Support NeoGAF

[Tralfamadore64]

Finished and LOVED Haroun and the Sea of Stories and am moving on to Something Happened by Joseph Heller.

I think I'm going to have to abandon my reading of Bright Sided. As much as I want to like Ehrenreich, I just don't. Oh well.

 

[zero margin]

Move to something else after the third. You can read the fourth when the fifth comes out, but you must not stop before the third.

Appreciate the advice, I can do that.

Yeah, I read the first three all at once, but never got around to the fourth. I figure I'll just wait for something definite about the fifth book to stop procrastinating. And I'm not sure how you could have the third available to you and just wait on it after finishing the second.

I'm really early into the second right now so I probably planned too soon.

 

[Blackace]

Best urban fantasy book I have read besides Dresden Files; A lot more grittier and darker.

Its surprisingly well written considering its the authors first book (better than Storm Front). The next book in the series comes out Aug 31. Its definitely going to help with the wait for the next Dresden book.

Fnord I'm thinking you will really like this.

how much was the kindle edition?

 

[DarkGiygas]

Just finished

Now continuing

 

[Pyke Presco]

Burned through the first two books of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time in the last week, and started book 3 today, about a quarter of the way through. I'm gonna try and do the whole series in a month, when I read book 12 back at Christmas I had forgotten so much of what was going on and now that I've got COMPLETELY free time for the first time in years, I'm going to catch up on the whole thing and do a straight marathon through it.

EDIT: Well I'll be damned...

This.

 

[Blackace]

Burned through the first two books of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time in the last week, and started book 3 today, about a quarter of the way through. I'm gonna try and do the whole series in a month, when I read book 12 back at Christmas I had forgotten so much of what was going on and now that I've got COMPLETELY free time for the first time in years, I'm going to catch up on the whole thing and do a straight marathon through it.

I have did for book 11 a while ago.. it is a pretty enjoyable marathon..

 

[finowns]

how much was the kindle edition?

7$

 

[Blackace]

7$

sold!

 

[finowns]

sold!

I'll be curious to read your thoughts on the book.

 

[_Isaac]

Just finished

How was it?

Anyway, I just finished Blankets.

 

[Dresden]

How was it?

Anyway, I just finished Blankets.

That was pretty excellent. Loved the art in it, and the Chunky Rice one he did as well.

 

[_Isaac]

That was pretty excellent. Loved the art in it, and the Chunky Rice one he did as well.

I didn't like all the love in it. I didn't get it.

 

[Tapiozona]

I have did for book 11 a while ago.. it is a pretty enjoyable marathon..

Marathon is right but unless the word enjoyable means "Utter frustration and the constant urge to punch babies", then I'm not so sure.

First 5 books..awesome (though 5 got a little drawn out). After that, ugggggh. I mean seriously. Does it need to take 2 chapters to describe how someone dresses. Or does he need to spend 5 chapters introducing a new set of characters and plotline which completely disappears? I absolutely love the series but it's borderline torture trying to read through 70% of the useless plot rambling. Problem is I'm so far into it that I have to keep reading (especially since I keep telling myself the same magic of the first books is bound to come back). The plot has so much future potential but man can it get painful getting to those points.

Anywho, I just started this book today. Hopefully it reads better than the reviews it got on Amazon.

I honestly think Jordan has ADD. Literally impossible for him to carry the story forward. Just constant tangents.

 

[Dresden]

I didn't like all the love in it. I didn't get it.

It's a giant love story in a genre usually filled with superheroes and people in the process of dying.

I honestly think Jordan has ADD. Literally impossible for him to carry the story forward. Just constant tangents.

The key to reading the latter WoT volumes is learning to do two things:

--skip any chapter with a female POV

--skim Perrin chapters

 

[Tapiozona]

The key to reading the latter WoT volumes is learning to do two things:

--skip any chapter with a female POV

--skim Perrin chapters

Yes, exactly! I'll take your advice for the next book. At least Mat and Rand's chapters keep me interested.
One of the reviews on Amazon said they should call half of the books "Nynaeve tugs her braid". Couldn't agree more.

 

[Jay Sosa]

Breezed through this brilliant and hilarious book (took me bout 3 days reading, couldn't put it away)

This dude is a genius.

And I'm about to finish this.

I already liked him for his appearances on ESPN but I never knew how much of a legend he really is (I'm from Europe so I didn't grow up watching NCAA)

It's a very inspiring book, I just wish I would've read it when I was younger.

