Whatcha readin?

[Jiro]

I'm still sort of reading A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Well, the trilogy of four to be more precise. I forget which one I'm up to though, it's been a while :greenie:

Next on my list is The Hunt for Red October. It is a gargantuan book though so I don't know if I'll get a chance to actually pick it up and start.

So, whatcha readin?

[Vincent, Thunder God]

The Hitchhiker's series was a fun read, though I found the genuine laugh out loud moments were few and far between. I'm reading the One Tree by Stephen R Donaldson, the second book in the second Thomas Covenant Trilogy. Donaldson excels in two areas - describing despair and exhaustion. He also uses extremely archaic words that aren't even in the dictionary. When I first read the trilogy I found it quite depressing, but I've come to understand it now and it doesn't bother me as much. I would highly recommend both the First and Second Chronicles to anyone who enjoys good fantasy and good writing.

[Miriel]

In the past few weeks, I've finished:

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - Exquisite. Love love loved it.
Major Pettigew's Last Stand - Charming, quick read.
The Elegance of a Hedgehog - Quirky, ironic.
Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood - It was one of the most beautifully written book I've ever read. Although frustratingly slow at times.

I read a lot of books simultaneously, so I'm also reading Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and also the Eragon book that just came out (don't laugh at me). Whenever I read something high brow, I always have to balance it out with something a little trashy or easy.

I'd also really like to get my hands on The Night Circus, since it's apparently supposed to be THE NEXT BIG THING.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

I'm really looking forward to 11/22/63, I'm getting it for Christmas. It sounds like it could be one of Stephen King's best novels. It's about a man who travels back in time to prevent the assassination of JFK. And after that he's releasing a new Dark Tower book. I bet they're both going to be great!

[Pheesh]

Glamorama by Bret Easton Ellis. I love absolutely everything by this man, and this is no exception. This one is definitely up there with his best so far.


I'm really looking forward to 11/22/63, I'm getting it for Christmas. It sounds like it could be one of Stephen King's best novels.

And I'm looking forward to this as well, it sounds amazing.

[Pike]

Recently finished Watership Down for the millionth time (one of my favorite books EVER), and started to re-read The Brothers Karamazov (which IS my favorite book ever)

I'm also reading Hux's current work-in-progress as he sends it to me :cool:

[chionos]

Just finished reading Asimov's Foundation Series for about the tenth time. Also finished Neal Stephenson's Anathem, which was the first Stephenson work I'd read--was fantastic. Starting The Idiot tonight for the third time (I feel like I'm missing some crucial elements).

Atwood is one of my favorite female authors. Her Penelopiad made me rethink The Odyssey, and The Robber Bride, Cat's Eye, and The Handmaid's Tale are all fantastic.

[Slothy]

Next on my list is The Hunt for Red October. It is a gargantuan book though so I don't know if I'll get a chance to actually pick it up and start.

Compared to most of Tom Clancy's later stuff, The Hunt for Red October is fairly short. Rainbow Six is probably my favourite though.

At the moment I'm making my way through Super Freakonomics. I plan on starting Metro 2033 after that. Then maybe I'll make the time to re-read the Dune series again.

[Jiro]

Because I had some time to kill I decided to reread an old book I had lying around. Rowan of Rin. Nice and short, was still as enjoyable as I remember. A good way to help writing for YA is to read the books.

[Raistlin]

I'm still sort of reading A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Well, the trilogy of four five to be more precise. I forget which one I'm up to though, it's been a while :greenie:

Fixed.

Also, I'm reading law school casebooks.

[Shlup]

I've been in a reading slump since finishing the latest A Song of Ice and Fire book. I'm kind of half reading the very Twilight-esque Shiver, but not with any enthusiasm. I'm mostly reading though the "smut" section on Manga Updates.

I need a new book to get into, but all I want is the The Winds of Winter. ;_;

[Del Murder]

Currently reading The Brothers Karamazov. It's long, but an easy read since it's well translated. I can see how this book would be the book of its time, but a lot of the commentary isn't really relevant to today's world. Still, it has interesting characters and some amusing moments and there is a murder mystery.

[Bubba]

I'm currently re-reading '1984' by George Orwell which is a staggering book. Before that though I read "The Man on Platform 5" by Robert Llewellyn (of Red Dwarf fame) which cheered me right up! There aren't enough books around with happy endings.

[Chris]

For some reason, I can't seem to focus if I read more than two books at a time. oO

I'm currently making my way through Michael Crichton's classic Jurassic Park. Read it a million times, and I never get tired of it.

[Rye]

In the past few weeks, I've finished:

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - Exquisite. Love love loved it.
Major Pettigew's Last Stand - Charming, quick read.
The Elegance of a Hedgehog - Quirky, ironic.
Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood - It was one of the most beautifully written book I've ever read. Although frustratingly slow at times.

I read a lot of books simultaneously, so I'm also reading Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and also the Eragon book that just came out (don't laugh at me). Whenever I read something high brow, I always have to balance it out with something a little trashy or easy.

I'd also really like to get my hands on The Night Circus, since it's apparently supposed to be THE NEXT BIG THING.

Blind Assassin! It's so fantastic and puts me at awe of Atwood's craft. You should try Cat's Eye and The Robber Bride. I adore those both. I cannot wait until she finishes the last of the MaddAdam trilogy.

Apparently The Night Circus is quite something.

I'm currently reading:
:save: Starship Troopers - Heinlein
:save: Netherland - O'Neill
:save: 1Q84 - Murakami (fantastic work, but I really have no time to read this 900 page monster, so I'm going at it so slowly)
:save: The Broom of the System - Wallace (This is also slow going; I have no time to read personally with all of my English classes)
:save: Prey - Crichton (required for class)

I strongly recommend Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Foer. I read it for my 9/11 lit class, and it was just incredibly moving and worked with the novel form in a really innovative way.

[Pike]

Currently reading The Brothers Karamazov. It's long, but an easy read since it's well translated. I can see how this book would be the book of its time, but a lot of the commentary isn't really relevant to today's world. Still, it has interesting characters and some amusing moments and there is a murder mystery.

YES, someone else reading this masterpiece.

[chionos]

Currently reading The Brothers Karamazov. It's long, but an easy read since it's well translated. I can see how this book would be the book of its time, but a lot of the commentary isn't really relevant to today's world. Still, it has interesting characters and some amusing moments and there is a murder mystery.

Which translation are you using? I like the Pevear-Volokhonsky because it feels more Russian, but is still very readable.

@Shlup do you know when TWoW is due? I don't think it'll take as long to get #6 as it took to get #5, but I'm impatient as well.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

Yeah, a Song of Ice and Fire is excellent, just finished the first book recently. Disliked the show though, it didn't capture the subtle feel of A Game of Thrones for me. I just bought the hardcover of Dance of Dragons, and I'm looking forward to reading A Clash of Kings!

[Boney King]

I tried to start As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner recently but I really have no time to read and appreciate a full novel in between all my school readings. So I'm just dipping in and out of some poetry collections, mainly Dylan Thomas and Charles Bukowski.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

Currently reading The Brothers Karamazov. It's long, but an easy read since it's well translated. I can see how this book would be the book of its time, but a lot of the commentary isn't really relevant to today's world. Still, it has interesting characters and some amusing moments and there is a murder mystery.

Which translation are you using? I like the Pevear-Volokhonsky because it feels more Russian, but is still very readable.

Believe it or not I tried to read the Brothers Karamazov when I was a kid a few times, and I didn't understand it. I think I would follow it better now, but I don't generally enjoy Russian writers (Boris Pasternak's Dr. Zhivago for example bored me to pieces, though I rather like the film). Would you guys say that the Brothers is better than Zhivago? If so I might give it another shot.

[chionos]

Currently reading The Brothers Karamazov. It's long, but an easy read since it's well translated. I can see how this book would be the book of its time, but a lot of the commentary isn't really relevant to today's world. Still, it has interesting characters and some amusing moments and there is a murder mystery.

Which translation are you using? I like the Pevear-Volokhonsky because it feels more Russian, but is still very readable.

Believe it or not I tried to read the Brothers Karamazov when I was a kid a few times, and I didn't understand it. I think I would follow it better now, but I don't generally enjoy Russian writers (Boris Pasternak's Dr. Zhivago for example bored me to pieces, though I rather like the film). Would you guys say that the Brothers is better than Zhivago? If so I might give it another shot.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky is, in my opinion (and in the opinion of good number of literary scholars), one of the top 10 greatest writers of all time. Many people consider Brothers the greatest of Dostoyevsky's works (though my favorite's The Idiot). I can't promise you that you'll like it, but if you don't, I fear for you and pity you greatly. Also, it's a difficult work to follow even with age and experience. For one thing, Dostoyevsky doesn't use a single voice, each character has its own voice. The book is filled with Russian sensibilities and mindsets and with religious allusions that are easily missed by a reader with no background in those areas. Nabokov is probably the most accessible Russian writer that's any good. I like them all though.

