The Grin of the Dark - Ramsey Campbell.
Much underrated horror writer, in fact I only started reading him in the 80s because he was name-checked by Stephen King.
I can only assume he doesn't sell in huge quantities because his books almost never turn up in charity shops. Unless the people who buy them are like me and hang on to them!

Even the books of his that haven't had an immediate impact on me, have lingered in my memory. I'll often think of some description or plot twist at a later date. He has a sly sense of humour and and understated (almost spare) way with description. He evokes loneliness very well - wonderful when building suspense.

This one is about a music hall comedian who went on to make silent films - loads of them, all featuring his name - but seems to have been completely forgotten. There is something very sinister in the scraps of information a researcher is able to find and certainly something very wrong with the clip of film he unearths. Effectively (so far at least) it is about the fine and bloody lines between funny ha ha, funny peculiar and just plain sinister. Drawn with a scalpel rather than an axe.

Have just read The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
What?
I'm a completeist.

I love Rowling's illustrations - she knows her own limits. She's not an artist, but she's a fair doodler. For the record I cannot draw at all, but know many people who can - my whole group of friends in school and college years were studying art one way or another.

I got a good haul from the charity shops this week - in really good condition too! AND cheaper than London. I think parents are having a clearout before Christmas because there are some suspiciously unread-looking books - my assumption is unwanted birthday presents.

I'll report back when I'm into them.

Oh and for the record, Beedle passed a pleasant half an hour. And I got it free on my loyalty card (it was half price, which I assume makes it a loss leader).

Just finished "The Graveyard Book". A fun, quick read. Alas, too quick.

I'm reading many titles from Lynn Kurland :blush: Not really historicals but very entertaining. The time travel thing cracks me up.


My next reads will be 'Twillight' and the new one from Ken Follet. 'World Without End' I loved 'Pillars Of The Earth' waay before Oprah made it cool.

Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer

They have not gotten any better. If anything, it's worse.

And I hear that she's rewriting the entire series from the point of view of the lead male, which is a sleazy technique, even if they are essentially romance novels.

Come up with a new frickin' idea, why don't you?

Please, don't do it. Save yourself while you still can.


Ken Follett has been way cool for YEARS. Why is it that it's like Oprah discovered him or something? Eye of the Needle is one of the best spy novels I've ever read. Key to Rebecca was great as well.

I'm currently enjoying NOT reading Jane Austen. God, I hate her.*




I AM reading Secrets of the Celtic Underwold because I am a dork.


*yes, I know Sundae likes her.

What officers in snazzy uniforms? Maybe I missed something...

You would probably like Swan Song then. It was scary.

So let me know how the book ends so I can decide if I want to read it.

you lie! :p

I've picked up Kite Runner several times. I just don't know if I would like it.

What is so bad about it except that vampire novels are done to death? No pun intended.


Yes she discovered him this summer! humhpt

Left Behind made it very clear that there was more to come, laid out the timetable for the tribulation, rise of the AntiChrist and all that. Entertaining, but not essential reading. I actually liked it a lot better than the Twilight books.

What do I have against the Twilight books? Other than being trashy vampire romances? Isn't that enough? Actually they are poorly written, trashy vampire romances. I was barely able to tolerate the well-written vampire romances (Interview with a Vampire, et. al.), but these ... they're like the mist that traditional vampires would disappear into. In general I like vampire lore, love Dracula and so on, but, well maybe the problem is that I'm not a teenage girl, but that's not entirely it, apparently there are grandmothers clutching the books to their heaving breasts ... anyway, I'd set fire to the books if they didn't belong to my cow orker. Ordinarily that would't stop me, but then I'd have to buy new copies to return to her, because that's how I am about books and I don't want to give any money to this author.

They're just really bad. I can't tell you exactly why without dropping really big spoilers.

Thanks

I understand about the over sexed nature of some books.ie: romance and the newest vampire novels.

I like a good lore/goth and history book. I can't stand it when there is an obvious bent towards the romance to the exclusion of history/lore. I love reading about time periods and ways of life and of course in human relationships there will be love/heartbreak/integrity and betrayal.

I know how to find good history novels but there are more vampire novels than one can shake a steak at.

http://www.vampirelibrary.com/lists/series.htm

any suggestions?

(I like over-sexed books) :blush:

I would say that usually "series" is a word that should warn you off. This is particularly true of, say, Piers Anthony, who writes a great first book, and okay second, an "I'm getting tired of this idea" third, and then churns his way through the remaining five novels he's promised you.

I make exceptions for the occasional Hairy Chested Men's Adventure Novel (They Call Me The Mercenary is a personal favorite), Harry Potter, and the Black Stallion books.

For Vampire Fiction, though, I can recommend "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova.

For General Fiction, magic but no vampires (sorry), try Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Incredible first novel.

Good call on Piers Anthony, wolf.

He wrote better than L. Ron Hubbard.

"Series" on a cover usually means one or two books' worth of artistic and literary virtue is diluted to fill five or more. Life's too short.

One exception I can think of to the above is Zelazny's Amber, though I got much more of a stylistic kick from the first part of it than the second part/second series. Where Zelazny went right was that he took his time -- years between books, with other novels intervening, letting ideas and themes germinate, incubate, and flower instead of giving us a line of potboilers. Zelazny always did have the sensibilities of a poet. He didn't rush. Good publishing contracts, maybe.

Beauty's Price, Beauty's Punishment, Beauty's Release -- S&M/B&D from Anne Rice. Ultimately it's all fluff, but there's some guilty pleasure to be gained. From quite a while back.

If anybody thinks Fear Of Flying is an erotic novel, they don't know what eroticism is.

For a pornicious classic, it's hard to beat Anaïs Nin: Delta of Venus, short stories, some near novella length.

An illiterate peasant farmer without a pen writes better than L. Ron Hubbard.