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What are you reading? (July 2014)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
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Livingskeletons
If I pulled that off, would you die?
Words of Radiance
I can't put it down.
I can't put it down.
It really really isn't.
Hey, I have read Shriek, and I loved it!
I'll get around to Finch soon enough; I currently have it checked out from the library
Too big, you say?
It's because nothing noteworthy happened.
Kvothe needed money. Kvothe got money. Kvothe needs more money. Kvothe got some more money. End.
A few things:
1) Gary Stu protagonist, always popular.
2) Harry Potter-esque setup, but matchoor.
3) "Complex" magic system, because Branderson.
4) Unique fantasy take on the American college experience.
5) Decent prose, for all of Rothfuss' storytelling faults.
1) Gary Stu protagonist, always popular.
2) Harry Potter-esque setup, but matchoor.
3) "Complex" magic system, because Branderson.
4) Unique fantasy take on the American college experience.
5) Decent prose, for all of Rothfuss' storytelling faults.
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
Has anyone read Bear? (Unsavory descriptions in the reviews)
To be honest, mine would probably be that big if it wasn't comprised of scribbled notes and post-its over the years.
To be honest, mine would probably be that big if it wasn't comprised of scribbled notes and post-its over the years.
ZQQLANDER
Member
You'r so negative! Lol, maybe I'm just on a high while I'm going through it. I like the story, but I can appreciate the issues that you have. What I like more is the way he tells the story. Great writing style.
It's easy to get lost in a book and not see the flaws in the writing because of how much fun you're having, and in this sense The Name of the Wind isn't a bad book at all. It's entertaining, and it lets you immerse yourself, which says more than most books. Another good example of this is Ready Player One.
But in hindsight, there are a lot of issues with Rothfuss' storytelling that has ruined the series in my eyes so I have a hard time keeping my opinions to myself vis-a-vis the quality of The Kingkiller Chronicles.
But in hindsight, there are a lot of issues with Rothfuss' storytelling that has ruined the series in my eyes so I have a hard time keeping my opinions to myself vis-a-vis the quality of The Kingkiller Chronicles.
elrechazado
Banned
Kvothe was amaze balls at everything he does.
I hated these books. And yes I read them both like a schmuck.
ZQQLANDER
Member
We will have to compare notes when I finish then. Maybe it will fall off in the next 200 pages.
Edit: Just keep raining on my parade! I thought these books were fairly acclaimed.
Stephen King's Pet Sematary.
I've read a lot of books but for some reason skipped Stephen King's. I've so far also read Joyland and Mr. Mercedes. Those were very good and I thought Pet Sematary was excellent. I have not seen the movie which I take it is a cheesefest.
Any recommendations for my next Stephen King? I've heard The Shining is really good but I have seen the movie. Opinions on The Stand seem to be divided.
I've read a lot of books but for some reason skipped Stephen King's. I've so far also read Joyland and Mr. Mercedes. Those were very good and I thought Pet Sematary was excellent. I have not seen the movie which I take it is a cheesefest.
Any recommendations for my next Stephen King? I've heard The Shining is really good but I have seen the movie. Opinions on The Stand seem to be divided.
Horseticuffs
Full werewolf off the buckle
Stephen King's Pet Sematary.
I've read a lot of books but for some reason skipped Stephen King's. I've so far also read Joyland and Mr. Mercedes. Those were very good and I thought Pet Sematary was excellent. I have not seen the movie which I take it is a cheesefest.
Any recommendations for my next Stephen King? I've heard The Shining is really good but I have seen the movie. Opinions on The Stand seem to be divided.
Oh man, the movie is legit good. It's just like a condensed version of the book. Fred Gwynne was badass. The whole cast was great. Seriously, check it out.
Also, enjoy the wonderful world of King (Check out his son, Joe Hill, too. He's just as good!)
Agree with you on most points but on point 1, I think it's a lot to do with the Unreliable Narrator, It's Kvothe's retelling, so it's bound to be embellished. Book 2 spoilers:
When going into the third person "real-time" story part, he really isn't that Mary/Gary Stu, he's even pretty damned weak
Goodreads shelve comparison said:
well... damn...
I loved Ready Player One, leave it alone!
(But really, there is more than one 'correct' way to enjoy a medium (be it book, movie or what have you). You can love a shitty story with wonderful prose as much as Mary Sue nerdgasms with shitty prose. It's not really black and white, like it's always layed out on the internet.. Enjoy what you enjoy.
That said, I didn't like Name of the Wind and couldn't be bothered checking out the sequel. Doesn't help that Rothfuss is GRRMing the third book.
whatevermort
Member
David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks. It's utterly astonishing.
Also, in paperback when I'm dashing about:
Which is really fun. Beautifully written, clever, nice narrative.
The Culture Vulture
Member
Stephen King's Pet Sematary.
