What is on the bedside table: Favourite books

[goughy]

They say don't use a phone or tablet for reading. Either go the old method, or get a dedicated e Reader. Well, they're right about getting distracted! I don't think I've read a book in years, even though I've downloaded heaps and bought some. I just get distracted and next thing you k ow I'm either on a forum or reading a Tech or news sight. That's what they say happens!

[benno_r]

I have never been able to get into science fiction, but with all the recommendations here, I have downloaded Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained.

Let's hope there is a bit more luck this time around.

[chappy1970]

I'm reading "The Bone Clocks" at the moment.
Jumps a bit but ties all the characters together well. Hard to follow in some parts as it gets all Sci Fi from time to time, but I'd recommend it

[Shreko]

I love reading on the new IPAD books app( the low light option doesn't keep the missus awake). Just finished Urth series(older teen style Post apocalyptic), Also finishing off the Game of Thrones books as I have also just recorded Series 1,2 on Fox Box series. Also just re read Matthew Reilly series and Chris Kuzneski books( I have not laughed out loud reading a book in years, but the way the two main characters interact in this book is so aussie, taking the piss almost every opportunity.

[goughy]

Funny enough shreko, while my wife has an ipad she only read on her phone! And she plows through books as she struggles to sleep at night. Can't fathom why she prefers phone over ipad?

[Shreko]

Maybe it's easier to hold(phone that it)!!!, I love the ipad for reading, probably have around 250 paperbacks on shelf and 80 on Ipad, i like how easy it is to use and buy the next book in a series, and alert reminders for favourite series/authors.

[AndyP]

I take months to finish one book now.

Of late (since August), I have been reading the Shadowmarch series by Tad Williams. I really enjoyed his Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series many years ago. Like Robin Hobb's Assassin series, that I posted about previously, this series is also dark fantasy, that puts the characters through a lot of pain. I had to read an Oatmeal book after the first one for something light, plus I found the going a bit slow. It has picked up through books 2 and 3 though.

I'm going to need to read another light hearted book by the late Terry Pratchett after this series though, or maybe after book 3 of this 4 book series.

I've also been struggling with Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle Earth by Tolkien. There's not a lot of story telling in there. It's more like historical notes with comments by his son about it. If I return to it, it will be in skim mode.

I'll add Fallen Dragon to my list of books to read, rather than a full series for Hamilton's books.

[spanner039]

Really stepping out of my comfort zone here (not) the past three months has seen

Lancaster Men - Peter Rees, bloody great book for $9.99 out of the bargain bin, really good read of Aussie Air Crew in Bomber Command - put it my top 3 WWII aviation books, will chase up more by the author really dig his style.

Challenge for the Pacific - Robert Leckie, Not as good as helmet for my pillow but a great tactical read on Guadalcanal

Pegasus Bridge - Steven Ambrose, Typical Ambrose good read but nothing special, the participants were a very special unit though

Just brushing up on Vietnam with Tunnel Rats again before i depart for Ho chi minh later this week.

[oldracer]

Really stepping out of my comfort zone here (not) the past three months has seen

Lancaster Men - Peter Rees, bloody great book for $9.99 out of the bargain bin, really good read of Aussie Air Crew in Bomber Command - put it my top 3 WWII aviation books, will chase up more by the author really dig his style.

Challenge for the Pacific - Robert Leckie, Not as good as helmet for my pillow but a great tactical read on Guadalcanal

Pegasus Bridge - Steven Ambrose, Typical Ambrose good read but nothing special, the participants were a very special unit though

Just brushing up on Vietnam with Tunnel Rats again before i depart for Ho chi minh later this week.

not sure you'll fit in the tunnels Cam, they might have to open them up a tad for you!!!!!

[Grunt]

Very Sad at the moment, I have two books

Management & Organization - A Critical Text
Marketing Principles

[Bunter]

Reading Ross Oakley's book - The Phoenix Rises.

Great reading, amazing to see the change in how the game (AFL) is run now as compared to the 80's and 90's.

Worth picking up if you have any sports administration or committee background

[benno_r]

I have never been able to get into science fiction, but with all the recommendations here, I have downloaded Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained.

Let's hope there is a bit more luck this time around.

OK Sci-fi book nerds, you got lucky with these ones. 2/3rds of the way through Pandora's star - a few boring politcal type bits but otherwise a decent read.

[BUSHY]

Just started reading these. I've got a little fascination for architecture at the moment.

http://www.amazon.com/Grounds-Golf-H.../dp/031227808X

http://www.amazon.com/Ben-Hogan-Amer...ords=ben+hogan

http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Golf-C...words=tom+doak

http://www.amazon.com/Methods-Early-...words=tom+doak

[Yossarian]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Spirit-And.../dp/076790169X

Well worth a look too Bushy.

[BUSHY]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Spirit-And.../dp/076790169X

Well worth a look too Bushy.

