky, all-powerful Gods, the aforementioned tattoo. One magical aspect that does work really well is the Misery – a dangerous wasteland that is the result of an apocalyptic weapon having been unleashed many years before. The Misery is like a desert populated by terrible creatures in which it is easy to get lost because directions don’t remain constant. In this final part of the series, Galharrow has spent so long in the Misery that its poison is seeping into him and he is somehow becoming one with the place. Galharrow’s character is beautifully written by the author: he has a grim and cynical view of the world and makes for an engaging protagonist. Equally good is Tnota, his right-hand man and navigator of the Misery. In summary, maybe not for everyone, but it is very well written and the characters make it worthwhile.
2. Red Snow - Will Dean - 7/10
3. The Seventh Perfection – Daniel Polansky - 6/10
4. The Midnight Library - Matt Haig - 6/10
5. Crowfall - Ed McDonald - 7/10
Crowfall by Ed McDonald - This is the final part in the Raven’s Mark fantasy trilogy. Set in a world where gods battle each other for control of the world, the story focusses on Blackwing Captain Ryhalt Galharrow, who receives messages form his God, Crowfoot, in the form of a raven tattoo that rips itself from his arm. The three books feature far more magic than I usually care for in a fantasy – machines that spin light from moonbeams, weird creatures, cracks in the sky, all-powerful Gods, the aforementioned tattoo. One magical aspect that does work really well is the Misery – a dangerous wasteland that is the result of an apocalyptic weapon having been unleashed many years before. The Misery is like a desert populated by terrible creatures in which it is easy to get lost because directions don’t remain constant. In this final part of the series, Galharrow has spent so long in the Misery that its poison is seeping into him and he is somehow becoming one with the place. Galharrow’s character is beautifully written by the author: he has a grim and cynical view of the world and makes for an engaging protagonist. Equally good is Tnota, his right-hand man and navigator of the Misery. In summary, maybe not for everyone, but it is very well written and the characters make it worthwhile.
I'll have a look, cheers.
