Whats everyone reading?

[TordelBack]

Balls-deep in China Mieville's Kraken, which shows Neil Gaiman how an apocalyptic tale of gods in London should be done.  It's undisputably drawn (in my head) by D'Israeli, and I'm loving it.

[Cthulouis]

I'm reading Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum. Brilliant stuff, with loads of quotable lines, my favourite one of late being "... the Mormons (I read about them in a detective story, but maybe they don't exist anymore)..."

[Jared Katooie]

The A to Z of Punishment and Torture by Irene Thompson.

[Dandontdare]

I'm reading Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum. Brilliant stuff, with loads of quotable lines, my favourite one of late being "... the Mormons (I read about them in a detective story, but maybe they don't exist anymore)..."

Really? I adored Name of the Rose years ago, and thought FP would be a good book to take travelling on a long trip a couple of years back. HATED IT. Couldn't get past the first 50 pages (I ended up reading the last two Harry Potters that I found on the truck instead).

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

Ken MacLeod's Execution Channel

Got about 30 pages left, then on to the latest two Tom Holt books.

[Colin YNWA]

Just finished Wayne Hoo-Haa's 'Flu' this morning on the way to work. I've not read a horror novel for an age and so approached this with a some nerves, a little excitment and a lot of intrigue. Have to say its a bloody fun read and an absolute page turner.

One of the reasons I no longer read horror books is the fact that often, from the books I have read all those years ago, the characters are there to serve the horror, mere vehicles for whatever nasty the book is dealing with. In 'Flu' this just isn't the case, the fact that there is a zombie plague (which is nicely handled and adds a few bits to the zombie mythos I've never seen before) is the setting the characters operate in, but for me the book is all about its characters and fine ones they are too. Chuffing loved 'um, or loved to hate 'um. They felt real and engaging and rarely slip into caricature as I feel horror story characters frequently do.

The other thing that a zombie story should have is a bit of satire or social commentry and with its specific setting of Belfast Mr Simmons certainly goes to town with that. It tackles the character and issues that its setting dictates head on and with a vigour that even though I've never been to Belfast made me feel as though I knew the place. The place outside the newsreel.

Nice epilogue too, loved that.

Anyway if zombie plague's and fine characters are your thing I'd defo recommend you all support Wayne's book, for the greater good.

[TordelBack]

I'm reading Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum. Brilliant stuff, with loads of quotable lines, my favourite one of late being "... the Mormons (I read about them in a detective story, but maybe they don't exist anymore)..."

Really? I adored Name of the Rose years ago, and thought FP would be a good book to take travelling on a long trip a couple of years back. HATED IT. Couldn't get past the first 50 pages (I ended up reading the last two Harry Potters that I found on the truck instead).

Foucault's Pendulum is a bit of work at the start, but once it gets going it's a fascinating read.  Only downside is that you realise what a huge proportion of the shelf space in a modern bookshop is filled with tripe that's been either undone or done better by Eco decades earlier.

Ken MacLeod's Execution Channel

A read that's just as grim as it promises to be.  Good stuff.

[zombemybabynow]

5/8/10, tomorrow:

the boys #45 http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=37143

hellboy the storm #2  http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2010-07-21-hellboy21_ST_N.htm

[Mikey]

Also decided to give Saga of the swamp yThing a go as its some Moore I haven't read.

I'm reading (the current release) vol 3 of this at the moment - it's lush! (just read The Nukeface Papers & Growth Patterns) The art is utterly sublime and I think the colouring is excellent too and doesn't detract from the inks at all. The page layouts themselves are a joy to see in many cases. And the writing's pretty good too  I'd describe it overall as very quiet and very powerful, with a big streak of righteous love and fury. Great stuff, looking forward to the rest.

Another vote for Execution Channel - fantastic book.

M.

[Steven Sterlacchini]

Thanks to OK Comics proactive "thought you might like this" costumer service. 

I'm now mostly ready:

- Bullet to the Head (Matz / Colin Wilson)
- Star Wars Invasion (Tom Taylor / Colin Wilson)
- True Blood
- The Simpson's Comic Store Guy
- The Killer ( Matz / Luc Jacamon)

Steven

[radiator]

I'm reading Swamp Thing, too - just finished the hardback volume 3. Agonising wait now til volume 4 is published February next year. Of course, I could just go and buy volume four of the old paperback edition, but doing so and then having the mismatched editions on my shelf would just be mental! Ah, how the geek mind works...

It took a while to win me over - tbh, I got about halfway through volume 2 before it really clicked - I didn't find it anywhere near as accessible as Watchmen, V for Vendetta or his 2000ad work. Personally I'm not a fan of the artwork - it's competent and tells the story well enough, but it's just a style I can't get excited about. I'm all about the writing, which is great, if a little overly wordy for a comic.

I love how, like Watchmen, each chapter/issue is just the perfect length for a bedtime read.

[Richmond Clements]

Bah! I've just bought Stewart Lee's new book, but I'm still not even halfway through A Clash of Kings... Read faster, dammit!

[puggdogg]

The Phantom Chronicles Vol 1. It's a collection of prose stories based around Lee Falk's character. And it even includes a story by David Bishop.

[Mikey]

I didn't find it anywhere near as accessible as Watchmen, V for Vendetta or his 2000ad work. Personally I'm not a fan of the artwork - it's competent and tells the story well enough, but it's just a style I can't get excited about...I love how, like Watchmen, each chapter/issue is just the perfect length for a bedtime read.

I understand what you mean about the other Moore stuff being more accessible, but Swampy had me pretty quick I must say. And if you're not keen on the artwork you're dead inside. Dead I say! 

M.

[HOO-HAA]

I'm reading Swamp Thing, too - just finished the hardback volume 3. Agonising wait now til volume 4 is published February next year. Of course, I could just go and buy volume four of the old paperback edition, but doing so and then having the mismatched editions on my shelf would just be mental! Ah, how the geek mind works...

It took a while to win me over - tbh, I got about halfway through volume 2 before it really clicked - I didn't find it anywhere near as accessible as Watchmen, V for Vendetta or his 2000ad work. Personally I'm not a fan of the artwork - it's competent and tells the story well enough, but it's just a style I can't get excited about. I'm all about the writing, which is great, if a little overly wordy for a comic.

I love how, like Watchmen, each chapter/issue is just the perfect length for a bedtime read.

I've only read the first volume of Swamp Thing with Moore but thoroughly enjoyed it. Vol 2 is sitting on the shelf awaiting my attention and I've no feckin' idea why I haven't read it (just as I've no feckin' idea why I haven't read the complete Kabuki series to date - but I digress). Moore is a very special kind of writer to me - always compelling, thought-provoking, inspiring.