Gremill wrote:14. The Bear & The Serpent (Adrian Tchaikovsky) Second in the Echoes of the Fall fantasy trilogy by my favourite author, continuing the story of the shapeshifting clans facing an ancient existential threat from times of myth. This part introduces new clans in a new part of the world, as the Champion of the North (sort of based on North/Native American legends) travels to the Sun River Nation (sort of South/Central American/Aztec legends) to act as bodyguard to their boy-king who is facing challenge to the throne from within his own family. All the while, the Plague People land on the shores of the North and slaughter all of the clans they meet. A great story, full of great characters and ideas - looking forward to the final part. 15. Homage to Catalonia (George Orwell) Goddamn, George Orwell was a fucking badass. His account of fighting alongside the Communists and Anarchists against Franco's fascists in the Spanish civil war. Brilliantly written, as you'd expect, but also tragic, funny and moving. You can feel Orwell's frustration and passion in every chapter and his genuine love for the Spanish people and country. His accounts of his actions under fire are very typically British and self-effacing but as terrified as he describes the experience as being, you don't charge a machine gun nest with a shitty gun that isn't likely to work when you want it to and take it out with hand grenades that are as likely to kill you as the are the fascists without being a genuinely courageous person. Legend.
Cos wrote:Gremill wrote:14. The Bear & The Serpent (Adrian Tchaikovsky) Second in the Echoes of the Fall fantasy trilogy by my favourite author, continuing the story of the shapeshifting clans facing an ancient existential threat from times of myth. This part introduces new clans in a new part of the world, as the Champion of the North (sort of based on North/Native American legends) travels to the Sun River Nation (sort of South/Central American/Aztec legends) to act as bodyguard to their boy-king who is facing challenge to the throne from within his own family. All the while, the Plague People land on the shores of the North and slaughter all of the clans they meet. A great story, full of great characters and ideas - looking forward to the final part. 15. Homage to Catalonia (George Orwell) Goddamn, George Orwell was a fucking badass. His account of fighting alongside the Communists and Anarchists against Franco's fascists in the Spanish civil war. Brilliantly written, as you'd expect, but also tragic, funny and moving. You can feel Orwell's frustration and passion in every chapter and his genuine love for the Spanish people and country. His accounts of his actions under fire are very typically British and self-effacing but as terrified as he describes the experience as being, you don't charge a machine gun nest with a shitty gun that isn't likely to work when you want it to and take it out with hand grenades that are as likely to kill you as the are the fascists without being a genuinely courageous person. Legend.
@Grem Both of those sound great. I've only read Dogs of War by Tchaikovsky so far, a couple of years ago I think but it was one of the best I read that year. Will have to search out more.
acemuzzy wrote:I'm struggling to read much atm tbh. Not quite sure why. Movies on my commute + early bed times the main blocker I suppose.
Cos wrote:You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann
This might well have been recommended by someone here, kudos if so. A short novel about a screenwriter on vacation with his family in a remote house in the mountains. It falls into the category of the less you know about it the better but it's a wonderfully dark tale, brilliantly told with barely a word wasted and using the medium to great effect.
Gremill wrote:Loved The Satsuma Complex - just a great, throwaway amusing little mystery.
Yeah, that's a cracking book. This one is a bit more gonzo and darkly funny though. Like a Verhoeven movie.acemuzzy wrote:Have you read American War by Omar El Akkad? I thought it was very good, and has a loosely similar thing to ^ going on (though I reckon different enough to buy feel samey!)
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