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[Dandy Crocodile]

Finished two books the past week and a half!

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
It was an interesting concept and a good, fast read but in the end I think it's overall forgettable.


Vaclav and Lena by Haley Tanner
This was one I've had on my to-read list ofr quite some time based on the premise alone.
Two young Russian immigrants living in America and pursuing their dreams. The entire book was funny and tragic.
Some of Tanner's writing had a really unique voice. When some of the older characters were around, the narrative voice had a more stilted flow the way a Russian learning English might sound. Intersting plot device, and it was fun to see how Tanner's writing changed with each character involved.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

Challenge accepted. I'll start it after I finish The Little Sister.

And sorry about the spoiler allegate. Too bad it gets revealed like that.

Like I said, I already knew about the...that...so it's not a big deal. It's more of a site issue anyway. ShaneB has a good idea, because when you quote a poste the quotes don't come with you therefore the spoiler would be hidden then as well.

So, I finished The Dark Tower series today. I've been reading it on and off for probably the last six months or so. Don't know how to frame this post, I absolutely don't want some gargantuan soliloquy on what must be like 4000 pages.

I'll say this though, it was fun. It works as an entertaining series with a really cool premise, a ton of well told plot that somehow almost never grows stale, and a good number of interesting ideas stacked on top of it. Some bad ones as well mind you, there was no reason to drag a bunch of other Stephen King books into it and even less is to be said for

Spoiler

King to drag himself in.

But if you're not so invested in it, as I wasn't, you can stand to tolerate that stuff and move on. If this was your jam for a long time, I can see plenty of reasons to be pissed. But this sort of book doesn't bear close examination in general, woe be to the reader who holds it in too high of esteem, King will bludgeon you for it.

Getting back to the positives, Roland Deschain is a strong character. His back story is great and masterfully told, I ate a lot of that stuff with a soup ladle. The way his character comes out of a shell is fun to watch as well. Towards the latter half of the series it really bloats and Roland suffers for it, most of him is erased until all the reader has left is some superficial traits as his gang goes on one adventure after the other, but he comes back strong in the end. Jake Chambers is good too while we're at it. And did I mention the premise? LOTR plus Sergio Leone westerns, Roland slaying heroin addiction and some other stuff I'd rather not spoil in NYC instead of dragons in the sequel, oh and a dystopian alternate future and a helping robots and... a ton of entertaining, fun plot. If that(and not much else mind you) wrapped in some really cool packaging sounds fun, you may want to give this series a try.

I've said it before but here goes one more time: If King were to let another writer take a stab at the series, starting from where Book 7...ends

Spoiler

/begins

...I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

I grabbed the 'wrong' Boneshaker at the library and I'm not regretting it. It reads like if "Something Wicked This Way Comes" was mixed with "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and steampunk (lite) and - this is speculation as I'm only 3/4 of the way through -

Spoiler

the story of how Satan was cast from Heaven

. It's a little open in it's reading, as in if you have any experience with reading lots of different books you'll see where the story is going pretty easily (hence the comparisons in the opening sentence) but it's a good fast read.

I'm also reading Gone Girl and it's good, but in a way I can't put my finger on. The story is well done and the shifts from now and then bring you in further. I was spoiled on the movies ending but I think I also read that it was changed for the movie so I guess I'll find out.

 

[TTG]

Weird. I finished it yesterday (minus Wind Through the Keyhole). Must be ka.

It felt like a long journey for me because I've been reading it on and off for about 10 years. I'd heard bad things the conclusion so expected the worst, but although I thought Song of Susannah was a weak book, I loved the last three books overall. It got quite dusty in the room towards the end there, I must admit.

I got some ominous "let me know what you think about the ending" messages as well and, to be honest, it's fine.

Spoiler

I like that Roland is back by his lonesome for the last leg because we get to see how the journey(his katet really) has changed him from the first book. King has something meaningful to say about obsession at the end as well, something we haven't seen since Roland let Jake fall in the first book. It manifests in a physical mania at the end and is, of course, the furthest thing from fulfillment. Not bad. He almost couldn't get out of his way again with all of that material, how many writers would throw in Dandelo and The Artist in there when that time could have been spent ruminating on the existing characters and the journey? But, to pick at threads is to unravel the whole thing. Why did Susannah's drive peter out at the end there before she bailed? Dreams, ka? Why didn't she have the kid draw some legs for her before she split? It goes on and on, the trick is to take it on face value.

