Action/Adventure Aficionados discussion

Seeley wrote: "Eileen wrote: "I finished the latest installment Trench Coats, Episode V: The Reckoning Road by our very own Seeley James. If you haven't read them you should, there very good. I've..."

You're welcome!!

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "It's a gift..."

You are a gift! :)

hands in pockets, head hung, kicking one foot against the other...blushes

awwwww.....

Eileen wrote: "This might be a stupid question, but I'll ask it anyways. What is Overdrive and Hoopla?"

I have Overdrive installed on my PC and on my smart phone (HTC-One). As Ctgt mentioned this enabled you to access libraries. From there once I find a book (like Steelheart) I can check it out via Amazon (or other formats, depends on the book). I was "on-hold" for a while to get this popular book. Another good thing, my library has a 3 week loaning period. While I usually zip thru a book, at times I get distracted with other books, work, soccer, and life. While the main library I used does not have every book, it has plenty of titles. I have a list a mile long of books I want to read via the library. Plus I get books for my wife (you can check out 5 books at a time).

Our library had that but they changed last year and now we can set out "checkout period" from 1 to 3 weeks. I set mine a 1 week as you can't return it early and there's a 10 book checkout limit. Also only one person can get the Overdrive book at a time.

Reading Horns which is looking to be favorite Joe Hill not to mention a possible best of 2014 read

Thanks everyone for all the help. I've downloaded Overdrive to my phone. Now, my next step is to figure out how to get the books on my phone. I'll get figure it out.

Travis of NNY wrote: "Reading Horns which is looking to be favorite Joe Hill not to mention a possible best of 2014 read"

Enjoy, excellent read.

Eileen wrote: "Thanks everyone for all the help. I've downloaded Overdrive to my phone. Now, my next step is to figure out how to get the books on my phone. I'll get figure it out."

If it is on you phone, you can go to your library's overdrive system via your phone, log on and search. When you find the book, there is an option to borrow it will go right to your phone.

Cool. I don't use a phone Eileen. Enjoy.

Some info on the group reads front:

We actually have our March and April group reads selected:

Man On Fire (March)

Slash and Burn (April)

so, we are now selecting our May group read theme. You can participate in this important process by going to the thread and making your own suggestion.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I finished Crimes Against Magic, which was action-packed, noir urban fantasy. I think members who enjoy UF will like this book.

I also completed City of Jasmine, for those who are romantically inclined. It has some good, old fashioned adventure along the lines of Indiana Jones. I found it very enjoyable.

Thanks, Tim and Mike! I'm going to try and see if I can get next month's group read Man On Fire from the library.

Danielle, both those books sound interesting, thanks!

I am reading Sand Omnibus by Hugh Howey. An interesting concept...people living in a future America covered in sand. Instead of deep sea diving, the main characters perform sand diving. An interesting technology that allows them to dive down under the miles of sand to bring up "treasures" from the "old world". I'm about halfway through and really enjoying it!

Lisa P wrote: "I am reading Sand Omnibus by Hugh Howey. An interesting concept...people living in a future America covered in sand. Instead of d..."

I read Wool Omnibus (Silo, #1) and enjoyed it. That sand concept sounds pretty interesting, thanks for the heads up, Lisa.

Ctgt wrote: "Lisa P wrote: "I am reading Sand Omnibus by Hugh Howey. An interesting concept...people living in a future America covered in san..."

After reading some of Sand, I still think that I liked Wool better...It is a good story though.

Lisa P wrote: "Ctgt wrote: "Lisa P wrote: "I am reading Sand Omnibus by Hugh Howey. An interesting concept...people living in a future America c..."

I liked Wool. I got the Omnibus for free. It was good, but I felt that the Sci-fi Space opera future adenture Spinward Fringe series of Randolph Lalonde was slightly better by the time the smoke cleared.

But that's like saying the runner up to Miss Universe isn't dazzling How ridiculous is that?

Both series are good. I'd say Lalonde's space opera (Spinward Fringe) is as good or about the equal of Taylor Anderson's "Destroyermen" series. THough different genre's and different stories make it different to compare.

All three are good.

Just about done with the The Doomfarers of Coramonde by Brian Daley. This is the first book he wrote, and it's a good, solid story that reflects the writing style of the early 1970s .. Epic Fantasy and first book of a trilogy.

What caught my attention is the main character, Gil MacDonald is a Vietnam War Veteran. There is some very good writing where he tells us, without a lot of drama what it was like for servicemen returning from Vietnam, then how easy it was to get over loosing comrades in arms and even a nightmare flash back. The beauty of it all, and the bit that shows us that a young Brian Daley, even though he's writing epic fantasy, actually did spend sometime researching. Another Doomfarer from Earth was a soldier in the first world war and warned him, "When you go back, you will not fit any more."

That's very profound. It's very consistent with what we hear soldiers coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq, and from Vietnam. I don't think he intended to "make a statement" but, given his own recent military duty in Vietnam it found it's way into his story. And, as wonderful writers do, he did a great job of telling us something real about humanity, through the pages of pure fictional epic fantasy.

Eileen wrote: "Thanks, Tim and Mike! I'm going to try and see if I can get next month's group read Man On Fire from the library."

After watching the film "Man on Fire", I had to read the book. I liked it alot, 4 - 5 stars. Close to the movie, but not too close. Different enough, but the spirt of both the book and the movie is what makes viewers and reads both like this story.