I've read a lot of books but for some reason skipped Stephen King's. I've so far also read Joyland and Mr. Mercedes. Those were very good and I thought Pet Sematary was excellent. I have not seen the movie which I take it is a cheesefest.
Any recommendations for my next Stephen King? I've heard The Shining is really good but I have seen the movie. Opinions on The Stand seem to be divided.
The Pet Sematary film is worth watching. Not nearly as good but still an effective movie.
Glad you liked Joyland. I'm just starting that now and it is really fun.
As far as a recommendation goes, if you want another classic try Dead Zone. Something a little different Needful Things or if you want to get into his excellent short stories try Nightmares and Dreamscapes.
Secks4Food
Member
I'm about half way through, I like it a lot but not as much as Trainspotting. This one is more of a slow burner with more character development and lead up to the crazy shit, where as Trainspotting is just raw craziness and it almost never lets up.
I read Perkeros yesterday. Really enjoyed it.
It's a finnish graphic novel about an avant gard metal band laced with supernatural elements, weird stuff and humor. The bands drummer is a bear, for example. Not a talking bear. Not a special bear. Just... a bear. Really enojyed it. It's out in french and english and german translations are coming out this fall. Would recommend, especially for music lovers.
Art samples:
http://www.perkeros.com/samples/#
It's a finnish graphic novel about an avant gard metal band laced with supernatural elements, weird stuff and humor. The bands drummer is a bear, for example. Not a talking bear. Not a special bear. Just... a bear. Really enojyed it. It's out in french and english and german translations are coming out this fall. Would recommend, especially for music lovers.
Art samples:
http://www.perkeros.com/samples/#
Finished: Endless Love by Scott Spencer
That was pretty good, the author does a good job of really giving you a strong overview of what goes on in the authors end, in some ways it's hard to sympathise with the protagonist as for the most part he comes off as creepy, desperate and occasionally psychopathic at times, and for the most part you don't really gain a deep understanding of the protagonist obsession and his infatuation, but what the book does is it allows you to sympathise with his obsession and relate to it, despite the fact you occasionally find yourself demystified about it.
Now reading: Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty
Only read the introduction, but it looks like I'm going be in for a pretty epic ride, the sleekness of the hard cover withstanding.
Already feeling that the content isn't going be as "radical" as what the media has been hyping it up to be based on what I've read of the introduction though.
That was pretty good, the author does a good job of really giving you a strong overview of what goes on in the authors end, in some ways it's hard to sympathise with the protagonist as for the most part he comes off as creepy, desperate and occasionally psychopathic at times, and for the most part you don't really gain a deep understanding of the protagonist obsession and his infatuation, but what the book does is it allows you to sympathise with his obsession and relate to it, despite the fact you occasionally find yourself demystified about it.
Now reading: Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty
Only read the introduction, but it looks like I'm going be in for a pretty epic ride, the sleekness of the hard cover withstanding.
Already feeling that the content isn't going be as "radical" as what the media has been hyping it up to be based on what I've read of the introduction though.
Horseticuffs
Full werewolf off the buckle
My ex wife has offered to buy me "He's just not that into you" because she says I'm a fucking idiot to respond to texts from my my most recent ex.
All jokes aside, and the fact that I'm a dude, has anyone read it? I read some quotes that seemed sorta insightful.
All jokes aside, and the fact that I'm a dude, has anyone read it? I read some quotes that seemed sorta insightful.
Er. You shouldn't take the "Read" number at face value; take away comics, manga, YA, and children's books and it is closer to ~450.
Just finished The Lies of Locke Lamora, first book of the Gentlemen Bastards series by Scott Lynch. It was a good read, came out right field with a few humdingers at the end of the second act, and all in all gave me a fun little caper/action fantasy novel to chew through. Think "Ocean's 11" in a medieval fantasy world, but with way more twists.
I've just started the second novel, Red Seas Under Red Skies, but I can already tell it doesn't capture the spirit of the first at all. The writing is still pretty sharp, but the plot and pacing have taken a huge shift away from the atmosphere that made the first novel work so well.
I've just started the second novel, Red Seas Under Red Skies, but I can already tell it doesn't capture the spirit of the first at all. The writing is still pretty sharp, but the plot and pacing have taken a huge shift away from the atmosphere that made the first novel work so well.
The problem with unreliable narrators is that it's so very easy to forget your narrator is supposed to be unreliable and just treat their recollection of their adventures as truth. A talented author would leave little bits of inconsistencies and contradictions to hint at the unreliability, a la Gene Wolfe. As far as I can tell, Rothfuss has done none of this. Either he's even more subtle than Wolfe or he's just not very good at this technique. The only thing that hints at "unreliable narrator" is that young Kvothe is nothing like old Kvothe (and the idea of calling him old Kvothe is laughable because he's in his early thirties at most), but even in "the present", old Kvothe is still worshipped as a legend by Chronicler and Bast. Either Kvothe is the greatest liar in fantasy (and really, nothing he's done hints at this), or Rothfuss is just in over his head.
