Daughter of the Sun by Lonnie Ezell of The Dragon's Landing podcast.
Maybe that can be Apple's next product line.riiight, because apple would "stoop so low" as to actually provide meaningful technology, something that WOULDNT be loved by the masses of teens geared soley towards incredibly stupid music and pop culture. Reading would be completely detrimental to the apple line! god forbid anyone reads!
What are you reading and what is in your waiting to be read pile?
I'm reading three books right now.
1) The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
It's a look at the American food supply chain. You'll never eat at McDonald's again.
2) The Swarm
I got this one for my birthday last year and knew nothing about it. It's an English translation of a best-selling German book. The translation is a little academic, meaning no one uses any slang and the Canadians and Americans speak perfect British English. The book started out as kind of an enviromental warning story, but around page 200 of over 700 it started sliding slowly towards being SF. I don't know where it's going now.
3) A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam by Karen Armstrong
The silmilarities and differences of the three "linked" religions and a real look at what the three holy boooks have to say. Fascinating, but I find it can only be read 50 pages at a time. There's so much in it that you need to take a couple of weeks off every so often.
On my to be read pile I have three books
1&2) Are the first two books of the Terry Pratchet Discworld series. (What did everyone think of these?)
3) I forget the exact name of the third, but it's book one of a three part history of the Third Reich. The history of Germany leading up to the 1933 elections. I started it last year and set it aside. Hopefully I can get into it more on my second attempt.
I hope to hear what you guys are reading and maybe get some ideas of what else belongs in my pile.
Tom
Maybe that can be Apple's next product line.riiight, because apple would "stoop so low" as to actually provide meaningful technology, something that WOULDNT be loved by the masses of teens geared soley towards incredibly stupid music and pop culture. Reading would be completely detrimental to the apple line! god forbid anyone reads!
The Podiobooks I'm currently into are "Prophecy of Swords" by M.H. Bonham, and "The Immortals" by Tracy (and Laura) Hickman. .... But they trickle in so slowly. :(
Maybe that can be Apple's next product line.riiight, because apple would "stoop so low" as to actually provide meaningful technology, something that WOULDNT be loved by the masses of teens geared soley towards incredibly stupid music and pop culture. Reading would be completely detrimental to the apple line! god forbid anyone reads!
This is a problem I have with Podiobooks. If a book isn't finished when I sign up for it, I won't start it until I get the "it's over" file.Heh, well I have enough content to listen to.
I think it would be fairly easy to incorporate a reader into the iPod. I think the publishing company's grimace at the thought of best sellers so easy to copy and distribute, so there is no big market driver for the technology.
What are you reading and what is in your waiting to be read pile?
1&2) Are the first two books of the Terry Pratchet Discworld series. (What did everyone think of these?)
On my to be read pile I have three books
1&2) Are the first two books of the Terry Pratchet Discworld series. (What did everyone think of these?)
I find them a bit lacking, compared to his later stuff. They are deliberate parodies of the fantasy genre, and the joke kind of wears thin. I am almost alone among my friends (I'm British, so I have lots of friends who have read Pratchett) in thinking that his stuff just keeps on getting better (most of my aforementioned Pratchett-reading freinds have discworld fatigue. He is a wee bit prolific). His latest stuff has better characterisation, it's darker and it has more to say about society and less about obscure pulp fantasy books I have never and will never read.
And if you're just starting Discworld now, and you intend to read it through, man, are you going to stay busy for a while. >8->
A friend forced the first two on me and they've been sitting there for a year now. She has the full series and seems to expect me to read it. I was just wondering if I should start the fight or run.
A friend forced the first two on me and they've been sitting there for a year now. She has the full series and seems to expect me to read it. I was just wondering if I should start the fight or run.
1.) Do you deeply enjoy fantasy?
2.) Are your reading sensibilities such that an entertaining style and humor will get you through sections (or entire books) of weak plot, until the plot picks back up again and becomes strong?
3.) Is she cute?
(One has to weigh all the factors.)
Since then he's been all over the map. Some books are still silly satire, and there are some that just plain aren't good (Jingo and Thief of Time did nothing for me), but sometimes he gets deep. Really deep. And the jokes are always there, but sometimes the jokes are serious. I'd put Night Watch up against just about any other fantasy novel for complexity, character depth, and capacity to astonish. And Wee Free Men is one of the best YA novels I'd read in a very long time.
Night Watch may be my favourite Discworld book. There's an incredible depth to it, and my Pratchett-fatigued friends are really missing out.
My first discworld book was Reaper Man, which I see as one of the lesse ones. I'm glad I stuck with the series though.
Wee Free Men was fantastic. I am Scottish after all.
Russell- I wouldn't start with the first two. It's not that they aren't funny books, but perhaps you should start with one of the better early ones- try Small Gods.
Quote3.) Is she cute?
I am sort of new to reading any kind of SF/fantasy and there's so much out there, I'm not sure where to start. By that I mean, what's worth reading and what's not. So my question is, what are your selective top 3-5 must read "books"?
sorry, but i keep wondering what it is about the rest of the Dune series that seems to irritate everyone so much? is it one of those things that i will get once i read the first book, or what?
i will, but, i'll wait until i've read the book. thanks.
do you like the book, or is it making you miserable?I like the way it's written, but the picture it paints is making me a little bit depressed.
I've actually completed Sabriel... I recommend it. But, what is the name of the writer who dismissed Global Warming?
That would be Michael Crichton. I am told that he argues against global warming in State of Fear, claiming that scientific evidence is weak (it isn't) and that the current concern over it is just another Hollywood fad.
I don't think it should be a discussion about whether or not global warming is happening, but whether or not it's actually a problem. Is it a bad thing, are we just coming out of an ice age, or is it something else? At the moment, I don't think it's a bad thing; but that's because of some of the talks I've had with my dad, not my personal knowledge on the subject. I may do some reading about the facts, but I never know if I'll actually remember to.
This isn't new news: Al Gore said it, and many other "Save the Earth" pilgrims. They have good ideas, and we should follow them. It's too bad that no-one actually has the self-control to do anything about this.I don't think it should be a discussion about whether or not global warming is happening, but whether or not it's actually a problem. Is it a bad thing, are we just coming out of an ice age, or is it something else? At the moment, I don't think it's a bad thing; but that's because of some of the talks I've had with my dad, not my personal knowledge on the subject. I may do some reading about the facts, but I never know if I'll actually remember to.
It's Pascal's Wager with more evidence. There can never be absolute certainty about the future, but there are enough signs that the rational course is to assume we're bound for Hell and do whatever we feasibly can to stop it.
Worst case if it isn't a problem and we treat it like it is? We spend a shitload of money, and make a number of sacrifices in personal lifestyle, to clean up the environment and extend our fossil fuel supply.
Worst case if it is a problem and we treat it like it isn't? Sea level rises 10 to 20 feet, the failure of the Gulf Stream freezes Western Europe, ecosystems are disrupted globally, hundreds of millions may die. That is an extreme case, but a scientifically plausible one.
The reason it's Pascal's Wager is because we have to choose now. By the time we get to find out whether we were right or not, it's far too late to choose.
It's a bad thing, but I think that it's not yet completely imminent yet. We're getting there, but slowly. This could also be a story. The days before complete destruction of the Ozone layer.What if the extra water molecules due to a warmer planet are able to replace the ozone layer? I'm not saying I have any proof of this being even possible. It is simply one of many possiblity that should be discussed. There is no way anyone will ever figure out what will actually happen unless they discuss all the possiblities and look at it without the bias of "The world will be destroyed if we don't stop global warming"(I know that most people aren't saying that). I think we should be warming up. The last ice age ended about 10,000 years ago.
It's Pascal's Wager with more evidence. There can never be absolute certainty about the future, but there are enough signs that the rational course is to assume we're bound for Hell and do whatever we feasibly can to stop it.I agree that we should assume the worst, but we could be missing something that could be found if we stopped assuming our assumptions are right, and try to discover if our assumptions are right.
I agree that we should assume the worst, but we could be missing something that could be found if we stopped assuming our assumptions are right, and try to discover if our assumptions are right.
I agree that we should assume the worst, but we could be missing something that could be found if we stopped assuming our assumptions are right, and try to discover if our assumptions are right.
You do realize that there's a hell of a lot of work going on in that right now, right? Scientists are doing science. For the last few years it was difficult in the U.S. because the Bush administration had a policy of making life very difficult for publicly funded science on global warming, but it has been happening.
Really. No one's just assuming it'll happen. There's actual math, and it's being improved on all the time.
I'm reading three books right now.
1) The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
2) The Swarm
3) A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam by Karen Armstrong
On my to be read pile I have three books
1&2) Are the first two books of the Terry Pratchet Discworld series.
3) I forget the exact name of the third, but it's book one of a three part history of the Third Reich.
I started reading the first Discworld book. I'm about 80 pages or so in (They just started the inn-sewer-rents fire) and it's a lot of fun.Say hi to Twoflower for me. :)
Oh, No. I'm not saying that nothings happening, but, for example, Canada, where I live, is WAY below Kyoto standards. I mean, this is a very big issue, and I also think that things are happening quickly, but the whole problem is that we have to figure out a way to work being green into life as we know it. What I mean, is,
- Shutting off the lights
- Not wasting materials and resources in general
- ets.
I'm pretty sure everyone knows what I mean. Basically, take what you need, or otherwise what will not waste. I'm not saying that one should turn to extremes, but little things, such as carpooling, and un-plugging your laptop when it's charged, then plugging it in again when it needs to be re-charged. Or something like that.
We also need to look into stuff like having different energy efficient habits, and giving that old Windows 2000 to your uncle's kid, who wants a computer. I hate when people tell me how to live. No, these are just suggestions.
Another to add, that can slightly be applicable: keep your laptop screenlight down low, until you actually need it to be higher for one reason or another. I do, espetially when listening to Sudopod ;)
Ha, ha! I had the WORST time trying to get around in the UK! Of course, we were in rural Lincolnshire
When I asked at the info desk about the new Iain M. Banks, we had a lovely conversation about how to spell "Iain", but no joy finding the book.
I'm reading:
+ The Lord of the Rings in real-time: a project I've been intending to tackle for years, but I didn't plan it properly and I'm falling behind.
I'm reading:Out of curiosity, what does this mean? You take precisely as long to read it as the characters took from leaving the Shire to returning to it? I'm intrigued, but I'm not sure how to interpret this.
+ The Lord of the Rings in real-time: a project I've been intending to tackle for years, but I didn't plan it properly and I'm falling behind.
I'm reading:Out of curiosity, what does this mean? You take precisely as long to read it as the characters took from leaving the Shire to returning to it? I'm intrigued, but I'm not sure how to interpret this.
+ The Lord of the Rings in real-time: a project I've been intending to tackle for years, but I didn't plan it properly and I'm falling behind.
That's what I'm attempting. I skipped the 17 years between the Long-Expected Party and Frodo leaving Bag-End, but since then I've been trying to read each day's-worth of action on the day that it took place. It does require quite a bit of jumping around after the Breaking of the Fellowship -- the result is a more movie-style intercutting of the scenes which I'm enjoying so far.
And it's amazing how long they hang around in Rivendell and Lothlorien. Lazy blighters. Don't they know there's a war on?
I told my wife about your project, and we both want to know, did you figure out the pacing yourself, or is there a published "LOTR day by day" outline somewhere? I've seen the "Bible in 365", so it wouldn't surprise me either way.
1. Real book, for at home light reading: The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman.
1. Real book, for at home light reading: The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman.
You have such a treat in store. I envy you. Why has nobody yet invented the device that wipes books from my memory so that I can enjoy them again?
1. Real book, for at home light reading: The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman.
You have such a treat in store. I envy you. Why has nobody yet invented the device that wipes books from my memory so that I can enjoy them again?
Aas always, I'm in the middle of 3 or 9 diffrent books, but the one that I've been sticking to lately has been Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming by Rodger Zelazny (of Amber fame) and Robert Sheckley. So far it's well writen, entertaining, and most of all FUN.That was an awesome series, IIRC there were 3 books in that, I know there were at least two. I loved those stories. If you like that you would probably like the Myth series by Robert Aspirin. All of the titles are bad puns using Myth in the title. Like Mythnomers and Impervections
i might pick up the Simarillion again soon. ive tried to read it 3 times... cant get too far because all the different names overwhelm me... but i have a feeling it would be fun... (and i hope one day to be able to speak elvish)
Currently reading Christopher Moore's Island of the Sequined Love Nun If you like satire I strongly recommend Christopher Moore.
On my to read pile:
Stephen King Lisey's Story
Michael Gruber Valley of Bonesand Tropic of Night
Kim Harrison Every Which Way but Dead
Carol O'Connell The Man Who Cast Two Shadows
The last 4 were recent finds at one of those discount booksellers. The Kim Harrison looks like it may be about book 4 in an Anita Blake Vampire Hunter sort of clone series. Carol O'Connell I have read before and enjoyed. Their scifi selection sucked, so I wound up mostly with thrillers this time *shrug*. Discount booksellers it's always a gamble what you will find, but it's a good way to try different authors, given that most paperbacks are about $6.50-$7.00 anymore here in the US. And I live about a 5 mile walk from my closest library. Now that it's warming up, won't be so bad, but...
Updating, I just finished off Sandman and then The Old Man and the Sea. Poaching shamelessly from our fearless leader, next up is Breakfast of Champions.
Slaughterhouse Five in High School. I meant at the time to read some of his other stuff on my own at the time, but I think it was... Monstrous Regiment that I started reading and made me forget entirely about my Vonnegut plans.Updating, I just finished off Sandman and then The Old Man and the Sea. Poaching shamelessly from our fearless leader, next up is Breakfast of Champions.Have you read other Vonnegut? It's not the one I'd recommend starting with. (It's also far from his best, IMO, now that I'm finished with it.)
Slaughterhouse Five in High School. I meant at the time to read some of his other stuff on my own at the time, but I think it was... Monstrous Regiment that I started reading and made me forget entirely about my Vonnegut plans.
Im beginning Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness for school
Im beginning Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness for school
Oh honey. I'm so sorry. It's a wretched book.
Happily, I no longer have bad books assigned to me by teachers, and can instead spend my time re-reading Ray Bradbury's "The October Country".
Really? I absolutely loved Heart of Darkness. I read it in high school and it was okay, but when I re-read it as an adult I just fell completely in love with it. An awesome indictment of Eurpoean colonialism. I also read and loved Lord Jim, which for my money, has the most fantastically descriptive language I have ever read in any book anywhere.
Really? I absolutely loved Heart of Darkness. I read it in high school and it was okay, but when I re-read it as an adult I just fell completely in love with it. An awesome indictment of Eurpoean colonialism. I also read and loved Lord Jim, which for my money, has the most fantastically descriptive language I have ever read in any book anywhere.
Really. Had it assigned twice (high school, college) and hated it both times, though it was certainly worse the second time through. I wondered if there was a shortage of books on colonialism, since I kept having to read the same dreadful one. Just saying Conrad's name puts my teeth on edge, a completely aversive Pavlovian response, I'm sure. To cap it, the second time around it was paired with a V.S. Naipaul book. Guh. I hate Naipaul's writing so much I struggle to keep it from extending to a hatred of him as a person.
Let's hope BDoomed feels like you do, and not like I do, or he's in for a dreadful time.
Breakfast of Champions wasn't too bad - my favourite Vonnegut is GalapagosUpdating, I just finished off Sandman and then The Old Man and the Sea. Poaching shamelessly from our fearless leader, next up is Breakfast of Champions.
Have you read other Vonnegut? It's not the one I'd recommend starting with. (It's also far from his best, IMO, now that I'm finished with it.)
i agree with you, I am enjoying Heart of Darkness. While some of it is pretty hard to follow, i like it overall. From what i've heard, however, most people (at least last year's junior class) absolutely abhorred (did i spell that right?) the book. This year, most of my class is enjoying it. My only problem is not being able to read it on my own terms.Im beginning Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness for school
Oh honey. I'm so sorry. It's a wretched book.
Happily, I no longer have bad books assigned to me by teachers, and can instead spend my time re-reading Ray Bradbury's "The October Country".
Really? I absolutely loved Heart of Darkness. I read it in high school and it was okay, but when I re-read it as an adult I just fell completely in love with it. An awesome indictment of Eurpoean colonialism. I also read and loved Lord Jim, which for my money, has the most fantastically descriptive language I have ever read in any book anywhere.
next up in personal reading is going to be Asimov's Foundation series (where should i start there? prelude or order of writing?)
"Terraforming Earth" by Jack Williamson
On deck: "The First Immortal" by Halperin
In the hole: "Across Realtime" by Vinge
Just finished reading all the Harry Potters again.
Just finished reading all the Harry Potters again.
I'm so insanely jealous. I wanted to read them all again before the new one came out. I think I'll end up settling for rereading just the last two.
And now, the last two books, for those who are only watching the films
I'm up to book five now. It's still a lot of fun. He hasn't been beating me over the head with the same charactors and that keeps it fresh.I started reading the first Discworld book. I'm about 80 pages or so in (They just started the inn-sewer-rents fire) and it's a lot of fun.
Say hi to Twoflower for me. :)
Is any one actually just watching the movies??
I found the first movie incoherent and it just got worse from there. The last film (Goblet) was just "selceted scenes of a book everyone has read". I don't see how anyone who hadn't read the book could have followed it.
And now, the last two books, for those who are only watching the films
Is any one actually just watching the movies??
I found the first movie incoherent and it just got worse from there. The last film (Goblet) was just "selceted scenes of a book everyone has read". I don't see how anyone who hadn't read the book could have followed it.
And now, the last two books, for those who are only watching the films
Is any one actually just watching the movies??
I found the first movie incoherent and it just got worse from there. The last film (Goblet) was just "selceted scenes of a book everyone has read". I don't see how anyone who hadn't read the book could have followed it.
Funny, I had the opposite reaction. I didn't like the first movie either but I feel like they're getting consistently better. (Although they still haven't made one that holds a candle to the books.)
I just finished the first five Discworld books and I'm starting Stephen King's Cell*L* Wow. With a change of gears like that, you're lucky you didn't drop your transmission. :)
I just finished the first five Discworld books and I'm starting Stephen King's Cell*L* Wow. With a change of gears like that, you're lucky you didn't drop your transmission. :)
Of course, when HP7 comes out, I'll be dropping everything for that.
Of course, when HP7 comes out, I'll be dropping everything for that.
I will be too, but not because I need to read it. Since it's so popular, if I don't read it really fast, some ass will tell me how it ends before I read it. If it wasn't for that, it would go into my pile and maybe I'd read it by Christmas.
Of course, when HP7 comes out, I'll be dropping everything for that.
I will be too, but not because I need to read it. Since it's so popular, if I don't read it really fast, some ass will tell me how it ends before I read it. If it wasn't for that, it would go into my pile and maybe I'd read it by Christmas.
I read insanely fast, though. I read Hamilton's "Lunatic Cafe" in four hours, McMullen's "Voidfarer" in about six over two days, 75% of Robson's "Silver Screen" in three hours at an airport, Potter 5 in five hours, and Potter 6 in about four. For me, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to put down my current book, lock myself in the bedroom, and rip through Potter 7 in a few hours. Amazon says 784 pages... if the font size is the same as the other Potter books, I figure I'll get through it in 4-5 hours and probably read it again a few days later.
Of course, when HP7 comes out, I'll be dropping everything for that.
I will be too, but not because I need to read it. Since it's so popular, if I don't read it really fast, some ass will tell me how it ends before I read it. If it wasn't for that, it would go into my pile and maybe I'd read it by Christmas.
I read insanely fast, though. I read Hamilton's "Lunatic Cafe" in four hours, McMullen's "Voidfarer" in about six over two days, 75% of Robson's "Silver Screen" in three hours at an airport, Potter 5 in five hours, and Potter 6 in about four. For me, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to put down my current book, lock myself in the bedroom, and rip through Potter 7 in a few hours. Amazon says 784 pages... if the font size is the same as the other Potter books, I figure I'll get through it in 4-5 hours and probably read it again a few days later.
I still wouldn't pick it up before I wanted to if it wasn't for the chance of someone telling me the ending. I look at my books and say, "what mood am I in now?" and then I pick up something. That's know I went from 5 Pratchetts to Stephen King. I will start HP7 when I get it, not when I want to start it. Since my wife and I read the HP stories to each other 150 pages an hour is unenjoyable.
I just finished the first five Discworld books and I'm starting Stephen King's Cell*L* Wow. With a change of gears like that, you're lucky you didn't drop your transmission. :)
I can never just keep reading the same thing. I think it runs in the family. My cousin, Thomas Tryon wrote horror novels and historical romances.
After that I'm going to read Night Watch (forgot the name of the author)Sergei Lukyanenko (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Watch_%28Russian_novel%29)?
I'm just curious...what do you think the movie did better than the books? Was it characterization or something else?
Although I think the battle at the end came off more epic than it does now in the books, although as a kid reading it I thought it was as action-packed as it could get.
The anthology I have has them in what they call "the order CS Lewis intended the stories to be read in", which means Magician's Nephew came first.
The anthology I have has them in what they call "the order CS Lewis intended the stories to be read in", which means Magician's Nephew came first.
I've read them both ways and I think the "original" order, where "The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe" comes first works better.
The Magician's Nephew works better as a flashback than as a starting point. It was always one of my favorites in the series because it had a lot of "oh THAT's there that came from" moments in it - like the lamp post.
Whenever I read them, I have to almost force myself through Prince Caspian - it just seems so bleak and boring.
The anthology I have has them in what they call "the order CS Lewis intended the stories to be read in", which means Magician's Nephew came first.
I've read them both ways and I think the "original" order, where "The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe" comes first works better.
[/quote]QuoteThe anthology I have has them in what they call "the order CS Lewis intended the stories to be read in", which means Magician's Nephew came first.
Source, please!
I've read them both ways and I think the "original" order, where "The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe" comes first works better.
When the BBC made a miniseries based on the Narnia books, they combined Caspian and Dawn Treader into one season. I believe this is because it would be difficult to make Caspian last long enough to fill six episodes.Did they ever make all the books? I saw a DVD set that covered maybe the first three, but I shied away from it because the reviews I saw for it made it sound pretty awful.
The Silver Chair is my favorite in the Naria series, and I was well pleased with the BBC's performance of it. Tom Baker (!) played Puddleglum.
QuoteThe anthology I have has them in what they call "the order CS Lewis intended the stories to be read in", which means Magician's Nephew came first.
Source, please!
QuoteWhen the BBC made a miniseries based on the Narnia books, they combined Caspian and Dawn Treader into one season. I believe this is because it would be difficult to make Caspian last long enough to fill six episodes.
The Silver Chair is my favorite in the Naria series, and I was well pleased with the BBC's performance of it. Tom Baker (!) played Puddleglum.
Did they ever make all the books? I saw a DVD set that covered maybe the first three, but I shied away from it because the reviews I saw for it made it sound pretty awful.
The back of the book I have said that. It's a softcover, trade-sized anthology edition. List price $19.99.
Nooo! As long as he's alive, there's some chance he'll write a sequel to Absolution Gap and tell us what the heck happens to everybody. What you should do is kidnap his dog. "Write the ending or we'll feed the pooch a Hershey bar!"
I'm about half done, and so far they're mostly bleh, except for "Zima Blue" itself, which is one of the coolest stories I have ever read. (Hopefully, it'll be featured on Escape Pod someday!)
I'm about half done, and so far they're mostly bleh, except for "Zima Blue" itself, which is one of the coolest stories I have ever read. (Hopefully, it'll be featured on Escape Pod someday!)
Write him an email and suggest it to him. Steve says the best submissions he gets have a cover letter something like: "Several fans have told me that I should submit X, Y, or Z to you, so here is this." Steve says it's the best way to get a famous author to take the risk of selling something to EP.
Nooo! As long as he's alive, there's some chance he'll write a sequel to Absolution Gap and tell us what the heck happens to everybody. What you should do is kidnap his dog. "Write the ending or we'll feed the pooch a Hershey bar!"
I wouldn't read it if he did - the Absolution Gap trilogy is marked by a clear "each book is worse than its predecessor" progression, so I would hate to see book number 4. I Reynolds is really best with stand-alones - Chasm City was excellent, and Diamond Dogs was also very good in a very disturbing sort of way.
What didn't make sense?
(It makes sense to me, so I could probably explain it, if you're interested.)
Recently (last two weeks) finished Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Sequel to Relic, Reliquary, et al.) followed by Dance of Death (Sequel to Brimstone) followed by Harry Potter 7 and I am now about 1/3 of the way into Orson Scott Card's Speaker for the Dead.
I think that was just his version of Heaven.
Speaker for the Dead= worst book EVER written by ANYTHING in the entire 356478987 universes.
Ever since Ender's Game Card has seemed to go downhill. It is like he can start a book well but after about 50 pages he just craps out for the rest of it. Just look at my review of Empire.
This is all highly compatible with speculation I've read about the Universe having a layered nature, but it would take a long time to digress on that. Briefly: A "false" England might be like a flat Google Earth view: 2 dimensional. A "real" England is the 3D version that Dr. Who hangs out in. Above this there would be a higher-dimensional England (which I have no means to describe).
QuoteThis is all highly compatible with speculation I've read about the Universe having a layered nature, but it would take a long time to digress on that. Briefly: A "false" England might be like a flat Google Earth view: 2 dimensional. A "real" England is the 3D version that Dr. Who hangs out in. Above this there would be a higher-dimensional England (which I have no means to describe).
This sounds more like a description of Flatland's philosophy than Narnia or the Great Divorce. Flatland....another great book, but ultimately, it's all in Plato. Bless me, what do they teach at those schools!
In sum, the trilogy was possibly the biggest literary letdown I've ever experienced.
Villains are suddenly heros and new villains spontaneously appear from nowhere.
In sum, the trilogy was possibly the biggest literary letdown I've ever experienced.
I couldn't disagree more. The Northern Lights / The Golden Compass is a thrilling adventure story about how Lyra gets pulled out of her everyday life. But as its horizons expand, His Dark Materials keeps putting Lyra's previous victories into their context and presenting her with more meaningful challenges. She starts by winning her battles by being smart and resourceful; by the end she needs to find emotional and moral strategies. It's an immensely satisfying progression, although it's eventually heartbreaking for the reader.
I particularly have to quibble withQuoteVillains are suddenly heros and new villains spontaneously appear from nowhere.
Characters have priorities that shift as they learn more about themselves, about their environment and about other characters. Thus the same character may be at different times in direct opposition to Lyra, trying to manipulate her, accidentally obstructive to her, condescending to her or actively on her side. A few characters appear to be remote from redemption but they're generally ones with such long habits (sometimes millennia) of selfish and arrogant behaviour that of course it's difficult for them to change. So there are a few villains, no real heroes, and a lot of people in the middle who are guided by their understanding of their own interests.
I wouldn't agree that it's anti-Christian either. It has a strong bias against any person or organization demanding obedience without first earning respect or being able to provide a logical justification for its actions. The primary embodiment of this in the books (although hardly the only one) is a form of organized religion that's a kind of caricature of the mediaeval Catholic church. (But I say that as an atheist, so I'll be less sensitive to off-hand slights.)
What I can promise is that the positive response is not a conspiracy of critics pushing an agenda. My wife was even more taken by them than I was and has been recommending them to friends ever since she read them (even buying copies for her family) and they've been universally well-received (by a lot of people who wouldn't usually go near children's fiction or fantasy). His Dark Materials is genuinely one of the most beautifully written and emotionally affecting stories that I've read.
finished the Sirens of Titan...
wow.
just wow.
that had to be one of the best endings i have ever read.
beautifully sad-ish
now, i need to go to BORDERS and get Second Foundation and some other stuff, maybe Choke or something...
finished the Sirens of Titan...
wow.
just wow.
that had to be one of the best endings i have ever read.
beautifully sad-ish
now, i need to go to BORDERS and get Second Foundation and some other stuff, maybe Choke or something...
oooh oh yea! forgot to mention that on my last "read" list.finished the Sirens of Titan...
wow.
just wow.
that had to be one of the best endings i have ever read.
beautifully sad-ish
now, i need to go to BORDERS and get Second Foundation and some other stuff, maybe Choke or something...
Yeah, great ending on Sirens. I would recommend Choke....have you read any of Chuck's other stuff?
Trying to get through the First Honor Harrington book, but I think I may stop. It's just sooo boring! Please someone tell me it gets better!
Picked up The Illustrated Brief History of Time and The Universe in a Nutshell [two books in one] at Borders super cheap. Now I've read the Brief History of Time twice and don't understand it :), even with pictures. Starting The Universe in a Nutshell now.You might like "The Dancing Wu Li Masters" by Gary Zukav, which takes physics concepts and illustrates them in a fairly simple manner, and then takes them to seemingly outlandish conclusions. It's non-fiction, but sometimes it reads like, well, fantasy and/or science fiction, since the further you delve into, say, the atom, the more mystical it gets. Things that make you go "Hmmmmm".
But the reason I am posting here is to put a plug in for From the Earth to the Moon by an exciting young author name of Jules Verne, whose on the cutting edge of science. Found it in pdf format from Project Gutenberg, and came with the sequel Round the Moon. I read it because I thought it would be interesting to go back to the roots of SciFi [and it was], but I was amazed at how much fun it was to read, too, and was fascinating to see what Jules got right and what he didn't. A good read all around!
She would have beaten the Kobayashi Maru scenario without cheating.
She would have beaten the Kobayashi Maru scenario without cheating.
What is the Kobayashi Maru scenario?
Thanks for the tip, Planish. Funny you should mention it, as a friend of mine also recommended this book, very enthusiastically. It is definitely on my list now.Which - Dancing Wu Li Masters or Gravity's Rainbow?
The plot of the novel is complex, containing over 400 characters and involving many different threads of narrative which intersect and weave around one another. The recurring themes throughout the plot are the V-2 rocket, interplay between free will and Calvinistic predestination, breaking the cycle of nature, behavioral psychology, sexuality and conspiracy theories such as the Phoebus cartel and the Illuminati. Gravity's Rainbow also draws heavily on themes that Pynchon had probably encountered at his work as a technical writer for Boeing, where he edited a support newsletter for the Bomarc Missile Program support unit.
I started reading Un Lun Dun this weekend. Pretty cool, thus far, although I'm getting Zanna and Deeba confused at times.
Finished "Going Postal" for the 3rd time. Now reading "Thud!" for the third time in advance of "Making Money", which I just ordered.I'm behind on my Pratchett.
I started reading Un Lun Dun this weekend. Pretty cool, thus far, although I'm getting Zanna and Deeba confused at times.
I never really got them confused, but the first six or seven chapters of that book were a little blah, IMO. But don't worry, it gets better.
So is Terry Pratchett any good? I've seen his stuff at the book store from time to time, but been a little leery of it.
The time it will take to get through my "to read" pile probably exceeds the time I have left on this planet.
Now reading "Wicked" (Gregory Maguire). Very amusing.
Modified per Russell Nash's instructions.
I'm working through "Iron Council", by China Mieville, though I appear to be the last person on this forum to do so. I'm about 1/3 of the way through. Honestly, I'm a little disapointed, but I'll press on. It' still an enjoyable read, I'm just kind of confused on the timeline.
Also reading "A History of the Persian Empire" by A. T. Olmstead. It's almost as dry as it sounds, but if you can get past the tone, the stories are just amazing. The world is a lot bigger and older than we think sometimes.
bout halfway through "Diary" by Chuck Palahniuk
next i have to read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintinence" by Robert Pirsig for a school term paper. cant wait to start it, just gotta finish Diary first, which is GREAT by the way. i was planning on reading Breakfast of Champions next but school comes first of course! :)
I'm working through "Iron Council", by China Mieville, though I appear to be the last person on this forum to do so. I'm about 1/3 of the way through. Honestly, I'm a little disapointed, but I'll press on. It' still an enjoyable read, I'm just kind of confused on the timeline.What may help is this: Chapters with numbers are happening now. Chapters without numbers are happening in the past. At least, IIRC.
It's worth going all the way through for two reasons: the battle in New Crobuzon and what Judah does at the end with the golems.
(I don't consider those spoilers, but just in case you might...)
That's next on my to read pile, gelee. Did you like it?The Road: Great, but flawed. Allow me to elaborate:
I'm finishing up Nobody Gets the Girl by James Maxey right now. If you like superhero stuff or Union Dues, I highly recommend you check out Nobody Gets the Girl. It's a lot of fun and a rollercoaster of a story.
That's next on my to read pile, gelee. Did you like it?The Road: Great, but flawed. Allow me to elaborate:
I'm finishing up Nobody Gets the Girl by James Maxey right now. If you like superhero stuff or Union Dues, I highly recommend you check out Nobody Gets the Girl. It's a lot of fun and a rollercoaster of a story.
I do have a gripe, and I don't have the vocabulary to name it. I'll call it the "editing" style. No apostrophes, no quotation marks, few periods. It's not stream-of-consciousness, like Kerouac or Joyce, he just drops punctuation. To my eye, it comes off as ridiculously pretentious. I'm sure there's some sort of symbolism involved about the decay of societal norms, but I just found it cheap. I've never read anything from McCarthy before, so I don't know if this is his "thing" or if he cooked it up special for the occaision.
I hope that wasn't too long-winded.
I'm a HUGE UD fan, so I'll be sure to have a look at James Maxey. Jeff Derego says he's already sold another UD story to EP, so I guess it's just waiting in line.
I do have a gripe, and I don't have the vocabulary to name it. I'll call it the "editing" style. No apostrophes, no quotation marks, few periods. It's not stream-of-consciousness, like Kerouac or Joyce, he just drops punctuation. To my eye, it comes off as ridiculously pretentious. I'm sure there's some sort of symbolism involved about the decay of societal norms, but I just found it cheap. I've never read anything from McCarthy before, so I don't know if this is his "thing" or if he cooked it up special for the occaision.
I hope that wasn't too long-winded.
Not at all. For what it's worth, I've read 4 other books by McCarthy and they all have little to no punctuation in them. I think all he uses are periods and the very occasional comma. It takes a little while to get used to, but once you do, yeah, he paints some beautiful pictures.
There is certainly a place for it, like the stream-of-consciousness stuff that Joyce wrote in Ulysses. A lot of great writers play with grammar a bit to convey something without spelling it out. Your example of a long run-on sentence is a great one. I've also seen sentence fragments used to convey confusion.I do have a gripe, and I don't have the vocabulary to name it. I'll call it the "editing" style. No apostrophes, no quotation marks, few periods. It's not stream-of-consciousness, like Kerouac or Joyce, he just drops punctuation. To my eye, it comes off as ridiculously pretentious. I'm sure there's some sort of symbolism involved about the decay of societal norms, but I just found it cheap. I've never read anything from McCarthy before, so I don't know if this is his "thing" or if he cooked it up special for the occaision.
I hope that wasn't too long-winded.
Not at all. For what it's worth, I've read 4 other books by McCarthy and they all have little to no punctuation in them. I think all he uses are periods and the very occasional comma. It takes a little while to get used to, but once you do, yeah, he paints some beautiful pictures.
I've found valid use for that technique in a limited basis, but I find that to be the exact opposite of the way I write. I use a LOT of punctuation and craft very complex sentences with several nested ideas -- not all the time, but at least a few times in each story. I use the no-punctuation technique, or more likely a LOOOOOOOOOONG run-on sentence with a ton of commas, to indicate a rush of emotion or action. I think it might bother me, though, if I saw it used on more than just a limited basis.
There is certainly a place for it, like the stream-of-consciousness stuff that Joyce wrote in Ulysses. A lot of great writers play with grammar a bit to convey something without spelling it out. Your example of a long run-on sentence is a great one. I've also seen sentence fragments used to convey confusion.I do have a gripe, and I don't have the vocabulary to name it. I'll call it the "editing" style. No apostrophes, no quotation marks, few periods. It's not stream-of-consciousness, like Kerouac or Joyce, he just drops punctuation. To my eye, it comes off as ridiculously pretentious. I'm sure there's some sort of symbolism involved about the decay of societal norms, but I just found it cheap. I've never read anything from McCarthy before, so I don't know if this is his "thing" or if he cooked it up special for the occaision.
I hope that wasn't too long-winded.
Not at all. For what it's worth, I've read 4 other books by McCarthy and they all have little to no punctuation in them. I think all he uses are periods and the very occasional comma. It takes a little while to get used to, but once you do, yeah, he paints some beautiful pictures.
I've found valid use for that technique in a limited basis, but I find that to be the exact opposite of the way I write. I use a LOT of punctuation and craft very complex sentences with several nested ideas -- not all the time, but at least a few times in each story. I use the no-punctuation technique, or more likely a LOOOOOOOOOONG run-on sentence with a ton of commas, to indicate a rush of emotion or action. I think it might bother me, though, if I saw it used on more than just a limited basis.
My gripe with McCarthy is that us does it through the whole novel. I was able to read past it after a while, but it was kind of "WTF?" What is his point? "I'm too cool for grammer because I have a Pulitzer." Maybe someone here knows him and now thinks I'm an ass, but it just seems contrived.
I'm sure I'm blowing it all out of proportion, but pretentiousness just really gets under my skin.There is certainly a place for it, like the stream-of-consciousness stuff that Joyce wrote in Ulysses. A lot of great writers play with grammar a bit to convey something without spelling it out. Your example of a long run-on sentence is a great one. I've also seen sentence fragments used to convey confusion.I do have a gripe, and I don't have the vocabulary to name it. I'll call it the "editing" style. No apostrophes, no quotation marks, few periods. It's not stream-of-consciousness, like Kerouac or Joyce, he just drops punctuation. To my eye, it comes off as ridiculously pretentious. I'm sure there's some sort of symbolism involved about the decay of societal norms, but I just found it cheap. I've never read anything from McCarthy before, so I don't know if this is his "thing" or if he cooked it up special for the occaision.
I hope that wasn't too long-winded.
Not at all. For what it's worth, I've read 4 other books by McCarthy and they all have little to no punctuation in them. I think all he uses are periods and the very occasional comma. It takes a little while to get used to, but once you do, yeah, he paints some beautiful pictures.
I've found valid use for that technique in a limited basis, but I find that to be the exact opposite of the way I write. I use a LOT of punctuation and craft very complex sentences with several nested ideas -- not all the time, but at least a few times in each story. I use the no-punctuation technique, or more likely a LOOOOOOOOOONG run-on sentence with a ton of commas, to indicate a rush of emotion or action. I think it might bother me, though, if I saw it used on more than just a limited basis.
My gripe with McCarthy is that us does it through the whole novel. I was able to read past it after a while, but it was kind of "WTF?" What is his point? "I'm too cool for grammer because I have a Pulitzer." Maybe someone here knows him and now thinks I'm an ass, but it just seems contrived.
That's interesting. I think it would bother me if he wasn't consistent about it throughout the book -- actually, I think that's why it works for me, because his voice is consistent throughout. Then again, I got annoyed when Charles Frazier substituted something esle for quotation marks in Cold Mountain. (I believe Charlie Huston does this in his books, too. Maybe it's a Charles thing?)
"What is his point?" especially with the way he tosses punctuation is an interesting question, though. I'd like to know his reason behind it.
Finished reading The Road and thoroughly enjoyed it. In addition to the lack of punctuation, I also noticed there weren't any real paragraphs, only paragraph breaks (with the exception of dialogue). Like when you read an online magazine. It didn't really detract for me, but I understand the frustration with pretentiousness.
Finished:OK, I'm curious about something. Did you read Manny with an accent? If so, what kind? I stuck an accent on him right away (I won't say what kind) and it seemed to fit all the way through, but it occurred to me that it might be the wrong one. After all, he grew up on Luna. Why have any accent at all?
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Took me a little while to get use to the style, but enjoyed it even more because of it.
Finished:OK, I'm curious about something. Did you read Manny with an accent? If so, what kind? I stuck an accent on him right away (I won't say what kind) and it seemed to fit all the way through, but it occurred to me that it might be the wrong one. After all, he grew up on Luna. Why have any accent at all?
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Took me a little while to get use to the style, but enjoyed it even more because of it.
Now that you mention it, it did seem a little Australian in that it had origins in low-brow, butchered English... And I mean that in all the nicest possible ways! *waves at the Kiwis real friendly like while getting ready to run*Finished:OK, I'm curious about something. Did you read Manny with an accent? If so, what kind? I stuck an accent on him right away (I won't say what kind) and it seemed to fit all the way through, but it occurred to me that it might be the wrong one. After all, he grew up on Luna. Why have any accent at all?
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Took me a little while to get use to the style, but enjoyed it even more because of it.
Now that you mention it, it did seem a little Australian in that it had origins in low-brow, butchered English... And I mean that in all the nicest possible ways! *waves at the Kiwis real friendly like while getting ready to run*Finished:OK, I'm curious about something. Did you read Manny with an accent? If so, what kind? I stuck an accent on him right away (I won't say what kind) and it seemed to fit all the way through, but it occurred to me that it might be the wrong one. After all, he grew up on Luna. Why have any accent at all?
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Took me a little while to get use to the style, but enjoyed it even more because of it.
Oh... um... right (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwi_(people)). Look! A dingo's eating your baby!! *Runs the other way*Now that you mention it, it did seem a little Australian in that it had origins in low-brow, butchered English... And I mean that in all the nicest possible ways! *waves at the Kiwis real friendly like while getting ready to run*Finished:OK, I'm curious about something. Did you read Manny with an accent? If so, what kind? I stuck an accent on him right away (I won't say what kind) and it seemed to fit all the way through, but it occurred to me that it might be the wrong one. After all, he grew up on Luna. Why have any accent at all?
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Took me a little while to get use to the style, but enjoyed it even more because of it.
Umm, Aren't the Kiwis the New Zealanders? Maybe you should just start running.
I kinda thought he was speaking with a heavy Russian accent.HAH! It wasn't just my imagination! I read it the same way, but I can see why others would read it differently.
And did I mention that I really, really don't like football? Not to the roomful of angry Ravens' fans, I didn't!What is it about sports? I have a fondness for the Packers and the Badgers because I grew up in Wisconsin, but I don't actually care whether they're any good; and I had a potential new friend ask me somewhat nervously if I would go ballistic if Michigan beat them because that was "her team." I don't know whether this person would've hated me if I actually had had a problem with "my team" being beaten...
And did I mention that I really, really don't like football? Not to the roomful of angry Ravens' fans, I didn't!What is it about sports? I have a fondness for the Packers and the Badgers because I grew up in Wisconsin, but I don't actually care whether they're any good; and I had a potential new friend ask me somewhat nervously if I would go ballistic if Michigan beat them because that was "her team." I don't know whether this person would've hated me if I actually had had a problem with "my team" being beaten...
(And parking here is INSANE because of that freaking team on game days...)
