UK Book Club discussion

Well it's Graphic Novels for September....
I might try Ghost World, as I didn't have time for it last time around. Then again there's Palestine or Safe Area Goražde: The War in Eastern Bosnia, 1992-1995 by Joe Secco, either would help with my round the world....

Ack. I'll skip this one. I did try a graphic novel once, and was left with the feeling of "this would have been so great as a proper book..." Clearly, like the impressionists, graphic novels are not my sort of art.

See you all in October. :-)

I'm going to start out with my daughter's and . I enjoyed the novel, and have been holding off on reading the graphic novel version so I'd have them for the genre challenge.

I might also take the opportunity the get . I've only read vol. 1 previously.

And while I'm at it... I've been lusting for this series for a while:

That said, I actually have on my TBR as well... Hm.

Do I reread something or try and find something new? The store that used to sell graphic novels went out of business...

They don't have them at ordinary bookstores, Bill? Even my local W.H. Smith keeps a range of graphic novels. And they are hardly a niche shop. Not a wide range, I grant you, but there's a few things to browse through.

Leni wrote: "They don't have them at ordinary bookstores, Bill? Even my local W.H. Smith keeps a range of graphic novels. And they are hardly a niche shop. Not a wide range, I grant you, but there's a few thing..."

I'll check The Laughing Oyster today...

The Laughing Oyster, that's a fabulous name, Bill.

I'll be getting mine from the library (as usual). Then I can take a risk without my wallet emptying! It just sometimes takes a while for the book you want....

Liz wrote: "The Laughing Oyster, that's a fabulous name, Bill."

The other book store in town is The Blue Heron.... The used book stores don't have such good names, but I can always find something there.

Blissfully ignorant in this type of book so am going with Saga, Volume 1

My first venture into Graphic Novels. Well have now read Saga, Volume 1. Really enjoyed it but am pissed as yet again another book that is not complete. Have also learnt they need to be read in paper form not kindle/computer.

Yes, sorry, I mean... It is volum 1...

I know but I was just getting into it. Will go to the library to see if they have them.

Glad you liked it! My library doesn't have them, nor does the bookstore, so I'll be ordering online.

And Bill, your town has the most amazing bookstore names! There are no independent shops of any kind left where I live. :(

Leni wrote: "Glad you liked it! My library doesn't have them, nor does the bookstore, so I'll be ordering online.

And Bill, your town has the most amazing bookstore names! There are no independent shops of an..."

Thanks, Leni. We don't really have any of the big book store chains, except a small one in the mall, so I'm glad we do have the independent stores. I hope they stay... Lucky to still have a couple of used book stores too. I fear the day they might close down..

We are lucky here when it comes to library's. You can go on line to to it to find books if you have a card plus all the counties satellite village library's are linked together so it will tell you where the book is.

Yeah, I can do that too. But there are only three libraries in the municipal unit. :-/

We're lucky we have 20 including the mobile ones.

I think I'm going to do a reread of Rising Stars Vol. 1: Born In Fire, Vols 1 - 3 by J. Michael Straczynski.

Have just finished Saga, Volume 2. This stuff is kind of addictive isn't it. You have to wonder about a mind to come up with drawings like that.

Am going to readThe Fixer: A Story from Sarajevo next.

Tania wrote: "Have just finished Saga, Volume 2. This stuff is kind of addictive isn't it. You have to wonder about a mind to come up with drawings like that.

Am going to read[book:The Fixer: A ..."

lol! A new reader has been won for the graphic novel genre?

I haven't started on mine. It's not even September yet! But I'm looking forward to September. Reading time has been a bit sparse in August.

If I could just catch up with the other genres now!

Tania wrote: "Am going to read The Fixer: A Story from Sarajevo next ..."

I was looking at that one as a possibility for round the world too....
I currently have Palestine on order from the library. I hope it's good.

Time to finish up my local book club read: The Light Between Oceans, which I haven't been able to count for any of my ongoing challenges, but I'm enjoying it none the less.

Have finished The Fixer: A Story from Sarajevo while waiting for the rain to stop. Did not realize it was a non-fiction book. Tell to story about the war in Bosnia. Didn't think I would learn something from a comic.

Went to one of my satellite library's and they have a whole bookcase of this stuff. Never noticed it before.

I tend to read a lot of these so this shouldn't be too difficult. Just got a copy of Kick-Ass 2 from the library and I should also be getting a couple of mangas this month which I think count.

