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[lightus]

Just finished up The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Overall I thought it was a great story. It had a solid plot and good characters. The only issue I had is that it seemed to "wander" a bit. Sometimes this added character to the story, but mostly I feel the book would have benefited from being written a bit tighter. 8.5/10, went ahead and put in an order for the next book.

Now on to:

City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett

I really enjoyed the first one so I'm hoping this one holds up well. As a side note, my copy from Amazon has an unfortunate but mostly unnoticeable crack across the spine. I'm trying to decide if I care enough to complain to Amazon about it or not (I love my books looking brand new forever) bleh.

 

[Ratrat]

Need help, BookGAF. The GF has asked for a book from me when I go to visit in a few days but I'm a kindle man so I'm just going to buy her something fun.

What's a good sci-fi/fantasy book to start someone out on that isn't particularly nerdy? I want to introduce her to my genres of choice but I don't necessarily want to throw her into something like Hyperion or Branderson's stuff just yet.

Also I'm re-reading book 2 of the Expanse. Just 'cause.

I'm sure some will disagree but, imo Enders Game. I've gotten people who refuse to read sf to read it and they've enjoyed it. Altered Carbon too, it's entertaining in a stupid drugs/sex/violence kind of way.

 

[Septimus Prime]

Need help, BookGAF. The GF has asked for a book from me when I go to visit in a few days but I'm a kindle man so I'm just going to buy her something fun.

What's a good sci-fi/fantasy book to start someone out on that isn't particularly nerdy? I want to introduce her to my genres of choice but I don't necessarily want to throw her into something like Hyperion or Branderson's stuff just yet.

Also I'm re-reading book 2 of the Expanse. Just 'cause.

I'm not really into fantasy, but for sci-fi, you can maybe check out some of Daniel Suarez's books. Daemon and Freedom are a series, in that order, and are about a computer daemon taking over the world, which turns the world into a real-life MMORPG. Freedom gets a little too fantasy for my taste, but Daemon is really good and strongly grounded in reality, so reading them in order can easily sneak you into the sci-fi/fantasy genre for sure.

He also has Kill Decision, which is about drones, and Influx, which I either haven't read yet or don't remember. Both are sci-fi, with heavy grounding in reality, though.

 

[Rei_Toei]

Awww yeah, Morning Star, the last part of the Red Rising trilogy came out. What the fuck am I doing at work.

 

[nicoga3000]

I'm sure some will disagree but, imo Enders Game. I've gotten people who refuse to read sf to read it and they've enjoyed it. Altered Carbon too, it's entertaining in a stupid drugs/sex/violence kind of way.

Ender's Game is a great suggestion imo. It's what got me back into reading in general some 12-ish years ago.

 

[Maklershed]

Just checking in to confirm Consider Phlebas is awesome. This is the best space sci-fi I've read since The Expanse.

 

[KrellRell]

Just finished this bad boy, it really is life changing.

 

[CaptainofIndustry]

Reading I Am Pilgrim. Not sure how I feel about it yet.

 

[Soulfire]

Wanted to respon to this earlier: have you read his book about color, Shades of Gray? Interesting ideas in it, and it's taken him forever to write the next book - the prequel is only out this spring.

I have, I thought the concept was interesting but it was probably my least favorite of his books that I've read. It's been a while since I read it, but there seemed to be a ton of unanswered questions by the end. I love his Nursery Crime novels and the Thursday Next series. The last NC book was released in 2006 so he's not the fastest writer.

Just finished his Song of the Quarkbeast and it was just as good as the first, waiting on the library for the third book. In the meantime reading Star Wars Before the Awakening before diving into the Force Awakens novelization.

 

[Dandy Crocodile]

Just finished this bad boy, it really is life changing.

It gave me lots of motivation but the only thing that really stuck was they way she folds clothes.
Revolutionary (for me) and so neat. I've actually received praise for my folding skills, haha.

 

[kswiston]

I finished Hero of Ages. I wish Sanderson books spent more than 5 pages on decompression after they reached their climax. Especially after a 1700 page trilogy.

I have switched back to The Forever War. I am now about half way through. The book got a lot more interesting when

Spoiler

Mandella returns to earth after his first tour and tries to adjust to life after 21 years of elapsed relativisitic time.

 

[Ikuu]

Finished House of Chains and with Morning Star out on Kindle on the 11th needed something short to read inbetween

 

[aidan]

Rushing to finish Dark Force Rising by Timothy Zahn (on a Star Wars kick since Ep. 7 came out), so that I can start this, which just landed on my desk:

The Spider's War by Daniel Abraham, the concluding volume in The Dagger and the Coin, which is my favourite ongoing fantasy series right now. Can't wait to see how it ends.

 

[Pau]

Need help, BookGAF. The GF has asked for a book from me when I go to visit in a few days but I'm a kindle man so I'm just going to buy her something fun.

What's a good sci-fi/fantasy book to start someone out on that isn't particularly nerdy? I want to introduce her to my genres of choice but I don't necessarily want to throw her into something like Hyperion or Branderson's stuff just yet.

Also I'm re-reading book 2 of the Expanse. Just 'cause.

My sister isn't very nerdy either, but I got her hooked on fantasy and sci-fi with Diana Wynne Jone's Howl's Moving Castle and Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea (although Tombs of Atuan might be the better choice). For sci-fi, I recommend Lois McMaster Bujold's Cordelia's Honor or Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness.

Does she read any other kind of literature? I love Terry Pratchett (which someone suggested) but I think particular book could be dependent on what she enjoys. His books are satires of fairy-tales, Shakespeare, crime, general fantasy, etc.

 

[Cyan]

I read The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles, on a recommendation from another poster trying to get me to read some litfic. It's about an American couple bumming around Saharan Africa shortly after WWII. The writing is gorgeous and incredibly evocative of place. The plot, though, well. The basic story is two people kind of being thoughtless assholes to each other and the people around them, until eventually (spoilers for a half-a-century-old book ahead!) one of them dies and the other one goes crazy. Doesn't do a lot for my preconceptions about literary fiction.

Still I don't mind having read it and I'm inspired to write about deserts all of a sudden.

 

[Septimus Prime]

Finished House of Chains and with Morning Star out on Kindle on the 11th needed something short to read inbetween

Don't start there! That's the third book of the series!

Start with A Clean Kill in Tokyo (or Rain Fall, as it used to be called).

 

[Ikuu]

I read the first two last year, lol.

 

[Septimus Prime]

I read the first two last year, lol.

Oh, sweet.

 

[Mumei]

I read The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles, on a recommendation from another poster trying to get me to read some litfic. It's about an American couple bumming around Saharan Africa shortly after WWII. The writing is gorgeous and incredibly evocative of place. The plot, though, well. The basic story is two people kind of being thoughtless assholes to each other and the people around them, until eventually (spoilers for a half-a-century-old book ahead!) one of them dies and the other one goes crazy. Doesn't do a lot for my preconceptions about literary fiction.

Still I don't mind having read it and I'm inspired to write about deserts all of a sudden.

Stop dithering and read VanderMeer's good stuff.

 

[TwntyOneTwlv]

I'm almost halfway through this, and so far I'm kinda disappointed. The description sounded absolutely amazing, but so far it's underwhelming. The author spends so little time on each place, and some of the places themselves seem like strange choices. Some are interesting, and some just aren't.

I also just started this, the second book in the Brilliance trilogy. It's basically X-Men. I really enjoyed the first book, so I'm looking forward to really getting into this one.

 

[Mumei]

I also just started this, the second book in the Brilliance trilogy. It's basically X-Men. I really enjoyed the first book, so I'm looking forward to really getting into this one.

This sounds like a fun book.

Awww yeah, Morning Star, the last part of the Red Rising trilogy came out. What the fuck am I doing at work.

I haven't read any of the rest of the series, but I happened to see the latest book at the store today and it is rather eye-catching.

 

[Hanzou]

Rushing to finish Dark Force Rising by Timothy Zahn (on a Star Wars kick since Ep. 7 came out), so that I can start this, which just landed on my desk:

The Spider's War by Daniel Abraham, the concluding volume in The Dagger and the Coin, which is my favourite ongoing fantasy series right now. Can't wait to see how it ends.

How. Much does the Dagger and Coin series differ from the Long Price Quartet series? I read the first one in the Quarter series and thought it was just OK.

 

[Ashes]

Read only one book last month. Will be hoping to upping my game in Feb.

About to read: A brief history of seven killings.

 

[Rei_Toei]

This sounds like a fun book.



I haven't read any of the rest of the series, but I happened to see the latest book at the store today and it is rather eye-catching.

I chewed through the first 24 chapters yesterday and so far it's a blast. Golden Son was a leap coming from Red Rising with regards to world building, nuance, subtlety and depth. Something which became more noticable after a re-read of Red Rising. Morning Star matures in the same way. I'm actually looking forward to a long train ride this evening so I get some time to read some more

On a sidenote: interesting to see how an author picks up some new words that really make sense given the universe and weaves them in the story but they really stand out because he didn't use them in the previous two parts. I think people spotted the same thing sometimes with George RR Martin.

 

[Cade]

Stephen King's Joyland is one of the Kindle Daily Deals for $0.99: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I75EROU/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I liked it quite a bit!

 

[Daniel R]

The follow-up to the Millenium-trilogy by the new writer.

David Lagercrantz - The girl in the spiders web.

 

[Taruranto]

This translation of War & Peace I'm reading it's bananas.

The characters sometimes speak random French and then there is a footnote telling me what they are saying in my own language. It's driving me NUTS. Just translate the damn thing! Put it in cursive if you want to empathize they are not speaking Russian.

 

[brawly]

Still reading Howl's Moving Castle. Around the middle and it's really boring. Introduction was nice but it has been completely stagnant afterwards. Luckily it's easy enough to read but at this point I'm not buying the sequels.

 

[LordAmused]

I am at week no.2 of Infinite Jest, now at page 325 (The French version, which just released, is 1353 pages long, excluding 150 pages of footnotes.... And boy, Wow, what an absolute blast this is! The characters are epic, the setting is epic and that dark humor is right up my alley.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

I have, I thought the concept was interesting but it was probably my least favorite of his books that I've read. It's been a while since I read it, but there seemed to be a ton of unanswered questions by the end. I love his Nursery Crime novels and the Thursday Next series. The last NC book was released in 2006 so he's not the fastest writer.

Just finished his Song of the Quarkbeast and it was just as good as the first, waiting on the library for the third book. In the meantime reading Star Wars Before the Awakening before diving into the Force Awakens novelization.

The lack of answers was annoying, but I thought there was just enough to make me want a sequel. And yet that's not what we're getting. Eh.

Got Slade House from the library and it says it's connected to his other works. Is this hyperbole from the reviewer or do you actually have to have read all his other books?

And writers should not write reviews. "...the book reads as if Wes Craven hired Umberto Eco to reinvent A Nightmare on Elm Street. Yet that doesn't quite do justice to its white-hot intensity: I think that five minutes inside Slade House would leave Freddy Kreuger trembling and crying for Mama." Just...what?

 

[Peru]

This translation of War & Peace I'm reading it's bananas.

The characters sometimes speak random French and then there is a footnote telling me what they are saying in my own language. It's driving me NUTS. Just translate the damn thing! Put it in cursive if you want to empathize they are not speaking Russian.

That's standard procedure. The author wrote those passages in French, not Russian, he meant for two different languages to clash. Never read a classics edition that didn't preserve that - but the footnote is obviously essential.

 

[sparky2112]

I am at week no.2 of Infinite Jest, now at page 325 (The French version, which just released, is 1353 pages long, excluding 150 pages of footnotes.... And boy, Wow, what an absolute blast this is! The characters are epic, the setting is epic and that dark humor is right up my alley.

<3

This is my second read, and it's all falling into place like a puzzle I never even came close to putting together the first time around.

 

[Taruranto]

That's standard procedure. The author wrote those passages in French, not Russian, he meant for two different languages to clash. Never read a classics edition that didn't preserve that - but the footnote is obviously essential.

I am going to guess, was it aimed to people who understood french back in the days? Because this doesn't really work well today, I know jack about french and every five lines I have to stop to read footnotes to see what the characters are saying. It's soooo annoying.

Call me dumb but I'd rather read a full translation.

 

[mu cephei]

This sounds like a fun book.

I haven't read any of the rest of the series, but I happened to see the latest book at the store today and it is rather eye-catching.

Unrelated to quote, but quite a while ago you mentioned an article about The People in the Trees. I was hoping you can remember what it was and let me know/ link to it? I finished the book a few days ago. It was excellent, Norton is one of the best characters I've come across. Also I think it must be the echoes of Nabokov that have made me desperate to read more of his stuff!
Also also, thanks for pimping The Waves, it's unlikely I would have read it otherwise, and it's extraordinary

 

[Ikuu]

Finished Winner Take All, enjoyable but it lost something moving away from Japan. Not out on Kindle until tomorrow but moving onto:

 

[Pau]

Still reading Howl's Moving Castle. Around the middle and it's really boring. Introduction was nice but it has been completely stagnant afterwards. Luckily it's easy enough to read but at this point I'm not buying the sequels.

Sorry to hear you find it boring. It's one of my favorite books. Diana Wynne Jones does have a tenacity to have a really strong beginning, then kind of just wanders around, and then ties up everything really quickly at the end. I happen to enjoy her wandering but I can imagine if you're not having fun with her style or characters, it can be frustrating.

It's definitely the strongest in its series though. The sequels also aren't true sequels. Sophie and Howl just make cameos or are secondary characters at best.

 

[brawly]

Sorry to hear you find it boring. It's one of my favorite books. Diana Wynne Jones does have a tenacity to have a really strong beginning, then kind of just wanders around, and then ties up everything really quickly at the end. I happen to enjoy her wandering but I can imagine if you're not having fun with her style or characters, it can be frustrating.

It's definitely the strongest in its series though. The sequels also aren't true sequels. Sophie and Howl just make cameos or are secondary characters at best.

