What are you currently reading ?

Started by goat major, 03 November 2012, 06:40:05 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

wurrukatte

QuoteHey, me too! Its on Amazon at a reasonable price at the moment

Amazon was were I got my copy but I was extremely lucky.
I always put books that I would like to read, but are out of my price range
into my wishlist, then check the used copies available from time to time.
Every now and then a true bargain drops in your lap.

W

Steeleye

I've recently finished reading 'Rising Sun' by Robert Conroy. This is an alternate history in which the Americans manage to lose the battle of Midway and the front line becomes the West Coast of America.

First off, the good bits.

This book is basically a 'ripping yarn' that kept me amused for two or three days. From a wargaming point of view there are some good ideas for Japanese raids on the American Coast (no doubt using those nice Japanese figures Pendraken make), plus there's a lot of fighting up in Alaska. Naval gamers should also get a few ideas from some of the situations.

Now for the not so good bits.

The entire book felt 'rushed' and there was little time for character development.

The author reused situations and scenes from his previous book '1901' and a lot of the characters reminded me of characters from that book. Also the characters didn't 'feel' right for the time period.

I also felt that Mr Conroy didn't do much research. I'm no expert on the period and the Pacific war doesn't really interest me over much, but some of the stuff he comes up with in the book just doesn't sit well with me. In fact I'd go as far as to say that it sounded plain wrong. But as I say I'm no expert.

In conclusion I'd say if you see this book in a charity shop or going cheap somewhere, buy it you might enjoy it. As I say it kept me amused, so who knows you might like it.

My copy of 'Rising Sun' will be going to the charity shop unlike '1901' which I kept and have read several times.

Hertsblue

Quote from: ianrs54 on 25 October 2013, 10:04:36 AM
You mean you still got a library service, are the books in English ?  ;)

IanS

No, they're on papyrus. But they are thinking of introducing vellum soon.  :D
When you realise we're all mad, life makes a lot more sense.

www.rulesdepot.net

Fenton

I'm sure audiobooks are the way to go Phil..Though it you must get cold and wet this time of year  listening to the towncryer in the marketplace shouting the book out to everyone
If I were creating Pendraken I wouldn't mess about with Romans and  Mongols  I would have started with Centurions , eight o'clock, Day One!

J.S.



Market Garden has always been of interest to me and I think that Mr.Kershaw did a great job in telling the story from "our" side. So far I didn't know just how ragtag the German defense really was, some passages were quite disturbing (eg old German Veterans form WW1  having to attack a hill which some of them had already stormed in 1914! Little wonder these poor old men didn't stand a chance against the British and American elite forces. And that's just one example of many).
I'd definitely recommend this one.



oldy but goldy. A collection of lectures by this famous British Professor. Highly readable, highly informative.
2012 Painting Competition - Winner!
2013 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Hertsblue

Half way through A Day of Battle - Mars-La-Tour, 16 August 1870 by David Ascoli, courtesy of Chad. The story of how one over-confident German general threw his army corps at the entire French Army of the Rhine and somehow got away with it. By rights the battle of Vionville - Mars-la-Tour should have been a crushing French victory, instead of which Bazain and his motley crew of marshals did not just snatch defeat, but embraced it and took it to bed. Incroyable!
When you realise we're all mad, life makes a lot more sense.

www.rulesdepot.net

haupt

Vortex of Hell by Brian Pohanka, An in depth history of the 5th New York zouaves.

Duke Speedy of Leighton

Flames Over Calais by Airey Neave.
WWII account of the German assault on Calais and the British and French last stand.

A rather rip roaring read.
You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

Russell Phillips

The Black Effect by Harvey Black. It's the second of a trilogy set during a Warsaw Pact invasion of West Germany in 1984. So far, it's damn good :-)

Sent from my HTC Desire X using Tapatalk
Russell Phillips
Books and articles about military technology and history
www.rpbook.co.uk

DaveL

Just on the 2nd novel by Adrian Galsworthy about the Napoleonic wars (Peninsular).  I've bought all four of them from Amazon-really enjoying them.  I only discovered them by chance.  Never seen them Waterstones - are they choosey?? I,ve also seen some Roman books (Marius's Mules etc.) which again I,ve never seen before, so I think I might be staying with Amazon for my books from now on, as they seem to have a better selection than the High Street shops.

Best Wishes   DaveL

fsn

I just typed Adrian Galsworthy in the Amazon search box, and this was the first thing offered.



Gave up after that.

Lord Oik of Runcorn (You may refer to me as Milord Oik)

Oik of the Year 2013, 2014; Prize for originality and 'having a go, bless him', 2015
3 votes in the 2016 Painting Competition!; 2017-2019 The Wilderness years
Oik of the Year 2020; 7 votes in the 2021 Painting Competition
11 votes in the 2022 Painting Competition (Double figures!)
2023 - the year of Gerald:
2024 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

mollinary

Quote from: Fenton on 25 October 2013, 02:17:37 PM
I enjoyed the Ruso books..And Lindsey Davis has written a new book  ( well new to me)  about his son taking over the finder business

"The Ides of April" and it is his daughter who takes over, and I am afraid it didn't quite do it for me. Pity really as I loved the Falco novels, and the Saylor novels are well worth a read as well.  Strange how similar tastes are on this board.   :-\ :-\

Mollinary
2021 Painting Competition - Winner!
2022 Painting Competition - 2 x Runner-Up!

fsn

I loved the Falco books by Lindsey Davies, but the "the Ides of April" was disappointing.
Lord Oik of Runcorn (You may refer to me as Milord Oik)

Oik of the Year 2013, 2014; Prize for originality and 'having a go, bless him', 2015
3 votes in the 2016 Painting Competition!; 2017-2019 The Wilderness years
Oik of the Year 2020; 7 votes in the 2021 Painting Competition
11 votes in the 2022 Painting Competition (Double figures!)
2023 - the year of Gerald:
2024 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

zaapark

Quote from: Russell Phillips on 23 November 2013, 08:18:00 AM
The Black Effect by Harvey Black. It's the second of a trilogy set during a Warsaw Pact invasion of West Germany in 1984. So far, it's damn good :-)

Sent from my HTC Desire X using Tapatalk

Sounds interesting will have to pick it up.
chris

Sandinista

Just finished reading "The Crusades Through Arab Eyes" by Amin Maalouf. Quite an insightful read, a different perspective on the subject than previous books I've read. He uses a lot of works of contemporary Arab chroniclers to paint a view of a society under threat from a barbaric alien culture. I would recommend it to those interested in the period and also those interested in current affairs.

Ian