Trent Strong
Banned
To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. I don't think I'm smart enough to read this. The writing style is brutal.
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What are you reading? (May 2014)
- Thread starter Maklershed
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Dinstruction
Neo Member
I've been looking to find a good math textbook to get into. Maybe I should resume Topology by Munkres.
I see what you did there
I'm a huge Camus fan and would recommend anything he has ever written. La peste (I think it's called the plague in English) is my personal favorite, but as I said, everything is at least worthy of being called good.
D
Deleted member 1235
Unconfirmed Member
I'm reading republic of thieves by scott lynch and by god it's awful. Liked the first 2 but the 3rd is just the most whiny of love stories.
feels like the author got friendzoned and is trying to communicate with his real life obsession through his novel. If I gave the first 2 books an 8, I'd give this a 3
feels like the author got friendzoned and is trying to communicate with his real life obsession through his novel. If I gave the first 2 books an 8, I'd give this a 3
Been on a graphic novel kick lately, so I decided to buy this on a whim. Classic pulp fiction / noir writing through and through. It's great. The art is nice as well. Dark and gritty and a good fit for the stories.
Also, as someone who prefers reading larger collections of comics as opposed to single issues or trade paperbacks, this is pretty good bang for your buck. Over 400 pages for $28.
I see what you did there
I'm a huge Camus fan and would recommend anything he has ever written. La peste (I think it's called the plague in English) is my personal favorite, but as I said, everything is at least worthy of being called good.
I don't know about that, but there's definitely still a lot left to recommend.
Yeah, can confirm that for Germany. It got a new edition at the end of last year and was very well received (talking critics here, of course, so maybe that's not what you meant by "popular")
Been a while since I read a book. Weird, since I love doing so. Decided to start reading some classics, since I have a bunch to catch up on.
Currently reading King Solomon's mines. Love the guy's awkward, blunt style.
For May I'm likely doing something like Captain Blood.
(People who recognize the books might notice a pattern. I'm reading books where lots of authors and things have gotten their origins, such as Indiana Jones from King Solomon's Mines.)
I started reading that one once on a road trip. I like Bear's style. Can't stand what I've read of the other Halo books fsr. No clue why.
Currently reading King Solomon's mines. Love the guy's awkward, blunt style.
For May I'm likely doing something like Captain Blood.
(People who recognize the books might notice a pattern. I'm reading books where lots of authors and things have gotten their origins, such as Indiana Jones from King Solomon's Mines.)
I started reading that one once on a road trip. I like Bear's style. Can't stand what I've read of the other Halo books fsr. No clue why.
I don't know about that, but there's definitely still a lot left to recommend.
Yeah, can confirm that for Germany. It got a new edition at the end of last year and was very well received (talking critics here, of course, so maybe that's not what you meant by "popular")
Interesting. After reading this it seems that it got tons of praise in America after it was re-released in 2006, and kinda exploded (critically and a bit of popularity) in Europe thanks to it being released in a few territories and excellent press where it already was released, probably thanks to new editions like you mention.
I honestly never heard of the author or the book, and just read it because my brother highly recommended it. I am glad I did.
My next book, not surprisingly, will be
Started reading:
After all the praise the series gets here and rather enjoying Cook's Garret P.I. books I thought I give this a try. Not really far into it yet but I feel like I was getting thrown into the story here rather abrupt, but maybe thinks will start to make more sense when I keep reading.
Also still listening to:
Absolutely loving this. So wonderful and imaginative. Only downside so far is that the reader (Ms. Valente herself) doesn't do a very good job. Sounding bored and rushing through sentences. Glad to see that the second book is read by someone else.
After all the praise the series gets here and rather enjoying Cook's Garret P.I. books I thought I give this a try. Not really far into it yet but I feel like I was getting thrown into the story here rather abrupt, but maybe thinks will start to make more sense when I keep reading.
Also still listening to:
Absolutely loving this. So wonderful and imaginative. Only downside so far is that the reader (Ms. Valente herself) doesn't do a very good job. Sounding bored and rushing through sentences. Glad to see that the second book is read by someone else.
I can see why people love Stoner, and can confirm its sudden popularity for Belgium as well, but found myself a bit bored while reading it. I still enjoyed it and I took the boredom to be kind of the point of the book. I have Butcher's Crossing by the same guy on my kindle but haven't started it.
I'm still plowing through Hitler by Ian Kershaw and it's still as engrossing after 900 pages as it was after 10. Looking forward to check out his other books on the Third Reich.
Also finished The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham and absolutely loved it. Short and to the point but filled to the brim with feels. Love his writing.
I'm still plowing through Hitler by Ian Kershaw and it's still as engrossing after 900 pages as it was after 10. Looking forward to check out his other books on the Third Reich.
