Read a good book lately?

[Winston001]

Future Weapons by Kevin Dockery. http://www.armchairgeneral.com/future-weapons-book-review.htm

An excellent read if you are interested in pistols, submachine guns, and assault rifles. The title is a bit misleading because the content concentrates on the recent history of weapons development rather than the magical science-fiction type of the future. Nevertheless I enjoyed it and its a pedant's dream. Not only each weapon but its variations are described with photos.

[Swoop]

Have just finished "Dressed to Kill (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dressed-Kill-Charlotte-Madison/dp/0755319613)".
The first female Apache pilot in the UK Army. Three tours of Afganistan to boot.

A very different perspective of helicopter combat, as seen through a woman's eyes. Very much reliant on the female comeradere in-theatre, little that there was, and the contact with the outside world.
Was not as good as expected... to begin with, but then rose quite a lot.
2.5*.

[Usarka]

I finished reading "All quiet on the western front" not too long ago, good read :niceone:

+1 for this. Always thought it was a WWI autobiography, but is in fact a novel written buy a german soldier. I'm sure that the majority of the book is based on actual events.

[sosman]

The Motueka Kid...Josh Coppins is now 7 bucks at The warehouse

[Hurrie]

hey my favourite series is the Shannara series by Terry Brooks, its a bit similar to lord of the rings except in my opinion an hell of alot better (i've read both)

also Mathew Reilly writes a bunch on really amazing action/sci/fi books the last one i read was Scarecrow and that was a pretty wicked book, thinking about re reading all his books again this summer.

[HenryDorsetCase]

http://www.theedge.abelgratis.co.uk/booksmusic/rotten_files/rottenpbk.jpg

I am loving this. Lydon was always the brains of the operation, and this book brings it out. One of the best rock and roll books Ive read. And I've read a few.

Plus, its encouraged me to get out the music of my yoof, and give it a spin again. Fuck yeah....

I'll leave you with one of the defining moments of my generation:

MeP220xx7Bs

[Swoop]

Dan Mills is the author of Sniper One (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article2284366.ece).
Just over 100 men spent 23 days straight, holed up in a modern day Alamo in southern Iraq, being mortared, RPG'd and having unguided rockets chucked their way. Having Challenger II main battle tanks being immobilized due to enemy fire is a rare event, but the enemy managed to do just that.
A massive shitfight that the UK MoD attempted to "play down" and even gag the author from publishing this book; which is a shame as it shows the level of soldiering that the UK should be proud of.

A superb read from the Brit side of the battle.

[Katman]

'Up The Blue' by Roger Smith.

A NZ infantryman during WWII - with probably the best account of the Battle for Cassino of the numerous that I have read.

[Winston001]

Dan Mills is the author of Sniper One (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article2284366.ece).
Just over 100 men spent 23 days straight, holed up in a modern day Alamo in southern Iraq, being mortared, RPG'd and having unguided rockets chucked their way. Having Challenger II main battle tanks being immobilized due to enemy fire is a rare event, but the enemy managed to do just that.
A massive shitfight that the UK MoD attempted to "play down" and even gag the author from publishing this book; which is a shame as it shows the level of soldiering that the UK should be proud of.

A superb read from the Brit side of the battle.

Yep excellent book, think I posted on it a while ago. :D

[HenryDorsetCase]

'Up The Blue' by Roger Smith.

A NZ infantryman during WWII - with probably the best account of the Battle for Cassino of the numerous that I have read.

my partners grandfather died a week or so ago, in his 89th year. He served in France, Italy (Cassino) and in North Africa. Would never ever talk about it.

I would like to find out more, might start with this book. thanks.

[MIXONE]

my partners grandfather died a week or so ago, in his 89th year. He served in France, Italy (Cassino) and in North Africa. Would never ever talk about it.

I would like to find out more, might start with this book. thanks.
My Old Man was in the 22nd Battalion and they fought at all the above as well as getting his butt kicked at Crete.He wouldn't talk much about it either so I'm going to check that book out too.

[Katman]

I would like to find out more, might start with this book. thanks.


He wouldn't talk much about it either so I'm going to check that book out too.

Here you go.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Books/Rare-collectable/NZ-published/War-military/auction-344608663.htm

[SPman]

Another great book is The First and The Last (http://www.amazon.com/First-Last-Adolf-Galland/dp/0899667287), by Adolph Galland.

Damn you Swoop - I clicked on the link and ended up spending $150 at Amazon...not on this book though (I first read it in 1960)

[Usarka]

I used a few of Swoops recommendations for chrissy presents, thumbs up all round. Thanks Swoop!

Been doing something a little different recently and reading some comics (or graphic novels as they're known as these days) called Transmetropolitan - by Warren Ellis

This is a series (avail in book form with about 5 stories each) is set in a futuristic chaotic city featuring the main character drug-taking journalist Spider Jeruselam - a very Hunter S Thompson like character.

Worth a look if you're into something different.

ps - as per george formby's comment below - these are definitely aimed at adult readers!

[george formby]

Just read "Watchmen" by Alan Moore & illustrated by Dave Gibbons. I thought WTF a comic! Do I look like a monosyllabic teenager?
Then I started to read it, brilliant. Highly recommended.

[Swoop]

Damn you Swoop - I clicked on the link and ended up spending $150 at Amazon...not on this book though (I first read it in 1960)
*chortle*
I know the feeling...

Some time ago I purchased Erich Hartmann's book from there and while browsing, ended up adding Hans-Joachim Marseille's story as well. Then there was the hardback coffee-table Tomcat book.:shit:

[Swoop]

Croz.
"Which way does the track go and what's the record?"

A bloody good, entertaining read! Thoroughly enjoyed this book, with a bit of an insight into the GP season back then. Nice to have the results in the last few pages as well.

[sondela]

Dunno if anyone has posted them on the thread yet, but Peter F Hamilton books - good SF! and there's a few of them.. I've just finished the Void trilogy, all massive books, and they keep you reading, despite the 700 or so pages per book =))

[pritch]

Best series Grumpy is reading is Wheel of Time which is SF by Robert Jordan. I am waiting for the 13th book in the series to come out and its coming out on 26th October. Been long time coming as the author has died so they had to get someone else to write the book as he could not do.
This series had better finish soon

I got a bit behind there. Last one I read (10?) was mainly about women sitting around plotting. I had planned to read the next one at Christmas but...

Read Stieg Larsson's trilogy instead. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo etc. All three in five days and I'm not a speed reader. There were some very late nights in there. Recommended for the few who haven't read it already.

Also over Christmas break, "The Junior Officers Reading Club ." A young Englishman's account of Sandhurst, a brief posting to Iraq, and a tour of Afghanistan. A good read but his prognosis is depressing. Can't tell you the author, I've loaned it to a neighbour, a former Arty RSM.

Currently reading Bernard Cornwell's "The Fort."

Next will be my Christmas present to me: Hokusai by Matthi Forrer. About the Japanese artist. Prices on the net vary quite a lot, amazon. com have it for up to about US$250. I bought it from amazon.uk for NZ$130 incl freight. It pays to shop around?

Enough of reading, time for a ride.

[george formby]

Dunno if anyone has posted them on the thread yet, but Peter F Hamilton books - good SF! and there's a few of them.. I've just finished the Void trilogy, all massive books, and they keep you reading, despite the 700 or so pages per book =))

Read one last year & found it entertaining & easy reading, it was about a guy who grew up on a terraformed planet, joined a corporation & had some very funky software.
Not a patch on Iain M Banks though, he really fries my synapses.

Just finished "The end of the beginning", WW II covering the siege of Malta
& the North African campaign up to the final El Alamein battle. Very good book, covers the politics & personality's of Roosevelt & Churchill, lend lease weapons, individual accounts of battle etc. Yeah, excellent book!

Just started "Pegasus Bridge" Stephen Ambrose, the first allied troops in on D-Day. A few glider borne troops holding the bridges against German Panzer divisions. Tough as nails & then some.

[SPman]

Dunno if anyone has posted them on the thread yet, but Peter F Hamilton books - good SF! and there's a few of them.. I've just finished the Void trilogy, all massive books, and they keep you reading, despite the 700 or so pages per book =))
I've just downloaded a Kindle reader for the phone...got an Amazon account so.....I've got this trilogy waiting to read after I finish Iain Banks - Surface Detail - the latest in the "Culture" series. Kinder is too damn easy though .....lying in bed out in the wops....browsing....see a new book ....push the download button and 2 mins later, you're reading.......have to watch myself on this one.........

[MIXONE]

Here you go.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Books/Rare-collectable/NZ-published/War-military/auction-344608663.htm

Thanks for that Katman.For the grand sum of $6 it should be a good read.

[kit]

my partners grandfather died a week or so ago, in his 89th year. He served in France, Italy (Cassino) and in North Africa. Would never ever talk about it.

I would like to find out more, might start with this book. thanks.

Another book is "A fair sort of battering" about the nz soldiers in ww2, Its on my to buy list.....theres a couple of pics of my grandad in there.

[kit]

Finished the new Robert Jordan "wheel of time series" All coming together now.....good read, can't wait till the last one comes out, but will be sad to see the end of the story :(

[Spazman727]

I like Stephen E. Ambrose books (the dude who wrote Band of Brothers).
Ian McEwan is also good, but totally different. I especially like Saturday by him.
The Project Gutenberg which is a database of books which are out of copyright is a good way of getting hold of heaps of older books which are supposed to be good reads. http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page (Gutenberg was the dude that allegedly invented the first printing press, hence the relation to books)

[MisterD]

Currently reading Bernard Cornwell's "The Fort."

Read that between Xmas and New Year...highly recommended for anyone that likes his stuff or is into their military history - although I doubt there's many in that second group that aren't in the first...

[sondela]

I've just downloaded a Kindle reader for the phone...got an Amazon account so.....I've got this trilogy waiting to read after I finish Iain Banks - Surface Detail - the latest in the "Culture" series. Kinder is too damn easy though .....lying in bed out in the wops....browsing....see a new book ....push the download button and 2 mins later, you're reading.......have to watch myself on this one.........

Mmm hadn't heard the Surface Detail book was out, will read it soon as I get my sticky paws on a copy, thanks for the heads up.. and enjoy the trilogy, I wouldn't dare let my credit card near easy to get books, I'm in debt enough already! :D

[vifferman]

My womanthing bought me "Kim - the Kiwi on the Konig" for my birthday (Xmas Eve). I was disappointed that it wasn't "Croz", but I needn't have been - it was a meaty and very interesting read. Also made me angry and sad at the end.:angry: :(

[Swoop]

Have just finished "Marching with the devil" by David Mason.
Legends, glory and lies in the french foreign legion.

The author graduated from the Australian National university with a law degree but was looking for a challenge, rather than settling down to a 9-5 job somewhere. Deciding that the froggy legion would be the challenge he desired he signed on for 5 years.
This is certainly a good "inside look" where the propaganda machine refuses to tread. The public facade hides incompetence of the highest order among all ranks, poor training (apart from cleaning), a staggering desertion rate, among other things.
Unfortunately the FFL is portrayed as the "elite" forces of france and an example on which other nations should aspire.
This really confirms the reputation that the froggies have earnt with their warfighting abilities over the years. Sadly they have nukes, so when the shit hits the fan the next time, the cowards have buckets of instant sunshine to chuck around.:weird:

An organisation that attracts people who wish to "disappear" from people/governments/police and gives them a new name is simply attracting the dregs of society and a principal attractant to french citizens is free food and a roof over your head (guess which sector of society this would be...).
An organisation that should be held in high esteem? No.

[Fatt Max]

Started to read The Diceman by Luke Rhienhart, got a bit heavy so I put it away. I'm reading Bill Bryson's a Short History of Almost Everything for the second time. Brilliant book, great angle on science and a farking good laugh.

[Usarka]

I'm reading Bill Bryson's a Short History of Almost Everything for the second time.

Nearly. :bleh:

[Scuba_Steve]

read one of the greatest books ever written the other day. It's about a boy named Sam who tries to get "Knox" to eat green eggs & ham. But "Knox" continuously refuses stating he does not like green eggs & ham yet he has never tried it. But Sam is very persistent & doesn't give up that easy. I'll let you discover the end for yourself.

Its a brilliant read & one you can share with your kids as there is very little "inappropriate" language in it, tho parental guidance is still recommended

[george formby]

Started to read The Diceman by Luke Rhienhart, got a bit heavy so I put it away. I'm reading Bill Bryson's a Short History of Almost Everything for the second time. Brilliant book, great angle on science and a farking good laugh.

Ha! I keep picking that book up & dipping in again. Love the chapter about the guy who invented lead ethyl & fluorocarbons, he's right up their with Stalin & Hitler. I do like Bill Brysons humour.

Finally got around to start reading Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy. Brilliant! It's a trilogy in four parts, I'm 2/3rds through & laughing my ass off.
Just finding out about Bistromatics, the power of restaurants to change mathematical rules once the waiter starts to write on his order pad. Genius.

I don't suppose anyone has either of Iain M Banks latest books they would like to sell at a fair second hand price, hmmmmmm?

[Fatt Max]

Finally got around to start reading Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy. Brilliant! It's a trilogy in four parts, I'm 2/3rds through & laughing my ass off.


Brilliant set of books that, so well written and yes, a great laugh. The TV series could never live up to it and that film, well, bleh......

The 'Football Factory' trilogy by John King is a good read for anyone who always wondered why football hooligans bother. Its an insight into that 'culture'. However, part of that triliogy is a book called 'England Away' that draws on comparisons between the English football fans going to an away game in Europe and the young guys who hit the beaches on D Day. Both sets of guys there for a fight but for entirely different reasons.

"Headhunters" is a good delve into the Chelsea hooligan network through the eyes of your typical Anglo Saxon football holigan. Very well written

[BiK3RChiK]

Harper Lee - To kill a Mockingbird

:D

Read it in High School but couldn´t remember the detail, so when I saw my daughter reading it for her 6th form English, I picked it up and re-read it. What a good read...

[Winston001]

Started to read The Diceman by Luke Rhienhart, got a bit heavy so I put it away. I'm reading Bill Bryson's a Short History of Almost Everything for the second time. Brilliant book, great angle on science and a farking good laugh.

