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[kswiston]

Those who are into audiobooks, or generally curious about audible: There is currently a "first in the series" sale going on at (US?) Audible for members. All titles are between $5-7, and there are a ton of great books to choose from. Now is a pretty good time to check out a trial membership if you are curious. Most of these audiobooks sell for $15-40 on Amazon.

http://www.audible.com/mt/First-in-...rd_i=5000&pf_rd_p=2901929922&pf_rd_s=center-2


I finished the Johnstown Flood today by David McCullough. It was a solid popular history book. I can only imagine having to live through an event like that.


I picked up Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman, and will likely read that next. It's nice and short, and I am falling behind on my Goodreads goal for the first time in several years. Watching Babylon 5 for the first time has stolen most of my reading time (currently on S4 Ep8).

 

[Alucard]

For anyone looking to read Norse Mythology, I recommend the audio book. Gaiman does an excellent job bringing his stories to life.

 

[lawnchair]

finally finished Jerusalem, my god was that long. too long. i was ready to be done with it a month ago but i pushed through.

it's quite an accomplishment as a book, a history of a place, a philosophy of time, a complete and fleshed out world with interesting characters etc. i respect its ambition. that said, it was just too much for me. i feel like it could've been half as long. it usually gets where it wants to go, and parts of it are very rewarding, but it just takes so long to get there that once it does you're just kinda over it. it'll be a while before i pick up a 1000+ page book again.

 

[Zelenogorsk]

I picked Wise Man's Fear back up and I'm about 100 pages in.

Spoiler

Kvothe just went to Devi for tuition

and I feel like I'm having deja vu. I really want Kvothe to just

Spoiler

leave the university already.

Maybe I just want that to happen so he has no reason not to

Spoiler

fuck up Ambrose

who is probably the most easily hateable character in any book I've ever read.

 

[aravuus]

For the first time ever I decided to buy a book just cause I've heard good things about the writer and the cover looks real fucking slick

Just look at that. That's a damn fine looking book. The actual book looks even better cause the black on the cover is this smooth matte material. Hopefully the actual book is a good read lmao.

My one and only bookshelf is actually filled with all kinds of electronic trash like raspberry pis I've barely ever used for anything, and tons and tons of cables. Maybe I'll finally start filling it with books.

 

[Peru]

Middlemarch is so great, with funny bits of dialogue or just fine observations about people:



I could grab more, but you get the point. It's great. <3

I'm glad you're doing this because I felt there was a burden on me to do so when the book was brought up. But then I'd have to read through it again to find choice quotes. Which I will do anyway, soon enough. (Sidenote: top rated quotes like what you find on goodreads are never among the actual best ones)

There are plenty of sharp observations and scarily relevant jabs in the book, like your first example, but also mild beauty in so many of these quotes.

 

[Jag]

For the first time ever I decided to buy a book just cause I've heard good things about the writer and the cover looks real fucking slick

I really enjoyed this series, Shattered Sea Trilogy, but it hasn't been as popular as Abercrombie's other ones. The worldbuilding is a bit slow, but the character development is great. I think Book 2 is the best in the bunch and is centered around my favorite character. I think it is actually billed as YA, but this is more grimdark YA.

 

[Killua]

Those who are into audiobooks, or generally curious about audible: There is currently a "first in the series" sale going on at (US?) Audible for members. All titles are between $5-7, and there are a ton of great books to choose from. Now is a pretty good time to check out a trial membership if you are curious. Most of these audiobooks sell for $15-40 on Amazon.

http://www.audible.com/mt/First-in-...rd_i=5000&pf_rd_p=2901929922&pf_rd_s=center-2

Yeah this is pretty great. I was able to get The Fifth Season, The Name of The Wind, and Ender's Shadow for under $20.

The deal is until February 27th so I might grab a few more books this weekend.

