Whats everyone reading?

[I, Cosh]

My first impression of John Updike's Rabbit, Run was one of nauseating misogyny dressed up with some quite elegant phrase-making. I gradually began to appreciate that this was deliberate rather than, as it seemed, a symptom of the time it wasa written. There's a hell of a lot crammed into a very small page count. The mundane misadventures of the loathsome title character make an interesting backdrop to the consistently surprising and insightful prose.

I wasn't as impressed with the follow-up, Rabbit Redux. While the writing remains on a similar level, the setup of the novel seems a lot more contrived in its attempts to confront our man, on the same local scale as the first book, with the big issues affecting US society at the end of the 60s. Too often, supporting characters speechify in the same richly metaphorical voice as the narration.

Finally got round to reading Britten & Brulightly, which I purchased directly from the deeply lovely Hannah Berry at the Glasgow con. It's a neat little noir tale set in that eerily indeterminate world. The plot barrels along with some unexpected twists and laughs while there are some really excellent uses of dramatic shifts in art style to indicate key story beats without resorting to words.

Also managed to catch up with the second trades of both Saga and Prophet and I'm enjoying both in different ways. Prophet continues to impress with the way it churns through neat sci-fi ideas like there's no tomorrow. I like the deliberately oblique, impersonal and distancing storytelling now that there are hints of it going somewhere but find myself getting irritated with the occassional clumsy bits of over-explication. The regular artist isn't a patch on some of the guests they have in but he does the job.

My ongoing project to fill the gaps in my Iain Banks education reaches The Business. While not overtly M/Non-M crossover in the way Transitions was, structurally this was very like a Culture novel. Intriguing mystery introduced in the first chapter which is then completely ignored while the heroine pursues seemingly unrelated matters under the aegis of a mysterious organisation with almost limitless resources until the final thirty pages when everything finally comes together in a way that doesn't make a lot of sense. There's the usual readability and a greater than average sense of Banks as a man whose own view of the world is very humane and who retains a certain world-weary idealism..

The standout moment comes on page 152 and sounds like it could've come straight from GronkGuy's TripAdvisor report on the Glasgow Holiday Inn: "I invited Pete Wells back to my place. He's a research analyst and an old pal/lover, still a good time guy and up for the occasional friendly fuck..." Given our man's extraordinary ability to find his way into print surely it isn't too outlandish to come to the conclusion that this is no coincidence?

[von Boom]

After two lovely weeks buried in books the one that stands out is Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

I don't want to give anything away about the book, but if you spent your time playing video games, rpgs, and tapping away on computer, you might find this one quite enjoyable and a bit of a lark through your own adolescence.

[Mabs]

I'm currently reading Simon Fraser's web comic; Lilly Mackenzie and the mines of Charybdis.

http://activatecomix.com/9.comic

Can I just say what an awesome comic it is! It was brought to my attention via the Meg, and it's a great series indeed. Does anyone know if this was collected in tpb format? I wanna buy it!

[CrazyFoxMachine]

Yes. Sort of.

He had a limited run printed up for Thought Bubble last year and I nabbed one of the last three - I definitely know he sold out. But you could always get ahold of him on Twitter or something https://twitter.com/simonfraser ask if there are anymore. It's a great story to have in one thing on the shelf - !

[Mabs]

Yes. Sort of.

He had a limited run printed up for Thought Bubble last year and I nabbed one of the last three - I definitely know he sold out. But you could always get ahold of him on Twitter or something https://twitter.com/simonfraser ask if there are anymore. It's a great story to have in one thing on the shelf - !

Ah, thank you for that CrazyFoxMachine, really appreciate the help. I'll try and see if I can get hold of him!

[TordelBack]

It's a complete mystery to me why Lily hasn't been snapped up for the euro-hardback treatment, and even now be leaping off the shelves of every Casino and Carrefour from Brussels to Naples.  It's a perfect read, and now Dante is finished Simon should forced (forced, I say) to produce at least one new volume a year, only permitted a break to dash out the odd Dredd. 

[Skullmo]

Just got the Black and White Titan versions of Swamp thing, all 11 books snapped up on Ebay for £20!

[Ancient Otter]

It's a complete mystery to me why Lily hasn't been snapped up for the euro-hardback treatment, and even now be leaping off the shelves of every Casino and Carrefour from Brussels to Naples.  It's a perfect read, and now Dante is finished Simon should forced (forced, I say) to produce at least one new volume a year, only permitted a break to dash out the odd Dredd.