I think, since I'm watching "Stardust" right now (well, not RIGHT NOW, but when I'm exercising in the mornings), I'm going to go through the basement and find the novel so I can read it again. I remember not really liking it the first time around, but maybe I'll like it better the second try.
... am just starting Hal Duncan's Vellum.
... am just starting Hal Duncan's Vellum.
I just finished Vellum last week. I'd be interested in hearing your analysis of it when you are done. I think it's a book that lends itself to discussion.
I started a thread on this book after I read it a few months ago, in case you're interested:
http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=861.0 (http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=861.0)
Next time something SF wows me, I will put it on this list.
Listening to an audiobook of Lethem's You Don't Love Me Yet, just finished Gavin Grant and Kelly Link's best of Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet collection and am just starting Hal Duncan's Vellum. I'm finding the Lethem as compelling as he always is despite the awkwardness of running into a big sex scene while I was listening at work. It's odd hearing that kind of thing in your ear while you're around other people doing their jobs and you're trying to focus on doing yours.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is the best book ever... well... for me its about tied with Hitchhiker's Guide...Wow. That book gave me such a headache. When he started talking math, I started glazing over. I read it 8 years ago and didn't understand it, but liked it anyway.
anyways... its AMAZING and EVERYONE should read it :P
it spoke to me.
If you haven't read Gaiman's "Anansi Boys", I'd recommend it strongly. Neil said he wanted to point out to some folks that he could write humor, even without Terry Pratchett. He succeeds marvelously.
oh yea ive read it, great book too!Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is the best book ever... well... for me its about tied with Hitchhiker's Guide...Wow. That book gave me such a headache. When he started talking math, I started glazing over. I read it 8 years ago and didn't understand it, but liked it anyway.
anyways... its AMAZING and EVERYONE should read it :P
it spoke to me.
Have you read Slaughterhouse 5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaughterhouse-Five)? You might like it.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is the best book ever... well... for me its about tied with Hitchhiker's Guide...Wow. That book gave me such a headache. When he started talking math, I started glazing over. I read it 8 years ago and didn't understand it, but liked it anyway.
anyways... its AMAZING and EVERYONE should read it :P
it spoke to me.
Have you read Slaughterhouse 5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaughterhouse-Five)? You might like it.
(I gave in and rented Simon Birch because I loved Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany so much, and I nearly required stiches and a course of antibiotics to recover from the horribleness.)I've studiously avoided the movie because the book changed my life.
Slaughterhouse 5 is brilliant, too, but I don't always recommend it to Vonnegut first-timers. I'm partial to Cat's Cradle and Breakfast of Champions. The latter was made into a movie starring Bruce Willis not to long ago, by the way. Can anyone tell my how horribly they mangled it, or will I have to wait until my "driving past a traffic accident" reflex takes over and I rent it? (I gave in and rented Simon Birch because I loved Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany so much, and I nearly required stiches and a course of antibiotics to recover from the horribleness.)
You were wise. Normally, I can handle seriously unfaithful adaptations if they stand on their own merits, but this... it was worse than the time we visited a KFC in England. ("No biscuits? Fair enough, since your clientele wouldn't know what to do with them... No 'extra crispy'? Okay, I guess that's too fancy... No mashed potatoes? WTF? Then what is the pint of gravy FOR?") The screenplay eviscerated everything I loved about the book, and sucked all of the meaning out of the few events that survived.(I gave in and rented Simon Birch because I loved Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany so much, and I nearly required stiches and a course of antibiotics to recover from the horribleness.)I've studiously avoided the movie because the book changed my life.
Has anyone seen the movie adaptation of "Mother Night" with Nick Nolte? I thought that was pretty good. The screenplay was written by Robert Weide, the guy who wrote a bunch of the Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes. If I remember right, Weide was pretty close to Vonnegut and Kurt gave the movie a positive review.
I'm currently reading The World Without Us by Alan Weissman. It's a pretty good book so far. It's the story of what would happen if all humans suddenly disappeared. I'm only through the first few chapters, but his description of how houses collapse over 50 years was pretty interesting. Essentially everything will go back to nature over time. I'm looking forward to the chapter about nuclear power plants.
Did you see the 2 hour show "Life After People" on the History Channel last night? Not sure if it was based on this book or not. The show was basically a chronological history of the world after people disappeared. The power plant stuff was pretty cool. They figured that Hoover Dam would be one of the last ones running. It was a pretty good show. They covered a lot of stuff I never thought of and there were some pretty good graphics. For the "20 years after people" part they toured the city near Chernobyl, which has been sitting empty for 20 years now.
Chodon, we live without TV (intentionally...I know, we're freaks)....
Chodon, we live without TV (intentionally...I know, we're freaks), so i haven't yet caught the "Life After People" show. I did hear about it, though, and hope to catch it on one of our TV nights with friends (Sunday night was a documentary on Giant Squid!). It sounds heavily based on the book, and Weissman is not shy about letting folks use his material: Scientific American published about 15 pages of the book several months ago in an issue pretty much dedicated to his work.I found a torrent file for the show. I'm not clear on the legality of such things, but if one were so inclined one could download it...if one were so inclined.
The "20 years after" tour of Chernobyl is something I definitely want to catch! So far, I am really loving the book. Weissman's a font of weird and (usually) interesting facts, some of which take a while to make their relevance to the topic at hand known; and, that is the kind of thing I like. Sounds like the show has some of that, too. Can't wait to see it!
Chodon, we live without TV (intentionally...I know, we're freaks), so i haven't yet caught the "Life After People" show. I did hear about it, though, and hope to catch it on one of our TV nights with friends (Sunday night was a documentary on Giant Squid!). It sounds heavily based on the book, and Weissman is not shy about letting folks use his material: Scientific American published about 15 pages of the book several months ago in an issue pretty much dedicated to his work.
The "20 years after" tour of Chernobyl is something I definitely want to catch! So far, I am really loving the book. Weissman's a font of weird and (usually) interesting facts, some of which take a while to make their relevance to the topic at hand known; and, that is the kind of thing I like. Sounds like the show has some of that, too. Can't wait to see it!
TAD and Shwankie you are not alone when it comes to the no-TV thing. My brother (The Outlaw Kyle) also lives without television. I think it's a good thing for him, his wife, and daughter. It increases family time and decreases arguments about what to watch. However, whenever he comes to my house the TV calls to him in a dark language. One that I dare not speak here. It's a lot like the one ring drawing the Nazgul. It's a terrifying sight to behold.
I am not strong enough to live without TV. Sometimes I wish I were. It would mean more time doing productive things, but it would also mean less time being entertained. :-\
I found a torrent file for the show. I'm not clear on the legality of such things, but if one were so inclined one could download it...if one were so inclined.
I usually am reading two things at once -- one at home, and one on my phone, like while stuck in traffic or in a waiting room or similar. So, my phone thing right now is "Rainbow's End" by Vernor Vinge.
Found it online for free reading:
http://vrinimi.org/rainbowsend.html (http://vrinimi.org/rainbowsend.html)
I love smartphones.
Just finished a reread of Gaiman's "American Gods". There's a hell of a lot of peeing in that book.I haven't actually read that book, but thanks to the public library I've heard the (excellently read by Lenny Henry) audio version. I recommend it (the Henry audio) highly.
Now reading the quasisequel, "Anansi Boys" (same author). I realize that by Anansi saying something, it becomes true, at least in the minds of humans, but Gaiman saying "Fat Charlie" every time he refers to Charles Nancy gets a little annoying. Still, an enjoyable book so far. About halfway through. This is my second reading.
Just finished a reread of Gaiman's "American Gods". There's a hell of a lot of peeing in that book.
Now reading the quasisequel, "Anansi Boys" (same author). I realize that by Anansi saying something, it becomes true, at least in the minds of humans, but Gaiman saying "Fat Charlie" every time he refers to Charles Nancy gets a little annoying. Still, an enjoyable book so far. About halfway through. This is my second reading.
Hmmm... Never heard this song, but I can see the similarity. Still, I would guess it's a coincidence. Anyone feel like writing Gaiman and asking? That's the sort of question he always seems to answer on his blog.
I think the best medium for Anansi Boys is the audiobook. Lenny Henry does an awesome job reading it out, really fleshing out all the characters. And the writing style is really well suited for the story being told, as well as read.
I haven't heard the audio, but yes, I would definately recommend the book. Loved it.I think the best medium for Anansi Boys is the audiobook. Lenny Henry does an awesome job reading it out, really fleshing out all the characters. And the writing style is really well suited for the story being told, as well as read.
Is it worth my time and effort to read a paper copy then? ;)
Just started "The Great Book of Amber," the Zelazny collection, all 10 novels in one book.If it was The Hand of Oberon, then the problem was most likely that you were starting with the fourth of a five-volume series.
About a million years ago, someone lent me a copy of one of them, I think it was "The Hand of Oberon." I hadn't read any of the others, and I hated it. I only got about 30 pages in a took it back, but I keep hearing about how great his stuff is. I guess I'll give it another try.
i just finished reading Breakfast of Champions - amazing
and The Reader for school... it was MEH... kinda pissed me off.
i WAS going to read Vurt next but i have a lot of philosophical reading for school to do. for a report thingy.
i just finished reading Breakfast of Champions - amazing
and The Reader for school... it was MEH... kinda pissed me off.
i WAS going to read Vurt next but i have a lot of philosophical reading for school to do. for a report thingy.
i just finished reading Breakfast of Champions - amazing
and The Reader for school... it was MEH... kinda pissed me off.
i WAS going to read Vurt next but i have a lot of philosophical reading for school to do. for a report thingy.
FWIW I did not enjoy Vurt. It just didn't resonate with me. None of the Jeff Noon books I read have done so.
ha well my friend read it and thoroughly enjoyed it, and i trust his judgement.i just finished reading Breakfast of Champions - amazing
and The Reader for school... it was MEH... kinda pissed me off.
i WAS going to read Vurt next but i have a lot of philosophical reading for school to do. for a report thingy.
FWIW I did not enjoy Vurt. It just didn't resonate with me. None of the Jeff Noon books I read have done so.
Seconded... Vurt is terrible, but then I have repeatedly said Noon is the worst science fiction writer Britain has ever produced, and there are a lot of shit SF writers in Britain.
I don't understand what is literary about throwing a handful of dust in the readers face, pulling three sleight of hands and then saying Taadaaaaa when you pull out some incest/murder/child abuse based denoument.
What training did you have to go through to become and acolyte of TCoRN?Years of intensive meditation, new and undiscovered trains of thought, and a little bit of heavy brainwashing. I eventually spoke with the Lord our N_sh himself in a vision after coming back from the bathroom at this club and drinking my soda. It had a mediciney taste to it... *shrugs*
i just finished reading Breakfast of Champions - amazing
and The Reader for school... it was MEH... kinda pissed me off.
i WAS going to read Vurt next but i have a lot of philosophical reading for school to do. for a report thingy.
Yeah BOC - great stuff. Have you read Sirens of Titan? Another good one.
What training did you have to go through to become and acolyte of TCoRN?
i just finished reading Breakfast of Champions - amazing
and The Reader for school... it was MEH... kinda pissed me off.
i WAS going to read Vurt next but i have a lot of philosophical reading for school to do. for a report thingy.
Yeah BOC - great stuff. Have you read Sirens of Titan? Another good one.
What training did you have to go through to become and acolyte of TCoRN?
Sirens of Titan -- I would elaborate, but the only Vonnegut I never managed to get into was his first: Player Piano. Anyone know off-hand which of his books mentioned the Kilgore Trout novel about the race of aliens that communicated solely through farts and tap-dancing? It wasn't SoT, was it?
Also, in the film, the disposition of the witch (Michelle Pfieffer's character) was MUCH better-handled
as were the brothers.
In general, I think the movie's interpretation of the brothers was excellent and added to their representation in the novel.
Also, in the film, the disposition of the witch (Michelle Pfieffer's character) was MUCH better-handled
I strongly disagree with this. I think the end of the witch arc was one of the best things about the book. I understand why it was changed - but I think that, while far more exciting, the movie resolution to the arc is also a lot less interesting and tragic.
Finished Gaiman's "Stardust" for the second time and am reminded of why I didn't like it the first time. It's very much a fable told to a reader. There's action, but you don't really feel like you're there, and once you get toward the end (after Tristan returns to Wall to confront Victoria), it's a very blah feeling.
Finished Gaiman's "Stardust" for the second time and am reminded of why I didn't like it the first time. It's very much a fable told to a reader. There's action, but you don't really feel like you're there, and once you get toward the end (after Tristan returns to Wall to confront Victoria), it's a very blah feeling.
Curious -- did you read the prose only version or the one with the Charles Vess watercolor illustrations? I think the illustrations lent a certain charm to the story that made it worth reading on the page.
Finished Gaiman's "Stardust" for the second time and am reminded of why I didn't like it the first time. It's very much a fable told to a reader. There's action, but you don't really feel like you're there, and once you get toward the end (after Tristan returns to Wall to confront Victoria), it's a very blah feeling.
Curious -- did you read the prose only version or the one with the Charles Vess watercolor illustrations? I think the illustrations lent a certain charm to the story that made it worth reading on the page.
I'll definitely second that; I had enjoyed the novel, but found the Vess version after seeing that the movie was in production. Vess absolutely multiplies the joy of the experience.
Finished Gaiman's "Stardust" for the second time and am reminded of why I didn't like it the first time. It's very much a fable told to a reader. There's action, but you don't really feel like you're there, and once you get toward the end (after Tristan returns to Wall to confront Victoria), it's a very blah feeling.
Curious -- did you read the prose only version or the one with the Charles Vess watercolor illustrations? I think the illustrations lent a certain charm to the story that made it worth reading on the page.
I'll definitely second that; I had enjoyed the novel, but found the Vess version after seeing that the movie was in production. Vess absolutely multiplies the joy of the experience.
Thirded. After getting the Gaiman/Vess trade edition, I lent out my mass market copy and really don't care if it ever gets returned. But then, I loved it even before reading the illustrated edition.
Finished Gaiman's "Stardust" for the second time and am reminded of why I didn't like it the first time. It's very much a fable told to a reader. There's action, but you don't really feel like you're there, and once you get toward the end (after Tristan returns to Wall to confront Victoria), it's a very blah feeling.
Curious -- did you read the prose only version or the one with the Charles Vess watercolor illustrations? I think the illustrations lent a certain charm to the story that made it worth reading on the page.
I'll definitely second that; I had enjoyed the novel, but found the Vess version after seeing that the movie was in production. Vess absolutely multiplies the joy of the experience.
Thirded. After getting the Gaiman/Vess trade edition, I lent out my mass market copy and really don't care if it ever gets returned. But then, I loved it even before reading the illustrated edition.
It's the first version I read. In fact, I was so taken by it that I bought a copy to give as the very first gift I gave to a young woman I met through an online personal ad and started dating. We recently celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary and the first birthday of our lovely daughter.
Oh, and now that I've finished Duncan's Vellum I've started on Parker's Devices and Desires. It got a glowing review in Locus, and so far it does not disappoint.
Finished Gaiman's "Stardust" for the second time and am reminded of why I didn't like it the first time. It's very much a fable told to a reader. There's action, but you don't really feel like you're there, and once you get toward the end (after Tristan returns to Wall to confront Victoria), it's a very blah feeling.
Curious -- did you read the prose only version or the one with the Charles Vess watercolor illustrations? I think the illustrations lent a certain charm to the story that made it worth reading on the page.
Now reading "The Miocene Arrow" by Sean McMullen. It's the 2nd of the three Greatwinter novels.
"Souls in the Great Machine" is one of my all-time favorite books (it's McMullen's first Greatwinter novel). It has literally EVERYTHING without being boring or trite. The post-Greatwinter world, IMO, would make a great graphic novel or Sci-Fi-Channel miniseries.
Now reading "The Miocene Arrow" by Sean McMullen. It's the 2nd of the three Greatwinter novels.
"Souls in the Great Machine" is one of my all-time favorite books (it's McMullen's first Greatwinter novel). It has literally EVERYTHING without being boring or trite. The post-Greatwinter world, IMO, would make a great graphic novel or Sci-Fi-Channel miniseries.
... assuming they don't "adapt" it like they "adapted" Earthsea ;)
Now reading "The Miocene Arrow" by Sean McMullen. It's the 2nd of the three Greatwinter novels.
"Souls in the Great Machine" is one of my all-time favorite books (it's McMullen's first Greatwinter novel). It has literally EVERYTHING without being boring or trite. The post-Greatwinter world, IMO, would make a great graphic novel or Sci-Fi-Channel miniseries.
... assuming they don't "adapt" it like they "adapted" Earthsea ;)
I remember seeing previews for that and wondering what all the fuss was about. I haven't read Earthsea, but it had a hobbit in the film. That's all I know. (Didn't watch the movie, either.)
Went to the library, and actually came home with only graphic novels. And comic strip collections; "Boondocks", "Pearls Before Swine"; Linda K. Hamilton's Vampire Hunter; and Persepolis (and Persepolis 2) by Marjane Satrapi.
"Pearls Before Swine"
I finished The World Without Us and was not too impressed by the time I finished. The author was advocating eliminating humanity because of the damage we cause to the earth. I was more interested in learning about how entropy was going to slowly eat away at everything we had built, but it turned into a preach session about humans=bad, nature=good.
I finished The World Without Us and was not too impressed by the time I finished. The author was advocating eliminating humanity because of the damage we cause to the earth. I was more interested in learning about how entropy was going to slowly eat away at everything we had built, but it turned into a preach session about humans=bad, nature=good.
I'm not sure if we want to start doing this on this forum, but I would be willing to sell or trade this book for the going rate on half.com. Russell, if this is against the rules let me know. I'd like to get my hands on a book I would enjoy reading, and I don't plan on re-reading this one.
I wonder if we could start something like that on here. Sci-fi books for trade or maybe even selling. We all have similar tastes in fiction. Why not try to trade some books while we're at it? It would be like Oprah's book club, but with spaceships and lasers. Thoughts?I finished The World Without Us and was not too impressed by the time I finished. The author was advocating eliminating humanity because of the damage we cause to the earth. I was more interested in learning about how entropy was going to slowly eat away at everything we had built, but it turned into a preach session about humans=bad, nature=good.
I'm not sure if we want to start doing this on this forum, but I would be willing to sell or trade this book for the going rate on half.com. Russell, if this is against the rules let me know. I'd like to get my hands on a book I would enjoy reading, and I don't plan on re-reading this one.
There are a few sites that let you trade; all it costs you is the postage. I haven't been brave enough to sign up for one, though. If anyone uses one a lot and can recommend it, let me know.
Buying books in Japan, the English language ones, is damn expensive. Thankfully I've got a community of friends here that also read SF and we've a "leave one - take one" box in the staffroom. Right now I'm reading Vernor Vinge's "A Deepness in the Sky". A great book for reading and reflecting upon during long train rides.
I wonder if we could start something like that on here. Sci-fi books for trade or maybe even selling. We all have similar tastes in fiction. Why not try to trade some books while we're at it? It would be like Oprah's book club, but with spaceships and lasers. Thoughts?
Hi guys, I'm back!
Just Finish: Gridlinked by Neal Asher
Starting: Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (it pays to help with a newspaper)
Next: 99 Coffins by David Wellington
Just finished reading Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut, whose works I started re-reading and further digesting because of a thread here on the Escape Artists forum.
Honestly, I've read a few of Vonnegut's books, and maybe that's not enough to properly judge, but I'd say this was one of his harder books to read. The story was... Balancing on the edge of realism, and fiction. During the beginning, the book dipped into what could have been real. In the middle, it balanced quite well on the edges of both, realism and fiction, and finally, the conclusion fell into the latter.
All in all, I'd have to, with great sadness, say that I was disappointed. :'(
Now reading "Cat's Cradle". I love it so far.
"Time Enough For Love" by Robert Heinlein
2nd reading
Just finished Duma Key ... now ready for a trip to the library.
Just finished Duma Key ... now ready for a trip to the library.
Is that the one the movie Duma was based on?
A while ago I finished Kindred, by Octavia Butler.
A while ago I finished Kindred, by Octavia Butler.
If you liked Kindred, I recommend Lion's Blood (http://www.amazon.com/Lions-Blood-Steven-Barnes/dp/0446612219) by Steven Barnes. It's an alt-history where African's colonized the Americas. They use Celtic (white) slaves. It's never quite explained how the African/Islamic nations are more advanced, and Europeans less so, but once you accept the premise it's a wonderful book. It goes much further than reversing the skin colors, and has a lot to say about the cultures involved. And fantastic characters and good storylines. Highly Recommended.
The Arabs are fond of reminding us that they invented the "zero", among other things.
"Time Enough For Love" by Robert Heinlein
2nd reading
I just gave that another read a few months ago. I thought it held up very well. You enjoying it?
"Time Enough For Love" by Robert Heinlein
2nd reading
I just gave that another read a few months ago. I thought it held up very well. You enjoying it?
Even more so than the first time, perhaps because now I'm more mentally-equipped to deal with Heinleinism.
Hey, does anyone know of some good steampunk? I just finished Mur Lafferty's Wasteland and now find I have a slight addiction to steampunk.
"Time Enough For Love" by Robert Heinlein
2nd reading
I just gave that another read a few months ago. I thought it held up very well. You enjoying it?
Even more so than the first time, perhaps because now I'm more mentally-equipped to deal with Heinleinism.
Heinleinism? I'm curious about what you mean by that...
Some people would argue that it's not exactly steampunk, but I'd highly recommend China Mieville's Perdido Street Station or The Scar. (And FWIW, I know that Mur's a fan of Mieville.)
I'm looking for something to read, and Miéville has been a hot topic here in recent weeks, so I'm looking online at our library here at the university where I work and they only have one Miéville book: King Rat. Is it any good?
Heinleinism? I'm curious about what you mean by that...
Heinlein's outlook on politics, governments, family structures, and sex.
I'm looking for something to read, and Miéville has been a hot topic here in recent weeks, so I'm looking online at our library here at the university where I work and they only have one Miéville book: King Rat. Is it any good?
Yes. It's quite different from his three later adult novels (leaving aside Un Lun Dun) which are set in a full-on fantasy world where everything is invented: King Rat is set in a very recognizable '90s London, and the fantasy element comes from... well, fairy tale characters given a Miéville urban fantasy twist.
The tone and the themes are familiarly Miéville, though, by which I mean gritty, relentless and downbeat. It's not quite as grim as I've managed to make it sound, because there's usually some possibility of hope or small personal victories for some of the characters, but it tends not to be the outcome they were looking for.
I'd give King Rat a shot, but if you end up not liking it because it's insufficiently fantastic or too obsessed with drum 'n' bass, I wouldn't let it put you off trying Perdido Street Station or The Scar.
Very much so. He's often quoted as saying that "you can only truly own what you can carry in both arms at a dead run".
Heinleinism? I'm curious about what you mean by that...
Heinlein's outlook on politics, governments, family structures, and sex.
IC. I always found the family structure stuff the most interesting. Politics and governments, not so much. He took a rather absolutist Libertarian view in later years (or at least, that's what comes across in the last few novels)
Very much so. He's often quoted as saying that "you can only truly own what you can carry in both arms at a dead run".
Heinleinism? I'm curious about what you mean by that...
Heinlein's outlook on politics, governments, family structures, and sex.
IC. I always found the family structure stuff the most interesting. Politics and governments, not so much. He took a rather absolutist Libertarian view in later years (or at least, that's what comes across in the last few novels)
If you can make it through The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, that's an excellent primer on his social and sexual politics. I wrote about it here (http://wmute.livejournal.com/324307.html) and here (http://wmute.livejournal.com/325236.html), if you want more details.
I have honestly never hated a book so much.
[Heinlein is] often quoted as saying that "you can only truly own what you can carry in both arms at a dead run".
If you can make it through The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, that's an excellent primer on his social and sexual politics. I wrote about it here (http://wmute.livejournal.com/324307.html) and here (http://wmute.livejournal.com/325236.html), if you want more details.
I have honestly never hated a book so much.
\
Amusingly, not only did I just start my 3rd or 4th trip through "TCWWTW" last night, but I actually like it. The ending is a little frustrating if you haven't read other Heinlein books (at my first reading I had not read "TMIAHM"), but I like Blert the cat.
Very much so. He's often quoted as saying that "you can only truly own what you can carry in both arms at a dead run".
Heinleinism? I'm curious about what you mean by that...
Heinlein's outlook on politics, governments, family structures, and sex.
IC. I always found the family structure stuff the most interesting. Politics and governments, not so much. He took a rather absolutist Libertarian view in later years (or at least, that's what comes across in the last few novels)
If you can make it through The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, that's an excellent primer on his social and sexual politics. I wrote about it here (http://wmute.livejournal.com/324307.html) and here (http://wmute.livejournal.com/325236.html), if you want more details.
I have honestly never hated a book so much.
I like Blert the cat.The cat is the only character I didn't want to eccoriate with a rusty spoon. Much as I liked Jubal Harshaw in Stranger in a Strange Land, Heinlein did him a great disservice by allowing him to be associated with this pile of crap.
Do you know anything about To Sail Beyond Sunset? The blurb has always made it sound like a pseudo-sequel to Cat, so I've stayed away. I'm starting to think maybe he really should have just called it a career after Time Enough for Love, which was frequently described as "Heinlein's last major work" when it was released.
I just started Greg Bear's Eon today. I'm hoping it lives up to its reputation. I know Greg Bear's well-regarded and all, but the two novels of his I've read (Moving Mars and Slant) both left me feeling "eh". That said, Eon's first fifty pages have been promising.
I'm a huge Heinlein fan. But I very much agree that he should have stopped after Time Enough for Love (although Friday was halfway decent). Number of the Beast was little more than literary masturbation. It was annoying to read. And Cat Who Walked Through Walls... well, I usually finish a book when I've started it. In this case though, I ended up throwing as far as I could when I was halfway through. And since I was reading it while lounging in a pool, and "as far as I could" didn't manage to be as far as dry land... well, I never finished it.
I have no desire to read To Sail Beyond the Sunset.
I just started Greg Bear's Eon today. I'm hoping it lives up to its reputation. I know Greg Bear's well-regarded and all, but the two novels of his I've read (Moving Mars and Slant) both left me feeling "eh". That said, Eon's first fifty pages have been promising.
Good luck. I'd like to hear what you think. I thought Eon was just OK. Eternity lost me, I didn't like it at all. Never even tried Legacy. I did like Moving Mars, though, and I have Slant and Forge of God sitting on the bookshelf waiting for my attention. So I will eventually give Bear another try.
I'm a huge Heinlein fan. But I very much agree that he should have stopped after Time Enough for Love (although Friday was halfway decent). Number of the Beast was little more than literary masturbation. It was annoying to read. And Cat Who Walked Through Walls... well, I usually finish a book when I've started it. In this case though, I ended up throwing as far as I could when I was halfway through. And since I was reading it while lounging in a pool, and "as far as I could" didn't manage to be as far as dry land... well, I never finished it.
I have no desire to read To Sail Beyond the Sunset.
Yeah, as I've said elsewhere, I'm a pretty big RAH fan myself, but those three do seem to be a mistake. If Time Enough for Love really had been "The capstone of a great career" (a cover-review pullout I happen to remember) we'd have missed Friday and Job: A Comedy of Justice (I'm surprised at how often it gets ignored), but would have been spared The Number of the Beast, The Cat Who Walks Through Walls and To Sail Beyond Sunset (I include that last based on the opinions in this thread; I haven't read it myself). A tough call, really...
Read Neil Gaiman's Odd and the Frost Giants. Fun, simple, little breezy read. There wasn't a lot to it, but I enjoyed it. (I'm not sure I've read one of Gaiman's books that I didn't like.)
Read Neil Gaiman's Odd and the Frost Giants. Fun, simple, little breezy read. There wasn't a lot to it, but I enjoyed it. (I'm not sure I've read one of Gaiman's books that I didn't like.)
I really wish that were being released in the States...
I'm a huge Heinlein fan. But I very much agree that he should have stopped after Time Enough for Love (although Friday was halfway decent). Number of the Beast was little more than literary masturbation. It was annoying to read. And Cat Who Walked Through Walls... well, I usually finish a book when I've started it. In this case though, I ended up throwing as far as I could when I was halfway through. And since I was reading it while lounging in a pool, and "as far as I could" didn't manage to be as far as dry land... well, I never finished it.
I have no desire to read To Sail Beyond the Sunset.
Yeah, as I've said elsewhere, I'm a pretty big RAH fan myself, but those three do seem to be a mistake. If Time Enough for Love really had been "The capstone of a great career" (a cover-review pullout I happen to remember) we'd have missed Friday and Job: A Comedy of Justice (I'm surprised at how often it gets ignored), but would have been spared The Number of the Beast, The Cat Who Walks Through Walls and To Sail Beyond Sunset (I include that last based on the opinions in this thread; I haven't read it myself). A tough call, really...
I really like Friday.
It's been a while since I had a chance to post, mostly because I've been reading for school and it makes more sense to do an omnibus. In no particular order, what I've read the last few months, and far too short judgements on them.
<snip>
And I know I'm leaving some off this list, a lot from short fiction. I'll come back tomorrow to add everything else.
Read Neil Gaiman's Odd and the Frost Giants. Fun, simple, little breezy read. There wasn't a lot to it, but I enjoyed it. (I'm not sure I've read one of Gaiman's books that I didn't like.)
I really wish that were being released in the States...
I think it's coming out early next year in HC. I live in the States and ordered it from amazon.co.uk (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Odd-Frost-Giants-World-Book/dp/0747595380/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209068195&sr=8-1). It cost a little extra, but it was only a pound ($2) to start with, so it still wasn't too bad. I think with shipping and everything it was under $15 (not really sure how much the HB will cost, but I imagine it'll be close to that). Kind of expensive for a flimsy 100 page paperback, I guess, but I wanted to read it :)
Quote from: ListenerI really like Friday.
Yeah, I like that one a great deal myself. As I've mentioned elsewhere, he seems to overcome at least some of the perceived problems with his female characters with her.
Have you read Job? I'm curious what you thought of it.
TwilightUnless you're one of those guys from Friction (http://escapepod.org/2008/02/08/ep144-friction/), you're fine. Human vision does not work like that.
Duma Key
and some horrific yet necessary Financial Stuffs for Dummies book
I have always thought that my eyes (20/400, 20/300, astigmatic and deteriorating) were worsened by my constant reading as a kid. I wonder if it would have been better to experience just a fraction of those stories in audio, rather than using up my eyeballs.
Twilight
Duma Key
and some horrific yet necessary Financial Stuffs for Dummies book
I have always thought that my eyes (20/400, 20/300, astigmatic and deteriorating) were worsened by my constant reading as a kid. I wonder if it would have been better to experience just a fraction of those stories in audio, rather than using up my eyeballs.
I "read" Neil Gaiman's "A Study in Emerald" yesterday while on the road to rural south Georgia (don't ask). It was very good. Gaiman really is great at reading his stories, which makes sense, because they're... you know... HIS.
The ending threw me a little in that... okay... is the narrator Watson or is the evil doctor that person?
The ending threw me a little in that... okay... is the narrator Watson or is the evil doctor that person?
not sure if this is where it goes but I picked up a book by Larry Niven today called A world out of time and I was just wondering if anyone had heard of it?
thanks
I was in a used bookstore today and I asked the guy if he had any recommendations and he said that one was good so I decided to give it a try for $3.50 so I went ahead and picked it up.not sure if this is where it goes but I picked up a book by Larry Niven today called A world out of time and I was just wondering if anyone had heard of it?
thanks
Yes, I read it, but it was a loonnnnggg time ago. Why do you ask?
not sure if this is where it goes but I picked up a book by Larry Niven today called A world out of time and I was just wondering if anyone had heard of it?
thanks
not sure if this is where it goes but I picked up a book by Larry Niven today called A world out of time and I was just wondering if anyone had heard of it?I'm a fan of Niven in general, and this is a good one. As I understand it, there are two sequels (Smoke Ring and Integral Trees), but I never seem to be able to track them down. Anyway, it stands well on its own, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
thanks
not sure if this is where it goes but I picked up a book by Larry Niven today called A world out of time and I was just wondering if anyone had heard of it?
thanks
Vonda N. McIntyre: Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand
I liked Ringworld, but I'm kinda pissed at Niven for his comments on illegal immigration. (He basically said the government should spread a rumor in Spanish that ER's killed people.)
I liked Ringworld, but I'm kinda pissed at Niven for his comments on illegal immigration. (He basically said the government should spread a rumor in Spanish that ER's killed people.)
Niven said a good way to help hospitals stem financial losses is to spread rumors in Spanish within the Latino community that emergency rooms are killing patients in order to harvest their organs for transplants.http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2008/March/SecurityBeat.htm#Science (http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2008/March/SecurityBeat.htm#Science)
“The problem [of hospitals going broke] is hugely exaggerated by illegal aliens who aren’t going to pay for anything anyway,” Niven said.
Just checked out Song of Ice and Fire trilogy from the library (it is only a trilogy, right? they only had three books; this is my first GRRM read)
I'm reading ICanHasCheezburger mostly. Witty, poignant, and deeply moving at times.
Seriously, apart from that... Mostly I'm reading the third Phantoms at the Phil (http://www.chazbrenchley.co.uk/short/phantoms.html) which Chaz Brenchley unscrupulously pushed into my hands at Alt.Fiction the other day. Damn him.
Kingrat like the WW2 p.o.w. camp movie?Don't think so.... Not unless China Miéville wrote that one....not sure... haven't started it yet.
Kingrat like the WW2 p.o.w. camp movie?Don't think so.... Not unless China Miéville wrote that one....not sure... haven't started it yet.
Kingrat like the WW2 p.o.w. camp movie?Don't think so.... Not unless China Miéville wrote that one....not sure... haven't started it yet.
1759 by Frank McLynn (not science fiction) - dead tree
*prepares herself for being shouted at / shunned / refused the right to call herself a SF-Fantasy-Geek any longer*
... Terry Pratchett's The Color of Money ...
*prepares herself for being shouted at / shunned / refused the right to call herself a SF-Fantasy-Geek any longer*
... Terry Pratchett's The Color of Money ...
Well, I won't shout at you for not having read it, but perhaps you mean "The Color of Magic"?
*prepares herself for being shouted at / shunned / refused the right to call herself a SF-Fantasy-Geek any longer*Don't worry—you're not alone: I've never read any Pratchett, either. I think I picked up a Discworld book a looong time ago while browsing in a bookstore somewhere. I remember loving the look of it, but, for some unknown reason, I felt like the writing itself was going to feel like Brian Jacques and his Redwall series (I read the first one, Redwall, with high hopes... <sigh> While the elements were there... well, good concept poorly executed, imobymmv). I may have to actually give Pratchett a shot one of these days.
... Terry Pratchett's The Color of Money ...
I know, I know, Pratchett is a MUST for any SF/Fantasy Fan, but I never got around to reading any of his stuff. I have a collector's nature and I was always/am still afraid I will feel the urge to buy and read ALL of them. TCoM was sitting on my night stand for ages and I always put off reading it, fearing the Pratchett-hype would get to me or, even worse, I might not actually like it in the end...
...and I was right, maybe I am just too old, but it really isn't all that great. Don't get me wrong, it is funny and the world-building is AMAAAZING (I actually have the 'Almanak' and other Discworld-related stuff and always liked it, the art, etc..) but I am halfway through and the plot kind of escaped me, or maybe (there isn't really one to begin with, ... please don't hit me!!!)
Anyway, will finish it and then decide whether I will read more of his books or maybe I will start reading the Inkheart trilogy (by Cornelia Funke, in the German original, BTW, Tintenherz for the Germanophiles - not -phobes, mind you). I think the first film is coming out soon and I want to have read it before that. I completely fell in love with the language as I browsed through it (not sure if that comes across very well in the English translation.)
So, will keep you posted on my experiences with Mr. Pratchett and I do have all the best wishes for his mental health and otherwise.
*prepares herself for being shouted at / shunned / refused the right to call herself a SF-Fantasy-Geek any longer*
... Terry Pratchett's The Color of Money ...
Well, I won't shout at you for not having read it, but perhaps you mean "The Color of Magic"?
Oh no, maybe that's why it's crap, I picked up the wrong book, that would explain it ... ::)
Thanks Listener, you just gave my ab-muscles a good workout, I haven't laughed this hard in quite some time. (Guess that means I can no longer call myself a geek then, damn...)
First time I came across Pratchett was a last minute 10-hour-trip-no-book-airport-B&N-60-seconds-of-free-time kind of decision (incidentally, same way I came across the Belgariad), so my first book was Guards! Guards!, and I progressed in terms of the plot lines (all the Guards, all the Wizards, all the Death) rather than the order of writing. I still haven't gotten to the Witches, but hopefully I'll get into those over the summer.
It's probably better to start at the beginning of a plotline rather than jumping in half-way(I got lucky grabbing Guards! instead of Jingo or Feet of Clay), but I don't think it would be that much of a difference.
"The Secret Books of Paradys I & II" by Tanith Lee
The Iliad by Homer
I'm reading ICanHasCheezburger mostly. Witty, poignant, and deeply moving at times.
Seriously, apart from that... Mostly I'm reading the third Phantoms at the Phil (http://www.chazbrenchley.co.uk/short/phantoms.html) which Chaz Brenchley unscrupulously pushed into my hands at Alt.Fiction the other day. Damn him.
Whereas right now, I've got The Time Traveller's Wife, which is so good I think I hate it a little and Jumper on the go. Both excellent, both very unusual.
Currently reading a book I picked up in Ocean City last year (for $1.79); it's Women of Wonder (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0156000318/escapepod-20), a 1974 anthology of "science fiction stories by women about women" edited by Pamela Sargent....
Meanwhile, I have just checked out Elizabeth Bear's Whiskey and Water on the strength of my affection for Tideline. And, hey, I think she might be a woman! ;)
Meanwhile, I have just checked out Elizabeth Bear's Whiskey and Water on the strength of my affection for Tideline. And, hey, I think she might be a woman! ;)
Why'd you pick Whiskey and Water? At a guess, you'd have liked the Jenny chronicles or Carnival better. Don't you prefer SF to fantasy? I like almost everything Bear writes and the faerie stuff is my least favorite. Too much talking about what people are wearing. It's like a damn fashion show.
Meanwhile, I have just checked out Elizabeth Bear's Whiskey and Water on the strength of my affection for Tideline. And, hey, I think she might be a woman! ;)
Why'd you pick Whiskey and Water? At a guess, you'd have liked the Jenny chronicles or Carnival better. Don't you prefer SF to fantasy? I like almost everything Bear writes and the faerie stuff is my least favorite. Too much talking about what people are wearing. It's like a damn fashion show.
Short answer: it was what the library had that day. They have all the Warhammer/Trek/Sith crap you could ever possible belch out of your Novel-o-Bot 2000 automated novel writer, but slim pickin's on actual books. :P (Apologies to any who enjoy wallowing in that stuff...)
I like the set up with the different Devil's battling in the first chapter... and there seems to be a lot of backstory I'm missing; either she forshadows a great deal, or I'm in the middle of a series...? Ah... thanks, Amazon - it is. (I need to research my impulsive library shopping a little better.)
Has anyone read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee? I've got it, and it currently resides on my TBR list (though at a very low priority). It's quite a chunk o' book, so it's difficult to find the motivation to move it up the chain. I'm curious if anyone else here has read it and what their thoughts on it are.
I read it and loved it, but it's been a while. It's pretty harsh in places, as I recall, and it's definitely not what I would qualify as light summer reading.Ah cool, Ana! Thanks for the recommendation. I'm gonna have to move it up a few slots since I've reshuffled it to the bottom so many times.
I wouldn't naturally assume there was a lot of overlap between the SF crowd and the non-dominant culture history crowd, but everyone here has interests outside of SF, so failed revolutions might be yours.Lol! Yeah, I almost started a separate thread, but wasn't sure it was really threadworthy, so I posted it here. This seems to be an extremely well-read group as a whole, but I wasn't expecting a direct response so soon! Thanks again!
I read it and loved it, but it's been a while. It's pretty harsh in places, as I recall, and it's definitely not what I would qualify as light summer reading.Ah cool, Ana! Thanks for the recommendation. I'm gonna have to move it up a few slots since I've reshuffled it to the bottom so many times.QuoteI wouldn't naturally assume there was a lot of overlap between the SF crowd and the non-dominant culture history crowd, but everyone here has interests outside of SF, so failed revolutions might be yours.Lol! Yeah, I almost started a separate thread, but wasn't sure it was really threadworthy, so I posted it here. This seems to be an extremely well-read group as a whole, but I wasn't expecting a direct response so soon! Thanks again!
Omnivore's Dilemma. A very enlightening book with some interesting ideas, but I don't totally agree with some of the conclusions he draws and I think his presentation of a (very) few facts are skewed. Nothing that would overrule the value of the book, and a good read for anyone who eats food, but it is a book with political intentions.
not sure if this is where it goes but I picked up a book by Larry Niven today called A world out of time and I was just wondering if anyone had heard of it?
thanks
That was the first Niven I read as a kid. I adored it, and still have fond memories of it. I fear re-reading it though, since it might not live up to my time-tinted view of it. I'll be curious to hear your impression.
"The Secret Books of Paradys I & II" by Tanith Lee
Any good? I have those from a library sale but haven't started them yet. The only Lee I've read was Electric Forest which I did like.
Co-worker yesterday foisted a couple of "Christian SF" novels on me: The Rapture Dialogues: Dark Dimension and its sequel (dont' remember the title as I left it at the office), by Terry James."It sucked" is painting a story with a pretty broad stroke. What sucked about it?
I'm not optimistic since the cover blurb indicates that Tim LaHaye (author of the "Left Behind" series) has a high opinion of it. And the last "Christian SF" I read was the duo This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti. It sucked.
[edit]
Just went to Amazon to look it up; the other book is The Nephilim Imperatives: Dark Sentences (The Second Coming Chronicles). Even though the first book doesn't say "The Second Coming Chronicles" anywhere on the front or back covers. Whatever.
... the last "Christian SF" I read was the duo This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti. It sucked."It sucked" is painting a story with a pretty broad stroke. What sucked about it?
Co-worker yesterday foisted a couple of "Christian SF" novels on me: The Rapture Dialogues: Dark Dimension and its sequel (dont' remember the title as I left it at the office), by Terry James."It sucked" is painting a story with a pretty broad stroke. What sucked about it?
I'm not optimistic since the cover blurb indicates that Tim LaHaye (author of the "Left Behind" series) has a high opinion of it. And the last "Christian SF" I read was the duo This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti. It sucked.
