- This topic has 47 replies, 18 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 7 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
…… and how anyone who can make it through to around 2030 will probably be capable of living forever………….except for viewers in Scotland.
oh dear, I fear I may not make it ‘hopper. Can this date be extended a little?
Not that this is likely to interest any reader, I’m always pessimistic:-
"Boots and Saddles" by Elizabeth B. Custeran obscure diversion.
actually that should be on the ‘what are you reading’ thread, not especially for you KT
sorry.Latest Tim Moore is Nul Points (which I’ve got but not read yet). Never Let Me Go is Kazuo Ishiguro
It didn’t come out very well
should have previewed it first. And replied a bit sooner…Extreme sport – ie Mountaineering, sailing
How about “Feet in the Clouds” – a great book about fell running, won loads of prizes and got a big fat plodder like me into the sport. Great stuff.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Feet-Clouds-Tale-Fell-Running-Obsession/dp/1854109898
Sounds very interesting that one
, I might have to wait until I get back to the UK to get it – I don’t think they’d have it here. 
Can anyone recommend an author who is writing decent racing fiction at present?
To date, I’ve read everything produced by Dick Francis, John Francome, Richard Pitman, Jenny Pitman, Mark Daniel, Charlie Brooks and Graeme Roe, all with varying degrees of enjoyment. There doesn’t seem to be anyone else occupying that particular niche though.
Any suggestions gratefully received.
Alf, have you read the American stuff? "Seabiscuit?" "Stud"? "Horse Heaven?" They are the only ones I can think of.
You’ve pretty much nailed the British fictional library. I’m still thinking though.
- Total Posts 17716
Ben Hur
Haven’t read any of these, but I hear they’re excellent:
Lord of Misrule
by Jaimy Gordon-a bestseller, won the 2010 National Book Award for Fiction
Shedrow
by Dean M. DeLuke
At Risk
,
Dead Man’s Touch
,
Cold Burn
,
Triple Cross
by Kit Ehrman
Keeneland
by Alyson Hagy
Blind Switch
,
Riders Down
,
Close Call
,
The Significant Seven
by John McEvoy-McEvoy was a senior writer for the Daily Racing Form, and is sometimes compared to Dick Francis.
Thoroughbred Tales: An Anthology of Fiction from Thoroughbred Times
by various authors
There’s a LOT of American racing fiction, from all different genres.
- Total Posts 17716
Pat Hewitt
Stephen Dobyns
Lyndon Stacey
Steve O’brien
Nikki Latrelle
J Catrson-BlackAll have books in the Racing crime genre,also track down ‘The Jericho Gun" by A C H Smith, it has a jumps crime theme,read it when i was about 17,to this day the most enjoyable book i have read,That includes the 43 Dick (well Mary) Francis books i have.I have found the Book Depository UK is brilliant and cheap,i always get all of my books sent over from there.
Thanks everyone, a fair bit to follow up on there.
I’ve read Riders Down by John McEvoy, and did enjoy it as a story. However, I find it harder to get into American stuff, simply because I’ve never been there and consequently find it harder to picture the settings.
Of all of the others I’ve read, the majority of the action takes place on British or Irish race-courses, or certainly in and around them, and, having been there, I can picture the scene that much better.
Having said that, probably my favourite racing thriller of all is A Killing Joke by Mark Daniel, which is based around the Pardubice. Would highly recommend it.
Anyway, thanks again for the responses, much appreciated.
I loved Horse Heaven until Miss Woodward pointed out to me the way the author treated her own horses; now find myself unable to buy another of Ms Smileys books. As for Seabiscuit, not only is it one of the best racing books ever written, it’s one of the best books ever written. A true classic; pure poetry.
- Total Posts 17716
Alien spacecraft lands in the coast of Karysto and captures a group of people. Among them a Greek youth and an Australian tourist girl. The aliens have succesfully mutated a human and made him into zombie whose function was to direct the captured humans into slave labour tasks.
In the distance the harbour can be seen and a ship was about to sail. The mutant says "let them try and they ‘ll see what our rays will do to them".
The aliens unpack a certain computer type instrument called the "bionic queen" consisting of inflattable jelly like cells and connected to a central cpu in a console underneath.
The bionic queen comes to life, takes command, orders the destruction of all earthlings and demands hard work from the slaves.
Another of the captured girls, called Sophia, dares say something in response. Immediately she is disposed of in an annihilator chute.
At that point the clever Australian girl spots that the aliens have posted no guards and there is a narrow passage way leading to the beach below.
The mutant thinks the Australian girl is dumb and at the same time the Greek youth somehow fools him into thinking he is on their side.
Taking advantage of the darkness, the Australian girl and the Greek boy make it to the beach and start a small engine boat.
Once a good distance from the beach, they use the radio to make a distress call to the war navy.
The writing is now on the wall for the alien invaders.
A joint operation of paratroopers from the mount Ochi, navy units and Mirage fighters begins.
A ray from the alien space ship finds the Hellenic destroyer Salamis midships and it vanishes inside a greenish glow.
But the Mirage exoset rocket finds the aliens ship straight into the bob’s you ankle and the structure goes down in flames.
At the same time the paratroopers reach the aliens camp and now the carnage begins. The mutant tries to run away towards the town chased by the soldiers.
This is how Karysto was saved from the aliens, by the brave Australian girl.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.