Started 11/22/63

I. Curmudgeon wrote: "Both series are good. I'd say Lalonde's space opera (Spinward Fringe) is as good or about the equal of Taylor Anderson's "Destroyermen" series. THough different genre's and different stories make it different to compare. "

I've read both and while I liked the Spinward Fringe series, I certainly did not get as *addicted* to the series as I have the Destroyermen series. I think maybe better characterization, as that is what will usually make the big difference for me.

Sharon wrote: "I. Curmudgeon wrote: "Both series are good. I'd say Lalonde's space opera (Spinward Fringe) is as good or about the equal of Taylor Anderson's "Destroyermen" series. Though different genre's and di..."

Yeah, they both had different things to offer. There were good characters in Spinward Fringe but not as super strong as they are in Destroyermen. And they have a pertty involved plot (more sprawling than complex) in destroyermen and it was actually sneaky complex in Spinward Fringe.

(and I love how the Heroine, starting her second life decided she was better without the genetic enhancements she had before. and she was. :) (and I like Sandra Tukker too as a strong woman in a 1940s role.)

Just finished my first Andy McDermott novel. I enjoyed it. It was a bit "Bourneesque"

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Persona Protocol -

I've recently finished Something Wicked This Way Comes and Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored.

Now I'm reading Christine.

I just started what I hope will be a super action thriller: by Steve Worland. "The best action movie you ever read" is the promo hype for this.

I started reading The Tournament by Matthew Reilly. This is no Scarecrow or Jack West Jr. Quite different from his other writing. The beginning is good.

I'm about to re-read Brandon Sanderson's "The Alloy of Law" after reading the 2 chapter teaser of the sequel: Shadows of Self. Yah!!!

That's my second favorite Sanderson book.

:)

Cruising through Doctor Sleep

About halfway through The Ark My first by this author.

Donna wrote: "I'm about to re-read Brandon Sanderson's "The Alloy of Law" after reading the 2 chapter teaser of the sequel: Shadows of Self. Yah!!!"

Have to read this one soon.

Started Geek Love for the HA group. Just picked up Man On Fire from the library yesterday so I'll be jumping into that one shortly.

Tim "The Enchanter" wrote: "Just finished my first Andy McDermott novel. I enjoyed it. It was a bit "Bourneesque"

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Persona Protocol - [bookcover:The Perso..."

I saw that the other day on Amazon, and it sounds really good.

The May group read theme poll is up. It closes on March 14th:

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/9...

Any group member is able to vote in the group read polls.

I finished the latest Matthew Reilly novel
The Tournament - . I am really torn after reading it. I have ultimately decided that I like although somewhat guardedly. It many ways it is very UNLIKE his other novels. It is historical fictions but fans will without a doubt be able to tell that this is HF written by Matthew Reilly. The pace is fast and the body count rises. There is some significant sexual content which I found surprising and at times disturbing. Overall, I think Reilly fans will appreciate it but strictly HF fans may not appreciate it.
I reviewed it
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

About 100 pages into Man On Fireand am really enjoying it. At this point the movie followed the book pretty closely. Of course there is more background on Creasy which has made it much better than the movie so far.

Ok, scratch that part about the plot of movie and book being similar, just had a major difference with the possibility of another.

I finished the Coramonde duology and the stand alone A Tapestry of Magics by Brian Daley. And started the Gamma LAW series by Daley, first book: Smoke on the Water. So far it's a good action adventure sci-fi. Very different from his light and fun Fitzhugh and Floyt stories.

A tapestry of magics has a hint of Roger Zelazny in it in that it's a multi-verse fantasy adventure. The style is more like the Floyt and Fitzhugh adventures which go misadventure to misadventure in a segemented story that is kind of like a string of very related short stories. The Hero is likable and I got a very Norse Mythos or Multi-Mythos feel from the book as I read it.

It's a good story, but it may not be for everyone.

Still reading , or I should say re-reading this thriller. I am taking my time enjoying this book again after having first read it back in 2000 or so. I love this book, it is on my Favorite and Profile shelf.

Then I am reading my Mar KOLL: . I love the PRIMAL books, reminds me of Strikeback (cable series). Lots of well written action!

I finished Suspect a fast read. What I found interesting was certain parts of the story was from the dogs point of view...which was a first for me.

I really liked this book. I'm a dog person so enjoy animals in books, but so few people actually 'get it right' so generally do not like the 'talking animals' thing in books. However, when it's done right, they are instant favorites and Crais did this one exactly right.

Eileen wrote: "I finished Suspect a fast read. What I found interesting was certain parts of the story was from the dogs point of view...which was a first for me."

This is on my list of march books also

Alright Eileen, I'm thinking of reading this book but I have to ask this...I'll put it under a spoiler tag:

(view spoiler)[Suspect...does the dog die? I'm serious, really. I'm depressed enough I couldn't take that. (hide spoiler)].

:)

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Alright Eileen, I'm thinking of reading this book but I have to ask this...lers removed].

:)"

I feel the same way and you're safe with this one.

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Alright Eileen, I'm thinking of reading this book but I have to ask this...lers removed].

:)"

I feel the same way and you're safe with this one.

I'd probably need hospitalization or something.

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Alright Eileen, I'm thinking of reading this book but I have to ask this...I'll put it under a spoiler tag:

[spoilers removed].

:)"

Your safe Mike. I was worried about the same thing and it turned out okay. What I did like about the dogs part of the story was the dig doesn't talk. It's more of the dogs emotional state.

(view spoiler)[ SMILE!! (hide spoiler)]

Thanks. I think I'll get it from the library and try it.

Hm, will start this too likely tonight. I was taking a break trying to decide what to read next. Guess this makes the decision easier. Thanks for the comments on it.