It’s time for a story.
Ok, so I have covered Films & Games, so what about the books I have read recently.
Well currently I am plowing my way through Brisingr, the latest in the Eragorn series, like each of the previous two I am finding it rather slow to get going and so it’s not exactly grabbing me yet. I am also currently reading Greed by Chris Ryan (he of the Bravo Two Zero fame), all of his books are real page turners, however this isn’t one of his best.
I have recently just finished Seven Troop by Andy McNab (the other writer from Bravo Two Zero) and The Spirit Stone by Katherine Kerr (not a member of the Bravo Two Zero mission).
Seven Troop details Andy McNabs experiences with the SAS from the day he passed selection through to the time after he leaves the regiment. It’s not the most exciting read, but then again true stories don’t always work that way, however it is an interesting view into the minds of the soldiers who join this elite group and the effect it has on them, during and after their service.
Spirit Stone is the 13th book in the Deverry Cycle, if you haven’t read any of them, then think re-incarnation, magic, dragons and a love story between 2 souls and many different bodies. It’s a great read however each new book in the Deverry Cycle has me tempted to return to Dagger Spell and start from the begining again.
Boring, Bored, Fed Up, Depressed……….
Time just seems to drag at the moment, 3 weeks to my wife’s op and I can’t even get the enthusiasm to blog. At least my wife and I are going away for a few nights holiday next week and then we have to start organising things for her stay in hospital.
People ask how I’m doing but it’s difficult to say when I’m not sure myself. The funniest thing is that at times I’m almost cheerful and that just doesn’t feel right to me.
Wycombe seem to be doing well, 3 wins and a draw in the first 4 matches of the season sees them in 4th Position in the table, however the 3 teams above us are only there on goal difference, I have a good feeling about this season (someone bookmark this and send it to me when we get relegated!!!).
Gaming front, following a small trade in yesterday (gaining £114 in credit) I have re-invested in Tiger Woods 2009, Too Human, Smash Court Tennis 3, Conan, Tomb Raider Anniversary and Crackdown (again). Expect some reviews over the next few weeks.
Film front, a little quiet at the moment, however I have found a rather nice bit of software to catalogue my collection http://www.invelos.com/. More than likely a bit of software I will actually register!!!
Book front, my writing has slowed down to a snails pace at the moment, having written two and half chapters over 3 days 2 weeks ago, I have not written a word since. I know that one of my proof readers will be chasing my soon.
Anyway that’s kind of where I am at the minute, although my head is usually some other place for the most part. Catch ya on the flip side.
Book Review : The Blue Zone
Okay, I know I did a book review yesterday, but I’m kind of steaming through books at the minute and The Blue Zone by Andrew Gross had been part read for a couple of months, so after finishing Red Seas under Red Skies I decided to dive back in. This is Andrew’s first solo write, however he has spent time collaborating with James Patterson on a number of novels and the writing style has definitely rubbed off on Andrew, now given JP is one of my favorite authors this is certainly not a bad thing. Up until yesterday I had only read about 100 pages of the story, basic premise is :
Father of the family, working for one of the crime families to launder money is arrested by the FBI he and his family are taken into Witness Protection when he agrees to give evidence. However his eldest daughter who is about to get married does not. 2 years later, the father goes missing, the agent in charge of their case is murdered and someone is threatening the life of the eldest daughter.
From a slow start this book became a real page turner and to be honest I was not exactly surprised that in the end I finished the rest of the book in a single sitting. The twists and turns of the plot kept you guessing and whilst I was able to spot one of the more obvious twists the rest were a surprise to me. This is one author who has just made it onto my “I must buy every book this guy writes” list and I look forward to reading his next book when it comes out.
Book Review : Red Seas under Red Skies (Scott Lynch)
Having read the “The Lies of Locke Lamora” by Scott Lynch because both Chad and DM recommended it to me and then loving it, picking up the second book Red Seas Under Red Skies was a bit of a no-brainer. I must admit it did sit on the shelf for a little while, but then again at over 600 pages it was not going to be a quick read. In the end it did take me some time to plow through it as the story did take a little while to get going, however like the previous book, the story of Locke and Jean is as convoluted as ever and their schemes to get rich as wild as before. This time round things decidedly do not go quite to plan and the schemes intertwine before the final page is finished. In the end I did really enjoy the book, although as I said it’s slow to start, however the next book The Republic of Thieves due out in Feb 2009 is already pre-ordered along with the three other books he has planned, set in the Gentleman Bastards Universe, but following some of the other characters from the first 2 books, either before or after the events of the books.
