What are you reading right now? Page 227

Asterix and the Chariot Race. The third entry by the new writer and illustrator team. Definitely up there with the worst of Uderzo's solo efforts. Shame there is no equal to Rene Goscinny.

Obelix and Asterix are taking Geriatrix to a dentist at a travelling market in another town... Why? Doesn't Getafix the druid cure toothaches?
A fortuneteller accosts Obelix and says she sees him as a winning charioteer. So what's the point of reading the bloody book then? And since when were soothsayers legit in Asterix books? They are lying frauds -- but the new team gives them credibility. Stupid.
So Obelix packs in the menhir business and buys a sports chariot on credit. And immediately overhears an announcement of the Trans-Italic Chariot Race (which was concocted by a Roman senator to prove the roads aren't shit). No one tries to talk Obelix out of joining the race. So off they go to the race and eventually win. Along the way, there are a few good jokes, but not enough to compensate for dire lack of spontaneous clever plot. Everything feels forced and staid.
Also, the new translator is not in the league of Anthea Bell (and the late Derek Hockridge). There's a serious error when the obviously British team in the race is referred to as Bretons. Bretons come from Brittany in France (Armorica in Gaul). Gah! Bloody hopeless.
Also, there is talk of chariot races in the Colosseum! No, no, no! The Colosseum was for gladiatorial combat and theater. Chariot races took place in the Circus Maximus. People who don't know basic dick about ancient history ought not to be writing/translating Asterix. Or at least the publishers should have someone with a f**king brain to spot and fix such egregious errors.

How can bunnies be flopsy? They're rabbits, what's the only thing they ARE good at?

Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 17th December 2017, 8:47 AM

How can bunnies be flopsy?

Flopsy is the name of Benjamin Bunny's wife. Hence their offspring are known as the Flopsy bunnies. Hope that clears things up.

I wanted to order a book called : ''My dog Tulip''
but after reading this review=

''The book jacket says this is a heartwarming story of a man and his dog, but I would describe it as a graphic tale of a dog and her hoo-ha. Unless you really, really, really like dogs or like the idea of learning how to pimp out your dog when she's in heat, I'd probably stay away from this book. Unless you are into dog vulvas, in which case you might enjoy it''

I'm not so sure anymore...
:(

2 doctors is all it would have taken 100 years ago:|

Quote: Will Cam @ 17th December 2017, 10:03 PM

2 doctors is all it would have taken 100 years ago:|

2 doctors? How did you become 2 doctors? Did you take the exam twice?

Just started (at long last) a fat tome on the life of Will Hay by Graham Rinaldi (whose name suggests he's a music hall magician? :D ).

The Alchemist.

Fire and Fury. A good primer. A few syntax errors. The upshot being that Trump never believed he had a chance of winning and planned to use the momentum to create a Trump News Network, but upon winning decided the presidency was his rightful destiny and he could continue to behave like a petulant, childish, obnoxious moron.

Quote: Kapow @ 17th December 2017, 3:27 PM

I wanted to order a book called : ''My dog Tulip''
but after reading this review=

''The book jacket says this is a heartwarming story of a man and his dog, but I would describe it as a graphic tale of a dog and her hoo-ha. Unless you really, really, really like dogs or like the idea of learning how to pimp out your dog when she's in heat, I'd probably stay away from this book. Unless you are into dog vulvas, in which case you might enjoy it''

I'm not so sure anymore...
:(

Not read the book, but the film was rather good.

Quote: Kenneth @ 1st December 2017, 12:46 PM

Asterix and the Chariot Race. The third entry by the new writer and illustrator team. Definitely up there with the worst of Uderzo's solo efforts. Shame there is no equal to Rene Goscinny.

Obelix and Asterix are taking Geriatrix to a dentist at a travelling market in another town... Why? Doesn't Getafix the druid cure toothaches?
A fortuneteller accosts Obelix and says she sees him as a winning charioteer. So what's the point of reading the bloody book then? And since when were soothsayers legit in Asterix books? They are lying frauds -- but the new team gives them credibility. Stupid.
So Obelix packs in the menhir business and buys a sports chariot on credit. And immediately overhears an announcement of the Trans-Italic Chariot Race (which was concocted by a Roman senator to prove the roads aren't shit). No one tries to talk Obelix out of joining the race. So off they go to the race and eventually win. Along the way, there are a few good jokes, but not enough to compensate for dire lack of spontaneous clever plot. Everything feels forced and staid.
Also, the new translator is not in the league of Anthea Bell (and the late Derek Hockridge). There's a serious error when the obviously British team in the race is referred to as Bretons. Bretons come from Brittany in France (Armorica in Gaul). Gah! Bloody hopeless.
Also, there is talk of chariot races in the Colosseum! No, no, no! The Colosseum was for gladiatorial combat and theater. Chariot races took place in the Circus Maximus. People who don't know basic dick about ancient history ought not to be writing/translating Asterix. Or at least the publishers should have someone with a f**king brain to spot and fix such egregious errors.

That's sounds as bad as I would have expected. Thank you for saving the time and trouble of finding out for myself.

Quote: Tursiops @ 9th January 2018, 5:24 PM

That's sounds as bad as I would have expected. Thank you for saving the time and trouble of finding out for myself.

I've re-read it a few times (with a slightly less critical eye), and it's better than the Picts. The new illustrator seems to be having a lot of trouble with Dogmatix, who looks like a hybrid kitten bunny. It's not a terrible book. It's just so hard to recreate Goscinny's effortless set-ups for adventures and ensuing jokes and action. I am still hopeful the new team will improve with their next effort.

Fools and Mortals - Bernard Cornwell. As a Shakespeare fan and amateur actor, I love it.

Working through my Leslie Thomas novels again and currently reading Ormerod's Landing, It's about a female Resistance fighter and an English Copper in Nazi occupied France during WWII.

I think I've found a book I first read at school when I was about 6. All I can remember is a spooky story of a family on holiday and ghostly happenings and I could be wrong but I think it's Black Harvest by Ann Pilling so am going to buy a copy. The year checks out because the first edition was in 1984 and the story sounds very similar. I have only vague memories but hopefully I'll know if it's the same book.

A Higher Call
The true story of an American bomber plane flying over Germany in WW2 that was so battered the crew lost their way and were flying deep into Germany instead of home.
A German fighter plane was sent up to shoot them down but when the pilot saw the state of the crew and plane (and the 2 pilots looked each other in the eye) He instead told them to turn around and he escorted them out of Germany.

They met 40 years later to tell their story.