Action/Adventure Aficionados discussion

I have just started Gone by Lisa Gardner and it's pretty good so far.

I just finished American Gods. I think it may be overbilled in some cases, but, overbilled or not, it turned out to be a really fun story.

Not sure what to read next.

The Great Curmudgeon wrote: "I just finished American Gods. I think it may be overbilled in some cases, but, overbilled or not, it turned out to be a really fun story."

I agree with you. It was a good story but I liked Neverwhere better.

Courtesy of a recommendation from my Dad - which was coincidentally followed, shortly thereafter, by a "to-read" marking from a certain, self-styled, "Curmudgeon" - I've started reading Jack London's books...

Wow. How has it taken me so long to discover his writing?!

Am currently caught up in the Alaskan wastes as part of A Daughter of the Snows. Awesome characters, a powerful (if idealised) heroine, a healthy dose of education (about the Goldrush) and some slightly obscure and outdated reflections of culture from the turn of the 20th Century... As I'm travelling chronologically through his works, I think The Sea Wolf is up next... Can't wait!

Better than that: most of his novels are free downloads! I plumped for a complete anthology which cost me less than two quid (or three bucks) (or a quarter of a bag of gold dust)... What a bargain! :)

London is Great. The Star Rover was fascinating (as his last book, written before his death).

And John Barleycorn: Alcoholic Memoirs is an autobiography. In this book, he’ll talk about his life and how he became a writer. That story alone is fairly inspiring. It’s also a tragic tale of alcoholism, and very accurately describes the disease (or if you prefer condition) in terms that are supportable by today’s standards (1 hundred years later) with modern research…only a couple of things corrected by modern science. (For example: Alcoholics Anonymous has only been around since the 1930s. This book predates that organization by a good 20+ years.)

To Build A Fire was the first Jack London I've read and I found it very thought provoking. (Short Story) Nature really knows how to put man in his place!

The Call of the Wild was the first full length London Novel I read. It's very good and has captured the minds and attention of readers for years.

And for more adventure in the Great North that is similar in some ways, but more YA oriented (though still fine for Adults, if you want my opinion) try Lost in the Barrens by Farley Mowat. It has a great message as well as a lot of fun adventure! (and Polar Bears TOO!)

Ctgt wrote: "I'm halfway through The Watchman and really enjoying the ride. Finished The Monkey's Raincoat earlier in the week and was pleasantly surprised at the style of writing. It really reminded me of an m..."

Both fun reads and I'll second being a Joe Pike fan.

Scott wrote: "The Great Curmudgeon wrote: "I just finished American Gods. I think it may be overbilled in some cases, but, overbilled or not, it turned out to be a really fun story."

I agree with you. It was ..."

I have to say I liked Neverwhere better then American Gods. American Gods was a little on the lighter side and not as dark as Neverwhere.

Currently reading so many things at the same time. In the car I'm listening to Macbeth. On my phone I'm finishing up a The End of the Affair and just started Monster Hunter Alpha. I'm also reading a paperbackEvery Dead Thing which as been a great ride.

Hugh--The Curmudgeon wrote: "London is Great. The Star Rover was fascinating (as his last book, written before his death).

And John Barleycorn: Alcoholic Memoirs is an autobiography. In this book, he’ll talk about his lif..."

Thanks for the pointers, Hugh.

I finished A Daughter of the Snows yesterday. I think you might enjoy it too. It has a bit of an abrupt ending but I hear that this is par-for-the-course for London...

Now starting The Call of the Wild... Turns out The Sea Wolf is #4...

You'll love The Call of the Wild. I think your right. I do need to read "A Daughter of Snows."

London's strenghth as I see it, yes, in all my curmudgeonly greatness, is that he researched his books or lived them. He wrote his books Set in Alaska after or while he had lived there for several years trying to earn a living as a prospector. he wrote Sea Wolf and other adventure stories on the High Seas after his life as an Oyster Pirate in San Fransisco or taking work as a deck seaman on a cargo clipper (Steam Ship) bound for the Orient.

And, the cultures he describes were pretty much like he described them in reality. He took copius notes and interviewed people before he started writing, even though most of his best known books are fiction. (He was also a Sports Writer and wrote many Magazine and Newspaper articles).

He was known as straight foreward and abrupt, and loved his whiskey...too much.

His books end just like his life, abruptly.

Hugh--The Curmudgeon wrote: "You'll love The Call of the Wild. I think your right. I do need to read "A Daughter of Snows..."

Right now, Hugh, I could do with Goodreads having a "Like" button inside conversations... As it is, I'll just settle for having to tell you; "That is one heck of a well written, powerful, and poignant post!"

Thank you Anthony. I try to make sense, once and a while. (I may be a curmudgeon, but, I don't want to be the Crazy Ol' Curmudgeon).

I wish it had a like button for conversations too. That way you could chime in quickly without saying much...or saying it all.

