I don’t like Michael Crichton as a sci-fi author, but The Andromeda Strain is definitely sci-fi.
?? You don’t like his Sci-Fi or you agree other than AS he isn’t a Sci-Fi author?
He was a good writer… I just didn’t like his sci-fi works. And he definitely had more than one sci-fi novel.
Giovanni’s Room is a sad one. The first third of the Water Dancer can be tough to get through, but on the whole it’s an interesting read. Slightly fantastic take on the underground railroad.
Now 10% into these 800 and 600 page books…
Got it, based on the comment I was originally responding to, wasn’t sure.
I like the JP books, Liked Congo ,Loved AS as a kid. Did not like Prey or Sphere.
So mixed bag for me
I have liked his others more uniformly - The great Train Robbery, Disclosure, Rising Sun, A Case Of Need,
Have Pirate Latitudes and Timeline in my bookcase
I am reading “Atonement,” and I have “Lord of The Flies” waiting in the wings.
Looked on a list of good science fiction for a title to read. Found Hyperion by Dan Simmons. It is fantastic so far. Looks like I have a series to read.
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I generally liked Sphere, like most of Crichton’s stuff.
Has anyone else read any of Tim Dorsey’s novels about the character Serge Storms, which are all based in Florida? very funny stuff
The Year of 6 Presidents
It’s about 1920, and it’s about 2 people who had been president (Woodrow Wilson, Teddy Roosevelt) and 4 people who would be (Harding, Coolidge, FDR, and Hoover)… plus a hell of a lot of side characters. There’s a “dramatis personae” list at the very front of the book, and already I’ve had to remind myself who some of the lesser-known folks are (mainly people in Wilson’s cabinet, so far)
I’ve gotten up to Wilson’s stroke. Not even in 1920 yet.
You sure it’s Teddy? He died in 1919. Taft, maybe. He was chief justice starting in 1921.
He was a leading GOP candidate for 1920 presidency after the Republicans took over Congress in 1918.
also, there is no period Wilson “had been president” and Harding “would be”.
Unless the current president is a “had been”
TIL: Spoiler alert: Franklin Roosevelt was on the Dem ticket as Vice President.
No, you’re right, it’s Taft. The author keeps backing up to 1912, etc., so there was a TR chapter (which ends w/ TR dead in 1919, duh).
And I could be snide re: Wilson “had been” President, because his massive stroke was in 1919, and while he wasn’t totally incapacitated the whole time of 1920, he was incapacitated most of the time, so wasn’t really being President…
but anyway, there’s a mix of other people than the Presidential players as well. I’m on a Harding chapter right now. Dude really liked the ladies (and vice versa, apparently.)
Finished A Better Man by Louise Penny. Only one more in that series until the next one comes out in August.
Planning to start Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim next, and then The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly. I don’t think I’ve read anything by Connelly but I like a good series and the older books were on sale at audible so I thought I’d give him a try.
I finished Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz. It’s a continuation on his different concepts. This one is the second involving Susan Ryeland, a book editor, who gets into a murder investigation because one of her late-author’s books has ties to a murder and missing person. The book literally has a book within the book and the plot is basically Ryeland trying to figure out how to solve the outer mystery through clues in the inner mystery. The concept is good. A problem is that the inner mystery takes you away from the outer mystery so long that you forget parts of the outer mystery. You kind of remember as the mystery gets solved, but there’s that an annoying confusion as you read it.
Both mysteries have too many coincidences in them, but I guess that’s often part of the mystery genre. Overall, I liked it, and I’d read a followup.
As the second book in a series, you can’t help but wonder how the series can be continued. He’s set up the idea that the author of the inner books might have based his other novels on actual murders. There are 7 more of them, according to the book. But it seems like it would be awkward to get Ryeland looking into more books/murders. It kind of reminds me of the TV program The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley, where part of the humor was just seeing how they’d happen to turn on a TV during the episode and see a Count Floyd sub-program.
Also, since Ryeland now seems to have a better idea about how clues are hidden in the inner book, it seems like it would be harder to have her not be able to figure it out fast.
I haven’t decided what’s next yet. I have Sharp Objects, Beartown, and The Tale of Holly How.
I really, really liked The Yellow Crocus. As a bonus, it’s narrated by Bahni Turpin who is amazing and won an award for this performance. This also seems to be a series and I will read more. I started The Lincoln Lawyer and so far it’s good.
Just finished “Atonement.” Guessing the movie, with Keira, will be better.
Finished The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by Schwab. I really liked the writing and it was an interesting premise, but it was really slow to get moving.
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Next book I want historical , but not a biography
Hidden Figures
after that Action/Adventure; Detective; Woman’s Fiction (whatever that means) or True Crime.
Have to see what’s on the shelf, Detective and Woman’s fiction most likely - some I have no idea until I start reading
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