What Book Are You Reading?

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Hi All,   I have just started is Sword Of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski. This is the second book in his Witcher collection, if you like your Fantasy/Sci-Fi as I do then you should like these books and will set you up perfectly to view the adapted for TV series.   The Witcher starring Henry Cavill - (Superman) in the lead roll of which the 1st season has already aired on Netflix recently and I await the 2nd with anticipation.

Geralt is a witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. He roams the country seeking assignments, but gradually comes to realise that while some of his quarry are unremittingly vile, vicious grotesques, others are the victims of sin, evil or simple naivety.

In this collection of short stories, following the adventures of the hit collection The Last Wish, join Geralt as he battles monsters, demons and prejudices alike . . .

Geoff.

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Hi All,
One chapter into the Freddie Starr Unwrapped autobiography by , so far so good...

With 40 years in showbusiness under his belt, Freddie Starr's autobiography is full of humorous stories about his exploits both on and off stage, and his encounters with some of the biggest stars of the 20th century - from John Lennon to Elvis Presley and Dean Martin. But there's also a dark side to the story of Freddie's rise to success - starting with his tough childhood in post-war Liverpool. A father who would think nothing of challenging a workmate to a no-holds-barred bare-knuckle fight in his lunch hour. An elder brother who bullied him. A psychosomatic illness that struck him when he was only six years of age, robbing him of the power of speech and sending him to the only place he could be cured - a children's home miles away from his family, where he spent two long years learning to talk again. The violent people he hung around with in his teenage years in the Liverpool clubs, in particular his employer and mentor. The young blonde singer who broke into her own house just to attract his attention! In this book, Freddie reveals the truth about his broken marriages, his "overnight" success at the Royal Variety Performance in 1970, the occasional court case, the show biz scandals and what really happened to that poor defenceless hamster.          (Courtesy of Amazon).

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Geoff.

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Hi All,
Just started Dirk Pitt Revealed by Clive Cussler & Craig DirgoA reference that brings together all the facts about Clive Cussler's fictional action hero, the debonair Dirk Pitt. (Courtesy of Amazon)

I really like the Dirk Pitt novels by Mr Cussler and am looking forward to reading other material by him, his life seems to imitate Pitt's to a point from what I have read so far in this book and other snippets elsewhere.

EDIT:  Now having finished the book I feel I have to point out that only the first quarter of the book gives an insight into how Pitt was created and his character details along with a brief synopsis of novels from ( Pacific Vortex - Flood Tide ),  the remainder of the book being a concordance of the same Pitt novels.

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Geoff.

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Hi All,

  Just about to start this book that I have had since being at school and embarrassingly never read. 

ww2

Geoff.

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Hi All,
   Sad to say but with the Crimbo period finishing then my B'day I never did much reading but I am now making up for it.

I am 10 chapters into a light relief book ( Harry And The Hendersons by Joyce Thompson),

A tie-in to the movie from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment (Speilberg et al). An unusual and havoc-wreaking housepet named Harry joins the Henderson family household. Just as Harry and the Hendersons come to love each other, the neighbors decide Harry's a monster and must meet his demise. Sounds like wild and wacky family entertainment.

I watched this film years ago with my daughter and thought it was quite amusing especially with the comedic talents that John Lithgow played.

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Geoff.

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Hi All,   

About to start Vengeance In Venice by Philip Gwynne Jones.  

Synopsis:- An invitation to an exclusive event during the Venetian Biennale gives Honorary Consul Nathan Sutherland the perfect chance to drink prosecco in the sunshine and meet some of the greats of the art world.

And then a world-famous critic is decapitated by one of the installations in the British Pavilion. A terrible accident, it seems, until a postcard is discovered in the victim's pocket: an image of Judith beheading Holofernes.

But this is not just a one-off. Before long, three more postcards have been sent out with deadly results. As the bodies pile up, Nathan finds himself getting closer and closer to the truth, but when he himself receives an image of Death bearing a scythe, it becomes a race against time to save his own life . . (Courtesy of Google Books).

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Geoff.

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Hi All,

 Finished the other book about two weeks ago then got the lurgy.  I have just started this fictionalised account based on and around true events that took place at Roswell,New Mexico.

(Courtesy of :- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1100400.Majestic )

It is time for the truth to be told....

On July 2, 1947 something crashed in the desert outside of Roswell, New Mexico. An explosion of light and sound made the sheep wail, the chickens squawk, and the children scream. And then the ranchers heard a noise they thought could only have come from the devil himself.

For forty years, Majestic Agency director Wilfred Stone helped the CIA pretend the landing never happened. Then his conscience got the better of him.

