-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
What are you reading? (September 2014)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
- Status
whatevermort
Member
This is an amazing novel.
Jake Whyte is the sole resident of an old farmhouse on an unnamed British island, a place of ceaseless rains and battering winds. It's just her, her untamed companion, Dog, and a flock of sheep. Which is how she wanted it to be. But something is coming for the sheep - every few nights it picks one off, leaves it in rags.
It could be anything. There are foxes in the woods, a strange boy and a strange man, rumours of an obscure, formidable beast. And there is Jake's unknown past, perhaps breaking into the present, a story hidden thousands of miles away and years ago, in a landscape of different colour and sound, a story held in the scars that stripe her back.
It's so powerful, and absolutely beautifully written. Really pretty astonishing.
This are the books for the next couple of weeks.
I'm really enjoying the format with short chapters that goes back and forth in time . I always find fascinating books on scientific research because they show that more often than not scientific progress is a slow and gradual process.
The first book in the trilogy (Annihilation) was claustrophobic and creepy but it was too short. I'm glad that this one is bulkier.
I'm really enjoying the format with short chapters that goes back and forth in time . I always find fascinating books on scientific research because they show that more often than not scientific progress is a slow and gradual process.
The first book in the trilogy (Annihilation) was claustrophobic and creepy but it was too short. I'm glad that this one is bulkier.
Decided to by myself a paperwhite, got a little tired of lugging round the tablet all the time, and there is always the risk of dropping it and breaking a £100 item is more palatable than a £350 tablet. Feels different reading on it compared to the app on the tablet, haven't had any sun yet to see how it fares outside but overall im quite happy with it.
Half way through The Heroes: Three men. One battle. No Heroes by Joe Abercrombie, thought I would finish off his books before switching genres and getting got work on Ancillary Justice.
Half way through The Heroes: Three men. One battle. No Heroes by Joe Abercrombie, thought I would finish off his books before switching genres and getting got work on Ancillary Justice.
Foundation book series by I. Asimov
It's fascinating how well do the books keep their sci-fi atmosphere. The man was a genius, 60 year old story!
I've read some of his other stuff, but never Foundation. I stumbled upon his short story I have not read since elementary school about 2 weeks ago ( http://www.multivax.com/last_question.html ) and was blown away. Foundation is supposed to be the best thing he has written, so I can't wait to finish it.
It's fascinating how well do the books keep their sci-fi atmosphere. The man was a genius, 60 year old story!
I've read some of his other stuff, but never Foundation. I stumbled upon his short story I have not read since elementary school about 2 weeks ago ( http://www.multivax.com/last_question.html ) and was blown away. Foundation is supposed to be the best thing he has written, so I can't wait to finish it.
Read it!!!111
And I don't know how to articulate it. It has this great mix of wit, comedy, a bit of sadness, and wisdom. I don't think describing the constituent elements that make up the comicstrip and what I like about it would really manage to convey it, though, so you should just read it.
I picked this up after watching the John Adams miniseries on Amazon Prime. I'm really enjoying it. The prose is great and the character of Mrs. Adams comes through wonderfully. I really love how modern she comes across in some ways. I'm about halfway through and I'm finding it one of the most engaging biographies I've ever read, up there with Lincoln's Melancholy by Joshua Wolf Shenk.
Simple but evocative art. Layered jokes. Not overly... sappy? Hokey? Not sure what I'm looking for here. Bittersweet, maybe?
Edit: Ninja'd, sort of
Agreed. It's one of those things that just has to be experienced.
sparky2112
Member
Finished:
A few slight character motivation issues aside, I loved it. It's Harkaway alright, but this has an emotional depth he's not shown until now.
Now reading:
His book on the Brooklyn Bridge, The Great Bridge is nothing short of a masterpiece, so I'm sure this will be a great read. So far, it looks as though the U.S. thought the canal's ultimate route would never be workable but then took it over anyway when the French screwed it up. Good stuff so far, though.
A few slight character motivation issues aside, I loved it. It's Harkaway alright, but this has an emotional depth he's not shown until now.
Now reading:
His book on the Brooklyn Bridge, The Great Bridge is nothing short of a masterpiece, so I'm sure this will be a great read. So far, it looks as though the U.S. thought the canal's ultimate route would never be workable but then took it over anyway when the French screwed it up. Good stuff so far, though.
