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What are you reading? (February 2015)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Yeah David Peace is a fun read. I haven't read anything of his other than The Damned Utd but his writing style definitely made me feel the same psychosis as the main character.
sparky2112
Member
Everyone knows Texans can't read. Duh.
Finished up Life is a Wheel last night. Really enjoyed it and gave it 4/5. Part travel log and part memoir, it was an enjoyable read. My small town background is certainly what pulls me to enjoy reading about those middle of nowhere destinations, and really felt I had a lot in common with the author. edit: His cycling tour of Vietnam story was really interesting as well, it's an easy book to recommend for any cycling enthusiast since he talks a fair bit about his choice of paths and directions and whatnot (been years since I've rode a bike, but I just like a great adventure type of story) I'll be reading his baseball book sometime soon I am sure.
Will decide what is next on my lunch break.
Will decide what is next on my lunch break.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Starting this tonight:
8BitsAtATime
Member
Destroyed this in one sitting. It was pretty good.
When I finish Devil in the White City, I'm a look for this one
Should be required reading for anyone living in Texas.
sparky2112
Member
Finished this:
Miles's first novel, Dear American Airlines, is a favorite of mine, and his second (this one) has him broadening his scope to 3 sets of characters that are (very) loosely related, told via about 8 different POVs. Good stuff.
This brave new world we live in can be pretty cool. I was finishing the book (Kindle app on my phone) while wedged into bleachers at a high school swim meet, when one particular section made me laugh out loud. I immediately Googled Miles, found his website with his email address, sent him a quick note about how much I liked the book and how it made me laugh out loud in a public setting. Sent the email, and went back to reading. And I got a very nice reply from him before the meet was even over. How cool is that?
Miles's first novel, Dear American Airlines, is a favorite of mine, and his second (this one) has him broadening his scope to 3 sets of characters that are (very) loosely related, told via about 8 different POVs. Good stuff.
This brave new world we live in can be pretty cool. I was finishing the book (Kindle app on my phone) while wedged into bleachers at a high school swim meet, when one particular section made me laugh out loud. I immediately Googled Miles, found his website with his email address, sent him a quick note about how much I liked the book and how it made me laugh out loud in a public setting. Sent the email, and went back to reading. And I got a very nice reply from him before the meet was even over. How cool is that?
Still my favorite Larson book. And once you read it it, you'll never visit Galveston the same way again.
Should be required reading for anyone living in Texas.
I like Slaughterhouse, but Cat's Cradle's my favourite Vonnegut. Have you read Galapagos? I love that one too.
Plasticine
Member
Starting this tonight:
Great crime writer. Severance Package and The Wheelman are highly entertaining reads. I'll definitely have to check this one out.
Just finished:
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And now onto this:
I personally was extremely disapponted by Cat's Cradle. Vonnegut's humor and weirdness didn't click for me for that particular book.
Tawney Bomb
Member
I enjoyed Abaddon's Gate a lot, up until near the end when I realized it wasn't the end of the trilogy and found out they had more books to come, so they had to change their ending. I'm hoping Nemesis Games gets me back into the series again, it seems like the focus is going to be shifted away from the protomolecule and what made it for a while.
Rhomega Beta
Member
My grandma gave me an Amazon gift card for my birthday last week, so I bought a bunch of new eBooks for Kindle, so I figured I'd get through some of the books I already have. I've burned through The Hobbit Chapter IX-XVI, and I'm almost done. I'll start on The Disaster Artist (about Tommy Wiseau's The Room) when I'm done.
Hey guys I need your help... This is a long shot but it's been killing me for the last couple of days.
I'm trying to remember the title of a novel I read about 15-20years ago. All I can remember is that the story revolved a Russian (or maybe even Soviet) Cosmos/Kosmos satellite.
I think it was something about kids finding out that one of the satellite would destroy a space shuttle if they don't stop it before launch or something like that. They end up getting help from a rich dude that owns a theme park.
By all accounts I bet that it wasn't a very good book but I was a kid back then so I'm really curious to find it again.
Thanks!
I'm trying to remember the title of a novel I read about 15-20years ago. All I can remember is that the story revolved a Russian (or maybe even Soviet) Cosmos/Kosmos satellite.
I think it was something about kids finding out that one of the satellite would destroy a space shuttle if they don't stop it before launch or something like that. They end up getting help from a rich dude that owns a theme park.
By all accounts I bet that it wasn't a very good book but I was a kid back then so I'm really curious to find it again.
Thanks!
Anyone? *shakes thread*
I thought the execution for The Man in the High Castle was really poor. A good idea; boring plot and characters. People in this thread seem to think differently though, so might just be me! Can't speak for the others.
The Riyria Revelations? Its basically a fun, buddy-cop adventure in a fantasy setting (that does get 'epic').
