OT: From the Bookshelf

[gunug]

"Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency" sounds familiar to me; was there ever a short story that began the series?  My wife has a collection of mystery short stories by woman writers and I think I remember something like that in it.  

I forgot to mention that I'm currently reading a fantasy novel by Michael Stackpole called "A Secret Atlas" that is pretty good if only I can stay cool enough and rested enough to read it!  

Speaking of Lady Detectives there is the woman of CSI: Norco, CA!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/toilet_paper_caper

You don't want to get her mad!

[sandyman]

I've just started to read Philip Pullmans "His Dark Materials" Trilogy again.

In the words of Captain Oates "I may be gone for some time"

Although aimed at "Young Adults" as is Harry Potter et al I feel that these books have a much wider audience and have "more to them". Definitely darker and they pose as many questions as they answer

Philip Pullman Available in most places but Amazon is as good as anywhere.

I've also just bought (yet) another Terry Pratchett paperback so I'll fit that in for some lighter reading Going Postal

[gunug]

I've just been looking at the list of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books to try to figure out which one's I've read and which one's I haven't.  There's a lot of fun on that list!

Wyrd Sisters, Pyramids, & Moving Pictures I'm pretty sure I've read.  I'll probably do better if I read the synopsis of each one!

[sandyman]

QUOTE(gunug @ Aug 9 2006, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've just been looking at the list of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books to try to figure out which one's I've read and which one's I haven't.  There's a lot of fun on that list!

Wyrd Sisters, Pyramids, & Moving Pictures I'm pretty sure I've read.  I'll probably do better if I read the synopsis of each one!

If I HAD to choose my favourites they would be The Last Continent, The Hogfather Soul Music. But it's difficult choice.

[beacher]

Hey Kimmer. . .I agree with your opinion on "Black Order"; read it a couple of weeks ago.  I started to read through the preceding pages to find out if anyone had recommended Greg Iles, another great author that one of my students recommended to me, but found that I was lacking the time, so I thought I'd go ahead and post this, anyway.  I was astounded to find that I had  read his first book, many years ago, and then just forgotten about him.  Man, was I tickled to find out that he's written several books since, and I'm busy catching up (in my "spare" time ) with him now!

[kimmer]

QUOTE

Hey Kimmer. . .I agree with your opinion on "Black Order"; read it a couple of weeks ago.

Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I'm a huge fan of Rollins. I had the opportunity to meet him and he's just a delightful fellow. He even answers emails!

Thanks for the heads up on Greg Iles. I just visited his web site and his books look good. I'm gonna watch for his stuff at the local book store.

Cool - a new author.

[gunug]

I'm now reading The Dance of Time by Eric Flint and David Drake which may be the ending volume in his series involving the Roman General Belisarius who in this series is aided by a computer that hangs around his neck and was sent to him through time.  He is taking his allies against the Malwa of India who are also being helped by something or someone from the future.  Nice if you're into military tales!

[kelly]

My favorite Drake are the Lt. Leary Series. His best IMO.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Drake#With_the_Lightnings

Just found a new Trilogy.

Nulapeiron Sequence by John Meaney

http://johnmeaney.tripod.com/books.html

Some of the best stuff I've ever read.  

[gunug]

I'm sorry Kelly about my mistake in the other link about mixing up Iowa and Idaho; they're both such lovely states and they both start with "I" so it's a natural mistake!  Have a potato on me!  

I have read the Meaney Nulapeiron Sequence and really enjoyed them; I think they are probably as good at representing how an alien world would work as the Dune series were.  I read Lt. Leary Commanding which is the sequel apparently to the first book and found it was very good.  You can download it as a RTF or HTML file and read it on the MAC at this link:

http://www.baen.com/library/

You can go through them by Author.  They also have some of the Belisarius series to download:

The Belisarius Series: (with Eric Flint)
An Oblique Approach
In the Heart of Darkness
Destiny’s Shield
Fortune’s Stroke

[kimmer]

I have hit a run of 7 -- yes seven -- rotten books in a row.    I feel bad - I'm wasting Sneakers money.

