Continuing in the same Vein...

I finished Artemis Fowl and then re-read the second book in the series, the Arctic Incident. They were good and quick. I shall likely plow through the rest of the series just as fast. I have now started Ruth Rendell's Not in the Flesh. It is the latest Inspector Wexford book. I am not sure what will be next. Now that Crimes is done I intend to get some serious reading done. I have a huge stack from the last trip to Chapters. I started a Kim Stanley Robinson book and then realised I had missed the second book in the series and this was a third book, so I need to get the middle book first. It may also mean re-reading the first book. There may be something to Mark's habit of waiting until the whole series is out (or at least a sizeable chunk of it) before starting the reading. I cant' always do that - some authors must be read immediately!

Okay - Time for an update...

I finished the first John Harvey book my mother leant me. It was good. I then read Gone to Ground - also by Harvey. It was good, but it was more difficult to get "into" the two detectives in that series. I then read Ruth Rendell's The Water's Lovely. I quite liked it because Rendell has a real knack for writing flawed characters and she is not afraid to make then internally ugly and at the same time they always seem to feel quite justified in their ugliness. I am now re-reading Artemis Fowl (Eion Colfer) because it is a fun quick read and my brain is acting funny lately. I think it is the diet coke withdrawl or the stress of the show (which you should all come and see - it's wonderful!). For young readers I highly recommend the Artemis Fowl series. They are clever and well-written and they don't take themselves too seriously like that series about Wizards... you know what I mean...

Amost Done.. then what?

I am 15 pages from the end of John Harvey's Darkness & Light. I will then have to find something new. I'll let you know.

A couple on the go...

I picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini who wrote The Kite Runner and I started that. It is my bedtime book. I also have John Harvey's Darkness and Light as my purse book. Those of you who, like me, always have to have a book on hand to read will totally understand this. The first book is hardcover so it won't fit in my purse!

Ah, I cried a bit... So much for my heart of stone...

I finished The Kite Runner yesterday before rehearsal. I cried, even though I knew what was coming in the last chapter. It was so nicely written. Very clean and clear. Hosseini merely told the story. Yes, there were passages where the narrator was reflecting and emotional, but the style of writing was uncluttered, which I loved. I was ambivalent before I read it because there seem to be a lot of those kinds of books out there which have received acclaim and I have found the historical story more interesting than the personal story (eg. What the Body Remembers) but this was not the case with The Kite Runner. I also am suspicious of any book that has received tonnes of hype. That may be why I never picked it up before. Glad I did.

I am picking now for the next read. I'll let you know.

Moving On...

I finished up Atonement. Interesting. A good read once I got into it. The construction of the story was interesting but I feel cheated the way I did with Life of Pi. Can't say more or I'd give it away.

I am now reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It is another book I am reading in anticipation of a movie release. What can I say? I like to read the book first.

Inspired by Movie?

I finished up Cornwell's Book of the Dead. More mythology of the world and less compelling murder to solve so it was strictly for the die-hard Scarpetta fan.

I picked up Atonement by Ian McEwan and I have started reading that since I have seen the movie advertised so much. It is likely going to be nominated for an Oscar if the buzz is correct so I thought I would check it out in print first. I am likely going to pick up I am Legend in print now that I have seen the movie. So, there is something good that comes from movie adaptations of novel. Some people actually use that to motivate reading the book. That's why I read The Hours...