[edit]
Just went to Amazon to look it up; the other book is The Nephilim Imperatives: Dark Sentences (The Second Coming Chronicles). Even though the first book doesn't say "The Second Coming Chronicles" anywhere on the front or back covers. Whatever.
After the man lusted after the woman, and she made it clear she was willing, the woman soon was marked and destroyed by evil. The man, after defeating the demon dragon, realizes he should really get back together with his ex-wife, and goes home.Do I smell a double standard?
After the man lusted after the woman, and she made it clear she was willing, the woman soon was marked and destroyed by evil. The man, after defeating the demon dragon, realizes he should really get back together with his ex-wife, and goes home.Do I smell a double standard?
Co-worker yesterday foisted a couple of "Christian SF" novels on me: The Rapture Dialogues: Dark Dimension and its sequel (dont' remember the title as I left it at the office), by Terry James."It sucked" is painting a story with a pretty broad stroke. What sucked about it?
I'm not optimistic since the cover blurb indicates that Tim LaHaye (author of the "Left Behind" series) has a high opinion of it. And the last "Christian SF" I read was the duo This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti. It sucked.
[edit]
Just went to Amazon to look it up; the other book is The Nephilim Imperatives: Dark Sentences (The Second Coming Chronicles). Even though the first book doesn't say "The Second Coming Chronicles" anywhere on the front or back covers. Whatever.
It's also been a long time since I read it (probably around the same time stePH did), but I remember the characters were not very compelling and the writing style was...dull. The angel vs. demon battle at the end (what I remember of it) was kind of cool but it took a loooooooooooong time to get there. Looking back at it now, as a Christian, I'm also annoyed by some of the "spiritual warfare" concepts. Like when the police chief doesn't agree with you, it's not because he's trying to uphold the law, or because he's misguidedly trying to do the right thing, it's because there's a demon on his shoulder whispering to him what he should be saying.
Almost 10 years ago, I read another Peretti book called "The Oath," which was his attempt at horror (I think). The concept was that people who lived in this particular area, who were sinful, were marked with black splotches on their chest, then attacked by some kind of demonic dragon. There were two main characters in the story, a man looking for the thing that had killed his brother and a police woman. SPOILERS, if you want to keep reading. After the man lusted after the woman, and she made it clear she was willing, the woman soon was marked and destroyed by evil. The man, after defeating the demon dragon, realizes he should really get back together with his ex-wife, and goes home. That seriously annoyed me. Another, more annoying point that perhaps annoyed me more was the introduction of a character named "Jules Cryor." I thought, oh, we're going to get a Christ figure (or an anti-Christ figure). That should be interesting. Nope, he died a couple pages later, and he acted like a whiny bastard. You'd think a guy like Peretti writing "Christian" fiction would know that introducing a character with the initials JC should be significant.
I might add that fans of Terry Pratchett's and/or Douglas Adams' styles could do worse than to check out Wodehouse, as long as they don't mind a complete lack of SFnality. I wouldn't be surprised if either or both were influenced in part by Wodehouse.
I might add that fans of Terry Pratchett's and/or Douglas Adams' styles could do worse than to check out Wodehouse, as long as they don't mind a complete lack of SFnality. I wouldn't be surprised if either or both were influenced in part by Wodehouse.
I know for sure that Adams was. There's an essay reprinted in "Salmon of Doubt" where he lavishes praise on Wodehouse's writing.
Never read Wodehouse. He's near the top of my own personal "should read" list.
Co-worker yesterday foisted a couple of "Christian SF" novels on me: The Rapture Dialogues: Dark Dimension and its sequel (dont' remember the title as I left it at the office), by Terry James.
Currently, I'm re-reading "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson. I read it when it first came out in paperback back in the mid-nineties. Back then, I found it to be a very difficult read. I really got bogged down in it. But, as the years have passed, I keep making connections between our modern world and the world of "Snow Crash." I'm understanding and appreciating this book much more this time.
The first and last scenes in Snowcrash blow me away. Everything in between, however, is a waste of ink.
So, I'm between books, and I don't have any real tendency to go for anything in particular, so (as I sometimes do) I've opened it up for other people to decide (http://wmute.livejournal.com/344442.html).
If you don't have an LJ account and so can't vote in the poll itself, feel free to vote in a comment.
And don't worry. I have some stuff to tide me over until I decide that it's over and ignore the voting to choose something I feel like at the time ;)
So, I'm between books, and I don't have any real tendency to go for anything in particular, so (as I sometimes do) I've opened it up for other people to decide (http://wmute.livejournal.com/344442.html).
If you don't have an LJ account and so can't vote in the poll itself, feel free to vote in a comment.
And don't worry. I have some stuff to tide me over until I decide that it's over and ignore the voting to choose something I feel like at the time ;)
You mean we don't already have an EP book club thread here somewhere? :-\
The first and last scenes in Snowcrash blow me away. Everything in between, however, is a waste of ink.
The first and last scenes in Snowcrash blow me away. Everything in between, however, is a waste of ink.
Snowcrash is one of those books I keep thinking I really should read again, because I felt exactly like Wintermute felt after reading it. But people keep telling me how great it is.
I do this a lot with books.
Last week, I read "Little Brother" by Cory Doctorow. I was blown away. I read a lot of challenging books. I majored in English Literature. I think I have a pretty good sense about what's good and what's bad, regardless of whether or not I liked it. In my opinion, "Little Brother" falls under the category of "Great Book". I read it with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. My heart was pounding for hours after I finished it. It was one of the most powerful books I've ever read. I put it right up there with "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Hiding Place."To Kill a Mockingbird is my single favorite book of all time, so putting Little Brother up there with that is exceptionally high praise. Doctorow has it for free on his Web site (http://craphound.com/littlebrother/download/), so i'm gonna check it out.
My son, a young adolescent who hates reading, loved the book too.
Currently, I'm re-reading "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson. I read it when it first came out in paperback back in the mid-nineties. Back then, I found it to be a very difficult read. I really got bogged down in it. But, as the years have passed, I keep making connections between our modern world and the world of "Snow Crash." I'm understanding and appreciating this book much more this time.
Just finished reading Jack McDevitt's Polaris (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0441012531/escapepod-20). Years ago, I read his A Talent for War (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0441012175/escapepod-20), which is amongst my favourite novels. But nothing else he did ever seemed to satisfy in the same way.
And then I discovered that there were other Alex Benedict novels out, so I started buying them. And, like it's predecessor, it's an excellent science fiction detective novel, which is a genre I'm always a sucker for.
I've started on Neil DeGrasse Tyson's Death by Black Hole (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393330168/escapepod-20), which is a nice little primer n astrophysics and cosmology, but doesn't iclude anything terribly exciting, yet. Certainly, the man's enthusiasm carries the book nicely, and I do understand more than I did when I started, but it's clearly aimed at people who've not read much on the subject before.
Just finished "Fearful Symmetry" by Olivia Woods. If you don't know, that's the Star Trek DS9 flip-book.
Just finished "Fearful Symmetry" by Olivia Woods. If you don't know, that's the Star Trek DS9 flip-book.
"Flip-book"? ???
Just finished "Fearful Symmetry" by Olivia Woods. If you don't know, that's the Star Trek DS9 flip-book.
"Flip-book"? ???
Amazon listing. (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Space-Fearful-Symmetry/dp/141656781X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217514962&sr=8-1)
Just finished "Fearful Symmetry" by Olivia Woods. If you don't know, that's the Star Trek DS9 flip-book.
"Flip-book"? ???
Amazon listing. (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Space-Fearful-Symmetry/dp/141656781X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217514962&sr=8-1)
So it's similar in concept to Ender's Game/Ender's Shadow if they were bound back-to-back?
Just finished "Fearful Symmetry" by Olivia Woods. If you don't know, that's the Star Trek DS9 flip-book.
"Flip-book"? ???
Amazon listing. (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Space-Fearful-Symmetry/dp/141656781X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217514962&sr=8-1)
So it's similar in concept to Ender's Game/Ender's Shadow if they were bound back-to-back?
Couldn't tell you. Never read them.
Just finished "Fearful Symmetry" by Olivia Woods. If you don't know, that's the Star Trek DS9 flip-book.
"Flip-book"? ???
Amazon listing. (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Space-Fearful-Symmetry/dp/141656781X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217514962&sr=8-1)
So it's similar in concept to Ender's Game/Ender's Shadow if they were bound back-to-back?
Couldn't tell you. Never read them.
Ender's Shadow is a novel "parallel" to Ender's Game, as most of it covers the events of Ender's Game from the viewpoint of Bean, a secondary character from that novel.
The Amazon listing doesn't really describe what a "flip book" is, but the first review (currently) describes it as two books back-to-back with the same story told from two different points of view.
And there was me hoping it was something like a pop-up book...Just finished "Fearful Symmetry" by Olivia Woods. If you don't know, that's the Star Trek DS9 flip-book.
"Flip-book"? ???
Amazon listing. (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Space-Fearful-Symmetry/dp/141656781X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217514962&sr=8-1)
So it's similar in concept to Ender's Game/Ender's Shadow if they were bound back-to-back?
Couldn't tell you. Never read them.
Ender's Shadow is a novel "parallel" to Ender's Game, as most of it covers the events of Ender's Game from the viewpoint of Bean, a secondary character from that novel.
The Amazon listing doesn't really describe what a "flip book" is, but the first review (currently) describes it as two books back-to-back with the same story told from two different points of view.
And there was me hoping it was something like a pop-up book...
[Flip-book]And there was me hoping it was something like a pop-up book...
I was thinking, each page has a "frame" of animation that you can make move by flipping rapidly through the pages.
I know I'll probably get kicked out of the club for saying this, but I'm only now really getting into Left Hand of Darkness. I know it's an amazing, treasured gem of SF literature, but somehow, I'm still struggling through it.We can get kicked out together, then. That book utterly failed to interest me. Finishing it was a chore. Give me The Lathe of Heaven over it any day.
I'm a LeGuinn fan... started with Earthsea as a kid. I think Left Hand of Darkness is great, but probably needs to be taken in it's historic context.
The Lathe of Heaven though - that's just fantastic. By far my favorite of her works.
I'm a LeGuinn fan... started with Earthsea as a kid. I think Left Hand of Darkness is great, but probably needs to be taken in it's historic context.
The Lathe of Heaven though - that's just fantastic. By far my favorite of her works.
I read "The Left Hand of Darkness" around the same time last year and was astounded by it. It's so much more than a science fiction classic; it's a classic piece of literature, period. I thought it was truly timeless.
I'm almost done with Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass. I'm really enjoying it. I never saw the movie so I started the book not knowing exactly what to expect.
Pullman throws a huge amount of world-building info at you in a relatively short amount of space, and every single bit of it is thoroughly integrated into the narrative. He never breaks away from the story for even a little bit of exposition. I like that. And somehow the fact that it's clearly a parallel-universe Earth (instead of a totally alien world like most high fantasy) makes me even more interested in finding out exactly how this world works.
I'm a LeGuinn fan... started with Earthsea as a kid. I think Left Hand of Darkness is great, but probably needs to be taken in it's historic context.
The Lathe of Heaven though - that's just fantastic. By far my favorite of her works.
Yeah, I need to give both of those others a try. I can certainly appreciate Left Hand of Darkness in a historical context, I think.
I read "The Left Hand of Darkness" around the same time last year and was astounded by it. It's so much more than a science fiction classic; it's a classic piece of literature, period. I thought it was truly timeless.
I was under that impression from what I'd heard about it and suggested it to my wife and friends who we do a very small book club thing with. It was my first pick and I wanted to do some SF, and one of our friends was keen on reading it, too. My wife read a couple of pages the other day though and groaned. (Which, after reading the first couple of chapters, I could've predicted. She doesn't have anything against SF/Fantasy in general, but I think a good bit of the worldbuilding will kill it for her.) I'm curious to hear what our friends think about it, if they finish it in time. (To be fair, I've never finished one of the other books in time.)
I kind of dig the historical bits of it, the smaller aside chapters. And I think the monosexual stuff is interesting especially in comparison to the roles of males/females and women's equality and all that. But other than that, I'm not really feeling the story.
What do you both like so much about it?
Knocking down some short-stories now, including Doctorow's "The Things That Make Me Weak And Strange Get Engineered Away" and Rudy Rucker's "The Men In The Back Room At The Country Club".
I'm a LeGuinn fan... started with Earthsea as a kid. I think Left Hand of Darkness is great, but probably needs to be taken in it's historic context.
The Lathe of Heaven though - that's just fantastic. By far my favorite of her works.
Yeah, I need to give both of those others a try. I can certainly appreciate Left Hand of Darkness in a historical context, I think.
I read "The Left Hand of Darkness" around the same time last year and was astounded by it. It's so much more than a science fiction classic; it's a classic piece of literature, period. I thought it was truly timeless.
I was under that impression from what I'd heard about it and suggested it to my wife and friends who we do a very small book club thing with. It was my first pick and I wanted to do some SF, and one of our friends was keen on reading it, too. My wife read a couple of pages the other day though and groaned. (Which, after reading the first couple of chapters, I could've predicted. She doesn't have anything against SF/Fantasy in general, but I think a good bit of the worldbuilding will kill it for her.) I'm curious to hear what our friends think about it, if they finish it in time. (To be fair, I've never finished one of the other books in time.)
I kind of dig the historical bits of it, the smaller aside chapters. And I think the monosexual stuff is interesting especially in comparison to the roles of males/females and women's equality and all that. But other than that, I'm not really feeling the story.
What do you both like so much about it?
I thought LeGuin did a fabulous job of creating an androgynous world in "The Left Hand of Darkness." I was especially impressed with her use of an outsider's misunderstanding of the sexual mores of Winter's inhabitants to show us what the humans on Winter were really like. I liked how she built on impressions along the way. She never relied on awkward exposition. When explanations were made, the were in a sensible context. Most importantly, LeGuin's prose was absolutely beautiful. I majored in English Literature and I'd say that her prose style was quite masterful.
"The Lathe of Heaven" is quite good, but it just doesn't have the literary quality that "The Left Hand of Darkness" does.
Knocking down some short-stories now, including Doctorow's "The Things That Make Me Weak And Strange Get Engineered Away" and Rudy Rucker's "The Men In The Back Room At The Country Club".
How was the Doctorow one?
I'm almost done with Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass. I'm really enjoying it. I never saw the movie so I started the book not knowing exactly what to expect.
Pullman throws a huge amount of world-building info at you in a relatively short amount of space, and every single bit of it is thoroughly integrated into the narrative. He never breaks away from the story for even a little bit of exposition. I like that. And somehow the fact that it's clearly a parallel-universe Earth (instead of a totally alien world like most high fantasy) makes me even more interested in finding out exactly how this world works.
I loved the first book (I listened to the trilogy in audio, which was read by Pullman with a full cast for all the characters) but found the second volume somewhat less enjoyable, and the third even less so.
Cory Doctorow, "Little Brother" -- devoured this book in about 2.5 hours last night. It is, I kid you not, the scariest book I have read this decade. It's really, really good, if slightly repetitive. Now I feel bad for saying my new story, "Bittersweet Symphony", is Doctorow-esque, because this book blows away my story.
Cory Doctorow, "Little Brother" -- devoured this book in about 2.5 hours last night. It is, I kid you not, the scariest book I have read this decade. It's really, really good, if slightly repetitive. Now I feel bad for saying my new story, "Bittersweet Symphony", is Doctorow-esque, because this book blows away my story.
Don't be ashamed. I read "Little Brother" a couple of months ago and was absolutely blown away. My middle-school son, the anti-reader, loved it too. I just read "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom" and a few of Doctorow's short stories and I wouldn't guess in a million years that they were written by the same author. "Little Brother" is so different from anything else I've read by Doctorow. My copy has now been read by three people and is in the hands of a fourth. It reminded me so much of when I was an idealistic kid in the post-McCarthy era and my friends and I were worried about the FBI/CIA collecting information on us for subscribing to certain publications or belonging to certain groups. I'm recommending "Little Brother" to everyone.
I started reading Iain M. Banks' Consider Phlebas, the first Banks novel I've read. I'm about halfway through now (unfortunately, I read a lot slower than Listener). But it's cool, the book is blowing my mind. It's rollicking space opera, terrifying, funny, and completely compelling. Looking forward to reading more of Banks' stuff after I'm done with this one.
Finished Into the Wild during a late-night/early-morning reading binge. Krakauer's quality and compassion held up through the end of the book. My questions about how much cooperation he got from the family got answered, and it was a satisfying read overall.
Finished Into the Wild during a late-night/early-morning reading binge. Krakauer's quality and compassion held up through the end of the book. My questions about how much cooperation he got from the family got answered, and it was a satisfying read overall.
I really liked Into The Wild also. I'm half way through Krakauer's Into Thin Air and am really in to it as well. It's the story of his experience climbing Mount Everest, pretty intense stuff.
BTW, did anyone see Penn's movie version of Into The Wild? I thought he did a nice job with it.
Finished Into the Wild during a late-night/early-morning reading binge. Krakauer's quality and compassion held up through the end of the book. My questions about how much cooperation he got from the family got answered, and it was a satisfying read overall.
I really liked Into The Wild also. I'm half way through Krakauer's Into Thin Air and am really in to it as well. It's the story of his experience climbing Mount Everest, pretty intense stuff.
BTW, did anyone see Penn's movie version of Into The Wild? I thought he did a nice job with it.
I read Into Thin Air (http://www.amazon.com/Into-Thin-Air-Personal-Disaster/dp/0385494785/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219804537&sr=8-2) several years ago. I got interested in it during a brevet -- a 300-kilometer timed bicycling event -- when another participant quoted Krakauer's assertion that climbing was "an inherently irrational act." We agreed that brevets were cut from the same cloth, though not nearly as hazardous.
I saw the movie version of Into the Wild before I read the book, and after reading the book, I think it was a remarkably good adaptation. Though I'm not sure why they didn't go with Krakauer's theory on mold as the most likely source of the illness that did him in.
Finished Runaways volume 1 and Batman: The Long Halloween recently. Both excellent.
Now into the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga, about halfway through book 3. I'm hoping it diverges from the anime at the end; I'll let you know (if anybody's interested).
What happend with I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist? I'm curious how the author got to evidence for the inspiration of The Bible from creation. I can see where you can get from certain aspects of the natural world to the idea that there is a creator -- Aristotle's "first, unmoving mover" but I can't see any way to get more specific than that.
Did he make a credible effort?
Anywho, my fiction book right now is Fulgrim, part of the Warhammer 40k Horus Heresy series. I generally consider my WH40k books to be "trash" fiction, in that they are exciting but not too terribly thought provoking. However, I've found that the Horus Heresy really delves into religion.
This silly little thread is officially the number one thread on the EA Forums (http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?action=stats). It is the longest running consistent thread. It also has the most posts and views.
This silly little thread is officially the number one thread on the EA Forums (http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?action=stats). It is the longest running consistent thread. It also has the most posts and views.
I finished Yiddish Policemen's Union not long ago. I actually kind of had to force myself to sit down and read it.. I didn't immidiately find it super engaging.. but it really grew on me and was very rewarding in the end. So while it may have taken some effort to finish it was well worth it.
Just finished Vol 2 of Harry Turtledove's WorldWar series, with the other two on the pile waiting their turn. Even if you don't count the aliens, it's possibly the best history of WWII I've ever read.
Just Finished: Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
I finished Yiddish Policemen's Union not long ago. I actually kind of had to force myself to sit down and read it.. I didn't immidiately find it super engaging.. but it really grew on me and was very rewarding in the end. So while it may have taken some effort to finish it was well worth it.
I did not terribly LIKE YPU, nor did I feel the ending was very rewarding. I think too much was crammed into it and the ending didn't tie things together adequately for me. And a lot of the Jewish/Yiddish references felt forced.
The hole in the cheek and the source of the soap ingredient were much better, too.totally is! im psyched!
I heard Choke is being filmed.
Oh, and the first volume of Y: The Last Man (http://www.amazon.com/Unmanned-Y-Last-Man-Vol/dp/1563899809/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221486564&sr=8-1), which I'd heard people talk about. It's pretty decent so far, and I'm definitely going to keep reading. Especially having beed reading the take-downs of Left Behind on Slactivist (http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/left_behind/), it's nice to see an author actually think about what would happen if a big chunk of the population were just wiped off the face of the Earth.
The hole in the cheek and the source of the soap ingredient were much better, too.totally is! im psyched!
I heard Choke is being filmed.
Finished Fight Club yesterday. I found it interesting that one of my favorite scenes from the film, in which the bar owners find a fight club happening in their basement and try to put a stop to it, was not in the novel.
Also noted that the filmmakers tried to make the ending more upbeat.
It's surprising how short the book [Fight Club] is. You would expect a story like that to be around 400 pages.
Watchmen can only work best as a visual medium. And not some watered down two hour movie either. I can't see how they would tie in the Pirate comic with the rest of the story as well as he did if they had just words. Besides some of the costumes just have to be seen! And let's not forget the ink blot tests!
Didn't you hear? Snyder wants it to be four hours! The question is, will WB let him do it?No. The best he can hope for is what Jackson got with the Lord of the Rings movies - make a four-hour movie for the DVD, and cut it down to two-and-a-half hours for the cinema.
Watchmen can only work best as a visual medium. And not some watered down two hour movie either. I can't see how they would tie in the Pirate comic with the rest of the story as well as he did if they had just words. Besides some of the costumes just have to be seen! And let's not forget the ink blot tests!
Didn't you hear? Snyder wants it to be four hours! The question is, will WB let him do it?
Listener, you crazy :P
Watchmen can only work best as a visual medium. And not some watered down two hour movie either. I can't see how they would tie in the Pirate comic with the rest of the story as well as he did if they had just words. Besides some of the costumes just have to be seen! And let's not forget the ink blot tests!
Thinking of the Pirate comic and Star Trek books tweak the old memory of reading "Spock's World" by Diane Duane, and how it switched between "present day" and Vulcan history. It worked fairly well, if memory servers.
I did and it won't. I have to also say even 4 hours wouldn't be enough - I think a mini-series could do it justice, but I'm not sure who would pick that up.
I'd hope so, but Sci-Fi doesn't have the budget, and I don't think HBO or Showtime would consider a comic book series. Having said that though, I suspect that with Batman and the others movies doing so well it might take less convincing now.
I picked up a copy of The Black Hole for $.75, and just started it. Yes, the movie from around 1980. I haven't seen the movie since I was in grade school, and had actually mentioned it to my wife. So, when I saw it on clearance at my local used bookstore, I snagged it up.
I picked up a copy of The Black Hole for $.75, and just started it. Yes, the movie from around 1980. I haven't seen the movie since I was in grade school, and had actually mentioned it to my wife. So, when I saw it on clearance at my local used bookstore, I snagged it up.
That was one of many film novelizations by Alan Dean Foster, wasn't it?
[The Black Hole]
That was one of many film novelizations by Alan Dean Foster, wasn't it?
I don't have the book at home, it's in the truck. I will check this week. That sounds right, though
But I think the first one of [Alan Dean Foster's] books I read was either Star Wars or Alien (depending on whether or not he wrote Star Wars -- I remember the author credit on the cover as being "George Lucas".)
Under the pen name "George Lucas" (http://www.nndb.com/people/539/000022473/), Alan Dean Foster wrote Star Wars.
Under his own byline, he wrote Alien, Outland, Starman, and Dark Star, but in all these novels there's an additional line on the cover: "based on the screenplay by" someone else. As a writer, "novelizations" of movies provide a good paycheck for relatively easy work -- the story is already written, you just have to expand it to the length of a book, and Foster is good at it. He's also written dozens of books that weren't based on movies.
I'm 99% sure he wrote "Splinter in the Mind's Eye" which was the first sequel to Star Wars.I'm 100% sure of it; I have a copy (though I've yet to read more than a chapter, and that ten years ago.) It's Splinter of the Mind's Eye BTW.
It's pretty good. Most notable is how it doesn't follow or setup any of the mythos of the Star Wars universe as we now know it.Yeah, that was written back in the days before Empire, when there were also two or three "Han Solo" novels by Brian Daley (which I also never got around to reading.)
I'm now re-reading "Stranger in a Strange Land" for a discussion group. I read it in the early Eighties and absolutely hated it. This time out, I'm really looking at it to see why I had that reaction. I'm about 1/2 way through and have a fair idea about what I hated and I'm able to see the good parts also this time.
The copy I have was printed in 1968 and has that hideous cover with the two naked women in the hot tub. Number one reason to hate it.
just finished Dune last night. greaaaaaat friggin read.
i had seen the old david lynch movie interpretation before reading the book, about 3 or 4 times, and i still like it just the same. i find it interesting that he invented the weirding modules... completely out of the blue. they were not in the book at all. it serves the movie well, but its... kinda weird that they werent in the book. i kept expecting to have them show up. anyway, still enjoy both the movie and the book.
just finished Dune last night. greaaaaaat friggin read.
are the other books in the series worth reading?
Currently reading the 1602 graphic novel by Gaiman et al.
The Graveyard Book (http://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Book-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0060530928/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222968324&sr=8-2) came in the mail last night. Very cool looking (although, watch out stePH...it's got McKean illustrations). I can't wait to dig into it...
I picked up a copy of The Black Hole for $.75, and just started it. Yes, the movie from around 1980. I haven't seen the movie since I was in grade school, and had actually mentioned it to my wife. So, when I saw it on clearance at my local used bookstore, I snagged it up.
That was one of many film novelizations by Alan Dean Foster, wasn't it?
wow thanks for finding that, might pick em up if i get the chance (next time i'm in a bookstore that carries 'em)just finished Dune last night. greaaaaaat friggin read.
are the other books in the series worth reading?
One of the first threads in the forums (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6.0) was about that very question.
I haven't had time to read [The Black Hole] yet, but it sits there taunting me. It waits to suck me into it's gravitational pull.
Ugg, that was cheesy!
It's definitely closer to the stuff he did for Coraline, except it seems to be entwined or border the text for a few pages at the beginnng of each chapter, instead of just the first page. I didn't look too closely, because I wanted to wait 'til I read it to get the full impact, but what I did see looked cool.
I just finished "Stranger in a Strange Land" yesterday and didn't hate it quite as much as I did 25+ years ago. I do have a better idea now of why I hated it so much the first time. I don't think it stands up to the test of time very well.
Finished Heaven's Bones, which I really liked. Now, I'm moving onto The Graveyard Book (http://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Book-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0060530928/ref=pd_cp_b_1?pf_rd_p=413864201&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0061551899&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=090KCWY0E64V5SV8TDQ9) and Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts (http://www.amazon.com/20th-Century-Ghosts-Joe-Hill/dp/0061649457/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223329930&sr=1-4). I read the first two stories from 20th Century Ghosts -- holy crap, they're good!
Finished Heaven's Bones, which I really liked. Now, I'm moving onto The Graveyard Book (http://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Book-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0060530928/ref=pd_cp_b_1?pf_rd_p=413864201&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0061551899&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=090KCWY0E64V5SV8TDQ9) and Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts (http://www.amazon.com/20th-Century-Ghosts-Joe-Hill/dp/0061649457/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223329930&sr=1-4). I read the first two stories from 20th Century Ghosts -- holy crap, they're good!
Halfway through the Graveyard Book (http://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Book-CD-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0061551899/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223765731&sr=1-2) audiobook version. I always listen to Gaiman's books in audio rather than text, because it's actually his preferred format - and he always reads them himself unless he pictures someone else in particular being the voice of the character, then he gets them to do it.
I just finished Diana Wynee Jone's The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0142407224/escapepod-20) It's a skewering of the conventions of "high fantasy" in the format of a dictionary, which for some reason is called the "Tough Picks" section of the guide. Entries range from "Adept" to "Zombies." Some are hysterical, many are funny, and few are duds. Best read in short bursts, I think, rather than long sittings.
Right now I have two used paperbacks by William Gibson (Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive) on my bookshelf that I've been kind of willing myself to pick up and try. I've never warmed to Gibson's writing style - I tried and failed to finish Neuromancer years ago - but I really really want to give him a chance before I pass final judgment.
Not to pre-judge the thing, but I suspect that if you didn't like Neuromancer, the other two legs of the trilogy aren't going to work for you, either. I was totally blown away by Neuromancer, and Gibson is one of my reigning favorites, but the books have more similarities than differences.
I got a copy of "The Tough Guide to Fantasyland" a couple of months ago. I'm not sure if I've read it all or not. I'd read an entry and it would lead me to looking up other entries. Those entries would lead me to looking up yet other entries. I'm not sure if that method led to reading all the entries.
I got a copy of "The Tough Guide to Fantasyland" a couple of months ago. I'm not sure if I've read it all or not. I'd read an entry and it would lead me to looking up other entries. Those entries would lead me to looking up yet other entries. I'm not sure if that method led to reading all the entries.
I'm reasonably sure it doesn't, if only because not every entry contains a cross-reference, which would make for at least a few dead-ends. Though I realize that the real question is: "Is every entry in a cross-reference" but that's much harder to figure out.
It took me so long to read little bits at a time that I used a lot of the cross-references to refresh my memory. And there is the gag involving the "endless quest" entry.
Nostrum House Expedition (http://www.jorvikgames.co.uk/index.php?main_page=page&id=19&chapter=33) by our very own Alasdair5000.
It's a 31 part series, one a day, that started on October 1. The segments are short, but well written, and I'm really enjoying the plot. Creepy, and very SF. Wonder if Steve would run it?
Wow... how awesome would that be?Nostrum House Expedition (http://www.jorvikgames.co.uk/index.php?main_page=page&id=19&chapter=33) by our very own Alasdair5000.
It's a 31 part series, one a day, that started on October 1. The segments are short, but well written, and I'm really enjoying the plot. Creepy, and very SF. Wonder if Steve would run it?
ooooo. Good call. Special Halloween episode? Please?
I have listened to the first 7 or so chapters of A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. So far it is very entertaining and well written.That series was one of the first set of "grownup" books I ever read. I loved all of them (except #11 which even I knew then that Mr. Burroughs never wrote it). It was first published in 1912 as a serial, and 1917 as a book.
well I am not reading them, yet... but i went to a big book sale yesterday where everything was between $0.50 and $2.00
sooooo
i got
2001: A Space Oddyssey
2010
2061
3001
and the day before i bought Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk
well I am not reading them, yet... but i went to a big book sale yesterday where everything was between $0.50 and $2.00
sooooo
i got
2001: A Space Oddyssey
2010
2061
3001
It's been a while since I read these. I seem to recall enjoying them, especially some of the minor details in 3001.
Currently most of the way through Darkly Dreaming Dexter having got into the TV show on the second year. Really good, horrific in a detached, almost calm way.
Currently most of the way through Darkly Dreaming Dexter having got into the TV show on the second year. Really good, horrific in a detached, almost calm way.
Were you waiting for that number, or did you just luck into it?
Pure...blind...luck:)
Just Finied "A Fire Upon The Deep" by Vernor Vinge. It had it's strong points, but I was not impressed. I should have researched it a bit more before buying. Stories that largley revolve around child protagonists don't normally do much for me. I really didn't care for the depiction of the villian. He was absurdly one-dimensional, would have twisted his moustache if he'd had one. I liked the ending, but the most fascinating character in the novel was just under-developed. He apparently got his own treatment in "A Deepness In The Sky," a prequal. I liked him enough that I might pick it up, despite the weeknesses of the first novel.
Now working on "Anathem," buy Neal Stephenson, and listening to "Altered Carbon," by Richard K. Morgan via my subscription to www.audible.com (http://www.audible.com) . I also scored a free copy of "Reality Dysfunction" by Peter F. Hamilton. I'd be reading it now, but I'd already started on Anathem when I found out I had it, courtesy of Orbit Books --> www.orbitbooks.net (http://www.orbitbooks.net).
Anathem looks to be very interesting so far. Neat ideas, but I'm only about 100 pages in.
Altered Carbon is amazing. Very noir.
Just Finied "A Fire Upon The Deep" by Vernor Vinge. It had it's strong points, but I was not impressed. I should have researched it a bit more before buying. Stories that largley revolve around child protagonists don't normally do much for me. I really didn't care for the depiction of the villian. He was absurdly one-dimensional, would have twisted his moustache if he'd had one. I liked the ending, but the most fascinating character in the novel was just under-developed. He apparently got his own treatment in "A Deepness In The Sky," a prequal. I liked him enough that I might pick it up, despite the weeknesses of the first novel.
Now working on "Anathem," buy Neal Stephenson, and listening to "Altered Carbon," by Richard K. Morgan via my subscription to www.audible.com (http://www.audible.com) . I also scored a free copy of "Reality Dysfunction" by Peter F. Hamilton. I'd be reading it now, but I'd already started on Anathem when I found out I had it, courtesy of Orbit Books --> www.orbitbooks.net (http://www.orbitbooks.net).
Anathem looks to be very interesting so far. Neat ideas, but I'm only about 100 pages in.
Altered Carbon is amazing. Very noir.
Excellent choice in Altered carbon! The sequels are amazing also, as is his other recent sci fi novel 'Thirteen'.
After the break for Installing Linux, it's back to some serious stuff with A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345384563/escapepod-20) by Karen Armstrong
Oh yes. I'm totally hooked. I'll probably buy this in print as well.Just Finied "A Fire Upon The Deep" by Vernor Vinge. It had it's strong points, but I was not impressed. I should have researched it a bit more before buying. Stories that largley revolve around child protagonists don't normally do much for me. I really didn't care for the depiction of the villian. He was absurdly one-dimensional, would have twisted his moustache if he'd had one. I liked the ending, but the most fascinating character in the novel was just under-developed. He apparently got his own treatment in "A Deepness In The Sky," a prequal. I liked him enough that I might pick it up, despite the weeknesses of the first novel.
Now working on "Anathem," buy Neal Stephenson, and listening to "Altered Carbon," by Richard K. Morgan via my subscription to www.audible.com (http://www.audible.com) . I also scored a free copy of "Reality Dysfunction" by Peter F. Hamilton. I'd be reading it now, but I'd already started on Anathem when I found out I had it, courtesy of Orbit Books --> www.orbitbooks.net (http://www.orbitbooks.net).
Anathem looks to be very interesting so far. Neat ideas, but I'm only about 100 pages in.
Altered Carbon is amazing. Very noir.
Excellent choice in Altered carbon! The sequels are amazing also, as is his other recent sci fi novel 'Thirteen'.
Just Finied "A Fire Upon The Deep" by Vernor Vinge. It had it's strong points, but I was not impressed. I should have researched it a bit more before buying. Stories that largley revolve around child protagonists don't normally do much for me. I really didn't care for the depiction of the villian. He was absurdly one-dimensional, would have twisted his moustache if he'd had one. I liked the ending, but the most fascinating character in the novel was just under-developed. He apparently got his own treatment in "A Deepness In The Sky," a prequal. I liked him enough that I might pick it up, despite the weeknesses of the first novel.
After the break for Installing Linux, it's back to some serious stuff with A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345384563/escapepod-20) by Karen Armstrong
If you go up thread to my first or second post, you will find that book. I still haven't finished it. I run into the problem that I want to remember everything she writes. If I read to much, I forget too much.
I see you had no trouble figuring out which villain I was talking about :)Just Finied "A Fire Upon The Deep" by Vernor Vinge. It had it's strong points, but I was not impressed. I should have researched it a bit more before buying. Stories that largley revolve around child protagonists don't normally do much for me. I really didn't care for the depiction of the villian. He was absurdly one-dimensional, would have twisted his moustache if he'd had one. I liked the ending, but the most fascinating character in the novel was just under-developed. He apparently got his own treatment in "A Deepness In The Sky," a prequal. I liked him enough that I might pick it up, despite the weeknesses of the first novel.
I really enjoyed "A Deepness in the Sky". Pham Nuwen is quite the omni-competent ass-kicking interstellar hero. But be forewarned that the two chief villains are just as one-dimensionally evil as Lord Steel was in "A Fire upon the Deep".
I see you had no trouble figuring out which villain I was talking about :)Just Finied "A Fire Upon The Deep" by Vernor Vinge. It had it's strong points, but I was not impressed. I should have researched it a bit more before buying. Stories that largley revolve around child protagonists don't normally do much for me. I really didn't care for the depiction of the villian. He was absurdly one-dimensional, would have twisted his moustache if he'd had one. I liked the ending, but the most fascinating character in the novel was just under-developed. He apparently got his own treatment in "A Deepness In The Sky," a prequal. I liked him enough that I might pick it up, despite the weeknesses of the first novel.I really enjoyed "A Deepness in the Sky". Pham Nuwen is quite the omni-competent ass-kicking interstellar hero. But be forewarned that the two chief villains are just as one-dimensionally evil as Lord Steel was in "A Fire upon the Deep".
That's a shame about the villains, though. At times, Vinge's prose is just beutiful, and some of his characters have amazing depth and roundness. Others just seem to fall flat.
After the break for Installing Linux, it's back to some serious stuff with A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345384563/escapepod-20) by Karen Armstrong
If you go up thread to my first or second post, you will find that book. I still haven't finished it. I run into the problem that I want to remember everything she writes. If I read to much, I forget too much.
I'm reading Asimov's "The Naked Sun" and "The Gods Themselves", somehow at the same time...
... "Space", by James A Michener. ..., I found "Space" a little boring and lacking... Something.
I got that feeling that there was something missing from the book, but I'm not quite sure what it was.
I found "Space" a little boring and lacking... Something.
I got that feeling that there was something missing from the book, but I'm not quite sure what it was.
Generally I like Mitchner's books though they are usually long for no reason except that people demanded long form books from him. The Eagle and the Raven and Journey were two that books that were edits from larger works. Texas and Alaska respectively. Each of those books were nice alone, but 200 to 300 pages of added length would have made it more unwieldly.
It's been about ten years since I read it but if I remember the politics bogged down the narrative, and 200 pages of a heretic preacher didn't add to it. Maybe it wasn't what was lacking but what was not edited out.
So his works would actually be improved in Readers Digest Condensed Versions?
So his works would actually be improved in Readers Digest Condensed Versions?
Some of my best book reports in high school came from Readers Digest condensed books. ;D
I do think they could be easily sliced down from 800 to 350 page novels without any loss of content, but then it would not be a michner novel.
Also, just started Peter F. Hamilton's "Reality Dysfunction."
Also, just started Peter F. Hamilton's "Reality Dysfunction."
I love the Night's Dawn Trilogy. My only issue with it is that the last 90 pages or so of the final volume covers about as much territory as any of the 1000 page volumes. I suspect that his agent / publisher point-blank refused to let him stretch it out into a fourth volume, so an amout of plot about equal to The Lord of the Rings got squeezed into a couple of chapters.
Hamilton's Pandora Star doublet is also excellent. Better than Night's Dawn trilogy, in my opinion, in many respects. He also has a new trilogy set up in the same universe as Pandora's Star, but I haven't picked it up yet (the second book just came out, I forget it's name).Yeah, about that new trilogy: I read the "sample" chapter, and it just totaly left me flat. Apparently, it moves a century or three into the future of the PS/JU setting. I read the timeline he has posted on his site, and it helped me understand what I was reading, but I just couldn't get interested, and his fiction usually grabs me a lot faster.
Has anybody else read "Anathem"? Am I beating my head against a wall, or should I stick with it?
I'm *still* reading Anathem, by Neal Stephenson. I'd better get course credit for this damn thing.
I now know how to read orbital coordinates. DO NOT WANT. I was almost 300 pages in before Mr. Stephenson decided to let us in on the whole bloody point of the book.
Yes, actually. I guess this is what I get for not reading the reviews first. ;)I'm *still* reading Anathem, by Neal Stephenson. I'd better get course credit for this damn thing.
I now know how to read orbital coordinates. DO NOT WANT. I was almost 300 pages in before Mr. Stephenson decided to let us in on the whole bloody point of the book.
Your first time reading Stephenson, eh? :D
Yes, actually. I guess this is what I get for not reading the reviews first. ;)I'm *still* reading Anathem, by Neal Stephenson. I'd better get course credit for this damn thing.
I now know how to read orbital coordinates. DO NOT WANT. I was almost 300 pages in before Mr. Stephenson decided to let us in on the whole bloody point of the book.
Your first time reading Stephenson, eh? :D
I suppose it's not terrible. I'm just not sold on the pacing. Nice premise, interesting characters. They just...never...do...anything.
I really want to read "Anathem", but I'm going to wait for the paperback. I read "Snow Crash" 10+ years ago and again this year. It was really tough going the first time, but it really stuck with me. I was kind of lukewarm about "Zodiac". I need to read "Quicksilver" sometime before December starts for a book group discussion. I think "Quicksilver" will determine whether or not I continue reading Stephenson.
I really want to read "Anathem", but I'm going to wait for the paperback. I read "Snow Crash" 10+ years ago and again this year. It was really tough going the first time, but it really stuck with me. I was kind of lukewarm about "Zodiac". I need to read "Quicksilver" sometime before December starts for a book group discussion. I think "Quicksilver" will determine whether or not I continue reading Stephenson.
Quicksilver has a dead chunk of a little over a hundred pages a little over half-way through, so be forewarned on that.
I really want to read "Anathem", but I'm going to wait for the paperback. I read "Snow Crash" 10+ years ago and again this year. It was really tough going the first time, but it really stuck with me. I was kind of lukewarm about "Zodiac". I need to read "Quicksilver" sometime before December starts for a book group discussion. I think "Quicksilver" will determine whether or not I continue reading Stephenson.
Quicksilver has a dead chunk of a little over a hundred pages a little over half-way through, so be forewarned on that.
Is it a 100 page infodump or is there just nothing happening?
It's been a while, but I recall thinking that I'd never waited quite so long for a plot to coalesce as when I read Baroque Cycle. There's a huge chunk in the first third of "Quicksilver" which takes its sweet time telling us about Daniel Waterhouse's education and early career in 17th-century England.
And I'm going to admit I just lapped it up. I like Neal Stephenson's writing style. I can see someone really disliking him, though.
I recall years ago somebody in a newsgroup I read complained about Cryptonomicon. Specifically the part about the bicycle chain, though he also complained about the book in general.
I recall years ago somebody in a newsgroup I read complained about Cryptonomicon. Specifically the part about the bicycle chain, though he also complained about the book in general.
Er, what exactly was his problem? I feel like I'm reading half a post here.
Okay, so I'm giving this tome a go this week. So far I am very not hooked. Besides the rather abrupt and annoying flipping back and forth between time periods and characters (with similar names), I spent three full pages slogging through an explanation of a mathematical formula that went into tedious detail about bicycle chains and sprocket teeth.
Please tell me this gets better. I understand that Stephenson is trying to explain mathematical concepts to the reader. But if understanding various mathematical formulae are going to get integral to the plot, I'm throwing this thing in the garbage right now, because I've spent weeks trying to do that at work, and I'm frigging sick of thinking with that area of my brain when I sit down for an hour's reading of an evening.
