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The GOT Book Club

gonetomorrow said:
The Believers - Zoë Heller. It's set in New York not long after 9/11 coincidentally but that's not what it's about. It's about a left-wing US family dealing with the sudden loss of its central figure.
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I really liked this book; I thought it nicely caught the atmosphere around the "establishment left" (for lack of a better term) in America as the post-Cold War period collapsed into the War on Terror. It prompted me to seek out Zoe Heller's previous two novels, Everything You Know and Notes on a Scandal, both of which I liked as well (especially the latter, which was later adapted as a not-great movie).
 
sdk said:
I really liked this book; I thought it nicely caught the atmosphere around the "establishment left" (for lack of a better term) in America as the post-Cold War period collapsed into the War on Terror. It prompted me to seek out Zoe Heller's previous two novels, Everything You Know and Notes on a Scandal, both of which I liked as well (especially the latter, which was later adapted as a not-great movie).
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She's not a prolific writer! I have ordered the Scandal book but don't expect too many laughs from it. Cate Blanchett was in the film. She's not scared to take on challenging roles.
I think Heller still has the knack of keeping the reader turning the page. That's the secret. There's nothing worse than realising that a favourite author has started to pad out their work. It's like the post 1990 Stones albums - too much filler!
 
Eggs said:
…admit to not being an avid book reader but I like to read on holiday and have really enjoyed ‘Erebus, story of a ship’, written by Michael Palin.

Erebus was a little 19thC wooden hulled boat that explored and extended the known limits of both polar regions. Amazing how brave those sailors were, amazing how a little wooden ship endured so much.

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So being a big fan of audio books (Alexa read my book) I got this one off Audible and its read by Palin himself, a fantastic listen
 
Just finishing the last in the 'Emperor' series, by Conn Iggulden. If you like Forester, Cornwell, Stockwin, etc, you should like this.

It's historical fiction about Julius Caesar from when he was a young lad, until Octavian becomes Emperor. Jolly good adventure yarn.
 

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The Godfather - Mario Puzo

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Just finished a re-read of this classic, obviously, I don't need to put up blurb or a review for this one.


If I could offer any advice to anyone regarding this it would be to watch the film before reading the book, it's strange in a way that the film provides more depth to the book and likewise the book provides depth to the film


£3 for the ebook its great value
 

Joe Abercrombie's latest one is as excellent as you'd expect - The Wisdom of Crowds.

A lot of his hardcore fans are a bit unhappy with it as the fantasy worldbuilding is dialled way down, and it's driven by political intrigue, proletarian revolution etc - v loosely based on the French revolution. Thought it was brilliantly done.

He's prob the best writer working in the genre at the moment, who ironically is not all that good at fantasy. His world-building is pretty generic, so playing into his strengths of character and dialog (which are sharp AF) makes sense. I'd love to see him spread his wings and try something in a more ambitious setting - could easily not work out but would be good to read.
 
COYBL25 said:
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Just finished this, after a recommendation from someone on here. Whoever it was, many thanks, as it’s one of the best non fiction books I’ve read in a long time.

The Indifferent Stars Above.

The author narrates the true story of the Donner Party, as they and others attempt to travel from their settlement in Illinois to California in the mid 1800’s, to start a new life .

A journey of nearly 2000 miles, which they tragically mistimed, ending up stuck in the mountains in one of the coldest winters on record.

It reads almost like a novel and is extremely harrowing in parts.

Would make an excellent film, but would potentially have problems getting through the censors, due to the extreme lengths they had to go to, to survive.

Recommend.
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Great read, harrowing and fascinating in equal measure. Thanks for recommendation
 

Just read this. Really enjoyed it. Recommend it highly for those interested in that period
Rome and Jerusalem: The Clash of Ancient Civilizations

Currently reading Empire of Pain about the Sackler family…mentioned a page or two back.
 
The Enigma Cube - Douglas Richards

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Blurb
Dr. Kelly Connolly is part of a top-secret team studying the most important find in human history, the Enigma Cube, an alien artifact of incomprehensible power. A cube whose technology can catapult civilization to dizzying heights--or destroy it entirely.
After years of failed attempts to unlock the cube's secrets, all hell suddenly breaks loose. Kelly and a black-ops commando, Justin Boyd, are soon fighting against all odds to stay alive, and to keep the cube out of enemy hands.
As the situation quickly goes from bad to worse, Kelly discovers that the cube's capabilities are far greater than even she had imagined. And that her actions could lead to nightmarish changes to the nature of reality itself.
The Enigma Cube is a smart thriller crammed with breakneck action, unexpected twists, mind-blowing science, and ethical dilemmas readers will be contemplating long after they've read the last page.


I spotted this one on a Goodreads list, seems to get decent scores and so I took a punt on it. I finished it so that's a plus.

No issues with the writing, but this is going to be a love it or hate it type of thing for a lot of people. up to the first 40% it's an interesting read. Then the storyline starts going off in all different directions, Sci-Fi, thriller, romance, historical fiction, scientific, aliens, you name it, there will be a genre it will go into (well maybe apart from sport). And thus the book gets spoilt.

The overall premise of the book makes it worth reading, just. Mainly because there are some interesting points about changing the past and affecting the future which kind of makes you think about it a little more than maybe you had previously. I think what could have been a very good book was spoilt by the numerous directions the author took it in during the later half of the book. Very good time travel books are hard to find, unfortunately, this isn't one of them.



Reviews
1. The science bounced from super advanced to very basic with the same level of explanation. The dialogue was at times very funny and at other times simply brutal. The characters were basically the scientist: most knowledgeable person around, the hero: super strong and tough, and quite smart, the villain: ruthlessly cruel, an evil mastermind. They are constantly fulfilling their stereotypes. After we experience the cube's newest power, I just had to stop. It was too much for me. It felt like the author put everything he could think of in one book, and I barely get to the halfway point. I love plot and characters, but this didn't have enough depth in either to keep me going.
2. This book is imaginative and thrilling. There are a lot of theoretical theories written which I felt are expounded on in too much boring detail and that's the reason for my rating. All in all the book is interesting if you like science fiction. Just to add, I did find some of the historical writing quite interesting.
3. Is it a sci-fi? Is it a Nazi thriller? Is it a love story? It's all three! Does it do any of them well? Oh god no. It's filled with cliche after cliche, boring dialogue, one dimensional characters, and zero excitement. We learn nothing about the alien cube, we time travel like it's no big deal, the important Germans speak perfect English, and Hitler farts.
4. Sci-Fi, time-traveling, action-adventure, spy-thriller moral dilemmas, breakneck pace... All in one book. One amazing book, to be precise.


Price - Free on kindle unlimited, £4.47 for the ebook

Another one that is worth the free read, not so much the cost of the standalone purchase
 

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