 

[Funyarinpa]

Is anyone else unable to follow the pace of audiobooks? English isn't my native language and even though I'm really proficient, I've had trouble following some essays I bought the audiobooks of (they were cheaper than a full book), but then again maybe a Thoreau text isn't the most approachable thing for a 17 year old.

If y'all think that fiction works better as audio, I might delve into my Audible trial and get Norse Mythology

 

[Alucard]

Is anyone else unable to follow the pace of audiobooks? English isn't my native language and even though I'm really proficient, I've had trouble following some essays I bought the audiobooks of (they were cheaper than a full book), but then again maybe a Thoreau text isn't the most approachable thing for a 17 year old.

If y'all think that fiction works better as audio, I might delve into my Audible trial and get Norse Mythology

I can't imagine listening to essays in audio book format depending on the depth of the topic.

I do think fiction probably works better than academic content in audio format. I'd recommend Norse Mythology with your Audible credit. It's what I used it on this month.


The issue with audio books in general is that they require absolute focus and attention at the best of times, so if your attention is divided with other brain activity, they're harder to get in general. I only listen to them when I'm doing some menial work like washing dishes or walking. &#128578; Never while I'm doing stuff online.

 

[aravuus]

I really enjoyed this series, Shattered Sea Trilogy, but it hasn't been as popular as Abercrombie's other ones. The worldbuilding is a bit slow, but the character development is great. I think Book 2 is the best in the bunch and is centered around my favorite character. I think it is actually billed as YA, but this is more grimdark YA.

Yeah, I just noticed it's being sold as young adult fantasy and I was thinking that it sounds a bit weird to me lol. There's been a lot of death already, though I suppose the descriptions aren't quite as detailed here.

Either way, I'm already a hundred pages in, the rapid pace sucked me in right away. Setting came as a positive surprise too. Are the other Abercrombie books this fast-paced too? Cause if yes, I'll definitely check them out too somewhere down the line.

e: I love how the book feels in my hand, but I think I'll get the rest of the Abercrombie stuff in English for kindle. Got this first one in Finnish. Maybe I'll buy the second and third book in Finnish later on, so Half a King won't have to sit alone on the shelf lol.

 

[Jag]

Are the other Abercrombie books this fast-paced too? Cause if yes, I'll definitely check them out too somewhere down the line.

I think so. His First Law series is one of my favorites and has some great characters. I'll be interested in what you think of this series (especially Book 2!) because it doesn't get the exposure it deserves.

 

[DemWalls]

For the first time ever I decided to buy a book just cause I've heard good things about the writer and the cover looks real fucking slick

Just look at that. That's a damn fine looking book. The actual book looks even better cause the black on the cover is this smooth matte material. Hopefully the actual book is a good read lmao.

My one and only bookshelf is actually filled with all kinds of electronic trash like raspberry pis I've barely ever used for anything, and tons and tons of cables. Maybe I'll finally start filling it with books.

A good book, aesthetically and otherwise, but I prefer the cover of the English edition. Blue/White FTW.

And yeah, read the other books from Joe. They all go from good to great.

 

[Funyarinpa]

I can't imagine listening to essays in audio book format depending on the depth of the topic.

I do think fiction probably works better than academic content in audio format. I'd recommend Norse Mythology with your Audible credit. It's what I used it on this month.


The issue with audio books in general is that they require absolute focus and attention at the best of times, so if your attention is divided with other brain activity, they're harder to get in general. I only listen to them when I'm doing some menial work like washing dishes or walking. &#128578; Never while I'm doing stuff online.

Got it. Welp.

Any you-HAVE-to-experience-it level recommendations?

Might pick up a Murakami novel or Lincoln In The Bardo...

 

[wild wild rice]

Help. I just ordered too many books.

