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What are you reading? (April 2012)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Finished reading this while coming back from holiday. The gap between Dan Abnett and Graham McNeill as writers is fucking huge. The dialogue (particularly the jokey Captain guy) seems to have been written by a 15 year old, it follows too many characters, and the fall of Horus was too much of a swing around the chapter in the warp dream to be particularly convincing. Could see how he resented the Emperor but he was really quick to turn full on mad. I'll read the 3rd book to finish the main series as the story as a whole should be solid, but it's sad Dan Abnett couldn't write all of it.
Ive been reading the Prince of Nothing series (currently on the third book), and while I loved the first book, im liking the series less the more I read it. My main problem is
Khellus. Not his character, but how he impacts the other main characters. He ruins them. He turns into uninteresting fawning slaves. I really liked Esmi in the first book, but now? Bleh. Im only like 50 pages into the 3rd book, so i hope it improves, but her Khellus worship is just boring and annoying to read.
I think my problem is is that I have a hard time believing that kind of power, truly seeing into someones soul, would work the way it does in this book. I dont think EVERYONE would worship you and become your fawning slave, willing to do anything for you, besides like 1 or 2 people. that right there, i think is my problem. I dont find it very believable. It was fine when it was happening to background characters/unimportant ones, but when its a main character, it just kind of hits you right in the face.
I think my problem is is that I have a hard time believing that kind of power, truly seeing into someones soul, would work the way it does in this book. I dont think EVERYONE would worship you and become your fawning slave, willing to do anything for you, besides like 1 or 2 people. that right there, i think is my problem. I dont find it very believable. It was fine when it was happening to background characters/unimportant ones, but when its a main character, it just kind of hits you right in the face.
It was three miles!
You're right~
Si.
'Tis fanart.
I haven't started anything new yet, but I will soon!
Koroviev
Member
The Culture Vulture
Member
Quarter of the way through it and enjoying it so far. Gaiman obviously is proud of it, sounds like he is working on follow up projects.
anonymous_abc
Member
I bought a total of 78 used books from various charity shops and boot sales on vacation in the Uk last week xD
and am now reading James Patterson - Cross Fire
Fun read so far ,as usual...
and am now reading James Patterson - Cross Fire
Fun read so far ,as usual...
Yo. Check It
Neo Member
Factual and Inspirational
Combichristoffersen
Combovers don't work when there is no hair
He actually wrote a short story sequel, The Monarch of the Glen. I liked that one much better than American Gods.
Yeah, that one was good too!
Just finished Arthur C Clarke's and Stephen Baxter's Time's Eye. The first ACC book I've ever read, and from what I understand it's not his best, but it was really well written and an interesting sci-fi premise that acts as a reasonable basis for a fun historical what-if scenario (Genghis Khan vs Alexander the Great, primarily). Anyone here read the whole series? Are the next two books any good?
This may be my favorite Crichton book. He has always been good at explaining some complex/dull topics, but how he explains processes and possible interactions with alien life are more interesting than the story itself.
I definitely think it's his best written (Jurassic Park remains his best premise). I'm about halfway through, so watch it go in the crapper before long.
Koroviev
Member
Haven't read that series, but I love Clarke's "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Rendezvous with Rama." Just pretend there aren't sequels.
ClassyPenguin
Banned
Recommended to anyone who thinks that the gold-standard is a good idea. It's very well written too.
When I read it, I read it over the course of a weekend (and basically spent all weekend doing almost nothing but reading them; I'm not *that* fast), and I found that it worked well for me trying it like that. I think I would have gotten really confused about what was going on or lost the thread if I had tried reading it in short chunks over a longer period of time. If nothing else, I think it's worth finishing an entire "section" (by which I mean, at least getting to the part where he's left the Guild, or if you're at the Gardens, wait until the Gardens part is over).
I think it is impossible to get every relevant detail the first attempt, but when I finished Urth of the New Sun (on Monday), I checked my understanding against a plot synopsis and I hadn't really missed a whole lot; there were just a few details that I had missed that learning about helped clarify some things for me.
foomfoom415
Member
I started reading this, but just couldn't into it. I gave up about 1/2 through.
Instead I read:
Fascinating. I finished it in one sitting.
And based on GAF buzz I read:
A fantastic read. Thanks GAF!
Castor Krieg
Banned
I subscribed to Financial Times on my Kindle - HOLY FUCK. I'm 90% certain this stuff has much more than print edition, usually I can go through FT in an hour, yesterday I downloaded first issue, spent 2.5 hours, still not done. Sooooooooooo goooooooooooood!
The only thing I wonder - I get a message I can access the issues dating back 7 days. However I have the option to keep every issue, will that prevent them from being deleted?
After I'm done with Pushing Ice, it's either:
http://www.amazon.de/dp/1400031745/
or
http://www.amazon.de/dp/1594202710/
Did anyone read them? Any comments?
The only thing I wonder - I get a message I can access the issues dating back 7 days. However I have the option to keep every issue, will that prevent them from being deleted?
After I'm done with Pushing Ice, it's either:
http://www.amazon.de/dp/1400031745/
or
http://www.amazon.de/dp/1594202710/
Did anyone read them? Any comments?
Was thinking about that but decided t watch the tv show instead as I heard it was faithful and there are too many books and too little time.
I tried reading Pushing Ice but couldn't get into it (the sample). Not a big sci fi fan.
Castor Krieg
Banned
Tbh I'm 60% through, and this doesn't feel like Space Opera at all, more like self-contained short story. A bit disappointed, but will keep at it.