Also finished The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham and absolutely loved it. Short and to the point but filled to the brim with feels. Love his writing.
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
Just finished The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass and now I don't know what to read next. I don't want to immediately start Dark Tower V, I'd rather read something shorter next. Not really sure what though.
Can anybody recommand me something in the vein of Fahrenheit 431, Brave New World, 1984 or Clockwork Orange?
Can anybody recommand me something in the vein of Fahrenheit 431, Brave New World, 1984 or Clockwork Orange?
We by Zamyatin
reading sound of waves by yukio mishima and now i wish i was a fisherman on a small island village in post war japan. this is beautifully written but a lot quieter and less intense than the other mishima books i've read, at least so far.
maugham rules. i've read two books of his this year and loved both. took the razor's edge out of the library the other day too.
Mackenzie 92
Member
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
Thanks, I'll try this.
For some reason this is not available for my Kindle yet, but I can preorder it when it comes out on August 21....
Will be continuing on with Mr John Elder Robison, and this will be the next book I read. edit: and I sent him message on Goodreads.. hope he replies!
Raising Cubby: A Father and Son's Adventures with Asperger's, Trains, Tractors, and High Explosives
by John Elder Robison
Raising Cubby: A Father and Son's Adventures with Asperger's, Trains, Tractors, and High Explosives
by John Elder Robison
Mackenzie 92
Member
Maklershed
Member
Finished Way of Kings - now officially my 2nd favorite fantasy novel. Can't wait to read book 2.
Whiteblade999
Member
Reading Silverthorn by Feist right now. The author isn't amazing, but he sure writes entertaining stories.
The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century's On-line Pioneers by Tom Standage
Fantastic light but relatively comprehensive read on the rise of the Telegraph with a few parallels to the modern day internet.
Mort by Terry Pratchett
One of my favourite Pratchett works, though with a bit of an underdeveloped cast.
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Similar to the Victorian Internet, but I feel like Roach's personality intrudes on the interesting bits a bit too much. Still good though.
Terry Pratchett: The Spirit of Fantasy by Craig Cabell
Horribly written. Barely any biographical details, extremely brief analysis, ultimately more about the author and their not-well resourced opinions than about Sir Terry. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
I decided to put off reading Augustus. I wanted something different between Stoner and Augustus and decided on something short because I have been reading some absurdly long books this year. I decided on this and just finished it
I mostly read it because of the high praise it received from Borges, Cortazar, and GGM, and while I didnt like it as much as their best works (mostly due to the prose being weaker - which could be a translation issue) it is definitely an interesting little novel. I really can't say much because it would spoil it, but I thought the book was going one way, then it went another way, then another way, but because it is so intricately plotted it all makes sense.
Thanks to my image search, I also discovered that Sawyer (Lost) was reading it
Which is oddly fitting.
I mostly read it because of the high praise it received from Borges, Cortazar, and GGM, and while I didnt like it as much as their best works (mostly due to the prose being weaker - which could be a translation issue) it is definitely an interesting little novel. I really can't say much because it would spoil it, but I thought the book was going one way, then it went another way, then another way, but because it is so intricately plotted it all makes sense.
Thanks to my image search, I also discovered that Sawyer (Lost) was reading it
Which is oddly fitting.
I am still slogging away at reading From Colony to Superpower. It is interesting, but due to the nature of the subject its more of a textbook than a story, so I can't power through it.
I have to say though, I am definitely glad I read Stoner. It seems to have got me back into reading literature (not just fantasy). The next book that I plan on reading is
How you could you not be intrigued by a book that NPR described as "A delightfully evil tale of pirates and children"?
I have to say though, I am definitely glad I read Stoner. It seems to have got me back into reading literature (not just fantasy). The next book that I plan on reading is
How you could you not be intrigued by a book that NPR described as "A delightfully evil tale of pirates and children"?
fredrancour
Member
I'm currently working on Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I really like it but I am constantly bewildered by that enjoyment. When writing excuses plugged it, they described it as "The best boring book ever" and I understand what they meant completely. It feels like I am going nowhere and I am completely fine with every moment of it. A mystery wrapped in an enigma.
I'm holding off starting them because I don't know if I can stomach 15 or 20 years of waiting to go through a full series. There's enough to read in the meantime.... I'll consider reading them when I run out of malazan books.
People who read wheel of time or are reading A song of ice and fire are probably laughing at me.
I'm holding off starting them because I don't know if I can stomach 15 or 20 years of waiting to go through a full series. There's enough to read in the meantime.... I'll consider reading them when I run out of malazan books.
People who read wheel of time or are reading A song of ice and fire are probably laughing at me.
fredrancour
Member
Yup, that's why it's my reading priority. I'm sure the side-novels produced by the other author are good, and are gonna be ongoing for a while, but at least I have a core mega-arc with some resolution.
EDIT: and because I ran out of black company books a long time ago.
Though I think at this point I like Malazan better. Probably. TBC is a pretty amazing bunch of stories.
The ICE books are good. Not as good though.
Erikson is supposed to be working on a Karsa Orling trilogoy and the Forge of Darkness books are also great. Forge is a precursor to all of Malazan and you should totally read it AFTER the Malazan series. Its got all of the spoilers for everything.
fredrancour
Member
Noted. I've only finished 3 of the books, so it'll be a while before I'm at the point of side stories and prequels.
Trying out some new stuff that I'm not that used to. I liked Seamus Heaney translation of Beowulf so I went with something by him and read through Human Chain, collection of poems. I'd say most of them went over my head, seems like my vocabulary knowledge isn't up to par with his writing. I feel like I need to explore some more poets, maybe read some anthology to find someone I can enjoy, I also read Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish which I enjoyed a lot. Written in rhythmic verses that probably seems like a gimmicky writing style, but I liked it.
It also looks like I finished my Goodreads challenge for the year. Put down 20 books and now I'm done so I guess no more reading stuff till 2015. I should probably look into increasing the count for next year.
If you enjoyed Heaney's Beowulf, then you should probably explore some of his other translations. His version of Antigone is especially wonderful.
If you have not bought a copy yet NYRB is releasing a new edition some time this year.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1590178211/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Interesting. Stoner actually got me interested it the other books that NYRB has publisehd/re-issued. I like their focus on shedding light on forgotten gems, and as can be seen by the last few books that I have posted in here, I am definitely going to read them.
I doubt I will buy that version though because I try to use the library whenever possible (I am a cheap bastard), and I doubt they will order that version when they already have a copy.
My friend thinks the same. He liked Sanderson's books well enough but he can't bring himself to start the Stormlight Archive.
Waiting for ASOAIF to end is painful enough, for both him and me.
Starting reading a long series is difficult. Especially so if it is still work in progress, but even otherwise... The Wheel of Time taught me this, by having a couple of really, really bad books.
The thing is, i love long series, i rarely really connect with shorter stuff. The more there is, the more real it feels, i think. Though of course if a short series or even a single book feels real enough, it is enough for me, i think. Unfortunately such ones are very rare. Worldbuilding is very important for me, as much if not even more important than the characters and plot/story.
But bad books, even weak ones (can) hurt too much. Though i'm not sure how to define a weak book, aside from obvious issues like really bad writing, i never had issues with the last two ASOAIF books, the latter is perhaps a tad slow and uses the same trick too often but it is nowhere near as horrible as that one Wheel of Time book (Crossroads of Twilight or some such).
I wonder if weathering bad books is easier if you're reading a long series... On one hand, you are already invested and you know the author can do better. On the other hand, there are no guarantees the author manages to bring the series back to the level it was before (Robert Jordan managed this with the final WOT book he wrote, and Sanderson's finale trio for the series is good).
I tried reading Malazan but the first book didn't hook me. It was good enough that i read it and liked it okay but nothing made me like it so much i'd want to read more of it.
Perhaps i will re-read it to see if i get more out of it when reading it again. I doubt that though.
Lately i've been re-reading books i have and i've realized re-reading books is kind of boring. I don't know if i remember things too well or what but i need something new (fantasy, i've given up on finding scifi i'd like and haven't read yet, aside a few exceptions i'm interested in but can't find anywhere).
And so, i ask, once again, for recommendations. Picking something blindly doesn't work for me really. And reading reviews doesn't help me either, people give either one or five stars, and they either have only praise or derision for books. Perhaps i read wrong reviews but can't figure out where to find good ones.
EDIT doesn't help that i have basically two days to find something. Libraries here are no help, English fantasy is nigh-nonexistent and they don't translate enough to Finnish, most certainly not the interesting ones.
(Of previous ones, i can recall that Wolfe guy's books being recommended. Also Dark Tower but i shot that down based on what i know about it, i'm very particular about fantasy being fantasy, don't really like crossing it with real world, or scifi for that matter (i don't oppose fantasy setting expanding to space and becoming a space fantasy, but i'm super skeptical whether anyone can pull that off in a way i like it).)
Maklershed
Member
Really enjoying the audio book of Bill Bryson's One Summer.
I'm surprised you didnt like Mazalan. Thats basically all world building. Personally, I didnt like it since I feel that the characters are driven by the plot and the plot isnt driven by the characters (were pretty weak too). And I felt that the world building was complex just for the sake of being complex, i.e. pointless.