[Del Murder]

Which translation are you using? I like the Pevear-Volokhonsky because it feels more Russian, but is still very readable.
It's that one.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

Which translation are you using? I like the Pevear-Volokhonsky because it feels more Russian, but is still very readable.
It's that one.

Would you recommend that particular translation? I'm thinking of buying it.

[Del Murder]

It's pretty good, and most people recommend it. However, it's the only one I've read so I don't really know.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

It's pretty good, and most people recommend it. However, it's the only one I've read so I don't really know.

All right, maybe I'll have to research the other versions to find out more, but if that one's as good as you say maybe it's the one to buy. I had a copy at one point, split into two parts (might have been a Penguin edition) but I have no idea who translated it. My family owned it and we got rid of it eventually, because I doubted I would ever read it in its entirety. But considering the rave reviews it's getting on here, and my desire to expand my reading palette, I'll probably have to buy it again.

[chionos]

It is the one to buy. There are a couple other great translations, but they are each either more scholarly (and less accessible) or over-translated (meaning destroying the Russian idioms and textures) or under-translated (meaning so overly Russian that without some background in the language they're nearly incomprehensible). The Pevear translation is great for those who don't have any Russian language background but are able to appreciate and comprehend some idiomatic language and cultural perspective. Also I'm a purest, so one of the other copies I have, translated by Constance Garnett, is largely untouched. From what I've read, it's one of the over-translated versions and it hacks Dostoyevsky's work to pieces. I read part of a copy that one of my professors had which was translated by someone with a funny (it was to me anyway but I don't remember why) name that I can't remember. It was like Andrew Andrews or something. It seemed to be of a high quality but I didn't read the whole thing. My professor said it was his favorite, though. If you judge a book by its cover, it'd my favorite too. It's the one, iirc, with the snowy painting.

[Shlup]

@Shlup do you know when TWoW is due? I don't think it'll take as long to get #6 as it took to get #5, but I'm impatient as well.
No. I follow George R.R. Martin on LiveJournal, but he hasn't mentioned the book for a long time. It looks like he's been kind of busy with another project lately. I'm pessimistic about it, though, on account of the gap between the last two books. I just hope the old man doesn't croak before he finishes.

[chionos]

@Shlup do you know when TWoW is due? I don't think it'll take as long to get #6 as it took to get #5, but I'm impatient as well.
No. I follow George R.R. Martin on LiveJournal, but he hasn't mentioned the book for a long time. It looks like he's been kind of busy with another project lately. I'm pessimistic about it, though, on account of the gap between the last two books. I just hope the old man doesn't croak before he finishes.

O_O I hadn't even thought of that...That is a terrible terrible thought.
At the current rate the show will catch up with the books. I don't like all the changes the show made, but it's still good stuff.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

@Shlup do you know when TWoW is due? I don't think it'll take as long to get #6 as it took to get #5, but I'm impatient as well.
No. I follow George R.R. Martin on LiveJournal, but he hasn't mentioned the book for a long time. It looks like he's been kind of busy with another project lately. I'm pessimistic about it, though, on account of the gap between the last two books. I just hope the old man doesn't croak before he finishes.

O_O I hadn't even thought of that...That is a terrible terrible thought.
At the current rate the show will catch up with the books. I don't like all the changes the show made, but it's still good stuff.

I didn't like the show at all, ruined the story for me. But loved the first book. And I'm in no rush for book 6 to be released because I have yet to start A Clash of Kings. :bigsmile:

[erikramza]

The third part of my favorite series of anti-hero books, Aloha From Hell. The third book of the Sandman Slim stories.
Sandman Slim, and Kill The Dead (lol) are all three amazing books. Highly recommend.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

The third part of my favorite series of anti-hero books, Aloha From Hell. The third book of the Sandman Slim stories.
Sandman Slim, and Kill The Dead (lol) are all three amazing books. Highly recommend.

I love antiheroes! What's the series about?

[chionos]

I finished it awhile ago, but Neil Gaiman's American Gods is one of the best books I've ever read. Really, anything by Neil Gaiman is pretty awesome. He's friends with Terry Pratchett, how could he be anything but awesome.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

I finished it awhile ago, but Neil Gaiman's American Gods is one of the best books I've ever read. Really, anything by Neil Gaiman is pretty awesome. He's friends with Terry Pratchett, how could he be anything but awesome.

I started reading Gaiman's Sandman comic book series and I wasn't immediately hooked but it's tone was pretty cool. So you would recommend American Gods if I enjoy the Sandman series?

[chionos]

I finished it awhile ago, but Neil Gaiman's American Gods is one of the best books I've ever read. Really, anything by Neil Gaiman is pretty awesome. He's friends with Terry Pratchett, how could he be anything but awesome.

I started reading Gaiman's Sandman comic book series and I wasn't immediately hooked but it's tone was pretty cool. So you would recommend American Gods if I enjoy the Sandman series?

The thing about Gaiman is that he's very postmodern, so he drifts in and out of different styles and ideas. He's written very adult books (not naughty, just mature), like American Gods, and he's written comics, and he's written books for kids (my favorite being The Graveyard Book, but the more recognizable being Coraline, which was made into a rather awesome movie by Henry Selick who directed James and the Giant Peach and the Nightmare Before Christmas)
Anyone interested in worldviews or cultural progress or Americana or Fantasy as a genre should read the book. And it should, without any doubt, be part of the canon of postmodern thought.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

I finished it awhile ago, but Neil Gaiman's American Gods is one of the best books I've ever read. Really, anything by Neil Gaiman is pretty awesome. He's friends with Terry Pratchett, how could he be anything but awesome.

I started reading Gaiman's Sandman comic book series and I wasn't immediately hooked but it's tone was pretty cool. So you would recommend American Gods if I enjoy the Sandman series?

The thing about Gaiman is that he's very postmodern, so he drifts in and out of different styles and ideas. He's written very adult books (not naughty, just mature), like American Gods, and he's written comics, and he's written books for kids (my favorite being The Graveyard Book, but the more recognizable being Coraline, which was made into a rather awesome movie by Henry Selick who directed James and the Giant Peach and the Nightmare Before Christmas)
Anyone interested in worldviews or cultural progress or Americana or Fantasy as a genre should read the book. And it should, without any doubt, be part of the canon of postmodern thought.

Sounds awesome, I like fantasy and adult subject matter, but I also like fiction for youth, so maybe I'll have to check out Coraline, the Graveyard Book and American Gods.

[I Took the Red Pill]

Frantically trying to master Galois Theory before an exam on Sunday (yeah, on Sunday, tit sux), so have been poring over Dummit and Foote's Abstract Algebra. Also have been reading Washinton Square by Henry James. I found it lying around the house, had no idea where it came from, and started reading it. It's pretty good, even if James isn't really my style usually.

[chionos]

I'm not really a Henry James fan but can't deny the influence he had on literature, and so can't just ignore his works. It's sort of a case of, to quote an old professor, "I don't enjoy reading him as much as I enjoy having read him."

[Jiro]

Fixed.


http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2516146/Picture0042.jpg

[Boney King]

I picked up the first volume of Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis the other day, first comic I've bought in a long time. Anyone a fan?

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

(my favorite being The Graveyard Book,

I just finished this book! It is definitely my favorite Gaiman book, though I did quite like Good Omens and Stardust.

Before reading The Graveyard Book, I read the first Death Gate Cycle book - Dragon Wing. I am now reading the second one, Elven Star. The Death Gate Cycle is by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
I am also about to start Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb even though I am not nearly finished with the Death Gate book because my mommy recommended it. :p

[gursikh11]

Reading The avengers comics. I am big fan of marvel comics. Always read Marvel comic books and sometimes of DC.

[Slothy]

I picked up the first volume of Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis the other day, first comic I've bought in a long time. Anyone a fan?

Haven't read it but always I've heard good things (no brainer since it's Warren Ellis). I took a bit of a break from Super Freakonomics to scratch the comic book itch. I just read Batman: The Long Halloween, and am re-reading All-Star Superman (I'm getting the wonderfully oversized Absolute edition for Christmas as well). If I still feel the comic book itch after I finish that I plan on re-reading Y: The Last Man.

[Shaibana]

got some moments in the week where i have to wait... so i brought Harry Potter and the prizoner of azkaban along :)

ive read the 1st one on holiday but there i couldnt find Chamber of Secrets :o
My mission is to read them all xD

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

People exist who have not read Harry Potter... :confused:

[Slothy]

I've never read them. Honestly never had much interest. Enjoyed most of the movies, but not nearly enough to compel me to read the books, even if they are considered better.

[Pike]

I haven't read them either. The movies were god-tier, though. Loved 'em. Eventually I'll get around to reading the books.

[Shaibana]

ive decided to read them after the movies.. i read 1 book and in ruined the whole movie for me..

Im not much of a reader at all :o just in vacations etc

[Boney King]

I picked up the first volume of Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis the other day, first comic I've bought in a long time. Anyone a fan?

