The GOT Book Club

[COYBL25]

I had high hopes for this one - Half Head.

Stuart Macbride, who writes the wonderful Logan McRae, “ Tartan Noir “ detective books, dips his toe into the world of scfi.

Set in Glasgow in the future, criminals are surgically altered ( Half Headed ) and set to work as drones, doing monotonous jobs. One of them regains full consciousness and reverts back to serial killing, all care of an off the books shadowy organisation. The security services investigate.

Unfortunately the author is unable to replicate his writing style with this book, as the witty black humour that runs through all of his detective novels, doesn’t work as well with scfi, even though he gives it a good go.

Average, but would probably make a very good film, as his ideas are good.

 

[wm02]

Just started reading this earlier this week.
Very good thus far

 

[Woolverhampton_Blue]

View attachment 145569
Just started reading this earlier this week.
Very good thus far

Right up my street that is. Let us know what you think when you’re finished.

 

[woodsyni]

Reading Lord Of The Rings again. First read it a long time ago as a teenager. Isn’t as good as I remember it being.

Big fantasy fan and give it credit for being the 'daddy' of the genre but it's just about the only book where I think the films are better!

 

[woodsyni]

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.

Love Abercrombie and you've nailed it. He's all about the characters and sharp dialogue. Haven't been reading much lately so thanks for the recommendation. It actually sounds exactly what I like in a book. Cheers!

 

[Woolverhampton_Blue]

Big fantasy fan and give it credit for being the 'daddy' of the genre but it's just about the only book where I think the films are better!

I do still think the book is better. I’ve probably been harsh because I’m comparing how it made teenage me feel as opposed to now, which was never going to be a fair comparison.

Tolkien is a genius when you consider the depth and intricacy of the world he created. The linguistic stuff alone is ridiculous.

 

[wm02]

Big fantasy fan and give it credit for being the 'daddy' of the genre but it's just about the only book where I think the films are better!

For me, The Godfather is the gold standard of films being far better than the books.

 

[woodsyni]

I do still think the book is better. I’ve probably been harsh because I’m comparing how it made teenage me feel as opposed to now, which was never going to be a fair comparison.

Tolkien is a genius when you consider the depth and intricacy of the world he created. The linguistic stuff alone is ridiculous.

Honestly, I'm not denigrating the man who developed the genre that has given me untold pleasure for decades. He is the daddy of them all - the one-daddy, if you will- but the endless poetry and slow pace... it was tough going at times. It certainly set the standard though. So hard to compare something from a very different age though.

 

[woodsyni]

For me, The Godfather is the gold standard of films being far better than the books.

Aye, my favourite films of all time. Haven't read the book to be honest and, I confess, have read nothing but fantasy for decades.

 

[anjelikaferrett]

Just started this.

 

[wm02]

Aye, my favourite films of all time. Haven't read the book to be honest and, I confess, have read nothing but fantasy for decades.

You didn’t miss anything! Puzo just wasn’t a very good writer at all

 

[anjelikaferrett]

View attachment 145550

I had high hopes for this one - Half Head.

Stuart Macbride, who writes the wonderful Logan McRae, “ Tartan Noir “ detective books, dips his toe into the world of scfi.

Set in Glasgow in the future, criminals are surgically altered ( Half Headed ) and set to work as drones, doing monotonous jobs. One of them regains full consciousness and reverts back to serial killing, all care of an off the books shadowy organisation. The security services investigate.

Unfortunately the author is unable to replicate his writing style with this book, as the witty black humour that runs through all of his detective novels, doesn’t work as well with scfi, even though he gives it a good go.

Average, but would probably make a very good film, as his ideas are good.

I love the Logan McRae books. Might give this a go in spite of your average review - I trust your judgment - the man who recommended The Passage to me!

 

[Woolverhampton_Blue]

Honestly, I'm not denigrating the man who developed the genre that has given me untold pleasure for decades. He is the daddy of them all - the one-daddy, if you will- but the endless poetry and slow pace... it was tough going at times. It certainly set the standard though. So hard to compare something from a very different age though.

I’m not a fan of the poetry either.

 

[Woolverhampton_Blue]

Just started this.

He always comes across as a really likeable guy. Not a huge Foo Fighters fan but Nirvana are probably in my top five. Interested to hear what you make of this.

 

[COYBL25]

I love the Logan McRae books. Might give this a go in spite of your average review - I trust your judgment - the man who recommended The Passage to me!

It`s not bad, just an average read. He tries to weave some of the Logan McRae humour, into the main characters in it and it just doesn`t work ( imo ).