Yeah Michael Clayton recommended that to me as well. There's some VERY expensive books out there on the subject.
I hit him up on Twitter and he sent me a list.

[goughy]

Need to pull my finger out and read some stuff. Grabbed Fahrenheit 451, 1984, and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep to have a gander at.

[BUSHY]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Spirit-And.../dp/076790169X

Well worth a look too Bushy.

Aaaand... Just ordered it.

[AndyP]

I started a Dan Simmons book some years ago (Hyperion?), but I gave up early on as the language it was written in made it really hard work.

I was recommended Hyperion by a workmate, and I have just finished it. Yes, the language was pretty confusing at times, but I still enjoyed it. It is the first book in a while where I have wanted to keep reading at night instead of turning the light off. I will read the follow-up which finishes the story now, since this one finished open-ended; that was disappointing.

[jimandr]

I haven't been in this thread for a while, partly because I haven't had a book to be positive about. I don't like reading negative reviews. I want to know what to get, not what to avoid.

Anyway, I can finally talk about books by Neal Asher.

The first one I read, The Shadow of the Scorpion, was just OK. All action, so quite an easy read, but not much in the way of thought-provoking ideas of future societies or technologies. Fortunately, that book appears to be quite a good start to Asher, as many of his books are set in the same Universe and timeline, and that one is one of the earliest in the timeline.

The second of his that I have read, The Technician, is much better, and I genuinely recommend it to SF fans. It sort of stands alone, not really part of a series, so again I think I got lucky by picking that one out.

There are a few other Asher's in the local library, so I'll be following up on those that are first of a series in due course.

I'll briefly mention the books I didn't like, as one of them gets a mention in earlier posts.

I didn't like Illium, by Dan Simmons, at all. It was a difficult read, and once I put it down I didn't really want to pick it up again. The ending was terrible, but I subsequently learned it was an alleged cliffhanger for a sequel. There was no indication at all, not even a 'to be continued' that there would be a sequel in the edition I had. I won't be seeking it out.

I also didn't like Eon, by Greg Bear. This is an alleged Science Fiction Classic, written in the 80's, but it didn't predict the end of the Cold War. Those damned Ruskies are still the enemy in this one.

For Courty's benefit, I'll mention that I'm most of the way through the Night's Dawn Trilogy, and I'm now enjoying it quite a lot. It took a very long time to get good, but now I'm looking forward to the rest of it.

[goughy]

I have been way too lazy with reading for a long time. Much too much time reading articles online. Finished The Da Vinci Code not long ago, which I enjoyed enough. Obviously went further than the movie does. Just about to start The God Delusion, which Rob has here in hard cover so naturally I have it for my tablet. Dawkins is a big fan of Douglas Adams who is one of my fav authors.

[Lagerlover]

Back reading Robert G Barrett's Les Norton in "The Godson"

Granted it's no literary masterpiece, but my type of read.

[BenM]

Back reading Robert G Barrett's Les Norton in "The Godson"

Granted it's no literary masterpiece, but my type of read.

I think I have every single Les Norton book. I was genuinely sad when RGB passed away, as it meant there wouldn't be any more. As you say, no literary classic, but funny, and full of drinking fighting and rooting.

On a different (ok maybe in some ways similar) I just finished the new James Bond book (Trigger Mortis). Really enjoyed that and thought that Anthony Horowitz did a great job in capturing Fleming's style.

Now I'm into Vince Flynn - The Last Man. I'm enjoying the whole soldier/spy thing a lot, as much as I normally hate picking up a book in the middle of a series (this is the 13th one!) so I'll probably have to go buy some earlier ones now.

[Courty]

For Courty's benefit, I'll mention that I'm most of the way through the Night's Dawn Trilogy, and I'm now enjoying it quite a lot. It took a very long time to get good, but now I'm looking forward to the rest of it.

Nice, it's a great series. I've probably said it before, but I think his best work is in his standalone stories (Fallen Dragon/ Great North Road).

I'm currently chasing up copies of 2 new books to try:

Tin Men by Christopher Golden
The Fall by RJ Pineiro

[AndyP]

I finished the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons. The first book was better than the second.

I'm now reading the lighter Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett before going back to the serious stuff. This one is much better than the last Pratchett book that I read.

[AndyP]

The Goodreads site sent out a cool link summarising my books read this year.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_...e=yyib_2015_12

I haven't read a lot this year, but they really are bedside books for me and I don't really read at other times. 9 books by 4 different authors in the end, but one was basically a comic.

I am currently reading the first book in the last Riftwar series by Feist, A Kingdom Beseiged. It's okay, but it seems like he is not trying that hard anymore, particularly with his characters. There is also the expectation that you can remember what has gone on previously, but I've forgotten a fair bit.

The best book that I read this year was Dan Simmon's Hyperion.