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What are you reading? (July 2013)

T

TheKaeptain

Banned
Mumei said:
Yes. It's fantastic. I love the opening:

The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam, but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night. But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea.
Click to expand...


Read to right there. Sold.

The screenplay for the movie is written by the author, and it gets the essential plot points, but what really makes the book so fairy-tale-magical is the way it is written... and the movie can't capture that.
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The movie was really great. I'm going to order the book right now.
 
M

Mackenzie 92

Member
bengraven said:
512xXiVvuJL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg


I wasn't expecting to like this, but it's great.
Click to expand...

Yeah that was pretty good. Well spent dollar.
 
G

GoStc

Member
Just finished A Dance With Dragons and I feel like reading some more epic fantasy. Any recommendations? The Way of Kings maybe?
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
This is an entry from R Scott Bakker's (author of Prince of Nothing) blog:

Bakker said:
Truth as Anosognosia

Our brain marshals cognitive resources, and somehow our image sparks in the blind informatic grind.

Consciousness minimally involves identity in the absence of distinctions. There’s the target of focus, and there’s a blurred and asymptotic either/or threshold, what James called the ‘margin’ of conscious attention. This is what necessitates asking all the old questions from the standpoint of what is lacking: the asymptotic nature of margins means that we suffer any number of ‘natural anosognosias.’ We literally have no inkling of our cognitive limits. Margins are the informatic equivalent of the Non-Euclidean edge of the universe: what lies outside of them does not exist even as an absence. They limn the illusory physics of the first person.

Life evolved on this planet blind to itself … and we are no earth-shattering, evolutionary leap. That feeling of limitlessness you have, the absence of intrinsic constraint, is simply an illusion, a kind of ‘cargo cult effect.’ To focus is to neglect…

To be is to be blind to Being.

All are machines and machines are all. This is the insight science has used to wring the neck of the real. ‘Truth’ is nothing more than a low-dimensional feed on the informatic angle forced on us by evolutionary contingency. Survival entails lateral sensitivity, the systematic ability to neurally recapitulate and manipulate environmental structure. Evolution has machined the brain to track and capture. Lateral sensitivity requires medial neglect, the structural inability to neurally recapitulate the neural recapitulation of environmental structure. Evolution has machined the brain to track systems other than itself. Thus medial neglect entails truth, the most breathtaking heuristic of all. Determinations of adequacy become post hoc, the residuum of sensorimotor loops. We writhe. We convolute. We spontaneously reassemble ourselves, latching onto environmental regularities, raising machines about the machine that we are, componentializing ourselves to componentialize our environments–extract what we need to fuck and eat. And the brain, because it can do this, cannot fathom that it does this, and so conjures us, and all the apparently indubitable chicanery of the intentional. It conjures Truth.

Truth is componency, as seen by the blind. Truth is efficacy whittled down to the ether, so low-dimensional, so informatically impoverished, as to escape environmental cognition altogether, to become as empty as the Abstract and Eternal. Truth is the only native means of making a neural component of what has served as a neural component in a greater environmental machine. Truth is how we metacognize what we cannot see.

Thus, its deflationary nature, why ‘the snow is white’ is true if and only if the snow is white. Truth simply affirms the efficacious componency of some efficacious neural component. Medial neglect occludes the concrete and situated mechanistic truth of Truth, leaving it bereft of where or when, rendering it something that ‘just applies’ anywhere at anytime–apparently. Medial neglect is the literal nowhere that steeps those ‘views from’ we take as the Truth of the true.

Thus the ancient compact between ignorance and certainty. Nowhere doubles as everywhere, and makes Truth immovable, among the most bloated of our ancestral delusions. Thus are fools always the first to crow. To say that truth is nowhere is to say we are blind to the truth of Truth, in precise accord with our mechanistic nature. And to philosophize Truth in the famished terms that Truth offers is to grope blindly in blindness of that blindness, and so, to be convinced we can see. To act out our ancient agnosognosia.

What we experience and conceive as Truth is nothing more than a coin viewed from the edge, a multidimensional, mechanical process–a machine–collapsed into something less than a line.
Click to expand...

How could you resist a writer whose head is this far up his own ass?
 
W

Woorloog

Banned
GoStc said:
Just finished A Dance With Dragons and I feel like reading some more epic fantasy. Any recommendations? The Way of Kings maybe?
Click to expand...

The Way of Kings is epic all right, but it ain't "dark" like ASOIAF is.
Just so that you know. Recommended anyway.
Recommend First Law trilogy as well like Mackenzie 92 does.
 
S

ShaneB

Member
Lumiere said:
I've seen that Amazon was comparing it to Flowers for Algernon, have you ever read that? I remember finishing reading it at work and having a hard time keeping back tears while in the office D:
Click to expand...

Thank you for the feedback on that book as well. I have not read it, but I immediately put it on my to-read list after seeing that.
 
K

KidDork

Member
Aureon said:
Currently on the 16th book of Horus Heresy.
I shouldn't have done this.
Click to expand...

Naw, it'll make a man of you.

My neighbour came to the fence while I was outside yesterday and thrust this into my hands:



She was fairly insistent that I read it, so I started it last night. I've seen the Branaugh Wallander series, and thought it was tip top. At this rate, I should finish Caliban's War sometime in 2014.
 
A

AngmarsKing701

Member
Jag said:
It's not the length that gets you, it's the sheer depth of the world that you get immediately plunged into like an icy lake. It took me several restarts before it finally clicked, but then I read the series straight through and loved it. Don't get discouraged if you need to put it down. It will be waiting for you...
Click to expand...

I read GoftM and felt completely out of my depth. So much so that I put off reading the next book in that series.

Victarion said:
Red Country by Joe Abercombie.

Man, it's good to see Logen Ninefinger again.
Click to expand...

That was a fun book. And yes, it was great to see
the Bloody Nine
again!

bengraven said:
512xXiVvuJL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg


I wasn't expecting to like this, but it's great.


Also, just finished:

sabriel_thumb%255B5%255D.jpeg


Loved it.
Click to expand...

That entire series is god tier.

Mackenzie 92 said:
First Law Trilogy
Click to expand...

Woorloog said:
The Way of Kings is epic all right, but it ain't "dark" like ASOIAF is.
Just so that you know. Recommended anyway.
Recommend First Law trilogy as well like Mackenzie 92 does.
Click to expand...

First Law is amazing. Abercrombie is my favorite author at the moment. I love his stuff.
 
S

survivor

Banned
Haly said:
This is an entry from R Scott Bakker's (author of Prince of Nothing) blog:



How could you resist a writer whose head is this far up his own ass?
Click to expand...

Adds to reading list. Thanks for bringing this up.

edit: Is the series gritty violent fantasy or normal LOTR fantasy?
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
survivor said:
Adds to reading list. Thanks for bringing this up.

edit: Is the series gritty violent fantasy or normal LOTR fantasy?
Click to expand...

It's a cross between LOTR and the Crusades, with an extra helping of rape.

There is lots of rape, but less as the books go on and Bakker gets better at storytelling.
 
H

hiryu

Member
Any recommendations for a good audio book to take on vacation? This will be for the drive and there will be four people listening to it. Preferably something funny or a thriller.
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Damn I can't keep my mouth shut.
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Dresden said:
It's so hard recommending Bakker because you have to go through three books before getting to the (non-rapey) good stuff and the man is such a tool.
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Now I know how cosmicblizzard feels when he begs people to read One Piece with those puppy dog eyes of his.
 
A

Ashes

Banned
Cyan said:
o_O

The fuck is that even supposed to mean?
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I think it's what philosophers call 'sloppiness of language'. I'll try [or die miserably failing in the attempt] to summarise in two paragraphs.


Anosognosia is when a part of the brain normally reserved for self-awareness is damaged in such a way as to prevent a ill person from knowing they have an illness. e.g. a person with a disability who is not aware of the disability.*

I presume the author is of the opinion that likewise the brain is unable to know truth to its fullest extent.



edit: *note this isn't psychological [they are not in denial]; this person is literally unable to decipher that they have a disability.
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
survivor said:
Yeah, I think I'm just gonna wait for Words of Radiance to get my next fantasy fix then.
Click to expand...

If you need a fantasy fix, may I recommend The Scar by China Mieville?

No rape, I promise.
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Technically, the three Bas-lag novels are in chronological order, but they all work as standalone novels and merely take place in the same world, somewhat like Discworld novels.

The Scar is easily the best, followed by Perdido Street Station, then Iron Council at a distant third.
 
A

AngmarsKing701

Member
Haly said:
Technically, the three Bas-lag novels are in chronological order, but they all work as standalone novels and merely take place in the same world, somewhat like Discworld novels.