Anyhow, one of the books cost me big bucks. It's by a local author, he signed the book and everything. It's a murder mystery, supposedly. The entire first chapter is about swans and how we should all be more like swans. Rather a bit of Hemmingway, only this guy isn't even close.  I had to put the book down at pg. 38 - the end of chapter 4. I just couldn't take it anymore. The book is filled with:

Keith new that the lock ...
She was looking four the book.
... on the opposite on the opposite ...

and my favorite
"... he had been being watched ... "

   

Then we have the intro of the supporting main character. This guy has a mouth that made me blush, and the author gave us 3 pages on a suspect who was ... gads, I can't even type what it was ... but trust me it was something I never, ever, ever wanted to know about folks doing!!!!!!!! :blush, blush, blush:

Well that was the end of the book for me.

What is with an author who has to include this kind of stuff? It's obvious that it's not germane to the plot, so why include this sick-o stuff? I'm beginning to think books should have ratings on them.

I'm now reading "The Monkeys Raincoat" by Crais. What a delight! Sense of humor, I was laughing through the first 2 chapters.

Anyhow, that's my book reading experience of late.

[dboh]

May I ask who the publisher is for that local author? I can't believe those copyediting mistakes. I wonder if it was self-published (though I thought they provided editorial services).

I've been surprised to find an error in almost every book I've read lately. Not at the level of your author, but definitely things that should have been caught.

[jcarter]

Just finished Dan Brown's "Deception Point", its a good one.  I like his books.

Speaking of mistakes, my husband just finished a book which was full of technical errors, everything from GPS to jet engine stuff.  I guess lots of people wouldnt pick up this type of error, but my husband is very knowledgable in scientific stuff.  I cant remember the name of the book, but he was laughing at some of the errors.  Obviously the author had never used a GPS, never known how a jet engine works, and many other stuff that a high school science teacher could/should have taught him before he wrote the book.  My husband sent it to the thrift shop.

I found a box of my mother's old Nevil Chute books, even tho they are very old, they are great too.  Wouldnt appeal to youngsters, but for us oldsters, they are fun.
Jane

[kimmer]

QUOTE(dboh @ Aug 16 2006, 05:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

May I ask who the publisher is for that local author? I can't believe those copyediting mistakes. I wonder if it was self-published (though I thought they provided editorial services).

Published by iUniverse. It appears to be a self-publish site, but they offer editorial services for a fee. If this author paid for this service, he has a refund coming.

The author has a website and I'm going to drop by and leave him a note. I think he has potential, but not in this book.  

QUOTE

I've been surprised to find an error in almost every book I've read lately. Not at the level of your author, but definitely things that should have been caught.

I have also noticed more and more errors in books. It's frustrating because glaring typo's and grammar (hey, I'm not the best in the wets) jump out at me and interrupt the flow of the story. I have to stop, go back and carefully read the sentence/paragraph to get back into the story.

Until this book, the worst example I had seen was the re-release of the Nero Wolfe series. Obviously the originals were typeset by hand. The new books had been moved to a computer (scanned and corrected, or just typed – I don’t know which).

Every book was filled with glaring spelling typo’s and double words double words. Since I had read all these books before, and knew how well they flowed, it was painful for me to read the new editions. I finally wrote the publisher and complained. They never responded, but I did notice that the books were republished about a year or so later.

QUOTE

Speaking of mistakes, my husband just finished a book which was full of technical errors

This can be most frustrating. Some authors deliberately "make mistakes" under the guise of artistic license; sometimes because they don’t want to be too factual for security type reasons; and sometimes because, as you said, they failed to do their homework.

I’m halfway through “The Monkeys Raincoat” and loving it!

[D76]

QUOTE(kimmer @ Aug 16 2006, 01:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have also noticed more and more errors in books.

It's increasing. I even found a "loose" for "lose" in a newspaper — in print, not on the net — the other day. So the writer as well as an editor thought it was right, or maybe it's so common, now, it is right.

The distinction between "every day" and "everyday" is being lost, and in hardcovers.

Shakespeare would laugh.

[dboh]

Out of curiosity, I Googled self-publishing services. On my first hit, I came across this sentence on the home page:

"Your Tenth Grade English teacher has read over your manuscript caught a few typos and gave you further encouragement to self publish."

How many mistakes can you find in that sentence? I find six errors (seven if I were being real picky). Some kind of service!

(found at: http://www.editorial.selfpublishing.com/index.php)