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Original poster

I am desperate and need you all to help me please!

239 replies

ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 30/04/2011 15:39

I have got one and a half history books left and then I am, once again, bookless. I have been to three different libraries in the last ten days and have failed to find even a single book that I fancied or hadn't read before.

I have some Nectar points to spend, so I could have a bit of an Amazon splurge - but what shall I get?

  1. Favourite writers are Jane Austen and Stephen King
  2. I like v well written fantasy (ie Tolkein) or v well written historical who-dunnit stuff (eg Doyle or Sansom) or quirky history books
  3. I am a snob and get very twitchy about shoddy writing but can't stand overly self conscious crap (step forward Ian McEwan)
  4. I am very, very fussy
  5. I read very, very quickly so the bigger the book, the better

Please help!

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Original poster
ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 09/05/2011 21:30

Okay okay!

Jasper Fffffffffffffffffffffforde - can't be doing with him tbh; he irritates the hell out of me for being so self-consciously amused at himself. I like his speeding Miss Havisham but that is all. The rest of it Is Not My Cup Of Tea, as it were.

Kate Mosse - hated hated hated The Labyrinth and will never read another of hers. Soooooooooo over-written and pretending to be all clever when saying nowt.

The Gargoyle - I liked this

Jonathon Strange - tried and failed with this. Too long; too boring; too wordy; too much not saying of anything much whilst pretending to say a lot.

Liked Oscar And Lucinda.

Couldn't get on with Patrick O Brien, which surprised me as I love real life sea stories.

Thank you all again.

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CoteDAzur · 09/05/2011 20:04

I have read the first book of the Gap series (sci-fi, not fantasy). Please do explain what I have missed, because it was mostly about the detailed imprisonment, beating, and incessant rape of an enslaved woman.

I'm a big fan of good sci-fi, by the way, but this book was very weak.

Arcadie · 09/05/2011 19:26

Oi Oi Oi people - I think you'll find I suggested Jasper Fforde 4 days ago! What is the world coming to? Wink

thehairybabysmum · 09/05/2011 19:25

Ive just started Wild Swans...agree that i am not sucked into it as i expected to be from how other people rave about it.

link to the first of The Gap Series honestly worth a read

thehairybabysmum · 09/05/2011 19:19

Have you read 'The Gap' series by Stephen Donaldson. It is a fantastic fantasy/sci fi series. I am not into fantasy at all and never have been but these books were great...somuch so that icouldnt wait for the paper backs to come out and had to buy the hard backs and this in the days when i was skint.

He also wrote another more tolkein like fantasy series called 'The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant' that were also excellent.

BeerTricksPotter · 09/05/2011 19:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

phonemonkey · 09/05/2011 19:13

Have you read The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. It's a bit history and a bit fantasy. I loved it. Also, have you tried any Kate Mosse. Historical novels that switch between past and present and always make me want to move to France! Grin

LetUsPrey · 09/05/2011 18:59

Just to back up the last two posters who suggested Jasper Fforde, I think his books are amazing and would recommend them. Currently in the middle of One of Our Thursdays Is Missing. Love it.

Shades of Grey was brilliant.

ThisIsANiceCage · 09/05/2011 18:37

Great minds, Cherrypi! Grin

ThisIsANiceCage · 09/05/2011 18:36

Don't think anyone's mention Patrick O'Brian, sometimes described as Austen-sur-mer. Maritime historical novels, twenty books so plenty to chew on, starting with Master and Commander. Brilliantly done and ver' witty.

Completely different: Jasper Fforde's series about Thursday Next, an alternative-universe literary detective without equal, fear or boyfriend. I just can't imagine anyone not liking these books! First in series: The Eyre Affair.

Second Ephiny's suggestion of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Best read with snow outside and your feet up by a roaring fire. With a mirror over it...

