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[NEO0MJ]

Like, an author who's novels are interesting because you get the feeling that the author themselves is interesting.

Haruki Murakami feels like that. I think he has a unique style. Though I don't read nearly as much as the people here so I could be off.

 

[Deleted member 125677]

I'm not quite sure what you mean about "a modern Hemningway", but I'm sure there are plenty of authors who still write (or used to write) in in beautifully crafted simple syntax and don't over-explain everything.

Salter, Chandler, Carver and McCarthy immediately comes to mind


Also: R.I.P. Günter Grass

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

And I certainly don't disagree with the sentiment.

I mainly take umbrage with his phrasing. He says it as if any adult who can read and enjoy Harry Potter and other YA books must only read those types of books and couldn't possibly go out of their way to find less mainstream, more challenging literature. It just reeks of elitism and generalization.

But yes, ultimately it's a nitpick over something that he could have said with more tact.

That's what I was getting at, yeah.

Finished "Nobody Gets the Girl" and it was an interesting take on the superhero story. It's solipsist in a way, I think, but the ending is kind of at odds with that.

Spoiler

I mean, if the person who 'created' the universe is dead (twice over, even) how does the universe not implode? Keeps you from having a sequel I guess.

Started reading The Necromancer on Saturday. I'm only a chapter in but it's so good. it's like Stephen Fry and Monty Python decided to write a book together. I was actually reading it as Stephen Fry in my head and didn't even realize it. I just need a decent German accent to pull for Cabal and I'd be set.

 

[Mr.Swag]

I'm not quite sure what you mean about "a modern Hemningway", but I'm sure there are plenty of authors who still write (or used to write) in in beautifully crafted simple syntax and don't over-explain everything.

Salter, Chandler, Carver and McCarthy immediately comes to mind


Also: R.I.P. Günter Grass

I'm familiar with Mccarthy. Who are the other three?

 

[Necrovex]

Finished Station Eleven. Solid ass piece of literature. I understand why it did so well with the National Book Award.

Now I'm eyeballing a longer novel, it's a debate between A Little Life, 11/22/63, or The Wind-Up Bird Chroncles. So many to choose from! I'm leaning towards Murakami though.

 

[Nymerio]

About to start The Skull Throne.

 

[Deleted member 125677]

I'm familiar with Mccarthy. Who are the other three?

Raymond Carver

Raymond Chandler

James Salter

 

[kamineko]

Amy modern day Hemingways?

Like, an author who's novels are interesting because you get the feeling that the author themselves is interesting.

Basically, any modern day authors with a voice?

Like, if you showed me a page out of a random Kurt Vonnegut novel, I would be able to tell its Vonnegut. Hemingway as well.

Plz n thx

He's been dead a while, but I like Jim Thompson a lot. Some of his books were made into memorable films.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Thompson_(writer)

& Robert Stone. Books like A Flag for Sunrise and Dog Soldiers are simultaneously literary and unpretentious. My favorite US author.

 

[Dispatch]

I'm about 60 pages into Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. As a middle-aged man with responsibilities, I can really identify with the main character.

After plodding through Assassin's Quest by Hobb, it's a welcome change to read a book that's pulling me in.

 

[bengraven]

Downloading Dan Simmons' newest historical horror off of Audible as we speak:

I love that guys historical books.
Drood = Fantastic all the way through
The Terror = Chilling as hell until the ending
The Abominable = Great first half

So I'm a little reserved when it comes to hype for this one, but I feel Simmons is the best historical fiction writer today so I trust in his ability to at least get me hooked

I've been meaning to read these books of his. I was really getting into The Terror until I was spoiled on the ending. At least I was told

Spoiler

it's about a giant monster bear and everyone dies

so maybe I can try again. I own Drood, got it for 2 bucks at Dollar General in their bargain books area, so maybe I'll have to give that a try.

 

[PassiveObserver]

I, Claduis by Robert Graves

It's surprisingly easy to read so far, even though I'm not well-versed in Roman history.

 

[Mr.Swag]

Finished Station Eleven. Solid ass piece of literature. I understand why it did so well with the National Book Award.

Now I'm eyeballing a longer novel, it's a debate between A Little Life, 11/22/63, or The Wind-Up Bird Chroncles. So many to choose from! I'm leaning towards Murakami though.

