Funyarinpa
Member
Give Hyperion a try.
-
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 2017)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Isn't she editing the Times Style magazine now? She probably has her hands way too full to write another book for the time being
I started up The Shadow in the Wind the other night and I understand almost nothing 10 pages in. So many words I can't understand so I'm gonna drop it. Hopefully I can find it in Danish someday. I've come to realize that I might have an easier time reading fictional books in Danish than in English huhu.
Making my way through some comics I bought recently. Cliche as hell but Batman: Year One, The Killing Joke and just finished The Man Who Laughs as well. Made of Wood is a nice hidden gem in the latter trade.
Next up I think I'll be reading The Long Halloween. Tempted to buy Saga vol 1 and Paper Girls vol 1 as well.
Next up I think I'll be reading The Long Halloween. Tempted to buy Saga vol 1 and Paper Girls vol 1 as well.
Just finished The French Art of War, which won the Prix Goncourt (most prestigious literary prize in France) six years ago. A very interesting book to say the least. A bit slow, a bit weird (it is a French book after all), and quite thought-provoking.
There is an English translation available, but I have no idea on whether it's just a word for word translation, or if it helps non-French readers with some extra context. It's definitely a book written for French readers.
The book is split between "commentaries", set in the 80s/90s through now-ish, and "novels", which cover the story of a Frenchman, boy scout turned résistant turned soldier from the second half of WWII through the colonial wars in French Indochina and French Algeria during the 50s and 60s.
I'm quite curious as to what any non-French readers think of it.
Next book, Nubosidad Variable, recommended by a Catalan friend of mine. No idea what I'm in for, any one here read it?
There is an English translation available, but I have no idea on whether it's just a word for word translation, or if it helps non-French readers with some extra context. It's definitely a book written for French readers.
The book is split between "commentaries", set in the 80s/90s through now-ish, and "novels", which cover the story of a Frenchman, boy scout turned résistant turned soldier from the second half of WWII through the colonial wars in French Indochina and French Algeria during the 50s and 60s.
I'm quite curious as to what any non-French readers think of it.
Next book, Nubosidad Variable, recommended by a Catalan friend of mine. No idea what I'm in for, any one here read it?
sparky2112
Member
Started this:
I know writers violate the rule, 'Grab the reader early' all the time, but this might take the cake. And overly-long take from the perspective of a 5-year-old girl walking with her mother and baby brother through a dark (possibly foreboding) city?
Yeah, wasn't in the mood, the book was hard to hold (seriously, the hardback of this is ridiculous). Shelved for the moment.
Picked this up instead:
BOOM. THAT'S MORE LIKE IT. I was weary after watching Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and Ozark in a relatively short period of time that I'd be burned out on drugs/cartels, etc. Nope. This seems like the definition of compulsively readable - it ain't a slow burn, for sure. Paragraph spacing on Kindle is weird, though.
I know writers violate the rule, 'Grab the reader early' all the time, but this might take the cake. And overly-long take from the perspective of a 5-year-old girl walking with her mother and baby brother through a dark (possibly foreboding) city?
Yeah, wasn't in the mood, the book was hard to hold (seriously, the hardback of this is ridiculous). Shelved for the moment.
Picked this up instead:
BOOM. THAT'S MORE LIKE IT. I was weary after watching Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and Ozark in a relatively short period of time that I'd be burned out on drugs/cartels, etc. Nope. This seems like the definition of compulsively readable - it ain't a slow burn, for sure. Paragraph spacing on Kindle is weird, though.
Ravensmash
Member
Definitely will, absolutely loved it. Those 900 pages flew by.
Some of these are precusors, some cyberpunk proper (though critics argue that Gibson is the only writer of cyberpunk proper):
Bester- The Stars My Destination
Rudy Rucker- Software
Bethke- Cyberpunk (It's a short story)
Gibson anything, obviously
Sterling- Schismatrix Plus; Mirrorshades (not all is cyberpunk in this anthology, but you'll get the idea pretty quickly)
Tiptree- The Girl Who was Plugged In
Effinger- When Gravity Fails
Delany- Empire Star
Stevenson- Snow Crash
Postcyberpunk:
Doctorow- Makers
Stross- Accelerando
Stevenson- The Diamond Age
Happy reading...
Thank you for this!
I've decided to shelf Neuromancer for now - but I'll try and pick up some of these in the interim.
Speaking of which - A Gentleman in Moscow? Anyone read it?
I'm a quarter of the way through and not really feeling it. It's well written no doubt, but it's slow. Very slow.
I might shelf that also, but I feel bad because that'd be two books in a week.
I do like reading, honest!
I took a long break from picking my way through this 1100 page collected works, but I'm determined to finish it by the year's end. I'm now at around the 700 page mark, so that will be doable parceled out over the next few months. I'm not sure this approach is really the optimal way to read H.P. Lovecraft, because it's tended to highlight how similar most of his work is. On the other hand, you get a pretty clear picture of how suffused his ideas about horror are with his racism.
I'm now onto Liu Cixin's Death's End, which just came out in paperback. Glad to be finishing this rather interesting and ambitious trilogy.
Just started this massive 1100+ book. I bought it a couple months ago and I've been anxious to get started. I know historians have issues with Shirer's work, but I'm looking forward to getting the first hand perspective of somebody who was there in the 1930s and early 1940s when these events were happening.
To offset some of the issues with the book, I plan to follow up with Richard J. Evans Third Reich trilogy, which I have heard nothing but great things about. Eventually I'd like to read Ian Kershaw's two volume Hitler biography, along with Volker Ullrich's two volume Hitler bio (assuming its finished in the next few years), but I imagine I'll get to these in the next few years. There is only so much reading you can do about Nazi atrocities before you need a break.
cheermancy
Member
Reading The Art of War, and The Tao of Pooh at the moment.
I'll probably start the Tao Te Ching next.
I'll probably start the Tao Te Ching next.
I can recommend Kershaw's two volumes on dear old Adolf. Very compelling (if very dense in details, as you'd expect from a two-volume biography).
Jack Scofield
Member
Just finished Dune. I liked it but the last few chapters really brought down my enjoyment as a whole.
The world-building is great but the characterization really suffers, especially in part 3 of the book.
The world-building is great but the characterization really suffers, especially in part 3 of the book.
It's definitely on my list. I've heard nothing but great things about them.
Started reading
Just started, but the beginning has got me interested. Just not sure about the prose yet, most of it is pleasant to read, but sometimes China spends a paragraph or two describing something and I feel like I have no fucking idea what he's trying to say.
Thankfully the book is fairly short, I can take it rreeeeaaaaallll slow and actually finish it before I die of old age too.
Just started, but the beginning has got me interested. Just not sure about the prose yet, most of it is pleasant to read, but sometimes China spends a paragraph or two describing something and I feel like I have no fucking idea what he's trying to say.
Thankfully the book is fairly short, I can take it rreeeeaaaaallll slow and actually finish it before I die of old age too.
Maklershed
Member
Finished Blood Royal. As pointed out recently, it's not quite the murder mystery it's made out to be BUT it's an extremely well written and interesting bit of non-fiction and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in medieval history or the history of France.
Ravensmash
Member
sparky2112
Member
I've never seen that picture before, but it's a badass cover...
WAR recon zero
Banned
28% of the IT reread
I hate Derry so much.
I hate Derry so much.
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
Slowing --ever so slowly-- proceeding through Sapiens.
sparky2112
Member
Yeah, it's become my 'also reading' book.
Switch Back 9
a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Started reading
Just started, but the beginning has got me interested. Just not sure about the prose yet, most of it is pleasant to read, but sometimes China spends a paragraph or two describing something and I feel like I have no fucking idea what he's trying to say.
