The "Freeola Customer Forum" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
On a major reading frenzy at the moment, bored with video games and movies so have returned to the page and thanks to the "I'm not really spending money" feeling I get from Amazon, have been reading like a madman.
Quick capsule reviews:
Robert Heinlein "Stranger in a Strange Land"
Martian/Human hybrid comes to earth for the first time ever and experiences this planet.
Very good indeed, another "SF Masterworks Classic" that gave me "I Am Legend". Heinlein uses the character as a way of exploring our world, from religion to monogamy and all the stuff inbetween. Surprisingly easy reading considering I don't usually enjoy sci-fi stuff. Pretty scathing to organised religions, politicians and our inability to be honest to one another about ourselves.
George R Stewart "Earth Abides"
Post apocalypse story much in the vein of the (written later) Stephen King book "The Stand".
Bloke gets bitten by a rattlesnake when out climbing and develops a fever. Comes to and discovers that 99% of the country/world has died from a mysterious disease and has to learn to live. There's no clumsy good vs evil flavour like King's. Just a literate and thoughtful prediction on how we would survive in a world without cars, electricity, running water, medicines, laws, governments, religion. Bloke meets woman, they have kids and so on down the line. Interesting to see the beginnings of new religions, superstitions, traditions and the dying of what we take for granted. They have to learn to catch animals, develop their own languages and basically return to cavemen, unable to start fire or figure out how to read/write.
Jeff Long "The Descent"
People discover another race of things living under the planet that want to kill us.
Or do they? Is Satan their leader?
Very enjoyable, a worldwide-scale end-of-the-world story about a group's journey thousands of miles under the surface to discover stuff and an eventual battle for the planet.
Sebastian Faulks "Birdsong"
Awful awful chick-lit of the highest water.
Dreadful. Incredibly pretentious, DH Lawrence wannabe story about a bloke that lives with a French family, has affair with the woman of the house, gets sent to WWI and trench warfare, feels bad about stuff and generally tortures himself about how nasty and unfair the world is.
Very slowly.
It's...imagine being forced to listen to a distant Aunty talk about how she fell in love with a soldier and how she used to have to wash her clothes in a river for 5 days straight.
Avoid unless you are a woman.
Or Grix.
Mark Haddon "The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Nightime"
Surprisingly very good indeed. I usually avoid these pre-praised "book of the month!!!!" things because I invariably find them to be dullness in word-form (Brick Lane or any Salman Rushdie for example).
But this really worked for me. Reminded me a lot of "Flowers for Algernon" in it's style - written from the pov of a 15yr with Aspergers Syndrome (a form of autism), so the sentences are constructed very simply and in character. Initially I found that a bit gimmicky but soon hooked me in. Read the thing in 2hrs this afternoon in 1 sitting from start-to-finish because I wanted to see what happens.
Christopher finds a neighbours dog murdered with a pitchfork and decides to investigate. He likes red things, doesn't like yellow or brown. Likes numbers and maths, hates people touching him and lays on the floor "doing the moan thing until they went away".
Recommended 100%
Loung Ung "First They Killed My Father"
Autobiography of a woman who's family was caught up in the Khmer Rouge invasion of Cambodia in the 1970s.
Heartbreaking to read what happens to her from aged 3 upwards, the incredible hardships imposed, the fear and loathing of Khmer Rouge, the "training camps", the enforced brutality of that regime, starvation, death of family members....just an awful, awful experience but with a glimmer of hope and happiness towards the end.
It's not an easy read by any stretch, nor would you be interested if you think Pol Pot was "misunderstood". It discusses the genocide of Cambodians, the persecution of anybody not "base", the incredible suffering that hundreds of thousands of innocent people endured at the hands of that tyrant.
----------
And, on their way to me, I shall be reading this week:
The Life of Pi & Vernon God Little - reports to follow
Quick capsule reviews:
Robert Heinlein "Stranger in a Strange Land"
Martian/Human hybrid comes to earth for the first time ever and experiences this planet.
Very good indeed, another "SF Masterworks Classic" that gave me "I Am Legend". Heinlein uses the character as a way of exploring our world, from religion to monogamy and all the stuff inbetween. Surprisingly easy reading considering I don't usually enjoy sci-fi stuff. Pretty scathing to organised religions, politicians and our inability to be honest to one another about ourselves.
George R Stewart "Earth Abides"
Post apocalypse story much in the vein of the (written later) Stephen King book "The Stand".
Bloke gets bitten by a rattlesnake when out climbing and develops a fever. Comes to and discovers that 99% of the country/world has died from a mysterious disease and has to learn to live. There's no clumsy good vs evil flavour like King's. Just a literate and thoughtful prediction on how we would survive in a world without cars, electricity, running water, medicines, laws, governments, religion. Bloke meets woman, they have kids and so on down the line. Interesting to see the beginnings of new religions, superstitions, traditions and the dying of what we take for granted. They have to learn to catch animals, develop their own languages and basically return to cavemen, unable to start fire or figure out how to read/write.
