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  • Current rank: 2.5 Stars. Next Rank at 2000 Posts.
    Send a message to Dhampy
    ELITE
    Dhampy posted on Sep 24, 2010 11:46:44 AM - Report post
     
    Crimea: The Great Crimean War, 1854-1856 by Trevor Royle.

    I made a blog on this. A good bit of political analysis, questionable portrayal of military operations, dubious conclusions; but worth reading.

    The Fredricksburg Campaign: Decision on the Rappahannock edited by Gary Gallagher.

    A collections of essays on various aspects of the Fredericksburg Campaign and the Mud March.

    Not spectacular, but it could address some issues one did not before consider.

    The Pity of War by Naill Ferguson.

    Ferguson addresses what he considers to be "myths" of WWI.

    To list a few...

    The general consensus is that Germany was overly militaristic--Ferguson argues that they were by far the most pacific of the chief belligerents.

    The standard story is that as the war dragged on, soldiers became listless, depressed, shell shocked--Ferguson argues that the vast majority of soldiers reveled in the war.

    The official histories of the war say that the allied armies triumphed due to their superiority and that they were better at killing Germans than Germans were at killing them--Ferguson argues that the German Army was significantly better, and much more efficient at killing.

    The general consensus is that the allies properly utilized their resources--He argues that they squandered their resources.

    The proper history tells that Britain had to curtail German conquest for the good of the world, but Ferguson argues that had Britain stayed out of it and allowed Germany to win that Europe would have reached the current evolutionary state (EU, universal currency, free borders) in 1914 and that Britain would still be an economic and colonial superpower.

    Etc...

    It's a very long book with many circuitous arguments.

    Savage Wilderness by Harold Coyle.

    A work of fiction set in North America during the Seven Years War. Three main characters, a British officer, a Scottish exile and a French officer. Pretty good.

    Harold Coyle is best known for depiction of modern warfare--he's undoubtedly the best writer of military fiction.

    Look Away and Until the End by Harold Coyle.

    A duology covering two brothers in the Civil War. One is sent south to VMI and fights for the Confederacy, one stays in New Jersey and ends up fighting for the Union.

    Also pretty good.
    In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet and say to us, 'Make us your slaves, but feed us.'

    List of CHU'ers on deviantART--SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL DEVIANTS!

    /--\
    [SG]
  • Current rank: 3.5 Stars. Next Rank at 8000 Posts.
    Send a message to Rami
    ELITE
    Rami posted on Sep 24, 2010 12:43:04 PM - Report post
     
    By The Pricking Of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie.
    9/10
    This is my first book actually, and I loved it, both of the 2 main characters were great, and the ending was unexpected.
    Though in the few first parts of it I was sort of lost or something like that.
    Winner of the chuvivor
    That means I'm the Catvivor =D

    [Married to Pee <3]

    Lamile + Me + Go = Epic!
    Christine x Rami x lamile~ ^o^v
  • Current rank: 2 Stars. Next Rank at 1000 Posts.
    Send a message to TalonKarde
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    TalonKarde posted on Sep 24, 2010 1:54:51 PM - Report post
     
    I'm currently reading Star Wars: Abyss, the third book in the Fate of the Jedi series by Troy Denning

    [Edited by TalonKarde, 9/24/2010 2:08:37 PM]
  • Current rank: 4.5 Stars. Next Rank at 20.000 Posts.
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    Shibby posted on Sep 24, 2010 10:29:55 PM - Report post
     
    The Jon Shannow Trilogy - David Gemmell (Includes: Wolf In Shadow, The Last Guardian, and Bloodstone)

    9/10

    Very good books, based in a post-apocalypse world, they tell the story of the most deadly man alive - Jon Shannow. They are only medium length novels but they surprised me with how much there is going on, and includes some clever plots and historical fantasy such as the fall of Atlantis.


    The Lion Of Macedon - David Gemmell

    8/10

    Good book, took me longer than most to read but kept me interested the whole way through. It doesn't have as much action in it as I'm used to from David Gemmells books which kind of puts me off it but the story is well written and the characters are great. It's fantasy based in Ancient Greece and focuses on real life historical figures, mainly Parmenion (a General for both King Philip II and his son Alexander the Great) and also throws in some cool stuff like demons and so forth to make it more exciting.
    Shibby __/--

  • Tier 7
    Send a message to QueenNic
    TIER 7
    QueenNic posted on Sep 25, 2010 1:04:15 AM - Report post
     
    Let The Right One In - A Swedish Person Whose Name I Forget
    8/10
    Spoilers Follow!
    Brilliant. People often slate the use of a child for a vampire, but fail to see all the gore that the author uses. Hakan disfigures himself intentionally with hydrochloric acid for crying out loud! Much more gruesome description in the book as opposed to the film, too.

    I really enjoyed the book. My only complaint would be the ending, it was too abrupt for my tastes and doesn't say enough about Oskar and Eli's well-being or relationship. However, in terms of addressing things like androgyny, paedophilia and aggression it is superb.

    It's not one I'd recommend for under 15s, or for people who can't handle a description of a melted human face.
    Child of Neo7
    Half-sister of AdmiralThrawn
    Mother of Planbskater, Foxxie-kun, DayDreamer85, Rise_Against and FireflyPoi
    C.o.W
  • Current rank: 4.5 Stars. Next Rank at 20.000 Posts.
    Send a message to king-of-games
    THE KING
    king-of-games posted on Sep 25, 2010 2:11:01 AM - Report post
     
    I had to and just finished the First Aid manual, you know the usual first aid ordeal.
    FOLLOW ME ON TIKTOK....

    https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJSD8wm9

    @BenBenSecretBear
  • Current rank: 3.5 Stars. Next Rank at 8000 Posts.
    Send a message to Rami
    ELITE
    Rami posted on Jan 02, 2011 7:38:47 AM - Report post
     
    Is it okay to bump this?

    Anyway here are what I've read since the last book I posted before:
    N or M - Agatha Christie
    This book was just something that would keep you thinking.
    I enjoyed it very much.
    8/10


    A Caribbean Mystery - Agatha Christie
    Ok now this one was amazing, I couldn't let go of this book, though the ending wasn't as shocking as the other books I read, but still amazing.
    9.5/10


    The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
    These kind of books aren't really my type, like philosophy, but a friend actually forced me to read it, didn't think I'd enjoy it at first but once I got into the atmosphere of the book I found it very interesting and sort of unique.
    I read the arabic version first, and now I'm about to finish reading the english one.
    Winner of the chuvivor
    That means I'm the Catvivor =D

    [Married to Pee <3]

    Lamile + Me + Go = Epic!
    Christine x Rami x lamile~ ^o^v
  • Current rank: 4.5 Stars. Next Rank at 20.000 Posts.
    Send a message to Whiskeysoaked
    EVIL GENIUS
    Whiskeysoaked posted on Jan 02, 2011 7:57:10 AM - Report post
     
    I recently finished a book that had been recommended to me literally years ago by a very good friend. Finally found a copy and read it. A little depressing at times but fascinating in its own way. We by Yevgeny Zamnyatin. Orwell based his book 1984 on this. Has many parallels, but a slightly more uplifting ending.
    I listen not to sympathy
    Whilst ruler of this land
    Withdraw your feeble aches and moans
    Or suffer smite from this my hand.
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