-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
What are you reading? (December 2013)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Tragicomedy
Member
I just finished the Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey. ★★★★ - Excellent read, complete with believable characters, great pacing, and tons of content packed into 500+ pages. I read the omnibus instead of individual entries and would suggest everyone tackle it that way. Very bleak, very dark, and very moving.
Finished The Silence of The Lambs, very good throughout. Doctor Lecter remains at least as fascinating a character in the original format, the crazies are creepy and the writing has a distinct flavor. I quite enjoyed it, will probably go back for another book from the series later, but for now it's on to:
Which is still 2.99 on amazon, by the way.
Which is still 2.99 on amazon, by the way.
scarface983
Member
Started reading this one.
Easystride
Member
Finished up 11/2263, and loved every minute of it. I really gotta check out some of Stephen King's other books. This was my first. I placed a hold on The Stand since my library has the eBook version. They have a pretty large selection of Stephen King eBooks, so that should keep me busy for a while.
For now, I started Steelheart. Not too far into it yet, but it seems interesting enough.
For now, I started Steelheart. Not too far into it yet, but it seems interesting enough.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Childhood's End ~ Arthur C. Clarke
It started off hestitantly with almost a video game cutscene structure to the dialogue as the setting wobbled to its feet presenting itself to the readers, but after the fourth or so chapter rockets forward and outward with terrifying and terrific speed and scope. The parallels between characters and their situations, of knowledge and hopelessness was profound and amazing.
Great sci-fi books should always tug at both the heart-strings and the "brain-strings" and this does both of that excellently.
finished billy lynn's long half-time walk. i thought it was pretty good. the ideas of exploring this brief period of banality between intense conflicts and the detachment of people's simplistic OUR BRAVE SOLDIERS platitudes and the dark (as well as crass) complex reality of actually being a soldier and fighting a war were very good. billy's narration was witty, psychologically interesting and engaging. the author does a very good job of making him feel real and sympathetic.
that said i don't think choosing to set it during one single match is that good. it's clever and makes for a good pitch but i liked the flashback to his family meeting a lot and would liked the have seen the book follow more of his journey round the country. while using an american football match to draw a comparison between how we as a society say that x people get to fight in a meaningless sport and are high paid celebrities and x get to fight in a real war where they have no power or significant reward is an interesting concept but not interesting enough to dwell on for an entire book.
that said i don't think choosing to set it during one single match is that good. it's clever and makes for a good pitch but i liked the flashback to his family meeting a lot and would liked the have seen the book follow more of his journey round the country. while using an american football match to draw a comparison between how we as a society say that x people get to fight in a meaningless sport and are high paid celebrities and x get to fight in a real war where they have no power or significant reward is an interesting concept but not interesting enough to dwell on for an entire book.
Finished it too. Very fast paced and fun read. Have to watch the movie sometime.
I'm on to The Last Unicorn
swaggerdewitt
Banned
"Metal Gear Solid by Hideo Kojima. or as he's known around my crib, God.
Maklershed
Member
Finished The High Window and started The Black Company book 6 - Bleak Seasons
Bleak Seasons by Glen Cook
Bleak Seasons by Glen Cook
This was simply amazing. I loved everything about this novel. Murakami for life. Now I have to read Wind-Up Bird Chronicles...but I want to branch out a little bit. After some thought, I decided on:
Also a quick question, I want to pick up my friend/boss a X-mas present. He loves books. He is really into 20th century novels, which I am not too familiar with. He loves Tennessee Williams, and he owns a lot of books concerning Ireland, Egypt, and he owns a lot of plays. Does anyone have any advice of what I could get him?
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
You could get him Embers by Sandor Marai, which is a 20th Century novel not too many are familiar with but which is great.
FunkyLounge
Member
George R.R. Martin's Clash of Kings
I got in on the series late, but god damn am I glad. Thrilled every page of every book so far.
Do you have thoughts about The World Without Us? Friend keeps recommending it, but I hesitate.
