What are you reading

[Androidpk]

I looked for one but didn't see a thread on this. I figured there would be since there seems to be a bunch of avid readers here.

Anyways I just picked up these two books which I've heard good things about. The first is non fiction the second is fiction.

Ghost, by Fred Burton.

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, by Max Brooks.

[Numbers]

World War Z is excellent. Apparently a movie is going to be made from it.

Right now I'm reading Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett on the recommendation of my mother. I'm only about 100 pages in, and it's pretty slow so far, but I've liked what I've read.

I recently finished Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus by Orson Scott Card. It's an alternate history book about Columbus and America and how things may have been different if a few things were changed. Very enjoyable, though definitely rushed at the end.

[Stunseed]

The Mallorean series by David Eddings.

[landy]

Rereading the Wheel of Time, for the umpteenth time.

[Numbers]

Speaking of the Wheel of Time, they're splitting the last book into three books.

Dude's dead and they're still finding ways to squeeze cash out of it.

Just end the fucking thing already, I've been reading the series since junior high.

[Stanley Burrell]

Text messages.

[radamanthys]

The Players' corner forum, obviously.

[Gallows Thief]

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. Pretty good so far.

[Back]

The Players' corner forum, obviously.

HAHA Fuck me your so fucking funny!

Ahem.

Roger Zelazney, Creatures of Light and Darkness.

A passage...

Anibus raises both hands about his head and lowers them to his sides.
“Resume dancing!” he commands the dead.
They move to the music once more.
The body-cutting machine rolls into the hall, and the prosthetic replacement machine follows it.
Wakim looks away from them, but they draw up beside him and stop.
The first machine extrudes retainers and holds him.
“Human arms are weak,” says Anibus. “Let these be removed.”
The man screams as the saw blades hum. Then he passes out. The dead continue their dance.
When Wakim awakens, two seamless silver arms hang at his sides, cold and insensitive. He flexes the fingers.

[Paradii]

Just finished Atlas Shrugged. Pissed me off smart rightly. I will probably try the fountainhead in a month or so and see how that treats me.

[Kitsun]

Re-reading the Song of Ice and Fire series. Hoping the next book comes out before I die...

Thinking about moving on to Magic Bites just because someone had a hilarious quote from it in a sig.

[walkinthrurain]

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. A little repetitive but it is getting good halfway through.

Thinking about going back and reading some of the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. Say it is teen lit if you want, I thought the books were interesting.

[Makkah]

TRYING to make my way through the Dark Tower series. I'm on the FINAL book and can't get started. Someone motivate me... I get home from 13 hours of work and just play GS/watch TV.

[Tisket]

Day By Day Armageddon

Yes, it's about zombies. Fuck you all.

[Bhuryn]

Reading shadowmarch by Tad Williams.

Just finished the edge chronicles

I really need to read the Song of Ice and Fire series.

[Kitsun]

Day By Day Armageddon

Yes, it's about zombies. Fuck you all.

Buh? Amazon and Barnes and Noble say its still in pre-order and not even released yet.

[Back]

I’d be more tempted to read something that other people think is good if I could get at least an interesting sentence or two or more.

[Bhuryn]

I’d be more tempted to read something that other people think is good if I could get at least an interesting sentence or two or more.

Otherland by tad williams. It's four sizable (400+ page) books, well worth the time.

Just read it.

[Numbers]

TRYING to make my way through the Dark Tower series. I'm on the FINAL book and can't get started. Someone motivate me... I get home from 13 hours of work and just play GS/watch TV.

The last book sucked. I literally threw it across the room in disgust after reading the last page.

But then again, the last few books of that series were all pretty terrible.

Enjoy!!

[Makkah]

Sweet! Thanks! I just want closure, honestly.

[BriarFox]

The Wheel of Time series, Robert Jordan
The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, Guy Gavriel Kay
The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss
Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children, Greg Bear
Lucifer's Hammer, Niven and Pournelle
Against the Tide of Years, Across the Oceans of Eternity, etc, SM Stirling
Dying to Please, Linda Howard
Sir Apropos of Nothing, Peter David
Fables comics (get the trade paperbacks), Bill Wallingham (?)

Or go old school:
The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain-poet
The Romance of William of Palerne, Anonymous
Henry V, Shakespeare
Duchess of Malfi, John Webster

Etc. Etc.

[BigWorm]

All I read any more are technical books! Is it bad that I find Mastering Regular Expressions exciting?

[Bhuryn]

All I read any more are technical books! Is it bad that I find Mastering Regular Expressions exciting?

Techincal books ruined my love for reading. I actually quit for quite a few years. A coworker finally dumped some books on my desk and now i'm hooked again. I try to lay off the geekporn now.

[Tisket]

Dying to Please, Linda Howard

You didn't strike me as someone that would enjoy bodice rippers. I didn't think guys in general enjoyed those type of books.

[Androidpk]

Day By Day Armageddon

Yes, it's about zombies. Fuck you all.

:love:



Check out WW:Z if you already haven't.

[Tisket]

Check out WW:Z if you already haven't.

Hello? My name is Tisket:

http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?t=33797&highlight=zombie

Yes, I've read it and I can't wait for the movie.

[Proxy]

oh, btw Tisket. Nice sig. :D

[Lilabell]

Christ The Lord, Out of Egypt by Anne Rice
(Christ The Lord, The Road to Cana by Anne Rice
Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler
Darkness Visible by William Styron

[StrayRogue]

The World Without Us.

[Sweets]

Someone recommended Dead by Dark...meh...

[AnticorRifling]

I'm reading through the 5" ring binder that contains the specs for an application....it doesn't include the mods for this client either weeeeeee.

[radamanthys]

Picking random book on the bookshelf to plug...

If you haven't read Shōgun, by James Clavell, you should. That book is marvelous.

It's the story of a European in Feudal Japan. The contrasts between cultures is excellent. The political intrigue is full of twists. The main characters are reasonably well developed. The action is wonderful; Samurai are the shit.

Like the Art of War, it belongs on every man's bookshelf.

[Beguiler]

I always have more than one book going, and a stack of about 30 pending, some new, some rereads of old favorites. Current grouping...

Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series, just finished Kushiel's Mercy
J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Lover Avenged
Larry Nivin/Jerry Pournelle's The Mote in God's Eye

Next four on the pending stack:

Anne McCaffrey's Tower and Hive series, The Rowan
Robert Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, I Will Fear No Evil, and Stranger in a Strange Land.


Eeep! I just read Radamanthys' post, and Clavell's Shogun is MARVELOUs, and just got thrown on the pending stack again! Thanks for reminding me!

[Drisco]

From now on, when you put a book title down, you must tell me what it's about!!

I want to get a book but you need to give me some details of what they are about!!

[Androidpk]

Like the Art of War, it belongs on every man's bookshelf.

I just read that last week.

[Back]

From now on, when you put a book title down, you must tell me what it's about!!

I want to get a book but you need to give me some details of what they are about!!

inorite?