 

[Moggelicious]

 

[Vidl0r]

I hadn't read a Ballard before and this has proved to be an excellent read. Having read "Lord Of The Flies" a while back I found it fascinating to see another 'social experiment' type of book isolating a small population and leaving them to their own means, leading to some disturbing results. Only thing that slightly put me off was Ballard's continual descriptions of the environment, which didn't seem to be overly varied. Apart from that however I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable.

 

[British Monsoon]

Just recently finished Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregilis;

I bought the book based entirely off the cover and short excerpt on the back, and while not at all disapointed with this ambitious, adventurous and inventive alternate-history take on WW2, it at times felt somewhat rushed and in places not terribly well written. Still, the story moves at a fair pace and never fails to be anything less than entertaining.

Now i'm reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley;

Only about half-way through, but i'm already enjoying it immensely.

 

[the_painted_bird]

Just finished The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle yesterday morning. Was a very enjoyable read, especially the first 400 pages.
Murakami is now one of my favorites, I feel as though I have a greater sense of his style after that one. Return to it later in life, I must.

Summer Reading List:
Beloved by Toni Morrison (which I got for $1 at Strand in NYC)
A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh (for my Book Club)
The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster
Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino
The Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno
Thoughts of Sorts by Georges Perec

Not too ambitious, I think.

 

[ymmv]

I finished the second book a couple of days ago. I want to finish the third book before my vacation is over. This fantasy series is bloody fun.

 

[Salazar]

Bone, by Jeff Smith. Just finished it. So remarkable, and with such stunning attentiveness and concentration of meaning in the characters' expressions.

Cerebus, by Dave Sim. Extremely funny. I think I'm reading too much of it at once, and it would be better left for a while and returned to, but I'm probably just going to steam through it.

What Was History ?, by Anthony Grafton. Exceptional, brief book detailing the bilious, hard-fought transition from rhetorical to critical modes of historical scholarship.

 

[Drewsky]

Just started it. Really hard to put down so far, though.

 

[Wellington]

So are we starting The Big Short this Thursday as our inaugural GAF book club book?

Any rules/format to follow?

 

[ClosingADoor]

Starting on Red Seas Under Red Skies today. Lies of Locke Lamora was awesome, so expecting great things from this book as well.

 

[Flizzzipper]

Just started it. Really hard to put down so far, though.

That book is amazing and judging by your avatar I'd say good choice.

 

[Cdammen]

Can anyone recommend me a horror novel (or short story)? I've just finished reading a H.P. Lovecraft collection and I want something light and modern. I'm Swedish BTW, and I have read the horror novels by Niemi and John Ajvide Lindqvist.

I like Stephen King but have only read Skeleton Crew (short story collection).

 

[StylusX]

Just started:

 

[Blackace]

Can anyone recommend me a horror novel (or short story)? I've just finished reading a H.P. Lovecraft collection and I want something light and modern. I'm Swedish BTW, and I have read the horror novels by Niemi and John Ajvide Lindqvist.

I like Stephen King but have only read Skeleton Crew (short story collection).

Not exactly a short story... But summer of night by Dan Simmons is really awesome

Basically IT done correctly

 

[Cdammen]

Not exactly a short story... But summer of night by Dan Simmons is really awesome

Basically IT done correctly

Thanks! Found it interesting and cheap so I ordered it together with Just After Sunset (another Stephen King collection) and a Murakami book.

I usually don't read horror books but H.P. Lovercraft and Poe got me in a mood

 

[Tigel]

I just finished

It was fantastic! My favourite so far.

I can't decide what to read next... It's between

and

But after that cliffhanger ending of The Wastelands, I just can't wait to find out what happens next. Hum... Decisions, decisions...

 

[carpal]

Only thing that slightly put me off was Ballard's continual descriptions of the environment, which didn't seem to be overly varied.

This is kind of what I appreciate most about Ballard. I enjoy his stuff for the perspective on what effects our man made environments can have on us.

I would recommend Crash.

As for me, I'm actually reading Dune for the first time.

 

[joeyjoejoeshabadoo]

I just finished

It was fantastic! My favourite so far.

I can't decide what to read next... It's between

and

But after that cliffhanger ending of The Wastelands, I just can't wait to find out what happens next. Hum... Decisions, decisions...

For what it's worth, I hate Wizard and Glass and love The Wasteland. I felt Wizard and Glass stops the progression of the journey dead in it's tracks. That being said it's among the favorites of many Dark Tower fans and whenever I bring up that I can't stand Wizard and Glass they look at me like I'm crazy.

