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[turnbuckle]

and

 

[Deleted member 17706]

From the Warhammer 40K pulp I am reading. I am enjoying it - don't get me wrong - but it is animatedly poor.

Yeah, that does sound kind of bad. I'll admit I had to look up both "carnassial" and "rictus".

If I have to read something multiple times to get a picture in my head, then I tend to not consider it good writing. Obviously that's just my own subjective opinion, though. It's one of the reasons why I couldn't get into Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon. I mean, he seems like a skilled writer, but I just found myself reading passages over and over in order to really understand them. Oh well, maybe one day I'll revisit his work and be able to enjoy it. He has quite the fan base.

Monza being a terrible character is problematic because she starts off pretty baddass, as does the book itself.

Spoiler

In the end what did she actually do? She's an incompetent delusional powerless little bitch. Her whole revenge plot would have failed numerous times if she hadn't been miraculously saved by someone. Or have them do the killing for her.
That scene with the poisoner killing his apprentice.

That whole scenario was so hilariously bad I'm not sure what else I can say about it. And this is more of a personal opinion but he tries way hard to be shocking.

I totally agree about Monza and your overall feelings of the book, but I still really enjoyed it. It definitely started out really strong but kind of pattered out midway. I think it the first couple of kills and the events leading up to them were really entertaining, though.

I also just like Abercrombie's prose and sense of humor. His characters are generally a lot of fun, too, although I agree that Monza and Morveer in particular were pretty weak.

 

[Salazar]

I am about to grab Frederic Tuten's Tintin novel.

I meant to grab it when I saw it at a second-hand bookstore a few years ago. It is now as cheap new as it was second-hand. Bless the internet.

 

[nakedsushi]

Just got done reading this in the bathtub:


The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Such a lovely book. It's YA and romance-ish, but I think it handles the grief + love thing a lot better than Norwegian Wood did. The characters in The Sky is Everywhere are a lot less annoying and there's less navel-gazing. The book still has a dream-like quality to it, without being too vague.

 

[nakedsushi]

So I started reading the Kindle Preview for this book since it gets such high praise on here, but don't think I'm going to continue. The prose just didn't really satisfy me. It feels like a guy telling you a story, but skipping all the exciting parts or something. Does it get better? If not, I'm going to remove it from my to-read list.


The Long Ships by Frans Gunnar Bengtsson

Oh yeah, I finally added spoiler tags too Goodreads, so you can talk spoilers in discussions and reviews now. Just do < spoiler > and < / spoiler > without the spaces.

 

[Seanspeed]

So I started reading the Kindle Preview for this book since it gets such high praise on here, but don't think I'm going to continue. The prose just didn't really satisfy me. It feels like a guy telling you a story, but skipping all the exciting parts or something. Does it get better? If not, I'm going to remove it from my to-read list.

The story does tend to jump around quite a bit time-wise, but I felt there was plenty of good action in it. Sometimes its well-detailed descriptions of the battles or whatever, sometimes its just a brief overview, but it all felt purposefully told and truth is, as much as happens in this book, it'd be stretched out too much if every 'incident' was gone over meticulously.

I mean, if you're not enjoying it, you're not enjoying it, though....

Just started this:

Haven't formed an opinion just yet.

 

[grumble]

Yeah, that does sound kind of bad. I'll admit I had to look up both "carnassial" and "rictus".

If I have to read something multiple times to get a picture in my head, then I tend to not consider it good writing. Obviously that's just my own subjective opinion, though. It's one of the reasons why I couldn't get into Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon. I mean, he seems like a skilled writer, but I just found myself reading passages over and over in order to really understand them. Oh well, maybe one day I'll revisit his work and be able to enjoy it. He has quite the fan base.



I totally agree about Monza and your overall feelings of the book, but I still really enjoyed it. It definitely started out really strong but kind of pattered out midway. I think it the first couple of kills and the events leading up to them were really entertaining, though.

I also just like Abercrombie's prose and sense of humor. His characters are generally a lot of fun, too, although I agree that Monza and Morveer in particular were pretty weak.

