Author Topic: What are you reading? (Read 1060196 times)

CryptoMe · **Reply #1675 on:** February 14, 2011, 04:49:48 AM

Quote from: kibitzer on February 12, 2011, 07:57:14 AM

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.

Quote from: tinygaia on February 11, 2011, 09:55:04 PM

Quote from: DKT on February 11, 2011, 09:48:38 PM
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.

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!!

stePH · **Reply #1676 on:** February 14, 2011, 05:46:39 PM

Quote from: CryptoMe on February 14, 2011, 04:49:48 AM

Quote from: kibitzer on February 12, 2011, 07:57:14 AM
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 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.

It was a post by somebody on another board that brought Tepper to my attention... the thread was on the topic of books one didn't really care for, and the poster said something like: "Anything by Sheri Tepper... in fact I've just about given up on her. It's like she's visiting the darkest, scariest parts of my mind, but instead of getting the hell out of there as fast as she can, she stops and takes pictures." How could I ignore a recommendation like that?

tinygaia · **Reply #1677 on:** February 15, 2011, 02:57:02 PM

Quote from: stePH on February 14, 2011, 05:46:39 PM

Quote from: CryptoMe on February 14, 2011, 04:49:48 AM
Quote from: kibitzer on February 12, 2011, 07:57:14 AM
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 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.

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).
That book changed my world-view. I loved it. The bit where the servants reveal their true nature nearly broke my brain. Did NOT see that coming. That scene made the whole book for me.

Scattercat · **Reply #1678 on:** February 15, 2011, 05:36:36 PM

Quote from: tinygaia on February 15, 2011, 02:57:02 PM

I was raised in a patriarchal community that believed feminism is counter to God's plan (no joke).

Actual quote from a (female) classmate in my high school days: "I wouldn't vote for a woman for President, because God placed man above woman and it wouldn't be right for her to be the most powerful person and outrank all the men."

Still kind of breaks my brain when I think about it.

---

Meanwhile, I'm wrapping up "Almost Chimpanzee," in my continued eclectic browsing in primatology and neuroscience. It's pretty good, though the author is a little smug and self-satisfied at times. (That seems to happen a LOT in these science-journalism books.) I get annoyed when he keeps condescending to the people who get all starry-eyed about apes.

Also randomly picked up an abandoned book called "Clade," which is a genetech ecological-engineering scifi kind of book. Plant-punk, or something. It has been unexpectedly entertaining for something literally left lying around free for the taking at my company's communal library shelf.

Talia · **Reply #1679 on:** February 17, 2011, 04:33:44 AM

I just wanted to say, don't be put off by the size of 'The Way of Kings.' I've almost finished it now, and its GREAT.

Sanderson rocks.

tinygaia · **Reply #1680 on:** February 17, 2011, 03:41:09 PM

Quote from: Talia on February 17, 2011, 04:33:44 AM

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!

Listener · **Reply #1681 on:** February 17, 2011, 07:00:12 PM

The "Typhon Pact" series of Star Trek tie-in novels. None of them have been good, but of the three I've read, one has been decent.

DKT · **Reply #1682 on:** February 17, 2011, 07:25:30 PM

Quote from: tinygaia on February 17, 2011, 03:41:09 PM

Quote from: Talia on February 17, 2011, 04:33:44 AM
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!

That is a great opening line.

DKT · **Reply #1683 on:** February 17, 2011, 07:31:04 PM

Finished Bujold's The Curse of Chalion. It is totally not my thing, but I was still entertained by it, and may go on to read more of her stuff. (I've heard a lot of people praise her Vorkosigan saga, but I'm slightly intimidated by the sheer amount of books in it.)

Also finished reading Jemisin's The Broken Kingdoms, which is totally my thing. Slightly more bittersweet than the first book, but a really fascinating protagonist, great supporting characters, and I can't wait to read the final volume now.

Not 100% sure where I'll go next, audiobook-wise. Catching up on podcasts for a bit.

kibitzer · **Reply #1684 on:** February 18, 2011, 02:08:47 AM

Finished Fowler's Disturbia. Not really horror but an interesting game played in one night throughout London, between a toff and an aspiring journo, classic class-division stuff. I'm undecided on the ending -- not what I expected. But man, he's a good writer.

Now reading David Niven's The Moon's a Balloon. mentioned to a friend I'd read Michael Caine's autobiog and he suggested Niven's. It's a blast -- very entertaining and boy, if Michael Caine was a "bit of a lad", Niven was all of that times five.

Sgarre1 · **Reply #1685 on:** February 22, 2011, 04:55:00 AM

Finished the first volume, 745 pages, of Peter Straub's 2-volume monumental overview of AMERICAN FANTASTIC TALES: TERROR AND THE UNCANNY FROM POE TO THE PULPS. Equally jaw-breaking review is here:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/133304436

"Human beings across every culture I know about require such stories, stories with cool winds and wood smoke. They speak to something deep within us, the capacity to conceptualize, objectify and find patterns, thereby to create the flow of events and perceptions that find perfect expression in fiction. We are built this way, we create stories by reflex, unstoppably. But this elegant system really works best when the elements of the emerging story, whether is is being written or being read, are taken as literal fact. Almost always, to respond to the particulars of the fantastic as if they were metaphorical or allegorical is to drain them of vitality."
Peter Straub (American Fantastic Tales:Terror and the Uncanny from Poe to the Pulps)

Talia · **Reply #1686 on:** February 22, 2011, 05:55:50 AM

Quote from: tinygaia on February 17, 2011, 03:41:09 PM

Quote from: Talia on February 17, 2011, 04:33:44 AM
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...). I have NOT read Alcatraz. That sounds delightful, I shall add this to my "must read" list.

