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Maklershed · May 1, 2013

ShaneB · May 1, 2013

Man this got buried fast.

New month new thread.

I'm slowly.... sloooowly making my way through Clash of Kings. Just pased the 80% mark. I love these books, but man I miss the days when it felt like I was moving from book to book pretty swiftly.

jtb · May 1, 2013

finishing up Middlesex by Eugenides, then onto the Marriage Plot.

Bazza · May 1, 2013

Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks.

Planning on a re read of the Game of Thrones books at some point.

x-Lundz-x · May 1, 2013

I am almost done with this, my 4th time through the entire series:

Then I can FINALLY read the last book:

I'll have both of these done this month.

snacknuts · May 1, 2013

Just started re-reading God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Vonnegut. I love his work so much.

Jarlaxle · May 1, 2013

I only have a 100 pages left and that's really upsetting me. I had heard this book was a major disappointment but I didn't find that to be the case at all. Yes, the characters a Mary Sue. I don't care. I've devoured the first 1000 pages and I just want more. I'm sure there's no clue as to when the third one is planned to come out. Is there?

Sleepy · May 1, 2013

STILL on Vineland by Thomas Pynchon. Damn Fire Emblem Awakening is taking up all of my free time, plus end of the semester blues, pre-summer semester funk. I hope to complete this book in May and move on to Against the Day.

The Elite · May 1, 2013

Just finished:

ILvane · May 1, 2013

just started.

TimeEffect · May 1, 2013

Book Thief

Neffarias_Bredd · May 1, 2013

Jarlaxle said:
I only have a 100 pages left and that's really upsetting me. I had heard this book was a major disappointment but I didn't find that to be the case at all. Yes, the characters a Mary Sue. I don't care. I've devoured the first 1000 pages and I just want more. I'm sure there's no clue as to when the third one is planned to come out. Is there?

I actually just re-read this as I couldn't remember what happened. Despite some ridiculous masturbatory story sequences (Felurian, the Adem mercenaries) I couldn't help but enjoy the book. Can't wait for the third one

hardcastlemccormick · May 1, 2013

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Enjoying it.

BrokenFiction · May 1, 2013

and

at the same time!

lightus · May 1, 2013

Still working on A Dance with Dragons. Only about 160 pages in.

Just finished up my last final of the semester though, so I'm looking to kill this book over the next few days.

ElectricBlue187 · May 1, 2013

Finished Nothing to Envy last month, was amazing
Now reading Broken Angels and The Hobbit

KingGondo · May 1, 2013

ElectricBlue187 said:
Finished Nothing to Envy last month, was amazing
Now reading Broken Angels and The Hobbit

Reading this right now.

It's amazing that a place like North Korea exists. Living there would be an endless nightmare.

DagsJT · May 1, 2013

Currently reading "Leviathan Wakes". Only about 60 pages in and slowly getting my head around the space jargon but the story seems to be picking up a little now.

Put "Tokyo Vice" on the backburner. Found it especially hard to get into.

nilbog21 · May 1, 2013

finishing this up. very good read

great book

Darkkn · May 1, 2013

Finished:

Really solid near future sci-fi thriller.

Started reading:

From the same author. I liked his musings about nanotechnology etc. on Nexus so i decided to pick up his new non-fiction book. So far, so good.

Nezumi · May 1, 2013

Still reading:

I can see myself really enjoy those books.

I'm also still listening to:

Was kind of tired the last couple of weeks so my progress through the book has somewhat slowed down since I mostly listen in bed before going to sleep.

ClosingADoor · May 1, 2013

Started on The Gunslinger last weekend. Halfway through now, quick read. Enjoying it so far.

Also picked up American Gods on sale. Maybe I'll continue The Dark Tower, or dive into that one later this week.

NekoFever · May 1, 2013

ElectricBlue187 said:
Finished Nothing to Envy last month, was amazing
Now reading Broken Angels and The Hobbit

KingGondo said:
Reading this right now.

It's amazing that a place like North Korea exists. Living there would be an endless nightmare.

Great book. Escape From Camp 14 was the Amazon UK Kindle Daily Deal yesterday so I grabbed that for more North Korea reading. Terrible place but fascinating to read about.

Right now I'm reading Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.

So depressing. Basically every chapter is

Indians sign treaty, US breaks treaty, Indians fight back, Indians get wiped out

.

sparky2112 · May 1, 2013

KingGondo said:
It's amazing that a place like North Korea exists. Living there would be an endless nightmare.