Snap. Both excellent books. :yes:

[Swoop]

Agent Extaordinary. The story of Michel Hollard.

A french patriot who organised an entire spy network that covered the entire country of france during WW2.
He hand delivered notes to the British Military Attache in Switzerland on 94 occasions and his network did not use wireless transmitters!
His information helped discover the V1 threat to London before the brits knew what was happening. The original sites were bombed by the RAF which forced the Germans to rebuild the launch sites and delayed the onslaught considerably. His actions were described by Churchill as "the man who saved London".
Total bravery from an amazing man.
Captured and tortured, he refused to give any information away and his network kept working until the end.
Deported to a German death camp and finally surviving the German extermination of prisoners by putting them into the holds of ships and then sinking them.

He even fought during WW1 after signing up underage!

A bloody good read.

[Skyryder]

Currently reading Bernard Cornwell's "The Fort."

Next will be my Christmas present to me: Hokusai by Matthi Forrer. About the Japanese artist. Prices on the net vary quite a lot, amazon. com have it for up to about US$250. I bought it from amazon.uk for NZ$130 incl freight. It pays to shop around?

Enough of reading, time for a ride.

Could not get into the FORT. Loved the LAST KINGDOM
http://www.bernardcornwell.net/index.cfm?page=2&BookId=41

and AZINCOURT

http://www.bernardcornwell.net/index.cfm?page=2&BookId=49


Skyryder

[Usarka]

Hyperion - Dan Simmons (and Fall of Hyperion which is the second part).

It's sci-fi for all you dweebphobes, but one that's a rather literary without being wank.

I'm about 50 pages from the end of the 2nd book and it's going to have to be a shitholer of an ending to make me not rate these books highly. I don't know if it's a classic (do your own research scumbag) but if it isn't one it should be.

[Winston001]

Hyperion - Dan Simmons (and Fall of Hyperion which is the second part).

It's sci-fi for all you dweebphobes, but one that's a rather literary without being wank.



Agreed. The Hyperion Cantos (all three books) are strong literary SF for which Simmons has won awards and will become classics. Recommended.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Agreed. The Hyperion Cantos (all three books) are strong literary SF for which Simmons has won awards and will become classics. Recommended.

I might check them out: I have been so disappointed with a lot of the science fiction I've read lately. and tend to stick with authors I know. William Gibson of course (Zero History last year), Neil Stephenson, Neil Gaiman, Cory Doctorow.

I just finally had some time to read and have finished Ed Macy's APACHE. Just started HELLFIRE. Loved both of them. And the highlight of APACHE is the last sortie: they either had to give him a MC or DFC, or cashier him!... Unbelievable.

I've also read (last year) GENERATION KILL by Evan Wright, and ONE BULLET AWAY by Nathaniel Fick. Both came out Iraq, and Generation Kill got made into a great HBO TV miniseries (Buy the DVDs.... dont watch it on peasant TV shredded and with ads)

[Winston001]

Thanks for the suggestions HDC, will check them out.

I too have been disappointed by recent SF and only pick up the occasional book. Strangely now that we live in the times predicted by the Golden Age, readership interest has dwindled. Its all vampires and magic now. Pah. :facepalm:

Love Larry Niven's Known Universe. Jerry Pournelle has written some good science prediction books. Harry Harrison had a remarkable ability to veer between absurd comedy to serious stuff like West of Eden. A E Van Vogt was a classic author. Stanislaw Lem was a master although you'd be hard pressed to find his books today. Asimov was so productive that his fame became bigger than his ideas but he did write some good books.

Charles Sheffield is an author I discovered a while ago. A little depressing but interesting. He's a physicist and written a few factual books too. Stephen Baxter doesn't work for me - I don't find his characters believable.

Greg Bear's Aeon is a classic. Orson Scott Card - Ender's Game is another, but generally I find his work too dark. If I want that, Stephen King wears the crown. :D

[HenryDorsetCase]

Thanks for the suggestions HDC, will check them out.

I too have been disappointed by recent SF and only pick up the occasional book. Strangely now that we live in the times predicted by the Golden Age, readership interest has dwindled. Its all vampires and magic now. Pah. :facepalm:

Love Larry Niven's Known Universe. Jerry Pournelle has written some good science prediction books. Harry Harrison had a remarkable ability to veer between absurd comedy to serious stuff like West of Eden. A E Van Vogt was a classic author. Stanislaw Lem was a master although you'd be hard pressed to find his books today. Asimov was so productive that his fame became bigger than his ideas but he did write some good books.

Charles Sheffield is an author I discovered a while ago. A little depressing but interesting. He's a physicist and written a few factual books too. Stephen Baxter doesn't work for me - I don't find his characters believable.

Greg Bear's Aeon is a classic. Orson Scott Card - Ender's Game is another, but generally I find his work too dark. If I want that, Stephen King wears the crown. :D

Yes! I've read a lot of Niven, and Niven and Pournelle etc. I had a massive Eastern European science fiction binge a few years ago. Arkady and Boris Strugatsky wrote a couple of books I love: MALL WORLD and ROADSIDE PICNIC. I really like Lem, too. About as far as I get towards fantasy is some of the Gaiman stuff (it works because its set in a slightly skewed city you know, current timeframe and his characters work:) Ive also read NIGHT WATCH, DAY WATCH AND TWILIGHT WATCH (Pretty decent film adaptations too).

I've tried with Iain M Banks too but the Culture just didnt grab me. Good ideas though. I like his crime fiction a lot though.

I like crime fiction generally: Really enjoy Robert Crais, Banks, or course the Stieg Larsson books, Ive read a bit of James Patterson, James Ellroy is fantastic (THE COLD SIX THOUSAND is great, but you might want to start with his earlier stuff).

etc. I used to read a lot more than I do now, DAMN YOU TV!!!!

[Usarka]

M. John Harrison is really good scifi IMO but a little weird.

[wysper]

I used to read a lot more than I do now, DAMN YOU TV!!!!

Yep that is one of the reasons we have no tv here, well we have a tv to watch the odd dvd. But no tv - sky - freeview etc.

It is amazing how much more time we have.

And how much less the kids get bombarded with.

On the sci fi front, I am more of a fantasy fan and my favourite is probably still Stephen Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

Read some not bad sci fi lately, I will try and remember what it was and post it up.

LOL

[george formby]

Yep that is one of the reasons we have no tv here, well we have a tv to watch the odd dvd. But no tv - sky - freeview etc.

It is amazing how much more time we have.

And how much less the kids get bombarded with.

On the sci fi front, I am more of a fantasy fan and my favourite is probably still Stephen Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

Read some not bad sci fi lately, I will try and remember what it was and post it up.

LOL

Epic. I got into them at college before the series had finished. Ended up taking me best part of a decade to read them all.

I cannot remember the name of the author but I really enjoyed a series of fantasy books about humans going back to the Pleistocene. I think the first one was called the Golden Torc. A great blend of Sci fi, fantasy & science. If my recall comes back I will post the names.

Ahhh, google. Julian May, Saga of the Pliocene Exiles.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Epic. I got into them at college before the series had finished. Ended up taking me best part of a decade to read them all.

I cannot remember the name of the author but I really enjoyed a series of fantasy books about humans going back to the Pleistocene. I think the first one was called the Golden Torc. A great blend of Sci fi, fantasy & science. If my recall comes back I will post the names.

Ahhh, google. Julian May, Saga of the Pliocene Exiles.

I read those, too: years ago. IIRC it had a sort of LORD OF THE FLIES feel to it? they had the chance to have this utopian society but screwed it up?

[Usarka]

The only fantasy I've gotten into (books you perverts) is the series by Steph Swainston. First book is The Year of Our War.

I really really enjoyed that series.

Not your typical fantasy books, the main character is a drug addict immortal who can fly. They have been likened to China Mieville but I couldn't stand the latter so I think it's a shit comparison.

[george formby]

I read those, too: years ago. IIRC it had a sort of LORD OF THE FLIES feel to it? they had the chance to have this utopian society but screwed it up?

Been a long time since I read them but IIR somebody invented a time machine which would take people back to the Pliocene but only to a specific place & with no chance of coming back.
It became a way for humans disillusioned with their lives to take a one way trip to realize their dreams.

Unfortunately when they got their the place was run by two types of aliens, short ugly shape shifters ( think trolls ) & tall pretty ones with mental powers derived from their torques ( think elves ) Most humans were immediately enslaved on arrival by the tall ones, but not all........

I think I may revisit these books even though my taste has changed. They were spectacular & clever.

[notme]

I read those, too: years ago. IIRC it had a sort of LORD OF THE FLIES feel to it? they had the chance to have this utopian society but screwed it up?


Been a long time since I read them but IIR somebody invented a time machine which would take people back to the Pliocene but only to a specific place & with no chance of coming back.....

You've given me a new series to get into - thanks :-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_of_Pliocene_Exile

I've just finished this trilogy - AWESOME if you like your sci-fi more biased towards the sci- than the wildly -fi :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time%27s_Eye_%28novel%29

[Kickaha]

You've given me a new series to get into - thanks :-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_of_Pliocene_Exile

I think I have the full set if you would like to borrow them

[Winston001]

On the sci fi front, I am more of a fantasy fan and my favourite is probably still Stephen Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.


Oh. :facepalm: Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. I feel depressed just saying that name. 6 books dammit. You'd think something happy, a smidgen of winning against the odds, must happen eventually to a leper living in feverish dreams...but no.

Great books. They left me drained 20 years ago but never forgotten.


Yes! I've read a lot of Niven, and Niven and Pournelle etc. I had a massive Eastern European science fiction binge a few years ago. Arkady and Boris Strugatsky wrote a couple of books I love: MALL WORLD and ROADSIDE PICNIC. I really like Lem, too. About as far as I get towards fantasy is some of the Gaiman stuff (it works because its set in a slightly skewed city you know, current timeframe and his characters work:) Ive also read NIGHT WATCH, DAY WATCH AND TWILIGHT WATCH (Pretty decent film adaptations too).

I've tried with Iain M Banks too but the Culture just didnt grab me. Good ideas though. I like his crime fiction a lot though.

I like crime fiction generally: Really enjoy Robert Crais, Banks, or course the Stieg Larsson books, Ive read a bit of James Patterson, James Ellroy is fantastic (THE COLD SIX THOUSAND is great, but you might want to start with his earlier stuff).


Good man, I have much the same tastes.

In addition to the above I read Michael Connelly (superb crime fiction), Stephen Leather, Stephen King's earlier books and short stories, Cormac McCarthy (No Country For Old Men) and he has to be one of the best writers around, James Lee Burke, Elizabeth George, Patricia Cornwell (first 8 books, then she just gets too dark), Linda Fairstein, used to read Kathy Reichs whose books the TV series Bones is based upon. She's nearly as good as Cornwell, just different.

[Winston001]

While I remember, here is a site where you enter the name of an author you enjoy, and a cloud of similar writers names is generated. Most useful.

http://www.literature-map.com/

[Winston001]

Matterhorn by Ken Marlantes. It took 35 years for this former soldier to complete his opus and it has become a bestseller.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jul/11/marlantes-matterhorn-book-review

The only Vietnam book I've read which is comparable is Short-timers which was filmed as Full Metal Jacket. Except this book is much better.

The story is about a boot lieutenant's experience joining a company of Marines in 1969 and the pointless patrolling they are subjected to. Most of the time the biggest dangers are jungle diseases, tigers, the terrain - and the career officers giving orders from HQ. Then the NVA appear...

Recommended.

[HenryDorsetCase]

That I will read for sure. Cheers

Have you read CHICKENHAWK? its about a Vietnam helicopter pilot. Very good too. I've lent my copy to someone and not got it back, dammit!

http://www.bookdepository.com/Chickenhawk-Robert-Mason/9780552124195

[Geeen]

Yep that is one of the reasons we have no tv here, well we have a tv to watch the odd dvd. But no tv - sky - freeview etc.

It is amazing how much more time we have.

And how much less the kids get bombarded with.

On the sci fi front, I am more of a fantasy fan and my favourite is probably still Stephen Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

Read some not bad sci fi lately, I will try and remember what it was and post it up.

LOL

Have you read Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series. BIG story and well written

[wysper]

Have you read Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series. BIG story and well written

Started to, got to about book 6 and gave up, hundreds of pages to say very little. Then he died before he finished the books and some other guy has finished or is finishing them.
But I very much liked the first few. Shame that from my point of view they really started to fall away. Almost like he got to wrapped up in himself rather than the story.

[Geeen]

Started to, got to about book 6 and gave up, hundreds of pages to say very little. Then he died before he finished the books and some other guy has finished or is finishing them.
But I very much liked the first few. Shame that from my point of view they really started to fall away. Almost like he got to wrapped up in himself rather than the story.

Books 6 & 7 are a bit slow, starts to pick up speed after that. The last book is due April next year, Ive got all the rest :yes:

[Winston001]

That I will read for sure. Cheers

Have you read CHICKENHAWK? its about a Vietnam helicopter pilot. Very good too. I've lent my copy to someone and not got it back, dammit!

http://www.bookdepository.com/Chickenhawk-Robert-Mason/9780552124195

Yes its good and Matterhorn reminded me of Chickenhawke.

[Usarka]

Agreed. The Hyperion Cantos (all three books) are strong literary SF for which Simmons has won awards and will become classics. Recommended.

Was that a typo? Ie you know there are four books...? Just reading the fourth now.

I've powered through the series quicker than anything. The third got a bit light and "fantasy" and the last one seems a little more traditional sci-fi / space opera (but more than on par with most other sci-fi i've read recently).

[Winston001]

Was that a typo? Ie you know there are four books...? Just reading the fourth now.

).

Hmmm don't know, it was a while ago. Thought I only read 3 books, the Major fought the Shrike and died, everything was revealed about the Tree Of Pain. Anyway good stuff.

[Swoop]

Have you read CHICKENHAWK?
I saw a copy in Whitcoulls recently. A good read.


Have you read the 13th Valley?

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/341591.The_13th_Valley

[neels]

I just read a couple more robert goddard books I found trawling thought the bargain bin at whitcoulls, very much like his style of writing.

I might dig out lord of the barnyard by tristan egolf for a re-read next, pretty much my favourite book.

