Jo Nesbø interview: 'The thing about Scandinavia is that we take things for granted. Things can change very fast'

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/a ... ted-norway

Yes, I have yet to engage with JoNes. But as I tend to read great chunks of work one after the other, I can see he is the elephant in my room.

Another one for your list, who I have to say I'm enjoying more than Jo Nesbo. The Department Q novels are brilliant.

Jussi Adler-Olsen

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MRF-Shadow-Troo ... in_title_0

It would need to pick up and quickly - the details of his beginnings in the army and even his training in Ulster are incredibly dull and generic, and they go on for three rather large chapters so far at least! They're clearly there to bulk the book up a bit. It's also loaded with typos of every description; thank fcuk it's only 'Kindle lending library'.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Strain-Guil ... 000731129X

It's remarkably geeky so far (not in a dull way, but my Coke there's some describing going on), and I'm still at the stage where you're meeting all the characters and finding out what they're about. It's opening brilliantly sets the atmosphere.

I bought this book a couple of years ago and didn't get past the first 50 pages. Will try it again.

Recently finished Lee Child's most recent Reacher book Never Go Back and it was quite poor.

Kindle says I'm on page 35 but that might be skewed a bit cos, you know, Kindle

I'm now about 80 pages into The Strain and it's still giving stupid amounts of detail on things like hospital equipment; I don't know if I can take much more of it tbh. It makes it incredibly time-consuming to read.

I have the film The Remains of the Day recorded and reading the book first (by Kazuo Ishiguro)

Found it pretty hard going during the first chapter but now enjoying it at the 3rd.

I might be tempted to read some more of his books as I really enjoyed the film Never Let Me Go. I think he's an intriguing author.

Finished The Strain (mostly because there's comics and an upcoming TV show that I hope are better).

I think I realise why it's so descriptive now; it's basically a screenplay or at least storyboarding for the above. The book was probably designed to go 'meta' from the very beginning.

It continually cuts across multiple story arcs with entire characters and events who are probably only there to set up the sequel (there's three books). The end is a total cop-out, like the start of a film franchise.

You know the 'routine' by the early chapters so nothing really surprises afterwards. I'm hoping the comics change this up because some of the wider story's quite cool.

Finished it now and enjoyed it. Will try watching the film over the weekend.

Just started Alex Cross Run by James Patterson. It's been a while since I've spent any time with Alex. It's started with a bang as most of the books do. I had just finished the prologue and a doctor had already stabbed his wife and stuck her in the boot of a car.

Most of the Legend Of Drizzt series now I've bought them as ebooks.

I'm currently reading the first volume of Chris Evans's autobiography - 'It's not what you think' - and I'm enjoying it so far.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Prince-Thorns-B ... FNYD2V6TTX

Far from my usual sort of novel, but excellent so far, no mucking about!

The End Of Mr Y has been purchased. Won't be reading it until I've finished God is Not Great and a terrible J.A. Kerley book I'm in the middle of.