The second, and final, book in the Crackers series, all about software piracy. Need to crack on and finish it, tho' - the review's due in on Monday!
Ok so I’m not currently reading them but there’s two stories I’d like to read again yet I cannot remember their titles! the first was part of a group of short ghost stories for kids/ young adults. I was certain it was called “The Whistlers” and it was set in a farm village on a foggy afternoon/ evening and the aforementioned whistlers whistles got louder and louder to where the main character was hiding out (in the village park climbing frame iirc). If any of you can help with this, it would be great! The second I have less information on although I’m guessing I heard it originally on Jackanory back in the eighties. It was about a young boy, it was very funny to my young self and there was more than one book - it’s not Adrian Mole but there were similarities between the books… I think there was something red in one of the titles… If anyone has any ideas… it would be great to pass these titles onto my son to be 13year old!
Starship Troopers - essential reading/10 So, after all this time on the planet, I finally get around to reading this 1959 classic. I tore through it in two reading sessions - it's straightforward for the most part. I'm not going to dissect it in great detail - see the Wikipedia article if you want a multi-faceted analysis that is actually worth reading. I enjoyed it immensely. There were a few parts that made me stop and think - mainly the socio-political discussion that the book is infamous for. It is possible to argue that the book accurately predicted the modern day world, with the rise of China and the lack of discipline in younger generations*. The core philosophy of the book (in my interpretation) is that those who vote and are in positions of authority must have a demonstrable history of being able to sacrifice personal gain for the advancement of society. Be nice if our MPs would learn that [/SNARKY COMMENT]. Naturally, the 1997 film is the driving factor behind me wanting to read the book. How does it compare? Well, the book is more serious whereas the film is satire (as is perhaps the trademark of Verhoeven). I'm sure you're also aware that the book was the first to focus on the use of powered suits to enhance a human's fighting prowess. The Mobile Infantry also uses powered exoskeleton suits as standard equipment for soldiers deployed on the battlefield, which have an astonishing amount of firepower, as well as allowing the user to 'bounce' large distances with the aid of suit mounted jets. There are three classes of suit: scout, marauder, and command. Scouts are as expected (faster moving with improved sensors at the expense of some firepower and armour). Marauder suits are the standard, and command suits are top of the line, only issued to the leading officer on the field and are faster than scout suits and have more firepower and armour than marauder suits. A few of the higher ranking individuals will also have ~4 tactical nuclear (2kT) missiles. Additionally, the M.I. are usually deployed by drop capsule, a one man delivery vehicle shot out by the starship the platoon is stationed on. Anyway, I highly recommend having a read - if you started it mid morning, you'd probably finish it in the evening. *Depends how you stand on things I suppose. All I know is that I went back to my old school a while back and the yoof were acting in ways my year would never have entertained.
Just finished the Discworld novel Small Gods. I have to say that it's not my favourite Discworld book so far. It's by far the best writing in the series so far, without a doubt. The story is fun, but it just doesn't grab my attention in the same way that others have. On to Lords and Ladies...
Just finished As You Wish, Cary Elwes' reminiscences on the making of The Princess Bride. An interesting read, but one that comes with a problem - namely, a few mistakes by the ghost writer: despite Elwes being a Brit, there's a few US-style stereotypes and downright mistakes that jar (all Brits call each other "guv'nor" regardless of where they're from; Sheffield in now in the Midlands; when stopped for speeding, the police ask for licence and registration, same as they do in the US; and, most egregiously, that small Indian pastry parcels containing spiced meat and veg are called "chapatis"). Can you tell that the mistakes really got to me? I've just started reading Small Gods as well, mainly because I read Thief of Time again before Christmas. I'm reading it mainly because Lu Tze was in both books
Two big thumbs up on that one. Read it so many times and it is still my favourite book. I am almost at the point where I need to pick up a new copy.
Shogun by James Clavell. Read it for the first time when I was 13. Liked the story back then. Liking it even more now. 800+ pages to go.
By the nature of your post, is this your first time reading the books? Slogging through The Count of Monte Cristo (translated). Chosen as it is one of those stories that is so often used as inspiration or parody for other works. As I am reading I struggle to keep all the characters separate, otherwise enjoying the story.
Hmm, I picked up a copy for similar reasons (also because I've been smoking a lot of Montecristo cigars) but I've not got round to it yet. Seeing how things are at the moment I don't get large periods of time to read so I'm having to stick to shorter or less complex novels. Right now I'm on Moby Dick, which I'm enjoying but is right on the upper threshold of what I have time for.
Finished Starship Troopers this morning, really enjoyed it. Love the fact it's very different from the movie, but great in its own right. It's one of those few books, though, where I'm happy I watched the movie first. A bit like I am Legend, in that I would probably not have been interested in a movie based closely on the book. Will next re-read Great God Pan by Arthur Machen for the n-th time. After that probably a comic or two and then I'll pick a new book.