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What are you reading? (January 2010)
- Thread starter thomaser
- Start date
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Musashi Wins! said:
One of my favorite last pages ever.
Alucard said:Just wondering, do any of the Book GAF crew write themselves, or are claims of "amateur writing" in regards to the books they read just armchair criticisms?'Cause I'm totally an armchair critic when it comes to books.
I recently finished writing a novel. Though I suppose my reviews are still armchair criticisms, despite the exposure they get within my corner of the industry. If it matters, I've had my a review of mine quoted and printed within a novel from a major publisher.
Alucard said:Just wondering, do any of the Book GAF crew write themselves, or are claims of "amateur writing" in regards to the books they read just armchair criticisms?
Yes, I do, but literary criticism dies inside when it loses or denies the social, conversational turnwith the first, at least the first, reference to instinctin armchair criticism. I don't write fiction and haven't tried with any seriousness, but I'm confident to tell bad writing from good.
I tend to suppress mention and memory of the bad books I read, so I probably won't be calling anybody an amateur in these threads. That Terry Goodkind and his like are talentless cretins goes largely without saying, but I am unlikely to tire of saying it.
Tim the Wiz
Banned
Didn't you hear? Literary rap is the next big thing... in underground circles, at least.
The Lamonster
Member
Just finished Michael Crichton's Sphere. So good.
PantherLotus
Professional Schmuck
In reference to a post on the last page, I actually thought the evil chicken scene was actually really really good. Fucking bizarre and hilarious. But the criticism of the series is probably valid: the author goes a hellava long way towards torturing his characters as long as possible without actually solving anything, ever.
Spoilers from one of the books but I can't exactly which one:
...fucking lame and a series-ender for me. I kept reading and it never got better after that. I stopped at Naked Empire but I couldn't tell you anything that happened after this horrific scene.
Spoilers from one of the books but I can't exactly which one:
The scene where the girl was forced to cheat on the guy but it actually turned out to be the guy but it was still cheating because he knew she thought she was cheating
Well, I read Goodkind up to the end. The series closes with one of the most ludicrous cop-outs I have encountered in fantasy, and his fascination with rape/torture builds to a genuinely nasty and mean-spiritedrather than merely silly and off-puttingpitch.
I did borrow rather than buy the books after the fourth one. No sense, or at least no pleasure, in handing money to a man willing to dissolve morality in obtuse, Randian pursuit of it.
Edmund Gosse's 'Father and Son', by the way, is the most sweetly written and acute book on religion I've come across. I'd read James Wood's essay on it (in his wonderful first collection, 'The Broken Estate'), but had little purchase on a book I'd not then read. There's intellectual, social, and emotional modesty all through it, in the form of very gentle self-mockery. The modesty is significant in view of his disavowing the grim and total religious commitment of his father - having the courage to say, as the son of a man who knows the mind of God, 'I don't and will never know'. It's a free e-book (Gutenberg, Manybooks.net) for anyone with a Kindle or another device. Much recommended.
I did borrow rather than buy the books after the fourth one. No sense, or at least no pleasure, in handing money to a man willing to dissolve morality in obtuse, Randian pursuit of it.
Edmund Gosse's 'Father and Son', by the way, is the most sweetly written and acute book on religion I've come across. I'd read James Wood's essay on it (in his wonderful first collection, 'The Broken Estate'), but had little purchase on a book I'd not then read. There's intellectual, social, and emotional modesty all through it, in the form of very gentle self-mockery. The modesty is significant in view of his disavowing the grim and total religious commitment of his father - having the courage to say, as the son of a man who knows the mind of God, 'I don't and will never know'. It's a free e-book (Gutenberg, Manybooks.net) for anyone with a Kindle or another device. Much recommended.
Tim the Wiz
Banned
Cyan said:
Cyan said:Read a few books on vacation, all sci-fi/fantasy.
Peter Brett's The Warded Man.
Standard good vs evil fantasy (humans vs demons), but an interesting setting. In a post-apocalyptic future, demons arise from the earth every night and kill any humans they find. The only defense is to hide behind wards, magical symbols painted onto houses and city walls. It's a war of attrition and the humans are slowly dieing out, as a single mistake in your wards means near-certain death. Naturally, our hero decides he's sick of hiding, and sets out in search of a way to fight back.