This is the real story, told to reporter Nicholas A. Duke by the guilt-racked shell of the man who once worked tirelessly to cover it all up. It is a truth so terrifying that Whitley Strieber had to call it fiction.

https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1274680688l/2679771.jpg

Alien craft or Secret project ? You decide!

Geoff.

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Hi All,
A chapter into War In 2080 by David Lanford, so far so good just a bit of history as background but already you can see where the book is heading written in 1979 before the Falklands War and both Desert campaigns it will be interesting to see if any of his predictions have panned out.

Courtesy of :- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2520082.War_In_2080 War in 2080 looks at the trends of current military technology and scientific progress and extrapolates these into the future, working on the assumption that human civilization will expand too swiftly to be destroyed by the military. Introductory chapters deal with the present and the near future, considering war and weaponry confined to the Earth and its vicinity. Later discussion centres on interplanetary and even interstellar war, examining such 'science-fiction' concepts as planet-busters, death rays and ecological war, but bearing constantly in mind that, for such warfare to be possible, new strategies must be invented and many logistical problems solved. Attention is also given to the possibilities of encountering hostile
intelligences, possibly of a higher technological order, elsewhere in the Universe.

EDIT:- Some interesting thoughts and possible futures for us on this planet with capabilities exceeded of some ideas already here and being used.
 

War2080 (2).jpg
​Geoff.

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Hi all,
  Two chapters into Last Reminder by Stuart Pawson. Have never been into crime novels but this isquite amusing in a way as I just see a cross between Gene Hunt ( Spiders From Mars) & an ex policeman we know seems to fit quite aptly. So far I am enjoying it which after all is the intended purpose...

Detective Inspector Charlie Priest’s day hasn’t started well. Late for the first time in twenty years, thanks to a hangover, he’s got a grisly workload to face. Hartley Goodrich has been found dead in his armchair, right beside the flowerpot that caused the gaping gash to his head. (Courtesy of Google Books).

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Geoff.

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Hi All,
    One chapter into Nimitz Class by Patrick Robinson, Just up my street and starts off with a nice piece of action. I also have Kilo Class but if this is the standard of writing then I'll be buying more of Mr Robinsons work.

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The US Nimitz Class carrier is a state-of-the-art war machine. Suddenly she disappears from the radar screens, and vanishes with all her crew. The hunt is on for the killers, and the entire force of the West's defence swings into action. Courtesy of:- https://www.wob.com/en-gb .

Geoff.

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Hi All,
Just about to get into The Day Sasquatch Became Real For Me by Steve Isdahl. If you believe in cryptid beings that are still yet to be officially declared Living / Sentient / Not extinct etc.etc. no matter how you want to put them you should enjoy this book.     Steve has a couple of youtube channels but this one ( https://www.youtube.com/c/proguide66 ) is the one I watch, he even has his own web page.

WARNING:- If you are anti hunting then avoid his other channels unless you can put that part to the back of your mind and watch the magnificent scenery and wildlife that is filmed by Steve.

I came across it a couple of years ago and have watched with fascination hearing about other peoples experiences of Sabeh /Sasquatch / Bigfoot / Yeti / Yowie / Ap-eman / Hairy Man etc. etc. etc. Mainly from Canada and the US but also from all around the globe and yes even in the UK of people who have encountered these beings and other strange happenings.

While well outside the wheel houses of many peoples comfort zone the Victims / Experiencers / Everyday folk who tell they're story are often not believed to the point of being ridiculed and even ostracized by Work colleagues / Family and friends, Many keep they're own experience to themselves never to utter a word, as apposed to the many tend to think them alongside Fairies / Pixies / Ghost's / UFO's etc. etc.

Imagine this scenario:- You see whatever / Day or Night, your on your own, you know what you see or are experiencing is real but there are no other witnesses. Even if your with a friend you both see whatever or your friend does not see whatever who do you tell ? Do you mention anything ? who do you report it to ?

You have no proof of what was for you was a 100% real experience again who do you tell ? As before many keep those experiences bottled up for years for the fear of what I have already mentioned and Steve's channel is a safety valve for these people who can finally get rid of all the Angst / Guilt / Anger / Despair / Depression whatever you want to call this pent up emotion that just has no outlet for them to share they're experiences.

Since Steve started sharing these stories IMPO he has really shone the spot light on this topic and I may add upset a few people along the way, obviously you will get the odd bad one that is all bull but Steve tries and succeeds for majority to wheedle these out. As it is many just sound to the non believer as twaddle so your already off to a late start in many peoples eye about these beings and other cryptids YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VERY OPEN MIND!

I look at it like the species that have been declared extinct yet have been found still alive by those willing to do the dirty work and look into the crevasses where others will not venture people such as Forrest Galante.    

You could look at it another way The world is covered by Ocean (71% approximately) yet we humans have only explored 20% of this, according to Google 80% has not been explored and still holds it's secrets or you believe in whatever God religiously has anyone ever met him/her ?

