What Books Are You Reading At The Moment??

CounterPunch · Post by **CounterPunch** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:44 pm

Just thought this would be a nice little thread where people could talk about what books they are reading at the moment, maybe a little bit about the book etc.

I've never been a big reader, I love the idea of reading, but I can never get so invested in a book, it has been years since I finished one... But at the moment I have two on my reading list...

The first is Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis, I am sure there are a few of you here that have read this, correct? It's a difficult read, I love his descriptive language, but (and I'm not all that far in) the sexual vulgarity is so crammed in there that I fear it would quickly become a negative if it continues to be so strong a theme.

Waiting to be read is also the Strain... I picked this up purely because it has a co-writing credit from Guillermo Del Toro, but after picking it up I read various reviews that have said it is fantastic, so I cannot wait to get in to that book.

So is anyone else reading anything interesting?

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:50 pm

I thought Vein was alright. Typical Ellis, but not his best work. Shows promise for him as a novellist though.

I'm supposed to be reading about eight things, but always read about one chapter, put it down and never get back to it. I suck at attention span.

A Game of Thrones is sat next to my PC at the mo, so in theory I should be Not Reading That fairly soon.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:52 pm

Thud!. I'm a really, really lazy reader...

Civ · Post by **Civ** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:54 pm

What Happened by Scott McClellan. So far it's been pretty balanced. Just started it though so I'm not even halfway yet.

American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century by Kevin Phillips. It's really quite fascinating. I have to remember to finish this.

I also just finished reading Watchmen and now, I see why people hold it in such high regard.

Post by **Denyer** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:56 pm

Crooked Little Vein's a surprisingly linear, soppy and sentimental love story IMO.

Just finished re-reading Sandman beginning to end. Just finished re-reading Cleese & Skynner's Life And How To Survive It. Recently finished up Ian Watson's The Inquisition War. Muddled through Ellis's The Authority run in Polish again, understood a few more words this time. Subscribed to Wired UK for lunchtime reading at work.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 8:05 pm

If we're counting comics, I'm on Zenith for about the 18th time, the proper Erskine-lipped series of Knights of Pendragon, the fairly awful Shogun Warriors and a bunch of Fleetway stuff.

the_escaflowne_2k · Post by **the_escaflowne_2k** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 8:56 pm

Currently reading Millennium People by JG Ballard which I'm enjoying, didn't really know what to expect going into it but it's going along nicely. Also reading Nocturnes by Kazou Ishiguru but found it a bit dull to be honest so I'm not progressing quickly with that one.
Next on my list is V by Thomas Pynchon followed by a borrowed copy of Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell which if it as good as Number9 Dream should be worth it, provided it has a more conclusive ending.
Last really good new read -for me- was The Great Gatsby, bought it on a whim as I was struggling to find anything in Waterstones for a work trip to London I was about to go on and ended up reading it in one go on the train as it was just so readable.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 9:19 pm

In terms of recent reads:

Gridron by Philip Kerr, lent me by a bloke at work in return for him borrowing a couple of John Christopher books (one of which he liked so much he decided to buy his own copy only to find it's going for £80 on Amazon Marketplace). Typical holiday reading pot boiler that's fun because it's such a typically mid 90's take on computers and the internet. Published around the same time X-Files did exactly the same building controlled by computer plot.

The first two Lucifer Box novels by Mark Gattis, perfect spoofs of Edwardian and Georgian spy fiction. I would have done the third Flemming style spoof as well but...

I've had the two most recent Dan Dare collections pop through the letterbox. Reign of the Robots has a similar time jump conceit to All Hail Megatron only for plot reasons and The Phantom Fleet has a extra annual story where Digby has to make a pudding. With hilarious consequences.

Springer85 · Post by **Springer85** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 9:36 pm

Currently, I am reading Fight Club

Big fan of the movie and finally got my hands on a copy to read

Zeeks · Post by **Zeeks** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 10:03 pm

On graphic novels, I've been picking up anything I can find written by Geoff Johns. I grabbed JSA: Thy Kingdom Come and JLA: The Lightning Saga. That's aside from the single issues I pick up of GL/GL Corps. I would also like to read Flash: Rebirth as well to see how it is. Heard a lot of good things about it.

On the non-pictorial stuff, I finished Creature from the Black Lagoon: Time's Black Lagoon, which is a fan fic sequel to the existing Universal Movies series. Very, very good. Loved the story. I'm in the middle of reading Journey into Oneness by Michael J. Roads. For encyclopedia-type stuff, I will pick up any book I can find on crystals and gemstones. Recently, I picked up Love is in the Earth by Melody. (yes, she's a one-namer like Cher or Madonna).

One book that is really being pumped by my spiritual advisor is a nine-book series by this Russian Author Vladimir Megre, which starts with Anastasia. I haven't picked it up yet, as I'm not really fond of jumping on any type of hype or bandwagon just because it happens to be the all the rage at the moment, but I might give the first volume a peeksee and see what all the hoopla is about.

AndyTurnbull · Post by **AndyTurnbull** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 10:45 pm

Captain Britain and MI 13: Hell Comes to Birmingham and re-reading The Cornelius Quartet by Michael Moorcock.

Andy

Sir Auros · Post by **Sir Auros** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 10:51 pm

I've been reading a lot of the original Conan stuff for the first time, and it's unbelievable how much of an impact Howard had on all things fantasy in the 20th century.

I'm heading to the beach next week and will be taking more Conan books, Catch 22, and a Gears of War novel. None of them are repeated readings, but I was tempted to bring along the Dragonlance Chronicles or Jurassic Park.

Ice Shard · Post by **Ice Shard** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 10:54 pm

I'm currently re-reading Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident, it's about some 12 year old boy who is incredibly intelligent, and he's discovered the Fairy race who live under the world.

He was trying to exploit them for gold in the first book, and in this story he's trying to rescue his father who had been missing for a while, while underground there's a betrayel among the Fairys.

I'm a sucker for easy-to-read books

including the book "The Gruffolo"

HeavyArms · Post by **HeavyArms** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:08 am

Currently reading the seventh book of the Tomorrow series, and then that'll take me into the sequel series: The Ellie Chronicles. And I'm looking for Gears Of War: Aspho Fields, but I can't find it anywhere.

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 7:45 pm

Just finished World War Z by Max Brooks it's alright, not as good as his Zombie Survival Guide but still scary (sat up in bed, with lights on, grasping a nerf gun for all the good it would do)

Also the Mighty Book of Boosh is amazingly funny.

Slayer-Fan123 · Post by **Slayer-Fan123** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:04 pm

Things Fall Apart

starlord · Post by **starlord** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:14 pm

I am reading the necroscope- lost years.

Ackula · Post by **Ackula** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:18 am

I very, very rarely read any fiction. I read non-fiction almost daily however. I tend to go back to certain books over and over again though, and have come to the conclusion that you can always learn more from a book the second, or even third time through it.

Right now I'm re-reading 2 books, both of which I have read multiple times. They are The Black Arts by Richard Cavendish, and Might Is Right by Ragnar Redbeard (aka..most likely..Jack London).

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 12:28 pm

My sociology textbook is great, now its the end of term I don't want to give it back because it's such a great subject.

martyboy70 · Post by **martyboy70** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 4:38 pm

The Bachman Books-4 stories released by Stephen King using the alias Richard Bachman which includes "The Running Man"