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What are you reading? (March 2015)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Cyan's lovechild
Lightning_Roller
Banned
Well just checked the translation notes and its the abridged version, well shit.Oh yes. There's a classic translation from like the 1840s which is ubiquitous because it's in the public domain. But it's also bowdlerized, stuffily written, and frequently abridged. Robin Buss's translation has no abridgements, reads nice and smooth, and doesn't pull any punches for sensitive 1840s folks (e.g. the lesbian relationship in the story is no longer quite so hidden). It's also not free, but what can you do.
Edit: I'm still going to read the book though. Its pretty damn good so far.
bengraven
Member
HOPE? In modern fantasy? It will be ran through the gutter, called unoriginal, "cute", "dear". No wonder I have yet to read it. Does he marry his cousin, who's father is secretly planning on killing him? Was the accident with the airship due to his own fault for a power grab? Is the R-word involved in any of this?
I still need to watch the movie.
Oh yes. There's a classic translation from like the 1840s which is ubiquitous because it's in the public domain. But it's also bowdlerized, stuffily written, and frequently abridged. Robin Buss's translation has no abridgements, reads nice and smooth, and doesn't pull any punches for sensitive 1840s folks (e.g. the lesbian relationship in the story is no longer quite so hidden). It's also not free, but what can you do.
Thanks for this clarification! I was actually wondering what version to read as well since I had thought maybe I'd be reading it sometime soon as well.
Really liking The Son so far.
Oh yes. There's a classic translation from like the 1840s which is ubiquitous because it's in the public domain. But it's also bowdlerized, stuffily written, and frequently abridged. Robin Buss's translation has no abridgements, reads nice and smooth, and doesn't pull any punches for sensitive 1840s folks (e.g. the lesbian relationship in the story is no longer quite so hidden). It's also not free, but what can you do.
Exactly. Abridged + censored = Booooo
Here's my pitch from the last thread:
I see.
A character trying to do the right thing does sound appealing... Modern fantasy (and scifi), or at least the kind that is liked tends to be grim and full of gray and black (or black and black) morality.
I'll make a note of the book should i see it anywhere. Might get it as a birthday gift for myself soon.
This is part of why i like the Stormlight Archive so much, and i've even started liking Kaladin more (i am re-reading them again...), the series (and Sanderson's works in general) tend to be more optimistic and good.
TV Tropes calls the Stormlight Archive a reconstruction of the high fantasy genre, which has been traditionally pretty clear cut morally, yet has grown darker over the years. This same applies to space opera is basically the scifi counterpart. Compare the Star Wars prequels to the originals...
I'm paralyzed by indecision. Someone help me pick the order to read these books I am holding. Please.
The Thirteenth Tale - Setterfield
Labyrinths - Borges
Infinite Jest - Wallace
Illuminatus Trilogy! - Shea and Wilson
The New York Trilogy - Paul Auster
Dictionary of the Khazars - Pavic.
I just finished reading Night Film and before that The Raw Shark Texts.
Someone help.
The Thirteenth Tale - Setterfield
Labyrinths - Borges
Infinite Jest - Wallace
Illuminatus Trilogy! - Shea and Wilson
The New York Trilogy - Paul Auster
Dictionary of the Khazars - Pavic.
I just finished reading Night Film and before that The Raw Shark Texts.
Someone help.
Read it in that order.
But there was no order to my order I just listed them as I picked them up from my bed
What ya think of Night Film?
I loved it. Read it first on kindle and then I bought hardcover for only $2.99!
Then perhaps alphabetical order works? Either by author or title.
(Oh, look, i just gave you a new problem... maybe?)
H.Protagonist
[-_-]/
I could. I guess I would give it a 3? It wasn't a horribly-written book prose-wise or anything, it just... felt pointless.
The main character meant nothing. He was a passive punching bag for life and at every turn he got screwed, and then even at the end after sacrificing so much he didn't even get recognition. He just faded away so as not to be a bother. He couldn't even be a bother!! Even other admirable characters got nothing in the end (poor Verity). It just felt like a big pile of shitty life for everyone.
That's the perfect order
Dandy Crocodile
Member
I'm nearly halfway through Yanagihara's A Little Life and jesus is this an emotional ride.
She weaves the mundane events of daily life with very intense problems and situations.
I love all the characters but bad things keep happening. And they always start so casually.
This book is aging me.
She weaves the mundane events of daily life with very intense problems and situations.
I love all the characters but bad things keep happening. And they always start so casually.
This book is aging me.
I liked it a lot, yeah.
I HATE ambiguous endings. This wasn't exactly that but they really implied Cordova was gonna tell all and then the book ends. However, I saw it coming because they always mentioned Cordova films having endings like that so I was mentally prepared.
I really, really, really loved the formatting and the included webpages and pictures and files printed between the words. It's why I picked up the book. I want more books that do that.
Maklershed
Member
Two goods books that ShaneB originally recommended are on sale for Kindle for $1.99 today. Its a story told from the POV of an autistic man trying to navigate every day life and deal with family, neighbors, and co-workers that don't understand him.
600 Hours of Edward
Edward Adrift
600 Hours of Edward by Craig Lancaster
Edward Adrift by Craig Lancaster
600 Hours of Edward
Edward Adrift
600 Hours of Edward by Craig Lancaster
Edward Adrift by Craig Lancaster
Finished this last night, I think this was probably my favourite of the 5 book so far, looking forward to the last few books when they are released.
I'm a big fan of books where an author take a traditional fantasy species (for example Discworld's gnomes the Nac Mac Feegles, many of the Fairy characters in the Dresden books
Santa Clause and the 3 billy goats gruff stand out the most
things like the Gangster Gnomes, an actual troll internet troll and heavy metal loving orc's left me with a smile on my face.
Next on my list is Glen Cook loved the Black Company books but I haven't read anything else of his (I blame this on the lack of kindle releases of his books), need to decide on the Dread Empire or Garret P.I. books.
edit: decided on the Dread Empire books first.
bengraven
Member
I don't know what I expected with Brothers Sister. I'm still reading it but it's going really slow. I love westerns as I've pointed out in several threads and this book is in fact funny and I like the characters. Maybe I just expected more structure instead of just pages and pages of strange encounter after strange encounter. It's almost like a series of short stories - so much so I wouldn't be surprised if it was.
If you haven't read it, picture the scene in the remake of True Grit when the strange buffalo hunter arrives and talks with that drunken Native American accent, then wanders away. Now picture dozens of scenes like this in a row.
Guards Guards! keeps getting better. "Son of the king" indeed. I see where that's going.
If you haven't read it, picture the scene in the remake of True Grit when the strange buffalo hunter arrives and talks with that drunken Native American accent, then wanders away. Now picture dozens of scenes like this in a row.
Guards Guards! keeps getting better. "Son of the king" indeed. I see where that's going.
You could argue that Verity saved his kingdom! Despite the fact that apparently only a few years later people pretend they didn't actually see anything abnormal come roaring down justice.
Robin/Megan has said she wanted to turn the stereotypes on their heads. So she made magic addictive, the wizard character is an assassin, the queen also has her own bastard, etc.. I think along with that she's taken the concept of "anti-hero" to a new definition. Fitz is the hero, no doubt, but half the time he doesn't truly deserve the title. And the other half of the time? He doesn't want it. I think she also wanted a character suffering from PTSD and anxiety. At least I tell myself that to justify all the abuse he takes, much of it self-inflicted.
