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What are you reading? (June 09)
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Discordian_taco
Member
Just finished reading Neuromancer...was my 4th time reading it. It is my favorite book and I swear each time I read it I notice something new that I didn't pick up on before. Whatever happened to the cyberpunk genre?
Fallout-NL
Member
Tashi0106 said:Because of the recent announcement at E3, I figured I finally start this one...
Despite the horrible cover, a really great book. After having read this I was really sad to see Bungie taking Halo in pretty much a completely opposite direction. The book's story and tone were so much better.
Musashi Wins!
FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
I'm reading this new, big small press collection of the short fiction of Lucius Shephard. He is incredible. I don't know if anyone here has read any of his work, it's scifi I suppose in genre, but he's another one of those writers who seem to transcend their genre because their skill and vision is so great.
Screaming_Gremlin
My QB is a Dick and my coach is a Nutt
Ninja Scooter said:
Yep, there is a paperback version available. I actually prefer hardbacks. While they are more expensive, they are a lot more durable. And while sort of sad, they just look better on my bookshelf. In this case although I actually just got the Kindle version.
Finished Pushing Ice - "Meh."
Also picked up and finished Straub's "lost boy, lost girl", yet another of the Tim Underhill related novels. It's exquisite. I think he's the best writer in horror these days, bar none.
Complex, dark, haunting, with a handle on structure so precise it awes me.
Sadly, after one more of his novels (which awaits me on the overfull night table), I have to wait on him to write more, having read his entire catalog.
Also picked up and finished Straub's "lost boy, lost girl", yet another of the Tim Underhill related novels. It's exquisite. I think he's the best writer in horror these days, bar none.
Complex, dark, haunting, with a handle on structure so precise it awes me.
Sadly, after one more of his novels (which awaits me on the overfull night table), I have to wait on him to write more, having read his entire catalog.
ElectricBlue187
Member
jboldiga said:
Just finished reading Neuromancer...was my 4th time reading it. It is my favorite book and I swear each time I read it I notice something new that I didn't pick up on before. Whatever happened to the cyberpunk genre?
Gibson started writing these novels set in present time and Stephenson is writing "post-cyberpunk" and other stuff
We still got Takashi Kovacs I think...
CajoleJuice
Member
Nope. I almost always go with paperbacks, with a few exceptions (like the Library of America hardcover series -- so awesome).Ninja Scooter said:
I just finished Neuromancer and I definitely feel like I need to read it again.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
CajoleJuice said:
om nom nom. The quality of the paper is soooo goooood.
Just finished Henry Fielding's "The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling". An early "comic novel", dripping with sarcasm and with shocking revelations and reversals of fortune every time you turn a page. Very enjoyable if you can handle the sometimes very complicated sentences.
Next, either Henrik Ibsen's longest play, "Caesars and Galileans", or Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being".
Next, either Henrik Ibsen's longest play, "Caesars and Galileans", or Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being".
AndrewG009
Member
Reading a few different things right now, but mainly trying to focus on World War Z.
Musashi Wins!
FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
Salazar said:
I read that series. Honestly, he's more an idea guy than a lively writer. Not a huge fan, though as I said some of the ideas and situations are compelling.
Right now, Murakami's Kafka on the Shore and Steve Mcconnell's Code Complete. I have my next technical book planned out(Andy Hunt's Pragmatic Programmer) but I don't have anything lined up for leisure. Something by Neal Stephenson is possible and I have a buddy who's into physics and kind of has me wanting to read something along those lines... A Brief History of Time, perhaps.
I just finished Esslemont's Night of Knives and found it very amateurish in comparison to the rest of the Malazan novels. Hopefully he hits his stride in Return of the Crimson Guard. Of course, getting RotCG is impossible in the States anyway so I suppose it doesn't matter.
I just finished Esslemont's Night of Knives and found it very amateurish in comparison to the rest of the Malazan novels. Hopefully he hits his stride in Return of the Crimson Guard. Of course, getting RotCG is impossible in the States anyway so I suppose it doesn't matter.
Tim the Wiz said:Taking a break from
Total War by Ahern.lol - maybe, it's just too manly for me?)
That could well be the case. Alternately, you're a man of taste and distinction and just can't choke down that much men's adventure cheese. I certainly wouldn't blame you for this. Sorry to have steered you wrong there! I should reiterate for anyone else looking at the Survivalist series that the books are objectively terrible, but with the right mindset (i.e. being very easy amused) they can be a hoot.
