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What are you reading (June 2012)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
sparky2112
Member
I've not heard anything but praise for them, plus they've been pretty prolific...
DesertEater
Member
Reading Anna Karenina, translated by them, right now. Feels really easy to read.
Thanks. You guys are awesome. Really getting back into the "classics/canon." Stuff I have always wanted to read but never did, for some reason or other. I was VERY heavy into postmodern lit in undergrad/grad school. And ignored those books, besides the ones I had to read.
Ashes-- The Metamorphosis is incredible. Did you like it? A colleague of mine just gave me a copy of The Castle. I am looking forward to it. I gave him the new translation of Barthes Mythologies; I feel like I got the better deal.
Nerdy-- While I don't believe any of the other Dune books are as good as Dune, if you have put that much time into them, you might as well plow through.
Ashes-- The Metamorphosis is incredible. Did you like it? A colleague of mine just gave me a copy of The Castle. I am looking forward to it. I gave him the new translation of Barthes Mythologies; I feel like I got the better deal.
Nerdy-- While I don't believe any of the other Dune books are as good as Dune, if you have put that much time into them, you might as well plow through.
Attackthebase
Member
Some award-winning dialogue right there.
I've thought about picking up World War Z on audiobook. That seems like the ideal way to experience it.
Thanks. You guys are awesome. Really getting back into the "classics/canon." Stuff I have always wanted to read but never did, for some reason or other. I was VERY heavy into postmodern lit in undergrad/grad school. And ignored those books, besides the ones I had to read.
Ashes-- The Metamorphosis is incredible. Did you like it? A colleague of mine just gave me a copy of The Castle. I am looking forward to it. I gave him the new translation of Barthes Mythologies; I feel like I got the better deal.
It is.
And short. For those taking part in the 50 books challenge.
bengraven
Member
I mean, if you write airport novels you're probably not the kind of person who's trying to make great literature. Dan Brown, John Grisham, Clancy, it's all about the boom boom and less about the "I say...".
In fairness, he was a TV writer before he wrote ZSG and WWZ was his first real novel. He had to change the way he wrote and he makes a few sophomore errors.
Reading a novel, good or bad, I tend to read about it as well. It's an oral history, so the audio book should be cool.
I know I'm criticising it, but it's alright actually. The section following this done in interview form, and the pages just fly by.
@ben above: funnily enough, I didn't know that!
I've read four. It seems like Frank Herbert forgot what made the first book good and gets farther and farther away with every sequel.
I didn't care for the first half of God Emperor of Dune but liked the second half. I'm debating carrying on with the series at all at this point though. Some of the plot points were a bit wonky or just down right overdone, making it a bit of a chore to get through certain sections.
I'll read book five at some point I'm sure, I'm just waiting for myself to be in the "mood" to read it because I'm quite certain I wouldn't enjoy reading it in my current state.
bengraven
Member
Reading a novel, good or bad, I tend to read about it as well. It's an oral history, so the audio book should be cool.
I know I'm criticising it, but it's alright actually. The section following this done in interview form, and the pages just fly by.
The audiobook is one of the best ever. Every segment is read by a different celebrity. Henry Rollins plays the American soldier that you follow a few times, I think.
Edit:
Max Brooks as Max Brooks
Alan Alda as Arthur Sinclair
Carl Reiner as Jurgen Warbrunn
Jürgen Prochnow as Philip Adler
Waleed Zuiater as Saladin Kader
Dean Edwards as Joe Muhammad
Michelle Kholos as Jesika Hendricks
Maz Jobrani as Ahmed Farahnakian
Mark Hamill as Todd Wainio
Henry Rollins as T. Sean Collins
Eamonn Walker as David Allen Forbes and Paul Redeker / Xolelwa Azania
Ajay Naidu as Ajay Shah
John Turturro as Seryosha Garcia Alvarez
Rob Reiner as "The Whacko"
Jay O. Sanders as Bob Archer
Dennis Boutsikaris as General Travis D'Ambrosia
Becky Ann Baker as Christina Eliopolis
Steve Park as Kwang Jingshu
Frank Kamai as Nury Televadi and Tomonaga Jiro
John McElroy as Ernesto Olguin
Groan. Now I want the audiobook. ;(
But I got to read it though. It's part of my 50 books list.
8BitsAtATime
Member
lol damn it. hahah I ended up getting all 3 of them at the same time. I guess its a good thing i didnt order Promenade of the Gods and Birthday.
This was my favorite book in high school. I didnt have much money back in those days so I stole it for the school library. lol
Ended up not reading the Ring or Blair Witch Files but I did finish
Now I just need to knock out Nothing to Envy....hows The Aquariums of Pyongyang?
