• 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? (February 2015)

N

Nelo Ice

Banned
So got House of Leaves for the book club last month but just started it about a week ago. This book is completely insane. It has me hooked but it's been hard trying to follow both narratives. Especially with the last few passages I've read being nonsense and rambling. I've also read every footnote and have gone to the appendix when it says to. The book is the very definition of a mind fuck.

Also an I missing something with the appendix? Looking through the book club thread and apparently there's a footnote about checking the letters in the back in the 50s pages but I'm on page 68 and only seen 2 instances so far of going to check stuff in the appendix.
 
U

UpperCaseN

Member
Can I ask this thread a question about a book?

I'm a Hannibal the show fan. I just started up The Silence of the Lambs in preparation for Season 3 coming up. I read Red Dragon last year but cannot for the life of me remember a specific detail:
How exactly was Hannibal and the Red Dragon communicating? It was a book code in the Tattler personal ads, but I can't remember what book the code was referencing. Was it a cook book?
this is driving me nuts

edit: I answered my own question, my spoiler tagged line is exactly right
 
C

Cade

Member
Oh yeah, I started
61oQILY4OYL.jpg
this now. It's alright so far, I needed something fluff to read in between The Road and some Dick sci-fi.
 
obin_gam

obin_gam

Member
Anyone read Dan Browns (aka the Michael Bay of books) Inferno?
I liked DaVinci, A&D and Digital Fortress - would I like Inferno?
 
C

Christoff Yurievich

Member
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Started reading my first paper print book (Left Hand of Darkness) in a long while.

I forgot I have to manually keep track of page numbers.
I forgot I can't tap and hold words to look them up in the dictionary.
I forgot the fear of bending/creasing the cover and pages.
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
A "bookmark" is something I use to save web pages for future perusal.
 
E

Easystride

Member
The book on the Kindle Daily deal today, "A True Novel," really caught my eye so I downloaded the sample. It definitely seems like my kind of book. It's set in postwar Japan, I believe, but the setting covered in the sample has been New York in the 60s. Yummmmm. And the best part is that it's almost 900 pages long. Looking forward to sinking my teeth into it.

Its written by Minae Mizumura, who I'd never heard of before. Does anyone have any other suggestions for Japanese authors outside of the obvious Murakami and Ishiguro?
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
They teach Ulysses in college for a reason.
 
Z

Zona

Member
Mumei said:
I just remember what page I'm on. <_<
Click to expand...

I do the same thing. Even when I forget the exact page I usually just open up the book in about the right spot and skim till I find my place.

My last two books read have been
n388541.jpg

The Folded World: A Dirge for Prester John, and
0765329514.jpg

The Causal Angel.

Both where wonderful. It's times like this I curse my lack of aptitude with the written word. Not because I wish I could create novels such as these, no that's beyond the scope even of my fantasies, but so I could adequately express both the depth of my fondness for these books as well as why I felt that way. Alas it is not to be. I can only look on with envy at some of the posts in this thread, never mind the forum and wider world.
 
S

survivor

Banned
Easystride said:
The book on the Kindle Daily deal today, "A True Novel," really caught my eye so I downloaded the sample. It definitely seems like my kind of book. It's set in postwar Japan, I believe, but the setting covered in the sample has been New York in the 60s. Yummmmm. And the best part is that it's almost 900 pages long. Looking forward to sinking my teeth into it.

Its written by Minae Mizumura, who I'd never heard of before. Does anyone have any other suggestions for Japanese authors outside of the obvious Murakami and Ishiguro?
Click to expand...

I like Natsume Soseki, particularly Kokoro and The Gate. There is of course the other old classics authors like Osamu Dazai, Yukio Mishima, Yasunari Kawabata, Jun'ichiro Tanizaki and so on.

As for contemporary ones then I liked Yoko Ogawa.
 
M

Mumei

Member
Zona said:
I do the same thing. Even when I forget the exact page I usually just open up the book in about the right place and skim till I find my place.

My last two books read have been
n388541.jpg

The Folded World: A Dirge for Prester John, and

Both were wonderful. It's times like this I curse my lack of aptitude with the written word. Not because I wish I could create novels such as these, no that's beyond the scope even of my fantasies, but so I could adequately express both the depth of my fondness for these books as well as why I felt that way. Alas it is not to be. I can only look on with envy at some of the posts in this thread, never mind the forum and wider world.
Click to expand...