I've also been listening to Dan Carlin's Hardcore History.
A bit of this is for class, a bit for me.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Unknown)
Beowulf (Unknown)
Guards! Guards! (Pratchett)
The Wordy Shipmates (Sarah Vowell) (in progress)
The Canterbury Tales (Chaucer; General Prologue, Miller, Reeve, Wife of Bath, Merchant, Franklin)
The Editorial Page (The Washington Post)
On Writing (Stephen King)
And also on the general subject of reading and writing, I'll list some of the more recent additions to my blogs folder: Romenesko (http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45), Common Sense Journalism (http://commonsensej.blogspot.com/), You Don't Say (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/mcintyre/blog/), and Language Log (http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/) which at times is far above my skill level in linguistics, but most of it is at least comprehensible.
Finally finished reading Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061147982/escapepod-20), which pretty much blew my mind. There are some incredibly unsettling stories in there with characters who do some really disturbing things. But it's filled with heart, too, and is really full of humanity. Definitely worth picking up if anyone's considering it. I really need to pick up Heart-Shaped Box (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/006114794X/escapepod-20) now.
it has come to my attention that this thread is reeeeeally long.
continue.
"Anathem" by Neal Stephenson
I just finished reading "Mistborn" by Brandon Sanderson.
<snip> ... the alchemy behind the EP-izing of links.
"Anathem" by Neal Stephenson
Oooh, I want to know what you think when you're done. I've considered picking this one up.
<snip> ... the alchemy behind the EP-izing of links.
By "EP-izing" do you mean listing a link that shows regular text instead of the URL?
<snip> ... the alchemy behind the EP-izing of links.
By "EP-izing" do you mean listing a link that shows regular text instead of the URL?
If so, I have an (I think) easier way to do it:
Copy the URL from the address bar of the page you wish to link to.
Type your text in the posting window, and highlight/select the text you wish to be clickable.
Click the "Insert Hyperlink" icon above ((http://members.cox.net/izzardfan/hyperlink.jpg))
Your text now has [ url] and [ /url] around it (though without the spaces next to the brackets; I put those in to make the code show)
Put your cursor before the ] in [ url] ([url<-here])
Type "=" (without the quotes) and paste the URL.
You're done!
Finally finished Neal Stephenson's "Anathem." This was my first Stephenson, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I was a little disappointed that about half the book consists of the characters standing around and having philosophical and scientific debates. There just wasn't a whole hell of a lot of story going on. I enjoyed the ending, ...Then maybe this wasn't typical of Stephenson's work. ;) (I haven't read it; have read his first five, from The Big U through Cryptonomicon)
Finally finished Neal Stephenson's "Anathem." This was my first Stephenson, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I was a little disappointed that about half the book consists of the characters standing around and having philosophical and scientific debates. There just wasn't a whole hell of a lot of story going on. I enjoyed the ending, ...Then maybe this wasn't typical of Stephenson's work. ;) (I haven't read it; have read his first five, from The Big U through Cryptonomicon)
Actually from what you say before "I enjoyed the ending" this does sound typical of Stephenson. It's just that his endings tend to disappoint -- the story gets finished, sure, but the sense of finality or closure is missing.
Well, I'd probably have to concede that the ending wouldn't satisfy most readers, but I have to admit that it was the sort of ending I enjoy.Finally finished Neal Stephenson's "Anathem." This was my first Stephenson, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I was a little disappointed that about half the book consists of the characters standing around and having philosophical and scientific debates. There just wasn't a whole hell of a lot of story going on. I enjoyed the ending, ...Then maybe this wasn't typical of Stephenson's work. ;) (I haven't read it; have read his first five, from The Big U through Cryptonomicon)
Actually from what you say before "I enjoyed the ending" this does sound typical of Stephenson. It's just that his endings tend to disappoint -- the story gets finished, sure, but the sense of finality or closure is missing.
"The Big U" is my favorite Stephenson novel, followed by Snow Crash, then Cryptonomicon, then Diamond Age.
I like the scientific discussions... the pink dragons who fart nerve gas were LOLworthy.
Just finishedI thought Ender's Game was amazing. I hope you enjoy it. I've heard things about the rest of the series, so I just stopped there.
The Picture Of Dorian Gray
now reading, on a scale from foremost in my mind to almost forgotten
1. Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
2. We, Zamyatin
3. Aldous Huxley, Island
4. Neil Gaiman - American Gods
5. Some magazine
Just finishedI thought Ender's Game was amazing. I hope you enjoy it. I've heard things about the rest of the series, so I just stopped there.
The Picture Of Dorian Gray
now reading, on a scale from foremost in my mind to almost forgotten
1. Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
2. We, Zamyatin
3. Aldous Huxley, Island
4. Neil Gaiman - American Gods
5. Some magazine
Just finishedI thought Ender's Game was amazing. I hope you enjoy it. I've heard things about the rest of the series, so I just stopped there.
The Picture Of Dorian Gray
now reading, on a scale from foremost in my mind to almost forgotten
1. Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
2. We, Zamyatin
3. Aldous Huxley, Island
4. Neil Gaiman - American Gods
5. Some magazine
Speaker for the Dead is excellent. Read the others at your peril.
now reading, on a scale from foremost in my mind to almost forgottenI thought Ender's Game was amazing. I hope you enjoy it. I've heard things about the rest of the series, so I just stopped there.
1. Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
...
Speaker for the Dead is excellent. Read the others at your peril.
American Gods is also excellent.
I have the audio version of Anansi boys and really really enjoyed it.
Now reading the entire Discworld (Terry Pratchett). Finished The Colour of Magic, now on The Light Fantastic.
Yes, that's the one. /It was one of the first I ever heard and it's spoiled me for other audio books. So very well done.I have the audio version of Anansi boys and really really enjoyed it.
Read by Lenny Henry? Possibly the single finest audiobook release I've ever heard ... though the full-cast recording of Pullman's His Dark Materials is a strong contender.
Though Tony Robinson's reading of Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett is outstanding - he is a fantastic voice actor. Trouble is I don't much like the story.
Now reading the entire Discworld (Terry Pratchett). Finished The Colour of Magic, now on The Light Fantastic.
I'd like to think that's inspired by me.
stePH, you have recommended books in the past, which Cherryh book should I start with?
Thanks, stePH. I'm going to print that up before I head to my used bookstore. It'll probably be next week or so before I can go. I might just have to go with what's on the shelves.
I try to have some sort of guidelines before I go book shopping. Otherwise I'll leave with 4 or 5 hundred dollars worth of books. Ok, that's a bit of an exageration, but I can easily drop 2 C Notes.
My roommate and other friend read "Illusions" by Richard Bach (wrote Johnathan Livingston Seagull)
o wow thats pricelessMy roommate and other friend read "Illusions" by Richard Bach (wrote Johnathan Livingston Seagull)
In elementary school, when most of my friends were Jewish, I knew a guy named Jonathan Levantson Siegel. ;D
o wow thats pricelessMy roommate and other friend read "Illusions" by Richard Bach (wrote Johnathan Livingston Seagull)
In elementary school, when most of my friends were Jewish, I knew a guy named Jonathan Levantson Siegel. ;D
Finished "Equal Rites" (Pratchett) -- never been really satisfied with the way that one ended, as if it wrapped up WAY too fast.
Now on "Mort".
(re Discworld - is it a punishable offence to admit to getting bored with them ??? )
Finished "Equal Rites" (Pratchett) -- never been really satisfied with the way that one ended, as if it wrapped up WAY too fast.
Now on "Mort".
I really enjoy Pratchett's version of Death. I love how he never quite gets it.
I love Terry Pratchett's Death as well. To me he sort of summarises what the Discworld Universe is about... take all of the mystical forces, all of the accepted societal norms and throw them out of the window.
(re Discworld - is it a punishable offence to admit to getting bored with them ??? )
I couldn't stand "The Color of Magic" and have no desire to read any other Discworld books.
What is really great about Pratchett was the number of great characters he has created. He has this huge pool of well-defined personalities at his disposal. He has a story based on Moist Lipwig and Vimes steps in for a few pages and brings Carrot, Detritus and Angua with him. All folks we know really well. He doesn't need to explain why any of them would do anything. We already know.
(re Discworld - is it a punishable offence to admit to getting bored with them ??? )
I couldn't stand "The Color of Magic" and have no desire to read any other Discworld books.
started Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/038533348X/escapepod-20)Oh, wow! That was my first Vonnegut years ago, and I absolutely loved it. Vonnegut is one of my favorites. Have you read Welcome to the Monkey House (http://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Monkey-House-Dell/dp/B000CBG0K6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233570148&sr=1-2/escapepod-20) yet?
oh my! my books have been EPized!
havent read welcome to the monkey house yet, so far from him its been...
Slaughterhouse Five
Sirens of Titan
Breakfast of Champions
aaand...
i think thats it... yea thats it
Cats Cradle now.
Has anyone else read "Venus on the Half Shell" (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0899683061/escapepod-20) by Killgore Trout? It started as a small excerpt in "God Bless you, Mr Rosewater" - then Phillip Jose Farmer wrote an entire book around it, in tribute to Vonnegut's style. It's actually very good. Sort of like Hitchhiker's Guide, but predates that by a fair bit...
Going to the used bookstore Saturday. We're taking the kids and making an outing of it. I'm going to be looking for any Cherryh books. Besides my usual browsing of popcorn Sci-fi, I wanted to get a few "serious" fiction books. Any suggestions for authors?
I should clarify "serious" a bit. I consider my Warhammer 40k books to be fluff, along with my Shadowrun books. Bradbury, Asimov, David Weber, Piers Anthony and Terry Goodkind all fall into my "serious" category.
I should clarify "serious" a bit. I consider my Warhammer 40k books to be fluff, along with my Shadowrun books. Bradbury, Asimov, David Weber, Piers Anthony and Terry Goodkind all fall into my "serious" category.
I should clarify "serious" a bit. I consider my Warhammer 40k books to be fluff, along with my Shadowrun books. Bradbury, Asimov, David Weber, Piers Anthony and Terry Goodkind all fall into my "serious" category.
you'd consider Anthony "Serious"? I don't dislike him- but for me he always fell into the "fluff" catagory
Raving! Great example. My hubs never believes me when I say that Pratchett is semi- serious reading (he's a heathen, and refuses to read any more of them because "they don't make sense, even when read in order") material.
Raving! Great example. My hubs never believes me when I say that Pratchett is semi- serious reading (he's a heathen, and refuses to read any more of them because "they don't make sense, even when read in order") material.
:( That's pretty sad. But reading some of the Sam Vimes books... there's a lot of emotional and powerful stuff in there, especially in Night Watch and Thud! about the anger within Vimes, and the temptation to give in to evil.
It's that sort of piercing insight into the human nature that makes me love a book, at that I try to put into my own writing. if it works, it stays with you a long time after the plot has faded.
Going to the used bookstore Saturday. We're taking the kids and making an outing of it. I'm going to be looking for any Cherryh books. Besides my usual browsing of popcorn Sci-fi, I wanted to get a few "serious" fiction books. Any suggestions for authors?
Going to the used bookstore Saturday. We're taking the kids and making an outing of it. I'm going to be looking for any Cherryh books. Besides my usual browsing of popcorn Sci-fi, I wanted to get a few "serious" fiction books. Any suggestions for authors?
C.J. Cherryh. ;D
You being silly or did you miss that?
Being silly. Well, that and I don't have any other "serious" suggestions. Except maybe Philip K. Dick ... or have you already been there and done that?
You being silly or did you miss that?
Being silly. Well, that and I don't have any other "serious" suggestions. Except maybe Philip K. Dick ... or have you already been there and done that?
You being silly or did you miss that?
Being silly. Well, that and I don't have any other "serious" suggestions. Except maybe Philip K. Dick ... or have you already been there and done that?
goldarn it I've lost my copy of The Truth...
Picked up 5 Cherryh books.
Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, Fires of Azeroth, The Pride of Chanur and Fortress in the Eye of time. I hope I didn't grab any too out of order. There isn't a list of Cherryh's other books in the front of any of these. They had book 3 of Cyteen, but not books 1 or 2, so I passed on it for now. The Pride series looks familiar, I don't know if I've read any, though.
I've been having issues with posting. Sometimes if I take too long to type, it won't let me post.I know what you mean. This fucking shitcock board has been really pissing me off of late.
I've been having issues with posting. Sometimes if I take too long to type, it won't let me post.I know what you mean. This fucking shitcock board has been really pissing me off of late.
I've been having issues with posting. Sometimes if I take too long to type, it won't let me post.I know what you mean. This fucking shitcock board has been really pissing me off of late.
I had the same problem a few times today. I gave up on one of my posts because of it.
Heads up to whomever is the Admin for the boards: you should upgrade to 1.1.8, as it fixes some bugs that may be the cause of the problems.
Sounds like you're off to a good start. I'd begin with Gate of Ivrel or The Pride of Chanur ... maybe the former since you already possess its following volumes.
I planned on the trilogy first. I did take the time to look for series.
Nope, she's on horseback. The cover of Gate of Ivrel has her in a bikini holding the Dragon Sword over her head. It would have been enough to make me pass it up, if not for your recommendation.
Also, was thrilled to find out Richard K Morgan has a new book out.. and its FANTASY, rather than the excellent sci fi he's known for. It's pretty good, though not as good as his sci fi. I am also slightly thrown that his characters, in this fantasy setting use the F & S cuss words a lot and all their various relatives. I donno, seems to me most fantasy writers come up with a whole different set of cuss words for any given world. Not a big deal I suppose just threw me for a bit as one or two of the characters are pretty profane.
About a third into The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, my first Heinlein.
Finished Gate of Ivrel. I normally would have finished the trilogy by now, but I haven't been sleeping well lately. I'd start to read and get drowsy.
This was a pretty good book, especially since it's a 190 page paperback. Cherryh has a rare gift as an author, the ability to be descriptive without being wordy. I would put this book in the category of fantasy. There is "magic" but it is ignorance of science. Isn't that what all magic is? Fantasy may not be the correct term, as this made me think of Dan Carlin's Hardcore History.
For Stranger in a Strange Land, I highly recommend listening to the unabridged audio version in order to Grok it fully. I don't remember who did the reading on the edition I heard, but could find out if anyone really wants to know.
I believe this is the version I heard. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0786144068?tag=3009872512-20Many thanks, I shall be ordering it very soon :D (apologies for sticky keyboard)
English please?I believe this is the version I heard. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0786144068?tag=3009872512-20Many thanks, I shall be dering i very son :D
English please?I believe this is the version I heard. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0786144068?tag=3009872512-20Many thanks, I shall be dering i very son :D
Finished Gate of Ivrel. I normally would have finished the trilogy by now, but I haven't been sleeping well lately. I'd start to read and get drowsy.
This was a pretty good book, especially since it's a 190 page paperback. Cherryh has a rare gift as an author, the ability to be descriptive without being wordy. I would put this book in the category of fantasy. There is "magic" but it is ignorance of science. Isn't that what all magic is? Fantasy may not be the correct term, as this made me think of Dan Carlin's Hardcore History.
Glad you enjoyed it. I think of it as sci-fi in fantasy disguise. Jack L. Chalker's "Soul Rider" series has this characteristic as well.
If you really get into Cherryh, you might drop in at the Shejidan (http://z11.invisionfree.com/Shejidan/index.php?) board and say hi. (It's where I first met hautdesert/Ann Leckie, who I was pleased to encounter here as well.)
I hate to term Gate as fantasy, maybe historical fiction? I don't think the first book was really about Morgaine. My opinion may change after reading the later books, but to me, the story was Vanye's.I think you're right, but I haven't read Gate in ages.
About a third into The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, my first Heinlein.I'll be curious to hear what you think of it when you're done; I think it may be Heinlein's best book. I was particularly fascinated by the alternate family arrangements.
About a third into The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, my first Heinlein.I'll be curious to hear what you think of it when you're done; I think it may be Heinlein's best book. I was particularly fascinated by the alternate family arrangements.
Heinlein does a lot of alternate family in his books. I won't spoil TMIAHM for Heraldel, but here's some others:
FRIDAY: dysfunctional group family; married couple plus another guy and another girl
TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE: I believe the family numbers nine post-pubescent members at one point
STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND: it's been a while, but I believe the father-figure starts with three women that are pretty much his wives
Heinlein does a lot of alternate family in his books. I won't spoil TMIAHM for Heraldel, but here's some others:
FRIDAY: dysfunctional group family; married couple plus another guy and another girl
TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE: I believe the family numbers nine post-pubescent members at one point
STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND: it's been a while, but I believe the father-figure starts with three women that are pretty much his wives
One thing to note, however, is the order in which the stories (IMHO) should be read, at least with his Future History and Lazarus Long stories. Don't start with Friday, as it builds on other books. A good reference guide is here: http://www.nitrosyncretic.com/rah/rahfaq.html#0303 (http://www.nitrosyncretic.com/rah/rahfaq.html#0303) The link takes you part way down the page, below the biographical information.
I didn't know Friday built on other books. I tend to treat the books as stand-alone except for if they explicitly mention characters in other Heinlein I've read -- ie: Time Enough/Moon/Cat Who Walks.
I didn't know Friday built on other books. I tend to treat the books as stand-alone except for if they explicitly mention characters in other Heinlein I've read -- ie: Time Enough/Moon/Cat Who Walks.
I was editing my earlier post while you posted this. It's been a long time since I've read Friday and To Sail Beyond the Sunset, and I may have confused the characters Friday and Maureen Johnson, as I thought I remembered Pixel the cat in Friday as well. I went back to my bookshelf and pulled out my copy of Friday, and I could be wrong. I just know that I started reading Heinlein before he published The Number of the Beast, and continued to read his books in the order they were published, and Friday came out between The Number of the Beast and The Cat Who Walks Through Walls.
I didn't know Friday built on other books. I tend to treat the books as stand-alone except for if they explicitly mention characters in other Heinlein I've read -- ie: Time Enough/Moon/Cat Who Walks.
I was editing my earlier post while you posted this. It's been a long time since I've read Friday and To Sail Beyond the Sunset, and I may have confused the characters Friday and Maureen Johnson, as I thought I remembered Pixel the cat in Friday as well. I went back to my bookshelf and pulled out my copy of Friday, and I could be wrong. I just know that I started reading Heinlein before he published The Number of the Beast, and continued to read his books in the order they were published, and Friday came out between The Number of the Beast and The Cat Who Walks Through Walls.
I don't recall Pixel in Friday, but I might have missed him. I just love that he meows with the word "blert".
... and then after THAT, re-started The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "Trilogy" of 5 books (http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Hitchhikers-Guide-Galaxy/dp/0345453743/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236206748&sr=1-1/escapepod-20).
so that's what I'm reading now... its my faaaavorite book(s)!
I'm trying to decide if I'm mad at myself for cheating and reading spoilers for 'Breaking Dawn.'
Whoa, hold off on the lynch mobs there! I finished twilight and new moon and thought they were at least OK, not the horrible pieces of trash some bookish types like to say they are. Hehe.
For some reason I went ahead and looked up how the series ended, and now I'm not sure if I am going to finish reading it or not. I wish I hadn't, that was kind of dumb. Oh well... hehe.
I'm trying to decide if I'm mad at myself for cheating and reading spoilers for 'Breaking Dawn.'
Whoa, hold off on the lynch mobs there! I finished twilight and new moon and thought they were at least OK, not the horrible pieces of trash some bookish types like to say they are. Hehe.
For some reason I went ahead and looked up how the series ended, and now I'm not sure if I am going to finish reading it or not. I wish I hadn't, that was kind of dumb. Oh well... hehe.
I had advance knowledge that Fancr xvyyrq Qhzoyrqber, Ibyqrzbeg xvyyrq Fancr, naq Arivyyr Ybatobggbz xvyyrq Ibyqrzbeg, but it didn't hamper my enjoyment of the Harry Potter series. (spoilage in ROT13 cipher)
I had advance knowledge that Fancr xvyyrq Qhzoyrqber, Ibyqrzbeg xvyyrq Fancr, naq Arivyyr Ybatobggbz xvyyrq Ibyqrzbeg, but it didn't hamper my enjoyment of the Harry Potter series. (spoilage in ROT13 cipher)
No need to cypher it, at this point i'm sure everyone knows that Hagrid kills Ron and Hermione ends up married to Draco.
Taking a Discworld Break to read "Last Watch" (Night Watch series) by Sergei Lukyanenko. It's as good as the rest of them, which is to say, interesting but not world-changing. Next up is the third Wicked book, "A Lion Among Men" by Gregory Maguire.
Taking a Discworld Break to read "Last Watch" (Night Watch series) by Sergei Lukyanenko. It's as good as the rest of them, which is to say, interesting but not world-changing. Next up is the third Wicked book, "A Lion Among Men" by Gregory Maguire.
Just skip to the end and read the last 60 pages or so of the Maguire. Thank goodness it was a short book.
Taking a Discworld Break to read "Last Watch" (Night Watch series) by Sergei Lukyanenko. It's as good as the rest of them, which is to say, interesting but not world-changing. Next up is the third Wicked book, "A Lion Among Men" by Gregory Maguire.
Just skip to the end and read the last 60 pages or so of the Maguire. Thank goodness it was a short book.
The House of Mirth: Edith Wharton.
The House of Mirth: Edith Wharton.
Let us know how that goes. I've been thinking about it for a while, waffling.
I read Snowcrash way back in college to. Was okay as I remember it, loved the opening scene with the pizza delivery, could have done without the additional 15000 pages of unreadable pointless crap that followed it.You must have the "uncut" version. My copy is only about 460 pages (mass market paperback edition).
Feuchtgebiete (English title: Wetlands) by Charlotte Roche.
Do not pick up this book if you are even slightly prudish. Even I found myself blushing reading it, and on the train I felt like I'd just been caught looking at porn by the old woman across from me. It's REALLY in-your-face bodily functions, WITHOUT being erotica.
Now about 1/3 through At All Costs, David Weber's eleventh "Honor Harrington" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_Harrington) novel.:oThat was May 12, 2008, and I haven't read anything on dead tree substrate since. Haven't even resumed At All Costs yet.
One of the things not mentioned here that I got was The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson. Has anybody read them? Two of the three say on the cover that they won the Hugo for best novel.I own all three, but they've been collecting dust shortly after I started the second one, I think. It just could not hold my interest.
Feuchtgebiete (English title: Wetlands) by Charlotte Roche.
Do not pick up this book if you are even slightly prudish. Even I found myself blushing reading it, and on the train I felt like I'd just been caught looking at porn by the old woman across from me. It's REALLY in-your-face bodily functions, WITHOUT being erotica.
here's an English review (http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/afterword/archive/2009/03/14/book-review-wetlands-by-charlotte-roche.aspx)
Despite, or actually probably because, it's completely full of taboo subjects I'm enjoying it. I really like that it's not written as erotica (I'm a fan of erotica, but it's cool to see someone cover the same subject matter without resorting to just trying to make you horny).
Sweet Like Maple Sugar by some dude named DeRego
Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea's Illuminatus! Trilogy. I'm maybe a quarter of the way through.
What a load of brazen horseshit in novel form.
Yes, I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Almost done with this one. I like Pride and Prejudice sans the walking dead (and ninjas), so the addition of Zombies is interesting, if not necessarily an improvement.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Almost done with this one. I like Pride and Prejudice sans the walking dead (and ninjas), so the addition of Zombies is interesting, if not necessarily an improvement.
So, it's fun?
How close does it follow Pride and Prejudice? (Which I also enjoy.)
Why Evolution is True by Jerry Coyne.
I already know it's true, of course, but the way the author shreds the case for "intelligent design" is a thing of beauty. ;D And he does it without coming off as an arrogant jackass, like Richard Dawkins is said to (I haven't read any Dawkins).
In Dawkins' defense, when he's good he's really good. I haven't read his latest religion-bashing tome, but The Selfish Gene is extraordinary. And I have a special place in my heart for The Ancestor's Tale, which is approximately 700 pages of letting Dawkins run wild. I had a blast reading it, although admittedly I find the evolutionary history of the animal kingdom to be geekily fascinating.
In the summer 1976, twelve-year-old Mark Barrowcliffe had a chance to be normal. He blew it. While other teenagers were being coolly rebellious, Mark—and 20 million other boys in the 1970s and 80s—chose to spend his entire adolescence pretending to be a wizard or a warrior, an evil priest or a dwarf.
I'm listening to Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys (http://www.amazon.com/Anansi-Boys-Neil-Gaiman/dp/B000S6MFEK/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239810330&sr=8-10). Holy crap, is that book funny. I remember enjoying it when I first read it, but between this and Graveyard Book (http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/products/ProductDetail.jsp?productID=BK_HARP_001709&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes), there's part of me that wonders if I should stop reading Gaiman's books and just listen to them instead.
I'm listening to Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys (http://www.amazon.com/Anansi-Boys-Neil-Gaiman/dp/B000S6MFEK/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239810330&sr=8-10). Holy crap, is that book funny. I remember enjoying it when I first read it, but between this and Graveyard Book (http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/products/ProductDetail.jsp?productID=BK_HARP_001709&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes), there's part of me that wonders if I should stop reading Gaiman's books and just listen to them instead.
I think Lenny Henry's reading of Anansi Boys has ruined me for the print version. Ditto Lynne Truss' Going Loco as read by Linda Lang.
Finished 2001. Probably going to reread 2010/61/3001 in a few monthsthose are the next few on my list of stuff to read. after HHGtG, gonna read Watchmen really quick then hop into 2001
nothing :'( When I can find books in English, they cost about the same as a kidney. Keep in mind that working as a ESL teacher here in China i only make about 10,000 US per year. While i can live comfortably here in China I can't find many books, and I refuse to pay 3 times what it would cost me in America for a book that quite often I have already read. Thank god for podcast fiction is all I can say or I would be losing my mind.
nothing :'( When I can find books in English, they cost about the same as a kidney. Keep in mind that working as a ESL teacher here in China i only make about 10,000 US per year. While i can live comfortably here in China I can't find many books, and I refuse to pay 3 times what it would cost me in America for a book that quite often I have already read. Thank god for podcast fiction is all I can say or I would be losing my mind.
nothing :'( When I can find books in English, they cost about the same as a kidney. Keep in mind that working as a ESL teacher here in China i only make about 10,000 US per year. While i can live comfortably here in China I can't find many books, and I refuse to pay 3 times what it would cost me in America for a book that quite often I have already read. Thank god for podcast fiction is all I can say or I would be losing my mind.
nothing :'( When I can find books in English, they cost about the same as a kidney. Keep in mind that working as a ESL teacher here in China i only make about 10,000 US per year. While i can live comfortably here in China I can't find many books, and I refuse to pay 3 times what it would cost me in America for a book that quite often I have already read. Thank god for podcast fiction is all I can say or I would be losing my mind.
PM me your snail mail address and a wish list of books. I'll hit up the used bookstore and ship you some.
Ouch. Out of curiosity, where are you in China? My girlfriend used to live in Zunyi (not the most cosmopolitan city on the planet, I hear) and knows your pain.
I've lived in Seoul and Taipei, and both have fairly good used bookstores aimed at the English-speaking crowd. Seems like it's a lot harder to find affordable English books in the PRC, at least outside of a few big cities.
nothing :'( When I can find books in English, they cost about the same as a kidney. Keep in mind that working as a ESL teacher here in China i only make about 10,000 US per year. While i can live comfortably here in China I can't find many books, and I refuse to pay 3 times what it would cost me in America for a book that quite often I have already read. Thank god for podcast fiction is all I can say or I would be losing my mind.
PM me your snail mail address and a wish list of books. I'll hit up the used bookstore and ship you some.
Zathras, the shipping expense will eat up any savings you might get. This is one of the reasons that trips to the states are shopping sprees for me. We're going to a paperback exchange today.
Lowky needs to find someone just outside of the "great wall" who can find him some second hand stuff. Anyone here from the region who'd like to help?
Turn coat: Jim Butcher. Man it's fast paced, if I'm not careful I'll be done before I want to be.I've really enjoyed all of the Dresden File books. Haven't got to Turn Coat yet, but I hear good things. This is one of those backwards events where I saw the show (short lived on Sci-Fi) and liked it enough to check out the books - books way way better, even more than usual. Though I think it would be more fun if they had taken the TV show version of Bob and put him in the books.
Turn coat: Jim Butcher. Man it's fast paced, if I'm not careful I'll be done before I want to be.I've really enjoyed all of the Dresden File books. Haven't got to Turn Coat yet, but I hear good things. This is one of those backwards events where I saw the show (short lived on Sci-Fi) and liked it enough to check out the books - books way way better, even more than usual. Though I think it would be more fun if they had taken the TV show version of Bob and put him in the books.
I read a couple of the books out of order and they still read, but I find the progression adds a lovely layer of being interested in the characters. It really has left it's roots as a detective novel though.
Have you read Mean Streets (http://www.amazon.ca/Mean-Streets-Jim-Butcher/dp/0451462491/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240007733&sr=1-1)? The contribution by Jim Butcher is has a novella that takes place btwn A Small Favour and Turn Coat. The other stories are decent too. There are a couple of other anthologies he has been a part of. Don't recall their names off hand.
"Man Plus" by frederick Pohl
I'm just starting "Grave Peril", the third book in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. I so did not want to get caught up in an endless series, but at least the books are short.
I'm also re-reading "To Say Nothing of the Dog" by Connie Willis for one of my GoodReads book groups. It's been at least 10 years since I read it, but I love Connie Willis. I got to meet her last weekend at the LA Times Festival of Books and bought a copy of this and "Doomsday Book" and had them signed by her.
I'm just starting "Grave Peril", the third book in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. I so did not want to get caught up in an endless series, but at least the books are short.
I'm also re-reading "To Say Nothing of the Dog" by Connie Willis for one of my GoodReads book groups. It's been at least 10 years since I read it, but I love Connie Willis. I got to meet her last weekend at the LA Times Festival of Books and bought a copy of this and "Doomsday Book" and had them signed by her.
As an aside, its my understanding the series will end with book 20.. so its not endless ;)
I've actually managed to work my way up to "Summer Knight". Thing is, it's not REALY a series. Sure, some plot elements carry from one novel to the next, but most of the action is tied up inside each book. At least, so far.
Just started the newest Laurell K. Hamilton Anita Blake novel. To her credit, this one starts off with way more badassery and less "Anita sleeps with everything that moves" than her past bunch have been (though there's still plenty of innuendo and such).
I'm reading the label on a 40oz Budweiserzing!
Acquired the audio version of Storm Front (Dresden #1) and bought it at B&N too, by accident. Returned it today and picked up Fool Moon (#2) and Grave Peril (#3), as well as donating Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett to a teen foster child through B&N.
I'm reading the label on a 40oz Budweiser
And my current book is The World According to Garp by John Irving, which I'm finding is almost -- but not quite -- entirely unlike the Robin Williams movie of the same name. It's also much much better, and if I'd had any inkling that this was so, I'd have read it a long time ago.
I just finished China Mieville's 'The City and the City,' the first of his I've read. Wow, excellent! I loved it.
"The Gathering Flame" by Debra Doyle and James Macdonald. If ever there was a series ripe for SyFy-ing, this is it.
I just finished China Mieville's 'The City and the City,' the first of his I've read. Wow, excellent! I loved it.
This is on my "next time I have a few dollars" list. Did you read the story of how he wrote it? IIRC, he had a book due with his publisher, and he delivered on time, and the VERY NEXT DAY he hands them this -- apparently wrote the two books at the same time. I love his stuff, though Iron Council wasn't one of my favorites.
"The Gathering Flame" by Debra Doyle and James Macdonald. If ever there was a series ripe for SyFy-ing, this is it.
Strange that Alasdair got post #666...
To me, [The World According to Garp is] the non-sci-fi equivalent of Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, if that makes sense.
"endangered species" by Gene Wolfe (as in 'Gene-Wolfe-wot-has-a-lot-to-do-with-us-being-called-peltasts-or-hipparchs-or-autarchs-or-palmers-via-Steve')
It's a collection of short stories (not surprisingly, they are sci-fi.)
In ways I can't quite put my finger on, they are unlike anything else I've read.
Very recommended.
I just finished reading China Mieville's The City and The City (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345497511/escapepod-20). It was interesting, definitely very different from anything else he's done. Part of me thinks I wasn't able to read it fast enough because of life and vacations and everything and that took away from the book. I think it's a good book, there's some fascinating stuff in it (BREACH), and I'm eager to reread it. But I've read a lot of people talking about how it's his best book yet and at this point, I'd have to disagree.
I just finished reading China Mieville's The City and The City (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345497511/escapepod-20). It was interesting, definitely very different from anything else he's done. Part of me thinks I wasn't able to read it fast enough because of life and vacations and everything and that took away from the book. I think it's a good book, there's some fascinating stuff in it (BREACH), and I'm eager to reread it. But I've read a lot of people talking about how it's his best book yet and at this point, I'd have to disagree.
I'm up to part two of The City and the City. It's very different from the other Mieville books I've read. I'm enjoying it quite a bit. It's reminding me of City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer, but I think it's better than that one because it's not self-involved. It's the urban weirdness factor and the idea that there are things about cities that we are unaware of that made that connection for me.
I just finished reading China Mieville's The City and The City (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345497511/escapepod-20). It was interesting, definitely very different from anything else he's done. Part of me thinks I wasn't able to read it fast enough because of life and vacations and everything and that took away from the book. I think it's a good book, there's some fascinating stuff in it (BREACH), and I'm eager to reread it. But I've read a lot of people talking about how it's his best book yet and at this point, I'd have to disagree.
I'm up to part two of The City and the City. It's very different from the other Mieville books I've read. I'm enjoying it quite a bit. It's reminding me of City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer, but I think it's better than that one because it's not self-involved. It's the urban weirdness factor and the idea that there are things about cities that we are unaware of that made that connection for me.
Wait till you get to the last section. It's all action, and its nailbiting. :)
I just finished reading China Mieville's The City and The City (http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345497511/escapepod-20). It was interesting, definitely very different from anything else he's done. Part of me thinks I wasn't able to read it fast enough because of life and vacations and everything and that took away from the book. I think it's a good book, there's some fascinating stuff in it (BREACH), and I'm eager to reread it. But I've read a lot of people talking about how it's his best book yet and at this point, I'd have to disagree.
I'm up to part two of The City and the City. It's very different from the other Mieville books I've read. I'm enjoying it quite a bit. It's reminding me of City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer, but I think it's better than that one because it's not self-involved. It's the urban weirdness factor and the idea that there are things about cities that we are unaware of that made that connection for me.
Wait till you get to the last section. It's all action, and its nailbiting. :)
The last section was amazing. The murder mystery was handled very well and it was very satisfying on that level. On the other hand, I am very, very frustrated the Mieville never explored how the two cities got to be the way they were. The murder mystery that the story centers on in is solved very tidily, but the REAL mystery remains unexplained.
Finished If God Were Real (received as a LibraryThing Early Reviewers book) and letting review jell in my head right now.
Currently reading: Caleb Carr's Killing Time. It's the sort of sci-fi thriller (somebody has killed the President! but who?) that can draw you in very easily. But I'm a couple of pages in and I'm not too impressed so far. I really enjoyed The Alienist, and I was hoping for better.
I'll probably read it relatively quickly and be done with it soon. Maybe it gets better. I hope so.
I recently finished 'Elantris' and as a result moved Brandon Sanderson onto my relatively short list of authors I'll pick up anything by without even reading the book jacket. Excellent!Care to characterize Sanderson's writing? I've been tempted to give him a try, but I've heard a lot of very far-flung reviews on his stuff, but I don't whose word to take, as I think a lot of people's opinions are very strongly influenced, in one direction or another, by his involvement with the Jordan estate.
Also, 'Green' by Jay Lake. Very good. Must check out more of his stuff.
Trying to get through Ken McLeod's learningthe world. It's a little slow reading for somre reason, but is full of interesting ideas, so I will soldier on and assume i'll get more into it.
And what's with the one female character being this totally beautiful be-catsuited chick who falls deeply and madly in love with the viewpoint character at first sight for no particular reason, despite the fact that she already works and lives with a bunch of intelligent, non-creepy unattached men with no apparent sexual tension? I don't appreciate being told that there's a sexy woman in the story that I, the reader, am supposed to be attracted to. And I'm a heterosexual man.
(hi, i'm back on the net after a month's absence. it's good to be home.)
Most recent book was frankenstein, for school unfortunately. Been very busy lately :O
I recently finished 'Elantris' and as a result moved Brandon Sanderson onto my relatively short list of authors I'll pick up anything by without even reading the book jacket. Excellent!Care to characterize Sanderson's writing? I've been tempted to give him a try, but I've heard a lot of very far-flung reviews on his stuff, but I don't whose word to take, as I think a lot of people's opinions are very strongly influenced, in one direction or another, by his involvement with the Jordan estate.
Also, 'Green' by Jay Lake. Very good. Must check out more of his stuff.
Trying to get through Ken McLeod's learningthe world. It's a little slow reading for somre reason, but is full of interesting ideas, so I will soldier on and assume i'll get more into it.
(hi, i'm back on the net after a month's absence. it's good to be home.)
Most recent book was frankenstein, for school unfortunately. Been very busy lately :O
What'd you think of it? I read it back in HS, but have been listening BJ Harrison narrating it over at the Classic Tales Podcast. I'm liking it much more this time around.
i enjoyed frankenstien, but i wasn't really sure how to view it... as a major undertaking or an easier read, so i was in that limbo for a while. it's also very flowery and elaborate in prose, massively overdoing it when it comes to describing the good doctor's emotions, but other than that not bad. the sort of book i'd prefer in audio form, because it would move a little slower
i enjoyed frankenstien, but i wasn't really sure how to view it... as a major undertaking or an easier read, so i was in that limbo for a while. it's also very flowery and elaborate in prose, massively overdoing it when it comes to describing the good doctor's emotions, but other than that not bad. the sort of book i'd prefer in audio form, because it would move a little slower
If I remember right, first time I read it I was about 8 or 9 and the Librarian thought I was too young, didn't want to let me check it out. After my mom said she had no objection Librarian only agreed to it, if I would write a book report on it. I think I mentioned the themes of with out morals/ethics science leads to monsterous things. I will say Librarian never stopped me from reading anything i wanted after that. Nothing like having free reign of the library when in 4th grade. I read Dracula shortly after Frankenstein. I really should read Frankenstein again, From things I know now, the story idea basically came from a weekend of drugs, alcohol, and ghost stories, somewhat fueled out of the boredom of a rainy weekend where Mary Wollenstonecraft, Percy Shelly, and Lord Byron couldn't go outside to do originally planned activities. Curious how that would affect my interpretation of it now.
i enjoyed frankenstien, but i wasn't really sure how to view it... as a major undertaking or an easier read, so i was in that limbo for a while. it's also very flowery and elaborate in prose, massively overdoing it when it comes to describing the good doctor's emotions, but other than that not bad. the sort of book i'd prefer in audio form, because it would move a little slower
If I remember right, first time I read it I was about 8 or 9 and the Librarian thought I was too young, didn't want to let me check it out. After my mom said she had no objection Librarian only agreed to it, if I would write a book report on it. I think I mentioned the themes of with out morals/ethics science leads to monsterous things. I will say Librarian never stopped me from reading anything i wanted after that. Nothing like having free reign of the library when in 4th grade. I read Dracula shortly after Frankenstein. I really should read Frankenstein again, From things I know now, the story idea basically came from a weekend of drugs, alcohol, and ghost stories, somewhat fueled out of the boredom of a rainy weekend where Mary Wollenstonecraft, Percy Shelly, and Lord Byron couldn't go outside to do originally planned activities. Curious how that would affect my interpretation of it now.
I recently read that there was a 4th person in that group who wrote a vampire story that pre-dated Dracula. I returned the book I read about it in to the library, so I can't tell you what the story was. The book was "Different Engines : How Science Drives Fiction and Fiction Drives Science" by Mark Brake and Neil Hook. It covered a lot of territory in a few pages and the title kind of tells you what it was about.
Byron managed to write just a fragment based on the vampire legends he heard while travelling the Balkans, and from this John Polidori created The Vampyre (1819), the progenitor of the romantic vampire literary genre. Thus, two legendary horror tales originated from this one circumstance.[citation needed]
And "Stress of Her Regard" by Tim Powers takes the poem fragment by Byron and, I think, some of the historical details of that week with the Shelleys and turns it into a whole speculative-history novel. That's Powers' usual MO, though; take a random weird historical event and spin a story out of it.
I've never outright loved any of his books, but they're usually fun, especially if you're a history buff and can catch the in-jokes.
I've heard that Tim Power's excellent On Stranger Tides will be the basis for the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
It's a really good book, and the first Pirates movie obviously owed a lot to it in terms of general feeling.
Just finished Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse which is an anthology of 22 stories of post-apocalyptic fiction.
Some really good stories in there, one of my favs was When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth by Cory Doctorow. A nice depressing read if you like end of the world stuff.
I've heard that Tim Power's excellent On Stranger Tides will be the basis for the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
It's a really good book, and the first Pirates movie obviously owed a lot to it in terms of general feeling.
Have you heard that it will be the basis for the movie, or are they just nabbing the title? (I've read they're using the title, but hadn't heard it would be the basis, which would make me very happy.)
Just finished Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse which is an anthology of 22 stories of post-apocalyptic fiction.
Some really good stories in there, one of my favs was When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth by Cory Doctorow. A nice depressing read if you like end of the world stuff.
I love post-apocalyptic fiction. I'll have to look for this one.
I've heard that Tim Power's excellent On Stranger Tides will be the basis for the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
It's a really good book, and the first Pirates movie obviously owed a lot to it in terms of general feeling.
Have you heard that it will be the basis for the movie, or are they just nabbing the title? (I've read they're using the title, but hadn't heard it would be the basis, which would make me very happy.)
I've heard they are using it as a basis... but the source isn't so trusted, and may just think so because of the title. Or they may know something. I guess I'll be able to ask Tim in a few weeks, since he'll be guest of honor at Steamcon here in Seattle.
Also listening to I Am Legend at work, which is ripping me apart.
Also listening to I Am Legend at work, which is ripping me apart.
That's my current commute listening, although it may take a while (since my commute averages 15 minutes to and from). Pretty good stuff so far.
I'm actually reading non-fiction at the moment.
The book is called "A history of God: The 4000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam".
It's a historic and political account of the evolution of the western concept of "God". It almost entirely avoids the sticking points of dogma and ethics, and sticks to a rational and fact-based account of how we got from the eternal "Sky God" to "The Man in the Clouds" that we have to day. And, quite helpfully, it isn't nearly as dry as it sounds.
So far I'm aghast that there is any dispute between religions, as they all believe, in essence, in the same things.
I'm actually reading non-fiction at the moment.
The book is called "A history of God: The 4000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam".
It's a historic and political account of the evolution of the western concept of "God". It almost entirely avoids the sticking points of dogma and ethics, and sticks to a rational and fact-based account of how we got from the eternal "Sky God" to "The Man in the Clouds" that we have to day. And, quite helpfully, it isn't nearly as dry as it sounds.
So far I'm aghast that there is any dispute between religions, as they all believe, in essence, in the same things.
I say this everytime someone mentions this book. I set it aside and started reading something else, because there was so much info I wanted to remember. If I'd gone through the book all at one time I would have forgotten almost all of it. My plan was to read a bit and then read 20 pages of fiction and then go back. I got side tracked. I just finished The Golden Compass, so I think I'll go back to that original plan with The Subtle Knife.
I am grudgingly reading the accursed Twilight saga. Not due to want- but due to increasing pressure from my peers. Stoopid peers. :P
I am grudgingly reading the accursed Twilight saga. Not due to want- but due to increasing pressure from my peers. Stoopid peers. :P
I actually rather liked the books. I thought the Jacob Black character added a great deal to the series.
Things get a bit ridiculous halfway through book four, but otherwise pretty fun.
It's not really that I didn't think the books would be readable. They're decent. I just don't understand the mass hysteria over them. My friend, my sister, my sister in law even my mother have been bashing at me physically with these books to make me read them. Saying they're soooo good. :P Don't get it. Did the writer sell her soul for a great run?
It's not really that I didn't think the books would be readable. They're decent. I just don't understand the mass hysteria over them. My friend, my sister, my sister in law even my mother have been bashing at me physically with these books to make me read them. Saying they're soooo good. :P Don't get it. Did the writer sell her soul for a great run?
"Readable" is generous, in my opinion - Drinking Game: Take a shot every time you see "gorgeous," "perfect," "eyes," or "marble" - but from what I've gathered reading others' opinions, the books apparently perfectly capture a particular facet of adolescence, and particularly (from what I have read) adolescent girls. Specifically, the timeframe in which one swoons for one's distant True Love, perfected in imagination, who will surely one day sweep down from whatever the hell stupid teenage television show you're watching and carry you away to ultimate happiness forever and ever.
A good man is hard to find
But the descriptions in this thread of TWILIGHT give me an uncomfortable feeling that someone, consciously or unconsciously, is training the next generation of teenage girls, unknowingly, for a future as submissive bottoms (with the token nod to empowered feistiness, for market reasons and just to add a little spice to the mix) before they even have any concept of the complications of sexuality. That's probably too broad, and I'll never know because I could care less, but still, there's a creepiness there. DeSade would be proud.
Started Ender's Game the other day :)
I'm reading "The Blade Itself" by Joe Abercrombie, "Children of the Company" by Kage Baker and "Hero of Ages" by Brandon Sanderson.I found "The Blade Itself" to be an outstanding read, along with the the next two in the trilogy.
So you finished FlashForward, right? Annnnnnnnnnnd?
So you finished FlashForward, right? Annnnnnnnnnnd?
Annnnnnnnnnnd, it's almost -- but not quite -- entirely unlike the television show. I enjoyed it and am interested in looking for more by Sawyer.
question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?
question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?
question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?
question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?
Let's go with Nay. Speaker for the Dead has many good points, but it's a very, very different story than Ender's Game. Totally different genre, really.
The next two books spin off it more than Ender's Game. And they are both very, very bad.
Then there's Ender's Shadow, telling Bean's story from the same timeframe as Ender's Game. I thought it was quite good. It then has sequels. These spin off the rails to very very bad right away.
Best to just consider it self contained, really.
question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?
question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?
question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?
Goddamnit! It's a 3/3 split yay to nay! I guess I'll use my roommate who wants me to read it as the deciding factor heh. Maybe not the next book I read but it'll probably happen
Finished reading Mike Carey's The Devil You Know (http://www.amazon.com/Devil-You-Know-Mike-Carey/dp/0446618705/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256053989&sr=1-1), which was very well written, did a good job with atmosphere, and a spooky kind of exorcist tale. Unsurprisingly, it's the things that people do that are more terrifying than anything supernatural. It's slower and longer than most of the other books I think of in the same genre, but I found it to be very satisfying.
Started reading Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box (http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Shaped-Box-Joe-Hill/dp/006114794X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256053961&sr=8-1) last night. GAH!!!! Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy!
Finished reading Mike Carey's The Devil You Know (http://www.amazon.com/Devil-You-Know-Mike-Carey/dp/0446618705/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256053989&sr=1-1), which was very well written, did a good job with atmosphere, and a spooky kind of exorcist tale. Unsurprisingly, it's the things that people do that are more terrifying than anything supernatural. It's slower and longer than most of the other books I think of in the same genre, but I found it to be very satisfying.
Started reading Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box (http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Shaped-Box-Joe-Hill/dp/006114794X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256053961&sr=8-1) last night. GAH!!!! Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy!
Hey, you're in luck. Horns (http://larryfire.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/joe-hills-horns-due-on-february-9th-2010/), coming out early next year :) Also, if you like comics, you should check out his excellent Locke and Key series. (I can only vouch for the first book/collection - posted about it here (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=2474.0)...will post later after I finish reading the second).
But yeah, I still think his collection of shorts is one of the best I've ever read.
Finished reading Mike Carey's The Devil You Know (http://www.amazon.com/Devil-You-Know-Mike-Carey/dp/0446618705/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256053989&sr=1-1), which was very well written, did a good job with atmosphere, and a spooky kind of exorcist tale. Unsurprisingly, it's the things that people do that are more terrifying than anything supernatural. It's slower and longer than most of the other books I think of in the same genre, but I found it to be very satisfying.
Started reading Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box (http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Shaped-Box-Joe-Hill/dp/006114794X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256053961&sr=8-1) last night. GAH!!!! Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy!
I literally just started reading that Mike Carey book. Interesting but hasn't hooked me yet. I'll keep at it though.
Started reading Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box (http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Shaped-Box-Joe-Hill/dp/006114794X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256053961&sr=8-1) last night. GAH!!!! Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy!
:D
Funny thing...at one point I was extremely nervous to call that story God-Shaped Box because Hill's Heart-Shaped Box had just come out and everyone was raving about it. (Now, I understand why.)
Just started Dan Simmons' Hyperion. After pushing through a slow start, it's really begun to hook me.
It's funny that, despite having grown up on a diet of Star Trek, Star Wars, and Babylon 5, I really tend to shy away from "space opera"-type written SF. But if I hear of a book's awesomeness often enough, I'll eventually be persuaded to check it out.
Just started Dan Simmons' Hyperion. After pushing through a slow start, it's really begun to hook me.
It's funny that, despite having grown up on a diet of Star Trek, Star Wars, and Babylon 5, I really tend to shy away from "space opera"-type written SF. But if I hear of a book's awesomeness often enough, I'll eventually be persuaded to check it out.
You might just want to have The Fall of Hyperion on hand. I have to warn you that the first book ends in a cliffhanger and you'll want to jump right into the next book.
Re reading my De Lint collection. I'm on Moonlight and vines. I find reading these in any kind of order difficulet a there dosn't seem to be much of an order for them. Wonderful beautiful books. I always forget how pretty his worlds are until I visit them again.
I just finished "Julian Comstock" by Robert Charles Wilson. He just keeps getting better and better. I really didn't think he could do better than "Axis", then he comes up with this truly unique post-apocalyptic novel. I highly recommend it to every reader.
Reading Marked by P.C. and Kristin Cast, a mother daughter team who wrote yet another book about teenage vampires. The selection of novels here in China sucks, it's either the classics (dickens, shakespeare, the bronte sisters) or a small selection of Novels. I probably won't enjoy it much, but I needed something for my plane ride. I leave for America tomorrow. I wish it was like the ticket reads leave at 4:50 PM arrive at 6:35 PM, but alas all times are local, so it's actually as if I am leaving at 3:50 am and arriving at 6:35 PM.
listening rather than reading per se , but have been reading Greg Crites. The first book I read was Devlin Abnormal Investigations: The Hell Hermit, then I read Dunkin the Vampire Slayer: Something Porcine This Way Comes, and am currently reading Dunkin the Vampire Slayer II:Death Rides a Pale Pink Porcine Horse. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. This is seriously laugh out loud funny. The one liners and insults almost mean you dare not listen while eating/drinking unless you want it coming out your nose.I had no such problem. I got about 1/2 way through listening to Dunkin the Vampire Slayer: Something Porcine This Way Comes and gave up on it, but I don't have the heart to erase it from my iTunes Library. I might pick it up again later, out of politeness.
I recently got a Sony E-Reader, which I love (this is not a holy war about tech).It doesn't surprise me. Some podcast stories are best left to dead tree substrate, and some vice-versa. I like reading Stephen King, but except for The Shining I find the movie adaptations mostly "meh".
[snip]
And now I'm stuck. And haven't picked up the thing in two months (went back to regular books), because I'm in the middle of this book that's totally bewildering. It's "Battlestar Galactica" by Jeffrey Carver. And so, it seems like a novelized version of the tv show. Like, scene by scene. Now since I don't watch much tv, I can't say that I've read many novelizations of this type. Hence my question: is this standard? Is this how it's supposed to work? Where the book is a page by page duplication of the show?
Because OMG BORING. I had no idea.
Question two, presuming the answer to question one is DUH, that's how it's supposed to work...People read this stuff? Instead of rewatching the show? Why?
I'm not trying to be a jackass here. I'm totally bemused, and I need it explained to me. What is the point of this exercise?
Something new for me, a graphic novel. My son has The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman.
I was most impressed by (the audio version of) his How To Talk To Girls At Parties so I'll give it a try.
Christopher Moore's Fluke. I'm liking the Tom Robbins-esque humor. It's either fantasy or science fiction, I don't know yet, and frankly it may not matter all that much in the end. I'm learning a lot about whales, all of which is probably utterly at odds with reality.
... I'm in the middle of this book that's totally bewildering. It's "Battlestar Galactica" by Jeffrey Carver. And so, it seems like a novelized version of the tv show. Like, scene by scene. Now since I don't watch much tv, I can't say that I've read many novelizations of this type. Hence my question: is this standard? Is this how it's supposed to work? Where the book is a page by page duplication of the show?
That's what "novelization" means. The same story in novel form. As for why... sometimes it's better as a book... like Alan Dean Foster's novelization of Dark Star which manages to be funny where the film only tries, doesn't have the long draggy bits from the film, and as an added bonus, the reader doesn't have to hear the song "Benson, Arizona". ;D
But I hear ya; I'd rather read original stories set in the same universe as the show, like the Babylon 5 or Star Trek novels (some of the former actually fill in gaps that the show didn't have time for, and are essential reading for fans).
So what did all this leave me with? In the end, Air the novel isn’t ‘Air’ the TV episodes, and I’m happy that it isn’t. After all, what would be the point of reading a book that slavishly follows every tiny element of the TV stories? What the novelization brings is what made me read novelizations as a kid – an internal viewpoint for the characters that explores them in a way that TV just can’t do, a seamless story experience that broadens out the scope of the narrative, and a chance to see the bits of plot that were cut for time.
I read a good Babylon 5 novelization...to dream in the city of sorrows? And yeah, I'd have to say I'd rather have a new story with beloved characters than the same story just in a different format. Weird that people do that though.
I read a good Babylon 5 novelization...to dream in the city of sorrows? And yeah, I'd have to say I'd rather have a new story with beloved characters than the same story just in a different format. Weird that people do that though.
Why is that weirder than people making a movie version of a book?
I find people making movie versions of books pretty damn weird, too, eytanz, so you're probably asking the wrong person. But, at the very least, the movie adds a sense, right...auditory? And if image processing is neurologically different than word processing it adds two. So that could be worth it for some. Going the other way seems to strip away some of the sensory input (which could be good, I guess? If the sensory input is undersirable, like the song Steph was mentioning).
- The very rare case where someone takes a mediocre movie/TV series and rewrites it as a better tale. One example is the novelization of "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman - he took a mediocre TV series and made it into a far more entertaining book.
- The cases where the novelization is so godawfully bad that it crosses into the "so bad it's good" territory. These are far more common, but are not worth seeking; rather, they make entertaining finds when I bump into them.
B5: To Dream in the City of Sorrows (which is not a novelization, Anarkey*) is an excellent example of what I was talking about... it completes the story of Jeffrey Sinclair and what happened to him between his departure at the end of season 1 and his return in season 3. There's also the "Legions of Fire" trilogy which covers the fate of the Centauri Republic between the end of the show's main narrative and its 20-years-into-the-future conclusion, and it was written from an outline that JMS provided to author Peter David so it can be considered canon.
*There are novelizations of some of the B5 stories; I think they're all novelizations of the TV movies like Thirdspace and In the Beginning. But To Dream... and the like are original stories that were not told on the TV screen.
When I was a kid, I used to love reading novelizations of films. Especially rated-R films my parents wouldn't let me go see, but would let me buy the books of. But I imagine I'm a pretty small demagraphic in that area :)
It's been a long time since I've read a novelization, or even, a story set in a pre-established universe. Star Wars novels took a dive for me like 10 years ago because the continuity became so insane (and then kind of, so arbitrary, too, what with the prequels and the novelizations not lining up at all). Although I am really curious about Death Troopers.
Thanks to the link on Podcastle.org, I got a free audiobook from Audible.com. I chose "Warbreaker" by Brandon Sanderson. I've listened to about 2 hours so far. The sucker is over 24 hours. It's going to take me forever to listen to it. Looks like I'll be spending a lot of time at the gym.
Thanks to the link on Podcastle.org, I got a free audiobook from Audible.com. I chose "Warbreaker" by Brandon Sanderson. I've listened to about 2 hours so far. The sucker is over 24 hours. It's going to take me forever to listen to it. Looks like I'll be spending a lot of time at the gym.
Oh, do you like it, then? I've been curious about trying out some Sanderson. (Like I need more stuff to read GrumbleGrumble.)
I really thought the Neverwhere book came first. Go fig.
Finished Ringworld over the holidays. I must say, I was not impressed. I had forgotten how much of a chauvinist Larry Niven was. But that aside, the characters and the story were unspectacular. Left me feeling unmoved.
Finished Ringworld over the holidays. I must say, I was not impressed. I had forgotten how much of a chauvinist Larry Niven was. But that aside, the characters and the story were unspectacular. Left me feeling unmoved.
Well, it is a lot like Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama: protagonists explore alien artifact, learn nothing, and go home. But I liked Ringworld much better (hateddid not like Rama at all).
"The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson. So far I'm about 100 pages in (out of a bit more than 300, I believe) and the MC still hasn't met the girl or really started trying to solve the mystery. However, it's enlightening to read stories written by authors of nationalities that I don't normally read (Larsson is Swedish) because the telling of the tale is very different.
It's not SF or Fantasy.
Ah. School daze.
I have just given up on slogging through the audio book of Sanderson's Mistborn. About twelve hours into a twenty-four hour listen. Really, it's just not written very well. Shallow characters, thinly built settng, and clunky wooden dialogue. Disapointing, given the wonderful premise.
Sigh. I was just in the mood for a more traditional sort of fantasy. So much for December's Audible download.
Ah. School daze.
I have just given up on slogging through the audio book of Sanderson's Mistborn. About twelve hours into a twenty-four hour listen. Really, it's just not written very well. Shallow characters, thinly built settng, and clunky wooden dialogue. Disapointing, given the wonderful premise.
Sigh. I was just in the mood for a more traditional sort of fantasy. So much for December's Audible download.
Yeah, I suppose it could be the format. Still, a lot of the characters seem to be straight out of central casting. The magic system is one of the most intriguing I've seen, but the Final Empire has to be the most poorly managed organization I've seen since Starwars. Sanderson also makes use of terms that kind of jolt me, like "suburbs" or "suits".Ah. School daze.
I have just given up on slogging through the audio book of Sanderson's Mistborn. About twelve hours into a twenty-four hour listen. Really, it's just not written very well. Shallow characters, thinly built settng, and clunky wooden dialogue. Disapointing, given the wonderful premise.
Sigh. I was just in the mood for a more traditional sort of fantasy. So much for December's Audible download.
Er, yeah. I couldn't disagree more. Now, I haven't tried LISTENING to it, but I read the entire trilogy in a single weekend, and found them both excellently penned and absolutely enthralling.
I'm gonna agree with Sandikal that maybe the audio was the problem; try again with the text version.
Sanderson also makes use of terms that kind of jolt me, like "suburbs" or "suits".
Maybe I'll give it another shot in print, but the audio book is definately not doing it for me.
Yeah, I suppose it could be the format. Still, a lot of the characters seem to be straight out of central casting. The magic system is one of the most intriguing I've seen, but the Final Empire has to be the most poorly managed organization I've seen since Starwars. Sanderson also makes use of terms that kind of jolt me, like "suburbs" or "suits".Ah. School daze.
I have just given up on slogging through the audio book of Sanderson's Mistborn. About twelve hours into a twenty-four hour listen. Really, it's just not written very well. Shallow characters, thinly built settng, and clunky wooden dialogue. Disapointing, given the wonderful premise.
Sigh. I was just in the mood for a more traditional sort of fantasy. So much for December's Audible download.
Er, yeah. I couldn't disagree more. Now, I haven't tried LISTENING to it, but I read the entire trilogy in a single weekend, and found them both excellently penned and absolutely enthralling.
I'm gonna agree with Sandikal that maybe the audio was the problem; try again with the text version.
Maybe I'll give it another shot in print, but the audio book is definately not doing it for me.
Sanderson also makes use of terms that kind of jolt me, like "suburbs" or "suits".
Maybe I'll give it another shot in print, but the audio book is definately not doing it for me.
I haven't read this (although Sandikal has encouraged me to do so in this thread) but I can totally see that pulling you out of the story. It would be pretty jarring for me, too, maybe like Keannu Reeves saying Most Excellent in a period piece or Shakespearean play.
Still curious to check it out myself (in print)!
Its worth another shot. There's a lot to love. Sanderson does some fun stuff with moral ambiguity, has some genuinely creepy as HELL bad guys, a totally fascinating and really original magic system and an interesting and seemingly ill-fated world. But yes, the characters may be a little bit stock... I think I fell in love with his world building more than anything.The Inquisitors are very creepy. The Empire itself is sort of a head scratcher. The Skah sure have a lot of freedom to just be wandering around in the streets. The nobles are evil with a small "e". Petty and cruel, but lazy and stupid. The Lord Emperor seems pretty hands off, and, so far, hasn't done anything particularly evil, or even very oppresive. How did this bunch manage to keep an entire caste under their heel for a thousand years?
Sanderson also makes use of terms that kind of jolt me, like "suburbs" or "suits".
Maybe I'll give it another shot in print, but the audio book is definately not doing it for me.
I haven't read this (although Sandikal has encouraged me to do so in this thread) but I can totally see that pulling you out of the story. It would be pretty jarring for me, too, maybe like Keannu Reeves saying Most Excellent in a period piece or Shakespearean play.
Still curious to check it out myself (in print)!
I have to say that the most annoying thing about the audiobook of "Warbreaker" was that the narrator voiced the character Lightsong EXACTLY LIKE Keanu Reeves in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure". It took a lot of work to get around that.
My second audio book, "The Bone Doll's Twin" was so well done, I immediately downloaded the next book in the trilogy. Great story and I can't wait to hear what happens next.
Bigger chain stores carry them.. Borders etc. Smaller stores possibly not as she's not one of the better known names.
Bigger chain stores carry them.. Borders etc. Smaller stores possibly not as [Lynn Flewelling's] not one of the better known names.I had to order Eugie Foster's book online; Barnes & Noble didn't have it on the shelf. They also specified "no returns" if I bought it.
I am just finished reading the 4th book in the House of Night (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunted_%28Cast_novel%29) series by P.C. and Kristen Cast. ...it's kind of a cross between Harry Potter and Twilight.
Just finished Time Traveler's Wife. It was interesting at first, with all the interleaving of her past and his future. But towards the end, it just got too unpleasant to read. I didn't like what was happening to the characters and what they were doing in response.
True, but not if you think they are acting out of character... That was my problem, I didn't think the characters were behaving and reacting in a manner that was consistent with what we had been told about them up to this point.Just finished Time Traveler's Wife. It was interesting at first, with all the interleaving of her past and his future. But towards the end, it just got too unpleasant to read. I didn't like what was happening to the characters and what they were doing in response.
But isn't that the mark of a well-told tale? That you get so invested in the characters that when they make bad decisions due to unfortunate events you get upset with them and feel bad on their behalf?
No spoilers please; I haven't read the book.
Just finished Time Traveler's Wife. It was interesting at first, with all the interleaving of her past and his future. But towards the end, it just got too unpleasant to read. I didn't like what was happening to the characters and what they were doing in response.
Reading Neal Stephenson's "Anathem" for the second time. The beginning bit, where Raz, Orolo, and Quin are talking, is off-putting, but once you get past that it gets really good really quickly.
I've heard that about the movie from others too. I don't know why, but I am not drawn to seeing the movie, now that I have read the book. Maybe when it comes out on broadcast TV, I'll see it...Just finished Time Traveler's Wife. It was interesting at first, with all the interleaving of her past and his future. But towards the end, it just got too unpleasant to read. I didn't like what was happening to the characters and what they were doing in response.
I felt that way, too, but I guess it didn't bother me as much. Plus, I thought the ending was well done.
Have you seen the movie? I rather liked it. It was not harsh as the book, a bit more watered down.
Reading Neal Stephenson's "Anathem" for the second time. The beginning bit, where Raz, Orolo, and Quin are talking, is off-putting, but once you get past that it gets really good really quickly.
I actually liked those opening dialogues with Flec and Quin a lot. They amused me and contained some interesting world-building. But then, I would have been perfectly happy if most of the action-adventure bits in the middle of the book had been shortened or jettisoned in favor of more philosophical talk, so I'm probably a little weird.
A lot of people love it. I wish I had read the same book they did :-[I know how you feel. I had the same problem with Mistborn.
I just finished listening to "The Warded Man" by Peter V. Brett. It was amazingly good. I'm just very disappointed that it turns out to be the first part in a series. Part 2 isn't due out until April.
I'm also reading "The Magicians" by Lev Grossman. I'm about halfway through and not really finding the charm in it. It seems to be trying really hard to be a "grown-up" version of Harry Potter/Chronicles of Narnia, but the characters seem even younger than Harry and his friends. I can't even believe they're in college.
I finished "The Magicians" and wasn't very impressed. It was too consciously derived from Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia without the originality or charm of either. There were about 50-75 pages that grabbed me near the end, but the rest was just annoying.
Oh, I loved that book!I thought some of it was really strong. A lot of the complaints I've seen are about the frequent asides, but those have turned out to be my favorite part. It's not the subtlety, really, it's the whole episode between him meeting Agia and the duel at the Sanguinary Fields that bothers me. It's probably 2/3 of the book, and nothing is really happening.
I didn't mind the change-of-pace in the middle, but I do remember the ending being a very peculiar and unexpected WTF? The other volumes continue getting weirder and have some huge mindscrews...wow, I really need to go back and reread them, because I know there's a lot I missed and a ton I forgot. But if you didn't like the first one, I don't know that I'd suggest finishing it up. I imagine the pacing will continue to bother you.
(Ironically, I read a short story by Wolfe last night set in Urth...weird, weird, weird, but I love - and am quite jealous of - his use of subtlety.)
I'm currently in the middle of Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan, which is weird YA steampunk. I'm loving it and now I'm wondering if my appreciation of steampunk depends to some degree on the weird quotient.
Oh, I loved that book!I thought some of it was really strong. A lot of the complaints I've seen are about the frequent asides, but those have turned out to be my favorite part. It's not the subtlety, really, it's the whole episode between him meeting Agia and the duel at the Sanguinary Fields that bothers me. It's probably 2/3 of the book, and nothing is really happening.
I didn't mind the change-of-pace in the middle, but I do remember the ending being a very peculiar and unexpected WTF? The other volumes continue getting weirder and have some huge mindscrews...wow, I really need to go back and reread them, because I know there's a lot I missed and a ton I forgot. But if you didn't like the first one, I don't know that I'd suggest finishing it up. I imagine the pacing will continue to bother you.
(Ironically, I read a short story by Wolfe last night set in Urth...weird, weird, weird, but I love - and am quite jealous of - his use of subtlety.)
I'm currently in the middle of Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan, which is weird YA steampunk. I'm loving it and now I'm wondering if my appreciation of steampunk depends to some degree on the weird quotient.
Greg Bear, "Darwin's Radio". I'm about 15 chapters in and it's really, really disturbing.
Greg Bear, "Darwin's Radio". I'm about 15 chapters in and it's really, really disturbing.
I read this a few years back and thought it magnificent and disturbing in equal measure, a brilliant read.
Finished And Another Thing. I really enjoyed it! Highly recommend it for guide fans! :)
At times, it hit the nail on the head. It was awesome, hilarious, and witty."Story-driven" is a good description of Life, the Universe, and Everything (save the universe from the Krikkit robots) and is primarily why I didn't like it as much as the first two, though I still consider it the last one that was actually good.
At other times, it felt like it was diving into YA fiction... But only slightly.
And at other times, it felt too story driven for the series... Seems like a funny thing to say about a book, but there were times when it seemed pretty straightforward.
Also working on getting through my personal backlog of history books, just finished reading If A Pirate I Must Be by Richard Sanders, comprehensive biography of the pirate king Bartholomew Roberts. Interesting stuff. A frank and honest depiction of 18th-century sailing life, and just why so many men actually WANTED to become pirates.Much better working conditions and terms of employment than with His Majesty's Navy.
Read "Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea", read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy (it was utter crap, a complete waste of 3 hours), read two dozen or so shorts from various friends and writing pals, read CDugger's fantastically good Zombie story over at www.talesofworldwarz.com, and the three or for lesser stories that preceded it. Turning my attention back to H.G. Wells' "Outline of History".
Read "Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea", read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy (it was utter crap, a complete waste of 3 hours), read two dozen or so shorts from various friends and writing pals, read CDugger's fantastically good Zombie story over at www.talesofworldwarz.com, and the three or for lesser stories that preceded it. Turning my attention back to H.G. Wells' "Outline of History".
It's nice to hear from those who hate "The Road".
Did you find yourself screaming, "Get off the road! The road is the worst place to be after an apocalypse! There are always good survivors in the wood!"?
I had a bit of difficulty with an apocalypse that let people survive, but no plants or animals. Punctuation would have been good too--and names. They writing style seemed to be such an affectation. Strangely enough, I really loved Blindness by Jose Saramago which is written in a similar style. None of the characters have name and there aren't any chapters. The punctuation is funky too. I read it shortly before I read The Road and I thought it was brilliant.
Oh man, I loved 'The Road,' including the weird style, though it took some adjusting to. To each their own, I suppose.
Oh man, I loved 'The Road,' including the weird style, though it took some adjusting to. To each their own, I suppose.
I'm with you, Talia. I also liked the movie. And YES I have read GENRE fiction before.
William Gibson, "All Tomorrow's Parties" -- picked it up for 50c at a used book sale. Really hope it starts coming together with all these disparate plot threads.
William Gibson, "All Tomorrow's Parties" -- picked it up for 50c at a used book sale. Really hope it starts coming together with all these disparate plot threads.
That's a really tough one to start with if you haven't read Virtual Light and Idoru.
William Gibson, "All Tomorrow's Parties" -- picked it up for 50c at a used book sale. Really hope it starts coming together with all these disparate plot threads.
That's a really tough one to start with if you haven't read Virtual Light and Idoru.
I haven't. But I'll see it through to the end. There are only about five books I put down and never bothered to finish... and that's in something like 25 years of reading books that weren't "kids books".
I dunno what the "kid's books" crack was about, but whatever. I don't want someone to dislike Gibson, a writer I've loved since the first time I read Neuromancer in 1988 or so, because they miss all the nuance by reading the last book in a trilogy first. But hey, what do I know, I'll temper my recommendations from now on.
It wasn't a crack. It was to indicate that once I begin reading a book I am committed, except for extremely rare cases. The "kids book" thing was because when we're kids we all pick up books, read a bit, and put them down. That's all.
I dunno what the "kid's books" crack was about, but whatever. I don't want someone to dislike Gibson, a writer I've loved since the first time I read Neuromancer in 1988 or so, because they miss all the nuance by reading the last book in a trilogy first. But hey, what do I know, I'll temper my recommendations from now on.
It wasn't a crack. It was to indicate that once I begin reading a book I am committed, except for extremely rare cases. The "kids book" thing was because when we're kids we all pick up books, read a bit, and put them down. That's all.
I also didn't know the book was the third part of a trilogy. It makes more sense now that you've said that.
I dunno what the "kid's books" crack was about, but whatever. I don't want someone to dislike Gibson, a writer I've loved since the first time I read Neuromancer in 1988 or so, because they miss all the nuance by reading the last book in a trilogy first. But hey, what do I know, I'll temper my recommendations from now on.
It wasn't a crack. It was to indicate that once I begin reading a book I am committed, except for extremely rare cases. The "kids book" thing was because when we're kids we all pick up books, read a bit, and put them down. That's all.
I also didn't know the book was the third part of a trilogy. It makes more sense now that you've said that.
Got it, sorry for misreading and overracting. I'm less than 90 minutes from a job interview and all keyed up. FWIW I throw books across the room all the time and never pick them up again. I didn't do that when I was a kid though. Maybe I've devolving...
Fungi from Yuggoth (http://www.scribd.com/doc/19000636/Lovecraft-Fungi-from-Yuggoth-and-others)
looking for suggestions of other free reads (library, net, etc)
Fungi from Yuggoth (http://www.scribd.com/doc/19000636/Lovecraft-Fungi-from-Yuggoth-and-others)
looking for suggestions of other free reads (library, net, etc)
Many public libraries now offer e-books and audiobooks, free for download (on a limited loan out period). You should check yours out....
Many public libraries now offer e-books and audiobooks, free for download (on a limited loan out period). You should check yours out....
I tried it, not sure if it was the library's system, or the crappy microsoft backed drm they use or what but it was like 4 hours to download an audio book, and almost two just to transfer it to my mp3 player. Not worth it to me to try that one again. I would rather just check out a physical book from them. Thanks for the suggestion though
yeah the Overdrive media console is the same one our library uses as well. I was less than impressed.Many public libraries now offer e-books and audiobooks, free for download (on a limited loan out period). You should check yours out....
I tried it, not sure if it was the library's system, or the crappy microsoft backed drm they use or what but it was like 4 hours to download an audio book, and almost two just to transfer it to my mp3 player. Not worth it to me to try that one again. I would rather just check out a physical book from them. Thanks for the suggestion though
Well that does suck!! Our library uses something called OverDrive Media Console. Not great, but only takes 5-10 minutes at most for each process, depending on the size of the book. I confess, I have become quite addicted.....
Many public libraries now offer e-books and audiobooks, free for download (on a limited loan out period). You should check yours out....
I tried it, not sure if it was the library's system, or the crappy microsoft backed drm they use or what but it was like 4 hours to download an audio book, and almost two just to transfer it to my mp3 player. Not worth it to me to try that one again. I would rather just check out a physical book from them. Thanks for the suggestion though
Finished "All Tomorrow's Parties". Once I got into it it was really interesting, though I do think I need to read the first two now. The concept of interstitial communities (such as the Bridge) is a very interesting one to sci-fi folks in general (and me in specific). It's basically space stations but on earth (or other planets).
Now reading "Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis. I'm 150 pages in and so far I'm hooked, except for some hammering on certain points (British NHS and quarantine policies vs American "freedom"; Kivrin is sick, we get it; Gilchrist is an idiot, we get it).
FWIW, "Passage" is my favorite Willis book out of all the ones I've read -- the twist 2/3 of the way through gets me every time.
Finished "All Tomorrow's Parties". Once I got into it it was really interesting, though I do think I need to read the first two now. The concept of interstitial communities (such as the Bridge) is a very interesting one to sci-fi folks in general (and me in specific). It's basically space stations but on earth (or other planets).
Now reading "Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis. I'm 150 pages in and so far I'm hooked, except for some hammering on certain points (British NHS and quarantine policies vs American "freedom"; Kivrin is sick, we get it; Gilchrist is an idiot, we get it).
FWIW, "Passage" is my favorite Willis book out of all the ones I've read -- the twist 2/3 of the way through gets me every time.
The Bridge features prominently in Virtual Light... If you haven't read the earlier Gibson trilogy, Neuromancer, Count Zero, and Mona Lisa Overdrive, he pioneered the weird inter-societies in those book too (the Chiba Dome, and Zion, The Sprawl, among others). Glad you dug All Tomorrow's Parties. I am curious how you viewed the appearance of Rei Toei in the Lucky Dragon at the denouement? Her story is a big part of Idoru (she is the Idoru, actually), and when she walked out of the 3D fax it was like the last movement of Beethoven's Choral Symphony for me.
The Batman story "Hush" written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Jim Lee.
The Batman story "Hush" written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Jim Lee.
How is that? I read the first half, but stopped because it was feeling waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too obvious. But since then, I've heard it's actually not that obvious after all.
I just finished 'Tokyo Vice' by Jake Adelstein. Totally fascinating. Its about his experiences living in Japan and working at a newspaper, covering the crime beat. He winds up getting in trouble with the yakuza. The book examines the yakuza's significant influence in Japan and provides fascinating insights into Japanese society. Couldn't recommend it higher.
So, Charlie Stross ran a couple of his "Laundry" stories on the Tor.com podcast, and I was fascinated. I've picked up "Atrocity Archives," which is apparently two stories. I'm not too far in, but so far, they are very nearly as good as I hoped they would be. Realy great stuff. If you like Lovecraftian fiction and/or cold war spy thrillers, this is really a wonderful pairing of the two. There are some problems: Lots of technobabble, which may just be plain old technical jargon that's way over my head, but I can't really tell what's reall and what's made up. The MC is sort of system administrator/exorcist, and I sometimes can't tell when he's talking about real network issues and when he's talking about the sorcery that runs so well on computers in this setting.
Oh, and I'm nearly finished with Mistborn. I'm really not liking it. Sanderson has a bad habit of showing you a thing, in the "show, don't tell" sense, and then he tells it, as though he thought his reader would be too dense to pick it up.
OMFG LOL maybe I am perceptive and insightful :D
I made the fatal mistake of reading a good book before bed last night. I went up at 10:15 and finished the book (I had about 40% of it left) and finally went to bed at 12:40.
It was "Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis, as I mentioned earlier. And it was great. I saw the precursor to the major twist in "Passage" (warning: spoilers at link) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passage_%28novel%29) here, and even though I kind of knew it was coming (the foreshadowing was pretty heavy) the reveal was so well-done that I was still in "wow" mode. There were also echoes of Richard from "Passage" in Mr Dunworthy's quest near the end of the novel. She also reused the name Maisry (in DB) as Maisie (in P). And, interestingly, P is only two pages longer than D (if you go by First Hardcover Edition). An excellent book, and one that I will definitely read again at some point. I only had one question when the book was over: WHAT HAPPENED TO MR. BASINGAME???
I have an Arthur C Clarke short-story collection next on my "haven't read" shelf, but I might read "Passage" again, just because, before I get to that one.
I made the fatal mistake of reading a good book before bed last night. I went up at 10:15 and finished the book (I had about 40% of it left) and finally went to bed at 12:40.
It was "Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis, as I mentioned earlier. And it was great. I saw the precursor to the major twist in "Passage" (warning: spoilers at link) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passage_%28novel%29) here, and even though I kind of knew it was coming (the foreshadowing was pretty heavy) the reveal was so well-done that I was still in "wow" mode. There were also echoes of Richard from "Passage" in Mr Dunworthy's quest near the end of the novel. She also reused the name Maisry (in DB) as Maisie (in P). And, interestingly, P is only two pages longer than D (if you go by First Hardcover Edition). An excellent book, and one that I will definitely read again at some point. I only had one question when the book was over: WHAT HAPPENED TO MR. BASINGAME???
I have an Arthur C Clarke short-story collection next on my "haven't read" shelf, but I might read "Passage" again, just because, before I get to that one.
Geez! Now I have to re-read "Doomsday Book". I've been reading Willis as long as she's been writing. I was reading the SF mags when Asimov's published her first short story, "All My Darling Daughters", and it really stuck with me. I've been reading her stuff faithfully ever since. I haven't read "Doomsday Book" since it first came out, but I've read "Passage" at least twice. There was quite a spread between the two.
"Passage" actually reminded me a lot of "Bellwether" because of all the zaniness in the research work environment. Of course, "Passage" was much darker, but it was well-balanced with humor.
OMFG LOL maybe I am perceptive and insightful :D
...or not, and maybe Dave is.
I finished listening to Gene Wolfe's Shadow of the Torturer and have been chugging through Claw of the Conciliator, but they're in the House Absolute now and things are getting...weird. (I read all the New Sun books several years back, and although my memory's nothing like Severian's, I seem to recall them getting WTF weird around the House Absolute section last time, too. Ah, good times!)
Also reading Paolo Bacigalupi's The Wind-Up Girl which is fascinating. Although I can tell it's going to take me some time to get through it.
I finished listening to Gene Wolfe's Shadow of the Torturer and have been chugging through Claw of the Conciliator, but they're in the House Absolute now and things are getting...weird. (I read all the New Sun books several years back, and although my memory's nothing like Severian's, I seem to recall them getting WTF weird around the House Absolute section last time, too. Ah, good times!)
Also reading Paolo Bacigalupi's The Wind-Up Girl which is fascinating. Although I can tell it's going to take me some time to get through it.
I'm listening to "The Windup Girl" right now and it's amazing. The narrator kind of sounds like William Shatner did when he was doing documentary narrations back in the Sixties and Seventies. Mr. B's prose really make the future Thailand come to life. I think I'm going to like him as much as I like Ian MacDonald.
I just finished reading a mystery/thrill, "Reckless" by Andrew Gross. I find that genre to be really hit or miss, but this book was definitely a hit. I really, really enjoyed it.
Next up is '"Sense and Sensiblity and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls". I got a copy signed by the author at the LA Times Festival of Books.
Will be starting good omens tomorrow on my flight, as I move to Yellowstone for the summer season.
It might be dangerous to read "Good Omens" on an airplane. People might think you're crazy when you start laughing out loud. ;)
Neal Stephenson and Frederick George's Interface. I'm a big Stephenson fan but I've set my expectations pretty low for this book. So far it's readable but hardly dazzling.
I'm somewhat taken aback by the number of typos. It's not even the first edition, which makes it less excusable. Couldn't they have scrounged up a decent copy editor?
Neal Stephenson and Frederick George's Interface. I'm a big Stephenson fan but I've set my expectations pretty low for this book. So far it's readable but hardly dazzling.
I'm somewhat taken aback by the number of typos. It's not even the first edition, which makes it less excusable. Couldn't they have scrounged up a decent copy editor?
I was okay with "Interface". Didn't love it, didn't hate it. My version didn't have any typos (that I remember).
Ugh! I hate running across blatant misspellings or grammatical errors in novels.
I did it on a train ride between London and Edinburgh in 1992.It might be dangerous to read "Good Omens" on an airplane. People might think you're crazy when you start laughing out loud. ;)
No, it's perfectly safe. I did it flying from Detroit to Seattle back in 2001.
Still reading Banks' "Look to Windard." Great stuff, no surprise there.
Also listening to Abercrombie's "Best Served Cold." Delicious. Harsh, but delicious. Joe Abercrombie is my new favorite fantasy author. Definately NC-17. Violent and foul mouthed. It feels incredibly authentic, with some of the deepest characters I've come across. I don't know why I don't hear about this guy more.
Just finished "The Atrocity Archives." A couple of weeks ago. Really enjoyed it, too. I actually got hooked on the series through the short stories from the Tor.com podcast.
I love the Tor.com podcasts, but the production values of the stories is usually pretty bad. I think most of the stories are read by the authors who just aren't set up very well for recording.
I love the Tor.com podcasts, but the production values of the stories is usually pretty bad. I think most of the stories are read by the authors who just aren't set up very well for recording.
True, that. I remember beginning Robert Reed's reading of his story "The Next Invasion" and thinking, "The sound quality's HORRIBLE. No way can I listen to this for long." Within five minutes I was hooked by the story. I listened to the whole thing.
I know it's not EA policy, but if the quality's good I like it when authors read their own stories. John Scalzi's a surprisingly good reader, and I thought Terry Bisson's voice was a good match for "Catch "Em in the Act".
I love the Tor.com podcasts, but the production values of the stories is usually pretty bad. I think most of the stories are read by the authors who just aren't set up very well for recording.
True, that. I remember beginning Robert Reed's reading of his story "The Next Invasion" and thinking, "The sound quality's HORRIBLE. No way can I listen to this for long." Within five minutes I was hooked by the story. I listened to the whole thing.
I know it's not EA policy, but if the quality's good I like it when authors read their own stories. John Scalzi's a surprisingly good reader, and I thought Terry Bisson's voice was a good match for "Catch "Em in the Act".
Yep. The fact that the author reads it (for some of them anyway) makes up for the awful quality, for me. I loved hearing Terry Bisson and Charles Stross (whose voice in particular I found very charming).
Just finished listening to Cory Doctorow's Little Brother today in audio format. Really liked it; fun and full of interesting geeky IT facts (many I knew, but they were still presented in a way that it was fun to listen to). Also, I didn't realize it was "young adult fiction" until someone said so in the end notes.
Just finished listening to Cory Doctorow's Little Brother today in audio format. Really liked it; fun and full of interesting geeky IT facts (many I knew, but they were still presented in a way that it was fun to listen to). Also, I didn't realize it was "young adult fiction" until someone said so in the end notes.
I believe he's got a new YA novel coming out soon called FTW. I haven't read it, but I thought Little Brother was an incredibly fun ride. (Still have Makers on the bookshelf...)
Just finished listening to Cory Doctorow's Little Brother today in audio format. Really liked it; fun and full of interesting geeky IT facts (many I knew, but they were still presented in a way that it was fun to listen to). Also, I didn't realize it was "young adult fiction" until someone said so in the end notes.
I believe he's got a new YA novel coming out soon called FTW. I haven't read it, but I thought Little Brother was an incredibly fun ride. (Still have Makers on the bookshelf...)
My 8th grader is an anti-fiction-reader. He hates fiction. However, he loved, loved, loved "Little Brother". Doctorow's new YA novel, "For the Win" is out now, but I ordered it with a pre-order and won't be getting it until August. I may have to go fix my Amazon order.
I'm currently reading "A Deepness in the Sky" by Vernor Vinge and "Forever Odd" by Dean Koontz. My audio selection is "Desert Spear" by Peter V. Brett.
Reading China Mieville's "Kraken". I'm five short chapters in and the plot is already in full gear. Cool.
(Though there are several places where I've encountered things that may or may not be editing mistakes, and I have no idea - in one conversation early on, the main character responds to something another character does not say until the next page, but the out-of-sequence response is ignored by everyone. It feels like it's a continuity error left in by a rewrite, but maybe it's a subtle plot point? In one or two other places the grammar is so tortured that a sentence starts out about one thing but ends up being about something else, and I have to stop and reread carefully to understand what is going on. These are minor points, though, and serves me right for buying the hardcover - they may well be fixed before the paperback)
Reading China Mieville's "Kraken". I'm five short chapters in and the plot is already in full gear. Cool.
(Though there are several places where I've encountered things that may or may not be editing mistakes, and I have no idea - in one conversation early on, the main character responds to something another character does not say until the next page, but the out-of-sequence response is ignored by everyone. It feels like it's a continuity error left in by a rewrite, but maybe it's a subtle plot point? In one or two other places the grammar is so tortured that a sentence starts out about one thing but ends up being about something else, and I have to stop and reread carefully to understand what is going on. These are minor points, though, and serves me right for buying the hardcover - they may well be fixed before the paperback)
It's out already? GAH! I'm off to the bookstore...
Awwwwwwwwwwwww, States-side won't be out until the end of the month. Bummer.
Reading China Mieville's "Kraken". I'm five short chapters in and the plot is already in full gear. Cool.
(Though there are several places where I've encountered things that may or may not be editing mistakes, and I have no idea - in one conversation early on, the main character responds to something another character does not say until the next page, but the out-of-sequence response is ignored by everyone. It feels like it's a continuity error left in by a rewrite, but maybe it's a subtle plot point? In one or two other places the grammar is so tortured that a sentence starts out about one thing but ends up being about something else, and I have to stop and reread carefully to understand what is going on. These are minor points, though, and serves me right for buying the hardcover - they may well be fixed before the paperback)
It's out already? GAH! I'm off to the bookstore...
Awwwwwwwwwwwww, States-side won't be out until the end of the month. Bummer.
One of my GoodReads friends won an advance copy. She read it in a couple of days and loved it. I'm green with envy.
I finished listening to "The Desert Spear" and liked it even better than "The Warded Man". I can't wait for the final installment to come out. Would it be too brazen to ask the author for an advance copy???
I just started reading "Palimpsest" by Catherynne M. Valente. This means I will have read all of the Hugo nominated novels except "WWW: Wake" by Robert J. Sawyer before the awards. I really have no desire to read the Sawyer.
"The Yiddish Policemen's Union" was the winner that year and I thought "Brasyl" should have won. Of the nominees that year (2008?), I thought Sawyer's "Rollback" was the weakest.
I've got less than 100 pages to go on "Palimpsest". It's really, really weird and doesn't really strike me as being science fiction. As fantasy, it's not even what you'd think of as fantasy. It's quite a work of art really, but it's not for everyone. I'm going kind of slow through it because it's got such a dream-like quality it's easy to get distracted.
I got a Nook on Sunday and downloaded "The Passage" by Justin Cronin. I have to admit that the Nook and that book are a big part of the reason it's taking me so long to get through "Palimpsest". "The Passage" is long, but it's going very quickly. I think it does live up to the pre-release hype.
"Palimpsest" is up for the Hugo Award this year. I'm not really seeing how it fits though. It's kind of similar to "The City and the City", but not much.
Just finished my umpteenth reread of "Villains By Necessity" by Eve Forward. The story has a creative premise, but the more I read it the clunkier the text gets.
Just finished my umpteenth reread of "Villains By Necessity" by Eve Forward. The story has a creative premise, but the more I read it the clunkier the text gets.
I loved that book, but in order for me to read it I have to pretend that when they say "good" and "evil" they actually just refer to the power sources of the two camps. The good guys are all mind-controlling rapists and the bad guys are all relatively normal, even altruistic towards their friends. It was a bit cheap to claim that they were "evil" in that context.
At the end they try to explain to Robin their concept of good vs evil, or "good deeds causing evil vs evil deeds causing good", and that works for me.
People keep saying that "Boneshaker" is just another zombie book. The zombies are such a small part of it, it hardly qualifies as a zombie book. I really liked it, but I thought the zombies were unnecessary.
People keep saying that "Boneshaker" is just another zombie book. The zombies are such a small part of it, it hardly qualifies as a zombie book. I really liked it, but I thought the zombies were unnecessary.
That was really the problem. The zombies don't NEED to be there, but they're there anyway and so much of the action revolves around them, and the boring old zombie movie tropes are present throughout the book. I'd rather have just seem them struggling through poisonous gas than the silly zombie stuff.
People keep saying that "Boneshaker" is just another zombie book. The zombies are such a small part of it, it hardly qualifies as a zombie book. I really liked it, but I thought the zombies were unnecessary.
That was really the problem. The zombies don't NEED to be there, but they're there anyway and so much of the action revolves around them, and the boring old zombie movie tropes are present throughout the book. I'd rather have just seem them struggling through poisonous gas than the silly zombie stuff.
Trying to make my way through Haldeman's 'The Forever War'since its a classic and all that. So far I am not enthralled, but I am willing to slog on as there is presumably some reason its so lauded.
So far, I enjoy Scalzi's 'Old Man's War' books a great deal better - I think because he infuses a lot of wit into the story, which I really enjoy.
I'm still working on "Kraken" and am also reading "Changes", the latest Dresden Files novel.
I'm still working on "Kraken" and am also reading "Changes", the latest Dresden Files novel.
I am so cringing for that one. God, I hate Susan. Just... there are no words.
China Mieville, "The City And The City". Not sure I like it yet. Good worldbuilding, as usual... but where's the ZOMG HUGE EVIL PLOT THAT THE MAIN CHARACTER STUMBLES ONTO that highlights most if not all genre fic? I haven't found it yet.
China Mieville, "The City And The City". Not sure I like it yet. Good worldbuilding, as usual... but where's the ZOMG HUGE EVIL PLOT THAT THE MAIN CHARACTER STUMBLES ONTO that highlights most if not all genre fic? I haven't found it yet.
China Mieville, "The City And The City". Not sure I like it yet. Good worldbuilding, as usual... but where's the ZOMG HUGE EVIL PLOT THAT THE MAIN CHARACTER STUMBLES ONTO that highlights most if not all genre fic? I haven't found it yet.
I'm listening to it now. I liked it when I first read it, but I have to admit that going through it a second time, I'm really, really loving it. Very different than any of his other novels, but it does some very interesting things by the end.
That said, I do remember feeling like the procedural aspect was meandering the first time I read it. I don't feel it this time, and that could have been a result of reading it spread out over a month, as opposed to listening to it in about a week.
How far into it are you?
Finished reading Jonathan Barnes's The Somnambulist (not to be confused with a recent PodCastle episode). Kind of amusing until the final 50 pages of the book or so, but despite a nice plot twist, there were some other elements (a deus ex machina reveal, unexplained threads while others were (IMO) poorly closed, etc.) that made it ultimately very frustrating.
On the brightside, I started reading Greg van Eekhout's Kid Vs. Squid (http://www.amazon.com/Kid-Vs-Squid-Greg-Eekhout/dp/1599904896) last night, and burst out laughing while reading the first chapter in bed. My wife looked at me and was like, "Okay - EXPLAIN!"
I'm in the middle of Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn," and feeling a bit like I'm reading the tutorial and first few stages of a new video game.
I'm in the middle of Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn," and feeling a bit like I'm reading the tutorial and first few stages of a new video game.
Hahahaha. It is because you are. Sanderson is very proud of how gamelike and balanced his magic systems are, at least to judge from his commentary on the matter in his podcast.
That said, it was still a pretty good read, though not good enough that I tracked down the subsequent volumes.
So I finished "Mistborn." It got better as it went on, but it never really hit "Ooh!" for me. Then I got to the Final Battle and the Big Reveal.
:-|
>:-[
That was the worst plot twist ever. Way to take the ONLY interesting character change-of-heart thing in the ENTIRE book and just dribble it away down your leg, Mr. Sanderson.
Yes it was aggrivating, but I rather liked it, if only for Sanderson's gumption for taking a path very few authors choose to take.
Yes it was aggrivating, but I rather liked it, if only for Sanderson's gumption for taking a path very few authors choose to take.
Gotta disagree here. The "one true hero" being the only one who can truly properly handle the ultimate cosmic power is a very, very old (and very very busted) trope. I was really enjoying the idea that the changeover was gradual and so slow that even the conscientious, thoughtful 'hero' eventually succumbed, and then, whoops, race is destiny and the White Man could totally have saved everyone if only they'd let him have his Burden.
Grar.
It's just all kinds of annoying. My favorite part of LOTR is the fact that NO ONE resists the One Ring, in the end. One way or another, it gets them all.
Started Cherie Priest's "Boneshaker". So far I haven't hit the part that everyone's so crazy about -- I'm enjoying it, but not as HOLYCRAPTHISISTHEMOSTAMAZINGBOOKEVAR!!!!!!11111one much as everyone seems to have. Of course maybe it'll get that way in another 100 pages or so.
Started Cherie Priest's "Boneshaker". So far I haven't hit the part that everyone's so crazy about -- I'm enjoying it, but not as HOLYCRAPTHISISTHEMOSTAMAZINGBOOKEVAR!!!!!!11111one much as everyone seems to have. Of course maybe it'll get that way in another 100 pages or so.
I'm actually hearing more and more of a schism in reaction that book (with myself and a few others on the same side of the fence you are right now). I actually adore Cherie Priest's writing in general, but that one never did connect with me as much as I wanted it to.
Just finished Mieville's "Kraken." Maybe I was a little too keyed up for this one, but it fell a smidge flat for me. It has the same awesome world-building that I've come to expect from him, but the characters just didn't click. More "Iron Council" than "Perdido Street Station," or even "The Scar," both of which had some of the most fascinating characters I've ever come across. The characters just didn't have the same zing as the folks in his earliest work.
Richard Matheson is super-awesome. I will always be thankful for "I Am Legend" the laughably bad film because when I heard that they'd butchered the ending, I went and got the reprinted book that featured the novella and some other Matheson stories and thus discovered probably one of my favorite short story guys.
Richard Matheson is super-awesome. I will always be thankful for "I Am Legend" the laughably bad film because when I heard that they'd butchered the ending, I went and got the reprinted book that featured the novella and some other Matheson stories and thus discovered probably one of my favorite short story guys.
You should seek out The Last Man on Earth with Vincent Price, it's public domain so you can download it legally from bazillions of websites. It's a VERY good interpretation of I am Legend, though the ending is different in that film as well. But it's a great view.
Richard Matheson is super-awesome. I will always be thankful for "I Am Legend" the laughably bad film because when I heard that they'd butchered the ending, I went and got the reprinted book that featured the novella and some other Matheson stories and thus discovered probably one of my favorite short story guys.
You should seek out The Last Man on Earth with Vincent Price, it's public domain so you can download it legally from bazillions of websites. It's a VERY good interpretation of I am Legend, though the ending is different in that film as well. But it's a great view.
I've heard that was a pretty good one. Is it on Netflix instant-view? If it is, I could queue it up right now...
Richard Matheson is super-awesome. I will always be thankful for "I Am Legend" the laughably bad film because when I heard that they'd butchered the ending, I went and got the reprinted book that featured the novella and some other Matheson stories and thus discovered probably one of my favorite short story guys.Haven't seen it, but have heard that the DVD includes an alternate ending that is more in line with Matheson's story.
Richard Matheson is super-awesome. I will always be thankful for "I Am Legend" the laughably bad film because when I heard that they'd butchered the ending, I went and got the reprinted book that featured the novella and some other Matheson stories and thus discovered probably one of my favorite short story guys.
You should seek out The Last Man on Earth with Vincent Price, it's public domain so you can download it legally from bazillions of websites. It's a VERY good interpretation of I am Legend, though the ending is different in that film as well. But it's a great view.
As much as I like China Mieville, I don't think I'm going to finish "Un Lun Dun". It's very juvenile, not even young adult. It's also really long for a juvenile book. It reminds me a lot of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". I hadn't read either until recently and I found that I didn't like either one. I like reading children's books sometimes, but only if they remind me of why I fell in love with reading in the first place. I don't think I would have liked any of these as a kid.
If you must read any of the follow up books, skip the ones about Ender and read the ones about Bean that start with Ender's Shadow, IMO.Good to know. It's pretty hard for me to NOT read part of a series....but if I start losing faith I'll leap over to them. I've got the City and the City to go next, although at risk of rotten tomatoes
If you must read any of the follow up books, skip the ones about Ender and read the ones about Bean that start with Ender's Shadow, IMO.Good to know. It's pretty hard for me to NOT read part of a series....but if I start losing faith I'll leap over to them. I've got the City and the City to go next, although at risk of rotten tomatoes
being flung, I really didn't love Perdido Street Station. :ducks behind corner:
If you must read any of the follow up books, skip the ones about Ender and read the ones about Bean that start with Ender's Shadow, IMO.
If you must read any of the follow up books, skip the ones about Ender and read the ones about Bean that start with Ender's Shadow, IMO.
Actually I can only really recommend the first Bean story - which takes place at the same timeframe as Ender's Game, just with the different POV. Well, the second book in that series was okay. After that they start getting... well, unrealistic would be generous.
A month ago, started The Oxford Annotated Bible. Need to renew it tomorrow; so far I'm only near the end of Exodus.
A month ago, started The Oxford Annotated Bible. Need to renew it tomorrow; so far I'm only near the end of Exodus.
I'm curious. Why'd you decide to read that? (if you feel like saying)
1: it will put me one up over most Christians, who seem unaware of what's actually in the book they purport to believe ("The Bible is like those software licenses; most people don't read it-- they just scroll to the bottom and click 'I Agree'.")
2: Many atheists have said that the thing that really cemented their atheism was reading the Bible.
1: it will put me one up over most Christians, who seem unaware of what's actually in the book they purport to believe ("The Bible is like those software licenses; most people don't read it-- they just scroll to the bottom and click 'I Agree'."
I also still owe this forum a review of Mieville's Kraken (I promised DKT over PM a while ago), which I hope to write soon. If anyone is planning to pick it up and isn't sure if they'll like it, feel free to ask and I'll try to speed up.
I recently finished Kraken. It left me unmoved. But I would really love to hear someone else's opinions.
Eytanz's review pretty much sums up how I feel about "Kraken". I kept feeling like I wasn't keeping up and was missing stuff, but I think it was the book instead of me. Chaotic is a great description.
Taking a break from the Bible... the book of Numbers is like the camping section in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: a long tedious interlude between more interesting events.
So I'm rereading Harry Potter and the Halfwit Prince, having finally seen the movie last weekend.
Taking a break from the Bible... the book of Numbers is like the camping section in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: a long tedious interlude between more interesting events.
So I'm rereading Harry Potter and the Halfwit Prince, having finally seen the movie last weekend.
Oh, come on. Deathly Hallows during the camping bits was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more interesting :)
Taking a break from the Bible... the book of Numbers is like the camping section in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: a long tedious interlude between more interesting events.
Taking a break from the Bible... the book of Numbers is like the camping section in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: a long tedious interlude between more interesting events.
Y'know, the OT doesn't need to be read in sequence. (Well, not all of it anyway). Try Ruth or Ezra for something with a bit of story. Or dip into the Psalms -- there's some truly beautiful language and imagery in there.
Taking a break from the Bible... the book of Numbers is like the camping section in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: a long tedious interlude between more interesting events.
Y'know, the OT doesn't need to be read in sequence. (Well, not all of it anyway). Try Ruth or Ezra for something with a bit of story. Or dip into the Psalms -- there's some truly beautiful language and imagery in there.
I think the Pentateuch is meant to be read as a complete work though; there's a narrative thread in there.
I think the Pentateuch is meant to be read as a complete work though; there's a narrative thread in there.
Of course. And the things like, 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings, 1st and 2nd Chronicles, etc.
I think the Pentateuch is meant to be read as a complete work though; there's a narrative thread in there.Honestly, I'd just skip Numbers and Deuteronomy. They're mostly bunches of lists and laws. Once you get to Joshua through 2 Chronicles, you get a bunch of really good, interesting stories. I especially like the story of Deborah. I think she appears early on in Judges. (I'm not one of those Christians who can recite chapter and verse on much of anything.) I would recommend reading the New Testament before tackling the Old Testament prophets, but go ahead and read Daniel and Jonah at any time.
If you have the translation I think you have, it's a good choice. It's an academic translation and quite well done.I did start with the Oxford Annotated Bible (New Revised Standard Version) but my mom just had a copy of the Oxford Study Bible (Revised English Bible) sent to me It's still published by the Oxford University Press and contains the apocrypha in a slightly different order. Looking at them side-by-side, the translations are slightly different (I think I like the NRSV better) but the biggest difference is that the informational essays at the beginning of the individual books are much longer (and thusly more informational) in the OAB.
Also finished Zero History. Required far more recent memory of Gibson's last few works than I have currently. Mustfind time for larger reread. Gibsony but seeming to retread a lot of old themes. Miss the Neuromancer days.
Also finished Zero History. Required far more recent memory of Gibson's last few works than I have currently. Mustfind time for larger reread. Gibsony but seeming to retread a lot of old themes. Miss the Neuromancer days.
You probably don't want to go back and re-read Neuromancer, then. It's horribly outdated, .....If I compare Gibson's works to Stephenson's works, I can tell, without knowing the author, that Stephenson knows a lot more of the background than Gibson. He's more of a geek, in short, and that shows in his books. I think that Anathem is one of the best books of the last 5 years, and while I liked Spook Country, Gibson's technical side just isn't up to snuff for me.
I don't need to tell you all the the audio version of Dune has captivated me and I am expecting withdrawal symptoms shortly as I only have 1 HOUR LEFT. Ack!!!! And then I remind myself that there are a MILLION sequels.
I don't need to tell you all the the audio version of Dune has captivated me and I am expecting withdrawal symptoms shortly as I only have 1 HOUR LEFT. Ack!!!! And then I remind myself that there are a MILLION sequels.
Well yeah but... do you really want to listen to them?
Ok, I'll bite. Why? I'm seriously in need of some reading material for an upcoming vacation and life in general. I'll take recommendations. Sci fi or fantasy. No horror unless it involves teenage vampires. (just kidding-stop throwing things!)Answer: No. No, you do not.I don't need to tell you all the the audio version of Dune has captivated me and I am expecting withdrawal symptoms shortly as I only have 1 HOUR LEFT. Ack!!!! And then I remind myself that there are a MILLION sequels.Well yeah but... do you really want to listen to them?
Ok, I'll bite. Why? I'm seriously in need of some reading material for an upcoming vacation and life in general. I'll take recommendations. Sci fi or fantasy. No horror unless it involves teenage vampires. (just kidding-stop throwing things!)Answer: No. No, you do not.I don't need to tell you all the the audio version of Dune has captivated me and I am expecting withdrawal symptoms shortly as I only have 1 HOUR LEFT. Ack!!!! And then I remind myself that there are a MILLION sequels.Well yeah but... do you really want to listen to them?
Is the Dune series that bad? I'm desperate here, really.
I've found Tad Williams to be a good, meaty read (and he has an epic fantasy AND an epic scifi series, in "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" and "Otherland," respectively.)
People in the Mount Tabor area were moving out to the thriving new suburbs of West Eastmont, Chestnut Hills Estates, and Sunny Slopes Subdivisions. They could live with Mount Hood fuming softly on the horizon, but an eruption just up the street was too much.
I'm reading a book called "Possessing The Dead" by Helen MacDonald. It's subtitled "The Artful Science of Anatomy" and it's about the history of the cadaver trade in Scotland, England and Australia from around the mid-1800's. It sounds really interesting and much of the material is fascinating but the presentation somehow makes it a bit dull or hard to grasp. There's a lot of jumping around timelines and rapid introduction of many players all at once. It's a history of real events not a novel, so I understand that real life isn't as neat as a well thought out storyline but I feel more though could have gone into narrative construction, and more editing to remove repetition. It's settling down a bit and I'll persist because there's a certain macabre and morbid fascination with the topic.
If you must read any of the follow up books, skip the ones about Ender and read the ones about Bean that start with Ender's Shadow, IMO.Good to know. It's pretty hard for me to NOT read part of a series....but if I start losing faith I'll leap over to them. I've got the City and the City to go next, although at risk of rotten tomatoes
being flung, I really didn't love Perdido Street Station. :ducks behind corner:
I never got more than 20 pages into Perdido - it just failed to entice me.
Absolutely adored 'City' though.
"The Somnambulist" by Jonathan Barnes -- reading now. Kind of underwhelmed. There are SO MANY plot threads...
"The Somnambulist" by Jonathan Barnes -- reading now. Kind of underwhelmed. There are SO MANY plot threads...
My advice? Stop reading this book now. I was pretty underwhelmed reading it, too, but it ends very poorly. (And I do not mean that as a compliment.)
"Memories of the Future, Volume 1" by Wil Wheaton -- bought this for my dad, and finally had time to borrow his copy. HILARIOUS, but only if you like Wheaton's style. Otherwise... well, it's not a tell-all, so there's not a ton of behind-the-scenes stuff. But then, I've never been a huge BTS fan.
Listening to Dune- yes, don't laugh, this is my first time. I will buy it in paper, I just wanted to close my eyes on the plane.
I'm halfway through the audiobook of On Stranger Tides and I am enjoying it more than I expected. It's so fun. It really does remind me of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies even if it was written before the first one came out. I think Disney must have borrowed heavily from this book. I saw the synopsis of the next Pirates movie that's supposedly based on this book and it sounds like the only things they have in common is the Fountain of Youth, Blackbeard, and a daughter.
I'm halfway through the audiobook of On Stranger Tides and I am enjoying it more than I expected. It's so fun. It really does remind me of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies even if it was written before the first one came out. I think Disney must have borrowed heavily from this book. I saw the synopsis of the next Pirates movie that's supposedly based on this book and it sounds like the only things they have in common is the Fountain of Youth, Blackbeard, and a daughter.
On Stranger Tides is so much fun! Really, really enjoyed it.
Listening to Dune- yes, don't laugh, this is my first time. I will buy it in paper, I just wanted to close my eyes on the plane.
Is it the Recorded Books edition, read by George Guidall? I'm quite fond of that one myself.
I've hardly made any time to read these past two months, but I've been on a Jane Austen tear. I picked up a bunch of cheap-o classics at Chapters not too long ago.
Currently reading Cherie Priest's Boneshaker. I want to like it, but there's something about it that's keeping me from becoming really entranced. Oh, I'll finish it surely enough eventually, but it's taking me longer than it should because when I put it down I'm not exactly looking forward to picking it up again. And I'm not sure why.
Currently reading Cherie Priest's Boneshaker. I want to like it, but there's something about it that's keeping me from becoming really entranced. Oh, I'll finish it surely enough eventually, but it's taking me longer than it should because when I put it down I'm not exactly looking forward to picking it up again. And I'm not sure why.
I really liked Boneshaker and have Dreadnought downloaded on my iPod for future listening. (I read the paperback of Boneshaker.) One of the GoodReads groups I belonged to had it as the book of the month recently and quite a few people had the reaction you did. I think it's because the style is unusual. I don't quite know how to describe it. It seems pretty normal, but it's really written like an early Twentieth-century dimestore novel. The narrative keeps a certain distance between the reader and the characters. It's almost gothic in tone.
Currently reading Cherie Priest's Boneshaker. I want to like it, but there's something about it that's keeping me from becoming really entranced. Oh, I'll finish it surely enough eventually, but it's taking me longer than it should because when I put it down I'm not exactly looking forward to picking it up again. And I'm not sure why.
I really liked Boneshaker and have Dreadnought downloaded on my iPod for future listening. (I read the paperback of Boneshaker.) One of the GoodReads groups I belonged to had it as the book of the month recently and quite a few people had the reaction you did. I think it's because the style is unusual. I don't quite know how to describe it. It seems pretty normal, but it's really written like an early Twentieth-century dimestore novel. The narrative keeps a certain distance between the reader and the characters. It's almost gothic in tone.
It's not the style - at least, it wasn't for me. I loved the actual Southern Gothic novels Priest wrote. But Boneshaker (and it's characters) never developed as much as I wanted it to. :( And, man. I really wanted to like that one.
That said, I've heard people with similar reactions are really digging Dreadnought, so I'm hoping I'll dig that one more. Curious as to what you think of the audio version!
I've hardly made any time to read these past two months, but I've been on a Jane Austen tear. I picked up a bunch of cheap-o classics at Chapters not too long ago.
A few years ago, I read The Annotated Pride and Prejudice (http://books.google.ca/books?id=Z6yEh5g4iIcC&dq=the+annotated+pride+and+prejudice&source=bl&ots=hEzrNoDQ-8&sig=e3MDcKglt2jWahh_KGNcxWk2SC8&hl=en&ei=tz_GTJ-TJoH_nAeLtbiCAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAQ).
Now, I love the original, but this was even better. All those little details about life in the period were truly fascinating and really gave you a better glimpse into the characters and their situations. An very interesting and fun read.
I'm ripping through the audio books right now. I finished Dreadnought by Cherie Priest today and am starting on Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel for Anathem and have started All Clear by Connie Willis and Saturn's Children by Charles Stross.
Is [Dune] the Recorded Books edition, read by George Guidall? I'm quite fond of that one myself.
Actually it was some anniversary edition reading at the iTunes store. Many different voice actors. It was a very unique audio adaptation. I'm not sure I liked it terribly much compared to having a single narrator.
I've read all the Dresden Files novels so far. The series really didn't hook me until the third one. I just downloaded Side Jobs with my latest Audible credits. It will be my first time listening to the Dresden Files rather than reading. My daughter and her husband love the series in audio, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm mostly doing the audio because I have too many paper and ebooks to read right now.
Butcher does spin a bunch a lot of plot threads and then does a great job of weaving them together in the second half (at least of this book) with lots of action and carnage and making it all go BOOM.
Butcher does spin a bunch a lot of plot threads and then does a great job of weaving them together in the second half (at least of this book) with lots of action and carnage and making it all go BOOM.
Oh yeah!! I reckon that's possibly one of his best writing skills.
Y'know, I haven't noticed a lot of the writing "mistakes" others have mentioned. This concerns me. Does it mean that, if I really really do try to be a writer I'll enjoy other people's work less?
Finished Boneshaker. It picks up considerably in the final third, but my feelings about the first two-thirds still stands.
Writing style aside, I wonder if I'd been more receptive to the book if I was familiar with Seattle. I've never been there, and while Cherie Priest doesn't go so far as to assume her readers have a full knowledge of the city, the urban geography of Old Seattle does have a very large role in the story.
...wait, what? ???
Never heard of this, but I have to read it now. I enjoy stuff set in locales I'm familiar with (like, most recently, The Lathe of Heaven which is set in my current city of Portland), and the only SF novel set in Seattle that I've ever read was Megan Lindholm's Wizard of the Pigeons.
Y'know, I haven't noticed a lot of the writing "mistakes" others have mentioned. This concerns me. Does it mean that, if I really really do try to be a writer I'll enjoy other people's work less?
Y'know, I haven't noticed a lot of the writing "mistakes" others have mentioned. This concerns me. Does it mean that, if I really really do try to be a writer I'll enjoy other people's work less?
Maybe some? I think for me it's just cemented what I like more in my own reading experiences, and I'm conscious of some of that when I'm writing. And I'm hesitant to call them "mistakes" (although - I dunno, I might have called them that) because, as in Butcher's case, it obviously works for a lot of people. But I think of it more as a writing tick that's not my style. Does that make sense?
I'm reading "Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang" by Kate Wilhelm. I'm about a third of the way through and confess I'm underwhelmed. Also, the 70's-ness of the book shows in oh-so-many details, which is a bit distracting.
Now reading China Mieville's King Rat, his first book. Gotta say, not really enjoying it. It's clever but I'm finding it rather tedious and wordy.That was my first (and so far only) Mieville book. I didn't realize it was his first. It wasn't spectacular, but it wasn't the worst thing i've ever read, either. I agree with your critique "clever but tedious."
Now reading China Mieville's King Rat, his first book. Gotta say, not really enjoying it. It's clever but I'm finding it rather tedious and wordy.That was my first (and so far only) Mieville book. I didn't realize it was his first. It wasn't spectacular, but it wasn't the worst thing i've ever read, either. I agree with your critique "clever but tedious."
Now reading China Mieville's King Rat, his first book. Gotta say, not really enjoying it. It's clever but I'm finding it rather tedious and wordy.That was my first (and so far only) Mieville book. I didn't realize it was his first. It wasn't spectacular, but it wasn't the worst thing i've ever read, either. I agree with your critique "clever but tedious."
My only Mieville book so far has been The Scar, which I found hugely, brilliantly enjoyable. It made me actively look forward to my next Mieville. I guess you're saying, that book shouldn't be King Rat?
Yeah, I'm sure YMMV. As i said, i didn't hate it, though i realize that's not a glowing recommendation. I enjoyed it okay, i just doubt i'll read it again. I've had several people recommend The City and the City, but it hasn't made it into my queue, yet.Now reading China Mieville's King Rat, his first book. Gotta say, not really enjoying it. It's clever but I'm finding it rather tedious and wordy.That was my first (and so far only) Mieville book. I didn't realize it was his first. It wasn't spectacular, but it wasn't the worst thing i've ever read, either. I agree with your critique "clever but tedious."
My only Mieville book so far has been The Scar, which I found hugely, brilliantly enjoyable. It made me actively look forward to my next Mieville. I guess you're saying, that book shouldn't be King Rat?
I'm reading "Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang" by Kate Wilhelm. I'm about a third of the way through and confess I'm underwhelmed. Also, the 70's-ness of the book shows in oh-so-many details, which is a bit distracting.
Hm. I loved that book.
I'm reading "Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang" by Kate Wilhelm. I'm about a third of the way through and confess I'm underwhelmed. Also, the 70's-ness of the book shows in oh-so-many details, which is a bit distracting.
Hm. I loved that book.
I would love to hear your reasons for that, stePh. I know it's a classic, but I am still underwhelmed (having finished it, now). So I would love to hear somebody else's positive opinions. Who knows, maybe I missed something.
I also listened to We Have Always Lived in the Castle, a deliciously creepy story that was quite well narrated. If I were still in school, I bet I could do a fantastic literary analysis of this novella. It had so many layers. I could envision it as an old black & white movie.
Taking a break from the Bible (somewhere in the middle of 1 Samuel) to re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, on the off-chance that I might get to a cinema sometime soon.Just watched it. I haven't read it since it first came out, and i'd found that i'd forgotten a lot of it. You may want to not read it. I think there are some pretty significant plot differences, IIRC. In one particular instance, there was something of a plot hole, but it was kinda edited weird, so i'm not entirely sure if it was due to editing or rewriting. Overall, though, i thoroughly enjoyed the movie (some minor quibbles on editing and some weird choices to go with hand held camera moments (especially at one point, when shooting one character, it was steady and while shooting the other, it was shaky)).
QuoteI also listened to We Have Always Lived in the Castle, a deliciously creepy story that was quite well narrated. If I were still in school, I bet I could do a fantastic literary analysis of this novella. It had so many layers. I could envision it as an old black & white movie.
I, in fact, did exactly that for my Final Paper for my English Degree - a psychoanalytic reading of WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE - boy, that's meaty stuff.
Actually, I'm reading Carnacki the Ghost Hunter by William Hope Hodegson, as inspired by that Podcastle episode.
Actually, I'm reading Carnacki the Ghost Hunter by William Hope Hodegson, as inspired by that Podcastle episode.
You have to let us know how that is. I have it on my Nook wishlist based on the story from Podcastle.
Palo Alto (stories) - James Franco
I just started reading 'The Deadzone' by Stephen King, which has been many, many different kinds of awesome so far.
ACE: You gonna shoot us all?...also wasn't in the story "The Body".
GORDIE: No, Ace, just you.
Palo Alto (stories) - James Franco
I gotta admit, I'm totally curious about this. What do you think of it?
I read an interesting interview with Franco about filming 127 Hours and how on his one day off, he'd fly back to his writing group/workshop, which meant he'd often have to spend nights in the airport.
Otherland is pretty awesome, but I don't like it quite as well. Mostly because the big reveal just didn't work for me at all. Shan't say anything else for fear of spoilers. The characters are pretty fun and some of the set pieces are just awesome.
The Un-Dead by Dacre Stoker. This is the "official" sequel to Dracula, allegedly based on notes by Bram himself.
Hmm. We'll see.
I read mostly in bed at night. The kids are asleep. The day has been put to rest. Nothing more to do until tomorrow. A book just fits in bed better than a laptop. When a really good electronic book reader comes along, maybe I'll change my mind. Maybe that can be Apple's next product line.
Not sure what's up next. I have an Arthur C Clarke story collection on my shelf that I really ought to read.
That was the worst book I read in 2009. It may have been the worst book I ever read. The only reason I stuck with it to the end was because I wanted to see if it could possibly get worse. It did.
Finished "Dracula -- The Un-Dead" by Dacre Stoker. Really, really not recommended. Retains none of the gothic horror of the original. Includes a whole lot of fast action and overt sexuality that isn't in the spirit of "Dracula."
I'm generally okay with unhappy endings. I just felt like this one went out of its way to be unhappy.
Actually, I'm reading Carnacki the Ghost Hunter by William Hope Hodegson, as inspired by that Podcastle episode.
You have to let us know how that is. I have it on my Nook wishlist based on the story from Podcastle.
I just finished it, actually. Wow, it was really good. I mean, if you're into Lovecraft-style writing - a bit archaic to modern eyes, but still lush and evocative - then you'll enjoy the Carnacki stuff. Fascinatingly enough, the stories do include several in which there are no ghosts at all. The electric pentacle is exactly as cool as it sounds. I still want Carnacki to be my character.
Ha. See, Iron Council I definitely need to read again, because of the three Bas Lag books, it's the most blurred in reflection. For some reason I was remembering the end of Iron Council to be kind of optimistic?
Reading The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. Not sure what I think of it so far.
Reading The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. Not sure what I think of it so far.
I have very mixed feelings on those books myself.
---
Night Watch remains awesome, in case anyone feared otherwise. And it is so very Russian.
Finally reading The Colour of Magic. My two previous Discworld books were both from much later in the series, so it's fantastic to actually read the proper beginning.
I wasn't sure if I'd like it, since I'd heard from many Discworld aficionados that Pratchett only really hits his stride later on in the series. But I'm liking it fine so far. Twoflower is turning out to be one of my favorite comic characters from the whole fantasy-comedy subgenre.
Night Watch remains awesome, in case anyone feared otherwise. And it is so very Russian.
I finished Night Watch this weekend. It was so different from anything else I've read. I'm still trying to formulate what I'm going to say about it in my GoodReads review. I know that it's the first of three books, but it felt very complete to me and I'm not really feeling compelled to get the next one.
As for The Colour of Magic, it pretty obviously spoofs specific writers: Lieber in the first section, Lovecraft in the second, and McCaffrey in the third, am I right?
Last night, I started How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe. As far as I can tell, it is not science fiction. However, I'm not sure yet what it is.
I'm not terribly familiar with Lieber (or McCaffrey for that matter, though I know the latter wrote lots about dragon riders), but yes, Pratchett does appear to be parodying a different subgenre in each section.
The Colour of Magic seems far more of an overt parody of fantasy conventions than the later Discworld books I've read. Parody's not my favorite form of literary humor, but Pratchett is doing a pretty competent job keeping me entertained, and he's writing with far more intelligence than your average run-of-the-mill parodist.
Finished Margaret Wander Bonanno's "Star Trek: Music of the Spheres" (which eventually became "Probe").
Just about finished reading with N.K. Jemisin's The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (http://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Thousand-Kingdoms-Inheritance-Trilogy/dp/0316043915/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b)
I'm currently reading 'The Girl who Played with Fire', which is a wonderful story that is abysmally poorly told by the late Stieg Larsson. I've not actually read the first book of this series (of which this is the second), but I probably will slave through it eventually because I am interested in the story and characters. Shame it's so badly written and is in drastic need of an editor.
I'm also reading Dracula by e-book, which is excellent.
you mean you found the page and a half detailing the protagonist's home improvements to be relevant and interesting? And saw the point in telling us what two police officers bought at Burger King? Each to their own I suppose.
Spinelli has some good stuff, though I agree Stargirl was pretty mediocre. Have you read Maniac McGee or Loser?
Also, if you want good YA stuff, I recommend Laurie Halse Anderson (Andersen?). I read several of hers while looking for good stuff to stock my shelves with when I was a teacher.
Finished SSTLS. Enjoyed it greatly.
Now reading "The Magicians" by Lev Grossman. A lot of negative reviews of it said it was too dry and didn't do enough with the rich material, and while I see that, I'm still really enjoying it, and powering through it.
Now reading "The Magicians" by Lev Grossman. A lot of negative reviews of it said it was too dry and didn't do enough with the rich material, and while I see that, I'm still really enjoying it, and powering through it.
Man, what? That book was straight up awesome. The dryness was part of the point, fergoshsake.
Still on The Night Watch and I'm pretty ambivalent about it -- feel I could just stop and not really care about what happens. There's a lot of character internal dialogue and thought, and I'm finding that long-winded and repetitive.
Opinions: worth persisting with the rest of the series?
Started reading "Moo" by Jane Smiley for class. Wasn't liking it for the first few pages, lots of tell and no show. The next couple of pages, however, began to take on a slight comedic style, almost reminiscent of Douglas Adams, however much more subdued and less funny. It made me not so annoyed at the first few pages.
Still on The Night Watch and I'm pretty ambivalent about it -- feel I could just stop and not really care about what happens. There's a lot of character internal dialogue and thought, and I'm finding that long-winded and repetitive.
Opinions: worth persisting with the rest of the series?
I thought Night Watch was okay, but I don't love it enough to continue the series.
Not to mention the audiobook versions are ridiculously overpriced.
Ok. Someday when I am thrown in debtors prison I can shake my fist and scream at the ceiling, "This is all your fault Jim Butcherrrrrrrrrr!"
Disturbia by Christopher Fowler. Has absolutely nothing to do with the Shia LaBeef film.
Disturbia by Christopher Fowler. Has absolutely nothing to do with the Shia LaBeef film.
HA! You call him "LaBeef" too! ;D
Does it have anything to do with the Rhianna song?
Finished the "Hundred Thousand Kingdoms". Enjoyed. Very solid, really. I'm a little nervous as to what she will do with the sequels just because the end felt....well, like the end. But, given her inventiveness in this lovely first novel I'm withholding judgment.
I've also been listening to Lois McMaster Bujold's The Curse of Chalion, which is the first novel of her's I've read. Thus far, I like it pretty well, but not as much as I did at about 1/3 mark. (I'm close to 2/3 through it now.)I read her Sharing Knife series. Interesting magic system in there, but watered down by fluffy romance, which the review that made me want to read it neglected to mention. I was disappointed because I'm not big on fluffy romance, but it took place after lots of monster-killing action, so I was hooked by then. A good read overall. I enjoyed her writing style.
Sherri Tepper, anyone?Yeah, just like that, actually.
Sherri Tepper, anyone?
Sherri Tepper, anyone?The first thing I read by Sherri S. Tepper was Grass (a really long time ago), and I really enjoyed that. But nothing else of hers has grabbed me the same way since.
My local library has a lot of audiobooks by Lois McMaster Bujold, so I have been happily listening to all of her stuff over the past year (before that, I had never heard of her!). I too really enjoy her writing style. As I mentioned before (on this thread, I think), nothing too deep, but lots of fun. For more of that kind of thing, I would recommend the Vorkosigan saga - a nice fun series of space opera romps!!I've also been listening to Lois McMaster Bujold's The Curse of Chalion, which is the first novel of her's I've read. Thus far, I like it pretty well, but not as much as I did at about 1/3 mark. (I'm close to 2/3 through it now.)I read her Sharing Knife series. Interesting magic system in there, but watered down by fluffy romance, which the review that made me want to read it neglected to mention. I was disappointed because I'm not big on fluffy romance, but it took place after lots of monster-killing action, so I was hooked by then. A good read overall. I enjoyed her writing style.
Sherri Tepper, anyone?The first thing I read by Sherri S. Tepper was Grass (a really long time ago), and I really enjoyed that. But nothing else of hers has grabbed me the same way since.
I had a professor in college who had me read The Gate to Women's Country when I was having trouble identifying with any of the selections in a Women's Lit class. I was raised in a patriarchal community that believed feminism is counter to God's plan (no joke).I find Tepper's worldbuilding fascinating, and while she's usually pretty heavy-handed with the message of feminism, environmentalism, or a combo of both, I find myself somewhat in alignment with said message and so I don't mind it so much.Sherri Tepper, anyone?The first thing I read by Sherri S. Tepper was Grass (a really long time ago), and I really enjoyed that. But nothing else of hers has grabbed me the same way since.
I was raised in a patriarchal community that believed feminism is counter to God's plan (no joke).
Sanderson rocks.Blatant plug: surely you've all read Mistborn by now (and if you haven't, you should, because it's neat), but (speaking as a YA librarian) have you tried his Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians? Love it! The first line:
Sanderson rocks.Blatant plug: surely you've all read Mistborn by now (and if you haven't, you should, because it's neat), but (speaking as a YA librarian) have you tried his Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians? Love it! The first line:
So there I was tied to an altar made of outdated encyclopedias about to be sacrificed to the dark powers by a cult of evil librarians.If you liked Rejiggering the Thingamajig on EP, go read this. There are even talking dinosaurs!
Sanderson rocks.Blatant plug: surely you've all read Mistborn by now (and if you haven't, you should, because it's neat), but (speaking as a YA librarian) have you tried his Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians? Love it! The first line:
So there I was tied to an altar made of outdated encyclopedias about to be sacrificed to the dark powers by a cult of evil librarians.If you liked Rejiggering the Thingamajig on EP, go read this. There are even talking dinosaurs!
I certainly have read the Mistborn trilogy (awesome, but with some serious WTF in the final volume...).My husband and I have a system: I read books then tell him all about them. It saves him time.
I LOVED 'Warded Man,' but read it right after it came out and so have forgotten almost everything about the plot.I know what you mean: the first several chapters do NOT focus on the character I wanted to read about.
Have tried to read 'Desert Spear' a couple times but couldn't get into it. Will probably try again. It's an intriguing world.
Just finished The Given Day by Dennis Lehane, which was really good. It really brought to life all of the realities of American life (specifically, Boston) in 1918/1919. I don't know about you guys, but my history classes never did this time period justice; I didn't have a good appreciation of the difficulty and volatility of the post-war, pre-roaring twenties transition.
