Whats everyone reading?

[HOO-HAA]

The language and vocabulary are self-consciously overwrought...

As a reader, I avoid this sort of thing like the zombie plague itself. Haven't read China's work, mind, so can't speak from experience, but I much prefer an underwritten style of writing to overblown prose which, as SBT says, simply pulls me out of a story.

[TordelBack]

As a reader, I avoid this sort of thing like the zombie plague itself. Haven't read China's work, mind, so can't speak from experience, but I much prefer an underwritten style of writing to overblown prose which, as SBT says, simply pulls me out of a story.

I'd tend to agree, but here the overwriting is more in the distinctive dialogue than any overly descriptive prose - obscure involuted language is used by (many of) the characters because they are pretty much all members of diverse and deeply specific cults or religious/magical groups, with their own deep histories and obsessions. 

As an example, and without spoiling anything, several of the characters are members of an ancient cult that worships giant god-squid, and they parse the world through a mix of antiquated and modern squid metaphors and terminology.  Another (superb) character is an ancient egyptian worker's leader, and his dialogue is a mix of union cant and pharonic workings.  Others are garrulous occult cops, and their dialogue is that of The Sweeney and The Bill, mixed up with pentacles and wards.

It certainly takes some unpicking, but in terms of establishing the detail and history of the secret world that is its focus, and as a means of distinguishing a sometimes bewildering array of characters, it definitely worked for me.  The set-up would be a much harder sell if everyone sounded like a modern Londoner, even when they look like one.

[Tjm86]

Decided to have a crack at Wells' "Shape of Things To Come" during the summer lull.  Read most of his Sci Fi stuff and enjoyed it.  The first chunk really took a while to get into since it is written as  a fictional History text (and trying really hard to ignore all the poststructural literary theory that from Uni that is simply screaming at that one!) and his eugenic philosophy and reactionary politics are sometimes quite blatant but it makes for an interesting if disturbing read, particularly in light of recent events.  Some of the stuff he talks about with regard to the 'common man's' reaction to the depression years could almost be lifted from current commentary on events of the last few weeks!

[strontium_dog_90]

Just got through Mark Billingham's new Thorne book "Good As Dead" in one sitting. It's a major return to form after "From The Dead," which I found a bit lackluster. Well worth a read for those of us into crime and suspense fiction - most of us, right?

[HOO-HAA]

Just started Dicky Laymon's COME OUT TONIGHT. So far, so Laymon 

Also wrapping on Jack Clark's NOBODY'S ANGEL. Another cracking pulp thriller from those good people at Hard Case Crime (http://www.hardcasecrime.com). Very character driven this one, told from the perspective of a world-weary taxi driver. But the character on display isn't Eddie the book's protagonist, or even real life cabbie and author, Jack Clark. The character that lives and breathes the most in this book is the city of Chicago. Very highly recommended. 

[strontium_dog_90]

Just started Dicky Laymon's COME OUT TONIGHT. So far, so Laymon 

Also wrapping on Jack Clark's NOBODY'S ANGEL. Another cracking pulp thriller from those good people at Hard Case Crime (http://www.hardcasecrime.com). Very character driven this one, told from the perspective of a world-weary taxi driver. But the character on display isn't Eddie the book's protagonist, or even real life cabbie and author, Jack Clark. The character that lives and breathes the most in this book is the city of Chicago. Very highly recommended. 

Both good choices! Come Out Tonight is one of the better later Laymon novels, and at the time I was reading it, I was working with someone whose name was almost identical to that of the book's villain - which crept me out a fair few times!

The Hard Case Crime books are great, too - just read one called "No House Limit," a classic nor set in the casinos of Vegas. Well worth a read if you can put a hand upon it.

[Radbacker]

Black Dosier, I've had it a while but just not been in the mood.  Not bad but really got nothing on the first two (which i absolutly loveand are probably my third favorite Moore comics next to Watchmen and Top 10), the text pieces keep on slowing it down and i've just put it aside to read the latest SFX and dont really feel the need to go back   Have 1910 sitting there unread aswell.  And a couple of Fables and my last Megazine, whats happening I'm going through the comics doldrums and just cant get the huff up to reading them normally I'd devour that stuff the day i got it.

CU Radbacker

[HOO-HAA]

Both good choices! Come Out Tonight is one of the better later Laymon novels, and at the time I was reading it, I was working with someone whose name was almost identical to that of the book's villain - which crept me out a fair few times!

The Hard Case Crime books are great, too - just read one called "No House Limit," a classic nor set in the casinos of Vegas. Well worth a read if you can put a hand upon it.

Yeah, I'm only now getting into Laymon. The last of his I read was BEWARE! and I enjoyed it despite the slightly rushed feeling of the book from around the middle onwards.

I'm devouring HCC books. For a while there I was reading one a week. Very, very cool stuff.

[Hawkmumbler]

Just finished Dredd Vs. Aliens, Incubus. My first trade paperback that I needed to do ip-dip-blooming-do to decide between this and The 86'ers.
Anyway, very pleased with it, the Xenomorpths fitted in well to the Dredd Mythos, I pressume it's cannon? As all Dredd storys pass in real time this crossover should be cannon like the Batman crossovers. Also, which story did Mr Bones previously appear in?

