Author Topic: What are you reading?  (Read 845514 times)

Fenrix

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Reply #2550 on: June 09, 2015, 06:09:09 PM
Audiobook of Ready Player One started yesterday. I have a six-or-seven-hour drive coming up this weekend, so I'm listening to the front half as I commute to-and-from work this week and saving the last seven hours for Sunday.

Got it from Audible on the free using the NERDIST promo link (audible.com/nerdist) since I've never signed up for Audible before. I was waiting for the library copy but I don't think it would be available in time. As I check the hold there are still two people ahead of me waiting for one of 14 copies available. Cancelling....

PS: Wil Wheaton is the PERFECT narrator for this book.

I just wish he didn't read out the full scoreboard every time it appears.

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


stePH

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Reply #2551 on: June 09, 2015, 09:56:31 PM
Audiobook of Ready Player One started yesterday.
[SNIP]
PS: Wil Wheaton is the PERFECT narrator for this book.

I just wish he didn't read out the full scoreboard every time it appears.

I'm sure it wasn't his call; the director probably told him to do it that way. "Unabridged means UN-ABRIDGED, Wheaton!" or something like that.

I'm not quite there yet; when I got off the bus at work this morning, Wade had entered the Pillared Throne Room of the Tomb of Horrors and seen Acererak on the throne, so he's about to get his name on the board.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2015, 09:58:19 PM by stePH »

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stePH

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Reply #2552 on: June 11, 2015, 05:26:17 PM
...LOL, he must have gotten a kick out of reading the line about re-electing Cory Doctorow and Wil Wheaton to head the OASIS Users Council  ;D

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
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Fenrix

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Reply #2553 on: June 11, 2015, 09:24:20 PM
...LOL, he must have gotten a kick out of reading the line about re-electing Cory Doctorow and Wil Wheaton to head the OASIS Users Council  ;D


I suspect this line was an influencer on who was approached to narrate.

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


stePH

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Reply #2554 on: June 17, 2015, 06:23:27 PM
So having gotten my free book from Audible, I went to cancel last night, and Audible/Amazon went through the "please don't leave!" routine like an Overly Attached Girlfriend/Boyfriend.

First they offered me three months of membership for half price ($7.49 I think, instead of the usual monthly $14.99). I said "no, continue cancelling", and the next desperation move was a full year for $9.95. I did the math; that's 12 audiobooks (one per month) for less than eightythree cents each, so I accepted those terms.

Apparently regular monthly users get 30% off the purchase price of any books they buy, in addition to the monthly credit for one free book, while my "Listener Light" membership just gives me the free credit each month plus access to periodic sales up to 50% off. I wasn't planning on spending any money beyond the ten dollar fee, so I don't really care about not getting that "perk".

[EDIT] The "Listener Light" membership does NOT give a monthly free book credit. See post below.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2015, 03:56:24 PM by stePH »

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


Fenrix

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Reply #2555 on: June 17, 2015, 07:57:35 PM
So having gotten my free book from Audible, I went to cancel last night, and Audible/Amazon went through the "please don't leave!" routine like an Overly Attached Girlfriend/Boyfriend.

First they offered me three months of membership for half price ($7.49 I think, instead of the usual monthly $14.99). I said "no, continue cancelling", and the next desperation move was a full year for $9.95. I did the math; that's 12 audiobooks (one per month) for less than eightythree cents each, so I accepted those terms.

Apparently regular monthly users get 30% off the purchase price of any books they buy, in addition to the monthly credit for one free book, while my "Listener Light" membership just gives me the free credit each month plus access to periodic sales up to 50% off. I wasn't planning on spending any money beyond the ten dollar fee, so I don't really care about not getting that "perk".

I may have to try that tactic at some point. I really wish their DRM wasn't so onerous, thus allowing me to listen how I want to listen.

They just make me use the library instead.

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


wintermute

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Reply #2556 on: June 18, 2015, 01:10:36 PM
Yeah, I have no devices capable of playing DRM audio (Linux laptop, iPod running RockBox) so Audible is basically a non-starter. Which is a shame, but between the library, PodioBooks and LibriVox, I manage to find audiobooks I can actually listen too.

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stePH

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Reply #2557 on: June 18, 2015, 05:00:51 PM
I'm not installing their software on my home computer, but putting the Audible app on my phone lets me download and listen pretty much anywhere I want.

Cline's next book Armada comes to Audible next month on my birthday (July 14). And it's also read by Wheaton.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2015, 05:03:34 PM by stePH »

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Reply #2558 on: June 18, 2015, 05:06:46 PM
Back to the thread topic: reading the "Blackest Night" DC Comics  event, after having re-read all the Green Lantern Vol. 4 and Green Lantern Corps Vol. 2 books leading up to it. I read all those last year but stopped just short of the Blackest Night, because circumstances.

Every time I see the phrase "Blackest Night" I can't help but think of Frank Zappa's classic "Titties and Beer"...

It was the blackest night
There was no moon in sight
You know the stars ain't shining
'cause the sky's too tight

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
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stePH

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Reply #2559 on: June 18, 2015, 07:46:29 PM
I had a suspicion so I contacted a support rep at Audible.
The "Light Annual Plan... lets you keep your accumulated credits on your account if you had any and spend them at your convenience for a full year, but you will not receive any additional credits on the Light Annual Plan. It also allows you to access sales that can be good for up to 50% off. "

So I cancelled and got a refund. That level of membership ... to call it "worthless" would be an insult to something of no value.

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


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Reply #2560 on: July 10, 2015, 06:44:16 PM
So I finished the fourth book in Daniel Abraham's "Dagger and the Coin" series last night. I learned about these books via a Podcastle Spotlight episode and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH (I finished this last one in 2 days. And I'd just finished book 3 a couple days prior). To my extreme distress I have learned that book five, the concluding volume, doesn't come out until next spring. Argghh. Need moar now. :(



wintermute

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Reply #2561 on: July 10, 2015, 10:05:18 PM
Following the BBC TV series, I'm re-reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. It's every bit as good as I remember, and I'm impressed by how closely the series stuck to the book (so far).

Science means that not all dreams can come true


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Reply #2562 on: August 01, 2015, 02:49:56 AM
Just about done with Kingdom of Gods, NK Jemisin's third in her Hundred Thousand Kingdoms trilogy. I've thoroughly enjoyed this series! Goodreads informs me that she's got a new book coming out this month, I'm sure I'll be checking it out as well. :)



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Reply #2563 on: August 19, 2015, 01:19:17 PM
A few days ago I picked up 15 Minutes by Jill Cooper because it was free on the Kindle, and I thought it might be worth a couple of hours diversion; I wasn't expecting much from it.

But holy crap is it good. It's a young adult time-travel murder mystery with a solid female protagonist, and if that sounds like it might hit your buttons, I'd really recommend you check it out.

Science means that not all dreams can come true


lowky

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Reply #2564 on: September 04, 2015, 03:29:41 AM
Reading Map of Time by Felix J Palma.

from the back of the book cover:
Characters real and imaginary come vividly to life in this whimsical triple play of intertwined plots, in which a skeptical H. G. Wells is called upon to investigate purported incidents of time travel and to save lives and literary classics, including Dracula and The Time Machine], from being wiped from existence.  What happens to the present if we rewrite the past?
     Felix J. Palma explores this provocative question, weaving a historical fantasy as imaginative as it is exciting--a story full of love and adventure that transports readers from a haunting setting in Victorian London to a magical reality where centuries collide and a writer's mind seems to pull all the strings.


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Reply #2565 on: September 10, 2015, 12:58:41 AM
Following the BBC TV series, I'm re-reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. It's every bit as good as I remember, and I'm impressed by how closely the series stuck to the book (so far).

I was surprised at how well the series captured the mood of the books. Really enjoyed every episode! I was about to start re-reading the book again as well (it's my favourite novel). Have you read the author's collection of short stories set in that same universe?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ladies_of_Grace_Adieu_and_Other_Stories

Really magical and dark and lovely. :3



wintermute

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Reply #2566 on: September 10, 2015, 12:42:31 PM
Have you read the author's collection of short stories set in that same universe?

I read it when it first came out in paperback, and again after re-reading Strange. And it's a wonderful expansion to the novel; it's nice seeing something that was previously just a footnote (literally!) getting expanded into a 20-page story.

One thing I think I missed the first time through is that the collection establishes that Strange is canonically set in the same universe as Gaiman's Stardust. That's a fascinating connection.

Science means that not all dreams can come true


Moritz

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Reply #2567 on: September 17, 2015, 09:24:57 AM
I finished reading/rereading Clive Barker's Books of Blood and am now working on his current The Scarlet Gospels, which is a sequel to The Hellbound Heart (aka Hellraiser).



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Reply #2568 on: September 20, 2015, 12:40:45 PM
The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak.

I picked up the audio edition of this a few years ago in my local Warterstones, and I just started to give it a new listen. It's the story of a girl growing up with foster parents in Nazi Germany, and how she finds solace in books. As narrated by Death. Yes, Death. The bloke with the robe and scythe.

If you like sweet, sad, tragic, hopeful tales, beautifully told, you can do a lot worse than The Book Thief. ;)

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Reply #2569 on: October 08, 2015, 12:15:53 PM
I'm listening to "Grace of Kings " by Ken Liu  (read by Michael Kramer) and enjoying it so far. I am. Ery grateful that Audible included a pdf of characters and a small glossary though. There are quite a few characters & it's not easy to keep track of them in audio.



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Reply #2570 on: October 08, 2015, 12:25:02 PM
Downloaded Ancillary Mercy from iBooks on Tuesday. Read it cover to cover in one session on Tuesday night with a glass or several of wine. Spent Wednesday recovering.

If this storyline stops at just these three books, there will be suicides! Ann Leckie does know that, doesn't she?

Fresh slush - Shot this morning in the Vale of COW


lowky

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Reply #2571 on: October 13, 2015, 06:36:14 PM
Just finished Dead Ice (Hamilton's anita blake series) and The Master Magician (book 3 in the magician series by Charlie N Holmberg).  Now reading born of Hatred, book two in the Hellequin Chronicles by Steve McHugh.


lowky

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Reply #2572 on: November 30, 2015, 02:52:34 AM
Just finished YA novel Six of Crows.  all I can say is wow, 6 characters all with distinct personalities and strengths set  out to steal a prize that could destroy the world.  Great world building and character development.  Definitely recommended.


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Reply #2573 on: December 10, 2015, 12:18:28 PM
In October, I started reading Pratchett's Discworld series for the first time. I had issues with the first two volumes, but the third one is enjoyable. I've heard that the later volumes are supposed to get better.



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Reply #2574 on: December 10, 2015, 02:09:38 PM
Currently reading Spectyr by Phillippa Ballantine the second book in here Of the Order series.