Books

[enterprikayak]

Just finished rereading Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl, and also The Constant Princess, and also The Queen's Fool, and also The Virgin's Lover.


All take place in the 1500's with Henry VIII, Katherine, Anne Boleyn, and Queens Mary and Elizabeth. Sooooo well-researched, and absorbingly written so you can't put it down (unlike some other historical fiction). It's a wee bit written for the swooning female reader, but not too badly, and I can hardly criticize, I suppose.

Anyhow, all 3 are big think books and historically accurate. It is insane how much history (say, like, the whole church of England) was influenced by the whims of a few people back then.

Visit amazon here to view the books.

Oh no! I just looked on that page and there's a NEW one from this August! Oh! I must run and purchase it! Oh! Oh!

[Reanok]

I've been rading historical novels by Raphael Sabitini Scaramouche and it's sequeal about Revolutinary france the royals had alot of power and clout that's for sure. Same as the other books you mentiom EK

[Elessar]

Kooool... I've been perusing a book about Reformation England lately, after Henry VIII, but haven't read it strictly.

I finished "The Good That Men Do" and I am now reading "On Combat: Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace" by LtCol David Grossman (US Army, RET). It's pretty awesome, lots and lots and lots of stuff I didn't know so far. I think after that I'm going to finish "The Histories" finally and then move on to something else...

[Reanok]

Anne Bolenn and Queen Elizabeth is an interesting time in English history.I like the captain Blood books that take place during prereformation England.

[Emberchyld]

Currently re-reading (for about the millionth time) Dracula.

People who have never read the book before (or haven't read it in a while) really don't get it when I say that I don't like reading the first chapter on an empty stomach because it always makes me hungry , but it does! Harker just keeps describing all of this good food (chicken paprikash, impletata, "robber steak" ("bits of bacon, onion, and beef, seasoned with red pepper, and strung on sticka and roaster over the fire"). MmMmMmmmm

[Linda]

Historical novels! I have to get back into reading them. I like this genre. But I am dipping into mystery novels at the momment. The Moon Tunnel by Jim Kelly is what I am half through right now. Great descriptions - espcially the fog, partly caused by a land fill fire which won't go out. And it is kind of an historical novel as it is set at an archeological dig in England that is overlaid by a WWII POW camp. This is a keeper for me, one I will reread, and I don't reread many mystery books. Mystery novels these days have lots of interesting locales and backstories in them. I love the way the genre has blossomed.

[prisocisor]

I'm re-reading Kurt Vonnegut's "Welcome to the Monkey House". LOVE IT! Probably the best collection of single-author short stories ever!

EK and I can be seen reading Vonnegut's "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater" on YouTube. Ask her how

[evcake]

I like Vonnegut. I attended a talk he gave when I was in college. I'm pretty sure he was drunk, but he was a stich all the same.
I almost became a Bokononist.

[prisocisor]

I am SOOOO freakin' envious!

All I ever wanted to do was meet the man: Kurt's up in heaven right now

And to have him deliver one of his famous, drunken, keynote speeches would have absolutely made my life!

You should read his "Palm Sunday", which is a collection of his letters, speeches, and general musings, collected and arranged by the man himself. Neat stuff... and a practical guide to the art of writing. I just love the section on speeches he gave to various colleges at various times... like you said before: stitches

[ableone]

Why waste an Enterprise relaunch book?

Because it wasn't very good? Because there were plot holes you could drive a planetoid through? Because I've read numerous fanfics that were better thought out and better written? (I mean, Trip as a spy? Come on.) Because none of the characters actually felt or sounded like the ENT characters? Because too many of the ENT events referenced in the book were referenced wrong? Because it continued the stupid "will they? won't they?" tripe of season 4 that pissed some people off and, based on LFM, there isn't a happy ending in store?

But that's just my opinion, and I'm sure I'll be accused of bashing again. *shrug*

I completely agree with R.K. on this one. I too consider the writing in TGTMD to be inferior to a lot of the fanfic out there.

The plot was weak and the characters felt even more two dimensional than a television portrayal. A book has got to almost try in order to have flatter character development than a TV show.

This is the only Trek fiction that I have read and if the rest of the books are of comparable quality it is going to stand as the only one I have read.

BTW: A shout out to Rigel and to Distracted. Nice to see you both are still here. Well Rigel, not so much still here.

[Asso]

Why waste an Enterprise relaunch book?

Because it wasn't very good? Because there were plot holes you could drive a planetoid through? Because I've read numerous fanfics that were better thought out and better written? (I mean, Trip as a spy? Come on.) Because none of the characters actually felt or sounded like the ENT characters? Because too many of the ENT events referenced in the book were referenced wrong? Because it continued the stupid "will they? won't they?" tripe of season 4 that pissed some people off and, based on LFM, there isn't a happy ending in store?

But that's just my opinion, and I'm sure I'll be accused of bashing again. *shrug*

I completely agree with R.K. on this one. I too consider the writing in TGTMD to be inferior to a lot of the fanfic out there.

The plot was weak and the characters felt even more two dimensional than a television portrayal. A book has got to almost try in order to have flatter character development than a TV show.

This is the only Trek fiction that I have read and if the rest of the books are of comparable quality it is going to stand as the only one I have read.


We are at least three.

[Distracted]

BTW: A shout out to Rigel and to Distracted. Nice to see you both are still here. Well Rigel, not so much still here.

So you've come out to play? Cool!

I think Rigil's taking a posting break, but I suspect he still visits now and then. (Hi, Rigil! )

Check out my co-production with BnB in the Library at P'Jem and let us know what you think.

[Linda]

Drive a planetoid through it? LOL, I like Rigil's style. And I agree, I have read better fan fic than TGTMD. Still, even with planetoid size holes, there were parts of the book I liked - and parts I just hated. The world ain't fair. Some people should be better compensated for their writing then a few "I liked that" comments. Too bad they also don't get $ for their efforts. And others are overpaid, and continue to get the contracts to write more mediocre books for more big $. Sigh.

[Asso]

Drive a planetoid through it? LOL, I like Rigil's style. And I agree, I have read better fan fic than TGTMD. Still, even with planetoid size holes, there were parts of the book I liked - and parts I just hated. The world ain't fair. Some people should be better compensated for their writing then a few "I liked that" comments. Too bad they also don't get $ for their efforts. And others are overpaid, and continue to get the contracts to write more mediocre books for more big $. Sigh.

You are absolutely right!

[Reanok]

Some of the new Tng books characters I don't really care about them all that much.Like the new Security officer and some of the others are okay but I'm not sure how I feel about these characters since they've only been in 3 books so far. T'Lana was an interesting Vulcan character in Q&A but I don't like her in Before Dishonor.