Marcovaldo
Member
just over halfway through but enjoying it a lot so far and it's not especially taxing which makes for a nice commute read
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What are you reading? (February 2014)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
I liked the idea of it, but it's written in first person diary form and it has a bizarre voice, with the main character writing things like (yipee!) as he recounts events. The general sense of humor also really didn't mesh with me. There are certainly plenty of times when it really gets into the science of him surviving, but I guess I just didn't like the main character.
Plasticine
Member
Finished Lights Out by Nate Southard. I liked this spin on the whole human monsters vs supernatural monsters. The characters were all stock prison types, but injected with just enough personality to make them interesting. I particularly liked the Maggot, the "prison bitch", and Father Darren, the prison's priest/therapist. The vampires were straight up monsters, with no real character development. Really fast paced writing, with a strong cinematic flare. I could easily see this easily being made into a movie. I'll definitely check out some of Southard's other stuff later on. But now, I'm moving on to another up and coming horror writer.
McKenzie made a name for himself by winning gross-out story contests at horror conventions. He apparently won enough that he caught the attention of the folks at Deadite Press, who specializes in harder edged horror. He's published a couple of books, and this is his attempt at crossing the Texas Chainsaw Massacre with Lucha Libre (?). I'm sure it's going to be interesting.
McKenzie made a name for himself by winning gross-out story contests at horror conventions. He apparently won enough that he caught the attention of the folks at Deadite Press, who specializes in harder edged horror. He's published a couple of books, and this is his attempt at crossing the Texas Chainsaw Massacre with Lucha Libre (?). I'm sure it's going to be interesting.
The Culture Vulture
Member
Finished Eating The Dinosaur, good collection of Klosterman essays. Now I'm rereading Survivor by Paluhnuk.
Maklershed
Member
I think Goodreads might let you do this. At any rate it has isbn codes you can search by.
I kinda want to keep goodreads for books i've actually read (whether I own them or not). I'm going to use myhomelibrary.net and the app to start cataloguing my other stuff.
Forgot that this came out! I really liked Roadside Picnic, so I've been wanting to try another Strugatski - I'll probably pick it up soon.just over halfway through but enjoying it a lot so far and it's not especially taxing which makes for a nice commute read
HamPster PamPster
Member
Anyone remember the name of the book one gaffer posted because it was written by his grandfather (maybe father?) and he just recently died. The kind gaffer was giving it away for free for a day and I meant to grab it, but completely forgot about it till right now. Still want to buy it though, it sounded interesting
NPR's planet money podcast recently did a series of episodes about their t-shirt following how it was made from where the cotton was grown to eventually selling it, and my favorite episode was the one on the girls in china making the shirt. This sounds like a much expanded version of that so I'll need to check it out
Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang
A great exploration of the lives of factory girls in China and the changes rolling in at the individual level thanks to migration, economic boom etc, as well as a slightly less focused biography of the author's family. Fantastic example of long-term journalism (over several years, I believe).
NPR's planet money podcast recently did a series of episodes about their t-shirt following how it was made from where the cotton was grown to eventually selling it, and my favorite episode was the one on the girls in china making the shirt. This sounds like a much expanded version of that so I'll need to check it out
Factory Girls is great. I wish I could find more books like it.
Reading through Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's first book at the moment. Can relate to the the Catholic upbringing and crazy expectation of perfection, except in the book it's like a hundred times worse. A bit too close to home there, but I"m enjoying it.
![jJxxiOB.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/jJxxiOB.jpg])
Reading through Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's first book at the moment. Can relate to the the Catholic upbringing and crazy expectation of perfection, except in the book it's like a hundred times worse. A bit too close to home there, but I"m enjoying it.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Finished
The Man in Two Bodies by Stanley Salmons
Quick fun read about time travel. Would recommend to anyone that liked the movie Primer.
No idea what to read next. Might give Factory Girls a go. I'm pretty sure I bought it during a sale sometime ago.
The Man in Two Bodies by Stanley Salmons
Quick fun read about time travel. Would recommend to anyone that liked the movie Primer.
No idea what to read next. Might give Factory Girls a go. I'm pretty sure I bought it during a sale sometime ago.
Tawney Bomb
Member
Finished reading Horns and I really enjoyed it. Felt a lot better than Heart Shaped Box, though I enjoyed it as well.
Gong to start Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy soon.
Gong to start Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy soon.
Yep, the app does that.
You could also just make different shelves for books you've actually read and books you haven't read in goodreads.
Anyone familiar with the kindle daily Wally Lamb - I Know This Much Is True? Sounds like something I'd love, but that length is daunting. edit: 4.13 on Goodreads, I shall pick it up regardless.
Satanic Saint
Member
Finished Razor's Edge. Started reading What is the What.
It's not long. I like the language it has and it's not a bad book.
I've been reading Noah Chomsky's Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance. I don't take everything as absolute truth, but it's interesting.
Ravensmash
Member
So I did get really into 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' by Philip K Dick, but stopped reading it for some reason.
Loved what I got through though, and will have to start it again at some point.
Really though, I'm looking for a few recommendations again. I want to get into some Sci-Fi reading, but kind of lost considering the huge scope of the genre.
Ideally I'd love to read a book about exploration far away from Earth, and/ or a story set in the distant distant distant future - a few hundred years might not be enough, I want something set in a ridiculously far off time.
I'd prefer something which wasn't just another book about war either, which seems to be a huge part of the genre
Loved what I got through though, and will have to start it again at some point.
Really though, I'm looking for a few recommendations again. I want to get into some Sci-Fi reading, but kind of lost considering the huge scope of the genre.
Ideally I'd love to read a book about exploration far away from Earth, and/ or a story set in the distant distant distant future - a few hundred years might not be enough, I want something set in a ridiculously far off time.
I'd prefer something which wasn't just another book about war either, which seems to be a huge part of the genre
Man I haven't been able to read that much this since January. College taking a big chunk of my time, I'm still at 45% into Brilliance since starting it in December. At normal circumstances I would've finished it already. So many books I want to read.
Mackenzie 92
Member
So I did get really into 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' by Philip K Dick, but stopped reading it for some reason.
Loved what I got through though, and will have to start it again at some point.
Really though, I'm looking for a few recommendations again. I want to get into some Sci-Fi reading, but kind of lost considering the huge scope of the genre.
Ideally I'd love to read a book about exploration far away from Earth, and/ or a story set in the distant distant distant future - a few hundred years might not be enough, I want something set in a ridiculously far off time.
I'd prefer something which wasn't just another book about war either, which seems to be a huge part of the genre
Love these kinds of stories as well. Definitely hard to find with all the other stuff you have to sort through.
I'd probably read more SciFi than I have as well if I could get more books about exploration or discovery, rather than war, conflict, deadly aliens, Etc etc.
Not sure how I am feeling about 'Out Stealing Horses' at the 50% mark. Not liking it as much as I thought I would, trending for a 3/5 I think. Something I will like, but feel like i might forget as soon as I'm finished.
Not sure how I am feeling about 'Out Stealing Horses' at the 50% mark. Not liking it as much as I thought I would, trending for a 3/5 I think. Something I will like, but feel like i might forget as soon as I'm finished.
Ravensmash
Member
Yeah! Everything seems to be relating to a giant epic war.
Just started this and I'm 100 pages in. It's definitely fun coming back to this world although it's taking me a little bit to remember who some of the characters are/were but it's coming back to me. I loved the First Law Trilogy and Best Served Cold so I'm looking forward to digging into this one more.
TheCthultist
Member
About 100 pages away from finishing The Wind Through the Keyhole. I've read through the Dark Tower cycle twice now but never got around to this lovely little interlude from the main story. Now maybe I'll finally feel like I ACTUALLY finished the series...
fredrancour
Member
Still listening to Malazan book 1, gardens of the moon, as an audiobook. I read it once a long time ago.
I remember feeling absolutely drowned in information the first time around, but now it feels so much more character-driven. the worldbuilding overload melted into the background. I love this book and look forward to continuing the series past book 1 this time.
I remember feeling absolutely drowned in information the first time around, but now it feels so much more character-driven. the worldbuilding overload melted into the background. I love this book and look forward to continuing the series past book 1 this time.
Currently run through several books at once. Not really coming around, but i try.
Just finished the plays Zorn and Radio Universe by Nino Haratischwili. Also read Journey to Karabakh by Aka Morchiladze.
On hold are Peter Pan, Childhood's End and Santa Esperanza, a very interesting and incredible well-packaged collections of short story bits about the small island Santa Esperanza in the black sea (also Aka Morchiladze).
Just finished the plays Zorn and Radio Universe by Nino Haratischwili. Also read Journey to Karabakh by Aka Morchiladze.
On hold are Peter Pan, Childhood's End and Santa Esperanza, a very interesting and incredible well-packaged collections of short story bits about the small island Santa Esperanza in the black sea (also Aka Morchiladze).