[unstuck]

Loui's lamour,s last of the breed. Again.:yes:

[george formby]

I'm reading "Gangs of New York" by Herbert Asbury at the mo, the book written in 1927 that inspired Scorcese's movie. The language is a bit archaic but the picture it paints of life in the 1800's is mind blowing. The movie comes nowhere near doing the history justice, it's hard to comprehend the violence, corruption & levels of crime at the time.

Monk Eastman & Paul Kelly, opposing gang leaders fought till they dropped after 2 1/2 hours in a effort to stop the gangs killing each other, it just made things worse....
A women bar owner would drag unruly customers outside by biting their ear, if they still resisted she would bite the ear off & put it in a jar!
A local gangster was drugged & shanghaied, the ship he was taken too was found drifting, the Captains cabin sprayed from floor to ceiling with blood & fingers found on the deck next to the axe used to kill the crew, the fingers hacked off when a boy would not release the railing....
Startling reading for history buffs.

[Usarka]

Matterhorn by Ken Marlantes. It took 35 years for this former soldier to complete his opus and it has become a bestseller.


Chur W001.

+1 for this novel, and this thread rocks it enables me to find gems like this.

10/10.

[Winston001]

Dark Matter by Greg Isles is a good thriller as well as valid sci-fi. The premise is that a group of clever chaps are trying to build a computer to copy the human brain. Then one chap dies, and another chap becomes suspicious.

Its a well paced thriller mixing science, political dilemmas, eastern mysticism, and danger. The story is close enough to being real that it also makes the reader think.

Recommended.

[FJRider]

Green eggs an Ham ... :innocent: (Google it ...)

Loved it ....:facepalm:

(Written by a Dr ... so it is must be truthful ...)

[Winston001]

The Machiavelli Covenant by Allan Folsom is a rip roaring thriller which conspiracy theorists will love. Folsom is a very successful author and wields an effective pen to keep the readers interest and the suspense up.

The premise involves a plan to sort out wimpy politicians - by removing them - and take assertive action against Islamic countries.

I'm sure plenty of people will enjoy this book but the author is too sloppy and grandiose for my taste. The moment Italian police snipers used a 50cal Barrett in a city, I lost belief in the story. No sniper would use such a ferocious weapon among civilians.

Still, I did finish the book rather than putting it aside.

[Blackshear]

After having read the first 3 or whatever Artemis Fowl books when I was a few years younger, picked up an e-copy of the latest one.
While probably aimed at younger people, I can't say that it should be. Everything is delivered to the reader without having had thoughts about the twists, but engaging nonetheless.

EDIT:
Just realized I dont have the latest one, and I've skipped one somewhere.
Goddamn sonnuva

[Swoop]

Currently reading Bullet Proof, by Matt Croucher.
240397
Royal Marines 40 Commando, involved with the Iraqi invasion and battles around Basra.
Afganistan after that.
Awarded a George Cross for throwing himself on a grenade and saving his mates, then refusing to be medevaced so he could be involved in the ambush to see if any tali-tubbies would appear to investigate what set off the boobytrap.

Interestingly he should be a member here. Purchased a new gsxr750 and then crashed on a corner... and spent 9 months in hospital/recovery.

A bit of a blowhard overall. 6/10.


The moment Italian police snipers used a 50cal Barrett in a city, I lost belief in the story. No sniper would use such a ferocious weapon among civilians.
... Oh, you'd be surprised...

[marty]

Influencer. A psychology book. read it yesterday while I had a few free hours. REALLY good.

240398

[Winston001]

... Oh, you'd be surprised...

Oh c'mon man, third world places with people don't count as cities. Its a free fire zone. :devil2:

[Swoop]

Oh c'mon man, third world places with people don't count as cities. Its a free fire zone. :devil2:
Well, then you'd need a Browning .50...:shit:


It is interesting to note the amount of Barrett rifles in the hands of municipal police departments in the US.

[Winston001]

Well, then you'd need a Browning .50...:shit:


It is interesting to note the amount of Barrett rifles in the hands of municipal police departments in the US.

Yeah?? Get outta here. Damn, thats just wrong.

Although its primary purpose is immobilisation of vehicles so I can see why police would like it. Notice the US Coastguard use the Barrett which makes sense.

Anyway, check this out:

<embed id="VideoPlayback" src="about:blank" style="width:400px;height:326px" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash">

[HenryDorsetCase]

Thanks for the recommendation of Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I am reading it at present and thoroughly enjoying it.

I tried and failed to read The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer as one of the required texts in ENGL205 (I think it was)... couldnt handle the way twere written. This is much easier going, and according to wikipedia, the structure is the same.

[Swoop]

Too Few Too Far.

241264

Posted for a 12 month tour of the Falkland Islands, George Thomsen gets to see Argentine mainland occasionally and recognises "something is strange" and a prelude to war is lingering.

Very interesting details of Falkland Islander's lives. Extreme desolation and remote terrain that is hostile to human existance.

Despatched from the Falklands to reinforce the small group of marines on South Georgia who are obseving a group of scrap merchants who have landed illegally and are causing an international incident.

With the invasion of the Falklands heard live on the radio, the 22 Royal Marines are left to defend the capital of South Georgia, Grytviken.

They faced overwhelming odds yet fought well above their weight. Shooting down a helicopter and putting anti-tank, LAW and small arms fire into a warship which manages to disable her!
The Argentine commander suspects a trap when only 22 Marines are eventually lined up. He cannot believe that this was the force he was up against.

Well put together. A book which covers a battle most will never have heard of.
Fought in the most atrocious place for weather conditions possible. A force 11 gale and freezing conditions occur frequently and without warning.

8.5/10.

[Ocean1]

The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter.

By Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

The first of either author I've indulged in, I believe.

A collaboration fuelled by a Douglas-esque (HHGTTG) love of language as a weapon of humour. Set in the end times. Sort of.

Lovely. Read it, is very good.

[Winston001]

Welcome to the Terry Pratchett fan club, you'll never leave. Gaiman is clever too.

[PrincessBandit]

This catchy title caught my eye in the library the other day. The full title is:
"I hate myself and want to die; the 52 most depressing songs you've ever heard"
written by Tom Reynolds.

For such a dire sounding title the book is actually hilarious to read. The author analyses his top 52 most depressing songs and groups them into the following subheadings: I was a teenage car crash (includes "Tell laura I love her"),
I hate myself and want to die (includes "Goodbye to Love" by the Carpenters, "At Seventeen" by Janis Ian and "One" by Metallica),
I'm trying to be profound and touching but really suck at it (includes "MacArthur Park", "In the year 2525" and "The Rose)
If I sing about drugs people will take me seriously (includes "let her cry" by Hootie... and "Captain jack" Billy joel)
She hates me, I hate her (includes "Love will tear us apart" Joy Division, "You don't bring me flowers" Diamond and Streisand, and "Brick" Ben Fold Five)
Horrifying remakes of already depressing songs (includes, "All by myself" by Celine Dion, "I will always love you" by Whitney Houston and "Send in the Clowns" by everybody)
I'm telling a story nobody wants to hear (includes "Comfortably Numb" Pink Floyd, "People who died" the Jim Carroll Band, "Sylvias Mother" Dr. Hook and "the End" The Doors)
I had no idea this song was so morbid (includes "Alone again, naturally" Gilbert O'Sullivan and "Artificial Flowers" Bobby Darin)
I mope, therefore I am (includes "Prayers for rain" The Cure, "Sister Morphine" Marianne Faithfull and "Hurt" Nine Inch nails)
and last but not least Perfect Storms which include "Seasons in the sun" Terry jacks, "Honey" Bobby Goldsboro and "The Shortest Story" by Harry Chapin.

His explanation of the subtitles include, and I quote, "For Horrifying Remakes of Already Depressing Songs, a singer takes a mildly gloomy tune and transforms it into a thing of utter horror. Think of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein with a rhythm section... Perfect Storms: Only a handful of tunes qualify as 'perfect storms', where numerous factors unite to create a depressing song of Live Wolverine Shoved Down My Pants proportions."

He uses hilarious expressions such as "brain concussion modulation": He explains "this is when vocalists, anxious to show that they can hit a high J, wait breathlessly while the orchestra slams the music into a higher key. BCMs are found near the end of practically every 1990s power love ballad sung by the Big Three: Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston."

Each of the 52 songs in their various sub sections starts with a short history of the song writer, then what the song is about, and finishes with a description of why it is so depressing. The guy writes in a sidesplittingly funny (if you know the songs and have some musical knowledge especially) even though at times he sounds like a queen bitch...To top the whole book off, the cover has a picture of a cutesy wutesy albino toy wabbit looking very glum.

[Laava]

Eat, Drink and be Married. Eve Makis.
Funny in a very similar way to My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
8/10

[pete376403]

Game of Thrones - George RR Martin. Bought it to read after watching the TV series, thinking I'd need to fill in all the missing bits. major surprise - the TV series is absolutely true to the book, apart from some of the girls being made a bit older. Things would be a bit close to pedo otherwise.

Both book and TV series are excellent if you like knights/swords/political intrigue with a touch of incest, rape, adultery, etc.
TV series not quite the spatterfest that Spartacus was.

Currently listening to the audio-books of the subsequent novels, 4 at about 30 -35 hours each.

[gale_wolf]

Game of Thrones - George RR Martin. Bought it to read after watching the TV series, thinking I'd need to fill in all the missing bits. major surprise - the TV series is absolutely true to the book, apart from some of the girls being made a bit older. Things would be a bit close to pedo otherwise.

Both book and TV series are excellent if you like knights/swords/political intrigue with a touch of incest, rape, adultery, etc.
TV series not quite the spatterfest that Spartacus was.

Currently listening to the audio-books of the subsequent novels, 4 at about 30 -35 hours each.
+1. My wife and I are both reading the 4th book in the series now (the 4-book set was so cheap online I ordered us 2 sets). Her only complaint about the series was that "it could use a bit more romance", but now she's made me pre-order the 5th book too. I've barely read any books to completion in the last few years but have raced through this series at a record pace (well, fast for me anyway).

[Swoop]

What was I thinking. Paul Henry.

242928

A memoir of boyhood activities, moving to and from NZ several times, but learning all the time. Determination and drive, and how to get on in the world, even though dyslexia is a constant battle.

Radio is the true passion and where he feels most at home.

If you want information on the last phase of his career at tvnz, then the last chapter is about all there is.

A very handy cut-out-and-keep form letter was included for all those whining morons who like to complain to the broadcasting standards authority.


A pleasant read. 5.5/10.

[Usarka]

Iron Coffins - Commander Herbert A. Werner 1969

http://www.glencannon.com/bookcovers/iron_coffins.jpg

A dramatic autobiographical account of a German U-boat captain during WWII. Easy to read, it gives a real taste for life of a U boat sailor. If you like military history and submarines (and Das Boot!) then this book is a must read.

[Winston001]

An excellent book about the history of submarines.

http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Killers-Submarines-Underwater-Military/dp/1849083657/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314434994&sr=1-1

[Winston001]

This is a good book for anybody interested in the Afghanistan campaign. Jon Krakauer is a fine writer who ably carries the reader through potentially boring pieces (descriptions of American football) to the core events. A decent young American soldier, Pat Tillman, gives up a million dollar sports career to serve in the Army Rangers.

He is killed by friendly fire.

Its a lesson in the unromantic reality of armed conflict.

[Winston001]

I've read a lot of SAS biographies but few army reports of modern conflicts. So this book cured that in spades - it was almost too much.

Attack State Red is the record of the Royal Anglian Regiment's mission in the Sangin Valley, Afghanistan in the spring of 2007.

Fields of poppies and maize concealing Taliban fighters, narrow alleyways between mudbrick compounds, overgrown ditches and canals, mines, etc. Heat, dehydration, heavy bodyarmour, biting insects, jammed rifles... plus the Taliban are experienced fighters and no walkover.

A very realistic well written record. Recommended.

http://attackstatered.com/

[Usarka]

I just finally had some time to read and have finished Ed Macy's APACHE. Just started HELLFIRE. Loved both of them. And the highlight of APACHE is the last sortie: they either had to give him a MC or DFC, or cashier him!... Unbelievable.

Chur bro, just finished reading Apache. Almost put it down about a third of the way through because it was starting to feel like every other special forces/helicopter pilot/grunt/etc book that's come out recently. Very glad I perservered.

[ynot slow]

Finished reading Croz=Larrikin Biker,very easy read biography of the legend,and written the way he rode,loose as lol.Can still recall the kwaka at Wanganui around 1977 ish on one wheel,he was our hero to all us kids at the time.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I am still reading David Kilcullen's "The Accidental Guerilla" will finish on hols next week.

[george formby]

Chur bro, just finished reading Apache. Almost put it down about a third of the way through because it was starting to feel like every other special forces/helicopter pilot/grunt/etc book that's come out recently. Very glad I perservered.

Cue twilight zone music. I have just been loaned that book (Apache) & Kenny Roberts road racing technique. Review's in a bit.

[george formby]

Just finished reading Seven Troop, Andy Mcnab. Have only read Bravo Two Zero from him before.
Interesting & readable book but gets bloody depressing towards the end.
It covers his time in the SAS from first training in the jungle after selection, skimming through Northern Ireland, Belize, Oman & Iraq with recollections on his youth & different training throughout. The end of the book focuses on what happens when you leave the regiment, this is when it gets heavy & shows they are not super men.

One quote which hints at this is "more soldiers committed suicide after the Falklands war than died in it" Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Lots of swearing, larrikins & shooting but also a lot about the consequences.

[Zedder]

Just finished reading Seven Troop, Andy Mcnab. Have only read Bravo Two Zero from him before.
Interesting & readable book but gets bloody depressing towards the end.
It covers his time in the SAS from first training in the jungle after selection, skimming through Northern Ireland, Belize, Oman & Iraq with recollections on his youth & different training throughout. The end of the book focuses on what happens when you leave the regiment, this is when it gets heavy & shows they are not super men.

One quote which hints at this is "more soldiers committed suicide after the Falklands war than died in it" Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Lots of swearing, larrikins & shooting but also a lot about the consequences.

Check out "The real bravo two zero" by Michael Asher. It gets behind the facts of the mission and provides a different perspective.

[Winston001]

Just finished reading Seven Troop, Andy Mcnab. Have only read Bravo Two Zero from him before.