Hugh...if kids knock balls into your yard, are they afraid to come in and retrieve them?????

Anyway, like most of London's work, but need to be in a good emotional place to read them often. My favorite is considered by some the opposite number to Call of the Wild, or possibly it's companion piece, White Fang. I found it young and read the words off the page by repeatedly going over the lines with my eyes.

The fire also gets me.

I also got onto Robert Service not long after I found London.

By the way there is a Russian painting (I had trouble finding it) by STANISLAV YULIANOVICH ZHUKOVSKY, I think it's translated "Lighten The Troika" but I can only find the Russian title, and I can't read Russian. Anyway it's travelers in a horse drawn troika being chased by a wolf pack and they're throwing a child off the back of the sleigh into the wolf pack. Apparently they are throwing off a person occasionally to distract the pack....

Seems to me it would just encourage the pack to follow.

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Hugh...if kids knock balls into your yard, are they afraid to come in and retrieve them?????

Only the ones that didn't make it before 1600, that's when I get off work.

Anyway, like most of London's work, but need to be in a good emotional place to read them often. My fa..."

Yes, especially the last two "Star Rover" and "John Barleycorn."

By the way there is a Russian painting (I had trouble finding it) by STANISLAV YULIANOVICH ZHUKOVSKY, I think it's translated "Lighten The Troika" but I can only find the Russian title, and I can't read Russian. Anyway it's travelers in a horse drawn troika being chased by a wolf pack and they're throwing a child off the back of the sleigh into the wolf pack. Apparently they are throwing off a person occasionally to distract the pack....

Egad Mike... that brings to mind the old addage, "I don't have to be able to outrun the wolf, I just have to outrun you!"

Seems to me it would just encourage the pack to follow.

There's some deep phillosophy at work here... very interesting.

I have started another book by Michael and Kathleen Gear. They are archeologists and have written about 50 novels about pre-European Indians. They are extremely educational and "I can't put it down" exciting. They portray the environment of North America from the first North Americans (People of the Wolf) to the fairly recent tribes.

Of course, they have to depend on historic Indian culture to describe the social aspects, so those may or may not be accurate for 60,000 to 100 years ago, but they use enviromental records to deduce what stresses climate change and things such as temparature fluxuations and droughts would have on war and famine, etc.

The characterization is terrific. You know these people. I have just started People of the Silence which is about the Anasazi. I am sucked in by page 10.

Mother of a Curmudgeon

Patti wrote: " I have just started People of the Silence which is about the Anasazi. I am sucked in by page 10."

I particularly liked the Anasazi series by the Gears.

If you like these, you may also enjoy "Haunted Mesa" by Louis L'Amour. He's known for his westerns, of course, but this one has the 'flavor' of something like the Gears would write, only with modern times and 'another world' juxtaposed ... definitely a touch of Native American fantasy.

Thanks, Sharon. I'll hunt for it.

I'll put it on my radar too.

Son of Patti...(A.K.A. Mudgeon's Mamma).

I finished The Book of Enoch and posted a review on it. I haven't been struck by lightning yet so, apparently I haven't angered the Angels.

I'm reading The Lost Books of the Bible.

I'll read the space read-winner after that!

(Son of Mudgeon's Mamma-Patti).

I second The Haunted Mesa...great book!

Right now I am listening to Dead Watch by John Sandford and it's OK but I just finished Gone by Lisa Gardner and it was awesome.

Mudgeon, you are SO funny.

come on, Mom, you know you can call me Curmie. ({P-{D>

Fess up Patti, Huge's paying you to say nice things about him right?

Not bribery, blackmail. Mom, you know what to say ic you aang to see those grand kids?

(and I am kidding just kidding.)

.....so you're threatening to not let her babysit?

Tracy wrote: "Right now I am listening to Dead Watch by John Sandford and it's OK but I just finished Gone by Lisa Gardner and it was awesome."

Lisa Gardener is a very scary writer. Sometimes I just don't want to read her. Her first book as Lisa Gardener (she wrote other things before that) was The Perfect Husband. I read that when My Hero was in the hospital and I was home by myself. It was a dark and stormy night, and I live in the woods. ;-) I wound up in my room with the door locked and my pistol on the bed beside me. It was that scary. Of course, I have two six-foot, glass french door in that room so the security felt a bit less than secure. But it was the best I could do. She is a good writer.

Hugh--The Curmudgeon wrote: "come on, Mom, you know you can call me Curmie. ({P-{D>"

I prefer Mudgeon.

Patti wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Right now I am listening to Dead Watch by John Sandford and it's OK but I just finished Gone by Lisa Gardner and it was awesome."

Lisa Gardener is a very scary writer. Sometimes I..."

Well Gone wasn't that scary Patti but it was really good. I did read the Perfect Husband as well and I know what you are talking about.

Patti wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Right now I am listening to Dead Watch by John Sandford and it's OK but I just finished Gone by Lisa Gardner and it was awesome."