11/22/63 ggoooo for it

 

[Necrovex]

11/22/63 ggoooo for it

Murakami won out in the end. But 11/22/63 will be read in the very near future! That will actually be my first King novel.

 

[Mr.Swag]

Murakami won out in the end. But 11/22/63 will be read in the very near future! That will actually be my first King novel.

It was my first of his and I loved it.

I also read the wind up bird chronicle.
Meh, at times it was amazing, and at times I just didn't want to continue. Its different though, so it is worth reading.
Good luck

 

[Necrovex]

It was my first of his and I loved it.

I also read the wind up bird chronicle.
Meh, at times it was amazing, and at times I just didn't want to continue. Its different though, so it is worth reading.
Good luck

I can see myself loving it since I'm an extreme Murakami lover. Maybe I'll read King as my big boy book once I finish my read of the third Harry Potter book.

And it looks kikely I'll start up on Silmarillion again. I remember Mumei posting up a podcast where a cast of Tolkien nuts dissect each chapter of that book. Can anyone lead me to it?

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Finished Rain: A Natural and Cultural History

Rain is easily up there for one of the easiest and fastest nonfiction reads out there. The writer makes the subject pretty fascination. Her way of writing brings to life Rain in numerous ways. From the telling of its effect on the development of clothing and arts (like Mackintosh's) to even its effect on numerous world religions from of course the four great river valley locations to even middle ages Europe to modern times with great storms and hurricanes, Rain;s effect on life is brought to life in a fascinating way. I enjoyed this book and will easily recommend it to many others who are interested in its effects.

The book goes even into detail about the effects on the lack of rain or even people being deluded by times of great rain. For example the book describes the time from the Louisiana purchase in which people saw the change of the Great American Desert to a region of great rains and plentiful farming to times of drought and then great rain again and ultimately back to the time of the American Dust Bowl and even drought across the entire country (I believe it was 46 of 48 states). It even went into some detail about the current one happening in California and other parts of the west. Additionally issues concerning availability of water to the environment and even people in places like Los Angelas and Miami was detailed. If there was one thing I wanted from this was a bit more on the human engineering potion of this. The Los Angelas and Miami part covered this but if she had detailed human pipeline plumbing for bringing water to the masses, not just the diverting of stormwater to the ocean and now back to natural reservoirs (of course polluted), then I think the book would have even been more fascinating than it already was.

I really love how its more than just a science factoid book but one with live people talking about its effects on them and the numerous ways its been important in life. Some of the minor snippets included are relevant to today from the development of the Climate center in america, to the weather channel, to clothing and even rubber, there is something for everyone interested in how science can affect culture and more.

 

[Mumei]

DTL, that actually... sounds like a book I'd like to read.

I can see myself loving it since I'm an extreme Murakami lover. Maybe I'll read King as my big boy book once I finish my read of the third Harry Potter book.

And it looks kikely I'll start up on Silmarillion again. I remember Mumei posting up a podcast where a cast of Tolkien nuts dissect each chapter of that book. Can anyone lead me to it?

I just searched my posts with the word "Silmarillion" in them and found it~

 

[ShaneB]

Just had my first day back to reading outside on my lunch break. Fantastic.

 

[Althane]

About to start The Skull Throne.

I'm going to write Peter V. Brett every day until he comes out with The Core.

Spoiler

The bastard every book to end on such painful cliffhangers!

 

[obin_gam]

I've been meaning to read these books of his. I was really getting into The Terror until I was spoiled on the ending. At least I was told

Spoiler

it's about a giant monster bear and everyone dies

so maybe I can try again. I own Drood, got it for 2 bucks at Dollar General in their bargain books area, so maybe I'll have to give that a try.

The problem with The Terror isnt the spoiler though, thats actually one of the more endearing things. The problems are the last few chapters which both changes the book and drags it down.

Drood is a masterpiece. Read it A.S.A.P. but make sure you read it at night, in an armchair in front of a lit candle or fireplace

Am a few chapters into The Fifth Heart now and it connects more to Drood than one would think, which is a good thing. It isnt as horror-like as Drood, but it got the same mindfulness-existensial-paranoia-thingy down to a T.

 

[Piecake]

Not sure which I will read first, but just got these two

To most of us, learning something "the hard way" implies wasted time and effort. Good teaching, we believe, should be creatively tailored to the different learning styles of students and should use strategies that make learning easier. Make It Stick "turns fashionable ideas like these on their head. Drawing on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology and other disciplines, the authors offer concrete techniques for becoming more productive learners.