I have read both. Bravo Two Zero is well written and a good read. But. McNab exaggerated and invented incidents to make it more exciting. For that reason I don't read him any more.

FYI Sgt McNab lead the Bravo Two Zero patrol to watch the MSR (main supply route - road) between Jordan and Baghdad. He could have taken trailbikes but elected to do it hard by tabbing in from the helicoptor drop off. With over 100kg per man. Bad decision. On top of that the guys had no warm gear despite it being winter with desert nights at freezing level.

Vince Phillips and Legs Lane died of hypothermia while evading the Iraqis.

McNab portrays himself to be the hero but the SAS debriefed the survivors and had a far different view.

If you want a good read on the SAS, try Peter Ratcliffe: Eye of The Storm. He retired as Regimental Sergeant Major and talks about McNab's mistakes at one point but mainly the Falklands and other operations.

Also, for the 1991 Iraq War, Sabre Squadron by Cameron Spence is an excellent book. Its about SAS squadrons in Pinkies roving around the deserts of Iraq and giving the locals some nasty surprises. Recommended.

[Winston001]

Check out "The real bravo two zero" by Michael Asher. It gets behind the facts of the mission and provides a different perspective.

Yeah there are at least four books on the mission and a TV documentary. Its a fascinating account of how a special forces patrol operates and just how easily things go wrong. Radios didn't work. No warm clothing.

[george formby]

Yeah there are at least four books on the mission and a TV documentary. Its a fascinating account of how a special forces patrol operates and just how easily things go wrong. Radios didn't work. No warm clothing.

Yup, I read Chris Ryans account a few years ago too, the name escapes me at the mo. :facepalm:

I still reckon the best og the lot is the the history of the LRDG & how David Stirling started off the whole special forces thing. Truly hard bastards.

[Zedder]

Yeah there are at least four books on the mission and a TV documentary. Its a fascinating account of how a special forces patrol operates and just how easily things go wrong. Radios didn't work. No warm clothing.

Andy McNab just laughed off the assertions about his incompetance though and reckons the publicity has actually helped him sell more books.:facepalm:

[Drunken Monkey]

Yup, I read Chris Ryans account a few years ago too, the name escapes me at the mo. :facepalm:


"The one that got away" - it's easy enough to remember, he was the one that got away!

Mike Coburn's Soldier Five is more grounded than the McNab and Ryan versions, worth a read.

[Blackbird]

I've just read Aussie Paul Carter's latest book "Is that a diesel?" about his ride round Australia on a Cagiva-framed adventure bike, powered by a small single cylinder pump engine running on cooking oil.

Paul writes in a style where you immediately identify with him and is one of the funniest writers around... as in snot coming down your nose! He's an ex-oil rig worker and his two previous books on rig life are outstanding too.

The review of his latest book is on my blog: http://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2011/09/light-hearted-book-review.html

[Zedder]

"The one that got away" - it's easy enough to remember, he was the one that got away!

Mike Coburn's Soldier Five is more grounded than the McNab and Ryan versions, worth a read.

'Course it's more grounded, he's a Kiwi.

Anyone into Lee Childs and the Reacher stories?

[pritch]

'Course it's more grounded, he's a Kiwi.

Anyone into Lee Childs and the Reacher stories?

Yeah, I like. Last time I was in hospital, reading the latest Reacher, the anaesthetist (sp?) was telling me he fancied playing the part in the movies.

That was funny because he is considerably short of Reacher's imposing physical statistics.

I tried to point that out as politely as possible, so he started walking round on tip toe.
"I could wear heel raises."

[pritch]

You guys seem to like war books. One I read recently"The Junior Officers' Reading Club" impressed me.

The book recounts the author's time at Sandhurst and his experiences up to and including his tour in Afghanistan as a subaltern.

His tale is not full of bravado and bullshit, he comes across as very matter of fact.
His prognosis regarding the outcome of the war and the reasons for it make depressing reading but are mercifully brief.

There is a generous sprinkling of military acronyms which tended to accentuate the fact that those acronyms with which I'm familiar are waaaay out of date. A comprehensive glossary is included should you need it.

[Swoop]

Andy McNab just laughed off the assertions about his incompetance though and reckons the publicity has actually helped him sell more books.:facepalm:
Andy "McNab" (Pen surname used) is a bit of a blowhard and his follow up novels cement that concept...

I've just read Aussie Paul Carter's latest book "Is that a diesel?" about his ride round Australia on a Cagiva-framed adventure bike, powered by a small single cylinder pump engine running on cooking oil.

Paul writes in a style where you immediately identify with him and is one of the funniest writers around... as in snot coming down your nose! He's an ex-oil rig worker and his two previous books on rig life are outstanding too.
I was going to put up a review of that book as well! Certainly entertainingly written and I look forward to reading his books on the oil rig work.
His morning of "getting from home to the conference in time" was superb.:lol:

[Zedder]

Yeah, I like. Last time I was in hospital, reading the latest Reacher, the anaesthetist (sp) was telling me he fancied playing the part in the movies.

That was funny because he is considerably short of Reacher's imposing physical statistics.

I tried to point that out as politely as possible, so he started walking round on tip toe.
"I could wear heel raises."

Now that is really funny.

Did you read the one about the underground bunker with the jet fuel fire and if so what's your thoughts on how reacher got out?

[Kickaha]

what's your thoughts on how reacher got out?

He ran up the stairs really really fast

[Zedder]

He ran up the stairs really really fast

Yeah, but how did he get away from the huge fireball that blasted the area?

[Winston001]

Andy McNab just laughed off the assertions about his incompetance though and reckons the publicity has actually helped him sell more books.:facepalm:

True. He's very successful.

I wouldn't say he was incompetent, not at all. He simply make a bad call at the start of the mission but who was to know what would happen? McNab's sin in my eyes is he needlessly exaggerated the E&E and painted himself as a hero. Other SAS soldiers have written better books and with modesty.

[Zedder]

You guys seem to like war books. One I read recently"The Junior Officers' Reading Club" impressed me.

The book recounts the author's time at Sandhurst and his experiences up to and including his tour in Afghanistan as a subaltern.

His tale is not full of bravado and bullshit, he comes across as very matter of fact.
His prognosis regarding the outcome of the war and the reasons for it make depressing reading but are mercifully brief.

There is a generous sprinkling of military acronyms which tended to accentuate the fact that those acronyms with which I'm familiar are waaaay out of date. A comprehensive glossary is included should you need it.

Thanks for that, I'll put it on my to-read list. I'm also into sci-fi as well and travel stories like Gryff Rhy-Jones' sailing trips and Ewan Mcgregors motorbike sagas.

You wrote "Last time I was in hospital" which sounds like you make a habit of it. Nothing serious I hope?

[Zedder]

True. He's very successful.

I wouldn't say he was incompetent, not at all. He simply make a bad call at the start of the mission but who was to know what would happen? McNab's sin in my eyes is he needlessly exaggerated the E&E and painted himself as a hero. Other SAS soldiers have written better books and with modesty.

Yes, I think he got it all off to a bad start and not keeping to the E&E plan was a big mistake. Also, he does seem to be a bit more arrogant than other SAS authors.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I really enjoyed this, great holiday reading:

DEVIL'S GUARD by George Robert Elford.

http://www.bookdepository.com/Devils-Guard-George-Robert-Elford/9780440120148

it is fiction though the intro says its fact.

Story of the recreation of a Waffen SS brigade under the French Foreign Legion, in the first Indochinese war in 1948 -54.

Fairly gripping, and man, does the author hate Commies or what? great holiday reading.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Guard

[BoristheBiter]

I am half way through "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin.

Its the second of five books, the first book "a game of thrones" has been made into a TV series, so this is the first one i have read.

Sort of a LOTR meets the Borgias.

[Zedder]

I've just finished "Archangel", by Robert Harris, it's about information in a diary of Joseph Stalins that could greatly affect modern Russia. One of those fiction-but- could-be-quite-true books.

[Usarka]

Take Her Deep - I. J. Galantin

Another account of WWII submarines by an American skipper and retired admiral. Not overly embellished like some accounts seem to be, very good read if you like bloops. It was embarrasing asking for it at the library though.

[HenryDorsetCase]

^^^ best google search results ever!

So I just finished REAMDE (not a typo) by Neal Stephenson.

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Reamde-Neal-Stephenson/9781848874480


Get this and read it, thank me later. Excellent Bourne-style boys own adventureI. Stephenson is probably best known as a science fiction/fantasy author, as is William Gibson (another of my favourites) but all of their latest output is definitely set in the present tense real world, and any science fictional aspects are just tweaks on current tech that you will find in your mobile phone in a year or so's time.

I have this half developed thought that science fiction as a genre is pretty much done: I havent read anything compelling in the genre for years, really. The stuff that has been worth reading (Cory Doctorow, Gibson, Stephenson) is set in the here and now. Of course science fiction has always been about present day concerns, with some window dressing to make it look bold and different to a non-critical audience, but lately? Meh.

Anyway, REAMDE is totally recommended.

[Winston001]

I have this half developed thought that science fiction as a genre is pretty much done: I havent read anything compelling in the genre for years, really. The stuff that has been worth reading (Cory Doctorow, Gibson, Stephenson) is set in the here and now.

Yeah, kind of agree. I prefer hard SF with an imaginative story to hold it all together, something based on solid science which expands the mind. Haven't found much over the past decade and I notice my teenagers have no interest in SF at all. Perhaps one problem is we are already living in the future and readers want the distraction of fantasy instead - vampires, wizards etc.

[SPman]

'Course it's more grounded, he's a Kiwi.

Anyone into Lee Childs and the Reacher stories?Read all the Reacher stories - just finished the latest one - "The Affair".
Currently reading "Snuff", the latest Terry Pratchett Discworld book (good old Amazon Kindle readers)
I have this half developed thought that science fiction as a genre is pretty much done: Just read all the Peter Hamilton books (got them on the phone) - they are pretty reasonable.

[Usarka]

I've started reading Iain M. Banks' stuff and quite enjoying it. Set very far future (or somewhere else) it seems to manage to avoid being too "fantasy" which I find a lot of these types of book can be (and then zabloodiggidly flew over Lapoozarone and engaged the Xielandian wobblecruiser with blah blah). Banks manages to write with depth and a fairly unique feel to it.

And he's the same Ian Banks (his non-sci-fi name) that wrote the The Wasp Factory (which is good).

[george formby]

I've started reading Iain M. Banks' stuff and quite enjoying it. Set very far future (or somewhere else) it seems to manage to avoid being too "fantasy" which I find a lot of these types of book can be (and then zabloodiggidly flew over Lapoozarone and engaged the Xielandian wobblecruiser with blah blah). Banks manages to write with depth and a fairly unique feel to it.

And he's the same Ian Banks (his non-sci-fi name) that wrote the The Wasp Factory (which is good).

One of my fav authors. Read The Algebraist a few times now, probbly his best SF book IMHO. He manages to mix physics, humour & convoluted plots very well. I'm slowly building up my collection of his SF & CF again. Currently re-reading Look to Windward.

[pete376403]

Years ago I read "Ancient Lights" by Davis Grubb. Haven't been able to find another copy locally, will try Amazon.
Slightly weird, lots of sex of various flavours, and really topical with the Occupy Wall Street protests going on right now.

[Conquiztador]

And so, apologies if already mentioned.

Nikky Sixx's Heroin Diaries.

For those who wonder who he is: Bass player in Motley Crew (and also main figure in his own band Sixx AM)

A insight in to the 80's Hard Rock scene. He died. Twice. Second time he went home straight after and changed his phone message to: (Sorry, can't remember exact words, but close to:) "I'cant answer the phone because I just died."

His album of same name ties in to the book. The book is written using his diaries while in the claws of heroin. And every episode has side comments from others who where there. (He tells of heavy partying with Slash. And also about Slash's problem of pissing in the bed... When Slash was in NZ and interviewed on Rock I wanted to ask the question if this was true... This was not PC enough I take...)

I was unable to put the book down before I had read it all. But I suppose there are those who would hate it. As they say: You only recognise things you know.

[Highlander]

I have read both. Bravo Two Zero is well written and a good read. But. McNab exaggerated and invented incidents to make it more exciting. For that reason I don't read him any more.

FYI Sgt McNab lead the Bravo Two Zero patrol to watch the MSR (main supply route - road) between Jordan and Baghdad. He could have taken trailbikes but elected to do it hard by tabbing in from the helicoptor drop off. With over 100kg per man. Bad decision. On top of that the guys had no warm gear despite it being winter with desert nights at freezing level.

Vince Phillips and Legs Lane died of hypothermia while evading the Iraqis.

McNab portrays himself to be the hero but the SAS debriefed the survivors and had a far different view. .

Soldier Five was book by the Kiwi Guy on loan in that patrol - Mike Coburn. Cracked me up that he gets horribly air sick and in training after two hours in the back of a Hurcules following the contour of the earth when they opened the door for his first jump he couldn't get out quick enough.
The One that got away was the Chris Ryan account that was good reading. He was the initial creator of the TV series "Ultimate Force" and made regular appearances in it.

McNab spins a good yarn and if his books are read for entertainment value, they do come accross as someone who knows what he is talking about though Chris Ryans novels just seam more authentic.


Also, for the 1991 Iraq War, Sabre Squadron by Cameron Spence is an excellent book. Its about SAS squadrons in Pinkies roving around the deserts of Iraq and giving the locals some nasty surprises. Recommended.

That was a really good read.

John Nichol was a Tornado pilot in the RAF that got shot down in Iraq and spent the rest of the war as a POW his book "Tornado Down" is pretty interesting too.

[Highlander]

This is the book the movie "Shooter" was based on, staring Mark Whalberg, Danny Glover and Kate Mara (among others).

Really enjoyed the movie until I read the book.
Well written, after the first half dozen pages you don't want to put it down.


Have read a couple of others by Stephen Hunter too, all good reading.


Has anyone read the series of books the TV series "Game Of Thrones" is based on? The ads for the TV series look good, but I would rather read a book than watch telly.

[SMOKEU]

I'm just about to start reading the English version of "Mein Kampf". Anyone else here read it?

