Well I didn't want to phrase it quite so harsh... but that was exactly what I thought about this book. I was going to read the Witcher Books soon and am quite confident that they will restore my fate in polish literature. Hope the translation doesn't suck though.
What are you reading? (April 2013)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Well I didn't want to phrase it quite so harsh... but that was exactly what I thought about this book. I was going to read the Witcher Books soon and am quite confident that they will restore my fate in polish literature. Hope the translation doesn't suck though.
It is a very good novel, very thoughtful, but also quite a bit depressing.
Finnaly finished this (English title is Runners). I honestly don't know what to make out of this book. I get the whole parts where the books deals with the constant moving around of the modern day person. But I really didn't get how the constant mentioning of plastination fitted into it. Reall strange book that also dragged on at times. It was one of two books I got as a present when I applied for an internship at a little publishing house. The second being:
English title is Dark Matter or Free Fall in the US. Started it yesterday. Not sure if I like her writing style much but this one appears to at least have a story.
eattomorro
Neo Member
I really enjoyed the first book, I just think video games and movies have killed my attention span. And if I had problems with this, think how Bleak House is gonna mess with me.
Never Read Mr. Pye, did you enjoy it?
phisheep
NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
Wonderfully quirky little book. Must have read it about four times now.
eattomorro
Neo Member
I looked it up on abebooks, and I have to say it sounds pretty cool. Haha another book I have to add to my get list. Thanks for the suggestion!
Easystride
Member
There are two Neil Gaiman books, American Gods, and Good Omens on sale for $1.99 on Amazon. Either of these worth a read? The only other Neil Gaiman book I've read is The Graveyard Book, which I enjoyed.
Those are his best books, so yes. Good Omens in particular.
Phillip E.
Neo Member
Both are absolutely worth a read.
I read American Gods and it was dandy. Will probably even give it a reread at some point.
scorsese by ebert
collection of reviews, essays, interviews spanning from scorsese's first film to the departed. ebert clearly has a great affinity towards scorsese's work, his reviews repeatedly refer to him as the greatest living american filmaker, and relates a lot to the themes that scorsese keeps returning to, like guilt, in particular roman catholic concepts of guilt, and struggles with properly relating to women. this gives his writing a real personal touch that makes his reviews very insightful, especially when it comes to identifying scorsese's own ability to find parts of himself the lives (jesus, jake la motta, henry hill, howard hughes) or work (paul schraders scripts, age of innocence, cape fear) of other people. the centerpiece of the book is a long one on one interview between the two from 1997, printed in full, but it doesn't really work. marty is so passionate his stream of consciousness talking style doesn't translate well to print, nor does not having the clips they refer to in front of you make for fun reading.
reasons to live by amy hempel
short story collection about people struggling in their lives with a very unique and stylish voice that i found spell-binding. her prose is incredibly stripped down and what's there in each story are scatterings of beautifully observed and empathetic moments or feelings linked together by these breaks that say as much as the words do. there are a few weak stories that are a little too brief and cute, but the longer ones, and by longer i mean about fifteen pages, are outstanding. i can easily see someone hating it, but i read the whole book it one go and walked around in a melancholy trance afterwards.
what i talk about when i talk about running by haruki murakami
part autobiography, part diary, part collection of life lessons, part manifesto for the benefits of regular excersise, part answer to millions of people asking for tips about how to become a writer, this is quite a strange book. it's not really cohesive and wanders into the realm of indulgence and inane at times (do we care what running shoes he likes or what he has on his minidisc(!)) but i found learning about how murakami first decided to become a writer - by just doing it - and the detailed descriptions of his marathon and triathlon experiences quite interesting and yes it did make me want to get back into running.
collection of reviews, essays, interviews spanning from scorsese's first film to the departed. ebert clearly has a great affinity towards scorsese's work, his reviews repeatedly refer to him as the greatest living american filmaker, and relates a lot to the themes that scorsese keeps returning to, like guilt, in particular roman catholic concepts of guilt, and struggles with properly relating to women. this gives his writing a real personal touch that makes his reviews very insightful, especially when it comes to identifying scorsese's own ability to find parts of himself the lives (jesus, jake la motta, henry hill, howard hughes) or work (paul schraders scripts, age of innocence, cape fear) of other people. the centerpiece of the book is a long one on one interview between the two from 1997, printed in full, but it doesn't really work. marty is so passionate his stream of consciousness talking style doesn't translate well to print, nor does not having the clips they refer to in front of you make for fun reading.
