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dejadeadnz

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#199166 7-Aug-2016 12:42
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Borrowing from the recent thread on podcasts, I propose discussing people's recent reads :)

 

A few recent books that I have read and can recommend:

 

 Non-fiction

 

 The Age of Stagnation by Satyajit Das. It's released locally as The Banquet of Consequences. The author is a reasonably well-regarded economist who predicted the recent GFC. He postulates that there are a lot of structural and institutional factors and issues that have not been fixed post the GFC and that as a result, sustained, significant economic growth is unlikely long term and that we should adjust our policy settings. I found his arguments to be easy to follow and engaging. But he doesn't offer as much solutions to his identified problems as one might like. Maybe that's coming in another book.

 

 The Penguin History of Modern China by Jonathan Fenby. The subject is obvious but with great with respect for the author's endeavours, I can't recommend this. Narrative/chronological history is always hard to do and even acknowledging that this is more about telling you what happened, rather than why, the book is disappointing. Far too much minutiae and little in the way of analysis.

 

 Wounding the World: How Military Violence and War Play Invade Our Lives by Joanna Bourke. The author is a controversial historian (google her if you want to get a flavour) but this book is more of a critical cultural analysis of how military violence, sentiments, and related language have invaded popular culture and common consciousness and the attendant consequences. I am still reading this but have been especially impressed with her critique of the rules of law on waging war and how these end up legitimising controversial violence and do a lot less than is claimed in terms of protecting non-combatants. Worth a read.

 

 

 

Fiction

 

I have quite low brow fiction tastes (according to my wife),* so bear this in mind.

 

 The Perfect Girl by Gilly MacMillan. A book about facing up to one's wrongdoing, unjust criminal justice systems, emotional and other abuse of young detainees, the insidiousness of domestic violence and, most importantly, the personal and relationship dysfunction that befalls many of the book's characters. Can be broadly described as a psychological thriller although who is the evil one is rather obvious. Still, the writing is nice and taut and everything is quite face-paced. I really enjoyed it.

 

 The Last Witness by Glenn Meade. It's about a woman's coming to terms with/learning what happened to her and her family in the detention camps during the Yugoslavian war in the 90s. The setting is obviously quite interesting. For a popular fiction book, the author can occasionally spin a few quite terrific lines, mixed also with quite wooden/nerdy dialogue that's unintentionally hilarious. Not perfect by any means but I still recommend it.

 

 I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes. Think of a combination of Lee Child and James Patterson detective characters/action heroes but with much better writing. A man who simultaneously solves a murder mystery whilst unraveling a terrorist plot. The initial expositions about the lead character were probably too long but once the book gets going it never overstayed its welcome. Recommended.

 

 Will try and read a couple of books by Anne Enright, who's a Man Booker Prize winner. Incidentally, why are so many of the prize winners and long listed books of recent vintage all so bleak?

 

 

 

* In my defence that I am up against a woman who remains one of the youngest graduate in English literature in her then programme, at an age when many have just started high school.


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freitasm
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  #1670666 14-Nov-2016 12:50
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I have moved all replies to the older book thread. Please continue the discussion here.





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  #2254869 9-Jun-2019 15:45
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I am currently almost finished with the Harry Bosch series. I have a list of books I am reading here but everything else is paused until I finish this series - only three books to go.





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  #2255530 10-Jun-2019 20:28
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The First Law series (first 3 books) by Joe Abercrombie.

 

 

 

Along the lines of GOT, sort of....violence, plotting etc.

 

A bit more humour perhaps, heroes tend to be more the "wildlings" rather than those in town.

 

Some magic but it doesn't follow the usual Hero gets Special Weapon and Wins And Lives Happily Ever After formula  which put me off fantasy always before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also read A Boy and His Dog At The End of the World C. A. Fletcher

 

Sounded lame but turned out really good. Author asks for certain spoilers to remain private and I agree, it would ruin the end.

