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What are you reading? (January 2011)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
brianjones
Member
Salazar said:
does she really suck that bad?
LocoMrPollock
Banned
Was trying to get into Diaspora by Greg Egan, as someone had recommended it, but the first part is rough and all about some mumbo jumbo science about mind seeds and latitudes and longitudes... it's really hard to get passed it. I'm wondering if there's a story there after that, though?
Anyway, went back to The Black Company in the meantime, and it is fantastic. My favorite fantasy series after SOIAF and The First Law Trilogy.
Anyway, went back to The Black Company in the meantime, and it is fantastic. My favorite fantasy series after SOIAF and The First Law Trilogy.
Dropped Tacitus, rereading Conquistador by S.M. Stirling. As usual, great world-building, lovely food, good action--along with the usual Stirling hero (tall, blond, and white with a big dick, no joke), the action-girl love interest, and the token black character insert. Thankfully, Tom, the hero of Conquistador, isn't a total douche like Athelstane King of Peshawar Lancers.
It's all very formulaic, but still enjoyable. It's a bit of a pity that the fascinating worlds he constructs never really get reused, though. The post-diaspora India that he crafted in Peshawar is one of the best AU depictions I've ever read about.
It's all very formulaic, but still enjoyable. It's a bit of a pity that the fascinating worlds he constructs never really get reused, though. The post-diaspora India that he crafted in Peshawar is one of the best AU depictions I've ever read about.
Cyan said:Third time's the charm? Posted this in two threads already, but you'll forgive me if I'm a little over-excited.
I just got my very first short story publication. A scifi flash piece on dailysciencefiction.com (a new but pro-rate (!) ezine), "Palindrome."
Take a look; hope you guys like it!
(I'll try to restrain myself from posting this anywhere else. :lol)
Gonna qoute it for the new page, for ya Cyan. You've a right to be proud mate.
Suairyu said:Just started...
Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro
One of Britain's most celebrated authors. Previously only being familiar with his excellent short story collection/cycle, Nocturnes, I requested for Christmas his entire bibliography. This is the book I chose to start with.
I can't actually say much about it, as there is a twist revealed on the very first page that would be a crime to reveal. The twist doesn't actually sink in or become realised by the reader until about three chapters in, but it is of such importance, twisting the perception of the however many pages it took you to realise what you have been reading that I dare not speak a word of it. For myself, I realised fairly early on. I imagine some took longer, some shorter.
However, what I can say is this: the core of the book is not that one, simple twist; it is a powerful exploration of youth as the novel's narrator and her two friends reminisce on their time in an English countryside boarding school.
I am fast realising why I am so drawn to Ishiguro's work. For one, he has impeccable control of prosaic rhythm, an element of prose writing that most authors never master or even realise is an element to be mastered. I recommend all read Nocturnes, his short story collection/cycle focussed on the subject of music and endings. The rhythms of music are evoked in his writing in a way I have often attempted in my own. In Never Let Me Go, the rhythm is less explicit, creating a warm, droning pace that brings to the mind the feel of long, hot summer days. Alphabetic metre influencing image. Real deep-level theory stuff, that, but the effects are so remarkable.
Secondly, his characterisation is incredible. It's odd; I wouldn't call any of his characters to most vibrant or real I have ever read, yet they act as reference points for people in my own memories. There is enough information provided that you fill in the blanks yourself, yet still they all remain perfectly distinct. An odd talent.
About quarter of the way through and - obviously - loving every page.
I think we disagreed a bit in the past, but I can't quite remember; maybe in another thread. Anyways, this time you have my plaudits. That's a fine author, and a good choice indeed.
Dead Prince
Banned
just finished
loved everything about it. almost cried
May 2011. it's oh so close.
Time to read Child 44
loved everything about it. almost cried
leading up to the death of Georgia
Time to read Child 44
movie_club
Junior Member
well i finished foundation and empire. I was pretty bored with it, but I can not exactly say why. I never really felt that invested in the characters. The first one was much better, hm I do not think I will read the third just yet. Starting:
Ah that's unfortunate. I was hoping it was the whole thing. Rubin seems to be translating most of it at least, and he's my favorite translator of Murakami's work.S. L. said:yeah but according to Wikipedia the english one will be in two volumes (and by two different Translators wtf!?)
This is already both volumes
Thou i'm not sure if there will be a third one too.
Tim the Wiz
Banned
Keen said:
You lucky... fish!
Edit: Craziness. It's available to ship right now on The Book Depository. Either someone made an error or a staff member is a fan or, most likely, the publisher wanted some hype. Well, job done: my copy is ordered. And in news of further coolness, Abercrombie happened to confirm four more books in the First Law universe.
Maklershed
Member
Finished Child 44. Not too shabby. Now on to Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Memoirs Found in a Bathtub by Stanisław Lem
Memoirs Found in a Bathtub by Stanisław Lem
The US gets the first and two volumes in one book, the third one is supposed to follow shortly after that (that's the reason for the two different translators).S. L. said:yeah but according to Wikipedia the english one will be in two volumes (and by two different Translators wtf!?)
This is already both volumes
Thou i'm not sure if there will be a third one too.
In other words: We Germans got volumes 1 and 2 early, we have to wait a year for the third one, while the english-speaking citizens of planet Earth have to wait a year longer for the first two volumes, but don't have to wait that long for the third book.
I don't know what is better or worse.
What I do know, though, is that I've read the first two books before most of GAF already - bragging rights!
Maklershed
Member
Honestly I was more or less facilitating the book club since I'm the OP. I have zero idea how the book club is supposed to work. Do we all review it as soon as we're finished or do we wait to give others a chance to finish it as well? I'll gladly give a full bodied review right now.Cyan said:Isn't the point of a book club to talk about the book in question?
It's just... I'm not sure a three-word review will cut it.
movie_club
Junior Member
I am not reading this months, but just a suggestion, I think the book club discussion should be in a thread where there can be spoilersMaklershed said:
Maklershed
Member
In that case I'm going to hold off until next month to give everyone who's interested a chance to read it. Otherwise we're going to see huge posts of spoiler tags.
That's an even better idea. Does anyone care to take the reigns and start it?
movie_club said:
That's an even better idea. Does anyone care to take the reigns and start it?
LocoMrPollock
Banned
Tim the Wiz said:
Just ordered mine as well!
Fuck yeah! Wish Martin could knock them out like this guy.
Dead Prince
Banned
or if we can make a monthly thread or for each month's book?
constableroark
Member
About half-way through this:
I received the book as a christmas present.
I received the book as a christmas present.
hey_monkey
Banned
Cyan said:
...as someone not reading the book club book, would personally prefer to see the discussions in a separate thread. Think about it: if there's a ton of discussion, it will dominate everything else. Plus it would be easier for you guys to keep up with if it was its own thread, a la the challenges and everything else.
Plus you might get people interested in that who are not interested in the "what are you reading" threads. Honestly, I skip a lot of these threads because I hate when people just post covers. Pain waiting for them all to load (if they do!).
My couple of cents, anyway.
nakedsushi
Member
Maklershed said:
I agree that we should move the book club book discussion elsewhere. I haven't even started on it yet, but don't want to accidentally come across spoilers. Maybe put it in a separate thread, or start a Goodreads thread on it in the NeoGAF group? Not sure how many of us are actual members there.
Large Professor
Member
constableroark said:About half-way through this:
I received the book as a christmas present.
Excellent book.
Tim the Wiz
Banned
kruis said:
Cheaper, yes, but only pre-order.
hey_monkey
Banned
Cyan said:
I are genius monkey. I should change my login name! :lol
At least with a book club thread, there's likely to be more discussion. It could always be done like the challenges, if a separate thread is successful... different people could "run" it each month, maybe? Or whoever runs it could just take suggestions so that the books have variety. I too would like to move beyond all covers all the time in this thread, though. :/ Same with the music threads and all. I hate just seeing a page of pictures. But I'm also picky_monkey.
nakedsushi
Member
Finished this in the afternoon. Really fast read. Took me less than a day.
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
If I had been ten years younger and hadn't read so many sci-fi and dystopian books already, I would have liked Across the Universe a lot more. It's not to say this book is bad. Not at all. But throughout the whole time reading this book, I kept seeing recycled ideas, themes, and a pervasive feeling of reading it all before.
Everything is a little cliched in the book and the characters all felt a little sterile, even the main ones. The mystery of who's screwing things up on the ship was tantalizing enough to keep me reading, but I already had a hint of how the story as going to end up. The themes in the book were just very heavy handed.
Across the Universe would be more enjoyable to someone who's not an avid reader of dystopian fiction.
Lesson learned from this book: things ALWAYS go wrong in space
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
If I had been ten years younger and hadn't read so many sci-fi and dystopian books already, I would have liked Across the Universe a lot more. It's not to say this book is bad. Not at all. But throughout the whole time reading this book, I kept seeing recycled ideas, themes, and a pervasive feeling of reading it all before.
Everything is a little cliched in the book and the characters all felt a little sterile, even the main ones. The mystery of who's screwing things up on the ship was tantalizing enough to keep me reading, but I already had a hint of how the story as going to end up. The themes in the book were just very heavy handed.
Across the Universe would be more enjoyable to someone who's not an avid reader of dystopian fiction.
Lesson learned from this book: things ALWAYS go wrong in space
Maklershed
Member
Gave up on Memoirs Found in a Bathtub. I didn't read the description closely enough and its definitely not what I was expecting. I moved on to A Storm of Swords
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
ClosingADoor
Member
Was reading The Windup Girl, but just couldn't get into it. Gave up after 50 pages or so.
Not reading Red Mars, got my hooked after two pages
Just adding my opinion about our book of the month / book club
- separate thread (either on GAF or directly on our GoodReads group page). I think it would be better on GR actually, but I'm not sure how many of us use GR. Also, can you spoiler tag on GR? Hmm.
- we should decide on the book of the month the month before; I don't think we gave enough time this month, especially for those who want to buy it online and have to wait for it to get delivered. Like... Next week we should know what February's book will be!
- maybe add milestones so people have a goal to reach or can read it at a similar pace? I think that's how real book clubs work anyway. Ex: get to Ch. 6 by the 10th and the halfway mark by the 15th. Maybe I just know I'd be lagging behind everyone else without something like that to shoot for, heh.
- separate thread (either on GAF or directly on our GoodReads group page). I think it would be better on GR actually, but I'm not sure how many of us use GR. Also, can you spoiler tag on GR? Hmm.
- we should decide on the book of the month the month before; I don't think we gave enough time this month, especially for those who want to buy it online and have to wait for it to get delivered. Like... Next week we should know what February's book will be!
- maybe add milestones so people have a goal to reach or can read it at a similar pace? I think that's how real book clubs work anyway. Ex: get to Ch. 6 by the 10th and the halfway mark by the 15th. Maybe I just know I'd be lagging behind everyone else without something like that to shoot for, heh.
Maklershed
Member
Whoever wants to set up the book club thread, please feel free to do so and I'll make sure to add the info to the OP.
MustacheBandit_
Member
I agree with this post. I just purchased the book as well and would like a place to talk about it. Also, I like the milestones idea.Vard said: