Yeah. A lot of my books are in audio format, as I do a lot of running. I commented on Steven Pacey's narration when I left a review of one of the earlier books. He definitely enhances the experience of these books.
Reading Challenge 2024
- Thread starter RobMCFC
- Start date
jimmy blue shoes
Well-Known Member
His Glokta, Black Dow and Niccomo Cosca are just brilliant.
WickyWain
Well-Known Member
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
@WickyWain Apologies as I've only just seen your edit.
When I first read The Lies of Locke Lamora, I felt that the 2nd book was a let down. But on a subsequent reads, I think it more than stands up. If you enjoyed the first book, you'll definitely want to keep on reading. Just a shame it's been 11 years and counting since The Republic of Thieves.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
- Fairy Tale – Stephen King - 5/10
- Wolf Pack – Will Dean - 7/10
- A Small Death in Lisbon – Robert Wilson - 6/10
- A Man Called Ove – Fredrick Backman – 8/10
- Tomorrow's Children – Daniel Polansky – 3/10
- The Mobster’s Lament – Ray Celestin – 8/10
- Priest of Crowns – Peter McLean – 9/10
- Get It On: How the ‘70s Rocked Football – Jon Spurling – 9/10
- The Effigy Engine – Scott Lynch – 7/10
- The Ferryman – Justin Cronin – 8/10
- Catch a Wave – Peter Ames Carlin – 8/10
- Sunset Swing – Ray Celestin – 7/10
- When Giants Walked the Earth: 50 years of Led Zeppelin - Mick Wall – 7/10
I’m not been a big Led Zeppelin fan over the years, but thanks to some pointers on these forums, I’ve enjoyed listening to their music over the past few years.
I’m conflicted about this book – it’s researched and presented in incredible detail by author Mick Wall and does indeed give a fantastic account of the career of the band. For me, it spent a bit too many pages on post-1980 events. A few short chapters on what had happened since then would have been enough, but the hours I spent reading about it in this book felt like too much.
My biggest grumble, and obviously this is nothing to do with the author, is what an incredible set of awful people the band seem. Less so John Paul Jones and Robert Plant, although the latter doesn’t come across to well in the post-band section with his refusal to entertain the idea of any further re-unions. But the behaviour of Jimmy Page and John Bonham, along with tour manager Richard Cole and manager Pete Grant, at the height of their fame in the 1970s is just plain sickening.
The reader is constantly told what a great family man Bonham was, whilst we are reading about his indulgence with groupies, him smashing up hotels and worst of all, punching a female journalist in the face because she “looked at him funny”. All because he “missed home”.
I come out of reading this book thinking that this is a case where I should just concentrate on the music and not try to think too hard about the individuals involved.
WickyWain
Well-Known Member
Not to worry! I wasn't sure if the tag would work properly with it being an edit.
Thanks. That's pretty much consistent with what I've read online elsewhere about them. I will give them a go at some point.
JRockBlues
Well-Known Member
At least that one didn't end on a cliffhanger. I was reading them as they were released and had an agonising wait to see how that paarticular plot-point was resolved. Felt a lot longer than the 4 years it actually was (maybe because other authers I'd also picked up around that time were pounding them out at a rate of 1 or 2 a year).
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
It was a lot longer than 4 years - it was 6!
JRockBlues
Well-Known Member
You're right. I was going off the dates on FantasticFiction site and should've checked my LT account.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
- Fairy Tale – Stephen King - 5/10
- Wolf Pack – Will Dean - 7/10
- A Small Death in Lisbon – Robert Wilson - 6/10
- A Man Called Ove – Fredrick Backman – 8/10
- Tomorrow's Children – Daniel Polansky – 3/10
- The Mobster’s Lament – Ray Celestin – 8/10
- Priest of Crowns – Peter McLean – 9/10
- Get It On: How the ‘70s Rocked Football – Jon Spurling – 9/10
- The Effigy Engine – Scott Lynch – 7/10
- The Ferryman – Justin Cronin – 8/10
- Catch a Wave – Peter Ames Carlin – 8/10
- Sunset Swing – Ray Celestin – 7/10
- When Giants Walked the Earth: 50 years of Led Zeppelin - Mick Wall – 7/10
- A Year and a Day in Old Theradane – Scott Lynch – 6/10
The second of two Scott Lynch short stories that I bought this year. This book concerns a lesser magician who is tasked with stealing a street because the street is the source of power for one of two warring powerful magicians. I love fantasy but I don’t like fantasy stories where characters are so powerful that their magic use overwhelms the narrative and character development.
Scott Lynch spends most of the book’s short running length being flippant, and although there is a nice twist to how the street is actually stolen, this does not stand alongside the quality of his full-length books.