sparky2112
Member
Did you read the NYT profile of him from this weekend? It was pretty great.
Can't wait to read this. For what it's worth, I think Jim Shepard is somewhat similar to Saunders, if you've not read any of him...
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What are you reading? (January 2013)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Did you read the NYT profile of him from this weekend? It was pretty great.
Can't wait to read this. For what it's worth, I think Jim Shepard is somewhat similar to Saunders, if you've not read any of him...
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
They're my two faves, braj!!
And yeah, loved that profile, love how much ink the dude is getting.
Him and Shepard are the standard bearers of American Literature.
I finished reading Rick Riordan's The Mark of Athena. It was fairly enjoyable, though he really suffers pretty heavily from telling - rather than showing - character development and emotional reactions. Even where he does both, it is rather heavy-handed because of how explicitly he explains motivations and connections. I still quite enjoyed it as the... Greek mythology young adult (or even children's lit) fanfiction that it is, though.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Ok, the synopsis for this sounds pretty awesome, let me know how it is.
So instead now I'm reading:
Appears to be just as good as the first one. Great and interesting characters. And the poet/andat magic system is one of the most innovative I've read since Mistborn. So glad there are still two more books after this one. Anyone know if the dagger and coin series by the same autor holds up to this one?
Excuse the late reply. Just got posting privileges recently
I'd say they're different in feel. The Long Price was the author purposefully trying something a bit different from the norm (Asian-inspired setting and culture, andats, the structure of the series) whereas the Dagger and the Coin books are more traditional fantasy. Still good but has yet to reach the lofty heights of the Long Price for me.
Finished Leviathan Wakes a few weeks ago, and I don't know. It was okay. No grand giant ships or set pieces. Missing something. I'll probably read the sequel, hoping the things I cared about are resolved.
Now... I just finished Ship of Fools.
Oh goodness. The locations the author(s) take you in this story are so imaginative, disturbing, boring (in the best way) and had me foaming at the mouth for answers to the questions.Its very much the Space Opera version of LOST.A lot of things are left unanswered, well, really just about everything. I guess I was okay with that except one thing. The machine that the Bishop is working in the first few chapters, they don't explain what it is? Is the idea that he is intrigued by mysteries, is it what activated the signal from the planet? Thinking about things, there is a lot of stuff that they describe and nothing comes of it but that in particular bothered me till the end.
I'm not sure which Space Opera i'll read next, but I don't think it'll top the fun I had in Ship of Fools. Any recommendations are welcome.
yeeeeeessssssss
If anyone wants to friend me on Goodreads, I read a lot of Sci-Fi.
I also recommend anything by Reynolds.
And added you as a friend on goodreads!
My favorite novel
Reading this right now. Besides Teckla, I am loving this series. And i have to say, reading Orca was rather disturbing, but awesome considering that there are some real world parallels. I really can't name my favorite so far. Its basically...
1. All of them besides Teckla
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..
last: Teckla
Yea, I thought i would like those books because I like the overall premises of his books. Like you though, I really didnt like his writing style and his characters suffers because of it.
Yea, I go through reading binges where that's pretty much all i do in my free time. It also helps that these books are quick, fast-paced reads and not as long as your typical modern 800 page fantasy 'epic'
Haha, I just added it last night. Will probably read it soon, I love the premise.
And yeah, that's really steep for a Kindle book.
Nice, thanks.
I don't have a ton of experience with Hamilton. Only read Judas Unchained. It was pretty good, though I can't say I was totally engaged the entire way through. Some parts fell a bit flat for me. Really felt its length by the time I got past the halfway mark.
SlowRevolution
Member
Started reading The New Jim Crow today after hearing about it on here, really interesting so far.
Yeah. I mean, I'm still enjoying them because I sort of have low standards for them. I was recommended them by an eleven year old, and I didn't exactly expect the world of a pop lit series for kids in the first place. I know I would love them if I had first read them when I was that age, too.
Well, my expectations were basically Harry potter, but Greek mythology and it definitely didnt live up to that
Axelstream
Member
I haven't picked up a book in a long time outside of class -- started Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami and I'm loving it. It has a similar melancholy to Catcher In The Rye, which is one of my favorites. I keep reading that it's the least "Murakami-like" of his books, though. Anyone have any recommendations of what I should read from him next?
Is it basically more Percy Jackson-style stuff?
so much fun. Its a much tighter/faster paced read than John. I like how the narration jumps back and forth through every character
including Molly the dog
thinking about starting Warm Bodies next, or Lullaby (thought I was gonna start that before Spiders but didnt).
Im really just into a fun silly novel mood.
Essentially. I found it more interesting than the original trilogy so far just because he's been making use of some less well-known (at least by casual fans like me) Titans, demigods, various semi-legendary historical figures, and so forth, and that means that I'm not guessing everything the way I was at the beginning.
Finished Leviathan Wakes a few weeks ago, and I don't know. It was okay. No grand giant ships or set pieces. Missing something. I'll probably read the sequel, hoping the things I cared about are resolved.
Now... I just finished Ship of Fools.