I recently finished Benighted by Kit Whitfield and enjoyed it quite a bit. In a contemporary world where lycanthropy is the norm our heroine is a human, where she's condemned to a life working for the government agency that helps keep wandering werewolves from wrecking too much havoc during the full moon. This is thankless, dangerous work at best, but when she has a particularly difficult case thrown at her things really go straight to hell. The world building in this book is top notch, with lots of interesting exploration of the basic concept, while also wrangling with some broad issues (notably racism), all wrapped up in a mystery setting. I didn't love the book but, as mentioned, I liked it quite a bit and will be keeping an eye out for any sequels.
I'm currently 3/4 of the way through The Russia House by John Le Carre. I've inadvertently managed to read Le Carre in publication order from Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy onward and have now reached the era of perestroika. A disenchanted Soviet scientist who works on missile targeting system has handed over a slew of information to the West. The catch is that the West isn't sure if they believe him or not and have drafted the man the scientist sent his secrets to - a heavy drinking, unsuccessful book publisher - to try to figure out if everything is on the level. While not quite up there with the Smiley books or A Perfect Spy, this is still top notch espionage fiction that paints a portrait of the Soviet Union in decline.
I have to say, that's a damn fine Snow Crash cover.
FnordChan
CajoleJuice
Member
Is it bad that the only ones I have are the two PKD collections?BlueTsunami said:
I'm once again catching up on a book I always wanted to read as a kid:
Krabat by Ottfried Preußler
It was released as "The Satanic Mill" in English if Amazon.com is correct.
Krabat by Ottfried Preußler
It was released as "The Satanic Mill" in English if Amazon.com is correct.
I finished the first of three parts last week, and have not been able to begin the second part, due to being busy with work-related business. It was a struggle to get through when I first tried reading it a couple of years ago, but this time it is really striking a chord with me. Great stuff. I feel like there is an interesting insight into human behaviour and culture on every single page.
norinrad21
Banned
ILOVEASIANS
Member
The Stand: The Complete and Uncut Edition by Stephen King. I've been a post-apocalyptic binge recently.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
CajoleJuice said:Is it bad that the only ones I have are the two PKD collections?
I only have the first PKD compilation and the HP Lovercraft ones. They have some other compilations that look interesting (the 1930's-40's era Noir stories being one).
blazinglord
Member
Thanks for the recommendation, I'll pick it up seeing as I'm really enjoying Shirer's analysis.Blackace said:This is a great book and if you enjoyed it I might suggest this book (already read it but couldn't help but to throw this out there)
norinrad21 said:
The more I think about it, the more I believe that this is one of my favourite books ever, and perhaps the best of the PKD novels I have read. Mind you, I have only read the Four Novels of the 1960s collection, and A Scanner Darkly, but I find it hard to believe that anything could top Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep in terms of mixing pure crime drama, entertainment, and brain food.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
You've read The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch yet, Alucard? Its my personal favorite
Infinite Summer is a challenge to read David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest from June 21st to September 22nd. To quote the website:
Infinite Summer said:
I've had my copy gathering dust since 1996, when I bought it, got a couple of hundred pages in, and then was distracted with the minor detail of trying to graduate from college. I figure this is as good a time as ever to try to jump back in and will be starting it up shortly.
FnordChan
sparky2112
Member
FnordChan said:
So, so worth it. Me, I can't bring myself to stick to a second reading. I tried immediately after DFW died, but stalled at about page 100. Kinda like, 'I climed Everest once (and it's REALLY not that hard a book to read; there are much, much more difficult books out there), so why climb it again?' Plus, The Pale King is coming out next year...
Future PhaZe
Member
Tashi0106 said:Because of the recent announcement at E3, I figured I finally start this one...
Hmmm...I'm usually not into this sort of thing but sounds like a good idea.
Fantastic read. Entertaining as well as educational, as Crichton interspersed short, relevant essays on Victorian England throughout the novel. Makes everything very believable since he does so much research into the subject matter, even though it's a work of fiction. I must say, there's something really satisfying about seeing a (fictional) elaborate crime be planned and then carried out (got a similar feeling from Ocean's Eleven).
Looking forward to his first posthumous work coming out this fall.
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