It remains to be seen if Rothfuss redeems himself somehow in Book 3 or if Kvothe snaps out of his stupor and becomes mega badass again, slinging epic magic and having tons of hawt sex.
I apologize for pooping on parties, I'm kind a dick when it comes to certain books ._.I loved Ready Player One, leave it alone!
Reading:
Finished
Goes too easy (no surprise I suppose) on Eisenhower, is a bit dated, the author covers the period after Houffalize link up in a page or two and instead devotes his time to later operations and Berlin rant.
Pretty good maps and outside of author's treatment of his father, relatively even handed book. An okay general Battle of Ardennes read.
Finished
Goes too easy (no surprise I suppose) on Eisenhower, is a bit dated, the author covers the period after Houffalize link up in a page or two and instead devotes his time to later operations and Berlin rant.
Pretty good maps and outside of author's treatment of his father, relatively even handed book. An okay general Battle of Ardennes read.
David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks. It's utterly astonishing.
Is that an international edition or something? Amazon US store has that slated for release in September.
BriareosGAF
Member
Would you say you have a good handle on the period in general? I'd be curious of a top five "reading on WW2 military operations" with an emphasis on the western front. I had like six different lists bookmarked from Tom Ricks' blog but FP keeps fucking up the archives.
samurai1226
Member
Started reading Halo: Glasslands yesterday. Great beginning so far
I just finished Doha 12 by Lance Charnes, and liked it a lot. The basic premise (Mossad's action branch "borrows" the names and identities of 12 expatriates as covers to assassinate a Hezbollah leader, those identities are leaked and Hezbollah moves to assassinate the civilians whose names were used as payback) is interesting, and the principal characters, from the principal leads to the terrorists to a Mossad team sent to fix their mess, are fleshed out and given human shades of grey and motivations. The two leads are well written characters and pretty badass.
It's not a perfect book: the plot starts out pretty contrived to deprive the leads of government support and the romantic subplot starts out pretty shaky before getting better.
Also, for a book that is basically Jewish Israelis vs. Muslim Arabs (plus or minus one), it's actually pretty leftist for an anti-terrorism thriller. The Point of View characters, Israeli-Americans, a few of the terrorists trying to kill them, and Mossad assassins, are all given human motivations. Hezbollah are shown to be cruel and evil but the Israeli government is also shown to be in the wrong, and if there's a "message" to the book's policies it's that there's a cycle of violence that has harmed both sides, not "Muslim Arabs are evil". Also, there's no super hot, super misogynistic Arab terrorist who seduces Western women while calling them whores in his internal monologue (seriously, I've seen that often enough that it must be a trope by now) so that's a plus.
Picked up his second book, South, which has corporate interests and military contractors running a dystopian US, and Muslim Americans (including the heroine, the hero is a coyote) fleeing for the borders lest they be locked up in internment camps
It's not a perfect book: the plot starts out pretty contrived to deprive the leads of government support and the romantic subplot starts out pretty shaky before getting better.
Also, for a book that is basically Jewish Israelis vs. Muslim Arabs (plus or minus one), it's actually pretty leftist for an anti-terrorism thriller. The Point of View characters, Israeli-Americans, a few of the terrorists trying to kill them, and Mossad assassins, are all given human motivations. Hezbollah are shown to be cruel and evil but the Israeli government is also shown to be in the wrong, and if there's a "message" to the book's policies it's that there's a cycle of violence that has harmed both sides, not "Muslim Arabs are evil". Also, there's no super hot, super misogynistic Arab terrorist who seduces Western women while calling them whores in his internal monologue (seriously, I've seen that often enough that it must be a trope by now) so that's a plus.
Picked up his second book, South, which has corporate interests and military contractors running a dystopian US, and Muslim Americans (including the heroine, the hero is a coyote) fleeing for the borders lest they be locked up in internment camps
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
Maybe you should join Goodreads and start collating it!
I have a Goodreads account but I really dislike the website; not only does the interface make no sense but nothing about it jives with the way I read. I prefer something much simpler - a plain text list with some dates. I started a Google document of my to-read list earlier this year, most of which have come from these threads and friend recommendations.
I'm really enjoying Songs of a Distant Earth; its prose is human and amusing, and the backstory is engaging. These little snack sci-fi books are getting me back into the habit of reading (I've only read 8 books this year so far! For shame).
I'm fairly well read on Western Front 44-45 and Mediterranean from Alamein to Italy come 1944, less on Eastern Front and little on 1940-42 Africa, 44-45 Italy and other minor fronts.
