Support NeoGAF

[lt519]

Just finished Dune today. Absolutely loved it but was told to skip the rest of the series so I'm gonna move on. Finishing Unbroken and then going to read Fahrenheit 451 I think.

I still want to recommended The Martian by Andy Weir to everyone, my favorite of 2014.

 

[KidDork]

Ancilliary Justice by Ann Leckie. Just got to the part where I can understand the title. Interesting core idea.

 

[Haly]

Ancilliary Justice by Ann Leckie. Just got to the part where I can understand the title. Interesting core idea.

One of the most imaginative concepts in yearsssss~

 

[Mr.Swag]

I just finished my first book of 2015. I don't know whether I could count it as being read in 2015 though... but I probably read about half of it this year already as I was up late last night and spent most of the morning reading.

I think I'm going to read American Gods by Neil Gaiman because I've never read one of his books before.

Neverwhere is amazing. Read that instead

 

[Nymerio]

almost halfway through. I'm missing

Spoiler

"You've got to be realistic about these things" and "Say one thing about Logen Ninefingers, say he's..."

. Other than that I'm loving it.

 

[Necrovex]

I just finished my first book of 2015. I don't know whether I could count it as being read in 2015 though... but I probably read about half of it this year already as I was up late last night and spent most of the morning reading.

I think I'm going to read American Gods by Neil Gaiman because I've never read one of his books before.

American Gods was my first Gaiman novel. I found the concept strong but the execution is bad. It has put me off from reading his other works.

 

[Cade]

The Long War by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. Got it from a friend for Christmas a year ago. I haven't read the prequel, The Long Earth, but I don't think that should matter much. Pratchett's books are usually self-contained enough despite being parts of various series.

The Long Earth was so good and The Long War made me actually stop reading it

 

[LProtag]

No, no. If you start with his novels, read Stardust or Coraline or The Graveyard Book first.

Whoops. I'm already 20 pages in. I found a nice used hardcover earlier this week so I figured I'd pick it up.

Oh well. Seems like it's a quick read anyway.

 

[Mumei]

Whoops. I'm already 20 pages in. I found a nice used hardcover earlier this week so I figured I'd pick it up.

Oh well. Seems like it's a quick read anyway.

My condolences.

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

returned to Story by McKee, now with the intent to actually read it. Sometime. Soon. Maybe. Someday?

which reminds me it's also time to reset the 50 books challenge.

 

[Necrovex]

My condolences.

Now he'll be like me and never be motivated to read another Gaiman novel.

 

[SliceSabre]

On page 90 of Eventide: Tales of the Dragon's Bard by Hickman.

Gotta say this portion of the book right now reminds me of a rom-com story with a bunch of bros trying to get their hapless friend laid but set in medieval times with all manner of fantasy elements.

Not that I'm complaining mind you, I love it so far.

 

[Osorio]

 

[Haly]

2 thumbs way up

COMMIES. IN. SPAAAAAAAAACE.

 

[LProtag]

I'll manage.

Also I read The Dispossessed in high school for summer reading one year. Interesting book, though I don't remember everything about it.

 

[Lafiel]

30-pages into The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.

It's interesting so far, unsure what to make of it at this point.

 

[TestMonkey]

Starting off the year with Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill. Pretty good so far. Definitely sets himself apart from his father. Not a single reference to Maine yet.

 

[mid83]

For those of you who read ebooks, where do you usually buy your books? I'm about to start using my iPad as my primary reader and I'm wondering if there is anyplace besides IBooks, kindle store or nook store to buy them? It seems like kindle books are usually the cheapest but I wanted to be sure I'm not missing another store.

 

[JadedOne]

 

[ZQQLANDER]

Just passed the halfway mark of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Such a fantastic way to start the year.

 

[lt519]

Love me some Hugh Howey, I think that's the only one I haven't read. His shorts are great too. This any good? If you like Hugh Howey check out The Martian it was one of his personal favorite last year, that's what turned me onto it.

 

[Mumei]

Just passed the halfway mark of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Such a fantastic way to start the year.

I've been listening to that one on audio. Great, great book. Can't believe I never read it before.

I've owned that since 2004 and I haven't read it yet. It's high on my list for things to read this year.

 

[ZQQLANDER]

I've owned that since 2004 and I haven't read it yet. It's high on my list for things to read this year.

A coworker gave it to me to on loan, strongly suggesting I read it. I started it because I felt obligated to more than anything.

It starts a little slow, but its one of the best books I've read in a long while.

How do the footnotes work with the audio book?