<3

See, Necrovex? This is how you show proper appreciation for Catherynne Valente's magnificence. <3

survivor said:
I like Natsume Soseki, particularly Kokoro and The Gate. There is of course the other old classics authors like Osamu Dazai, Yukio Mishima, Yasunari Kawabata, Jun'ichiro Tanizaki and so on.

As for contemporary ones then I liked Yoko Ogawa.
Click to expand...

Kenzaburo Oe is also great. A Personal Matter, then Rouse Up O Young Men of the New Age! is an affecting one-two punch.
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Why can't it be both that Mumei is too snobbish and Necrovax is too pedestrian?
 
M

Mumei

Member
I'm not too snobbish. I really enjoy Sanderson, in spite of his mundane prose. But there's no world in which Valente isn't a better prose stylist.

I do agree with the criticism that she can sometimes go too far in her use of metaphors, though, especially in some of her earlier stuff I've read
 
P

Pau

Member
Finished Ancillary Justice.
I always believe that robots/clones/etc. are just as "human" as the rest of us, so it's nice to see that character archetype as the protagonist. The ships should all take over. (Yes, I'm almost always on the AI's side.)

Started on The Goblin Emperor.

7TjrIJ5.jpg
Click to expand...
 
M

Mumei

Member
Pau said:
Finished Ancillary Justice.
I always believe that robots/clones/etc. are just as "human" as the rest of us, so it's nice to see that character archetype as the protagonist. The ships should all take over. (Yes, I'm almost always on the AI's side.)

Started on The Goblin Emperor.
Click to expand...

Pau, have you read Urasawa's Pluto manga series?
 
L

LProtag

Member
I'm actually really enjoying Foucault's Pendulum, though I haven't dug in super far yet. I like that I'm learning a bunch about the Knights Templar through a novel.

I started playing Monster Hunter and it's kinda cut into my reading time this past day... need to regroup tomorrow and balance my life again.
 
N

Necrovex

Member
Cyan said:
Are we really doing this again? Sanderson's prose is middling. His plotting and worldbuilding are pretty fun.
Click to expand...

I will always do this to Mumei.

I also enjoy Sanderson's very simple and middling prose.

Haly said:
Why can't it be both that Mumei is too snobbish and Necrovax is too pedestrian?
Click to expand...

I'm fine with that compromise!

Mumei said:
I'm not too snobbish. I really enjoy Sanderson, in spite of his mundane prose. But there's no world in which Valente isn't a better prose stylist.

I do agree with the criticism that she can sometimes go too far in her use of metaphors, though, especially in some of her earlier stuff I've read
Click to expand...

Are all Valente's novels written in a similar fashion as John Prester? I wouldn't mind giving her fairytale book a chance.

Mumei said:
It's right up your alley, and it's only eight volumes. Check your library! It's one of the very best.
Click to expand...

Pluto is amazing. I need to finish that series soon since I have the remaining volumes available to me.
 
P

Piecake

Member
Cyan said:
I'm actually enjoying Firefight at the moment. It's my running audiobook for now, and I'm about halfway through. Though I feel like Prof isn't acting as smart as he should be. Maybe he's being sneaky.
Click to expand...

Sparks! You are actually enjoying that book?

I probably would have enjoyed it as an audiobook more. The main character, dialogue, and made up swear words are just SOOO bad it just ruined it for me.
 
G

Ghizz

Member
Piecake said:
Sparks! You are actually enjoying that book?

I probably would have enjoyed it as an audiobook more. The main character, dialogue, and made up swear words are just SOOO bad it just ruined it for me.
Click to expand...

Really? I felt it drew me more into the world-building of sanderson. I mean, made up swear words exist in a plethora of other books...and while cringe-y at times, it's not too bad.
 
N

ngower

Member
Hi all,

I know there are a billion recommendations in the OP, but I wonder if y'all would be willing to give me a tailored book recommendation? (I bought a Kindle recently and am enjoying it, especially how damn easy it is to rent books from the library! In this New England winter, that's a godsend.)

I'm wrapping up a Storm of Swords and want a short read (~200p) before moving on to Feast for Crows.

I've got holds on The Magicians, The Bone Clocks, The Martian and Colorless Tsukuru, but those likely won't be available anytime soon. I tend to like intelligent but accessible reads, often with a fantastical element (some examples include Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, just about anything by Haruki Murakami). I know that's a pretty broad category, but I believe the holds list plus those titles give some inkling into the type of books I read. Any help, GAF?
 
A

aidan

Hugo Award Winning Author and Editor
ngower said:
Hi all,

I know there are a billion recommendations in the OP, but I wonder if y'all would be willing to give me a tailored book recommendation? (I bought a Kindle recently and am enjoying it, especially how damn easy it is to rent books from the library! In this New England winter, that's a godsend.)

I'm wrapping up a Storm of Swords and want a short read (~200p) before moving on to Feast for Crows.

I've got holds on The Magicians, The Bone Clocks, The Martian and Colorless Tsukuru, but those likely won't be available anytime soon. I tend to like intelligent but accessible reads, often with a fantastical element (some examples include Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, just about anything by Haruki Murakami). I know that's a pretty broad category, but I believe the holds list plus those titles give some inkling into the type of books I read. Any help, GAF?
Click to expand...

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.

tumblr_nety6jvPXk1qz7t98o1_500.jpg
 
M

mu cephei

Member
Cyan said:
Humble Book Bundle is decent for once: https://www.humblebundle.com/books

Do keep in mind that most of these are novellas.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for this, some interesting looking books.

.. Today I finished listening to The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. I didn't think much of it. It's aged really badly, both the science and the social stuff, but as well as that, it was just kind of shallow. It was written in the 40s, so it's a little bit interesting to look at as a product of its time, but that's about it. I'm not sure the narration helped, I think there are bits I wouldn't have found so obnoxious if I'd read, rather than heard them. There were a few stories that were decent, I liked The Martian a fair bit. And there was some nice imagery.
 
B

besada

Banned
I finished the last of the four Ringworld books, Ringworld's Children. It was better than I remembered. Ringworld Throne was still pretty sub-par, though. Not sure what I'm moving on to next. Twenty five books so far this year...
 
P

Piecake

Member
Ghizz said:
Really? I felt it drew me more into the world-building of sanderson. I mean, made up swear words exist in a plethora of other books...and while cringe-y at times, it's not too bad.
Click to expand...

I pretty much hate all made-up swear words and I think sparks is the worst. It just sounds corny and nonsensical. There is no real feeling behind the word. I mean, who is going to take someone seriously if they yell out Sparks? At least Stormin' makes some sense and I can see some dude say that with feeling.
 
F

Fusebox

Banned
Bit lttp but I started The Martian last night (and almost finished it last night too), I was expecting a bleak survivor story, didn't realise it'd be so upbeat with some great humour!
 
J

joeyjoejoeshabadoo

Member
Fusebox said:
Bit lttp but I started The Martian last night (and almost finished it last night too), I was expecting a bleak survivor story, didn't realise it'd be so upbeat with some great humour!
Click to expand...
Yeah, that book is fantastic.

(Not really ending spoiler but I put it in a tag just in case. )
I would have killed for an epilogue. The ending seemed a little abrupt.

obin_gam said:
Anyone read Dan Browns (aka the Michael Bay of books) Inferno?
I liked DaVinci, A&D and Digital Fortress - would I like Inferno?
Click to expand...
I did enjoy both Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code but I hated the Lost (Last?) Symbol. I liked Inferno, at least enough to finish it which is more than I can say about the previous Langdon book.

Inferno was fun in parts but frustrating in others, so basically a Dan Brown novel. If you read his past work then you should know what to expect. If you liked his stuff in the past, you'll like this since it's pretty much more of the same.
 
C

Christoff Yurievich

Member
It's been posted before by others but I'm here now: There was an epilogue written for the original online version so you could probably find it with some adept Googling. Which I am failing at at the moment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

  • Poll
2024 | What are you playing in October?
2
53
825
bender replied
  • Poll
2024 | What are you playing in September?
2
73
2K
Sooner replied
  • Poll
2024 | What are you playing in August?
43
1K
cormack12 replied
  • Poll
What will you be playing in November?
2
55
2K
Labadal replied
What are you reading? |OT|
|OT| 2
69
4K
kikkis replied
Top Bottom