Latest books
I can't seem to settle to very much at the moment - book-wise I mean. I started The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers a few days ago, which is meant to be classic sci fi/fantasy, but just couldn't get into the thing. I suspect my mood is not right as the blurb on the cover makes it sound quite good.
Last week's read (previous to The Anubis Gates) was A Room With a View by E.M. Forster.
I rather liked this tale of the English middle classes, set in the early 1900s. The first half takes place in Florence and deals with the English abroad, the second in the drawing rooms of Surrey and deals with Lucy, the main character, and her ill-advised engagement to Cecil. It's a comedy really and also a romance, but more than that it's wickedly observed, especially the terrible snobbishness that was rife at the time. That side of it reminded me of a regency novel with people who 'didn't quite do'. I imagine it was a snobbery that had lasted from regency times (and before that really) to the 1900s when things were beginning to change. The first world war must have helped things along too. A good and interesting read, only my second novel by Forster so there are lots more to go.
Current read: The Goblin Mirror by C.J. Cherryh. Picked this one up in a charity shop recently. Never read anything by this quite well known fantasy author but the minute I started it I was instantly hooked. What I've read so far is nicely creepy. Hopefully it'll continue to hold my attention.
Last week's read (previous to The Anubis Gates) was A Room With a View by E.M. Forster.
I rather liked this tale of the English middle classes, set in the early 1900s. The first half takes place in Florence and deals with the English abroad, the second in the drawing rooms of Surrey and deals with Lucy, the main character, and her ill-advised engagement to Cecil. It's a comedy really and also a romance, but more than that it's wickedly observed, especially the terrible snobbishness that was rife at the time. That side of it reminded me of a regency novel with people who 'didn't quite do'. I imagine it was a snobbery that had lasted from regency times (and before that really) to the 1900s when things were beginning to change. The first world war must have helped things along too. A good and interesting read, only my second novel by Forster so there are lots more to go.
Current read: The Goblin Mirror by C.J. Cherryh. Picked this one up in a charity shop recently. Never read anything by this quite well known fantasy author but the minute I started it I was instantly hooked. What I've read so far is nicely creepy. Hopefully it'll continue to hold my attention.
You mention part of it was filmed in Surrey, there is a super scene with Mr Beeb,that was filmed at Silent Pool nr Dorking in Surrey.
Have you read 'Maurice' yet? That's my favourite Forster, I think.
No, I haven't read 'Maurice' yet. I have it, along with 'A Passage to India', on my tbr pile. I'll move 'Maurice' a bit closer to the top of the
mountainpile then. ;-)Maurice is one of the most beautiful and tender love stories I've ever *ever* read. Just gorgeous. Also made into a lovely film, in which the viewer gets to see James Wilby's arse. Which is worth seeing ;-)