Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Blends horror, science fiction, and fantasy seamlessly.
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What are you reading? (April 2014)
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Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Blends horror, science fiction, and fantasy seamlessly.
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a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Ooooh Saga is awesome!
Dark Tower fo sho if you have't read that.
Not quite the right thread, if there is a more fitting one, I can edit. But it was announced that we get a new Kazuo Ishiguro-novel next year, which is fantastic news, considering that his last novel, the incredible Never Let Me Go was published in 2005. Really looking forward to it. I still have to read The Unconsoled and When We Were Orphans.
Currently still working through Sanderson's The Way of Kings and I am on the last pages of Peter Pan.
Currently still working through Sanderson's The Way of Kings and I am on the last pages of Peter Pan.
yay. i've been wondering recently what he was writing given that his collection of short stories was published five years ago
looking forward to seeing what he chooses to tackle.
i still need to read the unconsoled
Whoops, forgot the link.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/04/kazuo-ishiguro-novel-never-let-me-go-the-buried-giant
They didn't reveal the exact story yet, but the themes. Seems in line with his other works, which is not a bad thing. Yeah, I didn't mentioned Nocturnes, it's not on par with his novels in my mind.
Whoops, forgot the link.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/04/kazuo-ishiguro-novel-never-let-me-go-the-buried-giant
They didn't reveal the exact story yet, but the themes. Seems in line with his other works, which is not a bad thing. Yeah, I didn't mentioned Nocturnes, it's not on par with his novels in my mind.
he's tackling memory. surely not?!!
thanks for the link. i'm sure with such a wait they'll start with a tease then reveal more. the buried giant title does ring with the paris review quote in the article, i'd like to see him tackle that idea.
as for nocturnes i think ishiguro is much better suited to novel length stuff with how he constructs his stories, i didn't hate nocturnes as he's such a fluent writer i find him enjoyable to read most of the time but i don't think it's noteworthy. even when we are orphans which i think is worse has more potential interesting stuff in there, albeit wasted imo.
I'm about 60% done with A Clash of Kings and am enjoying it a lot more than A Game of Thrones, mostly because it is
much more different than the TV show's 2nd season. A lot of details changed for the show, and even major events too. With the previous book, it was almost 90% the same, so most of the suspense was gone when I read it. I just finished with Arya's chapter where she uses her ploy to name Jaqen as the last name to die not to free herself, Gendry, and Hot Pie like in the show, but to free the Northmen taken captive, and then to become the cupbearer of Roose Bolton who becomes the Lord of Harrenhal, not Tywin Lannister. Quite a large change! I like how this book is different, it's like reading about an alternate universe.
Wuthering Heights - a shocking read even today, but not a great "love story" as it is often called -- a hate story, as raw as any book ever published. The Brontës, in their 20s with their limited education, limited exposure to anything but modest surroundings, in Emily's case not really socializing with anyone, plucking these tales of life as a whole out of nowhere, were undeniably geniuses.
DesertEater
Member
I had to read Burke for class about the sublime. It's funny seeing it here.Still finishing up Blood Meridian. I'm definitely getting sucked into McCarthy's world, the wanton violence is creeping into my dreams occasionally.
Balancing time between Feast of the Goat and:
I'm reading This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Plasticine
Member
Finished Rex Miller's Slob.
Did you know "Chaingang" Bunkowski is a 500 pound killing machine? If you didn't, you would certainly know it if you read this book. Miller never wastes an opportunity to remind you of Chaingang's weight, or to detail his enormous girth. While Chaingang loves to eat (at one point he devours 36 tacos as a snack), he loves to kill even more. He uses his trusty chain to snap his victim's necks before cutting out and eating their hearts. Oh, and he also has a penchant for pissing in their bathroom sinks. All in all, he's a lovely fellow.
Practically the only thing uglier than Chaingang is Miller's writing style. The book is filled with terse, muscular prose that's stripped of any sense of stylistic flair. He has a tendency to use whip snapping perspective shifts that are totally jarring and can even be confusing. But even though it's a mess, the book works like gangbusters. The story is propulsive. Miller charges through his narrative, bulldozing over his major writing sins. If you dig 80s grimy and gritty horror fiction, Slob should be a no-brainer.
Up next:
I stumbled across this title on a list of great and obscure vampire books. It sounded interesting enough, so I thought I'd give it a chance. I'm always up for a good vampire story.
Did you know "Chaingang" Bunkowski is a 500 pound killing machine? If you didn't, you would certainly know it if you read this book. Miller never wastes an opportunity to remind you of Chaingang's weight, or to detail his enormous girth. While Chaingang loves to eat (at one point he devours 36 tacos as a snack), he loves to kill even more. He uses his trusty chain to snap his victim's necks before cutting out and eating their hearts. Oh, and he also has a penchant for pissing in their bathroom sinks. All in all, he's a lovely fellow.
Practically the only thing uglier than Chaingang is Miller's writing style. The book is filled with terse, muscular prose that's stripped of any sense of stylistic flair. He has a tendency to use whip snapping perspective shifts that are totally jarring and can even be confusing. But even though it's a mess, the book works like gangbusters. The story is propulsive. Miller charges through his narrative, bulldozing over his major writing sins. If you dig 80s grimy and gritty horror fiction, Slob should be a no-brainer.
Up next:
I stumbled across this title on a list of great and obscure vampire books. It sounded interesting enough, so I thought I'd give it a chance. I'm always up for a good vampire story.
Cop Hater by Ed McBain
Surprisingly good for something realtively pulpy written in 195- and that basically kickstarted its own genre. It's kind of amazing how little police procedurals have really deviated from this basic formula, though being as old as it is, it's a little plodding.
I finished the first part of The Book of the Long Sun and started on the second novel. I like the world and want to find out what the hell is happening, but nothing too dramatic has happened just yet. Not sure if I like Silk, although I certainly feel that I know him pretty well after the first book.
I'm waiting for crazy revelations and shit.
I'm waiting for crazy revelations and shit.
fredrancour
Member
Took a break from the Malazan series after finishing book 3. (book 3 spoilers, delivering my impressions in a rather disjointed fashion)
Who am I kidding this franchise is sure to amass a bodycount to make GRRM jealous.
I'm still on a fantasy kick, though. Reading Mistborn 2.
I though the Chain of Dogs would be a tough act to follow in terms of brutal emotional abuse, but by god, The Seige of Capustan did its best to live up to that challenge. Jesus Christ how horrifying that was. Getting some explanation behind what happened with Fener and Heboric was interesting. It was mindbending to hear Dujek and Whiskeyjack upend all our assumptions about the empire's treatment of the Bridgeburners in such a casual, matter-of-fact way. Clearly, if things seem simple in this story, it's only because we're missing info.... I wonder what other deception is at work in my basic assumptions with regards to this story.
Miscellaneous emotional responses: KRUL CONFRIMED FOR BRO-GOD OF THE YEAR, ALL YEARS. IDK why but I love him. DUIKER YAAAAY I think. It's good he's alive to spread the story but shit he needs some serious therapy. TOK YAAAY. TOOL YAAAAAY. HIGH MAGE QUICK BEN YAAAY. WHISKEYJACK NOOOOOOO. In a book that has been so good about avoiding cliches through depth and characterization, I never expected "one mission away from retirement" to be played straight. However slowly they flay Kallor, it will not be excruciating enough. Poor Paran. not gonna get a peaceful retirement cause he's all important and magical now. Hopefully the other surviving Bridgeburners actually get away with having lives.
Miscellaneous emotional responses: KRUL CONFRIMED FOR BRO-GOD OF THE YEAR, ALL YEARS. IDK why but I love him. DUIKER YAAAAY I think. It's good he's alive to spread the story but shit he needs some serious therapy. TOK YAAAY. TOOL YAAAAAY. HIGH MAGE QUICK BEN YAAAY. WHISKEYJACK NOOOOOOO. In a book that has been so good about avoiding cliches through depth and characterization, I never expected "one mission away from retirement" to be played straight. However slowly they flay Kallor, it will not be excruciating enough. Poor Paran. not gonna get a peaceful retirement cause he's all important and magical now. Hopefully the other surviving Bridgeburners actually get away with having lives.
I'm still on a fantasy kick, though. Reading Mistborn 2.
Vin is being a bitch to this Kandra. She needs to get over herself and use the resources available to her in the stressful situation. This is gonna bite her in the ass so hard.
Vanillalite
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Tragicomedy
Member
I have a third to go in The Sword of the Lictor. Pretty wild ride.
Based Gene Wolfe.
Based Gene Wolfe.
Yeah, you'll love the next three books as well. Basically after season one the show and the books continue to diverge more and more. Most general points and characters are the same, but yeah.I'm about 60% done with A Clash of Kings and am enjoying it a lot more than A Game of Thrones, mostly because it ismuch more different than the TV show's 2nd season. A lot of details changed for the show, and even major events too. With the previous book, it was almost 90% the same, so most of the suspense was gone when I read it. I just finished with Arya's chapter where she uses her ploy to name Jaqen as the last name to die not to free herself, Gendry, and Hot Pie like in the show, but to free the Northmen taken captive, and then to become the cupbearer of Roose Bolton who becomes the Lord of Harrenhal, not Tywin Lannister. Quite a large change! I like how this book is different, it's like reading about an alternate universe.
Definitely keep at it. Best is yet to come.
Great! I am excited. I should finish with ACoK today and then I could start the next one.
GrandHarrier
Member
Got tipped off to Destroyermen, so I just picked up the first book. I suppose I am a fan of alternate history, and this is the most alternate of alternate.
