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Post by suze on Mar 23, 2011 23:25:33 GMT
I knew that about william ...
Are the penny detective stories any good? I have finished One Day now .. need sommat new x
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Post by anne on Mar 24, 2011 21:08:18 GMT
hmmm - I can't see you liking them to be honest suze, they are a little bit Agatha Christie_ish, the characters are a little bit stereotypical .. I really do read them to put me to sleep. If you would like a page turning mystery with a lot more psychology I'd highly recommend the books of Carol Smith, think I've read most of them. Fatal Attraction is one of my favourites. She says about her books - "I describe what I write as ‘Hitchcock-on-the-page’ – psychological thrillers that are not quite crime" I'm also very fond of Ruth Rendell's psychological thrillers, the ones set in London - but possibly because many of them were written at a time I lived in the very places she wrote about. I'd recommend The Bridesmaid. The way she describes seedy habitations and downward spiralling relationships is incredible .. however ..if you would prefer cheering up ... Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris - wonderful, give it a chance, nothing is what it seems ..
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Post by Mark on Mar 25, 2011 22:47:11 GMT
I remember reading a Ruth Rendell / Barbara Vine book set in London, think it was Solomon's Carpet. There was definitely a seedy habitation, and the mood was fairly miserable. Something about it reminded me of Pinter's The Caretaker. I can't recall too much of it except for some unlikely antics on top of tube trains. Can people really ride about lying on the top of a tube train, and not be killed? Whatever, it makes an exciting story. I also remember the ending had a very satisfying yet understated twist.
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Post by Mark on Mar 25, 2011 22:54:49 GMT
Oops, it was King Solomon's Carpet.
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karen
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Post by karen on Mar 31, 2011 11:33:00 GMT
recent books would be
matter & surface detail - Iain M. Banks the evolutionary void - Peter F. Hamilton I shall wear midnight - Terry Pratchett
dead beat, kick back & crack down - Val McDermid
I prefer the scifi & fantasy but Ms McDermid writes a very entertaining crime story, plus the stories are set in my old home town so trying to work out where things happen is quite fun
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Post by Mark on Apr 2, 2011 14:02:04 GMT
Terry Pratchett is very good. Pity his books haven't transferred well to film, guess that must be the director's fault or budget limitations ... Of the Discworld books the only naff ones are Hogfather and Monstrous Regiment, easily the best are the ones involving Granny Weatherwax.
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karen
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WHEEeeee.......urk
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Post by karen on Apr 4, 2011 11:06:19 GMT
"going postal" made a reasonable transfer to film, the learning curve seems to be a little less steep now they have a few under their belt
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Post by Mark on Apr 4, 2011 22:40:08 GMT
I suppose Going Postal did work reasonably well. Not much need for magic or special effects. Just all seemed more engrossing in the book.
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karen
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WHEEeeee.......urk
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Post by karen on Apr 5, 2011 10:37:33 GMT
books are always more engrossing, it doesn't matter what budget the special effects team have on a movie they can't compare to the fully immersive 3D surround sound universe you can create in your head
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Post by Mark on Apr 7, 2011 22:10:19 GMT
That's true. I love the way books take you right out of your own life.
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Post by Pauline on Apr 11, 2011 19:58:44 GMT
I've read 'Poe. A Life Cut Short' by Peter Ackroyd.
I have read the library book before but just wanted to recap it. It is an account of the life of Edgar Allan Poe (1809-49). He had a tragic life dogged by poverty & alcoholism. But he wrote some classic Gothic poems & tales. He was the forerunner to H.G.Wells, Jules Verne & Arthur Conan Doyle.
An enjoyable read.
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Post by Pauline on Apr 27, 2011 19:55:09 GMT
Over Easter I have read a library book by Nicolas Notovitch, 'Unknown Life of Christ'. I guess Easter is a good time to reflect on such things.
There are ancient records of a Saint Issa in a Buddhist convent in Ladath. The identity of St. Issa seems to be Jesus Christ who traveled to Tibet & India.
Not everyone wishes to believe that, but I certainly do myself. It actually makes some sense.
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Post by anne on May 3, 2011 21:51:04 GMT
This sounds like our local legend, Pauline. Jesus was supposed to have visited Glastonbury with his uncle, Joseph of Arimathea where he planted the Glastonbury Thorn Tree. When you consider he was over 30 when his ministry started, and he did have at least one wealthy relative who travelled and traded, it's quite possible JC visited other countries.
Books: I started Affinity by Sarah Waters, and looking forward to it - temporarily distracted by Kate Atkinson - Started Early, took my Dog. Minnie is reading it, it was on my shelf, so we shall read it together.
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karen
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Posts: 168
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Post by karen on May 13, 2011 10:09:01 GMT
well some time ago I read the black magician trilogy by Trudi Canavan and quite enjoyed them
so when I was in Waterstones last weekend they had a three for two offer and Ms Canavan was in the list so I got
The Magicians Apprentice - which predates the black magician stories
The Ambassadors Mission - which is the first of the Traitor spy trilogy that follows the black magician ones
and The Priestess of the White which is the first of her latest series and may wait until after I get the remainder of the traitor spy trilogy
and as I was paying the cashier asked a very silly question, she said "do you want a free book with that ?"
so I also have Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
this lot should keep me occupied for a day or two
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Post by Pauline on May 25, 2011 19:15:42 GMT
I've read, 'Wiseguy' by Nicholas Pileggi. A riveting book about the world of the Mafia. The detailed account of the 1978 heist of 6 million dollars in cash & jewels from the Lufthansa airline vault at New York's Kennedy Airport was one of the best parts of the book. The book is very close to the film, 'The Goodfellas'.
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