 

 

 

 




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  #2300245 16-Aug-2019 11:02
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"Midnight in Chernobyl" by Adam Higginbotham.  

 

Quite heavy duty but a good accompaniment to and next level of detail for the recent docu-drama mini-series on the same subject.  I think if you liked the tv show and have some interest in the sciency bits and/or the Soviet culture of cover-ups and corruption  you will enjoy this book.





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  #2537653 10-Aug-2020 09:34
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I tried to read Code Name Camelot - Noah Wolf Book 1. Highly rated, though I am not sure by whom. One of the worst written books I can ever recall reading. I got to 60% before I couldn't go any further. It's an interesting premise, but the dialog seems to be written by someone who has never interacted with anyone before, and the requirement to disconnect from reality to make this concept deliver, was a step too far.

 

Anyone else read these? Do they improve?


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  #2580574 7-Oct-2020 11:38
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David Baldacci - One Good Deed.

 

New protanganist for me, I like him quite a lot. Not an absolute page turner, but certainly very entertaining, has kept me reading each night instead of watching TV before bed. Recommended.

 

Anyone read any recent page turning thrillers in the vein of Lee Child etc? Nothing too heavy, but interesting plot, maybe a twist or two.. I like thrillers too. Joe Pike and Elvis Cole are pretty good...


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  #2580583 7-Oct-2020 11:50
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Re-reading Matthew Reilly's books again, such a cool read when you need to zone out :) Big screen action in novel format :)

 

Also been reading James Patterson's Alex Cross series, think I'm up to about book 6, and enjoying them.

 

Friends have been recommending Mistborn for the fantasy side of things, will take a look.





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  #2580588 7-Oct-2020 11:55
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I started the second of the Red Rising Series. I enjoyed the first one mostly, but found it a bit hard to follow in some places, usually because there were long periods of breaks between reading.  I didn't get too far into the second, but I should try again I guess.

 

When I read Alex Cross Novels, I hear Morgan Freeman narrating, which is pretty cool (for me at least!). I found them a bit... light maybe? I should try another one.

 

 


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  #2580601 7-Oct-2020 12:41
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Love the Red Rising series (well, I've read the first 3) - still waiting to hear about the series/movie that's supposedly going to be made. Hope they go with a series, doing a movie will involve too many cuts in the story I feel.

 

 





       Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

 

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  #2580746 7-Oct-2020 16:18
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I’ve recently finished and really enjoyed The Last Policeman trilogy, which is a pre apocalyptic crime series. Also Rocket Boys and Carrying Albert Home, both by Homer Hickam and light hearted stories

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  #2592641 28-Oct-2020 09:41
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The River - Peter Heller

 

A reasonably engrossing story, starts relatively slowly. Infers a knowledge of outdoors I didn't have but eventually started to work stuff out :)

 

Wasn't the page turner that it was advertised as, but I read it most nights, so pretty engrossing.

 

Basically, a story of 2 friends who go on an outdoors trip and things get hairy.

 

I'd probably give it a 3.75/5 not sure if I'd read anything else by the same author or not.

 

 


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  #2592699 28-Oct-2020 11:50
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Ive been reading the Destroyermen series. Think Im on book 8 atm.  To be honest found it a little on the boring side compared to what I normally read.  Its not bad, just not really doing a whole heap for me.  Only 7 books to go though :P  


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  #2592700 28-Oct-2020 11:51
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Thats dedication to read 8 books that you don't love :)

 

 

 

I just started the latest Jack Reacher novel, didn't take long for the violence to start :)

 

 


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  #2592877 28-Oct-2020 18:57
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I just finished re-reading Salvation and Salvation lost by Peter Hamilton. Yesterday, Saints of Salvation - the final part of the trilogy - came out and I am reading that now.

 

Not his best work but pretty good.

 

 


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  #2593284 29-Oct-2020 13:57
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Recnetly enjoyed things:

 

Also just reread a bunch of classic Asimov & Heinlein

 

 





I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.


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