I got in on the series late, but god damn am I glad. Thrilled every page of every book so far.
Do you have thoughts about The World Without Us? Friend keeps recommending it, but I hesitate.
I'm on the the final 2 full length Sharpe books now, Finished Sharpe's Revenge last night and started Sharpe's Waterloo cant wait to see how Sharpe deals with
.
Once again I am sad, I am coming to the end of another book series, that will be The Culture, Discworld and Sharpe read this year. Need to start thinking on what to attack next.
Lord Rossendale and the bitch Mrs Sharpe
Once again I am sad, I am coming to the end of another book series, that will be The Culture, Discworld and Sharpe read this year. Need to start thinking on what to attack next.
Mackenzie 92
Member
anyone read any of the starcraft books? on sale today on amazon
I've read one of them. It was thoroughly mediocre, and I say that as a complete fanboy of BW.
I can't imagine the others are better.
Salvor.Hardin
Banned
I think it was Mumei who suggested this to me after I posted about really enjoying The Left Hand of Darkness.
I'm about half way through it. To be honest, I'm not enjoying it as much as I did TLHoD. I feel like Le Guin allows the themes of the book to hijack the narrative far too often and the themes themselves aren't as well explored as they are in TLHoD. I'll probably finish the book over the next two days, but I feel like I'm reading a melting pot of political philosophy rather than a thoughtful scifi novel.
I'm about half way through it. To be honest, I'm not enjoying it as much as I did TLHoD. I feel like Le Guin allows the themes of the book to hijack the narrative far too often and the themes themselves aren't as well explored as they are in TLHoD. I'll probably finish the book over the next two days, but I feel like I'm reading a melting pot of political philosophy rather than a thoughtful scifi novel.
It's more an intellectual exercise on how a truly communist society might function, with some sci-fi flavorings.
(And indeed, one of its most critical points is that a communist society cannot really exist without a certain level of technology and progressiveness of thought, which our real life communist parties never possessed.)
Jag
Member
I was a little burnt out after reading every.single.Sharpe book. They really became so predictable and similar. You can actually say that about most of Cornwell's writing though even though I still enjoy it.
teruterubozu
Member
I agree. TLHoD is infinitely better than The Dispossessed. TLHoD has this poetic quality that is really mesmerizing.
I would suggest The Lathe of Heaven - it's her ode to Philip K. Dick (her old high school classmate in Berkeley).
Never played the witcher games; but I did find this by chance in my university's library and with all the witcher 3 hype I thought I'd give it a shot. Very interesting so far.
I'm not sure I'll ever get around to playing the games (maybe someday), but I think I would enjoy the books.
How is everyones "favourite books of the year" shaping up? I'm having a hell of a time trimming it down to a top 5.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Finished:
I really like this series more and more. At the beginning I was a bit annoyed that this was yet again a prequel because after the end of the third book, I really wanted to know how the story goes on, but in the end this one might just be my favorite so far together with book one. It was nice to see some of the background stories that were only mentioned in passing so far fleshed out more and learn yet again a bit more about the world Brust has created. How I still ended up with more questions than answers though is a little beyond me, but is also something I enjoy since it keeps me want to read on. Which makes the six days I have to yet to wait until my audible credit refreshes even harder
Currently I'm reading:
12% in and I like it just as much, if not more than the first one. Fast paced and funny. The ideal book to read without having to think very much.
I really like this series more and more. At the beginning I was a bit annoyed that this was yet again a prequel because after the end of the third book, I really wanted to know how the story goes on, but in the end this one might just be my favorite so far together with book one. It was nice to see some of the background stories that were only mentioned in passing so far fleshed out more and learn yet again a bit more about the world Brust has created. How I still ended up with more questions than answers though is a little beyond me, but is also something I enjoy since it keeps me want to read on. Which makes the six days I have to yet to wait until my audible credit refreshes even harder
Currently I'm reading:
12% in and I like it just as much, if not more than the first one. Fast paced and funny. The ideal book to read without having to think very much.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Kinda cheating, but so far
Replay
The Queen's Gambit
Chaos Walking Trilogy (Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, Monsters of Men)
Galactic Football (The Rookie, The Starter, The All Pro, The MVP)
The Sisters Brothers
Trying to finish up The Abominable so I can maybe squeeze Memoirs of an Invisible Friend in there, but have been busy.
