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[Pau]

Coming off of games like Kerbal Space Program and movies like Moon and Oblivion I am in the mood for good books revolving around space. Space, astronauts, planetary travel. No fantasy like Warhammer Space Marines or something, just relatively grounded fiction.

I have no idea where to begin, do you guys have any suggestions?

Ooooo yeah. I am looking for something along these lines also, thanks for bringing it up.

The last thing I've read that fits the bill is the novella at the end of Ursula K. Le Guin's The Birthday of the World. It's about a population being transported to a new earth and since it'll take generations to get there, it's more about growing up knowing you'll spend you're whole life in a spaceship. Super interesting. All her other stuff is about planets in her collective universe and their societies. One of the best sci-fi writers of all time. But most focus on the planets and not the travel between them.

There's always 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke.

I'm currently reading Ursula K. Le Guin's The Word for World is Forest. So far the main villain is very cliche, but otherwise the world building is at the quality I've come to expect from her.

 

[Narag]

There's always 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke.

I was going to post that and 2010 as the space stuff is sublime. Held off out of concern that the more fantastical elements would be off-putting.

 

[Pau]

I was going to post that and 2010 as the space stuff is sublime. Held off out of concern that the more fantastical elements would be off-putting.

Yeah, it's not super grounded but I figured those fantastic elements weren't in the vein of space marines. Also, the tone tends to be very realistic, if that makes any sense. Very different from something like say Leviathan Wakes.

 

[xXBetter Off DadXx]

The last thing I've read that fits the bill is the novella at the end of Ursula K. Le Guin's The Birthday of the World. It's about a population being transported to a new earth and since it'll take generations to get there, it's more about growing up knowing you'll spend you're whole life in a spaceship. Super interesting. All her other stuff is about planets in her collective universe and their societies. One of the best sci-fi writers of all time. But most focus on the planets and not the travel between them.

There's always 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke.

I'm currently reading Ursula K. Le Guin's The Word for World is Forest. So far the main villain is very cliche, but otherwise the world building is at the quality I've come to expect from her.

That sounds great! I'm going to look into getting myself a copy, thanks for the recommendation!

 

[Woorloog]

Currently working on:

And yes, I do prefer the oldschool cover.

I don't think Rand was ever described to be that muscled...

 

[aidan]

It pretty clearly says in Lord of Chaos that his arms are bigger than his legs. I remember that scene vividly.

This was confirmed by the cover art:

#shouldertowaistratioofagreekgod

 

[Narag]

The Sixth Shotgun by Louis L'Amour

Formula isn't stale for me yet so I figure i'll keep on reading them so long as i can find these books cheap.

 

[aidan]

I've recently finished:

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch — A fine follow-up to his first two books, but more character-focussed, rather than the twisting, entwined plot-focus that made the first two books so popular.

The Time Traveler's Wife — What an astoundingly gorgeous, tragic, and heartbreakingly sweet book. Finished it a week ago and still haven't stopped thinking about it.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane — Gaiman at his best. Mythical, touching and an immensely timely novel for me on a personal level.

Now reading:

Up Against It by M.J. Locke — Has come very highly recommended. Should appeal to fans of James S.A Corey (Leviathan Wakes).

 

[ShaneB]

Finished Calico Joe. Gave it 4.5/5 stars, only really dinging it slighty just because it's something I wish was actually longer. It does fly by though, and that's never a bad thing. It was a fun read for sure, and emotional.

 

[Paganmoon]

Up Against It by M.J. Locke — Has come very highly recommended. Should appeal to fans of James S.A Corey (Leviathan Wakes).

Cool, Will check it out, thanks tor the tip.

Currently reading a brave new world, by aldous Huxley, but it's temporeraly on hold as it's the folio society edition from the seventies and it's got some, uhm, "suggestive" art in it, and I'm traveling a lot these coming days and don't feel comfortable reading it on the train

So started the shift omnibus on the kindle till I get back home.

Sorry for lack of links, on handheld device at the moment.

 

[Larsa]

Finished up Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution which was surprisingly great and really compelling.

Halfway through Night Film

I love this cover.

I have no idea where this book is going, but it is really fun to read and I am blasting through it. Will probably finish soon. The writing can be a bit iffy (holy shit this must be a record in italics use) and the main character is a little dull. The multimedia elements are actually pretty cool and only feel slightly gimmicky. I'm switching from my Kindle Paperwhite to my iPad everytime a picture with color appears and to use the app.

