Rate the last book you read

[nikki-red 308]

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

 

7/10

 

Its a good book, quite thought provoking, especially when you consider how long ago it was written. I wouldve marked it higher but I just couldnt seem to connect with or care about any of the characters.

[RedRocker 10]

Just finished "The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry" what a great read. A very gentle plot but keeps you engaged throughout. Did get quite emotional near the end but with the content of the story I suppose that was going to happen. Also quite cool how Harold walks through Sheffield during the story.

 

Just starting "This house is haunted" looking forward to this one. a victorain horror story. written in the style of Charles Dickens ghost stories. Ill let you know next week what its like!

[taxman 12]

Murder in Mykonos by Jeffrey Siger.

 

A whole lot of "meh" to be honest. It started well enough but just descended into a boring and hackneyed chase story with the ever tedious side story of the main detective's boss showing up, shouting "you're off the case, you'll never work in Mykonos again" etc etc only for the detective to then solve it. Plus the ubiquitous twist at the end. And lots of truly unbelievable characters.

[FatDave 11]

Removed for inaacuracy

[taxman 12]

Self Assessment for Individuals. The Return: Chapter 6, Other Reliefs.

 

Not recommended, quite boring and complicated, especially the bit about calculating top slice relief in the event of more than one chargeable event.

 

Luckily I have an Alistair MacLean to fall back on.

[nikki-red 308]

Read 'Kill me if you can' by James Patterson today, took about 3 hours.

Only read it out of desperation, wanted to sit in the sun but cant if Ive nothing to read!

It was ok, easy to read, characters are quite interesting, as is the story.

7/10

[taxman 12]

The Quarry by Iain Banks.

 

His final book and completed just before his death from cancer. Spookily it is about a young man whose father is dying from terminal cancer. Banks never knew he himself was suffering from cancer until he'd almost completed the book so it gives an overwhelming poignancy to the story.

 

It's a great book, funny, bitingly political but sad, very, very sad. Not only because of the story but because of life imitating art. These are Iain Bank's last words. I will never have the pleasure of reading anymore of them.

[Eccentric 10]

Books I have recently read:

 

- The Castle of Otranto, by Horace Walpole.

 

7.5/10. Widely regarded as the very first ‘gothick’ novel. It’s readable, but the characters all seem rather stilted and artificial.

 

- Being Dead, by Jim Crace

 

9/10. Very empathetic and atmospheric. Just a couple lying dead and rotting in the dunes. Excellently written.

 

- The Sheffield Flood, by Peter Machan

 

8.5/10. Very interesting for the local history, but sometimes too ostentatiously dramatic.

 

Currently reading: Der Einzige und sein Eigenthum, by Max Stirner. In German and in the old blackletter font (Frakturschrift).

 

9.5/10 hitherto; the classic work of nihilistic egoism. Can highly recommend it. English translations exist by the name of ‘The Ego and its Own’.

[top4718 838]

Books I have recently read:

 

- The Castle of Otranto, by Horace Walpole.

 

7.5/10. Widely regarded as the very first ‘gothick’ novel. It’s readable, but the characters all seem rather stilted and artificial.

 

- Being Dead, by Jim Crace

 

9/10. Very empathetic and atmospheric. Just a couple lying dead and rotting in the dunes. Excellently written.

 

- The Sheffield Flood, by Peter Machan

 

8.5/10. Very interesting for the local history, but sometimes too ostentatiously dramatic.

 

Currently reading: Der Einzige und sein Eigenthum, by Max Stirner. In German and in the old blackletter font (Frakturschrift).

 

9.5/10 hitherto; the classic work of nihilistic egoism. Can highly recommend it. English translations exist by the name of ‘The Ego and its Own’.

 

I've had a trawl through this thread, does anybody read anything other than pretentious garbage.

[willman 10]

The Crusades - Thomas Asbridge. Puts into perspective who really tried to rule the world and the first jihad.

 

Sanctus - Simon Toyne - superb, makes Da Vinci Code read like the Beano.

[taxman 12]

I've had a trawl through this thread, does anybody read anything other than pretentious garbage.

 

Oh shucks. I was reading Umberto Eco's Prague Cemetery but just for you I'll go back to Dan Brown or The Big Hungry Caterpillar.

[top4718 838]

Oh shucks. I was reading Umberto Eco's Prague Cemetery but just for you I'll go back to Dan Brown or The Big Hungry Caterpillar.

 

Good for you, I'm going on holiday next week and I'm sure I'll see much more popular fiction than people trying to appear intelligent reading tosh like that, if this thread was to be believed most of the popular authors would be starving, I'll be taking a rollicking good Lee Child book to pass the time.