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[mjc]

I'm about 70 pages in and I can't remember exactly what happened in the first book as I read it last year sometime. I remember the main characters and the primary story beats...is there a site that gives a decent synopsis for the Blade Itself?

Besides that its a good read, although I'm getting really sick and tired of reading about how much Glokta's leg and back hurts. For Christ's sake we got the picture in the first book, you don't need to have him always bringing it up.

 

[Tigel]

A bit LTTP, but I just started The Zombie Survival Guide. I'm just one chapter in, but it's pretty good so far.

After I'm done with this one, I'm thinking of reading The Dark Tower. Is it any good?

 

[Dan]

Pretty sure that was me.

I'm willing to share credit, we've both done a fair share of pimping Stover's novels.

 

[Undeux]

After I'm done with this one, I'm thinking of reading The Dark Tower. Is it any good?

The first book is rough (but relatively short, at least), everything after that is fantastic.

 

[movie_club]

currently reading:

Amazing so far, such detail and so intricate...ill let you all know how i feel at the end

Spoiler

its a slow read

Just finished:

First time reading it, and wow amazing!! However, I am taking a break before i get to the next ones to read some other books. Its not like there is a rush to catch up haha

 

[tirminyl]

I have finished the following since purchasing this month:

I finished this book this past Sunday.

Just finished this book tonight.

I will be picking up the remaining two books tomorrow. I will have them finished by this months end. In a way, I don't want to finish them because it will be over.

 

[Jarlaxle]

After I'm done with this one, I'm thinking of reading The Dark Tower. Is it any good?

Yes. I absolutely loved that series and envy you so much for being able to read it for the first time. Just make sure you at least make it to the end of the 2nd book. The first book can be a bit slow for some people, however it is only 100 pages or so.

 

[Fireblend]

Just ordered:

American Gods
House of Leaves
Lolita
Norwegian Wood

Should keep me entertained for a while

 

[Karish]

 

[sparky2112]

I'm about 70 pages in and I can't remember exactly what happened in the first book as I read it last year sometime. I remember the main characters and the primary story beats...is there a site that gives a decent synopsis for the Blade Itself?

Yeah, I'm going to suffer from the same problem whenever I get around to reading Book 2. Of course, I was underwhelmed by Book 1, so I'm not sure if I'm going on.

Anyway, I think part of my problem with Book 1 was that, when you get right down to it, nothing really DID happen. Not remembering the plot might not have been as disorienting as you think.

 

[MaizeRage25]

Just finished:

Think I would have preferred that it included all the characters and just cut in the middle instead of just focusing on Kings Landing characters.

And, when I got home, will start:

 

[ILOVEASIANS]

Started up The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah yesterday and am enjoying it so far. I'm getting more and more anxious as to wondering how this series is going to end.

 

[Skittleguy]

Soooo good...

 

[ant_]

Reading Crime and Punishment. This book, thus far, has captured the inner-workings of a man better than any other I have read. Raskolnikov feels real.

 

[thomaser]

Just came home from a trip to Oslo, where there's a bunch of really good bookstores. Bought these:

- Gladwell, Malcolm: Outliers
- Haddawy: Sindbad and other stories (the second part of Haddawy's complete translation of the 1001 Nights-stories)
- Hesse, Hermann: The Glass Bead Game
- Kerouac, Jack: On The Road (the "original scroll version")
- Marquez, Gabriel Garcia: Love in the Time of Cholera
- McCarthy, Cormac: Blood Meridian
- Mitchell, Dave: Cloud Atlas
- Nabokov, Vladimir: Lolita
- Pushwagner: Soft City
- Pynchon, Thomas: Inherent Vice
- Updike, John: Rabbit Angstrom, The Four Novels
- Wallace, David Foster: Infinite Jest

But I won't read any of them in a while. I've got tons of unread books, and these just go to the bottom of that pile. Still, nice to have them here!

Most of these entered my to-buy-list because of you guys here at Neogaf, by the way. These book-threads are really excellent sources of inspiration.

Pushwagner? Soft City? He's a 69-years old, crazy Norwegian artist who makes strange, ultra-detailed drawings. Soft City is a sort of graphic novel and his magnum opus, made in the 70s and lost until it came to light in a loft somewhere a few years ago. It got released, and Pushwagner has been a successful celebrity ever since. Good for him, since he was a drug-addled bum living on the streets not very long ago. Look at some of his art here.