I will say revealing Roland as the star of his own Groundhog Day/life scenario undercut a lot of what King worked so hard to build. The point he was making didn't have to come at the cost of rendering so many events of the series invalid within that universe. But, what am I saying? I don't doubt the reward of ending the books with the sentence that started it was worth it alone for him, that's a cool way to go out. That's the sense I get, it would be dealt away with easily enough if he ever went back to the series. That's the idea here, don't get too invested in the "lore". It's a fun ride first and foremost.

I wonder how he looks back on shoveling so many of his other books in there along with settling himself to be a prophet, if not God as we first suspected. Maybe he's ok with it still, maybe his ego is just that big, maybe he looks back and says he's forgotten the face of his father, who knows? The thing with Insomnia felt more like product placement more than anything else, and for someone who hasn't read any of his other books, it had an opposite effect.

I've said it before but here goes one more time: If King were to let another writer take a stab at the series, starting from where Book 7...ends

Spoiler

/begins

...I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

Oh, no doubt, I would be there day one. I would also love a book chronicling Roland's time from leaving Gilead for the second time through the end of the Good Man wars and all the way to the desert where The Gunslinger starts. I know The Wind Through The Keyhole is suppose to cover some of that, but I want the battle of Jericho.

 

[ShaneB]

Hey you guys see the new Expanse trailer?

The Expanse

Mentioned my thoughts in the Expanse thread, I think it looks pretty good. Have lowered expectations on the look and presentation, but just hope the cast chemistry is there and the writing is good. I'll be watching it regardless anyway I suppose!

Heavy emotional start to A Deadly Wandering. Think I'll be getting through this at a good pace.

Still need to put together my favourites of 2014 as well, have put that off.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

I got some ominous "let me know what you think about the ending" messages as well and, to be honest, it's fine.

Spoiler

I like that Roland is back by his lonesome for the last leg because we get to see how the journey(his katet really) has changed him from the first book. King has something meaningful to say about obsession at the end as well, something we haven't seen since Roland let Jake fall in the first book. It manifests in a physical mania at the end and is, of course, the furthest thing from fulfillment. Not bad. He almost couldn't get out of his way again with all of that material, how many writers would throw in Dandelo and The Artist in there when that time could have been spent ruminating on the existing characters and the journey? But, to pick at threads is to unravel the whole thing. Why did Susannah's drive peter out at the end there before she bailed? Dreams, ka? Why didn't she have the kid draw some legs for her before she split? It goes on and on, the trick is to take it on face value.

I will say revealing Roland as the star of his own Groundhog Day/life scenario undercut a lot of what King worked so hard to build. The point he was making didn't have to come at the cost of rendering so many events of the series invalid within that universe. But, what am I saying? I don't doubt the reward of ending the books with the sentence that started it was worth it alone for him, that's a cool way to go out. That's the sense I get, it would be dealt away with easily enough if he ever went back to the series. That's the idea here, don't get too invested in the "lore". It's a fun ride first and foremost.

I wonder how he looks back on shoveling so many of his other books in there along with settling himself to be a prophet, if not God as we first suspected. Maybe he's ok with it still, maybe his ego is just that big, maybe he looks back and says he's forgotten the face of his father, who knows? The thing with Insomnia felt more like product placement more than anything else, and for someone who hasn't read any of his other books, it had an opposite effect.

But Ka is a wheel, it always comes back around.

 

[sparky2112]

Totally over-the-top farce. Not very far in, but it's gonna be good, I think.

 

[Mr.Towel]

Oh, no doubt, I would be there day one. I would also love a book chronicling Roland's time from leaving Gilead for the second time through the end of the Good Man wars and all the way to the desert where The Gunslinger starts. I know The Wind Through The Keyhole is suppose to cover some of that, but I want the battle of Jericho.

You plan on reading the comics Marvel put out? Because they cover that stuff, and do a pretty good job of it as I remember.

 

[Piecake]

Finished Skin Deep (Legion #2) by Brandon Sanderson yesterday. It was great. Don't know what to read next though. I think I'm starting the Reckoners series by Sanderson but I'm not sure yet. I'd really like to read some kind of horror or mystery book.

City of Stairs

Its the best fantasy ive read in a long while, and it is basically a mystery/thriller in a fantasy setting.

 

[Nymerio]

City of Stairs

Its the best fantasy ive read in a long while, and it is basically a mystery/thriller in a fantasy setting.

Heh, thanks. Just bought it and will be starting in a couple of minutes.

 

[X-Frame]

I finished Ancillary Sword, and enjoyed it!