Just declare yourself, make your kid legitimate, realize the queen's been in love with you since Day 1 (personal theory, but I think one that's on the dot), stop whining, accept help, stop with the "he's a better man" bullshit, people love you and for god's sake they're going to end up giving up on you eventually; these are the things I yell at him while reading them. haha
Robin/Megan has said she wanted to turn the stereotypes on their heads. So she made magic addictive, the wizard character is an assassin, the queen also has her own bastard, etc.. I think along with that she's taken the concept of "anti-hero" to a new definition. Fitz is the hero, no doubt, but half the time he doesn't truly deserve the title. And the other half of the time? He doesn't want it. I think she also wanted a character suffering from PTSD and anxiety. At least I tell myself that to justify all the abuse he takes, much of it self-inflicted.
Just declare yourself, make your kid legitimate, realize the queen's been in love with you since Day 1 (personal theory, but I think one that's on the dot), stop whining, accept help, stop with the "he's a better man" bullshit, people love you and for god's sake they're going to end up giving up on you eventually; these are the things I yell at him while reading them. haha
Two goods books that ShaneB originally recommended are on sale for Kindle for $1.99 today. Its a story told from the POV of an autistic man trying to navigate every day life and deal with family, neighbors, and co-workers that don't understand him.
600 Hours of Edward
Edward Adrift
600 Hours of Edward by Craig Lancaster
Edward Adrift by Craig Lancaster
Absolutely wonderful books that I gushed over plenty when I read them. Very personal stories, and helped a lot with how much I connected to them. They're the dailies, but also available for Kindle Unlimited if folks have that subscription.
I've always seen this book and gone, "you know, maybe I should read this" after hearing people discussing it as one of the best books of the current century. So I finally picked it up and gave it a try, and I'm really enjoying it so far.
Is it sad that I've picked up nearly every reference he's made so far? Also I noticed he said the main character of Robotech was "Rich Hunter" and I went "no, that's wrong, it's Rick Hunter". Now I feel a bit like Oscar which isn't a great feeling, haha.
Is it sad that I've picked up nearly every reference he's made so far? Also I noticed he said the main character of Robotech was "Rich Hunter" and I went "no, that's wrong, it's Rick Hunter". Now I feel a bit like Oscar which isn't a great feeling, haha.
Just starting The Republic of Thieves. I've heard it's a letdown so hopefully with my expectations intact, I'll be pleasantly surprised.
Don't believe the haters. It's good!
Just very different from its predecessors.
Without getting too spoil specific in what ways is it different. I like a lot of people really liked the first one but found the second one not nearly as good. Still would like to read the third one eventually.
bengraven
Member
That was my issue. I just stopped. But as I said earlier, I was fairly new to recent fantasy books, so I think I just "took a break" that has lasted several years. It's been on my Kindle for a few months now ready to re-read soon.
I do also have an autographed paperback copy bought from Scott Lynch himself! ha. He was selling some international copies of Locke and Red Skies that through his Livejournal because they were cluttering up his book shelves and I grabbed a UK one.
I think my biggest complaint is that there was never anything on the line, and thus the few plotlines that try to intertwine their way through the book end up being boring and without character.
ClosingADoor
Member
Just finished: The Goblin Emperor
Really nice read. Couldn't keep track of all the names and families, but that doesn't really matter. Like Cyan said on the previous page, it is a nice change of pace from all the fantasy novels that try to be as gritty and dark as they can. It is fun to read how all the characters react to the main one who just wants everyone to be nice, while they are used to backstabbing and grumpy emperors.
Now to see what is next...
Really nice read. Couldn't keep track of all the names and families, but that doesn't really matter. Like Cyan said on the previous page, it is a nice change of pace from all the fantasy novels that try to be as gritty and dark as they can. It is fun to read how all the characters react to the main one who just wants everyone to be nice, while they are used to backstabbing and grumpy emperors.
Now to see what is next...
Long version here.
Short version: Where The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies showed us a Locke bursting with this confidence, with this rose-coloured view of the world that allowed him to make the world around him into the vision he saw in his head (even if he screwed up along the way), The Republic of Thieves is about that world crumbling down around him and the resilience he must find, in himself and his friends, to survive against all odds. Because of this, The Republic of Thieves isn't nearly so cleverly plotted as its predecessors, and is basically a full-blown epic fantasy by the end.
