You are missing an excellent book, in fact, I'd say it's the best mystery I've ever read. The characters and setting are so well-developed, I felt like I was in Boston. I like James Patterson, but Lehane's Mystic River blows away anything Patterson has ever written.

Just finished 'Midas World' by Frederik Pohl, which is an interesting little social commentary about a world which has unlimited energy. Its 'chapters' are basically standalone short stories that follow the progression of this society through hundreds of years. I was surprised to find a Pohl I actually hadn't read before.
Just started 'Dayworld' by Philip Jose' Farmer. Based on his short story 'The SlicedCrosswiseOnlyOnTuesday World' [or something like that], it's about a world that is so overpopulated and has so much drain on resources, that everyone gets 'stoned' in suspended animation 6 days out of the week, so only 1/7th of the population is 'alive' on any given day, which is manageable. 'Stoned' time basically freezes time, so you'd still live ~80 or whatever subjective years; so obviously one generation can last hundreds of objective years. The short story is classic, and has a 'Twilight-Zone' like twist at the end. Literally just started this one last night, so I'm only one chapter in.

RevLiver: While the rest of that Wasp Factory does sound **** ed up, unfortunately life imitates art--I just read yesterday about a six year old kid who shot his grandfather to death. Purposefully. He had already been in trouble for assaulting and stabbing people. I wish it was just in books : (

Anjanettea: I do the same--I've had a few books that do take a while to get started, but if I get a chapter or two in, and it doesn't really engage me, I'll put it down and try something else. Life's too short, and there are too many books out there, to spend time reading something I don't enjoy [unless I have to.] The weird thing is, sometimes I'll go back and try it again later, and love it. That happened with Piers Anthony's _Mute_, I think it was.

I agree with RevLiver. The book is slow in picking up any stride, but after the first chapter or so, I was thoroughly engrossed. I couldn't put the book down. Outstanding crime-drama and well-written...beyond the slow start.

Ditto on Mystic River being excellant. I'm proud to say I guessed the killer fairly early, though I was wrong on the motive.

So far I have read the first three of Robert Crais Elvis Cole series, The Monkeys Raincoat, Stalking the Angel, and Lullaby Town. Next up is Free Fall. So far I would say they compare very favorably to Harlan Cobens Myron Bolitar series of books. I think Elvis and Myron are almost interchangable in fact. Right now I give the edge to the Myron series, but only a slight one, because there is a little more of a true mystery quality to Cobens books to go with the action, while the Elvis books seem to be more action adventure oriented. But you couldn't go wrong with either IMO.

I don't consider Mystic River a mystery at all. It's more a character study of the 3 main characters. As a mystery, it horribly fails; as a character study of the relationship between the 3 main characters, it's good. Still, I was let down with the unveiling of the killer and the motive. I thought that part was tremendously lame.

I agree. It uses the mystery genre to explore the characters and the location, which is why I think it's the best mystery I've ever read. Too many of them use throwaway stock characters. I'd consider it as much of a mystery as Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn, which also uses the mystery genre, this time to explore his Tourette's impaired character's deconstruction of the English language.

I just like when books break outside the bounds of their genres.

I finished Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich. It was a very fascinating read and if you've ever played a hand of blackjack in your life (especially with money on the line), this book is a must read.

Next up is Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. It's been sitting on my shelf for a long time and I'm anxious to read it because I heard the ending is a doozy. I haven't been too thrilled with the two previous Lehane books that I've read (A Drink Before the War (2 out of 5 stars) and Mystic River (4 out of 5)), so I'm hoping that this book lives up to my expectations.

Well, I had to stop reading Flesh and Blood. For some reason I just couldn't grasp what I was reading. Have no idea what is going on, so I started reading Reversible Errors by Scott Turow. I'm sure I will go back to Mystic River and Flesh and Blood. My friend is going to give me 2nd Chance by James Patterson, so I'm waiting patiently to read that before I am forced to read law books again.

Anj

Just picked up a copy of "The Funny Thing Is..."
by Ellen DeGeneres. Highly recommended gift for anyone on your Xmas list who is a fan of hers.

I might have to pick this up. I forgot how funny her sitcom was until I caught her talk show. If her writing is as clever as she seems to be then it'd be a good book.

Just started Mitch Albom's "The Five People you Meet in Heaven". Should be a pretty quick read.

I finished reading Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. I figured out the major "mystery" about halfway through the book, but I still enjoyed it much more than A Drink Before the War or Mystic River.

I'm not too sure what I'm going to read next. I have so many unread books sitting on the shelf.

I'm reading The House of God by Samuel Shem right now with Angels & Demons by Dan Brown next on the list.

Just Finished:
Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov.

Next Up:
Shadows Bend by David Barbour and Richard Raleigh.

Right now G.K. Chesterton's "Autobiography." I've just ordered "Canticle for Leibowitz", "Red Mars", and "Mistress of Empire".

Hard working out a good reading schedule with my current job. Hopefully I'll be able to get more done soon.

Reading Philip Roth's The Human Stain before I see the film.

Up next is most likely Wally Lamb's She's Come Undone.

Apparently, I am losing my mind, as I have stopped reading Reversible Errors and started 2nd Chance by James Patterson.

This is probably why I haven't been able to read anything I have picked up within the last week, I've been waiting for my friend to bring me this book. I will most likely read the other books once I am done with 2nd Chance.

Maybe you are just not in the mood to read ANY book right now, but are trying to force yourself. That happens to me once in awhile, I'll pick up a book because I think I should be reading something, only to not be able to focus or enjoy it much. Do some other stuff for a week or two and then pick up one of the several books you have started in this thread and it may help.

Just started Wolves of the Calla

Harvest by Tess Gerritsen
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

So far both books are very enjoyable.

Cedar

I started 2nd Chance, so I'm ok now. This will probably be the last book I read for while.

Anj

I'm currently immersed in Mutants - On Genetic Variety and the Human Body. A good read so far.

I just finished In the Company of Heroes by Michael J. Durant. If his name sounds familiar, he was the helicopter pilot shot down in Somalia (made famous by Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down and the movie of the same name) and held captive for 11 days.

Since I never got a chance to finish it before, I'm going to finish reading Cold Zero: Inside the FBI Hostage Rescue Team by Christopher Whitcomb.

Just started Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King.

Currently reading Primary Inversion by Catherine Asaro and Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. (And for school, Tristram Shandy, The Faerie Queene, and The Alliterative Morte Arthure, but they don't really count.)



tasha