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[Bazza]

Finished the Dread Empire series over the weekend, not quite as engrosing as his Black Company books but overall a pretty solid series. I wouldn't have minded an epilogue a few years after the events of the final chapter but I can live without it. I still have the short story collection to pick up but that will be for another day.

Next book will have to switch genres I think, not read a science fiction book in a few months.

 

[Matty77]

I still think Shadow has one of the greatest book covers I have ever seen.

As for me still reading clash of kings, it's taking me a while but I have only been reading here and there while I have down moments, have not really dedicated any time to reading lately.

 

[Nymerio]

Started The Fractal Prince yesterday.

After that I'll most likely move on to Causal Angel to finish the series. This year is pretty Sci-Fi heavy for me and I'll probably read one or two of Scalzi's Old Man's War books next.

 

[kami_sama]

Like I said in the thread I made yesterday, I just read The Martian, and I'm in the mood for more Sci-Fi.

 

[GillaTheGorilla]

Just finished this

,
I needed something easy to start back into reading after all of
A Song of Ice and Fire.

About to start

and have also started

which are both quite a bit heavy going, Wolf Hall mainly because how
she has written it and everyone seems to be called Thomas!

 

[sparky2112]

I don't think it will either, but I'm hoping against hope just because I love how insanely ambitious this project is. Didn't Danielewski say that he's written the first ten volumes?

Did he? If they're going to release one every 7-ish months, he'd better be well ahead, which I'm assuming he is. He's got his hooks in me...

 

[BronzeWolf]

Words of Radiance


20%
This books is so amazing, it's even better than the The Way of Kings!

Spoiler

WTF GIANT TURTLES

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

Snow Crash is almost satirical in its approach to cyberpunk, from a modern perspective, so if you want to ease into it it's a good a place to start as any.

I'm listening to it right now and you made me think about it. It really is, huh. Is it supposed to be? Or is it just one of those things where you look on it with age and wisdom and laugh?

 

[aidan]

I'm listening to it right now and you made me think about it. It really is, huh. Is it supposed to be? Or is it just one of those things where you look on it with age and wisdom and laugh?

It's difficult to write a satire of a genre that doesn't yet exist.

 

[BrokenFiction]

It's difficult to write a satire of a genre that doesn't yet exist.

But if anyone could have done it, Neal Stephenson was that person.

 

[Haly]

I'm listening to it right now and you made me think about it. It really is, huh. Is it supposed to be? Or is it just one of those things where you look on it with age and wisdom and laugh?

I feel, though I cannot substantiate it, that it was a result of Neal trying to break free from the trappings of dystopian cyberpunk, combined with the hindsight of a modern eye that makes it seem satirical.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

It's difficult to write a satire of a genre that doesn't yet exist.

But...didn't Neuromancer come first?

 

[aidan]

But...didn't Neuromancer come first?

Yes it did. My mistake.

 

[Haly]

I'm pretty sure cyberpunk was established as a genre by then.

Looking at Snow Crash's wiki entry, it's not an uncommon view. Neal Stephenson played very loose with his humor and his world.

 

[Pau]

Only agree to it if Necrovex reads The Story of the Stone

Speaking of this, what's the best translation? The Penguin Classics?

I've been reading on and off Open Veins of Latin America and Le Guin's Dancing on the Edge of the World. Feeling blah after finals and my folks are in town which makes reading impossible. (My mum doesn't understand that it's rude to try to hold a conversation while someone is reading.)

 

[PassiveObserver]

I'm pretty sure cyberpunk was established as a genre by then.

Looking at Snow Crash's wiki entry, it's not an uncommon view. Neal Stephenson played very loose with his humor and his world.

Everyone should also read The Diamond Age, the novel after Snow Crash. The first section of the book features a prototypical cyberpunk bad-ass character who gets killed off pretty quickly, and Stephenson has stated that it implied in some way the death of cyberpunk.

 

[Dan]

Finally finished 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson last night. I'd had 30 pages left for a few months, finally decided to wrap that up. It had a pretty anti-climactic ending and I wasn't super eager to read the denouement after that.

Planning to start Gun Machine by Warren Ellis this week.

 

[Mumei]

Nice. As soon as I finish the Goblin Emperor, I'll get on that. I just love that name.