Found out this is called The Warded Man in the US, as I was searching for it on Amazon today after seeing your post. I was searching based on the cover and couldn't find it, even though you mentioned it in your post. (Early morning reading comprehension fail!)
Oh, and stick with the Codex Alera books, the first book is the weakest of the bunch, and they ramp up quickly from there. Soon, the big stories open up about the Canin and the Vord, and they are awesome. It just recently wrapped up with book six, and Butcher isn't writing any more in this series, or so he says.
Blackace
if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
just finishing up book 2. I am enjoying it... there is something I don't fully enjoy about his stroytelling but I am indeed interested. I will pick up the other 4 books shortly..Chorazin said:Found out this is called The Warded Man in the US, as I was searching for it on Amazon today after seeing your post. I was searching based on the cover and couldn't find it, even though you mentioned it in your post.
Oh, and stick with the Codex Alera books, the first book is the weakest of the bunch, and they ramp up quickly from there. Soon, the big stories open up about the Canin and the Vord, and they are awesome. It just recently wrapped up with book six, and Butcher isn't writing any more in this series, or so he says.
going to be starting A shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham in the meantime..
Blackace said:
Yeah, the Alera series really takes off at the end of Book 2. It seems like until that point he wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do or how he wanted to tell the story, and it shows in the writing. Stick with it, I think it's worth it.
If you haven't read his Dresden Files series, they are also highly recommended.
Just finished (I know I'm LTTP)
I read this book yesterday - fascinating story. Couldn't put it down. Tons of emotion, detail, and just kind of a really messed up story.
Now starting:
I really like the writing style of this book. I'm only on chapter 3,
I read this book yesterday - fascinating story. Couldn't put it down. Tons of emotion, detail, and just kind of a really messed up story.
Now starting:
I really like the writing style of this book. I'm only on chapter 3,
but the way the main character acts and analyzes things, is kinda like me (except quite a bit more detached from reality so far).
crowphoenix
Banned
Got a lot of new books over the holidays.
I got the first book in both The Wheel of Time series and in A Song of Fire and Ice . Also got three more Martinez books (In the Company of Ogres, Monster, and Too Many Curses) , and The Lies of Locke Lamora.
That's a good little haul, but I'm worried that I'm leaning a little heavily on fantasy right now. Anyone got any suggestion on some good fiction? I'd prefer it to be readable with great characters and not quite black as tar in its tone, but if it's great, I'll probably look into it anyway.
Currently reading Ogres, since I left Gil's All Fright Diner at the folks.
I got the first book in both The Wheel of Time series and in A Song of Fire and Ice . Also got three more Martinez books (In the Company of Ogres, Monster, and Too Many Curses) , and The Lies of Locke Lamora.
That's a good little haul, but I'm worried that I'm leaning a little heavily on fantasy right now. Anyone got any suggestion on some good fiction? I'd prefer it to be readable with great characters and not quite black as tar in its tone, but if it's great, I'll probably look into it anyway.
Currently reading Ogres, since I left Gil's All Fright Diner at the folks.
Got a Kindle for Christmas, and it's really increased my reading... Maybe it's just the novelty of the device, but I definitely find it genuinely comfortable to read on.
Read:
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (A bit thin and not much of a deep argument, but still persuasive. Definitely made me more sure of myself and confident in my atheism.)
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (Liked it, but I can tell I'll enjoy it even more on a second read-through. British humor takes some getting used to.)
Currently reading:
Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (Depressing as fuck, not even that funny. I still think I like it, though. I think.)
The Short Stories of H.P. Lovecraft (love love love it so far... how did I not read Lovecraft before? I've only read "The Alchemist" and "The Beast in the Cave" so far.)
Read:
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (A bit thin and not much of a deep argument, but still persuasive. Definitely made me more sure of myself and confident in my atheism.)
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (Liked it, but I can tell I'll enjoy it even more on a second read-through. British humor takes some getting used to.)
Currently reading:
Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (Depressing as fuck, not even that funny. I still think I like it, though. I think.)
The Short Stories of H.P. Lovecraft (love love love it so far... how did I not read Lovecraft before? I've only read "The Alchemist" and "The Beast in the Cave" so far.)