Anyway as always the choice is your own as to whether you believe in whatever, I believe in these beings just like UFO's and other taboo subject matter for many.  Many say you can't prove existence of these beings but can you prove they do not exist ? if so where is your evidence ?

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Geoff.

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Hi All,
      One chapter into Richard Wilson Biography - One Foot On The Stage. I watched the iconic One Foot In The Grave all through the complete series run very entertaining and very funny, but I have also watched him other programmes through the years and I particularly used to love him in Only when I Laugh especially the interaction he had with James Bolam/Peter Bowles/Christopher Straull/Dereck Branche who played the other main characters, another very funny series.

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Geoff.

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Hi All,
Six chapters into The Girl From Venice by Martin Cruz Smith, enjoying the book so far....

The Girl from Venice is a 2016 historical fiction novel by American author Martin Cruz Smith. The novel details the encounter and subsequent relationship between Innocenzo Vianello, a fisherman from Pellestrina, and Giulia Silber, daughter of a wealthy Jewish family from Venice, and is set in early 1945. (Courtesy wikipedia)

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Geoff.

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Hi All,
    Three chapters into A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson, Enjoying the book as it is quite amusing in part you just imagine yourself doing the journey....

From the author of Notes from a Small Island and The Lost Continent comes this humorous report on his walk along the Appalachian Trail. The Trail is the longest continuous footpath in the world, and it snakes through some of the wildest and most spectacular landscapes in America. 

EDIT:  Quite an interesting book with bits of history here and there and some rather funny moments especially the joke in Chapter 20.

Courtesy:- https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/bill...CABEgI67PD_BwE

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Geoff.

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Hi All,

 One chapter into The Little Book Of The Spitfire by David Curnock

Little Book of the Spitfire is a 128-page hardback book fully illustrated with photographs written by David Curnock. In the history of the aeroplane there is one aircraft that is fully deserving of the accolade "legendary" - the Supermarine Spitfire. Against overwhelming odds in the Battle of Britain, and taking part in major actions in every operational theatre in World War 2, the Spitfire became a symbol of victory. Built in greater numbers than any other aircraft of the time, examples of this icon of British aviation achievement are still flying today, paying tribute to her designer and makers, and in honour of those who flew and maintained her in those dark days. (Courtesy Amazon)

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Geoff.

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Hi All,

 One chapter into Little Book Of Red Arrows by Liam McCann.

Little Book of the Red Arrows Including a history of the RAF The book traces the origins of the most famous acrobatic team in the world-the Red Arrows-and looks at how the team prepares for shows, practices death-defying stunts and helps with recruitment. It also outlines the the origins and history oh the RAF from its military predecessors to the present day. Courtesy of:- ( https://www.abebooks.co.uk/products/isbn/9781909217065?cm_sp=bdp-_-ISBN…)

https://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9781909217065-uk.jpg

 

Geoff.

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Hi All,
  I'll be starting this third book I was given in this particular series, The Little Book Of Fishing by Rob Yorke.

A unique and fascinating A to Z of Fishing written by Rob Yorke, this book is a must for all fishing enthusiasts. Packed full with interesting entries and hints and tips, it is fully illustrated with colour photographs which will inspire any angler. A perfect stocking filler, which it was many moons ago from our daughter.

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Geoff.

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Hi All,
One chapter into The Fog by James Herbert 1975, I watched the film made by John Carpenter many moons ago,  if I am correct in thinking that was set on the US East coast ?  Anyway the next-door neighbour read it while on holiday last week so he thought I may like it so here I am giving it a go.

A peaceful village in Wiltshire is shattered by a disaster which strikes without reason or explanation, leaving behind a trail of misery and horror. A yawning, bottomless crack spreads through the earth, out of which creeps a fog that resembles no other. Whatever it is, it must be controlled.

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Geoff.

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Hi All,
Just started Open Skies by Nick Pope, not only does he right about what for many despite rather compelling evidence think is in peoples minds he also rights fiction using his acquired knowledge that comes in as a useful tool when creating these works. But back to this book he applies the same exacting standards he used while investigating this phenomena while in service.

Open Skies, Closed Minds, a book on ufology, expresses the views of Nick Pope, a former UFO investigator with the British Ministry of Defence. The book provides an overview of the UFO phenomenon, with the emphasis on Pope's three-year tour of duty as the Ministry of Defence's UFO desk office.(Courtesy of Wiki.)

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Geoff.

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Hi All,

 (4/2nd time) One chapter into Operation Lightning Strike - Nick Pope

The aliens say they come in peace - but evidence suggests otherwise. An alien spacecraft is making its way towards Earth. It will arrive within weeks.

                                  

https://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780671021863-uk.jpg

Geoff.