Haven't read it but always I've heard good things (no brainer since it's Warren Ellis). I took a bit of a break from Super Freakonomics to scratch the comic book itch. I just read Batman: The Long Halloween, and am re-reading All-Star Superman (I'm getting the wonderfully oversized Absolute edition for Christmas as well). If I still feel the comic book itch after I finish that I plan on re-reading Y: The Last Man.
I heard Long Halloween and Y: The Last Man were both very good, I considered picking up Y the other day but ended up not. Have you ever read Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth by Grant Morrison? It's my favourite Batman graphic novel, and probably my favourite piece of Batman media overall.

[Slothy]

I haven't, though I'll get it eventually. I'm a big Grant Morrison fan, but missed a lot of his DC stuff over the years (with the exception of All-Star Superman and Superman: Red Son since I'm a big Supes fan) because I mostly read Marvel.

I can't recommend getting Y: The Last Man enough though when you can. It's easily up there as one of my favourite comic series ever, along with titles like Watchmen and Sandman.

[Nice]

Good to be back.

I'm reading "A Game of Thrones".

[Hollycat]

the last book in the inheritance cycle. INHERITANCE
U WILL REED

[Rye]

I thought this could be relevant to this thread:

Jessica (jessiczar) - (107 Books, 4.00 Average Rating) (http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6190858-jessica)

We should all get Goodreads accounts!

[Pike]

I have one. Which I forgot about. And thus haven't updated in like a year. xD

Pike (pikestaff) - Bozeman, MT (4 books) (http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3802397-pike)

[Shiny]

The Basic Kafka by Franz Kafka

This guy hates himself and has daddy issues. What's new?

[I Took the Red Pill]

David Copperfield. I've tried twice before to finish it, and ended up running out of gas somewhere before halfway each time. It's been a good while since I've read a Dickens novel, but I'm rediscovering why I love his writing so much, so hopefully this time I'll make it through the whole thing.

[Del Murder]

David Copperfield is my favorite Dickens novel. I hope you finish it!

[I Took the Red Pill]

Just 4 u I'll try my hardest. The set of Dickens novels I've read is as follows: {A Tale of Two Cities, Hard Times, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Various Short Stories}, of which Hard Times is my favorite thus far. I'm really enjoying Copperfield so far though, much more than I enjoyed any of the aforementioned in their early stages with the exception of Hard Times.

Plz excuse my abuse of set notation my mind is currently stuck in math mode.

also in b4 MILF's diatribe on how Dickens is utter coddlesticks

[Pike]

also in b4 MILF's diatribe on how Dickens is utter hatterpins

wat

I'm going to have to have a little discussion with him later.

[Boney King]

I thought this could be relevant to this thread:

Jessica (jessiczar) - (107 Books, 4.00 Average Rating) (http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6190858-jessica)

We should all get Goodreads accounts!
Yes please be friends with me I have no friends.

http://www.goodreads.com/boneyking (http://www.goodreads.com/boneyking%20)

[eestlinc]

right now I'm reading Burr by Gore Vidal. It's fantastic.

[chionos]

Why has nobody read Dickens' best novel, Our Mutual Friend? Losers.

What's that?
From the west?
Comes a beast?
Comes Eest?
Slinking tinkling linc.
What do you know of books?
Buckley > Vidal
oh and Burr kills Hamilton

Oh and the editor I mentioned pages ago of the Brothers novel is Andrew MacAndrew. I wanted to read the book again after everyone talking about it but I wanted to try a different translation. 'bout halfway through and it's a really fantastic English translation.

[Miriel]

Finished Inheritance. It's possibly the worst book I've ever read. Worse than Twilight. Worse than the Da Vinci code.

And I also finished The Night Circus, which was lovely. But I encourage anyone who intends on reading the book to stay away from reading all the platitudes and reviews surrounding this book. It's one of those books that you want to discover on your own, without the expectations and the hype. I'm pretty sure I would have enjoyed it a lot more, if it hadn't been for the hype.

Reading The Imperfectionists right now. Loving it so far. Also starting Ready Player One, which I've heard great stuff about. It's the type of book that would probably appeal to Eyeson members.

I'm overdue for reading a more classic book, since I've been on a contemporary kick. I started Brothers Karamazov, but really wasn't all that intrigued. I'll finish it once Del Murder is done with it, but I honestly don't know why people go nuts over these old russian books.

[eestlinc]

Our Mutual Friend is sitting on my stack of books to read.

[Breine]

The last books I've read have all been Science Fiction books, because the literature course I had this semester was called "Ecological Science Fiction". It was a great course, and I got to read some really good books - and a couple of "meh" books. The books are:

H.G. Wells - "War of the Worlds"
George Stewart - "Earth Abides"
Harry Harrison - "Make Room! Make Room!"
Marge Piercy - "Woman on the Edge of Time"
Margaret Adwood - "Oryx and Crake"
Cormac McCarthy - "The Road"
Paolo Bacigalupi - "The Windup Girl"


As for right now, all I'm reading is a bunch of stuff for exams. No books. When I get the time in January, though, I'd really like to read Jeffrey Eugenides' new book, "The Marriage Plot".

[Boney King]

The last books I've read have all been Science Fiction books, because the literature course I had this semester was called "Ecological Science Fiction". It was a great course, and I got to read some really good books - and a couple of "meh" books. The books are:

H.G. Wells - "War of the Worlds"
George Stewart - "Earth Abides"
Harry Harrison - "Make Room! Make Room!"
Marge Piercy - "Woman on the Edge of Time"
Margaret Adwood - "Oryx and Crake"
Cormac McCarthy - "The Road"
Paolo Bacigalupi - "The Windup Girl"

As for right now, all I'm reading is a bunch of stuff for exams. No books. When I get the time in January, though, I'd really like to read Jeffrey Eugenides' new book, "The Marriage Plot". I like Cormac McCarthy a lot. Have you read anything else by him? Blood Meridian is pretty great. I'm finishing up the semester now but I haven't decided what to read over the break. I did finish that Transmetropolitan paperback yesterday though and it was awesome.

[Pike]

H.G. Wells - "War of the Worlds"

War of the Worlds is pretty great but I maintain my stance that the greatest Wells book is the Island of Doctor Moreau. I literally couldn't put the book down. Read it all in one sitting.

[Breine]

The last books I've read have all been Science Fiction books, because the literature course I had this semester was called "Ecological Science Fiction". It was a great course, and I got to read some really good books - and a couple of "meh" books. The books are:

H.G. Wells - "War of the Worlds"
George Stewart - "Earth Abides"
Harry Harrison - "Make Room! Make Room!"
Marge Piercy - "Woman on the Edge of Time"
Margaret Adwood - "Oryx and Crake"
Cormac McCarthy - "The Road"
Paolo Bacigalupi - "The Windup Girl"

As for right now, all I'm reading is a bunch of stuff for exams. No books. When I get the time in January, though, I'd really like to read Jeffrey Eugenides' new book, "The Marriage Plot". I like Cormac McCarthy a lot. Have you read anything else by him? Blood Meridian is pretty great. I'm finishing up the semester now but I haven't decided what to read over the break. I did finish that Transmetropolitan paperback yesterday though and it was awesome.

Yeah, I really enjoyed reading "The Road". It's very stark, and very different from the rest of the books we read in that course. "Blood Meridian" is one the books on my "To read" list - my teacher advised us to read it if we liked "The Road". So, I might just go ahead an do that once I get the time.




H.G. Wells - "War of the Worlds"

War of the Worlds is pretty great but I maintain my stance that the greatest Wells book is the Island of Doctor Moreau. I literally couldn't put the book down. Read it all in one sitting.

"War of the "Worlds" was my first H.G. Wells novel. Up until that point the only 19th century Science Fiction I had read was Jules Verne, who is much more about technology I suppose, and Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" (which is like one of my favourite books!). I want to read "The Invisble Man", but also "The Island of Doctor Moreau" at some point. Also "The Last Man" by Shelley.

[Pike]

"War of the "Worlds" was my first H.G. Wells novel. Up until that point the only 19th century Science Fiction I had read was Jules Verne, who is much more about technology I suppose, and Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" (which is like one of my favourite books!). I want to read "The Invisble Man", but also "The Island of Doctor Moreau" at some point. Also "The Last Man" by Shelley.

I freaking love Jules Verne. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is one of my all-time favorites.

[Miss_Lulu]

I just got finished reading Paper Towns by John Green. That book was very very amazing. Of course, I'm a bit biased as John Green is my second favorite author and I love every single book he's every written / co-written.

Currently I'm reading House Rules by Jodi Picoult. My friend Jason recommended it to me. I'm around 150 pages in and have had the temptation to cry at least 7 times already. I have a feeling I'm going to cry my eyes out before I finish reading it.

[Quindiana Jones]

Reading through "The Time Traveler's Wife". I'm in a weird but, I suppose, appropriate position of swearing that I've read this book before, and being sure that it was published some time in the 70/80s, but finding out it was published in 2004.

I'm certain that I read a good old battered copy years and years ago. I know what happens in the book, yet I've never read it before. Maybe I'm...no, it can't be...

