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What are you reading? (December 2012)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Maklershed
Member
I still have to read 13 more books before the year's over to make my 2012 Reading Challenge Goal but so far:
Where do you get such wonderful
Reading challenge.
Go to one of your shelves and then click the stats link up near the search my books box
Maklershed
Member
2012 Reading Challenge
Maklershed has completed his goal of reading 50 books in 2012!
53 of 50 (106%)
view books
(thanks verdre and ashes!)
Mackenzie 92
Member
I'd recommend going to Speaker for the Dead. Ender's Shadow starts off a new saga that follows Bean and is really not related to Ender's story after the events of first book.
I guess this out now. I never could get into First Shift even though I loved Wool, but apparently this is better, so I might give it a try. $2.99 on Kindle by the way.
Second Shift - Order by Hugh Howey
I just found out that they're making a mini-series about this so I decided to give it a second try. I began reading it earlier this year but got distracted and left it alone for too long.
First 200 pages are a bit tough to slog through, but if you finish it, you'll be rewarded by a fantastic story and great characters.
mhayze
Member
I'm glad to see more opinions regarding the books on the second page - I find simple cover quotes with no meaningful text a little disappointing, because I have no idea whether the quoted book is good, bad or something else (in the poster's opinion).
Very interesting. Worth the thread visit just to find out about goodreads.
Quite curious about this book. I read some negative reviews soon after release, not sure what gaffers think about it?
I have warm memories of Foundation - read it when I was still in school, may have to revisit it to see if it still stands up to a re-read.
[url=http://www.goodreads.com/challenges/207-2012-reading-challenge]2012 Reading Challenge
Maklershed has completed his goal of reading 50 books in 2012!
53 of 50 (106%)
view books
(thanks verdre and ashes!)
Very interesting. Worth the thread visit just to find out about goodreads.
Quite curious about this book. I read some negative reviews soon after release, not sure what gaffers think about it?
I have warm memories of Foundation - read it when I was still in school, may have to revisit it to see if it still stands up to a re-read.
Perfect Blue
Banned
and
Maklershed
Member
Loving it. All the greatness of First Law but different setting, different storyline, new characters, and yet you get a "Hey!!" feeling when someone you already know makes a cameo.
I read Second Shift last week, and thought it was great. On the other side, I enjoyed First Shift too (I do agree that Second Shift is better, though!).I'd recommend going to Speaker for the Dead. Ender's Shadow starts off a new saga that follows Bean and is really not related to Ender's story after the events of first book.
I guess this out now. I never could get into First Shift even though I loved Wool, but apparently this is better, so I might give it a try. $2.99 on Kindle by the way.
Second Shift - Order by Hugh Howey
Looking forward to the last book in the trilogy. Hopefully it comes out soon
FutureZombie
Banned
Just finished this. I thought it was much better than the first book, but still very confusing. There were also more enjoyable characters with a wider range of personalities. Though I don't always understand the significance of everything that happens, I like how the back-story is slowly being built. I'm going to start book three right away. Despite being confused by much of what happens in the series, the scope of the world is magnificent and I feel as though I will enjoy and appreciate the series more as I continue on and things become clearer.
nakedsushi
Member
Wow you read a lot of 5 and 4-star books. Lucky you! I have the same problem with Nabokov. That same collection of short stories is on my current-reading list and I've been slowly going through them. I'm in no rush though, because I feel like his writing is made to be savored. Unfortunately, I started with the stories out of order and now it's hard to remember which ones I read already.
Just got done with this today. I was inspired to read it after watching the movie trailer:
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
It was okay as far as YA urban fantasy goes. It does "borrow" a lot from Harry Potter and other books like that and got a little too Star Wars in the end and made me feel icky, but other than that, it was aiiight.
Good luck with the rest of the series. My opinion is that the first three were solid enough for popular YA fiction, but the latest two are pretty bad. And that ickyness sticks around for a book or two.
nakedsushi
Member
Hm....I may take a break from reading the rest of the series then. Too many good books on my to-read list to waste reading only okay YA fiction. And that ickiness ugh...I don't think I can read more of that.
I put it #2 after The Wee Free Men. It is super dark for a Discworld book, even more so for a YA one.
Also take a bit of a diversion and read Nation. My personal favorite Pratchett book.
And There is a Jonathan Strange miniseries coming?
Edit: BBC and and a by Doctor Who/Sherlock alum? Yes please.
That'd be because Cassandra Clare was a popular Harry Potter fanfic author before she deleted everything and got published.
Yeah, think the fandom went on a bit of a witch hunt for her, which was fun to watch.
nakedsushi
Member
Aaah that's why her name and writing sounded familiar. I think I read something about this a year or so ago and forgot all about it. That must also be why I never read any of her books till now, oops.
The Artful Dodger
Member
I'm rereading Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and once I finish, I'm either thinking of L'Morte D'Arthur or The Simarillion. I haven't decided which one.
Well, as I said, it is misleading. Twenty-eight of the sixty-one 5-star books are comics or manga, as well as sixteen of the fifty-two 4-star books.
But yes, I don't think I could rush through Nabokov even I wanted to.
I really enjoyed that book. The people K. gets involved with are a riot. His assistants especially. Just go with it...
Still reading The Pale King. Still amazing.
I'm enjoying it so far, but at times it gets confusing.
Have you read "Signs and Symbols"?
I went through this list last summer. Really recommend it. There's a thread on gaf about it somewhere.
TheKaeptain
Banned
I haven't ready more than ten books this year. Really disappointed in myself.
Interferon
Member
Just read 1984 by George Orwell.
Such a good novel
Such a good novel
I also haven't read much this year, it makes me feel like a troglodyte.
That is on page 598; I am on page 470-something. But I am looking forward to it now.
StreetsAhead
Member
Just finished The Hobbit.
Started reading the first few pages of this.
How are you finding it? I had to study it for school back in the day. A decent, if somewhat trite story on retrospect, but at the time I actively hated it.
Currently trying to read 1Q84's English translation. Would read the Japanese, but I got the English one as a gift. Maybe once I'm done.
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
I'm a bit past the halfway point. It's a slow read for me, for whatever reason, but it's really quality work.
My reflection: It's not really about the story; that's just a vehicle to get the main character into many different environments. It's more about examining how we, as a society, see and treat autistic people, and how they see society back.
jeffy_johnson
Member
That is on page 598; I am on page 470-something. But I am looking forward to it now.
er.. yeah. Not saying anything.
I was looking for the thread I was talking about earlier, and I saw that Cyan read that story too. We were on opposing sides as to what to take away from the story. I should add that my idea was not to just read the short stories but to read them in depth... I'll post a link to that after you've read it - but note it's more from the literary analysis perspective which can er affect what you get out of the story.
Glancing through the thread, I found this*, proving that hindsight is a funny thing, eh?
Yeah, reading a novel a week... who would be stupid enough to do that?
nakedsushi
Member
Spoiler for City of Bones:
The main character who's a teenage girl starts falling for this mysterious teenage boy she meets. He's all dark and brooding and similarly falls in love with her. And then he turns out to be her brother that she never knew about but that her mother thought was dead! And they find this out *after* they make out twice and after some not-so-subtle from the boy that he wants to sleep with her.
Sorry, I have no other word of describing it. I guess I could say "disturbed" but it's more like a, "I need to shower in scalding hot water" feeling.
Just finished The Blinding Knife by Brent Weeks. He's a poor writer compared to most, but I find the magic system and world a little intriguing.
And onward to the standalone novels in Joe Abercrombie's First Law world. I'm liking Best Served Cold so far. Brought me right back into that stark and brutal world.
I'm going to read The Heroes and then Red Country after.
Just finished reading "The Well of Ascension" (second book in the Mistborn Trilogy) by Brandon Sanderson. Liked it less then the first book in the series and the ending with the
felt like it came out of nowhere (or I just didn't pick up the clues). Kinda wished he just stayed with the political in-fights/looming war instead of introducing this thing.
Started reading the "Cold Days" (newest book from The Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher. Only got to
Loving it so far.
scary weird text-altering ancient evil thing being set free from the Well
Started reading the "Cold Days" (newest book from The Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher. Only got to
the Winter Court throwing Harry a surprise birthday party.
Just finished this. I thought it was much better than the first book, but still very confusing. There were also more enjoyable characters with a wider range of personalities. Though I don't always understand the significance of everything that happens, I like how the back-story is slowly being built. I'm going to start book three right away. Despite being confused by much of what happens in the series, the scope of the world is magnificent and I feel as though I will enjoy and appreciate the series more as I continue on and things become clearer.
I'm on book 7 and I think it's fair to say that, on a first read through, nothing will ever be completely clear. The books are so densely packed with information that it's easy to overlook things that have a huge impact later on. As a counterbalance, I always recommend that people follow along with the TOR Malazan Reread (I'd link it, but I'm on my phone) which helps to make things a little clearer (or it did for me, when I was struggling).
That said though - I'd highly recommend the series to anyone after a fantasy series with truly epic scope and one that doesn't ever pander to its audience. Also, the third book - Memories of Ice - is one of the highlights of the series for me (so far). So enjoy it!
It's definitely not for everyone, that's for sure, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed when you're just thrown into the middle of things with no explanation of who's who and what's what. It's worth persevering for some of the amazing set pieces later on, as well as a couple of stand-out characters.
As for me - I've just finished:
Which was my first foray in quite a few years into the Pratchett Discworld novels. Decided I'd start at the beginning of one of the story threads and see how it went from there. I found Guards! Guards! a nice, light, quick read with, if not laugh out loud humour, then enough for a wry smile or two. I did enjoy the characters of the City Watch, so will likely pick up the second book before too long.
Also finished listening to:
Which I found a real drag just to get to the end of. I think the series, for me, started to lose its way about 2/3 of the way through the previous book, when its number of low points started to exceed its high points but felt like I'd come too far to put it down then.
So this month I'm tackling:
Onwards to book 7 in the Malazan Series. Can't believe there's only 3 to go after this one. I'm going to miss this world so much when it ends.
And listening to -
Nostalgia trip! Listening to a full cast reading of one of my all time favourite books from my childhood and, so far, it's just as good as I remember.
As for me - I've just finished:
Which was my first foray in quite a few years into the Pratchett Discworld novels. Decided I'd start at the beginning of one of the story threads and see how it went from there. I found Guards! Guards! a nice, light, quick read with, if not laugh out loud humour, then enough for a wry smile or two. I did enjoy the characters of the City Watch, so will likely pick up the second book before too long.
Also finished listening to:
Which I found a real drag just to get to the end of. I think the series, for me, started to lose its way about 2/3 of the way through the previous book, when its number of low points started to exceed its high points but felt like I'd come too far to put it down then.
So this month I'm tackling:
Onwards to book 7 in the Malazan Series. Can't believe there's only 3 to go after this one. I'm going to miss this world so much when it ends.
And listening to -
Nostalgia trip! Listening to a full cast reading of one of my all time favourite books from my childhood and, so far, it's just as good as I remember.
I agree on Well of Ascension being not as good as the first book and sadly neither will be the third. That being said they are still both exaptionally good books. And about the Spoiler... I think there where a few hints but not really that many and I think it is supposed to come as surprise.
And that Dresden-Scene... Yeah! That one had me lauging out loud... at 3 o'clock in the morning, in bed, while my husband was sleeping.
BruceLeeRoy
Banned
Man was a pretty rough couple of Reading months:
Relatively entertaining but still a pretty ho hum Dark Tower book. Wizard and Glass is still the pinnacle of this series.
Meh...Till the end which was okay.
I got this for free and since I had nothing to read on my flight I jumped in. Pretty entertaining B grade stuff.
Finally picked this up thanks to gaf and I am just getting into Siri's story. Absolutely great stuff so far I can't put the thing down. The crappy book drought is over!!
Relatively entertaining but still a pretty ho hum Dark Tower book. Wizard and Glass is still the pinnacle of this series.
Meh...Till the end which was okay.
I got this for free and since I had nothing to read on my flight I jumped in. Pretty entertaining B grade stuff.
Finally picked this up thanks to gaf and I am just getting into Siri's story. Absolutely great stuff so far I can't put the thing down. The crappy book drought is over!!
Hey Gaf, I have very little knowledge on the way the money works. I don't even know how to explain what I don't know. The way the economy works, world markets, basic finance, economics, stocks...I want to learn about these things. Are there any basic books which could teach me about these things? Nothing too advance, I just want a basic foundation so I could understand when others are speaking of it, or when I hear about it in the news.