What book are you reading at the moment? Part 2

[Dead-Air]

My last review of the Peter F. Hamilton book was accurate enough but unfair in it's incompleteness. There is much to really like about Pandora's Star including a very intricate interweaving of characters and worlds, and an interesting nod to Michael Moorcock's science fantasy concept "moonbeam roads" via the alien Silfen who have paths quite similar though loosely defined in science fiction terms. I'm really enjoying reading the book and keep wanting to get back to it, though life is pretty busy lately.

[thingfish]

"Hell's Angels, A Strange and Terrible Story" by one Hunter S. Thompson.

One of my favourites by the great man Kevin.
Tell us what you think.

[Kevin McCabe]

I'm about half-way through. Its a good analysis of an intricate topic that usually gets a broad brush. Prose is a bit restrained for HST. I wonder if this was his first Gonzo venture? Its pretty early for him, like 1965-1966.

[thingfish]

Yeah,its one of his earliest Kevin,i think only The Rum Diaries precedes it.
He didnt really develop his Gonzo style until the 70s but you see lots of glimpses of it in Hells Angels!

[Dave Hardy]

Hells Angels is one of my HST faves. The first HST I read was The Great Shark Hunt. The Americas Cup story w/ Ralph Steadman was awe inspiring.

Right now I'm reading Nada the Lily by H Rider Haggard.

[Kevin McCabe]

Yeah,its one of his earliest Kevin,i think only The Rum Diaries precedes it.
He didnt really develop his Gonzo style until the 70s but you see lots of glimpses of it in Hells Angels!

Yup! That's my impression. Cool "glimpses" like the firearms demonstration in his apartment and the words "fear and loathing" to describe one of the San Francisco newspaper's attitude toward the Angels.

Hells Angels is one of my HST faves. The first HST I read was The Great Shark Hunt. The Americas Cup story w/ Ralph Steadman was awe inspiring.

Right now I'm reading Nada the Lily by H Rider Haggard.

The Great Shark Hunt was the first Hunter S. I ever read. Hooked me for life! Heck, I read that before I even knew that Duke from Doonsbury was Our Man In Aspen! I'm particularly fond of the Kentucky Derby story.

[pilgermann]

I'm reading this

at the moment, and while I was put off initially by what I perceived to be a dated (specifically, 80s) style of characterisation and interior monologuing, I've become totally hooked (and recant my early judgement). Anyone else read this book? I'm about to finish and would love to discuss.

[UncleDes]

Couldn't sleep last night, so got a way into Jack Vance's "Lyonesse" (picked up at Powells in Portland), which is an uneven mix of kiddies' fairy story and a typically Vancian travelog-plot.

Only really gets going 2/3 of way into it.

Des

[thingfish]

Des,i love the Lyonesse trilogy.
I know what you mean though about it taking a while to get going but i love the pre-arthurian setting and of course good old Casmir!!
Im staring at them right now on my nicely stuffed JV space on my bookshelves so i think you may have inspired me to have a good old re-read.
Its been a long time!!
Cheers

[Heiron]

I'm reading
The Great Gatsby

Now,I guess all the Americans and maybe most British in here are familiar with this classic but here in Greece I couldn't find a translation so I'm reading it in English(anyway,it's cheaper this way...).

As far as Vance is concerned I've read the 4 books of Dying earth and loved them.The last castle is rather good.But I've found only the second part of Lyonesse so i haven't got it yet.They say it lucks the usual humour of other books,right?

[thingfish]

I suppose they do Heiron but you know until you mentioned it i hadnt thought about that!
Still good though.
Anyway,i've put off my re-read as the new Iain Banks called The Steep Approach to Garbadale has just dropped through my letter-box.

[UncleDes]

The last castle is rather good.But I've found only the second part of Lyonesse so i haven't got it yet.They say it lucks the usual humour of other books,right?

It has its moments, but I think Vance wasn't sure of what audience to aim the books at (young readers/older/mature..?) so the book in uneven in tone. Actually, that's true of a lot of Vance's work.

I would thoroughly recommend the "Planet of Adventure" quadrilogy: very good; holds well together and an interesting and coherent plot. Which is an unusual JV combo.

Des

[DeepFixer]

The Crystal Gryphon by Andre Norton

[sandy]

I'm reading three books at the moment - King of the City, The Russian Concubine and run rabbit.

However, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to read nowadays. I used to read 2 or 3 books a week, now I'm lucky if I read that much in a year!

I lost my mojo. Any suggfestions as to how I should get it back?

[thingfish]

Halfway through the aforementioned Lyonesse trilogy by Jack Vance and its shaping up even better than i remember it.