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What are you reading? (July 09)

aidan

Hugo Award Winning Author and Editor
BruceLeeRoy said:
I just read a couple reviews on Amazon on it and all I could gather is its a book about another book that some kid has to protect or something. Couldn't find anything really compelling in the synopsis but anyone that claims its their favorite book of all time makes me want to check it out.

What about the book was so great?

Here's the review I wrote for my blog:

Years ago, when I last travelled through Europe, standing in the middle of a bustling bookstore in a Cologne train station, I held a copy of Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s The Shadow of the Wind in my hands. I contemplated it, having heard the first rumblings of the novel and its quality. I ended up putting it back on the shelf, not purchasing it. Ever since that day, I regretted not reading it on that trip, and so when it came time to hit the train stations of Europe, I made sure to bring a copy with me.

This time, as my train trundled its slow way through the quaint, rolling hills of northern Slovakia, I was gazing out the window, The Shadow of the Wind resting on the seat beside me.

“Ahh, I’ve read that one,” says the young man across from me, broken English tumbling its way inelegantly through his thick accent. “Museum of Forgotten Books, right?”

“Yeah,” I said, encouraged by his enthusiasm.

“It’s good. A good book,” he said.

The young fellow on the train may have had the name of the fabled Cemetery of Forgotten Books wrong (though it could have been lost in the Slovakian translation), but he certainly got one thing right – The Shadow of the Wind is a good book. A very good book.

Lonely. Heart Warming. Erotic. Horrifying. Charming. Grave. Beautiful. Tragic. Passionate. Each of these words, though vastly different, describe The Shadow of the Wind accurately. A book with layers upon layers, Zafón has you chuckling one moment, terrified the next and stupefied right after. Zafón handles each and every emotion with the utmost care and juggles the reader perfectly, never letting them get overwhelmed, but never quite comfortable with the story either. The result are pages that simple fly by. The problem, though, is that I just didn’t want it to end.

One of the reasons I put The Shadow of the Wind back on the shelf of that German bookstore was that I was worried about the translation. Could a translated work possibly hold the same level of quality as the original language, or that of a novel written natively in English? I had my doubts, but almost immediately upon finally picking up The Shadow of the Wind, my doubts were not only allayed, but completely obliterated. Lucia Graves (daughter of Robert Graves, poet) deserves all the accolades in the world. The rambling prose is buttery smooth, and simply a joy to read. Zafón’s control over language, description and character is preserved by Graves and I can’t imagine how the novel could be any better even in its native language.

The Shadow of the Wind is a novel that challenges its readers, but never overwhelms them. The mysteries of the story always seem tantalizingly close, but still out of reach. Each time the reader thinks they have a grasp on those mysteries hidden in the works of Julian Carax, Zafón pulls the rug out from under them and leaves them wondering what happened. Zafón juggles the reader all the way to the satisfying, melancholy ending. By the time the last page is turned, the characters are no longer words in a novel, but real people – Daniel Sempere, Fermín Romero de Torres, Nuria Monfort, and even (for better or for worse) Francisco Javier Fumero are a part of my life now, and, I’m certain, will stay with me for a very long time.

Certainly the best novel I’ve read this year, The Shadow of the Wind may very well be my favourite novel I’ve ever read. Zafón’s haunting tale of love, lust, revenge and friendship has everything I could want from a novel and more. It’s not often that a novel can actually live up to the hype surrounding it; it’s even less often when a novel can surpass that hype, but that is exactly what The Shadow of the Wind accomplished. I eagerly await the English translation of El Juego del Ángel.

In short, The Shadow of the Wind (and The Angel's Game) is about so much more than just what's happening on the surface. They work well as mystery novels, as love stories, and as simple character pieces. Zafon is quickly moving his way up my list of favourite authors.
 

Big-E

Member
Trying to get through Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott but it is taking me a while. Read over 100 pages and still haven't encountered Rob Roy.
 
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Dark Knight

Neo Member
Due in part to my sudden and undying love of "The Wire" I picked up David Simon's Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets. I've been quite impressed with what I've read so far.
 

Rimshot

Member
Reading last months thread I saw someone write a positive review of this book:

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So I went wiki on it and thought it might be interesting. So borrowed it at the library today. So I guess I'll be spending some time with this book this month.

After that one I am probably reading Stephen Hawking's new book or JPod by David Coupland.
 