I'm getting caught up on Stephen Hunter (Night of Thunder and now I, Sniper). Kinda disappointed with NoT as the tactical details he usually does so well are lacking and Bob Swagger is fast becoming a parody of himself. I, Sniper is starting off well, but I hope Hunter branches off into new terrain (he seems to be hinting at a Western themed Swagger ancestor novel, which might be cool).
Finished Stephen King's "Under the Dome" right after New Year, so I guess it counts. Liked it, though I feel like the ending was rushed and dammit, why can't this guy get a decent gun guy to do a read through? He goes into insane detail about the dome, followed by some amature "carried a Beretta Taurus automatic" nonsense.
Congrats on the Kindle. Your first order of business is to regularly peruse amazon looking for free kindle books. Every month they put some recent titles out for free, grab them even if you have no interest (well, only a little interest, I skip all the vampire romance/christian thriller titles they push) and save them for a rainy day. Can also knock out a TON of classics for free as well, though until they give the Kindle some sort of organizational system, it is probably easier to just drop a few $$$ on a nicely edited Mobi collection of your fav pre-1930s author rather than have all their stuff scattered on your Kindle. $3 for EVERYTHING Shakespeare/Melville/Burroughs/Doyle/etc ever wrote, all nicely indexed? Worth it in my book.
Finished Stephen King's "Under the Dome" right after New Year, so I guess it counts. Liked it, though I feel like the ending was rushed and dammit, why can't this guy get a decent gun guy to do a read through? He goes into insane detail about the dome, followed by some amature "carried a Beretta Taurus automatic" nonsense.
Congrats on the Kindle. Your first order of business is to regularly peruse amazon looking for free kindle books. Every month they put some recent titles out for free, grab them even if you have no interest (well, only a little interest, I skip all the vampire romance/christian thriller titles they push) and save them for a rainy day. Can also knock out a TON of classics for free as well, though until they give the Kindle some sort of organizational system, it is probably easier to just drop a few $$$ on a nicely edited Mobi collection of your fav pre-1930s author rather than have all their stuff scattered on your Kindle. $3 for EVERYTHING Shakespeare/Melville/Burroughs/Doyle/etc ever wrote, all nicely indexed? Worth it in my book.
Particle Physicist
between a quark and a baryon
i liked kafka on the shore better.
i just finished reading:
City of Thieves by David Benioff
Excellent book! The character were so well written, they felt very real. Great book, easy read.. not too long.
i just finished reading:
City of Thieves by David Benioff
Excellent book! The character were so well written, they felt very real. Great book, easy read.. not too long.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
Finishing Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton.
Fleet of Foot said:
I have the same e-book, but have not read it, as I polished of the Night's Dawn trilogy a while back. At some point towards the end of the first "book" (not sure how the e-book is sectioned off) Hamilton will make a rather wild 90 degree jump in the story. If you read it, shake your head, and go "WTF!" then just stop reading. But if you go "Holy shit! AWESOME!" then carry on for the next 1600 pages
I think Hamilton has improved as a writer, but he really laid out a wild world in the ND series that he has yet to top. He must have some angst about death though, almost all of his work involves tech that defeats it to some degree. That and super-powered cyborg combat. And sex, yes, lots of sex, with big boobed women!
Zaraki_Kenpachi said:
How did you feel about it? I liked it, though it CLEARLY was unfinished, or rather barely more than a terse outline by the end. I wish he had the time to really polish it up though, I loved the detail he started off with. Should make for a decent movie. Pirate fiction is so scarse these days....
Jin
Member
Cuu said:Just finished (I know I'm LTTP)
I read this book yesterday - fascinating story. Couldn't put it down. Tons of emotion, detail, and just kind of a really messed up story.
If you enjoy Kite Runner you need to read A Thousand Splendid Suns.
Currently reading: Stephen King's Under The Dome. This thing is over 1000 pages. What have I got myself into...
ElectricBlue187
Member
I sort of passed on Vernor Vinge after reading Rainbows End because the story sucked (although his concepts were astounding) is the plot good here?Furcas said:I'm nearly done with
It's pretty fucking brilliant.
Next I'll read
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ElectricBlue187 said:
A Fire Upon the Deep and A Deepness in the Sky are both essentials of sci-fi. You really should pick at least A Fire Upon the Deep and give old Vinge a new chance.
currently reading:
It was listed in TIME's 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005 and I decided to check it out. 50 pages down and it really hasn't caught my interest yet.
