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What are you reading? (January 2015)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Wafflecakes
Member
Quick summary of what I have read over the last few weeks.
The Lost Gate 4/5
The Gate Thief 3.5/5
Imager 2.5/5
Furies of Calderon 3/5
Magic's Pawn 2/5
Currently in the middle of The Shadow of What Was Lost. Which is pretty good so far.
The Lost Gate 4/5
The Gate Thief 3.5/5
Imager 2.5/5
Furies of Calderon 3/5
Magic's Pawn 2/5
Currently in the middle of The Shadow of What Was Lost. Which is pretty good so far.
Wonderful book, one of my favourites I read last year. I will compile my list of favourites I've read in 2014 in the coming days.
I'm still slowly marching through Lonesome Dove. Switched to the paperback after getting my Dad's copy. Should make a big dent in it tomorrow since I will be travelling. I'm nearing 50%, didn't do as much reading while home as I thought I would.
User 479360
Banned
I like it as well. I just don't read a ton, and tend to take breaks from longer books unless I've borrowed them from the library or are completely hooked. I don't know exactly why it's taken me so long to get through it, but I've been reading it slowly.
I did get a couple of books out from the library, though, so those have taken precedence.
I borrowed it from a friend, who never reads but got it for Christmas two years ago. I knew he wouldn't care if I borrowed it (or read it, let alone know it was missing), but I asked and he was fine with it.
Christoff Yurievich
Member
The Lathe of Heaven [Kindle Edition] for 99 cents.
Still reading Rudolph! and it's getting weird. Almost turning into something like Dogma where you can tell a lot of research went into it but people are going to protest it based on the surface information. I mean, Santa leads a crack team of paramilitary reindeer into purgatory to save someone and kills a bunch of angels in the process. And then Heaven kills Santa and Mr. Claus and Santa goes to hell. And said paramilitary reindeer then go into Hell strapped for bear to save him. And then they bring Jesus into it and the story of how He went into Hell after being crucified to bring some people out.
It's a ride. It's also poorly edited (I blame the publisher as entire words are missing and I'm only a little under halfway through) but it's interesting.
Still reading Rudolph! and it's getting weird. Almost turning into something like Dogma where you can tell a lot of research went into it but people are going to protest it based on the surface information. I mean, Santa leads a crack team of paramilitary reindeer into purgatory to save someone and kills a bunch of angels in the process. And then Heaven kills Santa and Mr. Claus and Santa goes to hell. And said paramilitary reindeer then go into Hell strapped for bear to save him. And then they bring Jesus into it and the story of how He went into Hell after being crucified to bring some people out.
It's a ride. It's also poorly edited (I blame the publisher as entire words are missing and I'm only a little under halfway through) but it's interesting.
Good luck (you'll need it) and enjoy (you will)!
User 479360
Banned
I finished it last night.
Overall, it was a pretty solid read. It didn't evolve like I expected it to, what with the whole
molestation arc
suicide arc
I'm enjoying Joe Hill's stuff. Tried reading Mr. Mercedes, but it bored me too much. I've liked King's stuff quite a bit in the past, but haven't read a ton of it. Mercedes is the only one I've ever really stopped reading, outside of a couple I hope to finish (the JFK one and Cellular).
Really liking the imagery in this.
So I finished this up. At parts its long winded, at other parts its just plain odd - It explores the thoughts of a dying man, bringing up random events of his life yet it starts to tell you the story of his grandfather through his fathers eyes?
Very nice imagery, to the point where it gets overbearing IMO.
Onto this.
PassiveObserver
Member
Finishing up Hesse's Demian. Liked Colorless Tsukuru prior.
MisterNugNug
Member
Yeah added that to my backlog when I heard Diaz. Loved Oscar Wao. I met him in person a few years ago at a book signing. Really great guy.
joeyjoejoeshabadoo
Member
Picked this up at the library today. I blew through the first two books during the holiday and now can't wait to read this one. The series has been a ton of fun so far.
I'm probably around 1/3 the way through and so far it's pretty good. It has a more localized personal viewpoint than his other novels which is a nice change. I say if you like Howey and his writing style, you'll enjoy it. I'll keep you updated as I keep reading if you'd like.
And thanks for the recommendation on The Martian....I'll definitely check it out once I finish with this one.
The Safety of Objects: Stories by A.M. Homes was fantastic. You (yes, you!) should read it.
Now I'm reading Stuck in Place: Urban Neighborhoods and the End of Progress toward Racial Equality by Patrick Sharkey. It is very informative and very quotable. It's going to be on my "everyone should read this" list, I can tell.