Just started John Barth's double set of his first two novels, The Floating Opera and The End of the Road, and just finished Andre Dubus III's The House of Sand and Fog. Also reading a big, fat old issue of Conjunctions and a box of magazines I bought when McSweeney's had a sale. Very tempted by Jill McCorkle's Carolina Moon, but I'm going to make myself wait until after the Barth.
 
Just finished the Zombie Survival Guide and Then We Came to the End. Not bad reads. Right now I am on:
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I am pretty sure I read this before, but don't really recall... Should only take a day or two.

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Finally, going to read it after seeing both Capote movies. Looking forward to it!
 

Replicant

Member
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Skeleton Crew featuring The Mist by Stephen King. A collection of his short stories which includes, The Mist, which has been turned into a film.

Not bad but some of the stories are quite mundane and not what I'd call "Horror". But others are pretty good. I'd like to see a movie adaptation of "The Raft" and a few others from it.
 

Ryu

Member
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Decent so far. Quick read though. Reminds me of the Wheaton books like Just a Geek and Dancing Barefoot.
 
aidan said:
Here's the review I wrote for my blog:



In short, The Shadow of the Wind (and The Angel's Game) is about so much more than just what's happening on the surface. They work well as mystery novels, as love stories, and as simple character pieces. Zafon is quickly moving his way up my list of favourite authors.

Well you sold me. Ill definitely pick that up.
 
Sirens of Titan by Vonnegut

And it's one of the best suggestions I have given.

Post Office by Bukowski

A lot funnier, but just as down-and-out as his poetry. Awesome novel, great mindset, always a pleasure to read. Factotum is also a must-have.

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Absolutely infuriating to read. Powerful, sickening stuff.
 

mike23

Member
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Finished up the last book of the Dresden Files available. Love this series. Anyone have some thoughts on a good series somewhat similar to it?

Started up with this next.

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ItAintEasyBeinCheesy said:
That Jim Butcher comment on the front

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:lol Get out of my head, Charles!

mike23 said:
Finished up the last book of the Dresden Files available. Love this series. Anyone have some thoughts on a good series somewhat similar to it?

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone writes the cross-genre detective story - outside of the later Vorkosigan novels - as well as Butcher. You might satiate the craving by going back on the classics if you haven't finished them already. (Christie, Hammett, Chandler, Doyle, etc.)
 

newsguy

Member
crowphoenix said:
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It's a fantastic read so far. Much harsher than the stuff I usually read, but it's fantastically written and the characters are gripping.


This sounds awesome, but that cover... holy god is that aweful.
 
Ryu said:
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Decent so far. Quick read though. Reminds me of the Wheaton books like Just a Geek and Dancing Barefoot.

Worth it simply for the story about Greasy Reese Witherspoon.


At the moment I'm reading back through Scorsese on Scorsese.
 

Salazar

Member
bengraven said:
Anyone know a good book podcast? Preferably one that's entertaining?

Here are a few. I'll add some when I've had a think.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/books

This is usually quite good: a couple of books, the authors chatting away.

http://libwww.freelibrary.org/podcast/

The author events are excellent; Joseph O'Neill reading from 'Netherland' is especially good.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow/

This is Australian public radio: quite interesting. Reliable rather than dazzling.

http://podcast.lannan.org/

Good stuff: long and in depth.

www.edrants.com/segundo/

Interesting interviews with some good authors: Amis, David Denby.

http://www.radioopensource.org/

Punch 'books' into the search for ROS's archives: there are some stunning interviews with poets, historians, novelists, critics, philosophers.
 

Kildace

Member
Finished Fall of Hyperion yesterday (what a book.) and decided to tackle something completely different because how tough an act to follow that book is so I chose

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I have no doubt that it'll be fantastic, just like every other Murakami book I've read.
 

newsguy

Member
I feel like a child reading this compared to some of the stuff in here, but I enjoyed the first one so I thought I would check it out

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totowhoa

Banned
Just finished DUNE! Wow! Always wanted to read it, wife finally convinced me too. One of my favorite books ever now. So epic.

50 pages into Dune Messiah now :D
 

Karakand

Member
newsguy said:
I feel like a child reading this compared to some of the stuff in here
The Road, Murakami, World War Z and fantasy novels are haute littérature, I agree. Oh well we can manage!

