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Maklershed · Jun 1, 2013

Maklershed · Jun 1, 2013

Kindle

American Tabloid by James Ellroy

Hard copy

The Chase by Clive Cussler

RatskyWatsky · Jun 1, 2013

Jintor · Jun 1, 2013

Getting Rich First: Life in a Changing China by Duncan Hewitt

Taking some time.

I'm also reading The Scarlet Letter and enjoying it, but Fire Emblem has been taking a lot of my fiction reading time...

Gadfly · Jun 1, 2013

SquiddyCracker · Jun 1, 2013

Extinction point.

Pretty good, looks like a self-published book on Amazon.

Kallor · Jun 1, 2013

Just starting.

Haly · Jun 1, 2013

Boggles my mind, the mastery of storytelling and language Wolfe needed to write this.

ShaneB · Jun 1, 2013

Yay new thread. Making my way through Wonder pretty quickly, SO excited for Abbadon's Gate next week.

Roubjon · Jun 1, 2013

I enjoyed the first one a ton, so I'm hoping the sequel can match it. So far it's pretty good after reading around 1/3rd of it.

Pikelet · Jun 1, 2013

I read Old Man's War by John Scalzi, thought it was pretty trashy. Some sorta neat sci-fi concepts kept me going, but it felt like a video-game story in the worst possible way. Threadbare characters and constant action, i'm not a fan.

Mackenzie 92 · Jun 1, 2013

Roubjon said:
I enjoyed the first one a ton, so I'm hoping the sequel can match it. So far it's pretty good after reading around 1/3rd of it.

Totally forgot that I own that. Maybe I'll read it next.

Anyway, still working on this

The Shadow of Ararat by Thomas Harlan

Interesting mix of alternate history and fantasy with Rome vs Persia with magic and shit, but so far the concept has been better than the actual book. There have been some epic battles, but not loving it a ton. Meh.

hardcastlemccormick · Jun 1, 2013

Currently blowing through:

I'm growing convinced it's my favorite book.

suzu · Jun 1, 2013

Ooooh Abaddon's Gate is coming out soon. Didn't even realize, even though I've just finished reading another of his books (The Tyrant's Law) recently... haha.

paynzee · Jun 1, 2013

"Under the Banyan Tree" Amazing story.

TheChewyWaffles · Jun 1, 2013

Finished reading ADWD. Then gobbled up the Winds of Winter excerpts. Can't wait for book #6. Now I need something to fill the gap. Could re-read Tolkien again or maybe go for a Dan Simmons or Brad Sanderson book. I think I own the Way of Kings (?) on Kindle.

hardcastlemccormick said:
Currently blowing through:

I'm growing convinced it's my favorite book.

Tried to read it several times. For some reason I never make it through.

suzu · Jun 1, 2013

TheChewyWaffles said:
Finished reading ADWD. Then gobbled up the Winds of Winter excerpts. Can't wait for book #6. Now I need something to fill the gap. Could re-read Tolkien again or maybe go for a Dan Simmons or Brad Sanderson book. I think I own the Way of Kings (?) on Kindle.

The Way of Kings! Brandon Sanderson's other books are pretty good too. Or go read The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie if you haven't already.

rando14 · Jun 1, 2013

nakedsushi · Jun 1, 2013

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

Thanks to the Kindle sale where I picked it up for $2! Hemingway's writing makes it look so easy ugh. Also, the people he writes about -- were people really like that?! Drinking all day from morning till night, lounging around in cafes and hotels, writing and not doing much but somehow supporting themselves? Seems like a dream come true.

The Culture Vulture · Jun 1, 2013

Again I find myslf charging through a massive book to have it read before the TV series starts (Finished Storm of Swords last month, loved it, can't wait for Sunday and next season.)

Donthizz# · Jun 1, 2013

Krowley · Jun 1, 2013

nakedsushi said:
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

Thanks to the Kindle sale where I picked it up for $2! Hemingway's writing makes it look so easy ugh. Also, the people he writes about -- were people really like that?! Drinking all day from morning till night, lounging around in cafes and hotels, writing and not doing much but somehow supporting themselves? Seems like a dream come true.

I read this myself recently, and absolutely loved it. He has a way of making mundane things, like hanging out with friends, fishing, and etc, extremely engrossing. It kept my interest even during the parts where it didn't seem to be going anywhere, and by the end everything came together in a very satisfying way. I can see myself rereading it a few times. Definitely a 5/5 book for me.

Winter Bear · Jun 1, 2013

I'm reading this

It's great if you want a quick history of comics

Solice · Jun 1, 2013

This thread. It's a pretty good read in it of itself.

xxracerxx · Jun 1, 2013

Salsa · Jun 1, 2013

Winter Bear said:
I'm reading this

It's great if you want a quick history of comics

great book

Empty · Jun 1, 2013

The_Count_of_Monte_Cristo_Penguin_Classics-119187600457171.jpg

been meaning to read it for forever. let's do this.

velociraptor · Jun 1, 2013

Fjordson · Jun 1, 2013

The Culture Vulture said:
Again I find myslf charging through a massive book to have it read before the TV series starts (Finished Storm of Swords last month, loved it, can't wait for Sunday and next season.)

