What book are you reading...

When you check out books at a library or even a store in person, how do you find the best way to see if a book is part of series? I checked out a book from the library today, it's a history book on the Roman Empire, although apparently this is actually the third book in the series. While I get it doesn't make much difference to my case since it's all historical, I do find I at times end up buying books, or checking out books that end up not being the first in the series. So I'll put off reading that until I can start from the first book.
 
I finished Alpha 6, scifi short stories, last night. It was not good and I'd read a few of the stories before.

The best story was "Light of other days" by Bob Shaw. The plor device was "slow glass"- light passes through it very slowly. It can be used as a camera, a street light, or a window. Miners and night shift workers use it to literally brighten up their lives.

I have now read all 9 books in the Alpha series and the quality drops off as the series progresses.
 
Just finished The Other Side Of The Moon, by Sheridan Morley. It's a biography of the actor David Niven.

It was ok, not great. Niven was a dirty dog who slept with most of the hollywood stars of the 1930s, and charmed everyone he met. I am fairly envious!

He was also a member of a highly secretive army unit called phantom during ww2, having voluteerer immediat.

He came across as someone who would be very good company.
 
Shamikebab said:
Just started the last Culture, The Hydrogen Sonata. Surface Control was really good too, very interesting overall plot with regards to the hells and the morality of them. Player of Games and Look to Windward have probably been my favourite two so far.
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Player of Games and Use of Weapons are my favourites but most of the Culture novels are excellent. Although the reveal of "Mistake Not" was a series highlight.

I'm reading the Earthsea anthology by Ursula K Le Guin. Enjoying it. Following it with Salvation Saints by Peter F Hamilton.
 
Babel - R F Kuang

Good setting - alt history Victorian Oxford. Interesting "magic" system.

Badly let down by its sledgehammer subtle anti Colonial Message. All Black/Asian characters = good. All White (and i mean ALL) characters = bad. Even the kindly old housekeeper is shown looking on while the nasty white master gives a savage beating to his asian ward.

Of the 500 plus pages only around 200 directly relate to the story, the rest are endless descriptions of the horrors of the British Colonials, their racist views, their arrogance and privilige etc etc If the main characters arent talking about it then they are thinking about it while walking to their next story encounter.

Should have seen the warning signs when it was being heavily touted on social media as the best book eva.

5/10
 
Just finished To Say Nothing Of The Dog, by Connie Willis. It's a time travel book, pretty light-hearted.

It was barely ok. The first 50 pages were mightily confusing, the middle section was ok, and the last 30 pages was a huge amount of exposition, tying the plot together.

I've read a few of her short stories, and they were fun. This book, however, felt like a 50 pager stretched to 500. Not recommended!
 
Finished the Culture series. Last one was good too, really enjoyed the Ship Minds story in this one, bickering about each other and each having a different opinion on how they should be acting, as a fellow equivtech civilization approaches it's end point of sublimation. Glad I picked up the series overall, I've been meaning to read more sci fi and this definitely fuelled my hunger for more. Going to start on the latest Murderbot next.
 
Finished A Prayer Before Dawn about a guy who ended up in a Thai prison. The Thai legal system isn't as bothered about evidence as ours and it's kinda scary how easily some of the people appear to end up doing 20+ years in horrific conditions. Honestly, it's this kind of thing that makes me think I should stick to places like the US and Spain for my holidays!
 
Trying to get into some audiobooks to make better use of my commute in 2024. Absolutely loving Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘Be useful’. More people should read/listen to it, especially the kids I teach. Especially the chapter, ‘shut your mouth, open your mind’.
 
Rory Stewart, politics on the edge. I'm not a Tory but I've always respected Rory Stewart. Politics on the edge makes for some great reading, giving you an insight to the inner workings of Parliament. I'd highly recommend it if you enjoy politics
 
Just started re-reading the Harry Bosch series from Michael Connelly.
I have read most of them in the past, but not in order, this time i have started on book 1 and will read through them all in chronological order
 
Why We Sleep

Ironically enough going to stop using phone and just read on my Kindle before bed so felt a fitting book to start with.
 
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