What are you reading now?

[brenda]

@Jolly said in What are you reading now?:

Loved this one. Hope you do, too.

[Aqua Letifer]

[George K]

So as to not derail the "James Webb Space Telescope" thread, I'm replying to the question about the Fermi Paradox in that thread with reference to the Revelation Space books.

@Horace the first published novel in the "Revelation Space" universe is (duh) "Revelation Space." It just dumps you into the tech that Reynolds has invented, and makes things very difficult to understand.

What the hell is the "Glitter Band?" Who are the "Conjoiners?"

So many questions.

If you want a good order you need to understand the backstory, and I read the books/novellas in this order. These stories make the entire universe make sense.

• “Great Wall of Mars
• “Glacial”
• “A Spy in Europa”
• The Prefect
• Aurora Rising
• “Dilation Sleep”
• Chasm City
• Revelation Space
• “Diamond Dogs”
• “Nightingale”
• “Grafenwalder’s Bestiary”
• Redemption Ark
• “Turquoise Days”
• “Weather”
• Absolution Gap
• “Galactic North”
• Inhibitor Phase

Now, having posted this list, there's a few stories that are not essential to understanding what's going on.

Here's what I'd eliminate as unnecessary to understand what's going on. The rest, I consider essential.

• “Glacial”
• “A Spy in Europa" - fun, but not essential.
• “Dilation Sleep”
• “Diamond Dogs”
• “Nightingale”
• “Grafenwalder’s Bestiary
• “Turquoise Days”
• “Weather”- also fun, but not essential.

You really need "Great Wall of Mars," because it sets the whole universe in motion. The whole concept of humans vs conjoiners is set up there. Characters introduced her appear many, many years later.

Read them in this order...they're difficult, dense, but SO fascinating.

[Horace]

Thanks George. I’ll let you know how I get on with them, if I crack them.

[George K]

@Horace said in What are you reading now?:

Thanks George. I’ll let you know how I get on with them, if I crack them.

It's a huge undertaking. I've absolutely loved it. It's as "dense" as Dune - and has none of the mysticism and "weird" shit.

[George K]

You can never have enough Bosch...

Harry's back-walked his retirement, and is back on the force. He and his partner, Kizmin Rider, are investigating a murder from 20 years ago.

Yeah Kizmen Rider, not James Edgar.

Seems like a simple thing to investigate, until it looks like there's major involvement from "up there."

It's popcorn and a very easy read. But Connelly never disappoints. This is, I think, #10 in the "Bosch" series. I have about 15 to go.

[Doctor Phibes]

@George-K said in What are you reading now?:

What the hell is the "Glitter Band?"

Presumably not the 1970's British glam-rock combo that used to provide back-up for a well known pedophile.

[George K]

“The Glitter Band.”

Is tha that an Alastair Reynolds reference?

[Doctor Phibes]

@George-K said in What are you reading now?:

“The Glitter Band.”

Is tha that an Alastair Reynolds reference?

I'm thinking he was having a laugh with that particular invention - he's just the right age to remember the horrors of British glam-rock

[George K]

Started this yesterday, because I'm still in a Bosch-ey mood.

Finished this afternoon.

Typical Bosch - but fun.

[George K]

That last Bosch book was made into one of the episodes of the Amazon series - the one where the cesium is stolen from a hospital.

Nice, short, book. Easy mystery, with a believable twist at the end. The Amazon telling dragged it out a bit, and the read was a lot "tighter."

Fun.

On to the next. Nine Dragons.

[Copper]

Retired people need lots of hobbies.

This might be some fun.

[taiwan_girl]

I have been reading (actually listening to) the books about Jack Reacher. I think @jolly mentioned the TV show, but these are the books I am talking about.

I think they are turning into my "guilty pleasure". 5555

I am really enjoying them.

[George K]

@taiwan_girl said in What are you reading now?:

I have been reading (actually listening to) the books about Jack Reacher. I think @jolly mentioned the TV show, but these are the books I am talking about.