[CimminyCricket]

I'm rereading the Harry Potter books and after I'm done I'm going to force foa to read the Janet Evanovich books with me.

Maybe o_O too.

[Del Murder]

Finished The Brothers Karamazov and now I'm moving on to The Night Circus. So far it's pretty magical.

[chionos]

I want to read that, someone told me Morgenstern reads a lot like Neil Gaiman, who is sexonpaper.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I am about to start reading the Haruhi Suzumiya light novels whenever I have to go into work early due to ride situations to help put me in a good mood when I work. I've also started to read Fellowship of the Ring again, and I'm planning on reading through The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit before my winter break from school is over. I've also started to read The Hunger Games trilogy to see if it's any good. I found it interesting enough to read, but I didn't think the first book was that spectacular.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

I'm reading H.P. Lovecraft's short stories. I really liked the Music of Eric Zahn. Some of his serialized stories recap previous installments too much, and for such an old writer his descriptions of gore are quite explicit; he has a very morbid, twisted imagination. But he's an excellent writer and I'm enjoying his work a lot.

I have the Library of America collection, "Tales"; the LoA is a non-profit organization that preserves American fiction, and I also have their collection of Dashiell Hammet's novels, though I'd already heard the Maltese Falcon on audiobook and read Red Harvest elsewhere. I would highly recommend supporting this company by purchasing their collections, the selection is very extensive and each book is a really nice-looking hardcover. Here's their Wikipedia page: Library of America - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_America)

[Miriel]

I don't know why, but it annoys me beyond belief when I read a book that sucks, but has glowing amazing positive reviews. Makes me want to hit things. SO much better to read something that is crappy, but everyone knows it's crappy. Like Twilight.

Ready Player One has tremendous reviews. I mean, the negative reviews barely exist. But this book is terrible. Just truly awful stuff.

Also just finished The Year of Wonders, another one of those "Best books of the year!" type deal, and it was such amateurish writing. A lazy and cheap novel. Ugh.

Don't know what to read next, since I'm so put off by the string of bad books I've been reading lately. And I'm not in the mood for a classic.

[Miss_Lulu]

I just finish The Mortal Instrument trilogy by Cassandra Clare and I loved it. But then I found out that apparently she's continuing the trilogy with 3 more books, and the 4th book has gotten really bad reviews, so I'm iffy about whether or not I want to read it. Has anyone else read it?

Now that I've finished with that I just started The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I'm only 3 or 4 chapters in but it seems alright so far. It's gotten really amazing reviews, and of course they've made a movie out of it.

[Clo]

I'm reading Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood. I'm enjoying it because the neurotic little girl is making me think of myself at the age of 8. :-!

[chionos]

Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter
and
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

then maybe River of Earth

[Vincent, Thunder God]

I'm reading one of the definitive English translations of Swann's Way, which includes material culled over 25 years ago from extensive notes and revision from the master himself. I've only read the introduction, foreword, and notes on the translation, but I've started this novel before and gotten about a third of the way through or more. Looking forward to diving into this gem with full concentration, though if I want to read the entire Search all the way through, I'll have to devote a lot of time and energy to it. I don't have the other volumes as of yet, but I'm planning to buy the boxed set online.

[chionos]

I wish I wasn't the only person in the world to think that Proust is/was overrated. To be fair, I haven't read In Search of Lost Time yet, so...
It may be that I tend to not like the way French novels end up in English and I've only ever read Proust in translation. If I could only work on my French some, I would like to read some of his work in the original language and I might not be so critical. But that probably won't ever happen.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I just went through a lot of reading lately. I finished the Hunger Games trilogy this week (which I thoroughly enjoyed), read Fellowship of the Ring, and with my new Kindle Fire read Once on a Time by A.A. Milne (free download). Once on a Time was a really fun read. Still on my list to read over the next couple of weeks is Water for Elephants, Slaughterhouse Five, and the rest of the Lord of the Rings books.

[Parker]

I'm like 75% through Infinite Jest, according to goodreads. I love it and I don't want to finish it

[Pike]

I wish I wasn't the only person in the world to think that Proust is/was overrated. To be fair, I haven't read In Search of Lost Time yet, so...
It may be that I tend to not like the way French novels end up in English and I've only ever read Proust in translation. If I could only work on my French some, I would like to read some of his work in the original language and I might not be so critical. But that probably won't ever happen.

I have no idea who Proust is, aside from a chemist. Who came up with Proust's Law.

Speaking of chemistry I'm re-reading "Uncle Tungsten" which is Dr. Oliver Sacks's account of his chemistry-filled childhood. Love this book <3

[Vincent, Thunder God]

I'm back to the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson - I bought the first 3 books in the Final Chronicles, so I'll probably start those right away after. With every book there's a leap in the quality of his writing, from the plot to his usage of description and metaphors. Despite the fact that many could find the main characters, Thomas Covenant and Linden Avery, very unlikeable, I find that their reactions to their own internal despair deeply engaging, and the mission they're on to save the Land is full of excitement and adventure (albeit adventures that are often of a grim and deadly sort). Donaldson has a whole host of varied and fascinating secondary characters, but where he really shines is in the development of the turmoil of his main characters, and the many conflicting beliefs and desires that arise within them. Their struggle against Despite is all the more poignant as they attempt to overcome their own damaged souls and personae, which to me is the true centerpiece and theme of the series. A much deeper fantasy saga than most.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

Shion let me borrow Pyramids by Terry Pratchett. I really like his humor, and disc world in general. It'll be a quick read if I ever sit down and concentrate, instead of 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there. Either way it's fun.

[chionos]

I love Terry Pratchett. Pyramids isn't the best he has to offer, but I've never read one of Pratchett's books I didn't like. And that's a lot of books. I've also never started a discworld book that I didn't finish in one sitting.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

I agree, but so far it's enjoyable. I think if I get time this weekend, I'll finish it. I've really only started, but I keep getting interrupted by things. I haven't touched it in a few days.

[Jiro]

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks. Yeah I don't like it quite as much as the other series he wrote so far but it's growing on me.

[Carl the Llama]

I'm currently re-reading '1984' by George Orwell which is a staggering book. Before that though I read "The Man on Platform 5" by Robert Llewellyn (of Red Dwarf fame) which cheered me right up! There aren't enough books around with happy endings.

You should look The Redemption of Althalus, has a very happy ending and is a very easy book to read.

Currently I am in the middle of 2 books:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - my least favourite book of the entire series, though admittedly Rowling certainly knows how to write up characters you hate (really can't stand Snape and Umbridge). The book I read while I'm at work

Faith of the Fallen - also my least favourite of the Sword of Truth series lol, I like it, but its a little slow at times, though if you want to be technical while I have the book I'm not reading it as much as listening to it while I do other stuff.

[Miriel]

I strongly recommend Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Foer. I read it for my 9/11 lit class, and it was just incredibly moving and worked with the novel form in a really innovative way.
I'm almost done with Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and I think it's well written. There are parts that I find incredibly moving, but other parts that I find to be... I dunno trying too hard? Gimmicky?

I think the book is trying to strike a very specific cord, and I'm not 100% feeling it. I haven't reached the conclusion yet, but I think it's safe to say at this point that while I was mildly entertained, I probably won't ever read this book again.

I'm moving on next to The Great Gatsby. I've decided to revisit some of the books I was forced to read in High School, and by being forced, hated it automatically.

[Mittopotahis]

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak. I'm finding it incredibly engrossing, very difficult to put it down sometimes. It's about a girl living in Nazi Germany in the early 1940s who steals books. Excellent narration style, the narrator is Death.

Currently waiting on The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green. He's my favourite author. I pre-ordered the book on Amazon the moment it was announced and now that it's been released, Amazon have shipped it to me and it's still over a month away. I might end up with two copies, I think.

EDIT: My goodreads account (http://www.goodreads.com/mitto), for people who like me.

[I Took the Red Pill]

Just finished The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe, am now moving on to The Claw of the Conciliator. I'm really digging the series so far.

And of course David Copperfield seems to remain perpetually about 1/3 finished, waiting for me :/

[chionos]

Steinbeck's East of Eden

[Hollycat]

Steinbeck's East of Eden

I prefer Eden of the East, but how is East of Eden, I have to admit I know very little about it.

[chionos]

Eden of the East was ok

East of Eden is exquisitely written. It's always clear, never verbose, yet it has a vocabulary that some people might find overwhelming; it's charming yet grotesque; it's painful but uplifting. It's a real novel. It's not fluff.

[Kossage]

I'm currently reading Mika Waltari's The Egyptian. So far it's been interesting enough with memorable characters and bittersweet plots, and I like the deliberate links between the time of Ancient Egypt to WW2 Europe. :)

[Mittopotahis]

Finished The Book Thief, was an excellent read. Now onto Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. I read Slaughterhouse Five last year and loved it, so I am very eager to get into this and his other work. Does anyone have any Vonnegut recommendations?