No worries. The problem for me is that everyone seems to be off doing cool magic stuff while we're stuck with plain old Sophie, lol. I did find the part about Howl's relatives really refreshing and interesting though. But that was over in a flash aswell. Thanks for the info, probably not gonna buy the others then.

 

[ryseing]

Read Morning Star in one sitting. Wasn't as good as Golden Son but still entertaining. Part of the problem is that I personally didn't really get a sense of closure. I've seen these characters grow and I've grown to care about them, and the ending is basically,

Spoiler

welp, we have to rebuild but we're going to do it together!

. Just felt kinda cliche. I'd recommend the trilogy nonetheless but coming off the epic cliffhanger of book 2 this one just fell flat.

 

[Hanzou]

Read Morning Star in one sitting. Wasn't as good as Golden Son but still entertaining. Part of the problem is that I personally didn't really get a sense of closure. I've seen these characters grow and I've grown to care about them, and the ending is basically,

Spoiler

welp, we have to rebuild but we're going to do it together!

. Just felt kinda cliche. I'd recommend the trilogy nonetheless but coming off the epic cliffhanger of book 2 this one just fell flat.

How long in hours did it take you to read it. I am such a slow reader that a 400 page book would take me about 10 hours or more to read. I can't do that in one sitting.

 

[Pickman]

Rushing to finish Dark Force Rising by Timothy Zahn (on a Star Wars kick since Ep. 7 came out), so that I can start this, which just landed on my desk:

The Spider's War by Daniel Abraham, the concluding volume in The Dagger and the Coin, which is my favourite ongoing fantasy series right now. Can't wait to see how it ends.

Really, really jelly right now Gotta wait til March with the rest of the plebes.

 

[ryseing]

How long in hours did it take you to read it. I am such a slow reader that a 400 page book would take me about 10 hours or more to read. I can't do that in one sitting.

3ish. I read rather quickly.

 

[Vyrance]

Finished the Void Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton. Amazing series! Still think I like Night's Dawn Trilogy the best though. Overall I'd say hes my favorite scifi writer.

 

[nicoga3000]

Finished Ready Player One. You know, it wasn't a terrible read. The problem was that it was SO full of geek culture references that it took away from the experience. If it was brought down from 11 to like, I don't know, a 5? We'd have balance those scales a bit.

I need a new book to read.

 

[Mumei]

Unrelated to quote, but quite a while ago you mentioned an article about The People in the Trees. I was hoping you can remember what it was and let me know/ link to it? I finished the book a few days ago. It was excellent, Norton is one of the best characters I've come across. Also I think it must be the echoes of Nabokov that have made me desperate to read more of his stuff!

I might remember if I saw what I said in context, but I can't remember offhand.

Also also, thanks for pimping The Waves, it's unlikely I would have read it otherwise, and it's extraordinary

Finally! I'm glad someone took me up on it. It's beautiful.

 

[Hanzou]

Finished Ready Player One. You know, it wasn't a terrible read. The problem was that it was SO full of geek culture references that it took away from the experience. If it was brought down from 11 to like, I don't know, a 5? We'd have balance those scales a bit.

I need a new book to read.

Yeah I really liked it, but found armada to be not very good at all.

 

[Ovid]

Finished Sing to Me

LA Reid is arguably the most successful person in the music business in the last 30 years. The man just knows music and how to select talent.

His work is literally the soundtrack to my life.

Good stuff.

 

[Danielsan]

Currently reading Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami. I'm about 70% through and enjoying it a lot so far. I only just found out that it's a sequel to A Wild Sheep Chase though, which I have yet to read. Hopefully I didn't lessen the experience by not having read the prequel.

 

[Kup]

Just finished reading the last book in The Hunger Games trilogy this week. Really enjoyed them - now I will re-watch the films.

Started reading Dune this morning. It's been on my radar for a while and I am of the generation to miss it the first time round. So far it's enjoyable - only about an hour in...

 

[nicoga3000]

Just finished reading the last book in The Hunger Games trilogy this week. Really enjoyed them - now I will re-watch the films.

Started reading Dune this morning. It's been on my radar for a while and I am of the generation to miss it the first time round. So far it's enjoyable - only about an hour in...

My wife suggested I read The Hunger Games trilogy, and I really enjoyed them. I would love to read a book about the previous games.

I need a suggestion on what to pickup next. I'd love another good fast paced sci-fi book, but I'm also open to some good modern horror (Lovecraft just never really did it for me). Is there an active "book suggestion" thread?

 

[Hanzou]

My wife suggested I read The Hunger Games trilogy, and I really enjoyed them. I would love to read a book about the previous games.

I need a suggestion on what to pickup next. I'd love another good fast paced sci-fi book, but I'm also open to some good modern horror (Lovecraft just never really did it for me). Is there an active "book suggestion" thread?

Have you read the red rising trilogy? It has some similarities with the hunger games books.