Handmaiden's Tale- Atwood
Huck Out West- R. Coover
Tibetan Book of the Dead- Uhh...
Giovanni's Room, The Fire Next Time- James Baldwin
The Argonauts- Maggie Nelson
Tenth of December- Saunders

Probably gonna read Huck Out West first. I'm such a sucker for subversive or otherwise historical fiction a la Lincoln in the Bardo, Mason & Dixon, some of DeLillo's work, etc. Actually, anyone care to recommend others in this vein.

Also looking for recommendations for writers who speak in a somewhat plain and straight forward yet intensely direct conversational style, like James Baldwin or Henry Miller. Not minimalist or realist per se, just writers who make you feel like you're sitting down and having a beer and listening to a story be told by a great talker.

 

[Mifune]

Got it. Welp.

Any you-HAVE-to-experience-it level recommendations?

Might pick up a Murakami novel or Lincoln In The Bardo...

I'm not an audio book guy but I hear Cloud Atlas is phenomenal. The little I heard from it was great, anyway.

 

[Intheflorsh]

I'm more than halfway through Gardens of the Moon, it's pretty enjoyable. It definitely lived up to its reputation for being very confusing at first, but around 100 pages or so in I felt like I had enough information and context to understand the plot. The only thing I still don't really get is what

Spoiler

"warrens" are and how mages use them.

 

[fakefaker]

Finished up Remy's Dilemma by Andrew Snook last night. It liked it, but it lacked a certain charm to make it great. My next read is The Borrowed by Chan Ho-Kei, which is a Hong Kong Crime saga over 5 decades. From the reviews its gotten it sounds pretty damn good.

 

[Funyarinpa]

I'm not an audio book guy but I hear Cloud Atlas is phenomenal. The little I heard from it was great, anyway.

Thanks! I was looking into Cloud Atlas, but tried to read a bit of it and it felt all too complicated (the first part at least).

Anyone actually listened to Cloud Atlas?

 

[Mifune]

Help. I just ordered too many books.

Handmaiden's Tale- Atwood
Huck Out West- R. Coover
Tibetan Book of the Dead- Uhh...
Giovanni's Room, The Fire Next Time- James Baldwin
The Argonauts- Maggie Nelson
Tenth of December- Saunders

Probably gonna read Huck Out West first. I'm such a sucker for subversive or otherwise historical fiction a la Lincoln in the Bardo, Mason & Dixon, some of DeLillo's work, etc. Actually, anyone care to recommend others in this vein.

Heck of a list you got there.

I'm currently reading Viet Thanh Nguyen's The Sympathizer and I think it fits that particular historical fictive bill. Sly and subversive, for sure. Also, Cryptonomicon, but who am I kidding, based on your list you've probably read it already. If not, do so - it's like Neal Stephenson's take on Gravity's Rainbow. Sorta.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

I'm more than halfway through Gardens of the Moon, it's pretty enjoyable. It definitely lived up to its reputation for being very confusing at first, but around 100 pages or so in I felt like I had enough information and context to understand the plot. The only thing I still don't really get is what

Spoiler

"warrens" are and how mages use them.

Represent! I'm also a bit more than halfway through Gardens of the Moon. I don't think it's been fully explained what Warrens are. I simply understand them as magical, space-time warping portals.

I'm really enjoying certain parts of the book, particularly how batshit crazy this world is. It reminds me of the Souls series in atmosphere, and for that I like that not everything is explained. There's a lot of mystery shrouding the world.

I do hope Erikson's characterizations improve in the later novels. Every character is so busy "glowering" or "smiling" or "muttering" or "sighing" that I can't separate their indenties in my head.

 

[Intheflorsh]

Represent! I'm also a bit more than halfway through Gardens of the Moon. I don't think it's been fully explained what Warrens are. I simply understand them as magical, space-time warping portals.

I'm really enjoying certain parts of the book, particularly how batshit crazy this world is. It reminds me of the Souls series in atmosphere, and for that I like that not everything is explained. There's a lot of mystery shrouding the world.

I do hope Erikson's characterizations improve in the later novels. Every character is so busy "glowering" or "smiling" or "muttering" or "sighing" that I can't separate their indenties in my head.

Take a shot every time a character "raises an eyebrow".

Kruppe is pretty awesome at least.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Take a shot every time a character "raises an eyebrow".

Kruppe is pretty awesome at least.

Wasted by the second page.

I swear to god, there was a sentence where a character "smiled a smile" or some shit. Erikson is a very gifted writer; his action scenes are fantastic, in my opinion, and the poetry throughout the book is sometimes incredibly beautiful.

However, like I said the characterizations are the biggest shortcoming thus far. I really hope it improves in Deadhouse Gates.

Favorite characters so far:

Quick Ben
Kalam
Crokus
Crone
Baruk

 

[Maklershed]

Finished The Confederates. Really great Civil War book. A nice blend of fiction and facts. A must read if you like Cold Mountain, Gods and Generals, or Gettysburg. I'm now back to my regularly recurring urge to read stuff set in Los Angeles (particularly noir stuff) so I'm on to book 1 of the Lew Archer series - The Moving Target.


The Moving Target by Ross Macdonald

 

[mu cephei]

Represent! I'm also a bit more than halfway through Gardens of the Moon. I don't think it's been fully explained what Warrens are. I simply understand them as magical, space-time warping portals.

I'm really enjoying certain parts of the book, particularly how batshit crazy this world is. It reminds me of the Souls series in atmosphere, and for that I like that not everything is explained. There's a lot of mystery shrouding the world.

I do hope Erikson's characterizations improve in the later novels. Every character is so busy "glowering" or "smiling" or "muttering" or "sighing" that I can't separate their indenties in my head.

Gardens of the Moon is great, I totally agree about liking that not everything is explained.

Malazan has some wonderful characters, and some really boring ones. In book four you'll meet Karsa Orlong, who is one of my favourites ever, (some spoilers in that link) also there's Kruppe, Tool, Sorry, Ganoes Paran, Tehol Beddict, Quick Ben, Kalam, Anomandar Rake, Trull, Icarium, Mappo, Pust... I wouldn't say they're portrayed with great depth, probably it is a bit 'glowering' and 'sighing' etc and tbh even the good characters sometimes sound alike. But they're excellent fun.

I haven't read past book seven or so though, I need to finish the series but I was waiting for books to be released and it just seemed to become indistinguishable footsoldiers bantering with one another.

 

[kswiston]

Complicated books (histories, more literary novels, essays, etc) are better read. Audiobooks work well for lighter novels and comedic books where you are typically not lost if you accidentally tune out for a few seconds.

 

[bidguy]

just finished this, reading the actual ending explanation by the author blew my mind. seriously one of the best books i have ever read

 

[TwntyOneTwlv]

Thanks! I was looking into Cloud Atlas, but tried to read a bit of it and it felt all too complicated (the first part at least).

Anyone actually listened to Cloud Atlas?

I read the paperback a few years ago. I thought it was absolutely phenomenal. It's certainly way better than the movie, if you've seen that.

If you're debating between Cloud Atlas and Norse Mythology for your Audible trial credit, I'd go with Norse Mythology. I've read both and loved both, but Norse is read by Neil Gaiman himself ( <3 ) and he is a wonderful narrator.

 

[Alucard]

I read the paperback a few years ago. I thought it was absolutely phenomenal. It's certainly way better than the movie, if you've seen that.

If you're debating between Cloud Atlas and Norse Mythology for your Audible trial credit, I'd go with Norse Mythology. I've read both and loved both, but Norse is read by Neil Gaiman himself ( <3 ) and he is a wonderful narrator.

My favourite Gaiman reading in the book...(adlibing)

"Tell us your idea, and if it's good, we will like it."

"You won't like it."

"We will like it."

"I think Thor should dress up as a woman."

"...I don't like it."

I can imagine it looking good on a page, but I never would have put the same delivery and intonation on that exchange in my own mind. Gaiman reads it beautifully.

 

[Funyarinpa]

I read the paperback a few years ago. I thought it was absolutely phenomenal. It's certainly way better than the movie, if you've seen that.

If you're debating between Cloud Atlas and Norse Mythology for your Audible trial credit, I'd go with Norse Mythology. I've read both and loved both, but Norse is read by Neil Gaiman himself ( <3 ) and he is a wonderful narrator.

I had two credits, and presumably I picked Cloud Atlas and Norse Mythology. Lol

 

[hEist]

started yesterday.

 

[duckroll]

Is that the chess player?

 

[hEist]

Is that the chess player?

yeah.

 

[duckroll]

yeah.

Didn't know he was into political writing. Curious to know if it's any good, given his perspective.

 

[hEist]

Didn't know he was into political writing. Curious to know if it's any good, given his perspective.

after he stopped his carrier, he wanted that his children will grow up in a free russia, so he joined the opposition (or he calls himself an activist). It's really interesting so far and gives a better perspective, for an outsider like me. But he left/fled russia and now lives in the usa.
Also, Boris Jefimowitsch Nemzow was his friend, I think.

 

[Atraveller]

started yesterday.

I recently finished this.

The Red Web: The Struggle Between Russia’s Digital Dictators and the New Online Revolutionaries.

It delved into Russia's history of information controlling, and how the current government borrowed from the old KGB philosophies. It also went into great technical details on how telephone and internet monitoring (and censorship in internet's case) was done, and Russia's war on free press and opposition. It's a great read.

 

[Ratrat]

Is anyone else unable to follow the pace of audiobooks? English isn't my native language and even though I'm really proficient, I've had trouble following some essays I bought the audiobooks of (they were cheaper than a full book), but then again maybe a Thoreau text isn't the most approachable thing for a 17 year old.

If y'all think that fiction works better as audio, I might delve into my Audible trial and get Norse Mythology

If anything I tend to speed them up. American narrators read excruciatingly slow. But its great they let you adjust it.

 

[Aurelius]

Followed up The Crimean War with another book about a conflict involving The British Empire in the nineteenth century. Very interesting read about justifying starting a war for the sale of narcotics, the workings of the Chinese Empire at the time and how this war is still viewed/used by China to this day. You can also see why Japan started becoming nervous around this time (leading ultimately to the Pacific War), how drugs became criminalised, and the 'Yellow Peril' originated when China starting exporting the stuff to the West.

 

[DemWalls]

Take a shot every time a character "raises an eyebrow".

Kruppe is pretty awesome at least.

Oh yeah, my favourite together with "take a shot every time a character shrugs in a Rothfuss novel".

 

[Morat]

Followed up The Crimean War with another book about a conflict involving The British Empire in the nineteen century. Very interesting read about justifying starting a war for the sale of narcotics, the workings of the Chinese Empire at the time and how this war is still viewed/used by China to this day. You can also see why Japan started becoming nervous around this time (leading ultimately to the Pacific War) and how drugs became criminalised, an the 'Yellow Peril' originated when China starting exporting the stuff to the West.

Sounds good, will give it a read. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[sparky2112]

Probably gonna read Huck Out West first.

Coover is one of those guys I've GOT to get around to reading. Along with Gass, Kesey, McElroy, Barth, etc., etc.

Is that the chess player?

As morbid as this is, I'm really surprised Putin hasn't killed him yet.

 

[Funyarinpa]

Started to listen to Norse Mythology. I like Gaiman's prose, and he narrates it well too. Got very little in though.

 

[wild wild rice]

Coover is one of those guys I've GOT to get around to reading. Along with Gass, Kesey, McElroy, Barth, etc., etc.



As morbid as this is, I'm really surprised Putin hasn't killed him yet.

I can definitely recommend Omensetter's Luck by Gass. Great read. The Tunnel, on the other hand, is absolutely brutal. I felt brutalized by it.