As for books everyone should have...

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse.

“Nothing was, nothing will be, everything has reality and presence.”

[Tisket]

A parrot is not a scholar.

[AnticorRifling]

A parrot is not a scholar.

Unless he's a black parrot in cambridge!

[Paradii]

Picking random book on the bookshelf to plug...

If you haven't read Shōgun, by James Clavell, you should. That book is marvelous.

It's the story of a European in Feudal Japan. The contrasts between cultures is excellent. The political intrigue is full of twists. The main characters are reasonably well developed. The action is wonderful; Samurai are the shit.

Like the Art of War, it belongs on every man's bookshelf.

Just finished Gai-jin a few days ago, it wasn't nearly as interesting as Shogun. Slightly disappointed.

[Back]

A parrot is not a scholar.

Very true.



But I’d put good money on Winston Churchill’s parrot saying more interesting and elucidating phrases than you.

ZING!

[Paradii]

I am also trying to find a used copy of Cod or Omnivores Dilemma. Anyone have one? I am pretty faggy about my refusal to buy new books.



Edit: Don't recommend the library, aight.

[Tisket]

If he parrots Churchill then I'd have to agree.

You need to work on your "zings". They lack sting.

[Back]

If he parrots Churchill then I'd have to agree.

You need to work on your "zings". They lack sting.

Not interested in sting. More interested in lols. Or at the very least a smirk.

GOT YOU! YEAH!!!

[Drinin]

A Fortress in Shadow; Glen Cook

[BriarFox]

You didn't strike me as someone that would enjoy bodice rippers. I didn't think guys in general enjoyed those type of books.

I picked it up at my girlfriend's one night. It's pretty well-written and the story's interesting. The sexual dynamic is funny, too - did you know the sexiest guys are laconic meat-wagons who kick ass, and the hottest women are spunky martial artists who can outshoot their Marine Recon brothers?

[Back]

Holy hell? Who does not love Penthouse Letters?

[Clove]

Holy hell? Who does not love Penthouse Letters?STFU troll.

[Paradii]

Just picked up Cod by Mark Kurlansky. I've been meaning to get it for awhile and it should be a good one. Anyone want it when I am done?

[4a6c1]

past two weeks...

Fire in the Turtle House (best book I've read this year)

Cliff Notes for Statistics (sad face)

Uneasy Relations, Aaron Elkins (THE SKELETON DOCTOR!!!)

Tiny Little Teeth, Aaron Elkins (moar skeleton doctor)




Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series, just finished Kushiel's Mercy


So SO good. I loved that series. I might just read it again.

I had never played a Nalfein before I read those books but they totally motivated me to get all calculating and political in my charactercraft.

[Beguiler]

So SO good. I loved that series. I might just read it again.

I just ordered her newest, Naamah's Mercy, which looks like an offshoot of the Kushiel's books, and cries out to be another series...Om nom nom nom!

[DCSL]

A. Lee Martinez's Too Many Curses. This writer has never written anything I haven't liked. Kind of in the vein of Christopher Moore stuff but even better, in my opinion. Just fucking hilarious. His other books are.. hm. A Company of Ogres, Gil's All-Fright Diner, Automatic Detective, Nameless Witch. There're points where I laugh until tears run down my face.

Too Many Curses is about a kobold who works as a housekeeper for a powerful wizard. The wizard suffers an "accident" when a fruit bat tries to bite his throat out and dies. This triggers a hilarious round of curses coming down on the heads of his house's inhabitants, who are in themselves quite amusing.

[Allereli]

Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb - richly detailed story of a bastard child of a prince whose mother abandons him with his father's family and he grows up being hated by most. Lots of characters, zombies, war, intrigue. Not what I typically read but good stuff.

on deck:
Zoya's Story - memoir of an Afghan woman who joined a revolutionary woman's movement against the Taliban

The Pact by Jodi Picult - recommended by a friend. Two families lose their children who killed themselves in a suicide pact

[AestheticDeath]

I am reading Jim Butcher's Dresden series atm. I don't recall who/what pointed me there but I am enjoying them so much I can't put them down. 5-6 hours a book, and on to the next.

They are like a B class book, nothing special, and probably kid books except for the sex parts. But it fits my mentality.

They are about Harry Dresden, a wizard in Chicago. He is the only 'open' wizard, even listing his name in the phone book for odd jobs. He is a member of the wizards White Council, there are vampires who have White, Red and Black Courts. Faeries above and demons below... All that jazz. Oh and priests and Fist's of god, each of whom carries one of three special swords.

The books don't have much filler in them, and just seem to never stop or get to a boring part.(Except for the stupid stupid stupid reiteration of things he has already said in previous books. I HATE when people feel the need to repeat things just in case people didn't read previous books in a series. There isn't much of it though.)

They did a Sci-Fi series based on these books. Dresden Files. Catching up on those via youtube.com though I think I am going to look on hulu or something to catch some commercial free stuff. I assume hulu is commercial free?

[DCSL]

Seconded on the Dresden stuff. I never got into the TV series. They just mangled too many of my favorite parts so I just stuck with the books. A good, easy read.

[AestheticDeath]

Yeah, only seen the first TV episode so far, but I already noticed the Blue Beetle is not there, it is a jeep? WTF how hard is it to get a bug as a tv prop. And I do not like that Bob has a human body when out of the skull, and he is out too much.

I think I could have found a better guy to play Harry too. This guy isn't horrid, but there is something about maybe like his nose and teeth that just puts me off. :(

[BriarFox]

The Wheel of Time series, Robert Jordan
The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, Guy Gavriel Kay
The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss
Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children, Greg Bear
Lucifer's Hammer, Niven and Pournelle
Against the Tide of Years, Across the Oceans of Eternity, etc, SM Stirling
Dying to Please, Linda Howard
Sir Apropos of Nothing, Peter David
Fables comics (get the trade paperbacks), Bill Wallingham (?)

Or go old school:
The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain-poet
The Romance of William of Palerne, Anonymous
Henry V, Shakespeare
Duchess of Malfi, John Webster

Etc. Etc.

Summaries:

Wheel of Time - a young farmer and his childhood friends gets sucked into an epic struggle between light and darkness, only to find he's a hero reborn from ages long ago and the fate of the world rests on his shoulders. Sounds trite, but it's not. Epic fantasy.

Fionavar Tapestry - More epic fantasy. College students from Earth get recruited to the first of all worlds to help out in a battle against evil.

The Name of the Wind - A legendary hero who's gone off to die tells his own tale to an admirer and, in the act, recovers his own identity.

Darwin's Children - A new generation of children is the product a massive viral mutation that seems inherent in humanity. Fear and politics set the stage in modern day America.

Lucifer's Hammer - A giant asteroid is heading for Earth. Here's how people spend their last moments in LA as a commentary on American society.

Against the Tide of Years, etc - An astronomical event mysteriously transports the entire island of modern Nantucket to 2500 B.C. The people struggle to survive and prosper.