Loving it, I actually just finished up "The Left Hand of Darkness" several months back. I tried to read it when I was younger, I think I was just a bit too immature to understand the anthropologic point she was trying to make.
I am loving this book though. A bit plodding in some small sections but overall, extremely interesting and really makes me think about society. I'm not sure if I would even classify it as sci-fi...its great though, definitely recommend.
Maklershed
Member
On the hard copy side of things I've finished The Associate and started The Moon is a Harsh Mistress:
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
The Artful Dodger
Member
Finished Wonderful Fool by Shusaku Endo.
EverythingShiny
Member
Haha, that's why I said I'd be curious to hear what you think. I was working in a bookstore when it was released and I was really excited to read it and bought/read it right away, but I haven't thought of it until I saw you update your status on Goodreads, so... yeah.
Totally off topic, but every time I see one of your posts, I read them in Walton Goggins's voice. Your posts become that much more epic!
I was rather surprised to find out that this was written in the 19th century, albeit toward the end.
The prose, especially of the first four interrelated stories, is something that I thought was a modern invention.
The stories themselves range from gripping to meandering. The short short stories near the middle, which have a kind of abcba format reminiscent of poetry, were particularly dull, though pretty to read, which I guess is their purpose.
The Artful Dodger
Member
I was rather surprised to find out that this was written in the 19th century, albeit toward the end.
The prose, especially of the first four interrelated stories, is something that I thought was a modern invention.
The stories themselves range from gripping to meandering. The short short stories near the middle, which have a kind of abcba format reminiscent of poetry, were particularly dull, though pretty to read, which I guess is their purpose.
I just finished it.
The stories were pretty fantastic, it's definitely for those who love older Gothic Traditions (Vathek, Dracula, Poe), but there are other types of stories in there as well. It is a good mix and definitely a pleasuring read. If you do read it solely because of True Detective, it will impress you, but you may be disappointed because it is so much more than that. You can also see the influence of Poe and the influence it would have on Lovecraft, Howard and other pulp horror writers.
It's a fairly short book, and not really difficult to read.
Hahaha, Thank you!
whatevermort
Member
It's fine. It's not brilliantly written, but the idea is solid, and it's very scientifically acute.
Recently finished the first three in The Gentleman Bastards series by Lynch that I absolutely loved.
Currently going through Codex Alera that I'm also enjoying. I just started book 2, Academ's Fury.
I'm seeing some mentions and a thread about Sanderson's Stormlight Archive for the release of book 2. Seems pretty hyped. Thinking about it for after CA, bit I'm hesitating because I never got through the Mistborn trilogy. I had loved the first one, struggled through the second and just lost all interest in the third. Any others feel that way? Is it just that Sanderson isn't a good fit for me, or is the Stormlight Archive an evolution/shift and completely different animal?
Currently going through Codex Alera that I'm also enjoying. I just started book 2, Academ's Fury.
I'm seeing some mentions and a thread about Sanderson's Stormlight Archive for the release of book 2. Seems pretty hyped. Thinking about it for after CA, bit I'm hesitating because I never got through the Mistborn trilogy. I had loved the first one, struggled through the second and just lost all interest in the third. Any others feel that way? Is it just that Sanderson isn't a good fit for me, or is the Stormlight Archive an evolution/shift and completely different animal?
tauroxd
Member
Got this bad boy today, Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. Now, I just need to finish The Way of Kings...
Awesome that you have it now, congrats. Could you tell us the numbers of pages, please?
Maklershed
Member
Guessing game time. I'm gonna say 780.
Johan Liebert
Member
Halfway through The Shadow Rising. Really enjoying the Wheel of Time books so far.
Will read The Way of Kings after, just in time for the sequel.
Will read The Way of Kings after, just in time for the sequel.
tauroxd
Member
I think about 1000.
1087.
tauroxd
Member
Thank you very much.
Mr_Antimatter
Member
Just finished Altered Carbon. A bit smutty, honestly, but an interesting story, with some interesting world building in places.
Going to pick up something a bit happier before continuing with that series.
Going to pick up something a bit happier before continuing with that series.
Finished with Charwoman's Shadow yesterday, which is amazing though not as magical as The King of Elfland's Daughter. Started with Akutagawa's short stories too and finished it. The last year of Akutagawa's life is really depressing. I wonder why there are so many writers in that era turned mad in the end of their life.
Started this as my next reading.
Started this as my next reading.
GRIZZMEISTER
Banned
Someone recently suggested that I read James Bamford's 'A Pretext for War' so I'm going to see if I can scrounge up a copy from the local library.