What are you reading? (January 2016)
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sparky2112
Member
I don't keep up with Rothfuss, so I don't know what he does besides write, but part of what stings in his case is the initial marketing behind Wind. HUGE marketing push, it sold like crazy, and it was general knowledge that the trilogy was 'finished' and so there'd be very minimal waiting for each volume. Which was obviously not the case AT ALL. He's probably a great guy, but the whole thing was disingenuous to the extreme.
Ol No Bones
Banned
He worked out a big movie, tv and game deal with Lionsgate. He problem forgot about the whole writing thing.
DrunkShogun
Member
About to start 100 years of solitude at the end of next week and halfway through the manga jojo part 6.
We used to watch this in math class when I was in high schoolAbout a third of the way into:
Loving it. King is such an excellent writer.
Well it won't even come to an ending with the third book since he already said that this is just the first trilogy that should let us catch up to the present, then there should be a second trilogy that begins on the 4th day at the waystone inn... I'll end up reading the 6th book during my retirement probably.
Ol No Bones
Banned
Shit. I didn't know that. I would like to have closure within the decade.
Rug Monkey
Member
The Crimson Petal And The White might suit. BBC made a brilliant adaptation too.
I am about 120 pages into The Man Who Spoke Snakish and it is absolutely lovely. Read it!
I was looking for something to spent my audible credit on. This sounds amazing.
I completed my first book of the year, The Lion Sleeps Tonight (And Other Stories of Africa). This is a collection of journalistic pieces written by an esteemed Afrikanner, Rian Malan. His biggest book, My Traitor's Heart, is a nonfiction classic as he wrote about the apartheid in '89 (the tipping point of the end). Malan was discourages about South Africa's future and expected a full on civil war by the of this era. But that didn't happen.
In one of Wall Street Journal's Book of the Year (2012), Malan focuses on a myriad of topics concerning South Africa and other parts of the continent: Culture, Mandela's flaws, HIV, the incompetency of the ANC, A President (who only has grade four education) who admires a Mugabe, the African Stanlist, and other fun topics. If anyone is interested in discovering more about South Africa, I can't help but recommend this indepth gloriously depressing insight.
In one of Wall Street Journal's Book of the Year (2012), Malan focuses on a myriad of topics concerning South Africa and other parts of the continent: Culture, Mandela's flaws, HIV, the incompetency of the ANC, A President (who only has grade four education) who admires a Mugabe, the African Stanlist, and other fun topics. If anyone is interested in discovering more about South Africa, I can't help but recommend this indepth gloriously depressing insight.
How far back into its (S. Africa) history does he go?
Sold! Added it to my wishlist. Thanks for the recommend!
I just finished it yesterday, and I thought it was great. It ended up being different than I expected, though. I'm interested in seeing what you think of it.
Listened to the Book of Wonders by Lord Dunsany which was a free download from Librivox. Quite enjoyed it, especially the story of Chu-bu and Sheemish.
Currently Slocum and the Long Ride by Jake Logan
I don't know if I am reading a shitty western story that happens to be written like terrible erotica, or if I am indeed reading terrible erotica. The name seems to be it' the latter and I just wasn't paying attention and just grabbed it because it was a western.
Currently Slocum and the Long Ride by Jake Logan
I don't know if I am reading a shitty western story that happens to be written like terrible erotica, or if I am indeed reading terrible erotica. The name seems to be it' the latter and I just wasn't paying attention and just grabbed it because it was a western.
CaptainofIndustry
Member
Finished The Child Thief by Dan Smith the other night and enjoyed the book.
Currently reading Gone Girl and I'm really, really enjoying it so far. It's a real page turner for me. I'm about 15% in according to my kindle. I wish I had a big chunk of time to myself to sit and read through the whole thing.
Currently reading Gone Girl and I'm really, really enjoying it so far. It's a real page turner for me. I'm about 15% in according to my kindle. I wish I had a big chunk of time to myself to sit and read through the whole thing.
TestMonkey
Member
Season of the Sandstorms by Mary Pope Osborne.
TwntyOneTwlv
Member
I set mine at 30, up from 25 last year. I ended up with over 40, but that's counting almost 20 Animorphs books which are only 100 pages each.
Quote
Member
I'll probably set mine to 20, but realistically hit 15. I'm a slow reader :<
Hideo Kojima posted about Arnaldur Indriðason on his Twitter page a week ago. Decided to give one of his novels a go.
It's great so far. Dark Iceland, cold hearts and that Northern Humor!
They also made a movie in 2006 directed by Baltasar Kormákor (2 Guns, Contraband, Everest)
I read this on the recommendation of a friend, and was quite worried about it going in because some of Murakami's more magical stuff such as Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the Wind Up Bird Chronicle never really connected me. However, reading this my mind was blown yet again. This is potentially my favourite Murakami book for the way it combines the magical and realist aspects of his works into one cohesive story that can be taken in so many different ways. Simply wonderful
Christoff Yurievich
Member
I got my copy of S. today, so that will probably be the book I'm going to start after I finish The Traitor Baru Cormorant. Even if the book turns out to be complete shit just flipping through it is a complete joy that was well worth the money.
Ugh. I tried to read it and even though I could make it through House of Leaves this was a slog. I couldn't bring myself to care about the story, let alone the notes peppered through it. It's one of the few books I've abandoned.
Spectromixer
Member
I finished reading PKD's VALIS this weekend. Truly a mindbending piece of science fiction. Highly recommend. The only other book by him that I have is Do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep, so I may look into reading more soon. I want to see what The Man in the High Castle is about because of the Amazon series.
sparky2112
Member
Gtfo
LordAmused
Member
Interesting. I might have to watch it, I just got done with the novel a few minutes ago. It was very good. Well paced, a good page-turner and not too long sitting at 284 pages for the French Translation. Erlendur, the main character, is an old grumpy man but I still like him.
He kind of reminds me of myself...Except for the age.
I am now moving on to the second book in his Erlendur Series.
I'm starting Three Parts Dead so I have something to read during the evening when I don't want to bother with S. I'm really enjoying it so far, but I need something else to read before going to bed. S. is more the kind of book I read when I'm on the couch with a cup of tea, when I can really sink in 
There was a thread about it a couple of months ago.
I don't plan on ever reading it. Sounds boring as hell.
ph1l0z0ph3r
Member
So I've been reading books around the mythology that the TV Show Supernatural is based on and I know alot already about Christian and Greek but I want to expand it alot more. Does anyone have good books dealing with mythology from Japan, China, Egypt, or even better ones to brush up on my Norse and Greek mythology knowledge.
I'm starting Three Parts Dead so I have something to read during the evening when I don't want to bother with S. I'm really enjoying it so far, but I need something else to read before going to bed. S. is more the kind of book I read when I'm on the couch with a cup of tea, when I can really sink in
god damn now that's a cover
For some reason, The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley just didn't catch me. Unfinished. 
I started In the Heart of the Sea, since I want to get more nonfiction type books in this year. Last year was all novels.
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick
I started In the Heart of the Sea, since I want to get more nonfiction type books in this year. Last year was all novels.
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick
AngmarsKing701
Member
My Traitor's Heart focuses on Apartheid South Africa. So the 20th century. The Lion Sleeps Tonight focuses on post-apartheid (mostly).
Solon Solute
Neo Member
Just started on Warhammer 40,000's Horus Rising (of the Horus Heresy saga). Been meaning to get into the series and heard it's a good starting point.
Kalamari
Member
I just started reading The Long Way Down by Ewan McGregor and his not-as-famous friend (I forgot his name already). It's about their motorcycle trip from Scotland to South Africa.
I usually enjoy reading motorcycle adventure nonfiction, but the massive size of their budget for the trip really kills it for me. In similar book, The University of Gravel Roads, the guy quit his job, budgeted himself $25/day, and just went for it. It took him 4 years interspersed with brief jobs when he needed money to continue, and it was told from a more relate-able perspective. It was far more interesting and also contained some very insightful thoughts about life, one area that I think Ewan's book will severely lack.
I usually enjoy reading motorcycle adventure nonfiction, but the massive size of their budget for the trip really kills it for me. In similar book, The University of Gravel Roads, the guy quit his job, budgeted himself $25/day, and just went for it. It took him 4 years interspersed with brief jobs when he needed money to continue, and it was told from a more relate-able perspective. It was far more interesting and also contained some very insightful thoughts about life, one area that I think Ewan's book will severely lack.
D
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Neffarias_Bredd
Member
Finished Half A King and Blood Meridian.
Currently reading:
Great book, even better series. They generally only get better from Deadhouse Gates.
I recently jumped into the culture series by Ian M Banks, pretty blown away by the universe he created. I also love his vision of the future, way different than how a lot of Sci fi authors view technology and our future. I started with use of weapons, currently reading Excession. Enjoying it so far
nailbombxx
Member
Thomas Bulfinch and Edith Hamilton's books on mythology are the standards if you want to expand your knowledge. And if you're really fascinated in Greco-Roman mythology in particular, make sure to look into The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony by Roberto Calasso.
As for Norse mythology, look into picking yourself up a version of the Poetic Edda or the Prose Edda.
If you're looking for fiction that is based around mythology, not just retellings of myths, look into Gene Wolfe's Latro series, beginning with Soldier in the Mist.
Use of Weapons is one of the best Culture novels, I would suggest after finishing Excession you try The Player of Games, and then move on to either The Hydrogen Sonata or Surface Detail.
Inversions is a little odd, since it's not really as focused on the Culture as the others, but it's interesting.
I'm just a big fan of Surface Detail in general, so hopefully you enjoy it.
Edit: I recently finished City of Stairs, and am eagerly awaiting the next one, which is getting released on the same day as Sanderson's Calamity, and Hearne's Staked (AKA, continuation of the V-Neck Chronicles).
Probably go with City of Blades, then on to Calamity, then finish with Staked. Hopefully I'll have the Goblin Emperor finished by the 26th.
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