Erikson's books are known for being very cryptic; they are however very well written in my eyes and get me working mentally. GOTM is not the greatest start to the series; I found Deadhouse Gates to be a better book. Some of the scenes in that book were just incredible. This is one of my favourite series, though I acknowledge that the incomplete picture of the world that he deliberately paints is not to everyone's taste.

As for Best Served Cold, I found it poorly written and mediocre overall. I actually liked Morveer; he was by far the most interesting character to read in my opinion. I still need to check out the First Law trilogy, but I'm not impressed with Abercrombie so far.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

So I started reading the Kindle Preview for this book since it gets such high praise on here, but don't think I'm going to continue. The prose just didn't really satisfy me. It feels like a guy telling you a story, but skipping all the exciting parts or something. Does it get better? If not, I'm going to remove it from my to-read list.


The Long Ships by Frans Gunnar Bengtsson

Oh yeah, I finally added spoiler tags too Goodreads, so you can talk spoilers in discussions and reviews now. Just do < spoiler > and < / spoiler > without the spaces.

If I remember correctly, the Kindle preview for The Long Ships only dealt with setting the scene and giving some detail about the background. Does it even get to the part where Orm joins Krok's expedition? There isn't a whole lot of "action" up until that part. The book started getting really good for me around there.

 

[Salazar]

The Long Ships features one of the great botched executions in literature.

 

[Burger]

Just started this:

Haven't formed an opinion just yet.

I'm not surprised.

I read The Imperfectionists recently as it sounded interesting. It wasn't. I can't really tell you how I felt about it, because I felt nothing. It was like drinking a glass of water and being asked to write a paragraph on how it tasted. It's fairly light and easy to read though, but ultimately bland.

 

[sparky2112]

I'm not surprised.

I read The Imperfectionists recently as it sounded interesting. It wasn't. I can't really tell you how I felt about it, because I felt nothing. It was like drinking a glass of water and being asked to write a paragraph on how it tasted. It's fairly light and easy to read though, but ultimately bland.

Huh. Me, I'm pretty sure it was brilliant. I've got oodles of company in that regard...

 

[Eklesp]

and because of all of the recommendations I just started.

 

[Burger]

Huh. Me, I'm pretty sure it was brilliant. I've got oodles of company in that regard...

Well I was obviously not speaking on behalf of the planet...

What did you think was brilliant about it?

 

[Kinitari]

So I've been trying to figure out what to read next. My problem is, I've read far... far too many books. It feels like all the big, interesting well known fantasy books are already notches on my belt.

I want something new, and I am willing to even delve into SciFi (I read two Sci-Fi books in the last few days) - but I'm poor now, and I am afraid of spending money on something I won't like.

Can anyone recommend any Fantasy books? There is an extremely good chance I've read it - but please do it anyway. I just don't even know where to look anymore .

 

[nakedsushi]

If I remember correctly, the Kindle preview for The Long Ships only dealt with setting the scene and giving some detail about the background. Does it even get to the part where Orm joins Krok's expedition? There isn't a whole lot of "action" up until that part. The book started getting really good for me around there.

Yeah I think that's my problem with it. All of what I read of the preview was setting the scene, so I was afraid the whole book was going to be like that with just a few action scenes in between. The Kindle preview cuts off right before Orm's first expedition.

The Long Ships features one of the great botched executions in literature.

Oh...hm, that doesn't sound good. Maybe I'll just put this on the backburner for now.

 

[Salazar]

Oh...hm, that doesn't sound good. Maybe I'll just put this on the backburner for now.

Botched in the sense that the tables were hilariously and gruesomely turned on the executioner. It's splendid, I promise.

I am doing work reading:

Philip Waller's Writers, Readers, and Reputations. Massively learned, and enormously useful. Sort of resembles Valentine Cunningham's study of British literature in the 30s. A bit less entertainingly waspish, but wonderful in its way. Fucking heavy, too. OUP are using some manly goddamn paper stock.

Derek Roper's Reviewing Before the Edinburgh. A study of the central 18th century literary periodicals, like the Monthly, the Critical, the Analytical, the British. It's written against the conventional view that these were staffed by miserable and incompetent hacks—with only a few exceptions—and written, edited, and read in a sort miasma of mean-spiritedness.

And Warhammer 40K drivel.

The Lost by Dan Abnett.
The Grey Knights Omnibus by Ben Counter.

 

[sparky2112]

And Warhammer 40K drivel.

The Lost by Dan Abnett.

Bah. A lot of W40K may be drivel, but Abnett? He's a very, very good writer who just so happens to love writing that stuff. Good for us.

 

[sparky2112]

Well I was obviously not speaking on behalf of the planet...

What did you think was brilliant about it?

No, I know - sorry for the harsh. I read it because of all the raves; I mean, the book just had huge buzz.

It just struck me as incredibly sad/sympathetic, and for a first novel, he moved between voices with ease. The pacing was great (like you said, it's a quick read without feeling light) too. Plus, I've been an ex-pat before, so I totally related to the feeling of being a bit alienated/not settled, etc.

 

[faridmon]

Now reading Dickens' Bleak House. About 10% in and it's starting to piece together, really liking it so far. I've really fallen hard for Dickens' prose over the past month. I'm about a week-and-a-half ahead in one Russian lit course, but that and my course on Nabokov are gonna start stealing personal reading time from me soon, so I'm spending a lot of time with Bleak House.

Was closed to reading that book actually in my uncles house (since he just love Dickens so much) but after seeing how big it is, I decided to read other light books and I never even rememberd it. might get off him now...

Just finished Kafka on the Shore this weekend. So weird. It was hard to follow.

That one is actually my favourite book of him. If you had trouble with that, the others will impose the same trouble, but worth reading.

 

[Zalasta]

Just finished reading Way of Kings. Gonna spoil my thoughts about the book since there are other members who are currently reading it.

Spoiler

When I first read the book I honestly thought that half of these characters will die. But I guess Brandon Sanderson isn't a fan of mass killing his main cast.

Most characters were very good. I would say the weakest is Szeth. He just seems way too overpowered. I really look forward to his fight against Dalinar in the next book. Kaladin is by far the most liked character. Plus he is a badass fighter taking down 2 Shardblade users down.

The only thing that is still confusing me is the whole Heralds/Radiants deal. That and those extra secondary characters that were introduced for no reason. Seemed kinda pointless to introduce in this book and just forget about them until the later ones.

On point #1:

Spoiler

Considering what happened in the Mistborn trilogy, I wouldn't have been surprised if Sanderson did kill off a couple of main characters. I really thought Dalinar and Adolin were going to bite it in the end, even though I was banking on them being Kaladin's ticket out of his situation (as well as him regaining trust in the bright eyes again). Honestly, I think that is one of the things that make his story so compelling, his willingness to get rid of characters if the story demands it.

On point #2:

Spoiler

Your perceived weakness of Szeth probably lies mostly in the fact we know so little about him. I do hope he'll be fleshed out. I really didn't like Kaladin at start but he does get better as the book progressed. My favorites are Shallan and Wit. Worst character would be King Taravangian, his reveal to be the puppet master orchestrating all of the killings is too far-fetched for me.

On point #3:

Spoiler

If you are talking about the characters in the interludes, I think the point of those chapters are not on those people, but rather what their encounters revealed. Since there are bits and pieces of information that tie back to the main characters.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

The Long Ships features one of the great botched executions in literature.

I think I just read this part. You're talking about the story that was told at King Harald's Yule feast, right?

 

[demon]

I think I just read this part. You're talking about the story that was told at King Harald's Yule feast, right?

Isn't it the part where the executioner ends up getting

Spoiler

boiled to death

or something? I dunno it's been a while.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Isn't it the part where the executioner ends up getting

Spoiler

boiled to death

or something? I dunno it's been a while.