Dying to Please - a female butler becomes the object of obsession of a serial murderer, and he'll do anything to get her. Witty with a chance of flying panties.

Sir Apropos of Nothing - you've never seen an anti-hero until you've met Apropos, who accidentally does the right thing while doing his damnedest to get laid and get out.

Fables comics - a brilliantly written series of comics that ask, "What happened after 'happily ever after?'" The characters of childhood fables come to modern America to escape from a marauding tyrant who's taking over the Fablelands. The Big Bad Wolf knocks up Snow White, Bluebeard extorts money from the other fables, and Excalibur sits in its stone in the Business Office of the Fable company.


Canterbury Tales - Chaucer relates the stories told by a group of pilgrims on their way to Canterbury Cathedral. Much humor, social critique and irony ensue as he provides a vivid glimpse of 14th-century England and establishes English as a literary language.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - A mysterious green knight arrives at Arthur's court at Christmas and challenges them to a beheading game. Gawain chops off his head, which he picks up, and tells Gawain to come and receive the same in a year and a day. Gawain's courtesy and morality are tested as a proxy for the entire Arthurian court.

The Romance of William of Palerne - The young son of the king of Sicily is kidnapped by the prince of Spain transformed into a werewolf. He's found by the Emperor of Rome and grows up to be his most accomplished knight, then runs off with his daughter.

Henry V - Hotspur no more, King Henry leads his men in battle against the French, notably at Agincourt.

The Duchess of Malfi - A sister is preyed upon by her twin brothers in a Jacobean revenge drama set in Italy.

[4a6c1]

^oh...we were supposed to write what our books are about. mkay.



past two weeks...

Fire in the Turtle House (best book I've read this year)

Cliff Notes for Statistics (sad face)

Uneasy Relations, Aaron Elkins (THE SKELETON DOCTOR!!!)

Tiny Little Teeth, Aaron Elkins (moar skeleton doctor)


Fire in the Turtle House is about turtle conservation and turtle disease. Boring if you arent a biology major.

Cliff notes Statistics is umm...self explanatory.

The Aaron Elkin books are written by a scientist but they are fiction. The main character is Gideon Oliver, he is a medical anthropoligist. He falls into sticky situations on his digs and does CSI type stuff to solve the mysteries. I read these books to relax my head from the school text, without feeling too guilty that I'm not studying (since they are ON TOPIC!).


I just ordered her newest, Naamah's Mercy, which looks like an offshoot of the Kushiel's books, and cries out to be another series...Om nom nom nom!

:spaz:




Edit:

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - A mysterious green knight arrives at Arthur's court at Christmas and challenges them to a beheading game. Gawain chops off his head, which he picks up, and tells Gawain to come and receive the same in a year and a day. Gawain's courtesy and morality are tested as a proxy for the entire Arthurian court.

The Romance of William of Palerne - The young son of the king of Sicily is kidnapped by the prince of Spain transformed into a werewolf. He's found by the Emperor of Rome and grows up to be his most accomplished knight, then runs off with his daughter.


These sound REALLY good.

[Androidpk]

Almost finished with World War Z and it has been kickass so far. Picked up Freakanomics today, will start that soon.

[Tisket]

"Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell. It dissects and analyzes the decision-making process.

Enjoyed it so much I've ordered his books "The Outliers" and "The Tipping Point" from Amazon.

[Bobrobertbobson]

Robert Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, I Will Fear No Evil, and Stranger in a Strange Land.

Stranger in a Strange Land is one of my all-time favorite books, alongside Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The Moons is a Harsh Mistress was great, too.



TRYING to make my way through the Dark Tower series. I'm on the FINAL book and can't get started. Someone motivate me... I get home from 13 hours of work and just play GS/watch TV.

I really enjoyed that series. Totally worth finishing, and you're in the home stretch.



The Mallorean series by David Eddings.

The Belgariad and the Mallorean got me started reading fantasy books, back in ninth grade. Enjoyable, but simple.



Re-reading the Song of Ice and Fire series. Hoping the next book comes out before I die...

Great fantasy series, but I'm with you on the impatience. George RR Martin needs to stop spending so much time on those Wildcard books, and get working on ASOIAF.



The Name of the Wind - A legendary hero who's gone off to die tells his own tale to an admirer and, in the act, recovers his own identity.

This was brilliantly written, and more literary than most.


Another fun read was The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. It's been described as an Oceans Eleven heist type of premise, set in a fantasy-fictionalized Renaissance Italy.

[AestheticDeath]

http://forum.gsplayers.com/images/reputation/reputation_neg.gif What are you reading 07-29-2009 10:34 AM it's called product placement (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?p=976917#post976917)

Are you fucking stupid? How is advertising a jeep that has to be 20 years old, product placement? And even if that POS is somehow a newer vehicle(British one I wouldn't know fuck all about) It's still stupid. Stick to the story, and stop fucking things up yeah? I mean the beetle was half the guys life story.


And what about the human form of a spirit? I mean WTF.

[Allereli]

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

It's beautifully written, interesting, funny and sad. A hermaphrodite tells the story of his genetic mutation and family's immigration to the US.

[Drevihyin]

Just finished my third reading of THE NAME OF THE WIND. Patrick Rothfuss' character is a great storyteller and this book is definately worth reading atleast once. On a side note he is a down to earth guy and I could see him posting on the PC.
http://www.patrickrothfuss.com/blog/blog.html

[Apotheosis]

Nation by Terry Pratchett..

A friend got a hardcover, autographed copy for me for my birthday!!! how cool is that?!1

[AnticorRifling]

The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody by Will Cuppy

[Allereli]

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. Autobiography of a woman who grew up dirt poor w/ oddball parents. So many WTF moments and well written.

[Archigeek]

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

It's beautifully written, interesting, funny and sad. A hermaphrodite tells the story of his genetic mutation and family's immigration to the US.

Read this. Excellent book.

Currently reading The Name of The Rose.

[DCSL]

Re-reading the Chronicles of Prydain for the billionth time.

[Kuyuk]

literotica.com

[4a6c1]

Reading some chick book. Shoe Addicts Anonymous. Really funny. Even though I'm like WTF do people really do that?

One lady is losing her house and car and stuff because she doesnt pay her bills, but buys shoes. It's odd in a Jerry Springer kind of way.

[Kithus]

literotica.com

Who knew we had the same taste in literature?

[NocturnalRob]

River of Doubt
One Nation Under Contract
The Competition Solution: The Bipartisan Secret behind American Prosperity

[phantasm]

http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-sci-fi-fantasy-2006/214-1.jpg

Just started this a couple weeks ago.

[radamanthys]

[/img]http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-sci-fi-fantasy-2006/214-1.jpg[/img]

Just started this a couple weeks ago.

I took a weekend and read I think 9 of those (I get a book, I don't move until it's done). Excellent, in their own way. Not a huge fan of his writing style, but he certainly did make some memorable characters.

Just started re-/reading Inheritance (Eragon) today. Currently halfway through eldest.

[Allereli]

In maybe my nerdiest moment ever, I'm reading Star Trek Creator, the authorized biography of Gene Roddenberry, by David Alexander

It's really interesting, with a lot of original correspondence included, and his pre-writer life as a military pilot, commercial pilot and LAPD officer.

[4a6c1]

Oh awesome. Always wanted to read that, never had time! Come back and share details when you are done. :)

[StrayRogue]

Just finished reading Women by Charles Bukowski. I'm a bit fan of American literature from that period, and this is a quality if baudy novel. Moving on to a biography of Chris Morris tonight.

[StrayRogue]

In maybe my nerdiest moment ever, I'm reading Star Trek Creator, the authorized biography of Gene Roddenberry, by David Alexander

It's really interesting, with a lot of original correspondence included, and his pre-writer life as a military pilot, commercial pilot and LAPD officer.

I'd really recommend the two books by Shatner: TV Memories and Movie Memoirs. Not only are they hilarious, they're a valuable insight into GR and his process at the time.

[Parkbandit]

I just finished Deception Point by Dan Brown and started Digital Fortress by Dan Brown.

I liked Deception Point.. it would make a pretty good movie.

[Allereli]

I just finished Deception Point by Dan Brown and started Digital Fortress by Dan Brown.

I liked Deception Point.. it would make a pretty good movie.

I've never thrown out a book after reading it, until Digital Fortress

edit: and just ordered Shogun from paperbackswap.com after reading the thread

[Cephalopod]

I've never thrown out a book after reading it, until Digital Fortress

I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt this way.



Also, "Digital Fortress" is one of the only books I have ever physically 'thrown down' in frustration, due to inadequate and retarded research on Dan Brown's part. I'm glad I read DaVinci Code beforehand, or else I never would have picked up another of his books again.

[Bhuryn]

I just read The fourth realm trilogy by john twelve hawks. It's definitely worth reading.

[Bobmuhthol]

So defiant.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I finished reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

This was an excerpt I'd kept marked in the book:

"By then all stores of food had given out and murder was everywhere upon the land. The world soon to be largely populated by men who would eat your children in front of your eyes and the cities themselves held by cores of blackened looters who tunneled among the ruins and crawled from the rubble white of tooth and eye carrying charred and anonymous tins of food in nylon nets, like shoppers in the commissaries of hell. The soft black talc blew through the streets like squid ink uncoiling along a sea floor and the cold crept down and the dark came early and the scavengers passing down the steep canyons with their torches trod silky holes in the drifted ash that closed behind them silently as eyes. Out on the roads the pilgrims sank down and fell over and died, and the bleak and shrouded earth went trundling past the sun and returned again as trackless and as unremarked as the path of any nameless sisterworld in the ancient dark beyond."

The writing style is very bleak and morbid.. not a good book to read if you're depressed but if you're at all interested in apocalypse/post-apocalypse stuff, this would be right up your alley.

[Bhuryn]

So defiant.

It's my word. I'm sure you have a word you can't spell right to save your life. Everyone has one.

(Also, blame the spellcheck)

[StrayRogue]

I finished reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

This was an excerpt I'd kept marked in the book:

"By then all stores of food had given out and murder was everywhere upon the land. The world soon to be largely populated by men who would eat your children in front of your eyes and the cities themselves held by cores of blackened looters who tunneled among the ruins and crawled from the rubble white of tooth and eye carrying charred and anonymous tins of food in nylon nets, like shoppers in the commissaries of hell. The soft black talc blew through the streets like squid ink uncoiling along a sea floor and the cold crept down and the dark came early and the scavengers passing down the steep canyons with their torches trod silky holes in the drifted ash that closed behind them silently as eyes. Out on the roads the pilgrims sank down and fell over and died, and the bleak and shrouded earth went trundling past the sun and returned again as trackless and as unremarked as the path of any nameless sisterworld in the ancient dark beyond."

The writing style is very bleak and morbid.. not a good book to read if you're depressed but if you're at all interested in apocalypse/post-apocalypse stuff, this would be right up your alley.

Great book & adaption to film.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I still need to see the film but I've heard good things!

[Methais]

Currently reading this thread.

[WRoss]

I'm re-reading the wheel of time. I'm on book 5, and I remember why I stopped reading it around book 6. It gets really really slow around this time.

[AnticorRifling]

I'm reading credit card data standards....wooohooo

[DCSL]

Almost done with A. Lee Martinez's new book Divine Misfortune, which was hilarious as usual. He reminds me of Terry Pratchett minus the British.. ness..

[Kitsun]

Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson. Book Nine of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

I wish George R R Martin wrote at half the speed of Erikson. Dude is managing to churn out like a book a year and it is quality stuff.

[Cephalopod]

I've been trying to read 'Under the Dome' by Stephen King for a few months. I keep putting it down and reading other things.

[Amber]

I wish George R R Martin wrote at half the speed of Erikson. Dude is managing to churn out like a book a year and it is quality stuff.

I do too. I love George RR Martin but by the time A Dance with Dragons comes out (planned for release 12/25/12), I'm going to have to reread the first four. (Weird, I was just googling the book and Amazon says it was published in 2008 and on another page that it will be published in 2012. I'm confused now.)

I'm currently reading a plethora of science papers on transcriptional regulation. I wish I had more time for just for fun reading.

[Xanator]

And Another Thing..., Eoin Colfer's part six of the Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy. I didn't even know this existed until I saw it in the bookstore the other day. I'm about thirty pages from the end. He definitely didn't screw it up, but I haven't had a single moment where I laughed out loud like I did when I read (and re-read) the Adams books. Worth a read if you're a fan, though. Colfer captures the essence pretty well, and it's gotten better as it's gone along. I could see him settling in nicely if he keeps at it.

[Itachi]

.

[The Korean]

I've been trying to read 'Under the Dome' by Stephen King for a few months. I keep putting it down and reading other things.

Took me about a month to get through it. Too many characters to keep track of. Would be a good NBC miniseries though!

[Archigeek]

Flannery O'Connor, Complete Short Stories.

[DCSL]

Took me about a month to get through it. Too many characters to keep track of. Would be a good NBC miniseries though!

That's been a problem for me with a lot of Stephen King's more books. It really feels like he's writing a movie or a TV series instead of a book. It's not in screenwriter format but it might as well be. And they're not... scary, I guess. It feels like cheap stuff that anyone who is a fan of horror or thrillers could see right through at the very beginning.

[Numbers]

I do too. I love George RR Martin but by the time A Dance with Dragons comes out (planned for release 12/25/12), I'm going to have to reread the first four.

wtf 2012!? The Empire State Building was constructed faster than it's taking him to write that novel.

I'm currently reading the Temeraire series. It's about the Napoleonic war, but with dragons.

[Allereli]

I love George RR Martin but by the time A Dance with Dragons comes out (planned for release 12/25/12)

wtf is up with releasing a book on Christmas

[Androidpk]

wtf is up with releasing a book on Christmas

Consumerism at its best (worst).