I'm planning to start off with Bone which has been recommended to me. It will also give me a one word title. :)

Tania wrote: "Have also learnt they need to be read in paper form not kindle/computer. "

I have just discovered that there is an app called comiXology that allegedly makes the kindle comic experience much better. You can go frame by frame or set it up in various ways. (Not all comics/graphic novels are supported, but the newer ones, like Saga, are.) So now I'm torn. Would be both a money saver and more space efficient, certainly.

I finished my first this morning, Rising Stars Vol. 1: Born In Fire by the creator of the Battlestar Gallactica series, J. Michael Straczynski. Enjoyable to see the art work and interesting story. Vols 2 and 3 await my follow-on attention.

I've got Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi on request at the library!

This genre's a departure for me, the last graphic novel I read was two years ago (roughly) when we last selected this genre - on that occasion I read V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and it was good, just not what I think of reading... well, not since I was a kid and used to have annuals and comics with photo stories - I remember a particular enthusiasm for one called "My Guy!"

It's been sort of fun delving into this challenge. I finished the three volumes of Rising Stars -
Rising Stars Vol. 1: Born In Fire;
Rising Stars Vol. 2: Power, and
Rising Stars Vol. 3: Fire & Ash by J. Michael Straczynski.

I've got another series that I'll probably try as well -
Top 10, Vol. 1 by Alan Moore; and
Top 10, Vol. 2 by Alan Moore

Finished Top 10, Vol. 1 by Alan Moore this morning. As good as I remember it. Great artwork, interesting characters and stories as you follow the police officers from Top Ten, the police station in the city of Neopolis, as they investigate supernatural, superscience and even aliens and gods. Vol 2 will follow shortly. Alan Moore has such a unique imagination.

I still haven't actually ordered Saga, and my daughter wanted to read The Graveyard Book with me, which slows things down. lol

I went to the library and picked up another Neil Gaiman creation, which my husband promptly monopolised, and a biographical piece: .

It follows the author's childhood, as the daughter of a Joyce scholar, and also the upbringing of James Joyce's daughter, Lucia. I picked it up because I knew that Lucia spent most of her life in mental institutions, but didn't know why. Well, now I know.

It was interesting, and worth reading through, but I wouldn't buy it.

Got the Neil Gaiman one back from my husband. It's called Black Orchid:

We agree that it's alright, but the story is a bit weak and the illustrations aren't helping. The artwork is basically paintings, and would look great on the wall, but they are too small in the book and don't tell enough of the story, making it a bit difficult to follow what is going on. Apparently the plot and the art was groundbreaking back in -88 though.

Finished

The adaptation to graphic novel format is great. I find it a bit odd that they have different artists for each chapters, but the chapters are rather episodic in nature and the art work isn't that different in style from chapter to chapter. It's mostly a bit weird that the ghosts and vampire, who ought to be unchanging, have slightly altered appearance with each new chapter. Onwards to volume 2!

I worked out how to search all the library catalogues in Wales, and then presented my local branch with a list. lol

So now I have read which was excellent and also gives me Iran for the Around the World challenge.

Picking up the second volume on Monday, and also waiting for them to get Saga for me. :D

I have read Miss Endicott

Rounding off the month with Persepolis 2, which was as good as 1 but in a different way.

The library still hasn't coughed up Saga, but I have read what, half a dozen graphic novel volumes this month, so I guess Saga can wait.

I finished off this challenge with Top 10: The Forty-Niners by Alan Moore.

While I was a the library picking up Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi which was very good, I also picked up by Tim Minchin on the spur of the moment - very witty.

I'm still wading through Bone I'm on book 7 of 9. Its enjoyable but daytime reading (due to its size & weight!) so a bit limited on how much time I devote to it.

I had Bone enthusiastically recommended to me by several people more than a decade ago. But I just wasn't into graphic novels then. I wasn't converted until someone gave me V for Vendetta as a birthday present some years later. But somehow I forgot about Bone. I really should give it a try!

Well I've finally finished Bone Better late than never! It was great. I would recommend it Leni.

Kate (Trojanhorse) wrote: "Well I've finally finished Bone Better late than never! It was great. I would recommend it Leni."

Noted!

Finally completed The Fixer: A Story from Sarajevo - Joe Sacco. Although this conflict dominated the news i ound it difficult to follow this. The drawings did complement the text well and added a lot to the atmosphere. I think my lack of enthusiasm is due to my ignorance rather than the author telling the story of sectarian conflict.