Nearly finished my eighth Reacher book in eleven days (The Enemy).



A couple of observations:



1. Jack Reacher is addicted to sex with beautiful women.

2. If you count up the number of times Lee Child uses the sentence "I said nothing", cut and then paste them side by side, you could probably fill book one out of the fifteen-or-so book series cover to cover. That's a hell of a lot of nothing.

Never heard of this [iJack Reacher[/i character so just done a little research. Height 6-5". Played by Tom Cruise in a movie. /> Naaaah!!! Not having it. /> We'll leave it there.

Never heard of this [iJack Reacher[/i character so just done a little research. Height 6-5". Played by Tom Cruise in a movie. /> Naaaah!!! Not having it. /> We'll leave it there.

Quote ="Cronus"On this subject, there's been uproar on both sides regarding the suggestion of Idris Elba as the next James Bond. /> To me, James Bond is the quintessential white British secret agent as has been portrayed since Dr No. That's not racist, it comes from years of watching white British men playing him. I'm fairly open to a black man playing Bond, but by moving away from the established vision of the character it could become just another action film. Fleming certainly visualised him as white. As it happens I think Elba could probably do a very good job but for me Bond is what Bond has always been.'" /> Quote ="Him"I agree re Bond. It's not racist it's just I've always visualised Bond as white. It's the same as if he were to be American rather than British. Having said that I think it'd be quite good with Elba as Bond. A big change but maybe that's what it'd need when Daniel Craig finishes. I also think Fleming meant him to be white but that's just because there wouldn't have been a black MI6 officer at the time he was writing.'" /> I tend to agree. Whilst I don't find the idea of a black Bond objectionable, it's just never how I've pictured him and would seem to veer a little from the original idea of the character. Appearance-wise, Fleming's vision of Bond was Hoagy Carmichael. /> With Elba in particular, I'd have a different concern, though. I'm more questioning of whether or not he could do the smooth, middle-class operator kind of thing, he's tended to be more of rough diamond from the streets in the things in which I've seen him. Would he look at home at the opera for example, or an embassy function? Another thing is that I'd also like to see them cast a bit younger, personally. I'm not a fan of late 40s/early 50s secret agents, it just looks a bit ridiculous. /> I think Tom Hiddleston could possibly do a good job of it.

Quote ="Cronus"On this subject, there's been uproar on both sides regarding the suggestion of Idris Elba as the next James Bond. /> To me, James Bond is the quintessential white British secret agent as has been portrayed since Dr No. That's not racist, it comes from years of watching white British men playing him. I'm fairly open to a black man playing Bond, but by moving away from the established vision of the character it could become just another action film. Fleming certainly visualised him as white. As it happens I think Elba could probably do a very good job but for me Bond is what Bond has always been.'" /> Quote ="Him"I agree re Bond. It's not racist it's just I've always visualised Bond as white. It's the same as if he were to be American rather than British. Having said that I think it'd be quite good with Elba as Bond. A big change but maybe that's what it'd need when Daniel Craig finishes. I also think Fleming meant him to be white but that's just because there wouldn't have been a black MI6 officer at the time he was writing.'" /> I tend to agree. Whilst I don't find the idea of a black Bond objectionable, it's just never how I've pictured him and would seem to veer a little from the original idea of the character. Appearance-wise, Fleming's vision of Bond was Hoagy Carmichael. /> With Elba in particular, I'd have a different concern, though. I'm more questioning of whether or not he could do the smooth, middle-class operator kind of thing, he's tended to be more of rough diamond from the streets in the things in which I've seen him. Would he look at home at the opera for example, or an embassy function? Another thing is that I'd also like to see them cast a bit younger, personally. I'm not a fan of late 40s/early 50s secret agents, it just looks a bit ridiculous. /> I think Tom Hiddleston could possibly do a good job of it.

Quote ="Mugwump"Well, I gave in and put away the first six Reacher books last week. It's trash and about as superficial as a layer of frost in September. But the lunacy is so enthusiastic you find it hard not to like it. I junked =#0040FFthe book on the ranch in Texas but the rest are ok.'" /> Echo Burning? I didn't particularly like that one, either.

Quote ="Mugwump"Well, I gave in and put away the first six Reacher books last week. It's trash and about as superficial as a layer of frost in September. But the lunacy is so enthusiastic you find it hard not to like it. I junked =#0040FFthe book on the ranch in Texas but the rest are ok.'" /> Echo Burning? I didn't particularly like that one, either.

Has anyone on here read the Gormenghast trilogy?



I've had Titus Groan on the go for a few months and finding it really hard going, my reading progress has actually slowed to a crawl as I'd rather do other things. I think it's the fact that it doesn't really seem to have a true focus, instead just sort of meandering through various characters' stories/lives. Are the second and third books any different once Titus is older?

Quote ="carl_spackler" I think Tom Hiddleston could possibly do a good job of it.'" /> Will Brucie give him the time off? http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2669265.ece/alternates/s615/Hull-City-v-Sunderland-Premier-League.jpg" >

Quote ="carl_spackler" I think Tom Hiddleston could possibly do a good job of it.'" /> Will Brucie give him the time off? http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2669265.ece/alternates/s615/Hull-City-v-Sunderland-Premier-League.jpg" >

Quote ="carl_spackler"I tend to agree. Whilst I don't find the idea of a black Bond objectionable, it's just never how I've pictured him and would seem to veer a little from the original idea of the character. Appearance-wise, Fleming's vision of Bond was Hoagy Carmichael. /> With Elba in particular, I'd have a different concern, though. I'm more questioning of whether or not he could do the smooth, middle-class operator kind of thing, he's tended to be more of rough diamond from the streets in the things in which I've seen him. Would he look at home at the opera for example, or an embassy function? Another thing is that I'd also like to see them cast a bit younger, personally. I'm not a fan of late 40s/early 50s secret agents, it just looks a bit ridiculous. /> I think Tom Hiddleston could possibly do a good job of it.'" /> I reckon Elba could do the middle class thing but yeah Id be concerned about his age. Maybe Tom Hardy?

Quote ="carl_spackler"I tend to agree. Whilst I don't find the idea of a black Bond objectionable, it's just never how I've pictured him and would seem to veer a little from the original idea of the character. Appearance-wise, Fleming's vision of Bond was Hoagy Carmichael. /> With Elba in particular, I'd have a different concern, though. I'm more questioning of whether or not he could do the smooth, middle-class operator kind of thing, he's tended to be more of rough diamond from the streets in the things in which I've seen him. Would he look at home at the opera for example, or an embassy function? Another thing is that I'd also like to see them cast a bit younger, personally. I'm not a fan of late 40s/early 50s secret agents, it just looks a bit ridiculous. /> I think Tom Hiddleston could possibly do a good job of it.'" /> I reckon Elba could do the middle class thing but yeah Id be concerned about his age. Maybe Tom Hardy?

A quarter of the way through A Thousand Splendid Suns at the moment, great read

Thoroughly gutted by today's news, goodbye Sir Pterry.

Currently reading We Are Not Ourselves by Mathew Thomas which is about an academics decline into Alzheimer’s and how it affects the people close to him. I’m breezing through the pages because the writing style is just wonderful to process. An easy read to a difficult subject but this doesn’t mean it isn’t sad. I’m someone who loves the American thriller genre so whilst this is different altogether, I certainly recommend it to others on here who like Harlan Coben etc.

Reading 'Player One Ready' at the moment, for no other reason than the cover looked interesting. Enjoying it so far, it's a 1980's culture celebration with a fantasy story built into it. Apparently going to be made into a film shortly by Spielberg.