Author Topic: What are you reading? (Read 1059277 times)

kibitzer · **Reply #1900 on:** July 25, 2011, 02:41:31 AM

Picked up the 2nd volume of Chobits on the weekend. Keen to see how it resolves.

Ocicat · **Reply #1901 on:** July 25, 2011, 07:17:58 PM

Almost finished with A Dance with Dragons. Well, 755 out of 959. But it's getting really hard to put down at this point.

When it's down I may just have to go back and re-read the others. I didn't set aside enough time to do that before it came out, aside from re-reading A Game of Thrones when the TV series came out.

iamafish · **Reply #1902 on:** July 26, 2011, 04:30:24 PM

started reading Catcher in the Rye yesterday because it was sitting on my book shelf looking unread. Interesting, but nothing gripping so far.

Spindaddy · **Reply #1903 on:** July 26, 2011, 04:44:58 PM

New Dresden Files book came out. I'll be done with it somewhere around 4am. I can't wait.

Scattercat · **Reply #1904 on:** July 26, 2011, 05:13:46 PM

Quote from: Spindaddy on July 26, 2011, 04:44:58 PM

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.

Talia · **Reply #1905 on:** July 26, 2011, 05:16:00 PM

Quote from: Scattercat on July 26, 2011, 05:13:46 PM

Quote from: Spindaddy on July 26, 2011, 04:44:58 PM
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.

Really? I didn't care for that story at all.. I found Murphy's "voice" uninteresting (actually I didn't care for 'Side Jobs' much as a whole).

I'm eager to get my paws on 'Ghost Story' myself.

Scattercat · **Reply #1906 on:** July 26, 2011, 05:22:15 PM

Murphy's always been the most interesting character in the series, especially as Harry has suffered continual hits from White Wolf style power creep. Sure, her voice was uneven, but so was Harry's when the series began. I'd rather see her develop as a voice.

Jim Butcher has trouble with liking his protagonists too much, to judge from what happened in that could've-been-interesting fantasy series set in a really fun world with the unfortunate viewpoint character of the worst Marty Stu I've yet laid eyes on. I'd hoped we'd seen a real shift for the Dresden Files into exploring other viewpoints, but alas, "Changes" was more of a temporary blip than a turning point.

Talia · **Reply #1907 on:** July 26, 2011, 05:25:06 PM

Aw, I love Harry. He's hilarious (if occasionally irritating).

kibitzer · **Reply #1908 on:** July 27, 2011, 02:47:18 AM

Yup, I've reserved Ghost Story. I'm keen to see what Harry does not that he's REDACTED.

I like the characters a lot, but I think Butcher excels at creating impossible situations where you can't see a way out. He doesn't do it every book but he does it very well indeed.

Sandikal · **Reply #1909 on:** July 27, 2011, 03:56:13 AM

I downloaded the audiobook of "Ghost Story" as soon as I got home from work. I'll start listening in the morning.

kibitzer · **Reply #1910 on:** July 28, 2011, 03:16:12 AM

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.

Scattercat · **Reply #1911 on:** July 28, 2011, 03:47:50 AM

Quote from: kibitzer on July 28, 2011, 03:16:12 AM

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.

Bdoomed · **Reply #1912 on:** July 28, 2011, 05:23:02 AM

Finished A Feast for Crows, now on to the latest one, A Dance with Dragons!

Faraway Ray · **Reply #1913 on:** July 28, 2011, 01:27:31 PM

Quote from: Bdoomed on July 28, 2011, 05:23:02 AM

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.

Bdoomed · **Reply #1914 on:** July 28, 2011, 07:34:31 PM

delicious, delicious murder.

iamafish · **Reply #1915 on:** July 28, 2011, 08:09:50 PM

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.

InfiniteMonkey · **Reply #1916 on:** July 28, 2011, 08:37:52 PM

Quote from: Faraway Ray on July 28, 2011, 01:27:31 PM

Quote from: Bdoomed on July 28, 2011, 05:23:02 AM
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.

CryptoMe · **Reply #1917 on:** July 28, 2011, 11:10:12 PM

Quote from: Talia on July 26, 2011, 05:25:06 PM

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

).

Bdoomed · **Reply #1918 on:** July 29, 2011, 12:46:15 AM

Quote from: InfiniteMonkey on July 28, 2011, 08:37:52 PM

Quote from: Faraway Ray on July 28, 2011, 01:27:31 PM
Quote from: Bdoomed on July 28, 2011, 05:23:02 AM
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.

I dunno if I'd recommend a break, man. The third one is my favorite so far, it's pretty friggin crazy.

stePH · **Reply #1919 on:** July 29, 2011, 08:04:44 PM

Quote from: iamafish on July 28, 2011, 08:09:50 PM

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.

I loved that book when I read it in high school. But then again, if I could go back and meet my 15-year-old self, I'd most likely want to bitchslap his punk ass.

Talia · **Reply #1920 on:** July 29, 2011, 10:24:55 PM

I just finished 'Among Others' by Jo Walton. It's VERY good, but it's not your typical fantasy. It's really more of a character study, told in the format of a book-loving teenage girl's diary. I quite liked it, despite the lack of action. It's a neat peek into the way one girl thinks and her troubled world, which is at once mundane and magical.

Scattercat · **Reply #1921 on:** July 30, 2011, 04:04:28 AM

"The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" by Aimee Bender was a wonderful bit of magical realism. I enjoyed it immensely. However, if you are allergic to pretentiousness, you should probably not even look directly at it. (She doesn't even use quotation marks. Just dashes.)

I was reminded of Kelly Link, a bit. Not quite as bizarre, though.

stePH · **Reply #1922 on:** July 30, 2011, 07:22:15 AM

Quote from: Scattercat on July 30, 2011, 04:04:28 AM

(She doesn't even use quotation marks. Just dashes.)

I only ever encountered that style when reading James Joyce.

Listener · **Reply #1923 on:** July 30, 2011, 10:12:59 PM

Quote from: Scattercat on July 28, 2011, 03:47:50 AM

Quote from: kibitzer on July 28, 2011, 03:16:12 AM
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.

FireTurtle · **Reply #1924 on:** August 01, 2011, 01:02:26 AM

Quote from: CryptoMe on July 28, 2011, 11:10:12 PM

Quote from: Talia on July 26, 2011, 05:25:06 PM
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....