What's top of your reading list?

[delboy]

Must admit, I could never read more than one book at a time. I would just get too lost with all the differing characters and plots.
I hope Let The Right One In picks up for you, I thought it great but then we're all different with different tastes.

I can read loads of books at a time. Sometimes I'm in the mood for one, sometimes another. For me it's no different to being able to follow Brookside, Emmerdale Farm, Crossroads, Coronation Street and Home and Away... 

Last night's chapter of Let The Right One In was pretty neat. But I think my main issue so far is a lack of identification with any of the characters. Not only are none of them remotely like me or anyone I know, none of them are remotely akin to anything that I'd like to be like, if that makes sense. Normally, with a good hero you can kind of say, man it would be cool to be Dirty Harry, or you know what? I reckon there's a bit of  Gordie Lachance  in me. In Let The Right One In I'm still trying to work out which of the characters I'm meant to be siding with - I'm pretty sure it's the bullied kid who pees his pants, squeals like a pig to get out of a beating, wants to be a murderer, and steals things. I'm hoping he gets a bit more heroic as time goes on or I'll be rooting for the ignorant bullies to stick his head down the toilet again. The vampire girl is no better (yet). I know she's driven to kill by her nature, but the nature of her killing (or that of her guardian) does nothing to endear her (or him) to me. So at the moment, I'm stuck for a hero. Compare that to say, Salems Lot, which I guess is the natural comparison and there's a world of difference.

That's the other thing - and it's no fault of the author - but the cover and inside pages are full of comments about Linquist being the new Stepehn King, being King's heir, or having the same power and ability. Comment after comment compares him to King. I've found absolutely no similarities so far. This is neither good nor bad, but I think I had some preconceptions mistakingly set because of these comments. I guess in the world of horror, irrespective of the writer, people are always going to make this comparison. Kind of like Dylan in 1970's rock music. How many new Dylans were there?

Anyway, I shall plough on. I sense that it's starting to develop...

Derek

[Ed]

I'm hoping he gets a bit more heroic as time goes on or I'll be rooting for the ignorant bullies to stick his head down the toilet again.

[Pharosian]

I just read The Way of Shadows, first in The Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks over the weekend. Excellent!

[Grillmeat]

I just finished reading Plague Pit by Mark Ronson. Read it years ago when I was in High School, still got a kick out it.
I am about to start  Twelve Days of Terror, a Non-fiction piece about a real life series of shark attacks on the Jersey shore. Its supposed to be the inspiration for the original Jaws. We'll see...............

[desertwomble]

I'm gearing up for EF (as long as I get enough writing time) with M.R. James' short stories (great for learning understatement and atmosphere in horror writing), The 19th Mammoth Book of Best New Horror (much better than its Amazon reviews suggest, and full of M.R. James-style understated horror so far!), and a 'best of' Sherlock Holmes (ACD's great sleuth always raises a smile,a nd the works have an undated appeal to them).

I'd recommend all of them!

DW

[Ed]

I didn't get on at all well with Best Horror 18, so that's put me off reading 17, which I bought at the same time. Perhaps I should try 19 as well.

I've just started reading The Regulators, by King as Bachman. Finding it difficult to get into after just finishing The Tomb, by F Paul Wilson, one of the Repairman Jack series. That was enjoyable, but I sussed what was going on near the beginning, so at a point later in the book where the less attentive would have got a few 'oh wow' moments, I'd already sussed it. Good moments of suspense and thwarting of the reader's expectations.

[delboy]

I've noticed a massive, no a MASSIVE, correlation between the amount of writing I do and the enjoyment I'm getting from the book(s) I'm currently reading. Which means, at the moment I'm doing very little writing. Sigh. When I've ploughed through the current crop I may have to revert to an old favourite or two in a literary equivalent of a good colonic irrigation. 

Del

[Caz]

I've just started reading The Regulators, by King as Bachman.

I read the Regulators a while back. It's good even if it is a little crazy.

Just started on 'Handling The Undead' by that Swedish fella again. So far so good.

[Grillmeat]

Loved The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson 

[Ed]

I particularly liked the way FPW handled the sex scenes - you got the jist of what was going on, but he didn't dwell over it and go into excess detail. It was the first time I had read a crossover novel - a detective story mixed with a supernatural element and a romance. Something there for everybody.

[Rev. Austin]

My brother got me Best New Horror 19 for my birthday the oher week and I've finally had the chance to start reading it!  Just finished Fiends by Richard Laymon.  I love the dirty pervert.

[Caz]

I was going to take some of my books down to the charity shop, running out of shelf space, and picked up one I thought I might give away. It's called 'The mammoth book of new terror.' I had a quick flick through it and came across a story called, 'Among the Wolves' it is by a guy called David Case. I had a vague recollection of this story and decided to read it again. It's a wonderful tale and is a fine example of how to write the perfect short story. Well worth a look for anyone who hasn't seen it.

The book stays with me now.

Also, just finished, 'Handling the Undead,' it's a cool zombie story.     

[delboy]

Caz, great call - see my recent thread on David Case. One of my early influences, too.

Cheers,
Del

[desertwomble]

Just finished the post-apocolyptic novel 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy.

It's on a par with (if not better than) 'The Stand', with two of the most horrifying scenes I've ever read. Real spine-tingly bits, and so vivid.

Well worth a read, and apparently the story comes out on celluloid in mid-October.

DW

[Caz]

It's on a par with (if not better than) 'The Stand',

Better than 'The Stand.' I'll be checking out that one then.

I noticed that King's latest, 'Just after Sunset,' is now out in paperback, that's another one on my must have list along with any thing by David Case. I checked out your thread, Del. Thanks for the info.

Currently reading 'And the graves gave up their dead.' It cost 3/6 way back in 1964. Cost me £2 for the local second hand book shop.