Lisa Gardener is a very scary writer. Sometimes I..."

And boy let me tell youuu my Mamma-Mudgeon can shewt too. When I was just about knee high to a porcupine, and I'd be comin' in late from those woods, I would make darn showre I announced my self so I didn't catch some buckshot or a .22 upside ma hay-ed. Why, in her prime, I'd take Mamma-Mudgeon in a terkey shewt any day over all y'all-uns.

I'm feeling a little country tonight...

Notice my wild hair? ---> %([B-:{D>)

(and by the way, if your out in BFNOLA after dark and Mamaaw Patti's around. Make sure you talk loud so she recognize you. She may not shoot as well as she once did, but, they make up for it with more guns that Owen Z Pitt takes on a camp out. (Yesm, that was an MHI Reference.)

No, I haven't been drinking.

....I'm a southern mountain boy. You're not exactly fluent in the language. Just sayin'.

Yea, I was kind of going for Are-kansas with a general all around Redneck thrown in.

at least it wasn't that ridiculous Piedmont Accent from Steel Magnolias. Great movie, for a chick flick, but a little overboard on enunciation.

Justified manages to get the accent pretty close and without looking down at the folk of the area. One of the reasons I like the show.

Between the Mudgeon and Ladin I hardly know what to say. Ladin, they rarely get the accent right in 'southern' movies. But hey, it was Dolly. Who can question Dolly's southern accent? But was it Chinquapin Parish, Louisiana? The Mudgeon can tell you that. If he writes English. We lived in Natchitoches Parish, the model for Steel M. We were there about five of his formative years.

And yes, there was a time I could shoot. And yes, we are pretty well armed here. We live a looong way from the cavalry. The EMTs get here faster than the deputies. Just saying. The parish (Bienville) could use a few more of both.

But they do get here. We had an emergency last year (well, two actually, but the second one) we wound up with 8 people finally. Credit where due.

Oh, and Dipanjan, yes, it is blackmail. He needs to get his derierre down here. (Kidding. I really do know how far it is from MD to LA.)

I will say that most of the time Hugh is a paladin, but he does have his Mudgeonly moments. And he is very good at them.

Mudgeon Mama

Well, the Mudgeon has played his share of paladins in various role-playing games. And sometimes he was Mudgeonly while doing it.

But he can be a paladin at times really.

I like Steve Berry pretty well. I think I like Rollins better.

I don't navigate in Goodreads very well at all, so I don't know where to put this recommendation, but I think you all would enjoy The Bricklayer a lot. Great book. Crafty villain. Clever hero. LOTS of action.

I've got a bunch going on right now. However, I did find a discounted hardback of Life by Keith Richards. It's absolutely hysterical - for those of you who can still remember what it was like back in The Day.

I read One Steve Berry book. He pushed his ex-wife out of an airplane...

this guys alright with me... (cause I don't have any ex-wives, of course)

Hugh--The Curmudgeon wrote: "I read One Steve Berry book. He pushed his ex-wife out of an airplane...

this guys alright with me... (cause I don't have any ex-wives, of course)"

Yeah. Not any more you don't.

Steve Berry went through a divorce somewhere along the line. Apparently, he was exercising his writerly right to vent.

@Dipanjan--Yes, The Bricklayer by Noah Boyd. Outstanding book. I haven't read his second one. Alas, Boyd died at the age of 68.

Mudgeon, I promise not to tell you know who that she shouldn't get in a small plane with you.

Dipanjan wrote: "@ Patti - Oh , didn't know Boyd has passed on. I have his 2nd book, Agent X. But I am waiting to read the Bricklayer first and then go to the next."

Well, he left us only the two. But you will enjoy the first on.

Just got an old copy of the first Destroyer book from ABE, a nostalgia read when i get a chance to fit it into my reading list.

@Patti, Thanks for the recommendation of The Bricklayer it does look interesting, I added it to my tbr list.

@Dipanjan, How are you liking The Cleaner so far?

@ Jim, I did the audio book of Life and it was one of my favorite books of this year. I will definitely be buying a ticket for the Stones next tour.

Right now I'm listening to Monster Hunter Alpha and reading Dark Hollow.

It is. Have you read anything else by Sabatini?

My favorite by him is Scaramouche. I've read it several times, one of my all time favorites. Some of his books can be a bit hard to track down, but Scaramouche is available in several formats as are a few others.

These are some of the books I like when I'm into my "swash buckling" mode.... Nobody "buckles their swash" like Sabatini and possibly "Baroness Emma Magdolna Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála "Emmuska" Orczy de Orczi" or Emma Orczy for we commoners (The Scarlet Pimpernel, etc.)...or maybe Anthony Hope (The Prisoner of Zenda, etc.)...

Well, okay I suppose there are quite a few good swash-buckling adventures out there.

Have you seen the Errol Flynn movie? It's one of the few movies that doesn't totally fail the book. It's pretty good...but then 1935 was a good year for movies.