There's actually an interesting backstory to the genesis of the book: It was originally a fictional book that appeared in another one of her books, Palimpsest, as the book that a character - November - loved as a child. Valente would get questions about the novel often, with people wanting to know if it was a real novel and to read it. She then wrote the book as a crowd-funded project that was published online serially, and then was finally picked up for publication.

Speaking of this, what's the best translation? The Penguin Classics?

Spoiler

*excited gesticulating*

Yes. I love it.

 

[Adaren]

Almost finished with:

Same! Just finished Shadow of the Torturer last night. I picked up the book after it was a favorite in a Recommend me a book that 'feels like Dark Souls' thread a few months back

Brief review/thoughts:

Spoiler

The first half of the book was everything I wanted: mysterious world, murky and storied history, somber tone, great characters, lots of room for the reader's imagination. It was a slow read, but only because I was enjoying it so much that I would constantly stop and re-read passages or speculate on connections. Absolutely phenomenal and gripping; I constantly wanted to read more.

Then Agia happened. She filled the book with unwelcome dialogue and made it way more of an "adventure" than the slow, somber, history-laden story it was before. Her interactions with Severian made him way less likable. Their relationship reminded me uncomfortably of something out of "Name of the Wind" (a book I mostly hated). Her and Severian had so little chemistry that I was fairly certain after only a few chapters that she would be leaving the main cast on bad terms. I just wish it had happened sooner.

Dorcas (her parents must have hated her...) is more tolerable. Her dialogue/character fits the tone of the book better. Her chemistry with Severian is better. She doesn't feel like she's pulling the book in an "adventure" direction. But her romance with Severian is still pretty cringey. I can live with her.

I liked the characters who were (re)introduced near the end of the book, and the last ~30 pages pulled back some of the "mystery" from the first half of the book. It ends on such a blatant cliffhanger!

I'll undoubtedly continue the series in the future, though I may take a break for a week or so just so I don't burn out. I really enjoyed the experience overall; I only emphasize the parts I didn't like because the majority of the book was so good. It really did remind me of the Souls series in more ways than one.

 

[Jay Sosa]

In 1985 it felt like we were reading the words of a prophet, though.

I can imagine that.

 

[Eklesp]

About 100 pages into Mistborn. It is really great so far, the pacing is fantastic. I am starting Cibola Burn to get done with it before the next book.

I have been reading them both on my Kindle but ordered paperbacks as well. Everytime I get a Kindle and use it for a while I start to envy bookshelves of books and miss (oddly) carrying around a large book. Then I end up selling it or not using it.

 

[Mumei]

Same! Just finished Shadow of the Torturer last night. I picked up the book after it was a favorite in a Recommend me a book that 'feels like Dark Souls' thread a few months back

Brief review/thoughts:

Spoiler

The first half of the book was everything I wanted: mysterious world, murky and storied history, somber tone, great characters, lots of room for the reader's imagination. It was a slow read, but only because I was enjoying it so much that I would constantly stop and re-read passages or speculate on connections. Absolutely phenomenal and gripping; I constantly wanted to read more.

Then Agia happened. She filled the book with unwelcome dialogue and made it way more of an "adventure" than the slow, somber, history-laden story it was before. Her interactions with Severian made him way less likable. Their relationship reminded me uncomfortably of something out of "Name of the Wind" (a book I mostly hated). Her and Severian had so little chemistry that I was fairly certain after only a few chapters that she would be leaving the main cast on bad terms. I just wish it had happened sooner.

Dorcas (her parents must have hated her...) is more tolerable. Her dialogue/character fits the tone of the book better. Her chemistry with Severian is better. She doesn't feel like she's pulling the book in an "adventure" direction. But her romance with Severian is still pretty cringey. I can live with her.

I liked the characters who were (re)introduced near the end of the book, and the last ~30 pages pulled back some of the "mystery" from the first half of the book. It ends on such a blatant cliffhanger!

I'll undoubtedly continue the series in the future, though I may take a break for a week or so just so I don't burn out. I really enjoyed the experience overall; I only emphasize the parts I didn't like because the majority of the book was so good. It really did remind me of the Souls series in more ways than one.

I mean, not for nothing but The Book of the New Sun is something of a picaresque adventure book on a superficial level.

Also, some of this commentary will make you laugh in retrospect.

 

[bennywhatever]

To preface, I'm an audiobook guy.