reasons to live by amy hempel
short story collection about people struggling in their lives with a very unique and stylish voice that i found spell-binding. her prose is incredibly stripped down and what's there in each story are scatterings of beautifully observed and empathetic moments or feelings linked together by these breaks that say as much as the words do. there are a few weak stories that are a little too brief and cute, but the longer ones, and by longer i mean about fifteen pages, are outstanding. i can easily see someone hating it, but i read the whole book it one go and walked around in a melancholy trance afterwards.
what i talk about when i talk about running by haruki murakami
part autobiography, part diary, part collection of life lessons, part manifesto for the benefits of regular excersise, part answer to millions of people asking for tips about how to become a writer, this is quite a strange book. it's not really cohesive and wanders into the realm of indulgence and inane at times (do we care what running shoes he likes or what he has on his minidisc(!)) but i found learning about how murakami first decided to become a writer - by just doing it - and the detailed descriptions of his marathon and triathlon experiences quite interesting and yes it did make me want to get back into running.
I finished The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon several days ago. This novel is a phenomenal read. It's irreverent and heartbreaking. I really enjoyed the prose, with Chabon using great descriptions and metaphors. The setting of novel in an alternate history present-day Jewish Alaskan settlement is interesting, and Chabon does not waste it. The characters are both steeped and mired in Jewish identity and culture.
I have that novel and Wonder Boys in my collection. I'm looking forward to those two.
I'm currently halfway through The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid. It's interesting so far.
I have that novel and Wonder Boys in my collection. I'm looking forward to those two.
I'm currently halfway through The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid. It's interesting so far.
Bonethug said:
Finally, finished limping through this book. Did not enjoy the book much. I found the middle half that focused on the past and not the game development to be especially painful.
AngmarsKing701
Member
Finished Cornwell's Lords of the North.
Started this bad boy:
Only 20 pages in but dat Kay prose <3
Started this bad boy:
Only 20 pages in but dat Kay prose <3
The book gains a lot in audio format, try to get the audiobook.
Also, you should probably read about Amadis de Gaula, El cantar de Roldan and Mio Cid before you start.
nakedsushi
Member
Finally, finished limping through this book. Did not enjoy the book much. I found the middle half that focused on the past and not the game development to be especially painful.
Yeah I'm in the middle of the slog right now. Sometimes the writing is just so bad I have no will to read on. But I'm kind of forcing myself to finish now.
Good Omens is one of my favorite novels. In fact, I don't have a copy, so after reading this I just went to buy it. ;p I still have American Gods on the 'to-read' list.
I also noticed that InterWorld is $1.99, so I'm grabbing that, too.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Glad I put it down when I did.
Just dive in. It's very accessible despite its age, especially with the modern translations. There are a lot of references that you may want to follow up on while reading (the end notes in the Penguin edition are pretty good for this), but you won't lose anything if you don't.
Really fantastic book.
Finished this a couple of days ago, one of his best so far imo (and I love all of them other than Fionavar and Tigana). Love the Chinese setting and hope we get another book there, maybe set during the Mongol conquests or something.Finished Cornwell's Lords of the North.
Started this bad boy:
Only 20 pages in but dat Kay prose <3
GasProblem
Member
Right now I'm reading the last novel in the Dunk & Egg tales.
After that it's time for:
Been thinking about buying The First Law trilogy boxset, but haven't read anything from Joe Abercrombie. Saw this book at a local library, in English, and thought it was a good idea to read it so I'll know for sure if I'll like The First Law trilogy as well. Although I also like aSoIaF, so I think I'll the First Law as well.
After that it's time for:
Been thinking about buying The First Law trilogy boxset, but haven't read anything from Joe Abercrombie. Saw this book at a local library, in English, and thought it was a good idea to read it so I'll know for sure if I'll like The First Law trilogy as well. Although I also like aSoIaF, so I think I'll the First Law as well.
You'll probably get more out of it if you read The First Law trilogy first, before starting Red Country.
If you want a more "standalone" book by Joe Abercrombie, then you could try Best Served Cold. It is set in the same world.
GasProblem
Member
Hmm. No library has Best Served Cold, could buy it for 12 euros. But I'd rather put that money towards the boxset, which is 29 euros.
Wiktor
Member
I would recommend the early works of Jonathan Carroll. Especially Voice of Our Shadow, The Land of Laughs and Sleeping in Flame.
Tragicomedy
Member
I put this in the 50/50 thread but thought there may be some interest here. I can't vouch for the quality of any of these books since I haven't read them, but here you go:
Choose from 20 different Kindle books for $1 per book (up to 20).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?ie=UTF8&docId=1001174961
If anyone has read our can recommend any, that would be greatly appreciated. Might apply to US only.
