What to read ?

eske

Dataisgod wrote:

snow crash is by neal stephenson and is worth a read, (so is Cryptonomicon) as is another one of his books called the diamond age.
data

Can't agree more - absolutely brilliant, especially cryptonomicon. When i just bought used on amazon, to reread as I've lost my original copy.

Did anyone read quicksilver - a bit of a departure form cyberpunk / techie roots.

echomadman

eske wrote:

Can't agree more - absolutely brilliant, especially cryptonomicon. When i just bought used on amazon, to reread as I've lost my original copy.

Did anyone read quicksilver - a bit of a departure form cyberpunk / techie roots.

I love the Baroque Cycle, which reminds me, The System of The World came out in September and i forgot to buy it.

Quicksilver took me a while to get into i have to admit, maybe a day of stopping and starting until i got my bearings. The Confusion was excellent i thought, I'm a sucker for rip-roaring yarns though and the Shaftoe bits in it consistently delivered on that.
Hopefully The System of the World wont suffer from Stephensons noted inability to end books satisfactorily

sprinkles

"the 5 people you meet in heaven". Brilliant book!

oscarBravo

impr0v wrote:

The Secret History - Donna Tartt

Guaranteed to be unable to put down, I'll stake my reputation on it!

Her indoors read it earlier this year - wasn't that impressed (altho she's rather hard to impress). I didn't get a chance to read it myself.

Speaking of books that impressed the boss, she tells me Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth is unputdownable.

eoin_f

perfume - patrick suskind

one of the most intruiging books i have read in a long long time and i be a full time book worm,

E.

RichieC

Emperor: The Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden.
I've just finished the first part last night, and I have to say, this book is Brilliant.
It melds history with fiction beautifully. it follows the childhood and young adulthood of one of historys greatest leaders Gauis Julius Ceasar, and his closest friend Marcus.
It was recommended to me by my brother, and my cynical eye jumped to some text on the cover "If you liked Gladiator, youll love Emperor". Sad
Well, I hated Gladiator. trash in my opinion. but I read on anyway, trying to keep an open mind.
It was worth it. some characters in the book are fully fictional, Renius the hero Gladiator brought in to train the young boys, others are real, marius and Sulla, the two consuls of rome both generals of their own legions. at the beginning of the book, it is Sulla who holds rome but a vote in the senate elects Sullas legion to go to greece to fight back an army lead by a rebel king, when sullas legion move from rome, Marius (who is Julius' Uncle) moves in, and vows to defend rome for the first time in its history, against Sullas army when they return. Though the book is brutally violent, there is something charming about the sence of Honour that the Soldiers have. Something I fear is long dead in military circles.

This book will read its self, I guarantee satisfaction. I cant wait to get stuck in to part 2.

elbee

I recommend 'Tuesdays With Morrie'.

Cactus Col

Read the da vinci code, and thought it was alright, but I'm begining to hate it more and more every time I read a post by someone who thinks its brilliant (or worse ... someone who thinks its based on historical fact!?!).

Anyway for a good read you good check out Mick Foley's "Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks" (his autobiography ... really good)

Or "Hunt for red october" by Tom Clancy ... a much more exciting read than da vinci code could ever be.

Or ... considering recent events you could give Christopher Reeve's "still me" a try, his autobiography, which was pretty interesting.

Or even "Bobby Fischer Goes To War" about the world championship game between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky, which, although it doesn't sound like it should be, is a pretty great read.

Undergod

Didn't like the DaVinci code. Very standard fare. Deception point is a bit better, and more interesting to the nerd in me.

I love Neal Stephenson. I think I've read all his books bar The Big U, which seems to be hard to find. The Baroque cycle is brilliant- just finished System of the World. It's different to the previous two, but I think you need to read it to tie up the story.

Sarky

I'm halfway through Resumé With Monsters by William Browning Spencer, and enjoying it.

One reviewer's comment on the cover describes it pretty well- If Woody Allen ever wrote a Cthulhu Mythos book, it'd be a bit like this. It's a good read, and the Cthulhu stuff is mostly just a clever disguise for something more disturbing in a human, neurotic way...