Books!

aaah thanks  so that's where i read his name, atonement, of course  yeah, benedict's in it. i saw it once and thought it was really good, then i saw it again when discovered sherlock and benedict  

amsterdam is really good so far, i like reading about someone composing music, that was really cool

talking of amazing fantasy books, I have just re-read the Bartimaeus Sequence by Jonathan Stroud, 3 of the best written, witty and unputdownable books I have read in a long time. Bartimaeus is one of my all time favorite book characters.

I know I've heard good things about Bartimaeus before, but I don't really know what they're about. Can you give me the quick version, Mrs Figg?

Everyone is quite silent tonight!

Oh yeah... 4th of July.

Only silent on the Internet. There have been intermittent fireworks since yesterday, but once it got dark tonight, there was about an hour of constant rumbling as someone in the neighborhood was setting off fireworks at pretty much every moment. We contributed to that volume for about 20 minutes.

I'm a good distance from nearby towns, but there has been a steady rumble going for the last 3 hours now.
I didn't actually do anything today for the holiday, and I'm home alone. It makes one a bit lonely.

I'm a mile and a half from an Indian Reservation with a couple dozen fireworks stands and 10 miles of public beach with limited law enforcement. It sounds like D-Day out there!  

Norc wrote:why are you not discussing GOT in the GOT thread?

Because that would be on-topic, and we don't do on-topic around here  

Ringo, have you read any other Stephen King books?

Eldorion wrote:I know I've heard good things about Bartimaeus before,  but I don't really know what they're about.  Can you give me the quick version, Mrs Figg?

I couldnt do better than these reviews,

Amazon Review

Author Jonathan Stroud delivers such a potent and unforgettable mix of magic, history and intrigue with The Amulet of Samarkand, the first part of his compelling Bartimaeus Trilogy, that it is difficult not to want to read the next novel immediately. Undoubtedly the shortest 480 pages you'll ever read, The Amulet of Samarkand is a superb novel of revenge and adventure with the most original central character for years.
Bartimaeus is a wisecracking Djinni (pronounced "Jinnee" we're reliably informed) unlike no other. Summoned from some otherworldly place to do the bidding of a pipsqueak trainee magician called Nathanial, he sets about his given task reluctantly but with aplomb. Nathanial is after revenge and that makes him dangerous. Previously humiliated by a powerful magician called Simon Lovelace in front of his impotent master, Nathanial has spent every waking hour for years cramming knowledge of the highest magic into his head so that he can exact his own special kind of vengeance.

Bartimaeus is charged to steal a precious and powerful object--the Amulet of Samarkand--from Lovelace's residence, which the Djinni achieves but not without angering a few old mates on the same astral plane and having to spend the night annoyingly disguised as a bird. Bartimaeus, despite being bound to Nathaniel, discovers the boy's real name--a tool he can use to his own advantage. But he is constantly outwitted. Then an overriding danger becomes apparent that threatens the whole fabric of society and they must work together to combat it.

Stroud's fantasy world is familiar, yet fascinatingly different. It's almost Victorian London, yet Magicians hold overall power and inhabit parliament. The writing is captivating, the story intelligent and mesmerising. It's difficult to imagine a more scintillating collection of characters and situations. Unmissable. (Recommended for ages 10 to 100.)
Review

"Drama, humour and hypnotically engaging storytelling" (Independent)

"The truly original touch is the way Stroud alternates Nathaniel's story with the djinni's own knowing and irascible first-person narrative" (Guardian)

"The narrative slips skilfully from first person to third and back and Bartimaeus's voice is laugh-out-loud sassy, while Nathaniel's story has an engaging poignancy as he tries to prove himself in a world in which he has always been despised" (The Sunday Times)

"Not since Gulliver's Travels has a children's writer managed to combine a thrilling tale of magic and adventure with such deliciously pointed comedy" (The Times)

"Terrific stuff" (Mail on Sunday)

Aww, sorry you had to be alone on the holiday, Forest. I'll set off one of the remaining firecrackers in your honor today.

David H wrote:I'm a mile and a half from an Indian Reservation with a couple dozen fireworks stands and 10 miles of public beach with limited law enforcement. It sounds like D-Day out there!  

We did the whole Indian reservation fireworks thing when we visited Wyoming for a wedding back in 2004. It wasn't even the Fourth, we just couldn't pass up on that opportunity.

Ringdrotten wrote:Because that would be on-topic, and we don't do on-topic around here  

Ironically, this is something that Norc of all people should know better than most.

Mrs Figg wrote:I couldnt do better than these reviews

Thanks for posting those, Mrs Figg. That sounds really interesting. I'm still in the market for new books to read after getting burnt out on The Way of Kings and I will definitely add Bartimaeus to the shortlist.