[pete376403]

[QUOTE=Highlander;1130189241Has anyone read the series of books the TV series "Game Of Thrones" is based on? The ads for the TV series look good, but I would rather read a book than watch telly.[/QUOTE]

Yup. And they are all as good as "Game of Thrones" (Both the book and the series. HBO really stuck to the storyline, about the only obvious change is the children were made a bit older)

Hopefully HBO will make further TV series sticking as closely to the boos as they did for GoT.

[quickbuck]

Finished reading Croz=Larrikin Biker,very easy read biography of the legend,and written the way he rode,loose as lol.Can still recall the kwaka at Wanganui around 1977 ish on one wheel,he was our hero to all us kids at the time.


Yup,
I have too.... Great read.
Has some awesome stuff in it... I have to read Barry Sheene the Biography again, as they were written about events during the same era.
It has a small connection to the RNZAF too, as John Woodley used to work here, and Croz makes mention of his monoshock set-up.....


Another great read is "You don't know the half of it", by Aaron Slight (with Paul Owen), Aaron has even signed my copy!
There is also "Murphys Law", and "Bourne to Rally" that Paul Owen helped with.... Possums was finished after he was tragically killed.

[BoristheBiter]

Yup. And they are all as good as "Game of Thrones" (Both the book and the series. HBO really stuck to the storyline, about the only obvious change is the children were made a bit older)

Hopefully HBO will make further TV series sticking as closely to the boos as they did for GoT.

I'm just about to finish book 4 in the series. all the books are great, keep you guessing as just when you think what's about to happen something else does.

[Swoop]

Hostile Waters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostile_Waters_(book)).
252704

The Soviet boomer K-219 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_submarine_K-219)is an ancient submarine missile boat that is assigned to patrol off of the American coastline. Normal standards of communist repairs and maintenance develop into an explosion of a ballistic missile which causes poison acid gas AND radioactivity in compartments.
The boat uncontrollably dives into the depths. Sailors have to climb into the melting-down reactors and MANUALLY (with a spanner!) shut down the nuclear powerplants while battling with a toxic acidcloud atmosphere which eats everything it touches.

Impressive bravery and also cowardice (fucking Zampolits!) make this a great read. Could not put it down, literally.

9/10

[blue rider]

Rip
Christopher Hitchens 1949 - 2011

best quote ever
"Calling Henry Kissinger a 'war criminal' is not an epithet, it's a job description."

good read

Why Orwell Matters


currently re-reading

Issac Assimov - Cages of Steel - The Robot Series

Haynes Johnson - Sleepwalking through History - America in the Reagan Years

Marquis the Sade - Justine, or the Misfortunes of Virtue

Anais Nin - Little Birds

Ben Elton - Stark

[Usarka]

Rip
Christopher Hitchens 1949 - 2011


Arse. For those who aren't familiar with him, search youtube for "hitchslap".

[HenryDorsetCase]

Arse. For those who aren't familiar with him, search youtube for "hitchslap".

agreed. RIP Hitch.

mQorzOS-F6w

I think it [religion] should be treated with ridicule, and hatred and contempt and I claim that right.

Fuck yes,.

[HenryDorsetCase]

ZONE ONE by Colson Whitehead. Brilliantly written. This guy is good. Went to Harvard and won a bunch of prizes. Oh yeah, its genre fiction: Post Zombie-Apocalypse, set in New York.

Absolutely brilliant.

Dont pay $40+ from your local bookshop: the hardback is $25 from bookdepository. and it will be here in a week or so.

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Zone-One-Colson-Whitehead/9781846555985

[Indiana_Jones]

While I was waiting for my computer to run some tests I sat down a read 'Wilt', I have read it before I think, but certainly have seen the film.

A fucking classic book and very funny.

Have a few more Tom Sharpe books lying around and should crack into them.

-Indy

[Brett]

Bear Grylls: Mud, Sweat and Tears. A really interesting read about the life of the man. Not quite what I expected, I think it showed him to be a humble, family guy who simply loves the outdoors and pushing his limits and is not particularly fussed about a) being a celebrity or b) about making money. He does it for the love of it.
An interesting example of the type of character he is; to raise some money for a friend who needed new prosthetic legs, he and a mate thought it would be a great idea to sail a bath tub down the Thames, through London nonetheless, while completely naked.

Definitely worth a read, apparently books are sold out in NZ though.

[Usarka]

Neal Asher - The Departure

I've pretty much enjoyed all his books since someone recommended neal asher in this thread about a year ago (thanks to whoever that was). For those familiar with his stuff, this appears to be a prequel to the Polity before the point where artificial intelligence starts to take over ruling the earth. But this can easily be read standalone.

It has a very strong 1984 theme running through it, and I found the concept has a greater impact now that it's brought up to date with technology and culture being more believable to the modern reader. Lots of references to how freedom gets slowly removed without people caring, the corruption of power, and what happens when the numbers become more imporant than the poeple you're supposed to be looking after.

How did it get the people to willingly forgo all control over their own destinies? Simple, really; it used the formula proven by governments that were it's original components. First make the people afraid........

In a nut shell, a rather violent sci-fi that's easy to read but with enough depth to satisfy those who want it. Sweet.

[bogan]

Was probably me who recommended Asher, read all his books I could find about a year ago, will have to go and get my mitts on The Technician, and The Departure now.

John Ringo is another one I've been heavily into at the moment. A very of a different take on intergalactic warfare, but very well though out and written.

And I also have some Orson Scott Card to catch up on.

[Winston001]

And I also have some Orson Scott Card to catch up on.

Yeah.... Liked Enders Game, thought Speaker for the Dead was interesting, Enders Shadow good but overall Card is a dark writer. Too dark for me. Each to their own.

[dmoo1790]

Was probably me who recommended Asher, read all his books I could find about a year ago, will have to go and get my mitts on The Technician, and The Departure now.

John Ringo is another one I've been heavily into at the moment. A very of a different take on intergalactic warfare, but very well though out and written.

And I also have some Orson Scott Card to catch up on.

+1 for Neal Asher. Watch out for John Ringo's Ghost (I think) series though. Seriously sick in an unpleasant way. Not like the invasion series at all.

[nudemetalz]

Reading a great one at the moment called "Roberts Ridge"

A true story about a bunch of US special forces soldiers in Afghanistan in 2003 that get shot down in a Chinook and have to fight their way back.
Sorta along the lines of Blackhawk Down (another excellent book and better than the movie).
Very very hard to put the book down !!

[Usarka]

Sorta along the lines of Blackhawk Down (another excellent book and better than the movie).


Cheers for the rec....

Mark Bowden (wrote black hawk down) also wrote a book about Pablo Escobar - called Killing Pablo. Not a shabby read either....

[neels]

A prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving.

As excellent as I expected, he is excellent at writing strange characters, kind of a book about religion but not really.

[gonzo_akl]

^^^ best google search results ever!

So I just finished REAMDE (not a typo) by Neal Stephenson.

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Reamde-Neal-Stephenson/9781848874480


Get this and read it, thank me later. Excellent Bourne-style boys own adventureI. Stephenson is probably best known as a science fiction/fantasy author, as is William Gibson (another of my favourites) but all of their latest output is definitely set in the present tense real world, and any science fictional aspects are just tweaks on current tech that you will find in your mobile phone in a year or so's time.


Anyway, REAMDE is totally recommended.

Thanks for this recommendation - took me a while to get into mainly because i started reading it leading up to christmas and I had a bit on.

So thanks had a good read over an average christmas.

Cheers

[Usarka]

Dispatches - Michael Herr


Probably the best vietnam war book I've read. Herr was a correspondant in vietnam for Esquire, and he focuses on the grunt in the field rather than what's going on in press conferences. It's a collection of short and long snippets that are hectically structured but (usually) flow really well, almost poetically in a style that has some similarities to Hunter S Thompson.

After reading a couple of familiar scenes I found out Herr went on to screenplay Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket. Such as a chopper door gunner being asked "How can you shoot women and children?" with his reply "Easy, you just don't lead them as much"

Check out the reviews http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dispatches-Picador-Michael-Herr/dp/0330255738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327887677&sr=8-1

[nudemetalz]

Dispatches - Michael Herr


Probably the best vietnam war book I've read. Herr was a correspondant in vietnam for Esquire, and he focuses on the grunt in the field rather than what's going on in press conferences. It's a collection of short and long snippets that are hectically structured but (usually) flow really well, almost poetically in a style that has some similarities to Hunter S Thompson.

After reading a couple of familiar scenes I found out Herr went on to screenplay Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket. Such as a chopper door gunner being asked "How can you shoot women and children?" with his reply "Easy, you just don't lead them as much"

Check out the reviews http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dispatches-Picador-Michael-Herr/dp/0330255738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327887677&sr=8-1

Thank you. This will be my next read.

[Usarka]

Quarantine - Greg Egan

I'd run out of books by my fav sci-fi authors so i used http://www.literature-map.com/ and found Greg Egan.

Quarantine probably falls into the "hard" sci-fi camp (whatever that means), and is set around 2080. It dives head first into the mind bending subject of quantum mechanics, multiple probability states etc, all while being a bloody good read. If the rest of his stuff is like this then yay I have a new author to read.

[jrandom]

Have I mentioned Iain M. Banks on this thread yet?

I'm currently re-reading Consider Phlebas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consider_Phlebas). He's the best writer of hard sf in the history of the genre, IMHO.

However, what I really need to pimp here is the work of Katherine Kerr, in particular the Deverry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deverry_cycle) series of fantasy novels, which I've just finished.

If you value my opinion in the slightest, please, do yourself a favour and start reading them.

[jrandom]

Anyone in here have a Kindle? I'm thinking of getting one next payday. Comments welcome.

[Usarka]

I seriously considered it, but I got put off the kindle because as far as i could work out you don't actually "own" the book, and it's not portable to other readers. For the latter, I believe there is software that may help. For the former, Amazon reached out and deleted all the copies of 1984 that it sold. Excellent choice of book to do it to!

[jrandom]

I seriously considered it, but I got put off the kindle because as far as i could work out you don't actually "own" the book, and it's not portable to other readers. For the latter, I believe there is software that may help. For the former, Amazon reached out and deleted all the copies of 1984 that it sold. Excellent choice of book to do it to!

Surely the Kindle has the ability to read HTML / text / open-format ebook files? Or is it locked down? Must be rootable with some minor effort. I just want the hardware.

I want one because it's actually designed for the purpose I'll be using it for - screen readability, battery life, etc. Laptops and even tablets don't quite fit the bill.

[Usarka]

Kindle doesn't do epub, but there is an app (caliber?) that you can use to convert. i absolutely agree about the readability, price, etc. I just got put off by the proprietariness of it (prob more emotional than logical). Oh, and the free-ness and onlineliness of auckland libraries.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Quarantine - Greg Egan

I'd run out of books by my fav sci-fi authors so i used http://www.literature-map.com/ and found Greg Egan.

Quarantine probably falls into the "hard" sci-fi camp (whatever that means), and is set around 2080. It dives head first into the mind bending subject of quantum mechanics, multiple probability states etc, all while being a bloody good read. If the rest of his stuff is like this then yay I have a new author to read.

A couple of pages back I bleated about the death of science fiction, but I think its got some life left in it yet.

Just finished THE WINDUP GIRL by Paolo Bacigalupi. It won a bunch of awards (Hugo, Nebula, John W Campbell) and it is excellent. Very accomplished for a first published novel.

Science fiction is always about "now" and whatever todays big issues are (Star Trek (TOS) - Cold War, Stand on Zanzibar - overcrowding/population growth etc) and this novel is about stuff that is current: So the end of oil, climate change, genetic engineering. Totally worth reading.

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Windup-Girl-Paolo-Bacigalupi/9781441866882

[HenryDorsetCase]

currently reading

FROM THE VELVETS TO THE VOIDOIDS by Clinton Heylin

basically all the music I love: this is where it started.

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/From-Velvets-Voidoids-Clinton-Heylin/9781556525759


Its meant I revisited a lot of music I havent heard for years too. Easy to hit the "big 3" on repeat all the time (Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads) and nothing wrong with that, but listening to Television, various compilations I have, and some old vinyl is worthwhile.

anyone got a copy of the first Suicide album?

[Ocean1]

Kindle doesn't do epub, but there is an app (caliber?) that you can use to convert. i absolutely agree about the readability, price, etc. I just got put off by the proprietariness of it (prob more emotional than logical). Oh, and the free-ness and onlineliness of auckland libraries.

It's not difficult to dislike their style. The product, in this case is very good. I'm assuming they'll continue to add titles in a timely manner.

jrandom, consider getting the backlit model.

[Winston001]

For the claustrophobic and the imaginative this book is either a 10 or a 1. To be honest I'm still having heebie jeebies thinking about what extreme cavers do. Cavers are a special group who hold my utmost respect.

There aren't many books on caving compared with mountain climbing, and this is a first for me.

Blind Descent is about the efforts over 20 years by two teams on different continents exploring to find the deepest cave on Earth. Sounds simple enough but the expeditions truly are reminiscent of the huge assaults on Everest and K2. It takes a lot of people and weeks of time to haul supplies and rigging 1000m down so half a dozen can attempt to squirm through squeezes, meanders, and sumps in the hope of descending further. Then these obsessive troglodytes come back a year later to do it all again hoping for a further 50m of the system.

As well, there is the exciting sport of cave diving. You haul scuba gear 500m underground so you can dive into sumps (pools, lakes, ponds, rivers) where you hope to slip through slots or holes and eventually come up in a deeper part of the cave system. In nearly zero visibility because of silt.

Just to make things interesting sometimes it rains on the surface but being 1-2 days down you won't know about that until the water starts rising.

This book reminded me of Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, the iconic Everest adventure story. The climb that killed Scott Fischer and Rob Hall while Krakauer survived.

My system of rating books is whether I would lend this to a friend and still want it back. Blind Descent gets that vote. Recommended.



Edit: if I had a choice of being badly injured on the South-West Col of Everest or in one of these supercaves, I'd take the mountain every time.

[Swoop]

Phoenix Flight by Roland White. (http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Phoenix-Squadron-Rowland-White/9780552152907?b=-3&t=-20#Fulldescription-20)

British Honduras (Belize) in central America is threatened with invasion by Guatemala.
Britain despatches the last carrier HMS Ark Royal on a "throttle to the floor" dash across the Atlantic ocean before an invasion can commence, then launch four Buccaneer bombers on a mission that will last for over six hours and leave their fuel tanks empty on their return to the ship.