As for me:

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newsguy

Member
Narag said:
I finished this just last week. Enjoyed it far more than the first book but as a fan of the franchise, it was so nice to see Quarian culture explored.

That's good to hear. The Batarians were pretty cool, but because they weren't in before the DLC I knew nothing about them. Skar was truly an awesome character though, I wish he would've been in tne games.
 

Keen

Aliens ate my babysitter
Almost finished with:

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Damn bleak, and damn good!
I really can't envision a happy ending
:D
 

thomaser

Member
Mato said:
Poe's short stories, out aloud. They are horribly reminicent of my worries and woes.

Would be interesting if you would elaborate on that, how they are reminiscent of your worries... I read his complete works a few years back. Found much of it disappointing, with pacing problems and excessive wordiness, but there are gems, of course. Don't remember much of them now, though.
 

thomaser

Member
No, just morbidly curious :) The hardest Poe-moment for me to get through was probably the guy trying to fly to the moon in a balloon. Heights... stomach-churning!
 
Narag said:
I finished this just last week. Enjoyed it far more than the first book but as a fan of the franchise, it was so nice to see Quarian culture explored.

I've never read a game-tie-in book, but this comment caught my eye. I thought the Quarians were really cool. I may actually check it out.

Reading Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises now. I love his short fiction, but reading some of the novels in high school turned me off, so I never read this one. Love it.
 

Alucard

Banned
I finished it this evening.

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Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

This is a very character-driven narrative, which immediately sinks its hooks into the reader. Beginning with a bastard being dropped off on the doorstep of his father's kingdom, the story is briskly paced and largely focuses on the various events and emotions of the lead character's young life. Its emotional intensity is powerful, as Robin Hobb deftly examines an unwanted outcast's loneliness, in a kingdom that seems only to tolerate him.

While things quickly begin to change in young Fitz's life, as he is brought under the king's employ and trained in numerous subjects, the complex feelings of internal desolation never leave him, as he is forced to endure numerous emotionally scarring episodes. It is Hobb's psychological penetration into Fitz's horrific experiences that create a bond between the reader and the narrative, in the same way Fitz shares a bond with animals throughout.

The novel explores duty to self, name, and kingdom. Fitz's identity is constantly being challenged, and his allegiances are rarely static. As the book reaches its conclusion, he questions everything he has gone through, and wonders if he can trust anyone at all; even himself. In a life that demands subservience and unwavering loyalty, Fitz is forced to make some incredibly difficult choices. Hobb's handling of the resolution is satisfying enough, and does not lead down stereotypical paths. The final thirty pages or so are a torrent of drama and political intrigue, and it leaves the reader asking: is public deception sometimes necessary in order to keep the peace and security of a people?

This is a fantastic fantasy novel, that is grounded so much in reality and the mundane, that even the supernatural elements seem conceivable. Despite the episodic nature of the narrative, every little bit is important to building the whole, and making the reader feel connected with Fitz. We feel his frustration with his overbearing stablemaster, share his disappointment of potentially lost adolescent love, and partake in his emphatically loving relationships with dogs and horses. The ability of the author to reach through the pages and make us genuinely feel sympathy, anger, and joy along with the protagonist, is the highest compliment that can be paid to her. 4.5/5

Next up: Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb.
 

mike23

Member
mike23 said:

Finished this up. It was pretty good. I really like where the author went with the ending. I'm inclined to agree with Jim on this one :lol

I'm not sure what I'm going to read next, torn between

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and

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Keen said:
Almost finished with:

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Damn bleak, and damn good!
I really can't envision a happy ending
:D

It's gone above and beyond my lofty expectations so far -- only halfway through. Abercrombie puts his wonderfully gritty stamp on an enduring premise (see: Count of Monte Cristoe, The Stars My Destination, Kill Bill) and, so far, I'm loving the result more than his trilogy; hopefully, the ending will confirm that. Two word impression? Fucking delicious.
 

nyong

Banned
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Sooooo good!!! I cannot sing the praises of this book highly enough. I chalked it up as a kid's book on par with Harry Potter or something. Holy Christ was I wrong. Just read it. Seriously.

My goal is to finish this entire series, and start and finish the Earthsea series before July 20th. All for a summer English course.
 

ronito

Member
Norante said:
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About to begin this.
Let me know how it is. I tried and tried with Gai-Jin but I couldn't make it through.

As for me:
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Man it's a slog. But it's nice to actually get around to the source of the legends.
 
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