Scattercat · **Reply #1687 on:** February 22, 2011, 06:29:37 AM

Read "Predictably Irrational" after picking it up in the airport. Good times, though not much I hadn't previously encountered. Either he was revisiting old experiments, or his work has been ridiculously widely cited elsewhere. Still, it was interesting material explained clearly, and it was apparent in several places that the author was primarily a scientist and not a writer, which I find reassuring in my science writing. (That glib bastard Malcolm Gladwell makes me twitchy sometimes.)

Bdoomed · **Reply #1688 on:** February 22, 2011, 06:51:03 AM

Time to update my "what am I reading list"... it's grown. *shudders*

still making my way through A Game of Thrones
started reading in earnest The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. That guy says the best things.
started reading Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong at the suggestion of a past professor, pretty interesting stuff so far
also started reading No Turning Back: The History of Femenism for my Women in Film class, though I haven't read much of it at all.
aaand started reading Hiroshima: The Autobiography of Barefoot Gen after I accidentally bought it instead of the actual Barefoot Gen manga. It's pretty interesting, provides a very intimate look at life pre-bomb and I'm guessing post-bomb as well.

tinygaia · **Reply #1689 on:** February 22, 2011, 12:26:28 PM

Quote from: Talia on February 22, 2011, 05:55:50 AM

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.
But when I finished Mistborn, I made him read them. "The last bit of the last book is too perfect for me to explain it to you. You have to read the entire trilogy so I can see the look on your face when you finish this chapter."

Recently finished The Desert Spear, sequel to The Warded Man by Peter V Brett. These are some good reads. Many similarities to Mistborn, but without the gobs of descriptive prose. The storylines are somewhat erratic, in a way that would give my old creative writing professor fits, but it keeps the action moving so it works. Great fantasy.

Talia · **Reply #1690 on:** February 22, 2011, 03:43:50 PM

I LOVED 'Warded Man,' but read it right after it came out and so have forgotten almost everything about the plot.

Have tried to read 'Desert Spear' a couple times but couldn't get into it. Will probably try again. It's an intriguing world.

tinygaia · **Reply #1691 on:** February 22, 2011, 04:44:47 PM

Quote from: Talia on February 22, 2011, 03:43:50 PM

I LOVED 'Warded Man,' but read it right after it came out and so have forgotten almost everything about the plot.

Have tried to read 'Desert Spear' a couple times but couldn't get into it. Will probably try again. It's an intriguing world.

I know what you mean: the first several chapters do NOT focus on the character I wanted to read about.
I ended up re-reading Warded Man when I picked it up for my husband and leaped right into Desert Spear after that. I was astounded how much I had forgotten from the first book - the quick pace of the plot doesn't lend itself to remembered details (for me, at least).
It's probably best to wait for book three and knock them out back to back. Desert Spear was worth it, though, once I got past Jardir's chapters at the beginning of the book.

stePH · **Reply #1692 on:** February 22, 2011, 05:25:56 PM

Finished The Family Tree last night, enjoyable even despite some eye-rolling "oh come ON" shit in the last third.

Was going to pick up Richard Stark's The Score at the library yesterday, but an inconvenient holiday prevented that. So starting book 3 of Carla Jablonski's novelization of Gaiman's The Books of Magic comics... book 3 is The Children's Crusade which I didn't know about and bypassed on my first read of the comics; I picked this up at a clearance sale before I finally managed to score a torrent of the Children's Crusade comics arc, and never got around to reading it (the text novel, not the comics).

Listener · **Reply #1693 on:** February 24, 2011, 08:45:46 PM

Star Trek Typhon Pact 4: Paths of Disharmony (by Dayton Ward)

And also the Gor books, on the recommendation of a friend.

Devoted135 · **Reply #1694 on:** February 24, 2011, 08:55:05 PM

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.

And, as I am wont to do these days, now on to something entirely different! A Storm of Swords, third in George RR Martin's series, here I come!

Sandikal · **Reply #1695 on:** February 25, 2011, 01:23:31 AM

Quote from: Devoted135 on February 24, 2011, 08:55:05 PM

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.

I learned so much more about history in literature classes than I ever did in history classes.

stePH · **Reply #1696 on:** February 25, 2011, 01:25:30 AM

Finished The Children's Crusade in a day (Tuesday) and finished Stark's The Mourner in a day (Wednesday).

While picking up The Mourner at the library on Tuesday, picked up A God Somewhere; a graphic novel that I'd never heard of before... just kind of picked it out because it looked self-contained and not based on any standard Marvel or DC hero. Author is John Arcudi and illustrator is Peter Snejbjerg.

BlueLu · **Reply #1697 on:** February 26, 2011, 05:32:17 PM

Picked up Blood and Iron by Elizabeth Bear, mostly because I heard her short story Mongoose over on Drabblecast and loved it, but the book's not doing it for me. Also reading Chime by Franny Billingsly (YA).

stePH · **Reply #1698 on:** February 26, 2011, 05:55:01 PM

Burned through Stark's (Westlake's) The Score yesterday, as well as finishing A God Somewhere.

Next on deck, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, a xmas present from the wife (along with Fragile Things, but I've already read that from the library, and 2011 is a "no repeats" year.)

kibitzer · **Reply #1699 on:** February 28, 2011, 02:58:12 AM

Finished The Moon's A Balloon and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Now reading Stephen King Goes To The Movies. It has five of his short stories that were made into movies: "1408"; "The Mangler"; "Low Men In Yellow Coats" (Hearts In Atlantis); "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" (The Shawshank Redemption); "Children of the Corn".

Finished "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption". Whatever you think about Stephen King, the guy can spin a great tale when he's on form. There were a few differences in the short story but overall, the film preserved the essence very well.

Now on "1408" which I'll be interested to finish. I didn't think the film was all that great -- quite creaky, in fact.