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I think I may have exagerated a tad Aimee

As for Potter; I teased my ex-girlfriend for years about her reading a "childs book" until I went to Spain to see my mother and was at a loose end as to what to read....
I fancied something light and fluffy, so I chose to take "Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban"
Boy I got totally hooked on it and by the time I got back to england decided to read through all the other Potter books she had bought.

Excellent books.

Currently reading "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson.

Just finished 'Watchmen' again for the umpteenth time. Can't wait for the film, IF it ever gets made!

dan brown - angels and demons.
it's ok. his style annoys me a bit, what with all the shocking revelations that you'd already figured out five minutes ago, but it's entertaining enough. of his other books, i've only read the obvious one.

On the weekend, I read Popular Music from Vittula by Mikael Niemi. Stimpee recommended that I read it, and I loved it.

And then I started Snow White and Russian Red by Dorota Maslowska, which was recommended by Timbob. I've only just started it, but I must admit to feeling a bit jealous when I found out that I'm older than the author, and that the novel was published when she was only 19.

Don't worry Ken, I'm going to read American Gods after this. I would have taken it on the weekend but we only had a hardcover edition at work and it was too big to take!

Ah, book recommendations. Love them!

I'm reading Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, which is kind of a sequel to American Gods, yet not. It's set in the same "world", but with different characters.

I'd recommend American Gods to anyone, just don't read too much about it before reading the book itself, as a lot of the enjoyment comes from discovering who, or what, the characters are.

For those who didn't know, Neil Gaiman wrote the Sandman comics, and he's grown into a brilliant novelist as well.

memly wrote:Currently reading "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson.

Fascinating read that - seriously makes science interesting.

Currently just started reading Last Tango in Aberystwyth, which looks promising - quite surreal.

memly/davemac: Bryson's book I had the chance to listen to, as audiobook (guess why?). That was a surprisingly pleasant companion to summer strolls in my cd-mp3 player. Next it's his travel books that I should read, or his book about the English language...

stargurl: Niemi's book is something I oughta read, especially since it's one of those rare recent (non-SF) Finnish books that's worth gossiping about. Actually we talked about in a class just recently, which piqued my interest.

hippy dave: never yet dipped into Brown's stuff. (Hmm... Now THAT sounds just wrong! ) On the other hand, I DID read Baigent/Clinton/Leigh's "Holy Blood, Holy Grail", which Brown "borrowed ideas from" for his Da Vinci Code.

OK! magazine.. my god i'm so sad

I'm reading Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, which is kind of a sequel to American Gods, yet not. It's set in the same "world", but with different characters.

I'd recommend American Gods to anyone, just don't read too much about it before reading the book itself, as a lot of the enjoyment comes from discovering who, or what, the characters are.

For those who didn't know, Neil Gaiman wrote the Sandman comics, and he's grown into a brilliant novelist as well.

I loved American Gods, never knew there was a sequel. Also I recommend studying some mythology for anyone about to read it (the first book I mean, although I'd guess it's the same case with the second too), since you get much more out of it.

Kvagga wrote:I loved American Gods, never knew there was a sequel. Also I recommend studying some mythology for anyone about to read it (the first book I mean, although I'd guess it's the same case with the second too), since you get much more out of it.

It's not really a sequel, and the mood is quite different. It's a more personal story, and more humorous. You could actually read Anansi Boys without having read American Gods and still understand most of it.

Last night I sat down and did some research on science fiction and fantasy authors, to try and find some new series to read whilst waiting for the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

I ended up buying the first two books in:
Melazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist
The Commonwealth Saga by Peter F. Hamilton
Hyperion by Dan Simmons

At the moment, I'm reading Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. I've only just started, and don't know quite what to expect. Are any of these authors and series known to any of you guys?

I am waiting for my copy of Frank Bruno's autobiography "Fighting back" to be posted...then i shall be reading that!

Hexaphim wrote: Last night I sat down and did some research on science fiction and fantasy authors, to try and find some new series to read whilst waiting for the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

I ended up buying the first two books in:
Melazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist
The Commonwealth Saga by Peter F. Hamilton
Hyperion by Dan Simmons

At the moment, I'm reading Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. I've only just started, and don't know quite what to expect. Are any of these authors and series known to any of you guys?

The Riftwar saga has become just that, with well over a dozen books written about the worlds of Mikemia and Kelewan. The best, imo, have been the Daughter of the Empire trilogy that he co-wrote with Janny Wurts. I stopped at about book 14. I just kinda lost interest.
I have The Reality Dysfunction by Peter Hamilton, just haven't read it yet
I am also waiting fot the next part of A Song...
And speaking of never ending series, part 11 of The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan has just been published.

For more authors I would recommend Robin Hobb and Tad Williams

Just finished reading Thud, the latest offering from Terry Pratchett.
Solid effort, usual mixture of humour with sharp social satire. Not quite as entertaining as Night Watch, nor with as many belly laughs as Going Postal, but his description of the excesses of Dwarven jewelery still make me laugh out loud.

Also just finished Planet Simpson by Chris Turner. If you can get past the reverence of the 1st chapter it is an excellent critique of the show, it's philosophy and the effect it has had on western culture.

Have just started 'Q' by Luther Blissett

legspin wrote: I am also waiting fot the next part of A Song...
And speaking of never ending series, part 11 of The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan has just been published.

A Feast for Crows, book 4 in A Song of Ice and Fire came out last week, actually; I'm waiting for book 5 now.

As for Wheel of Time, I gave up after book 10, which I absolutely HATED.

legspin wrote: For more authors I would recommend Robin Hobb and Tad Williams

I read the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb; I thought it was okay, but nothing special.

Hexaphim wrote: A Feast for Crows, book 4 in A Song of Ice and Fire came out last week, actually; I'm waiting for book 5 now.


I read the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb; I thought it was okay, but nothing special.

She has written 2 more trilogies 'The Liveship Traders' and 'The Tawny Man', the first about a different part of the same world and the second about the same charicters as Farseer. I found Tawny Man much easier to read as her style has become much more fluid and cohesive the more she has written. Also, if you are familiar with the main players the story starts straight in.

I've had A Feast for Crows for two years now

As for Wheel it's a bit of a Magnus Magnussen.

I am assuming you have read David Gemmell and the Eddings' offerings