This was a very good and informative book. I found some of the parts in the middle where Foner discussed all of the political wheelings and dealings to be a bit dull, but I am definitely glad I read it. Once the liberal reformers took the scene, the book definitely grabbed my attention. I just wanted to throttle the lot of them.
There were a great many people I wanted to throttle in this book. So many.
m_shortpants
Member
Only a few chapters in. But man. If you wanted to understand race relations and current societal repurcussions, there is no better book.
If time travel existed, it would be amusing to to take some of those liberal reformers to the present day to show them that, yes, those freedman were right about pretty much everything and you elitist snobs were horribly horribly wrong on pretty much every issue. It would be interesting to see what would happen. I am torn between heads exploding and vehement denial/self delusion.
I think I am going to try to read a shorter history book next. That one was pretty beastly.
Only a few chapters in. But man. If you wanted to understand race relations and current societal repurcussions, there is no better book.
I was going to pick this book up, but I accidentally picked up instead:
I fully plan on reading it though, since it is so beloved (and it won a Pulitzer).
Racism Without Racists. Saw Mumei mention it in another thread and decided to make it my rage inducing nonfiction book of the month. I'm about halfway through, and it is indeed an excellent primer on how colorblind racism is expressed.
After this I'll probably read some bleak hopeless sci-fi or pitilessly tragic low fantasy to cheer me up. I'm all out of Iain Banks and Joe Abercrombie though.
m_shortpants
Member
I was going to pick this book up, but I accidentally picked up instead:
I fully plan on reading it though, since it is so beloved (and it won a Pulitzer).
There was also another book that just came out, but I believe it was taken off shelves due to some lawsuit from his children or something. Can't remember what it was called.
Finishing up on this, should be done tomorrow.
It's interesting as a way to bring a fresh perspective on phenomena that happen in the world, but it doesn't seem as groundbreaking as it was made out to be (although some of that may be because I'm late to the party and some of what the authors wrote has since seeped into common knowledge). I'm not disappointed I read it, but it didn't live up to my expectations.
It's interesting as a way to bring a fresh perspective on phenomena that happen in the world, but it doesn't seem as groundbreaking as it was made out to be (although some of that may be because I'm late to the party and some of what the authors wrote has since seeped into common knowledge). I'm not disappointed I read it, but it didn't live up to my expectations.
I wouldn't count 11/22/63 or The Stand as horror. I loved those two, yet when I tried giving The Shining a chance, I just didn't like it.
Thanks man, I loved 11/22/63. That and currently Mr. Mercedes are the only books of his I've read, but man do they hook me.
bennywhatever
Member
After loving Snow Crash, I thought I'd delve a little more into Neal Stephenson, so I'm trying out Reamde.
This is a bigass book.
This is a bigass book.
It's an excellent book.
Racism Without Racists. Saw Mumei mention it in another thread and decided to make it my rage inducing nonfiction book of the month. I'm about halfway through, and it is indeed an excellent primer on how colorblind racism is expressed.
After this I'll probably read some bleak hopeless sci-fi or pitilessly tragic low fantasy to cheer me up. I'm all out of Iain Banks and Joe Abercrombie though.
It makes me happy to see more people reading this after nagging people about it so much.
According to Goodreads, after reading Racism Without Racists I read Terry Pratchett's The Color of Magic.
A Fish Aficionado
I am going to make it through this year if it kills me
Pretty engrossing read about the history of the US nuclear strike program and the vulnerabilities of it.
Though, I find some of the writing a bit uneven, like when he transitions from the action narrative of the Damascus Accident to chronological non-fiction.
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Started this earlier this week. It's a pretty easy read and fun so far. The magic system is very cool and clearly defined, which is nice. Characters aren't too bad so far either. Maybe I'll get through this series in time to read the new ones by the end of the year.
Clariel by Garth Nix
I'm audiobooking this one. I'm still pretty early on, so I'm not quite sure where it's going, but it's nice to be back in this world again so far. Hopefully this is on par with the original trilogy.
I wouldn't consider under the dome to be a horror novel. Great book.
The Shadow
Member
I swear I am going to finish this book eventually... keep getting interrupted.
It's worth finishing, but I couldn't stand the main character. His humor was juvenile, unfunny, and unprofessional, but all the other characters pretty much showered him with praise when he came up, making me think the author was pretty much just writing himself as the character.
The character makes the book and is the only reason most people bother reading through all the scientific jargon at all. He is awesome.
I dont know, he acted exactly how someone with a lot of smarts, a sense of humor,an audience, and just a tiny bit of hope would act.
On Writing is one you shouldn't miss. It's the best book on the craft of writing that I've ever read.
Nappuccino
Member
I had a similar reaction. The events were interesting, but the character actually made me put the book down.
Pretty much how I felt when I read it. Really didn't like the book at all.