Jeff Long "The Descent"
People discover another race of things living under the planet that want to kill us.
Or do they? Is Satan their leader?
Very enjoyable, a worldwide-scale end-of-the-world story about a group's journey thousands of miles under the surface to discover stuff and an eventual battle for the planet.
Sebastian Faulks "Birdsong"
Awful awful chick-lit of the highest water.
Dreadful. Incredibly pretentious, DH Lawrence wannabe story about a bloke that lives with a French family, has affair with the woman of the house, gets sent to WWI and trench warfare, feels bad about stuff and generally tortures himself about how nasty and unfair the world is.
Very slowly.
It's...imagine being forced to listen to a distant Aunty talk about how she fell in love with a soldier and how she used to have to wash her clothes in a river for 5 days straight.
Avoid unless you are a woman.
Or Grix.
Mark Haddon "The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Nightime"
Surprisingly very good indeed. I usually avoid these pre-praised "book of the month!!!!" things because I invariably find them to be dullness in word-form (Brick Lane or any Salman Rushdie for example).
But this really worked for me. Reminded me a lot of "Flowers for Algernon" in it's style - written from the pov of a 15yr with Aspergers Syndrome (a form of autism), so the sentences are constructed very simply and in character. Initially I found that a bit gimmicky but soon hooked me in. Read the thing in 2hrs this afternoon in 1 sitting from start-to-finish because I wanted to see what happens.
Christopher finds a neighbours dog murdered with a pitchfork and decides to investigate. He likes red things, doesn't like yellow or brown. Likes numbers and maths, hates people touching him and lays on the floor "doing the moan thing until they went away".
Recommended 100%
Loung Ung "First They Killed My Father"
Autobiography of a woman who's family was caught up in the Khmer Rouge invasion of Cambodia in the 1970s.
Heartbreaking to read what happens to her from aged 3 upwards, the incredible hardships imposed, the fear and loathing of Khmer Rouge, the "training camps", the enforced brutality of that regime, starvation, death of family members....just an awful, awful experience but with a glimmer of hope and happiness towards the end.
It's not an easy read by any stretch, nor would you be interested if you think Pol Pot was "misunderstood". It discusses the genocide of Cambodians, the persecution of anybody not "base", the incredible suffering that hundreds of thousands of innocent people endured at the hands of that tyrant.
----------
And, on their way to me, I shall be reading this week:
The Life of Pi & Vernon God Little - reports to follow
Page:
Neil Stephenson - "Cryptonomicon"
I'm 300 pages into it and absolutely enthralled. How anyone can mix heavy mathematics, internet tech, WW2 campaign history, cryptography, Bletchley Park (enigma machine code breaking), a modern day fictional account of setting up a Data Haven in the Philippines and make it an interesting page turner is beyond me.
Umberto Eco - The Name of the Rose
A Franciscan monk investigating claims of heresy at a wealthy Italian monastery gets drawn into a web of murder, intrigue and a game of cat and mouse. A banned religious item may or may not be kept secret within the labyrinthine library. Extremely difficult to read (it’s translated from Italian) but no less satisfying for it. Huge amounts of text dedicated to religious discussion along the lines of whether Christ laughed or not, and infighting between different religions orders makes this a great read IMHO. Not my type of book at all, but just grabbed it for some reason last time I was in Dillions. I fancy watching the Connery / Slater movie version again, but I think it’ll leave a nasty taste in the mouth……..
Maus I – My Father Bleeds History– Maus II – And Here My Troubles Begin - Art Speigleman
Graphic novels dealing with two interlocking stories. The main thrust of the story is a polish Jew called Vladeks account of his time before, during and after WWII, and the persecution his family and people experienced at the hands of the nazis. This is framed by the artist and writer (Art Speiglemans) account of him trying to get the details from Vladek when he is old and near death.
This is an absolutely harrowing and moving account of the horror and brutality the jewish people suffered. Anyone who 1) is anti semitic 2) thinks comics are for kids 3) doesn’t think the holocaust happened should be choked with the pages of these books.
Milk and Cheese – Fun with Milk and Cheese – Evan Dorkin
An underground American graphic novel concerned with the adventures of a talking milk carton and a wedge of cheese. No message, no plot, simply two dairy products drinking vast amounts of gin and running riot. Typical story structure? Two pane introduction, milk and cheese getting annoyed about something (drugs, television, hippies, government) and the remainder of the strip is them hurting people.
‘I dare you to kick that baby into the street!’...‘I shall take that dare!’
Utterly irresponsible, and gloriously funny satire.
