KuwabaraTheMan
Banned
A little over 800 pages into Memories of Ice.
Erikson is a jerk.
I just...how could that happen?
Erikson is a jerk.
I just...how could that happen?
Fuck Kallor
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What are you reading? (August 2013)
- Thread starter Maklershed
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finished Night Film. ha this book has an app?
a lot of thoughts, fun to see gumshoe embrace cellphones and darknets but only as much as it's needed, it's not a cyberthriller. I think Flicker is probably still better and the actual last page's essence feels like the natural mirror I was expecting
Calamity is the better the book, and I liked Blue's drawings of her dad. Night Film is def a page turner though and does some fun stuff with form that also mirrors the expectance of setting a book in 2013.
Anyone read the 'lost' Shirley Jackson short story in the New Yorker a few weeks back? Paranoia is interesting
a lot of thoughts, fun to see gumshoe embrace cellphones and darknets but only as much as it's needed, it's not a cyberthriller. I think Flicker is probably still better and the actual last page's essence feels like the natural mirror I was expecting
i.e. if his films end with you not knowing who was the murderer/victim etc this ambiguousness is ok
Calamity is the better the book, and I liked Blue's drawings of her dad. Night Film is def a page turner though and does some fun stuff with form that also mirrors the expectance of setting a book in 2013.
Anyone read the 'lost' Shirley Jackson short story in the New Yorker a few weeks back? Paranoia is interesting
So I finished The Crippled God earlier this weak. I've got to say I'm a bit disappointed overall. I mean the ending was ok, but there were far to many things that were not cleared up.
Overall I really liked the series but the last book has left a really sour taste. Don't know if I'll bother with the other books.
Far too many convenient solutions like armies miraculously appearing at the perfect time. And the whole thing with the crippled god? Did they actually kill him? If so, why? Overall I really dislike how the crippled god story was handled. They built him up as this huge threat to the world and then suddenly make him into a nice old man that they're trying to save? Seriously, wtf? It wasn't even some huge twist.
Overall I really liked the series but the last book has left a really sour taste. Don't know if I'll bother with the other books.
Blazing through the Malazan Books from Steven Erikson atm (i'm at The Bonehunters). And also having read all Joe Abercrombie books i have to say that in backsight Lord of the Rings is really "simple" made fantasy. Good Vs Evil.
I like that you can't put a lot of characters from Eriksons and Abercrombie on one side.
I like that you can't put a lot of characters from Eriksons and Abercrombie on one side.
Edit: Damn Nymerio now i'm lowering my hype a little bit.
I've been meaning to finally read this before Doctor Sleep comes out.
It's between The Shining or Fahrenheit 451.
How close does the movie come to the book?
chicko1983
Member
I changed jobs and now have to catch a bus to work which is only about a 30 min ride.
I decided that I would start reading some books while on the bus as I never get much time at home to read.
I decided to buy James Joyce's "Dubliners" as I really want to read "Ulysses" by Joyce but wanted to check out if I could read his material - I had heard it is pretty difficult.
Ive read about 5-6 stories and they are really good but end a bit too abruptly for my liking.
I decided that I would start reading some books while on the bus as I never get much time at home to read.
I decided to buy James Joyce's "Dubliners" as I really want to read "Ulysses" by Joyce but wanted to check out if I could read his material - I had heard it is pretty difficult.
Ive read about 5-6 stories and they are really good but end a bit too abruptly for my liking.
Huh, I had the exact opposite experience. The Crippled God is my favorite of the Malazan books. I really loved the way the series came to an end.
Currently reading this
Take a wild guess at what recently released indie game inspired this. Two thirds through and it's actually really good.
A Human Becoming
More than a Member
Back in late 2009/2010 during a discussion I had with a professor he brought up the book Outliers. He told it concluded that people succeed through hard work. That poor summarization gave me the wrong impression of the message, which listening to it now clearly outlines opportunity playing a huge part; Success isn't possible without it. Opportunity can be economic class, location, age, timing, etc. Every "self-made man" had help along the way.
Book club thread for September is up! Everyone go find the book.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=660481
Good choice. Thats an excellent book. For some reason its the only Calvino book that I actually liked
After reading the first two chapters of RoTK last night, I think that Outlaws of the Marsh was way more tame in that aspect. But perhaps it gets more easy in the remaining 118 chapters, at least I hope so.
