Looked at that thread and seeing that irks me a bit. Lots and lots of variety here. I don't read much sci-fi or fantasy, and seem to stick to a lot of non-fiction mostly. There is plenty of variety here, and always varied recommendations for anyone that comes in and asks. Bah to those people who said otherwise.
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What are you reading? (July 2015)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Looked at that thread and seeing that irks me a bit. Lots and lots of variety here. I don't read much sci-fi or fantasy, and seem to stick to a lot of non-fiction mostly. There is plenty of variety here, and always varied recommendations for anyone that comes in and asks. Bah to those people who said otherwise.
I saw that thread as well. It's unfair, but I can see how someone giving this thread a cursory look could come away thinking we all worship Sanderson and find infinite delight in Ready Player One. I know the majority of us are not having quotidian discussions about this stuff, but there's a sort of milieu this thread defaults into every once in a while.
Have you tried The Laundry Files by Charles Stross? It's sort of like The Office and Bond(, James Bond) had a kid who hooked up with The Mythos. Its this nice overbearing bleakness that comes from living in a Lovecraftian universe with a glimmer of hope that comes from the protagonists actively fighting back topped off with a wonderful black humor that comes from the dichotomy of the protagonists experiences. The Agency he works for is charged with preventing humanities gibbering destruction by eldritch abominations but is mostly run as an almost Kafkaesque body of bureaucratic busywork. He is on the one had an active field agent tasked with finding and eliminating existential threats to our existence, but is also the IT guy and god help him if he slacks on that side of the job.
Just finished:
It was way more fun than I expected! It's not anything groundbreaking and have some obvious flaws but it's a perfect book to read in my daily commute.
Found out I'm liking the characters and the world quite a bit (Lynch made it really sure to include sequel hooks, didn't he). I see there are three more books, are they as good as the first one?
It was way more fun than I expected! It's not anything groundbreaking and have some obvious flaws but it's a perfect book to read in my daily commute.
Found out I'm liking the characters and the world quite a bit (Lynch made it really sure to include sequel hooks, didn't he). I see there are three more books, are they as good as the first one?
I feel like it was just a dumb book. Jubal has his utopian views and they're all glued together by Mike's martian powers, not actual insight. I can't remember it exactly because I read it a few years ago but..
Mike does a job at the circus and realizes that he has to trick people into believing like a magician. So he starts his weird cult where everyone's healthy because he has powers or whatever, and he's the guru, and everyone magically gets along. Then it comes under attack and he starts killing people but it's okay because they go to the end of the reincarnation line or whatever right? And the cult will eventually reproduce more than regular dumbass society like you and me.
It was so bad it makes me a want to read it again.
I don't know why anyone would expect different given that this is the Off Topic side of a video game board. Video games lean pretty heavily in the Sci Fi/Fantasy direction as well, and we were all fans of those at some point in life (if not currently).
It's not like this thread is full of recommendations for Forgotten Realms novels or novelizations of Blizzard games. Could be worse
Switch Back 9
a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Just finished:
It was way more fun than I expected! It's not anything groundbreaking and have some obvious flaws but it's a perfect book to read in my daily commute.
Found out I'm liking the characters and the world quite a bit (Lynch made it really sure to include sequel hooks, didn't he). I see there are three more books, are they as good as the first one?
I'm sorry to break it to you, but no, they get progressively worse. I actually liked book 2, but the third book was so awful and pointless it just put me off the series.
And I LOVED the first one. They just lose the fun and begin sounding like every other fantasy series with all the tropes, and half of book 3 is just boring and useless flashbacks.
In high school and college I looked down on people who read strictly fantasy and other 'lesser' genres. I didnt say it to their face, but I certainly felt it. Now, well, I fantasy is one of my favorite genres and I don't really care what other people read since the whole purpose of reading is entertainment and/or information. And people like different things. People are interested in different things, and people are intellectually stimulated by different things. I think the last part is something that many 'book snobs' fail to realize.
So yea, It doesnt surprise me that there are people out there like that since I used to be one of them, though hopefully I wasnt that bad of one
After today, I'm done buying books on Amazon. This is the second time I've bought a book where the dust jacket is either bent or has some kind of damage to it. I've never had any trouble with any of my other Amazon orders, but any time I order a book, I have to hold my breath and hope it gets to me in good shape. No more. I'll just drive across town to a book store and get the next new release I'm after.
You're right! I guess that's just a little self-consciousness kicking in where I feel like I need to "keep up with the Joneses."
Definitely! I've noticed that myself when I stick with one genre and end up getting burnt out on reading ALTOGETHER. Not every book has to be science fiction! I see what you did there
The first two chapters of Calamity hit the ground running with actiony-ness....erm, unless you literally mean that metaphor was appalling, which, yeah, it was.
This is a good community! I never see any negativity towards other readers and lots of suggestions. I love reading opinions and reviews on books I'd never even had a passing interest in. Most of the time those actually make me want to check the book out!
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
This was without a doubt one of the most lived in worlds I have come across in a book. Everything felt thought out and the characters felt real and the story kept my interest throughout it's 1,252 pages. If you like epic fantasy then this book should be on your radar if it isn't already. A seriously good read.
This was without a doubt one of the most lived in worlds I have come across in a book. Everything felt thought out and the characters felt real and the story kept my interest throughout it's 1,252 pages. If you like epic fantasy then this book should be on your radar if it isn't already. A seriously good read.
Finished Memory yesterday. This and Mirror Games have been on a completely different level than the previous books for me. I think I prefer Memory to Mirror Games because Memory actually made me realize
Edit: About to start Komarr.
how far into Naismith Miles actually was and how very different they are. I never completely realized that Vorkosigan seemed to almost have vanished and it was amazing to see him come back. I really couldn't stand Miles at the beginning of the book but he really turned it around and found himself again.
Edit: About to start Komarr.
Will definitely read them in order then. If I like Black Dahlia that is, but I'm pretty damn sure I will.
Also thanks for the recommendation! I see there's also a 10 episode TV show, so yeah, sometimes I love reading something and seeing an adaption afterwards.