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The challenge for this week was to take some photos and post on them, linking to other blogs participating in the challenge.
I wanted to do something book-related but a little different from the piles of books I photograph for my monthly purchase update.
So the photo I have taken is of my reading chair – a bit dull perhaps but some significant books have been read in this chair – complete with footstool, cushions and a selection of blankets for those winter days when the ankles can get a bit cold. If you look closely you can see numerous piles of books in the background – these are stacked on the floor while we go through the process of commissioning bespoke bookshelves having finally admitted that we’ve run out of room. That might be a future post (or two) so watch this space.
I was pleased to see Karen’s post which gave me comfort that I’m not the only person with a significant tbr pile.
I meant to take a few more pictures but got sidetracked by work stuff so this will have to do for now. But just you wait until those bookshelves are installed……
This month’s book haul, in no particular order:
Lost Boy, Lost Girl by Peter Straub – I read quite a few of Straub’s novels when I was a student but haven’t picked one up in a while; Stephen King thinks this “may be the best book of [Straub’s] career” and that’s a recommendation I find difficult to ignore
Queen of Fashion by Caroline Weber – I think I looked for this after a recommendation from Danielle at A Work in Progress, and having dipped in I think it was a wise decision; I’m going to enjoy this one
The Mitfords – Letters Between Six Sisters edited by Charlotte Mosley – I think it’s about time I had a Mitford read-a-thon and this might just be the book to trigger it off
The Vikings by Jonathan Clemens – always been a bit keen on Vikings, but as to whether they were the last pagans or the first modern Europeans, we’ll have to wait and see….
Albion: The Last Good Companion by Patrick McCormack – can’t remember which blog this was recommended on but I thought it looked like a new approach to an old story
Ghost by Robert Harris – I haven’t read much Harris but I heard him being interviewed on the radio about this one and it sounds interesting
Flesh House by Stuart MacBride – the fourth Logan Macrae, set once again in Aberdeen and environs, but this time with cannibalism thrown in
The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman – illustrated by Gris Grimley, a lovely alphabet book for children with a Gothic sensibility as you would expect.
So the plan was to finish the three books I was reading for challenges, and I think I did quite well in finishing two, one of which I was only half way through. And it means I’ve actually completed my first challenge!
I’ve posted on the first already and will do the post for the other over the next few days. Not bad considering a heavy week at work; thank goodness for the daily commute!
Apart from Good Omens, which he wrote with Neil Gaiman, I have only ever read two novels by Terry Pratchett, and those were the first two Discworld books – pressed onto me by a friend who was (still is) a huge Pratchett aficionado. That was 16 years ago (doesn’t time fly) and although I found them amusing I didn’t have the urge to pick up any more. Then three things happened:
- a really good adaptation of Hogfather appeared on TV here in the UK
- followed by a pretty good adaptation of the two books I had read
- followed by my remembering that the Book God had bought me a copy of Going Postal because I thought the title was funny
So I decided to give Terry another go because I really, really like the man and do so want to enjoy his books, and I admit that I’m glad I did because this is really very good indeed.
Moist von Lipwig is a conman who has been “rescued” from his execution by Lord Vetinari, the ruler of Ankh Morpork, in order to rejuvenate the Post Office. A simple premise, but so much else is going on in the background, far too much to mention here without spoiling the story. The jokes are good, particularly if like me you have ever worked in the post office or collect stamps – the whole subplot about how stamps and the hobby of collecting them comes about was very enjoyable. And there are Golems – I like Golems, and Mr Pump (Moist’s parole officer) is a great character. There is a love interest, triumph and disaster and a happy ending. I can really recommend this one if you like humourous fantasy, and although there have been mixed reviews I’m going to look out for the sequel Making Money when it comes out in paperback.
This was my fourth read for the Once Upon a Time II challenge.
So Weekly Geek #6 is about catching-up; the suggestion is actually to catch up with reviews but I’m up to date with those (I generally like to post my reaction soon after I’ve finished a book because I have a memory like a sieve and if it isn’t written down who knows what will happen to those carefully considered thoughts…..).
But all is not lost because I am very behind in my reading, particularly in relation to the various challenges I’ve started:
- Once Upon a Time II = 3/5
- Novella Challenge = 3/6
- Becky’s Arthurian Challenge = haven’t started yet
- Non-fiction Five = still reading the first one
See what I mean? So this week I am going to try to finish the three books I’m reading for challenges, plus the book of short stories I’ve had on the go for what seems like forever, and I’ll post back here towards the end of the week on how I’ve got on. Wish me luck!
I really like Neil Gaiman; I probably can’t articulate why quite as well as Nymeth has in her recent post, but I have never read anything that he has written that I didn’t enjoy, and that includes his blog. So you won’t be surprised that I loved Odd and the Frost Giants, which was written for World Book Day.
Odd lives with his mother and stepfather, and has walked with a crutch since he injured himself soon after his father died at sea. At a time when winter doesn’t seem to want to end, Odd runs away from home to fend for himself in his father’s hut in the woods. There he comes across a bear, a fox and an eagle who have a bit of a problem (and then some), so he decides to help them.
If you know anything about Norse mythology you will enjoy this story. There are interesting little details, for example the eagle only has one eye, which point you in the right direction as to who the animals really are. And once these three are identified as Thor, Odin and Loki, who have been thrown out of Asgard, the question is will a 12 year old really be able to help?
How he manages to solve everyone’s problems. start the thaw and build a future for himself is really enjoyable. It’s a short book but Gaiman packs a lot into it; much hinges on whether you like Odd or not and I really did. Another triumph for Mr G.
This has been my third read for the Novella Challenge.
Bride of the Book God 