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What are you reading? (March 2015)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
kinoki
Illness is the doctor to whom we pay most heed; to kindness, to knowledge, we make promise only; pain we obey.
Glad to see Stoner making the rounds. I got it from my girlfriend's mother because she'd rather have it as an audio book. I don't know if I'd describe it as "beautiful" as much as "beautifully cynical".
Also... never read anything by Terry Pratchet. Might need to now.
Mexican Sting
Member
Truly, he is the greatest book cover model since Fabio.
sparky2112
Member
So Dara is a pseudonym, and this debut was so accomplished that people have suspected that it was David Foster Wallace, or Richard Powers, or...
This book is compared to Gaddis, but it's very readable, whereas Gaddis is...
There are, however, 50 pages missing from the novel, in the form of a section of pages which are repeated. My copy is not the only one with this issue, I've confirmed. Still it doesn't really affect the overall work, which is good, as there's little in the way of plot and the character switches are fast and furious throughout. Still, it messed with me a bit:
So I finally got around to ordering this and read about half of it this weekend - it grabbed me that much. I'm continually amazed that books labeled as 'experimental' turn out to also be so readable. How this guy is so generally unknown just doesn't make any sense.
I open the book to the page I left off on before a bathroom break. At the bottom of that page is a big mid-sentence break from the top of the next page, but since the book seamlessly transitions between characters without notice, I go with it and read a few more pages, when I just happen to look down and notice that the page I'm on is a much higher number than the page I started on 5 minutes ago.
Hmm....
Then, flipping around, I notice what looks like a rather random page sequencing. My first thought is, 'ah, postmodern trickery'.
On further inspection, nope, there's a 50-page section that's bound into the book twice. So my next thought is: 'Well, early on, one character is kind of consumed with the question of why Beethoven became obsessed with variations late in life. Maybe this section is repeated because it's a variation of itself.' See, I'm still holding onto the postmodern structure theory.
So I do a page by page comparison. Nope, they're identical - no variation in sight.
So THEN I remember a character (possibly the one studying Beethoven) mentioning composers like Philip Glass, who use endless repetition in order to 'get inside' the music. That must be it, I think, this section is meant to be read twice; it must be of critical importance. I must 'get inside' it. But I still have my doubts.
Did you know there's a guy online who has what is essentially a page-by-page breakdown of the character transitions in the novel? And his description of the repeated 50 pages in my book is very different than what's in front of me.
So, yeah, binding error. Buzz! Thanks for playing!
Oh, the pain that we supposedly smart readers suffer for our art. Do you think if I were reading a James Patterson book with duplicate pages I would have for one second (let alone the 10 minutes I spent) questioned if it were intentional?
Jag
Member
It is a very Kevin Hearne type cover.
But he writes well and I'm a sucker for all things Jedi, so i'll pick it up.
Rug Monkey
Member
Confession: I've never read any Terry Pratchett. Best books? Best place to start?
Cro-Magnon
Member
I would say one of the stand alone titles, like Small Gods for example, just to get the feel of his works, while keeping well in mind that there's much more to the Discworld for you to discover.
ClosingADoor
Member
Started on Halo: New Blood
Enjoyed most of the previous books. Liked the Kilo Five stuff. This one... It's a short read so I'll finish it, but not feeling it for now.
Enjoyed most of the previous books. Liked the Kilo Five stuff. This one... It's a short read so I'll finish it, but not feeling it for now.
Perfect Blue
Banned
This book is nuts. Reads like a real life political thriller, really enjoyable thus far.
Tragicomedy
Member
Start in the beginning, of course. Ignore the critics...publication order!
TestMonkey
Member
Listen to this man. Please read the books in the order they were published in. You will miss some wonderful jokes that are references from previous books if you do not. Small things like hearing about the fools college from the perspective of the assassins college can work into a big laugh later on. Also, the progression of the series's most prominent character is not something to miss.
bonesmccoy
Banned
I finished 'The Emperor's Blades' earlier by Brian Staveley earlier this week while recovering from a lovely bout of norovirus.
On the whole I enjoyed the book enough to spend a good 7 minutes on the Amazon.ca page for the 'The Providence of Fire' hard cover wondering if i should spend $20 CAD now or save a few bucks and wait for the paper back to come out.
On the whole I enjoyed the book enough to spend a good 7 minutes on the Amazon.ca page for the 'The Providence of Fire' hard cover wondering if i should spend $20 CAD now or save a few bucks and wait for the paper back to come out.
Tragicomedy
Member
Yeah, I don't understand anyone suggesting a different approach. The novels all build off one another, with constant references to what you've read before. Even if the first two books aren't stellar, they are still the "right" place to begin.
Well I don't want to spend like $300 for all of them, lol.
I'll just read a few of the highest rated ones. Much more budget-friendly, even if I'll miss a couple of references in each book.
Or you could just go to the library and get books for free.
Tragicomedy
Member
Overdrive. They're all free from the library.
I guess I could. I really don't like reading physical books anymore, though, and our library is like a half hour drive, which would just get arduous.
overdrive is a ebook service offered by libraries
Wait what
Holy crap!
Dandy Crocodile
Member
Yes spread the Overdrive gospel.
The most convenient thing ever, automatic deletions at the end of the rental period, notifications of upcoming due dates and holds, an ever-growing selection of titles based on your library's available pool of ebooks and whether they are part of a cooperative or consortium, all great stuff.
I'm still annoyed by ebook copyright laws and whatnot and how publishers treat libraries when it comes to DRM but maybe that's because I work at a library and have to deal with it and explain to the elderly why they can't have a checked-out copy of something that exists only digitally, haha.
The most convenient thing ever, automatic deletions at the end of the rental period, notifications of upcoming due dates and holds, an ever-growing selection of titles based on your library's available pool of ebooks and whether they are part of a cooperative or consortium, all great stuff.
I'm still annoyed by ebook copyright laws and whatnot and how publishers treat libraries when it comes to DRM but maybe that's because I work at a library and have to deal with it and explain to the elderly why they can't have a checked-out copy of something that exists only digitally, haha.
Tragicomedy
Member
Overdrive is the best. Delivers books right to my Kindle. You can save a wish list and put holds on popular books.
I haven't actually set foot in our library for six months.
I haven't actually set foot in our library for six months.
So finished Harry Potter, yeah that ending was anti climatic.
Everything up to The Forest Again chapter I was enjoying for the most part but him putting on the that damn ring and walking with his dead family was lol worthy bad, the Dumbledore part after Harry got hit with the Avada Kedavra put it over the top. Voldemort and Harry duel that I was expecting to be epic didn't happen and then a damn time skip chapter which felt 100% unnecessary.
The Cloak of Invisibility being one of the Deathly Hollows was odd to me, the Cloak was suppose to be much greater than other Cloaks but fake Moody was able to see through it a few books ago with the eye.
Disappointing read after the Half-Blood Prince which I thought was great.
The Cloak of Invisibility being one of the Deathly Hollows was odd to me, the Cloak was suppose to be much greater than other Cloaks but fake Moody was able to see through it a few books ago with the eye.
Disappointing read after the Half-Blood Prince which I thought was great.
The cloak is even funnier since in the first book, it's a known item in the wizardry world and are just hard to find. Nothing legendary about it.
Atraveller
Banned
I thought it was stated that Harry's was
the Cloak, it does not have a time limit like the cloaks with invisibility spells put on, or wear down like cloaks made from some invisible apes.
Yeah something like that was stated, invisibility couldn't be broken by any spells either or something like that. I guess I found it odd Moody's eye could see through this legendary cloak, overthinking it on part.
I suppose I should just take it for what it is, a ok end to pretty fun series without the depth I wanted out of it.
I suppose I should just take it for what it is, a ok end to pretty fun series without the depth I wanted out of it.
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
The New World by Chris Adrian and Eli Horowitz
The book got some buzz for good typography and playing with your expectations in its special super ebook version. I read the text-only version. A woman tries to get back her husband's frozen head, while the husband...well you get his side of the story too.
It was an excellent probe of marriage, people's thoughts on loss and separation, and how to keep living. I would imagine the UI of the special ebook version would be complementary. The reviews make it sound pretty nifty - there's some stuff that would be hard to replicate on an eReader or in paper. I don't feel like I missed out, though.
Good writing, surprisingly funny, and generally a worthy read.
I had no idea this existed and am outright shocked that my library are actually signed up to it, but it turns out that they are (which makes me wonder why they've never mentioned it, anywhere, that I can see). Their selection is rather limited but I'm definitely going to be making use of it now I know it's there, so thank you!
Come on, Deathly Hallows has a lot of problems, but this isn't one of them. Harry Potter is not an epic dueler - such a thing was never going to happen.
cheezcake
Member
The Cloak can hide you from Death itself but not from Mad Eye Moody apparently!
Yeh the books are fun but the second you analyse them they fall apart, I maintain that the Methods of Rationality fanfic is better than the actual series.
Maklershed
Member
Finished The Black Echo - I bought it because I found it in the 'Books Set in Los Angeles' list on Goodreads. I'm so glad I gave it a try, it opened me up to a fun, new series, which I'm definitely going to continue. It's kind of a lighter version of James Ellroy - particularly of his Fritz Brown stories. Before I continue on with Bosch, however, I'm going to read I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
Finished my first (and the first) Agatha Christie mystery.
I really enjoyed it, everybody had their turn being the suspect and the red herrings were flying around all over the place.
Maybe Poirot himself was overdone slightly and the solution to the mystery had a few leaps of faith
but the sense of place and time and the whole atmosphere were fantastic.
Amazing that this was her first novel.
I really enjoyed it, everybody had their turn being the suspect and the red herrings were flying around all over the place.
Maybe Poirot himself was overdone slightly and the solution to the mystery had a few leaps of faith
A fake beard and nobody recognises you?
Amazing that this was her first novel.
God damn what a great book, the wait for Ancillary Mercy is going to be painful. Not sure what I'm going to read next, tossing up between A Visit from the Goon Squad and A Confederacy of Dunces
I really hope the author is going to be writing multiple trilogies, or just more books in general in this universe. I cannot see how all plot lines can be wrapped up in just 1 more book.
Cro-Magnon
Member
Fantastic anthology. Although the exuded misogyny of the author probably is a bit heavy to digest nowadays.
There's been a fine graphic adventure game based on the short story of the same name. Here is it, if anybody's interested: http://www.gog.com/game/i_have_no_m...m?pp=a17554a0d2b15a664c0e73900184544f19e70227
AngmarsKing701
Member
I feel like I will never finish Words of Radiance. Three months in and only on page 700. Another almost 400 pages to go.
Tragicomedy
Member
What? Most of us read it in a couple of weeks when it released. Are you not liking it?
AngmarsKing701
Member
I'm liking it but I gotta say parts of it feel like they're there for the sole purpose of making the book be 1k+ pages. My job has also gone berserk in the same time period so I have less time to read.
Looking back, I started WoR on March 5th and finished it on March 13th, wow.
And it felt too short for me, haha.
Tragicomedy
Member
I hear you there. I'm reading through two books currently, both at a glacial pace.
I loved Words of Radiance, but it could have been an even better 600 page book.
AngmarsKing701
Member
In which case I'd be done with it!
Dedication Through Light
Member
Finished White Plague
I grew to love the characters. The friendship between the main character and his college friend as well as the new characters involved in his life on this mission made it a pleasant read. I also enjoyed how romance wasn't thrust upon us however it did go back to the usual divorced lead that these stories love to have. It would be interesting if we did have diverse leads in these stories.
In any case, White Plague is an excellent story that is relevant for the times. The northern pacific and melting ice could truly harbor new diseases.
Starts slow but took off insanely fast. After about 100 pages in it became one of those books that you can't put down. The scientific mystery behind the nature of the disease afflicting the trapped marines, as well as the race against time to reach them before the Chinese made it a better than average science x military story.
I grew to love the characters. The friendship between the main character and his college friend as well as the new characters involved in his life on this mission made it a pleasant read. I also enjoyed how romance wasn't thrust upon us however it did go back to the usual divorced lead that these stories love to have. It would be interesting if we did have diverse leads in these stories.
In any case, White Plague is an excellent story that is relevant for the times. The northern pacific and melting ice could truly harbor new diseases.
BrokenFiction
Member
God damn what a great book, the wait for Ancillary Mercy is going to be painful. Not sure what I'm going to read next, tossing up between A Visit from the Goon Squad and A Confederacy of Dunces
About a hundred pages into this right now. I really love Ann's universe and world building.