My only question is,

Spoiler

is this supposed to be a trilogy or an ongoing series with no planned end? It doesn't seem like this is a typical Book 2 of 3. The scope of this universe is so vast and it spans thousands of years; there seem to be so many things going on (the other aliens, the Lord of the Radch's factions, etc) -- it seems like this should be an ongoing series and not something that concludes after 3 books.

Looking forward to the next book, Ancillary Mercy.

 

[lightus]

Hey you guys see the new Expanse trailer?

The Expanse

Well, looks better than I was expecting but still not great.

I remain nervous.

 

[TTG]

But Ka is a wheel, it always comes back around.

Isn't his vernacular great though? He has such a knack for cool phrases that hit the right tone. "You have forgotten the face of your father." That's some cold shit to say.

You plan on reading the comics Marvel put out? Because they cover that stuff, and do a pretty good job of it as I remember.

No, I'm not much for comics, especially not on the Kindle. I don't know if I'll go back for The Wind Through The Keyhole soon either, some time down the line probably.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

You can get the comics omnibuses through your library. The art is be Jae Lee and his style is...well. It depends.

Feels too 'wrinkly' for me. His kids look like shrunken adults.

 

[LProtag]

Finished all of Mistborn just now.

That was a pretty satisfying ending. I'm impressed at how much came together throughout the series to lead up to it. It didn't all come out of nowhere and I was able to guess at some of what was happening, but there were enough surprises that me being able to figure out a few things didn't cheapen any of it.

 

[aidan]

City of Stairs

Its the best fantasy ive read in a long while, and it is basically a mystery/thriller in a fantasy setting.

Heh, thanks. Just bought it and will be starting in a couple of minutes.

Great taste, you two!

 

[RepairmanJack]

Fuck this book.

Complaining/overall spoilers:

Spoiler

This book should really just not exist. It brings nothing new to the story besides a small side story that could be added to a different story without the pointless flashbacks that made it obvious who Tobias was. There was never a stand-alone story here. All it did was further prove what was already known and what was repeated upteen times in the book itself; Pilcher and Pam are psychos. There was never a mystery with the killing which seemed like it was the intended main story but it never went anywhere because there was never any doubt.

It felt like one big book of filler.

Instead of going to the third book I'm jumping into the first of the Mistborn trilogy.

 

[Cade]

You've already put enough time into Pines that you should read the third one. Books 2 and 3 should've been one book, with like half of Wayward cut out, but it's still worth finishing (even if the ending sucked).

Man, I liked the first book a fair bit but the other two just let me down so damn hard.

 

[SliceSabre]

What a great story this turned out to be.

Spoiler

Despite the name it wasn't the epic dragonslaying story I was expecting. To put it simply it was honestly a romantic comedy about a bunch of guys helping their friend court the girl he loves and the little 'adventures' they go on to make his love a reality. While this does have a high fantasy setting in which magic, dragons, dwarves and pixies are the norm, its not about travelling the countryside and such. In fact the entire story takes place in a pretty unremarkable small village and the entire story is driven by the colorful cast of characters who are honestly just average ordinary people each with their own quirk living out their lives. There are a few characters with your typical heroic backgrounds, but well you'll just have to read it to see what you think of their importance.

Honestly this felt like a breath of fresh air in a genre where I'm used to the characters travelling the world and doing amazing things and having amazing backgrounds and skills.

 

[RepairmanJack]

You've already put enough time into Pines that you should read the third one. Books 2 and 3 should've been one book, with like half of Wayward cut out, but it's still worth finishing (even if the ending sucked).

Man, I liked the first book a fair bit but the other two just let me down so damn hard.

I'll finish it, just feel like putting a book or two between my anger. I'm like you, I liked the book even though I thought the twist made moving forward more predictable, but where it went felt worse than predictable.

 

[Cade]

I'll finish it, just feel like putting a book or two between my anger. I'm like you, I liked the book even though I thought the twist made moving forward more predictable, but where it went felt worse than predictable.

Haha yeah, it was just like really?
And gotcha. I been there.

 

[GreenTornadoX]

Game Over by David Sheff.

Was in the middle of the book in August, but I've recently picked it back up. Great book too!

 

[BronzeWolf]

Somebody knows a good novel by an Italian author? I am trying to learn Italian and would like to read something that has modern vocabulary. Any genre would do

 

[Zona]

Somebody knows a good novel by an Italian author? I am trying to learn Italian and would like to read something that has modern vocabulary. Any genre would do

Umberto Eco

 

[LProtag]

Somebody knows a good novel by an Italian author? I am trying to learn Italian and would like to read something that has modern vocabulary. Any genre would do

Italo Calvino and Umberto Eco are some of my favorites. Calvino would probably be more accessible to someone learning Italian as Eco isn't the most accessible writer to begin with.

If on a winter's night a traveler is a favorite of mine.

 

[Mumei]

Italo Calvino and Umberto Eco are some of my favorites. Calvino would probably be more accessible to someone learning Italian as Eco isn't the most accessible writer to begin with.

If on a winter's night a traveler is a favorite of mine.

!

<333

 

[BronzeWolf]

Italo Calvino and Umberto Eco are some of my favorites. Calvino would probably be more accessible to someone learning Italian as Eco isn't the most accessible writer to begin with.

If on a winter's night a traveler is a favorite of mine.

Thank you. I'll check out Italo Calvino

 

[pa22word]

Anyone know of some good alternate ww2 history novels? Wolfenstein tno, and man in the high castle (both the book and the show) which I've read this year perked my interest in the subject. Just looking for something fun to pass the time in the hospital post surgery (iOS gaf seems to have ignored me so bag at that) and what's better than silly alternate history stuff


Ps: no fatherland recs because there's apparently no way to find the original English format anywhere in ebook format legally, which is a big deal atm because I currently am stuck in a hospital room

 

[Fintan]

Anyone know of some good alternate ww2 history novels? Wolfenstein tno, and man in the high castle (both the book and the show) which I've read this year perked my interest in the subject. Just looking for something fun to pass the time in the hospital post surgery (iOS gaf seems to have ignored me so bag at that) and what's better than silly alternate history stuff


Ps: no fatherland recs because there's apparently no way to find the original English format anywhere in ebook format legally, which is a big deal atm because I currently am stuck in a hospital room

The Yiddish Policemen's Union fits vaguely into this category and I recommend it! It's not the best Michael Chabon, but I enjoyed it when I listened to the audio book.

 

[Maklershed]

Speaking of The Man in the High Castle. A show based on the book is one of the pilots for Amazon this season:

http://www.slashfilm.com/watch-amazons-12-new-tv-pilots-next-golden-globes-winner/

 

[survivor]

Somebody knows a good novel by an Italian author? I am trying to learn Italian and would like to read something that has modern vocabulary. Any genre would do

Check out the works of Elena Ferrante. I have read Days of Abandonment which was pretty good and short too. She also has a more recent trilogy, Neopolitan novels which have been getting a lot of praise.

 

[Osorio]

Got this for Christmas. Pretty amazing anthology and a great introduction by Ilan Stavans as well.

 

[Mackenzie 92]

Speaking of The Man in the High Castle. A show based on the book is one of the pilots for Amazon this season:

http://www.slashfilm.com/watch-amazons-12-new-tv-pilots-next-golden-globes-winner/

Gave it a watch. Pretty meh.

 

[Guiberu]

Mr Stink by David Walliams.

It's rather good. My daughter (7) and I are quite enjoying it so far. Very reminiscent of Roald Dahl.

 

[pokeystaples]

Bad Femenist by Roxane Gay has made me cry on my commute to work more than I care to admit. Lamb by Christopher Moore next.

 

[Piecake]

Umberto Eco and Calvino seem pretty terrible authors to readif the goal is to learn Italian. Those books are difficult to understand when you can read the language and are rather abstract with difficult sentence/book structures, themes, and likely vocabulary.

I don't know any, but I would look for an Italian writer who writes more for the popular audience.

 

[Mumei]

Great taste, you two!

I saw this post when I was at the library and picked up the book~

 

[Piecake]

I saw this post when I was at the library and picked up the book~

My recommendation wasn't enough for you to pick it up? That hurts, Mumei

 

[thomaser]

Somebody knows a good novel by an Italian author? I am trying to learn Italian and would like to read something that has modern vocabulary. Any genre would do

Andrea Camilleri is a very popular writer of detective novels starring Inspector Montalbano. I haven't read anything of him, but I know about him because I was biking in Sicily last year and went through a small town that's heavily featured in his works. His books probably have some Sicilian vernacular that might be different from standard Italian.

Leonardi Sciascia is another popular writer, also of detective novels set in Sicily. They are centered around the mafia. It seems his works might be a bit more complicated than Camilleri's, but don't quote me on that.

 

[cntr]

Okay, I started reading Ready Player One.

Then I stopped reading it, because if I continued, I'd spend the rest of the day reading it and get nothing done. Lemme read it when I have time.

 

[BrokenFiction]

Okay, I started reading Ready Player One.

Then I stopped reading it, because if I continued, I'd spend the rest of the day reading it and get nothing done. Lemme read it when I have time.

Just announced for sure that this is getting a sequel:

http://www.cinemablend.com/pop/Ready-Player-One-Getting-Sequel-69503.html

 

[Mumei]

My recommendation wasn't enough for you to pick it up? That hurts, Mumei

Hey, I read a 2500 page novel based almost entirely off of your say so.

Also, I wasn't at the library when you made that post. :3

It's pretty solid, though I had a few fairly minor issues. He's said he took inspiration from Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, which definitely earns him some bonus points.

Oooh.

Well, in any case I have to finish War and Peace and then start one of those books that Necrovex has me roped into reading before that.

 

[Josephl64]

Doing some re-reading, I seem to do this quite often with this novel, but it's Romance of the Three Kingdoms

 

[Uzzy]

Going to start reading this

I enjoyed Glasshouse when I read it late last year, so I'm rather excited to find out what I think of the second person narrative in this one.

 

[ShaneB]

Just announced for sure that this is getting a sequel:

http://www.cinemablend.com/pop/Ready-Player-One-Getting-Sequel-69503.html

Neat!

 

[LProtag]

I'm enjoying Alloy of Law for what it is. I'm around halfway done. It's a quick read and nowhere near on the same scale as the trilogy, but I like how it's taken the world of Mistborn and changed it 300 years later. I love the idea of Twinborn. Just enough mix of being powerful and interesting combinations with having limitations compared to a Mistborn or Keeper.


I guess while I'm on this fantasy kick I should take it to it's logical conclusion and jump on the Stormlight Archive and Kingkiller Chronicle trains, huh? It could be nice to read some series that aren't going to keep me waiting for many years on end like ASOIAF (though I hear the third book in The Kingkiller Chronicle has been a bit of a wait already, but it's the last book I'd have to wait for in the series anyway).

 

[Mumei]

I'm enjoying Alloy of Law for what it is. I'm around halfway done. It's a quick read and nowhere near on the same scale as the trilogy, but I like how it's taken the world of Mistborn and changed it 300 years later. I love the idea of Twinborn. Just enough mix of being powerful and interesting combinations with having limitations compared to a Mistborn or Keeper.


I guess while I'm on this fantasy kick I should take it to it's logical conclusion and jump on the Stormlight Archive and Kingkiller Chronicle trains, huh? It could be nice to read some series that aren't going to keep me waiting for many years on end like ASOIAF (though I hear the third book in The Kingkiller Chronicle has been a bit of a wait already, but it's the last book I'd have to wait for in the series anyway).

Have you ever read The Dark is Rising Sequence?

 

[Pau]

Speaking of The Man in the High Castle. A show based on the book is one of the pilots for Amazon this season:

http://www.slashfilm.com/watch-amazons-12-new-tv-pilots-next-golden-globes-winner/

Hopefully the execution will be better than the book's. Great concept; boring story. :/

 

[VanWinkle]

I'm almost finished with the first Mistborn book. I really love it. Not at Stormlight Archives level, but I'm surprised at how much I love it despite it being fairly short (at least, comparatively).

 

[Loke13]

I'm almost finished with the first Mistborn book. I really love it. Not at Stormlight Archives level, but I'm surprised at how much I love it despite it being fairly short (at least, comparatively).

Yeah the pacing of the first book is probably the best of the trilogy. Honestly it could have been a trilogy all its own.

 

[Corum]

I finished Ancillary Sword, and enjoyed it!

My only question is,

Spoiler

is this supposed to be a trilogy or an ongoing series with no planned end? It doesn't seem like this is a typical Book 2 of 3. The scope of this universe is so vast and it spans thousands of years; there seem to be so many things going on (the other aliens, the Lord of the Radch's factions, etc) -- it seems like this should be an ongoing series and not something that concludes after 3 books.

Looking forward to the next book, Ancillary Mercy.

Ann Leckie refers to it as a trilogy in the AMA she did but mentions that subsequent novels might be set in the same universe.

Spoiler

I was surprised that so little happened in this book considering the scope of the first but I guess Breq's only concern is to protect Awn's sister and doesn't care about the civil war. Although I'm sure she'll get dragged into it in the third book.