 

[Dwight Schrute]

Very nice book

 

[Caspel]

I'm 155 pages deep into A Game of Thrones. It took a few chapters to start getting interesting, but I'm hooked now. The deception in the book reminds me of FF: Tactics

 

[Dwight Schrute]

I'm 155 pages deep into A Game of Thrones. It took a few chapters to start getting interesting, but I'm hooked now. The deception in the book reminds me of FF: Tactics

FF tactics was out in 97, and AGoT in 96, so it can't be an inspiration

BTW amazing book, you'll like it I bet

 

[Caspel]

FF tactics was out in 97, and AGoT in 96, so it can't be an inspiration

BTW amazing book, you'll like it I bet

oh, I am not saying AGoT borrowed or was inspired by FF Tactics -- but they have similarites when it comes to deception. One thing I do find weird -- and this is only when it comes to the casting for the HBO show -- is that majority of the characters are young children. Once I leave LA for this press event for Summerslam, I'll be devoting another 4 hours into reading it on my plane ride home.

 

[Slizz]

im going to start reading 'cannery row' for english.

anybody have any thoughts about it?

 

[Katzenjammer]

The first book is rough (but relatively short, at least), everything after that is fantastic.

I've only read the first three books, and it was some time ago, but at the time I actually thought the first book was much better than the others. I really liked the setting and that so much was still a mystery.

I think I'll start over and try to read the whole series in one go later this year.

 

[X26]

Hurricane Bill kept messing around with my power, so I ended up plowing through the last ~200 pages of A Clash of Kings.

Spoiler

Good, but jeesh it's almost stressful seeing characters I hate keep winning and characters I like keep losing after 2 books. Also, I found stannis and renly's ends dissapointing, and some of the realism dimished overall. Still, great book.

Starting:

 

[sharkmuncher]

The audiobook is amazing.

 

[dakster]

Just finished Blood hunt by Ian Rankin, not bad.

Away to read Cold Granite by Stuart Macbride.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Picked up the final book in the "Dark Tower" series. Time to finish this thang.

 

[BorkBork]

GAF and a friend rec, so I had to get it. It's pretty hilarious so far, looks like a good read.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

Im onto this now, finished the first one bout an hour ago.

 

[AlteredBeast]

Reading through these at blistering pace. I think all have been fanatastic books for different reasons, but this one with all the backstory and dimensions is fantastic.

 

[Truant]

Shutter Island.

Pretty tense so far.

 

[AlteredBeast]

Geez, I didn't know EVERYONE was reading the Dark Tower series.

I guess we will all finish around the same time, though.

Too bad BlueTsunami is a ways in front of us

 

[Salazar]

Just finished Kobo Abe's 'The Woman in the Dunes', and I will have nightmares for some time.

About halfway through 'Bech at Bay'. I managed to pick it up cheap, and I'll go back and reread the earlier books when I find them. I still prefer it to Rabbit.

 

[Tim the Wiz]

I'm happy to report that Robin Hobb's The Dragon Keeper is a great return to form after the Soldier Son trilogy. As usual, startlingly rich characterization is her main strength; she's one of the best when it comes to inducing raw emotion.

Can't believe they missed the typo on page three, though.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

I'm happy to report that Robin Hobb's The Dragon Keeper is a great return to form after the Soldier Son trilogy. As usual, startlingly rich characterization is her main strength; she's one of the best when it comes to inducing raw emotion.

Can't believe they missed the typo on page three, though.

I thought it was really slow and drawn out. It was a good read and the characters are pretty good. Second book sounds like it will be tits though.

 

[Tim the Wiz]

I thought it took awhile to setup, too, but I was impressed with the turmoil she put her characters through leading up to their convergence, and from there everything went quite smoothly.

Edit: I think it's fair to keep in mind that she wrote it as one volume, but the publisher thought it too large, split it in two and kept the sequel for next year. I hate it when publishers sit on material like this.

 

[Jay Sosa]

Awesome as always..

 

[lakesideflight]

Just got finished with The Fountainhead, really liked it and about to start

 

[VGChampion]

I have never read any of R. A. Salvatore's books before so I was going in blind but I had always seen his books for years on the shelves. Always meant to give them a try. I like what I've read so far. Finished book 1 earlier today.

Reading book two now. Only a few chapters in but so far so good.

 

[InnerFu]

Just started this a couple of day ago.....so far so good, but the again i'm a whore for thriller novels.

EDIT: Picture was fuckin huge

 

[Rayo]

1/3 done

 

[Salazar]

1/3 done

You summed it right up. Lazy fuckin' Russians.

 

[benita316]

I've never read any King and on a whim I just picked up:

What have I gotten myself into and where the hell do I start!

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

I thought it took awhile to setup, too, but I was impressed with the turmoil she put her characters through leading up to their convergence, and from there everything went quite smoothly.

Edit: I think it's fair to keep in mind that she wrote it as one volume, but the publisher thought it too large, split it in two and kept the sequel for next year. I hate it when publishers sit on material like this.

Yeah i knew bout the 2 books thing, shits me off but it would have been a damn big book going of what we have already. The only character i genuinely like is Rapskal or whatever that overly happy guys name is, i have a friend like him so annoying but you gotta like em.

 

[Staccat0]

I'm reading a book about Theodore Roosevelt's life after leaving the white house. Its pretty cool!

I'm also reading The dark Elf Trilogy. I liked it when I was younger and remembered it as being better than most of the fantasy books I read as a kid. I found it in my old room when visiting parents and decided to give it anothwer spin.
It sucks.:lol Like all those books suck.

 

[Undeux]

What have I gotten myself into and where the hell do I start!

I haven't read It, but I recommend reading The Stand last. It's good but I think it's a little overrated and too big. If you read The Gunslinger, read the second Dark Tower book no matter what you think of the first. So good.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Geez, I didn't know EVERYONE was reading the Dark Tower series.

I guess we will all finish around the same time, though.

Too bad BlueTsunami is a ways in front of us

The Dark Tower Series seems to be some sort of GAF "What are you Reading?" wright of passage :lol

 

[mujun]

Made it on to Altered Carbon, getting through it pretty quick. I have read it before though. Also Perdido Street though I've only read about ten pages, didn't catch me immediately. Finished Singularity Sky, it was okay. Also picked up the second Night Angel Trilogy book as I had some Australian dollars left from my holiday and found it cheapish at the airport.

 

[Pikelet]

I have about 100 pages left of Kavalier and Clay and its honestly one of my favourite books i have ever read. Once in a while you come across a book that you know you could read once a year for the rest of your life and never tire of it. Next up im going to start the Farseer series by Robin Hobb thanks to a recommendation from my girlfriend.

 

[tirminyl]

I just finished the entire Percy Jackson and the Olympians series this month. I loved it and really didn't want it to end. Next month I will start back on the Harry Potter series.

 

[Fleet of Foot]

I haven't read It, but I recommend reading The Stand last. It's good but I think it's a little overrated and too big. If you read The Gunslinger, read the second Dark Tower book no matter what you think of the first. So good.

I disagree. I read The Stand first and it paid off, because there are so many references to characters in The Stand in King's other books. King's books are so intertwined with each other. The same characters show up over and over, sometimes in different forms.

For instance, one of the latter books in The Dark Tower has a very direct reference to The Stand that you'd never get unless you'd read The Stand first. I'm talking about

Spoiler

I think the beginning of either book 5 or 6, where they're walking along a busted-up road and start to see either posters or flyers about the events that happened in The Stand, which is in an alternate reality from theirs.

I read The Stand, then all of The Dark Tower, then IT. I liked IT the least. Right now I'm reading Insomnia and again, characters are showing up that are from other books.

Now that I've read about 15 Stephen King books, I realize I am a Stephen King fan and I really don't see why some people are so down on him. I don't get the criticism. Once I start reading one of his books, it's hard to stop until it's finished. They're just good stories. Isn't that the whole point of reading?

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

I have about 100 pages left of Kavalier and Clay and its honestly one of my favourite books i have ever read. Once in a while you come across a book that you know you could read once a year for the rest of your life and never tire of it. Next up im going to start the Farseer series by Robin Hobb thanks to a recommendation from my girlfriend.

Its a really awesome series, im surprised at the variety of people who have read it. I was reading the Tawny Man series while in hospital and had some nurse come over gushing about how amazing the series is, in her mid 40's, Hobb is a truly excellent author.