What are you reading? (April 2013)

Just finished reading:

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The Wind up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
This was my first Murakami book. It took me a while to read it because my attention got a little over-divided between different books, but I'm glad I finished it. This is probably the weirdest book I've ever read. It starts so simple and by the end it feels like the story has fragmented into a thousand tiny, ultra-surreal pieces. The descent into madness and full-on fantasy was gradual enough that it felt totally natural. One moment I was reading this simple story about a guy looking for a cat, the next, I'm buried up to my hips in incredibly abstract and metaphorical stuff. I can see myself reading this again at some point in the near future, and I'm probably going to start another Murakami book right away.

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A Hell of a Woman by Jim Thompson
I loved this too, though not quite as much as the Murakami book. Going in, I'd heard that Jim Thompson was known for delivering really aggressive prose, and I wasn't disappointed at all. Everything in this book is punchy as hell, with no wasted sentences, and it's full of hard hitting language. The overall story isn't anything especially innovative, but the way he tells it is pretty interesting, and I found certain scenes quite disturbing. Certainly, I would say this is more than a few notches above the average pulp novel, and I'll definitely be reading more by this author.
 
Fireblend said:
Try Kafka on the Shore for something similar to TWUB, or Norwegian Wood if you liked the parts of the story that were more grounded on reality.
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I was kind of conflicted between Kafka on the Shore and Hard-boiled Wonderland at the End of the World, but I was slightly leaning towards Hard-boiled Wonderland. I get the feeling that it will be a little bit lighter and faster paced. Also, his newer novel, IQ84, sounds really interesting. It seems to be getting very mixed (love it or hate it) reviews on goodreads, but I get the feeling that most of the complainers don't like his books much anyway, or started with IQ84 and found it was too abstract for their liking. All the things they're complaining about were present in TWUBC, and didn't bother me in the slightest, so I get the feeling I would like it.
 
On Tuesday I'm gonna pick up the Tim Grover book relentless hopefully it motivates me to get to that next level of exercise and conditioning
 
Fjordson said:
What do you guys think of Devil in the White City? Just beat Bioshock Infinite and feel like reading something related to the time period :P (America, 1912). Levine said that was a bit of an inspiration for the game.

Any other books related to that time are also welcome.
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Just finished the game myself last night and it's not really related to the time period but The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin clearly inspired
the tear system and multiple realities and memories and things like that.
It's set in the 70s, but thought it might be of some interest to you if you liked that aspect of the game. Actually on second thought
even some of the religious and anarchistic themes could have been derived from it as well and even Comstock and Elizabeth are similar to the relationship between the two main characters.
Wow.
 
Krowley said:
I was kind of conflicted between Kafka on the Shore and Hard-boiled Wonderland at the End of the World, but I was slightly leaning towards Hard-boiled Wonderland. I get the feeling that it will be a little bit lighter and faster paced. Also, his newer novel, IQ84, sounds really interesting. It seems to be getting very mixed (love it or hate it) reviews on goodreads, but I get the feeling that most of the complainers don't like his books much anyway, or started with IQ84 and found it was too abstract for their liking. All the things they're complaining about were present in TWUBC, and didn't bother me in the slightest, so I get the feeling I would like it.
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Hard-boiled wonderland is one of his best books. Kafka is entertaining but flawed. IQ84 needed about 75% of it cut out.

Sentimental favorite is still Sputnik Sweetheart or After Dark.
 
Just finished Redshirts. Really funny book though I would have preferred if the epilogue was a bit shorter. The first part did really drag on, the second was ok and the third's ending was kinda obvious.
 
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I've heard a lot of good things but I'm not really enjoying it so far. The writing style annoys me.

I also just finished:

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Which was grand.
 
It's a bit slow at the start and you should keep in mind that it's the first book in a long series, but I loved every page of it.
 
Picked up the Mistborn Trilogy on the Kindle store, and I've been reading this:

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I am liking it quite a bit. How is the Alloy of Law?
 
Easystride said:
Picked up the Mistborn Trilogy on the Kindle store, and I've been reading this:

I am liking it quite a bit. How is the Alloy of Law?
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I liked Alloy of Law. Probably more than the original series (I think there have been quite a few who agree). The characters seemed much more developed. Since there is no oppressing ruler, it is free to do what it likes (not trying to topple over the government). I actually wish there was more.
 