 

[The Culture Vulture]

Finally got around to reading Ender's Game, didn't enjoy it quite as much as I thought I would but it is still worth reading. I was expecting more of a Lord Of The Flies vibe, it dragged a bit for me in the middle, very repeatative showing Ender's plight. The last chapter made up for it, what a bonkers ending.

 

[A Human Becoming]

Finally got around to reading Ender's Game, didn't enjoy it quite as much as I thought I would but it is still worth reading. I was expecting more of a Lord Of The Flies vibe, it dragged a bit for me in the middle, very repeatative showing Ender's plight. The last chapter made up for it, what a bonkers ending.

I just started this and have not been enjoying it as much as I expected as well. The writing so far has been amateur and lacks nuance.

Has anyone read Private: Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks, and the Biggest Exposure of Official Secrets in American History? I've heard mixed opinions on it.

 

[Kahoona]

I'm finishing up the second book in the Kingkiller Chronicles this week and am excited to start The Bone Season.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

I'm finishing up the second book in the Kingkiller Chronicles this week and am excited to start The Bone Season.

I'll be interested in hearing opinions on The Bone Season.

 

[Piecake]

I've recently finished:



The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch — A fine follow-up to his first two books, but more character-focussed, rather than the twisting, entwined plot-focus that made the first two books so popular.

Oooh.

So, would you agree that the second book was much weaker than the first? And do you think this book reverses that?

I'd like to know this too. The first book was good fun, but i thought the second one was pretty blah and couldnt even finish it because of it. I just didnt care about the adventure, and I think poor characters was the issue. If the third book fixes that, then I would definitely check it out

 

[aidan]

Oooh.

So, would you agree that the second book was much weaker than the first? And do you think this book reverses that?

I'd like to know this too. The first book was good fun, but i thought the second one was pretty blah and couldnt even finish it because of it. I just didnt care about the adventure, and I think poor characters was the issue. If the third book fixes that, then I would definitely check it out

I'm of the opinion that RSURS was a significant step down from tLoLL. The big problem with RSURS is that the entire novel felt like a huge diversion from everything that happened in the first novel, and then the middle of the book was another diversion away from that. Though I always enjoy being in Lynch's world, RSURS didn't really seem to serve much of a purpose, other than to try to replicate the heist/shenanigans of tLoLL. The Republic of Thieves is a great step back in the right direction. It mostly drops the heist/profoundly clever long-con plotline for something that's more direct, allowing the plot to take a back seat to the development of Locke and Sabetha. I won't say too much, for fear of ruining things, but I the intertwining of their stories was handled well by Lynch and I felt myself becoming attached to the characters as much as I was addicted to Lynch's cleverness and sharp prose. Where tLoLL and RSURS were about how perfect and infalliable Locke is, tRoT is about his failures and the demons that haunt him. It's good stuff.

 

[Neffarias_Bredd]

I'm of the opinion that RSURS was a significant step down from tLoLL. The big problem with RSURS is that the entire novel felt like a huge diversion from everything that happened in the first novel, and then the middle of the book was another diversion away from that. Though I always enjoy being in Lynch's world, RSURS didn't really seem to serve much of a purpose, other than to try to replicate the heist/shenanigans of tLoLL. The Republic of Thieves is a great step back in the right direction. It mostly drops the heist/profoundly clever long-con plotline for something that's more direct, allowing the plot to take a back seat to the development of Locke and Sabetha. I won't say too much, for fear of ruining things, but I the intertwining of their stories was handled well by Lynch and I felt myself becoming attached to the characters as much as I was addicted to Lynch's cleverness and sharp prose. Where tLoLL and RSURS were about how perfect and infalliable Locke is, tRoT is about his failures and the demons that haunt him. It's good stuff.

Good post. I'm even more excited to read it now

 

[sooperkool]

Finished listening to this over the weekend:

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer

Really enjoyable and informative (more research, less self help). Does anyone know any other memoir type books like this where the author is documenting something he's trying out in an unbiased fashion?

Started up this as my next audiobook:

Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel by Michio Kaku

Loving it so far

Re-reading this:

In Search Of Shroedinger's Cat


http://www.amazon.com/In-Search-Schr%C3%B6dingers-Cat-Quantum/dp/0553342533

I'm sure you've read it.

 

[fakefaker]

Taking a break from The Big book of Adventure Stories and jumped into Anno Dracula by Kim Newman.

 

[Wizerd]

I'm currently trying to get through Crime and Punishment, but I find it a little boring.

...so then I started reading Snow Crash, and it's just crazy good.

 

[Pau]

Finished The Word for World is Forest. Standard Ursula K. Le Guin fair. Which isn't to say it's bad - it's very good since her baseline for quality is really high. The antagonist was one-dimensional but otherwise it was a good look at colonialism and its effects.

I'm basically going through Mumei's Goodreads feminism tag and thus started The Purity Myth today. So far it's a lot of stuff I already lived through, having gone through a lot of it in Catholic middle and high school.

 

[Tragicomedy]

Just finished:

[*] Naoki Higashida - The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism. ★★★★★ This book is a complete masterpiece and unlocks insight into a journey that has largely been a mystery for me during my son's three years of life. Not every question that Naoki addresses directly fits our boy, but a large quantity do and the answers are mesmerizing and amazing. Like my son, the author has an absolutely beautiful soul that not even communication and social delays cannot hide. You'll find your heart pour out for everyone on the spectrum and want to thank the author and tell him that you love him.

 

[Neffarias_Bredd]

Just finished King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. It was my favorite out of the trilogy, violent and touching and thought provoking. Regarding the ending:

SERIES SPOILERS DO NOT READ

Spoiler

The scenes after Jorg's death where he saves his brother and his dog. Do these just symbolize his desire to make everything right in his past?

 

[Master Nairb]

Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris. First page is excellent so far.

 

[Mackenzie 92]

Just finished King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. It was my favorite out of the trilogy, violent and touching and thought provoking. Regarding the ending:

SERIES SPOILERS DO NOT READ

Spoiler

The scenes after Jorg's death where he saves his brother and his dog. Do these just symbolize his desire to make everything right in his past?

I think so. That's how I took it.

Agree that it was very touching. Really great ending, got chills thinking about it just now. Can't wait for The Red Queen next year.

 

[charlemagne]

Just finished:

Thanks so much. This is the perfect gift for somebody I know.

 

[Alpende]

I just finished The Hobbit and I enjoyed it a lot. It reads very easily so I was done with it in a week or two. It's also cool to see how the movie differs from the book. I wonder how the second movie is going to play out compared to the book...

 

[ShaneB]

Just finished:
[*] Naoki Higashida - The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism. ★★★★★ This book is a complete masterpiece and unlocks insight into a journey that has largely been a mystery for me during my son's three years of life. Not every question that Naoki addresses directly fits our boy, but a large quantity do and the answers are mesmerizing and amazing. Like my son, the author has an absolutely beautiful soul that not even communication and social delays cannot hide. You'll find your heart pour out for everyone on the spectrum and want to thank the author and tell him that you love him.

I've had this on my to-read list for a while now, thanks for this review. I'll make sure to read it asap.

 

[Maklershed]

Gonna be finishing up Shift at lunch. Not sure what I want to do next. I dont think I wanna go right to Dust. I want to switch things up. Maybe I'll do Brown's Requiem by James Ellroy or The High Window by Raymond Chandler. Kinda in that 40s LA pulp noir mood again.

 

[Nymerio]

Finished Coraline earlier this week and started The Last Unicorn yesterday. I'm 10% in and enjoying it so far.

 

[Haly]

I got the order of the books wrong, derp.

 

[Maklershed]

Woah what. You read Shift before Dust???

Yeah. Wasn't I supposed to? I thought it went Shift, Wool, Dust.

 

[Haly]

Never mind my crazy ramblings!

 

[jmdajr]

 

[Ashes]

The man who would be king, Rudyard Kipling

 

[Paganmoon]

Yeah. Wasn't I supposed to? I thought it went Shift, Wool, Dust.

Chronologically yes, but iirc they're written Wool, Shift, Dust.

 

[EvaristeG]

This one was a mixed bag. It was very tedious in areas, because of the huge amount of references to other authors, myths, etc, there's a tremendous amount of erudition in there, but sometimes it's very pedantic. Some stories were brilliant and really inspired, but many of them didn't age well and were done much better by other writers. Maybe I'm just not educated enough to appreciate this, but I consider it an overrated book.

And on to this now :

K.DICK, novels 1963-1964. Will probably just read a few of them to start. Already read Ubik, The Three Stigmatas of Palmer Eldricht, and Man in the High Castle. Loved the first two, hated the third.

 

[Maklershed]

Chronologically yes, but iirc they're written Wool, Shift, Dust.

Oh yeah - I already read Wool. Guess I forgot to mention that.