EDIT: Ah shit, forgot The Broken Empire Trilogy (Prince of Thorns, King of Thorns, Emperor of Thorns) Definitely in my top 5. Will probably knock off The Sisters Brothers.
Not cheating, I was going to include the Expanse books most likely, or at least Leviathan Wakes (with a side note saying the 3 books, etc etc). Solid list, I'm still debating if Replay and Sisters Brothers gets on mine. I think those Galactic Football books sound pretty fun too, so I need to read those. I think those Ketty Jay books will be my christmas read instead, they do sound like a lot of fun.
And yes, read Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend asap =)
Definitely predictable books, there is a battle or 2, Sharpe gets himself an enemy, destroys the enemy and lives happily for a few weeks.
I have still enjoyed them though and as i have pretty much gone through the series in just under 3 weeks i have Sharpe on the brain and when i focus on reading or watching just 1 thing over a week or more it seeps into my dreams, i have been having some pretty awesome dreams.
sparky2112
Member
Blew through:
Saunders is just...wow. Might immediately read it again. I've seen people knock him for never writing longer than a short story, but hell, if Alice Munro can win the Nobel with short stories...
Now blowing through:
I still think Tillman was a idiot for enlisting (as opposed to going to OCS), but good good was everything around him a complete clusterfuck...
Saunders is just...wow. Might immediately read it again. I've seen people knock him for never writing longer than a short story, but hell, if Alice Munro can win the Nobel with short stories...
Now blowing through:
I still think Tillman was a idiot for enlisting (as opposed to going to OCS), but good good was everything around him a complete clusterfuck...
Mackenzie 92
Member
Yeah the Galactic Football books are really good, though they tend to get more and more away from the game as the series progresses and more into the universe that Sigler created which is pretty badass. I would personally save them for the offseason when you're feeling the itch.
Been thinking about reading those Ketty Jay books over the break as well. Bought the first couple a few months ago and have been meaning to get to them.
It's hart. I just went through my list from the 50/50 thread and wrote down any book that qualifies for a Top 5 spot... I ended up with 12 books.
Even if I only name one book to represent an entire series I still end up with seven or eight books
Anyway let's try:
The Price of Spring - Daniel Abrahams
Caliban's War - James S.A. Corey
Old Tin Sorrows - Glen Cook
Rise of Empire - Michael J. Sullivan
Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut
If I had to pick one of these as a winner it would probably be Caliban's War. Though even as I typed this I feel bad for the other books
The year isn't over yet, though. Still have the second Ketty Jay book and The Lies of Lock Lamora on my to read list.
Edit: And not to forget Raising Steam... though I'm not really impressed thus far.
Tragicomedy
Member
You know how I've dithered on this as the year went on. I'm going to list my favorite books I've read this year, not necessarily books that were released this year. Only one of these was a 2013 release.
1) Glen Cook - The Black Company (1984)
2) James S.A. Corey - Leviathan Wakes (2011)
3) Ben Fountain - Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2012)
4) Naoki Higashida - The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism (2013)
5) Peter S. Beagle - The Last Unicorn (1968)
Honorable mentions:
R. J. Palacio - Wonder (2012)
James S.A. Corey - The other Expanse books
Robert Louis Stevenson - The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Oh, it didn't even cross my mind once to only pick books from this year. I think the only book I read this year that would qualify in this case is Abaddons Gate...
Yeah, I will save those Galactic Football books for the off season, perhaps I'll try and read one a month =). The Ketty Jay books just sound like great fun adventures, which would be perfect for christmas vacation, but we'll see.
Great list too bud, and yes, I never meant books released in 2013 =) Just whatever your favourites you've READ this year, whenever they were released!