Thankfully the book is fairly short, I can take it rreeeeaaaaallll slow and actually finish it before I die of old age too.
This might be my favourite Mieville book (I am a big fan though so take that for what it is)
The concept blew my mind when it finally clicked, and I loved the concept that he built.
One of the best First World War accounts you'll ever read. Fantastic book.
Started this:
I know writers violate the rule, 'Grab the reader early' all the time, but this might take the cake. And overly-long take from the perspective of a 5-year-old girl walking with her mother and baby brother through a dark (possibly foreboding) city?
Yeah, wasn't in the mood, the book was hard to hold (seriously, the hardback of this is ridiculous). Shelved for the moment.
Picked this up instead:
BOOM. THAT'S MORE LIKE IT. I was weary after watching Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and Ozark in a relatively short period of time that I'd be burned out on drugs/cartels, etc. Nope. This seems like the definition of compulsively readable - it ain't a slow burn, for sure. Paragraph spacing on Kindle is weird, though.
That's good to hear, I've been meaning to dive into Don Winslow's books soon!
ClosingADoor
Member
One of my favorite books. Takes a bit to grasp the concept of it all, but it is brilliant.Started reading
Just started, but the beginning has got me interested. Just not sure about the prose yet, most of it is pleasant to read, but sometimes China spends a paragraph or two describing something and I feel like I have no fucking idea what he's trying to say.
Thankfully the book is fairly short, I can take it rreeeeaaaaallll slow and actually finish it before I die of old age too.
If you like it, you might also enjoy Kraken from the same author.
Ravensmash
Member
Right. Unfortunately I did shelf A Gentleman in Moscow.
Technically, well written, but in a style that really doesn't agree with me. Narrator was prone to going off on tangents, very little happened in the 150 pages I read and I just didn't feel connected to the main character.
It's got fantastic reviews so I'm sure it has its merits, but not for me.
Did decide to try Underground Airlines and really liking this so far.
Technically, well written, but in a style that really doesn't agree with me. Narrator was prone to going off on tangents, very little happened in the 150 pages I read and I just didn't feel connected to the main character.
It's got fantastic reviews so I'm sure it has its merits, but not for me.
Did decide to try Underground Airlines and really liking this so far.
Funyarinpa
Member
Besides continuing with the Feynman Lectures, which I've started to feel are slightly above my level now (currently reading the introduction to special relativity), I'm also reading S. by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst.
I'd heard a few people here say that it was underwhelming. But a bit more than five chapters in, I'm absolutely loving this book. Both layers to the narrative (the "Ship of Theseus", the final novel of the cryptic author V. M. Straka; and two people who communicate through notes they write in the margins of the novel) really hooked me, and there's a peculiar vibe to both.
The book's dense with various types of text- the "Ship of Theseus" itself, the two distinct handwriting styles (with various colors) of the two people who read it and form a bond through each other's notes, the various inserts (from postcards to brochures to heartfelt letters), the "translator"s footnotes- it all comes together and forms one wondrously mysterious adventure, and I think it is amazing. The very act of opening the book and turning the pages feels like a significant act- the way the narrative is presented makes the experience of the book go beyond simply reading the text, it feels like flipping through a dusty old tome you find hidden away somewhere and read to learn about the secrets of some people who are now in the distant past and far away.
I'd heard a few people here say that it was underwhelming. But a bit more than five chapters in, I'm absolutely loving this book. Both layers to the narrative (the "Ship of Theseus", the final novel of the cryptic author V. M. Straka; and two people who communicate through notes they write in the margins of the novel) really hooked me, and there's a peculiar vibe to both.
The book's dense with various types of text- the "Ship of Theseus" itself, the two distinct handwriting styles (with various colors) of the two people who read it and form a bond through each other's notes, the various inserts (from postcards to brochures to heartfelt letters), the "translator"s footnotes- it all comes together and forms one wondrously mysterious adventure, and I think it is amazing. The very act of opening the book and turning the pages feels like a significant act- the way the narrative is presented makes the experience of the book go beyond simply reading the text, it feels like flipping through a dusty old tome you find hidden away somewhere and read to learn about the secrets of some people who are now in the distant past and far away.
I enjoyed it but its incredibly twee. You'd need to be in the right mood for it.
I think I've quit on more than two books in a day, the struggle isn't real for you yet. On the other hand, there's nothing like discovering a great book after some false starts to dispel the uncomfortable feeling that you may just be a dick who hates everything.
Speaking of hating everything, I got around to reading Sanderson and guess what? It's not all bad, the "magic system" is a lot fun even if the author's Newtonian physics could use a refresher. But I gotta say, you could write a whole thing on what bad dialogue is and why it's so using Mistborn #1 as your exclusive reference.
First of all, a lot of it isn't actually dialogue, rather a vehicle to spell out the current state of affairs explicitly and in great detail. It's the sort of thing even Bethesda stays away from at this point unless you go hunting down every tree before a point of no return in a quest. Every angle is chewed, fed, then reiterated and reminded of down the line... None of this is how people talk of course, but it happens time and time again as meetings are held and all of a character's grievances and concerns are spelled out intermixed with what Sanderson assumes are the reader's questions to be answered by one of the main characters and on and on it drags in a mock conversation.
A second scenario is what I started to think of as a kid with a couple of sock puppets playacting deal. "Kelsier, we think your ego has grown enormous, it puts everything we've done in jeopardy!" "I know it looks that way, but it's not" "oh, ok. harrumph" If you see a writer mistakenly calling some sect of prophets philosophers about 50 times, there's a good chance he doesn't have a good grasp of what makes convincing, rational arguments. "I know you're frivolous and selfish Kelsier, you can't lie to me" "That's where you're wrong about me brother!" "Well, I guess I'll go jump head first risking my life for you then." It's really as blatant as that.
The third is what you can call the "Nani?!?!" or maybe just the overly dramatic Japanese Huh? and *gasp* complex. The number of times characters chuckle at the some brazen notion our dashing main character verbalizes(after a couple of paragraphs of calling him insane of course) is rivaled only by Obama chuckling at Chaos Emeralds. I mean it, Kindle has a search function, chuckled is used over 50 times in this 550ish page book. These characters are supposed to have known each other all their lives, at some point they'll stop constantly being blown away by each other in conversation, right? Brandon, darling, when a character says something interesting I don't need everyone in the room falling out of their chair to know it.
And on and on it goes. That's just the dialogue. Sorry for rambling. I like your magic system Mistborn #1, but you're kind of insufferable otherwise. Did I mention this book has slavery and all the ham fisted bullshit that brings along? Makes Witcher 3 racism look discerning in comparison. Fuuuuaaaack.
Oi wei. Let's just plop this in a fantasy universe to reinforce how bad our bad guys are and stroll away, let it serve as backdrop.
I am currently diving hard in to Lone Wolf and Cub.
So good. Just the kind of series I needed at the moment.
I have been listing for a while regarding books with like 6 half started and unfinished, so I just want to finish these firs then probably go back to either Idiot America or one of the Nick Offerman books I have.
So good. Just the kind of series I needed at the moment.
I have been listing for a while regarding books with like 6 half started and unfinished, so I just want to finish these firs then probably go back to either Idiot America or one of the Nick Offerman books I have.
Oh yeah. It's a very insightful and entertaining read.. there's a distinct contrast between it and Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front.
I think that I read the first 15-16 volumes of Lone Wolf and cub, back when Dark Horse was publishing them with Frank Miller covers.
I always wondered how many people Ogami Ittō kills during the course of that series. I wouldn't be surprised if it was over 1000.