Haiiro Husky
Member
I really love reading books from Latin American writers and historians. Any others that any one can recommend?
I am a fan of Allende, Marquez, Galeano, Fuentes, you know, mostly the big ones. I haven't really read anything by Borges and I am curious as to where to start with him? Also, any great Brasilero authors and books I should read? Just looking for literary classics at this point or if anything current that is just stand out.
I am a fan of Allende, Marquez, Galeano, Fuentes, you know, mostly the big ones. I haven't really read anything by Borges and I am curious as to where to start with him? Also, any great Brasilero authors and books I should read? Just looking for literary classics at this point or if anything current that is just stand out.
Maklershed
Member
Great book from a great author ..
Blindness by José Saramago
I understand a lot of his other works are quite impressive as well but I haven't gotten around to any. I've had The Cave sitting here in the backlog for quite awhile.
Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar is one of my favorite books. Seems to be a bit polarizing since I know two other people who read it and they gave up.
Secks4Food
Member
Grey and hopeless, I love it so far.
Chromium.Wings
Member
Grey and hopeless, I love it so far.
I had heard that he didn't use quotation marks.
But I just did not expect the lack of chapters, and overall how that makes this book THAT much better. Fits with the tone perfectly, needless to say I loved the book.
And after just finishing a 12-book series, I'm gonna wait a couple days, then jump into "Name of the Wind".
I read Musashi a few years ago, and recently got caught up on the VIZBIG editions of Vagabond. I'm looking forward to reading it, and then reread the novel.
Haiiro Husky
Member
Great book from a great author ..
Blindness by José Saramago
I understand a lot of his other works are quite impressive as well but I haven't gotten around to any. I've had The Cave sitting here in the backlog for quite awhile.
Thank you very much. These two look very interesting, particularly Blindness. Any other books from Spanish or Portuguese speaking authors that anyone can recommend? I am fluent in Spanish so I'd actually prefer to read them they way the author intended. I am going to buy a few more books tomorrow, so I'd appreciate a few more recommendations to have a nice list for my trip to the local bookstore. Thanks!
The Blindness is a fantastic book but it can be pretty draining to read, simply from a technical standpoint (and even before talking about the content).
Dandy Crocodile
Member
I finished it.
(This review is spoiler free! As it should be.)
Never before have I read something so affecting, so well-written, so intelligent, so detailed, and I suspect that I never again will. At this point, I highly doubt that anything could approach the regard I have for this book.
My 11th grade English teacher told us that the word "sublime" had many meanings, but all of them were beyond the true understanding of most people in the world. Generally taken to mean outstanding, inspiring awe, or elevated in thought, I, much like that teacher, believe the true meaning is deeper than any textbook definition could convey. It's a feeling, a powerful concentrated emotion that many strive to produce or experience, but only happens in seldom, fleeting moments.
Hanya Yanagihara's sophomore novel A Little Life is sublime.
To detail why I love this book so much would be to give you a copy of the book to find out for yourself. Every main character feels as real and as fleshed out as somebody I could know in person. They drift in and out of the story as their relationships with each other change.
At the outset, we are introduced to four friends who were roommates in college; Jude St. Francis, Willem Ragnarsson, Jean-Baptiste (JB) Marion, and Malcolm Irvine. The friendship they share is truly something special. We witness their lives and careers grow and change over the course of approximately three decades, though the focus shifts to Jude and Willem partway through. Jude has the most troubling past of any character or person I have ever known, and we are treated to its details in slow, painful bursts of exposition. Yanagihara weaves time periods into eachother just as naturally as if they flowed the same way chronologically. Everything has a flow to it. In the course of one chapter we might be treated to the current activities of Jude at 41, a flashback to a story about Jude's past, then transition smoothly to a Willem and Jude scene at 35. It's truly incredible how it works and maintains a unique and brisque pacing.
No part of the book should have been cut, and there is really nothing that I feel could be added to improve the book in the least. Even the tertiary characters are memorable; I know I'll think about Black Henry Young, Richard, Phaedra, Ali, Jackson, Oliver, or Sanjay from time to time, though obviously not as often as Andy or Harold and Julia.
Willem and Jude, though, are the stars of this show. Characters so fleshed out that I wanted to know them, to be them. I felt their pains and successes. I, at times, felt I could approach understanding of Jude's frequent self-harming actions. I cried alongside them and smiled at their happiness.
A Little Life contains multiple levels of meanings in its title alone. The obvious being "a small life," and "a small section or glimpse of life." Other meanings are only elucidated upon reading. At one point the title is mentioned in the story directly and it reduced me to tears due to the simple addition of yet another layer.
As a word of warning, however, this book does contain intense scenes of basically every bad thing you could imagine happening to people. Including, but not limited to, rape, severe abuse, drug addiction, self-harm, death, and awful things happening to children that I won't detail here for reasons of spoiling as well as the harshness of content. If you absolutely cannot stand these and they cause you mental trauma, stay far away from this book.
On a more positive note, I do want to congratulate Yanagihara on her usage of numerous different races and sexualities (on multiple, sometimes shifting, parts of the spectrum) for all of her characters.
The end of this book broke me in a way I have never been broken by any form of media before. Every powerful emotion Yanagihara skillfully utilized throughout the book came back to sock me in the gut once more. I literally felt numb. I had witnessed thirty-some years of the lives of people that I could no longer see.
I don't think I can ever truly express everything I felt during and after reading this, but I can say that it is going to require something truly monumental to upseat it, since it may well be my favorite book of all time.
(This review is spoiler free! As it should be.
)Never before have I read something so affecting, so well-written, so intelligent, so detailed, and I suspect that I never again will. At this point, I highly doubt that anything could approach the regard I have for this book.
My 11th grade English teacher told us that the word "sublime" had many meanings, but all of them were beyond the true understanding of most people in the world. Generally taken to mean outstanding, inspiring awe, or elevated in thought, I, much like that teacher, believe the true meaning is deeper than any textbook definition could convey. It's a feeling, a powerful concentrated emotion that many strive to produce or experience, but only happens in seldom, fleeting moments.
Hanya Yanagihara's sophomore novel A Little Life is sublime.
To detail why I love this book so much would be to give you a copy of the book to find out for yourself. Every main character feels as real and as fleshed out as somebody I could know in person. They drift in and out of the story as their relationships with each other change.
At the outset, we are introduced to four friends who were roommates in college; Jude St. Francis, Willem Ragnarsson, Jean-Baptiste (JB) Marion, and Malcolm Irvine. The friendship they share is truly something special. We witness their lives and careers grow and change over the course of approximately three decades, though the focus shifts to Jude and Willem partway through. Jude has the most troubling past of any character or person I have ever known, and we are treated to its details in slow, painful bursts of exposition. Yanagihara weaves time periods into eachother just as naturally as if they flowed the same way chronologically. Everything has a flow to it. In the course of one chapter we might be treated to the current activities of Jude at 41, a flashback to a story about Jude's past, then transition smoothly to a Willem and Jude scene at 35. It's truly incredible how it works and maintains a unique and brisque pacing.
No part of the book should have been cut, and there is really nothing that I feel could be added to improve the book in the least. Even the tertiary characters are memorable; I know I'll think about Black Henry Young, Richard, Phaedra, Ali, Jackson, Oliver, or Sanjay from time to time, though obviously not as often as Andy or Harold and Julia.
Willem and Jude, though, are the stars of this show. Characters so fleshed out that I wanted to know them, to be them. I felt their pains and successes. I, at times, felt I could approach understanding of Jude's frequent self-harming actions. I cried alongside them and smiled at their happiness.
A Little Life contains multiple levels of meanings in its title alone. The obvious being "a small life," and "a small section or glimpse of life." Other meanings are only elucidated upon reading. At one point the title is mentioned in the story directly and it reduced me to tears due to the simple addition of yet another layer.
As a word of warning, however, this book does contain intense scenes of basically every bad thing you could imagine happening to people. Including, but not limited to, rape, severe abuse, drug addiction, self-harm, death, and awful things happening to children that I won't detail here for reasons of spoiling as well as the harshness of content. If you absolutely cannot stand these and they cause you mental trauma, stay far away from this book.
On a more positive note, I do want to congratulate Yanagihara on her usage of numerous different races and sexualities (on multiple, sometimes shifting, parts of the spectrum) for all of her characters.
The end of this book broke me in a way I have never been broken by any form of media before. Every powerful emotion Yanagihara skillfully utilized throughout the book came back to sock me in the gut once more. I literally felt numb. I had witnessed thirty-some years of the lives of people that I could no longer see.
I don't think I can ever truly express everything I felt during and after reading this, but I can say that it is going to require something truly monumental to upseat it, since it may well be my favorite book of all time.
Finished Monstrous Regiment by Terry Prachett. Read 5 Discworld books (Going Postal, Making Money, Thud!, Night Watch, and this) and I think this might be my favorite of the bunch. It was certainly the funniest of the 5 and the smartest. The characters were fun and the story was interesting which is a pretty big plus. I don't see my Discworld marathon ending soon.
whatevermort
Member
I finished it.
(This review is spoiler free! As it should be.
Never before have I read something so affecting, so well-written, so intelligent, so detailed, and I suspect that I never again will. At this point, I highly doubt that anything could approach the regard I have for this book.
My 11th grade English teacher told us that the word "sublime" had many meanings, but all of them were beyond the true understanding of most people in the world. Generally taken to mean outstanding, inspiring awe, or elevated in thought, I, much like that teacher, believe the true meaning is deeper than any textbook definition could convey. It's a feeling, a powerful concentrated emotion that many strive to produce or experience, but only happens in seldom, fleeting moments.
Hanya Yanagihara's sophomore novel A Little Life is sublime.
So, I'm just about ankle deep into this book, and it's extraordinary. Something really special. Her debut was great, but this? Crikey. CRIKEY.
These are good, I assume? Ever since that fan-made Tie Fighter short was released I've been looking for some good dogfighting-based Star Wars stuff.
RepairmanJack
Member
Finished The Color of Magic. I really liked the fun and adventure-ness of it. It really didn't seem like a novel but more like 4 short adventures that ran one right after the other. The world seems fun and I really like the sense of humor. I swear there better somehow be more of the sad craftsman. With such a little part I instantly loved the character.
Great book from a great author ..
Blindness by José Saramago
I understand a lot of his other works are quite impressive as well but I haven't gotten around to any. I've had The Cave sitting here in the backlog for quite awhile.
I may getting your post wrong, but Saramago is Portuguese(Europe), he is not latin american.
But you are correct he's a great writer
Not done with it yet, but in the final stretch but I have to come here and praise it.
The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is amazing.
Probably one if the best books I've ever read.
One thing tho, I feel like The Goldfinch by Donna Tart is a not-as-good copy of the story.
So if you hated The Goldfinch you will love this. If you liked the goldfinch you will love this.
Soooo goood.
The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is amazing.
Probably one if the best books I've ever read.
One thing tho, I feel like The Goldfinch by Donna Tart is a not-as-good copy of the story.
So if you hated The Goldfinch you will love this. If you liked the goldfinch you will love this.
Soooo goood.
You Know Nothing
Member
Grey and hopeless, I love it so far.
Just finished it recently.
So evocative and layered with symbolism. Not to mention just unbelievably eloquent. Pretty incredible. The ending in particular was really something special.