They're making an Under the Dome TV show? I didn't even know about this. Definitely not one of my favourite King books, but thought it was pretty good.

I wonder how rich Stephen King is these days. I never really grasped how big he was as a kid. It's crazy how much of his work has been adapted into movies and TV.

Sleepy · Jun 1, 2013

Still reading this bad boy:

I'm about 200 pages in. It's been great so far. Hoping to finish it this summer.

udllpn · Jun 1, 2013

Help Me! said:
Still reading this bad boy:

I'm about 200 pages in. It's been great so far. Hoping to finish it this summer.

This is one of the novels I've always wanted to read but never had time to. I really loved V. by Pynchon.

Satanic Saint · Jun 1, 2013

Halfway through. Loving the series so far. I haven't seen any of the the TV show though.

PhiloAmericana · Jun 1, 2013

I'm very interested in the development of Christian thought and philosophy across the ancient and medieval periods. The influence on our entire identity is so profound that I consider it an absolute duty to understand the development of these ideas.

Big-E · Jun 1, 2013

Reading A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge. This is my first real sci fi book that I have read and I am enjoying it. Don't know why I didn't read sci fi before as I have seen a tonne of sci fi on the screen. Any other mandatory sci fi reads out there?

LuchaShaq · Jun 1, 2013

These are all in audio book form.

Last week I finished

- Unbroken. A tale about a WW2 POW. It's great.

- Humble Pie by Gordan Ramsay. Only interesting if you are a Ramsay show fan.

Currently reading

- 11 Rings by Phil Jackson. About Halfway through, enjoying it alot even though I liked "the last season" more.

Sleepy · Jun 1, 2013

udllpn said:
This is one of the novels I've always wanted to read but never had time to. I really loved V. by Pynchon.

Gravity's Rainbow is my fav of his...but V. is no fucking slouch either. I'm planning AtD taking 12 weeks to finish. I am in week 4 and already behind by about 200 pages. lol

Deleted member 30609 · Jun 1, 2013

I've been picking away at Infinite Jest since, like, March. I get so little time for reading during the semester. I'm looking forward to having the time to read for leisure. I want to start Bringing Up the Bodies.

Nezumi · Jun 1, 2013

Second try:

Slowly finding my way into this. So far I'd consider it to be the weakest book I've read by Sanderson so far. It's entertaining allright, but somehow it is quite obvious that this was his first book. The characters are a bit flat for my taste and everyone just talks a bit to perfect (especially those two annoying children).

I'm also listening to:

Not really sure what to think of this so far. The rules of the world just appear to be a bit random at times, but maybe they will start to make more sense when the story progresses a bit more. The thing I have the most trouble with is the narrator though.

Syroc · Jun 1, 2013

Started reading Murakami's Norwegian Wood last week. I have read his book about running, 1Q84 and Kafka on the Shore last year. He is probably my favourite author at the moment.

olore · Jun 1, 2013

Um... Shantaram, still.

Tragicomedy · Jun 1, 2013

Haly said:
Boggles my mind, the mastery of storytelling and language Wolfe needed to write this.

I've only finished the first of the four books, and I really need to knock them all out. Wolfe's language is so freaking dense feeling that I find myself re-reading parts several times to really grasp everything that's going on. He's on a different level.

Woorloog · Jun 1, 2013

Nezumi said:
Second try:

Slowly finding my way into this. So far I'd consider it to be the weakest book I've read by Sanderson so far. It's entertaining allright, but somehow it is quite obvious that this was his first book. The characters are a bit flat for my taste and everyone just talks a bit to perfect (especially those two annoying children).

Sanderson's first published book (but not his first). Definetly his weakest (of those i've read).
In the books annotations (available in Sanderson's site), he notes that the characters are mature, they don't grow really. That might be why they feel flat.
Never understood the focus on character growth, not what i care about really. Interesting character is interesting, growth or not.

As for the children, Sanderson noted that the family does feel a bit too modern. No comments about their intelligence though. Also found them to be annoying.

The priest Hrathen is awesome character though, easily the best part of the whole book.

EVOL 100% · Jun 1, 2013

Other than loads of Korean poetry what I won't bother writing here for obvious reasons:

Albert Camus- The First Man

Franz Kafka - The Trial

Natsume Soseki - I Am a Cat

Michel Houellebecq - Atomized

Zhunagzi - Zhuangzi

T.S Eliot - The Wasteland and other Poems

Nezumi · Jun 1, 2013

Woorloog said:
Sanderson's first published book (but not his first). Definetly his weakest (of those i've read).
In the books annotations (available in Sanderson's site), he notes that the characters are mature, they don't grow really. That might be why they feel flat.
Never understood the focus on character growth, not what i care about really. Interesting character is interesting, growth or not.

As for the children, Sanderson noted that the family does feel a bit too modern. No comments about their intelligence though. Also found them to be annoying.