It519: I read The Martian this past fall and it was great!

 

[ZQQLANDER]

The reader just reads them straight off, wherever they turn up. "Blah de blah. Footnote 1: blah de blah." And then carries on from where he left off. I sometimes get slightly lost with some of the lengthier footnotes, but for the most part it works out just fine.

I can imagine! Some of those footnotes are almost short stories (little bit of an exaggeration).

 

[Nuke Soda]

Finally started reading Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlen, a book that has been sitting on my shelf for a while that I have not read yet.

 

[MisterNugNug]

Just started reading Texaco by Patrick Chamoiseau.

 

[TwoDurans]

Tripwire by Lee Child.

Can't put my finger on it, but I've become addicted to the Reacher novels. I started Killing Floor a month ago, and have made my way to book 3 in very little time (for me anyway, I don't usually read).

I plan to try and read all 19 before September when #20 comes out.

 

[Cerity]

For anyone interested, amazon are giving away the kindle edition of a few of Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy's stuff.

 

[thomaser]

The Long Earth was so good and The Long War made me actually stop reading it

Well, that's disheartening. But I've read similar thoughts elsewhere, so I was prepared for a disappointment. Looks to be a quick read anyway.

 

[Setre]

I finished Deadman's Road by Joe R Lansdale a while ago. Really fun book. Reverend Jebidiah Mercer is sort of Lansdale's take on Solomon Kane. Mercer is a fire and brimstone Old Testament type. He hates God for being a hateful motherfucker, but will still spread His word and deal with Evil in all its form. He's also a terrible alcoholic given to horrible acts of violence and easily tempted by women of all kinds.

The short novel Dead in the West makes up the bulk of the collection, and is the best of the tales presented. Initially published as this story introduced Reverend Jebidiah Mercer and the Weird West he inhabited. A splatter-fest in the early 80s horror tradition, its filled with flesh hungry zombies, vengeful Indians and lots of rip-roaring action. It's considered a classic in the genre for good reason. Easily worth the purchase of this collection by itself.

The rest of the stories are genuine short stories, and act as self-contained moments from the life of Reverend Mercer. While some of them are better than the others, they're all consistently entertaining and do a great job of building the Weird West the Reverend brings the Message of God to. It's a nasty pulp west filled with disgustingly crude men who eat decaying horse meat, exhibit poor hygiene and lust after morbidly obese prostitutes. If you enjoy the idea of a fire and brimstone Reverend wandering the old west in search of werewolves, zombies and Lovecraftian inspired monsters gets you all hot and bothered, you should definitely check out this collection.

That sounds like it's right up my alley. Might have to pick it up.

Started

My brother got this for me as a Christmas present. About 100 pages in and I'm starting to enjoy it a little more. I understand Chris loves his wife but come on dude, you're dead and found out there's life after death! Go explore heaven, find out if there's alien life, have a slumber party with Jesus, just stop moping about your wife!

I saw the Robin Williams movie years ago but I remember the basic plot so I know what's going to happen. Still an interesting read and it's always fun to see what someone else thinks heaven will be like. The "vibration" stuff has me rolling my eyes, gotta blame that one on listening to Mysterious Universe though.

 

[KidDork]

One of the most imaginative concepts in yearsssss~

It is, isn't it? Really enjoying the book so far.

 

[Althane]

My holiday vacation ends Jan 5, back to the grind.

And my girlfriend will be in town until the afternoon of Jan 4.

So I probably won't get any reading done. That said, I have an airplane flight tomorrow morning, so I'll probably try to polish off Barrayar.

As I understand it, this'll be the last one with Cordelia as the protagonist? Because I really like Cordelia.

I just got to the point where

Spoiler

the Vordarian rebellion is in full swing, and Cordelia just met back up with Aral after hiding out in the mountains.

Bothari is also a great, tragic character. Heck, I'm pretty sure anyone associated with Vorkosigan is going to be a great, tragic character. That seems to be their schtick.

Once I finish Barrayar, what's the next book to follow up on?

 

[Woorloog]

Just finished Dune today. Absolutely loved it but was told to skip the rest of the series so I'm gonna move on.

I'd suggest you read Dune Messiah and Children of Dune at least, as they form a trilogy with the original, partially written before even the publishing of the original.
As for the rest of the originals... well, use your own judgment after... if you read DM and CoD but i'll not that anything coming after Children is a bit different.

But whatever you do, do not touch the "Dune" books written by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert. Heck, even if thought as scifi not related to Dune, they're not exactly good (though i guess they have good moments).

