What are you reading? (August 2014)

Finished up One Summer: America 1927 by Bill Bryson. I really enjoyed it. I didn't really know much about that time period besides what I've seen in passing during movies or from what I gathered from The Great Gatsby. The writing kept things from getting stale and I felt I really learned a lot. Only downside is that I apparently read through nonfiction very slowly. I think in the future I will read nonfiction along side fiction to keep some variety.

Now on to working through more of the Cosmere. Currently reading Elantris by Brandon Sanderson.
 
duckroll said:
Finished up Annihilation pretty quickly. Really short book. That was a good read. Haly keeps talking about this "New Weird" movement, but I've heard of it before. The book reminded me a lot of Lovecraft, but in a much more modern and concise way. Very captivating setting, with just the right mix of dread and wonder. The scope was what surprised me the most, because it was a book which felt like a short story. The restrain on the narrative made the tone much stronger because like all good mysterious settings, it's what we don't know or understand which makes the horror more effective.

Looking forward to digging through the next book soon.
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I just finished it as well. The only thing I'll add to your description is that there's a strong element of Lost to it as well. Fans of that tv show will probably eat this stuff up(at least, depending on how the second one goes). It's got me captivated as well, especially with the premise of the second book. The Kindle sample is full of revelations!
 
Finishing up The Crimson Campaign.

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I love the series so far but it can be a bit uneven at times. Looking forward to the next book.
 
Finished this last night.

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I rarely venture into military sci-fi because 99.9% of it seems to be right wing military fetishism, but Germline happens to be one of the .01% that isn't. This book is a barely coherent coming-of-age for a drug addict, fuck up of a reporter who gets too deep into it all and ends up staying on the front line for years. Despite what the cover may suggest, this book is extremely bleak and much of it deals with the utter terror that is warfare. This isn't the type of book you "enjoy" so I can't say I did, but I am glad I read it.
 
It pleases me to see so much VanderMeer love in this thread. It gives me warm fuzzies, like a rabbit at the edge of Area X.


Now go read the Ambergris books.
 
Currently listening to the audiobook of
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Not bad, about 1/2 way through. Definitely a lot more in depth on the existential front compared to the film.
 
ЯAW;124353197 said:
Better read book 1&2 first, might not want to order third after them. Book starts out strong but it does fizzels a lot towards to end.
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enjoying it so far. and well i watched dexter to conclusion; i have a problem with completing things when i begin.

teruterubozu said:
I would go with Sputnik Sweetheart or Kafka on the Shore if you liked Norwegian Wood. 1Q84 is more his "alternate reality" books.
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thanks, i might just add those to the amazon order. i'm liking 1Q84, the alt reality is interesting in how subtle it is, at least atm.

Jag said:
As in the Beatles song?
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comes from the beatles' song, main character hears it on a plane and it begins a flashback to his college years in late 60s japan.
 
besada said:
It pleases me to see so much VanderMeer love in this thread. It gives me warm fuzzies, like a rabbit at the edge of Area X.


Now go read the Ambergris books.
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City of Saints and Madmen is one of my favorite things.

Have you read his Third Bear collection? I've been thinking of picking that up for the past few days.
 
Nappuccino said:
City of Saints and Madmen is one of my favorite things.

Have you read his Third Bear collection? I've been thinking of picking that up for the past few days.
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I have it, but haven't read it yet. I picked it up in his weird bundle with a bunch of other stuff I haven't gotten to, yet.

I love CoSaM, and Shriek, and to a slightly lesser extent, Finch. Although Finch gets extra points for fungal guns.
 
besada said:
I have it, but haven't read it yet. I picked it up in his weird bundle with a bunch of other stuff I haven't gotten to, yet.

