Glad to be of help. Watts has a bunch of his other novels and stories available on his website.
White Noise is my first DeLillo novel, and it's interesting. Maybe one day I'll tackle Underworld.
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What are you reading? (September 2014)
- Thread starter Maklershed
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Glad to be of help. Watts has a bunch of his other novels and stories available on his website.
White Noise is my first DeLillo novel, and it's interesting. Maybe one day I'll tackle Underworld.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Heads up for a free audiobook of California by Edan Lepucki.
Just add it to one of your reading lists/shelfs on goodreads and then join the Ford Audiobook Group, and in less than 24 hours you'll receive an email to redeem it through Audible.
California by Edan Lepucki
Just add it to one of your reading lists/shelfs on goodreads and then join the Ford Audiobook Group, and in less than 24 hours you'll receive an email to redeem it through Audible.
California by Edan Lepucki
just did both steps. hope this works, thanks!Heads up for a free audiobook of California by Edan Lepucki.
Just add it to one of your reading lists/shelfs on goodreads and then join the Ford Audiobook Group, and in less than 24 hours you'll receive an email to redeem it through Audible.
California by Edan Lepucki
Finished reading How Fiction Works. Interesting book, James Wood has some neat ideas about how he analyzes novels and writing. I would say maybe I should have read this when I have familiarized myself with more of the works mentioned here, but he did take his time to explain their importance and post a lot of relevant excerpts from different novels. I would say I found Wood's ideas of what's comedic a little weird. All the examples he gave of funny writing just didn't come out that way to me, oh well.
Also finished Starting Point as well. It's a collection of essays by Miyazaki as well as interviews conducted with him along with some drawings he made. Learned a lot of great stuff about the man. Most of the writing focused on his struggles along with his colleagues while starting out and finishing projects for Ghibli and for works before they formed the studio. Also lots of essays by Miyazaki commentating on what inspired him, environment, politics, the industry and so on. The part I found most interesting was his criticisms of other anime, movies and storytellers. Got the second part, Turning Point, here to read as well but might wait a little before starting it.
Reading this right now too!
which is interesting so far. It's a short one.
Thank you so much, just downloaded the audiobook, been wanting to read this since it was on Colbert.Heads up for a free audiobook of California by Edan Lepucki.
Just add it to one of your reading lists/shelfs on goodreads and then join the Ford Audiobook Group, and in less than 24 hours you'll receive an email to redeem it through Audible.
California by Edan Lepucki
TestMonkey
Member
Found this at the library and now 8 hours late I'm done with it. It's what I expected. Temporary relief that left me wanting more. Any others have experience in binge reading certain books or series of books?
Finally finished Oscar Wilde's Complete Works. Have to admit I liked best the works he wrote while he sat in prison, his life in shambles. "De Profundis" is an extraordinary letter, and "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" a very strong poem. But I enjoyed other works too, such as some of the plays and "The Picture of Dorian Grey".
Now, about to start "The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Díaz. If it's half as good as the reviews say, I'm in for a treat.
Now, about to start "The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Díaz. If it's half as good as the reviews say, I'm in for a treat.
Finished the first chapter of Charles Stross's Accelerando. Pretty interesting so far.
Heads up for a free audiobook of California by Edan Lepucki.
Just add it to one of your reading lists/shelfs on goodreads and then join the Ford Audiobook Group, and in less than 24 hours you'll receive an email to redeem it through Audible.
California by Edan Lepucki
Any idea if the code will work with audible.de?
Anyway, I finished:
Liked it like the rest of the series and can't wait to find out how it will all end. I thought the pacing was better then in book three.
Back to reading:
I like the setting a lot but I have a hard time keeping the different countries and how they are connected apart. Hopefully that will change soon.
Also listening to:
I liked the first one, despite the fact that not terrible much happened. I harbored the same feeling towards the second book. The pacing is slow and everything is told with maybe a little bit too much detail but not alone thanks to the wonderful performance by Nick Podehl it was really pleasant to listen to... until I got to the part
where Kvothe follows Felurian... Seriously, how many overly poetic descriptions of a woman's body do you really need until even the last one understands, yes, that woman is beautiful... I do understand that part of this was to illustrate the power she has over Kvothe, but still. The sheer length of the scene. It was just really corny and cheesy and then, when you finally think it is over, he decides to stay a little longer just so he can become really good at fucking. If this goes on much longer I might stop listening.
FrakkinFordy
Banned
Finished NOS4A2. It was good, but so fucked up and a little too rape-y. A lot too rape-y? Very rape-y. Ending was decent.
Moved on to another Joe Hill book:
which is interesting so far. It's a short one.
Loved Joe Hills stuff. Also love the little tie ins to his dads stuff.
As for me, finished the Mistborn series and the final Dragon Chronicles book so it's time to re read IT.
Finished:
Just One Of The Guys? Transgender Men and the Persistence of Gender Inequality was a very good read, and tied together the marginalization of transgender people, women, and homosexuals in a very clear and understandable manner. I particularly also appreciated this passage:
Currently reading:
I'm reading Imagination and Meaning in Calvin and Hobbes today, since I'm nearly finished with it. Vendler's Dickinson is on hold due to the fact that someone requested it at the library (jerks). Catch-22 will probably be next after that; I was about halfway through when I stopped reading it.
Just One Of The Guys? Transgender Men and the Persistence of Gender Inequality was a very good read, and tied together the marginalization of transgender people, women, and homosexuals in a very clear and understandable manner. I particularly also appreciated this passage:
Currently reading:
I'm reading Imagination and Meaning in Calvin and Hobbes today, since I'm nearly finished with it. Vendler's Dickinson is on hold due to the fact that someone requested it at the library (jerks). Catch-22 will probably be next after that; I was about halfway through when I stopped reading it.
Anybody read this series? Any good?
Also, I haven't read any Joe Hill yet, what would be a good book to start with?
Blood song is amazing, I read it a few years ago before he got a book deal. The second book in the series just came out and I haven't read that one yet. It was kinda crappy when he got a book deal the publisher basically re-released blood song as if it was a new book and then waited forever to publish the second one, so I forgot most everything in the first.
Unbound By Death
Member
The book is better than the silly caption leads you to believe. It's not groundbreaking or anything, but Brust sets up an interesting fantasy world.
I also recommend this book.
Nappuccino
Member
Finally finished Oscar Wilde's Complete Works. Have to admit I liked best the works he wrote while he sat in prison, his life in shambles. "De Profundis" is an extraordinary letter, and "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" a very strong poem. But I enjoyed other works too, such as some of the plays and "The Picture of Dorian Grey".
Now, about to start "The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Díaz. If it's half as good as the reviews say, I'm in for a treat.
There's one chapter in particular you may find yourself struggling through. But it's worth it in the end.
I'm done! Now I can go through this thread and take up the book club and all of that. Maybe that's not the immediate impression I should have after finishing, but there's a rather long denouement here and the climax/revelation is what took up most of my attention. Speaking of which:
The revelation/explanation was... sufficient? I know that doesn't sound like praise, but considering how a lot of these turn out(I'm looking at you True Detective's boogeyman), I thought it was really cool. It wasn't much of a surprise, not a moment where previously nebulous pieces of a jigsaw puzzle suddenly slip into place. What it did was open up a whole host of possibilities,
imagine if he wrote more books in the same universe, combining more sci fi elements with this kind of preternatural entity he's developed so well. What an interesting "first contact" it all makes, a lot more interesting than the usual The War of The Worlds type scenario.
I liked the decision to shift perspective again, now following multiple characters separately. A lot of the creepiness, or the horror elements of the first book were missing, maybe I've grown so used to Area X by now it doesn't unnerve me as much as say
Control uncovering those words for the first time in the director's office.
A good series of three, and the final book was a lot of fun. Interesting to see where things go from here,
maybe this depends on the sales, but there's definitely room to expand.
Maklershed
Member
Heads up - Neuromancer by William Gibson is on sale today on Amazon for $1.99
Finished up 11/22/63. Debated giving it a 4/5, but said to hell with it and stuck with 5/5, simply because I was completely engrossed throughout. The length was an issue at times, but I just had to keep going to find out all it would all end up. Great book.
Now to decide what is next, something a bit shorter I imagine
Now to decide what is next, something a bit shorter I imagine
AngmarsKing701
Member
Finished up 11/22/63. Debated giving it a 4/5, but said to hell with it and stuck with 5/5, simply because I was completely engrossed throughout. The length was an issue at times, but I just had to keep going to find out all it would all end up. Great book.
Now to decide what is next, something a bit shorter I imagine
I wish Goodreads would add a half star option. So many times deciding between 3 and 4 or 4 and 5 is just added stress!
Haha, that is indeed very true. Would alleviate that sense of debating and just being able to stick right in the middle.
Nappuccino
Member
Nah, half stars just make it a 10 point scale again.
More_Badass
Member
Saw this in my local library, had to check it out
Some of the combos are awesome. Jack Reacher and Nick Heller. Agent Pendergast and Slappy the Dummy
Some of the combos are awesome. Jack Reacher and Nick Heller. Agent Pendergast and Slappy the Dummy
Filthy Slug
Crowd screaming like hounds at the heat of the chase/ All the colors of the rainbow flood my face
Similar structure to Cloud Atlas, from what I understand [trying to stay away from anything that may ruin the book for me] with six stories being told, but the stories are more interconnected this time.
I'm probably around halfway through the first section of the first story, and it's absolutely excellent. Mitchell is just a hell of an author, especially when it comes to telling six stories in a single book.
GasProblem
Member
Never heard of this book, but now I kinda want it just because of the psychedelic cover it has here:
Story looks interesting though, and reviews look good. Yup, I'll put it on my too read list
Heh, well yes, there is that. I guess the 5 point scale is simple enough. Not a big deal in any case, it's just a score!
Mackenzie 92
Member
Not sure. Couldn't hurt to try.
Finished up 11/22/63. Debated giving it a 4/5, but said to hell with it and stuck with 5/5, simply because I was completely engrossed throughout. The length was an issue at times, but I just had to keep going to find out all it would all end up. Great book.
Now to decide what is next, something a bit shorter I imagine
Nice. Glad you enjoyed it.
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
I'm still reading Biodigital by John Sundman. I'm only mildly familiar with the 90's Silicon Valley culture but it's not hard to connect the dots and see what Sundman is referring to. It's hard to keep track of who works for which companies at times, but that just might be because I've been stopping and starting so often.
Grabbed some VanderMeer. I might read him next. Or instead. Who knows.
Grabbed some VanderMeer. I might read him next. Or instead. Who knows.
EverythingShiny
Member
Sometimes I really hate the fact I live in a highly educated/literate area. I just looked up The Bone Clocks at my library and there are 182 holds on the physical books (29 copies) and 56 on the e-book (10 copies.) Good grief. Had this problem with The Girl with All the Gifts as well.
Just added another book to the 4 I was already reading:
I absolutely love it so far (about 15% in). First chapter was excellent and it's turning out to be a great sci-fi read. I am a sucker for parallel universe stories - if that is in fact what's going on.
Hands down one of my favorite Stephen King books and I've read nearly all of them. Helps, for sure, that Joe Hill basically gave him the ending because, as much as I love King, he's terrible at writing endings. I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
Just added another book to the 4 I was already reading:
I absolutely love it so far (about 15% in). First chapter was excellent and it's turning out to be a great sci-fi read. I am a sucker for parallel universe stories - if that is in fact what's going on.
Hands down one of my favorite Stephen King books and I've read nearly all of them. Helps, for sure, that Joe Hill basically gave him the ending because, as much as I love King, he's terrible at writing endings. I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
PassiveObserver
Member
The Mezzanine by Nicholas Baker. A narrative that takes place during the span of one escalator ride. Comical observations and footnotes aplenty. A thin 144-pager to fill my urge for postmodernism.
Secks4Food
Member
I love this book so far, Ignatius is the worst person ever lol.
Igmatius is the best you mean.
Yeah, definitely did. Had some issues in the middle really, felt like it was being needlessly long, but it did all come together perfectly.
That was actually the first Stephen King book I've read, so had to get that out of the way. And yeah, saw in the acknowledgements that he had his son "fix" the ending, so that was good, really loved the ending, so it was the right choice!
Mackenzie 92
Member
Shane, if you want more King but something short. I recommend The Long Walk. My favorite King book of all time.
For those interested or looking for something new to read, the winners of the 2014 British Fantasy Award.
Just finished "Leviathan Wakes" the first book in The Expanse series, needless to say after reading this book I don't think I'll be checking out the others. A mediocre book through and through with nothing even lose to interesting or new being explored, the fact that the book has a blurb by GRRM plastered on the front praising the book actually upsets me.
I'm on a graphic novel kick lately, just started Six Gun Gorilla yesterday. Seems silly at first glance but it's damn good. Great mix of sci-fi elements in a western setting.
Finished 'The Heroes' and 'Red Country' over the weekend.
After this little fantasy binge its time to move onto some Scifi with Ancillary Justice.
So happy to see The Bloody Nine again, glad the last book ended with him going off on his own, while I wouldn't have minded him being happy and getting to settle down, I want him to pop up again in later books.
The ending of Red Country was really good, quite like how the meeting between Shivers and Logan went down at the end of the book, as soon as it was clear Lamb was Logan and that Shivers was also lurking about I was worried one or both of them would end up dead which would have left me a little sad as they are both extremely good killers who have both tried to walk away and be the 'good guy' only to fall back into their old ways.
The ending of Red Country was really good, quite like how the meeting between Shivers and Logan went down at the end of the book, as soon as it was clear Lamb was Logan and that Shivers was also lurking about I was worried one or both of them would end up dead which would have left me a little sad as they are both extremely good killers who have both tried to walk away and be the 'good guy' only to fall back into their old ways.
After this little fantasy binge its time to move onto some Scifi with Ancillary Justice.
Why?
Finished Acceptance. The entire Southern Reach trilogy has been a real joy to read. It's well paced, the way it handles characters and horror is done in a satisfying way that doesn't insult the reader, it's very Lovecraftian in how it treats the unknown, and the ending is faithful to the core themes. I'm glad it never ever felt the need to over-explain things or to build to a dramatic climax which would rob the central theme of its point. In the end, the story managed to successfully capture the feeling of Area X being a character in itself, with the inhabitants past and present being aspects of that. I think Lost could have taken a lot of lessons from this series in terms of how to make a landscape feel alien and unknowable yet drop enough information to tell an interesting story which doesn't feel like a bait and switch at the end.
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