 

[Althane]

I
But whatever you do, do not touch the "Dune" books written by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert. Heck, even if thought as scifi not related to Dune, they're not exactly good (though i guess they have good moments).

Seconding that. There's some bright spots, but those are few and far between. KJA was ..okay doing Star Wars novels. Dune? ugh

 

[Kud Dukan]

Got it for $2.99 on the Kobo store, so decided to pick it up and give it a read. Saw a lot of great reviews for it, so we'll see.

 

[Woorloog]

Seconding that. There's some bright spots, but those are few and far between. KJA was ..okay doing Star Wars novels. Dune? ugh

They read often very much like his Star Wars works IMO, they're at times OK as generic science fiction (Erasmus especially is kind of interesting character) but that's all. Anyone ever need generic space opera, ask KJA. His own Saga of the Seven Suns is entertainin but lacks originality and isn't that well written. KJA's Star Wars books suffer from other things...

EDIT While i don't have great things to say about JKA's writing, he does manage to make relatively entertaining works otherwise. Also he is rather productive and capable of selling his work, things that i figure many writers struggle with.

 

[Masenkame]

I read a whole bunch of books in the last quarter of 2014 and didn't post anything about them, so I'll remedy that soon. Some standouts during that time were Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse, Don Delillo's White Noise, Harlan Ellison's anthology Dangerous Visions, George Saunder's Tenth of December, Thomas Pynchon's Inherent Vice, Jeff VanderMeer's Annihilation, and Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.

I just started Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein.

Just started reading Texaco by Patrick Chamoiseau.

I heard about this novel when Junot Diaz praised it and said it was an influence on The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I've been hoping for an ebook version to show up, sometime.

 

[GorillaWithDandruff]

Now that holidays are over I can get shit done. Finally started The Children of Hurin and The Twilight Zone Companion. Fuckin damn. MMmmmmm

 

[Skullface]

 

[Tragicomedy]

Love me some Hugh Howey, I think that's the only one I haven't read. His shorts are great too. This any good? If you like Hugh Howey check out The Martian it was one of his personal favorite last year, that's what turned me onto it.

I'm now 40% done with it, and it's interesting. I will say the two main characters are the weakest I've encountered in a Howey book, but the premise is strong. I'm 95% sure I know how it will end, which is a bit disappointing.

 

[Wafflecakes]

Ancilliary Justice by Ann Leckie. Just got to the part where I can understand the title. Interesting core idea.

I tried with that book, but it lost me about 1/3 of the way through.

 

[aidan]

I tried with that book, but it lost me about 1/3 of the way through.

That's just about the point that I finally figured it out and fell in love with the book!

 

[Piecake]

I just got through the liberal Republican reformer chapter of Reconstruction, and I just have to give a shout out to those elitist, snobish fucks. For the supposed 'better and more intelligent' class, these douche bags sure were wrong on basically everything... Christ...

This liberal ascendancy really seems like the moment where the Republican and democrat party would eventually switch (obviously they didnt do that yet), and, like Foner states, started the truly awful idea of Reconstruction being an utter failure do to mismanagement, corruption, and incompetence, not violence, Johnson, and conciliator. .

 

[FoeHammer]

Just finished The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle.

The first 2/3rds of the book were fantastic but it jumped the shark near the end. I still really enjoyed it overall.

Next up: The Martian, Dune, or Jurassic Park. I haven't decided yet.

 

[Hanzou]

Got it for $2.99 on the Kobo store, so decided to pick it up and give it a read. Saw a lot of great reviews for it, so we'll see.

Funny, my Wife bought this for me as a Christmas gift for when we go to Mexico in a couple months. Post what you thought about it when you finish.

 

[User 479360]

I have less than 100 pages left in:

Also, I'm technically still reading this, but haven't touched it in a little while. Taking a break.

 

[TestMonkey]

I have less than 100 pages left in:

Also, I'm technically still reading this, but haven't touched it in a little while. Taking a break.

I'm just a little ahead of you in Heat-Shaped Box. Let me know what you think of it. I'm liking the son's work more than the father at this point.

 

[Vire]

I swear I am going to finish this book eventually... keep getting interrupted.

 

[Frustrated_Grunt]

Pretty interesting so far. Gives a historical and informative overview on several innovations in the sport.

 

[The Strokes]

Also, I'm technically still reading this, but haven't touched it in a little while. Taking a break.

11/22/63 Is fantastic. Among my favorite books from King.

I started reading ''the curious incident of the dog in the night-time''

Interesting book. I'm on page 65 atm and will probably finish it by Sunday since it's a short book.