Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 16 of 26

Thread: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    337
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked
    2 times in 2 posts

    Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    I've just been sitting on Amazon for ages trying to find inspiration and some new books, alas I have failed... so...

    I'm looking for fiction
    Some kind of crime / detective element to it
    Some kind of cyber / electronic edge to it - from a good or bad perspective
    Something a bit odd and wierd
    Nothing too sci-fi or fantasty / unbelievable...

    Books I've read and enjoyed, to give you an idea:

    JPod
    Microserfs
    Ian Rankins Rebus Books (read about 5 of them, got the others)
    PJ Tracey - Want to Play
    Most Ben Elton Books
    Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and other Hunter S Thompson style stuff

    Not read, but recently purchased:
    Electric Kool Aid Test
    Bad Science
    Heaven n Hell / Doors of Perception

    So, what would you recommend?!

  2. #2
    Pseudo-Mad Scientist Whiternoise's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    4,274
    Thanks
    166
    Thanked
    386 times in 233 posts
    • Whiternoise's system
      • Motherboard:
      • DFI LANPARTY JR P45-T2RS
      • CPU:
      • Q6600
      • Memory:
      • 8GB DDR2
      • Storage:
      • 5.6TB Total
      • Graphics card(s):
      • HD4780
      • PSU:
      • 425W Modu82+ Enermax
      • Case:
      • Silverstone TJ08b
      • Operating System:
      • Win7 64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 23" IPS
      • Internet:
      • 1Gbps Fibre Line

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    Deception Point was supposed to be quite good, if you're after a cheap thrill :http://www.amazon.com/Deception-Poin.../dp/0671027387, remember that Dan Brown isn't exactly renowned for his watertight plots, but it's fine for finishing in a day.

    Hmm nothing too sci-fi, heh that makes things difficult!

    http://www.amazon.com/Neuromancer-Wi.../dp/0441569595 Neuromancer is something of a classic in cyber-crime, but it might be a little too unbelievable for you.

    Failing that, what about some of Robert Ludlum's stuff? It's quite up to date and crimey/detectivey - for reference he was the original author of the Bourne (identity, supremacy, ultimatum etc) series (it was a book first).

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Robert-Ludlu...3975940&sr=8-1

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    337
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked
    2 times in 2 posts

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    I've got deception point - picked it up in a library sale for 30p! - I read the back and it sounds a bit far fetched and probably not 'odd' or messed up enough for me so I haven't read it yet!

    Neuromancer sounded brilliant so I got a copy, thinking I'd be bang into it - alas I only managed about 60-80 pages - as you say, a bit too unbelievable for me, and it didn't seem to be going anywhere - a shame, as I was really looking forward to it!

    I've got the Bourne books as ebooks but not looked at them - the idea does appeal to me so I might give those a look - thanks for the reminder

  4. #4
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    30,748
    Thanks
    1,787
    Thanked
    3,285 times in 2,647 posts
    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson
    (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snow-Crash-N...3977321&sr=8-1)

    It's a cyber based theme, just slightly getting out of date now so read within 5 years or so. Possibly the best quality writing in the genre I've experienced, and the story is quite gripping too. Might fit your bit odd thing as well.

  5. #5
    Large Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    3,720
    Thanks
    47
    Thanked
    99 times in 64 posts

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    If you liked HS Thompson what about Jack Kerouac? On the Road?

    A book I would recommend to anyone would be Catch-22 if you haven't already read it, even if peoples opinion of it always seems to be 'really can't get into it' or 'greatest work of fiction I've ever read'. Definitely the latter for me.
    To err is human. To really foul things up ... you need a computer.

  6. #6
    lazy student nvening's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    London
    Posts
    4,656
    Thanks
    196
    Thanked
    31 times in 30 posts

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    btw read your copy of Bad Science its a brilliant book
    (\__/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

  7. #7
    Get in the van. Fraz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Bristol
    Posts
    2,919
    Thanks
    284
    Thanked
    397 times in 231 posts
    • Fraz's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte X58A-UD5
      • CPU:
      • Watercooled i7-980X @ 4.2 GHz
      • Memory:
      • 24GB Crucial DDR3-1333
      • Storage:
      • 240 GB Vertex2E + 2 TB of Disk
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Water-cooled Sapphire 7970 @ 1175/1625
      • PSU:
      • Enermax Modu87+
      • Case:
      • Corsair 700D
      • Operating System:
      • Linux Mint 12 / Windows 7
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 30" 3008WFP and two Dell 24" 2412M
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 60 Mbps

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    I think that "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" fits all of your requirements.

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    337
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked
    2 times in 2 posts

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    I was looking at the Dragon Tattoo thing last night thinking it might be up my street - perhaps I'll give that one a go.

    I only ordered bad science last night from Amazon, so I wont be reading it just yet - but yeah, I read a bit in Smiths and it looks interesting.

    On a similar tip I should have mentioned these books which I liked:
    The Logic of Life
    Freakonomics
    The undercover economist

    (Yes, I did do an Economics degree, so I have a bias towards it!)

    Anything like that would be cool - I had considered fooled by randomness and my boss reccomended the tipping point - any comments on these two??

    On the road has been suggested to me before but I forgot about it - I'll defo look that one up - HST books are a blast, the last one I read was the rum diary.

    Snow crash - I looked at this - turns out I must have already decided this looked decent - It's already on my Amazon wish list!

    Some good suggestions people! - I'll try and bag some of these.

    So, can anyone suggest any in the similar vein to teh popular science / business type books I've outliked above? (I'm reading 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' at the moment!)

  9. #9
    Huge Member Brucelles's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Carcassonne
    Posts
    1,756
    Thanks
    56
    Thanked
    203 times in 101 posts
    • Brucelles's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-F2A78M-D3H
      • CPU:
      • AMD A8-6600K APU
      • Memory:
      • 16Gb DDR4 800
      • Storage:
      • 1Tb Samsung, 320 Gb no name I can recall, 500Gb Sandisk SDD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • PNY - XLR8 GeForce 8800GTS
      • PSU:
      • 550W Corsair
      • Case:
      • Zalman
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung S27C590H
      • Internet:
      • Orange Livebox Wireless ADSL - Sucks something rotten, and SFR Neuf box. Sucks less.

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    I will just add my thumbs up to "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and the sequel "The Girl who Played with Fire" which is even better. The third book in the trilogy is not yet in English, but the second it is, it's mine.

    (Thanks Evilmunky)
    Eagles may soar, but weasels never get sucked into jet intakes.

  10. #10
    0iD
    0iD is offline
    M*I*A 0iD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Happy Llama Land
    Posts
    13,247
    Thanks
    1,435
    Thanked
    1,209 times in 757 posts
    • 0iD's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Leave my mother out of it!
      • CPU:
      • If I knew what it meant?
      • Memory:
      • Wah?
      • Storage:
      • Cupboards and drawers
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Slate & chalk
      • PSU:
      • meh
      • Case:
      • Suit or Brief?
      • Operating System:
      • Brain
      • Monitor(s):
      • I was 1 at skool
      • Internet:
      • 28k Dialup

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    Get in the van, by Henry Rollins, sort of Fear & Loathing for the punk age.
    [
    Quote Originally Posted by Blitzen
    When I say go, both walk in the opposite direction for 10 paces, draw handbags, then bitch-slap each other!

  11. #11
    Senior Member JPreston's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    1,667
    Thanks
    5
    Thanked
    124 times in 74 posts

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    Hey I liked The Undercover Economist too (much better book than Freakonomics IMO).

    'Guns, Germs and Steel' should be up your street but I don't think Jared Diamond is right up at the top with the best popular science writers. Richard Dawkins and Matt Ridley write simultaneously more rigorously, accessibly and entertainingly.

    Read 'The Selfish Gene' - it's a book on economics as much as biology (everything really) and is an excellent read. The one book I think everyone should read.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bertrand Russell

    The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.

  12. #12
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    30,748
    Thanks
    1,787
    Thanked
    3,285 times in 2,647 posts
    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    Quote Originally Posted by JPreston View Post
    Read 'The Selfish Gene' - it's a book on economics as much as biology (everything really) and is an excellent read. The one book I think everyone should read.
    Fiction too

  13. #13
    0iD
    0iD is offline
    M*I*A 0iD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Happy Llama Land
    Posts
    13,247
    Thanks
    1,435
    Thanked
    1,209 times in 757 posts
    • 0iD's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Leave my mother out of it!
      • CPU:
      • If I knew what it meant?
      • Memory:
      • Wah?
      • Storage:
      • Cupboards and drawers
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Slate & chalk
      • PSU:
      • meh
      • Case:
      • Suit or Brief?
      • Operating System:
      • Brain
      • Monitor(s):
      • I was 1 at skool
      • Internet:
      • 28k Dialup

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    Finding Moonshine, by Marcus du Sautoy is a good one too as is his book The Music of the Primes, if you like factual sciency stuff.
    [
    Quote Originally Posted by Blitzen
    When I say go, both walk in the opposite direction for 10 paces, draw handbags, then bitch-slap each other!

  14. #14
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    30,748
    Thanks
    1,787
    Thanked
    3,285 times in 2,647 posts
    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    Da Vinci Code! No.. just kidding.

  15. #15
    0iD
    0iD is offline
    M*I*A 0iD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Happy Llama Land
    Posts
    13,247
    Thanks
    1,435
    Thanked
    1,209 times in 757 posts
    • 0iD's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Leave my mother out of it!
      • CPU:
      • If I knew what it meant?
      • Memory:
      • Wah?
      • Storage:
      • Cupboards and drawers
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Slate & chalk
      • PSU:
      • meh
      • Case:
      • Suit or Brief?
      • Operating System:
      • Brain
      • Monitor(s):
      • I was 1 at skool
      • Internet:
      • 28k Dialup

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    Quote Originally Posted by kalniel View Post
    Da Vinci Code! No.. just kidding.
    Harry Potter? ..yeah, just kidding too
    [
    Quote Originally Posted by Blitzen
    When I say go, both walk in the opposite direction for 10 paces, draw handbags, then bitch-slap each other!

  16. #16
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    30,748
    Thanks
    1,787
    Thanked
    3,285 times in 2,647 posts
    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish

    Re: Book Reccomendations / Reviews?!

    Quote Originally Posted by 0iD View Post
    Harry Potter? ..yeah, just kidding too
    Harry Potter has some redeeming qualities* at least






    *if you're 8

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 26-11-2008, 05:23 PM
  2. User Reviews
    By ikix in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: 02-06-2008, 11:25 AM
  3. Customer reviews
    By slypie in forum SCAN.care@HEXUS
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 20-02-2008, 12:35 AM
  4. FX-62/FX-64 reviews
    By AD-15 in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 14-05-2006, 03:55 PM
  5. Looking for reviews on 56K modems?
    By Artic_Kid in forum Networking and Broadband
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 10-04-2006, 03:52 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •