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[pupcoffee]

Maybe not an easy way to start with this particular author, but hot damn most of these stories get me churning.

 

[phoenixyz]

The first half of the first volume was very fragmented and I nearly lost interest. Good thing I didn't, this series is awesome.

 

[elrechazado]

I am sure it has been said multiple times in this thread, but avoid the two Endymion books at all cost.

Ugh so wrong

 

[MoGamesXNA]

I'm just about to finish Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven. It's been great so far. I love me some post apoc fiction. The first 150 pages of character building prior to the main event were a bit redundant and a struggle but the payoff has been worth it. It's been good enough that I've stopped consuming all other media in the interim; it's been a while since I've done that.

I'm going to jump into Footfall next. Same author + alien invasion sounds good to me. Anyone else read it?

 

[Sialeeds]

The first half of the first volume was very fragmented and I nearly lost interest. Good thing I didn't, this series is awesome.

One of my favorite comics at this time.

 

[ShaneB]

I went through the first 4 books of this series last summer really quickly (should’ve been easily condensed into two books) and they were a nice surprise after buying the first one via the Kindle Daily. When I finished the fourth it felt like forever until I would find out how it all ended (a reason why I can’t imagine reading multiple series that don’t have endings), it’s nice to dive back into this. Just hope it doesn’t trend more towards some of the religious and spiritual themes it got into much more in the later books. I just want more of Alan’s cross country journey.

Now reading..
Walking on Water (The Walk #5) by Richard Paul Evans

 

[ymmv]

If it was me, the recommendation was probably Cotillion by Georgette Heyer. Great book, though you may find the first few chapters a bit of a slog while you get into the swing of things.

I recently read that book too. Very enjoyable, funny too, but it sure took a while before I got used to early 19th century slang.

 

[Tawney Bomb]

I finished reading NOS4A2 last night and loved it. I've enjoyed all 3 books I've read by Hill.

Going to start The Ocean at the End of the Lane soon.

 

[ymmv]

I'm having a similar problem with Tim Powers. I'm reading Three Days to Never and it's kind of a mess. Muddled plotting that seems stuck in low gear, characters whose actions rarely make sense. There are some neat ideas here and there but I'm in no hurry to read anything else by this guy. Very disappointing, considering the acclaim he gets. Maybe this is just one of his weak ones?

I agree with your criticism for some of Power's most recent work. It can take most of a book before you find out what's really happening. Until the moment the penny drops, there'll be plenty of times you are lost as a reader because you can't figure out the motivations of various characters. It can make the going tough though. I usually love Tim Powers but to be honest, I couldn't make it through his latest book, Hide Me Among the Graves, because the plot had become too far out.

Powers' earlier books are more straightforward in that regard. The Anubis Gates and On Stranger Tides are great tales of adventure IMO.

 

[Nuke Soda]

Finished reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman yesterday. I really liked the setting and tone. However the characters and story were merely okay. I would totally recommend it to people who like their fantasy elements to be a little strange as it is set in modern time, but has a sort of middle age vibe set under the city of London which I don't recall having read anything quite like that.

 

[Whiteblade999]

Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks. So far it the Night Angel has been a nice surprise.

 

[ShaneB]

Hey Mak, know you're a big fan of The Dog Stars, and I tried to like it, but I may have to check out his new book, sounds terrific. The Painter by Peter Heller.

 

[overcast]

I can't quite get a grasp of gender roles in A Little Princess. There has to be something here.

 

[Mackenzie 92]

Hey Mak, know you're a big fan of The Dog Stars, and I tried to like it, but I may have to check out his new book, sounds terrific. The Painter by Peter Heller.

I know you're talking to other Mak, but that sounds pretty interesting. Hope it's not written the same way though, couldn't get past that with The Dog Stars.

 

[ShaneB]

I know you're talking to other Mak, but that sounds pretty interesting. Hope it's not written the same way though, couldn't get past that with The Dog Stars.

Yeah, I briefly checked out the sample via Amazon and it's not. Looks to be more traditionally structured.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

I finished "Doomed" and it was a chore, especially after how much I enjoyed "Damned".

Also read "The Storied Life of AJ Fikry" by Gabrielle Zevin. It was a joy to read, especially if you enjoy reading. Simply wonderful. Picked it up on a lark from the library and liked it so much I went and bought a copy. Just a really good book to read.