Today started The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, a children's or YA "novel" that came into my hands when my brother-in-law bought a car and found a bunch of crap left behind in it. It's very picture-heavy, frequently using the illustrations to carry the narrative over several pages (with no text at all) to give a more "cinematic" feel (or like a graphic novel without word balloons).
Today started The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, a children's or YA "novel" that came into my hands when my brother-in-law bought a car and found a bunch of crap left behind in it. It's very picture-heavy, frequently using the illustrations to carry the narrative over several pages (with no text at all) to give a more "cinematic" feel (or like a graphic novel without word balloons).
Martin Scorsese is making the movie. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/
"Assassins of Gor", by John Norman
(I don't promise not to review these on the blog... but I probably won't.)
Read "The Terror" by Dan Simmons. I usually don't like his stuff much, but this was highly enjoyable. (Mind you, you have to be able to appreciate the slow boil of archaic novels; I love the old stuff and stuff in that vein, like "Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.")...
Children of the Corn: I've not seen the movie. The story was short and creepy. I imagine corn-fields are creepy?
The Mangler: Never heard of it before. Short and as scary as a story about a demon-possessed pressing (ironing) machine could be.
Oh, yes! The bit with the squishing? I loved the bit with the squishing.The Mangler: Never heard of it before. Short and as scary as a story about a demon-possessed pressing (ironing) machine could be.I don't think I ever read the story, but the movie was one of my favourite "so bad it's good" movies during my late teens. The first half involves several people who go out of their way to be swallowed by the big, inanimate killing machine.
Finished Stephen King Goes To The Movies. The stories it contains:
1408: Pretty average. Most of the action is in the manager's office before entering The Room. Very different ending to the movie.
The Mangler: Never heard of it before. Short and as scary as a story about a demon-possessed pressing (ironing) machine could be.
Low Men in Yellow Coats: Brilliant and easily my favourite of the five. I've not seen the movie (which, from reviews, seems to be a good thing) and nor have I read any of the Dark Tower series. Hugely enjoyable story with very sympathetic MC. Loved it.
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: as I said above, brilliant. The story is great and the adaptation very true to the spirit of the story.
Children of the Corn: I've not seen the movie. The story was short and creepy. I imagine corn-fields are creepy?
"Assassins of Gor", by John Norman
(I don't promise not to review these on the blog... but I probably won't.)
I have already read far more about Gor than I ever, ever needed to know. What possessed you to pick those up?
Need to resort to interlibrary loan to find Stark's The Damsel (the first to spin off Parker's sometime accomplice Alan Grofield as the lead character), as neither Multnomah nor Clackamas county has it.
Need to resort to interlibrary loan to find Stark's The Damsel (the first to spin off Parker's sometime accomplice Alan Grofield as the lead character), as neither Multnomah nor Clackamas county has it.
Would the library buy it in if you request it?
I liked "Low Men in Yellow Coats" so much I borrowed Hearts In Atlantis -- two novellas and three short stories with the characters from "Low Men". I've nearly finished "Hearts In Atlantis" which is the other novella and it's very enjoyable. There's nothing supernatural or horrific, unless it's what people do to themselves when they should know better. Seems to me "Hearts In Atlantis" is a tribute to growing up in the Vietnam era, a way to capture that feeling. Whatever, it's great.
I liked "Low Men in Yellow Coats" so much I borrowed Hearts In Atlantis -- two novellas and three short stories with the characters from "Low Men". I've nearly finished "Hearts In Atlantis" which is the other novella and it's very enjoyable. There's nothing supernatural or horrific, unless it's what people do to themselves when they should know better. Seems to me "Hearts In Atlantis" is a tribute to growing up in the Vietnam era, a way to capture that feeling. Whatever, it's great.
I don't think I'd read any of the Dark Tower books at the time, but I remember really, really wanting to check them out after reading Low Men in Yellow Coats.
Yeah, really need to read those last two books. Maybe this will be the year. That said, I'm apparently in the minority of readers who thought The Gunslinger was the most awesome of the series (that I've read).
Finished Hearts In Atlantis. The three short stories were disappointing, particularly the last which featured Bobby and Carol after 40 years. Of the three, "Blind Willie" was the best, probably for the inventiveness of the double life he was leading.
I liked "Low Men in Yellow Coats" so much I borrowed Hearts In Atlantis -- two novellas and three short stories with the characters from "Low Men". I've nearly finished "Hearts In Atlantis" which is the other novella and it's very enjoyable. There's nothing supernatural or horrific, unless it's what people do to themselves when they should know better. Seems to me "Hearts In Atlantis" is a tribute to growing up in the Vietnam era, a way to capture that feeling. Whatever, it's great.I get where you're coming from but (hold off on the stones) I didn't care for Hearts in Atlantis, book or movie. Low men in Yellow Coats was all right, but what they did in the film ticked me off.
I get where you're coming from but (hold off on the stones) I didn't care for Hearts in Atlantis, book or movie. Low men in Yellow Coats was all right, but what they did in the film ticked me off.
Seriously thinking about picking up GRRM's A Game of Thrones in audio, just because I think I'd be able to listen to it quicker than I can read it at this point. Has anyone here actually listened to it?
Read "Brilliant: A History of Artificial Light," which was interesting, although it sagged a bit at the end. (More science! Less armchair politics without specific actionable goals!) Also read "Click," which, really, those same guys did "Nudge" and probably "Wink" or "Jump" or some crap. Pop socio-psych without a lick of data or decent studies to back up the vaguely self-help-esque assertions. I'm going to avoid them in the future because I just can't take unsourced science anymore.
Read "Brilliant: A History of Artificial Light," which was interesting, although it sagged a bit at the end. (More science! Less armchair politics without specific actionable goals!) Also read "Click," which, really, those same guys did "Nudge" and probably "Wink" or "Jump" or some crap. Pop socio-psych without a lick of data or decent studies to back up the vaguely self-help-esque assertions. I'm going to avoid them in the future because I just can't take unsourced science anymore.
So, can I guess your opinion of Malcolm Gladwell's stuff from this? (true confessions, I kinda liked Blink *sheepish*)
Read "Brilliant: A History of Artificial Light," which was interesting, although it sagged a bit at the end. (More science! Less armchair politics without specific actionable goals!) Also read "Click," which, really, those same guys did "Nudge" and probably "Wink" or "Jump" or some crap. Pop socio-psych without a lick of data or decent studies to back up the vaguely self-help-esque assertions. I'm going to avoid them in the future because I just can't take unsourced science anymore.
So, can I guess your opinion of Malcolm Gladwell's stuff from this? (true confessions, I kinda liked Blink *sheepish*)
Gladwell is a little bit better, but he still tends to sound more like a self-help book than like a science book.
Yeah, Audible making it only one credit is what made me consider picking it up in audio.
You listened to The Name of the Wind and liked the narration better than reading it? I almost picked that up a few months ago, but for some reason, wasn't sure about the sample narration. Might have to try the sample again :)
Picked up Ian MacLeod's The Light Ages from the library on a whim. I'm only a hundred pages in, but I am already flabbergasted. This book is awesome. The writing, the tone, the elaborate and brilliantly realized world... unless he completely flubs the ending, this one is getting bought for realsies and cheerfully added to my overstuffed bookshelves, Kindle be damned.
Picked up Ian MacLeod's The Light Ages from the library on a whim. I'm only a hundred pages in, but I am already flabbergasted. This book is awesome. The writing, the tone, the elaborate and brilliantly realized world... unless he completely flubs the ending, this one is getting bought for realsies and cheerfully added to my overstuffed bookshelves, Kindle be damned.
Interested to hear your after-thoughts. I loved that book.
GOD DAMN IT the stupid board said I might want to review my post since a new reply had been posted while I was typing; so I clicked "SAVE" again. And it double posted, AND told me again that a new reply had been posted while I was typing. WTF is with this board lately? >:(
Every time I post, it tells me "An Error Has Occurred! You already submitted this post! You might have accidently double clicked, or tried to refresh." Every single time. By the way, I copied and pasted, so the spelling error isn't mine.
Every time I post, it tells me "An Error Has Occurred! You already submitted this post! You might have accidently double clicked, or tried to refresh." Every single time. By the way, I copied and pasted, so the spelling error isn't mine.
I noticed something this morning in Matthew that went over my head when I read it in Mark a few days ago:
Kevin Smith's film Dogma makes it a big deal that Bethany is "the Last Scion" of Jesus because she is descended from his parents via "his brothers and sisters." Smith's script makes it sound like a great revelation that Jesus even had brothers and sisters.
But they are explicitly mentioned -- the four brothers of Jesus even named -- in Mark 6.3 and Matthew 13.55-56. Maybe even somewhere in Luke as well.
The Catholic and Orthodox churches teach that Mary remained a virgin her whole life.
also, maiden/virgin used just to mean someone who was unmarried, as opposed to someone who had not had sex
talk about assigning modern day sensibilities to an ancient text!
I just finished listening to Hunter's Run, a SF collaboration between George R. R. Martin, Gardener Dozois, and Daniel Abraham.
I just finished listening to Hunter's Run, a SF collaboration between George R. R. Martin, Gardener Dozois, and Daniel Abraham.
I always wonder how collabs actually work, especially with such huge names as these. Who comes up with the plot? The names? The dialogue? Does it all just get stuffed in a pot and stirred around or is it even more important to plan ahead?
These are, of course, the questions of a n00b but I still wonder.
I love The Man Who Folded Himself. It is actually internally consistent about how time travel works, and yes - it's about all those other more philosophical things too.
But I think you'll find the time-belt isn't just random. Spoilers in white:
Finished The Night Sessions. Wow. Great stuff. Essentially it boils down to a detective whodunnit but with near(?)future tech and self-aware robots. I think I'm doing it a disservice with that description because there's a lot of philosophical stuff in there -- on of the characters is a preacher who believes self-aware robots should also have the chance to hear God's Word. Really, really enjoyed this one and I recommend it. I love finsing new authors; I'll certainly search out a few more of his.
Currently reading that Stephen King book where he ripped off the Simpson's Movie. :P
Must... restrain... apostrophe... impulse...
Must... restrain... apostrophe... impulse...
???
Currently reading that Stephen King book where he ripped off the Simpson's Movie. :P
I think the Simpson's movie was better. ;D
Must... restrain... apostrophe... impulse...
???
I think he's referring to:Currently reading that Stephen King book where he ripped off the Simpson's Movie. :P
I think the Simpson's movie was better. ;D
Did he coin that line, or did somebody else?
Aaaanyway. Fun if you like that sort of thing and aces if you really dig historical research, but kind of lackluster if you want, y'know, a plot. Or sensible characters.
I wrapped up "The Historian," which is a layered mostly-epistolary novel in the old tradition of Victorian vampire schtuff, which is both fun (I, personally, enjoyed the meandering, why-the-hell-are-you-writing-about-this, look-at-my-research-everyone tone) and kind of not at all good. As in, the plot progresses and resolves with a series of almost ludicrous coincidences (including the saddest excuse for a deus ex machina I've seen in a long time) and features an evil mastermind who for some reason keeps leaving deliberate clues in his pursuers' hotel rooms instead of, y'know, just waiting there and breaking their necks with his undead strength when they come in unsuspecting. Basically, the only way for it to make sense in the end is if Dracula is pulling off the Ultimate Troll.
Aaaanyway. Fun if you like that sort of thing and aces if you really dig historical research, but kind of lackluster if you want, y'know, a plot. Or sensible characters.
I'm starting Eight Skilled Gentlemen (http://www.amazon.com/Eight-Skilled-Gentlemen-Barry-Hughart/dp/0385417101) by Barry Hughart. It's the third book in his Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox series that started with the fantastic Bridge of Birds (http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Birds-Novel-Ancient-China/dp/0345321383/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1).
They're fantasy / mystery novels set in ancient China. They are well researched and move along really fast, and the first book is also the funniest thing I've read since Hitchhiker's Guide. The second book (which is really really hard to find) isn't quite as good, but Gentlemen seems to really bring the spark back. And you don't need to read the second book to enjoy the third - they're unrelated cases - by this point the characters have had many fantastic adventures that are only mentioned in passing and were never shown in the books.
Given the fact that you must have some inkling of the general scenario the book eventually reaches (although maybe not) and how limited it is, the highly intensive setting/character building might make a little more sense. You're going to be spending a lot of time with these two people in this one room so there's got to be a lot to draw on in the set-up.
Hope you've read some Somerset Maugham, he gets pretty thoroughly investigated by the end of the book!
I'm not saying i really dislike the book and i'll probably get to the end of it, but i'm not as taken with it as i was with The Dead Zone (the only other King I've read) and I'm really not much of a fan of King's style
I mean, who knew that Roald Dahl got his start as a writer by churning out semi-autobiographical, highly sensationalized accounts of his adventures as an RAF fighter pilot? (hint: not me :))
I mean, who knew that Roald Dahl got his start as a writer by churning out semi-autobiographical, highly sensationalized accounts of his adventures as an RAF fighter pilot? (hint: not me :))
If you have fond memories of Roald Dahl stories, don't look too deeply into his real life. He was not a good man.
I'm not saying i really dislike the book and i'll probably get to the end of it, but i'm not as taken with it as i was with The Dead Zone (the only other King I've read) and I'm really not much of a fan of King's style
I think King is at his best when he is able to give us a twisted anthropology tale and develop characters. I really dug IT, The Stand, and The Shining. Haven't read either Dead Zone or Misery, but I'm working on some of the short stories now.
Resumed the Gospel of John while waiting for volume 22 of Hikaru no Go, and the library has volume 23 on order (hopefully the last one, or at this rate I'll finish the anime before I finish the manga).
TENGEN on the first move?!?!
I got a copy of "Embassytown" from the library and was having a really hard time with it. After about 40 pages, I realized that it's really a book that needs to be heard rather than read. So, I downloaded it from Audible and am really glad I did. The Hosts have two mouths and their language involves overlapping sounds. It's really cool the way the audio production handles it and I'm sure I made the right decision to listen to rather than read it.
I got a copy of "Embassytown" from the library and was having a really hard time with it. After about 40 pages, I realized that it's really a book that needs to be heard rather than read. So, I downloaded it from Audible and am really glad I did. The Hosts have two mouths and their language involves overlapping sounds. It's really cool the way the audio production handles it and I'm sure I made the right decision to listen to rather than read it.
Interesting! I haven't picked it up yet, but I was a bit worried about getting the audio, because I thought it might be a story better to read than to listen to. But now I'm curious :) I'll have to give the sample chapter a listen!
Thanks!
Finished Misery my Stephen King. My opinion remains unchanged. Too slow and meandering. There only so much of a damn i can give about two people in the room desperately trying to kill each other while also trying to keep each other alive at the same time. Conclusion from reading two King novels: he turns a wonderful phrase, but his style is not for me. I might read the Stand at some point and maybe dabble in his short fiction a little as well.
Finished Misery my Stephen King. My opinion remains unchanged. Too slow and meandering. There only so much of a damn i can give about two people in the room desperately trying to kill each other while also trying to keep each other alive at the same time. Conclusion from reading two King novels: he turns a wonderful phrase, but his style is not for me. I might read the Stand at some point and maybe dabble in his short fiction a little as well.
Try and get a '70s-vintage edition of The Stand as it was originally published, not the "complete and uncut".
Finished Misery my Stephen King. My opinion remains unchanged. Too slow and meandering. There only so much of a damn i can give about two people in the room desperately trying to kill each other while also trying to keep each other alive at the same time. Conclusion from reading two King novels: he turns a wonderful phrase, but his style is not for me. I might read the Stand at some point and maybe dabble in his short fiction a little as well.
Finished Point Blank, a.k.a. The Hunter by Richard Stark. Figured I should read me some Parker since he's quoted as an inspiration for Dan Simmons' Joe Kurtz. The book was short -- a very easy read. Only problem now is neither of the two library systems I'm in have much Parker!
(Was my mention here the inspiration for your reading this? Too bad you don't live nearby; I could lend you most of the Parker and Grofield books up through Slayground.)
Since I'm a big fan of Dan Simmons I kind of knew about Stark. But when there's a recommendation by someone you know, well, it helps prod me into action. So thanks!
"Hit List" by Laurell K. Hamilton. It's a very fast read; I'm sandwiching it in between other books I have to review.
I'm currently trying to read Gail Carriger's Soulless (http://www.amazon.com/Soulless-Parasol-Protectorate-Gail-Carriger/dp/0316056634/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309057535&sr=8-1) because I've heard good things about it. Unfortunately, I've so far found all the characters so irritating I'm not sure I can finish it. Carriger has opted for a very particular style and tone which is grating on my nerves like there's no tomorrow - might just be a taste thing. Since I've bought the book, I'd like to at least finish, but we'll see how much of it I can stand.
Clash of Kings on the KindleHey that's exactly what and how I'm reading!
It is very odd to see your family name show up in a book that you are reading, and that just happened to me, with A Storm of Swords. My family's name is not VERY common, and certainly not something that would be pulled out of someone's head randomly. I wonder where GRRM got the inspiration to use it. Friend? Phone Book? Historical? I may have to investigate.
Reading through the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels. I really loved the film so it's some surprise to find that I don't enjoy the source material so much. I think I'm nowhere near the target audience, i.e. 15-25 with a philosophy of life that extends to "life is about something, or whatever dude."
Finished Clash of Kings, on to Storm of Swords.
As a result of watching the Cohen Brother's excellent version of True Grit, I bought the Kindle ebook. I can say that their film is a very faithful version. The book is great, too. It has a very economical, straight-forward prose style which suits the historical period and the narrator (young Mattie Ross) very well indeed. Recommended.
Santa Olivia by that lady I forget her name who does the Kushiel novels I don't like
This was a very good read. Nice, subtle characterization (mostly) and a willingness to have characters with multiple layers who change over time. I'd recommend it more or less unhesitatingly, with perhaps a small caveat that the back cover information has NOTHING to do with the actual plot, which is more akin to a Rocky movie.
---
...Escape from Hell by Larry Niven.
In audio, I'm listening to Dan Simmons' latest, "Flashback". It's a near-future SF murder mystery. I think he's in need of a good editor as the book contains way too much back info and keeps going off track. I suspect the actual story is really only half of the book. It's sad because the Hyperion books were some of the best SF that I've ever read.
On a related note, I have no more idea why the Rush song is called "Tom Sawyer", than I do why the Gorillaz song is called "Clint Eastwood".
I'm thinking particularly here of the one where the mother obsessively raises her massively disabled daughter to the extent that her husband leaves her and then gets attacked by a snake demon that has to have a host to die with it in order to be killed and she ends up shooting it and her disabled daughter at the same time and then going on for like two pages about how God's perfect plan led to her having a vegetable for a child just so she could kill the snake demon and just what the goddamned holy hell people?)I laughed so hard right here I choked on my orange juice.
I'm thinking particularly here of the one where the mother obsessively raises her massively disabled daughter to the extent that her husband leaves her and then gets attacked by a snake demon that has to have a host to die with it in order to be killed and she ends up shooting it and her disabled daughter at the same time and then going on for like two pages about how God's perfect plan led to her having a vegetable for a child just so she could kill the snake demon and just what the goddamned holy hell people?)I laughed so hard right here I choked on my orange juice.
Finished Tom Sawyer yesterday, and began attempting to read The Sound and the Fury.
I may end up bouncing off this one. I'm having a lot of trouble keeping up with the disjointed chronology, to say nothing of differentiating one character from another... it's not even that clear which characters are the Compson family and which are their black servants. And I can't tell if Quentin is supposed to be a boy or a girl.
New Dresden Files book came out. I'll be done with it somewhere around 4am. I can't wait.
New Dresden Files book came out. I'll be done with it somewhere around 4am. I can't wait.
Meh. The last story in "Side Jobs" really reflected what I was hoping for in the series after "Changes." I was kind of stoked about the Sergeant Murphy Chronicles. I am not really anxious for Harry to come back.
About to give up on Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. It's not holding my interest. Everything just seems incredibly improbable, if not outright impossible, including -- but not limited to -- the tech, the zombies and the character interactions. Most annoying.
Finished A Feast for Crows, now on to the latest one, A Dance with Dragons!
Finished A Feast for Crows, now on to the latest one, A Dance with Dragons!
Coo. I finished the first book in the series a few days ago and I'm about 1/3 of the way through Clash of Kings.
There... really is a lot of rape and murder in these books.
Aw, I love Harry. He's hilarious (if occasionally irritating).
Finished A Feast for Crows, now on to the latest one, A Dance with Dragons!
Coo. I finished the first book in the series a few days ago and I'm about 1/3 of the way through Clash of Kings.
There... really is a lot of rape and murder in these books.
Yeah, they're pretty brutal. I've got less than 10% of Clash of Kings left, and I may have to take a break from them after I'm done.
almost done with Catcher in the Rye. I'll make the final push later and I have to say, it has a lot of work to do. This ending better be a good payoff for all the painstaking characterisation we've had so far. Seriously, it's obvious he's a sociopath, why does it take 150 pages of ridiculously detailed plodding though 24 hours, narrated in the most irritatingly conversational way imaginable to establish that? Characters who aren't Holden seem to fly in and fly out for a quick stop over in the plot before disappearing again and of the two characters that have been given the most depth and attention besides Holden, one hasn't even appeared yet and i'm about half a dozen pages from the end.
I'm not saying it's bad, exactly, but it could do with being a good deal less heavy handed and probably half as long. Holden's character is brilliant and the narration style is very good, but they both outstay their welcome about 100 pages ago.
(She doesn't even use quotation marks. Just dashes.)
About to give up on Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. It's not holding my interest. Everything just seems incredibly improbable, if not outright impossible, including -- but not limited to -- the tech, the zombies and the character interactions. Most annoying.
Yeah, I was deeply unenthused when I read it, which was sad after how awesome it sounded in principle.
Aw, I love Harry. He's hilarious (if occasionally irritating).
I am really enjoying Harry Dresden, too. But I think it has to do with the fact that I am listening to the audiobooks narrated by James Marsters, who does a fabulous job (even if I do keep thinking of Spike ;) ).
Aw, I love Harry. He's hilarious (if occasionally irritating).
I am really enjoying Harry Dresden, too. But I think it has to do with the fact that I am listening to the audiobooks narrated by James Marsters, who does a fabulous job (even if I do keep thinking of Spike ;) ).
The new one isn't narrated by Marsters. This is crushing me. I mean they finally got him to say "runes" instead of "ruins" and other fantastically funny mispronunciations that somehow made him more and not less endearing to me. Now someone new? Argh. It's a good thing I can't bear to abandon the series....
On a related note, I have no more idea why the Rush song is called "Tom Sawyer", than I do why the Gorillaz song is called "Clint Eastwood".
IF you ever do, please clue me in on that as I have been wondering those two questions myself.
About to give up on Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. It's not holding my interest. Everything just seems incredibly improbable, if not outright impossible, including -- but not limited to -- the tech, the zombies and the character interactions. Most annoying.
Yeah, I was deeply unenthused when I read it, which was sad after how awesome it sounded in principle.
Same. Dreadnaught, the sequel, is MUCH better.
(She doesn't even use quotation marks. Just dashes.)
I only ever encountered that style when reading James Joyce.
Aw, I love Harry. He's hilarious (if occasionally irritating).
I am really enjoying Harry Dresden, too. But I think it has to do with the fact that I am listening to the audiobooks narrated by James Marsters, who does a fabulous job (even if I do keep thinking of Spike ;) ).
The new one isn't narrated by Marsters. This is crushing me. I mean they finally got him to say "runes" instead of "ruins" and other fantastically funny mispronunciations that somehow made him more and not less endearing to me. Now someone new? Argh. It's a good thing I can't bear to abandon the series....
Read volumes 3 and 4 of "Locke and Key" (and perforce reread 1 and 2 to catch up on the nuances of plot.) This series is friggin' amazing. I love it to pieces. There are so many subtle details woven in that you really have to stop and examine each page instead of rushing as one often does with gripping graphic novels. It rewards revisiting, as well. Also Bode is awesome and I hope my child ends up just like him (well, maybe not exactly like him, given the events of the end of volume 4). This series and "Unwritten" are two of my absolute favorite things.
Nearly through all five Hugo novel nominees. From last year.
Nearly through all five Hugo novel nominees. From last year.
At least you're keeping pace, ne?
Nearly through all five Hugo novel nominees. From last year.
At least you're keeping pace, ne?
I hear this year was overrated, anyway ;)
I only read half of last year's...although I would like to one day bump that up to 5/6's or all. (Sawyer's being the one I'm iffy on.
This year, I read one of the novels. Damn. I do need to do better next year.
I tend to wait for complete runs, just because I hate cliffhangers. "Y: The Last Man" and "Ex Machina" are both on my shelf, though. (Have you tried "Unwritten," DKT? It's way cool in an odd internet-age kind of way.)
If you liked Snow Crash, you really ought to read more by Stephenson. My favorite is Cryptonomicon. Not my favorite Stephenson book, my favorite novel.
...The Water of the Wondrous Isles by William Morris......who apparently had no use for quotation marks in dialogue. I've forgotten whether The Well at the World's End was similarly styled, but Water does share the archaic language (e.g., the word "wot" is substituted for "know".)
Ghost Story basically confirmed my suspicions about Jim Butcher. Changes and Ghost Story were basically the equivalent of a Marvel or DC reboot, an attempt to revitalize a franchise grown stale without actually changing anything.Add a big bucket of "Me, too!" to that. I spent nearly the entirety of the last two books saying (in my head) " and you're going to give away the swords now, right?" which turned into:
Meh. *shrugs*
The City and The City was, frankly, a disappointment.
The City and The City was, frankly, a disappointment.
*gasp*
That book was one of the hands-down best books I've read in many years. I am not surprised at all it won - I found it riveting and wonderful. Sooo -- I'm right and you're wrong :D ;)
Are we counting graphic novels as part of what we read?
Only 220 pages too which is a bonus after a disappointing epic fantasy I just read that was 680 pages.
Wow, this one was pretty boring... :-\
Wow, this one was pretty boring... :-\
WHAT?!
It was SO FUCKING GOOD WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!!!!!
Friggin Bran and friggin Arya and friggin Dany and gaaaaaaah!
(-_- ; )
Only 220 pages too which is a bonus after a disappointing epic fantasy I just read that was 680 pages.
Oh, c'mon. Please be more specific about that epic fantasy and help us all out here :)
Started Old Man's War, holy crap WHAT FUN!
Started Old Man's War, holy crap WHAT FUN!
Right?? You'll enjoy the sequels as well. Scalzi has a great sense of humor he really lets shine through - I love how the series manages to be both serious and funny at the same time.
Only 220 pages too which is a bonus after a disappointing epic fantasy I just read that was 680 pages.
Oh, c'mon. Please be more specific about that epic fantasy and help us all out here :)
I'll give you a hint: it's the one I most recently posted about also reading. Plus there's a thread about it and yet not about it. :P
Started Old Man's War, holy crap WHAT FUN!
Right?? You'll enjoy the sequels as well. Scalzi has a great sense of humor he really lets shine through - I love how the series manages to be both serious and funny at the same time.
Snow Crash is one of my favorite books. I've read it, and also listened to the audiobook twice. The narration on the audiobook is one of the best I've ever heard. So much so that I've gone on Audible just to search for audiobooks by the same narrator.
If you liked Snow Crash, you really ought to read more by Stephenson. My favorite is Cryptonomicon. Not my favorite Stephenson book, my favorite novel.
I will check them out.Snow Crash is one of my favorite books. I've read it, and also listened to the audiobook twice. The narration on the audiobook is one of the best I've ever heard. So much so that I've gone on Audible just to search for audiobooks by the same narrator.
If you liked Snow Crash, you really ought to read more by Stephenson. My favorite is Cryptonomicon. Not my favorite Stephenson book, my favorite novel.
Cryptonomicon held my "Favorite Stephenson book/possibly favorite book" for some time. Until I read "Anathem". Holy cripes, that hit my geeky sweet spot. Math, Astronomy, Physics, LEO space travel, clocks, etc.
I finally sat down and finished reading the last volume of Ex Machina. As a series, I didn't quite enjoy it as much as Y the Last Man, but damn. That last issue is gonna haunt me.
I finally sat down and finished reading the last volume of Ex Machina. As a series, I didn't quite enjoy it as much as Y the Last Man, but damn. That last issue is gonna haunt me.
He warned you, right at the beginning! "This is a tragedy."
Snow Crash is one of my favorite books. I've read it, and also listened to the audiobook twice. The narration on the audiobook is one of the best I've ever heard. So much so that I've gone on Audible just to search for audiobooks by the same narrator.
If you liked Snow Crash, you really ought to read more by Stephenson. My favorite is Cryptonomicon. Not my favorite Stephenson book, my favorite novel.
Cryptonomicon held my "Favorite Stephenson book/possibly favorite book" for some time. Until I read "Anathem". Holy cripes, that hit my geeky sweet spot. Math, Astronomy, Physics, LEO space travel, clocks, etc.
(I have a couple of Scalzi's other books at home, but haven't had time to crack them yet :-[)
Only 220 pages too which is a bonus after a disappointing epic fantasy I just read that was 680 pages.
Oh, c'mon. Please be more specific about that epic fantasy and help us all out here :)
I'll give you a hint: it's the one I most recently posted about also reading. Plus there's a thread about it and yet not about it. :P
Ah, cool. For some reason, I didn't realize that was epic fantasy. Thanks!
SO you're telling me it should get off my shelf and into my hands?
I can top that - I have books from when I was a child with the margins missing since I tore them out to write notes on, or to put my gum in, or whatever. The text is all there, though.
(I have a couple of Scalzi's other books at home, but haven't had time to crack them yet :-[)
You CRACK your BOOKS?? Aee you saying you CRACK THE SPINES??
BLASPHEMY!!
(On the rare occasions I lend my own copy of a book to someone they're like to ask, "Is this new?" to which the answer is, "No, I've read it through several times."
Okay, I was lent a book by someone with similar views on book spines once. I was supposed to return the book in as good shape as I got it. I did not find this a pleasant experience at all! I was too busy stressing about "Did I leave a crease in the spine? Is the front/back cover too curled from trying not to break the spine? Oh no! Is that a fingerprint?" Aaahhh...This is precisely why I dislike lending people my favorite books and also borrowing books from other people. I had a couple of friends return books to me so mangled I threw the book out and bought another copy(in return, I made them buy me a beer or something about the same price as the book.) On the other hand, I'm so worried about keeping the book in pristine shape to return it, it detracts a bit from my over-all enjoyment as well.
I would never presume to dictate on how one should enjoy a book. But let me give you "spine savers" a bit of advice. If you want your friends to like a book you do, don't lend them your copy ;)
(I have a couple of Scalzi's other books at home, but haven't had time to crack them yet :-[)
You CRACK your BOOKS?? Aee you saying you CRACK THE SPINES??
BLASPHEMY!!
(On the rare occasions I lend my own copy of a book to someone they're like to ask, "Is this new?" to which the answer is, "No, I've read it through several times."
FINALLY finished A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin. I've been a huge fan of the series since...1998? Wow, this one was pretty boring... :-\
Now I can finally go back The Dragons Path by Daniel Abraham!
(I have a couple of Scalzi's other books at home, but haven't had time to crack them yet :-[)
You CRACK your BOOKS?? Aee you saying you CRACK THE SPINES??
BLASPHEMY!!
(On the rare occasions I lend my own copy of a book to someone they're like to ask, "Is this new?" to which the answer is, "No, I've read it through several times."
Ha. I remember how back when we first got married, and I'd finish reading a book and give it to my wife to read, I would be somewhat aghast at the way she handled them. We both love books, but she'd bend the pages back around to read them, crack the spine, etc. Maybe that's why they call the first year of marriage "Paper"?
Now that she has a Kindle, I guess it's not much of a problem...
Just finished 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Kline. SO MUCH FUN. It's about a teenager competing in an online tournament to find a game Easter Egg hidden by the programmer, a dying eccentric billionaire obsessed with geek culture and the '80s. It's worth his entire fortune. The world they're exploring in is like a much-improved Second Life plus every MMPORG ever made all rolled up in one. There are bad guys, of course, corporate drones out to get the fortune for themselves, thus villified by all other egg hunters ("gunters").
The Evil Corporate Drones are a bit cliche, but I found I could forgive that.
The whole book is a constant string of '80s and geek/gaming references (during one part the protagonist is challenged to recite every line from part of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' from memory). Now the most apt criticism of the book is that it's written like a YA novel, but full of references your average teen would never get. The writing itself isn't that strong. But the concept is great, the storyline is fantastic and the author clearly "gets" gamer culture. I guess mostly his characters are pretty weak. Still, terribly fun. I guess it's being adapted into a movie too, which I will happily watch the hell out of.
I'm waiting for the Marla Mason books to be available on Kindle.
Tried to read "Blood Engines," which is Tim Pratt's Marla Mason series and widely praised on the Intarwebs. Good Lord, that was awful. I gave up after forty pages. Stiff dialogue, buckets of irrelevant backstory infodump, and a cast of really unlikeable characters.
I'm waiting for the Marla Mason books to be available on Kindle.
They are (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_10?field-keywords=t.a.+pratt&url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&sprefix=t.a.+pratt)! Enjoy 'em! (Uh, along with a lot of short stories...)
Sir, I expect to be paid in Chipotle! Not the other way around! ;DWell, drive down to Charlotte and I'll buy you one. We've got three of 'em in a fifteen-minute radius.
The only Maxey I've read is Nobody Gets the Girl, which I enjoyed. Haven't tried the Bitterwood books.I read the title of "Nobody Gets the Girl" and went, "Oh, cool! A superheroine book in which the female protagonist is unapologetically non-romantic and thus can focus on the plot and characterization!" Then I read the blurb about how "Nobody" is the superhero name of the protagonist and how he actually has TWO super-hot super-babes that he gets to pick between, and my interest just wilted away. I might enjoy the book, but the disappointment will linger. Not anyone's fault but my own, I know.
Still kind of soldiering through Black Hills by Dan Simmons. It's not that it's badly written or anything, it's just slow. That's not a bad thing, but damn. It's taking me so long to get through it, and I'm not even halfway. I've learned a good bit reading it, though, and I don't dislike it or anything, so will continue to soldier on.I read and greatly enjoyed "The Terror," for instance, but Mister S is going to take his sweet patootin' time about the plot and there's nothing you can do about it so just you wait, Mister Man. I can dig that, though.
(Kindle North America does have them (here's the link (http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Engines-Marla-Mason-ebook/dp/B000WCWVIU/ref=sr_1_8?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1317146702&sr=1-8) to Blood Enginesspecifically). Maybe because they're not available in the UK, they list the link to audio?)
Finished Company (see above). Verdict: Extraordinary. How he sustained the whole thing through 300 pages is beyond me. One of the best books I've read this year. Very highly recommended.could you post an amazon link? "Company" isn't really the best search keyword to use.
Finished Company (see above). Verdict: Extraordinary. How he sustained the whole thing through 300 pages is beyond me. One of the best books I've read this year. Very highly recommended.could you post an amazon link? "Company" isn't really the best search keyword to use.
<3Finished Company (see above). Verdict: Extraordinary. How he sustained the whole thing through 300 pages is beyond me. One of the best books I've read this year. Very highly recommended.could you post an amazon link? "Company" isn't really the best search keyword to use.
http://www.amazon.com/Company-Max-Barry/dp/1400079373/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317560044&sr=8-1
I just finished reading a novel by the name of "Naked Came the Manatee." Promising title. Bizarre jacket description. Not equal to the sum of its parts.
It was a collaboration between a baker's dozen of authors, all loosely stringing together a story about a manatee, a few cardboard cutout characters who don't really develop, and Fidel Castro and his many severed heads. What really brings it down is that none of its contributors seemed content to just build on the chapter that the previous author had written. Instead, a lot of stuff gets erased, kicked to the side or completely ignored. It's the literary equivalent of a room full of people shouting over each other.
I started Briarpatch, by some guy named Tim Pratt. So far, really good!
I started Briarpatch, by some guy named Tim Pratt. So far, really good!
That book is RAD.
Spotlight coming soon :)
I started Briarpatch, by some guy named Tim Pratt. So far, really good!
That book is RAD.
Spotlight coming soon :)
I really should read some stuff of his. I've only ever heard stuff on podcasts. (Well, technically I suppose I've read "From Around Here") Where should I start -- Marla Mason?
My copy of "The Weird" is in! Woo!
I am loving 'The Alloy of Law.' It's certainly fluffier than Sanderson's previous works, but it's very enjoyable - a rollicking good action adventure tale with a healthy dose of comedy.
I haven't read Rule 34, but I DID read 'Halting State,' also by Stross, and ALSO read in second person narrative. In fact, I DID struggle with that one for a while too.
But I tell you what, I eventually did adjust, and by the end found the book really rewarding. So I'd suggest sticking it out; perhaps it will pay off like it did for me.
Just finished The Great Divorce; just started Out of the Silent Planet (both by C S Lewis).
Inspired to pick up The Great Divorce by a commenter on Fred Clark's "Slacktivist" blog.
Aha. What did you think of [The Great Divorce]?Interesting, though as an allegory it was about as subtle as a brick to the crotch.
Aha. What did you think of [The Great Divorce]?Interesting, though as an allegory it was about as subtle as a brick to the crotch.
I'm expecting more of the same from the sci-fi trilogy.
Aha. What did you think of [The Great Divorce]?Interesting, though as an allegory it was about as subtle as a brick to the crotch.
I'm expecting more of the same from the sci-fi trilogy.
Hmm. Fair enough, that particular one is fairly direct. I'll be very interested to hear what you think of Lewis' "sci-fi trilogy". I loved 'em but have to confess I grew up in a fairly fundamental Christian church. To me, the second in the series is the most obviously Christian, the third is the most obviously WTF??
@stePH: You were expecting C.S. Lewis to be subtle? That's like asking Richard Dawkins to be subtle. :P
Well, I finished "Out of Oz". It was... okay.
Well, I finished "Out of Oz". It was... okay.
I read the first three books in this series. I loved "Wicked", but each book was progressively worse than the last. I'm really waffling on reading the latest.
Well, I finished "Out of Oz". It was... okay.
I read the first three books in this series. I loved "Wicked", but each book was progressively worse than the last. I'm really waffling on reading the latest.
I personally really dug 'Son of a Witch,' though it was a sure battle getting into it.
Once I did, though, it really paid off for me and I found it excellent. For some reason Maguire's writing style is just so, so hard to adjust to.
Don't know if I mentioned this, but I'm rereading "Dragon Tattoo" now that I've seen both films.
Don't know if I mentioned this, but I'm rereading "Dragon Tattoo" now that I've seen both films.
You mentioned that at the end of the previous thread page. What you didn't mention was how you thought the American language version compared with the Swedish/Dutch production. I've not see the American language version (yet) but I'd find it hard to believe someone could top Noomi Rapace's Lisbeth.
I just finished reading Bioshock: Rapture, the prequel novel to the video game series.I know that feeling. There was a game that came out in October called Rage. The premise of the video game is that there is a huge asteroid on a collision course with earth. To survive the asteroid, the governments of the world bury people in these egg shaped burrowing machines called "arks" that are equipped with cryogenic chambers. The arks will burrow under the earth for 100 years or so until it should be safe for humanity to rise again.
Meh. I guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up over a video game novel, but the games were so compelling I thought the book would be as well. It's got a whole lot of what I like to call "Titanic Syndrome": I already know what's going to happen to these characters - I know who's going to be dead before the game proper beings, and I know who's going to live long enough to be killed by me - so it's hard for me to form any emotional attachments to them. Despite a few clever twists, there wasn't much to distinguish itself.
Don't know if I mentioned this, but I'm rereading "Dragon Tattoo" now that I've seen both films.
Don't know if I mentioned this, but I'm rereading "Dragon Tattoo" now that I've seen both films.
I watched the Swedish trilogy back in April last year when I was laid up from a surgery.
My only comment about the US version is "...because American's don't like to read."
Don't know if I mentioned this, but I'm rereading "Dragon Tattoo" now that I've seen both films.
I watched the Swedish trilogy back in April last year when I was laid up from a surgery.
My only comment about the US version is "...because American's don't like to read."
Yeah, "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" sold 30 million copies. Americans totally hate reading.
Worldwide. But the trilogy has sold 17 million copies in the US, as of last April. (source (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-sells-more-than-1-million-digital-copies/))Don't know if I mentioned this, but I'm rereading "Dragon Tattoo" now that I've seen both films.
I watched the Swedish trilogy back in April last year when I was laid up from a surgery.
My only comment about the US version is "...because American's don't like to read."
Yeah, "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" sold 30 million copies. Americans totally hate reading.
30 million worldwide, or just in the US? The number I found on Wikipedia doesn't indicate.
I'm in the middle of reading and listening to a pair of cool books I need to share with you all:
Leviathan Wakes, by James S.A. Corey (who is actually Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck), is a big, fun, space opera turned up to 11. GRRM called it "kick-ass" in a blurb, and I'm going to be so sad when I finish reading it. Those of you wishing for some awesome and fun SF - I can't recommend it enough.
I'm currently listening to Daryl Gregory's Raising Stony Mayhall - it's a zombie coming of age story and is one of those books that feels like it's been part of my life for a long time (and I'm not even through it yet). It's charming, funny, and sweet, and I'm sure it'll make me weep by the time I'm done with it.
I have Leviathan Wakes on my Nook. I think it's a combined edition with another book.
Daryl Gregory is now one of my favorite authors and Raising Stony Mayhall is probably his best so far. The thing about recommending Gregory's novels to people is that you really can't describe them in a way that doesn't sound like pulp SF&F.
I'm knee deep in Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, read by Wil Wheaton. I'm basically in geek heaven. I'm not even that much of a gamer (just World of Warcraft, and even that is limited), but I grew up with video games in the 80s and 90s, and I'm loving all the references.
read by Wil Wheaton.
I'm knee deep in Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, read by Wil Wheaton. I'm basically in geek heaven. I'm not even that much of a gamer (just World of Warcraft, and even that is limited), but I grew up with video games in the 80s and 90s, and I'm loving all the references.
I hit on just about every geekdom in that book, and adored it. It was not deep at all, and was basically a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory type of scenario, but it worked.
And I think if he could carve out the time, Wil might narrate for EA.
I am loving 'The Alloy of Law.' It's certainly fluffier than Sanderson's previous works, but it's very enjoyable - a rollicking good action adventure tale with a healthy dose of comedy.
It reminded me a lot of the old TV show "Wild Wild West".
Just read The Space Merchants. My oh my, that book is faaaaantastic. I highly recommend it, and it's pretty short as well, so it shouldn't distract anyone for too long off other books.