[AnticorRifling]

Picked up another copy of Dragonflight from The Dragonriders of Pern series recently, going to read it again, love that book.

[DCSL]

Picked up another copy of Dragonflight from The Dragonriders of Pern series recently, going to read it again, love that book.

Heh, those were my favorite books when I was in elementary school. I used to daydream about being Lessa or Jaxon or something. Although Dragonsdawn was my favorite, I think. I also liked her Brain & Brawn series.

Nowadays, I can't even look at her section in the book store. Her son Todd is riding mommy's coattails to fame and fortune. It's disgusting. I mean, if he wants to follow in her footsteps and write, great! If he wants to continue writing in her world, hey, it's coo' if she's fine with it (although she's around ninety now and so senile that I doubt she knows who he is anymore). I really dislike the way they plaster her name all over the book and then in smaller letters at the bottom... "by Todd McCaffrey." Like no one's gonna notice that it's not actually Anne. Underhanded and slick.

... Sorry, that's been bothering me for the last decade, every time I wander past her section.

[AnticorRifling]

Heh, those were my favorite books when I was in elementary school. I used to daydream about being Lessa or Jaxon or something. Although Dragonsdawn was my favorite, I think. I also liked her Brain & Brawn series.

Nowadays, I can't even look at her section in the book store. Her son Todd is riding mommy's coattails to fame and fortune. It's disgusting. I mean, if he wants to follow in her footsteps and write, great! If he wants to continue writing in her world, hey, it's coo' if she's fine with it (although she's around ninety now and so senile that I doubt she knows who he is anymore). I really dislike the way they plaster her name all over the book and then in smaller letters at the bottom... "by Todd McCaffrey." Like no one's gonna notice that it's not actually Anne. Underhanded and slick.

... Sorry, that's been bothering me for the last decade, every time I wander past her section.

I'm in total agreement. I saw this one and was like hey I used to love those books! YOINK!

[Xanator]

I had a signed copy of Dragondrums that someone passed down to me. I dunno where it is now.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Anne_McCaffrey_1.jpg/240px-Anne_McCaffrey_1.jpg

Gotta feel for young son McCaffrey. Try to imagine the sense of foreboding that comes with knowing that'll eventually be watching you masturbate from heaven.

[AnticorRifling]

LOL I got neg rep'd:

What are you reading 04-20-2010 04:48 PM nerd

It cuts me deep.

[HelloKitty]

Currently finishing up Cosmos by Carl Sagan. It's like having your favorite uncle explain the universe to you.

Looking forward to reading A Canticle for Leibowitz again. Was my fav. book in college!

Finished two books of the Night Angel series by Brent Weeks a few months ago… I want my $ back :(

And… "A pilot episode, called Game of Thrones, was produced in 2009, and a series commitment for nine further episodes was made in March 2010." :)

[DCSL]

LOL I got neg rep'd:

What are you reading 04-20-2010 04:48 PM nerd

It cuts me deep.

Got the same one. Someone doesn't like old Anne McCaffrey books. Or reading. Or something.

[Ryvicke]

Joe Hill Horns!

So fun.

[Lord Orbstar]

playboy. so hot.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I've been reading the Dune series.. I just finished Heretics of Dune, so just Chapterhouse: Dune to read now and I'm done with the originals. I'll probably pick up the two that Herbert's sons wrote as follow ups. I kept meaning to read the series and I'm glad I did.

Definitely REALLY good books.. I see so much in them that I can tell has been translated into other notable science fiction (Star Wars, especially). If anyone decides to go through the series, be patient with the books that start out in new.. time periods, I guess is the way to put it without giving away spoilers. You get flung into the deep end with a couple of the books that forces you to go slowly but the plots rapidly pick up speed after the first quarter or so of the book.

Another thing I've been reading was recommended to me by a friend who knows about my love for zombie stories.. it's an anthology called The Living Dead and features short stories by a lot of notable authors (Stephen King, Clive Barker, Joe Hill, Laurel K. Hamilton, etc). So far I've really enjoyed the different take various authors have on the subject. Some of the zombies are fast, some are shambling and similar to the World War Z zombies, some are man-made and not threatening but creepy and unsettling, etc.

[Nilandia]

My brother and sister-in-law bought me a copy of The Poisoner's Handbook as a graduation present. It's currently sitting on my shelf and is next on my list of books to read. The book traces the history of New York City's chief medical examiner and forensic toxicologist during the 1920's, before a lot of the forensic science was worked out and generally accepted.

Since I'm working to go into forensics, I'm really looking forward to it. Looks to be an awesome read and a fantastic gift.

Gretchen

[IorakeWarhammer]

I've been reading the Dune series.. I just finished Heretics of Dune, so just Chapterhouse: Dune to read now and I'm done with the originals. I'll probably pick up the two that Herbert's sons wrote as follow ups. I kept meaning to read the series and I'm glad I did.

Definitely REALLY good books.. I see so much in them that I can tell has been translated into other notable science fiction (Star Wars, especially). If anyone decides to go through the series, be patient with the books that start out in new.. time periods, I guess is the way to put it without giving away spoilers. You get flung into the deep end with a couple of the books that forces you to go slowly but the plots rapidly pick up speed after the first quarter or so of the book.

Another thing I've been reading was recommended to me by a friend who knows about my love for zombie stories.. it's an anthology called The Living Dead and features short stories by a lot of notable authors (Stephen King, Clive Barker, Joe Hill, Laurel K. Hamilton, etc). So far I've really enjoyed the different take various authors have on the subject. Some of the zombies are fast, some are shambling and similar to the World War Z zombies, some are man-made and not threatening but creepy and unsettling, etc.

Love the Dune series. It's what got me interested in Arabia / Islam. So many references you wouldn't believe.

[Beguiler]

Another Anne McCaffrey fan here. I haven't read any of Todd McCaffrey's additions, I stick to Annie Mac herself. Have been fortunate enough to have met her and still correspond via emails (and she is still quite lucid). In any case, I reread my favorites frequently. I just finished the Crystal Singer series again, and am well into the Freedom's Landing (set of 4). The Brain & Brawn series is terrific, The Ship Who Sang was my actual introduction to her novels. Another fave is The Tower and The Hive series. That's after I'm done with the Catteni...

The Dragonriders of Pern series will always be the epic. I think the only series of hers I just couldn't get into was the Acorna one.

On a non-McCaffrey note, I was given a copy of The Shack by William P. Young. An interesting read, and some pretty thoughtful ideas about spirituality, and one's relationship with God and other people. Not for anyone, it's a work of fiction, but like I said, interesting, it made me think.

[AnticorRifling]

Love the Dune series. It's what got me interested in Arabia / Islam. So many references you wouldn't believe.

You said the same thing about Disney's Alladin.

[Amber]

I'm in the midst of the second book in the Liveship Traders trilogy by Robin Hobb right now. Kind of reminiscent of the Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffery, in that the ships are sentient and have distinct personalities, but with a bit more of a fantasy twist.

[Fallen]

http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/41110000/41114531.JPG

[Allereli]

I'm in the midst of the second book in the Liveship Traders trilogy by Robin Hobb right now. Kind of reminiscent of the Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffery, in that the ships are sentient and have distinct personalities, but with a bit more of a fantasy twist.

I read the Robin Hobb Farseer books (all 6) and loved them. Took me about 10 months

Currently reading: Shogun - for probably the next 2-3 months

On deck: The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin
The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

Love the Dune series. It's what got me interested in Arabia / Islam. So many references you wouldn't believe.

If I recall he took like 7 years preparing to write Dune and spent most of that doing very intense research on the Middle East and Islam before actually sitting down to write.

I'm not sure if it's really favorable though.. I'd lean in it being favorable towards Bedouin culture, etc but ultimately harsh about religion like Islam.. I mean, the entire series is essentially a criticism of humanity's push, desire for, and ultimately belief in a Messiah so they can abdicate taking responsibility for themselves and their futures.

[Warriorbird]

Jinn by Matthew B.J. Delaney

Stone's Fall by Iain Pears.

[Androidpk]

Been on a WH40K novel kick lately. Currently reading the Ravenor omnibus by Dan Abnett.

[Warriorbird]

I recently reread Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts 'The Founding' book. Good stuff.

Working on 'The Magicians' by Lev Grossman now.

[Androidpk]

Been on a WH40K novel kick lately. Currently reading the Ravenor omnibus by Dan Abnett.

Just finished The Emperor's Gift (http://www.amazon.com/The-Emperors-Gift-Grey-Knights/dp/1849701903) and was quite pleased with the link between these two books, certainly wasn't expecting it. One of my favorite WH40k dudes also makes a pretty awesome appearance as well, Bjorn the Fell Handed.

http://i49.tinypic.com/2yl5h1i.jpg

[Androidpk]

Just started book 10 of the HH series today, Tales of Heresy (http://www.amazon.com/Horus-Heresy-Tales-The/dp/1844166821). At first I was like meh, short stories, but 5 minutes into the first story my frown turned into :spaz: when I found out it was starring the mysterious Adeptus Custodes. I always thought the Adeptus Astartes (space marines) were pretty badass but these guys are like Chuck Norris, MacGyver, and James Bond all rolled into one.

[Darkwynde]

Veronica Roth Divergent and Insurgent.

Now I am on Ted Dekker/Tosca Lee's Forbidden.

[TheEschaton]

Rereading Notes from the Underground and The Double. I love them, but it's heavy material.

[Back]

Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. At this point in my life I find myself running a restaurant so the material is both amusing and enlightening.

[TheEschaton]

Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. At this point in my life I find myself running a restaurant so the material is both amusing and enlightening.

GG on the Applebee's promotion.

[Androidpk]

I recently reread Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts 'The Founding' book. Good stuff.

Working on 'The Magicians' by Lev Grossman now.

Haven't read any of Ghost's stuff yet but I'm slowly working there. If you like imprial guard stuff though then check out Hammer of the Emperor.

[Warriorbird]

Haven't read any of Ghost's stuff yet but I'm slowly working there. If you like imprial guard stuff though then check out Hammer of the Emperor.

Just finished Reamde by Neal Stephenson. Before that, on a fluff level, 'The Spy' by Clive Cussler/Justin Scott.

[GS4-Seomanthe]

Just finished Reamde by Neal Stephenson. Before that, on a fluff level, 'The Spy' by Clive Cussler/Justin Scott.

I enjoyed Reamde but it was like a 180 from science/philosophy heavy stuff like Anathem.

I'm reading Mirage by Matt Ruff right now, an alternate reality scifi supposing a role reversal in the war or terror. USA is a fractured group of small countries divided by religious differences and schisms, and the United Arab States is a superpower attacked by Christian terrorists. Overall it's entertaining to see famous figures plugged in different roles (Bin Laden is a warhawk senator, Hussein is a mafia boss, Rumsfeld is a militia/cell leader, etc..) but it feels a kind of hackish and forced. Which is sad because I enjoyed his previous Bad Monkeys.

Also re-reading George Martin's series in a lazy way so that I can be halfway ready for the alleged release this year.

[Warriorbird]

I enjoyed Reamde but it was like a 180 from science/philosophy heavy stuff like Anathem.

I'm reading Mirage by Matt Ruff right now, an alternate reality scifi supposing a role reversal in the war or terror. USA is a fractured group of small countries divided by religious differences and schisms, and the United Arab States is a superpower attacked by Christian terrorists. Overall it's entertaining to see famous figures plugged in different roles (Bin Laden is a warhawk senator, Hussein is a mafia boss, Rumsfeld is a militia/cell leader, etc..) but it feels a kind of hackish and forced. Which is sad because I enjoyed his previous Bad Monkeys.

Also re-reading George Martin's series in a lazy way so that I can be halfway ready for the alleged release this year.

I thought of Reamde as akin to Cryptonomicon, which I also enjoyed.

I read Emperor's Gift by Aaron Dembski Bowden today, some Grey Knights fic. Unlike most folks I liked the first part more than the second.

[Androidpk]

I loved all of it though I was a little disheartened to see the extent that the inquisition is willing to go. My favorite Grey Knight story is still the self titled one in the omnibus. The first few pages about the battle on Khorion IX is simply epic².

[Warriorbird]

I loved all of it though I was a little disheartened to see the extent that the inquisition is willing to go. My favorite Grey Knight story is still the self titled one in the omnibus. The first few pages about the battle on Khorion IX is simply epic².

Yeah. I felt the second half had a falling action rather than a rising one but it was interesting to me to get another take on the Grey Knights. Hopefully Counter will do more stuff.

[GS4-Seomanthe]

I thought of Reamde as akin to Cryptonomicon, which I also enjoyed.

Hah, maybe that's part of why I didn't finish Cryptonomicon... I got to a few pages on the spokes of bicycle tires and I couldn't get past them. Maybe I'll try again but I think I want to tackle the Baroque Cycle first.

[Jess78080]

Just bought Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. I like period pieces/ the classics.

[WRoss]

Thanks to my injury, I finished "The Wheel of Time", "Game of Thrones", and "The Saga of Recluce". Anyone got a good fantasy suggestion?

[Warriorbird]

Hah, maybe that's part of why I didn't finish Cryptonomicon... I got to a few pages on the spokes of bicycle tires and I couldn't get past them. Maybe I'll try again but I think I want to tackle the Baroque Cycle first.

I prefer Snow Crash/The Diamond Age and The Big U/Zodiac, but I dig the Baroque Cycle a fair bit too.

[Warriorbird]

Thanks to my injury, I finished "The Wheel of Time", "Game of Thrones", and "The Saga of Recluce". Anyone got a good fantasy suggestion?

