TSF Book Club

Rembrandt

I mentioned it on the app thread but it should go here. The unabridged audio book of World war z is fantastic, for those unaware it has bugger all to do with the movie, its a series of interviews with various people around the world about their experiences during the zombie war. There are a few big name actors doing the voices including Mark Hamil, Alan Alda..and more that slip my mind. Must be at least 5 hours long, perfect if you have a long drive coming up and as they are interviews it really suits the audio book format. I've put it on a couple time with family and mates who were super dubious about it but the gripping story soon makes everyone a fan.

jegga

Max Brooks said writing that book meant lots and lots of homework for him. It's shows though, he covered the effects on pretty much every part of the planet and even the space station .

taniwharugby

PIcked up Killing Pablo by Mark Bowden on Jeggas recommendation (after watching the series Narcos) so looking forward to reading that.

NTA

For Father's Day I was given "The Universal Tone" by Carlos Santana. Not really sure why as, besides being an amateur guitar player (who hasn't even picked the thing up in months) I've never really followed his career.
 
Respect his ability with a guitar, but he's clearly going senile or stoned as fuck writing this. Talking about the universe and god and gifts and letting the music flow through him and all that shit. Its tough going. Get to the fucking point!

jegga

Is Carlos still taking inspiration from an alien?

JC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="544237" data-time="1448409231">
<div>
Is Carlos still taking inspiration from an alien?
</div>
</blockquote>
Alien? I only know about him talking with an archangel called Metatron.
 
I'll have what he's having...
 
I'm not sure why the archangel decided to start up a conversation with someone who was into Buddhism though. Surely Phil Keaggy or one of the other Christian guitar heroes would have been a better bet.

NTA

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="544237" data-time="1448409231">
<div>
Is Carlos still taking inspiration from an alien?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
 
I don't know that I've been far enough into the book to find out. I don't know that I ever will.

Stockcar86

A new book based podcast with Robin Ince and Josie Long hosting. Guests so far have been Stewart Lee and Sara Pascoe
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://cosmicgenome.com/features/podcasts/shambles/'>http://cosmicgenome.com/features/podcasts/shambles/</a>

mariner4life

I just finished one of the best, and at the same time, most horrific books i have read.
 
"Warsaw 1944: Hitler, Himmler, and the Crushing of a City" by Alexandra Richie
 
The Poles really did get royally fucked over in WWII, and this story about the ill-advised Warsaw uprising is pretty brutal. Doesn't really paint anyone in a good light, the Germans for their barbarity; the Soviets for their political opportunism; the other Allies for their inactivity (can't piss off Uncle Joe); and the Poles for making some pretty bad assumptions, and getting their timing almost exactly wrong. 
 
Not a happy book at all, but a story worth telling, and told well.

jegga

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="550151" data-time="1451539858">
<div>
I just finished one of the best, and at the same time, most horrific books i have read.
 
"Warsaw 1944: Hitler, Himmler, and the Crushing of a City" by Alexandra Richie
 
The Poles really did get royally fucked over in WWII, and this story about the ill-advised Warsaw uprising is pretty brutal. Doesn't really paint anyone in a good light, the Germans for their barbarity; the Soviets for their political opportunism; the other Allies for their inactivity (can't piss off Uncle Joe); and the Poles for making some pretty bad assumptions, and getting their timing almost exactly wrong. 
 
Not a happy book at all, but a story worth telling, and told well. 
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Will look out for that, it was the Wermachts last victory in world war 2. The soviets actually did go to war with the poles before, its sort of been forgotten by history but there was no love lost there. <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish–Soviet_War'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish–Soviet_War</a>
 
 
Just finished Hunter Killer by Mark McCurley. Interesting insights into the drone program from someone who was in it for about a decade, I can see what they turn over lots of people . The opportunities for career advancement are few and far between, it sounds like its incredibly tedious and the air force in particular look down on the drone operators. They have a few successes to point to though and whether the air force likes it or not this is the future of warfare,not only for surveillance but launching missiles. One of their drones was known to be very noisy and the locals knew when it was around. They used this against the enemy by flying it in areas where they thought there might be trouble and the sound was enough to stop them causing trouble.

Tim

Any of you blokes read <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodlands'>Bloodlands</a>? Supposed to be extremely good, but I don't know if I want to read something that thoroughly horrific.

mariner4life

yea, I've read it. It's good, but it's not a exactly a happy holidays book. The shit it talks about is rough as fuck, and that's before the war even starts.

jegga

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="550155" data-time="1451541337">Any of you blokes read <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodlands">Bloodlands</a>? Supposed to be extremely good, but I don't know if I want to read something that thoroughly horrific.</blockquote><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="550155" data-time="1451541337">Any of you blokes read <a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodlands">Bloodlands</a>? Supposed to be extremely good, but I don't know if I want to read something that thoroughly horrific.</blockquote>
 
If you want to round things out after reading that there's a couple of books about unit 731 , the worst part is most of them got away with it.

taniwharugby

Recently finished Killing Pablo (after watching Narcos on Netflix) by Mark Bowden, and was pretty good, I think the series kinda follows it, in that the first part shows Pablo as a charming and down to earth Colombian lad trying to do good, which is what I guess was the image he pushed through the media to ensure he had the public on his side for some of his 'reign' so will be interesting to see if the 2nd series they paint him out more as the tyrant he was.
 