Cherrypi · 09/05/2011 18:27

How about jasper fforde?

latermater · 09/05/2011 18:17

Have not read the whole thread so apologies if duplicates others but for fun, but brilliantly well written historical fiction (or at least fiction set in an earlier era - all of these wear their Historical Novel credentials very lightly) what about English Passengers (Matthew Kneale?), Oscar and Lucinda (Peter Carey), or the wonderful Siege of Krishnapur - I kept waking DH up by laughing out loud - (and if you like that read the Singapore Grip and The Troubles, also by the brilliant JG Farrell).

Original poster
ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 09/05/2011 17:33

I've read about a quarter of Wild Swans so far and have put it on hold for a while - the writing style is really annoying me not for being self-pitying but for being not v good and v simplistic and rather clunky. And it's astonishing how her mother AND grandmother just happened to each be the most beautiful girls in the neighbourhood etc.

Have started Alone In Berlin and liking it so far (am managing to ignore the annoyance of the lapses between past and present tense, sometimes within one sentence).

The River one sounds good and the Tree one - have forgotten the titles and it's too long a thread to scroll back up and check!

Thanks again everybody and don't stop! :)

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elkiedee · 09/05/2011 16:38

Did you pursue Wild Swans? It's a book everyone else raves about and I didn't like it much, nor does my mum and she knows Jung Chang. She's just too whingy and self pitying.

CoteDAzur · 08/05/2011 22:05

Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin and its sequels are quite good "historical crime" - they are set in Constantinople in the time of the Ottoman Empire, with a eunuch as the detective.

ChateauRouge · 08/05/2011 21:02

Oh- The Secret River is fantastic TC! I thought I'd hate it (don't really do historical stuff) - but I couldn't put it down.

I liked the Corrections too fedup.

Original poster
ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 08/05/2011 19:52

Don't know where the random O came from then!

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Original poster
ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 08/05/2011 19:51

Read White Moughals and the Mitfords one - we deffo have some similarities of taste!

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fedupwithdeployment · 08/05/2011 19:47

I loved the Fatal Shore too - read it years ago when in Oz. Suggest you try William Dalrymple for historical books. Someone mentioned White Mughals further up the thread. It was written by him. I also enjoyed City of the Djinns (about Delhi) and a couple of his other books.

The Slap was ok.

How about the Corrections by J Franzen. His latest novel has been panned, but I enjoyed the Corrections.

REally enjoyed biography of the Mitford Girls recently.

Thanks to everyone for their contributions...I may revisit this thread, as I to a certain extent share the Col's taste!

Original poster
ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 08/05/2011 19:29

Don't really 'do' true crime though, unless it's historical! Eg: read one about Resurrection Men recently.

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Original poster
ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 08/05/2011 19:28

I LOVED 'The Fatal Shore' so will deffo be checking out your other suggestions. I've also read the novel that Slumdog was based on and thoroughly enjoyed it, though I still haven't seen the film (have got it: just haven't watched it yet).

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TotalChaos · 08/05/2011 18:41

Six Suspects by Vikas Swarup (author of Q & A, book that Slumdog was based on)

Historical crime -
1)Imprimatur by Mondi & Sorti
2)The Officers' Prey (and others in series by Armand Cabasson - early 19th century)

Amexica by Ed Vulliamy - v good true crime/sociology

Homcide by David Simon - again true crime, shadowing baltimore homicide dept detectives

The Lieutenant or The Secret River by Kate Grenville

The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes (Oz history)

Original poster
ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 08/05/2011 17:56

Thanks Kurri.

So - I have started Wild Swans but finding the extremely simplistic writing style quite off-putting. Interesting things described in a v v dull way. Do I want to continue?

Yesterday I read this The News Where You Are and was quite underwhelmed tbh. She has a talent for characterisation but it was very insubstantial and lightweight whilst pretending to be something a bit more profound, I felt. I thought the same about her first novel and think she'd be far better with poetry or short stories as I don't think she can sustain enough depth for novels and I feel like she 'pads it out' a lot.

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KurriKurri · 07/05/2011 19:43

My mother is currently reading the Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George, and recommends it.

Original poster
ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 07/05/2011 18:41

Did she? V sad.

Re: Gone With The Wind - I think I may be the only person in the world who found it so annoying and badly written that I actually couldn't read it at all. It was driving me insane.

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