2226 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

It's gotta be By Royal Command at the moment.

[Blonde Bond]

Sebastian Faulks's 'Devil May Care'.

[Kilroy6644]

Just starting Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

[Cruiserweight]

Rereading Watchmen right now.

[DaveBond21]

I recently finished Barry Davies MBE - Interesting, very interesting


It's Barry's autobiography on his career as a football commentator for 35 years, and his work on tennis, gymnastics, rowing and hockey.

It's an interesting read and it reminds me of how much we miss him as a commentator. He did some work for the BBC on hockey at the recent Beijing Olympics, but at 68, doesn't work as much as he used to. His great belief was always that a sports commentator should never talk too much - sometimes the action speaks for itself, and never state the obvious or talk down to the viewers.

[kyleargyle]

Currently re-reading "Pet Semetary" by Stephen King. Nothing fancy, just love a good scare!

[Johnboy007]

Civilization and its Discontents - Sigmund Freud

In the immortal words of the philosopher Madonna: "Analyze THIS!"

Also:
The Communist Manifesto - Karl Marx/Friedrich Engels
Capitalism and Freedom - Milton Friedman

[DaveBond21]

Currently re-reading "Pet Semetary" by Stephen King. Nothing fancy, just love a good scare!

Not one of his best, but still classic King...

[Mister E]

HOPSCOTCH by Brian Garfeild

From the author of Death Wish and Death Sentence. The plot is about a American secret agent who was forced into retirement and takes up an offer to get back into the business from the Russians.

[Vauxhall]

I think the last book I read was Moonraker, and on reflection, it's fought it's way to becoming my favourite of the Fleming novels. Perhaps because it doesn't quite follow the "traditional" formula, and shakes things up a bit. It's a real shame, that a faithful movie adaptation was never made.

[Cruiserweight]

Quantum
Of
Solace

[Safari Suit]

Civilization and its Discontents - Sigmund Freud

In the immortal words of the philosopher Madonna: "Analyze THIS!"

I wrote an essay on this a couple of years ago, and used it extensively in an exam too. Brilliant stuff.

[ImTheMoneypenny]

Men's Adventure Magazines. The History of Men's Adventure Magazines in Postwar America.

It's a fabulous Taschen art book of pulp magazine covers. There's a lot of Bondian guys in there, you can spot an influence here and there. However, most of the art makes Bond's sex and sadism downright respectable. Sure the subject of the art is iffy, but the majority of the art is so fantastically rendered it's forgivable. My personal fave artists in this book are Norm Eastman and Stan Borak.

There's a model, who's throughout the book, Steve Holland who fascinates me. Sometimes he plays two or three different guys in a one composition. He'll play a villain and a hero in the same art piece. I've found Steve Holland on the covers of old western paperbacks, sci-fi, crime.

[sark]

"Venetian Blinds", by Art Vandelay.

If you're not an American, you probably won't get it

[Double-0-7]

Troubleshooter - by our own Harry Fawkes. Quite a good effort and an enjoyable read - I highly recommend it!

[Kilroy6644]

Just starting Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.

[Jackanaples]

Men's Adventure Magazines. The History of Men's Adventure Magazines in Postwar America.

It's a fabulous Taschen art book of pulp magazine covers. There's a lot of Bondian guys in there, you can spot an influence here and there. However, most of the art makes Bond's sex and sadism downright respectable. Sure the subject of the art is iffy, but the majority of the art is so fantastically rendered it's forgivable. My personal fave artists in this book are Norm Eastman and Stan Borak.

There's a model, who's throughout the book, Steve Holland who fascinates me. Sometimes he plays two or three different guys in a one composition. He'll play a villain and a hero in the same art piece. I've found Steve Holland on the covers of old western paperbacks, sci-fi, crime.

Steve Holland was also as the model for the Bantam DOC SAVAGE reprint covers published by Bantam in the 60s and 70s. I think he was in his late fifties when he did those. So, yeah, the man was fit.

[ImTheMoneypenny]

Steve Holland was also as the model for the Bantam DOC SAVAGE reprint covers published by Bantam in the 60s and 70s. I think he was in his late fifties when he did those. So, yeah, the man was fit.

That's right! I forgot the Doc Savage covers! I was just looking for some on eBay the other day. The dude was awesome.

