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What are you reading? (February 2011)

Ratrat

Member
awesomeapproved said:
I am reading a really interesting non-fiction of what happened to the whaleship Essex, a true story that inspired Moby Dick.
Moby Dick was the last book I finished reading. Think I'll pick this up, the reviews make it sound amazing.
 

eznark

Banned
Finally settled on my next book

TdKuU.jpg


Are the David J. Williams books any good?
 

Kunohara

Member
I am currently in the middle of Towers of Midnight and it is awesome. Right after that, I am gonna read the second Dune book. I just read the first one not too long ago, and I'm hoping that the other Dune books are just as good. I bought a set of all of them, so even if they are meh, I'm still gonna read them.
 

Pollux

Member
Currently reading Pandora's Star, but will be done with that in about 2 days.

Then come March 1, Wise Man's Fear...fuck yes can't wait
 

charsace

Member
518kB6-xMfL._SS400_.jpg

Changeless by Gail Carriger

A great paronormal, steampnunk urban victorian series. Second in the series. Its like Jane Austen decided to write books similar to the Southern Vampire series.
 
charsace said:
518kB6-xMfL._SS400_.jpg

Changeless by Gail Carriger

A great paronormal, steampnunk urban victorian series. Second in the series. Its like Jane Austen decided to write books similar to the Southern Vampire series.

Yeah! It's one of my favorite paranormal series books. The humor's pretty great and the adventures are always a lot of fun.
 

Alucard

Banned
eznark said:
Finally settled on my next book

TdKuU.jpg


Are the David J. Williams books any good?

Is this a history book? I've recently done some light reading on Hannibal and Carthage, and would be curious to learn more about that time and place. What does this book chronicle?
 

eznark

Banned
Alucard said:
Is this a history book? I've recently done some light reading on Hannibal and Carthage, and would be curious to learn more about that time and place. What does this book chronicle?

I'm four pages in so:

Military historian O'Connell (Of Arms and Men: A History of War, Weapons, and Aggression) has established the new standard for studies of the second conflict between Rome and Carthage. In dramatic and comprehensive fashion, he describes the rivalry, based on temperament and territory, that led to the slaughter at Cannae in 216 B.C.E. and beyond. Focusing chiefly on Hannibal and his Roman nemesis Scipio Africanus, he also awards proper consideration to Fabius Maximus, whose strategy of attrition and delay could have saved countless Roman lives. Differences in Roman and Carthaginian tactics, armament, and philosophy are explained, as is the importance of religious belief to both cultures. O'Connell shatters the popular myth of the invincibility of the Carthaginians' fabled elephants, the panzer pachyderms. The ghosts of the title are the Roman survivors of Cannae, who were unwanted reminders of defeat. They were banished to Sicily until Scipio Africanus incorporated them into the army that achieved the final Roman victory at Zama. Unfortunately, a lack of sources restricts O'Connell's ability to provide much information on the Carthaginian home front, but ample attention is given to the political maneuvers that shaped Roman policy. 6 maps. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
 

charsace

Member
eznark said:
Steampunk urban victorian vampires seems like the absolute worst thing anyone could ever imagine
Its awesome man. So many paranormal novels coming out the last few years and most of them are crap. This is one of the rare paranormal urban series that fans of the genre should read.
 

.JayZii

Banned
Just started reading Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and I am really digging it so far. Any recommendations for which Murakami book I should read after this?
 

Ashes

Banned
first Impression of Tinkers, by paul harding.


Spoilers I guess... first twenty pages +....


It's a dense book, which usually puts me off books, but on this occasion it's drawing me in.

Its about a dying man's last few days. He has his family around, and he describes his town for the most part in the beginning part.

The thing that drew me in was the focal point of the first part, focal point for me at least, which are the hallucinations he has.

Basically he has built the house he lives in himself. And he imagines the wall above him falling in on him. And all the little bits and pieces that go along with it.

Just was going through my mind now, so I thought I'd post it here...

edit: Correction: Tinkers.
 

Lissar

Reluctant Member
charsace said:
Its awesome man. So many paranormal novels coming out the last few years and most of them are crap. This is one of the rare paranormal urban series that fans of the genre should read.

I've read all three, and while they're enjoyable I was going into them more for the steampunk than the paranormal and the romance. The most unfortunate thing about them is that the steampunk seems tacked on, and not really a necessary part of the plot. I was really disappointed because that seemed to be more of the market push. A lot of the people I know were disappointed when they read it, as they had no idea going in that it was going to be more paranormal romance than steampunk.