 

[Bazza]

Finished The Fall of Hyperion yesterday. Great book, preferred it to Hyperion, I dont really recall any low/slow points points unlike the first book. Pretty much liked everything about the ending

Spoiler

too many of the books I have read in the last few years have had main characters die off just before the end missing out on happiness by a few chapters or the ending leaves alot to the imagination, The Fall of Hyperion pretty much every story line was tied up nicely, almost main character got thier happy ending as well as a few of the secondary characters, the exception being Kassad but I guess being a warrior dieing and taking out the bad guy is a happy ending, every now and again its just nice for a story to end on virtually all positive points (obviously im not including the millions of people who died in the final few chapters, they dont count I didn't even know thier names).

Dunno what to read next, couple of weeks till the new Dresden book so I need something to fill the gap, anyone got an opinion on the books by Baxter and Pratchett, only 2 books in the series so far but another out this year, seems like an odd combo.

 

[Walter White Walker]

A Dance With Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire series)
Halfway through - I'll be happy to be totally caught up on the story, but sad because who knows when the next will be released, let alone the series finished.

 

[Maklershed]

Hey Mak, know you're a big fan of The Dog Stars, and I tried to like it, but I may have to check out his new book, sounds terrific. The Painter by Peter Heller.

Sounds interesting. I'll add it to the wishlist. Thank you good sir.

 

[HORRORSHØW]

Ready Player One. What a dud.

I'm trying to rush through it so I can finally start on Dune.

 

[Jintor]

Homicide Special: A Year with the LAPD's Elite Detective Unit by Miles Corwin

My review:

Well researched, highly detailed, and nicely written, had Homicide Special no competition it would be an extremely good book. As it is, it suffers perhaps too much from comparison to the other, more famous book in its field, Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets. Simply put, despite his various other talents Corwin simply lacks the flare that Simon can bring to bear on similar subject matter. Corwin accurately and effectively recounts testimony, conversations, the twists and turns of a case, but he does not bring it to life in the same way that Simon can. This is, perhaps, unfair on Corwin - it is doubtful he intended to write in the same vein, or perhaps in the same manner as Simon - but nonetheless it renders Homicide Special less effective as a book.

Structurally speaking, the book suffers somewhat from its overt focus on a number of individual cases rather than being, as in Homicide, a day-by-day, month-by-month story of the Unit; there is also, despite Corwin's best efforts, less of an effective portrayal of the detectives at the core of the unit. It also ends somewhat abruptly. Nonetheless, still a good read for research if nothing else.

A review on goodreads I liked:

If you like David Simon... you'll be mildly entertained by Miles Corwin.

 

[ShaneB]

Sounds interesting. I'll add it to the wishlist. Thank you good sir.

Not a problem bud, glad to point it out.

I finished up "Walking on Water" last night, gave it 4/5, and this was my goodreads review...

The series as a whole gets a 5/5.

Really loved these books, just think it could’ve been tightened up as maybe 2 or 3 books, or even 1, as they are very quick reads, with deceptive page counts. At a fifth book it’s not so much the details of the walk that are interesting but always everything that happens around it and Alan’s reflective moments. Really loved the story within a story that takes place early on as well and the revelation that follows.

Sometimes a book doesn’t need a very in depth reason as to why I liked it so much. This is just a case of having great characters I really cared about, and feeling constantly compelled to see what happens next and hoping for the best. Love Alan so much, and there were countless amounts of interesting people along the way. Sad to see it end! So many great quotes as well. Thanks so much for the wonderful journey Mr. Evans.

Onto whatever may be next!

edit: also, I am looking for book recommendations that deal heavily with Father/Son relationships. I figure the Road will get mentioned since I hear that brought up often in these threads, but just looking for other suggestions.

 

[Empty]

finished cakes and ale by w. somerset maughan.

it's really a delightful book. maugham is such an engaging writer in the first person and does a great job at balancing wit and self-reflection. the last book i read by him was the moon and sixpence which i thought was really good but marred by being frustratingly misogynist, but this could not be further from the case here. i'm not sure whether maugham's views changed in the eleven years between the publications of the two books or if i misread his intentions last time.

