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[thomaser]

I have five 10% off vouchers to send out on bookdepository.co.uk if anyone wants to buy a book or two. They must be used this month, and if you do, I'll get 10% off as well Bookdepository has free shipping worldwide, by the way! Send me a pm with your e-mail address if you're interested. Here's the link to the offer - you can send out your own vouchers if you want.

 

[Monroeski]

About halfway through -

Does anything...different happen in the second half? First half was good at first but is getting pretty repetitive.

Spoiler

I skip a lot of the "he was wearing blah blah clothes" stuff, though I understand its importance to the character so I don't know that I'd actually complain about it, but it seems like every chapter is just 1. everybody going out partying and not listening to each other talk or properly recognizing colleagues (may or may not include cheating on girlfriends that everybody else knows about anyway), or 2. Bateman doing some psycho hallucinatory stuff (may or may not include random murder)

. Getting very samey IMO. Moments that are actually shocking or different in some way, like

Spoiler

finding out the one guy was gay or Bateman actually killing someone you know in Paul Owen instead of a random street person

, are few and far between.

 

[Hasan]

Haven't read it, but it's in my to-read list. Sounds fun. I gather it's at least partially narrated by the dog.

The only one I've read is one of Kafka's short stories. Forget the name.

 

[Glaurungr]

The only one I've read is one of Kafka's short stories. Forget the name.

'Investigations of a dog', I think.

 

[sparky2112]

Flameshield up.

Enjoying it so far, but only about sixty pages in.

What, are we supposed to make some kind of 'I enjoy fiction too' type of comment?

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Monroeski: the second half isn't all THAT different, though as I recall, the ridiculousness gets ramped up even further, and Bateman becomes even more unhinged, if that's possible.

The novel's overly-repetitive nature is why I think the movie is superior. It has the same basic style (though the comedic elements have overtaken the more insanely violent elements) without all of the boring excess. Cut the book to about a quarther of the length, the book would probably be about the same, probably even more chilling since it's so much sparer and less of an endurance test.

 

[Ford Prefect]

My main problem is lack of focus... I just wanna read EVERYTHING right NOW, ya know?

War and Peace - Tolstoy
White Noise - Delillo
Story of Philosophy - Durant
History of Jazz - Gioia
The Duke Ellington Reader - Tucker
Ficciones - Borges
Iliad - Fagles
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Marquez
Macbeth - Shakespeare
Fear and Trembling - Kierkegaard
Great Expectations - Dickens
Innocents Abroad - Twain
Irrational Man - Barrett

Some of these (namely the last four) haven't been picked up in a while cuz I've gotten distracted

Recently finished Faulkner's Sanctuary, dude is the illest.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Finally finished Crime and Punishment. I am completely embarrassed by how long it took me to read it. I blame a new job, changing ereader platforms midstream, too much NeoGAF, and being completely fucking lazy.

Going to start in on Elie Wiesel's Night next, which will be the first physical book I've read since abandoning Battle Royale, Thirteen Bullets, and The First Campaign almost concurrently. My tentative plan is to dive in to my physical book backlog to clear out anything I really plan on ever reading (as opposed to the mound of books I bought on sale because they looked interesting) before fully committing to an ereader life.

Macbeth - Shakespeare

You can knock that one out in an afternoon. Almost the entire second act is lost. Hell, I whipped through As You Like It in a week of very sporadic reading during a C&P lull. Well, that and Macbeth is probably my favorite Shakespeare.

 

[mjc]

Do you guys have any good historical fiction recommendations centered around WW2 or the middle ages? I've already read The Long Boats, so that ones out.

 

[Buckethead]

 

[demon]

What, are we supposed to make some kind of 'I enjoy fiction too' type of comment?

Speaking of which, anyone read the book on Bush, 'Dead Certain'? It sounds like one of the better books on Bush's presidency.

 

[Bill Murray]

Do you guys have any good historical fiction recommendations centered around WW2 or the middle ages? I've already read The Long Boats, so that ones out.

Aztec series is good. Also, Bernard Cornwell writes a lot of good historical fiction.

 

[Maklershed]

Do you guys have any good historical fiction recommendations centered around WW2 or the middle ages? I've already read The Long Boats, so that ones out.

Well as far as WW2 era goes I really enjoyed The Company of Strangers by Robert Wilson. Kind of Casablanca-esque.

Aztec series is good. Also, Bernard Cornwell writes a lot of good historical fiction.

Yes Aztec was great. Very much like The Long Ships but with Aztecs instead of Vikings.

 

[Keen]

Finished Proven Guilty, which was my favorite Dresden File so far (I think).

Now on to A Crown Imperilled by Raymond E. Feist

 

[The Culture Vulture]

About halfway through -

Does anything...different happen in the second half? First half was good at first but is getting pretty repetitive.

Spoiler

I skip a lot of the "he was wearing blah blah clothes" stuff, though I understand its importance to the character so I don't know that I'd actually complain about it, but it seems like every chapter is just 1. everybody going out partying and not listening to each other talk or properly recognizing colleagues (may or may not include cheating on girlfriends that everybody else knows about anyway), or 2. Bateman doing some psycho hallucinatory stuff (may or may not include random murder)

. Getting very samey IMO. Moments that are actually shocking or different in some way, like

Spoiler

finding out the one guy was gay or Bateman actually killing someone you know in Paul Owen instead of a random street person

, are few and far between.

I don't remember a big change in tone from the first half of the book to the second half. I personally really enjoyed the writing style but if you aren't getting into the book by now I doubt it will turn you around in the second half.

 

[bloodydrake]

Do you guys have any good historical fiction recommendations centered around WW2 or the middle ages? I've already read The Long Boats, so that ones out.

One book I absolutely loved was a WW2 Biography: Unbroken
Its the most compelling story I've read, the fact its based on someone's real experiences made it doubly so.

 

[mu cephei]

This is a rather specific request, but does anyone know of any good books narrated from the viewpoint of a dog?

Has Fluke been mentioned? I enjoyed reading it as a teenager. But I don't know if it qualifies as 'good'. There's also The Plague Dogs, which I think has bits narrated by dogs.

I finished Adam Bede. It was sublime. I recommend it if you enjoy understanding every last nuance of thought and emotion the characters go through. But not if you dislike slow books. I think it did have a few flaws (not counting the slowness) but I loved it. Apparently it might have been an inspiration for Tess of the Durbervilles (which I also really liked).

I just started Unclean Spirits by MLN Hanover (i.e. Daniel Abraham). I don't much like urban fantasy but I thougt, cos it's Abraham, it couldn't be anything but good. Well... I haven't got far, but urgh, no. I'll push on for a bit though.

 

[Monroeski]

I don't remember a big change in tone from the first half of the book to the second half. I personally really enjoyed the writing style but if you aren't getting into the book by now I doubt it will turn you around in the second half.

I don't have a problem with the tone or the writing style, just the repetitiveness. I'm on page 266 out of 399 and it feels like you could take every chapter I've read thus far, jumble them up randomly, and whatever came out would be practically the same novel (with only two exceptions off the top of my head, those being the aforementioned

Spoiler

Owen being dead and Luis being gay

, plus the very few offhand comments about prior chapters like when he tells a girl he went to a U2 concert). The craziness HAS ramped up a little lately, but about 60-70 pages ago it felt like there was no difference at all.

I don't think it's bad, per se, but Snowman Prophet of Doom is right on calling it an endurance test.

 

[Araxen]

I am getting The Wolf Gift on Tuesday and I plan on starting to read that. I can't wait!!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0060AY8K2/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[Gordon0Freeman]

Just finished reading "Silence" by Shusaku Endo..... Great fucking book.

 

[kruis]

Do you guys have any good historical fiction recommendations centered around WW2 or the middle ages? I've already read The Long Boats, so that ones out.

Bernard Cornwell - Saxon Saga
Ken Follett - Pillars of the Earth
Connie Willis - Doomsday Book
Sharon Kay Penman - The Sunne in Splendour
Karen Maitland - Company Of Liars

 

[Maklershed]

Anybody have a suggestion of a book(s) about exploration of space, particularly exploration of the unknown or an unknown object. Or any books that are very Mass Effect-esque?

Unrelated: Just finished the 4th and final book of the Heechee Saga (Annals of the Heechee). The saga was great but the 4th book was nothing to write home about unfortunately.

I think my next hard copy book shall be The Mote in God's Eye:


The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven

Still working through 'It' on the Kindle

 

[Keen]

Anybody have a suggestion of a book(s) about exploration of space, particularly exploration of the unknown or an unknown object. Or any books that are very Mass Effect-esque?

Alastair Reynolds - Pushing Ice

 

[Maklershed]

Alastair Reynolds - Pushing Ice

Ohh a little Dead Space aspect to it too. Nice. Ordered! (just in nick of time too since Amazon claims there is only 1 paperback copy left) Thank you kind sir.

I'm open to more suggestions.

 

[kruis]

Anybody have a suggestion of a book(s) about exploration of space, particularly exploration of the unknown or an unknown object. Or any books that are very Mass Effect-esque?

Greg Bear - Eon

The 21st century was on the brink of nuclear confrontation when the 300 kilometer-long stone flashed out of nothingness and into Earth's orbit. NASA, NATO, and the UN sent explorers to the asteroid's surface...and discovered marvels and mysteries to drive researchers mad.

For the Stone was from space--but perhaps not our space; it came from the future--but perhaps not our future; and within the hollowed asteroid was Thistledown. The remains of a vanished civilization. A human--English, Russian, and Chinese-speaking--civilization. Seven vast chambers containing forests, lakes, rivers, hanging cities...

And museums describing the Death; the catastrophic war that was about to occur; the horror and the long winter that would follow. But while scientists and politicians bickered about how to use the information to stop the Death, the Stone yielded a secret that made even Earth's survival pale into insignificance.

 

[Maklershed]

^ That sounds fantastic. And its on Kindle! Ordered as well.

 

[Foreign Jackass]

Awesome book.

 

[nicoga3000]

So I finally have enough free time to read/write again. Woo.

I want to find a good introductory horror novel. Like, I enjoyed what Lovecraft I've read, but it's very thick. I enjoyed "N" by Stephen King (his short stories are pretty rad), but some of his novels are...Well, I don't like them.

Any suggestions/help? If its available as an eBook, all ate better - iPad reading will commence. Thanks!

 

[brianjones]

Awesome book.

he writes books too? fuck

makes sense though

 

[Quote]

So, I started this because the introduction was really entertaining and right up my alley. I can tell there is a really interesting story in here but Hamilton seems more busy describing every bush in any character's vicinity than on the actual story. No wonder this thing is 1000~ pages.

If anyone's ever read it, I'm up to the part with Justine flying a kite-thing in a storm. This chapter has made me want to give up on the book. Does it get better? The other stories seem great so far but it's such a task to get through them.

 

[Ceebs]

As I mentioned before I've come to the point of quitting this book about 3 times and I'm barely in chapter VII. The last time, I had to decipher a message from a letter in the one of the appendices by taking the first letter of every word. After 20 minutes of work, it all amounted to an incomprehensible babble. I'm just going to take the book for what it is, an exercise in style with little substance (so far). Unless it dramatically picks up, this is destined to be the book I dreaded the most reading in the past 10 years.

I stopped trying to decipher all the little hidden messages and stuff very early on, and just read the book like any other. I think I enjoyed it far more for that reason alone. It can be fun to go back to the hidden stuff later if you want, but it's not really needed.

As for me, I am reading things I am too embarrassed to even post. Thank god for e-readers so people can't see what I am reading.

 

[rainking187]

Just finished Ready Player One. It was a lot better than I thought it would be actually. I think I'm going to reread it now.

 

[Bill Murray]

Just finished Ready Player One. It was a lot better than I thought it would be actually. I think I'm going to reread it now.

I really enjoyed it as well. Might do a reread when the movie comes out.

 

[Dresden]

went through The Lives of Twelve Caesars by Suetonius tonight (although I cheated and skipped ahead to Caligula)

Always good for the lulz. The Romans were such a dysfunctional bunch. Vespasian had the best last words - Oh dear, I think I'm turning into a god.

 

[Neffarias_Bredd]

went through The Lives of Twelve Caesars by Suetonius tonight (although I cheated and skipped ahead to Caligula)

Always good for the lulz. The Romans were such a dysfunctional bunch. Vespasian had the best last words - Oh dear, I think I'm turning into a god.

Ever watch the movie?

 

[Ramirez]

I'm reading The Hobbit for the first time. I didn't even know what LOTR was when the movies came out, and I ended up liking the movies a lot more than the books. Interested to see how I'll feel about the movie for this one since I ready the book first.

 

[Neffarias_Bredd]

I'm reading The Hobbit for the first time. I didn't even know what LOTR was when the movies came out, and I ended up liking the movies a lot more than the books. Interested to see how I'll feel about the movie for this one since I ready the book first.

as much as I love the Lord of the Rings books, I love the Hobbit even more

 

[eattomorro]

Just finished Riders of the Silences by Max Brand tonight, next is The Girl who Played with Fire by Mr. Larsson.

Glad I'm back into books by sacrificing my gaming time...anyone else doing the same?

 

[Maklershed]

So, I started this because the introduction was really entertaining and right up my alley. I can tell there is a really interesting story in here but Hamilton seems more busy describing every bush in any character's vicinity than on the actual story. No wonder this thing is 1000~ pages.

If anyone's ever read it, I'm up to the part with Justine flying a kite-thing in a storm. This chapter has made me want to give up on the book. Does it get better? The other stories seem great so far but it's such a task to get through them.

I guess I'm the wrong person to answer since I absolutely love this and Judas Unchained the whole way through but to answer your question - yes, it definitely gets better. You haven't even gotten to the meat of the story yet. I guess its a slow burn but things start picking up more and more until the end of Judas Unchained the story becomes almost frantic in my opinion.

 

[Night_Trekker]

1Q84. Really enjoying it. I'd rank it above Kafka on the Shore, but I'm not sure yet how it compares to the other Murakami novels I've read.

Also on volume 7 of Berserk.

And I'm going through Jack Abramoff's entirely self-serving (and without a doubt ghost-written) book Capitol Punishment. Still fairly interesting. Someone lent it to me.

 

[Maklershed]

And I'm going through Jack Abramoff's entirely self-serving (and without a doubt ghost-written) book Capitol Punishment. Still fairly interesting. Someone lent it to me.

I love when people who have books about themselves (that are ghost written) go on the Stern show to promote it. Howard inevitably finds hidden gems in the book to interview the person about and they have no idea what he's talking about - Steven Tyler being the most recent person that fits this example that I can think of. He had no clue what was in his book and most of it sounded like it must've been completely made up because he kept denying stuff as if Howard was reading rumors off a TMZ webpage or something. Of course Howard would get mad and say "It's right here on page 132 of your book!"

 

[Clever Pun]

So I finally have enough free time to read/write again. Woo.

I want to find a good introductory horror novel. Like, I enjoyed what Lovecraft I've read, but it's very thick. I enjoyed "N" by Stephen King (his short stories are pretty rad), but some of his novels are...Well, I don't like them.

Any suggestions/help? If its available as an eBook, all ate better - iPad reading will commence. Thanks!

I think you can get some H.P. Lovecraft for cheap on Kindle if you want some psychological horror.

 

[nicoga3000]

I think you can get some H.P. Lovecraft for cheap on Kindle if you want some psychological horror.

Yeah, I was hoping to get some ideas for non-Lovecraft horror at first. Like I said, it's great, but it an be a bit thick.

 

[Leeroy3101]

I just finished this.

It's a must read for anyone interested in education, current teachers, or those who wonder what many reformers want to do with the education system.

Currently, I'm working on this sci-fi epic.

I'm enjoying it a lot. It's nice to see how Kubrick and Clark shared a similar but different idea. There's many more details in the novel which I think would've been great on film. However, Kubrick wanted to leave a lot open for interpretation so I understand why he left some details out.

 

[Clever Pun]

Yeah, I was hoping to get some ideas for non-Lovecraft horror at first. Like I said, it's great, but it an be a bit thick.

Oh man, sorry I guess I just completely didn't see that part.

I don't read a ton of horror, but my brother loved Ghost Story by Peter Straub. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be available electronically (at least not from Amazon).

 

[bloodydrake]

Yeah, I was hoping to get some ideas for non-Lovecraft horror at first. Like I said, it's great, but it an be a bit thick.

what do you mean by thick? Are you referring to the older style language of his writing? You mentioned you liked Stephen Kings short stories but not some of his novels? Which of his novels didn't you like?

 

[nicoga3000]

what do you mean by thick? Are you referring to the older style language of his writing? You mentioned you liked Stephen Kings short stories but not some of his novels? Which of his novels didn't you like?

The older English makes it harder for me to enjoy. I know it sounds dumb, but diving right into his writing after not having read a book in a long time difficult.

And regarding King, I read the first four books of The Dark Tower and loved them (4th was his most captivating for me), but I couldn't get through the 5th. I tried reading Under The Dome, but something about it didn't jive with me. And I really have no interest in reading his books that were made into movies...Largely because having seen the movies, I won't really get the same experience I would had I never had the chance to see someone else's interpretation.

 

[Dresden]

Yeah, I was hoping to get some ideas for non-Lovecraft horror at first. Like I said, it's great, but it an be a bit thick.

Anno Dracula?

 

[Heel]

Just finished Riders of the Silences by Max Brand tonight, next is The Girl who Played with Fire by Mr. Larsson.

Glad I'm back into books by sacrificing my gaming time...anyone else doing the same?

I'm reading The Girl Who Played with Fire at the moment. It really picks up steam about 1/3rd of the way in.

 

[Izick]

Original, aren't I?

So, I bought Game of Thrones earlier this year, during the Summer, and plowed through it in a week or so. Fell in love, and couldn't wait to get into A Clash of Kings.

I got several chapters in, but sadly school overwhelmed me, and I never had the chance to start back up. That is until today! I plan to start from the beginning of the book again today, and I'm excited to do so!