[chionos]

Cat's Cradle is great, I know that much. Deadeye Dick's really good and if you haven't read his short stories/essays, do so as they're definitely worth reading.

[Miriel]

Cat's Cradle is probably my least favorite Vonnegut book.

I finished Great Gatsby and found that I didn't mind it so much this time around.

No idea what to read next...

[escobert]

Just finished A Cat among Pigeons by Agatha Christie

I got a kindle for christmas so I downloaded a bunch of books and the first one I started reading was The Sword by Bryan M Liftin. It's okay, nothing great but not bad either. Decent fantasy/post apocalyptic setting where no one knows about God and the bible and a soldier finds a ruined bible in a ancient church and starts to spread Christianity to the masses against the wishes of the High Priestess who says the god of the cross is evil and hated by their gods. I guess there's a second book and a third on the way. I may pick up the second and see how that is.

[Parker]

I'm reading The Dog of the Marriage by Amy Hempel.

I saw it in waterstone's and recognised her name from Chuck Palahniuk gushing about her a lot, so I checked her out.

I can definitely see how she inspired old chuck and I love her minimalist approach. My last two books ahve been infinite jest and gravitys rainbow so its refreshing not to have to consult a dictionary/encyclopedia every few sentences

[escobert]

Started reading A Game of Thrones yesterday. Just a few chapters in. It'll be interesting to see how it matches up with the series.

[Boney King]

Just finished re-reading Machiavelli's The Prince for a class. Mixed feelings about it. On the one hand I'm sure it was a very practical guide to political leadership in his own time (if such was his intention and he wasn't just trying to ass-kiss his way into a government job with the Medici). On the other hand, his ideas don't really leave much room for the well-being of citizens, and the West is no longer dominated by this kind of autocratic government, so a lot of it couldn't really be applied today. Then again, one could make the argument that our modern equivalent of a "prince" isn't to be found in politics, but rather in the world of business (which doesn't make it any less reprehensible).

I also read Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound and enjoyed it thoroughly. A shame that the rest of the trilogy has been lost.

About to start Stuart B. Schwartz's Victors and Vanquished: Spanish and Nahua Views of the Conquest of Mexico. Sounds good based on the description.

[Del Murder]

Started reading A Game of Thrones yesterday. Just a few chapters in. It'll be interesting to see how it matches up with the series.
Same here!

[Rye]

I'm about halfway through Middlesex and I am so delighted by it. It is probably the best read in a very long time for me. The author's style is so immense in scale and has such a fate-oriented quality to it that makes even the most minute topics very shaking and exciting.

[Bubba]

I'm about halfway through Middlesex and I am so delighted by it. It is probably the best read in a very long time for me. The author's style is so immense in scale and has such a fate-oriented quality to it that makes even the most minute topics very shaking and exciting.

I read this a couple of years ago and loved it. He's a fantastic writer with a very dark sense of humour which I love.

You should read "The Virgin Suicides" by Eugenides as well. I remember laughing out loud throughout that book even though it's basically a book about 5 girls who commit suicide.

Though, I could just be a little bit disturbed...

[krissy]

The Girl Who Played With Fire is next on my list but right now I am reading Man's Search For Meaning by Frankl.

[Hollycat]

Has anyone else read the inheritance cycle, I want to talk to you about it!

[chionos]

Finally finished East of Eden. Astonishingly beautiful work of art. Added to my "read once every few years" list. Would love to see a modern retelling in movie form, perhaps by the Coens. Reading The Hobbit now in preparation for the movie next winter. I've read it enough to practically have it memorized, but It's no less enjoyable now than the first time.
Also reading:
The Bhagavad Gita
Introducción a la literatura Hispano-Americana: de la conquista al siglo XX
ghostbread ~ Sonja Livingston
The Metamorphosis ~ Kafka
The Northern Clemency ~ Philip Hensher

Trying to shorten my pile of must-reads before the heavy part of the semester hits and I don't have as much time for reading anymore.

~ HC, I've read the series, but I'm not enough of a fan to want to discuss the books. I don't say that to bash the books, they were OK (especially considering they were written by a teenager, or at least the earlier parts of the series were) but considering all of the other fantasy literature that's out there that does what Paolini tried to do, but better, I don't think it's a worthwhile investment of time.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

I finished the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant and am on to the Last. Donaldson's writing style has changed a lot in the intervening years, but the character of Linden is even more relatable and sympathetic now, and her relationship with her adopted son as her life's purpose is really heart-rending (he is completely mute and unreachable after child-hood trauma and displays symptoms similar to severe autism). I won't spoil what happens to him (and I've only read the first few chapters) but Linden is driven back into the Land by seeking to protect him, and I assume that it will be her major motivation for getting back to her world. I'm really excited about this series and plan to get through the first 3 books in anticipation of the 4th and final novel.



Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - my least favourite book of the entire series, though admittedly Rowling certainly knows how to write up characters you hate (really can't stand Snape and Umbridge). The book I read while I'm at work

I agree with that assessment - Umbridge is almost unnecessary and there's so much material that could have been edited/improved. Interestingly, it's the longest book in the series, but the shortest film, which says a lot.


Faith of the Fallen - also my least favourite of the Sword of Truth series lol, I like it, but its a little slow at times, though if you want to be technical while I have the book I'm not reading it as much as listening to it while I do other stuff.

I actually thought Faith of the Fallen was one of the stronger entries in the series, though nothing ever came close to matching Wizard's First Rule IMO. I would say the Pillars of Creation was pretty weak due to the almost complete absence of the main characters, and Naked Empire had poorly developed action and was bogged down instead by seemingly pointless and endless traveling. The Chainfire trilogy also had a really poorly handled and disappointing ending to the series. I haven't read the Omen Machine yet - I'm downloading it in audio book form, because I enjoyed the audio book of the Law of Nines.

[Gamblet]

"Kõrboja peremees" (Landlord of Kõrboja, if translated) by Anton Hansen Tammsaare, compulsory literature... It's a tragic love story sort of. Haven't read much, so I can't tell you about it any more than that.

[Breine]

I'm about halfway through Middlesex and I am so delighted by it. It is probably the best read in a very long time for me. The author's style is so immense in scale and has such a fate-oriented quality to it that makes even the most minute topics very shaking and exciting.

I read this a couple of years ago and loved it. He's a fantastic writer with a very dark sense of humour which I love.

You should read "The Virgin Suicides" by Eugenides as well. I remember laughing out loud throughout that book even though it's basically a book about 5 girls who commit suicide.

Though, I could just be a little bit disturbed...

Yes, "Middlesex" is a great book. It's one of my favourites. It's just so impossibly ambitious in its narrative, and it pulls it off. As said, you should also read "The Virgin Suicides". It's a completely different book, and not that long, but it's great. Eugenides makes some really good observations and turns them into great sentences. His newest book "The Marriage Plot" just came out. I haven't read it yet, but it should be a really good one too.


As for myself I just finished "Henry V" by Shakespeare today. I thought it was pretty meh - it just seems like there is nothing at stake in the narrative. It had it's moments, like I guess everything by Shakespeare does, but if I have to read Shakespeare and really enjoy it, I pretty much have to read one of his tragedies, like e.g. "Macbeth" or "King Lear".
I just started reading "The Porcupine" by Julian Barnes today as well. So far it seems promising.

[Mittopotahis]

Cat's Cradle was pretty disappointing for me. Vonnegut's style of writing had so much charm in Slaughterhouse Five, but was just not at all present here. I was looking forward to a book about the implications of having a weapon capable of destroying the entire world, but a good 85% of it was about the Bokonon religion. I guess I just don't "get" it.

Currently reading The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green. It finally arrived. About halfway through and am loving it. Hazel and Augutus are proving to be two of the best characters he has written: They are complex and really shine character through their adversity.

[Hollycat]

I'm rereading my Shakespeare collection. I'm starting with twelfth night to get it out of the way. I know it is supposed to be a comedy, but I don't like it nearly as much as say king lear.

[Peegee]

I'm on page 56 on this book

Economics in One Lesson (www.hacer.org/pdf/Hazlitt00.pdf)

[white_mage666]

1984, for the second time. I'm going to read Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Fear and Loathing and The Rum Diaries next, in that order.

[Hollycat]

I love orwell, have you tried orson scott cards writings?

[Yeargdribble]

I've been blazing through some books lately. During the last theatre show it seemed that all of the musicians who'd not yet read The Hunger Games picked them up to read during tacets. I blazed the whole trilogy in about 2 days and then finally decided to pick up a book my wife had been reading which was recommended to her by a friend. I wasn't that interested at first but oh man am I in love now.

The Name of the Wind was immediately followed by The Wise Man's Fear and now I'm absolutely dying to know how the trilogy ends.

Then returning to the them of reading series' everyone is into lately, I tried starting up A Game of Thrones. FML I'm having trouble getting into it. I'd tried to start the show a while back at the suggestion of friends and made it about halfway through the first episode.