Huck Out West is actually gonna be my first Coover novel. You can read a one page short story of his that got published in the New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/11/28/the-hanging-of-the-schoolmarm. It's great fun and after I read the first few pages of Huck online realized I need to read some of this guy's work.

 

[smisk]

Just finished The Three Body Problem, really picked up towards the end, and I really liked it once all the big reveals about the ETO started happening! Will definitely read the second one soon, but I think I'll read something else in between.
I saw Lincoln in the Bardo at the library, but I don't think I'll have time to get through it in two weeks. Will probably read A Soldier on the Southern Front, a memoir from WWI I got awhile back after hearing about it on Hardcore History.

 

[sparky2112]

I saw Lincoln in the Bardo at the library, but I don't think I'll have time to get through it in two weeks.

Bardo, despite its page count, is not very long. The way Saunders handles attribution makes for a lot of white space on almost every page.

 

[Mifune]

I can definitely recommend Omensetter's Luck by Gass. Great read. The Tunnel, on the other hand, is absolutely brutal. I felt brutalized by it.

Omensetter's Luck is really beautiful. I haven't read The Tunnel yet but I do own it. As well as his most recent book.

 

[Zelenogorsk]

I'm only a third of the way through it but Wise Man's Fear is kicking Name of the Wind's ass.

Oh yeah, my favourite together with "take a shot every time a character shrugs in a Rothfuss novel".

You've made me hyperaware of this!

 

[Mike M]

Read The Incredible Shrinking Man by Matheson. Didn't really leave much of an impression on me other than I found it pretty dull overall. I've only read a handful of short stories by Matheson in the past, but I liked them all more than this. Oh well.

 

[aravuus]

Finished Half A King and I have to say, I thought it was just fantastic! For the longest time I thought I just couldn't get into fantasy anymore, but clearly it's because I've been trying to read too much super-high fantasy recently with all kinds of weird and contrived magic systems and spells and dragons and elves and dwarves and other stuff I just.. Rarely really care about.

Shattered Sea is at the other extreme, it's probably the most mundane fantasy world in a while when it comes to magic and while I think a tiny bit more fantastical stuff would've made it even better, I feel like the lack of spell-slinging, metal-eating, rune-drawing, color-draining weirdos is one of the biggest reasons I found it so very enjoyable.

There isn't really anything I disliked about this book. The characters were fun, Rulf and Nothing were particularly great and often hilarious. The story, while straightforward for the most part actually managed to genuinely surprise me a couple of times (

Spoiler

Nothing's true identity

reveal being by far the biggest holy shit moment) and there were some truly heartwarming moments. The pacing was fucking spot on, like perfect from beginning to end, rapid as hell in every respect but still slow enough to make me care about the characters. Particularly enjoy how damn fast and brutal the battles were. I don't enjoy reading about duels that go on for pages and pages. The world is a ruthless place, one mistake is enough to get you killed. When you get stabbed through the chest, you fucking die and that's it.

Best fantasy I've read in quite a while, and the fact that this a) isn't the best book in this particular series and b) this series isn't even the best Abercrombie has to offer makes me super excited to read the rest of this books too.

Now I just gotta decide which one to start reading next, The Blade Itself or Half The World.

e: the fact that Half A King was pretty stand-alone and the utterly coal black humor I've heard The First Law world is filled with makes me lean towards The Blade Itself.

 

[wild wild rice]

Omensetter's Luck is really beautiful. I haven't read The Tunnel yet but I do own it. As well as his most recent book.

I got a little over halfway through The Tunnel and bailed. My eyes were reading words but my brain ceased to make anything of them. After that, I didn't pursue his other work despite really loving Omensetter. He's one of those writers I wish would stick to a slightly more traditional approach in his work.

I'll give him another shot some day, I'm sure. But now I really want to reread Omensetter...