Does the average North Korean know any different? I've always be curious as to how much (if anything) of the outside world they know and/or are aware of (although I suppose this book probably addresses that, I would think?)

cashman · May 1, 2013

Finishing up A Feast for Crows today, so I can start a Dance with Dragons soon.

Empty · May 1, 2013

i finished a tree grows in brooklyn which was rather endearing. smith has clearly drawn a lot on her own experiences which means the book is full of great details of life for the poor in early 20th century brooklyn; just the process of how the family gets food on the table on a saturday while spending as little as possible is fascinating. the story isn't exactly subtle - characters will clunkily have internal monologues where they spell out the themes of the book - but it has a big heart and loads of empathy for the various characters which makes it hard to dislike.

read breakfast of champions which was pretty hilarious. i love how the book sort of collapses into itself by the end as vonnegut deconstructs his own novel and style, and i think i'd read every preachy sci-fi book of kilgore trout that he describes in it if they existed.

now i've just started the orphan masters son which might be of interest to people reading nothing to envy (great book) as it's about north korea, and while it's fiction it checks out with what you know from reading nothing to envy and has a similar mood. i haven't entirely clicked with the prose but the bits about kidnapping people from japan for the party leaders were good.

OrangeYouGlad · May 1, 2013

Finally picked up a copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance last night. Enjoying it so far, probably more so because I like to ride motorcycles and it's making me miss all of the stuff he talks about.

KingGondo · May 1, 2013

sparky2112 said:
Does the average North Korean know any different? I've always be curious as to how much (if anything) of the outside world they know and/or are aware of (although I suppose this book probably addresses that, I would think?)

You should definitely read the book. It describes life in the DPRK on a daily basis from the point of view of ordinary people.

And yes, North Koreans are the most isolated people on the planet. No Internet, no media that isn't state-controlled, and a massive network of informants that can send you to prison camp for making the most benign comment at the expense of the Dear Leader.

picklecannon · May 1, 2013

Clash of Kings at the moment. Got through 1/3rd of the way about a year ago and then put it down for whatever reason so I'm starting all over again.

Pachimari · May 1, 2013

What is the book called about a Korean escaping from North Korea that has been recommended recently?

EDIT:
Oh and have already been mentioned in here. Escape From Camp 14.

Tenrius · May 1, 2013

Finally done with The Night Circus. Been distracted a lot, so I really read it through the last week (started a month ago). Quite liked it, too, in spite of it having some problems. The pace is slow and there is almost never any tension it's mostly about creating a certain atmosphere and sometimes a sense of wonder. The aesthetics are all well done and there's plenty of interesting characters and concepts, but the plot itself is somewhat lacklustre, there's not much happening basically and the conclusion didn't feel as satisfying as it could have felt (although I did like a small literary trick at the very end). Still, a pretty nice read. I'd recommend it, especially if you have that Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell itch (as I do).

Not sure what I'll read next. I was considering a reread of The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov, but maybe I should get back to the Vorkosigan books (Komarr was the last one I read).

Mackenzie 92 · May 1, 2013

Storybundle has a pretty decent videogame themed bundle up

http://storybundle.com/

The initial titles in the Video Game StoryBundle (minimum $3 to purchase, and worth more than $50 when bought separately) are:

The Making of Karateka by Jordan Mechner
Generation Xbox: How Videogames Invaded Hollywood by Jamie Russell
Kill Screen Magazine Issue 2: Back To School + Issue 6: Change by Kill Screen Editors
Constellation Games by Leonard Richardson
Killing is Harmless: A Critical Reading of Spec Ops: The Line by Brendan Keogh
Confessions of the Game Doctor by Bill Kunkel
If you pay more than the bonus price of just $10, you get all seven of the regular tomes, plus three unmissable extra full-length books (bringing the total bundle value to over $100):

Videogames: In The Beginning by Ralph H. Baer
The Making Of Prince Of Persia by Jordan Mechner
250 Indie Games You Must Play by Mike Rose

toadsworth · May 1, 2013

first time reading it, enjoying it a lot so far.

ymmv · May 1, 2013

I've read 150+ pages so far and it' only so-so. Jakes is not much of a stylist, there are only cookie cutter characters and the plotting is predictable and unimaginative. It's a good thing I bought the ebooks during a sale.

Pau · May 1, 2013

TimeEffect said:
Book Thief

Great book. Glad to see people are still reading it.

Haven't read in months but trying to get started again. This just came in so I'll give it a reread.

ElectricBlue187 · May 1, 2013

sparky2112 said:
Does the average North Korean know any different? I've always be curious as to how much (if anything) of the outside world they know and/or are aware of (although I suppose this book probably addresses that, I would think?)

Most do nowadays, with how prosperous China has become its impossible for average NKoreans to really believe that they live in the best country in the world. Some have watched South Korean broadcast TV or radio. They now know.

orion434 · May 1, 2013

Started reading Homeland: Book 1 The Legend of Drizzt again from the beginning, got through 1/4th of the book in 1 night.

sans_pants · May 1, 2013

about 70% through enders game, liking it a lot. i see thats its listed a lot on top sci-fi lists, should i continue the series after this one or does it get way worse?

really enjoyed the first ringworld book, kinda blah on the second, and quit about 10% into the third so id like to avoid doing that again

Ceebs · May 1, 2013

Read these two over the weekend.

Decent fantasy fare. Equivalent of a summer popcorn movie. Not something I would gush for people to go out and read, but might suggest if they want a quick fantasy read or something.

Now on to:

About 150 pages in and really liking it so far.

Verdre · May 1, 2013

sans_pants said:
about 70% through enders game, liking it a lot. i see thats its listed a lot on top sci-fi lists, should i continue the series after this one or does it get way worse?

really enjoyed the first ringworld book, kinda blah on the second, and quit about 10% into the third so id like to avoid doing that again

After Ender's Game the series goes in a very different direction. I wouldn't recommend going beyond the first sequel, Speaker for the Dead, but if you really like it, too, you might be interested in reading more.

eattomorro · May 1, 2013

The Stranger by Max Frei. I liked the first chapter so much, I bought the next book.

fredrancour · May 1, 2013

sans_pants said:
about 70% through enders game, liking it a lot. i see thats its listed a lot on top sci-fi lists, should i continue the series after this one or does it get way worse?

really enjoyed the first ringworld book, kinda blah on the second, and quit about 10% into the third so id like to avoid doing that again

Definitely check out ender's shadow at least. I enjoyed the first four on both the shadow and ender lines. Most recent ender book felt completely pointless. IDK if the newest shadow book was good, haven't read it yet.

ShaneB · May 1, 2013

Mackenzie 92 said:
Storybundle has a pretty decent videogame themed bundle up

http://storybundle.com/

Looks like some interesting stuff here, might make a purchase.

Shadow Red · May 1, 2013

Finished reading Divergent and now onto Insurgent. Typical YA novel, very easy to read, inconsistent plot at some points, settings a little meh, and main character is a bit bland.

Tenrius · May 1, 2013

eattomorro said:
The Stranger by Max Frei. I liked the first chapter so much, I bought the next book.

Woah, are you reading it in English? Surprised it got a release outside Russia. It's a nice surrealistic comic fantasy series, all of the books are very easy and quick reads. Has some very distinct cover designs too:

So it seems there are three books in English so far and the fourth is coming on May 13th. The main series consists of eight books in total. I might pick up the first one, just to see how they did the translation. The original edition's language was kinda flat at times and, as far as I remember, there were quite a few references someone who hasn't lived in Russia in the '80s and the '90s would have trouble understanding, so I'm curious how they dealt with it.

The author is actually a woman named Svetlana Martynchik, by the way: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Frei

Kato · May 1, 2013

About halfway into The Way of Shadows (first book) Needed some time to get into it. Loving it so far.

The Way of Shadows:

The perfect killer has no friends. Only targets.

For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art. And he is the citys most accomplished artist, his talents required from alleyway to courtly boudoir.

For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, hes grown up in the slums, and learned the hard way to judge people quickly and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.

But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins world of dangerous politics and strange magics and cultivate a flair for death.

Will not spoil myself and others with the synopsis of the other two books as they are being direct sequels or so I am told.

brianjones · May 1, 2013

toadsworth said:
first time reading it, enjoying it a lot so far.

just finished that recently.. great book, got me back into reading after a long slump

now dipping my toes into dostoevsky

white nights killed me.. on notes from the underground now

noal · May 1, 2013

ClosingADoor said:
Started on The Gunslinger last weekend. Halfway through now, quick read. Enjoying it so far.

I would definitely recommend continuing with the Dark Tower series. I have gone through four re-reads and love it every time.

Currently re-reading The Smartest Guys In The Room about the Enron bankruptcy. Love this book. The documentary isn't bad either.

nakedsushi · May 1, 2013

Just started:

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
It's a little smug and entitled.

Halfway into:

The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More by Bruce Feiler
A little business-douchey.

Mangotron · May 1, 2013

Finishing it slower than I'd like to due to finals, but it's really good so far

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