Happy Birthday!!!
Yep, unless you have been living under a rock for the last 50 years, you will have heard/seen/played with those little plastic bricks. Yep Lego turns 50!!!!
Ahh the memories, building space ships, cars and planes, then taking the model and chucking it down the stairs, Dad stepping on the pieces and shouting at us. Ahhh the memories!!!!
Anyway managed to finally get some good reading done this weekend and Chad & DM, can I just say the “The Lies of Locke Lamora” absolutely rocks!!! Having only managed to get the first 20 pages read, before this weekend, it hadn’t really grabbed me, however after another 150 pages I can see what your talking about. This guy really knows how to describe a scene to you and then drag you into it kicking and screaming. Scott Lynch is certainly an author who has plonked himself on my radar for future reading!!
Finally for the gamers out there we have Burnout Paradise, IMO Criterion have taken the tried and tested formula from the previous Burnout offerings and thrown into the mix the free driving elements from Test Drive Unlimited. Rather than simply having a list of races and crash junctions to attempt, you simply drive around the map and activate races at any traffic junction. The first of my two criticisms is that unlike Test Drive you can’t simply jump back to the start of a race to retry it, the second one would be that there appears to be no option to add a manual marker to allow you to work back to the start of a race, or a particular junction/drive thru. Even so this is a very enjoyable game and definitely gets a recommendation from me.
It’s a little too quiet around here
Yep I know, it’s been a few days since my last post, basically inspiration seems to be one a break. To keep you up to date, car still going (just), currently read the Lies of Locke Lamora (although still have only managed a few page so far) and Assassins Creed has re-grabbed me as I go flag and Templar hunting.
Wycombe drew, Wasps got knocked out of the Heineken Cup and I have a Lotus exam on Friday that I am revising for.
Hopefully when I can get the other side of that exam there will be a better flow of blogs, but until then I leave you with the following thought “If you can lead a horse to water but not make him drink, and a rolling stone gathers no moss, why is WIWAD such an annoying wanker???” Answers on a postcard.
Man Down!! Man Down!!
Yep Chad has been struck down and has called in sick, to those who saw him yesterday, this can hardly be a surprise. So therefore to keep, mostly, myself entertained, I think a blog is in order.
Well we seem to be having a bit of book reading/writing conversation at the minute, so I thought I would throw my own preferences into the ring for comment.
So firstly what books/authors do I like, well these tend to fall into 2 main categories and then just a mish mash of specific authors,
- I love Lord of the Rings and many similar, favourite authors in this area include, Katherine Kerr, Terry Brooks, David Eddings and Raymond Feist. Any of these authors books I will happily read and re-read, in fact I am currently re-reading the entire Deverry Series by Katherine Kerr. Favourite book in this area, if you discount Lord of the Rings, then probably David Edding’s – Belgarath the Sorcerer, although Raymond Feist’s Magician has to be in there as a close second.
- Modern Warfare, especially special forces. Anything to do with the SAS or Delta Force, anything by Tom Clancy, Dale Brown, Andy McNab or Chris Ryan. Favourite book, probably Patriort Games by Tom Clancy, although some of his other books have better writing, this is one novel that gets straight into the action, which others take a 100 pages (or more) to get into things. Obvious mention has to go to Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNab and The One that got Away by Chris Ryan, however both books to me seem tainted as each contradicts the other and you almost feel as though the true story has yet to be told.
- Other notable authors. James Patterson for simple churning out some of the best page turners I have ever read. Dan Brown, JK Rowling among others
For me reading comes in phases, I can go for a couple of weeks without opening the book I am currently reading, at other times I can have a number of books on the go and reading whenever I can. Currently it’s Dawnspell by Katherine Kerr, Long Way Round by Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman and The Blue Zone by Andrew Gross.
Do I want to write a book, Hell Yeah!!! So I guess I have the same problem that DM has, of picking my subject. I do agree with him that the Fantasy realm has been done to death, however JK Rowlings Fantasy world within our own, has possibilities, although I do suspect that I may write something around the Special Forces field, although you never know, what about a member of the special forces who carries a wand. Nah too corny!!!
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