Movie and book are totally different beasts. I love the movie but as an adaptation, it's "not very good". Haha.
A Human Becoming
More than a Member
I didn't like the movie that much (I know, burn me to a stake). Any chance I'll like the book?
Goldfinger by Ian Fleming
That was pretty fun. I think the Bond of the earlier books is gone though given Dr. No and this one. It read like how I thought a Bond movie novelization would read which isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially that ending on the plane. Back and forth betting Bond and Goldfinger was surprisingly engrossing and it had more of the gambling Bond I enjoy so much. Never thought a round of golf could be so intense!
It's a shame Bond's ingrained racism was so present though. The man really didn't care for Koreans. Makes me wonder which ethnic group he'll complain about next.
Probably. Like I said, they're really different from each other. The movie is more about JACK NICHOLSON GOES CRAZY! The book is about family and alcoholism's effects on a family and oh there's this hotel and it's a little crazy and it just keep ratcheting up in tension and it's nuts. And then Jack Nicholson goes crazy haha.
The movie was one of the first horror movies I ever saw, so it's always gonna be close to my heart haha.
Finished The Art of Fielding. 4/5 for the baseball story that I cared about, 2/5 for anything that wasn't directly connected to baseball. That sounds like a "guy" review, but meh. I cared about the ball players, and it was a complete chore to get through the chapters that weren't either Henry's or Mike's. Could've been really fantastic if it was cut in half and really tightened up to alleviate how slow it was.
I cared about the ball players, and it was a complete chore to get through the chapters that weren't either Henry's or Mike's. Could've been really fantastic if it was cut in half and really tightened up to alleviate how slow it was.Grenouille
Member
jack's descent into madness is more gradual; we get into his head. There is topiary. Some nice scenes were not in the movie and I like the building up that was shortened. But still, if you didn't like the mood and the overall story you might waste your time if you read it again.
A little over 800 pages into Memories of Ice.
Erikson is a jerk.Fuck Kallor
Lol
Anyway, just finished Reapers Gale
Dat Karsa Orlong
Maklershed
Member
James Rollins readers/fans - what's good entree to his books?
Nice. Updated the OP of this thread.
Book club thread for September is up! Everyone go find the book.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=660481
Nice. Updated the OP of this thread.
sparky2112
Member
Finished The Art of Fielding. 4/5 for the baseball story that I cared about, 2/5 for anything that wasn't directly connected to baseball. That sounds like a "guy" review, but meh.
Yep, this. Somewhat enjoyable, but very overhyped.
TheKaeptain
Banned
T-minus 2 days until...
... comes out.
What's so special about it?
nakedsushi
Member
Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman
I read this after watching a few episodes of the Netflix show. It's less ha-ha funny than the show, but still an entertaining read. It definitely has a privileged white upper-middle-class slant to it, which she also admits to in the book.
I think the title's self explanatory!
Haunted Tank
Member
No.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman
I read this after watching a few episodes of the Netflix show. It's less ha-ha funny than the show, but still an entertaining read. It definitely has a privileged white upper-middle-class slant to it, which she also admits to in the book.
Oh cool, didn't know that was based on a book. Will check it out.
I don't know if you wanna take any more recs from me lol but I liked Subterranean and Deep Fathom.
You should be good with any of his standalone novels though. They're not very deep, just light, fun reads in the vein of Crichton or Cussler.
Book club thread for September is up! Everyone go find the book.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=660481
Oh man, I would really like to take part in a GAF book club as I read a LOT but rarely get the chance to discuss what I'm reading/have read with other people who are the least bit knowledgeable about literature, but I just read this one a little more than a month ago.
Although it's short and pretty good so maybe...
Finished The Art of Fielding. 4/5 for the baseball story that I cared about, 2/5 for anything that wasn't directly connected to baseball. That sounds like a "guy" review, but meh.
I kind of liked this but it's waaaay overhyped. I read somewhere that they are making a tv series based on this book and something tells me the story is way better suited to be told that way. (But maybe I'm having rose-tinted Friday Night Lights flashbacks)
Decided to finally read this after seeing the play last weekend (Which was fantastic, btw). I'm about fifty pages in right now and it's... weird. In the first couple pages the Tin-Man and Cowardly Lion are discussing weather the Wicked Witch has been castrated or if she's a hermaphrodite.
