Author Topic: What are you reading? (Read 1059909 times)

Sandikal · **Reply #1100 on:** October 20, 2009, 02:52:15 AM

Quote from: Bdoomed on October 20, 2009, 02:46:44 AM

question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?

I've taken quite a bit of heat from rabid Ender fans because I was completely underwhelmed with Ender and his world. I have no desire to read any Orson Scott Card books again--ever. So, my vote would be nay.

I just finished "The Children of the Company" by Kage Baker. I think it's the only one of the series I haven't read, other than the finale. I have really liked the series, but this installment fell flat.

lowky · **Reply #1101 on:** October 20, 2009, 03:23:53 AM

Quote from: Bdoomed on October 20, 2009, 02:46:44 AM

question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?

I enjoyed Ender's Game, the first Sequel was okay, third not so much. It could have been better as two books, take the good parts of Second and third book and combine them to make another decent book instead of making the story worse over time.

Ocicat · **Reply #1102 on:** October 20, 2009, 03:33:02 AM

Quote from: Bdoomed on October 20, 2009, 02:46:44 AM

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.

Swamp · **Reply #1103 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:00:50 PM

Quote from: Ocicat on October 20, 2009, 03:33:02 AM

Quote from: Bdoomed on October 20, 2009, 02:46:44 AM
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.

If you really enjoyed Ender's Game, I would definitely recommend Ender's Shadow. As Ocicat said, Speaker for the Dead is very different in tone and drive, but I also recommend it. From there, I have to admit that I haven't read anymore in the Enderverse. No major reason other than I was busy reading other things.

stePH · **Reply #1104 on:** October 20, 2009, 01:54:52 PM

Quote from: Bdoomed on October 20, 2009, 02:46:44 AM

question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?

NO! Stop right there! Don't taint that novel with what Card followed up with! (goes for Ender's Shadow and its sequels as well)

DKT · **Reply #1105 on:** October 20, 2009, 03:49:40 PM

Quote from: Bdoomed on October 20, 2009, 02:46:44 AM

question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?

Yay. Read Speaker of the Dead, if you're up for something completely different but altogether excellent. Do not read further. Some interesting philosophical questions, but mostly it just bored me to tears.

I've heard Ender's Shadow is good and similar to Ender's Game in excitement, but haven't read it, so can't personally vouch for it.

DKT · **Reply #1106 on:** October 20, 2009, 03:53:54 PM

Finished reading Mike Carey's The Devil You Know, 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 last night. GAH!!!! Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy!

Bdoomed · **Reply #1107 on:** October 20, 2009, 04:56:26 PM

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

Swamp · **Reply #1108 on:** October 20, 2009, 05:10:10 PM

Quote from: Bdoomed on October 20, 2009, 02:46:44 AM

question: I am almost done with Ender's Game.
Sequel: yay or nay?

Quote from: Bdoomed on October 20, 2009, 04:56:26 PM

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

The question is: What did you think of Ender's Game?

Bdoomed · **Reply #1109 on:** October 20, 2009, 11:46:46 PM

well I am now even MORE almost done with it, it's pretty much over, and I really enjoyed it. If I DO read the sequel, it'll be after I read another author first tho. I have a lot lined up.

Bdoomed · **Reply #1110 on:** October 21, 2009, 07:01:28 AM

Just started A Happy Death by Camus

Sandikal · **Reply #1111 on:** October 22, 2009, 02:50:03 AM

Quote from: DKT on October 20, 2009, 03:53:54 PM

Finished reading Mike Carey's The Devil You Know, 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 last night. GAH!!!! Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy!

I want Joe Hill to write another novel! Or, another collection of short stories! I don't read much horror, but I love his work.

The Mike Carey sounds interesting.

DKT · **Reply #1112 on:** October 22, 2009, 04:45:19 AM

Hey, you're in luck. Horns, 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...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.

Talia · **Reply #1113 on:** October 22, 2009, 04:48:39 AM

Quote from: DKT on October 20, 2009, 03:53:54 PM

Finished reading Mike Carey's The Devil You Know, 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 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.

Sandikal · **Reply #1114 on:** October 23, 2009, 12:07:13 AM

Quote from: DKT on October 22, 2009, 04:45:19 AM

Hey, you're in luck. Horns, 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...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.

Horns sounds good. I've never been able to get into graphic novels. I find the pictures too distracting.

DKT · **Reply #1115 on:** October 23, 2009, 04:41:50 PM

Quote from: Talia on October 22, 2009, 04:48:39 AM

Quote from: DKT on October 20, 2009, 03:53:54 PM
Finished reading Mike Carey's The Devil You Know, 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 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.

Ah, very interested to hear what you think of it

The mood and atomosphere, as I said before is astounding. It's kind of long (500 pages, almost on the nose) but I enjoyed what he was doing so much I really didn't mind.

stePH · **Reply #1116 on:** October 24, 2009, 04:00:04 AM

Quote from: DKT on October 20, 2009, 03:53:54 PM

Started reading Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box last night. GAH!!!! Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy!

Never heard of it. But I enjoyed the story "God-Shaped Box" by Dave Thompson. You ever read that one?

DKT · **Reply #1117 on:** October 24, 2009, 05:54:49 AM

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.)

stePH · **Reply #1118 on:** October 24, 2009, 02:33:44 PM

Quote from: DKT on October 24, 2009, 05:54:49 AM

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.)

I don't think "God in a Box" or "Boxing God" or "A Box of God" or whatever would have been as good of a title.

lowky · **Reply #1119 on:** October 24, 2009, 03:01:36 PM

rereading Apocalypse Troll by David Weber. It's okay, would rather read something else, but it's what I have available here.

Listener · **Reply #1120 on:** October 26, 2009, 09:43:08 PM

Star Trek Titan: Synthesis, by James Swallow

So far he's referenced Serenity and Star Wars.

The Titan books really are great Trek stories -- interpersonal, intergalactic, big science, big adventure, and all with the characters you know and love. The first "real" Titan book brought back the gigantic space jellyfish from Encounter at Farpoint, and this one brings back Minuet from 11001001 (that's not a spoiler; she's on the cover). Plus, it explains why the TriCobalt Device from the Voyager premiere was never used again.

Sandikal · **Reply #1121 on:** October 31, 2009, 01:34:13 AM

I was returning a couple of books to the library today and went to see what new books they had. I spied a copy of "Dracula: The Undead" by Dacre Stoker, the great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker. It's received a lot of press and I think it just came out this month (October). I was really surprised to see it, so I checked it out. I think I've read Bram Stoker's "Dracula", but I'm not really sure. To be on the safe side, I checked out a copy of that too.

Boggled Coriander · **Reply #1122 on:** October 31, 2009, 04:25:50 AM

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.

Sandikal · **Reply #1123 on:** November 07, 2009, 05:41:38 AM

Quote from: Boggled Coriander on October 31, 2009, 04:25:50 AM

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.

I just started Julian Comstock by Robert Charles Wilson.

Listener · **Reply #1124 on:** November 07, 2009, 12:22:40 PM

"Devices and Desires" by KJ Parker.