The Scar is easily the best, followed by Perdido Street Station, then Iron Council at a distant third.
Click to expand...
I couldn't get into PSS. Not sure what I was expecting, but all the rave reviews for it got me pumped to read it. Then I read it and I was like "wut?"
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
AngmarsKing701 said:
I couldn't get into PSS. Not sure what I was expecting, but all the rave reviews for it got me pumped to read it. Then I read it and I was like "wut?"
Click to expand...

What put you off of it?

Was it Lin?

It was, wasn't it?

khepri_by_basalt-d39q70h.jpg


Moe~
 
N

Narag

Member
Mumei said:
The screenplay for the movie is written by the author, and it gets the essential plot points, but what really makes the book so fairy-tale-magical is the way it is written... and the movie can't capture that.
Click to expand...

I've a soft spot for the movie due to Christopher Lee's performance and how he held the source material in such high regard.
 
P

Piecake

Member
Ashes1396 said:
I think it's what philosophers call 'sloppiness of language'. I'll try [or die miserably failing in the attempt] to summarise in two paragraphs.


Anosognosia is when a part of the brain normally reserved for self-awareness is damaged in such a way as to prevent a ill person from knowing they have an illness. e.g. a person with a disability who is not aware of the disability.*

I presume the author is of the opinion that likewise the brain is unable to know truth to its fullest extent.



edit: *note this isn't psychological [they are not in denial]; this person is literally unable to decipher that they have a disability.
Click to expand...

I didnt bother reading it, but if thats what he is trying to say he wasted a whole lot of big words arranged in a confusing manner to say something pretty damn obvious.

Everyone perceives reality from a different perspective. Hard to have Truth in that situation.

And yea, I really did not like the books. I think I read the first two and got about half way through the second before I gave up. The characters and their interactions with each other were terrible. I have no problem with characters being an embodiment of a philosophy since Dostoevsky is my favorite author, but man, his characters actually feel like real people
 
P

Photosynthesis

Member
Let me see... just graduated, so finally have time to read again. :p Finished Wild Cards I and II (anybody who likes superheroes should take a look at these, they're fantastic) and Horns by Joe Hill, which was even better than the already excellent Heart-Shaped Box. Now reading Vonnegut's Letters.
 
M

Maklershed

Member
Just thought the fine folks reading this thread might be interested to know Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace is a $1.99 Kindle daily deal today.

-----

Finished Altered Carbon and I'm back to These is My Words.

I love love loved the first half of Altered Carbon - it was just what I was craving as far as cyberpunk goes. Hard boiled detective slumming through crowded dystopian streets etc. The last half though lost that and became more about virtual realities and the weird technology that exists. All in all I'd give it a 3/5.
 
A

Ashes

Banned
Piecake said:
I didnt bother reading it, but if thats what he is trying to say he wasted a whole lot of big words arranged in a confusing manner to say something pretty damn obvious.

Everyone perceives reality from a different perspective. Hard to have Truth in that situation.

And yea, I really did not like the books. I think I read the first two and got about half way through the second before I gave up. The characters and their interactions with each other were terrible. I have no problem with characters being an embodiment of a philosophy since Dostoevsky is my favorite author, but man, his characters actually feel like real people
Click to expand...

Fair enough.
 
L

Labombadog

Member
I have been reading A Sword of Storms and really enjoying it thus far. Only about 60 pages so I am pretty much just starting.

Also started reading At the Mountain of Madness by Lovecraft and I was doubting if it was ever going to pick up and oh indeed it did. Almost done with it.

And been addicted to Teatro Grottesco by Thomas Ligotti. It is a bunch of short stories that are either weird or horror. The writing is excellent as well.

Reading some damn great books!
 
N

Necrovex

Member
Mumei said:
Yes. It's fantastic. I love the opening:

The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam, but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night. But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea.

She did not look anything like a horned horse, as unicorns are often pictured, being smaller and cloven-hoofed, and possessing that oldest, wildest grace that horses have never had, that deer have only in shy, thin imitation and goats in dancing mockery. Her neck was long and slender, making her head seem smaller than it was, and the mane that fell almost to the middle of her back was soft as dandelion fluff and fine as cirrus. She had pointed ears and thin legs, with feathers of white hair at the ankles; and the long horn above her eyes shone and shivered with its own seashell light even in the deepest midnight. She had killed dragons with it, and healed a king whose poisoned wound would not close, and knocked down ripe chestnuts for bear cubs.
Click to expand...

I really wish a fantastic prose (is that the right word in this case?) did anything for me. I can appreciate a good prose, but I usually cannot tell a good one from a magnificent one. Though, I can tell when something is just poorly written.

