What are you reading? (April 2015)

mu cephei said:
Wow, you've been there? I'd love to see it. I agree it's fascinating! I saw the 2008 film North Face, which got me interested, and then the documentary The Eiger: Wall of Death. And it's weird that these life and death situations happened as people spectated, watching through telescopes. One thing I find interesting is that in the space of maybe 15 years, climbing it went from being something that would kill you, to being achievable within one day. The advances in climbing knowledge and technology must have been amazing (and also probably just knowing it could be done).
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I'll have to check out North Face. Yeah, the company I was consulting with (Roche) held an offsite in Grindelwald, where the Eiger is located. It was early Spring, and during a break, I decided to hike up one of the mountains behind the Eiger. Let's just say that when the trail has a sign telling you not to go beyond a certain point at that time of year, DON'T. Way beyond that point, I heard an avalanche that was the loudest thing I've ever heard (short of the B-52 that once buzzed over my head) and I BEAT ASS back down the trail. God knows how long I'd have been up there had anything bad happened, given that nobody knew where I was...
 
sparky2112 said:
I'll have to check out North Face. Yeah, the company I was consulting with (Roche) held an offsite in Grindelwald, where the Eiger is located. It was early Spring, and during a break, I decided to hike up one of the mountains behind the Eiger. Let's just say that when the trail has a sign telling you not to go beyond a certain point at that time of year, DON'T. Way beyond that point, I heard an avalanche that was the loudest thing I've ever heard (short of the B-52 that once buzzed over my head) and I BEAT ASS back down the trail. God knows how long I'd have been up there had anything bad happened, given that nobody knew where I was...
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That sounds terrifying. I'll keep it in mind if I get to visit there! (I'm picturing my shattered bones poking up between the ice and rocks, forever unfound).
Lucky you got to go there with your job :)
 
Finished Pacific Rims by Rafe Bartholomew and Flash Boys by Michael Lewis. The game is rigged, has always been rigged and will continue to be rigged.

Started The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis and The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett. Capitalism is making me sad.
 
The White Spider sounds like a fascinating read to me, thanks for pointing it out! As well as those documentaries you mentioned. And to Sparky2112, that sounds like a hell of an experience.
 
Sometimes you have to clean your mind and soul a little by reading a Henry James novel, and I've just finished the two first chapters of Washington Square and already feel a lot better
 
Still reading Locke Lamora, but I'm also reading All The Pretty Horses. I figured I wanted to read something that I'd blaze through after Locke, but I couldn't wait so I'm book juggling.
 
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3 of 5.

Next:
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Just finished Authority yesterday. Good read. Creepy vibes from time to time. And a real open ending, so need to pick up the third part soon to close the trilogy. Really wondering what is going on.

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But for now I started on Old Man's War. 10% in right now, good read.

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I powered through Mr Mercedes (King) quickly as it was gifted to me. I did not care for it much. It's one of the Stephen King books in which many characters share the same "voice", use slang terms and phrases that people their age would not use (or are invented and sound silly/corny), and have characters making decisions or using reasoning that do not make sense. The "villain" is also laughably non-threatening.

I plan on finishing another King book this month that impressed me more when I started it. I hope it ends better.
 
I think I need a recommendation. I'm tired of Ready Player One, and after thinking about Justified all week I need some kind of book with great characters where the villains are as good if not better than the protagonists.

Anything come to mind? I've thought maybe the Hannibal series, but not sure. I've heard more good about the characters than I have about the books themselves being good.
 
RepairmanJack said:
I think I need a recommendation. I'm tired of Ready Player One, and after thinking about Justified all week I need some kind of book with great characters where the villains are as good if not better than the protagonists.

Anything come to mind? I've thought maybe the Hannibal series, but not sure. I've heard more good about the characters than I have about the books themselves being good.
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Watch the Hannibal television series instead. I've read the books; the show is better.
 
aidan said:
The SP/RP hivemind would hate my book. Haha.
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I already pre-ordered your book on Amazon. I always support my Gaffers. I'm looking forward to reading it in May.

hEist said:
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3 of 5.
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That was my response as well. It was beautifully written, but ultimately a hollow and unrewarding experience. The protagonist is a grade A douche and I actively rooted against...well, everyone in the book.
 