Just read The Space Merchants. My oh my, that book is faaaaantastic. I highly recommend it, and it's pretty short as well, so it shouldn't distract anyone for too long off other books.
Pohl is one of my favourite authors, pretty much anything of his is worth reading.
I started The Hunger Games today, having procured as an Amazon eBook. Seems like all the cool kids are reading it...
I started The Hunger Games today, having procured as an Amazon eBook. Seems like all the cool kids are reading it...NOW the cool kids are reading it. whew!
I started The Hunger Games today, having procured as an Amazon eBook. Seems like all the cool kids are reading it...
NOW the cool kids are reading it. whew!
I started The Hunger Games today, having procured as an Amazon eBook. Seems like all the cool kids are reading it...
NOW the cool kids are reading it. whew!
SERIOUSLY. You guys are gonna make me cave to peer pressure! (My wife's already demanded we go see the movie. I think she read all three books in a couple weeks...)
The problem with the ebook readers now is they don't really work well.
The problem with the ebook readers now is they don't really work well.
Gosh, looking back at some of these posts is like reading through history books! 'Gramps, gramps, ::excited child voice:: tell us more stories about when e-book readers didn't work!'. How things have changed in such a short time! But then again, maybe not - just did a spell check and ebook isn't even in the dictionary! ;D
Robert.
Back to scifi, this time with Alasdair Reynold's Revelation Space. Once you get through the mind-numbing first 15 pages it gets pretty fantastic.please to direct you to reply #6 in this thread :DThe problem with the ebook readers now is they don't really work well.Gosh, looking back at some of these posts is like reading through history books! 'Gramps, gramps, ::excited child voice:: tell us more stories about when e-book readers didn't work!'. How things have changed in such a short time! But then again, maybe not - just did a spell check and ebook isn't even in the dictionary! ;D
Robert.
Okay, just finished off Supernatural Noir, have to say I'm not terribly impressed. This turned out not to have been a good month for reading much beyond magazines, and I have been and will continue to catch up on those for a bit, but I figure next week or so I'll start a new book and was wondering if anyone has any input on the anthologies I'm debating:
1. Ghosts By Gaslight ed. Jack Dann & Nick Gevers
2. Panverse Three ed. Dario Ciriello
3. Eclipse Four ed. Jonathan Strahan
4. Engineering Infinity ed. Jonathan Strahan
5. Life on Mars: Tales of the New Frontier ed. Jonathan Strahan
In regards to Supernatural Noir: There weren't any awful stories, not surprising given the calibre of the authors, but about half the stories were exactly average/competent and half were slightly above average. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying it unless it's off the discount shelf. Some of the stories were good and creepy, but most are a bit too forgettable. And I usually like Datlow's collections.
Back to scifi, this time with Alasdair Reynold's Revelation Space. Once you get through the mind-numbing first 15 pages it gets pretty fantastic.
Back to scifi, this time with Alasdair Reynold's Revelation Space. Once you get through the mind-numbing first 15 pages it gets pretty fantastic.
I'm re-reading this myself. You're right, the opening scene is pretty dull, but I'm remembering why I started reading Reynolds in the first place. The guy just writes great fiction. I've just recently finished most of his novels not set in the RS universe, plus The Prefect, which is sort of a prequal to the RS stuff.
Has anyone read Century Rain? The blurb doesn't do much for me, so I've avoided it.
Oh, I also listened to Moby Dick - something I'd never read before. Kind of shocked by how awesome that book was. (I suspect this was a case of the audio being particularly great - not sure I would've enjoyed reading it as much as I did listening.)
Finished A CONFUSION OF PRINCES by Garth Nix. Liked it but didn't love it they way I loved SABRIEL and the Abhorsen trilogy. His world building in those books is just so lush. I don't know if he's ever written anything to equal it.
Oh, I also listened to Moby Dick - something I'd never read before. Kind of shocked by how awesome that book was. (I suspect this was a case of the audio being particularly great - not sure I would've enjoyed reading it as much as I did listening.)
Who is the narrator, Dave? There seem to be a few versions available. I have never been able to get through Moby Dick and I've been thinking I should try audio.
That would be the late, great Frank Muller. He did a lot of Stephen King and Elmore Leonard stuff too, but yeah, he really made Moby Dick for me.
Finished reading Snow Crash this weekend.
Wow, but this book was so totally 90s. I was a little peeved at the whole hipster-punk overtones to the story, but in general it was pretty good. I was fascinated by the idea of religion and language as a virus, and the human race as an organism. Very interesting stuff.
Finished reading Snow Crash this weekend.
Wow, but this book was so totally 90s. I was a little peeved at the whole hipster-punk overtones to the story, but in general it was pretty good. I was fascinated by the idea of religion and language as a virus, and the human race as an organism. Very interesting stuff.
One day I'm gonna read/listen to Snow Crash and Neuromancer back-to-back, just to get a whiff of that 80s/90s SF smell ;)
In the middle of "A Dance with Dragons". Am very curious to see how (if?) all the loose ends will be resolved.BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Loose ends? Resolved? A Song of Ice and Fire book? Keep on wishing.
I just finished 'The King's Blood' by Daniel Abraham, sequel to 'Dragon's Path,' and now I can't believe I'm going to have to wait an unknown period of time until the next one. ARGHGHGHGHGHGGH.
It was so good I'm now terribly impatient for the sequel.
C'mon Mr. Abraham, drop all else and work double time on it. I'll give you a cookie if you do! :P
Hey Talia - I can't remember. Did you read Bear's Range of Ghosts?
!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just finished John Scalzi's 'Redshirts' and I tell ya I haven't laughed out loud at any book, including 'Discworld,' in many years. Just a frigging delightful book. Very twisty and mid-bendy and just so, so, so, so much fun.
I got it from the library, but I'm going to buy it too, because this is one I want on my shelves. A keeper for sure.
I loved 'Spellwright' and found the magic system fascinating.
The sequel, 'Spellbound,' is already out - but I abandoned it after the first couple chapters. I couldn't remember who any of the characters were nor could I figure out what was going on. I'm not sure if it was just because it'd been too long since I'd read the previous.
Anyway, it's available if you want to give it a shot.
Currently reading Ender's Game for the first time ever and really enjoying it. Halfway through in one day:)
Currently reading Ender's Game for the first time ever and really enjoying it. Halfway through in one day:)
*picks jaw up off of desk*
Currently reading Ender's Game for the first time ever and really enjoying it. Halfway through in one day:)
*picks jaw up off of desk*
It's amazing how many people respond that way:)
...Because clockwork prostitutes and plagues that either kill you or change your sex are way cool.
So far, they're both pretty awesome, and since it's not easy (for me) to read two books at the same time, I'm going to finish The Constantine Affliction first. Because clockwork prostitutes and plagues that either kill you or change your sex are way cool. Not that trickster gods in 20th Century Russia aren't...That is coming up soon in my TBR pile (because I like "secret author"'s other stuff too).
Deathless by by Catherynne M. Valente...
Now reading "The Long Earth" by Baxter/Pratchett. Once you get past the first two chapters, it gets really good really fast.
Now reading "The Long Earth" by Baxter/Pratchett. Once you get past the first two chapters, it gets really good really fast.
I might have to try that one again in that case. I got through the first chapter or so, then got distracted by another book and never got back to it before its due date.
Listening to GRRM's A Storm of Swords, and about 2/3 through. Dammit, why did those characters have to die! (I kind of figured it was coming, but still. That hurt.)
Listening to GRRM's A Storm of Swords, and about 2/3 through. Dammit, why did those characters have to die! (I kind of figured it was coming, but still. That hurt.)
My friend is not quite at that point in the book but is close and I cannot wait till he gets to that!
Listening to GRRM's A Storm of Swords, and about 2/3 through. Dammit, why did those characters have to die! (I kind of figured it was coming, but still. That hurt.)
My friend is not quite at that point in the book but is close and I cannot wait till he gets to that!
See, that's how my friend at work has been...and then he went on a business trip this week. Probably for the best. I think he was going to take too much glee in my reaction. >:(
Listening to GRRM's A Storm of Swords, and about 2/3 through. Dammit, why did those characters have to die! (I kind of figured it was coming, but still. That hurt.)
My friend is not quite at that point in the book but is close and I cannot wait till he gets to that!
See, that's how my friend at work has been...and then he went on a business trip this week. Probably for the best. I think he was going to take too much glee in my reaction. >:(
You think THAT'S surprising? Wait'll they all come back as zombies!
(Oh btw -- spoiler alert)
Listening to GRRM's A Storm of Swords, and about 2/3 through. Dammit, why did those characters have to die! (I kind of figured it was coming, but still. That hurt.)
My friend is not quite at that point in the book but is close and I cannot wait till he gets to that!
See, that's how my friend at work has been...and then he went on a business trip this week. Probably for the best. I think he was going to take too much glee in my reaction. >:(
You think THAT'S surprising? Wait'll they all come back as zombies!
(Oh btw -- spoiler alert)
eek!
but, seriously...
Listening to GRRM's A Storm of Swords, and about 2/3 through. Dammit, why did those characters have to die! (I kind of figured it was coming, but still. That hurt.)
My friend is not quite at that point in the book but is close and I cannot wait till he gets to that!
See, that's how my friend at work has been...and then he went on a business trip this week. Probably for the best. I think he was going to take too much glee in my reaction. >:(
You think THAT'S surprising? Wait'll they all come back as zombies!
(Oh btw -- spoiler alert)
eek!
but, seriously...
Okay, finished Storm of Swords.
Damn. That's a hell of a book.
Pretty sure I'll give myself at least a couple of months before starting the next one...although I'm tempted to dive in right now. But I think I'm going to enjoy controlling my wait-time for the next two books, since when I catch up with the general reading public, I'm gonna have to wait until Martin finishes the next one like everyone else
So anyways.
"Greywalker" by Kat Richardson. I think I picked this one up at the library coz the cover looked interesting.
before those two that i am currently reading I read Kiss the Dead by Laurell K Hamilton
before those two that i am currently reading I read Kiss the Dead by Laurell K Hamilton
Ooooh... I'm sorry to hear that.
http://escapepod.org/2012/07/06/book-review-kiss-the-dead-by-laurell-k-hamilton/
Still reading Cloud Atlas, and I've made it past the fulcrum point. The different sections are so differently written that I find it impressive that it was written by one person. That said, so far I have enjoyed the book, but haven't gotten too invested with most of the characters/sections. Each of the sections I say "Well, that was pretty good." Then it just jumps to the next section. I'm hoping it all ties together in the end in not just in superficial ways.
Have any of you out there heard of the "Cherub" series by Robert Muchamore?
(If you have (pre)-teen kids, I suspect the answer is YES!)
Honestly, just fantastic YA stuff. If, by some chance, you've never heard of it, the premise is this: Britain has a super-secret organisation called CHERUB. It consists of children (mostly orphans) aged from 12-17 who are highly-trained spies. The reason? "They exist because adults never suspect that kids are spying on them."
I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Well written, fast-paced, deals with some really tough questions and honestly, just a great, quick, engrossing read!
There's over 15 books across three series, one of which is set during WWII. I stared reading them then told my wife about them and she's now ahead of me!
I just went out and bought the first two for my nephew after reading that. :)
about to finish Gail Carriger's Soulless for the i09 book club. I will be ordering the other booksI love those books.
about to finish Gail Carriger's Soulless for the i09 book club. I will be ordering the other booksI love those books.
Still reading Cloud Atlas, and I've made it past the fulcrum point. The different sections are so differently written that I find it impressive that it was written by one person. That said, so far I have enjoyed the book, but haven't gotten too invested with most of the characters/sections. Each of the sections I say "Well, that was pretty good." Then it just jumps to the next section. I'm hoping it all ties together in the end in not just in superficial ways.
I loved Cloud Atlas when I read it in 2007. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on how everything ends up tying together.
I just went out and bought the first two for my nephew after reading that. :)
I hope he likes! Seriously, I don't think he'll be disappointed. :)
I just went out and bought the first two for my nephew after reading that. :)
I hope he likes! Seriously, I don't think he'll be disappointed. :)
I got a call from him on Sunday just so he could tell me how much he loves the first book so far ;D (By the way, his favorite author is Greg Van Eekhout. This kid is so cool.)
Started reading Old Man's War by John Scalzi 3 days ago, and I'm already 3/4 finished. Simply flying through this book. It is a little bit of an "Ender's Game" story, but from the viewpoint of an old man. That said, I'm enjoying the ride, and enjoying the mental reprieve from Cloud Atlas.
Just started Only Superhuman by Christopher L Bennett
Just started Only Superhuman by Christopher L Bennett
His Star Trek tie-ins are great, and heavy on the science as well as the fiction. How's his other work?
"Knowing Chris Bennett's Writing as I do, I expected Only Superhuman to have an imaginative plot and a compelling superheroine in Emry Blair. What I hadn't expected was for the backstory to make so much sense. Usually science is the first causality of superhero stories, tossed aside with the breezy rationalization: 'Hey, it's comics!' Only Superhuman is, to my knowledge, the first hard science superhero story. And the Story is the better for it."
Just started Only Superhuman by Christopher L Bennett
His Star Trek tie-ins are great, and heavy on the science as well as the fiction. How's his other work?
Science seems to be decent science, only on page 45 so far.Quote from: Mike W. Barr, author of Camelot 3000"Knowing Chris Bennett's Writing as I do, I expected Only Superhuman to have an imaginative plot and a compelling superheroine in Emry Blair. What I hadn't expected was for the backstory to make so much sense. Usually science is the first causality of superhero stories, tossed aside with the breezy rationalization: 'Hey, it's comics!' Only Superhuman is, to my knowledge, the first hard science superhero story. And the Story is the better for it."
a collection of stories about... well, you know.
Chasm City by Alasdair Reynolds. So far, I'm loving it. The "realistic" space travel, space elevators, colonization, and relativistic problems are so juicy to my brain, it reminds me of the big fat tomes of the past, and their chewy, dense, thoroughly enjoyable(to me) stories. Books like Gateway and the Foundation series. Apparently, I like literary bread pudding. ???
I'm not quite halfway through Feast for Crows, the fourth GoT book. Yeah, I've been really patient in between books in order to try and minimize the wait time once I've caught up (I read book three fully two years ago). So far, it looks like this is the slow one of the bunch.
Listening the the final installment of Scalzi's The Human Division. Would be interested to hear from people who held off for the whole book whether the seams show worse (I suspect they do). It's not my favorite Scalzi book, but it's fun.
I'm not quite halfway through Feast for Crows, the fourth GoT book. Yeah, I've been really patient in between books in order to try and minimize the wait time once I've caught up (I read book three fully two years ago). So far, it looks like this is the slow one of the bunch.
I've been holding off as well...will probably read that one later this year or early next. (Yeah, that's what my TBR pile looks like.) FWIW, I've heard from people who were initially furious with this book, that when they revisited after Dance with Dragons came out, they enjoyed much, much more.
I'll probably mess myself up by listening to both of those back to back or something, and then be stuck waiting with everyone else.
I'm not quite halfway through Feast for Crows, the fourth GoT book. Yeah, I've been really patient in between books in order to try and minimize the wait time once I've caught up (I read book three fully two years ago). So far, it looks like this is the slow one of the bunch.
I've been holding off as well...will probably read that one later this year or early next. (Yeah, that's what my TBR pile looks like.) FWIW, I've heard from people who were initially furious with this book, that when they revisited after Dance with Dragons came out, they enjoyed much, much more.
I'll probably mess myself up by listening to both of those back to back or something, and then be stuck waiting with everyone else.
I've heard the same, though to be honest my reaction is more along the lines of "blah, nothing is happening" than furious "where are my favorites?!?" because I was forewarned. I'm expecting that I too will mess myself up and read the fifth book by the end of the year. :)
Finally going through the second half of the Harry Potter series. Read up to book 4 while they were coming out, but then got too caught up in life to read. Now with audiobooks, I can listen while I do other things, so I am catching up. I confess, I am enjoying them, but not gaga over them.
Finally going through the second half of the Harry Potter series. Read up to book 4 while they were coming out, but then got too caught up in life to read. Now with audiobooks, I can listen while I do other things, so I am catching up. I confess, I am enjoying them, but not gaga over them.
Unfortunately, once you get past Book Five, they really go downhill. Book Six is very disjointed and is more a bunch of infodumping about Voldemort, and Book Seven is "Harry, Ron, and Hermione go camping and dither around a lot for 400 pages while everyone else is actually DOING STUFF".
So I'm somewhat reading The Hunger Games. It's ... ehh ... so far, IMO, and I went ahead and watched the movie... if that's where the book is going, I'm not all that sure I care. Is it more graphic than the movie was? Because honestly that was the most boring take on children killing each other.
Currently Reading A Madness of Angels or the resurrection of Matthew Swift by Kate GriffinReally enjoyed A Madness of Angels, it really reminded me of neverwhere. If you liked neverwhere, I think you will enjoy this book. I also really dig Urban Fantasy that is not a thinly disguised romance novel. While it is not as pun filled as neverwhere, many elements of the city are included including The Beggar King, The Bag Lady, St George's Dragon.
Library books to read:
Perdido Street Station China Mieville
The Skin Map book 1 of Bright Empires series by Stephen Lawhead
Library books on request:
Timeless Parasol Protectorate book 5 by Gail Carriger
Rereading "Watchmen". Because I can.lucky bastard, mine was stored in a friends basement that flooded :(
Rereading "Watchmen". Because I can.lucky bastard, mine was stored in a friends basement that flooded :(
The Art of War, Sun Tzu
Barnes and Nobles Signature Edition.
Translation : Lionel Giles
I had seen a version being sold that resembled an old Manuscript, but then I would have been Book Hoarding since I had brought the first copy days before.
Finished Spellwright and started it's sequel Spellbound. It's not YA but it's easy reading, and really haven't found anything worse than the latter Harry Potter books in it. the name Spellwright is a pun as it's basically about a dyslexic wizard, with an interesting take on magic, in that the spells are "written" in the wizards muscles as needed and then cast. I think it would be good for any teen with dyslexia. The author had problems until he was a teen and started sneaking fantasy books into his special ed classes to read. Gives hope that it can be overcome.
Finished Spellwright and started it's sequel Spellbound. It's not YA but it's easy reading, and really haven't found anything worse than the latter Harry Potter books in it. the name Spellwright is a pun as it's basically about a dyslexic wizard, with an interesting take on magic, in that the spells are "written" in the wizards muscles as needed and then cast. I think it would be good for any teen with dyslexia. The author had problems until he was a teen and started sneaking fantasy books into his special ed classes to read. Gives hope that it can be overcome.
Finally going through the second half of the Harry Potter series. Read up to book 4 while they were coming out, but then got too caught up in life to read. Now with audiobooks, I can listen while I do other things, so I am catching up. I confess, I am enjoying them, but not gaga over them.
Unfortunately, once you get past Book Five, they really go downhill. Book Six is very disjointed and is more a bunch of infodumping about Voldemort, and Book Seven is "Harry, Ron, and Hermione go camping and dither around a lot for 400 pages while everyone else is actually DOING STUFF".
I quite enjoyed the last two books, actually. Of course I was personally much more invested in the characters than the action. Book 7 could have been "Ron, Harry and Hermione clean their rooms" and I probably would have liked it. :)
I'm currently working through two short story compilations.
The Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft - Even though I've been interested in his work for years, I have never taken the time to really sit down with his stories until now. I'm enjoying every minute of my time with it.
Currently blazing my way through Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
Reading NOS4A2 by Joe Hill. Really enjoying it. Reminds me of the good parts of a Stephen King novel. Especially the King/Straub collaboration The Talisman
*edit*
having just finished it, and reading his acknowledgements where he mentioned his mother Tabitha King, I looked on line and discovered that he is the son of Tabitha and Stephen King. Didn't know it going in, but it sure explains why it reminded me of Stephen King.
(I haven't read Horns yet, but am pretty excited about it.)
Currently listening to Doctor Sleep (a sequel to The Shining, in that it features one of the characters from that book as the protagonist),Which character? I hope it's Dick Halloran.
...which I was prepared to really dislike because it seemed unnecessary,
I'm listening to The Shining, which I've never read/watched/listened to before. I can completely understand why it's an iconic horror story.I'm fascinated by the idea of this book in audio form. So much of this book is about people's inner monologues, flashes of thoughts you want to suppress, mind reading and mental intrusion, hallucinations, etc. Stephen King uses a peculiar, but effective, orthographic system of parentheses, italics, capitalization, and punctuation to denote subtle differences in what people are thinking and perceiving. I have to ask this: does it work in audio format? I imagine the expressiveness of the human voice is up to the challenge, but a tough challenge it would be.
I'm listening to The Shining, which I've never read/watched/listened to before. I can completely understand why it's an iconic horror story.I'm fascinated by the idea of this book in audio form. So much of this book is about people's inner monologues, flashes of thoughts you want to suppress, mind reading and mental intrusion, hallucinations, etc. Stephen King uses a peculiar, but effective, orthographic system of parentheses, italics, capitalization, and punctuation to denote subtle differences in what people are thinking and perceiving. I have to ask this: does it work in audio format? I imagine the expressiveness of the human voice is up to the challenge, but a tough challenge it would be.
I'm listening to The Shining, which I've never read/watched/listened to before. I can completely understand why it's an iconic horror story.
I'm listening to The Shining, which I've never read/watched/listened to before. I can completely understand why it's an iconic horror story.
I watched a documentary on Netflix about The Shining (movie of course). Now I can't wait to read the book and compare it with the movie.
I am currently reading The New Weird, edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer. I am quite sad to say that I'm almost halfway through. Some of these stories are quite disturbing: The Neglected Garden, by Kathe Koja comes to mind. Others don't have as much of a plot, and are more an example of what happens in a strange town.
I don't really want the Weird to stop, does anyone have any suggestions, what to read next?
I'm listening to The Shining, which I've never read/watched/listened to before. I can completely understand why it's an iconic horror story.
I watched a documentary on Netflix about The Shining (movie of course). Now I can't wait to read the book and compare it with the movie.
Was that Room 237? I was reading about that the other day on Grady Hendrix's Stephen King series (http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/11/the-great-stephen-king-reread-the-shining-movie) (which is seriously excellent in and of itself). It's one more thing I want to watch (probably after I watch the movie).I am currently reading The New Weird, edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer. I am quite sad to say that I'm almost halfway through. Some of these stories are quite disturbing: The Neglected Garden, by Kathe Koja comes to mind. Others don't have as much of a plot, and are more an example of what happens in a strange town.
I don't really want the Weird to stop, does anyone have any suggestions, what to read next?
I haven't read all that yet, but I really want to. Sigh.
But there's all kinds of weird stuff around - Jeff VanderMeer's own books are pretty weird, and some of China Mieville's stuff too. Koja had a novel published by Small Beer Press called Under the Poppy (http://smallbeerpress.com/books/2012/09/10/under-the-poppy/). I haven't read it myself, but have heard several people recommend it.
Oh! And Kelly Link's short stories are some of the weirdest, loveliest things I've read.
About 80 pages into The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin, and it's really starting to get good! Plus, I'm reading this awesome library paperback copy that has clearly been loved a LOT. It's like getting to both discover a new book and sit down with a comfortable old friend at the same time! ;D
Just started The Songs of Distant Earth by Arthur C Clarke (the novel, not the short story that also appears to exist). My kindle version included a really interesting author's note that commented on how he didn't consider much popular science fiction at the time (mid-eighties) to actually qualify as science fiction. He argued that since modern science has all but ruled out FTL-type technology, hard SF authors should not include such elements and that this novel was his "attempt to create a wholly realistic piece of fiction on the interstellar theme."
About 3/4 of the way through The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman. I'm willing to say it's great and I don't even know how it ends!
About 3/4 of the way through The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman. I'm willing to say it's great and I don't even know how it ends!
Last Call, by Daniel Okrent. A non-fiction book about Prohibition in America
Because after a year and a half, finally got a positive pregnancy test!
Because after a year and a half, finally got a positive pregnancy test!
Congratulations! Great news! And, let's all take a moment to be glad you're not a character in a lazy science fiction, fantasy, or horror novel, where this would be the beginning of a downward spiral into who-knows-what unspeakable clichés.
Because after a year and a half, finally got a positive pregnancy test!
Last Call, by Daniel Okrent. A non-fiction book about Prohibition in America
I heard an author interview with Daniel Okrent on that book. He said he considered calling it "How the Hell Did That Happen" because in the course of his research, he was stunned by how unlikely a development Prohibition was in American History.
K, so I'm not revealing this to any family or friends quite yet, but right now I am reading "Expecting Better" by Emily Oster.
Why?
Because after a year and a half, finally got a positive pregnancy test!
Going in for blood work tomorrow to be sure, but pretty sure a bright blue line and what I assume to be morning sickness (hello lunch, good to see you again) is a good sign.
Because after a year and a half, finally got a positive pregnancy test!
Congratulations! Great news! And, let's all take a moment to be glad you're not a character in a lazy science fiction, fantasy, or horror novel, where this would be the beginning of a downward spiral into who-knows-what unspeakable clichés.
Probably shouldn't have watched Rosemary's Baby last night.
Under the Dome by Stephen King
STILL slogging through "Ancillary Justice". I'm enjoying it, but it's got really long chapters and I've been reading too late at night to get more than a few pages done a day. My own fault, I suppose.I have to pick up the book. I tried the audiobook and I just could NOT listen to it, but I am very interested in the story.
Just about to start The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M Valente. Say that five times fast!
Just about to start The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M Valente. Say that five times fast!
That was a lovely and clever story, I thought. :)
Just about to start The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M Valente. Say that five times fast!
That was a lovely and clever story, I thought. :)
I just finished it, and I feel the same way! Really wonderful. :)
I seem to be on something of a crime spree, occasionally with supernatural tendencies.
- Joyland, by Stephen King. This was fun, in that coming of age story that King does so well.
- Veronica Mars:The Thousand Dollar Tan Line, by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham (and narrated by Veronica Mars herself: Kristen Bell!) This was a really solid tie-in novel, and I was surprised by how much emotion the authors were able to mine.
- The Shining Girls, by Lauren Beukes. What I'm currently listening to. It's well written, but I don't have a strong opinion about it yet.
Not sure what it'll be next. I have a radio play from the library of the Maltese Falcon with Michael Madsen, which could be pretty smooth.
Just about to start The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M Valente. Say that five times fast!
That was a lovely and clever story, I thought. :)
I just finished it, and I feel the same way! Really wonderful. :)
That book is actually the fist in a series. I keep meaning to pick up more of them. I'm so happy you liked it! ^_^
I'm trying to read "A Highly Unlikely Scenario" by Rachel Cantor, but the lack of quotation marks is getting on my nerves. I may have to switch to something different.
I'm trying to read "A Highly Unlikely Scenario" by Rachel Cantor, but the lack of quotation marks is getting on my nerves. I may have to switch to something different.
I had that same reaction to "The Kindly Ones" buy Jonathan Littel. After 100 pages without page breaks or quotes I hurled that monster tome into the trash.
I just got done with a Twain kick, A Connecticut Yankee... was actually pretty good, if you can get through the jokes that he pounds down over pages. It was also kind of interesting to see the originals of many. time travel jokes. I am moving onto "Illustrated Man" by Bradbury.
I'd really like to get into some contemporary stuff, but most of the newer books I have read just have not impressed me. I found "The Road" extremely redundant and "American Gods" well written and very interesting, but it ran off of the tracks after he left Wisconsin, got boring, and lost any type of clear messages that it had. Then I predicted the ending and lost interest.
Any suggestions??
RE: Illustrated Man - Have you read Bradbury's October Country?
For contemporary, I think you should pick up a copy of Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts.
Yeah, that's one thing that's made me not want to read the last two books too soon.
(Spoilers, OTOH, make me want to read them ASAP.)
Yeah, that's one thing that's made me not want to read the last two books too soon.
(Spoilers, OTOH, make me want to read them ASAP.)
You've only read the first three, yes?
Currently reading "The Day of the Triffids" (there's a movie showing in a week), and I'm pleasantly surprised how well-written it is. Very British, and very good (so far at least - at the 50% mark)
The Midwich Cuckoos is also very very good.
I just started One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Even though it was written in 1967 and translated into English in about 1970, I'll admit I hadn't heard of it until last week when I read the Wikipaedia article on Magic Realism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_realism). The article seemed to recommend the book, so I parted with £5.99 for the eBook. (Shock Horror!)
I've only read the first chapter, but WHAT a first chapter. It's practically a short story in its own right! :)
I just started One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
I've only read the first chapter, but WHAT a first chapter. It's practically a short story in its own right! :)
All of that book is like that, it's magnificent. You should seek out his shorts,
Early Matt Howarth strips in those!
I just finished the novella "We Are All Completely Fine" by Daryl Gregory. It's about survivors of supernatural traumas who start a support group. I found it both really imaginative and very well written - this guy is turning out to be quite the talent. He seems adept at churning out these wildly different, inventive, genre novels that as of yet have dodged the curse of requiring sequels. This one is no exception - it's urban fantasy with a heavy horror crossover. I mean, one of the main bad guys likes to cut people open and --
but I won't spoil it ;)
Uh, Listener, I finished Ancillary Sword a couple nights ago. I recommend you stick with it, definitely until the genitalia festival :)
I'm finally working my way through The Book of the New Sun as part of my exploration through Dying Earths.
I'm finally working my way through The Book of the New Sun as part of my exploration through Dying Earths.
I read Shadow of the Torturer a couple of years back and it completely failed to grab me. When the narrator said, "Here I pause. If you wish to walk no farther with me, reader, I cannot blame you. It is no easy road," I had no regrets to part ways with him.
Since SHADOW is very clearly a setup book for the series, and they're fast and easy to read, I figured I'd give the rest a chance.
I did that with a Stephen King book. "It gets worse after this. If you liked this ending, stop here." DONE! Followed by the book being tossed across the room.
I did that with a Stephen King book. "It gets worse after this. If you liked this ending, stop here." DONE! Followed by the book being tossed across the room.
The Dark Tower book 7, right?
The last good book of that series was book 4, Wizard and Glass. He lost his mojo on that story during the long hiatus. And the ending was just a blatant and unapologetic insult to the Constant Readers.
I love the Book of the New Sun - I think I've been pretty vocal about that. Big Dying Earth sucker here. But if you didn't like the first one, it's probably not the series for you. If I could take a grad level course on a SF series, that'd be the one I'd want to sign up for and dissect. (I really should try and do the whole series again sometime soon. Ha.)
Fenrix, the first Viriconium book by M. John Harrison is pure Dying Earth bad ass adventure, a very quick read, and nowhere near as intentionally distanced as Wolfe's books. Not so much the rich language you get from either Wolfe - or for that matter, Smith - IIRC, but loads of fun and cool shit. The other books and stories are less fun, though perhaps better written. The third one is almost a dark comedy, and I don't know why we don't see more Dying Earth books that read like Coen Brothers movies...
I loved the first of King's Gunslinger books, and have been mixed (at best) on the rest. One day I'll read the last two.
I just finished Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake. Five stars, but I can see it not appealing to some people.
I just finished Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake. Five stars, but I can see it not appealing to some people.
Ohhh, did you pick it up on my recommendation?
Now about halfway through Ancillary Sword - which I've learned is not a reference to the penis of one of the characters. ;)Wait - is this like that riddle about using three coins to make $0.25, and one of them can't be a nickel...?
... with ebooks you can't just keep it longer and pay an overdue fine.
Finished Ready Player One a couple of days ago; LOVED IT! even though it's basically a gigantic nerd jerkoff fantasy - videogame prowess and encyclopedic knowlege of 1980s pop culture saves the world and gets the girl.
But I'm a gigantic nerd jerkoff, and I was a teen in the 80s, so there's that. ;D
Wil Wheaton narrates the audiobook [of Ready Player One]. It's pretty great. I'm not sure it needs a sequel, though.
Finished Ready Player One a couple of days ago; LOVED IT! even though it's basically a gigantic nerd jerkoff fantasy - videogame prowess and encyclopedic knowlege of 1980s pop culture saves the world and gets the girl.
But I'm a gigantic nerd jerkoff, and I was a teen in the 80s, so there's that. ;D
I'm reading The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine. Even though she is a genre author (her stories have appeared in both Escape Pod and Podcastle multiple times), this is not strictly speaking a genre book - it's a fairy tale (The 12 Dancing Princesses) retold in a real-world setting (prohibition-era New York). Her short stories have been hit and miss with me, but I have no reservations about recommending this book. It's really, really great, in every respect.
Am now listening to Stardust, which I haven't read in ages. It's still pretty charming.
I do have a problem with that - those aren't their names. Those are their numbers, but the War Doctor deliberately left himself out of the counting and that decision deserves to be respected.
Same doctor, though it's different regenerations.
Do you believe George Washington was both the first and second president of the USA?
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.
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.
...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
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".
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).
Have you read the author's collection of short stories set in that same universe?
So, I've resolved to actually write some book reviews over the next year, and I've set up whatiread.fyi (http://whatiread.fyi) as a place to hold them. There's a couple of things already on there, and I wouldn't object if people let me know what they think (of the content, of the layout, whatever). Thanks.
If any of y'all are on Goodreads, I'm happy to accept friend requests there, and "like" your reviews. :)I think I friended you. Is this (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3199211-tad-callin) you?
If any of y'all are on Goodreads, I'm happy to accept friend requests there, and "like" your reviews. :)My goodreads profile is in my signature.
If any of y'all are on Goodreads, I'm happy to accept friend requests there, and "like" your reviews. :)I think I friended you. Is this (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3199211-tad-callin) you?
tangent: I try to stay away from amazon as much as possible. as far as I know goodreads is owned by them. Any good alternatives to post reading lists?
STILL slogging through "Ancillary Justice". I'm enjoying it, but it's got really long chapters and I've been reading too late at night to get more than a few pages done a day. My own fault, I suppose.I have to pick up the book. I tried the audiobook and I just could NOT listen to it, but I am very interested in the story.
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?
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?
Interesting. When she spoke to the writer's workshop and ICON, she said she considers the series complete, although she might revisit the universe with different characters and situations. Meanwhile, she wants to do some different projects.
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?
Interesting. When she spoke to the writer's workshop and ICON, she said she considers the series complete, although she might revisit the universe with different characters and situations. Meanwhile, she wants to do some different projects.
Just started reading Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix. It is supposed to be a Haunted House story set in a modern American Ikea competitor called Orsk.
Good old dead tree paper. I love my kindle paperwhite, but it will never completely replace physical books.Just started reading Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix. It is supposed to be a Haunted House story set in a modern American Ikea competitor called Orsk.
That one's a lot of fun.
ebook or paper copy?
Almost everything I read these days is on the Kindle, but I got Horrorstör in paperback, because the physical format seems to be as important as the text itself. The fact that I got t signed might also be a factor, but the IKEA catalogue appearance is a nice touch.Good old dead tree paper. I love my kindle paperwhite, but it will never completely replace physical books.Just started reading Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix. It is supposed to be a Haunted House story set in a modern American Ikea competitor called Orsk.
That one's a lot of fun.
ebook or paper copy?
Almost everything I read these days is on the Kindle, but I got Horrorstör in paperback, because the physical format seems to be as important as the text itself. The fact that I got t signed might also be a factor, but the IKEA catalogue appearance is a nice touch.
Overall, I really liked that one. Creepy as hell.
Excellent book. Excellent author.
I just finished The Day of the Triffids. I was expecting 50's monster movie. I got something way bigger than that. It was refreshingly unproblematic considering the time period. There were also some fascinating cultural extrapolations about how different cultures approach the apocalypse.
I just finished The Day of the Triffids. I was expecting 50's monster movie. I got something way bigger than that. It was refreshingly unproblematic considering the time period. There were also some fascinating cultural extrapolations about how different cultures approach the apocalypse.
It's noteworthy that the "apocalypse" is simply the sudden blinding of almost all of humanity, complicated by the presence of an alien plant species that has been around for years prior to the "apocalypse".
I just finished The Day of the Triffids. I was expecting 50's monster movie. I got something way bigger than that. It was refreshingly unproblematic considering the time period. There were also some fascinating cultural extrapolations about how different cultures approach the apocalypse.
It's noteworthy that the "apocalypse" is simply the sudden blinding of almost all of humanity, complicated by the presence of an alien plant species that has been around for years prior to the "apocalypse".
[Triffids are] not aliens in the book (they are in the movies, I think) - they're GMOs.
[Triffids are] not aliens in the book (they are in the movies, I think) - they're GMOs.
Been some time since I read it; I thought I remembered that it was uncertain where they actually came from but it they were believed to have grown from spores that fell from space. If you've just read it, I'll take your word for it, for now (until I reread it)
As for being GM, what kind of idiot would purposely engineer something like that? ??? :o
I've started on Cat Valente's The Girl who Raced Fairyland all the Way Home. I had the pleasure of hearing her read the first chapter last week, and it's a lot of fun.
If you've not been reading the series, I don't even know what you've been doing with your life.
All well and good, but giving a carnivorous plant mobility AND venomous stings is just asking for trouble.As for being GM, what kind of idiot would purposely engineer something like that? ??? :oWhy make triffieds? They were processed for oil and animal feed. They produced somewhere between a magical petroleum substitute and Oil of Dog. And they were nutritious but bland, so very good for animal feed, and you can even feed the poor in a pinch.
I've started on Cat Valente's The Girl who Raced Fairyland all the Way Home. I had the pleasure of hearing her read the first chapter last week, and it's a lot of fun.
If you've not been reading the series, I don't even know what you've been doing with your life.
All well and good, but giving a carnivorous plant mobility AND venomous stings is just asking for trouble.As for being GM, what kind of idiot would purposely engineer something like that? ??? :oWhy make triffids? They were processed for oil and animal feed. They produced somewhere between a magical petroleum substitute and Oil of Dog. And they were nutritious but bland, so very good for animal feed, and you can even feed the poor in a pinch.
Ready Player One.
It's crap
Ready Player One.
It's crap
The writing's not all that great, granted, but I enjoyed the nostalgia of it. Kind of a gimmick, sure, but for a one-time deal I thought it worked.
Next time someone asks me, "Jeff, why don't you write science fiction anymore?" I'll hand them this book.
Next time someone asks me, "Jeff, why don't you write science fiction anymore?" I'll hand them this book.
There's plenty of evidence for good science fiction becoming popular as well, if you consider, for example, "The Martian," or to a lesser degree James Corey's 'The Expanse' series, if its just the popularity of the book is what turned you off. Bad things being popular shouldn't spoil a whole genre :)
I don't know. I'm old now. 46. Died twice so far, once last year. My perspective is all skewed. Get off my lawn you kids!
LOL >:( ::) :P
I don't know. I'm old now. 46. Died twice so far, once last year. My perspective is all skewed. Get off my lawn you kids!
LOL >:( ::) :P
I hope you're not making a habit of dying - I remember the first time, and that was bad enough!
And since you make such an elegant case for looking forward, I won't plug my novelized memoir (available now on Amazon (http://amzn.com/153073438X), coming later this week to Kindle...) unless you really want me to. ;)
But the next book will be science fiction. (Unless I finish the family history first...)
Most of them sound like they'd be at home in a Union Dues story than a genealogy.
Finished a re-read of The Man in the High Castle (P K Dick) yesterday, and started a short story collection by Walter Mosley called Futureland; supposedly the nine stories are all set in the same world, and interconnected. I'm only two stories in but I'm interested to see where it goes; the two so far appear to have no points of connection with each other.
TMitHC was still good; it's just... well, it's Dick. What more can I say?
It's more a piece of worldbuilding than it is storytelling, and the ending is typical Dickian WTF, so I have a higher opinion of the series than I do of the book.
Interestingly I misremembered the nature of the book-within-a-book The Grasshopper Lies Heavy which purports to be a novel about a world wherein the Allies won the war. I remembered it being an account of history as it happened in our world, but no - it's another level of alt-history wherein FDR did not continue as President in 1940; a different president not from our history succeeded him; furthermore when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor the loss was minimal as most-or-all of the ships were out on maneuvers. And there was a lot about the post-war reconstruction wherein the USA raised the standard of living for poor people in China - I bookmarked all the pages that described passages of the book, but before I could return to the text and take notes, the library loan expired and the book deleted itself from my devices. :(
Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut. Unbelievably good.
Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut. Unbelievably good.
That's his first novel right? I have read 4 novels (Mr. Rosewater, Cat's Cradle, Slaugherhous and Breakfast) and 2 books of short stories, but never Player Piano. I'll have to check it out.
I just finished 11/22/63. It was okay. King can be long-winded. My personal opinion is that it would have been much better if it were 400 pages thinner. Also, I'm getting tired of time travelers killing people. If you can time travel there are better ways... But no book is without flaws and as King books go, I'd put it in the better half.
Robert Jordan - The Eye of the World
Robert Jordan - The Eye of the World
see you in a few years!
Sorry Pleas Thank You - Charles Yu
I caught a sorry of his in a magazine and it was great. Now I'm halfway through the first short story in the book and it's great so far. If he keeps it up, I'll have to get his novel.
Doctor Who and the Zarbi by Bill Strutton, adapted from his own script for the television serial Doctor Who and the Web Planet. Featuring the first Doctor with Ian, Barbara, and Vicki.
(I'm reading all the novelizations by Target Books, in broadcast order. It's easier than torrenting the back episodes and watching them; particularly the Hartnell and Troughton ones that only have audio surviving.)
You can also imagine them in color ;D
Doctor Who and the Zarbi by Bill Strutton, adapted from his own script for the television serial Doctor Who and the Web Planet. Featuring the first Doctor with Ian, Barbara, and Vicki.
(I'm reading all the novelizations by Target Books, in broadcast order. It's easier than torrenting the back episodes and watching them; particularly the Hartnell and Troughton ones that only have audio surviving.)
I have read a couple of these as an adult, and was a lot happier with the book than a lot of old episodes. The effects were way better in my head.
I've also heard amazing things about the radio dramas.I also have a huge collection of the Big Finish audios. In particular I like the Eighth Doctor series, giving Paul McGann more opportunity to shine in his role than in that execrable 1996 movie, and the Sixth Doctor series - I hated Colin Baker on teevee, but he's quite good in these.
I've put down Doctor Who and the Zarbi to begin a re-read of Zelazny's "Amber" chronicles.
Mostly because of this:
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/07/19/robert-kirkman-to-bring-roger-zelaznys-chronicles-of-amber-to-tv/
I've just finished The Guns of Avalon last weekend.
I've been going back and forth between the Super Powereds series by Drew Hayes and the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne.
And I am enjoying both!
The Scar, by China Miéville.
The Scar, by China Miéville.
I loved The Scar! Probably my favorite of the novels Mieville wrote in that world.