I somehow thought the book would be better, but the opposite is true. Less exposition please. I can't be arsed to care about deep genealogies, family histories, lists of heirs and other such boringness. If I wanted to read that I'll go pick up Genesis and read the begat section a dozen times. I much prefer it when the author gets you started and builds the world around you as you go. Patrick Rothfuss did that so well with the Kingkiller books. I didn't care about Kvothe's world at first, but I got lulled in rather than bored out of the gate.

I'm probably going to keep pressing on with A Game of Thrones anyway. I'm sure I'll appreciate the depth later, but at the moment I'm just glossing over so much because I have no context for it. Such a waste. I just know that once I care later about the dozens of characters introduced so far... I'll have to come back and reread those sections much later when I have context.

[chionos]

I've been blazing through some books lately. During the last theatre show it seemed that all of the musicians who'd not yet read The Hunger Games picked them up to read during tacets. I blazed the whole trilogy in about 2 days and then finally decided to pick up a book my wife had been reading which was recommended to her by a friend. I wasn't that interested at first but oh man am I in love now.

The Name of the Wind was immediately followed by The Wise Man's Fear and now I'm absolutely dying to know how the trilogy ends.

Then returning to the them of reading series' everyone is into lately, I tried starting up A Game of Thrones. FML I'm having trouble getting into it. I'd tried to start the show a while back at the suggestion of friends and made it about halfway through the first episode.

I somehow thought the book would be better, but the opposite is true. Less exposition please. I can't be arsed to care about deep genealogies, family histories, lists of heirs and other such boringness. If I wanted to read that I'll go pick up Genesis and read the begat section a dozen times. I much prefer it when the author gets you started and builds the world around you as you go. Patrick Rothfuss did that so well with the Kingkiller books. I didn't care about Kvothe's world at first, but I got lulled in rather than bored out of the gate.

I'm probably going to keep pressing on with A Game of Thrones anyway. I'm sure I'll appreciate the depth later, but at the moment I'm just glossing over so much because I have no context for it. Such a waste. I just know that once I care later about the dozens of characters introduced so far... I'll have to come back and reread those sections much later when I have context.

If you can stick with it, Martin begins to connect the dots eventually. I had similar thoughts to yours when I first started reading the series, but it didn't take long to understand what he was doing. He builds his characters gradually, which may be annoying at first, but it's absolutely necessary.

The Rothfuss series looks interesting, it'll be on my next amazon order. Thanks.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

Reading Wicked right now for the second time. Was underwhelmed the first time, but I was depressed when I read it. Like it better now.

[Miriel]

The Girl Who Played With Fire is next on my list but right now I am reading Man's Search For Meaning by Frankl.

I'm reading Man's Search for Meaning too.

I finished Year of Wonders (sucky book), and I'm in the middle of The Forgotten Garden right now (very good so far).

[CimminyCricket]

I'm reading all of Janet Evanovichs book in preparation for me seeing One for the Money in theatres. I'm currently on book 10.

[Bunny]

I'm currently read The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson. It is the third and final chapter of the Mistborn Trilogy. I am told that it is good and that all of my questions about the series thusfar will be answered before the final chapter of the book. I am hoping this is true because I have a list of questions that I want answers to. It is good.

I'm also supposed to be reading The Classic Slum: Salford Life in the First Quarter of the Century by Robert Roberts but I haven't started it yet. I'm told it is interesting if you like learning about adult literacy in the early parts of the 20th century. Which I do.

[Yeargdribble]

The Rothfuss series looks interesting, it'll be on my next amazon order. Thanks.

At first I didn't love it. I have an unsuppressable urge to criticize anything I'm reading. Some of my least favorite things are cliché stories or character archetypes which are ridiculously predictable. This only gets worse if the author tends to tends to use blatant telegraphing of future events rather than subtle foreshadowing.

In the case of Rothfuss' main character, he seemed too much of a Mary Sue right out of the gate and remained so for much of the first book. I mean, seriously, he's the poster child of such a poorly written character early on. Luckily, the character development is so good. By the end of the first book I was totally on board. By the second book I was so refreshed. The second book was really amazing and I would find myself laughing out loud or crying spontaneously. Great stuff.


I really am going to try to stick with Martin. When I thought about it a bit I realize how much I at least appreciate that nothing is sacred in his books. People die. Things don't go as planned. This I like. This runs counter to the tripe that I've gotten so sick of where any time a character gets a shred of development I know they will live forever and be a main player in the plot of the book.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

Robert Roberts

Awesome name!

[chionos]

This runs counter to the tripe that I've gotten so sick of where any time a character gets a shred of development I know they will live forever and be a main player in the plot of the book.

I hate this as well, and it extends to movies and television as well. In the majority of fiction, it's simply impossible to buy into plots wherein main characters' lives are in danger because you know that they can't die or the author would have nowhere to go with the book. Don't get me wrong there are great books that involve unkillable heroes escaping every trap and surviving unsurvivable falls and mysteriously dodging bullets from 20 feet away and somehow pull it all off, but they're few and far between, and in any case we've seen it all before by now. The only true ending is the bittersweet ending. A happy ending is not an ending at all, for if the story were to continue it could only end in death. There's no way around it. To carve out some measure of happiness in this life is our goal, but it isn't who we are. We are death and sorrow and despair and fear and sadness, every one of us in the end. All this makes the moments of triumph in Martin's story more palpable and certainly more genuine. I can buy Arya's little victories coming from Martin because I know that as an author he's not seduced by those moments of light and triumph and happiness and will allow the story to unfold as it will. You're right, though, the man can be terribly long winded at times, and I worry sometimes that some of the details that he's thrown at us through the first 5 books are going to be forgotten and wasted--they were merely fluff or filler. There's the potential for the story to end and retrospectively show there to be a depressingly enormous amount of nonsense in the story. I'm still holding onto the hope that I'm wrong about that, and that he will in fact weave it all together flawlessly in the end.

Also, reading The Reavers by George McDonald Fraser. Think Terry Pratchett with the border between England and Scotland as a backdrop instead of Discworld, and less funny.

[Yeargdribble]

I couldn't agree with you more about happy endings. They just lack any sense of reality for me. People say I'm cynical for preferring sad or bittersweet endings, but those are just more the way such extreme stories in in reality. I can no longer sympathize with characters who live perfect lives straight through to the end.

I love stories where I know that no character is sacred. Everyone is a potential target.

That's why I got so pissed when people whined about J. K. Rowling killing one of the twins in HP7. "But it's terrible for one twin to die and the other one will be so sad. She shouldn't have done that."

TOUGH. That's war. That's what happens in war. People die and we don't get to only choose the old people with no family left. Sometimes there are deaths that will cause the greatest amount of distress to other people. To only kill off people nobody cares about is such a literary cop out and the people who prefer that are naive and insipid.

[Bubba]

I much prefer a happy ending. I'm all for realism in a book. Death and loss are all part of life. One of my favourite books is "The Man on Platform 5" by Robert Llewellyn (of Red Dwarf fame). There's a genuinely shocking and upsetting part of the book towards the end. Horrific actually. But still, at the end you are left with a great sense of joy.

There's enough miserable, unhappy endings in life without me having to experience one at the end of a piece of fiction.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

The Rothfuss series looks interesting, it'll be on my next amazon order. Thanks.

At first I didn't love it. I have an unsuppressable urge to criticize anything I'm reading. Some of my least favorite things are cliché stories or character archetypes which are ridiculously predictable. This only gets worse if the author tends to tends to use blatant telegraphing of future events rather than subtle foreshadowing.

In the case of Rothfuss' main character, he seemed too much of a Mary Sue right out of the gate and remained so for much of the first book. I mean, seriously, he's the poster child of such a poorly written character early on. Luckily, the character development is so good. By the end of the first book I was totally on board. By the second book I was so refreshed. The second book was really amazing and I would find myself laughing out loud or crying spontaneously. Great stuff.


Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicle is one of the more well written entries into the fantasy genre. While I do see why people say Kvothe, the main character, is a Gary Stu, I would disagree with that. More importantly, even if Kvothe is, the story is still great and the writing is superb.

In the last week I finally finished the greater part of A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. I am on the latest instalment, A Dance with Dragons and about a 1/5th of the way through. I both really enjoy Martin but also bore of him as well. His story telling is good as well as his characterization. The problem lies within the pacing. Sometimes a lot happens yet at the same time nothing really happens. By this I mean a lot would happen with certain character clusters but the overall narrative feels snail-paced. Like when you finish A Feast for Crows and start A Dance with Dragons just to repeat some of the same events but from different perspectives.. It gets a bit tiring. Still brilliant though.

I also managed to read Amy Lane's Talker books. Three very short novel(la)s about a boy with horrible scars that he hides with a tattoo that goes from head down his right arm and how he finds love (in rather stoic and down-to-earth Brian) and how they both grow together. While not the best books ever, they were quick reads that left me with a feel-good feeling which is what I was looking for.

Sadly, I attempted to find To Kill a Mocking Bird and Catcher in the Rye in epub format to no avail. I really need to go and read more of the modern classics. For now, I will just finish Martin and then see what I feel like next.