I love CoSaM, and Shriek, and to a slightly lesser extent, Finch. Although Finch gets extra points for fungal guns.
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I wanted to like Shriek, but I'm predisposed to dislike journal-style works. It removes some of the suspense when I know the writer of that section is going to make it ok--I mean, they're writing that entry after all. (I stopped reading Shriek mid-way through because of school, so that element may have changed.) But that was part of why Annihilation didn't stick for me the first time through. However, now that I know what it's doing, it works . . . so I'll probably give Shriek a retry once I re-read CoSaM, if I ever get my copy back.
 
mug said:
Currently listening to the audiobook of
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Not bad, about 1/2 way through. Definitely a lot more in depth on the existential front compared to the film.
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The Mercerites are fascinating - it's one of the plot elements sorely lacking in Blade Runner.
 
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Finished this yesterday. I'm surprised how hard it was to put down these books. The writing is really briskly paced and things are engaging enough to keep going without really needing to stop. Authority is a really different book from Annihilation though. It's not just the shift in setting or perspective either. While the first book felt very much like a modern Lovecraft tale meant to built atmosphere and create the sense of dread, Authority is built more like a scifi mystery novel which develops in a really leisurely way. While Annihilation was about weird stuff constantly happening and the first person account moving the narrative forward, Authority is more about making connections in the threads and expanding the view without much actually happening - punctuated with some really effective moments of weirdness as the shadows start to grow longer and the sense of dread from Annihilation starts to creep back into the corner of the eye.

Really enjoyable books, and it'll be really interesting to see how the trilogy ends next month.
 
I started reading The Giver, since the movie is coming out. I've owned the book since I was like 10, but I've never cared to read it. From what I've seen of the movie's trailers, the story seams pretty neat, so I'm giving the book a chance and it's pretty cool so far. I wasn't aware of how sci-fi the premise was. I definitely recommend it, even though it's a bit short since it's a children's/young adult novel.
 
FourMyle said:
I rarely venture into military sci-fi because 99.9% of it seems to be right wing military fetishism, but Germline happens to be one of the .01% that isn't...
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That's a thing? All I've read(if we're delineating between action adventure that's got galactic armies tied in versus soldiering type stuff) are the very similarly named Forever War and Old Man's War. Didn't get that vibe from either of those. Both are good, by the way.
 
duckroll said:
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Finished this yesterday. I'm surprised how hard it was to put down these books. The writing is really briskly paced and things are engaging enough to keep going without really needing to stop. Authority is a really different book from Annihilation though. It's not just the shift in setting or perspective either. While the first book felt very much like a modern Lovecraft tale meant to built atmosphere and create the sense of dread, Authority is built more like a scifi mystery novel which develops in a really leisurely way. While Annihilation was about weird stuff constantly happening and the first person account moving the narrative forward, Authority is more about making connections in the threads and expanding the view without much actually happening - punctuated with some really effective moments of weirdness as the shadows start to grow longer and the sense of dread from Annihilation starts to creep back into the corner of the eye.

Really enjoyable books, and it'll be really interesting to see how the trilogy ends next month.
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Did you notice that the first book is haunting the second one?
 
Currently reading Limit by Frank Schatzing. Science fiction. Long, some 1000 pages as big softcover.

Can't say i really like it. It is semi-plausible, realistic overall some oddities aside (there is no way we get He-3 fusion to work and commercialized in within 10 years, the story is set in 2025, working space elevator within the same time is also questionable). But perhaps majority of readers don't actually have issue with those. Unfortunately it doesn't feel anything special. It is like modern day with some extra stuff. Dull setting as it is presented in the book.
It is slow, the plot really begins some 250 pages into book....
The characters aren't really interesting or sympathetic, IMO at least, perhaps others find them more interesting. One main character is supposed to be a cyber-detective but the way he is presented, it feels like he is more of bad action hero who asks his computer to do stuff for him.

On the other hand, it isn't nearly as bad as the last scifi book i picked at random (whose name i can't remember but it was badly (said bookisms, no "show, don't tell", a lot of unnecessary exposition and whatever else) written cliche space opera that wasn't even particularly good. Never bothered reading past 1/3rd into book).

