Books

[Celt_Man]

I've been hearing Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series (Master and Commander, etc.) proclaimed for years as being among the best historical fiction there is. Most recently, I heard a re-broadcast interview with Derek Davis about his favourite books and he put these at the top of his list. So I decided to treat myself.

I'm nearly half way through Master and Commander and I'm beginning to wonder. So far, there's no plot, hardly any character development, no sympathetic characters at all (the hero you're invited to identify with is a pirate in British navy uniform, motivated solely by greed) and nothing has happened except the ship sailing up and down, over and across the Mediterranean. It would be fascinating on the minutiae of sailing ships and their rigging, get-up and oddly-named bits and pieces if that wasn't more or less all there is.

Has anybody here read these and am I missing something? Or is it just taking a long time to warm up?

Jaysus they are a cracking series...  I couldn't put them down - read the whole series and I guess I'm looking forward to re-reading them in the next few years

[Hardy]

What am I missing?

[muppet]

What am I missing?

That would fill more than a series. 

[ONeill]

What am I missing?

A soul.

[Hardy]

No need for that kind of language.

[tbrick18]

Anyone know where I can download some "free" ebooks for kids? Heading away and looking for a few to keep them occupied in the car...

[Hardy]

Anyone know where I can download some "free" ebooks for kids? Heading away and looking for a few to keep them occupied in the car...

I have a load of Terry Pratchett, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Philip Pullman, Katherine Paterson and probably some others if I could check right now. Let me know if there's anything in particular you want. Alternatively, I can upload a selection to Dropbox when I'm back at my computer.

[Tony Baloney]

Anyone know where I can download some "free" ebooks for kids? Heading away and looking for a few to keep them occupied in the car...

Like Hardy drop me a PM and I can send you some. What age of kids?

[Billys Boots]

Anyone know where I can download some "free" ebooks for kids? Heading away and looking for a few to keep them occupied in the car...

Like Hardy drop me a PM and I can send you some. What age of kids?

Ditto, tell me what you're looking for and I'll see what's in the files.

[tbrick18]

Thanks lads....PMs sent!
i knew I could rely on the trusty GAABoard!

[gallsman]

American Pastoral by Philip Roth. A real slog to get into but absolutely enthralling.

[ONeill]

Need a few ideas for summer reading. Real dark depressing shite. Like a modern Jude the Obscure or Poe.

[LeoMc]

Almost finished the Mitch Rapp first book now. It's not at all like Spenser I have to say. Spenser is way more wise cracking and a real pulp fiction kind of PI. Of course the Rapp series may develop more in the next books, but at the moment he seems more like a Jack Reacher character than a Spenser character.

Just tried one of the Mitch Rapp books, as you says he is a bit Jack Reacher but not as likeable though I have borrowed another one to see if he will grow on me.
Must look out for the Spenser ones if they compare favourably with Bosch. Am almost our of Lee Child & Michael Connolly books so looking for something new.
Am also working through David Dowlings "Station" series and they are a nice wee read also.

Have tried 2 x Mitch Rapp now. Still not a likeable character, written for the readers in the Tea party with an extremely right wing bias and cartoon baddies. Don't think I will try any more.

On a more positive review, I managed the first 3 Spenser books and they are a decent read alright, only 34 to go. My one quibble was the dodgy Kindle copy of one of them. The chapters were shuffled. I went from chapter 5 to 16 and it took me a couple of pages to work out what was wrong.

[Billys Boots]

Need a few ideas for summer reading. Real dark depressing shite. Like a modern Jude the Obscure or Poe.

Early John McGahern (e.g. The Barracks, The Dark) will do you - and he was a teacher then, as well. 

[Hardy]

Need a few ideas for summer reading. Real dark depressing shite. Like a modern Jude the Obscure or Poe.

Dracula, Frankenstein, Fahrenheit 451, Anything by Joseph Conrad, Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks.
Or, if they're all a bit too frivolous:



Edit: Sorry. Joseph Conrad never wrote anything called "Anything". I meant anything by Joseph Conrad.