Meh I don't know about this book. I read it when I was like 13 and hated it, and I just read it again, 10 years later, and still didn't like it. Just all around depressing with no real point to the plot. Yeah I get it's supposed to be all 'existential,' but not really my thing.
Now Reading -
Restarted this after attempting to read it one time. Enjoying it a lot this time around though. I actually benefited from reading the poem the whole way through. (which wasn't hard to read). I initially skipped it on my first attempt on reading it.
!
Pale Fire is amazing. It is probably the best book I read last year. You simply must read this at some point after finishing (maybe a few weeks, after you think about it and come to your own conclusions before reading someone else's take).
So in the past month I've read this entire trilogy
They were really enjoyable although pretty light reads. I had a few issues with them, including the author setting up things which are never used
and also, why do ALL the characters shrug all the time?! It reminds me of a complaint someone in here had about Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy (which I personally enjoyed far more, although I DID enjoy these.)
Anyway. The books are interesting and fun with likable characters, although pretty straight-forward without many unexpected twists.
They were really enjoyable although pretty light reads. I had a few issues with them, including the author setting up things which are never used
in the final book, Akkarin's death could have been avoided by something the author set up. Namely Dorrien (you know, the highly skilled healer guy) hiding in a bush nearby and doing nothing while Akkarin bleeds out.
Anyway. The books are interesting and fun with likable characters, although pretty straight-forward without many unexpected twists.
The bigger complaint of characters doing stupid things was
that they did not go straight for the arena and draw it's power to wipe the floor with the 3 villains. Could have avoided that injury entirely.
Finished:
Told piecemeal through shifting perspectives, each one connected to the next by circumstance. The picture grows larger with each passing chapter. It was pretty good, like a tessellation of an old-school SF novel.
Started In the Shadow of the Sword by Tom Holland. Enjoyable so far.
Told piecemeal through shifting perspectives, each one connected to the next by circumstance. The picture grows larger with each passing chapter. It was pretty good, like a tessellation of an old-school SF novel.
Started In the Shadow of the Sword by Tom Holland. Enjoyable so far.
Re: 50 books challenge. Next week is the half way mark for those who haven't updated for while, or want get back on the bus. I suppose if you want to do a half marathon, you can start now as well. It'd be roughly a book a week, if you're reading 25 books.
edit:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=457590
edit:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=457590
Yes! especially since
It is brought up multiple times in the run-up to the ending and then completely dropped. I can only assume Canavan intended it to be more of a case of "We need to stop them doing this" than "We should do this." But when Sonea brings it up multiple times as a way to stop the Sachakans it makes little sense when they don't.
8BitsAtATime
Member
Finished this last night.
It was OK but yeah you could tell who the "witch's daughter" was from the beginning. There's a twist at the end that adds some mystery to the story but it was the worst part of the book.
It was OK but yeah you could tell who the "witch's daughter" was from the beginning. There's a twist at the end that adds some mystery to the story but it was the worst part of the book.
N.K. Jemisin's Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was quite good. It often reminded me of Abraham's prose (anthropomorphic, weaponized Gods/Elements; focus on a limited cast of characters and their emotional ties), in a very good way. The first person narrative works really well, apart from little asides where the narrator indulges herself with childish after-the-fact retorts or observations. The obvious villains are, well, a little too obvious. Granted, it's (also) a book about hubris, but cackling sadists get old fast. Thankfully, the antagonist are not what matter here. Kingdoms is (mainly) about love, and love it does well. This is where the book truly shines. A strong, poetic and promising piece of literature.
On to the sequel!
On to the sequel!
Maklershed
Member
After you've read the sequel, tell if it is any good. I really didn't like HTK at all. I don't think it was the writing but the worldbuilding and the characters that didn't i couldn't like.
And... it seems i'm desperate for something to read if i contemplate reading a sequel to a book i don't like.
Anyone know where i could get Michael Ely's Alpha Centauri trilogy? Centauri Dawn, Dragon Sun, Twilight of the Mind. The latter two specifically, it seems that the trilogy has had only one or two print runs as the latter two's prices are 30 to 70+ dollars.. for an used book not necessarily in the best condition. I wonder where i could get them with reasonable price.
Just mention Cyan by name. He deserves the shame.
ScraftyDevil
Banned
I'm finally getting around to reading World War Z, plus I'm re-reading The Ring of Solomon because I was feverish on my last go-through.
Maklershed
Member
Might do the same once I'm done with The Scar
Salvor.Hardin
Banned
Finished:
Would you recommend it? I've been thinking about picking it up.
sparky2112
Member
DO IT. Also, the super delux illustrated version kicks butt (but is obviously more expensive). This book single-handedly made me a science nut as an adult.