Oh, and the back cover has huge spoilers. Fucking hate blurbs on the back cover, they're like bad trailers filled with spoilers... I can't remember the last time when i saw a blurb that actually made the book sound interesting yet didn't actually spoil anything.
 
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I am almost finished with this and It is an interesting read. The first half was a bit dull, but still informative. I found the second half of the book more interesting. I especially like the part about stock traders, pundits, and experts and the illusion of skill, though I might be suffering from confirmation bias ;) The chapters on behavioral economics was interesting as well.

I have a feeling that I would need to read a similar book for this stuff to sink in. I don't read much psychology and really never thought about biases and thinking in the manner that the author is talking about, so I don't think one book is going to make me change for the better. Here is hoping something seeped in though.
 
Just finished up The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm back to back. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed them. I can be (sometimes unfairly) quite picky with mysteries.

Anyone have an recommendations of mysteries similar to those mentioned above? I'd prefer modern-day. Doesn't have to be British. I have to new Veronica Mars book, but I really need to feed this mystery itch. Thanks :)
 
I just put a hold on Annihilation at the library, given the praise it has been getting in the thread. Don't let me down GAF!
 
geestack said:
I just put a hold on Annihilation at the library, given the praise it has been getting in the thread. Don't let me down GAF!
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It's very different than most books-—it's very internalized, there are a good number of segments where it's just the main character thinking and interpreting things she's seen—but once you come to terms with that, it's quite good.

I just finished up my second read through, and the book gelled a lot better this time since I knew what Vandermeer was attempting from the outset. The last passages resonated a lot more than they did before.

I'm going to re-read Daniel Sada's Almost Never (well, re-read half and finish the rest), and then start Authority.
 
besada said:
Did you notice that the first book is haunting the second one?
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In what sense? I'm sure there are a bunch of things I've missed, but I really did like that a lot of the connections between the two books are a matter of context rather than direct consequences or follow ups. In the sense Control literally spends the entire book chasing after ghosts he doesn't fully understand, but the reader obviously does based on the first book.
 
duckroll said:
In what sense? I'm sure there are a bunch of things I've missed, but I really did like that a lot of the connections between the two books are a matter of context rather than direct consequences or follow ups. In the sense Control literally spends the entire book chasing after ghosts he doesn't fully understand, but the reader obviously does based on the first book.
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He hears snatches of conversations in the hallways that are from the first book.
 
besada said:
He hears snatches of conversations in the hallways that are from the first book.
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Really? I remember where were some scenes where he would hear random unconnected stuff in the background, but I didn't think that they would be out of context lines from the first book. That's pretty cool.
 
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I had stalled on this book after getting halfway through, so I decided to finish it up over the last two days. Traitor's Blade is a low-fantasy, three musketeers'ish tale that deals with redemption, loyalty and loss. There is nothing ground breaking in this book but the execution is what turns it into an enjoyable read. There is quite a bit of action and despair, but the first book in this trilogy does end on a positive note (which felt very nice after having read so much grimdark fantasy over the last few years).

TTG said:
That's a thing? All I've read(if we're delineating between action adventure that's got galactic armies tied in versus soldiering type stuff) are the very similarly named Forever War and Old Man's War. Didn't get that vibe from either of those. Both are good, by the way.
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Is it ever. There is a huge market for that kind of stuff and that's where people like John Ringo made their careers. I've also read those books. Loved Forever War and enjoyed Old Man's War!
 
Finished Oscar Wilde's complete poems. Read them chronologically, and he got better as he went on. The last one, "Ballad of Reading Gaol", is very different from all the rest, and intense both in feeling and theme. I'll continue with his essays and letters, but first:

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Tokyo (called "The Devil in Nanking" in some countries) by Mo Hayder. Nice to break things up with a real crime novel once in a while.
 
Tragicomedy said:
I don't remember a single typo in the Black Company series, but I read them in the packaged trilogy editions.

As far as the series goes, I found it phenomenal. The story really grows into an epic fantasy tale. I'll admit it won me over from the start, so if you're struggling with finding it interesting that may not change.