Yes. It punches me right in the nostalgia. It's one of those things where it feels like it was written just for me.
NekoFever
Member
Nostalgia is absolutely what I get out of it. It makes me think of school holidays and running around in the woods with friends when I was a kid. I wasn't much like Calvin at all but I relate to him completely.
Shit, I need to read it all again.
BriareosGAF
Member
My seven year old daughter has been reading the C&H omnibus slipcover volumes over and over again for the last several weeks. It's so weird and interesting watching the gears in her head turn as she works out the jokes and asks questions about the things she doesn't understand, and repeats her favorite ones to us randomly, or reads them over Skype to my parents for an hour...
During our Labor Day dinner last night: "Daddy, what's a gland problem?" (from a panel where Calvin's father says his mother would look like a hippo with a gland problem if she was pregnant).
During our Labor Day dinner last night: "Daddy, what's a gland problem?" (from a panel where Calvin's father says his mother would look like a hippo with a gland problem if she was pregnant).
bennywhatever
Member
Can anyone give me recommendations for a good humorous book? Fiction or non-fiction, it's unimportant. I also don't mind multi-genre books that have humorous elements.
Other humors I've read as reference:
Paddle Your Own Canoe
Bossypants
Seriously... I'm Kidding
The Long Earth - The Long Mars
Hitchhiker's Guide
The Art of Racing in the Rain (I thought it was funny)
A Walk in the Woods
Any recommendations would be great.
Other humors I've read as reference:
Paddle Your Own Canoe
Bossypants
Seriously... I'm Kidding
The Long Earth - The Long Mars
Hitchhiker's Guide
The Art of Racing in the Rain (I thought it was funny)
A Walk in the Woods
Any recommendations would be great.
Just finished Sword and Citadel
I blew through both books in a go. Are the sequels worth picking up? How about the cited influence, tales of the Dying Earth by Vance?
You should definitely read Urth of the New Son. It's a coda to the original tetralogy, and it should blow your mind all over again.
bennywhatever
Member
Have you read "It" or "Insomnia"? If so, pick Dreamcatcher, as it takes place in the same town and references some of the past events.
If not, read Mr. Mercedes and tell me how it is because I want to read it as well.
If not, read Mr. Mercedes and tell me how it is because I want to read it as well.
O.DOGG
Member
Inspired by the Post-Apocalyptic thread I started reading this:
I'm not sure what I was expecting but the first couple of chapters were slow going. After I got over that initial hump, the book definitely picked up and I'm now 1/3 of the way through it. Looking forward to seeing how the rest of the story unfolds.
I'm not sure what I was expecting but the first couple of chapters were slow going. After I got over that initial hump, the book definitely picked up and I'm now 1/3 of the way through it. Looking forward to seeing how the rest of the story unfolds.
tauroxd
Member
I'm just finishing up Star Wars: Path of Destruction, the first of the Darth Bane trilogy, it might not be the best written novel in the world but I've found it thoroughly entertaining and intriguing so far.
Next up is one of the following;
I'm having trouble deciding...
I've read The Cuckoo's Calling and Joyland, and plan to read Mr. Mercedes... I would go for Joyland first, it's the shortest one and it's very good.
How was The Cuckoo's Calling? I'm just seeing the follow up; The Silkworm, going for pretty cheap online and thinking of ordering it now while it's in my head.
TheFightingFish
Member
Wolfe is incredible. I'm not a big re-reader (too much cool stuff in the world to read for the first time) but I feel like I need to hit them all again at some point. I feel like there was too much of it that I really didn't get the first time around, which is a pretty rare thing for a genre fiction book.
I don't know if it's as well regarded, but I rather liked his more recent Wizard Knight series as well.
If you ONLY want to laugh, it might not be for you, but it was generally a funny book, with a few poignant moments.
Read it and find out.
Avatar quote? Avatar quote. I was wondering when you'd show up.
HerrPalomar
Neo Member
Very good Mystery novels. I liked the first one a little more.
Now starting the final book in the trilogy:
backflip10019
Member
Great so far. Surprisingly funny. Really enjoying it.
Christoff Yurievich
Member
Been putting this off forever, now kicking myself I hadn't started sooner.
I started that last month but promptly lost the book so I'm trying again this month.
The break-in story ran this summer on the website and it was handled so well, showing the horror of the parents and how scared Clavin was until he found Hobbes again. I've read whole books that can't compare to those few panels.
tauroxd
Member
I loved it, as well as The Silkworm. A whodunnit with a main character that I like a lot who has an interesnting background that you want to know about as much as whodunnit.
Indeed, make sure to read the two follow ups.
Let's do a literature trade. I'll read Calvin, and you'll read PunPun.
I'll read Punpun when it comes out in beautiful oversized editions by Fantagraphics, like their editions of Wandering Son - or even like their edition of A Drunken Dream, which would be even better.
I'm just finishing up Star Wars: Path of Destruction, the first of the Darth Bane trilogy, it might not be the best written novel in the world but I've found it thoroughly entertaining and intriguing so far.
Next up is one of the following;
I'm having trouble deciding...
Joyland is more of a growing up novel than a mystery. In fact, there's not a lot of 'mystery' involved at all.
Mr. Mercedes is better if you're in the mood for a mystery read. Although it can end up being underwhelming. Personally, I was expecting something...more out of it. It's still a decent read.
bennywhatever
Member
Great so far. Surprisingly funny. Really enjoying it.
FANTASTIC book. Particularly if you've ever done any hiking in the Appalacians. We go to the Smokey Mountains a lot, so we related to some of it quite a bit.
I love Bill Bryson - just finished his America 1927 book, which I can't recommend enough.
I'll read Punpun when it comes out in beautiful oversized editions by Fantagraphics, like their editions of Wandering Son - or even like their edition of A Drunken Dream, which would be even better.
So probably never. Not only is it a long manga that Fantagraphics and other US publishers try to avoid, it's published by Shogakukan which means Viz gets priority over them.
Which means Viz will never pick it up due to Punpun being a hard Senin. I can't recall the last time I have seen a senin published by Viz.
... Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Pluto? Vagabond? Blue Spring? Children of the Sea? Solanin? House of Five Leaves? Gyo?
I could go on but I think you get the point.
survivor, please stop making me sad. I don't like being sad.
I must have completely missed the Viz mark on my library copy of Pluto. Point taken, Sir.
Punpun may have a shot after all!...Pity it's such a niche manga. :'-(
whatevermort
Member
I'm just finishing up Star Wars: Path of Destruction, the first of the Darth Bane trilogy, it might not be the best written novel in the world but I've found it thoroughly entertaining and intriguing so far.
Next up is one of the following;
I'm having trouble deciding...
Given that Dreamcatcher might well be King's worst novel, I'd definitely not read that first. Mr Mercedes is fun, if not a little bit too close to nonsense by the end. Joyland is good. The Cuckoo's Calling is a decent first stab at crime fiction, but not the best written novel in the world.
Of those? Joyland.
Well, they did publish two other Inio Asano manga, albeit two volume series, already so maybe there's a chance. I wouldn't be happy about the prospects of Viz translation errors, though. :|
Jag
Member
Speaking of Bill Bryson, finishing this.
Absolutely wonderful book. So much happened in such a short period of time. He does go a little before and after 1927, but I just love his writing style. He highlights the absurd with such a dry wit. It also shows how different a time this was and it wasn't even all that long ago. Highly recommended.
Absolutely wonderful book. So much happened in such a short period of time. He does go a little before and after 1927, but I just love his writing style. He highlights the absurd with such a dry wit. It also shows how different a time this was and it wasn't even all that long ago. Highly recommended.
NekoFever
Member
I liked it. I'm not usually a fan of crime novels but Rowling did a good job and showed there's more to her than Potter. The two main characters are great.
I literally just finished Field of Dishonor by David Weber, part of the Honor Harrington series:
So I'll be moving on to the next book, Flag in Exile:
I've been in a big space opera mood lately, so this is totally hitting the spot. I also have Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga on the backburner. I will gladly take more suggestions for this type of space opera. I can't get enough of it, ever.
So I'll be moving on to the next book, Flag in Exile:
I've been in a big space opera mood lately, so this is totally hitting the spot. I also have Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga on the backburner. I will gladly take more suggestions for this type of space opera. I can't get enough of it, ever.
- Status