Liked Wool a lot more than Shift btw. I feel like there's a lot that Donald does that doesn't make sense ie

Spoiler

kill anyone that's about to give him information he's been long aching for.

And there's a lot that isn't explained. Like

Spoiler

why go through the cost and trouble of saving 40 silos full of thousands of people each only to let one silo live?

 

[Pau]

Finished Coraline earlier this week and started The Last Unicorn yesterday. I'm 10% in and enjoying it so far.

Always happy to see people reading this. This is one of the few books that can turn me into a crying mess. This should be at fairytale status - where everyone knows it.

 

[ShaneB]

Started up Night Film last night, the page count seems a bit bloated with the images and whatnot, so perhaps it's not as long as it states. Enjoying it so far, always love a good whodunnit, and this is off to a good start.

 

[Haly]

I feel like there's a lot that Donald does that doesn't make sense ie

Spoiler

kill anyone that's about to give him information he's been long aching for.

The plot reason is because

Spoiler

it was an act of grief but really it's because hugh howey wanted to extend the mystery a bit more.

.

And there's a lot that isn't explained. Like

Spoiler

why go through the cost and trouble of saving 40 silos full of thousands of people each only to let one silo live?

So that they could

Spoiler

avoid the threat of tribalism if more than one silo was released simultaneously. The point of the silos was to nurture a cohesive culture/society that would be willing to put aside its differences for the sake of the group. They fostered the divisions (upper, lower, IT, mechanical, supply) on purpose in order to test the people of the Silos and determine which of them is most suited to live. Since the silos are isolated, there's no way for them to test for compatibility between Silos, and I guess their numbers said that a single Silo had a greater chance of survival post-Silos than multiple Silos.

At least, that's how I read it. The number of the silos is simply a shotgun approach: More silos = more chances for a stronger society.

 

[Mackenzie 92]

Oh yeah - I already read Wool. Guess I forgot to mention that.

Liked Wool a lot more than Shift btw. I feel like there's a lot that Donald does that doesn't make sense ie

Spoiler

kill anyone that's about to give him information he's been long aching for.

And there's a lot that isn't explained. Like

Spoiler

why go through the cost and trouble of saving 40 silos full of thousands of people each only to let one silo live?

Yeah, never have been able to get into that. Not sure if I'll ever bother, might just spoil myself and then try out Dust.

Started up Night Film last night, the page count seems a bit bloated with the images and whatnot, so perhaps it's not as long as it states. Enjoying it so far, always love a good whodunnit, and this is off to a good start.

I'm enjoying it.

 

[Verdre]

Finished Coraline earlier this week and started The Last Unicorn yesterday. I'm 10% in and enjoying it so far.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51G05QcGZEL.jpg

My favorite book in the world. Glad a lot more people are going to be introduced to it after the humble bundle.

 

[Maklershed]

So that they could

Spoiler

avoid the threat of tribalism if more than one silo was released simultaneously. The point of the silos was to nurture a cohesive culture/society that would be willing to put aside its differences for the sake of the group. They fostered the divisions on purpose (upper, lower, IT, mechanical, supply) on purpose in order to test the people of the Silos and determine which of them is most suited to live. Since the silos are isolated, there's no way for them to test for compatibility between Silos, and I guess their numbers said that a single Silo had a greater chance of survival post-Silos than multiple Silos.

At least, that's how I read it. The number of the silos is simply a shotgun approach: More silos = more chances for a stronger society.

Ahh that makes a lot of sense. Was that ever explained though? Or were we to deduce that? Either way I feel like a dummy for not figuring it out.

 

[Narag]

Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War by Christie Golden

This was not really all that enjoyable even given the low bar WoW books usually have to work with. In typical Blizzard fashion, Jaina's long standing characterization had a dump taken on it and Garrosh was made into even more of a super villain. Oh well, at least it was just two bucks.

 

[Mackenzie 92]

Just got all of these for a fiver. Think I'm gonna get started on them after I finish up Night Film.

 

[Maklershed]

Just got all of these for a fiver. Think I'm gonna get started on them after I finish up Night Film.

Great haul. How did you manage that?

 

[RangerX]

Currently reading why Marx was right by Terry Eagleton. Its basically a response to modern common criticism of marx. Its a fascinating read and quite sad in many ways. We've been fed a fierce amount of bullshit. Anyway i'd highly recommend it for those who are interested.

 

[Maklershed]

Forgot to mention, I finished Shift and started Clandestine


Clandestine by James Ellroy