Necrovex said:
What about the novel didn't click with you? I read this due to a reading bet, and I was blown away by the quality it (especially since the first book the person told me to read was too up its own ass <3 Mumei).
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I don't know. After reading a short synopsis about it, i really like the story and expected to much to be honest. It was indeed great written,
but after about 4/5 of the book, i was like, well that's it? expected more,
but thats just my opinion.

Tragicomedy said:
That was my response as well. It was beautifully written, but ultimately a hollow and unrewarding experience. The protagonist is a grade A douche and I actively rooted against...well, everyone in the book.
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yeah, same here.
 
BrokenFiction said:
I've had them sitting on my shelf for a while, but finally started reading Peter V. Brett's The Warded Man. Dang, this is a good book.
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I really enjoyed The Warded Man, but felt like The Desert Spear (outside the first 20%) was an enormous step down and felt incredibly self-indulgent--to the point that it reminded me of the late-middle volumes of the Wheel of Time series. I stopped reading at that point, but I've heard enough good things about the two subsequent sequels that I might go back and give it another shot. Brett himself is a cool dude and has responded well to criticisms of his work.

Tragicomedy said:
I already pre-ordered your book on Amazon. I always support my Gaffers. I'm looking forward to reading it in May.
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Thanks! I appreciate the support. Hope you enjoy it. :)
 
aidan said:
I really enjoyed The Warded Man, but felt like The Desert Spear (outside the first 20%) was an enormous step down and felt incredibly self-indulgent--to the point that it reminded me of the late-middle volumes of the Wheel of Time series. I stopped reading at that point, but I've heard enough good things about the two subsequent sequels that I might go back and give it another shot. Brett himself is a cool dude and has responded well to criticisms of his work.
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I like Brett a lot online, and that holds some cache with me. I'll keep going, because I hear Skull Throne is amazing.
 
finished The Mayor of Casterbridge and Far From The Madding Crowd, beautiful, tragic and complex

For a change of pace i'm reading the Riyria books by Michael J. Sullivan after seeing an interview with him on A Dribble of Ink and loving them so far
 
BrokenFiction said:
I like Brett a lot online, and that holds some cache with me. I'll keep going, because I hear Skull Throne is amazing.
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He's a great dude in real life, too. I had a lot of fun hanging out with him at LonCon 3. I've been hearing similar things about TST, which has rekindled my interest in the series. The guy can write a magic-fueled action scene with the best of 'em.

Rug Monkey said:
For a change of pace i'm reading the Riyria books by Michael J. Sullivan after seeing an interview with him on A Dribble of Ink and loving them so far
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That site. So overrated.

Just kidding. Thanks for the shout out.
 
Rug Monkey said:
For a change of pace i'm reading the Riyria books by Michael J. Sullivan after seeing an interview with him on A Dribble of Ink and loving them so far
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Oh, I've got to read that interview. Just read the Riyria books recently and liked them a lot.

Edit: Well, that was short. Interesting that he writes the whole series before publishing the first. Is this a common thing?
 
If I liked most modern "gritty" fantasy (GRRM, Lawrence, Lynch, Abercrombie, etc) will I like Sullivan? I think Sullivan and Weeks are the two big fantasy names I still haven't read of the major players, other than a few chapters of Malazan.

aidan said:
If you're interested in fantasy and science fiction, or just want to support a GAFfer, you can pre-order Tide of Shadows and Other Stories on Amazon right now for $2.99! It will be released on May 4, 2015.

I posted this with a moderator's blessing, but if it's over-the-line or too self-promotional, let me know and I'll edit the post.
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Ugh, another white male Hugo winner.

(totally kidding and I did buy it. ;) Congrats on the release man! When will be shipped/sent to Kindle?)
 
bengraven said:
Ugh, another white male Hugo winner.

(totally kidding and I did buy it. ;) Congrats on the release man! When will be shipped/sent to Kindle?)
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My white guilt is through the roof.

Tide of Shadows and Other Stories will be loosed to the world on May 4, 2015. Thanks for the support!
 
aidan said:
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Reading GAF! My short fiction collection, Tide of Shadows and Other Stories was officially unveiled last week and made available for pre-order!

A few details about Tide of Shadows and Other Stories:

Table of Contents


  • “A Night for Spirits and Snowflakes”
  • “The Girl with Wings of Iron and Down”
  • “Of Parnassus and Princes, Damsels and Dragons”
  • “The Colour of the Sky on the Day the World Ended”
  • “Tide of Shadows”
Official Synopsis



In addition to the five stories (four originals and one reprint), Tide of Shadows and Other Stories also includes story notes for each tale. These give readers insight into the origins of the story and explore some of the ways they’ve impacted me as a writer.

Cover Art

Cover illustration is by Kuldar Leement, a wonderful digital illustrator and graphic designer from Estonia. I did all the design/layout/typography myself.

Pre-order & Release Date

If you're interested in fantasy and science fiction, or just want to support a GAFfer, you can pre-order Tide of Shadows and Other Stories on Amazon right now for $2.99! It will be released on May 4, 2015.

I posted this with a moderator's blessing, but if it's over-the-line or too self-promotional, let me know and I'll edit the post.
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Looks really interesting. I'll check it out. Is this your first published fiction or do you have any other works I can check out?
 
I'll post here since its based on a book but Wolf Hall it's the best thing I've seen on PBS since the new adaptations of Great Expectations and Edwin Drood. I highly recommend it. Acting, costuming, sets, location are all great.
 
VanWinkle said:
Looks really interesting. I'll check it out. Is this your first published fiction or do you have any other works I can check out?
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Thanks for the interest! I have a story -- "A Night for Spirits and Snowflakes" -- in the Sword & Laser Anthology. However, that anthology costs more than the pre-order price for mine, so not a terribly efficient way to get a taste of my fiction.

A story from the collection will be published for free online between now and the release date, however.
 
Been reading through more of the Vorkosigan Saga. Definitely addicting. Just finished Ethan of Arthos, which was a very interesting take on an all male-planet in sci fi. I don't think I've ever seen that.

I hate the feeling of not having a new book around. They're like my safety blanket. :(
 
Over the past several weeks I've become a bit obsessed with the Pathfinder universe, so I'm currently trundling through some of the campaign books and Skinwalkers by Wendy N. Wagner.

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Fun, frantic, and nostalgic. Sometimes I'm in the mood for straightforward adventurous fantasy, and Wagner's novel is delivering that very nicely.
 
Pau said:
Been reading through more of the Vorkosigan Saga. Definitely addicting. Just finished Ethan of Arthos, which was a very interesting take on an all male-planet in sci fi. I don't think I've ever seen that.

I hate the feeling of not having a new book around. They're like my safety blanket. :(
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Ethan of Athos is generally considered one of the weaker entries, too.
 
bengraven said:
If I liked most modern "gritty" fantasy (GRRM, Lawrence, Lynch, Abercrombie, etc) will I like Sullivan? I think Sullivan and Weeks are the two big fantasy names I still haven't read of the major players, other than a few chapters of Malazan.
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I like those 'gritty' authors too, but I didn't think very much of the Sullivan book I read (The Crown Tower). It's fluff. It had a decent set up, but pretty shallow characterisation and an idiotic plot in the end. I'm not going to continue with them. I haven't read Weeks yet either, every time I flip open my copy of the first night angel book it lands on some cliche or other. I will give the Black Prism a go though, as supposedly he gets better.
 
mu cephei said:
I like those 'gritty' authors too, but I didn't think very much of the Sullivan book I read (The Crown Tower). It's fluff. It had a decent set up, but pretty shallow characterisation and an idiotic plot in the end. I'm not going to continue with them. I haven't read Weeks yet either, every time I flip open my copy of the first night angel book it lands on some cliche or other. I will give the Black Prism a go though, as supposedly he gets better.
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Yeah, Sullivan's novels won't satisfy you if you're looking for something like Abercrombie or Lawrence. I'd recommend Kameron Hurley, Glen Cook, or Richard Morgan.

Re: Brent Weeks -- I enjoyed The Black Prism enough, but found the world building and magic system a bit sloppy and overexplained. However, the second volume is a monumental improvement and was easily one of my favourite fantasy novels the year it was released.
 
aidan said:
Yeah, Sullivan's novels won't satisfy you if you're looking for something like Abercrombie or Lawrence. I'd recommend Kameron Hurley, Glen Cook, or Richard Morgan.

Re: Brent Weeks -- I enjoyed The Black Prism enough, but found the world building and magic system a bit sloppy and overexplained. However, the second volume is a monumental improvement and was easily one of my favourite fantasy novels the year it was released.
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Oh, that's good to know! It's now moved higher up my to-be-read pile, thanks:) Incidentally, I also gave up on Brett after The Desert Spear, but have heard enough good things about the next books to be tempted...
 
Would anyone be interested in a new list/recommendation thread? Looking at the OP(well, a cursory look anyway), our stuff has grown stale. Tastes change, great works are discovered for the first time. Even if that's not the case for you personally, I think it would be beneficial to those of us searching for the next book to have a supplementary thread. I don't know how it would go exactly, favorite fiction/non fiction books? Maybe something a little more casual sounding like "current favorites" if the absolute sounds like an imposing proposition.
 
TTG said:
Would anyone be interested in a new list/recommendation thread? Looking at the OP(well, a cursory look anyway), our stuff has grown stale. Tastes change, great works are discovered for the first time. Even if that's not the case for you personally, I think it would be beneficial to those of us searching for the next book to have a supplementary thread. I don't know how it would go exactly, favorite fiction/non fiction books? Maybe something a little more casual sounding like "current favorites" if the absolute sounds like an imposing proposition.
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It might be more useful to create a list in this thread and then post a new list/recommendations thread afterwards. I have the feeling that most of the recommendations will be 'stale' if a new thread is started first. If it is started afterwards, the list compilers can simply pick and choose from interesting recommendations and add them to the list already complied here.
 
I only meant stale in the sense that it has seemingly been years since we've had one, I don't mind if To Kill a Mockingbird or something gets to the top or if we frame it differently(although, if titles that are ubiquitous to school curriculums dominate that would be kind of boring). My preference is to do it in a way where we get substantial participation, a separate thread from the start could do that or it could drop off the front page in the first hours never to be seen again, unlike a thread like this.
 
Finished Clickers by J.F. Gonzalez and Mark Williams. It was a fun B-movie monster romp. Filled with gore, carnage and action it was a lot of fun. The characters were nicely sketched out and the titular monsters were cool. A blood thirsty cross between a lobster and scorpions the Clickers emerge from the ocean and attack a sleepy small town. Not only are their claws razor sharp, but their stingers are loaded with poison that causes its victim to swell until they explode. Definitely an entertaining and fast read even if the writing is a little repetitive and the language is a bit simplistic.

Up next:

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I've had this in my Kindle forever. I recently saw the awesome looking limited hardcover edition at a local bookstore and finally decided to give it a read so I can decide if I should add it to my collection.
 
OP suggested I cross-post this here from the "I can't remember the name of X" thread, so here goes:

There's a book series a customer of mine cannot remember and I am curious if Book-GAF can help with this one.


  • Books are reportedly a trilogy of sci-fi novels from the early 1980s.
    Humans go out and explore new worlds, riding on massive computers that are spacecraft. Spacecraft are controlled by human brains as a precautionary measure.
  • Spaceship Computers detect uninhabitable worlds and convert the cryogenic-stasis humans on board to be compatible with those environments and deposit them, armed to the teeth to take on any challenges that world may have.
  • The Robots/computers decide humans need to be wiped out, so a group of humans commandeers one of the large spaceships on a mission to shut down the Master Computer. The Master Computer is disabled only by gathering the seven(?) override keys held by the different colonies/variants of humanity.
  • The commandeered spacecraft is powered by the leader’s brain, who sacrifices himself to be able to control the ship for the group.

I don't really know more than this, like names or whatever. And some details might be incorrect. Any thoughts?
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School is just finishing up for me so I picked up this for the summer...already 100 pages in and loving it so far. The first fiction (is it a true story?) I've read in a while as I've been on a quantum physics kick that past couple months

 
I don't usually read, so I don't know why but I got the urge to read this:

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So far so good. I'm at the chapter where it's basically a biography of L. Ron Hubbard, which as interesting as it is I think it's too long in the tooth. I don't know the structure for the rest of the book but IMO this chapter could've definitely done with splitting it into two parts, with some of the modern-day commentary being placed in between the two. Fascinating read so far but the chapter is so long it's starting to sap my strength :P
 
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