Memory plays a central role in our ability to carry out complex cognitive tasks, such as applying knowledge to problems never before encountered and drawing inferences from facts already known. New insights into how memory is encoded, consolidated, and later retrieved have led to a better understanding of how we learn. Grappling with the impediments that make learning challenging leads both to more complex mastery and better retention of what was learned.

Many common study habits and practice routines turn out to be counterproductive. Underlining and highlighting, rereading, cramming, and single-minded repetition of new skills create the illusion of mastery, but gains fade quickly. More complex and durable learning come from self-testing, introducing certain difficulties in practice, waiting to re-study new material until a little forgetting has set in, and interleaving the practice of one skill or topic with another. Speaking most urgently to students, teachers, trainers, and athletes, Make It Stick "will appeal to all those interested in the challenge of lifelong learning and self-improvement.

When the delegates left the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in September 1787, the new Constitution they had written was no more than a proposal. Elected conventions in at least nine of the thirteen states would have to ratify it before it could take effect. There was reason to doubt whether that would happen. The document we revere today as the foundation of our country’s laws, the cornerstone of our legal system, was hotly disputed at the time. Some Americans denounced the Constitution for threatening the liberty that Americans had won at great cost in the Revolutionary War. One group of fiercely patriotic opponents even burned the document in a raucous public demonstration on the Fourth of July.

In this splendid new history, Pauline Maier tells the dramatic story of the yearlong battle over ratification that brought such famous founders as Washington, Hamilton, Madison, Jay, and Henry together with less well-known Americans who sometimes eloquently and always passionately expressed their hopes and fears for their new country. Men argued in taverns and coffeehouses; women joined the debate in their parlors; broadsides and newspaper stories advocated various points of view and excoriated others. In small towns and counties across the country people read the document carefully and knew it well. Americans seized the opportunity to play a role in shaping the new nation. Then the ratifying conventions chosen by "We the People" scrutinized and debated the Constitution clause by clause.

Although many books have been written about the Constitutional Convention, this is the first major history of ratification. It draws on a vast new collection of documents and tells the story with masterful attention to detail in a dynamic narrative. Each state’s experience was different, and Maier gives each its due even as she focuses on the four critical states of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York, whose approval of the Constitution was crucial to its success.

The New Yorker Gilbert Livingston called his participation in the ratification convention the greatest transaction of his life. The hundreds of delegates to the ratifying conventions took their responsibility seriously, and their careful inspection of the Constitution can tell us much today about a document whose meaning continues to be subject to interpretation. Ratification is the story of the founding drama of our nation, superbly told in a history that transports readers back more than two centuries to reveal the convictions and aspirations on which our country was built.

 

[Jintor]

So there was a little character poll thing on Suvudu that pitted characters against one another or something and ended up with Susan Sto Helit v Felurian v Death of the Endless. Results here! Written by Patrick Rothfuss, oddly enough.

 

[Nuke Soda]

350 pages into Shogun, going slow, but I am really liking it.

Any good Japanese horror books that are translated that you can recommend? Don't know why, but I have an urge to read some.

 

[op_ivy]

the shining. finally.

absolutely terrific sense of dread for what you know is coming.

 

[Mackenzie 92]

Finished up Replay again by Ken Grimwood. Think I enjoyed it even more the second go round. Also finished these up over the past month or so.


Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky

Great.


Secret Window, Secret Garden by Stephen King

Was just OK for me. Movie was better.



The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

Thought it was a cool concept, but the execution was boring and uninspired imo.

 

[Firework]

so like is dark places as good as gone girl?

 

[veela]

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?

Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.

I'm half way through and love it already.

 

[dr labson]

I've been reading Ninja Slayer Machine of Vengeance (Not sure if it counts, but it is a novel) in preparation for the Ninja Slayer anime.
It's surprisingly good.
I recommend to anyone who like really campy and awesome ninja/yakuza/stereotypical Japanese tropes.

 

[Maklershed]

Finished On Stranger Tides the other day. It was a fun romp and tied well with a marathon session of Black Sails season one. My only complaint is I would've liked more straight up pirate stuff and less Harry Potter.

Now reading A Slant of Light by Jeffrey Lent


A Slant of Light by Jeffrey Lent

so like is dark places as good as gone girl?