He's working on a story called Prison Ship Antares for Alex De Campi's Grindhouse comic series for Dark Horse at the moment.

[Dragonfly]

I used to be a huge fan of the X-Files and still have all the box sets on my shelf so the new IDW series appealed to me as soon as I knew about it. I've only just been able to get a hold of the first three issues and I must say my first impression is one of dismay that the art is so crude. Certainly not what I expected from this licence.
After having a quick flick through I must admit that you can immediately tell who is who and the story seems okay from the little I've so far read. I am willing to give it a go and the art will hopefully grow on me. It's downbeat approach looks like it might suit the story and it's certainly given it an atmosphere that a more flashy art couldn't.

[sheldipez]

I used to be a huge fan of the X-Files and still have all the box sets on my shelf so the new IDW series appealed to me as soon as I knew about it. I've only just been able to get a hold of the first three issues and I must say my first impression is one of dismay that the art is so crude. Certainly not what I expected from this licence.
After having a quick flick through I must admit that you can immediately tell who is who and the story seems okay from the little I've so far read. I am willing to give it a go and the art will hopefully grow on me. It's downbeat approach looks like it might suit the story and it's certainly given it an atmosphere that a more flashy art couldn't.

I wouldn't call it crude, it's certainly not stick men or anything. It's highly atmospheric and the mood drips of the page. I'm actually a big fan of both the art and script but the art has been a bit devicive over on the X Files forum (but so has the whole "what do you mean it only comes out once a month!") so I think it's a preference thing. I wasn't a fan of the photo real art on the past Wildstorm series & I much prefer Charlie Adlard's art (which, lets face it, were terrible likenesses) from the old Topps series or Walsh's anyday.

As a massive fan I was just hoping for the best with season 10 and has ended being one of my favorite pulls. #4 drops next week and I bloody can't wait. I believe Walsh drops off art duties for the two parter Flukemen story (#6 & #7) before returning for continuation of the mythology arc.

The 30 Days of Night cross over is brilliant and very funny too if you haven't yet read it.

[Mabs]

Just had a response from the awesome Simon Fraser, we should hopefully see a hardback copy of Lilly MacKenzie soon. Fingers crossed!   

[Dragonfly]

I wouldn't call it crude, it's certainly not stick men or anything. It's highly atmospheric and the mood drips of the page. I'm actually a big fan of both the art and script but the art has been a bit devicive over on the X Files forum (but so has the whole "what do you mean it only comes out once a month!") so I think it's a preference thing. I wasn't a fan of the photo real art on the past Wildstorm series & I much prefer Charlie Adlard's art (which, lets face it, were terrible likenesses) from the old Topps series or Walsh's anyday.

As a massive fan I was just hoping for the best with season 10 and has ended being one of my favorite pulls. #4 drops next week and I bloody can't wait. I believe Walsh drops off art duties for the two parter Flukemen story (#6 & #7) before returning for continuation of the mythology arc.

The 30 Days of Night cross over is brilliant and very funny too if you haven't yet read it.

Okay perhaps 'crude' wasn't the right word to use and I would agree that it is highly atmospheric, and while I wouldn't say I was a fan of the art I am more than prepared to give it the benefit of the doubt and go with it. I have only had these issues a day and I must admit the art is already growing on me.
Didn't know about the 30 Days Of Night crossover so thanks for the heads up, will look out for that!

[PreacherCain]

Just had a response from the awesome Simon Fraser, we should hopefully see a hardback copy of Lilly MacKenzie soon. Fingers crossed!   

YES!

Love Lily MacKenzie. Not only do I want a hard copy but also more adventures, please! I would think this series would do quite well right now at somewhere like Image, if Fraser has the time/energy for taking it on. You'd think it would go over quite well with the Saga crowd.

[Mabs]

Just had a response from the awesome Simon Fraser, we should hopefully see a hardback copy of Lilly MacKenzie soon. Fingers crossed!   

YES!

Love Lily MacKenzie. Not only do I want a hard copy but also more adventures, please! I would think this series would do quite well right now at somewhere like Image, if Fraser has the time/energy for taking it on. You'd think it would go over quite well with the Saga crowd.

Check your PM PreacherCain!   

Nice to see you back by the way!

[The Prodigal]

Having been on board for less than 2 years there are still areas of the 2000Ad universe that remain unexplored by me. Today Prodigal Towers will be in receipt of the 86ers and VCs Back in Action trades.

I also need a good book so will be trawling back over this thread.