Bartimaeus trilogy is a bit like HP in that the characters are really appealing and its sad to see them go when you have finished the books. I loved them.

bungobaggins wrote:Ringo, have you read any other Stephen King books?

I haven't but I'll probably have to do something about that Any recommendations?

I think Carrie was the first one that I read. The Stand is really good. You can't go wrong with any of the novellas or short stories. Some of the bigger novels can really feel their length, like IT really dragged for me.

Reason I bring it up is that in the Dark Tower series there are connections to other works by King, it connects a lot of things he's done and hints at the idea that all of this might be connected somehow in some sort of crazy expanded universe.

I don't want to give too much away. The man in black is a villain that takes on other names and faces (but usually with the initials R. F.) in different stories (most notably in The Stand). And a character from Salem's Lot plays an integral role in book six of the Dark Tower series.

It's a pretty cool thing that he does. So once you finish I'd say go and explore other corners of King's universe and see where you can find connections.

Gosh, now I want to finish reading the Dark Tower series.

Just lifted my copy of Wizard and Glass from my bookshelf to find that the bookmarker had been taken out. Now I don't remember how far along I was.

Cool! I'll definitely pick up a few of his other books if I make it through to the end of The Dark Tower series. Loved the man in black, fantastic character. Like I said, the ending of The Gunslinger was just brilliant. Their little "palaver" was so fascinating I couldn't lay the book aside even though I was almost falling asleep

I'm about 200 pages into 11/22/63 (my second S.King book after The Stand (Probably my third fave book)-I have to admit I'm not actually a horror fan, so alot of his work doesn't seem like something that would grab me),  I'm enjoying it quite alot so far, interesting premise, well sketched characters, a few mysteries that seem to be building nicely and tightly plotted (if a bit slow paced) it's a very enjoyable read so far.

One thing I noticed in The Stand was King's tendency to add alot of backstory and 'extra bits' when it wasn't necessarily needed, don't get me wrong it adds more depth to the story and creates suspense, but sometimes it feels like King is enjoying himself too much, I'm only just

spoiler:

but it doesn't seem to be moving that urgently for a book about the Kennedy assassination, then again I loved The Stand as it was even thought it could have lost 200 pages easily.

-Another point, is it just me, or do some of the characters (not sure if this a trait shared by other King books) seem a little bit too grounded in the story-i.e when

spoiler:

As a Englishman some of the references and Americana seem to be lost on me, but it certainly feels like an authentic look at the 50's, and as I said for such a random premise it feels very convincing so far.

Definitely a worthwhile purchase so far, even if King's style doesn't seem to be something I'm totally going to approve of.


I've also been reading alot of Sci Fi recently-Children of Men, The Prestige (Loved the film adaptions, now love the books, the former is very very different to the film in a good way)


Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, The Man in The High Castle (can see why these are considered classics, very very enjoyable reads, if in the latter I felt like Philip K Dick was trying too hard to make a point, which I must admit I couldn't quite work out)

Ringworld (I'm not sure If I enjoyed this or not, stunning imagery, an surprisingly muted protagonist and straight to the point prose couldn't disguise the  little disappointment I felt with the ending, It is the first in a series, but it seemed to be end very suddenly-for a book all about a journey it ended up feeling more of a stepping stone than a opening, surprisingly short on 'action as well', not alot really seemed to happen, even if it was fun reading about it.

Starship Troopers, Armor and The Moon is Harsh Mistress-I don't have much to say about these, beyond what you can read on the net.

Have you tried the Heechee saga? by Fredrick Pohl- I enjoyed those, mainly the premise I admit, but still worth a go. Solid 70's scifi.

i really wanna read som stephen king once, but i've only started reading a book that he recommended (i don't think i finished it, first book "Gone", cool book and the bully is called orc).

currently i'm kinda into science fiction. i borrowed a random selection (4 books) at the library(for research and inspiration), Jon Bing and the collective thing Bing&Bringsværd. Anyway, i am re-reading about the star ship Alexandria (a library ship) and a boy called Benji with a batcat called Mirromur. He is a sort of aprentice. He and a librarian called Mol, Kayab and lots of other people travel around between stars and planets, sharing knowledge. there are four books and i wish they were translated to english, but i don't think they are... but they are really good. I am reading the second one now. Zalt - the planet of the steam lords (roughly translated). it's about a planet where there is no fresh water and the steam lords (much like it was during the medieval ages) have monopoly on fresh water and the people are oppressed and forced to work for the lords. the books were written between 75 and 85, which makes it kinda more fun to read. The ship runs on solar winds and communicates with radio and yeah   i remember i really loved these books as a kid. i wish there was a translation...

here are the four books:

Loving those 70's art work covers!  

yeah, they are wonderful, and there are smal black and white illustrations inside

Loving that cat-bat!

Anyone read this ?