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Looking for new material...

Discussion in 'Booktalk' started by Barmy Army, Jun 2, 2010.

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  1. Barmy Army

    Barmy Army Simple mind, simple pleasures... Adored Veteran

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    Remove all ads!
    I've started a new shift at work, working weird hours including nights, and there's loads of time where I've got nothing to do. I've been reading quite a bit, but now I need some new stuff.

    It needs to be stuff that's pretty easy to read as at say 2am in the morning it's pretty hard to concentrate. I've picked up a few Dean Koontz recently, but whilst his books are easy to read, I find them a bit 'cashing in' on his name really, and without much substance.

    Can anyone recommend anything for me? Cheers
     
    Barmy Army, Jun 2, 2010
    #1
  2. Blades of Vanatar

    Blades of Vanatar Vanatar will rise again Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I found the "Black Company" books by Glen Cook to be an easy, entertaining read.
     
    Blades of Vanatar, Jun 2, 2010
    #2
  3. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    LeCarre -- The Spy Who Came in From the Cold; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

    Higgins -- The Eagle Has Landed

    Steinbeck -- Of Mice and Men

    Hemmingway -- The Old Man and the Sea

    I think all of these are very captivating to read.
     
    T2Bruno, Jun 2, 2010
    #3
  4. joacqin

    joacqin Confused Jerk Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I can add my support for the Black Company books now reading the last omnibus and I have found them very enjoyable.
     
    joacqin, Jun 2, 2010
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  5. Chandos the Red

    Chandos the Red This Wheel's on Fire

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    Have you read the Bernard Cornwell Saxon books? I can't remember. If so, there is a new one, The Burning Land and it's just excellent. If you haven't read them, start with The Last Kingdom. You won't be sorry.
     
    Chandos the Red, Jun 2, 2010
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  6. Barmy Army

    Barmy Army Simple mind, simple pleasures... Adored Veteran

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    The Black Company it is! I'll just have to find it now, cheers.

    Thanks for those other suggestions too Bruno. I think we read and did a case study on 'Of Mice and Men' at school. Quite a sad ending if I remember right.

    ---------- Added 0 hours, 2 minutes and 12 seconds later... ----------

    Oh, Chandos, I have indeed. Bernard Cornwell is one of my fave's. I love his Agincourt books about Thomas Hook. Very quick pace, and I have a genuine interest in that era of our history.
     
    Barmy Army, Jun 2, 2010
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  7. Chandos the Red

    Chandos the Red This Wheel's on Fire

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    It's not bad. But I only read the first one, so the rest might be better. I give it *** 1/2 stars out of 5. Better than average, but not by much....
     
    Chandos the Red, Jun 2, 2010
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  8. Barmy Army

    Barmy Army Simple mind, simple pleasures... Adored Veteran

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    That's not inspiring. Outside of Cornwell what would you recommend? (I've read all Cornwell's - the level of research he puts into his source material is what makes them I think, quality)
     
    Barmy Army, Jun 2, 2010
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  9. Chandos the Red

    Chandos the Red This Wheel's on Fire

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    Oh, the BC is not bad, and it is a short, fast read. I would still recommend it. A better book would be The Return of the Crimson Guard, by Ian Esslemont. Very good book. ****1/2 out of 5 for that one. :)
     
    Chandos the Red, Jun 2, 2010
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  10. Barmy Army

    Barmy Army Simple mind, simple pleasures... Adored Veteran

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    Is that set in the 'Malazan' world, or is a different animal altogether?
     
    Barmy Army, Jun 2, 2010
    #10
  11. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    ... you could always try The Best of Penthouse Forum ... :D
     
    T2Bruno, Jun 2, 2010
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  12. Chandos the Red

    Chandos the Red This Wheel's on Fire

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    It is set in the Malazan world. The action takes place before some of the other books by Erikson. This one is like the very best of Erikson, only different because of the writing style which is much more direct and paced a bit faster.
     
    Chandos the Red, Jun 2, 2010
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  13. Barmy Army

    Barmy Army Simple mind, simple pleasures... Adored Veteran

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    Coo, provided it's not as confusing as Eriksson I should enjoy it. Eriksson just lost me totally at times, and I like to be able to understand what's going on.

    ---------- Added 0 hours, 4 minutes and 7 seconds later... ----------

    Would you recommend starting at Return of The Crimson Guard then? As that seems to be the 2nd in the series.
     
    Barmy Army, Jun 2, 2010
    #13
  14. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    Don't cast off the Black Company books so fast. I really liked them and can re-read them if I ever don't feel like starting something new.

    Also, Glen Cook (the BC author) writes a tongue-in-cheek fantasy investigator series called the Garrett Files which are fun and easy reads as well.
     
    dmc, Jun 2, 2010
    #14
  15. joacqin

    joacqin Confused Jerk Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    It is not really and Esslemont's work isn't really stand alone from Erikson's. They are a compliment and I would even say that they are part of the same story Crimson Guard on a paralell timeline. If you did not enjoy Erikson's Malazan books I doubt you would enjoy Night of Knives or Return of the Crimson guard because it is basically more of the same. Night of Knives is a prequel to the entire Malazan series.

    The Black Company books are pretty much the direct inspiration for the Malazan books just a bit simpler, more straightforward and older. I like older fantasy because even if it isn't nescessarily better it tends to be more imaginative and original. The genre was more experimental way back when.
     
    joacqin, Jun 2, 2010
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  16. Chandos the Red

    Chandos the Red This Wheel's on Fire

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    Well, to be honest Night of Knives is not that important to the plot of TRotCG, and it is a much weaker book. NoK is really a short, fast read, but not as good as TRotCG. If you read Deadhouse Gates, it takes place just after the rebellion of the Seven Cities. By comparision NoK takes place on the night of Laseen's takeover of the Empire. But it's not as good as the subject would seem to suggest. Still, it has its moments.....
     
    Chandos the Red, Jun 2, 2010
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  17. joacqin

    joacqin Confused Jerk Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I was also a bit disapointed with Night of Knives, could be due to high expectations. The upside to that is that my expectations for Crimson Guard were fairly low which made it all the more enjoyable.
     
    joacqin, Jun 2, 2010
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  18. Chandos the Red

    Chandos the Red This Wheel's on Fire

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    I loved TRotCG, and I almost want to give it 5 out of 5 stars. :hmm:
     
    Chandos the Red, Jun 2, 2010
    #18
  19. Caradhras

    Caradhras I may be bad... but I feel gooood! Veteran

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    Le Carré is great at keeping you awake. I'd add Absolute Friends, The Night Manager, The Mission Song and A Most Wanted Man to T2Bruno's excellent list!

    I'd also recommend novels by Neil Gaiman especially Neverwhere and American Gods. You won't snooze while reading these books.
     
    Caradhras, Jun 3, 2010
    #19
  20. Gaear

    Gaear ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful

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    Thomas Harris' novels Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs are in that middle ground, imo, if you like crime stuff. Hannibal is a little (lot) out there though and I wouldn't recommend it.
     
    Gaear, Jun 3, 2010
    #20
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