Not in my opinion. Gone Girl was good, Sharp Objects was decent, and Dark Places was meh.

 

[Big-E]

Finished reading the Horus Heresy book Nemesis. Liked the fact it didn't focus on Astartes and had some good action. Will try and pick up one of Adrian Goldworthy's Roman history books for my next read based on GAF recommendations.

 

[Plasticine]

Made it through The Slab City Event by Nate Southard. Not so much a novel, really. It's more a collection of inter-connected short stories centered around the titular zombie outbreak. Set at a custom car, bike and rat rod show each chapter of the book shifts characters. Some star the greasers and hep cats that attend the show while others center around the locals. But regardless of where they came from, they're all hilarious, unique and colorful. Southard switches up his style and even his tense to suit the starring character, with one notable chapter featuring gonzo-esque prose to accompany an old burn out seventies reject. It's a quick read, that's filled with great prose and fun moments. While the stories are mostly stand alone situations, they still have enough connective tissue where reading them all makes each piece more rewarding than if you had tackled them as singular tales. Thanks to this approach, and the colorful setting, The Slab City Event is a pretty unique take on the zombie genre. Definitely worth seeking out if you're a fan of the genre and want something a little different.

Up next:

 

[Mackenzie 92]

Started this last night.


The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Not in my opinion. Gone Girl was good, Sharp Objects was decent, and Dark Places was meh.

Pretty much my thoughts on them as well.

 

[fakefaker]

Finished up City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett and thought it was pretty amazing! Can't wait for the sequel.

I've been heading to a lot of book sales and collecting older more rare books, especially if they have the jacket, so gonna start working on those. Going to start with Lord of Terror by Sydney Horler.

 

[RepairmanJack]

Finished The Light Fantastic. I thought it was ok, but it really dragged on after a certain point. It was pretty much leading in a predictable point and was mostly just random occurances up until that point that had little to do with the story as a whole. It took me a while to get through for that reason.

I'm about a quarter through Ready Player One, so far I'm liking the idea of the book, but so much of it reads like someone did some research on the subjects and then decided to randomly work in lists of references. It almost reads like a kids book report that didn't read the book but instead read the wiki and listed as much as he could in random paragraphs whenever it fit. "I was bored in class so I decided to read my physical book I made. Did I mention I read everything by Stephen King, Douglas Adams, Kurt Vonnegut, Neal Stephenson, etc? Oh movies? Did I mention I watched all the great directors Cameron, Gilliam, Fincher, Kubrick?"

It feels like it's all just filler. Move on to the actual story!

 

[whatevermort]

Finished The Light Fantastic. I thought it was ok, but it really dragged on after a certain point. It was pretty much leading in a predictable point and was mostly just random occurances up until that point that had little to do with the story as a whole. It took me a while to get through for that reason.

I'm about a quarter through Ready Player One, so far I'm liking the idea of the book, but so much of it reads like someone did some research on the subjects and then decided to randomly work in lists of references. It almost reads like a kids book report that didn't read the book but instead read the wiki and listed as much as he could in random paragraphs whenever it fit. "I was bored in class so I decided to read my physical book I made. Did I mention I read everything by Stephen King, Douglas Adams, Kurt Vonnegut, Neal Stephenson, etc? Oh movies? Did I mention I watched all the great directors Cameron, Gilliam, Fincher, Kubrick?"

It feels like it's all just filler. Move on to the actual story!

There is no story. It's an MMO fetch quest dressed up in nostalgia. Sorry to have to be the one to tell you...

 

[RepairmanJack]

There is no story. It's an MMO fetch quest dressed up in nostalgia. Sorry to have to be the one to tell you...

...god dammit.

The bad thing is it doesn't even read like nostalgia. It reads like someone is going down a check list of stuff people MAY be nostalgic about. A quarter in so far it's literally just random occurences to bring up lists of random shit.

 

[Necrovex]

I'm sadden to say this, but nearing the 40% line, I am not clicking with Wind-Up Bird Chroncles. Some parts are holy shit amazing but other parts are so mind dullingly boring. And I'm a major Murakami fan to boot! I will finish the books but the boring parts are really bloody boring.

 

[Mumei]

I'm saddened to say this, but nearing the 40% line, I am not clicking with Wind-Up Bird Chroncles. Some parts are holy shit amazing but other parts are so mind dullingly boring. And I'm a major Murakami fan to boot! I will finish the books but the boring parts are really bloody boring.