I think they are turning into my "guilty pleasure". 5555

I am really enjoying them.

Yeah guilty pleasures are fun. That’s why they’re called guilty pleasures, LOL.

I found the Amazon version of the story so-so. Are the books better? Because Bosch.

[taiwan_girl]

@George-K said in What are you reading now?:

@taiwan_girl said in What are you reading now?:

I have been reading (actually listening to) the books about Jack Reacher. I think @jolly mentioned the TV show, but these are the books I am talking about.

I think they are turning into my "guilty pleasure". 5555

I am really enjoying them.

Yeah guilty pleasures are fun. That’s why they’re called guilty pleasures, LOL.

I found the Amazon version of the story so-so. Are the books better? Because Bosch.

What is Bosch? I know you have mentioned that name, but I dont know anything about it. Is it the character or the author?

[brenda]

@brenda said in What are you reading now?:

Listening to this while working in the yard. It's quite enjoyable to listen to this version, if you like detail. I'm almost half done with it, and there's much left to do in the yard.

Highly recommend. I enjoyed it immensely, and for so many aspects of the life he led. I try to use his perspective techniques from painting in my rug hooking when appropriate, and this was a good review, but there's something for everyone in this bio.
Politics? Lots.
Art guilds? Good explanations of how they were run.
Other greats of the time, and his relationships with them? Oh, yes, indeed, and with some spicy details.
Coverage of his scientific studies? Much and detailed.

Again, I listened to this while doing some landscaping, and it was very easy to keep up with it at 1.2 speed. I find most recorded books go too slow, so I speed it up a bit.

Not too technical, IMO, just enough to help explain and compare. Not dumbed down either.

Enjoy!

[George K]

@taiwan_girl said in What are you reading now?:

What is Bosch?

Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch is a fictional detective. He is the chararacter that was the protagonist of a series on Amazon Prime. Brilliant detective show staring Titus Welliver.

The TV series was based on the books written by Michael Connelly. There are now 25 books in the series. Connelly was the in the production crew of the TV series, so the shows are pretty faithful to the books, though the books have different characters, sometimes.

If you like detective shows, check out Bosch. If you like mysteries, the books are tons of fun.

Connelly is also the author of "The Lincoln Lawyer" series of books. He really cranks 'em out.

[George K]

Just finished another Bosch book this afternoon ("Nine Dragons"). Good tale, and typical Bosch. It's interesting to see how characters in the TV series are different from the ones portrayed in the books.

***NSFW content***

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Honey, "Money," Chandler, the ambulance-chasing lawyer is Harry's new employer in the "Bosch Legacy" series on IMDB. Connelly kills her off in the 3rd book.

***NSFW content***

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Irving Irwin, the to-be chief of LAPD is not the straight arrow in the TV series. He is corrupt, with huge political ambitions (though Lance Reddick's character has those as well). He is dismissed (perhaps) halfway through the series.

***NSFW content***

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Harry's ex-wife, Eleanor Wish is killed off in the series by a drive-by assassination in Los Angeles. In the books, she's the victim of being in the path of a stray bullet in Hong Kong.

***NSFW content***

click to show

Jim Edgar, his partner, is not nearly as prominent in the books. Halfway through the series, he's replaced by another, female partner, and later, by yet another.

[George K]

@George-K said in What are you reading now?:

Just finished another Bosch book this afternoon ("Nine Dragons").

Oh, guess who says "Hello!"

“He called the number now and this time got an immediate answer.
“Mickey Haller.”
“It’s Bosch.”
“Harry? I didn’t think I’d—”
“I think I need a lawyer.”
There was a pause.
“Okay, when?”
“Right now.”

Yeah. Mickey Haller - The Lincoln Lawyer.

[Doctor Phibes]

I believe I've read this before, but I have no memory of it. It's not the easiest of reads by any means, but it's such a massively influential book. I really respect William Gibson's writing, but I find it hard work to get through.