Being in the military made me especially drawn to the camaraderie between all the Company members.
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Thanks for your input, I know you love the books and you have good taste. It's an e-book copy I got from my library, so I'm thinking of buying the print version. The formatting issues are making the plot really difficult to follow. :( I do like Croaker so far, though.

In the meantime, I'm jumping on the Annihilation bandwagon. Looking forward to reading it!
 
Finished:
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It's a shame Vandermeer decided it would be a good use of his time to jack off onto a typewriter and graft the result to the original quartet in City of Saints and Madmen. By the time I reached The Exchange, I just wanted it to be over so I skimmed through all of it. Even at the end of the book, where he talks about the fonts used for every story (something I missed because Kindles only display one font, one of the weaknesses of e-pub actually), I couldn't escape the wet, slapping sounds of him masturbating furiously to his own ego.

Anyway I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Ambergris novels and the Southern Reach trilogy someday, but I don't ever want to see him wanking himself to a drunken stupor ever again.

Starting:
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10% of the way in. Enjoyable so far.
 
I'm almost at the end of A Dance with Dragons. I've got less than 100 pages to go. I don't know what I"ll read next, but now, I can join everyone else in the wait for The Winds of Winter.
 
I started reading Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash yesterday. I'm really enjoying it so far, it's already clear just how much it influenced films etc. that came afterwards.
 
I just finished The Mote in God's Eye. I love first contact novels, especially where humans are the one's to initiate contract such as Speaker for the Dead. Any recommendations for others I should check out?
 
Finally started reading Eragon a while ago (currently near the end of the 2nd book). Typical High Fantasy stuff and Eragon can me an annoying Emo sometimes but it's enjoyable. Maybe I'll be able to finish the series until:

The Broken Eye: Book 3 of Lightbringer by Brent Weeks (Aug 26, 2014)

Really hyped for this one as I love the Lightbringer series so far.
 
Maklershed said:
EDIT: For those who have read it - Can I read Galveston now that I've watched True Detective s1 or does it seem like there's still a lot of the book left untouched for s2?
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Galveston's about a totally different set of characters and takes place mostly along the Texas coast, so you're safe to read it. I read it while True Detective was airing and there's no overlap at all. Great book.

FYI, Tana French's Broken Harbor is the Kindle Daily Deal today for $2.99. I've enjoyed the other Dublin Murder Squad books so I'm definitely picking it up.
 
Ace 8095 said:
I just finished The Mote in God's Eye. I love first contact novels, especially where humans are the one's to initiate contract such as Speaker for the Dead. Any recommendations for others I should check out?
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You'll want to stick a bookmark in for October, when Michel Faber (who wrote Under The Skin) has a new novel released called The Book Of Strange New Things. It's a first contact novel, about humans on a planet with some aliens and the bible and stuff. It's pretty good!
 
-Cade said:
Sweet. That's what I'll start next, then.
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I lied! I went to the library and not only did the librarian let me in early on an upcoming book sale (where I picked up a few of the later Dark Tower series for $0.25 each [including the full color illustration version of The Wizard in Glass]) but I also picked up Snowblind by Christopher Golden. So THAT'S probably what I'll be reading next as I don't like to get close to due dates on library books.
 
-Cade said:
Yeah, after reading the sample I bought The Sisters Brothers. Sample was so unlike everything else I've ever read before so I thought I'd give it a shot. Haven't started it yet though.
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ShaneB said:
It's fantastic.
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Its a very fun read.

ShaneB - no Seahawks this year?

EverythingShiny said:
Galveston's about a totally different set of characters and takes place mostly along the Texas coast, so you're safe to read it. I read it while True Detective was airing and there's no overlap at all. Great book.

FYI, Tana French's Broken Harbor is the Kindle Daily Deal today for $2.99. I've enjoyed the other Dublin Murder Squad books so I'm definitely picking it up.
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Oh sweet. Thanks for the heads up. So True Detective isn't based on a book at all then?
 
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