cakes and ale is about the narrator ashenden reflecting on the relationship he had with a woman he knew at different points in his life called rosie driffield, who was best known for being the wife of a famous novelist but refused to be pidgenhold for that. the book's core comes from the clash between her attitudes towards life with her sexual freedom, impulsiveness and contempt for social expectations, which the book has a lot of empathy for, and the stern victorian social expectations about the role of women. the book is set within the literary scene in early 1900s britain - the narrators reflections are induced by a meeting an old acquaintance who is researching a biography on rosie's husband - and maugham has a lot of fun mocking the pretensions and shallowness of the scene, as well as using it to reflect on the craft of writing in a few very interesting ways. overall though it's just a really enjoyable book to read, so many good lines -

"The wise always use a number of ready-made phrases (at the moment I write 'nobody's business' is the most common), popular adjectives (like 'divine' or 'shy-making'), verbs that you only know the meaning of if you live in the right set (like 'dunch'), which give a homely sparkle to small talk and avoid the necessity of thought. The Americans, who are the most efficient people on earth, have carried this device to such a height of perfection and have invented so wide a range of pithy and hackneyed phrases that they can carry on an amusing and animated conversation without giving a moment's reflection to what they are saying and so leave their minds free to consider the more important matters of big business and fornication."

“A man who is a politician at forty is a statesman at three score and ten. It is at this age, when he would be too old to be a clerk or a gardener or a police-court magistrate, that he is ripe to govern a country. This is not so strange when you reflect that from the earliest times the old have rubbed it into the young that they are wiser than they, and before the young had discovered what nonsense this was they were old too, and it profited them to carry on the imposture...”

“I had not then acquired the technique that I flatter myself now enables me to deal competently with the works of modern artist. If this were the place I could write a very neat little guide to enable the amateur of pictures to deal to the satisfaction of their painters with the most diverse manifestations of the creative instinct. There is the intense ‘By God!’ that acknowledges the power of the ruthless realist, the ‘It’s so awfully sincere’ that covers your embarrassment when you are shown the coloured photograph of an alderman’s widow, the low whistle that exhibits your admiration for the post-impressionist, the ‘Terribly amusing’ that expresses what you feel about the cubist, the ‘Oh!’ of one who is overcome, the ‘Ah!’ of him whose breath is taken away.”

 

[RepairmanJack]

Ended up picking up A Canticle for Leibowitz from the Audible Sci-Fi sale.

Only a couple chapters in so far, but I'm looking forward to getting further into it. Took me most of the first chapter just to get used to the narrator, he started off reading a lot faster than what I was usually used to.

 

[GRW810]

Really sets the scene from the off. Within a few pages I understood the tone of the story world completely. Only 40 pages in and struggling to find free time lately but I'm hooked.

 

[rudieboy77]

I haven't posted what I have listened to in a couple weeks.

Started on this today.

 

[Maklershed]

^ Some phenomenal choices

I just finished Ancillary Justice. I feel .. bad? .. wrong? .. for not liking it. I love all space opera and space sci-fi, even the free junk on Amazon that's like the Walmart checkout line books of sci-fi but for some reason this story did just not jive with me. I think my biggest problem is that it feels like I'm being dropped into book 2 of a series. There's so many concepts, names, religions, and customs that are thrown at me without explanation. I mostly caught on by the end but by then it was too late. I will say the one thing I loved about this book is the perspective

Spoiler

of an AI

. I don't think I've ever read something like that before. All in all I'd give this book 2 out of 5 stars. Don't let that scare you off though, its still worth a read. And I do think I'll probably end up reading the sequel because the last 5% of the book or so was intriguing and I am curious to see

Spoiler

what happens with One Esk and Seivarden. And if the book is more focused on their 'adventures' together on Mercy.

Not to mention, I'm now finally comfortable in this world and feel like I have my bearings.

Next on to The Way of Kings ..


The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

 

[Haly]

Finished this. Really short. It was well written, but I'm not a fan of this kind of short-short story that doesn't really go anywhere. I like my short stories to be like my long form stories, with a clearly delineated beginning-middle-end. Part the Hawser/Limn the Sea, instead, gave me perpetual narrative blueball.

(The Cruise was hilariously overwrought.)

 

[TheMadvillain]

Damned by Chuck Palahniuk. Not his best, but a good read so far.

 

[nakedsushi]

Finished this. Really short. It was well written, but I'm not a fan of this kind of short-short story that doesn't really go anywhere. I like my short stories to be like my long form stories, with a clearly delineated beginning-middle-end. Part the Hawser/Limn the Sea, instead, gave me perpetual narrative blueball.

(The Cruise was hilariously overwrought.)

You know, I was about to agree with you about the narrative not going anywhere, but when I thought about it, it does have an arc, but not a traditional story arc. I think the arc is more about emotions, where it starts off with some kind of dilemma or unresolved feeling, that hits a pinnacle, and then something either resolves it or the narrator feels better about it.

tldr; the feels.

 

[Haly]

They were having feels, but I wasn't

It was too short to create the feels.

 

[SolKane]

I've been reading this as part of my "Required Reading" that for some reason, no school of mine ever required.

 

[obin_gam]

Finished Leviathan Wakes a couple of days ago. I cant understand the praise. The characters are fine, but the story is so boring and uninteresting I struggled deeply to stay awake. 2.5/5

Then I read Nel Gaimans The Ocean at the end of the Lane. Which I found very cozy and intruiging. A fairy tale for adults 4/5

Now I dont know what to tackle, either the first book of Jack Campbells The Lost Fleet series, I am in the mood for some sci-fi. Or the first book in this other series I just found out about which is some sort of fantasy steam punk... Mark Hodders The Adventures of Burton & Swineburne


EDIT: Hm, I juust noticed something. In regards to The Lost Fleet, do I need to read the first series "The Lost Fleet" or could I just jump to the second series "Beyond The Frontier" ?

 

[Mackenzie 92]

EDIT: Hm, I juust noticed something. In regards to The Lost Fleet, do I need to read the first series "The Lost Fleet" or could I just jump to the second series "Beyond The Frontier" ?

Yeah read the first series or you'll be lost. They're all great short reads too.

 

[ShaneB]

edit: also, I am looking for book recommendations that deal heavily with Father/Son relationships. I figure the Road will get mentioned since I hear that brought up often in these threads, but just looking for other suggestions.

I am sorry to quote myself, but just wondering if anyone could suggest some things. I think some of you understand my book tastes, so maybe something will come up that I could love. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[nakedsushi]

I am sorry to quote myself, but just wondering if anyone could suggest some things. I think some of you understand my book tastes, so maybe something will come up that I could love. Thanks in advance for any help.

Do you want one with a good relationship or just a relationship? If 'good' is not in the requirements and you haven't read this already:


We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Father/son/mother relationship. A very heavy book.

 

[ShaneB]

Do you want one with a good relationship or just a relationship? If 'good' is not in the requirements and you haven't read this already:


We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Father/son/mother relationship. A very heavy book.

That is actually on my Kobo and ready to read sometime. I shall bump it up the queue, have wanted to read that for a while. Thank you.

I guess good would be preferable, or bad with a redemption arc, etc etc.

 

[Tragicomedy]

I'm reading a fantasy double header of what are proving to be extraordinary books.

Glen Cook - She Is the Darkness

I'm rounding the corner on the Black Company series with book seven, and what a wild ride it has been so far. After this I'll have two books to go to finish what is easily my favorite fantasy series ever. The characters and conflict are every bit as interesting now as they were in book one, which is quite an accomplishment. I'll be sad when I reach to conclusion, even if Cook has two further books notionally penned in for the story line.

Gene Wolfe - The Urth of the New Sun

A lot of very smart people have written a lot of very smart things about Gene Wolfe, and they're all true. He's really a master of writing. His pacing, world-building, dialogue...it's all spot-on. He has an intentionally obtuse writing style that serves to cloud motivations and intentions, which I suppose is a love-it-or-hate-it aspect of his work. I love it. In terms of fantasy, the New Sun pentalogy has been the most difficult and challenging series I've ever read. Very difficult, very rewarding.

 

[Maklershed]

I am sorry to quote myself, but just wondering if anyone could suggest some things. I think some of you understand my book tastes, so maybe something will come up that I could love. Thanks in advance for any help.

I've mentioned it before but I really think you'd like Empire Falls.

I'm reading a fantasy double header of what are proving to be extraordinary books.

Glen Cook - She Is the Darkness

I'm rounding the corner on the Black Company series with book seven, and what a wild ride it has been so far. After this I'll have two books to go to finish what is easily my favorite fantasy series ever. The characters and conflict are every bit as interesting now as they were in book one, which is quite an accomplishment. I'll be sad when I reach to conclusion, even if Cook has two further books notionally penned in for the story line.
.

I thought you went through all of The Black Company already? Man you're in for some good stuff yet.

 

[fredrancour]

I'm reading a fantasy double header of what are proving to be extraordinary books.

Glen Cook - She Is the Darkness

I'm rounding the corner on the Black Company series with book seven, and what a wild ride it has been so far. After this I'll have two books to go to finish what is easily my favorite fantasy series ever. The characters and conflict are every bit as interesting now as they were in book one, which is quite an accomplishment. I'll be sad when I reach to conclusion, even if Cook has two further books notionally penned in for the story line.

Gene Wolfe - The Urth of the New Sun

A lot of very smart people have written a lot of very smart things about Gene Wolfe, and they're all true. He's really a master of writing. His pacing, world-building, dialogue...it's all spot-on. He has an intentionally obtuse writing style that serves to cloud motivations and intentions, which I suppose is a love-it-or-hate-it aspect of his work. I love it. In terms of fantasy, the New Sun pentalogy has been the most difficult and challenging series I've ever read. Very difficult, very rewarding.

I am giving up hope on ever seeing the two hypothetical black company sequels still in the oven.

Of course, I've only been waiting 4 years since tearing through the series, so there are probably people considerably more fed-up with it than I am.

 

[Bazza]

Just finished The Long Earth, quite a fun story, I haven't read anyghing by Baxter so I couldnt say for sure which parts were written by which author with exceptions scattered through the book which were clearly Pratchett.

Looking forward to book 2 although just going off the title names im looking forward to the release of The Long Mars more.

 

[Tragicomedy]

I thought you went through all of The Black Company already? Man you're in for some good stuff yet.

Multiple sidetracks last year so I only read the first five. I'm a third through the seventh now, and plan to finish the series this year. It's incredible.

I am giving up hope on ever seeing the two hypothetical black company sequels still in the oven.

Of course, I've only been waiting 4 years since tearing through the series, so there are probably people considerably more fed-up with it than I am.

I'll admit that Cook's reference to them, which I posted in a previous thread, makes me skeptical. It's more of a "I'm thinking of writing two more books and here are their names" than anything concrete.

 

[Plasticine]

Finished Stephen King's The Shining. I read the book back in high school, so it was nice to revisit it. I loved the book then, and still do. King does a great job with the Torrances. Jack is such an incredibly flawed and sympathetic character, who's weaknesses enable the Overlook to take advantage of him. The illustrated edition published by Subterranean Press was a joy to read. It's an over-sized hardcover, with wonderful artwork spread throughout the book. Vincent Chong did a great job. Here's some examples of his work:

It was definitely worth the money I spent on it.

Up next:

I wasn't intending to read this. When I got the illustrated edition of The Shining, the Cemetery Dance edition was included with it. I figure I'll give it a shot. If I like it, I'll probably check out King's upcoming Mr. Mercedes. If not, I can probably sell it and recoup most of what I paid for the illustrated edition of The Shining. It's a win either way, but I honestly hope I like it. It would be nice to enjoy a new Stephen King book.

 

[Easystride]

Just finished Tales of the Madman Underground. I love stumbling upon little gems like this. It's a slice-of-life/coming-of-age book set in the 70s. Highly recommended.

I started Never Let Me Go next.

 

[Bazza]

And thats The Long War finished,

Spoiler

book certainly ends on a cliffhanger, seems original earth is in a bit of bother, gonna be interesting to see if Jansson actually died or if she will be gifted immortality. Would feel a bit cheap another character being brought back from death but her being a slightly more used character makes it a little more acceptable.

 

[SolKane]

Finished with "Johnny Got His Gun", now reading this (follow up to "The Winds of War"):

 

[brianjones]

finished:

inherent vice (pynchon) - ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
the double (saramago) - ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

now reading:

 

[BlueDogAnchorite]

I just finished reading The Sandman Omnibus Vol I. Which was a Fantastic read. Has to be one of the best comic books I read in awhile.

Next on my reading list is The Sandman Omnibus Vol II.

 

[Quake1028]

Finished Recently

Now Reading

 

[sparky2112]

Multiple sidetracks last year so I only read the first five. I'm a third through the seventh now, and plan to finish the series this year. It's incredible.

I'll admit that Cook's reference to them, which I posted in a previous thread, makes me skeptical. It's more of a "I'm thinking of writing two more books and here are their names" than anything concrete.

I hope you're happy - you finally wrote me down and I bought the first omnibus last night. Gotta get on board the Cook train.