Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

matt819

(10,749 posts)
24. Flashback by Dan Simmons
Sat Feb 11, 2012, 11:30 PM
Feb 2012

He's a prolific author, but this is the first of his that I've picked up. A dystopian America ca 2038, 23 years into the jobless recovery, as one character observes. All hell has broken loose, and the country is governed, if that's the word, by Japanese federal advisors. Weird, so far. Not sure if I'll continue.

Also, Mission Canyon, by Meg Gardiner. Far fetched mystery/crime/whatever. Her first book in this series was also far-fetched and more than a little annoying, and, yet, I'm back. I prefer her Jo Becket series.

Also, just finished Preston & Childs' latest, Gideon's Corpse. You want far-fetched, you got it in spades here - 5 miles down grade V rapids with no raft, no problem; commandeering an Army Viper (?) vehicle and outrunning the bad guys; breaking into, and out of, top secret installations; you get the idea. But I like Gideon, so I forgive P&C their transgressions.

Also just finished The Fear Index by Robert Harris. Also falls into the far-fetched category, or not, depending on your affinity for tin-foil hat perspectives. Basically, algorithm stock trading gone wild. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Also listening to The Corpse in the Koryo, the first in a series by James Church. It's a little too much of an Americanized version, if that makes any sense, of North Korea. The story's okay, but the characters aren't behaving as I think North Koreans would behave. Of course, who does? In this category, I also finished, a couple of weeks ago, The Orphan Master's Son, which I found a little more true to how I think North Korean's would behave. But even then, I'm just not sure. I'm also reading a couple of non-fictions books about North Korea, and I just don't see North Koreans behaving as the characters in these two books are behaving.

Fatal Error, by J.A.Jance Ptah Feb 2012 #1
Under the Dome by Stephen King jannyk Feb 2012 #2
Funny story about Under the Dome matt819 Feb 2012 #25
I did read 11-22-63 and it was good jannyk Feb 2012 #30
The Englishman's Boy - Guy Vanderhaeghe. I just "discovered" this writer and the japple Feb 2012 #3
"Dreaming of the Bones" by Deborah Crombie MaineDem Feb 2012 #4
colleen McCullough's enormous series of hisorical novels pscot Feb 2012 #5
Still on THE TORSE IN THE TOWN by Simon Brett fadedrose Feb 2012 #6
Three Californias, The Wild Shore JitterbugPerfume Feb 2012 #7
Jake Lassiter series by Paul Levine mvccd1000 Feb 2012 #8
Finished Anathem and still Kindling w/Infinite Jest Onceuponalife Feb 2012 #9
Through The Looking Glass hamerfan Feb 2012 #10
I used to recite SheilaT Feb 2012 #18
Am finishing Helene Tursten's first Inspector Huss..looking forward to number two....z Zoigal Feb 2012 #11
If you get MHz Worldview on your cable or satellite system (it's on public access Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #12
Thank you, Lydia. will check it out...didn't know Zoigal Feb 2012 #14
Is NIGHT ROUNDS the first book? n/t MaineDem Feb 2012 #16
The Office of the Dead--the third in Andrew Taylor's Roth Trilogy, Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #13
Oops, forgot my "purse book," which is John Le Carré's The Honorable Schoolboy, Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2012 #20
BOOM TOWN (2006) by Trevor Scott fadedrose Feb 2012 #15
Let us know how it ends up mvccd1000 Feb 2012 #17
Go for this one, m fadedrose Feb 2012 #21
I'll look it up - thanks. mvccd1000 Feb 2012 #22
City of Veils by Zoe Ferraris. SheilaT Feb 2012 #19
MOTOR CITY BLUE (1980) fadedrose Feb 2012 #23
Finished and I liked it... fadedrose Feb 2012 #26
This was book 12 for 2012 - for my info only . . . . nt fadedrose Feb 2012 #27
I hardly remember that one... mvccd1000 Feb 2012 #28
Detroit was the only city occupied and surrendered... fadedrose Feb 2012 #29
Flashback by Dan Simmons matt819 Feb 2012 #24
"V is for Vengeance" by Grafton, latest in her series. TBF Feb 2012 #31
Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Fiction»What are you reading the ...»Reply #24