Going by the books you listed, I am guessing you do not want some epic, depressing grimdark series. I honestly had trouble thinking of anything and not totally positive that the book I mentioned is what you are looking for.
Tragicomedy
Member
A Scanner Darkly is a phenomenal book and movie. Easily a top ten for me in both categories.
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2014/12/ne...mdark-check-out-these-13-optimistic-fantasies
A list of optimistic non-grimdark fantasies.
Thanks! Optimistic is definitely what I'm looking for. I've read a few on the list and yeah, that's what I'm trying to find more of. I don't mind "epic" as long as the novel doesn't get bogged down by it. If that makes any sense.
God, its been a while so I can't really explain it well. Basically, its about two dudes who are good friends that go on fun adventures, go through some trials and tribulations, be best buds, do epic shit, epic shit happens to them, etc
I keep seeing this recommended, so I started reading it last night.
I read it when I was living in Galveston lol. It's been a couple of years though so I might read it again. There's a cool museum in Galveston with a really cool short movie on the hurricane.
AngmarsKing701
Member
Mackenzie 92
Member
After Stoner, everything I started to read today seemed kinda bad, so decided to just go with something light and easy.
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
Pretty fun so far.
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
Pretty fun so far.
And I just finished Ancillary Sword, which I really enjoyed.
That said, it is really taking its time to deal with the overarching storyline. At this rate it'll take twenty books to get the thing told. I can't complain too much, as I'm enjoying the diversions, tableware, penis festivals, and mourning customs, all.
That said, it is really taking its time to deal with the overarching storyline. At this rate it'll take twenty books to get the thing told. I can't complain too much, as I'm enjoying the diversions, tableware, penis festivals, and mourning customs, all.
Devil in the White City is still my favorite, but Isaac's Storm is a pretty close second. I'm going to dive into Thunderstruck after finishing 11/22/63.
8BitsAtATime
Member
Up next is
A friend has been trying to get me to read it for a while now.
A friend has been trying to get me to read it for a while now.
sparky2112
Member
Don't. It's well-written garbage.
sparky2112
Member
It was completely pointless for one. I have never been this far out of step with popular opinion in terms of a book. Unless you're looking for a chronicle of high-functioning addiction, I just didn't find anything interesting about it. I read the whole thing, fully expecting there to be a payoff. There isn't one. Plot? I don't need a plot, believe me, but if you write a novel that has one, it needs to go somewhere.
Yes, Boris was kind of amusing. Kind of.
It's a trilogy. Concludes with Ancillary Mercy this year.
Then I suspect it's either going to have a set of trilogies, or the pace is going to have to change considerably. The second book barely advances the story at all.
Or maybe there's just much less story than it appears. That would be disappointing.
I don't know how Leckie is going to resolve Breq's story in one more book, because Sword was almost entirely a detour.
It would be a shame if she left it at 3 books, the universe feels so deep and has so much potential.
It would be a shame if she left it at 3 books, the universe feels so deep and has so much potential.
Just finished Man in the High Castle. Good stuff, ending fell a bit flat for me after a really interesting bit just before that, so I ended up not liking it as much as I could have. Kind of felt more like a slice of a world than a novel, with little resolution to a lot of plot threads. I liked it a lot though, the worldbuilding was fantastic. Go with that Jintor
I'd argue that Breq's story is
about her reconciling the fact that she's no longer an ancillary and is becoming more individually human. Ancillary Sword deeply explored this. That narrative is then set against a much larger narrative - Anaander Mianaai's war against herself - which will probably be continued through Leckie's other novels/series set in the Radch universe.
I can see that, but I also feel
she is so intimately involved in Anaander's schemes against herself that I don't see how Ancillary Mercy can give her closure without also resolving Anaander's conflict. She can't obtain the conclusion she needs so long as she's working for Anaander.
The only way to do so is if she abandons her mission, unlikely given her moral character, or dies, which is possible although I really don't want her to die.
The only way to do so is if she abandons her mission, unlikely given her moral character, or dies, which is possible although I really don't want her to die.
Further to our discussion, I've just found the back cover blurb for Ancillary Mercy:
Which gives us a much better idea of the direction that the third volume is going to take (and doesn't entirely support my theory!)
banefirelord
Banned
Mostly focusing on readings for classes. For funsies, I'm midway through "A Storm of Swords" and have also been poking at the CIA history "Legacy of Ashes" before bed every few nights.
I always click, and then I click again when I realize it's something I haven't read. :x
Yeah, I've done that before too. At least people in here are pretty considerate with their spoiler bars, a lot of threads I'm in people just drop spoilers willy-nilly. A travesty!
--
I'm reading this:
now. Seems fun enough. Soon I'll reread the Hobbit and finally read the LOTR books.