I just finished reading "Lost Boy Lost Girl" by Peter Straub, and I have to say that it's one of the best horror novels I've ever read, and I've been a huge fan of the genre since I was a teenager. This is high level stuff, full of ambiguity and with an unconventional structure. It's the sort of book that leaves you terribly unsettled, but you're not sure exactly why, and then you can't stop thinking about it. I don't think I can even sleep to be honest, and I'm gonna have to find a way to occupy myself for a few hours.
Koroviev
Member
Have you read "Battle Royale"?
ElectricBlue187
Member
Just got this at the store
And I have a long ass wait for a doctor so I'll probably read a lot of it
And I have a long ass wait for a doctor so I'll probably read a lot of it
Just got a copy of The King's Blood by Daniel Abraham. It's easily one of my most anticipated novels of 2012. Will start it tomorrow.
I couldn't make it all the way through dragons path... Just felt like nothing was happening. But I just finished leviathan wakes and looooooved it. Hmmmmmmm
I enjoyed The Dragon's Path immensely, and am enjoying The King's Blood equally, but the pace is even slower this time around. About halfway through.
The Blade Itself, by Joe Abercrombie
Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson
Battle Royale, by Koushun Takami
Like Harry Potter? Try The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett.
nakedsushi
Member
I started reading this, but just couldn't into it. I gave up about 1/2 through.
Yeah, Connie Willis was hard for me to get into. I read this one by her:
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
I think it helps if you imagine everyone having British accents. The dialog and her whole writing style just seems very British to me. Lots of fumbling about to get the plot going and lucky coincidences to get it resolved.
Diseased Yak
Gold Member
And based on GAF buzz I read:
A fantastic read. Thanks GAF!
This isn't on Kindle? Boo-urns!!!!
(I hate when I see a book I might like and it isn't available on my e-reader of choice.)
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
I'm presently working through Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond, but it's slow going because I have to read Frankenstein for another class, and I have a shit-ton of assignments that I need to get done in the next three weeks.
Combichristoffersen
Combovers don't work when there is no hair
You want fantasy, I take it? Try 'Stardust' by Neil Gaiman, 'The Lord of the Rings' or 'The Hobbit' by Tolkien (if you haven't already read them), the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman (personally I thought it was boring and vastly overrated, but ymmv) or 'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell' by Susanna Clarke. Or Lovecraft's stuff, but that's generally more cosmic horror than fantasy (he did write some fantasy stuff in his 'Dreamlands cycle', but I'm not a huge fan of those stories personally).
I will always second this suggestion.
Anyone got any good pirate themed novels? Something like On Stranger Tides perhaps.
Haha, I had a false start on it as well before I finally got through all of it.
I'd be lying if I said the series wasn't a headache sometimes, but I've been really struggling to motivate myself to read lately and I really fell in love with Shadow & Claw towards the end of it. I've been dying to finish the series ever since I finished and this had been collecting dust on my shelf for a few months, so hopefully this can kickstart my book consumption.
Finished
Dug it, it's definitely better than the Miyazaki adaptation - MUCH better characterization, and the plot is far less of a mess. It's a damn shame Mamoru Hosoda (Director of Girl who leapt through time) never got to make the adaptation, as the actual story seems perfect for his sense-abilities.
Now Reading
Read two chapters so far, and it's pretty damn informative so far. (even though I assume the rest of the book will argue a lot of things I already agree with to begin with)
Dug it, it's definitely better than the Miyazaki adaptation - MUCH better characterization, and the plot is far less of a mess. It's a damn shame Mamoru Hosoda (Director of Girl who leapt through time) never got to make the adaptation, as the actual story seems perfect for his sense-abilities.
Now Reading
Read two chapters so far, and it's pretty damn informative so far. (even though I assume the rest of the book will argue a lot of things I already agree with to begin with)
I hate that I read and loved the first two books of the series, but never got around to reading the next 2 afterwards. Next time I read the series again, I'm probably going re-read the first two books again.:lol
2nd volume of Night's Dawn trilogy. It is a kind of pulp literature, but damn, I've never read a space opera of that scope and breadth. The events are ever escalating, humanity is in deeper trouble with every passing page, all as it should be. Highly entertaining.
Peter Hamilton eh? A friend loaned me pandora's star when I told him I was just starting to get into sci-fi again after a decade long hiatus, told me I'd love it. Maybe I should give it a read, I feel like I am running out of good fantasy.
Maklershed
Member
Yes do it. Pandora's Star and its sequel Judas Unchained were phenomenal.
Koroviev
Member
Finished
Dug it, it's definitely better than the Miyazaki adaptation - MUCH better characterization, and the plot is far less of a mess. It's a damn shame Mamoru Hosoda (Director of Girl who leapt through time) never got to make the adaptation, as the actual story seems perfect for his sense-abilities.
As much as I love Miyazaki, the only thing his version got right was the relationship between the main characters. Plot is more or less an incoherent wreck.
Castor Krieg
Banned
Can anyone recommend some huge English-language ebook store except Amazon? I have Kindle, and some books are unavailable for it. Still, I would prefer to read everything on my e-reader, and with Calibre you can put any file there.
Also, Pushing Ice got interesting (65% in).
Also, Pushing Ice got interesting (65% in).
+1
Liked them better than Night's Dawn trilogy, as I found the premise/antagonists stupid
Al Capone, really???
Is the Void trilogy worth reading?
Still somewhat struggling through Legacy of Kings, but determined to finish it now. But damn my reading has slowed down. Barely a book a week now
Must read shorter books (which means the Void trilogy is a bad idea lol)!