Musashi Wins!
FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
_Isaac said:
Nothing, but he's not in the same league as the other two if those are your choices. His popularity outsizes his imagination. I like some fantasy, but he's pretty dull. In my little opinion, of course.
Finally got my own copy of Peter S Beagle's first novel, A Fine and Private Place
A slow, rather sad tale of a man living in a cemetery who welcomes ghosts as they rise from their graves and then slowly fade away as they forget what it was to be alive.
One of my favorites.
A slow, rather sad tale of a man living in a cemetery who welcomes ghosts as they rise from their graves and then slowly fade away as they forget what it was to be alive.
One of my favorites.
D
Deleted member 1235
Unconfirmed Member
American gods by Neil Gaiman
I think the book was written by a god, specifically for me. Something about it makes me love it.
I like it better so far than any of the SOIAF series and I couldn't put those down. I'm going to buy more of his stuff I think, any recommendations?
I think the book was written by a god, specifically for me. Something about it makes me love it.
I like it better so far than any of the SOIAF series and I couldn't put those down. I'm going to buy more of his stuff I think, any recommendations?
ItAintEasyBeinCheesy
it's 4th of July in my asshole
aidan said:
Where from?
Heres an excerpt from The Desert Spear by Peter V Brett for anyone who wants a read, follow up to The Warded/Painted Man.
http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2010/01/exclusive-excerpt-from-peter-v-bretts.html
Looks like its following the desert people? so maybe chapter jumping :/
Combichristoffersen
Combovers don't work when there is no hair
catfish said:
If you like American Gods, read his other novels. AG is probably my least favourite of the Gaiman novels I've read (although the sequel, Monarch of the Glen, was kinda enjoyable).
ItAintEasyBeinCheesy said:
Through my blog, I get early review copies of a lot of books. I talked Brett into making sure I got a copy of The Desert Spear. As for the desert people, the sequel is 40% longer than The Warded Man and features 8 (I think) perspectives, as opposed to the original's 3. Jardir, one of the desert guys, is one of the new ones, the original three characters are back as well.
ItAintEasyBeinCheesy
it's 4th of July in my asshole
aidan said:
Cool, Jardir and Abban are both in the first book, looks like hes going back in time a bit, hopefully it doesn't go all over the place. Got a link to your blog?
Edit: Checked your profile
I really have a love-hate relationship with the book. Overall, its a decent book, but goddamn did it start becoming overtly-contrived and predictable halfway through. It just got silly near the end imoCuu said:Just finished (I know I'm LTTP)
I read this book yesterday - fascinating story. Couldn't put it down. Tons of emotion, detail, and just kind of a really messed up story.
WHAT A TWEEST
The book was golden in the beginning but it eventually just sorta fell apart as it continued
Davedough said:
The lack of a color text option on the forum restricts the number of awesome responses I intented to reply with.
That book is crazy good, and a real mind-bender to read.
Fun fact: the author's sister is the musician Poe, who had a bunch of songs about the book on her album Haunted. Titles include 5 and a Half Minute Hallway, Dear Johnny, House of Leaves, and Exploration B. Good companion piece!
Musashi Wins!
FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
That is a fun fact, I had never heard that before.
BigGreenMat
Member
So I just finished Stranger in a Strange Land
At first I thought it was a little childish and not particularly well written, but then it started getting to me. Still not that well written, but I have to say that as a mirror the book is fantastic. It is almost as if Robert Heinlein and Aldous Huxley got together and said that their books would contain certain elements and then they both wrote books with those elements being polar opposite on where they fall on their respective moral scales. This book is seriously like the twin separated at birth from Brave New World. It greatly enhanced my reading of the book.
I have since moved on to another Bukowski book.
What can I say I like me some Chinaski. His life is poetic.
At first I thought it was a little childish and not particularly well written, but then it started getting to me. Still not that well written, but I have to say that as a mirror the book is fantastic. It is almost as if Robert Heinlein and Aldous Huxley got together and said that their books would contain certain elements and then they both wrote books with those elements being polar opposite on where they fall on their respective moral scales. This book is seriously like the twin separated at birth from Brave New World. It greatly enhanced my reading of the book.
I have since moved on to another Bukowski book.
What can I say I like me some Chinaski. His life is poetic.
