August 2010, what are you reading

fljustice · Post by **fljustice** » Wed August 18th, 2010, 4:25 pm

I snagged an Early Reviewer copy of Empire by Stephen Saylor and just finished the first section. Good research, but hope the action picks up soon. I didn't read the first in the series Roma, but didn't think, given the format, it would make much difference.

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Wed August 18th, 2010, 4:39 pm

[quote=""Leo62""]Crichton's probably not a good author to read if you don't like tech stuff! Jurassic Park is one of my favourite ever thrillers - way, way better than the movie IMO. Don't think he can be matched in the techno-thriller genre - shame he died so prematurely.

[/quote]

I don't mind some tech stuff, it just seemed like there was an over abundance of it in "Timeline" compared to what I read in his other books.

Yes, sad about him dying, and he was a good looking man, as well!

SM

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Wed August 18th, 2010, 4:39 pm

Marianne and the Masked Prince by Juliette Benzoni

cw gortner · Post by **cw gortner** » Wed August 18th, 2010, 5:13 pm

[quote=""fljustice""]I snagged an Early Reviewer copy of Empire by Stephen Saylor and just finished the first section. Good research, but hope the action picks up soon. I didn't read the first in the series Roma, but didn't think, given the format, it would make much difference.[/quote]

I'm reading the same one right for review; I always like Saylor's work and I find this is good, quite easy to read, but I must admit, I wanted more of the bad emperors (trash-queen that I am) and he skimmed right over Caligula! However, I'm not very far along; right now, I'm reading about the catastrophic fires allegedly set by Nero.

ccarr · Post by **ccarr** » Wed August 18th, 2010, 11:03 pm

I'm a newbie here, just dipping my toes in the water. I picked up a fascinating book by David Lambkin called the "The Hanging Tree." Not strictly a historical novel, but alternates between the present day and a 1908 Kenyan safari taken by J.H. Patterson (the hero of "The Lions of Tsavo," and very badly portrayed by Michael Douglas in the "The Ghost and the Darkness") during which one of his clients was shot. I'm 80 pages into it, but am finding it a gripping read. If someone had said "Here's a book combining paleontology, witchcraft, J.H. Patterson, quantum physics, and a heroine who was bitten by a puff adder," I'd have usually said "No thanks," but I am hooked.

kauldron26 · Post by **kauldron26** » Wed August 18th, 2010, 11:42 pm

long time lurker, first time poster. Its been a great couple of weeks reading!

Heresy by SJ Parris 9/10

Imperium and Lustrum by Robert Harris 8.5/10

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Thu August 19th, 2010, 1:55 am

I've finished "Charlotte: Being A True Account of An Actress's Flamboyant Adventures in 18th Century London's Wild & Wicked Theatrical World" by Kathryn Shevelow (384pgs, 2005). A very good book about a fascinating woman, Charlotte Cibber Charke.

SM

Ariadne · Post by **Ariadne** » Thu August 19th, 2010, 1:56 am

I'm 100 pages into Susan Holloway Scott's The Countess and the King (a big floppy ARC, not the easiest thing to read while lying on the couch). It fits Miss Moppet's royal mistress challenge, though deals with a lesser-known character than the usual: Katherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester. At the moment, she's fifteen and running wild at Charles II's merry court, rather bitchy and full of herself. Good book, though.

Also just finished Daphne Kalotay's Russian Winter (review forthcoming in September). Excellent novel.

javagirl · Post by **javagirl** » Thu August 19th, 2010, 3:29 am

It's not the tech stuff about Timeline that isn't doing it for me as much as, I think, the lack of character development. I agree The Great Train Robbery was , well, "great".

I never read the Jurassic ones because of having seen the movies. But Timeline's o.k. I'll finish it tonight and probably start Dunant's Sacred Hearts.

kauldron26, I read Heresy a month or two ago and also thought it was great.
I have Imperium on my "short list".

annis, - good to hear that you thought Pirate Latitudes was one of Crichton's better ones, since I have that on my "short list" too. (My short list is around 25-30 that are among my most likely "next" picks out of the TBR of over 300)

Happy reading, all!
Lynn

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Thu August 19th, 2010, 10:06 am

Heading towards the end of The People's Queen by Vanora Bennet - about Alice Perrers. I've enjoyed it a lot and it certainly blows The King's Mistress out of the water. If you want to read a novel about her, this is the one. Geoffrey Chaucer is a very strong secondary character and almost takes over the major role. Interesting to see John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford from a perspective other than Seton's, although Katherine is very much in the background. Alice's relationship with Edward III in his failing years is skillfully and touchingly portrayed and I think the author has captured the essence of Alice herself to a tee. Unless there is a terrible fall off in the last 70 pages, I'll be giving it a solid 5 stars - not one of the sparkly ones, but still shiny.