And I am halfway through Invincible Ultimate 1. It's quite enjoyable so far. The only thing that was holding me back from reading it was the need to finish Fire Emblem.
 
R

Ratrat

Member
Flek said:
izCAZUB42uBrT.jpg
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As amusing as this seems I doubt there are that many books you get a bingo with. I'm reading Dance Dance Dance which is about as typical Murakami book as possible and still dont even get close.

And there's nothing 'genius' about pointing out the obvious.

tmarques said:
Enjoyed Wild Sheep Chase, so I bought Dance Dance Dance. It was basically the same book, but since it was a sequel I gave it a pass. Then I read Wind-Up Bird and again, seemed like the same book to me - slightly depressed guy in his 30s goes on a journey looking for a sheep/his wife/cat/girlfriend/whatever, meets smart ass teenager who chain smokes and skips a lot of school days or prostitute with a heart of gold, meets a bunch of weird and dangerous people... Ends up making big discoveries about life and/or himself. And at least one character has to be clarvoyant so Murakami can easily advance the plot/investigation when he writes himself into a corner.

Couldn't stand Norwegian Wood, but at least it was a different story. I honestly don't get why the guy is so popular.
Click to expand...
I'd at least try Sputnik My Sweet Heart, After Dark or Kafka on the Shore before writing him off.
 
W

wilder.Boy

Member
Flek said:
izCAZUB42uBrT.jpg
Click to expand...

I've Just started 1Q84 from Murakami and 80 page in I can already cross out 5 squares :D

So far I like it pretty much. It's my fourth book by Murakami. I cannot say that I fully get what he's writing but I just love to dive into his weird worlds.

1q84.jpg


Edit: I can also fully recommend "Hard-boiled Wonderland" by Murakami. I really love this book.
 
F

Fireblend

Banned
Ratrat said:
As amusing as this seems I doubt there are that many books you get a bingo with. I'm reading Dance Dance Dance which is about as typical Murakami book as possible and still dont even get close.

And there's nothing 'genius' about pointing out the obvious.
Click to expand...

I don't think there was any malice or harmful mockery intended in that picture, you seem kinda defensive about it. I love Murakami, having read most of his stuff, and I think the picture is pretty clever and funny. I love him writing about cooking, classical music and talking cats, I'd actually be kind of disappointed if he didn't.
 
W

WowBaby

Member
A little off topic, but I just found out that I can borrow Kindle ebooks from the NY Public Library even though I'm not a resident of NYC. Just ordered my NYPL card and their catalog is way, way bigger than my Westchester Co. library's catalog. I don't think I'll be buying books for a while.
 
A

AngmarsKing701

Member
WowBaby said:
A little off topic, but I just found out that I can borrow Kindle ebooks from the NY Public Library even though I'm not a resident of NYC. Just ordered my NYPL card and their catalog is way, way bigger than my Westchester Co. library's catalog. I don't think I'll be buying books for a while.
Click to expand...

Can you do that from anywhere or do you have to be in the local-ish area?
 
I

Into

Member
I read through Phil Jackson's book:

91uaCHmtsxL._SL1500_.jpg
Click to expand...


Doubt many would read this unless they were fans of basketball, but it is interesting for those of you manage people, say at your job or hold some sort of position where you have to guide a group of people towards a common goal.

It was a good read, and obviously the Jordan vs Kobe is the stuff that attracted me in the first place. Many times Jackson would explain a certain time period and the status of the team, then go on a tangent on what Zen methods he has used and reference people i frankly never heard of it. Luckily its spaced out well so you can skip all this stuff and get to the actual basketball.

Seeing him explain his story with the Bulls and Lakers, is like listening to some guy who explains his great relationship with his first love (Bulls) and his second relationship that was mostly full of drama and crap (Lakers). I do not know if it is intended but his period at the Lakers never sounded like something he enjoyed, the constant drama in the locker room is far worse in LA than it was in Chicago, at least according to this book. Reason being that there was a leader, alpha male in Chicago named Michael Jordan, the pecking order was never in doubt. In LA there was no such thing.

While he did have plenty of complimentary things to say about Kobe, much of the drama seems to stem more from Bryant than it does from Shaq, Jackson or anyone else. Other than showing up a tad overweight, Shaq seems mostly innocent, while Kobe is the instigator of almost all the drama

Overall a good read, obviously if you are a basketball fan.
 
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