Right now:
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.
The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.
On the Road

I was pretty ignorant about literature before my depression, during it I realized how fucking ignorant I was being about it, so I guess something good came from it.

I plan to start 20.000 leagues under the sea when I finish Sherlock Holmes.
 
The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova.

It's like the Da Vinci Code, but with vampires and literary ambition.

Anybody interested in the history of Central Europe, the Dracula mythos, or the Ottoman Empire should check it out.
 
My Parents bought me the "Circle series" for my birthday. I'm only like 13 chapters into the first book and am not really feeling it.

Anyone here heard of it?
 
While I am still going through A Storm of Swords I need some recommendations. It probably is the Hannibal series that triggered it and I need books with psychopathic killers. Please no Thomas Harris or American Psycho though. I know those.
 
Xater said:
While I am still going through A Storm of Swords I need some recommendations. It probably is the Hannibal series that triggered it and I need books with psychopathic killers. Please no Thomas Harris or American Psycho though. I know those.
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The book I just finished has one of the most fucked up psychopathic killers ever ..


The Big Nowhere by James Ellroy

a) The book is not specifically about the killer but the killer's story is heavily featured.

b) This is book 2 of a 4 book series but I discovered you don't need to know anything from book 1. I dont think one single character or plot point continues from 1 to 2.
 
Valhelm said:
The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova.

It's like the Da Vinci Code, but with vampires and literary ambition.

Anybody interested in the history of Central Europe, the Dracula mythos, or the Ottoman Empire should check it out.
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Seconding the recommendation. I read this years ago, right when it first came out, and I think I'm due for a reread. It is kind of like the Da Vinci Code, but better and more interesting in pretty much every way. It also features real vampires (in some spooky scenes), not the hot n' sexy Twilight glittery vampire nonsense of today.
 
WeAreStarStuff said:
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The last book of his amazing Asian Saga; sad to be on the last one.
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I love the Asian Saga from Clavell, it's a shame he didn't have time to write more books. On the other hand, they probably wouldn't be as good if he had made one book per year.

I have struggled to find something as in-depth, interesting and well-written ever since reading the last one in the 90s. Thanks to Whirlwind I know as much about the Iranian revolution as my friends from Iran do... :P

Right now I'm reading A Fire Upon The Deep and it's really good, thanks GAF for letting me know about it!
 
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Probably the strangest volume so far, it remains intriguing but man I hope the next volume finally brings some explanation to past events & characters. What I'm particularly curious about is why
Baldanders suddenly wanted to attack Severin, and why did Baldanders & Dr. Talos wanted to journey together with him from the beginning anyway
. It still is the most curious and original fantasy I have ever read however, can't wait to finally get some more pieces of the puzzle.
 
Currently reading the blinding knife by Brent Weeks
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Its the second book in a series called 'the Lightbringer'. The first is called 'The black prism'. Its a world where magic is done in a process called colour drafting where each colour has different properties. Its a pretty interesting idea.

This is Brent Weeks second book series. The first was 'The night angel trilogy'. I really enjoyed that. His writing was nothing special but the characters, world and story he created were fantastic. His writing has definitely improved in this series though.

I just finished LotR's before this as I never got round to reading it as a kid. As much as I love the films the book has many greater moments.

After the Blinding knife I intend to move onto "the daylight war" which is the third in the Demon cycle series (the first 2 were 'The painted man' and 'The desert spear'. Its a fantastic series so far.

Nothing has come close the song of ice and fire books for me yet of course but I have a LOOOONG time to wait for book 6 I think.
 
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I finished Kite Runner recently and wasn't too impressed. It wasn't a bad book but just not my cup of tea. Felt that it was kinda overrated :(
Before I had started reading Kite Runner though, people had brought up this particular book by the same author and told me to check it out too after I had finished. So I bought it right after since I needed a new book to read, and after 50 pages I felt like my opinion was going through the same path as it did with Kite Runner...

But now almost 250 pages in and... I'm HOOKED. I can't explain why, but I just fell in love with one of the protagonists and her story so far. I'm anxious to finish reading as soon as I can and I hope that the ending will be satisfying *_*
 
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