[SmallBlueThing]

After giving up on Kraken because it was depressing me in the same way Hellblazer does, i returned to an old favourite: Mr Ben Bova. China's still on the chaise though, so i might go back to it.

I know, Bova reads like an airport blockbuster novelist, he's guilty of occasionally cliched characters, some sexism and is never one to give us a novel when a whole series can be squeezed from the plot, but i love him.

Voyagers, this time. I ate the first book up and was left desperate to find out what happens next... so I wandered upstairs and grabbed Voyagers 2 from my scifi bookcase on the top landing.

Both are pacy, there's a narrative leap between the two books that disorientates but moves bova's plot forward to where his interests lie, missing out entirely what other authors would have spent a novel documenting. It's cracking stuff, and i was very pleased to see there's a fourth book beyond what i assumed was a trilogy. After a number of novels that ive chugged on with without greatly enjoying, it's nice to be in the position of clockwatching, waiting for my opportunity to read, again.

With the kids, despite the horror that was the first book in the Narnia series, my youngest requested The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe... Thankfully, it's much better than the last one, despite being just as annoying, preachy and propagandist. I dread them wanting the third one now, as im sure this is a blip and they get worse from here on in.

SBT

[Ignatzmonster]

Finished Tim Power's Declare: If you, like myself, belong in the Venn diagram of Le Carre reader and 2000ad reader I suggest this.

The Finder Library Vol 1 by Carla Speed McNeil: An American black and white sci fi comic. Reminds me a little of Ursula K. LeGuin and Octavia Butler. At the very least its a bargin at $25 (I'm assuming that converts to a pound) for over 600 pages. Her main weakness for me is her tech and architecture never quite match the genius of her made up anthropology. I, however, absolutely love how she draws people and how they interact.

The Ministry of Fear: I know it's a cliche, but for something labeled an "entertainment" his thrillers can be damned harsh. Which isn't to say Greene isn't entertaining and gripping. Always is. I'm just saying he is very rarely larky.

20th Century Boys # 12-15: I'm a pretty big fan of Naoki Urasawa. His thrillers are arguably too long, but I never think that when I'm reading him. Kenji or the idea of Kenji in these comics is genuinely inspiring to me. A failed rock musician, he never gives up in his dreams for justice or his art in the face of a nation wide cult take over of his country.

Locke and Key Vol 2-3: Is anyone else reading this? Joe Hill can definitely compete with his dad, Stephen King, as a horror writer. Not quite up to the level of scarey that the first volume managed to achieve, but that's probably best since I'm not sure my heart could have taken it. Everytime they find a new key a feeling of glee comes over me in anticipation of the damage to come.

[Hawkmumbler]

Cyborg 009 #1-#3
Prity Damn good IMHO.
I have ordered skull man #1-#5 on ebay and Bleach #35-#36 on amazon.

[Ignatzmonster]

Cyborg 009 #1-#3
Prity Damn good IMHO.
I have ordered skull man #1-#5 on ebay and Bleach #35-#36 on amazon.

Love that, old school manga, Shotaro Ishinomori stuff. Especially when he's drawing it. A great deal of manga that's been produced recently feels too slick and anonymous, which is exactly my same beef with many of the American artists working for the Big Two.

[TordelBack]

I dread them wanting the third one now, as im sure this is a blip and they get worse from here on in.

I'm about to start into the Narnia books with my eldest (right now we're ploughing through the first few Famous Five books - don't ask, please), but I'm definitely not going to start with snoozefest The Magician's Nephew.  It's chronologically first, but it's written as a prequel whose only real interest comes from finding out How Things Came To Be in the later books you've already read. 

I suspect you'll be tempted to go on to The Horse and His Boy as the chronologically third one, and while it's not a bad story, it too was written later in the sequence, and is pretty unnecessary.  You'd be better (in my opinion) jumping into Prince Caspian and then scooting through it as quickly as possible to get to the more entertaining Voyage of the Dawn Treader and (my personal favourite) The Silver Chair.  I loved Narnia as a kid, but I've liked it less and less ever since, so good luck!

[Hawkmumbler]

Cyborg 009 #1-#3
Prity Damn good IMHO.
I have ordered skull man #1-#5 on ebay and Bleach #35-#36 on amazon.

Love that, old school manga, Shotaro Ishinomori stuff. Especially when he's drawing it. A great deal of manga that's been produced recently feels too slick and anonymous, which is exactly my same beef with many of the American artists working for the Big Two.

Yeah, it has a very unique feel to It doesn't it.
I'm particularly looking forward to skull man, apparently it features cameos from 009/Joe Shimuramaru and Kamen riders. Crossovers in manga are Prity damn hard to come by.
I do generally feel like alot of manga released these days is to slick aswel but not all.
Black Lagoon, Death Note, Tegami Bachi, and Monster from viz media, Hellsing, Blood+, and Gantz from Dark horse etc all these are of very high quality from both respective creators/artists and distributors.
Ps Bleach is just a guilty pleasure.