It's already made certain aspects of the play make a lot more sense. Such as the stage design and the mechanical dragon that sits above the stage.
I think I got about 1/4th of the way through before I gave up. I really should go back and finish it, but it just bored me so much.Finished The Art of Fielding. 4/5 for the baseball story that I cared about, 2/5 for anything that wasn't directly connected to baseball. That sounds like a "guy" review, but meh.
It is very, very different from the play. So much so, that I can't enjoy the play for its story. (Although I do like the music and set design.)
Decided to finally read this after seeing the play last weekend (Which was fantastic, btw). I'm about fifty pages in right now and it's... weird. In the first couple pages the Tin-Man and Cowardly Lion are discussing weather the Wicked Witch has been castrated or if she's a hermaphrodite.
It's already made certain aspects of the play make a lot more sense. Such as the stage design and the mechanical dragon that sits above the stage.
I think it could work as a tv show, I'm sure I'd check it out now after reading the book at least.
Yeah, I don't blame you. There were moments where I was wondering if I was going to stop reading. But as I mentioned, I was invested enough in Henry's character to see what happened. The ending is just bizarre though.
ThisWreckage
Banned
Naomi Watts is fucking banging in that movie.
Just finished:
Fingerprints: The Origins of Crime Dectection and the Murder Case That Launched Forensic Science by Colin Beavan
Very easy read, pretty interesting too.
Not sure what to start next. Generally I jump between fiction and non-fiction, and I have Lolita, The Buddha Tree, Cryptonomicon and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn on the to-read pile. But I kind of feel like reading fantasy instead... (recently read through a bunch of classics - Great Gatsby, BNW, Mockingbird) so I might grab Magician out...
Fingerprints: The Origins of Crime Dectection and the Murder Case That Launched Forensic Science by Colin Beavan
Very easy read, pretty interesting too.
Not sure what to start next. Generally I jump between fiction and non-fiction, and I have Lolita, The Buddha Tree, Cryptonomicon and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn on the to-read pile. But I kind of feel like reading fantasy instead... (recently read through a bunch of classics - Great Gatsby, BNW, Mockingbird) so I might grab Magician out...
TheKaeptain
Banned
Not really.
CrichtonKicks
Member
Not Subterranean, I'll tell you that. Only book of his that I've read and while I thought the first half was pretty enjoyable it just went off the rails completely in the second half.
Still, it's his first book so I'm willing to give it a pass and try one of his later ones. May start with Sandstorm since I believe that it's the first of the Sigma Force novels.
Finished listening to this over the weekend:
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer
Really enjoyable and informative (more research, less self help). Does anyone know any other memoir type books like this where the author is documenting something he's trying out in an unbiased fashion?
Started up this as my next audiobook:
Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel by Michio Kaku
Loving it so far
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer
Really enjoyable and informative (more research, less self help). Does anyone know any other memoir type books like this where the author is documenting something he's trying out in an unbiased fashion?
Started up this as my next audiobook:
Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel by Michio Kaku
Loving it so far
SJRB
Gold Member
Coming off of games like Kerbal Space Program and movies like Moon and Oblivion I am in the mood for good books revolving around space. Space, astronauts, planetary travel. No fantasy like Warhammer Space Marines or something, just relatively grounded fiction.
I have no idea where to begin, do you guys have any suggestions?
I have no idea where to begin, do you guys have any suggestions?
I thought it was wonderful until the end, where I thought it really fell apart. I've often felt with Stephenson's books that he writes them until he gets bored of the ideas on hand and then he just ends the book as quickly as possible, moving onto his next obsession.
It's been said elsewhere that this feels like a story just begging to be made into a film, and it's easy to see that it's undoubtedly the most film friendly (in terms of setting and plot) of Stephenson's books. It seems tailor made to be an HBO or AMC mini series.
There are some great characters in the book, with Zula Forthrast taking the spotlight of Novel Favourite for me.There are also some very imaginative scenes that show Stephenson operating on full goddamn throttle. These were the highlights for me. Not my favourite of his books, but I don't regret the time I spent with it.
OfWhiteSkinOnRedLeather
Member
Went to the library and borrowed A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham. I only got a chance to read around half the prologue so far, but is it supposed to read like a kids book? I seriously feel like I'm reading a book written for kids in their early teens.
xXBetter Off DadXx
Member
Ooooo yeah. I am looking for something along these lines also, thanks for bringing it up.
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