joeyjoejoeshabadoo
Member
I really liked this book. I just wish had done a straight movie adaptation of it instead of cramming Pirates of the Caribbean stuff in it.
Good so far.
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What are you reading? (November 2014)
- Thread starter Maklershed
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AngmarsKing701
Member
I still have 200 pages to go in NOS4A2. I wish I could take the Shorter Way bridge to the end. I've been reading this for almost 6 damn weeks. Ugh.
After talking to a friend about non-fictions, I decided on my next two novels once I complete my current National Book Finalists novels (An Unnecessary Woman, and Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant?).
The first one will be:
And the following work will be:
Then if I have the willpower to continue on the non-fiction route, I'll finally aim to actually complete this behemonth (I read through most of it for a thesis, but I never actually sat down and read all of it):
The first one will be:
And the following work will be:
Then if I have the willpower to continue on the non-fiction route, I'll finally aim to actually complete this behemonth (I read through most of it for a thesis, but I never actually sat down and read all of it):
Finished The Tawny Man Trilogy this weekend. The second book I cant really comment on to much, it was your classic 2nd book of a trilogy adding bits to the overall story without really concluding anything. The 3rd book I really liked.
The 3rd book had some some really sad sections, Burrich's death and Fitz and the Fools body in particular.
Burrich's last contributions were both awesome and gut wrenching, Him flooring the stone dragon was so good, I had guessed that Swift was going to kill the stone dragon with the Wizardwood arrow, (dont actually recall but I'm assuming Althea in the Liveship Trader trilogy told "Amber" about the upside down dragon with the arrow in its chest she saw while on the slaughter ship) but I had expected the dragon to smash through Burrich before Swift took him down.
Because of his hate of the wit it felt like he never really forgave himself for stopping Fitz using it even though he was actually alive which meant he also died without really making things up with Swift.
As for the Fools "Death" even though I know there is another trilogy in the works that I assumed when going into the series would feature the Fool and Fitz being "The Fitz and the Fool" trilogy, The Fools death really did have me doubting my assumption. I did actually tear up at some point it was so well done.
The being he keeps coming across in the Skill river at the end also caught me out, up until Fitz went missing in the travel stones I had concluded that it was one of the dragons, I'm so glad it wasn't though it leaves an even greater mystery outside the human squabbles left to be solved.
The end of the book I was expecting it to go all wrong for Fitz, after getting his memory's back and being complete again I thought he may end up being forced back in the shadows watching people live their lives now he didn't want to hide.
I guess that is for the next books.
Burrich's last contributions were both awesome and gut wrenching, Him flooring the stone dragon was so good, I had guessed that Swift was going to kill the stone dragon with the Wizardwood arrow, (dont actually recall but I'm assuming Althea in the Liveship Trader trilogy told "Amber" about the upside down dragon with the arrow in its chest she saw while on the slaughter ship) but I had expected the dragon to smash through Burrich before Swift took him down.
Because of his hate of the wit it felt like he never really forgave himself for stopping Fitz using it even though he was actually alive which meant he also died without really making things up with Swift.
As for the Fools "Death" even though I know there is another trilogy in the works that I assumed when going into the series would feature the Fool and Fitz being "The Fitz and the Fool" trilogy, The Fools death really did have me doubting my assumption. I did actually tear up at some point it was so well done.
The being he keeps coming across in the Skill river at the end also caught me out, up until Fitz went missing in the travel stones I had concluded that it was one of the dragons, I'm so glad it wasn't though it leaves an even greater mystery outside the human squabbles left to be solved.
The end of the book I was expecting it to go all wrong for Fitz, after getting his memory's back and being complete again I thought he may end up being forced back in the shadows watching people live their lives now he didn't want to hide.
I guess that is for the next books.
Now I'm reading Rendezvous with Rama, needed a little scifi fix before The Rainwilds Chronicles.
Finally finished the monster called The Naked God by Peter F. Hamilton. I give it a 3.5 outta 5 for being a page turner, bloated and having a ending that solved everything a little too easily. Disappointing since the first two books were so good.
I need some humor now, so onto The Exploits and Adventures of Brigadier Gerard by Arthur Conan Doyle.
I need some humor now, so onto The Exploits and Adventures of Brigadier Gerard by Arthur Conan Doyle.
I just finished A World on Fire, which was excellent. It was interesting to see the civil war from a foreign policy/British perspective.
I am currently reading
If you ever meet someone who thinks that the South seceded because of state's rights or any other reason not slavery and white supremacy, tell them to read this book. It will disabuse them of that foolish notion
I will be currently listening to this soon
I am currently reading
If you ever meet someone who thinks that the South seceded because of state's rights or any other reason not slavery and white supremacy, tell them to read this book. It will disabuse them of that foolish notion
I will be currently listening to this soon
I just did a quick inventory of all the books I own, kindle or physical, and there is a grand total of eighteen! Unread books.
Here in front of y'all I vow to not buy, rent, or read any book that's not part of this list.
I have to clear this all out.
This isn't even including the Dark Tower books which I'm saving for later in life.
Here in front of y'all I vow to not buy, rent, or read any book that's not part of this list.
I have to clear this all out.
This isn't even including the Dark Tower books which I'm saving for later in life.
I've found that the longer I've been into books the more huge and daunting my backlog gets. I have about 30 or so books I've bought that I haven't read and I'm still buying more. I don't know why I do this to myself.
whatevermort
Member
Amateurs. Both of you.
Reckon I'm on about 200 unread physical books. I will never ever clear my backlog. Not a chance in hell in my entire life.
Tragicomedy
Member
Rookie!
I just checked my Kindle content on Amazon's website. I have over 275 unread books. The past few years, I've requested Amazon gift cards for Christmas and my birthday (within two weeks of each other, so I typically get combined gifts) and spent them almost exclusively on books.
I have read 110 books so far these past two years, and intend to keep knocking out 50+ a year. Even so, my backlog manages to keep growing year after year. So many good books, so little time.
It is silly to think that I could not buy a book for the next five years and still have plenty to read.
I'm not entirely sure I should admit to this, but I have over 300 unread physical books sitting on my bookshelf. But hey, I just need to read as much a year as, say Lumiere or Mumei or Glaurungr and I'll be done in a few years. So there's hope.
Anyway.
Still reading The Odd Women by George Gissing, which is horrible, depressing, and also good. It's horrible because of all the stuff to do with class. Basically the lower classes so far are portrayed as and thought of as vulgar and stupid and some basic way lesser. Possibly not surprising considering it was written in the 1890's, but: Depressing because they're having discussions about women needing to be financially independent before and during marriage, about women not being restricted to particular 'women's jobs', about how equality for women is good for men too, about women taking 'mens jobs' and wages getting lower, and we're still having these discussions now.
But this book is currently on hold because someone lent me Revival by Stephen King, so I should read it sooner rather than later.
Maklershed
Member
I kinda messed up. I started an Audible sub and forgot about it and now have something like 6 free books worth of credits, soooooo audio book recommendations anyone? :b
Preferably history or social sciences or something. I can't stand listening to fiction audio books unless its really, really riveting.
Preferably history or social sciences or something. I can't stand listening to fiction audio books unless its really, really riveting.
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
The Warmth of Other Suns
Washington: A life by Ron Chernow
Titan: The Life of John D Rockefeller by Chernow
Quiet: The Poew of Introverts
The Power of Habit
Lawrence in Arabia by Scot Anderson
Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis
Peter the Great by Robert K Massie
I'd cancel your subscription once you pick the ones you want since it appears it is going to take you a while to get through 6 audio books. You can always start it up again if you finish them
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
ditto. Party hard, brah.
(it doesn't help that my current reading ability is severely diminished from its proper form. I'm lucky if go anywhere over 40 pages on a day)
Finished Revival a couple days ago. Ending was super crazy. Enjoyed it overall. Did drag a bit in the middle.
Started reading Joe Hill's A Heart-Shaped Box. About 1/4 of the way through and it is one of the scariest things I've ever read. Up there with It on the creepy scale for me (but I read that when I was super young, dunno how it holds up).
After this is Truman Capote's In Cold Blood.
Started reading Joe Hill's A Heart-Shaped Box. About 1/4 of the way through and it is one of the scariest things I've ever read. Up there with It on the creepy scale for me (but I read that when I was super young, dunno how it holds up).
After this is Truman Capote's In Cold Blood.
Secks4Food
Member
I dig this man's style.
TheCrazyGuru
Banned
Finished Steve Jobs biography a few weeks ago and then just finally finished:
I didn't really care for Mary Roach's reading style as it was the first book in a while to put me to sleep after reading a few pages several times.
I'll have to give another one of her books a try (probably Stiff) eventually.
Going to start this finally and then watch the movie:
I didn't really care for Mary Roach's reading style as it was the first book in a while to put me to sleep after reading a few pages several times.
I'll have to give another one of her books a try (probably Stiff) eventually.
Going to start this finally and then watch the movie:
I did. It's alright. Suffers from "second in a trilogy" syndrome but if you like spaceships and feelings and spaceships with feelings, it has everything the first book has except for the novelty factor.
My impression post: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=134291750&postcount=438
My impression post: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=134291750&postcount=438
AngmarsKing701
Member
A few folks have read it and commented. Might need to do a search.
This is people overhyping it, just a tad.
Me too, it was FANTASTIC!Just finished reading The Martian yesterday and I absolutely loved it.
Now I am reading:
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
I own about two dozen unread physical books, and twice that digital. That's not counting the mountains of public domain stuff on my computer.
Finished The Farthest Shore (book 3 of Earthsea). I liked the whole trip. Didn't really strike me as a trilogy as much as three episodes of an interesting life.
Finished The Farthest Shore (book 3 of Earthsea). I liked the whole trip. Didn't really strike me as a trilogy as much as three episodes of an interesting life.
Reading Dragon Keeper at the moment, initially I was disappointed that the main characters were not the same as in the Liveship Trader Trilogy, but I'm about 70% into the book and im quite happy about the change. I haven't read any of the authors other books but looking at her wiki, it seems she did another unrelated trilogy to the world the Farseer and Liveship books were set in, either it was a concious decision or her writing style changed slightly in the 6 years between Fools Fate or Dragon Keeper but this book feel less frustrating that previous books.
I still have 2 and a 1/3 books to go so my impressions may change but one of the things I have enjoyed about the books in these series is the build up of frustration you get as you understand the story but the characters are a little behind on the overall plot only for things to unfold the way you thought but with a little twist.
about this book I really hope Captain Leftrin stays a good guy, he walks a fine line and I really don't want him to end the way of Captain Kennit, horrible character who becomes a likeable person only to succumb to his demons to become a character you want to die a horrible death.
I loved it. More than the first (though I seem to be in the minority there.) My full (long) review on my blog.
I've never been much of a reader, but about half a year ago I realised that I was bordering on historically illiterate - I thought, for example, that 'the Charlemagne' was some kind of mythical beast - and I decided that my next personal project would be to teach myself history.
After spending a couple of months trawling through online articles, listening to podcasts, and compiling a reading list, I'm finally getting started with The Shortest History of Europe by John Hirst. Although I'm currently only about half way through its roughly-200 pages, I can already say that I would fully recommend it.
The book is loosely chronological, focusing more on broad themes (ie. the influence of Christianity, the influence of the Roman Empire, etc.) than on the details of particular decades or centuries. It starts by laying out the ancient foundations of Europe (ie. ancient Greece and Rome) and then shows how they evolved and changed over time - mapping out the big transformations and placing key moments within the big picture.
What it doesn't do is swamp you in long-winded chronological exposition, or drown you in a never-ending list of kings, queens and dynastic feuds, or expect you to know or care about obscure medieval battles. On the whole, it's more about the evolution of influential ideas than about particular leaders and wars, although you'll still get a little bit of that too.
After spending a couple of months trawling through online articles, listening to podcasts, and compiling a reading list, I'm finally getting started with The Shortest History of Europe by John Hirst. Although I'm currently only about half way through its roughly-200 pages, I can already say that I would fully recommend it.
The book is loosely chronological, focusing more on broad themes (ie. the influence of Christianity, the influence of the Roman Empire, etc.) than on the details of particular decades or centuries. It starts by laying out the ancient foundations of Europe (ie. ancient Greece and Rome) and then shows how they evolved and changed over time - mapping out the big transformations and placing key moments within the big picture.
What it doesn't do is swamp you in long-winded chronological exposition, or drown you in a never-ending list of kings, queens and dynastic feuds, or expect you to know or care about obscure medieval battles. On the whole, it's more about the evolution of influential ideas than about particular leaders and wars, although you'll still get a little bit of that too.
Started this. Hope I enjoy it as much as you did Mack!
Now reading...
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
Now reading...
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
I read it keeping in mind all the comments I saw on the net and was disappointed, yet I would like to re-read it, maybe I missed something
I finished Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling. It was absolutely painful. Really boring, awful plot (poorly resumed, it begins with a mistery that forces the two protagonists to reach a specific city, then everyone forget about that mistery and move on to a not-so-complicated-plot-against-the-kingdom-but-I-didn't-follow-the-story-beacuse-it's-boring-so-I-didn't-understand-anything that brings nowhere), good characters tough.
Then I read Farther Away by Johnathan Franzen. I believe it was a mistake, as this is my first book from this autor. I decided to read it as I'm a huge fan of David Foster Wallace. This is not a novel, just a bunch of essays, most of them are book reviews. I read it quite fast as it wasn't boring, I just wanted to know how the writer was. It wasn't disappointing, yet it didn't leave a mark. I will try one of his novels soon.
Now reading "Casebook of the black widowers" by Asimov.
Even if I'm not a fan of crime stories and thrillers, I love these short stories, they're really clever and light. I recommend these books to everyone.
Christoff Yurievich
Member
I'm going to have to buy that. I liked the story but library books get beat up after awhile.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Started this. Hope I enjoy it as much as you did Mack!
Now reading...
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
Great book. Hope you enjoy it bud.
Tragicomedy
Member
That's beautiful.
Christoff Yurievich
Member
Those are quite interesting covers.
Tragicomedy
Member
Those are quite interesting covers.
They make sense, though.
nakedsushi
Member
In the beginning, I would stack all my physical to-read books on my desk. Then I had to stop because the stack was getting dangerously high and any disturbance on my table would bury me under those books. So yeah...18 books is not so bad.
I think I have about a hundred physical books and another hundred Kindle in my backlog... and I have been trying to buy less this year (having moved far from the local Half Price Books helped!), however I still made horrible progress on my backlog because I keep borrowing more and more books from the local library
I really liked it too! Hope you enjoy it
FlowersisBritish
fleurs n'est pas britannique
I recently picked up Seconds, the new Brian Lee O'malley book from my library.
I am so in love with each of these.
Those are quite interesting covers.
I am so in love with each of these.
Finished up a couple books since the last time I posted in here.
First was Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie. The first book was a rocky start for me. Really I didn't feel "comfortable" until about 3/4ths of the way in. I had been looking forward to the sequel to see where she takes the plot now that the background was set.
I found it to be just "okay". I don't have anything in particular to criticize, but at the same time I don't feel anything overwhelming positive. I love the world and the culture Ann has made, I just wish she did a bit more with it. It felt odd for her to show glimpses of all these cultures, but restrict the book to a few locations.
While reading I had this odd feeling that I've read a lot but haven't really gotten anywhere. Sure, events were happening, they just didn't seem to be very large events when compared with the scale of the first book.
I eagerly await the next in the series as I feel there is a lot of potential in this universe.
3/5 stars.
After that I read The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss. I had read a little bit about the novella before I started so I knew what I was getting into here. I fully recommend anyone interested in this book to do the same. It is not a "normal" story, and is certainly nothing like the previous works in the series.
That being said, I enjoyed it. It had a bit of a whimsical feel to it. The illustrations really added to this atmosphere. It was nice to see a slice of life from Auri's perspective. Unfortunately, I don't really feel there is "enough" here to allow me to rate it too highly. The writing style suits itself well to the story, but the story itself is just mildly interesting.
Overall, I loved the atmosphere but there just wasn't enough there to win me over too strongly.
3/5 stars.
Now I need to figure out what to read next hmm...
First was Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie. The first book was a rocky start for me. Really I didn't feel "comfortable" until about 3/4ths of the way in. I had been looking forward to the sequel to see where she takes the plot now that the background was set.
I found it to be just "okay". I don't have anything in particular to criticize, but at the same time I don't feel anything overwhelming positive. I love the world and the culture Ann has made, I just wish she did a bit more with it. It felt odd for her to show glimpses of all these cultures, but restrict the book to a few locations.
While reading I had this odd feeling that I've read a lot but haven't really gotten anywhere. Sure, events were happening, they just didn't seem to be very large events when compared with the scale of the first book.
I eagerly await the next in the series as I feel there is a lot of potential in this universe.
3/5 stars.
After that I read The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss. I had read a little bit about the novella before I started so I knew what I was getting into here. I fully recommend anyone interested in this book to do the same. It is not a "normal" story, and is certainly nothing like the previous works in the series.
That being said, I enjoyed it. It had a bit of a whimsical feel to it. The illustrations really added to this atmosphere. It was nice to see a slice of life from Auri's perspective. Unfortunately, I don't really feel there is "enough" here to allow me to rate it too highly. The writing style suits itself well to the story, but the story itself is just mildly interesting.
Overall, I loved the atmosphere but there just wasn't enough there to win me over too strongly.
3/5 stars.
Now I need to figure out what to read next hmm...
sparky2112
Member
The Corrections is his best. Freedom was okay-ish, and there's a Wallace sort of character in it, somewhat, but it's not as strong as The Corrections.
Guess what I just got in the mail
So jelly.
Nappuccino
Member
Those are quite interesting covers.
I need these in my life . . .
AngmarsKing701
Member
Post #399 in this very thread!
As. That last post of the page always gets missed! I feel kind of similar I guess. Not much substance to it. The writing and atmosphere is need but I don't know. Just feels a little aimless. Will finish it over the next day and report back.
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