GooberTheHat wrote:

Most of my book consumption recently has been in the form of audiobook. I think I want to change that, because it's difficult to get lost in a good book when you're not making it your sole focus, which it almost never is if I'm listening to an audiobook.

I tried a few audio books for the first time recently and found that biographies read by the person worked really well but found focus more difficult with fiction, etc. I guess the biographies feel more like a podcast so I’m more ‘switched on’ to them.

On the subject, Bob Mortimer’s biography was great. The format was less linear than most which worked really well and was packed with fascinating details about his personal and professional life.

His Reece Shearsmith impression is on point too. Another perk of the audio book for that one!

Set myself a challenge of 35 books this year after managing 31 in 2021. Just writing this as a marker of the commitment really, so carry on.

Kazuo wrote:

Set myself a challenge of 35 books this year after managing 31 in 2021. Just writing this as a marker of the commitment really, so carry on.

I've probably only read a dozen books or so over the last couple of years. Crazy given the increase in downtime over that period! My purchasing habits haven't changed so now I've got a significant pile of shame to catch up on. Think I need to have a couple of dedicated slots during the week with no screen time as I'm only really reading in bed these days.

I shall aim for 18 this year, roughly one every 6 weeks and see how that goes.

Cos wrote:

I shall aim for 18 this year, roughly one every 6 weeks and see how that goes.

You'll probably struggle to hit 18 with one every 6 weeks or so... x

tigersgogrrr wrote:

Cos wrote:

I shall aim for 18 this year, roughly one every 6 weeks and see how that goes.

You'll probably struggle to hit 18 with one every 6 weeks or so... x

Ha, terrible maths on my part! One every 3ish weeks still sounds doable. Just need a new routine.

I doubt I'll manage to contribute much to this thread I'm afraid, as I'm reading much less than I'd like to.  However as Grem's explicitly allowed comic books I'm going to put in a nod to... 

In by Will McPhail

McPhail's probably best known for his cartoons in the New Yorker, and the book carries with it a certain amount of both that artistic style, but also that temperament.  Nick, the book's protagonist, spends his existence wondering between coffee shops and bars, sketching as he goes, and very occasionally checking in with his family.  The book does a nice job of establishing the rhythm of Nick's life, and his distance from those around him, before finally forcing him to connect with them.

It's that process of connecting with others that makes the book really shine - the aloof black and white sketches suddenly giving way to vivid colour and abstraction, when Nick finally allows himself to find out about the people in his life. I'm not sure the book necessarily has anything new or original to say, but it says it so damn well.

2. Saints of Salvation (Peter F Hamilton)

The final book in what has been an absolutely epic (in the true sense of the word) trilogy, spanning 20,000 years and millions of light years. I could not put it down – it's the best sci-fi trilogy I've read since Three Body Problem and may actually best it in many ways. The scope of the story, the superb characters, the bonkers theoretical physics and science, the sheer number of amazing ideas, the sense of place no matter where in the galaxy you are reading about, the action sequences, the giant space battles, the implacable and chilling enemy – all adds up to an incredible thrill ride of desperate chases, heroic last stands and reality/mind-bending brilliance. If you've got any interest at all in sci-fi, pick these books up now!

Same. Sounds right up my street.

1. Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami

I've thoroughly enjoyed most of what I've read from Murakami but this was the first in several years and it was a timely reminder of why I love his work. For such a relatively simple story to be so unputdownable is testament to the characters and detail of their lives. The descriptions of daily routines or wrestling with self identity and existential crises are presented with the same amount of care, and there were points where the most mundane sentence is lifted in such a way it made me smile and marvel.

The only downside was it felt like it was cut short but perhaps that's partly because I just wanted to carry on reading about the characters I'd come to care about so much. He'll be appearing again in my list this year I suspect.

Cos wrote:

Raiziel wrote:

Have you read Dan Simmons’ two Hyperion books, Grem? If not, I think they’d be your sort of thing.

That's a great shout. Up there with my all time favourites.

Yeah, I used to have them but have no idea where they went. Remember enjoying them - might have to track them down. The paperback copy I had was huge, think it might have been both in one volume

Raiziel wrote:

acemuzzy wrote:

now midway through I'm Thinking of Ending Things.

Amazing book!

Really?

Very underwhelmed. Oh well, at least I finished a book. Let's just hope the next one is rather better...

Gremill wrote:

3. Southern Bastards, Vol 1-4 (Jason Aaron) Re-read 1-3 after getting 4 for Christmas. Gritty as you'd like story set in rural Alabama- where football is the religion of Craw County and the psychotic Coach Euless Boss is their fire and brimstone back woods preacher. It's dirty, crude and violent with a vulgar, cartoonish art style to match the tone of hard boiled crime and revenge. Recommended.

I read the first volume of that but never picked up any more. Can’t remember why now so might just have to read it again.

acemuzzy wrote:

Raiziel wrote:

acemuzzy wrote:

now midway through I'm Thinking of Ending Things.

Amazing book!

Really?

Spoiler:

I thought it was ok to start with, but meh at the ending. Like full on fuck that shit I've seen/read it too many times before now, and better than this.

Very underwhelmed. Oh well, at least I finished a book. Let's just hope the next one is rather better...

Well I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it. I thought it was a beautifully written piece of weird fiction, but I can understand it’s probably divisive.

Yeah the writing was pretty nice and fresh, no complaints in that front! I think DS liked it too?

(@raiz)