Lol I thought you were talking about xanax.
Damn goldfinch talk bringing back memories
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What are you reading? (February 2015)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Damn goldfinch talk bringing back memories
I just found this thread, so even thought it's late in the month, I'll join in.
For fun: I'm reading The Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb. It feels like Game of Thrones with fewer zombies and houses to keep track of. I'm enjoying it, as it's the second book in the series.
For work: I'm rereading 1984 for the fifth time, as I'm teaching Honors English 12 again.
For fun: I'm reading The Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb. It feels like Game of Thrones with fewer zombies and houses to keep track of. I'm enjoying it, as it's the second book in the series.
For work: I'm rereading 1984 for the fifth time, as I'm teaching Honors English 12 again.
Christoff Yurievich
Member
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.
Huh, there's a book series too? I'm going to have to check these out.
I know.. next to nothing about this property. What else is there?
<3 Hobb
I'm currently reading 'One of Us' by Michael Marshall Smith, 'The Complete Chronicles of Conan by Robert E. Howard, and I'm listening to Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson.
One of Us has gangs of coffee machines marauding the streets at night, and the main character has a rather fraught relationship with his alarm clock. There's a plot in there somewhere. It's sci fi noir with a big dose of humour.
I just love the over-the-top way the Chronicles of Conan is written. Why have one adjective when you can have three? The stories so far are a little bit underwhelming, though. And yeah, it's racist and sexist.
I started Cryptonomicon a few years ago, got about a third of the way through it, and got bored. I went back to it recently and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I have no idea what I was thinking before. But maybe after another third I'll get bored again, this thing is long long long.
Maklershed
Member
Just saw there's a new Larson book coming out March 10. I believe it's about the sinking of the Lucitania.
Christoff Yurievich
Member
Well. There's a movie based on the TV series which was, now that I'm reading Wikipedia, based on the book series.
I enjoyed the movie when I saw it in the theater, even if it did have a ridiculous plot of cold fusion.
Huh. Bizarre, lol. Are either of those any good? The movie looks hilariously weird.
Which books in the Humble Book Bundle are good?
Maklershed
Member
The Merchant and the Alchemist Gate is really good. Pretty short though. I haven't heard of any of those other books.
Maklershed
Member
I believe I read it because of the praise from NakedSushi. So you know its good. :b
I just read this over the last couple days. I work at a job that has me on my feet all day so Reading it after work made the details of the leg/back pain even more legit. I was reading IT but stalled out halfway through so this was a great reminder that King can write short-ish stuff really well.Expanding on my Stephen King reading... started this.
I'm just through 1/3 of Stephen King's 11/22/63 and so far i like it. I always think "what would i do in these situations?".
This book also reminds me of "The Time Traveler's Wife" which is still one of my all time favourites.
Going to get a bit slower with reading since i just grabbed a PS4.
This book also reminds me of "The Time Traveler's Wife" which is still one of my all time favourites.
Going to get a bit slower with reading since i just grabbed a PS4.
Completed A Visit From the Goon Squad. Very impressive book. I seldom see an author successfully changing one's writing style every chapter. I didn't love it as much as some people, but I fully understand why it won a Pultzer in fiction.
I haven't decided on my next novel. Thinking about The Martian. Though I am getting pretty interested in finally tackling some of King's famous works.
I haven't decided on my next novel. Thinking about The Martian. Though I am getting pretty interested in finally tackling some of King's famous works.
sparky2112
Member
I'm firmly planted in the 'loved it' camp.
It was a solid 4/5, nearing a 5/5 for me. I am surprised about the heated debate this book receives regarding its quality.
Edit: I might also read The Time Traveler's Wife as my next book. Too many choices!
nakedsushi
Member
Hah, I hope that was sarcastic because I've been reading some crappy things. BUT, yes to Merchant & Alchemist Gate. It was available for free a while back and I think you can still find it here if you want to just read that one for free:
http://web.archive.org/web/20080214145811/http://www.sfsite.com/fsf/fiction/tc01.htm
I did get done reading this one. It was along the same lines of Nothing to Envy, and better written than Escape from Camp 14. Instead of talking about the poor class or defectors, it's about the upper class's college-aged sons, which was also enlightening.
Without You, There Is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea's Elite by Suki Kim
It gets really emotional at times, especially when Kim talks about her family's trauma. I was reading this while eating lunch out one time and couldn't stop crying in public. How embarrassing!
sparky2112
Member
Whoa, slow your roll, partner. What are you trying to do, kill yourself with all the awesome? Reading those back-to-back is like staring at the sun!
+1 for time traveler's wife. Read through a whole night (and went to work the next day) because i couldn't stop.
Krauser Kat
Member
Just finished Going Postal
started Making Money. I love moist von lipwig. also discworld is so much fun to jump into from time to time.
started Making Money. I love moist von lipwig. also discworld is so much fun to jump into from time to time.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Expanding on my Stephen King reading... started this.
Nice. Hope you like it as much as I did.
Think that was me -- and yep I am reading it too and about 25% in and enjoying it a lot! This type of book was exactly what I've been looking for.
It starts out similar to "Fortune's Pawn" but better in every way I'd say.
I just finished The Passing Bells, and it really moved me. It clearly influenced Downton Abbey, but there is far less downstairs, and far more western front. I'm curious to see where the rest of the trilogy goes since book one was so heavily centered on the war.
I thought it was just fantastic.
The Passing Bells by Phillip Rock
I thought it was just fantastic.
The Passing Bells by Phillip Rock
Maklershed
Member
That's my favorite part!
charlemagne
Member
Finished The Name of the Wind. That was some good, solid fantasy.
Just found out I can put my kindle in landscape mode :/
With the amazon leather case I can view it at good angle laying in bed.
Working my way through Broken Monsters, Devil in the White City, Persepolis, and This is How You Lose Her.
Maybe I should finish a book before starting another, but all four books are so different that Its not difficult to keep track.
Gonna read Stoner when it arrives in the mail, might be finished with these four by then.
With the amazon leather case I can view it at good angle laying in bed.
Working my way through Broken Monsters, Devil in the White City, Persepolis, and This is How You Lose Her.
Maybe I should finish a book before starting another, but all four books are so different that Its not difficult to keep track.
Gonna read Stoner when it arrives in the mail, might be finished with these four by then.
Toot Toot
Nappuccino
Member
You'll want to read Drown ASAP. Almost all of Diaz's stories are linked and that begins with Drown, his first collection.
Also I'd argue it's still his best work.
Spoilers: It wasn't worth it, gave very little we already didn't know.
Here is a little cliff notes if you gotta know without reading:
1. Mother is in mental care facility for trying to strangle kid Johnny.
2. Johnny was a punk always getting in fights.
3. One foster parent beat the shit out of Johnny.
4. Mother gets crazier as letters go on making less sense. (Best bits of the section)
5. She hangs herself.
2. Johnny was a punk always getting in fights.
3. One foster parent beat the shit out of Johnny.
4. Mother gets crazier as letters go on making less sense. (Best bits of the section)
5. She hangs herself.
Haven't done this in almost three weeks!
Finished:
And
through
(1) through
(6)
Currently Reading:
I was rather disappointed by Ovid, especially after Metamorphoses, but I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised that poetry with romantic instruction for men and women millennia ago wasn't really very interesting for me. Oh well.
The Search for Modern China was excellent, and I have The People's Republic of Amnesia: Tiananmen Revisited out from the library now because that edition of The Search for Modern China ends around the time of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. I'll also have to check out that list of books Piecake made for me again!
The Superior Spider-Man story started strong, but it ultimately felt a bit lightweight in the end. Banana Fish is excellent and any fan of manga should read it. It starts a bit slow, but once it finds its conspiracy thriller stride it's smooth sailing from then on.
I'm barely into Cosmicomics (two stories) or Cry, the Beloved Country (the introductory stuffs), so no real comment on those yet!
Finished:
And
Currently Reading:
I was rather disappointed by Ovid, especially after Metamorphoses, but I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised that poetry with romantic instruction for men and women millennia ago wasn't really very interesting for me. Oh well.
The Search for Modern China was excellent, and I have The People's Republic of Amnesia: Tiananmen Revisited out from the library now because that edition of The Search for Modern China ends around the time of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. I'll also have to check out that list of books Piecake made for me again!
The Superior Spider-Man story started strong, but it ultimately felt a bit lightweight in the end. Banana Fish is excellent and any fan of manga should read it. It starts a bit slow, but once it finds its conspiracy thriller stride it's smooth sailing from then on.
I'm barely into Cosmicomics (two stories) or Cry, the Beloved Country (the introductory stuffs), so no real comment on those yet!
sparky2112
Member
ClosingADoor
Member
Finally picked up some books again lately. Here we go.
The Dark Tower Part 7 - The Dark Tower
Glad I finished the series, but it went really downhill after Wolves of the Calla. Lots of things seemed to go nowhere. Major spoilers:
Veronica Mars: Mr. Kiss and Tell
Liked the previous novel, this one is also good. Looking forward to more. If you liked the series, you'll probably like the books also.
Half Way Home
Good start, terrible ending. It's about a group of people colonizing another planet, they are 'grown' there but the process is only halfway done when they are forced out of their growing tubes. After that it is figuring out what went wrong and why. Not bad, read it rather quickly, but wouldn't recommend it also.
Killing Rommel: A Novel
Nice book about World War Two and the African campaign. Didn't know much about it, but this was a nice way to read more about that part of the war, despite the main storyline being made up of course (it's about a Long Range Desert Group unit trying to find Rommel and kill him). Liked how it intersected with real events though.
Now on to:
Man in the High Castle
25% through. Good read so far and looking forward to learning more about the world in the book.
The Dark Tower Part 7 - The Dark Tower
Glad I finished the series, but it went really downhill after Wolves of the Calla. Lots of things seemed to go nowhere. Major spoilers:
Really, what the hell was the whole Mordred thing. Or that vampire in the end. And the Red King stuff was handled so strange, among other things. Did really like the epilogue.
Veronica Mars: Mr. Kiss and Tell
Liked the previous novel, this one is also good. Looking forward to more. If you liked the series, you'll probably like the books also.
Half Way Home
Good start, terrible ending. It's about a group of people colonizing another planet, they are 'grown' there but the process is only halfway done when they are forced out of their growing tubes. After that it is figuring out what went wrong and why. Not bad, read it rather quickly, but wouldn't recommend it also.
Killing Rommel: A Novel
Nice book about World War Two and the African campaign. Didn't know much about it, but this was a nice way to read more about that part of the war, despite the main storyline being made up of course (it's about a Long Range Desert Group unit trying to find Rommel and kill him). Liked how it intersected with real events though.
Now on to:
Man in the High Castle
25% through. Good read so far and looking forward to learning more about the world in the book.
squarerootofpie
Neo Member
Somebody's probably mentioned this, but I've been meaning to read "Ready Player One"
for a while, and it ended up being in this months Lootcrate! One day in and I'm almost finished, it's absolutely addictive.
for a while, and it ended up being in this months Lootcrate! One day in and I'm almost finished, it's absolutely addictive.
World building is a delicate process. You ultimately have to immerse a wide variety readers in a world that only exists in their imagination. I think the most important bit when doing this is to avoid writing stuff that will immediately remind the reader that it's all made up. The characterization has to be on point because that's the most potent hook to get people into your world.
It's annoying to have an even somewhat interesting setting undone by the weakness of the characters. The characters Revis populates her world with are paper thin. Childlike by even YA standards.
Somebody's probably mentioned this, but I've been meaning to read "Ready Player One"
for a while, and it ended up being in this months Lootcrate! One day in and I'm almost finished, it's absolutely addictive.
I loved Ready Player One and was super excited that it came in lootcrate. I still don't understand why it gets such bad rap here at The Gaf. Anyways I am currently over half done with The Martian, I am liking it so far.
Yup.
Christoff Yurievich
Member
Reading both of these at the same time. Both are interesting views into the world of movies, one broad and one specific.
From what I can gather, Wallace Shawn hated working on that movie and even being interviewed for the book. He's the only one who sounds 'salty' about the whole experience, from the casting to the acting to the directing. For example, he says that before he did any scene he made Rob go through it in it's entirety, acting it out, and then used that as his basis for what he did and even then thinking, "How would Danny Devito do this?". He also said that the only reason he fell over when he 'died' is because Rob Reiner said it would be funny. wtf. Makes me look at that performance in a whole different light, you know.
From what I can gather, Wallace Shawn hated working on that movie and even being interviewed for the book. He's the only one who sounds 'salty' about the whole experience, from the casting to the acting to the directing. For example, he says that before he did any scene he made Rob go through it in it's entirety, acting it out, and then used that as his basis for what he did and even then thinking, "How would Danny Devito do this?". He also said that the only reason he fell over when he 'died' is because Rob Reiner said it would be funny. wtf. Makes me look at that performance in a whole different light, you know.
How is the way it dates itself different from the way that a period story dates itself?
I haven't read it; just curious.
Christoff Yurievich
Member
It's dated by whether you experienced the 80's or not. Yes? Congrats, you get the references. No? Then it's going to be a lot of "this is like reading Ulysses drunk."
Or, you know, not drunk. Doesn't really matter.