The GOT Book Club

[Brad McEachern]

Neville Southall: The Binman Chronicles.

Really good autobiography and read over 100 pages in one sitting as I couldn't put it down. From his childhood in North Wales, to him getting involved playing football to him being obsessed with football and training (which is ironic because he looks like a beached whale these days, no disrespect), not being real friendly with anyone off the pitch with the exception of Kevin Ratcliffe and the stories about playing for EFC and Wales.

It's found the one part funny (and it shows how much football has changed) was that it was 1990 and Southall, one of the best goalkeepers around was still driving a Volvo (while our chairman, Mr. Carter drove a Benz). The one part that did make me sad was when he wrote how little the board respected him because of his anti-social personality.

Just a good read about a fascinating person (at least IMHO). Quite proud that man made himself a hero playing for the blue shirt.

 

[heatmeiser]

It basically is a teen drama though!

I enjoyed the books but they are definitely a little odd. Kvothe's "Mary-Jane" traits are always excused away as 'unreliable narrator' syndrome but I'm not too sure.

Will definitely be interested to see how it all ends. Though I imagine it will end with him being all bad ass and murdering the Chandrian.

I obviously meant Mary Sue here not Mary Jane....

 

[heatmeiser]

@Hellerad & @Black Belt Jones

Have either of you read the Farseer trilogy? Similar in concept to TKKC but Hobb is a pretty phenomenal storyteller (so far anyway).

 

[ste d' indica]

Heather Brooke: The Revolution Will Be Digitised - Dispatches From The Information War



Bit lightweight but still quite informative look at information control in the 21st century with some interesting points to make. Largely centred on the Wikileaks affair, Brooke explores the tendency for the status quo and power structures to limit and twist information flow. This is covered as expected with analysis of the secret services, web behemoths and the legal quagmires surrounding the privacy and national secrecy debates. But funnily enough, one of the best illustrations of this is Julian Assange, a seemingly pretty unpleasant, petty, vindictive and manipulative character, ending up just as controlling and megalomaniacal as the power structures he is seeking to undermine.
Not bad at all.

 

[Joey66]

Neville Southall: The Binman Chronicles.

Really good autobiography and read over 100 pages in one sitting as I couldn't put it down. From his childhood in North Wales, to him getting involved playing football to him being obsessed with football and training (which is ironic because he looks like a beached whale these days, no disrespect), not being real friendly with anyone off the pitch with the exception of Kevin Ratcliffe and the stories about playing for EFC and Wales.

It's found the one part funny (and it shows how much football has changed) was that it was 1990 and Southall, one of the best goalkeepers around was still driving a Volvo (while our chairman, Mr. Carter drove a Benz). The one part that did make me sad was when he wrote how little the board respected him because of his anti-social personality.

Just a good read about a fascinating person (at least IMHO). Quite proud that man made himself a hero playing for the blue shirt.

Good book bought it off a car boot in mint condition for 50 p Could not believe it when I asked the price its a great read!

 

[Joey66]

Only just started first few chapters but the author builds up the background with the intensity and atmosphere of the war zone thanks for the info on this book

Did you enjoy it?

 

[wikofootball]

Not finished yet thanks for the info on the book

 

[Hellerad]

@Hellerad & @Black Belt Jones

Have either of you read the Farseer trilogy? Similar in concept to TKKC but Hobb is a pretty phenomenal storyteller (so far anyway).

No. But it's has been recommended to me before. I'll check it out.

 

[TheAlmightyFloater]

@Hellerad & @Black Belt Jones

Have either of you read the Farseer trilogy? Similar in concept to TKKC but Hobb is a pretty phenomenal storyteller (so far anyway).

No. But it's has been recommended to me before. I'll check it out.

I would absolutely recommend it. I've read every book set in the realm of the elderlings (2x Fitz & fool trilogies and 2x Liveship series). Currently awaiting the release of the 2nd book in the 3rd Fitz & fool trilogy. One of my favourite fantasy books I've read since Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn" trilogy & Tom Lloyds "Twilight Reign".

 

[Black Belt Jones]

@Hellerad & @Black Belt Jones

Have either of you read the Farseer trilogy? Similar in concept to TKKC but Hobb is a pretty phenomenal storyteller (so far anyway).

Not read Hobb myself, but will add to the list. Think Scott Lynch will be next up for my fantasy reading - never read him and he sounds highly recommended.
Also fancy picking something up by Sanderson - seems like he's a machine for putting out the books, so I'd like to see what he's made of.

Neal Stephenson has a new one out, as well. Seveneves. I'll read anything by NS on general principle, but after his last one I won't be in a hurry to pick it up.

 

[Hellerad]

Not read Hobb myself, but will add to the list. Think Scott Lynch will be next up for my fantasy reading - never read him and he sounds highly recommended.
Also fancy picking something up by Sanderson - seems like he's a machine for putting out the books, so I'd like to see what he's made of.

Neal Stephenson has a new one out, as well. Seveneves. I'll read anything by NS on general principle, but after his last one I won't be in a hurry to pick it up.

Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards series is definitely worth a read.

I haven't read Sanderson's Mistborn series, but I read the first book of Way of Kings. I'm still not sure if I liked it.

If any of you haven't read Joe Abercrombie, check him out. The First Law series is excellent and so are "Heroes" and "Red Country." I haven't read "Best Served Cold" yet, but I heard it is very good too.

@Black Belt Jones @TheAlmightyFloater @heatmeiser

 

[TheAlmightyFloater]

Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards series is definitely worth a read.

I haven't read Sanderson's Mistborn series, but I read the first book of Way of Kings. I'm still not sure if I liked it.

If any of you haven't read Joe Abercrombie, check him out. The First Law series is excellent and so are "Heroes" and "Red Country." I haven't read "Best Served Cold" yet, but I heard it is very good too.

@Black Belt Jones @TheAlmightyFloater @heatmeiser

Sanderson's Stormlight Archive is probably next on my list. Mistborn story flows really well and has a super in depth magic system. Kind of refreshing after countless fantasy stories where magic is just magic and some people have it with no explanation.

I'm also eyeing up Glen Cook's "Black Company" series. Heard good things about it.

 

[heatmeiser]

Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards series is definitely worth a read.

I haven't read Sanderson's Mistborn series, but I read the first book of Way of Kings. I'm still not sure if I liked it.

If any of you haven't read Joe Abercrombie, check him out. The First Law series is excellent and so are "Heroes" and "Red Country." I haven't read "Best Served Cold" yet, but I heard it is very good too.

@Black Belt Jones @TheAlmightyFloater @heatmeiser

That's a few people now that have recommended Gentleman Bastards to me, think I'll have to add that to the list!

Yeah, I enjoyed The First Law series. At first I thought it was really cliched, with your typical group (mage, wizard, fop etc) heading off for a big adventure. Turned out quite a bit different, and was genuinely amusing.

Has anyone read Steven Erikson? I ordered the first in the Malazan series ages ago but still haven't got around to starting it. Fairly epic series too.

 

[TheAlmightyFloater]

Not read Hobb myself, but will add to the list. Think Scott Lynch will be next up for my fantasy reading - never read him and he sounds highly recommended.
Also fancy picking something up by Sanderson - seems like he's a machine for putting out the books, so I'd like to see what he's made of.

Neal Stephenson has a new one out, as well. Seveneves. I'll read anything by NS on general principle, but after his last one I won't be in a hurry to pick it up.

I highly recommend the Mistborn Trilogy.

 

[Black Belt Jones]

That's a few people now that have recommended Gentleman Bastards to me, think I'll have to add that to the list!

Yeah, I enjoyed The First Law series. At first I thought it was really cliched, with your typical group (mage, wizard, fop etc) heading off for a big adventure. Turned out quite a bit different, and was genuinely amusing.

Has anyone read Steven Erikson? I ordered the first in the Malazan series ages ago but still haven't got around to starting it. Fairly epic series too.

I've read the Malazan books - rate them highly. You know how game of thrones has a lot of cross-over appeal, magic is very discrete? Malazan is the opposite - 100% rooted in dungeons and dragons, Magic user Lv 99 fantasy. As a result it is EPIC - makes Lord of the Rings look like a parochial dispute over some jewellery.
Erikson wrote the ten books quite rapidly - it's a fantastic effort at sustaining a huge story arc across 1000s of pages. He doesn't quite make it work IMHO, but the quality is pretty consistent. Only one bad book I thought. He was also heavily influenced by Glen Cook (mentioned above), so it's gritty stuff - not the usual high fantasy cliches.

Saying that, the books seem quite polarising - seems like a lot of people don't get past the first book. It's written in quite a different style to the others and throws down a huge amount of background information, which isn't to everyone's taste. Most of us don't read fantasy for a mental work-out, so I see why some folk can't be bothered with it.