A great political build up of the story, interspersed with the training the aircraft crews went through on normal deployments. Scaring US fighter pilots at Red Flag by flying so low that they could only be detected visually by the dust trail the aircraft left behind as they flew across the ground, and inviting European aircrews to follow them through the Scottish ravines of the highlands. The Crews loved flying down the edge of the lochs, looking UP at motorists' driving along the road at the edge of the lake!

1972. When the Phantom and the Buccaneer ruled supreme!
258737

A great book! 9/10.

[Macontour]

Any of Lee Childs Jack Reacher books. I find I can't put them down and every time I re-read one, I find all the great parts that I had forgotten.

The books are full of little twists and of course Reacher is the kind of guy I am sure we all aspire to be!!

[HenryDorsetCase]

Any of Lee Childs Jack Reacher books. I find I can't put them down and every time I re-read one, I find all the great parts that I had forgotten.

The books are full of little twists and of course Reacher is the kind of guy I am sure we all aspire to be!!

Plus he looks just like Tom Cruise, so theres a bonus....

[Zedder]

Phoenix Flight by Roland White. (http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Phoenix-Squadron-Rowland-White/9780552152907?b=-3&t=-20#Fulldescription-20)

British Honduras (Belize) in central America is threatened with invasion by Guatemala.
Britain despatches the last carrier HMS Ark Royal on a "throttle to the floor" dash across the Atlantic ocean before an invasion can commence, then launch four Buccaneer bombers on a mission that will last for over six hours and leave their fuel tanks empty on their return to the ship.

A great political build up of the story, interspersed with the training the aircraft crews went through on normal deployments. Scaring US fighter pilots at Red Flag by flying so low that they could only be detected visually by the dust trail the aircraft left behind as they flew across the ground, and inviting European aircrews to follow them through the Scottish ravines of the highlands. The Crews loved flying down the edge of the lochs, looking UP at motorists' driving along the road at the edge of the lake!

1972. When the Phantom and the Buccaneer ruled supreme!
258737

A great book! 9/10.

Have you read "Flight of the Intruder" by US Navy pilot Stephen Coonts?

[avgas]

Surely the Kindle has the ability to read HTML / text / open-format ebook files? Or is it locked down? Must be rootable with some minor effort. I just want the hardware.

I want one because it's actually designed for the purpose I'll be using it for - screen readability, battery life, etc. Laptops and even tablets don't quite fit the bill.
Wife got the basic model - seems to work quite good. I am hoping to inherit it so I can use it for a pdf reader (I have 10000's of pdfs).
Battery life is good - we get about 3 weeks out of a charge. You get more if you actually turn it off.

Thing that pisses me of is NO BACKLITE..........even if it had a single LED I would be happy. Might have to hack it.

[avgas]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fountainhead
I am down to the last 40 pages of this MASSIVE book.
I ran out of food around page 300. They took my home after page 400.
Makes the dictionary/lord of the rings trilogy/harry potter series feel like a walk in the park.

Good book though. Even if it is a Marathon event. Thank god the movie was brief.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/b-2yKY9-bVA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Swoop]

Another recently chewed through...

The Kursk, a time to die, by Robert Moore.

The year: 2000. Two massive explosions occur when this nuclear submarine is firing a torpedo for an exercise simulation. The explosions are picked up on seismic equipment as far away as the UK.
The forward section of the sub is destroyed instantly, along with the majority of the crew.
Sunk within minutes, survivors of the crew retreat to the rear of the boat and go into survival mode.

The rescue and co-ordination by the authorities are a complete farce, with lies, incompetence, communist dogma and stupidity all rolled into one.

An interesting background on Vladimir Putin. A "nobody from nowhere" who failed to do anything of substance in his career, but who was on the coat-tails of the right people at the right time to get up the ladder in quick succession. His role of President came under severe scrutiny in the "free press" of post-soviet russia, resulting in his crushing of an open media in the resulting months.
He failed miserably during the Kursk crisis and learned a lot about PR.

The recovery operation is a magnificent feat of engineering and there is a brilliant documentary about this phase here (http://embed.minoto-video.com/135/2LbMPzeqjjVh).

7/10.

258746


Have you read "Flight of the Intruder" by US Navy pilot Stephen Coonts?
Yes, some years ago now, however!

[jrandom]

Battery life is good - we get about 3 weeks out of a charge. You get more if you actually turn it off.

Thing that pisses me of is NO BACKLITE

I'd much rather have the battery life than a backlight.

Books don't have backlights.

(You do realise that the lack of backlight is the reason for the battery life, right?)

[Macontour]

Yep Roberts Ridge, Dispatches and Flight of the Intruder are all very good.

Tom Cruise playing Jack Reacher, what the hell is that all about. Dolph Lundgren would be more realistic!!!!

[MIXONE]

Tom Cruise playing Jack Reacher, what the hell is that all about. Dolph Lundgren would be more realistic!!!!

It's gotta be a joke.I like the Reacher series but wont bother with the movies if they have a midget playing the lead.

[avgas]

I'd much rather have the battery life than a backlight.

Books don't have backlights.

(You do realise that the lack of backlight is the reason for the battery life, right?)
1. I sneak in reading wherever I can. I don't want people thinking I have the intelligence beyond being a window licker
2. After my name its suppose to say B.E. M.B.A. but I try and hide this due too 1. :lol: :cool:

Shit someone is coming.

I LIKE PONIES DANCING WITH CARROTS

[Zedder]

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be a joke, Tom Cruise has been signed up for the role!!

There are petitions being circulated against the decision not surprisingly. Hollyweird indeed.

[MIXONE]

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be a joke, Tom Cruise has been signed up for the role!!

There are petitions being circulated against the decision not surprisingly. Hollyweird indeed.

To put it in perspective the rest of the crew will have to be dwarves!

[Zedder]

To put it in perspective the rest of the crew will have to be dwarves!

Plus they'd have to minaturise the props etc.

[HenryDorsetCase]

1. I sneak in reading wherever I can. I don't want people thinking I have the intelligence beyond being a window licker
2. After my name its suppose to say B.E. M.B.A. but I try and hide this due too 1. :lol: :cool:

Shit someone is coming.

I LIKE PONIES DANCING WITH CARROTS

this is the best post ever made on KB.

[HenryDorsetCase]

It's gotta be a joke.I like the Reacher series but wont bother with the movies if they have a midget playing the lead.

Rutger Hauer would have been perfect but he is a bit old now.

I reckon Liam Neeson would be perfect: he's a big lad, he has acting talent, and can convincingly do an action role (A TEAM, TAKEN)

[Zedder]

Rutger Hauer would have been perfect but he is a bit old now.

I reckon Liam Neeson would be perfect: he's a big lad, he has acting talent, and can convincingly do an action role (A TEAM, TAKEN)

Yep. He was really good in "Taken" which was similar to what Reacher gets up to.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Yep. He was really good in "Taken" which was similar to what Reacher gets up to.

The sequel is in post production as we speak for a summer (northern hemisphere) release. This time HE gets kidnapped and shenanagins ensue. I am totally going to see it. I really enjoyed TAKEN

[Zedder]

The sequel is in post production as we speak for a summer (northern hemisphere) release. This time HE gets kidnapped and shenanagins ensue. I am totally going to see it. I really enjoyed TAKEN

Great plot, I'm in too.

[SPman]

Tom Cruise playing Jack Reacher, what the hell is that all about. Dolph Lundgren would be more realistic!!!!Tom Cruise as Reacher!! Jesus wept - that's in the same league as having Derek Jacobi play Brother Cadfel in the TV series many years ago, the total opposite of the description of the man in the books!

Anyway - currently reading "The Sociopath Next Door" by Martha Stout.....interesting reading..

[Usarka]

The Terror - Dan Simmons

I really dig this kind of book. The reasons I like it is: it's based on historic events (I didn't realise this until half way through and thought that it sounded too realistic to be made up), the author applies creative licence to describe what happened when in reality no one has a clue, and probably most importantly it has a different/supernatural/magical element but the author writes in such a style that it is almost secondary to the story and seems normal in the context of everything else, and ...crap I forgot the last bit.

It's about an ill-fated expedition to the arctic. Aside from the cramped, freezing, dark, cramped, mal-nutritious living conditions (which is worth reading about in itself), there's something else out on the ice........ To be honest, the book could easily have done without this last "something else" as the ordeals of the men on these ships is something our generation can't even comprehend. But because of the way he's written it, it doesn't detract from the day to day struggle these brave (some would say stupid) explorers faced.

Dan Simmons wrote a cool sci-fi trilogy called the Hyperion Cantos which is close to being my favourite read in a long time, and has been mentioned on here by a few people. I tried another of his books and quit after page 10 because it seemed wank. But I thought I'd give him another crack, this one being a recent (2007) offering. At 900-ish hardcover pages it was a big task, but one that i really enjoyed.


I liked.

[Winston001]

Looks like "The Terror" is an account of Franklin's ill-fated quest for the North-West Passage. His ship was The Terror. I like Simmons so thanks for the heads-up.

On the topic of icy adventures, Aspley Cherry-Garrard's epic "The Worst Journey In The World" stands head and shoulders above anything else I've read. He was a member of the tragic 1912 Scott expedition but not on the South Pole team so he survived. Cherry-Garrard returned to England just in time for World War I so off he went to the Western Front. As if he hadn't suffered enough.

Just for perspective, C-G and two others went on a winter journey from Ross Island man-hauling in perpetual darkness to Cape Crozier for the scientific reason of watching the penguins hatch in spring. In 1912. That journey was never done again until 2001 when an NZ team of scientists with a snow-cat traced his route. Nobody has even attempted it on foot.

Hard men. It was known as the Heroic Age. Damn right.

[Macontour]

[QUOTE=HenryDorsetCase;1130270797]Rutger Hauer would have been perfect but he is a bit old now.

Rutger Hauer was the one whose name I couldn't remember!! He was great in "The Hitcher"? I am sure that was the name of the movie.

[Macontour]

Iacocca the Autobiography is interesting for businesss type people even if a little out of date. Lee Iacocca started at Ford in the 60s and was a major player in the release of the original Mustang. At 36 he was the Vice President of the 2nd largest company in the world. Went on to save Chrysler.

Oddly enough the big American Auto makers recently went through the same dramas that they went through in the 70s, and for much the same reasons as well.

An interesting life story but plenty of practical management type lessons in there as well.

[Winston001]

Rutger Hauer was the one whose name I couldn't remember!! He was great in "The Hitcher"? I am sure that was the name of the movie.

Yep. The Hitcher - excellent movie. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091209/

As for Lee Iacocca he is a legend, I remember him taking over as CEO of Chrysler and his salary for that rescue job was NIL. Presumably he got paid for success in the end but it was very unusual at the time. Must read that book its been at the back of my mind for ages.

[HenryDorsetCase]

[QUOTE=HenryDorsetCase;1130270797]Rutger Hauer would have been perfect but he is a bit old now.

Rutger Hauer was the one whose name I couldn't remember!! He was great in "The Hitcher"? I am sure that was the name of the movie.

You need to buy a DVD of a film of his called HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN. Its great. Whats it about you ask? Why a hobo, who has a shotgun, shenanagins ensue.

[flyingcrocodile46]

The protocols of the learned elders of zion.

Smashing conspiracy story of world domination through manipulation over centuries. Supposedly written as anti Semitic propaganda in the late 1800's yet nothing that's happened since is out of synch. Scariest story I have ever read. 5 stars Highly recommended.

[jrandom]

Good thing I went up Taranaki prepared yesterday.

<img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/2ldkbdi.jpg"/>

If you haven't read Roald Dahl's autobiographies 'Boy' and 'Going Solo', I highly recommend them.

[Usarka]

Low Level Hell: A Scout Pilot in the Big Red One - Hugh Mills

An account of an OH-6 scout chopper pilot in Vietnam. These guys intentionally drew small arms fire while flying a few feet off the ground in order to locate the enemy. Balls the size of coconuts (including and if not more so the crew chief). A very good military aviation book from a role we don't see much of. My only criticism is that it's every chapter is about a significant engagement and doesn't give any impression of the long periods of boredom [probably] faced between encounters. But that's not necessarily a bad thing in a book i guess.

Me liked.

http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/102030000/102033715.jpg

[Swoop]

Low Level Hell
:yes:
That is also in my collection.:2thumbsup

[blue rider]

The little Prince
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u118/burbmama/LittlePrinceATC1.png

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u118/burbmama/LittlePrinceATC2.png

[nudemetalz]

Low Level Hell: A Scout Pilot in the Big Red One - Hugh Mills

An account of an OH-6 scout chopper pilot in Vietnam. These guys intentionally drew small arms fire while flying a few feet off the ground in order to locate the enemy. Balls the size of coconuts (including and if not more so the crew chief). A very good military aviation book from a role we don't see much of. My only criticism is that it's every chapter is about a significant engagement and doesn't give any impression of the long periods of boredom [probably] faced between encounters. But that's not necessarily a bad thing in a book i guess.

Me liked.



Love that book !! but think that Chickenhawk was slightly better.

I'm currently reading Sweating The Metal,...a book about the experiences of an RAF Chinook pilot in Afghanistan 2008. Nearly finished it,..can THOROUGHLY recommend it to you war chopper pilot book fans
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sweating-Metal-Chinook-Blistering-Afghanistan/dp/1444707981

[Usarka]

I'm currently reading Sweating The Metal,...a book about the experiences of an RAF Chinook pilot in Afghanistan 2008. Nearly finished it,..can THOROUGHLY recommend it to you war chopper pilot book fans

Did you spot the speights towel hanging up in the back of the IRT tent photo?

[bogan]

The Destroyermen series by Taylor Anderson is a good read. About a WW2 destroyer that is transported to a different earth, kind of war story crossed with sci-fi. The pace is kind of slow, but what it lacks there it makes up in character developement. Also noteable is the way he write about the technology shock, and resources.

[nudemetalz]

Did you spot the speights towel hanging up in the back of the IRT tent photo?

I did indeed :)

You like the book?