The Lonely Dead - Micheal Marshall Smith
Terrible. He didn't have a clue what he was writing. The ending doesn't so much as fizzle as not be lit to start with. Avoid.
I'm 300 pages into it and absolutely enthralled. How anyone can mix heavy mathematics, internet tech, WW2 campaign history, cryptography, Bletchley Park (enigma machine code breaking), a modern day fictional account of setting up a Data Haven in the Philippines and make it an interesting page turner is beyond me.
Umberto Eco - The Name of the Rose
A Franciscan monk investigating claims of heresy at a wealthy Italian monastery gets drawn into a web of murder, intrigue and a game of cat and mouse. A banned religious item may or may not be kept secret within the labyrinthine library. Extremely difficult to read (it’s translated from Italian) but no less satisfying for it. Huge amounts of text dedicated to religious discussion along the lines of whether Christ laughed or not, and infighting between different religions orders makes this a great read IMHO. Not my type of book at all, but just grabbed it for some reason last time I was in Dillions. I fancy watching the Connery / Slater movie version again, but I think it’ll leave a nasty taste in the mouth……..
Maus I – My Father Bleeds History– Maus II – And Here My Troubles Begin - Art Speigleman
Graphic novels dealing with two interlocking stories. The main thrust of the story is a polish Jew called Vladeks account of his time before, during and after WWII, and the persecution his family and people experienced at the hands of the nazis. This is framed by the artist and writer (Art Speiglemans) account of him trying to get the details from Vladek when he is old and near death.
This is an absolutely harrowing and moving account of the horror and brutality the jewish people suffered. Anyone who 1) is anti semitic 2) thinks comics are for kids 3) doesn’t think the holocaust happened should be choked with the pages of these books.
Milk and Cheese – Fun with Milk and Cheese – Evan Dorkin
An underground American graphic novel concerned with the adventures of a talking milk carton and a wedge of cheese. No message, no plot, simply two dairy products drinking vast amounts of gin and running riot. Typical story structure? Two pane introduction, milk and cheese getting annoyed about something (drugs, television, hippies, government) and the remainder of the strip is them hurting people.
‘I dare you to kick that baby into the street!’...‘I shall take that dare!’
Utterly irresponsible, and gloriously funny satire.
The Lonely Dead - Micheal Marshall Smith
Terrible. He didn't have a clue what he was writing. The ending doesn't so much as fizzle as not be lit to start with. Avoid.
There are three books that I've genuinely enjoyed recently. Mortal Engines and it's sequal Predators Gold by Philip Reeve, and the Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Conner. The Star of the Sea would make great oscar winning film. Anyone agree?
Just reread the Prisoner of Azkaban. Befere I went to see the film. Also a nice little mills and boon called a dash of temptation. Sad I know but its a read. And the Acorna books by Anne Mccaffrey.
BoingBoing did a small article on "Earth Abides" last week. It's the first time I've heard of it (your short review being the second).
I'll be getting hold of this I think.
I'll be getting hold of this I think.
ßora† §agdiyeV wrote:
> he has a point - with your poor grammar and spelling, it is a safe bet
> the type of books you are talking about won't exactly be mentally
> challenging.
books I read at the moment
shark attack
philippines
the universe
guinness world record
lord of the rings trilogy
world facts
3,000 question and answers
> he has a point - with your poor grammar and spelling, it is a safe bet
> the type of books you are talking about won't exactly be mentally
> challenging.
books I read at the moment
shark attack
philippines
the universe
guinness world record
lord of the rings trilogy
world facts
3,000 question and answers
I've read life of Pi.
It's very interesting on Religion and Nature.
I remember some muppet (I think it might've been Jeffery Archer) saying it was mathematical.
The fact that Pi letter of the greek alphabet is also given to a mathematical is as mathematical as it gets. :-)
Interesting book though.
I'd say more but I'd hate to ruin things.
It's very interesting on Religion and Nature.
I remember some muppet (I think it might've been Jeffery Archer) saying it was mathematical.
The fact that Pi letter of the greek alphabet is also given to a mathematical is as mathematical as it gets. :-)
Interesting book though.
I'd say more but I'd hate to ruin things.
he has a point - with your poor grammar and spelling, it is a safe bet the type of books you are talking about won't exactly be mentally challenging.
cRaCkHeAd wrote:
> My goal: to read 50 books in a month.. I read 12 books I still got 17
> days.
You know, in the books we are talking about there are not just pictures.
> My goal: to read 50 books in a month.. I read 12 books I still got 17
> days.
You know, in the books we are talking about there are not just pictures.
My goal: to read 50 books in a month.. I read 12 books I still got 17 days.
get it now, and a bit of advice - don't allow yourself access to internet shops when drunk.
self restraint? what's that?
self restraint? what's that?
Page: