Forsaken82
Member
After finishing Brilliance, I have moved on to Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian. 2 books? 1 month?!?!!? Shits crazy for me!
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What are you reading? (October 2013)
- Thread starter Maklershed
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Mackenzie 92
Member
Finished these up
All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka
Quick, fun read. Liked it. Thanks to whoever posted it in here.
Nine Inches: Stories by Tom Perrotta
Enjoyed it more than 10th of December.
All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka
Quick, fun read. Liked it. Thanks to whoever posted it in here.
Nine Inches: Stories by Tom Perrotta
Enjoyed it more than 10th of December.
Tragicomedy
Member
It's fun as hell though haha.
It's fun-horrifying
When it comes to scary stuff like that, I can be quite a chicken. Wife and I basically gave up on horror flicks cause neither of us can handle them. To put it in context, Misery is about as scary as I can handle (and just barely).
Grenouille
Member
I find it hard to be scared by books. Movies and video games are much more effective in that sense.
I also don't get scared by books very easily (probably because the one thing that makes me jump in other media is loud/sudden sounds) - that said, I remember reading It when I was a teen as a creeeepy experience. Probably the only book that ever had that effect on me!
I can definitely name a few parts in some of the books I've read this year where I was on the edge of my seat, arm on my head wondering if I'm about to be shocked, that sense of dread, etc.
It all comes down to well written characters that you care about and dread whatever situation they might be in.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Heart Shaped Box is the only book that ever really scared me. Not so much while I was reading it, but after when I would be laying in bed trying to go to sleep, then I'd start thinking about it and get freaked out lol.
I've tried it a couple times but couldn't get past the whole teleport thing.
I've tried it a couple times but couldn't get past the whole teleport thing.
Yeah definitely. For me, all these "NOPE" reactions are more like...that ironic "haha holy shit" kind of reaction than being scared. Books don't really scare me. Shining had me tense, especially at the end, but not scared.
Misery, I was like, grinning and cringing half the time hahaha.
It is making me tense again (all these RUN scenes) and I'm probably making hilarious faces on the bus at the descriptions. But not scared.
I think something that actually makes me jump or freaked out, it's more of a visual thing for me.
nakedsushi
Member
I'm not smart enough to get what the hot air ballooning parts have to do with the last story, but I really liked the memoir about grief in this:
Levels of Life by Julian Barnes
I recommend it to anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one.
Levels of Life by Julian Barnes
I recommend it to anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one.
Cameron122
Member
Just bought this on the cover alone lol
Today's daily deals. I picked up King of Swords. The reviews are good and the summary sounds interesting enough.
Here is the link.
Here is the link.
Jag
Member
I don't like horror movies, but I loved It. So much that I read it twice.
Kafka by Ernst Pawel, it's so good. I'm thinking of buying the biography of Herzl which Pawel wrote, just because of his writing style. Furthermore, the life of Kafka, or at least by means of this book, gives such a wider view of his surroundings and feelings which makes me appretiate his work more and I feel I have to re read The Trial to understand it more deeply. Kafkas prose and satirical humor are both so great.
TheKaeptain
Banned
Reading the new Murakami Short "Samsa in Love."
The English Horses by William A. Luckey
Expected something pulpy like a L'Amour book, instead got a lot of character drama as various people dealt with the twilight of the old west in their own way. The character of Burn English seemed like he was the spirit of that dying era.
The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis
Didn't remember a damn thing about this one so felt like I was going in fresh. Great little adventure.
Cool. I might give one of these a look when I finished up these Black Company ones.
The Day of Battle by Rick Atkinson.
Very well-written military history of the first two-years in the Italian campaign of WWII, where fighting was almost identical to that of the First World War: costly infantry frontal charges against entrenched defenders, crippling terrain, massed artillery, and callous leadership. This is epitomized in the bloody battles for Monte Cassino, Rapido River, and Anzio beachhead.
The author avoids the pandering "greatest-generation, crusade against evil" Ambrose-style writing. The numerous accounts and anecdotes of individual soldiers are sobering and mostly depressing. The great personalities of the theater: Clark, Patton, Alexander, Montgomery, and Kesselring are analyzed objectively, with their quirks, flaws, and mistakes laid-bare. And they made plenty of mistakes: horrible friendly fire incidents, poor logistics, and tactical and strategic blundering, and ego-driven decision making that resulted in 300,000+ Allied casualties in a theater that ended up to be of marginal strategic value, soon overshadowed by Overlord.
Great book. Highly recommended for fellow history buffs.
From the earlier conversation about books being scary...
Amy Dunne is TERRIFYING. Can't wait to see Fincher's portrayal of her.
Mackenzie 92
Member
haha this is true. scared the shit out of me as well.
yup. Her plan ended up working out for her in the end basically. Poor Nick.
Loved seeing inside characters heads
Finished:
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Good pacing for a big book. Mediocre writing. Ending felt lazy and rushed. Gave it a 3/5 on GR
Starting on this for a little break.
Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won by Tobias Moskowitz
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Good pacing for a big book. Mediocre writing. Ending felt lazy and rushed. Gave it a 3/5 on GR
Starting on this for a little break.
Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won by Tobias Moskowitz
RepairmanJack
Member
I need to learn to not come into this thread while I'm currently reading something. My backlog is growing, I've already bought three books to get to next.
obin_gam
Member
Mackenzie 92
Member
Finally getting around to this. Girlfriend is currently reading the 3rd one that just came out, so figured it was a good time to jump in and catch up before the movies start coming out.
So far liking it quite a bit.
Divergent by Veronica Roth
So far liking it quite a bit.
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Those Divergant books might be another guilty pleasure if I need to dive into a YA trilogy.
I'm not liking Unexpectedly, Milo much so far, Slowly getting to the half way point soon, and the hook just hasn't been there yet. Certainly know whatever I read after Memoirs would be a step down in emotional connection, but I was hoping to love the author's other books too. Still engaged enough to see it through, so it's pacing for 3/5.
I'm not liking Unexpectedly, Milo much so far, Slowly getting to the half way point soon, and the hook just hasn't been there yet. Certainly know whatever I read after Memoirs would be a step down in emotional connection, but I was hoping to love the author's other books too. Still engaged enough to see it through, so it's pacing for 3/5.
I'm mired in stuff I'm obligated to read, but I'm going to try to read this for myself, even if it's on a one-chapter-per-week schedule.
This book is next on my to-read list after I read The Shining/Doctor Sleep for Halloween.
Jag
Member
Finally getting around to this. Girlfriend is currently reading the 3rd one that just came out, so figured it was a good time to jump in and catch up before the movies start coming out.
So far liking it quite a bit.
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Is this a blatant copy of Hunger Games?
Mackenzie 92
Member
phisheep
NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
We've moved into a new flat. Got no television and no children any more, so my reading time has shot up.
Couple of biggish projects on the go that I have always wanted to do:
1) Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
2) The Bible
3) The Encyclopaedia Britannica (15th edition, got an ex-library copy for £25)
One bookmark in each, all scarily near the front for now!
Couple of biggish projects on the go that I have always wanted to do:
1) Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
2) The Bible
3) The Encyclopaedia Britannica (15th edition, got an ex-library copy for £25)
One bookmark in each, all scarily near the front for now!
Tragicomedy
Member
I read the first two this year and will finish the trilogy next.
It's very similar to the Hunger Games. In terms of writing quality, they are actually slightly better. But there are two negatives.
First off, there's nothing to grab you like the competition to the death angle. Sure, there's fighting and even killing, but it doesn't have the same amount of tension and drama.
Secondly, the part that I found least interesting in the Hunger Games, that cheesy teenage love triangle action, is emphasized times about a hundred in the Divergent series. There's so much inner dialogue about insecurities and wistful thinking that it can get overbearing. The series is 50% romance novel, I'm not kidding.
Having said that...the overall story is interesting. There are plenty of twists and turns (some fairly major) that you may or may not see coming but that hold up pretty well. The main idea of different factions that focus on living by a single trait is way cool. The concept of electing your future is great.
Overall, fairly solid. If you liked the Hunger Games, these are worth a read. Read them before the terrible looking film comes out and kills any interest you may have in them.
Maklershed
Member
Wait! Republic of Thieves is finally out? When did this happen?
October 8th.
I read the first and just had no desire to continue. And I'm a sucker for YA sci-fi.
Just finished OUTLAW by Angus Donald
It's the first of a Robin Hood series told from the perspective of Alan Dale where Robin is more of a ruthless infamous guerrilla leader instead of a merry thief. Highly recommended! All the famous characters are there, but non of the clichés
Sounds cool, will look it up!
ReadingRambo
Member
Loving the shit out of this book right now. Needed a good creature/horror novel this close to Halloween. It's as cheesy and awesome as it looks.
obin_gam
Member
Since the cover for Republic of Thieves is so goddamn cool, I just had to pick up the series and start reading it. From the blurbs it sounds like young-adult-novels which made me a bit skeptical at first. I started reading The Lies of Locke Lamore on my commute home from work today and am currently just after the prologue. I got stuck immediately. So fantastically good. So good I actually cant wait for tomorrows commute to work just so I can continue it!
Electric_ Cthulhu
Member
On my Kindle:
Very interesting so far. I chose this one over "Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond because I read "Collapse" and it was a real chore at times.
Also this:
Very interesting so far. I chose this one over "Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond because I read "Collapse" and it was a real chore at times.
Also this:
The Artful Dodger
Member
Just ordered this book.
Gonna Look Inside.
Gonna Look Inside.
Filthy Slug
Crowd screaming like hounds at the heat of the chase/ All the colors of the rainbow flood my face
After reading through American Gods again, I hopped on Anansi Boys. Holy shit, this book is fantastic.
Finished these up
All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka
Quick, fun read. Liked it. Thanks to whoever posted it in here.
You're certainly a faster reader than me. I'm about 3/4 into it. And by the way, you're welcome.
Read this wonderful short story by Haruki Murakami on the New Yorker's website.
Samsa In Love.
Can't wait for his next novel to be translated.
Samsa In Love.
Can't wait for his next novel to be translated.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Loved Masters of Doom. Will have to check that out.
Thanks again man.
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