Mackenzie 92
Member
While I am still listening to the Karl Max Biography (Its quite good), I also started reading this
I am not very far in at all, but I quite like Holland's style so far. It wouldnt surprise me if there are a few mistakes/distortions, but he can sure tell an entertaining tale. Will definitely be reading his other work once I am finished with this. Hopefully he doesnt bring up the whole battle for Western Civilization shtick too much later in the book. I find that analysis simplistic, boring, uninteresting, and cheap.
Oh, also just finished Siddhartha, which I thought was great as well.
I am not very far in at all, but I quite like Holland's style so far. It wouldnt surprise me if there are a few mistakes/distortions, but he can sure tell an entertaining tale. Will definitely be reading his other work once I am finished with this. Hopefully he doesnt bring up the whole battle for Western Civilization shtick too much later in the book. I find that analysis simplistic, boring, uninteresting, and cheap.
Oh, also just finished Siddhartha, which I thought was great as well.
After Words of Radiance I decided to jump back into the Garret P.I. series. The last one (Petty Pewter Gods) was a bit too crazy for my taste so I put the series on hold for a while. Not far into this one yet so I can't say if this is going to replace Old Tin Sorrows as my favorite of the series.
Still listening to this and about halfway through. I really really like it but if i had the choice again I would read it instead of listening to the audiobook. It is just so rich and complex and jumps around a lot that even breaking concentration for a few seconds can throw you out of the story completly.
Just finished The Getaway Man by Andrew Vachss. I enjoyed it. A neo-noir with an interesting choice of writing in the first person with a protagonist who wouldn't be considered "smart." The character isn't witty or dropping one-liners, or even cool, which I actually found refreshing, and there are no chapters, usually just sections that take up between half a page and two pages. Reminded me a bit of the movie "Drive."
Think I'm going to start The High Window by Ramond Chandler next.
Think I'm going to start The High Window by Ramond Chandler next.
FreedomFighter
Member
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And oh my god is it interesting. Seriously. I love books.
EDIT: Why did that come out sounding so sarcastic. It wasn't meant to be at all. I just can't read it back with out dumping loads of sarcasm all over it. I'm being serious though. This is a great book.
DOUBLE EDIT: Still can't read it with out thinking I'm subconsciously being sarcastic! What is wrong with me?!?! I think my internal war with itself is reaching a climax and I'm losing my mind.
Now reading:
Not much to tell, since I'm only on page 50.
BTW I just noticed that the atmospheric cover art was created by Darrell K. Sweet. He used to be a pretty good artist, but the quality of his work deteriorated rather rapidly in his later years, yet he was still kept on for those horrid Wheel of Time books.
I started out really liking the book. Peter Beagle wrote the book when he was only 19 years old, but you would never know it from the mature style or the deft portrayal of the characters. Unfortunately, wonderful sentences are IMO a means to an end. I started out totally engrossed in the book but with each chapter ennui started creeping in because nothing actually happened and the characters were going over the same topics again and again. I started skipping a few sentences, then I began speed reading
Now reading:
This historical mystery set in Roman times is more like it.
FUBAR McDangles
Member
Almost done with this. It's an excellent entry into the series and seems to be as good as any of a jumping-on point for new readers. It summarizes past adventures well, and throws a bunch of past elements back into Joe's face a few times as the story goes on.
My only problem so far is that
we're introduced to a new character, Colonel Riggs, who not only is apparently one of the senior officers of the DMS and has been for years, but is also apparently as good, if not better than, the main character. And he's been handling just as many high profile cases as Joe this entire time. Yet we haven't heard of him so far?
I don't know what I'll read next. I have about 15 books I've bought over the last two months to choose from, but I'm not sure which one I'll do
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NJUOTO/?tag=neogaf0e-20
I havent read it, but I really enjoyed his biography on FDR
Seems to be what I'm looking for. Thanks a lot!
Randy Monk
Member
Soy Sauce, Jennifer Lopez and a dog named Molly. Only 120 pages in...
I'm currently reading Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson and The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara. The latter wasn't even on my radar, but I saw it at the library and the cover looked intriguing, and the blurb quotes that said it was, "a Nabokovian phantasmagoria, bound to raise interesting, troubling questions," and that the narrator was, "misanthropic and grotesque yet simultaneously magnetic," and so forth had me sold.
I'm about 2/3 into it, and I really like it. Definitely recommend it.
Whyyyyy
*shudder*
I'm about 2/3 into it, and I really like it. Definitely recommend it.
Whyyyyy
*shudder*
Yeah, just saw that you liked my review. It was indeed all kinds of awesome!
Sigh, I'm still so stumped as to what to read, nothing is clicking at all, and no idea what the heck I'm in the mood for. Tried The Last Policeman, but just not much interest in continuing. Watching GoT last night did spark maybe a fantasy/medieval kick again, so will keep looking.
nakedsushi
Member
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara
The cover does look good. Reminds me of something from Studio Ghibli. The blurb _does_ sound good (Yes, Nabokov!), but in looking for the cover, I read some Goodreads reviews, and opinions really seem to be polarized! Interested to hear what you think after you read it.
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