I just finished the Rainmaker by John Grisham, some short stories by Frances O'Connor, and currently I am reading Forrest Gump by Winston Groom. Forrest Gump is very funny. It is different from the movie.

I used to be a huge Cornwell fan, but I found the quality of her books have slipped tremondously over the last few novels.

I do want to read her book about Jack the Ripper though. I have heard some good things about that.

Midnight Tour was amazing! I need to break down and buy Friday Night In Beast House one of these days. :)

You know, I used to read his books because I knew they were fluff and would be fast reads. But man, the last couple I've read have been horrendous. Super suckfests. It's too bad.

Well, people might already be able to guess from a couple comments that I've made that I'd be all for a Patterson-bashing thread, so I'll restrain myself and just say :up: to your comments. ;)

As for what I'm reading...

Finished Catch-22, Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (aka Ten Little Indians), and Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird.

(The last was a re-read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who writes, especially fiction. It's a very funny and anecdotal book of "instructions on writing and life," with a lot of what I consider excellent advice about the writing process.)

Mostly now struggling through Ludlum's Prometheus Deception (I want to like it, I really do), although a good bit of my reading time has lately been devoted to beta-reading/editing for someone. I also read the first couple stories in Stephen King's Everything's Eventual.

You're right about Midnight Tour, I'm already looking foward to reading it again. I borrowed my copy of Friday Night in Beast House from the library, already halfway through it. What's interesting is that it takes place before Midnight Tour.

:thumbsup:

I'm currently reading:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...CMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

It is excellent so far.

What the hell is "beta reading"? :hscratch:

Beta reading may be a term that's unique to fan fiction, although I use it for other applications as well. Basically, it's like editing but maybe not quite as in-depth. Reading through a work and sharing your reactions to specific passages or the overall piece, pointing out major plotholes or characterization problems, telling where the piece really clicked and where it got bogged down. I think of it as being a sort of test audience before a work gets released to the general populace, similar to what a beta tester is for software. (That is where the term "beta reader" is derived from, I'm pretty sure.)

I'm reading The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. I have to say it's completely fascinating. A great mix of history and drama.

Finished Hit Man by Lawrence Block last night. Read the last 150 pages in one sitting. Enjoyable, quick read. :up:

Next up, Block's Hit List.

I'm currently reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. I'm about 3/4 through it, and so far it is an excellent book.

There are lots of theories about catholicism in the book, and they are all very intriguing. After I finish the book, I plan on doing a bit of research on my own to see how many of the ideas in the book are actually considered plausible by either art, history, or religious scholars. I said plausible, but I doubt any of them are popular.

For example,



If these theories do turn out to have some truth, or at least plausibilty, behind them, then the book will turn out to be very educational and enlightening, not just entertaining to read.

It's only out in hardcover so far, but I think I only paid about $15 for it at Barnes and Noble (with a reader discount card)

<b>Mongo</b>, the first time I heard a theory along those lines was when reading articles and reviews of "Holy Blood & Holy Grail" by Messrs. Baigent, Leigh & Lincoln, although I am not so sure that the idea was entirely original even then.

Currently I am reading "Pashazade: The First Arabesk" by Jon Courtenay Grimwood. It is set in an alternative timeline where Germany was not defeated in the Great War (WW1) and the Ottoman Empire continued unabated.

If you enjoyed the milieu of George Alec Effinger's Marid Audran books ("When Gravity Fails" etc.) you should like <A HREF="http://www.j-cg.co.uk/pashcopy.htm" target="_blank">this</a> one!

I'd like to read this. I noticed that it kicked Grisham's The King of Torts out of the #1 spot this week.

Picked up Angels And Demons(pb) at Waldenbooks. Love books like this.

Thanks for the heads up on the author

Finished Lost Light which was a pretty great book with another life changing ending like City of Bones.

I'm starting Back Story next by Rober B Parker. I also have to finish the last few stories in Hearts in Atlantis.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/03...1.THUMBZZZ.jpg

I'm very tempted after hearing all this good stuff about The Da Vinci Code and I have a feeling I'm buying that next. Its only $8.64 at Palm Digital until the 18th and they also have Deception Point free when you buy Angels and Demons. May take some time and discover Dan Brown for myself.

Finished King Con which I enjoyed a lot.

I've moved on to Ender's Shadow. I have put off this book for too long. :)

Finished Angels & Demons this afternoon. About to start The Jester

I just read Jarhead by Anthony Swofford this week. It's a great autobiographical account of the first gulf war from a Marine's point of view. A little depressing at times, but very realistic.

Now I'm reading The Rolling Stones by Robert Heinlein.

I'm also slowly reading Beyond Brawn by Stuart McRobert.

I am in the middle of Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson right now. I plan to move on to Lucky Wander Boy and 10th Grade next.

TAKEN by Thomas Cook

I'm halfway through Shadow. Why in the hell did I ever put this one off! It's not as good as Ender's Game, but it is as engrossing.

I am re-reading the Tek Series by William Shatner, although I noticed that Shatner is always including Ron Goulart in the acknowledgements, so I figured Ron had more to do with writing the books than Shatner. They are entertaining.

One Rainy Night by Ricard LAymon, he's a madman!

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