Travel plans & book suggestions

[filthgoblin]

Travel plans move on apace, and Mr G says visa applications are sent. I have a list of things to do in preparation for the trip as long as my arm. Dull stuff, including sorting insurance, telling the bank withdrawals will be made from exotic locations and booking airport parking. We picked up the tickets on Saturday and await the arrival of the tour itinerary to I can go through the travel books we have and annotate them like the crazy control freak I am.

The fun part, which I have yet to sort, is what reading matter I will take with me. I like to take series books. Last year I made my way through all four Twilight books (not so good) in Mexico (also not so good) whereas the year before I read all of His Dark Materials (unbelievably awesome) in Thailand (best holiday ever).

With that in mind I'm seeking recommendations for books to take. Grown-up books or young adult is fine. Ask me any questions on what I like to read you think might help and I would love to hear what you suggest.

Comments

I can give you fantasy/sci-fi recs :)

[sweetsyren.livejournal.com]

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Info here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dresden_Files). They're a nice easy read and good holiday fun. I constantly go back to these books and re-read them. It might be pulp but it's good pulp.

If you prefer a little more Sci-Fi then Richard Morgan books are very, very good. The Takeshi Kovacs novels are his best IMO. Altered Carbon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altered_Carbon), Broken Angels (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_Angels) and Woken Furies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woken_Furies) in that order. Altered Carbon is one of my favourite books ever.

If you want a bit of education and horror at the same time then The Zombie books by Max Brooks are very good. The Zombie Survival Guide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombie_Survival_Guide) is a practical guide to surviving the Zombie apocalypse. I have read it a couple of times and I still can't decide whether or not he's being serious. Theres also World War Z (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_Z) which is a great, scary and sometimes emotional read.

Re: I can give you fantasy/sci-fi recs :)

[filthgoblin.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I'm liking the sound of the Dresden Files. Though I'm not going to lie to you, knowing that James Marsters narrated the audiobooks did make me pay a little more attention :p

I may investigate the Richard Morgan books in time, but I don't think they're holiday reading. Thanks for the recs, though :)

Re: I can give you fantasy/sci-fi recs :)

[sweetsyren.livejournal.com]

Honestly James Marsters reading the audios is totally worth checking out. He's got a smokey voice that'll make your knees weak. Listening to him for half a day is a particularly good way to spend some time.

[perdiccas.livejournal.com]

A big fat Jeeves & Wooster omnibus always does me good. :)

Margaret Atwood recently wrote a sequel to her novel Oryx and Crake, called The Year of the Flood. I haven't read it yet, but I'm dying to. Oryx and Crake is my favourite book ever and I highly recommend it, along with the rest of her novels. (Alias Grace is particular is also very good).

Where are you off to?

[filthgoblin.livejournal.com]

Ooh. I've not read any Margaret Atwood, but I've heard good things about her stuff. I shall check it out for sure.

I've not read any Jeeves and Wooster since I was about 13! That might be fun! I was also considering taking my Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy with me too. It's long overdue a re-read.

We're off to Vietnam for a little over a fortnight in mid November. Flying into Ho Chi Minh City [formerly Saigon] and travelling north up the coast to finish in Hanoi, about 1,000 miles away, about 12 days later. We'll spend a few days in Hanoi then fly home again. I'm really looking forward to it :)