 

[Mael]

Just finished Rabbit is Rich by Updike.
Well quite a nice read, there's a useless brat in the book but other than that pretty nice.
Don't know what I'll read next though...

 

[Salazar]

Can anyone recommend me a horror novel (or short story)?

Kobo Abe's Woman in the Dunes is not expressly a 'horror novel', but it has an oppressive (I should say, fascinating) force and deftness of psychological manipulation. It really is quite memorably scary.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Red Storm Rising - Clancy.

I've never read a Clancy book, so I figured I'd just jump right the fuck in on the legendary stuff.

 

[bumbillbee]

Kobo Abe's Woman in the Dunes is not expressly a 'horror novel', but it has an oppressive (I should say, fascinating) force and deftness of psychological manipulation. It really is quite memorably scary.

I just watched Teshigahara's film adaptation. Have you seen it? How does it compare to the novel?

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

Just finished up

It was a lot better than I was expecting given it's lukewarm reviews from fans of the first two. Yeah it's not quite as action packed as the second one especially but it was a taut and gripping look at various groups investigating each other. I especially liked how the house of cards was carefully laid out for hundreds of pages and then in one chapter pretty much the whole thing came tumbling down, such a great sep up and execution. Fans of the first two books will find much to love about this one, although I felt that some of the interpersonal stuff could have used a few extra page right at the end. Still, it was worth slogging through 750 pages and I hate long books.

Next up I'm gonna trawl my brain through the gutter of SF and Fantasy - two Halo books (the anothology and Contact Harvest) and a Dragon Age book. Wheeeeeeeeee!

 

[blanky]

On recommendation from college and just curiosity. Very good writing, Herr really describes things in an interesting way and just the sheer madness of it.

Also got the new Murakami 1Q84, apparently the dutch translation is out before the english! Also read that Wind-Up Bird Chronicle had some parts cut in the english version, which annoying don't know if they changed it back. Curious what it will be like, some of the dutch reviews aren't very nice.

 

[J Tourettes]

Just started it. Really hard to put down so far, though.

Fucking great book. Probably the best 'police' book I've ever read, fiction or non-fiction.

I'm currently transitioning to barefoot running and someone recommended this book to me as an interesting read:

Really enjoying it so far, although it's jumping around a wee bit.

 

[Subterranean]

So far so good.

 

[Tigel]

For what it's worth, I hate Wizard and Glass and love The Wasteland. I felt Wizard and Glass stops the progression of the journey dead in it's tracks. That being said it's among the favorites of many Dark Tower fans and whenever I bring up that I can't stand Wizard and Glass they look at me like I'm crazy.

Meh, my local library didn't have Jurassic Park (wtf I know), so I went with Wizard and Glass.
So far, so good

Edit: Also reading this:

I can't put it down. Without these guys, the game and movie industry would still be in stone age. It's unbelievable how big their contribution to computer science was.

 

[Timo]

It's kind of depressing to be honest.

 

[Salazar]

So wonderful. Comics GAF is duty-bound, honour-bound, to check it out.

There is one panel that recalls Lord of the Rings so marvellously, so skilfully, that you will gasp.

 

[Maklershed]

Finished The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (which I enjoyed more than I thought I would) and on to The Glass Castle: A Memoir. It's entertaining and I'm enjoying it but frankly, I feel its a lot of bullshit. I don't believe half of what this lady said happened to her really took place.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

t's kind of depressing to be honest.

This is a sequel to Less Than Zero, right? I could be totally off base. I remember that being depressing way back when I read it though.

 

[Steeven]

Samuel Huntington - Clash of Civilizations

very interesting read. Also I study history som it's relevant

 

[British Monsoon]

Finsihed Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. While I enjoyed it a lot and it's certainly an impressive and astute look into a sanitized, perfectly controlled future, especially considering the era in which it was written, the story itself felt a bit rushed, as if it were just there to facilitate the world Huxley built around it. Still, a landmark work in science fiction that i'm glad i've finally read.

Just started I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison;

And i'm re-reading On the Road by Jack Kerouac again;

 

[Mr. Miyato]

Reading now: Philip Zombardo - The Lucifer Effect: How good people turn evil

Just started and the first few chapters have described the Stanford Prison Experiment and various genocides in human history. Seems like a good book

Just finished: Dan Ariely - Predictably Irrational (Audiobook)

A wellwritten book on how people behave irrational when they should be rational. The first chapters were the most interesting, the rest was pretty well-known to me already. Going to download his "The upside of irrationality" when I'm finished with The Lucifer Effect.

 

[.la1n]

loving it so far, groundhog day meets the apocolypse.