[fire_of_avalon]

I finally just finished Bastard Out of Carolina.

I pretty much feel like it should be required reading to be a human being.

[Mittopotahis]

Few weeks back I read Divergent, by Veronica Roth. It was voted Favourite Book of 2011 by goodreads readers. Last time I take a recommendation from them. It's in the vein of The Hunger Games, YA novel set in post-apocalyptic dystopian Chicago in which the city's population is divided into 'factions' of people who value different morals - so Erudite value knowledge, Dauntless value bravery, etc. Decent enough idea but in execution failed in almost every way. She didn't even bother setting up a world outside of what I've told you, the writing is average at best and you aren't given any reason to care about the characters. I could go on, but I'll spare you. I'm interested in hearing opinions from people who have read it - everyone seems to love it and I can't see why.

Currently reading Lolita. Fairly difficult read, naturally a pretty tough subject and Nabokov is incredibly verbose, but his prose style is one of the best I've ever read.

[I Took the Red Pill]

The Waves by Virginia Woolf. I'm completely entranced by it. Also, The Story of the Stone Volume III, as I'm taking a class wholly dedicated to studying the novel in its entirety.

[Jinx]

I just re-read Wicked and Son of a Witch. I'm currently on Lion Amongst Men, but I'm not sure if I'm actually going to stick with it.

I think I might re-read The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden again. It's this beautiful book where the stories are all intertwined. It's basically fairy tales for adults. There's two books in the series, but both books are split in half (to where it's almost 4 books in two volumes.)

[Miriel]

Few weeks back I read Divergent, by Veronica Roth. It was voted Favourite Book of 2011 by goodreads readers. Last time I take a recommendation from them. It's in the vein of The Hunger Games, YA novel set in post-apocalyptic dystopian Chicago in which the city's population is divided into 'factions' of people who value different morals - so Erudite value knowledge, Dauntless value bravery, etc. Decent enough idea but in execution failed in almost every way. She didn't even bother setting up a world outside of what I've told you, the writing is average at best and you aren't given any reason to care about the characters. I could go on, but I'll spare you. I'm interested in hearing opinions from people who have read it - everyone seems to love it and I can't see why.


Read it and was intrigued with the premise at first and then got super annoyed with the book and how it didn't develop the story AT ALL. None of it makes any sense! How does their society even function, based on the crazy segregation? How in the world did that system not collapse within a month of being formed? Why the hell are the dauntless always training for shit, when it seems like they don't do much beyond patrolling the borders? From what? That question is never even answered.

I totally agree with you that it was such a total failure in execution. And I could hardly get through the "romantic" bits. Such a bore.

The writer needs to read The Giver and learn how to do a real YA dystopian novel. I have my share of criticisms of Hunger Games, but that series is in a whole different league compared to this pile of poo.

[Pheesh]

Just started Wuthering Heights, should have got around to reading it long before now. Better late than never though.

[Mittopotahis]

Few weeks back I read Divergent, by Veronica Roth. It was voted Favourite Book of 2011 by goodreads readers. Last time I take a recommendation from them. It's in the vein of The Hunger Games, YA novel set in post-apocalyptic dystopian Chicago in which the city's population is divided into 'factions' of people who value different morals - so Erudite value knowledge, Dauntless value bravery, etc. Decent enough idea but in execution failed in almost every way. She didn't even bother setting up a world outside of what I've told you, the writing is average at best and you aren't given any reason to care about the characters. I could go on, but I'll spare you. I'm interested in hearing opinions from people who have read it - everyone seems to love it and I can't see why.


Read it and was intrigued with the premise at first and then got super annoyed with the book and how it didn't develop the story AT ALL. None of it makes any sense! How does their society even function, based on the crazy segregation? How in the world did that system not collapse within a month of being formed? Why the hell are the dauntless always training for tit, when it seems like they don't do much beyond patrolling the borders? From what? That question is never even answered.

I totally agree with you that it was such a total failure in execution. And I could hardly get through the "romantic" bits. Such a bore.

The writer needs to read The Giver and learn how to do a real YA dystopian novel. I have my share of criticisms of Hunger Games, but that series is in a whole different league compared to this pile of poo.

OH THEY DO EXIST. SOMEONE WHO AGREES WITH ME.
I have the exact same criticisms of it as you do. The society would not work in the slightest. You can't have all the selfless people running the government, you need brave people to take risks and the erudite to further research and knowledge. And you're right, the Dauntless are training for nothing. The factions have been at peace with each other for years and there is not a single mention of any outside threat. The romance was terrible. I could tell she was going to end up with him before he even had a name and Four and Tris become pretty much the exact same character. Nothing even happens in the book until the last 80 pages.

I'm actually quite a fan of The Hunger Games (av and sig aren't giving that away enough) so I'm interested in hearing your critcisms on it. The world of Panem is so well built and the characters are engaging and the action is incredibly tense. None of these can be said about Divergent.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

I would say that Hunger Games does have it's flaws but it is still an overall enjoyable experience. And I totally want Peeta for myself. Katniss does not deserve him..

Currently taking a break from A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin and reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. Very interesting read if you like anything relating to psychology, especially personality. She looks into both psychological and neurological research regarding introversion and speaks of the importance of introversion in a society, that according to her claims, values extroversion. It is insightful regardless of where you fall on the introversion-extroversion spectrum.

[Jiro]

I read The Hunger Games in anticipation for the movie.

I have a lot of issues with it, particularly the strange sort of future-present tense it was written in. Present tense would have sufficed to keep the tension and action, without switching it up. It was jarring for me, but I kept reading because the plot was actually rather gripping. I'm hoping they flesh out a little more of the backstory in the latter books because I don't feel like I understand how things came to be the way they are. Sure they can leave out exactly what the apocalyptic event was, as McCarthy did in The Road but I'm curious about other things.

The characters are well done though, and it's nice to see a teenage protagonist that isn't perfect in every way. Not enjoying the fact that love triangles seem to be the in thing, but the dynamic between Peeta and Katniss is very well done. The supporting cast are rather great too.

Good not great imo. Enjoyable but not technically stunning. I look forward to the movie, at the very least.

[Jiro]

aaaaand I read Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Had very similar feelings about them as I did the first. I felt the ending was very anticlimactic and not very representative of the characters or the series :(

[Bubba]

Awww..... double post... I'm telling on you

I'm reading "The Art of Fielding" by Chad Harbach. I'm about halfway through. I love this book. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It was recommended to me by my step-dad who knows that I'm a big fan of baseball. He said it was a great book even though he knows nothing about baseball. "What does he mean when he says he picked a one-hopper then turned a double play?"... I simply look at him with disappointment.

I adored the baseball action in the book but so far it has been the fantastic characterization that has stood out for me. Even the minor characters have plenty of charm. He's got a direct style of writing but in a way, that's what hooks you in as its also very intelligently written. Highly recommended

[Shiny]

Currently reading Exile and the Kingdom by Albert Camus for the intellectually pretentious. It consists of several short stories. Also considering reading his play, Caligula since the film was...interesting.

Recently read:

The Heart of Darkness (based on Apocalypse Now) by Joseph Conrad - While different from the film, I actually liked it's focus on the perils of war and human behavior. Power dissolving man. Pretty dope! I still prefer the film over the novel though. The Kurtz in the book pales in comparison to Brando's portrayal imo.

Also The Giver is fantastic. That was my favorite book to read in Elementary School.

[Miriel]

I'm actually quite a fan of The Hunger Games (av and sig aren't giving that away enough) so I'm interested in hearing your critcisms on it. The world of Panem is so well built and the characters are engaging and the action is incredibly tense. None of these can be said about Divergent.

I loved the first two books, but the third was terrible in my opinion. I thought it was poorly written, the characters became ridiculous, and the ending just sucked. I wrote a brief review in the older book thread when Mockingjay first came out: http://home.eyesonff.com/lounge/127865-last-book-you-read-your-review-3.html#post2904092

The biggest problem for me was Katniss. I hated how she kept blacking out for big chunks of the story. I understand that she went through hell, is traumatized, etc. But having such a sulky, whiny and indecisive main character did not make for a good read. I was hoping in Mockingjay she would really come into her own. But I don't think she did. And I guess that was supposed to be some sort of lesson? Like, hey look. Violence and war can smurf you up and people die. But I just thought it was hitting you over the head with it and made for a depressing, rushed, and unsatisfying end to the story. Plus, I just flat out thought the writing was way worse than it was for the first two books and I have no idea why.


Awww..... double post... I'm telling on you

I'm reading "The Art of Fielding" by Chad Harbach. I'm about halfway through. I love this book. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It was recommended to me by my step-dad who knows that I'm a big fan of baseball. He said it was a great book even though he knows nothing about baseball. "What does he mean when he says he picked a one-hopper then turned a double play?"... I simply look at him with disappointment.

I adored the baseball action in the book but so far it has been the fantastic characterization that has stood out for me. Even the minor characters have plenty of charm. He's got a direct style of writing but in a way, that's what hooks you in as its also very intelligently written. Highly recommended

I really really enjoyed the first part of The Art of Fielding. Which was a surprise since I find baseball incredibly boring. But the whole thing fell apart towards the end. The baseball aspect fell away to other things that I just didn't give a tit about. Especially the stuff with Owen and the President. Everything became to affected and over worked. I could barely force myself to finish the book.

I recently finished The Magicians by Lev Grossman. It is a truly terrible book. Quite awful.

[krissy]

The biggest problem for me was Katniss. I hated how she kept blacking out for big chunks of the story. I understand that she went through hell, is traumatized, etc. But having such a sulky, whiny and indecisive main character did not make for a good read. I was hoping in Mockingjay she would really come into her own. But I don't think she did. And I guess that was supposed to be some sort of lesson? Like, hey look. Violence and war can smurf you up and people die. But I just thought it was hitting you over the head with it and made for a depressing, rushed, and unsatisfying end to the story. Plus, I just flat out thought the writing was way worse than it was for the first two books and I have no idea why.

--
I recently finished The Magicians by Lev Grossman. It is a truly terrible book. Quite awful.

i didn't expect her to be a super hero alluvasudden, i think the entire point of the third book was that national heroes are puppets in every way and war is just as much an entertainment/media frenzy as the games themselves were. i thought it made sense that she was leashed and frustrated for most of it.

and oh crap, i just ebayed the magicians for myself. it's on my shelf now. that sucks. i only bought it because i liked the first two pages in a store once hahaha.

currently reading Ender in Exile and re-reading the first Scott Pilgrim book because it's light and I need something light.

[I Took the Red Pill]

The Heart of Darkness (based on Apocalypse Now) by Joseph Conrad - I'm sure you're probably aware, but this is the other way around.

I'm reading Pale Fire by Nabokov. It is absolutely hilarious, but it isn't gripping me like Lolita did the first time I read it. Though the very structure of the work is indicative of the fact that it requires multiple readings to get the "big picture".

[Bunny]

I'm reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman. So far, I'm into it although I'm fairly sure I understand where the overall narrative is going but it is still an enjoyable read. Gaiman is a pretty good writer and it is a very nice, easy read after finishing Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (which I would recommend to anyone who enjoys good fantasy).

[Shiny]

The Heart of Darkness (based on Apocalypse Now) by Joseph Conrad - I'm sure you're probably aware, but this is the other way around.

I'm reading Pale Fire by Nabokov. It is absolutely hilarious, but it isn't gripping me like Lolita did the first time I read it. Though the very structure of the work is indicative of the fact that it requires multiple readings to get the "big picture".
Oh yeah you're right. I dunno why I keep saying it's based on Apocalypse Now. Probably subconscious because I prefer the film over the book. I still think Conrad is a great writer, but his tendency to over describe and backtrack became a little irritating.

Also yesterday I heard about a book called Richard Yates by some NYU alum. It's supposed to be funny and the book of our generation. I may give it a try.

[Miriel]

i didn't expect her to be a super hero alluvasudden, i think the entire point of the third book was that national heroes are puppets in every way and war is just as much an entertainment/media frenzy as the games themselves were. i thought it made sense that she was leashed and frustrated for most of it.


I didn't expect or want Katniss to be a super hero. I just didn't care for a main character who was so defeated and nihilistic. She spent a lot of her time wallowing in her misery (not that this isn't understandable, or even realistic) or passed out in a hospital. It just didn't do anything for me. Here you have a book where there's a super evil government, a rebellion led by similarly corrupt individuals, one main love interest becoming hell bent on revenge at whatever the cost, another love interest who is psychotic for a bulk of the book, and a main character that's thoroughly traumatized and enough deaths to make your head spin.

I just didn't like it. I know others who did like it and thought it was powerful, realistic and guttural. I just thought it was heavy handed.

~

I read Heart of Darkness in high school and deemed it The Worst Book Ever.

[NeoTifa]

A Storm of Swords - George R. R. Martin

[Jinx]

I'm about to restart Hunger Games, as I just saw the movie, and have a lot of free time to kill at work this weekend.

[CloudDragon]

Though I've read them all before, and you can probably tell by my sig, I'm re-reading the Wheel of Time Series to prep for release of the last book. On book 3, The Dragon Reborn right now. Just got my girlfriend to start the series so I'm pumped!

I would like to read The Hunger Games eventually.

[Del Murder]

Hey, long time no see CD!

You should definitely read Hunger Games. It's really good. Well, the first two books are, at least.

[CimminyCricket]

The first two books in the Hunger Games are definitely the best.

I'm currently reading a Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. I read it a few years back and saw the movie, but I ended up craving to read it again after reading All Quiet on the Western Front again a few weeks ago, so I picked it up again and I am very glad that I did!

[Depression Moon]

Are there any books out there that reminds you of Final Fantasy VII or VIII?

[NeoCracker]

Finally been making time to read more Lovecraft.

While 'The Tomb' Remains my favorite, these last few have been getting close.

First off you have 'The White Ship'. Probably the only real Ironic story I've read yet from Lovecraft, it does a spectacular job building up this sense of coming dread.

The Doom of Saranth (Probably spelled that wrong) was another one that did a great job building up a sense of coming doom, but also had some very well written bits describing the strange creatures they encountered.

But then there was the Tree. This one is just odd. I didn't really feel like it had accomplished anything by the stories end, but the scenes were amazing and as usual the story had a certain atmosphere to it.

Soon I'm on to read the Cats of Ulthar.

[Pike]

I'm reading "The Guns of August" which is about World War I, and it's pretty great so far.

[Shiny]

Black Spring by Henry Miller - a bunch of short stories. Though I'd prefer to be reading Tropic of Cancer.

[Shaibana]

My sister got the first part of The Hunger Games, so i started reading to too ^^

[Jinx]

I'm about to re-read His Dark Materials trilogy.

[Madame Adequate]

Just finished rereading Another Bloody Century by Colin S. Gray.

Now started Carnage and the Media by Jean Seaton.

[Jiro]

I'm about to re-read His Dark Materials trilogy.

Bloody fantastic books they are.

What am I reading now?
http://db.tt/ijHKT2z6

[Miriel]

Recently finished Deerskin and The Blue Sword, both by Robin Mckinley and Paris Wife by Paula McLain. I reall enjoyed Deerskin even though parts of it were hard to read since it deals with rather traumatic events. But ere were parts of the book that just delighted me. Blue Sword was great for the first part, very Dune-esque but with a female lead which I loved. I'm glad I discovered Robin McKinley, the feminist in me absolutely adores her.

In the middle of re-reading Lord of the Rings for the nth time, and halfway through Stephen King's 11.22.63.

I got insanely frustrated with 11.22.63 in the beginning because it was pretty much breaking EVERY SINGLE RULE of time travel, but I glimpsed some spoilers and it looks like the logic in the book isn't as completely screwed up as initially presented. And so far the plot is engaging, so I'm sticking with it. It'd a ginormous book.

[Pike]

I'm about to re-read His Dark Materials trilogy.

Bloody fantastic books they are.

What am I reading now?
http://db.tt/ijHKT2z6


/smug

[krissy]

Blue Sword was great for the first part, very Dune-esque but with a female lead which I loved.

yeah so that sentence hit all my buttons, will look into it

[Breine]

The last couple of books I've read recently (in the last couple of weeks actually) were "Lunar Park" by Bret Easton Ellis, which is a really good postmodern gothic novel. It's my first Ellis book and now I'll have to check more of his out. Then I read "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" by Mohsin Hamid. Also a rather interesting book - it deals a whole lot with prejudice in the present world very preoccupied with terrorism. It's pretty thought provoking and very ambiguous. Then I just finished reading "Oryx and Crake" by Margaret Atwood for the second time yesterday. This book has got to be one of my favourites. It's a very good contemporary biopunk/frankensteinean science fiction novel with so many things going for it.

And, today I started reading "Into The Wild" by John Krakauer. So far it's rather good and a different kind of road novel, I suppose.

[Jinx]

I'm currently reading Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. I'm on page 574 and I'm looooving it. I've come to realize the tv series is pretty true to the book.

[Depression Moon]

Just started The Wild Seed.

[Miriel]

I finished 11/22/63. It was meh.

Also read and finished the Language of Flowers.

Still working on Lord of the Rings and just started The Solitude of Prime Numbers but it's a bit gloomy and I might put it on the backburner while I read something a little more lighthearted. Also started Shantaram but I'm already frustrated by the writing. So god damn melodramatic. I'm trucking through it because people say it's a life changing book but it better shape up soon or else I'm abandoning it.

I read a page or two of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making and it was intriguing so I might give that a whirl since I'm in a mood for something a bit cheerful or whimsical.

Oryx and Crake is on my must read list.

[Del Murder]

What about Jurassic Park?

[Pike]

What about Jurassic Park?

I liked that book. But my favorite Michael Crichton book was Timeline :shifty: