Book Log

[mikekn]

6. Stark - Ben Elton [700/1549]
Just finished this last night. A good conspiracy/satire novel from British writer Ben Elton about big business and the environment. The ending was fairly abrupt and harsh, but I bet that's what he was going for. I got this book the last time I was in Vegas - Ben wrote the musical "We Will Rock You", which we had just seen.

I found my "missing"* three books. I had bought them together after christmas, so once I spotted one I remembered what the others were. For the record they were:
Neal Stephenson - Snow Crash
John Varley - The John Varley Reader
George R. R. Martin - The Game of Thrones

Also picked up another book recently; has to be one of the strangest titles in my collection: "The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric & Discredited Diseases"


* Missing from my database, not physically missing.

Comments

[kielbasa-007.livejournal.com]

only your friends steal books.

[mikekn]

True. I've a few books still out on long term loans (like several years...). Usually when I see the folks who have them, they remember (but they don't remember to bring the books...)

[maccuswell.livejournal.com]

I started reading A Game of Thrones a while ago. I didn't like it so much but I can't explain why.

It had all the elements for a great novel: strong characterization, complex plot points, conflicting viewpoints, excellent prose, and good pacing.

I just couldn't get interested in it. Beats me why.

[sskipstress.livejournal.com]

I didn't like it either. Maybe because it had too many words. Reading _A Game of Thrones_ was not enjoyable to me. There was something compelling enough about the characters or the plot that I finished reading it, but I was very glad the next book wasn't easily available to me when I finished it because I didn't want to subject myself to more.

I had a similar experience with Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson.

[maccuswell.livejournal.com]

I've had similar experiences with several authors like that recently. I'll go to Borders and pick up the first of several different series, hoping that one will be good enough to continue through several books.

Sadly, I'm getting really good at quitting a book halfway through because it isn't compelling enough. A lot of sci-fi suffers from the problem where you don't give a rat's ass about the characters or their problems and there isn't enough science to keep you intrigued (I'm thinking of David Drake's stuff here.)

Then there's writers like Holly Lisle that have interesting ideas, but whose characters you hate immediately and who can't write for longer than a page without changing the setting. It's like watching Seinfield; direction and pacing on crack. Crichton has started doing this too, in his later books.

I'm waiting for the next Katherine Kerr Deverry novels to come out, myself.

[mikekn]

Interesting. I know a few people who really enjoyed it, which was how it made my list in the first place. I can be fairly forgiving of most books, so I suspect I'll be fine with it no matter what. We'll see though.

[beththeevilone.livejournal.com]

I love snow crash, probably one of my all time favorite books. You have good taste in books.

[maccuswell.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Even with its dated nature and obvious flaws, it's still on my top five list.

[mikekn]

I've been hearing good things about this one for years, so I figured it was time to finally pick it up and check it out.

[maccuswell.livejournal.com]

It's his first published work. It shows. Certain storytelling elements and plot designs are off or not explained well, and there's a few logical inconsistencies.

That being said, it's still a marvelous book, full of attitude and fire. How bad can a book be when the main character is named Hiro Protagonist?

[ravyngyngvar.livejournal.com]

Hi, Mike. :-)

I've only read one book by Ben elton, Dead Famous, but I sure know I should read more. I'm just reading way too little lately. Murder in the Big Brother house. Only, there's no way the murder could happen as described in the end.

Actually, I got interested in him after a particularly enjoyable entry in the British talk show "Parkinson."

[mikekn]

Hi, Yngvar!

I'll probably pick up more if his stuff if the opportunity arises, but for now I've got more then enough books to keep me busy :)