Support NeoGAF

[TTG]

And my review of The Fellowship of the Ring.

I would love to buy it, but I only have a kobo, I don't know how much I would lost in conversion to epub

I use Calibre to convert from epub to mobi often and I can't really name any drawbacks. Table of contents and footnotes are carried over, formatting is good, it's got all of the functionality of the native format short of Amazon's x-ray. But, would you even be able to? I just tried converting an Amazon book off a kindle and it's got DRM.

 

[Chiaroscuro]

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon et al. is on sale for $1.99 on Amazon Kindle

Link

Amazon US? It is showing $17 for me (?).


Edited: English edition on Amazon BR is US$6 while the Portuguese Edition is US$9. It belongs to a series, right? Three books. I will add them to my wish list, premisse seems interesting.

 

[xeroborn55]

I finished Whiplash by Joi Ito and Jeff Howe yesterday. It was interesting but as someone who is interested in technology and tries to stay semi-current on trends not a whole lot of it was new to me. Overall, I kind of have a hard time recommending it.

Started Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil. Really enjoying it so far.

 

[Bonethug]

Amazon US? It is showing $17 for me (?).


Edited: English edition on Amazon BR is US$6 while the Portuguese Edition is US$9. It belongs to a series, right? Three books. I will add them to my wish list, premisse seems interesting.

Yeah, Amazon US.
It is part of a series. I am not sure if the rest are as highly regarded as the first.

 

[BrokenFiction]

Started Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil. Really enjoying it so far.

Just finished it the other week. You'll want to delete all your online accounts soon after.

 

[Jag]

Finished the first 4 out of 5 Traitor Son Cycle books by Miles Cameron. It's his first series apparently and he did a fantastic job. Very thick and dense, but never boring. The last book is scheduled for October.

It's an interesting mix of gritty medieval fantasy that takes you from the trenches of a mercenary company to the highest offices in the land. The author is a clear lover of chivalry and knighthood and I had to look up a large number of words on my Kindle, something I rarely do.

 

[Chiaroscuro]

Yeah, Amazon US.
It is part of a series. I am not sure if the rest are as highly regarded as the first.

Nope, not showing in the US Kindle Daily Deals for me, and the link you posted is showing US$17 as the price.

Strange, I never had problemd buying from US Amazon even outside US...

 

[X-Frame]

I'm disappointed hearing the impressions of Babylon's Ashes. I tore through the first several books and the ending of Nemesis Games seemed to indicate shit was about to get real -- but that's not what B.A. seems to be about?

I'll read it anyway but I wonder if these last two installments were because of them stretching the series out.

 

[Funyarinpa]

I would love to buy it, but I only have a kobo, I don't know how much I would lost in conversion to epub

There's a plugin out there that can remove DRM from Kindle books.

Beyond that, the only thing I miss about reading Kindle-bought novels on a Kobo is the X-Ray function and the fact that when converted to Kobo ePub format, a few pages sometimes display the wrong page number (but you still swipe between them in the correct order, so sometimes it jumps from page 16 to page 35 only to come back to page 17 a couple pages later, and this usually happens in chapter jumps and stuff.)

edit: Shadow of the Wind has amazing prose holy shit.

 

[sparky2112]

I'm about to start Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. Seems like a doozy, but heard it was a good novel for those facing depression and the struggles of life.

If you're dealing with even mild addiction issues, which I am, it's like a stab in the heart. But I've read it twice, so it's a good stabbing.

The buzz for this book has been amazing. I need to put it at the top of the pile...

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Gaf recommended (and maybe former gaf book club?)

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon et al. is on sale for $1.99 on Amazon Kindle

Link

Cool, thanks for the link!

How do you guys keep up with Kindle discounts on books? Like, recently I checked Amazon and Lies of Locke Lamora was only $2, but I wouldn't have known that if not for the off-chance of checking. Is there a Slickdeals-like site for acclaimed e-book deals?

 

[sparky2112]

Cool, thanks for the link!

How do you guys keep up with Kindle discounts on books? Like, recently I checked Amazon and Lies of Locke Lamora was only $2, but I wouldn't have known that if not for the off-chance of checking. Is there a Slickdeals-like site for acclaimed e-book deals?

There's a Kindle daily alert from Amazon that you can sign up for on the site.
There's Goodread's Book Deals, which you can find there.
There's Bookbub - just Google it.

 

[Maklershed]

Cool, thanks for the link!

How do you guys keep up with Kindle discounts on books? Like, recently I checked Amazon and Lies of Locke Lamora was only $2, but I wouldn't have known that if not for the off-chance of checking. Is there a Slickdeals-like site for acclaimed e-book deals?

There's a Kindle daily alert from Amazon that you can sign up for on the site.
There's Goodread's Book Deals, which you can find there.
There's Bookbub - just Google it.

My main way of finding deals is adding all the books I'm even mildly interested in to my wishlist on Amazon and then I check it every morning and sort by price lowest to highest to see what dropped to $3 or less.

Also, there's the ebookdeals subreddit but it seems to be a lot of epub garbage that people post. Occasionally you find something good though.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ebookdeals/

 

[Funyarinpa]

My main way of finding deals is adding all the books I'm even mildly interested in to my wishlist on Amazon and then I check it every morning and sort by price lowest to highest to see what dropped to $3 or less.

Pretty much what I do, but do keep in mind that Amazon's wishlists have a feature to filter for items with price drops.

 

[sparky2112]

My main way of finding deals is adding all the books I'm even mildly interested in to my wishlist on Amazon and then I check it every morning and sort by price lowest to highest to see what dropped to $3 or less.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ebookdeals/

What? Leveraging technology? Who would have thought? (I didn't, that's for sure, but I will gladly steal your technique!)

Only problem with this is, it assumes they're on my Wishlist. This is also how my Kindle library is approaching 500 items.

 

[old]

IRS publication 4491

 

[Hanzou]

I'm disappointed hearing the impressions of Babylon's Ashes. I tore through the first several books and the ending of Nemesis Games seemed to indicate shit was about to get real -- but that's not what B.A. seems to be about?

I'll read it anyway but I wonder if these last two installments were because of them stretching the series out.

Is the series done after Babylon's ashes or is it continuing one. I am about to read nemesis games and just realized I not sure if I ever heard how long of a series they were going for with this.

 

[aidan]

Is the series done after Babylon's ashes or is it continuing one. I am about to read nemesis games and just realized I not sure if I ever heard how long of a series they were going for with this.

There will be 10 books in total.

 

[arkon]

I also use ereaderiq. You can check the site for latest price drops daily, setup email alerts for books from specific authors etc and more advanced stuff. I just use it for basic email alerts and the occasional browse of price on the US/UK stores

edit:

There will be 10 books in total.

source?

I thought they were sticking to 9 books in total i.e. 3 more left to finish out the series

 

[Haly]

Is this new? If so, gigaton:

 

[arkon]

Is this new? If so, gigaton:

It's not new. They've been doing the matchbook thing for a while but publishers have to sign up to it and not all of them agree with that practice.

edit:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/digital/ep-landing-page

you can see all the relevant books in your purchase history that meet the criteria for the matchbook price on that page.

 

[Megalosaro]

BelIchick and Brady: Two Men, The Patriots and how they changed the nfL

Pretty good

 

[meyers5j]

Recently finished Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear and Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. After finishing the Book of the New Sun I needed to cleanse my palate a bit with some shorter books.

Hull Zero Three I generally enjoyed. I felt like it could've done a lot more with exploring the mysterious scary ship thing and it also ended kind of abruptly, but overall a decent book.

I can not say the same about Annihilation. It felt like there was no meaningful dialogue besides the last conversation with the psychologist, and almost all of the other dialogue occurred during flashbacks that themselves didn't seem particularly necessary for the rest of the story. All the flashbacks seemed like they could be summarized by "I'm a biologist and I don't like other people as much as I like biology," and "Here is another story about me being a biologist who doesn't get along with other people." Oh well, I can see why other people liked it, I was just not a fan. It wasn't terrible, by any means.

Currently, I'm ~300 pages into The Terror by Dan Simmons. I can definitely see why some people find it a slog as there are very long stretches with no dialogue (although a lot of times there are descriptions of conversations). Usually I don't like that (see above), but I'm really enjoying the book so far. I'm having a hard time imagining how it will continue for another 450ish pages, though.

 

[Professor Crate]

Almost done. I think I have about 3 chapters to go. Chapter 21 Spoilers:

Spoiler

Maelcum reviving a flatined Case with dub music and drugs during the Straylight run? The best

 

[aidan]

source?

I thought they were sticking to 9 books in total i.e. 3 more left to finish out the series

I double-checked, and, yeah, you're right, it'll be nine books. I was confusing it with Sanderson's Stormlight series.

 

[MotionBlue]

Just finished reading Good Morning, Midnight. Really good, portrayed loneliness and antiscoial behavior a little too accurately. To the extent where I could see my own behaviors mirrored in the male protagonist.

Book spoilers

Spoiler

The ending was a crushing, despite the author trying to end on a happy note. The male scientist dies alone, and full of regret. The child he cared for, and what pushed him to survive revealed to be dementia.

Meanwhile, his real daughter(Sully) he abandoned survives her journey from Jupiter. She forgives herself for behavior that mirrored her father, and finds love. The big twist being that she is the daughter of the male protagonist.

All of this set to the back drop of the apocalypse that is never explained. Is Sullys' landing pod going to drop into radioactive debris? Bio/chemical weapons? I want to know more, but this novel appears to be a one off. Fuck.

 

[Maklershed]

I double-checked, and, yeah, you're right, it'll be nine books. I was confusing it with Sanderson's Stormlight series.

Which will come first - the next ASOIAF book or the next Stormlight book?

 

[arkon]

Which will come first - the next ASOIAF book or the next Stormlight book?

It's technically still possible for the next aSoIaF book to come out first but that would require GRRM to submit it to his publishers at least 3 months before Stormlight 3 (down for November 2017 release). Not bloody likely though.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Which will come first - the next ASOIAF book or the next Stormlight book?

this is not a serious question, surely...

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Which will come first - the next ASOIAF book or the next Stormlight book?

It's technically still possible for the next aSoIaF book to come out first but that would require GRRM to submit it to his publishers at least 3 months before Stormlight 3 (down for November 2017 release). Not bloody likely though.

this is not a serious question, surely...

We will probably get Stormlight 3 and 4 before we see Winds.

 

[xeroborn55]

Just finished it the other week. You'll want to delete all your online accounts soon after.

holy shit, 'Weapons of Math Destruction' is something else. the first few chapters I wasn't quite buying the author's ideas. by the end she had convinced me. fantastic book.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Reading the Hobbit (comes free with Amazon Prime) right now and the pace is incredible. The story doesn't let up; the author rarely meanders.

As a huge fan of Lord of the Rings, and this being the first work I've read from Tolkien, I'm finding it pretty awesome and special to familiarize myself with the beginnings of the amazing world.

 

[kevin1025]

We will probably get Stormlight 3 and 4 before we see Winds.

I think we'll get Winds before Stormlight 4, but Spring won't be happening (and I don't mean that in a death way, I just think the work will peter out and other projects will take over and the TV show is, while different, effectively the ending).

 

[Mumei]

Reading the Hobbit (comes free with Amazon Prime) right now and the pace is incredible. The story doesn't let up; the author rarely meanders.

As a huge fan of Lord of the Rings, and this being the first work I've read from Tolkien, I'm finding it pretty awesome and special to familiarize myself with the beginnings of the amazing world.

Are you going to read Lord of the Rings next?

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Are you going to read Lord of the Rings next?

Not sure. I might have to because the last couple of fantasy series I've tried just have done nothing for me. I swear, ever since the first three novels of Song of Ice and Fire I've felt like an addict chasing the dragon for that same fantasy high only to be disappointed.

 

[X-Frame]

Reading the Hobbit (comes free with Amazon Prime) right now and the pace is incredible. The story doesn't let up; the author rarely meanders.

As a huge fan of Lord of the Rings, and this being the first work I've read from Tolkien, I'm finding it pretty awesome and special to familiarize myself with the beginnings of the amazing world.

The Hobbit was the first "real" book that I read and that I really really liked. I read it when I was 12-13 and still have the copy of it today, though it is in bad shape from all the re-reads and letting others borrow it.

I actually still haven't read the LotR though.

 

[Mumei]

Not sure. I might have to because the last couple of fantasy series I've tried just have done nothing for me. I swear, ever since the first three novels of Song of Ice and Fire I've felt like an addict chasing the dragon for that same fantasy high only to be disappointed.

It's a very different experience than The Hobbit; it reads more like a weird sort of narrative history (complete with long discursions on various subjects), except set in a fantasy realm.

What other fantasy series have you tried recently?

 

[Fluffernutter Pancake]

The Secret History of Twin Peaks..............need to get through this before Season 3 is released.......have made it through the first few chapters, but the old 1800s Lewis & Clark and Native American history parts are a bit of a slog.....

 

[Shadybiz]

GAF told me to read this, as it is appropriate for the current times. About 50 pages in, and liking it so far.

 

[Chiaroscuro]

Are you going to read Lord of the Rings next?

Not sure. I might have to because the last couple of fantasy series I've tried just have done nothing for me. I swear, ever since the first three novels of Song of Ice and Fire I've felt like an addict chasing the dragon for that same fantasy high only to be disappointed.

The Hobbit was the first "real" book that I read and that I really really liked. I read it when I was 12-13 and still have the copy of it today, though it is in bad shape from all the re-reads and letting others borrow it.

I actually still haven't read the LotR though.

It's a very different experience than The Hobbit; it reads more like a weird sort of narrative history (complete with long discursions on various subjects), except set in a fantasy realm.

What other fantasy series have you tried recently?

I loved The Hobbit, but LotR is one of that books that really kill my reading enthusiasm. I know the first book should be one with the least action and things should get better, but all that descriptions made me stop reading it. And Tom Bombadil. That part was beyond awful. But I have to try again reading it someday, it is a black spot in my reading career.