[Swoop]

Seal Target Geronimo.
The hunt for Osama bin Laden.
266204

The author is a former assault element commander of SEAL Team Six and as such has access into the teams. This has been required to clarify information, especially as there has been so much of a rush to exploit this raid (unfortunately).

The book essentially has four parts. SEAL training and selection process (including two operational missions - one being the rescue of the captain of the Maersk Alabama (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maersk_Alabama_hijacking)who was in a lifeboat with four somalian pirates). The second part covers a history of the middle east and the Arab/Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Osama's life and the formation of Al Quaeda, including his hilarious attemp at being a warrior in Afganistan...
Finally there is the planning and execution of the raid on his compound in Abottabad.

A very interesting read.
Interesting to find that only twelve shots were fired during the entire raid.

There appears to be a strong amount of evidence that Os was deliberately betrayed by his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Internal politics and egomania are rampant in their mickey-mouse organisation. The sooner this moron is hunted down, the better.

9:10.

[george formby]

Techniques of Motor Cycle Road Racing.... Kenny Roberts..


Fascinating from a historical & technical point of view, his own history, the development of slicks, issues with 2t engines, tussles with Freddie Spencer, Barry Sheene, Uncini etc. A great insight & entertaining, at times jaw dropping.

[Akzle]

wilbur smith - assegai.
old african hunters.. badass.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Techniques of Motor Cycle Road Racing.... Kenny Roberts..


Fascinating from a historical & technical point of view, his own history, the development of slicks, issues with 2t engines, tussles with Freddie Spencer, Barry Sheene, Uncini etc. A great insight & entertaining, at times jaw dropping.

I've been looking for that book for years. Where'd ya get it?

[FROSTY]

2 autobiographies I've just finished reading CROZ and Possum Bourne.
Croz definitely was a bit of a larrakin in his day

[unstuck]

Just finished Dan Walshes These are the days that must happen to you. Good read. Bikes,drugs and travel.:devil2::headbang::headbang:

[george formby]

I've been looking for that book for years. Where'd ya get it?

It was handed to me by a mate amongst a host of other books. It sat in the pile for months. I couldn't put it down when I started. I finished it a few days ago & started reading it again last night.

Buy my house & it's yours:lol:

[MyGSXF]

If you haven't read Roald Dahl's autobiographies 'Boy' and 'Going Solo', I highly recommend them.

Yeah great books.. :yes: someone on here pointed them out to me for my sons to read.. Mr 16 really enjoyed them (was 14 at the time), now Mr 10 is into them! :niceone:

I'm half way through the 6th (& final) book in the 'Clan of the Cavebear' series.. "Painted Caves". tis the 4th time I've read the series over the years.. still love em!! :first:

[neels]

I'm half way through the 6th (& final) book in the 'Clan of the Cavebear' series.. "Painted Caves". tis the 4th time I've read the series over the years.. still love em!! :first:
Hang on, aren't all the girlies supposed to be getting all hot and bothered reading 50 shades of grey?

[george formby]

Hang on, aren't all the girlies supposed to be getting all hot and bothered reading 50 shades of grey?

Plenty of shaggin in Clan of the Cave bear, I guess a bit of rough has it's appeal.

[The Lone Rider]

Am reading Chapterhouse Dune at the moment.

I find it rambles on, and there isn't much story.

In fact, it's like reading KB ramblings with a sci fi overture.


But I am determined to finish it, as I've read all the others by Frank Herbert and son.

[Usarka]

Leviathan Wakes - James S. A. Corey

I'm taking a punt here and reviewing this 2/3 of the way through because lately I've been forgetting to review once I've finished a book.

I've kind of run the not-impossible-to-read sci-fi dry (say that 3 times) and have been trawling sites looking for "if you like this" links and came across this. So far it's great. Very much on the space opera side of things as opposed to the hard sci-fi so don't read it if you are a hard sci-fi geek. But I reckon it would be a good bet for summer holidays at the bach/beach/state pen.

If you like Neal Asher, Peter Hamilton etc then this might be worth a read. I'll also chuck in some names like iain banks and m john harrison because i also dig their shit. Man.

I hope to fuck I don't come back in a couple of days and say the ending was shite!

Chur.

PS - I just check amazon and it's got a 4/5 rating which isn't too fucktardy.
http://www.orbitbooks.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Leviathan-Wakes.jpg

[MyGSXF]

The whole Philippa Gregory series about the murderous (& randy!!! :blink:) Tudors

1. The White Queen
2. The Red Queen
3. The Constant Princess
4. The Other Boleyn Girl
5. The Wise Woman
6. The Boleyn Inheritance
7. The Queen’s Fool
8. The Virgin’s Lover
9. The Other Queen
& waiting on the latest book ''The Lady of the Rivers'' from the Library

Her Civil War Novels:

1. Earthly Joys
2. Virgin Earth

Her Wideacre Trilogy:

1. Wideacre
2. The Favoured Child
3. Meridon

Plus a couple of her modern novels:

Zelda's Cut
Alice Hartley's Happiness

I'm a bit of a fan of her' books.. does it show? ;)

[avgas]

The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
How did I get here (the ascension of an unlikely CEO) - Tony Hawk (VERY VERY GOOD BOOK)
Mechwarrior - Surrender your dreams - Blaine Lee Pardoe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaine_Lee_Pardoe), bit slow but a fantastic ending

Currently reading Allan Leighton on Leadership. And its leaving me to believe he doesn't actually know how to be a leader.
Got a whole horde of the Halo series in ebook form, so will probably do one of them next. Then after that have that massive Jobs book and the latest virgin one sitting on the shelf.

I read them then drop it off to the local op-shop. Hope to clear a majority off the shelf before 2014.

[Banditbandit]

For older riders .. I've been reading I'm YOur Man - The Life of Leonard Cohen.

A good read for Cohen fans ...

Before that I read my way trough all the books n the Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones, etc ...). There was just enough excitement to keep me reading and wanting to know what happens - but barely (and no, I haven't watched the TV series) .. I'm not sure I will read any more of the series when they come out.

[george formby]

Outlaws. Tony Thompson.

Synopsis (http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/tony+thompson/outlaws3a+inside+the+hell27s+angel+biker+wars/8179629/)

A fascinating & chilling potted history of bike gangs from the perspective of an ex British Outlaws member. Inside story on the Aussie massacre that was dramatised on telly recently, the murders at the airport & the guy who got shot riding his Harley on the motorway near London a few years ago.
If you want to know whats happening next time a patched up gang shove you of the road read this. I demolished it on 3 days. Exellent.

[Swoop]

Spitfire. By Jeffrey Quill.
274164
Dragged this out of my library, last read it in the late 80's and well worth the re-read!

The second pilot who flew the prototype K5054 and did the predominant amount of development testing of it and subsequent marks.

From his days in the Met. flight (flying in ALL weather conditions!), to test pilot at Vickers, back to Battle of Britain flying with 65 Squadron for 19 days at the height of the battle and back to test flighing aircraft straight off of the production line.

All new aircraft needed "tuning" to sort out trim settings, so a lot of flying was done!

Interesting things like the merlin engine was replaced by the Griffon, which was an earlier development used to win the Schneider Trophy races in the S6b.

Also, the fact that the Spit was tested to be able to fly to Berlin and back, being able to escort bombers over that distance. A large rear fuel tank was fitted, which put the C of G well aft of maximum, but this was used first and allowed the CG to return to acceptable limits for the important phases of the flight.

Superb reading and it reminds me that I must get "Sigh for a Merlin" and "Flight of the Mew Gull" out of the library!

[Usarka]

Flaming Zeppelins (The Adventures of Ned the Seal) - Joe R. Lansdale

Probably the most fun I've had reading a book in a long time. There's some sort of rift in the space/time thing and we get a melting pot of well known characters - both real and fictional - thrown together in a mad fantasy adventure western sci-fi literary acid trip. It won't appeal to everyone, but if you like reading things that are a bit different then check it out.

[unstuck]

The best of the west......A treasury of western adventure. Bloody good reading if you are into westerns.:2thumbsup

[MisterD]

Just finishing Light & Shade, Conversations with Jimmy Page, fascinating for any Zep fan and even more so if you're a guitarist yourself (I'm not, don't know a minor 7th from a hole in the ground). I'd recommend reading with with the music to hand. There are some nice "interludes" of interviews with the likes of Jeff Beck and Chris Dreja too.

Got some book tokens lined up for the Pete Townshend biog next...

[george formby]

Re-reading The Longest Day, Cornelius Ryan. Potted history of the D-Day landings. Epic.

Dunno how lucky we are. Certainly puts the kicking I got over Christmas & New Year into perspective.

[Swoop]

Have just finished Spies in the Sky by Taylor Downing.
276293

The art of aerial reconnaissance and photo interpretation during WW2.
Coming from the development during WW1 which had really esablished all of the needs to conduct this art successfully, by the start of WW2 there were only 5 people who really knew what they were doing and were up against the Air Ministry and RAF who genuinely knew nothing but were determined to waste lives and aircraft without providing results.
Civilians were the experts and brought back the results and eventually were taken under the wing of officialdom, providing the crux of the PRU.
Having a photo and then having that photo "interpreted" were two entirely different issues. Analyzing changes and deductive investigation work were major parts to play in this area. Compiling a massive database that allowed referencing information to compare diferences between the two.

A very interesting read, especially having spent time with the RAF's current-day version of the "mad men of ham" as it were.
8:10.


Re-reading The Longest Day, Cornelius Ryan. Potted history of the D-Day landings. Epic.

Interestingly there was a massive fuck-up with that operation. At the 11th hour there was photographic evidence of the two SS Panzer divisions resting and re-arming close to the bridge. The morons in charge refused to believe this and threatened court-martial of the officer who provided this evidence and continued on regardless!

[george formby]

Interestingly there was a massive fuck-up with that operation. At the 11th hour there was photographic evidence of the two SS Panzer divisions resting and re-arming close to the bridge. The morons in charge refused to believe this and threatened court-martial of the officer who provided this evidence and continued on regardless!

Ah, was that not the one with Michael Cane? A bridge too far?
Yerp, dropped the Paras on a couple of divisions of Panzers having a cuppa. Interestingly, in the book (A Bridge to far) an incident is recounted of a young girl cycling through one of the villages in the thick of the house to house fighting. She was viisting her granny. The young girl lived in Kerikeri until a couple of years ago when her husband passed away. Awesome lady, she used to lunch in my restaurant & crack me up with her stories.
On D-day, Hitler had direct command of the Panzers north of Cherbourg & he refused to believe the landing was anything more than a decoy. They moved too late.

[Swoop]

Ah, was that not the one with Michael Cane? A bridge too far?
Yerp, dropped the Paras on a couple of divisions of Panzers having a cuppa. On D-day, Hitler had direct command of the Panzers north of Cherbourg & he refused to believe the landing was anything more than a decoy. They moved too late.

Correct, the "Bridge too far" as it were.
Another cock-up by the higher-ups of army command...

My Mum was recounting a story of a friend of her's who was in the Paras and involved with that fighting. He fought until the end, when a local family literally grabbed him off of the street and hid him in their attic. Not just while the battle was ended but also until the front line passed by and they were on the allied side of the line. Risked a lot, they did!
He later went back and married the daughter!



The Panzer divisions were around the calais area since that was where the Germans deemed it most probable for an invasion would take place. This was backed up by Luftwaffe aerial photo's of the military build-up in that area... which was deliberately placed decoys intended to give that assumption. The railways were bombed to prevent reinforcements getting down to the invasion beaches and nothing could move on the roads by daylight anyway due to the fighter cover.

[Kickaha]

Dave Molyneux "The Racers Edge" probably not that well known here but he has the most wins in a single class (Sidecars) at the Isle of Man and was 3rd (still may be) on the total number of wins by a competitor there

A good look at how he got into racing and progressed up through the ranks until he was winning on machines he built himself

[Dean]

50 shades of Huntly'.

[Banditbandit]

In the middle of Salmond Rushdie's Midnight's Children - good so far ...

[Banditbandit]

One freaked out drugged crazy read is Freewheelin' Franklin - Secretary of the Angels

http://www.amazon.com/Freewheelin-Frank-secretary-Angels-Evergreen/dp/B0007EHZFW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358214859&sr=1-1&keywords=Freewheelin%27+franklin

I read it many years ago and got another copy just before Christmas ... I'd forgotten just how drug-crazy it was - or I didn't notice it when I first read it in the early 1970s ...

[Usarka]

To The Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam - Johnson, Tom A.

Title and pic below pretty much explain it. It's about a huey slick pilot in vietnam. They're the dudes who drop off and pick up the grunts from the LZ's in the bush, often under heavy enemy fire. Really well written, and a riviting read. I finished it in about 2 days. Well recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Limit-Air-Huey-Pilot-Vietnam/dp/0451222180

http://images.angusrobertson.com.au/images/ar/97804512/9780451222183/0/0/plain/to-the-limit-an-air-cav-huey-pilot-in-vietnam.jpg

[HenryDorsetCase]

I take it you have also read CHICKENHAWK by Robert Mason? Similar story, great book.


http://www.amazon.com/Chickenhawk-Robert-Mason/dp/0143035711

[arcane12]

Blue Remembered Earth by Alastair Reynolds. Good, but I much prefered the Revelation Space series. Still hard Sci-fi is not everyone's bag. Currently am reading Earth by David Bryn, and enjoying it. Am hoping the ending isn't too preachy!

[Highlander]

I take it you have also read CHICKENHAWK by Robert Mason? Similar story, great book.


http://www.amazon.com/Chickenhawk-Robert-Mason/dp/0143035711


Read it years ago, often talk about it now.



To The Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam - Johnson, Tom A.

Title and pic below pretty much explain it. It's about a huey slick pilot in vietnam. They're the dudes who drop off and pick up the grunts from the LZ's in the bush, often under heavy enemy fire. Really well written, and a riviting read. I finished it in about 2 days. Well recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Limit-Air-Huey-Pilot-Vietnam/dp/0451222180

http://images.angusrobertson.com.au/images/ar/97804512/9780451222183/0/0/plain/to-the-limit-an-air-cav-huey-pilot-in-vietnam.jpg

Will have to track this one down.