The Braided Path by Chris Wooding (The Weavers of Saramyr, The Skein of Lament, and the Ascendancy Veil)

Last Call by Tim Powers, Galveston by Sean Stewart

[Ashlander]

Thanks to my injury, I finished "The Wheel of Time", "Game of Thrones", and "The Saga of Recluce". Anyone got a good fantasy suggestion?

If you liked Recluce I'd recommend his Imager series also.

[droit]

Picking random book on the bookshelf to plug...

If you haven't read Shōgun, by James Clavell, you should. That book is marvelous.

It's the story of a European in Feudal Japan. The contrasts between cultures is excellent. The political intrigue is full of twists. The main characters are reasonably well developed. The action is wonderful; Samurai are the shit.

Like the Art of War, it belongs on every man's bookshelf.

Hey, I just reread Shogun last week! It is indeed one of the best pieces of historical fiction out there, and it was the book that got me interested in Japanese culture.

And because I saw Neal Stephenson mentioned, I'll just put it out there that "Snow Crash" is his best work to date. I liked "Anathem", but it didn't have the driving suspense that Snow Crash did.

[GS4-Seomanthe]

Thanks to my injury, I finished "The Wheel of Time", "Game of Thrones", and "The Saga of Recluce". Anyone got a good fantasy suggestion?

The Name of the Wind and subsequent works in the series by Patrick Rothfuss. Very, very good storytelling with a third book on the way at some point.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and possibly subsequent works by NK Jemisin (I haven't read the next books yet, but the first one was pretty good, with a really interesting premise revolving around a family that comes to rule the known world by enslaving the gods.)

[Androidpk]

I just got a shit load of WH40k books for my kindle fire, including all 13 or so of Gaunt's Ghosts novels. Probably going to start with The Macharian Crusade: Angel of Fire (http://www.amazon.com/The-Macharian-Crusade-Angel-Fire/dp/1849701849) by William King as I've heard a lot of positive things about it.

http://i46.tinypic.com/2uh7s3q.jpg

[msconstrew]

Thanks to my injury, I finished "The Wheel of Time", "Game of Thrones", and "The Saga of Recluce". Anyone got a good fantasy suggestion?

You could try the "Magicians" books by Lev Grossman. Interesting books, sort of like Harry Potter for grownups but with a lot more depth and nuance.

[Drakefang]

I always liked Raymond Feist and David Eddings works. Probably not as mainstream as they were in the 90's. I find it very difficult to find new authors I want to try. Books are so pricey now and they all start to sound the same when reading the jackets. I rotate through fantasy, sci-fi and erotic horror. I'm in the middle of about 4 series, the most current being David Weber's Honor Harrington series. Grey Knight's Omnibus is next on my list and my intro into the Warhammer series.

[Gsgeek]

I'll always like Eddings and Feist, since they, along with Stephen R Donaldson's white gold wielder series , were among some of the first fantasy series' I read. But, at least with Eddings, I find it hard to reread a lot of his novels, especially any of the later stuff. It comes off as really repetitive as his earlier novels in his series. I dont think he had a very good editor. Anywho. When I'm reading sci fi or fantasy, I often tend to look for series instead of one offs or single novels. Guess I just like stories that tend to last a while or become imersive. So, if anyone has anything new and semi recent that fits the bill, let me know. Probably been maybe 6 months since I've checked for new stuff.

[EasternBrand]

I opened up Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" late last night. It was a big mistake, in the sense that I stayed up hours past my bedtime with an open book on my lap, and then, after I finally put it down, worrying about post-apocalyptic cannibals.

[Androidpk]

When I'm reading sci fi or fantasy, I often tend to look for series instead of one offs or single novels. Guess I just like stories that tend to last a while or become imersive. So, if anyone has anything new and semi recent that fits the bill, let me know. Probably been maybe 6 months since I've checked for new stuff.

It's almost like you're begging me to chew your ear off about WH40K. If you want epic sci fi that has a deep and immersive background then do yourself a favor and check it out. I personally would start out with Space Wolf Omnibus (http://www.amazon.com/Space-Wolf-Omnibus-Spacewolf-Warhammer/dp/1844164578) as it makes for a great introduction into the grim universe of the 41st millenium.

[Androidpk]

I opened up Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" late last night. It was a big mistake, in the sense that I stayed up hours past my bedtime with an open book on my lap, and then, after I finally put it down, worrying about post-apocalyptic cannibals.

One of my favorite books even though it's quite dark and depressing matter.

[BriarFox]

Blake Charlton, Spellwright. Merges basic Saussurian structural linguistics and high fantasy into a story about self-determination and working with language disability, all under the guise of magic. Best fantasy story I've read lately. Author is severely dyslexic, but tore through Yale and is now at Stanford med.

[Androidpk]

I've been on a serious WH40K book reading binge for the last 2 weeks.

The Macharian Crusade: Angel of Fire (http://www.amazon.com/The-Macharian-Crusade-Angel-Fire/dp/1849701849)
Dead Men Walking (http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Men-Walking-Warhammer-40000/dp/1849700117/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342457066&sr=1-3&keywords=dead+men+walking)
Blood Angels Omnibus (http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Angels-omnibus-Warhammer-Omnibus/dp/1844165590)
Eisenhorn Omnibus (http://www.amazon.com/Eisenhorn-Omnibus-Dan-Abnett/dp/1844161560) - Lots of awesome insight into how the inquisition works.

The first 4 Gaunt's Ghosts novels:

First and Only (http://www.amazon.com/First-Warhammer-40000-Gaunts-Ghosts/dp/1841542687/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342457450&sr=1-2&keywords=first+and+only)
Ghostmaker (http://www.amazon.com/Ghostmaker-Warhammer-40000-Gaunts-Ghosts/dp/1841542695/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342457462&sr=1-1&keywords=ghostmaker)
Necropolis (http://www.amazon.com/Necropolis-Gaunts-Ghosts-Dan-Abnett/dp/1844160068/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342457493&sr=1-1&keywords=necropolis+dan+abnett)
Honor Guard (http://www.amazon.com/Honour-Guard-Gaunts-Ghosts-Abnett/dp/0743411676/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342457501&sr=1-1&keywords=honor+guard+dan+abnett)

Dan Abnett, who is the author of the Gaunt series as well as the Eisenhorn Omnibus, is simply awesome. He is easily one of the best writers in regards to WH40K fiction.

The only books I didn't like here were the Blood Angels Omnibus and Dead Men Walking. BAO was really annoying for me to read, lots of plot holes and weak characters that just didn't fit in with the general lore of 40K.

I thought I was going to really enjoy Dead Men Walking, seeing as it featured the Imperial Guard Death Korp of Krieg and Necrons but near the end of the story it seemed like the author simply got tired of writing and instead of following through on the plots he had been building up he just ended things in a completely and unexpected way. Incredibly disappointing.

[Beguiler]

Secret Heroes: Everyday Americans Who Shaped Our World by Paul Martin. Interesting.