You mean the part where Krok

Spoiler

jumped at the opportunity to throw the taskmaster (who whipped them while they rowed the ship) into a huge pot of boiling pitch

?

 

[Salazar]

I think I just read this part. You're talking about the story that was told at King Harald's Yule feast, right?

Spoiler

The lad pulls his head back as the axe is coming down and the axe lops off a bloke's hands instead. The hands, in mortis, stay clutching his hair.

Krok's revenge is badass too.

 

[Burger]

No, I know - sorry for the harsh. I read it because of all the raves; I mean, the book just had huge buzz.

It just struck me as incredibly sad/sympathetic, and for a first novel, he moved between voices with ease. The pacing was great (like you said, it's a quick read without feeling light) too. Plus, I've been an ex-pat before, so I totally related to the feeling of being a bit alienated/not settled, etc.

Fair points. I remember thinking about it a few weeks after I finished it, and couldn't remember much about the book. Usually a sign to me that it wasn't very memorable.

Still, it wasn't bad, or terrible, it was well written. Just never resonated with me... Except that one story about the girl with the looser boyfriend, I quite liked that.

 

[shuyin_]

Anyone read the Doom books: Worlds on Fire and/or Maelstrom? Apparently they're good? ))

 

[blazinglord]

I haven't read any books lately as I have been reading a lot of graphic novels left over from Christmas. However, I have recently bought and started these two nonfiction books:

 

[Arnie]

Dynasty: Fifty years of Shankly's Liverpool

Absolutely phenomenal book written by Paul Tomkins. A must read for both Liverpool and Football fans in general.

 

[suzu]

Picked up Soulless by Gail Carriger and Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. Always meant to read the latter but haven't until now. I don't like how the new edition is so thick (624 pages!). Makes carrying it around a bit of a chore, so I guess I'll just read it at home. Will probably pick up Hunger Games at some point too.

 

[hiryu]

Just reading this at the moment. It's okay, with some neat self experimentation in it but much of it sounds like crap.

I'm pretty excited that Wise Man's Fears, The Heroes, and The Crippled God all come out in the next few weeks.

 

[afternoon delight]

I've never read a novel that nosedives like Child 44. Can't wait to see what others think.

 

[SolsticeZero]

Having been a huge fan of Agatha Christie's "Poirot" starring David Suchet, I've recently started reading the old, old, incredibly old Poirot novels. I just finished "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" and I just started on "Murder on the Links". Great series for anyone who likes a good mystery.

 

[British Monsoon]

I've never read a novel that nosedives like Child 44. Can't wait to see what others think.

I haven't finished it yet, but I'm struggling to push myself through the thing - as wonderful as the scene setting in the first quarter was, it's really let down by the direction the story takes shortly afterwards and I've found myself more and more disinterested as the book wears on.

 

[Helmholtz]

Just finished a Storm of Swords last night. Amazing, amazing book.

Going to start reading a Feast for Crows tonight.

 

[MikFisher]

Finished Physics of the Impossible, by Dr. Michio Kaku.

A little disappointing, since it lacked actual scientific explanations and it was clearly aimed at the general population.

Started After Dark, the second i read by Murakami.

Also, can anyone recommend me some good Japanese writers? (besides the obvious one I'm looking for novels set in Japan in this day and age..

 

[Salazar]

Also, can anyone recommend me some good Japanese writers? (besides the obvious one I'm looking for novels set in Japan in this day and age..

Read Kenzaburo Oe's Rouse Up O Young Men of the New Age, and A Personal Matter.

And The Pinch Runner Memorandum, but I'd read them in the order I've written them.

 

[Vard]

I just placed a hold for Flashman at the local library in prep for next month's book club book. Does anyone have a copy of it yet? How is the book structured - by chapters? As suggested earlier in the thread, we should come up with milestones & due dates (ex: "finish Chapter 3 by the 5th") so we're generally reading through it at a similar pace.

edit- and someone's going to be making a separate thread for it, yes?