[Usarka]

Blackhorse Riders - Philip Keith

https://d1ldy8a769gy68.cloudfront.net/180/978/031/268/192/0/9780312681920.jpg

Another vietnam book, about an armoured troop (consisiting of tanks, apc's and infantry) who rescued an infantry unit who found themselves seriously up shit creek. They recieved a presidential citation for the entire unit in 2009 (well some of them did).

Check out the 5 star reviews on amazon.

Chur

[Swoop]

America's secret MiG squadron.
278980

Established under a cloak of secrecy, a squadron was established with Soviet fighter jets so that American fighter pilots could develop the best tactics to fight a future war.
The initial set up was established at an airstrip where the F-117 stealth fighters would move into in years to come.
A basic "do it" approach was taken and the very best people were sourced from around the AF squadrons. The maintainence people worked miracles to get these MiGs back into the air (some from wrecks).
Starting with MiG 17's and then later on, MiG-21's, and also MiG 23's! At one stage there was more than two squadron's worth of aircraft on the ramp.
The secrecy cap was screwed down so tight on this unit, that the declassification of the unit only happened in 2007 and came as a revelation to a lot of people.

A very interesting read, but slightly lacking in some areas (of necessity) even though the author was the instigator of the squadron and its second CO.

7.5:10.

[Kickaha]

http://sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/542783_10151532741140987_1799831517_n.jpg

[Swoop]

To The Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam - Johnson, Tom A.
Just finished it.

8:10

I started off comparing it to Chickenhawk (even references to the units in that book) and luckily it wasn't a carbon-copy of that. Very readable and I was impresed with the final major assault into the A Shau valley, and events following that...
As for the "secret squirrel" mission across the fence, Wings of the Eagle is a much better read if those situations (LRRPs) are of interest.

[unstuck]

Just finished a book by Donald Offwood...........Camerons of the Glen. Great read about the early settlers of the central otago area. Heathers Gold is by the same author and is a good read also.:headbang::headbang:

[wysper]

The Night Circus
By Erin Morgenstern

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c5/TheNightCircus.jpg/200px-TheNightCircus.jpg

I like fantasy novels. This is a pretty good read. Not mind bendingly so nor genre breaking. But a departure from what I normally read.
The pace is towards the slower end of the spectrum and I thought the characters were nicely thought out and you acutally do care what happens to them.

Worth a read. It may even make it onto my buy it list and end up on my bookshelf. As much to lend out as to read again.

[TLDV8]

http://ussrandolph.com/flyboysb.jpg

[nudemetalz]

Nearly finished a great book at the moment. A biography about a German sniper on the Eastern Front.<O:pYou see and read all about the Yanks (and Britsh) in WW2 in various theatres but not a lot about the Germans themselves. People forget that they had it just as hard as the Allies. The conditions they faced over there against the Ruskies is mine boggling. It’s not so much of a book about the tactics as a true life experience. <O:pQuite a hard read at times as very descriptive.
<O:pExcellent though.<O:p
Unlike the Allies the German Snipers were regarded as murderers and that’s why a lot of them escaped to <ST1:pSouth America.</ST1:p<O:p</O:p
<O:p
Book is “Sniper on the Eastern Front; Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger” by Albrecht Wacker<O:p</O:p

[Swoop]

“Sniper on the Eastern Front; Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger” by Albrecht Wacker
Sounds interesting!

Along the same vein is "The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer.
An Alsatian who joined up in the German army and then transferred to a combat role in The Great German regiment. The hardships, as you mention, are unimaginable. Guard duties and living in foxholes during -30 degree nights...:(

There are also a few very good books written shortly after the war and available in second hand shops. I tracked down Stuka Pilot by Hans Ulrich Rudel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Ulrich_Rudel)and that is an impressive read for Eastern front battles.

[awa355]

Nearly finished a great book at the moment. A biography about a German sniper on the Eastern Front.<O:pYou see and read all about the Yanks (and Britsh) in WW2 in various theatres but not a lot about the Germans themselves. People forget that they had it just as hard as the Allies. The conditions they faced over there against the Ruskies is mine boggling. It’s not so much of a book about the tactics as a true life experience. <O:pQuite a hard read at times as very descriptive.
<O:pExcellent though.<O:p
Unlike the Allies the German Snipers were regarded as murderers and that’s why a lot of them escaped to <ST1:pSouth America.</ST1:p<O:p</O:p
<O:p
Book is “Sniper on the Eastern Front; Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger” by Albrecht Wacker<O:p</O:p

Is this a new book or an old edition?

I have a book titled 'the Big Show" by Pierre Clostermann. a french fighter pilot. Unusual to read anything by a frenchman. An old copy printed in 1951.

[Swoop]

I have a book titled 'the Big Show" by Pierre Clostermann. a french fighter pilot. Unusual to read anything by a frenchman. An old copy printed in 1951.
I have the same in my library.
I notice that Amazon are selling a few books that are reprinted from 1950's vintage. There is some great stuff out there.

[Kickaha]

I tracked down Stuka Pilot by Hans Ulrich Rudel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Ulrich_Rudel)and that is an impressive read for Eastern front battles.
I was just reading about him the other day after 1/2 a day reading about Galland, Hartmann, Hanna Reitsch and Hans-Joachim Marseille not quite sure how I got onto them as I started looking at the Bismarck and ended up on them


I have the same in my library.
I have that one too

[Smifffy]

Just before christmas I started reading the complete works of John le Carre in chronological order. It got a bit heavy going at times, but I'm a reasonable way through them now, half way through 'The Night Manager'. I've also been reading a bit of Elmore Leonard lately, the anthology of short stories 'Fire in the Hole' and 'Pronto' 'Riding the Rap' and 'Raylan' upon all of which the TV series 'Justified' is based. They are quick, amusing reads and a bit of light relief from le Carre.

[Swoop]

I was just reading about him the other day after 1/2 a day reading about Galland, Hartmann, Hanna Reitsch and Hans-Joachim Marseille not quite sure how I got onto them as I started looking at the Bismarck and ended up on them.
Strange coincidences and interests.

I have read all of those. The First and the Last is impressive. Having searched for that book (and losing out on an auction at the Antique Arms) and failed miserably back in the early 90's, to walk into a bookshop and have the assistant ask "anything else?" and ask for that. She just reached under the counter and pulled the book out and then said "anything ELSE?":2thumbsup
From flying fighters, up to general of all fighters, and then demoted back to flying fighters again at the end of the war (but jet-fighters now!) along with being awarded multiple sets of the brilliants...

Hanna Reitsch was a surprise. It appears as if she remained a patriotic NAZI well after the war.
All fascinating stuff.:niceone:

[nudemetalz]

Is this a new book or an old edition?




The Sniper book is a 2005 edition so I assume new.

[awa355]

On a motorcycle theme, found an old book while sorting out the bookcase, 'Superbikes of the seventies'. a collection of road tests originally published by 'Motorcycle' a british journal. I thought I had lost this many shifts ago.

Gives the technical and performance data for many of the big bikes of the seventies, including a few like the Suzuki RE5 which are included because they were different.

[Usarka]

This is regarding a trilogy of books by M. John Harrison starting with Light, then Nova Swing, and ending with Empty Space.

I honestly don't know how to review this. A stab at a summary is that it's a cross between Ernest Hemingway, Alistair Reynolds, and Auldus Huxley. I don't know much poetry but chuck a poets name in there too.

The last book came out late last year, and I've recently started re-reading Light and Nova Swing, and just finished Empty Space. What a ride. Light blew me away when I first read it, flicking between modern day weird happenings while two scientists experiment with quantumn computing, through to fucked up alien physics with "K-Ships" that have the pilots brain wired into the ship and alien code running on, well, anything. Nova Swing was an easy(er) read per se, but set in an anomaly event site where again physics was fucked up. Empty Space builds on the cumulation (if cumulation is a non-linear multi dimensional concept) of this and a great example of how to stay hooked on something that at (most) times doesn't make sense at face value but subconciously feels like it all fits into place. Hence the poetry reference.

There's stuff about the future (and present) that we can't comprehend and these books do their best to tell a story about it. At times it doesn't make sense. If you want space opera that's easy to read then go with Peter Hamilton, which is not a criticism, but if you want some serious literature sci-fi with poetic style and can handle being the equivalent of a caveman watching blade runner on the big screen then it's well worth the investment.

Beautifully written. Great ideas. Poetic. This shit should be classifed as literature rather than, or as well as, sci-fi, and it should be up for some serious literature awards.


http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0575074035.01._SX140_SY225_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[HenryDorsetCase]

excellent write up. thats a book I will read. Paperback is $15 incl shipping from bookdepository.

I am just finishing DISTRUST THAT PARTICULAR FLAVOR By William Gibson.

My favourite author. This is a bit of a cash in by his publishers: it is reprints of stuff he wrote for Wired or the Observer or whatever, and a lot of it quite old (1990's). He has made notes about his current view of the pieces which is illuminating.

It will do until his next novel comes out next year. GAH.

http://www.bookdepository.com/Distrust-That-Particular-Flavor-William-Gibson/9780399158438

[Laava]

Just finished Anne Salmonds, "trial of the cannibal dog" the story of James Cooks three voyages to NZ written from diary accounts of all those who kept a diary aboard ship. A very interesting and accurate account of his experiences in the south seas. Massive history lesson!
Also just finished " Kelly, the adventurous life of Kelly Tarlton" which was very cool, by E V Sale.

[HenryDorsetCase]

my latest bookdepository order came in last week. I have finished ONE SHOT by Lee Child. What you'd expect from a Jack Reacher book (and this book was the basis of the recent film JACK REACHER, which did not suck. I enjoyed this thoroughly. This one seemed a bit more real to me, and interestingly because I had seen it unfold as in the movie: I knew what they looked like. Plus the film was blessed with very very good secondary leads (Rosamund Pike as Helen, Richard Jenkins as Rodin, and in particular the great Werner Herzog as The Zec). Anyway, if you like these books you will like this one.

The other I just finished was WORLD WAR Z by Max Brooks. This is the best science fiction book I have read in years. No shit, it is absolutely brilliant. The POV is of a journalist/report writer collecting different POV stories from just after humanity has, by the skin of its teeth, "won" the war against the Zombie Apocalypse.

Read it, its excellent.


buy it here for under $20 delivered to your door: It was $35 in Whitcoulls on "special" when I saw it:

http://www.bookdepository.com/World-War-Z-Max-Brooks/9780307346612


Also soon to be a film: the trailer is on youtube: Its got Bradley George in it so will be worth watching.

HcwTxRuq-uk

[unstuck]

Just read The old dynamite shack by George Johnston, one of Barry Crumps old sidekicks. Not bad, lacks the yarn telling that crumpy had.:niceone:

[Wingnut]

Love Hunter S. Thompson....

This was a goodie as is Fear and Loathing in Las Vagas, The Rum Diaries (Way better than the movie) anyway here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Hells-Angels-Strange-Terrible-Library/dp/067960331X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366443410&sr=8-1&keywords=hunter+s+thompson+hells+angels

[Brett]

my latest bookdepository order came in last week. I have finished ONE SHOT by Lee Child. What you'd expect from a Jack Reacher book (and this book was the basis of the recent film JACK REACHER, which did not suck. I enjoyed this thoroughly. This one seemed a bit more real to me, and interestingly because I had seen it unfold as in the movie: I knew what they looked like. Plus the film was blessed with very very good secondary leads (Rosamund Pike as Helen, Richard Jenkins as Rodin, and in particular the great Werner Herzog as The Zec). Anyway, if you like these books you will like this one.

The other I just finished was WORLD WAR Z by Max Brooks. This is the best science fiction book I have read in years. No shit, it is absolutely brilliant. The POV is of a journalist/report writer collecting different POV stories from just after humanity has, by the skin of its teeth, "won" the war against the Zombie Apocalypse.

Read it, its excellent.


buy it here for under $20 delivered to your door: It was $35 in Whitcoulls on "special" when I saw it:

http://www.bookdepository.com/World-War-Z-Max-Brooks/9780307346612


Also soon to be a film: the trailer is on youtube: Its got Bradley George in it so will be worth watching.



I am currently going through World War Z at the moment...not sure how to take it so far. It is certainly a different read to what I would usually have. The Lee Child Reacher stories are more my usual with a healthy dose of non-fiction thrown in.

Also just reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell which I think is fantastic, will review once I finish it.

[Winston001]

So...The Enforcer...not entirely sure whether I recommend it although it's an easy and entertaining read.

Caesar Campbell is an Australian who was an early member of the Commancheros in Sydney and then a founding member of the Bandidos Australian chapter.

The book gives an interesting insight into Ozzie bike gangs as they developed in the late 1970s.

My reservations are that Ceese keeps the story fairly narrow which may be self protection but there is very little about how these guys made a living and supported their families while living the gang lifestyle. This book is only about the gangs, their pads, the runs they went on, and more than anything the fights they got involved in.

Nothing about drug dealing, stolen parts, protection, security etc etc.

The closest he comes is referring to debt collection - and taking people on holidays from which they can't find their way back. The guy is a serious criminal and hard. Fine but not someone to be admired.

[unstuck]

http://cdn2.fishpond.co.nz/0012/000/722/3463562/4.jpeg

:niceone::niceone::niceone::niceone:

[HenryDorsetCase]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/wellbeing/8750108/Is-this-the-worst-book-of-the-year


or the best....

I havent read it. Thoughts callers?

[unstuck]

Some people just take life way too seriously, banning a book like that is so prehistoric in my mind I find it hard to comprehend. I wouldnt read it, but it may very well help some people find a better place for themselves in life, and that is alright by me.:niceone:

[Banditbandit]

Just finished Anne Salmonds, "trial of the cannibal dog" the story of James Cooks three voyages to NZ written from diary accounts of all those who kept a diary aboard ship. A very interesting and accurate account of his experiences in the south seas. Massive history lesson!




Yeah ... that's a great book.

[Banditbandit]

Love Hunter S. Thompson....

This was a goodie as is Fear and Loathing in Las Vagas, The Rum Diaries (Way better than the movie) anyway here is the link:



And if you want to know what the Angels thought of Thompson, read Sonny's Book ...

http://www.amazon.com/Hells-Angel-Autobiography-Barger-ebook/dp/B0012OYBOO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370309808&sr=1-1&keywords=Sonny+Barger+hells+angels