The priest Hrathen is awesome character though, easily the best part of the whole book.

That's true. As for the rest, the fact that the characters don't grow is not my main problem, what I don't like is how they are all (except Hrathen) almost flawless and wisecracking all the time. Makes them too one dimensional in my opinion.

Guileless · Jun 1, 2013

Cyan said:
Probably going to revive the book club for July. Someone remind me like a week or so before month-end.

I just finished a book that would make Poli-GAF's toes curl in ecstasy:

Milchjon · Jun 1, 2013

About halfway through. I adore a lot of Irving's books, and this isn't bad either so far. Not totally sure where it's going yet, though.

Mumei · Jun 1, 2013

Haly said:
Boggles my mind, the mastery of storytelling and language Wolfe needed to write this.

Empty said:
been meaning to read it for forever. let's do this.

Excellent, excellent choices.

I am currently reading:

I'm concentrating primarily on The Story of the Stone (and haven't actually read Troilus in more than a month), but I plan on reading some of all of them this month.

The Story of the Stone has been brilliant so far. It is the third work of Chinese literature that I've read, after a Penguin collection of Lu Xun's short stories (The Real Story of Ah-Q and Other Stories of China) and The Three Kingdoms. I wasn't terribly interested by the former; this is probably because it was mostly mundane settings in Maoist China and I had no experience of Chinese culture. I should probably reread it one day to see if I like it better then. Three Kingdoms had some great stories and some great characters (Zhuge Liang, especially <3), but a great deal of it is, "And then this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened" or "Here's this list of 35 people and their titles and positions - don't worry about memorizing them; they'll all be killed in three pages in off-page massacre"; it also felt at times like despite the fact that there were literally hundreds of characters, only a few got enough of a treatment that they felt like people as opposed to Legendary Figures. It was hard to feel emotionally connected to anything that was happening, at least for me. I suppose that makes it sound like I didn't enjoy it, but I did end up giving it 4/5 and probably would have given it 5 if it weren't for the mediocre translation or I could magically read it in Chinese without having to work to learn it (<_<).

The Story of the Stone is a ~2500 page long story about the declining fortunes of the currently-wealthy and powerful Jia family. It's an incredibly immersive experience; the descriptions of family life, of intergenerational relationships, of relationships of servant to master, of ceremonies, of celebrations, of visitations (the Imperial Concubine's visit!), rituals, and so forth give an incredible sense of place and permanence to the setting. And what's more, the characters are wonderfully painted - I particularly have enjoyed Xi-Feng, Dai Yu, Bao-Yu, Grandmother Jia, Crimson, and Aroma, and I know I'm forgetting others as I sit here. There are also great stories - small personal stories of new opportunities and minor plots to influence friends in the right direction, stories of murder, fantastical stories as supernatural elements come into play (usually in the background but on the few occasions where they have come into the foreground it has been fantastic) - so it's not just all "look, here's how they set tea" and "aren't these characters fun." And the poetry and allusions! Oh, and I love the irreverent sense of humor in a lot of the book, as well.

Anyway, I'm rambling and I've only actually finished 1/5 of it, so let's just say that I love it so far.

Woorloog · Jun 1, 2013

Nezumi said:
That's true. As for the rest, the fact that the characters don't grow is not my main problem, what I don't like is how they are all (except Hrathen) almost flawless and wisecracking all the time. Makes them too one dimensional in my opinion.

They're driven characters. And Raoden(?) is a chronic optimist. I think Sanderson notes in the annotations that he is maybe a bit too much optimist.

I wouldn't call them flawless, they're not mary sue characters. Sarene for example has quite a streak of pettiness at one point (which is a flaw, if a small one, though it could be magnified in some situations to have severe consequences).
Still, Mistborn and later books have much better, more varied characters.
Don't mind wisecracking, though admittedly it can be overused.

Personally i find pretty much everything in Elantris to be too... flat. From the world to cultures to locations to characters to magic to... well, everything, more or less.
It doesn't make me feel anything. It doesn't feel wonderful and mystical place, it doesn't feel like oppressive and dark place like Mistborn's world... It is too sterile.
It seems, to me, that Sanderson's writing and worldbuilding have improved a lot in later books.

The Artful Dodger · Jun 1, 2013

Reading:

THe Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy
The Reivers by William Faulkner
Vita Nuova by Bohumil Hrabal
A Dance with Dragons by That guy with a huge beard.

teruterubozu · Jun 1, 2013

Roubjon said:
I enjoyed the first one a ton, so I'm hoping the sequel can match it. So far it's pretty good after reading around 1/3rd of it.

Oh wow, didn't know this is out. I was lukewarm on the first book - the first half was brilliant, but the second half,

the post-"apocalypse"

section I thought was really derivative and weak.

I've been following Cronin since he was a "serious" writer and I'm trying to like his new sci-fi stuff, but honestly I think he's wasting his talent. The Summer Guest is such an incredibly moving novel and I really think he's better with "real world" stories, but I guess he wants to cash-in now. Can't blame him.

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