 

[TTG]

I loved The Hobbit, but LotR is one of that books that really kill my reading enthusiasm. I know the first book should be one with the least action and things should get better, but all that descriptions made me stop reading it. And Tom Bombadil. That part was beyond awful. But I have to try again reading it someday, it is a black spot in my reading career.

How are we talking about a book I just finished twice in the same week?

Anyway, I wouldn't call it a black spot, not The Fellowship of the Ring anyway. There's just not enough depth there. Tom Bombadil, well I totally understand why Peter Jackson cut him from the movie. I think that was Tolkien's attempt to tie in some classic folkorish types into the world.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

It's a very different experience than The Hobbit; it reads more like a weird sort of narrative history (complete with long discursions on various subjects), except set in a fantasy realm.

What other fantasy series have you tried recently?

Really enjoyed:

The Stand
The Lies of Locke Lamora

Thought they were alright:

The Lions of Al-Rassan
Shadow & Claw (The Book of the New Sun)

Read the free sample on Kindle but didn't enjoy enough to buy:

The Name of the Wind
The Way of Kings
The Blade Itself

In terms of fantastical settings, I've had more luck with finding books I love in the sci-fi genre:

The Forever War
1984
Hyperion
The Fall of Hyperion
Dune

All of these are amazing, in my opinion.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Not sure. I might have to because the last couple of fantasy series I've tried just have done nothing for me. I swear, ever since the first three novels of Song of Ice and Fire I've felt like an addict chasing the dragon for that same fantasy high only to be disappointed.

Who have you read, if I may ask? Maybe we can help with your dragon slaying.

Edit - ack, just saw your post above.

 

[Mumei]

I loved The Hobbit, but LotR is one of that books that really kill my reading enthusiasm. I know the first book should be one with the least action and things should get better, but all that descriptions made me stop reading it. And Tom Bombadil. That part was beyond awful. But I have to try again reading it someday, it is a black spot in my reading career.

I like your username. What made you chose it?

And I felt the same way when I first read The Lord of the Rings. I finished it, but I felt kind of ambivalent about it. It wasn't until after reading a lot of Edmond Dantès' posts about the background information that I got interested in reading it again, about ten years after I first read it. I enjoyed it much more the second time through.

Really enjoyed:

The Stand
The Lies of Locke Lamora

Thought they were alright:

The Lions of Al-Rassan
Shadow & Claw (The Book of the New Sun)

Read the free sample on Kindle but didn't enjoy enough to buy:

The Name of the Wind
The Way of Kings
The Blade Itself

In terms of fantastical settings, I've had more luck with finding books I love in the sci-fi genre:

The Forever War
1984
Hyperion
The Fall of Hyperion
Dune

All of these are amazing, in my opinion.

Listen, 1984 and Dune and Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion are definitely all great, but I just can't approve of The Book of the New Sun being merely "alright." :|

 

[Switch Back 9]

Listen, 1984 and Dune and Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion are definitely all great, but I just can't approve of The Book of the New Sun being merely "alright." :|

You tell him Mumei!

 

[BrokenFiction]

Listen, 1984 and Dune and Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion are definitely all great, but I just can't approve of The Book of the New Sun being merely "alright." :|

Yes, this is a true statement. Wolfe's Army Assemble.

 

[TTG]

Yes, this is a true statement. Wolfe's Army Assemble.

You can have my axe!

Spoiler

That scene is nowhere to be found in the book, nor does Boromir tell the council one does not just walk into Mordor.

 

[More_Badass]

Currently, I'm ~300 pages into The Terror by Dan Simmons. I can definitely see why some people find it a slog as there are very long stretches with no dialogue (although a lot of times there are descriptions of conversations). Usually I don't like that (see above), but I'm really enjoying the book so far. I'm having a hard time imagining how it will continue for another 450ish pages, though.

AMC is actually planning to do an adaptation of the book. But they described it as an anthology series, so I'm not sure exactly how they're going to do it

 

[Maklershed]

Really enjoyed:

The Stand
The Lies of Locke Lamora

Thought they were alright:

The Lions of Al-Rassan
Shadow & Claw (The Book of the New Sun)

Read the free sample on Kindle but didn't enjoy enough to buy:

The Name of the Wind
The Way of Kings
The Blade Itself

In terms of fantastical settings, I've had more luck with finding books I love in the sci-fi genre:

The Forever War
1984
Hyperion
The Fall of Hyperion
Dune

All of these are amazing, in my opinion.

Might I recommend The Chronicles of the Black Company?


The Black Company by Glen Cook

Books 1-3 are sorta one story and then 4-10 is another (with mostly the same characters). Surprisingly it gets better with every book.

 

[Ruruja]

Reading through the Harry Potter series again, for the first time since the first time!

Still as magical as ever, I'm up to Order of the Phoenix.