FlowersisBritish
fleurs n'est pas britannique
An acquaintance I know recently had her short story Trunk of Crows published so I figured I'd give it a share for those interested. It's alright, not my favorite, but that might just be my bitterness at her getting published
Also have been going through J. D Salinger's Nine Stories and holy crap I never knew the man could write so well. I'm picking up so many small tricks from his thoughtful prose.
Also have been going through J. D Salinger's Nine Stories and holy crap I never knew the man could write so well. I'm picking up so many small tricks from his thoughtful prose.
Cool, looks like I'll make a huge pot of coffee tonight and take time to really delve into it. I've always been a sucker for imaginative concepts, this definitely motivates me to to go on despite the somewhat difficult text.
Psychotic_Mantis
Member
Finished:
Being from CLE and going through all of this, it was quite an enjoyable read. I am not a Windhorst fan but I do like McMenamin. Quality read if you are interested in Cleveland, Cavs, Basketball. Lot of unnecessary stats that stretched the length though.
Trying to finish:
I have picked this up multiple times over the years and I just have so much trouble with it. I am not a fan of the style and I am constantly confused with how much praise it received. I want to finish it to see if it grabs me at any point.
Starting after WWZ:
I was a huge fan of The Kind Worth Killing. Was not a fan of Her Every Fear.
Being from CLE and going through all of this, it was quite an enjoyable read. I am not a Windhorst fan but I do like McMenamin. Quality read if you are interested in Cleveland, Cavs, Basketball. Lot of unnecessary stats that stretched the length though.
Trying to finish:
I have picked this up multiple times over the years and I just have so much trouble with it. I am not a fan of the style and I am constantly confused with how much praise it received. I want to finish it to see if it grabs me at any point.
Starting after WWZ:
I was a huge fan of The Kind Worth Killing. Was not a fan of Her Every Fear.
Just finished The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley. It definitely picks up after the midway point.
Some spoileryness:
Anyway, that was probably a bigger rant than that book deserved and maybe i'll copy and paste it into a Goodreads review or something but I ended up quite enjoying that book despite a weak start, some bizarre choices by some characters who are smart enough to know better and some overall just strange choices. Mori's character and his abilities really pull it all together in an enjoyable if predictable way.
Anyway, I've got a big ol' book pile next to my bed and on the top of it is N.K Jemisin's The Killing Moon. I was originally going to read The Fifth Season next, but The Killing Moon has been on my to-read list for longer.
Some spoileryness:
Ironically for a book about a man who can remember the future, it was an incredibly predictable story but one that was pretty fun at least.
The thing I did really like about it was the portrayal of Mori's abilities and their downside. He remembers everything that can possibly happen in his future but the moment those futures can no longer happen, he forgets them. As a result forgretting everything he learned in that timeline. At a point he basically forgets how to speak English because he only learned how to speak it by spending time with a friend and the future in which he spent time with that friend becomes increasingly less likely to actually occur, so his memories of learning English start to fade away.
In times where the future is certain he is a fully functional, incredibly smart and slightly scary man and then when the futures are less certain he can barely remember how to communicate, how to talk to people, what he should be doing. I feel like Pulley doesn't really use this facet of his abilities as much as she could have though but using it to give us some sympathy for a manipulative man who let a bomb go off that he could have prevented solely so he could meet a friend somehow manages to work. And in the end
The thing I did really like about it was the portrayal of Mori's abilities and their downside. He remembers everything that can possibly happen in his future but the moment those futures can no longer happen, he forgets them. As a result forgretting everything he learned in that timeline. At a point he basically forgets how to speak English because he only learned how to speak it by spending time with a friend and the future in which he spent time with that friend becomes increasingly less likely to actually occur, so his memories of learning English start to fade away.
In times where the future is certain he is a fully functional, incredibly smart and slightly scary man and then when the futures are less certain he can barely remember how to communicate, how to talk to people, what he should be doing. I feel like Pulley doesn't really use this facet of his abilities as much as she could have though but using it to give us some sympathy for a manipulative man who let a bomb go off that he could have prevented solely so he could meet a friend somehow manages to work. And in the end
using it to give us some doubt as to how far he did end up going for his friend.
And whether we're okay with that knowing what would have happened to him had he lost all the memories that basically shaped him. He moved to England to meet Thaniel and live with him and be his friend, he learned English via him, he remembers all these happy moments with him that shaped his love for him and shaped his love for certain artwork and music. Losing those memories would be losing himself...but he had to destroy Thaniel's marriage to do it.
And whether we're okay with that knowing what would have happened to him had he lost all the memories that basically shaped him. He moved to England to meet Thaniel and live with him and be his friend, he learned English via him, he remembers all these happy moments with him that shaped his love for him and shaped his love for certain artwork and music. Losing those memories would be losing himself...but he had to destroy Thaniel's marriage to do it.
Also also i'm only really using "Friend" as a spoiler sensitive term. Given they end living together, adopting a child and such I think it's pretty clear they are meant to be more than that. Mori and Grace's battle is for Thaniel's love, not his friendship.
Anyway, that was probably a bigger rant than that book deserved and maybe i'll copy and paste it into a Goodreads review or something but I ended up quite enjoying that book despite a weak start, some bizarre choices by some characters who are smart enough to know better and some overall just strange choices. Mori's character and his abilities really pull it all together in an enjoyable if predictable way.
Anyway, I've got a big ol' book pile next to my bed and on the top of it is N.K Jemisin's The Killing Moon. I was originally going to read The Fifth Season next, but The Killing Moon has been on my to-read list for longer.
Currently reading
My Absolute Darling, by Gabriel Tallent.
Oh dear.
The blurb "An outstanding book that could be this years A Little Life - Guardian" on the Amazon page did it. I took a chance and bought the hardback. I think I wish I hadn't.
Unlike A Little Life, which seduces you with its engaging characters, lovely writing, and veneer of normalcy, this book basically punches you in the face repeatedly from page one.
it is GRIM.
My Absolute Darling, by Gabriel Tallent.
Oh dear.
The blurb "An outstanding book that could be this years A Little Life - Guardian" on the Amazon page did it. I took a chance and bought the hardback. I think I wish I hadn't.
Unlike A Little Life, which seduces you with its engaging characters, lovely writing, and veneer of normalcy, this book basically punches you in the face repeatedly from page one.
it is GRIM.
Currently reading
My Absolute Darling, by Gabriel Tallent.
Oh dear.
The blurb "An outstanding book that could be this years A Little Life - Guardian" on the Amazon page did it. I took a chance and bought the hardback. I think I wish I hadn't.
Unlike A Little Life, which seduces you with its engaging characters, lovely writing, and veneer of normalcy, this book basically punches you in the face repeatedly from page one.
it is GRIM.
Is it the kind of grim that keeps it from being an engaging read, or is it mega heavy and also really well done?
Well, I put off reading it for most of today, so there's that. But I was only on page 50 or so and upon picking it up again it took a turn for the unexpectedly hilarious. One thing that worried me was that it seemed rather unsubtle, but it is a bit soon to judge what it is trying to do. I'm cautiously hopeful now, at least.
I was browsing through my Kindle the other day, came across Runaway by Alice Munro. I originally downloaded it like a year ago based on a podcast's recommendation, but didn't read it cause short stories lol. Read one story that night and one today and it's so good. It's early yet, but ho am I looking forward to the next story.
On an unrelated note, does Quicksilver ever find a plot? The prose is superb Neal Stephenson and he's gushing over his science nerd heroes the way he likes to, but it would be nice if the story got going. Somewhere past page 50 now and wondering.
On an unrelated note, does Quicksilver ever find a plot? The prose is superb Neal Stephenson and he's gushing over his science nerd heroes the way he likes to, but it would be nice if the story got going. Somewhere past page 50 now and wondering.