mauv - my dad read the dark tower series and he had me read the first book. i just couldn't get that into it. it was a good story, i guess i just don't care for king's writing style.
as for wot hubby loves those, and i've tried a few times to read the first book, can't get past the first couple of chapters. don't know what it is about it. i like fantasy and i don't mind long books.. just seems like those two have a bit toooo much description in common, something that just after a while becomes a peeve for me.
i am loving the book i started reading. it's the first in a series called a song of fire and ice, by george rr martin, the first book is a game of thrones. it is definately a good read so far, i'm about 3/4 through it or so. i love the way he constructs some of his sentences and even though the books are huge he moves the story along. i also enjoy that he does each chapter from the third person perspective of a different character.

HI all - you guys have given me some great books to add to my Library List. Currently attempting to reread my Narnia Books before I go to the movie (or actually before it comes out on video) AS much as I would love to see Narnia on the big screen - the mixed reviews I have heard make me leary to spend the money or the time since theater is 35 miles away. So for now I will read the book.

I pretty much can read anything that has a decent plot that flows and isnt too complicated. It depends on how distracted I am when I read too. There are some books that unless you are familiar with the writing style of an author that you just cant get the feeling for - yet you know it is a good story because it has been around for ever. Like Pride and Prejudice, I was supposed to read for a book club once and just couldnt deal with the backward talking "Am I not unfat?" Anyway - those kind of books are great on tape - having someone else read it - gives it the proper tone and you finally catch the sarcasm - it turned out to be a great story and very funny.

Another I "read" on tape was an Asian themed story - author was Tan or Pan? Anyway it was about a girl that grew up in a small village in the orient and her family made ink sticks - she ends up coming to America in her 20's gets married and had a daughter of her own - there are two narrators, one that reads from the mothers perspective and one that reads from the american daughters perspective. No one else in the club was able to finish it - but since I got it on tape I enjoyed it alot. It was called the ink makers daughter I think?

So if there is a story that you just cant get through but you really want to know what happens, try it on tape. You may find the more descriptive stories come across better with a narrator.

There is my $1.75 (inflation you know - what can you get for a quarter anymore?)

Right now I am trying to get through Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I loathe it, so I may just bin it instead of struggling through. It's a HUGE book and it's full of cutesy supposed-to-be-hilarious-fun footnotes. The footnotes compose more than half of the book. I hate the footnotes. I also hate the author's smirky winky-wink writing style.

I want to read:

The Devil of Nanking - Mo Hayder

Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman

and A Feast for Crows - George R. R. Martin

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell ugg I am glad I am not the ony one who hated that book. My husband read it and he just loved it. He wanted to me to read it, I got as far as the intro to the "Man with the Thistledown Hair" I hated everything about this book!

The WOT series I think shows no sign of stopping....LOL. But I am still enjoying it...But I read other things inbetween so I don't feel so bogged down.

I dutifully read the newest WOT book when it goes on sale (usually for $4.99 at Chapters and right before the paperback comes out). I'm usually lost for awhile until my memories of the past 10,000 pages return. I started reading the series when I was in my early teens, as I age I grow wearier of Jordan's writing and pandering to gender stereotypes. Same thing happened with David Eddings.

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane is a good book. My 20 year old son who is a Stephen King fan and his friend who reads fantasy books both liked it.

I read a great book on Friday called "The Dogs of Babel" it's a quick short read, but a very wonderful book. A little bit depressing, but just very good. One of those books you want to share with other people so you can talk about it together...
Quick synopsis: A man's wife dies and the only witness is their dog. He goes on a journey to try to teach that dog to communicate with him, so he can learn what happened. Over the course he starts to think about his life with his wife. It's kind of like going through this great journey with him, as well as the grieving process. It's just a great read.

I just finished books 1 and 2 of the His Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman. the first book is called Golden Compass and the second is called the Subtle Knife. I'm 1/2 way through the third and final book called the Amber Spyglass.

They are a dark fantasy type story involving two 12 year old children who manage to find ways into alternate Universes and end up being the key players in a war against the Creator. Full of adventure, philosophy, theology, kidnapping, murder, spies and plotting.

I'm really glad I bought all three books at the same time - I've been enjoying them so much that I've been racing through them- and I would have been frustrated if I had to search for them separately

I love his books Mauv!

I also listened to the Radio 4 adaptation (UK BBC radio).

There was an adaptation in the theatre but I missed it.

Shame.

Cool! I would have liked to hear the radio adaptation. These are the first books I've read by this author but I'm going to look for some of his other works now.

The Dogs of Babel sounds like an interesting concept - I may have to check that out too

I love books and this thread caught my eye. I just wanted to thank you for the recommendation of The Color of Magic. I got it on tape (I have 2 hours a day in the car and books on tape are the only thing that keep me sane). It was so much fun.

My current favorite fantasy author has to be Robin Hobb. I haven't gotten a chance to start her newest series, but her three trilogies - Farseer, Liveship Traders, and Tawny Man are all great.

Oh - and I loved the Dark Materials series as well. Some of the best fantasy is written under the young adult heading.

I read something borrowed then something blue by emily giffin. They were great and such easy reads (if you have some time on your hands you could probably finish it in one or two sittings) I enjoyed them though

Notthecheat: Glad you enjoyed the Coulour of Magic

Well so much for light reading this month - my dad gave me a book by Ekhart Tolle for Christmas called "A New Earth" Very interesting read and he makes some valid points. I totally recognized some of my own behaviour/reactions to things and got some insight into why certain people I know do certain things - which in turn might make me react to things differently next time

Hey Peeps! Wonder if you can help (I have also put this on the UK board).

Some of our book club are dong a run for cancer type thing and decided we should read a book about a cancer sufferer/survivor. The only one I have read is Jill Ireland's one which was a great book (late wife of Charles Bronson).

Does anyone have any recs? It should not be a self help type book as we are a (fairly, - touch wood!) healthy lot. More about the person (not necessarily a 'celebrity'.)

Maybe Linda McCartney? Not sure if she had put a book out on her cancer experience or if she just wrote books on being vegetarian and cookbooks.