Recently picked up the 2 part doco from History channel, The True Story of Killing Pablo which is based on the book.

jegga

Partway through this <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Horse-Custer-Parallel-American/dp/0385479662'>http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Horse-Custer-Parallel-American/dp/0385479662</a>
 
As usual with Ambrose its pretty wordy but a decent read. The ways the indians fought with each other is interesting, it was more about face and respect than actual body counts.

dK

Just finished a very good trilogy by Miles Cameron, The Traitor's Son Cycle. If you enjoy Sword Fantasies with a mix of Medieval European History (of sorts) then this would be a great start
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13616278-the-red-knight?ac=1&from_search=1&from_nav=true'>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13616278-the-red-knight?ac=1&from_search=1&from_nav=true</a>
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17737893-the-fell-sword?from_search=true&search_version=service'>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17737893-the-fell-sword?from_search=true&search_version=service</a>
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23129080-the-dread-wyrm'>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23129080-the-dread-wyrm</a>
 
I have read a lot of Cameron's Historical fiction (written under Christian Cameron) which would appeal to people who enjoy Conn Igglugden. He has 4 main series
1) the Tom Swann short novellettes are Kindle only books, set around the late Medieval Era and the encroachment of the Ottoman Empire into to Eurpoe
2) the Tyrant series, which is based on a post-Alexandrian Mediterranean world
3) the Long War series, which explores the Persian invasion of Greece, around the Battel of Plataea
4) the William Gold series, about the stories of a donat of the Order of St John and his adventures in France, Italy and now the Crusades to fight the Saracen
 
All great reads for the nerds among us

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="dK" data-cid="559487" data-time="1455846897">
<div>
Just finished a very good trilogy by Miles Cameron, The Traitor's Son Cycle. If you enjoy Sword Fantasies with a mix of Medieval European History (of sorts) then this would be a great start
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13616278-the-red-knight?ac=1&from_search=1&from_nav=true'>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13616278-the-red-knight?ac=1&from_search=1&from_nav=true</a>
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17737893-the-fell-sword?from_search=true&search_version=service'>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17737893-the-fell-sword?from_search=true&search_version=service</a>
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23129080-the-dread-wyrm'>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23129080-the-dread-wyrm</a>
 
I have read a lot of Cameron's Historical fiction (written under Christian Cameron) which would appeal to people who enjoy Conn Igglugden. He has 4 main series
1) the Tom Swann short novellettes are Kindle only books, set around the late Medieval Era and the encroachment of the Ottoman Empire into to Eurpoe
2) the Tyrant series, which is based on a post-Alexandrian Mediterranean world
3) the Long War series, which explores the Persian invasion of Greece, around the Battel of Plataea
4) the William Gold series, about the stories of a donat of the Order of St John and his adventures in France, Italy and now the Crusades to fight the Saracen
 
All great reads for the nerds among us
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Thanks heaps for this mate, I love Iggluden so am all over this

Paekakboyz

Mate at work has been lending me books by Ben Aaronovitch - Peter Grant is a junior copper in London who finds out a magic investigation division/unit exists. Gets involved and becomes an apprentice. Self aware and full of piss takes about Hogwarts etc and the mash up of technology and magic. He goes into the history of London and other parts of the UK as part of the story telling and I find that really cool. Good stuff and he's up to book 5 with number 6 coming out soon. Love finding a new author that's got a good body of work to get stuck into.

jegga

Apparently a movie of the girl with all the gifts is out this year.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She_Who_Brings_Gifts'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She_Who_Brings_Gifts</a>

Stockcar86

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Paekakboyz" data-cid="559496" data-time="1455849160">
<div>
Mate at work has been lending me books by Ben Aaronovitch - Peter Grant is a junior copper in London who finds out a magic investigation division/unit exists. Gets involved and becomes an apprentice. Self aware and full of piss takes about Hogwarts etc and the mash up of technology and magic. He goes into the history of London and other parts of the UK as part of the story telling and I find that really cool. Good stuff and he's up to book 5 with number 6 coming out soon. Love finding a new author that's got a good body of work to get stuck into.
</div>
</blockquote>
Not sure if it has been on here before, but on a similar secret magic division note, Charles Stross Laundry series is pretty damn good. Instead of police, it is a secret government department.
 
Again you have a good body of work to get through if you haven't started yet

<span>The Laundry Files</span>

<ul><li><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Atrocity_Archives' title="The Atrocity Archives">The Atrocity Archives</a> (2004)</li>
<li><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jennifer_Morgue' title="The Jennifer Morgue">The Jennifer Morgue</a> (2006)</li>
<li>Down on the Farm (2008 novelette)</li>
<li>Overtime (2009 novelette)</li>
<li><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fuller_Memorandum' title="The Fuller Memorandum">The Fuller Memorandum</a> (2010)</li>
<li><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apocalypse_Codex' title="The Apocalypse Codex">The Apocalypse Codex</a> (2012)</li>
<li>Equoid (2013 novelette)</li>
<li><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rhesus_Chart' title="The Rhesus Chart">The Rhesus Chart</a> (2014)</li>
<li><a class="" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Annihilation_Score&action=edit&redlink=1" title="The Annihilation Score (page does not exist)">The Annihilation Score</a> (2015)</li>
</ul>

The Silver Fern

TSF Book Club