Oh goodness. The locations the author(s) take you in this story are so imaginative, disturbing, boring (in the best way) and had me foaming at the mouth for answers to the questions.Its very much the Space Opera version of LOST.A lot of things are left unanswered, well, really just about everything. I guess I was okay with that except one thing. The machine that the Bishop is working in the first few chapters, they don't explain what it is? Is the idea that he is intrigued by mysteries, is it what activated the signal from the planet? Thinking about things, there is a lot of stuff that they describe and nothing comes of it but that in particular bothered me till the end.
I'm not sure which Space Opera i'll read next, but I don't think it'll top the fun I had in Ship of Fools. Any recommendations are welcome.
yeeeeeessssssss
If anyone wants to friend me on Goodreads, I read a lot of Sci-Fi.
I just started this as well. They just arrived at the first planet. Holy Crap.
Excuse the late reply. Just got posting privileges recently
I'd say they're different in feel. The Long Price was the author purposefully trying something a bit different from the norm (Asian-inspired setting and culture, andats, the structure of the series) whereas the Dagger and the Coin books are more traditional fantasy. Still good but has yet to reach the lofty heights of the Long Price for me.
No need to excuse
Nothing wrong with traditional in my opinion so I might check them out one day. But as of now I have still the other Long Price Books to read, not to name all the other stuff waiting for me. Ever since I got a kindle a just keep buying books. God knows when I'm gonna read them all.
Illithid Dude
Member
Reading this right now. Only on page 50, but it's classic Bolano- spanish poets, run-on-sentances, Archimboldi, and all.
This sounded so interesting based on the description and reviews on Goodreads, so I started reading it last night.
Not going to lie, it has held me so far, about 50% through. Not sure what to make of it.
Strange book, but I like it. Sort of a surreal noir thriller or something.
Horseticuffs
Full werewolf off the buckle
Man, you are in for a real treat. I suggest reading it and watching the film at the same time. Both are so good, and there are some big differences.
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
Finished Count Zero, blasted through 50 Year Sword, now moving on to Foundation and Empire and Second Foundation.
I'm going to kick the crap out of the seminal Sci-fi I haven't read. Next up will be Dune and Diamond Age.
I'm going to kick the crap out of the seminal Sci-fi I haven't read. Next up will be Dune and Diamond Age.
MoGamesXNA
Unconfirmed Member
I'm 3/4's of the way through now and I'm really enjoying it. I'm a huge Hamilton fan though, so take that as you will. The bigger page count on his novels is always a good thing to me. The more time I get to spend in his worlds the better.
I was wary of the dual narrative and introduction of some crime/mystery elements into the epic space melodrama formula... but it works. It almost pains me to say that as I can't stand crime dramas.
That said, I really hope that Hamilton goes back to the Pandora's Star type saga for his next novel.
Mackenzie 92
Member
It's not bad so far, though a bit more juvenile than I was expecting. It's not very long so I'll probably finish it up in a day or two.
Also, I concur that Ship of Fools is awesome. Read that a month or so ago.
Yeah, I got a bit iffy when the description said "has everything teen readers are looking for", so I don't expect it to be anything high brow. Maybe I'll check it out sometime, but it's certainly not high on the list. And another positive review for Ship of Fools. Yup, it's now a must read.
I'd start with A Wild Sheep Chase, which is a pretty short book in the style he's best known for: a blend between everyday realism and surrealism.
The most popular books outside Norwegian Wood seem to be The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Kafka on the Shore (both in the same style as The Wild Sheep Chase) or Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (leaning much more towards surrealism). Those books are much longer, though.
He also has a handful of really nice short-story collections: The Elephant Vanishes, After the Quake and Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. All three highly recommended if you enjoy shorter texts.
The Diamond Age is a kinda-sorta followup to Snow Crash. They're set in the same world though there's nothing particularly important past a few allusions, I don't think. If you haven't read Snow Crash you should definitely put that on the list, it's incredible.
Yes! Woman is underrated. Definitely read Ethan Frome and The Age of Innocence. And I think The Old Maid is public domain and well worth reading (movie is great as well if you like 1930s Hollywood).
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
I've already read Snow Crash and Anathem.
Axelstream
Member
Awesome, thanks for the advice! Just finished Norwegian late last night -- definitely considering it as one of my possible favorites.
Started this last week, wasn't sure how much STALKER/S.T.A.L.K.E.R. to expect (not much it turns out), and haven't been let down in the slightest. Really enjoying how well developed the stalker character as well as the area around the zone actually are in the story.
Looking for a copy of The Iron Dream online, but have yet to find a copy under $60, which is waaay outside what I want to pay for a 40 year old used copy.
Beermeister
Banned
Earthcore by Scott Sigler on my new Kobo Glo.
No need to excuse
Nothing wrong with traditional in my opinion so I might check them out one day. But as of now I have still the other Long Price Books to read, not to name all the other stuff waiting for me.
Oh yeah. Don't get me wrong, traditional is fine too. I just feel like he hasn't quite hit the heights he did in the Long Price and part of that was the impressiveness of things like the andats. It felt fresh.
This is the eternal struggle for me. I have so many things to read, watch, listen or to play that I can often spend more time thinking about what I want to do next than actually doing it.