.JayZii said:
Just started reading Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and I am really digging it so far. Any recommendations for which Murakami book I should read after this?

That one is my favorite by him. My second favorite is Kafka by the Shore.
 

LProtag

Member
.JayZii said:
Just started reading Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and I am really digging it so far. Any recommendations for which Murakami book I should read after this?

His 'big three' are: Norwegian Wood (I think it's his best seller, and probably the easiest to get into), Kafka on the Shore (pretty long, quite good) and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (around 800 pages, considered his magnum opus).

The newest book he put out in Japan was called 1Q84 which should be coming out sometime this year (end of the year if I recall) in English. From what I've heard, it might be his best yet.

Though, I've read most of his stuff and love it all. I don't think there's any books you can really go wrong with. Look out if you get into Wild Sheep Chase or Dance, Dance, Dance, they're part of a larger 'saga'. The first two in it aren't that great, they're his first works, so you should be fine reading Wild Sheep Chase then Dance, Dance, Dance. The order is Hear the Wind Sing -> Pinball, 1973 -> Wild Sheep Chase -> Dance, Dance, Dance. They're all loosely connected and I think the only way to get the first two are to order the English language versions from Japan (they're marketed as books to help Japanese people learn English, with Japanese to English translations in the back, etc.)

Hope this helps!

Edit: 1Q84 is coming out October 25th of this year, with all 3 volumes of the book included it looks like.
 

Arment

Member
Blackace said:

Lovely series but it's all I've read for 6 books. x.x I'm on Book 7 now and I'll probably finish it before I go buy the finale to Malazan. Going to be a tough wait though.
 

Ashes

Banned
Salazar said:

That sounds. Awesome. cheers.

Having read the reviews of both though... I think the madness part is only temporary...

I'm at work, and I suddenly just thought of Tinkers, which is why I posted my thoughts... it's more the language which made that specific encounter a beautiful rendition.

edit: correction. Tinkers.
 

Lindbergh

Member
After reading Vampire Hunter D, I stumbled upon this:

14766.jpg


Two stories in one publishing.
Finished A Wind Named Amnesia, almost done with Invader Summer.
The former and the latter so far are pretty interesting.
 

charsace

Member
Lissar said:
I've read all three, and while they're enjoyable I was going into them more for the steampunk than the paranormal and the romance. The most unfortunate thing about them is that the steampunk seems tacked on, and not really a necessary part of the plot. I was really disappointed because that seemed to be more of the market push. A lot of the people I know were disappointed when they read it, as they had no idea going in that it was going to be more paranormal romance than steampunk.




That one is my favorite by him. My second favorite is Kafka by the Shore.
I had no idea it had any steampunk. Steampunk is important in the first book. The main character herself follows the rule of alchemy.
 

Goody

Member
I'm worming my way through The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles right now. I'd have finished the book by now if it weren't for school kicking my ass right now. That and it's been quite a slow burn. I couldn't get into it for quite a bit, but now it's really starting to resonate with me.
 

Vard

Member
Put down Flashman and picked up Sputnik Sweetheart by H. Murakami. It's my second time reading it, but the first in 5 or so years.
 

Karakand

Member
eznark said:
Steampunk urban victorian vampires seems like the absolute worst thing anyone could ever imagine
Steampunk urban Victorian vampires inserted into a public domain book with appended zombie chapters written by some cretin.
 

Guileless

Temp Banned for Remedial Purposes
Maklershed said:
Just a heads up for Kindle owners - I saw a bunch of William Faulkner and Isaac Asimov books went up on Amazon today.

Benjy Compson e-ink here I come!
 
.JayZii said:
Just started reading Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and I am really digging it so far. Any recommendations for which Murakami book I should read after this?
If you haven't read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, that. Then Kafka On The Shore. Just read everything of his.

Edit: I just read Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut, then I read Distant Star by Roberto Bolaño, and now I am charging through If on a winter's night a traveler by Italo Calvino. Next I think will be Einstein's Dreams, then I'm not sure what. Probably a big book.
 

Davedough

Member
Started reading Snow Crash after a suggestion from Cyan and I have to say after 2 chapters last night... its not like anything I've ever read. Still waiting for the entire strange setting and ultra strange Protagonist (pun intended) to sink in with me before I can form any type of opinion.
 

Guileless

Temp Banned for Remedial Purposes
I have an unread copy of Snow Crash that I got a few years ago. I need to sit down and read it sometime.
 

Dresden

Member
Wellington said:
[]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Bikue987L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg[/IMG]

Good read. I'm surprised since I am not huge on allegory.

