What are you reading now... II!

[Rob McCow]

Asimov is a genius. Not the greatest writer in history, but certainly one of the most inventive.

I HAVE FINISHED THE SWORD OF SHANNARA! THANK F***!!!!!

It had a 'Here we go again!' ending.

Now I'm reading a book called 'Dark Matter' by Michelle Paver, about an expedition to the frozen snowy wasteland at the pole. Bit like my journey to work this morning.

[SiHart]

State of Emergency: The Way We Were-Britain 1970-1974 by Dominic Sandbrook. It's ever so good. I'm not a huge fan of political histories, but he has a way of bringing it to life, matching politics with the social history of the country. (and he's obviously a Doctor Who fan, as he keeps on mentioning the show!)

Si xx

[Jeff]

Towers of Midnight, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. The penultimate book of the Wheel of Time series.

[stuartdg]

Something Borrowed by Paul Magrs

[Perry Vale]

Well, purchasing an iPad recently has miraculously gotten me back in to reading for the first time in years, and last night I finished re-reading 'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency' on iBooks (£2.99). I'd forgotten just how brilliant it is, and also how similar it is to City Of Death.

I have also over the last few days read 'Doctor Who and The Abominable Snowmen', which was fun. Got a huge selection of DW novels in PDF format (ahem), and can't make my mind up which one to read next!

[Dirk Gently]

I'd forgotten just how brilliant it is, and also how similar it is to City Of Death.

Not surprising is it, really. It's a cross between City of Death & Shada. "Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul" is also worth a read.

[Perry Vale]

I'm sure I read 'Long Dark Tea Time' when it came out, but can't remember anything about it as it stands. It's on my future list, but will try & wait for the price to drop. I bought Dirk Gently & the first Hitchhikers from iBooks for £2.99 which seems a very reasonable price, the others are all a bit more expensive at the moment.

[Darren]

The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo.

[Perry Vale]

Human Nature by Paul Cornell
$20,000 by Bill Drummond

[Paul Monk]

The Dirk Gently books are in some ways superior to the Hitchhikers books. You can just tell that Adams enjoyed writing them. The same can't be said for the later Hitchhikers books.

[SiHart]

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver.

Si xx

[stuartdg]

The Only Good Dalek

[Perry Vale]

I've finished Human Nature (very good) and have now started 'The Clockwise Man' by Justin Richards.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Something I read a couple of weeks ago - hardly an epic read, but a very clever read - "Who moved my cheese".

Looks like a kids book, but kind of a management strategy book - worth looking through if you ever get a chance too (about half an hours read). Very cleverly written (although I'd dispute some parts of it).

Any librarians reading this should think of stocking it ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Moved_My_Cheese%3F

[Captain Tancredi]

State of Emergency: The Way We Were-Britain 1970-1974 by Dominic Sandbrook. It's ever so good. I'm not a huge fan of political histories, but he has a way of bringing it to life, matching politics with the social history of the country. (and he's obviously a Doctor Who fan, as he keeps on mentioning the show!)

Would that be the one I flicked through in Waterstones the other week where the chapter on the growing awareness of the environment is called 'The Green Death'?

I'm trying to wrap up a lot of fag-ends of books I found myself dabbling in at the end of the year but need to finish- Hungarian short stories, one or two other things and Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Wives and Daughters'. I set myself the target of reading all her novels last year and I'm going to miss it by a week or two.

[Andrew Curnow]

My inlaws got me the complete Holmes (that's Sherlock, not Bob) for Christmas, and I'm working my way through them. I'm pretty certain I've read about half of them in my teens, although I remembered them as being pretty dry and a struggle to get through - so imagine my delight in finding that actually (so far anyway) the writing fairly zips along. Obviously they're set in the 19th Century, but other than the practicalities of that (people hiring boats or horses, rather than driving their car) they feel very 'modern'.

I'm nearly at the end of The Sign of Four at the moment, so have high hopes that the short stories will be equally engaging.

[SiHart]

Just finished Ferney by James Long. It's an odd book, very well written full of wonderful description, but the story is rather absurd in many respects, but i found myself quite taken in by it in the end. Love between people reincarnated through the ages. I wonder what my book group will make of it tomorrow?

Si xx

[SiHart]

Blue Sky Adam by Anthony MacDonald. A sequel to a book I read a few years back and thoroughly enjoyed, so I'm looking forward to this one.

Si xx

[Rob McCow]

I was disappointed by 'The Japanese Devil Fish Girl and Other Unnatural Attractions' by Robert Rankin, despite it's marvelous title. Things improved as they went along, but it all felt a bit aimless.

I've started Possession by A S Byatt. Very well written, but may be a bit stuffy. We'll see!

[Darren]

The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo, fast becoming a favourite author.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Erm - just finished reading Brenty Four VIII at the weekend - does that count?

Moving onto Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

[Jon Masters]

Erm - just finished reading Brenty Four VIII at the weekend - does that count?

Moving onto Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Be prepared for a dip in quality then

[Dirk Gently]

Dragons of Winter Night by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

[SiHart]

The Silver Linings Play Book by Matthew Quick.

Si xx

[Jeff]

Black House, by Stephen King and Peter Straub