What parts are boring you?

 

[Necrovex]

What parts are boring you?

Normally it's just the describing of the scene, like I feel Murakami meanders and won't move on during these moments. My mind just zones out during these segments, like the climbing down the well sequence. However I love the conversations, the character stories like Miyama's tale, and the actual characters are intriguing too, like Wataya.

It can leap from a three star tale to a five star tale at a drop of a hat.

 

[Nappuccino]

Normally it's just the describing of the scene, like I feel Murakami meanders and won't move on during these moments. My mind just zones out during these segments, like the climbing down the well sequence. However I love the conversations, the character stories like Miyama's tale, and the actual characters are intriguing too, like Wataya.

It can leap from a three star tale to a five star tale at a drop of a hat.

The last 70 pages or so really put things back on track, but I struggled with some of the same complaints as you during my reading.

 

[aidan]

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

From Aidan Moher—Hugo Award-winning editor of A Dribble of Ink—comes Tide of Shadows and Other Stories, a collection of five science fiction and fantasy short stories spanning from a star-faring military science fiction tale of love and sacrifice, to a romp through the dragon-infested Kingdom of Copperkettle Vale.

“A Night for Spirits and Snowflakes” is the story of a young man reliving the last moments of his fellow soldiers’ lives; “The Girl with Wings of Iron and Down” tells the tale of a broken family and a girl with mechanical wings; “Of Parnassus and Princes, Damsels and Dragons” introduces a typical prince, princess, and dragon—and a not-so-typical love triangle; “The Colour of the Sky on the Day the World Ended” follows a girl and her ghost dog as they search for a bright light in the darkness; and “Tide of Shadows” is about a soldier and his lover, a mother, and planetwide genocide.

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.

Spoiler

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.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Picking my way through the Discworld Watch novels. Finished Guards, Guards! and on to Men at Arms.

Excellent novels, btw. Wish I'd started them sooner.

 

[BossLackey]

Currently Reading Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land.

Almost done and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Not what I expected at all. It's very.....culty.

 

[Necrovex]

The last 70 pages or so really put things back on track, but I struggled with some of the same complaints as you during my reading.

I'm excited to reach that point. I'll probably put Murakami away for a while once I complete this work. Like besides that complaint, it's a wonderful novel, but those lows hit hard.

Aiden, how much did you bribe Cyan?

 

[aidan]

Aiden, how much did you bribe Cyan?

I'm shipping him my signed collection of Terry Brooks' Shannara novels.

 

[Necrovex]

I'm shipping him my signed collection of Terry Brooks' Shannara novels.

This is going to cause a major scandal. It's about ethics in forum moderation. #NeoGate

 

[mu cephei]

Currently reading:

The White Spider is pretty good. It's interesting how Harrer presents the psychology and character of the various of mountaineers/ climbers he talks about. Also it seems he's trying really hard to be fair and unbiased, only to give some really backhanded compliments. The parts describing various climbs are really excellent.

Sharps hasn't really grabbed me so far. I haven't read The Hammer yet, but I don't suppose it matters that I'm reading them out of order, as they're standalones. I'm also going to read something by Hemingway (for the Creative Writing thread) as it's appalling I never have. I don't know what, though. Something short!

I was thinking today about A Little Life, and I realised the unlikeliness of everything is actually the point. The good things were giving me a sort of Fairy Tale feel, but I didn't think that was quite right, only they hadn't struck me as every bit as unlikely as the bad things.

 

[sparky2112]

The White Spider is pretty good. It's interesting how Harrer presents the psychology and character of the various of mountaineers/ climbers he talks about. Also it seems he's trying really hard to be fair and unbiased, only to give some really backhanded compliments. The parts describing various climbs are really excellent.

While in Switzerland, I found the Eiger fascinating. It's essentially *in town*, and there are literally houses built right up to the base of it - the base basically being the starts of the face that the climbers attempt. It's just straight up. Nutty.

 

[mu cephei]

While in Switzerland, I found the Eiger fascinating. It's essentially *in town*, and there are literally houses built right up to the base of it - the base basically being the starts of the face that the climbers attempt. It's just straight up. Nutty.

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).

 

[Tragicomedy]

Reading GAF! My short fiction collection

All you need to do now is develop offensive homophobic values and you'll be a shoe-in for a second Hugo.