List is:
Adventures of the Karaoke King by Harold Taw
Aftermath by Jerry S. Drake
Augusta by Carolyn Brown
Bone River by Megan Chance
China Jack by Karl Lassiter
Current of Love by Sandra Leesmith
Finding Emma by Steena Holmes
In the Dismal Swamp by Patrick Balester
Mulligan Girl by Rebecca L. Boschee
Murder Express by Robert Scott
One Bitten by Stephen Leather
She Can Run by Melinda Leigh
Strings Attached by Nick Nolan
The Dove by Carolyn Brown
The First Assassin by John J. Miller
The King of Kahle by Tierno Monénembo
The Kingdom Of Strange by Shula Klinger
The Last Voyage of the Steamer Barnard Clinton by David E. Unruh
The Spy Lover by Kiana Davenport
Tune In Tokyo: The Gaijin Diaries by Tim Anderson
Choose from 20 different Kindle books for $1 per book (up to 20).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?ie=UTF8&docId=1001174961
If anyone has read our can recommend any, that would be greatly appreciated. Might apply to US only.
List is:
Adventures of the Karaoke King by Harold Taw
Aftermath by Jerry S. Drake
Augusta by Carolyn Brown
Bone River by Megan Chance
China Jack by Karl Lassiter
Current of Love by Sandra Leesmith
Finding Emma by Steena Holmes
In the Dismal Swamp by Patrick Balester
Mulligan Girl by Rebecca L. Boschee
Murder Express by Robert Scott
One Bitten by Stephen Leather
She Can Run by Melinda Leigh
Strings Attached by Nick Nolan
The Dove by Carolyn Brown
The First Assassin by John J. Miller
The King of Kahle by Tierno Monénembo
The Kingdom Of Strange by Shula Klinger
The Last Voyage of the Steamer Barnard Clinton by David E. Unruh
The Spy Lover by Kiana Davenport
Tune In Tokyo: The Gaijin Diaries by Tim Anderson
Halfway thru the book so far. Great stuff, what if Japan and Germany won the war? Feels almost realistic, and having an alternate history novel be a major plot device within an alternate history novel, that's just the genius of PKD. Can't wait to see how this unfolds.
favourite sci fi writer, why is he dead.
I agree with everything you say. I really dislike the way you are told to hate or admire characters, especially franseca d whatever. Its fustrating because somtimes i feel its a very well written book, other times i feel insulted by how much she has to spell out that hes a bad man hate him. Like you said a lot of characters actions defy belief like the train crisis chapter. I feel she uses cheap tricks throughout.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Finished Petty Pewter Gods, it's not as good as previous book but still very good. Now I'm on to Faded Steel Heat:
Man, you're really plowing through that series. I think I'm gonna check it out.
I've been getting on with
Not very far into it so far, but I'm in love with it already. The writing feels so effortlessly perfect.
I want to read a few classic western novels. What else is there besides Lonesome Dove and Blood Meridian?
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
I really love it. I think this is the only series that can make me consistently laugh.
Got bunch of new Agatha Christie novels. It's been almost a year since the last one I read so I'm very excited to go through them.
Started with Five Little Pigs first. Seems to be one of those investigating old cases type of mystery which are always fun to read and and too different from the regular cases.
Also, I think most of her novels got a new refresh cause I'm seeing a lot of newly printed editions. I like the style they went for with most of the new covers.
Started with Five Little Pigs first. Seems to be one of those investigating old cases type of mystery which are always fun to read and and too different from the regular cases.
Also, I think most of her novels got a new refresh cause I'm seeing a lot of newly printed editions. I like the style they went for with most of the new covers.
Last Visible Dog
Banned
More Cormac McCarthy (Cities of the Plain & All The Pretty Horses)
More Larry McMurtry (Comanche Moon & Dead Man's Walk)
Riders of the Purple Sage - Zane Grey - free ebook on Gutenberg
How the West Was Won - Louis L'amour (he wrote about 100 westerns)
Unforgiven: The Screenplay - David Webb Peoples (is SO good it deserves to be read on its own as literature)
The Big Sky - A. B. Guthrie
Shane - Jack Shaefer
H.Protagonist
[-_-]/
I just finished the last book in the Wheel of Time series and I'm left kind of stunned at how badly the last 100 or so pages were written. What the hell, Sanderson? You were doing an OK job and then... :/
The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway
I need to read some long-form Hemingway, apparently, because I loved the taste of what I got here and was bitterly disappointed because the really meaty substance was largely not there (well, some stories were like 2 pages long, so)
FutureZombie
Banned
Starting:
5th book and it has been a pretty fantastic series so far. Dat 4th book climax.
I just finished that and started
Series is kind of in a weird transition phase right now, but based on the review scores I've seen, this one is supposed to be one of, it not the best, in the series. I just hope there's a Kruppe appearance at some point!
Ah, Lonesome Dove. It's been about 15 years since I've read it, so I think I might do a reread this year. It's still one of my favorite books after all these years. In fact, some years ago I had a girlfriend who I recommended it to, and she didn't even get halfway through, saying it was boring of all things. After we broke up, whenever I found myself missing her I would just remember that little fact, and decide that I was well rid of her!
Speaking of which, have any of you big Lonesome Dove fans seen the television mini-series? It's so damn fantastic that the actors who played the roles are permanently burned in my mind as the embodiments of those characters. Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones as Gus and Woodrow in particular. There were also television adaptations of every other book in the series, and while they don't compare to Lonesome Dove, they're still sorta fun to watch after reading the books.
Speaking of which, have any of you big Lonesome Dove fans seen the television mini-series? It's so damn fantastic that the actors who played the roles are permanently burned in my mind as the embodiments of those characters. Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones as Gus and Woodrow in particular. There were also television adaptations of every other book in the series, and while they don't compare to Lonesome Dove, they're still sorta fun to watch after reading the books.
TimeEffect
Member
Reading:
Persepolis
The Book Thief
Pretty great books so far.
Also, got my first eReader, the KoboGlo
Aura HD looks great, but no $$
Also, I finished like the first chapter of Game of Thrones, but I have a pet peeve of reading books where I know what happens. Since I've been keeping up with the show and all... I want to stop watching the show until I finish the books, but both are so good and I don't want one to take away from the other.
I watched LoTR way before I got the books, and I couldn't get through the books because I knew the story. I just hate not being able to imagine for myself when reading. I want to discover the story, but it's already been told to me
How good do the Song of I&F books get past the latest TV episode? I would hope it maintains its greatness, but I'm afraid to commit.
Persepolis
The Book Thief
Pretty great books so far.
Also, got my first eReader, the KoboGlo
Aura HD looks great, but no $$
Also, I finished like the first chapter of Game of Thrones, but I have a pet peeve of reading books where I know what happens. Since I've been keeping up with the show and all... I want to stop watching the show until I finish the books, but both are so good and I don't want one to take away from the other.
I watched LoTR way before I got the books, and I couldn't get through the books because I knew the story. I just hate not being able to imagine for myself when reading. I want to discover the story, but it's already been told to me
How good do the Song of I&F books get past the latest TV episode? I would hope it maintains its greatness, but I'm afraid to commit.
I just finished that and started
Series is kind of in a weird transition phase right now, but based on the review scores I've seen, this one is supposed to be one of, it not the best, in the series. I just hope there's a Kruppe appearance at some point!
Lol. Love Kruppe. So, did you enjoy Midnight Tides? (spoil me not! only about a 140 pages in) Also, are you or have you read any of the Ian C Esslemont books? Been wondering if I should bother with them.
Yeah, the Lonesome Dove mini-series is one of the finest adaptions of a book I can ever remember seeing. Mostly because the acting is so fantastic.
Gus and Call will always be Duval and Jones in my mind too. They're just perfect in every way.
FutureZombie
Banned
I liked Midnight Tides a lot, except the ending was a disappointment in my mind. I'm not sure other people would say the same thing. I can't explain it better than that without saying too much. Still a great book overall, and introduced a couple of my new favorite characters (Tehol and Bugg).
BTW, I like your name!
Good to hear, sometimes these books can be a bit tough to sink into.
And thanks ;-)
bengraven
Member
I had seen bits and pieces of the mini-series when it first came out 20 years ago, which obviously spoiled a lot of scenes like the moccasin swarm --- as a kid who's trying not to watch this "boring western" all the old people are watching, it's hard not to remember a boy getting dragged underwater and bitten to death by poisonous snakes.
I read the book for the first time last year and I tried hard not to think of the actors in the parts. I came up with my own cast actually, though I still really couldn't get a better actor for Gus, so I still pictured a younger Robert Duvall. My cast had Call being Unforgiven-aged Clint Eastwood, Eric Bana as Jake Spoon, Mary Louise-Parker as Clara and a few others I can't remember now. It was a "good cast" though.
Soon after I finally watched the mini-series from beginning to end and my god, it aged well. It was fantastic and one of the best and most faithful adaptations I've ever seen.