Labombadog
Member
I finished reading 'A song of ice and fire'. Really enjoyed the book overall. Took me about 4 months to finish it.
I am currently reading 'The likeness' by Tana French and it's pretty interesting so far. Hopefully the book stays consistent like the first two chapters.
I am currently reading 'The likeness' by Tana French and it's pretty interesting so far. Hopefully the book stays consistent like the first two chapters.
eattomorro
Neo Member
Finally finished this historic war story. A pretty good read till the last 1/3 and then it got really repetitive...
And now reading about future war from a book that I bought way in my past. I feel so old.
And now reading about future war from a book that I bought way in my past. I feel so old.
NekoFever
Member
I'm about halfway through my Lovecraft omnibus, my first experience with his work, and I've finished At the Mountains of Madness and The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.
I've enjoyed them both, but I was surprised to find myself liking Ward better, even though it wasn't what I'd been led to expect from Lovecraft. I found parts of ATMOM to be laying it on a bit thick, and a lot of the description of the
being quite repetitive. I'd still love to see Del Toro's screen version if that ever happens, though.
But yeah, I found Ward fascinating. I was totally with it all the way. Great story.
The rest of this volume is short stories. Now I'm deliberating whether to go straight on to the next volume when I've finished or take a break and read a couple of other books first to keep from overdoing it.
I've enjoyed them both, but I was surprised to find myself liking Ward better, even though it wasn't what I'd been led to expect from Lovecraft. I found parts of ATMOM to be laying it on a bit thick, and a lot of the description of the
Elder Ones' city
But yeah, I found Ward fascinating. I was totally with it all the way. Great story.
The rest of this volume is short stories. Now I'm deliberating whether to go straight on to the next volume when I've finished or take a break and read a couple of other books first to keep from overdoing it.
nakedsushi
Member
Finished
Craig Claiborne and the American Food Renaissance: The Turbulent Life and Fine Times of the Man Who Changed the Way We Eat by Thomas McNamee
Meh. The writing was uneven. The subject matter was enjoyable, but I was too distracted by the name dropping and "witty" asides.
May start the Red Mars books now.
Craig Claiborne and the American Food Renaissance: The Turbulent Life and Fine Times of the Man Who Changed the Way We Eat by Thomas McNamee
Meh. The writing was uneven. The subject matter was enjoyable, but I was too distracted by the name dropping and "witty" asides.
May start the Red Mars books now.
Well, I'll confess to having read fanfic, though without knowing what fandoms you're into it's hard to just throw out recommendations. I will say that my all-time favorite fanfic novel is Kid Dynamo by Connie Hirsch, which is a story about the New Mutants set roughly around the time of the Fall of the Mutants storyline. If you're a fan of the X-Men comics circa the late 1980s, I can give Kid Dynamo my highest recommendation...but if you're not, well, I dunno how much you'd get out of it.
For something slightly less esoteric, I started reading Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality a while back and thought it was a hoot, though I haven't gotten back to it in a while.
Finally, for something old-school famous that has been the subject of academic discussion, I've read Leslie Fish's Star Trek fanfic novel The Weight, which I don't think I can adequately describe here, except to say that it's incredibly weird and I think it was pretty good (or, at least, strange enough to be compelling), but I don't think it's the sort of thing I'd actually recommend to folks.
That wasn't very helpful at all, was it? If you throw out some fandoms you're interested in, I'll see if there are any stories I'd recommend that wouldn't be incredibly embarrassing to mention publicly.
FnordChan, who is not going to go into Undocumented Features here, no sir, no way
Let's see:
After I finished Part III of Three Kingdoms, I discovered that someone checked out Part V from the library... for some reason... despite my being the first person to have checked out Part I. So in any case, it has sort of put me off wanting to continue on Part IV for now, so that's on hold for a tick, or at least until I can get Part V, too.
Instead, I read The Gendered Society, which was quite excellent for anyone looking to learn why a sociological perspective is the best perspective for understanding gender difference and how these differences are produced and reproduced by inequality - and are not the cause of inequality. It is a good introduction for a lot of aspects - biological and psychological perspectievs, gendered institutions (family, classroom, workplace), interactions (friendship and love, sexualities, and violence), social construction of gender relations, anthropological evidence from around the world, etc. - though I wouldn't say that it is particularly in-depth for any single one.
And while I was last at the library, I saw a new book that they had gotten prominently displayed called The Japanese House: Architecture and Interiors by Noburo Murata and Alexandra Black that I am reading now. When I saw first saw it, I flipped through it and while I wouldn't normally think of myself as someone into, er, architecture porn, it is gorgeous.
I, of course, am reading it to be informed, however.
After I finished Part III of Three Kingdoms, I discovered that someone checked out Part V from the library... for some reason... despite my being the first person to have checked out Part I. So in any case, it has sort of put me off wanting to continue on Part IV for now, so that's on hold for a tick, or at least until I can get Part V, too.
Instead, I read The Gendered Society, which was quite excellent for anyone looking to learn why a sociological perspective is the best perspective for understanding gender difference and how these differences are produced and reproduced by inequality - and are not the cause of inequality. It is a good introduction for a lot of aspects - biological and psychological perspectievs, gendered institutions (family, classroom, workplace), interactions (friendship and love, sexualities, and violence), social construction of gender relations, anthropological evidence from around the world, etc. - though I wouldn't say that it is particularly in-depth for any single one.
And while I was last at the library, I saw a new book that they had gotten prominently displayed called The Japanese House: Architecture and Interiors by Noburo Murata and Alexandra Black that I am reading now. When I saw first saw it, I flipped through it and while I wouldn't normally think of myself as someone into, er, architecture porn, it is gorgeous.
I, of course, am reading it to be informed, however.
Finished:
Gonna pick this one up. Thanks for the reading idea!
I read recently that Del Toro will never make ATMOM because it would be too similar to a recently released movie, can't remember which.
Emerson
May contain jokes =>
I absolutely would. It covers a lot of areas of science and will give you a lot of insight into them, particularly if you're not much of a science person. My main caveat would be that I like to read one book at a time, or one fiction and one non-fiction at a time. Don't do this book this way. It's long and by the end of it I wasn't enjoying it anymore. It'd be best read occasionally or when taking a dump or whatever.
John Blade
Member
Just got myself 10 books from Value village for $20 dollars. Start reading this book
Yes, it isn't the best sci-fi novel but it's a simple pick up and read book for me as of now. Also, I have a soft spot for DOOM.
I was wondering if anyone can give me some ideas of what good sci-fi books that is easy to pick up to read. I am slowly trying to go back reading some sci-fi novels after a long absent of reading any good books.
Yes, it isn't the best sci-fi novel but it's a simple pick up and read book for me as of now. Also, I have a soft spot for DOOM.
I was wondering if anyone can give me some ideas of what good sci-fi books that is easy to pick up to read. I am slowly trying to go back reading some sci-fi novels after a long absent of reading any good books.
Bilbo_T_Baggins
Member
Ok first post, I thought I might as well do it in this thread. Earlier this month I decided to pick up some graphic novels. I started out with Batman Year One, then the Dark Knight Returns and moved on to Batman the Long Halloween. Out of those three I found The Long Halloween the most enjoyable. I'm new to comics and it was fun seeing a lot of Batman's villains all in the same story arc.
Picked up V for Vendetta immediately after and really liked that too, next step for me is to finally watch the movie.
At the same time that I was reading those comics, I was slogging through this:
I don't think I have anything new to add that countless others have already said, but holy shit this book was boring. I didn't feel like Kvothe accomplished anything of real significance by the end, other than leveling up some of his 'skills' haha. Ah well on to Battle Royale now, hopefully it's a better read.
Picked up V for Vendetta immediately after and really liked that too, next step for me is to finally watch the movie.
At the same time that I was reading those comics, I was slogging through this:
I don't think I have anything new to add that countless others have already said, but holy shit this book was boring. I didn't feel like Kvothe accomplished anything of real significance by the end, other than leveling up some of his 'skills' haha. Ah well on to Battle Royale now, hopefully it's a better read.
NekoFever
Member
Yeah, I think it was Prometheus.
I don't expect it ever to happen but I'll hope to be pleasantly surprised.
8BitsAtATime
Member
Just got myself 10 books from Value village for $20 dollars. Start reading this book
Yes, it isn't the best sci-fi novel but it's a simple pick up and read book for me as of now. Also, I have a soft spot for DOOM.
I was wondering if anyone can give me some ideas of what good sci-fi books that is easy to pick up to read. I am slowly trying to go back reading some sci-fi novels after a long absent of reading any good books.
lol this cover is so rad.
Just got myself 10 books from Value village for $20 dollars. Start reading this book
Yes, it isn't the best sci-fi novel but it's a simple pick up and read book for me as of now. Also, I have a soft spot for DOOM.
I was wondering if anyone can give me some ideas of what good sci-fi books that is easy to pick up to read. I am slowly trying to go back reading some sci-fi novels after a long absent of reading any good books.
easy read, goes by quick. Readin it not and lovin it.