More Books I read in Sep 2011 (Part 2 of 2)

I had to split the post because I couldn't include enough tags. <shrug>

The Thomas Berryman Number by James Patterson (thriller). It's weird to realise James Patterson was writing bestsellers in 1976. What a different style he had. I'm also beginning to notice style differences between decades. Books in a certain decade have similar writing styles, even among widely-different writers. Rating: Good

Down the Long Hills by Louis L'Amour. A young boy takes a young girl across the plains of the old West (USA) after their wagon train is massacred. Villains get after them, while the boy's father hunts for him equally desperately. Sweet story, happy ending. Rating: Very good.

Risk by Dick Francis (thriller). One of his better ones, and the hero is a chartered accountant. This was the book that made me feel CAs were not boring; something for which I am very grateful now. Rating: excellent.

Reign in Hell by William Diehl (thriller). After a bit, I realised this was the middle book in a series. Lawyer Martin Vail tries to bring down a parallel government/militia in the USA, under direct orders from the General (Attorney General, ha!), and mixes up with his old nemesis, the evil mass-murderer Aaron Stampler. Rating: Good.

Stone Cold by David Baldacci (thriller). The third in the series, and equally good. Rating: Very Good.

Part 2 of 2. Part 1 is here.

Books I read in Sep 2011 (part 1 of 2)

Why the delay? I already said in the previous posts. 😛

BOOKS!

Oh, my! I haven't updated to you my list of read books for a month! 

Currently re-reading: Bear Island by Alistair Maclean. Don't ask me why; I've always thought this was one of his worst books. That said, it's better than many people's good books. It's just that when every motion on the ship is described with a synonym of 'stagger', it gets a bit ... seasick. Fortunately, they will all (except the dead guys) reach land in a few chapters. ;)

Recently (re)read:
Scimitar by Peter Nieswand (thriller). It's always interesting these days to read a book written in the 1980s. The Afghan mujahideen were the good guys then, and the Russians were unadulterated villains. The protagonist in the book keeps turning out to be an unmitigated creep. Still, some good points, though avoidable overall, unless you want to specifically read an 80s book.
The Secret of the Nagas by Amish (myth/fantasy). I loved the first book in this series, The Immortals of Meluha, despite its sometimes too-modern dialogue. This one goes smoother. The book introduces Sanskrit/Hindi words in italics, and, within the next line or two, their meaning in English, also italicised (for dummies). It gets a bit annoying (gee, it's for dummies!) but is probably greatly useful for people who don't know the words. I loved this book too, and am bouncing and screaming for the next (and last) one. For less than Rs 500, you can get both books. Paisa wasool, these books are worth every paisa.

High Citadel by Desmond Bagley (thriller). An excellent light read from the 70s. If you like stories in which medieval weapons turn the tide, also try Mother of Demons by Eric Flint (science fiction).

The Quick and the Dead by Louis L'Amour (western). My son asked me if the book came first or the movie. Heh! A very typical Louis L'Amour book. The good guys win; the Indians are not evil, just different. Rating: Good

Part 1 of 2. Part 2 is here.

More books I read in Aug 2011

Nope, I wasn't more prolific a reader then than I am now. It's just that I'm too lazy to write reviews these days. That may change, though. Not that anyone cares...

Finished reading Stone Cold by David Baldacci. Rating: Very Good. And Don't read the author's postscript until you've read the whole book. Trust me, you'll enjoy it better only after.

Back to reading The Mammoth Book of Horror Stories Read two more novellas. These, so far, have been based in the early 20th century, and mostly feel very dated. The writing and action (if any) tend to be slower than we are used to. However, the one I'm currently reading was written in 1986, and is 'faster', though also startlingly predictable. I'll tell you if it surprised me in the end.

Next up: The Summer of Riley by Eve Bunting

Books I read in August 2011

And you're probably wondering, why now?? Well, I just found my reviews, that's why. Duh!

Killing Fear by Allison Brennan. Good

Edge by Jeffery Deaver. Excellent. I'm beginning to think he hasn't written anything mediocre.

Dragon Fire by Humphrey Hawksley. Tolerable. But it made me laugh to see he has a Dixit as the CM of Andrah Pradesh, who has also, at some time (wait for it!), been the Health Minister in Assam. Rotfl unbelievable. There are other goofs, too.

Midway through The Mammoth Book of Short Horror Novels edited by Mike Ashley. Fortunately, with happy endings, so my initial trepidation has been assuaged somewhat (I'm no longer a teenager, so horror stories without happy endings are not so easily brushed off these days). So far, I've read The Monkey by Stephen King, Parasite by Arthur Conan Doyle, The Damned by Algernon Blackwood.

Temporarily abandoned this in favour of The Orc King by RA Salvatore. I'm most bugged with this book's publishers. I picked it up because it clearly says on the cover Book 1 of Transitions so I was reassured I'm starting at the beginning; but then, it seems the main character has already starred in another 13 books in another series. Cheating! Cheating! But Todd Lockwood has painted a wonderfully evocative cover, and I have a quote for you: "I have heard it said that the universal hope of the world is that our children will find a better life than we." I'll live. I'll also post if I'm going to be reading any more books in this or other RAS series.