Gonna get more into Coelho.
Fifth Mountain is pretty good. I didn't dig The Alchemist much, but I did like FM.
 

Mifune

Mehmber
Davedough said:
Started reading Snow Crash after a suggestion from Cyan and I have to say after 2 chapters last night... its not like anything I've ever read. Still waiting for the entire strange setting and ultra strange Protagonist (pun intended) to sink in with me before I can form any type of opinion.

I've lately come to know quite a few people who didn't care for Snow Crash. To me, it's such a zippy, funny, wild ride that I can't fathom agreeing but opinions and all that. I guess you could call it juvenile, but that's kind of the point. It's Stephenson's kick-ass cyber-samurai anime-bubblegum blockbuster, and it's a blast. But you don't realize how great of a writer he is until you read his later stuff.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.
 

LProtag

Member
Haha, that Calvino wikipedia article is amazing. I really need to read more of his stuff. I have The Castle of Crossed Destinies back home, I'll probably read it over the summer. Love the idea of using Tarot to tell stories.
 
road1.jpg


Just finished this bad boy the other day. I'm particularly fond of the Beat era but regardless I think this book is fantastic. Some really memorable characters, interesting period colloquialisms and just a blast in general in how the story rises and dips and turns.

a_farewell_to_arms.jpg


I reread this after a while this month and was instantly reminded why I love Hemingway - economical prose with his "Iceberg theory" narrative style but he leaves some space to really capture the beauty of Italy and gives an interesting personal account of the war; good (but typically 'lost generation') characters; an engrossing love story and just an amazing end.
 
Finished this on the plane:


Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead

It was decent, but too soap-opera-ish. The important world-shifting battles played second fiddle to the love triangle drama. Lots of hot steamy scenes. Enough where I felt embarrassed reading this on the BART if there was any chance of someone looking over my shoulder.

I guess I'll finish up Stories of Your Life and Others and maybe a few more stories from Machine of Death before starting this month's bookclub book.


Mifune said:
I've lately come to know quite a few people who didn't care for Snow Crash. To me, it's such a zippy, funny, wild ride that I can't fathom agreeing but opinions and all that. I guess you could call it juvenile, but that's kind of the point. It's Stephenson's kick-ass cyber-samurai anime-bubblegum blockbuster, and it's a blast. But you don't realize how great of a writer he is until you read his later stuff.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

Snow Crash was the first Stephenson I read and I *thought* I liked it. Then I read Diamond Age and I *really* liked it. I think if I had done it in the other order, I wouldn't have liked Snow Crash as much as I did. It's not a bad book at all, but the world-building and pacing of Diamond Age was a lot better. The characters also felt more human and easy to relate to. Even when things got CRAZY.
 

coldvein

Banned
finally about done with the blade itself by joe abercrombie. maybe 50 pages left. what a slogging chore this book has been. if this dude refers to characters sucking on their teeth again i am GOING TO THROW A FIT. i mean that. also, i don't know if i've read a book that uses the word 'piss' as often. why is this guy so popular? this is the worst fantasy i've read.

example of a common sentence from this book: he stood and sucked his teeth, and then spat sour spit. it tasted like piss. he felt like piss. PISS!!!


garbage.
 

eznark

Banned
coldvein said:
finally about done with the blade itself by joe abercrombie. maybe 50 pages left. what a slogging chore this book has been. if this dude refers to characters sucking on their teeth again i am GOING TO THROW A FIT. i mean that. also, i don't know if i've read a book that uses the word 'piss' as often. why is this guy so popular? this is the worst fantasy i've read.

example of a common sentence from this book: he stood and sucked his teeth, and then spat sour spit. it tasted like piss. he felt like piss. PISS!!!


garbage.

Finally someone else on this board with taste! I read through the series because they were simple reads and the action was pretty good. The writing was shit, the characterizations were wooden and the resolution at the end is probably the worst thing that has ever been written by anyone, ever.

That said, it's better than Peter Brett.
 

JGS

Banned
I was attempting to read all the classics I'd forgotten and kind of got bored.

Decided to take a break and read...comics. Sorry if it doesn't count.

So far I've read 5 editions of Invincible, Y The Last Man, & Pride of Bagdad

Invincible- Incredible and love the art style.

Pride- Loved it until the very end...and then I hated it. :(

Y The Last Man- Still not sure on this one. When I ponder on it too much, it's too depressing, but the writing itself stays light hearted. The problem is that makes it unbelievable. Yorick does way too many bone-headed things.
 
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