As for recommendations mainly in the two first areas I would say:
1. Eisenhowers' Lieutenants by Russel F Weigley. - A general history from Normandy till Elbe but focused strongly on the American Army. Pretty good maps, bit dry but highlights some important issues of the campaign.
2. Decision in Normandy by Carlo d' Este - From plethora of books about Normandy I think this is the best. Focused more on Montgomery/ Brits and a bit too harsh on them, bit outdated (his replacements chapter has been debunked) but good nonetheless.
3. Pendulum of War - Three Battles at El Alamein by Nial Barry – Plenty of good books on Alamein but this one covers all three and not just the last, most known one. You can also try Hamilton's biography of Montgomery volumes 1 &2 which will also get you coverage from Alamein to end of Normandy. Biased, onesided but still good with lots of detail.
4. Hitler's Last Gamble: The Battle of the Bulge – Been a while since I read but I do remember it being good. You can also check out Advance and Destroy: Patton as Commander in the Bulge by Rickard but it only covers the 3rd Army, Patton and the southern side of the bulge. Recent, very good maps and good blow my blow account
5. Generally I find it impossible recommend one or even two books about Eastern Front as it is a vast and long conflict and such short positions skimp so much detail that I rarely bother with them. You'd have to specify which period, battle interests you. Generally if you want a really, really detailed (and coma inducing) description with great maps Glantz is the man to go for. He churns out tome after tome (finishing his Stalingrad trilogy as of now I think) for years now and is highly regarded. Other than that, Red Storm on Reich by Christopher Duffy is a very good and readable description of Oder-Vistula operation, Tony Le Tissier is probably a man to go to if you're looking for something on Berlin 45 and generally that period.
whatevermort
Member
I'm reading a proof copy of it. That's the UK cover.
Oh.
I haven't had any troubles with the interface, just sometimes troubles with the search function bringing up odd results.
Written by Karen Traviss, so expect a lot of authorative head nodding and made up words in alien languages filling about 1/3 of the book.
Here we go Mak, making my way through the prologue. I certainly was not expecting it to be so funny.
Now reading...
Empire Falls by Richard Russo
Now reading...
Empire Falls by Richard Russo
I can't quite agree that it's better than GOT, but I thought it was pretty great, and the sequel was even better once the story got rolling.
I'm about half way through, I like it a lot but not as much as Trainspotting. This one is more of a slow burner with more character development and lead up to the crazy shit, where as Trainspotting is just raw craziness and it almost never lets up.
If you haven't read Skagboys yet, it should be your next. It takes place before Trainspotting, and shows us how the lads became addicted to the skag. It's also a fabulously written book.
ZQQLANDER
Member
So what books would you recommend in the sci-fi/fantasy genre? I'm always looking to expand my backlog
I'm currently making my way through Infinite Jest. It's certainly something. I can't say that I've ever read a book like this before, and I can't say if I like it. The plot seems to be going nowhere and most chapters seem very unnecessary, but David Foster Wallace is a wonderful writer and some of his characters are incredibly compelling.
David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks. It's utterly astonishing.
Wow, that's a nice cover. Really looking forward to that book.
Sci Fi:
Ancillary Justice
Book of the New Sun
The Dispossessed
Stories of Your Life and Others
Fantasy:
The Scar
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
The House of the Stag
A Wizard of Earthsea
Switch Back 9
a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Just stop now and save yourself the trouble. Red Seas I liked, but nowhere near as much as he first, and the third book was just awful, did not enjoy it at all and easily could have removed half the story and not missed much. It's too bad because the first book was awesome and I really enjoyed it.
bengraven
Member
Still trucking through this. I'm glad it's the last in the trilogy as I think I need a break from this drab, depressing world.
I started reading this as well. I think I like the world and Jorg as a character changing has been something to enjoy reading, but I'm not looking forward to another "five years ago" section. Having to read half a book 3 of flashbacks to something that happened, narratively, before the "modern day" parts of book 2 is kind of a bad idea.
Jag
Member
Any recommendations for WWI Historical Fiction? I'm reading Fall of Giants, the first book in the Century Trilogy by Ken Follett. It's not bad, but typical Follett fare (strong female protaganist, awkward sexual scenes, bare bones historical context, etc). I'm also listening to Dan Carlin's Blueprint for Armageddon and it's got me itching for more WWI. But in a historical fiction context.
I'd love something like a Killer Angels in WWI. I'm thinking of picking up Jeff Shaara's To the Last Man.
I'd love something like a Killer Angels in WWI. I'm thinking of picking up Jeff Shaara's To the Last Man.
Have you read Jeff VanderMeer?
I have not, where should I start?
I've been stalling on my reading actually, currently I'm slogging through:
Just haven't been in a reading kind of mood, but I'm always open to new suggestions.
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