BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / What are you reading at the moment?

**Posted by eurydike** October 5, 2014 1:48 pm

I started with André Aciman's "False Papers - Essays on Exile and Memory" recently, found that I'm not quite ready to read this book yet and am now reading some fanfiction.

The wonderful "The Frost is All Over" by Chryse (which most of you probably know) and "Running on Air" by eleventy7 (which is set in the 'Harry Potter' universe and promises to be quite awesome).

**Posted by besleybean** October 5, 2014 3:28 pm

Having completed the Slated trilogy:
Currently reading An Atheist's history of Belief by Matthewe Kneale, which my pal lent me.
It is brilliant and my hubby wants to read it next.
The same pal gave me Game of Thrones, which I was going to have a go at next...should I?
I've never seen the TV series.

**Posted by eurydike** October 6, 2014 6:49 am

besleybean wrote:
The same pal gave me Game of Thrones, which I was going to have a go at next...should I?
I've never seen the TV series.

I haven't read the books, but like the TV series at lot. And some of my friends claim that the books are highly addictivce. I don't know how well they are written though. No idea if it's better to read the books first before having a go at the TV series. And there seems to be much more sex and violence in the TV series than in the books. *shrugs*

**Posted by besleybean** October 6, 2014 7:59 am

I share your shudder...I don't do sex or violence!(Oh sorry, yours was a shrug!)
Ok, maybe I'll give the book a go.

Last edited by besleybean (October 6, 2014 8:00 am)

**Posted by Davina** October 6, 2014 9:59 am

I think you will enjoy the books BB. They are well-written, well-grounded in historical precedent plus a good dollop of (believable) fantasy. Each chapter centres on a character. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the first three books. There is a certain amount of getting used to some terms and who is who in each family but they really are terrifically well-written and well-structured and you will rapidly start to root for certain characters. Just be warned though...as the books say: Valar morghulis 'All Men Must Die', no character is safe. In that way it is very much like real life.

**Posted by Liberty** October 6, 2014 10:17 am

My son read them recently one after another and loved them (he hasn't seen the TV series). The only problem is waiting for the next one! However, he says that there is a lot of sex and violence in the books too.

**Posted by besleybean** October 6, 2014 5:57 pm

**Posted by Zatoichi** October 8, 2014 7:49 pm

I just finished "The female brain" and "The male brain" by Louann Brizendine. I can recommend them for everyone interested in the topic.. easy to read and scientifically sound.

**Posted by Davina** October 9, 2014 2:38 pm

I will refer my daughter to these as they will link to her studies.

**Posted by besleybean** October 10, 2014 9:07 am

It's great when you can load your kids with books for uni...
We sent our daughter off with Darwin and Dawkins for her divinity essay!

**Posted by tonnaree** October 10, 2014 12:50 pm

I am currently between novels and having a hard time deciding what to read next.

**Posted by Bronte89** October 14, 2014 9:46 pm

The Murder At the Vicarage

**Posted by Liberty** October 15, 2014 6:16 am

Is that an Agatha Christie? I read loads of them when I was young, and loved them. I must read one again to see if they're as good as I remembered.

**Posted by Bronte89** October 16, 2014 5:45 pm

Liberty wrote:
Is that an Agatha Christie? I read loads of them when I was young, and loved them. I must read one again to see if they're as good as I remembered.

Yes, it is an Agatha Christie novel. It is the first one with Miss Marple in it. I'm enjoying it.

**Posted by eurydike** October 17, 2014 2:34 pm

Liberty wrote:
Is that an Agatha Christie? I read loads of them when I was young, and loved them. I must read one again to see if they're as good as I remembered.

When I read some of them again a few years ago, I found them quite dull. Not entirely bad, but not as great as I had them in mind. But that happens with a lot of books you loved as a child or in your teens, right? Still, I like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple a lot.

Right now, I'm re-reading one if my favourite fanfictions ever, "The Student Prince" by FayJay. A truly amazing 'Merlin'-AU, worth reading even if you're not into 'Merlin' at all.

**Posted by Liberty** October 17, 2014 4:30 pm

Oh, that's a shame that the Agatha Christie books don't read as well later. Miss Marple was my favourite. And I used to love the old Margaret Rutherford films.

**Posted by eurydike** October 18, 2014 9:23 am

Well, maybe you'll still love the books nowadays. Just try and find out. Some of them are classics anyway (as the "Murder on the Orient Express" or "And Then There Were None" for example), I guess those won't ever lose their appeal. I never liked Margaret Rutherford's Miss Marple though and couldn't understand why she was so popular. Angela Lansbury, Joan Hickson and Julia McKenzie did and do much better jobs. At least in my eyes.

**Posted by Liberty** October 18, 2014 10:21 am

I kind of agree, in that I think the others (Joan Hickson is the one I know best) were probably much closer to the Miss Marple of the books. Margaret Rutherford's was her own creation, with a very forceful personality, but I loved her!

**Posted by Zatoichi** October 29, 2014 11:04 am

I´m reading "Rivers of London" by Ben Aaronovitch at the moment.. somehow the combination of London, murder and magic seemed relevant to my interests. And I wasn´t disappointed, a few pages in and he already mentiones HOLMES, SHERLOCK, Harry Potter and even Dr. Who.

I won´t say it´s a totally gripping read, but it´s entertaining enough and had me laughing out loud at some sentences.. some are real gems for Sherlock-fans. For example: "If only the British could stop making programmes that catered only to a domestic audience, or even cast actors who were the least bit attractive".

**Posted by Davina** October 29, 2014 10:01 pm

Recently finished: The Fault in our Stars, on the recommendation of my daughter. It is an absolutely fantastic book. The subject matter is tough, the author has captured the characters' voices perfectly, the poignancy and deep sadness combined with its life affirming message makes it a really powerful, important book. This is a book that stays with you and potentially is life-changing.