I recommend:
Blood Song by Anthony Ryan. Its one of the best fantasy novels that Ive read
Riyria Revelations by Sullivan is also very good and simply good fun
Glad you are liking it! I am going to have to put that on my list now
I didn't dislike it. I found it okay but not good enough to hook me. EDIT also, the author's foreword didn't help any. That egoistical claim of the book either sucking the reader in by 1/3rd and reading the rest of the series or giving up there... ugh.
I don't think it was complex, i think it was complicated (complex is good for of complicated. Kind of.). And that was an issue, it jumped from character to character and didn't have enough time for them.
And what you say about the plot driving the characters... yeah, i can see that.
Anyway, i will give the book a re-read.
Also, your comments are useful for some... introspection. When planning RPG campaigns (and that's mostly planning), i put the plot to forefront too much, wanting to ignore that the players shape things so much... But i digress, again.
I'll write those recommendations down. I figure that if i get perhaps 5 recommendations, i will find at least one of them (i once went to a book store with a list of 3 or 4 books and didn't find a single one of them).
I don't have a smartphone, nor have any use for one. Except when in a bookstore, i want to check things about books or ask about them...
AngmarsKing701
Member
Call me old fashioned if you will but this is a preference i don't think i will ever lose.
EDIT should check the page more correctly. Paperback version apparently exists? Then i will definitively bookmark that but as i'm looking for something for the rest of the week, any books i have to order online are something for later this year.
Nappuccino
Member
It's a great read. But I'm and English major so I may be slightly biased.
I recommend Malazan
but thats because I'll always recommend Malazan. Its the best fantasy.
you could try some Glen Cook. The Black Company, Dread Empire, The Dragon Never Sleeps, Garrett P.I. Cook was kind of the father of Military Fantasy.
I have the Black Company Chronicles omnibus or some such. At best i've gotten some 200 pages in and then nothing. I just can't read that thing (and i've tried thrice). Not because it is not interesting but because i can't deal with the writing style (first person in itself is not a problem).
EDIT usually writing is not a problem for me, as long as it isn't bad, ie the author understands show, don't tell principle, doesn't infodump, doesn't have mary sues, doesn't use said bookisms, etc other bad things.
I don't understand writing as an art* though, so any "beautiful" or such text is ultimately lost to me. As long as i can understand characters and the story, it is good enough, i think. But The Black Company, its style is just something i can't read. Very confusing.
*Or any other art either really. But that's my not-problem. Perhaps it could be argued that storytelling in itself is an art but you'd only get a blank look from me if you suggest that.
EDIT usually writing is not a problem for me, as long as it isn't bad, ie the author understands show, don't tell principle, doesn't infodump, doesn't have mary sues, doesn't use said bookisms, etc other bad things.
I don't understand writing as an art* though, so any "beautiful" or such text is ultimately lost to me. As long as i can understand characters and the story, it is good enough, i think. But The Black Company, its style is just something i can't read. Very confusing.
*Or any other art either really. But that's my not-problem. Perhaps it could be argued that storytelling in itself is an art but you'd only get a blank look from me if you suggest that.
postcyberpunk
Banned
Interesting so far. In the initial pages he tries to mend the rift between critics and theorists.
Read about this is last month's Poetry and thought I would give it a shot. It doesn't disappoint.
I am planning on diving into Blood Song quite soon with how well reviewed it is, though with me just finishing all the ASOIAF books, I want to take a slight break from medieval fantasy and go through The Expanse books most likely, then I think I'll be reading that one.
nakedsushi
Member
Finished reading:
Under the Skin by Michel Faber
Great recommendation from GAF. Very disturbing, but loved the direction the book went. I thought it could have been a little shorter (the bits about picking up hitchhikers got repetitive). Did anyone watch the movie? Worth watching?
Under the Skin by Michel Faber
Great recommendation from GAF. Very disturbing, but loved the direction the book went. I thought it could have been a little shorter (the bits about picking up hitchhikers got repetitive). Did anyone watch the movie? Worth watching?
Flintty
Member
I'm currently reading my wife's first book which I'm really getting in to, I'm not a big reader but so far it's really good (I'm probably biased!). I didn't want to put an Amazon link up in case it gets me into trouble for shamelessly plugging it! If that's allowed, please say
It's a paranormal fantasy set in Victorian London.
It's a paranormal fantasy set in Victorian London.
Maklershed
Member
I don't think there'd be a problem with that. Please share.I'm currently reading my wife's first book which I'm really getting in to, I'm not a big reader but so far it's really good (I'm probably biased!). I didn't want to put an Amazon link up in case it gets me into trouble for shamelessly plugging it! If that's allowed, please say
It's a paranormal fantasy set in Victorian London.
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