Troubleshooter - by our own Harry Fawkes. Quite a good effort and an enjoyable read - I highly recommend it!

It's a great read! I need to catch back up on it. I've been so bad!

[Harry Fawkes]

Cheers guys but believe me NOBODY CHEATS DEATH and TROUBLESHOOTER were what I call the lull before the storm . I have saved the blast for my next and final Bond fanfic novel. And believe me - what a storm.

The Moment Before You Die

COMING

[Major D.Smythe]

It's my first book of the series, i'm that far into the book, so I can't say too much about it.

[Matt_13]

THE BOURNE IDENTITY by Robert Ludlum

Outstanding so far.

[Harmsway]

THE NINTH CONFIGURATION
by William Peter Blatty

Well, it wasn't a great book by any stretch. The story goes into rather silly territory more than once, and is often a bit too didactic. Blatty's prose is often dull, and sometimes quite poor. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this novel. Sometimes bad novels are more fun to read than good ones.

[Cruiserweight]

Devil May Care

[Kilroy6644]

THE BOURNE IDENTITY by Robert Ludlum

Outstanding so far.

That's the best one. Supremacy is good, but not as good, and Ultimatum just doesn't live up to the standard. Not bad on its own, I guess, but if you read it on the heels of the first two it's a big letdown.

[Matt_13]

THE BOURNE IDENTITY by Robert Ludlum

Outstanding so far.

That's the best one. Supremacy is good, but not as good, and Ultimatum just doesn't live up to the standard. Not bad on its own, I guess, but if you read it on the heels of the first two it's a big letdown.

Yeah I had a feeling that would end up being the case. Ludlum writes fantastic dialogue exchanges despite not having the descriptive flair that Fleming had, and the moments when Bourne is having flashes of memory are very well done. A very suspenseful read and thanks for letting me know about the other two Kilroy.

[Kilroy6644]

Mercs: True Stories of Mercenaries in Action edited by Bill Fawcett

[Mister E]

I am currently reading....

HANNIBAL by Thomas Harris

Never have I been addicted to a book this much. I am almost finished with the damn thing and I bought it yesterday. I am at the part were Clarice Starling is about to rescue Hannibal Lector from Mason Verger. I must admit that after reading this, I find the film adaptation rather disappointing. Some stuff I could understand being cut out of the film like Mason's religious fanaticism but they should have kept Margot Verger and also the more human side of Lector. Hannibal very much misses her late sister Mischa and regularly has nightmares about her. Overall, this is an excellent read and I highly recommend it.

[ImTheMoneypenny]

Quantum of Solace The Complete James Bond Short Stories.

[Harmsway]

I am currently reading....

HANNIBAL by Thomas Harris

Never have I been addicted to a book this much. I am almost finished with the damn thing and I bought it yesterday. I am at the part were Clarice Starling is about to rescue Hannibal Lector from Mason Verger. I must admit that after reading this, I find the film adaptation rather disappointing. Some stuff I could understand being cut out of the film like Mason's religious fanaticism but they should have kept Margot Verger and also the more human side of Lector. Hannibal very much misses her late sister Mischa and regularly has nightmares about her. Overall, this is an excellent read and I highly recommend it.

I love HANNIBAL. Great, atmospheric stuff with a wicked sense of humor, good sense of surrealism and fantasy. Shame it was so slammed on its initial release... it's Harris' best work to date.

Anyway, I've been reading MIDDLESEX by Jeffrey Eugenides. The subject of the novel interested me immensely. I'm only on page 55, so I'll refrain from making any real evaluative commentary at this time, but I hope it's all that they say it is.

[Loomis]

ONE L: WHAT THEY REALLY TEACH YOU AT HARVARD LAW SCHOOL by Scott Turow.

Lawyer and novelist Turow gives an account of his first year at Harvard Law School in the 1970s. I've not read Turow's fiction (PRESUMED INNOCENT and so on), but I can't imagine it to be any more gripping than ONE L, which Wikipedia informs me has become something of a cult classic. It's terrific stuff that should be read by anyone going through or planning to go through higher education, communicating the extremes of pride, excitement and terror of the freshman in training for an academic showdown as edge-of-seat as Rocky Balboa versus Apollo Creed.