 

[boomerisgod]

Just finisned The Name of the Wind. Now reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

 

[Maklershed]

I just placed a hold for Flashman at the local library in prep for next month's book club book. Does anyone have a copy of it yet? How is the book structured - by chapters?

I got my copy from Amazon earlier this week. The version I have is a paperback - 252 pages and looks to be about 10 chapters or so (not numbered however so that's why I'm guessing).

 

[Vincent Alexander]

I was reading "The Strain" by Chuck Hogan and Del Toro, but I lost it and can't find it anywhere.

So, now I'm re-reading "Necroscope" by Brian Lumley.

 

[Doytch]

Was closed to reading that book actually in my uncles house (since he just love Dickens so much) but after seeing how big it is, I decided to read other light books and I never even rememberd it. might get off him now...

Yeah...it's long. I'm 35% through it atm, and I'm reading it for at least an hour daily. But so far it's my favourite writing of Dickens. The chapter I just finished had me laughing out loud at a coffee shop. The plot is so intricate and detailed and just stuffed with characters that it soars above anything else I've read by him.

 

[Seanspeed]

I was reading "The Strain" by Chuck Hogan and Del Toro, but I lost it and can't find it anywhere.

1st half of the book is the best anyways.

 

[LocoMrPollock]

I really dislike McCarthy's prose and his writing style and narration in general, but I will probably finish it, since it isn't very long.

 

[Amory]

Still working my way through Atlas Shrugged, but I'm really enjoying this on the side

 

[nakedsushi]

Finished this:

How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown
It's a decent layman's explanation of the Pluto controversy by someone inside the field. The book's accessible and easy to read, even when he starts talking more technical terms about telescopes and planet orbits.

 

[FutureZombie]

Just started it. The first chapter was way over my head, but the last one I read seemed to move back down to Earth.

 

[leroy hacker]

Also, can anyone recommend me some good Japanese writers? (besides the obvious one I'm looking for novels set in Japan in this day and age..

If you want truly contemporary settings Natsuo Kirino is worth reading. Her books could be classified as crime fiction, but they usually involve larger issues than just crime. I recommend Real World and Out.

If by "this day and age" you mean the broader setting of "not feudal Japan" there are more I can recommend.

Kobo Abe is a clear precursor to the surreal and absurd tendencies in Murakami's style so I don't understand why he isn't more known among his fans. Woman in the Dunes is his most famous work, though possibly just because of the classic movie. The Ruined Map is a surreal hard-boiled detective novel, set when it was written, in 1960s Japan. His Inter Ice 4, possibly the first Japanese science fiction novel, may not be what you're looking for but it is very underappreciated so I can't resist mentioning it.

Two of the most important and talented 20th century Japanese writers were Yukio Mishima and Yasunari Kawabata. Most of their works have 20th century settings.

The Mishima novels I recommend are Temple of the Golden Pavilion and the Sea of Fertility tetralogy. The former takes place during and after WW2, while the latter four books span 1912-1975. All of these books make very strong use of their settings.

On the other hand Kawabata's stories are usually more timeless in character. From him I recommend Snow Country and The Old Capital, among many other classics. In my opinion he's the greatest of all Japanese novelists.

 

[Flek]

i also ordered flashman but not the one we are going to read in the bookclub … gonna check if i can get this one too

 

[Burger]

I've purchased the first 2 of Joe Abercrombie's books from Amazon, The Blade Itself and Before They Are Hanged. Both versions for Kindle.

My goodness the formatting is terrible. There is a massive paragraph break in place of every carriage return which creates these islands of text. I can't believe nobody looked at this before it went to market. I emailed Amazon and they said they would look into it. Pretty strange for a popular series.

 

[hey_monkey]

Started re-reading Dan Chaon's collection Among the Missing and DAMN. I really think he is the best out there writing short fiction right now. That man is just amazing. I own the paperback but can't find it (a lot of my books are boxed), so I got the hardcover from the library and noticed that my mentor is one of the jacket quotes, which was kind of awesome.

But for anyone who likes contemporary short stories... I can't recommend him enough.