I started A Scanner Darkly by Philip K Dick about a week ago. Listened for about an hour and just plain hated it. Makes me sad, because I love Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. I guess the subject matter was just really dull and grating to me. Good narrator, though.

Then I went to Anathem by Neal Stephenson. I wanted so much to power through the beginning and keep listening, but it was just too hard to follow in audiobook form. I need to get a real copy of it so that I can see a glossary of words for the entire language Stephenson made up for it. Gave up after a couple hours. Again, another great narrator.


Now, I'm listening to Under the Dome by Stephen King. I'm loving every minute of it so far. It's been a while since I've read a King book.

 

[Hanzou]

I see the 5th expanse book is out next week. How was the fourth one? I read the first three and while I really liked book one and two, I found the third quite underwhelming, it made me kind of fall out if the series. Should I go back and read book.4? Is it better or does i5 continue downhill?

 

[theapg]

Just finished that and loved it. I highly recommend it if you like college basketball at all and want something funny.

I'm at the beach so I'm thinking of reading Old Man and the Sea next.

Does anyone use their ipads on the beach? Is it safe with the sand and all?

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Words of Radiance


20%
This books is so amazing, it's even better than the The Way of Kings!

Spoiler

WTF GIANT TURTLES

I'm on page 986 and it's taken me 5 months to get here.

 

[Jay Sosa]

Just finished that and loved it. I highly recommend it if you like college basketball at all and want something funny.

I'm at the beach so I'm thinking of reading Old Man and the Sea next.

Does anyone use their ipads on the beach? Is it safe with the sand and all?

Thanks, I love entertaining sports books. Bullpen Gospels by Dirk Hayhurst was one of the most fun reads I ever had.

 

[venne]

I recently finished Rise of the Robots by Martin Ford.

I started and quickly abandoned You are the Placebo by Joe Dispenza as the beginning section felt too woo-woo for my tastes.

I am now reading Misbehaving by Richard Thaler.

 

[Rug Monkey]

That is... quite the analogy. Thanks for the advice.



It's just a term I made up on the spot—humanity's on its last legs, the Earth is about the be destroyed, and a small, intrepid group must embark on a perilous mission to ensure humanity's survival.

Sounds like only the beginning of Seveneves really hits on this archetype, though.

I'm getting a very 'The Martian' vibe from the beginning of Seveneves. I suppose it's the almost impossible task of space survival plus the countdown factor that's doing it. Still quite the page turner so far.

I'd recommend The Diamond Age as the best introductory Stephenson novel. It hasn't aged at all.

Up next ... the 3rd in Ramez Naam's nexus trilogy is out

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

The dirty deed is done. Story is finished.

Now for some light reading.

Spoiler

and absolutely no writing

 

[Coriolanus]

Finished The Black Company and nearly done with Shadows Linger, thanks to feedback on that non-YA books thread.

Must say, seeing how the women in these books behave, it is quite surprising that the book was written in the mid 80's. Far more modern characters than i was expecting.

 

[besada]

It's just a term I made up on the spot—humanity's on its last legs, the Earth is about the be destroyed, and a small, intrepid group must embark on a perilous mission to ensure humanity's survival.

Sounds like only the beginning of Seveneves really hits on this archetype, though.

Try Greg Bear's Forge of God, if you haven't read it. It's one of the great "end of humanity" books. There are a bunch of last gasp for humanity books. If you want some more, let me know.

 

[aidan]

Try Greg Bear's Forge of God, if you haven't read it. It's one of the great "end of humanity" books. There are a bunch of last gasp for humanity books. If you want some more, let me know.

Forge of God is a great example. I read it a couple of years ago, and was fascinated by the ending. I liked the way it focused more on the emotional fallout of first contact/end of the world, and less on crazy, singularity-esque macguffin devices.

Never did read the sequels, though.

 

[Piecake]

Speaking of this, what's the best translation? The Penguin Classics?

I've been reading on and off Open Veins of Latin America and Le Guin's Dancing on the Edge of the World. Feeling blah after finals and my folks are in town which makes reading impossible. (My mum doesn't understand that it's rude to try to hold a conversation while someone is reading.)

Yep, like Mumei mentioned, the penguin translation is the best.

Its been about 8-10 years since I read it and I am getting the itch to read it again. I doubt it will though since it is just so freakin long.

 

[Bazza]

I picked this up

(and the next 3 books for £1 each on Amazon) as a random series I will give a try, yes I could have just brought the first but if I did then I think I might have missed out on something quite enjoyable

Spoiler

The first book up at about 30-40% through I was close to actually just walking away (I have never not finished a book I have started), It got a bit better towards the middle then about 60-70% a few things didn't quite add up and my intrigue grew, by the end I knew a twist was coming but I wasn't sure what it would be, the way his old team mates were picked up by the police on the way to the place Grey was held up made me think it might have been a ploy to draw out the terrorists (based on the few chapters from the terrorists perspective).

If I hadn't already brought the next few books I think this may have been one of the 1st series I never continued with, the start of the 2nd book has I think changed my mind and justified the £4 I spent.

 

[Verdre]

Read Touch by Claire North

Neat concept wasted on a decent thriller.

 

[Draconian]

I'm listening to it right now and you made me think about it. It really is, huh. Is it supposed to be? Or is it just one of those things where you look on it with age and wisdom and laugh?

I feel, though I cannot substantiate it, that it was a result of Neal trying to break free from the trappings of dystopian cyberpunk, combined with the hindsight of a modern eye that makes it seem satirical.

I wasn't aware that this was even a point of contention. For me, Snow Crash is undoubtedly satirical. Even ignoring the obvious ones, like naming the main character Hiro Protagonist, there's many different ones like naming a machine gun turret "Reason," the mafia being led by Uncle Enzo, the head of a pizza empire, the privatization of the police force and prison system (one jail I believe is called The Clank). Heck there's even a section in the book with Y.T.'s mom that is essentially Stephenson mocking the triviality/uselessness of office memos. A lot of the names/characters/settings of the book are for me unarguably satirical constructs.

 

[arglebargle]

i dont remember what the last update i posted in this thread was. but i finished the road a bit ago, which was terrific. since i finished it, i compare anything that is vaguely post-apocalyptic to it in my mind.

i then bought the swerve: how the world became modern. it is fine so far. i like the asides into the broader history. unfortunately i got to the airport and realized i had failed to pack my kindle (a mistake i had never previously made) and the shitty airport bookstore had a pretty limited selection. i bought the boys in the boat, and am something like a third of the way through. i have trouble finding time to read physical books because i prefer to leave the light off in bed and avoid disturbing my wife. going back and forth between two non-fiction books creates some weird cognitive dissonance though.

I didn't want to make a thread about this but I figured this would be the best place to ask. I've recently read slaughter house five and really enjoyed it. I'm currently making my way through breakfast of champions. Any other Kurt Vonnegut books I should check out? I never read him before and I've been really digging his bits of black humor and the premise of a lot of the novels. Didn't know he put in a lot of scientific twist. Also love how he self inserts himself quite a bit. I feel I'm at just the right age to enjoy it (early twenties).

Also with Harper lees book coming out this summer, someone should make a GAF book club for to kill a mockingbird. I read it back in high school but I plan on rereading it in anticipation of her next book. Thank you!

i havent read a vonnegut novel in probably fifteen years but my recollection is that you cant really go wrong with the full length novels. the essays can be a little hit or miss, and i found the short stories a bit less engrossing. i just looked up his bibliography and realized i was about to recommend mostly his earlier novels. again, its been a while, but i have fond memories of player piano, cats cradle, (which were the first two i read, in some order), mother night, and sirens of titan. ive read a couple others, all of which were at least good, but i would start with sirens of titan and cats cradle maybe.

 

[FUME5]

It's been a while since I've read some hard sci-fi, but so far Seveneves is fantastic.

 

[ShaneB]

Just finished that and loved it. I highly recommend it if you like college basketball at all and want something funny.

Thanks for pointing this out, I remember seeing this before, but completely forgot about it, I'll definitely check it out sometime soon.

Thanks, I love entertaining sports books. Bullpen Gospels by Dirk Hayhurst was one of the most fun reads I ever had.

Yeah, Bullpen Gospels is great, you say fun read, but there is a lot of heartbreaking stuff there too, in regards to his family. I'll be reading Dirk's other books in the future.

Onto book 3 of Wayward Pines. I'll give Wayward another 3/5, like it enough to keep going and figure out how it all ends. There is some really stupid crap and terrible dialogue at times, but I'm hooked enough to keep turning the page since they're short reads. Nice to read a series with an ending as well. Should finish this up before Nemesis Games comes out.

 

[tariniel]

Just finished Malazan 8: Toll the Hounds. It was a very slow book overall, but in typical Malazan fashion, everything culminated to a pretty fun ending.

Spoiler

Pretty sad about Rake, and I'm not at all sure what was accomplished by sending Hood to Dragnipur. Hood gets killed by Rake so that he can appear in Dragnipur to use the army of the dead to fight against Chaos, and... nothing is really accomplished, other than maybe a slight delay. Then Rake shows up and does his thing. Was the entire purpose of killing Hood to provoke Dassem into fighting Rake? Or was it really just for that slight delay that Hood bought for the gate of darkness?

I've already bought volume 9 Dust of Dreams but I may take a week break from reading before I really get started on it.

 

[a secret-boss]

Starting on the Lies of Locke Lamora

 

[Cade]

Onto book 3 of Wayward Pines. I'll give Wayward another 3/5, like it enough to keep going and figure out how it all ends. There is some really stupid crap and terrible dialogue at times, but I'm hooked enough to keep turning the page since they're short reads. Nice to read a series with an ending as well. Should finish this up before Nemesis Games comes out.

I think one of the main things is that books 2 and 3 should've just been book 2. Book 2 just kind of.. ends. I do agree that having an ending is great, though.


I keep forgetting Nemesis Games is so close. I need it.

Starting on the Lies of Locke Lamora

I liked that quite a bit. Haven't gotten round to the sequel yet, though.

 

[ShaneB]

I think one of the main things is that books 2 and 3 should've just been book 2. Book 2 just kind of.. ends. I do agree that having an ending is great, though.

I keep forgetting Nemesis Games is so close. I need it..

With a lot of books I'm sure these Wayward Pines books could've trimmed a little fat and been tightened up into one single lengthy book. Certainly some interesting stuff, and as I've said many times, all I really ask for from a book is that it hook me enough to keep wanting to turn the page.

And yeah, that little quip was basically knowing Nemesis Games is merely book 5 of 10... is it still 10? I don't even know. Wish I could find an official sort of recap as well, my memory is garbage.

 

[Cade]

With a lot of books I'm sure these Wayward Pines books could've trimmed a little fat and been tightened up into one single lengthy book. Certainly some interesting stuff, and as I've said many times, all I really ask for from a book is that it hook me enough to keep wanting to turn the page.

And yeah, that little quip was basically knowing Nemesis Games is merely book 5 of 10... is it still 10? I don't even know. Wish I could find an official sort of recap as well, my memory is garbage.

That's how I felt with Desperation. Not super great, but I'll be damned if it wasn't a page-turner.

Think it's 10, yes. It's a long time to wait for it to finish. Are you going to be watching the show, which looks watchable but not great?

 

[Jay Sosa]

Yeah, Bullpen Gospels is great, you say fun read, but there is a lot of heartbreaking stuff there too, in regards to his family. I'll be reading Dirk's other books in the future.

Now that you mention it...I guess I just blocked that from my memory. His second book is even more depressing in that regard.

 

[Kyleripman]

I'm on page 986 and it's taken me 5 months to get here.

I'm on page 800-something and finally starting to get into it. His writing style doesn't do that much for me, and the humor still makes me groan, but it is very entertaining and gets moreso as it goes.

 

[Aurelius]

Great and funny read so far.

 

[Mumei]

I'm on page 800-something and finally starting to get into it. His writing style doesn't do that much for me, and the humor still makes me groan, but it is very entertaining and gets moreso as it goes.

You just lit the Cyan Signal!

 

[catbird]

Hi Gaf! I just graduated college so I am happy to have plenty of free time to read for pleasure. I've collected quite a few books over the past 4 years and haven't opened many of them. Time to get started.

I finished The Brothers Karamazov yesterday after starting it about 1 month ago. I wasn't super captivated by the first few books, but the final 2-3 were amazing! The philosophical bits are probably the most famous, but I have to admit that they didn't strike me as much as they would have a few years ago. Still, enjoyable. I do feel like I learned something from the character Alyosha, though, about what it means to be gracious. Not only do you be kind to others, but you should allow others to be kind to you. If you always decline out of humility, then you are denying others the chance to be altruistic. Anyway, just a nice reminder in this hyper ambitious and individualistic world...

I'm now reading The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao. I've only read a chapter but, I'm not sure if I am into it. I'll save my judgement for the end.