[Androidpk]

And the WH40k binge continues! I've finished up with the rest of the available Gaunt's Ghosts novels.

The Guns of Tanith
Straight Silver
Sabbat Martyr
Traitor General
His Last Command
The Armour of Contempt
Only in Death
The Iron Star (short story)
Blood Pact
Sabbat Worlds (set of short stories by different authors)
Salvation's Reach.

After speed reading through those books I've jumped back to the space marines with Abnett's Brothers of the Snakes which is a set of 7 short stories involving a squadron from the Iron Snakes Chapter.

I'm sure I've mentioned this multiple times already but for any fan of science fiction and/or military books then check out Dan Abnett ASAP. You won't be disappointed. I have yet to be let down by any of his books. The stories are all incredibly well done and he excels at creating and fleshing out characters that you really come to enjoy and care about.

[Latrinsorm]

Androidpk's post.

[Androidpk]

Androidpk's post.

You should read it in Morgan Freeman's voice.

[Nathala Crane]

You should read it in Morgan Freeman's voice.

I read it in Captain Titus' voice. Heh. Since playing Space Marine, whenever I see WH40K mentioned in writing anywhere, I can't help it.

[Bobmuhthol]

Diary of a Young Girl.

[Delias]

And the WH40k binge continues! I've finished up with the rest of the available Gaunt's Ghosts novels.

The Guns of Tanith
Straight Silver
Sabbat Martyr
Traitor General
His Last Command
The Armour of Contempt
Only in Death
The Iron Star (short story)
Blood Pact
Sabbat Worlds (set of short stories by different authors)
Salvation's Reach.

After speed reading through those books I've jumped back to the space marines with Abnett's Brothers of the Snakes which is a set of 7 short stories involving a squadron from the Iron Snakes Chapter.

I'm sure I've mentioned this multiple times already but for any fan of science fiction and/or military books then check out Dan Abnett ASAP. You won't be disappointed. I have yet to be let down by any of his books. The stories are all incredibly well done and he excels at creating and fleshing out characters that you really come to enjoy and care about.

There is a short one I enjoy called... I think its 14 hours, or 18 hours or something like that. Imperial guard stories are always great. There is also the eldar based Path of the Warrior, I enjoyed that and Fire Warrior immensely because they aren't imperial based.

[Androidpk]

There is a short one I enjoy called... I think its 14 hours, or 18 hours or something like that. Imperial guard stories are always great. There is also the eldar based Path of the Warrior, I enjoyed that and Fire Warrior immensely because they aren't imperial based.

15 hours. It's one of the stories included in the Imperial Guard Omnibus volume 1. I have it just haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I don't have them yet but the Path of the Eldar series is on my to read list. Those are by Gav Thorpe and he seems to be pretty decent based on the limited edition novella Catechism of Hate.

[Drakefang]

I just stepped into the WH40K series, myself. I am halfway done with The Space Wolves Omnibus. Next are the Ultramarines and Grey Knights Omnibuses. Otherwise I have dust on about 8 books I've not read yet. I love going to the beach, it gets me back in the mood to read.

[Bobmuhthol]

I don't have them yet but the Path of the Eldar series is on my to read list.

http://nzbindex.nl/search/?q=warhammer+40%2C000+ebook&age=&max=25&minage=&sort=agedesc&minsize=&maxsize=&dq=&poster=&nfo=&hidespam=0&hidespam=1&more=0

[Drakefang]

This leads me to ask, why is Warhammer 40k so successful? The sheer amount of books in the series rivals ALL other series. Star Trek, Star Wars, Dragonlance/D&D/Forgotten Realms, Halo, truly anything...what is it that keeps writers using it as a basis for their own novels? I like it so far. After several hundred pages, though, it still is feeling like an above average to good book. Is above average enough to continue to keep me reading about that specific universe?

Is it just the size and depth of the fictional universe that went into the table top game?

[Reliel]

Next are the Ultraweenies

Fixed.

[Androidpk]

http://nzbindex.nl/search/?q=warhammer+40%2C000+ebook&age=&max=25&minage=&sort=agedesc&minsize=&maxsize=&dq=&poster=&nfo=&hidespam=0&hidespam=1&more=0

Nerd boner!

[Androidpk]

This leads me to ask, why is Warhammer 40k so successful? The sheer amount of books in the series rivals ALL other series. Star Trek, Star Wars, Dragonlance/D&D/Forgotten Realms, Halo, truly anything...what is it that keeps writers using it as a basis for their own novels? I like it so far. After several hundred pages, though, it still is feeling like an above average to good book. Is above average enough to continue to keep me reading about that specific universe?

Is it just the size and depth of the fictional universe that went into the table top game?

The size and scale, the amount of history and lore. There could be a number of reasons why. I'm all for seeing some high end WH40k movies though, it's a shame there aren't any.


Fixed.

Psh, Ultramarines are awesome. The Iron Snakes are an offshoot of that chapter and they're pretty kickass too.

[Drakefang]

I've got Horus Rising for after The Grey Knights. Is that a decent route to go, or should I delve into something else after The Grey Knights?

[Androidpk]

I've got Horus Rising for after The Grey Knights. Is that a decent route to go, or should I delve into something else after The Grey Knights?

You're basically going the same route I went. The Horus Heresy series takes place 10,000 years before the current setting of the 41st millenium and it is one of the most important events in WH40k lore. It certainly doesn't hurt that a lot of the books in that series are really well done.

[Androidpk]

http://i47.tinypic.com/2q19kea.jpg

Yes it would be correct though not as accurate. The number of years itself (10k) is very important to what's going on though going into that involves spilling a few spoilers.

[Reliel]

Psh, Ultramarines are awesome.

I'm told this is what their base looks like.

3868

[Nathala Crane]

I'm told this is what their base looks like.

3868

3869

[Androidpk]

http://i47.tinypic.com/kbeteo.jpg

[Delias]

http://www.dakkadakka.com/s/i/at/at2/2012/1/12/ace7327921ceb7132a297eed0755d7a6_53324.jpg

Buddies 2nd company, and as a dedicated smurf player he also decided to make an Ultramar guard army...

http://www.dakkadakka.com/s/i/at/at2/2012/3/5/52b7414e90855f4979c397a76094cc7c_53324.jpg

[Androidpk]

That guard army looks pretty sweet. 40K fapping aside I can't remember the last time I read something that wasn't sci-fi so I picked up Shogun by James Clavell for a little bit of historical fiction.

[Nathala Crane]

Heh. Only other thing I have to say is: For Russ! ;)

That aside, I've been reading what little has been translated of The Witcher saga (hence the avatar) which is something I've been meaning to get around to since playing the two games. I'm quickly becoming a big fan of the world presented therein. I can't wait to finish the story. The first novel was translated back in 2009, with the second of the five only just preparing for English release this year, but I figure they'll still manage to finish localization long before the last Song of Ice and Fire book gets pushed out.

[Androidpk]

Holy crap Shogun is a big book. So many words! Very awesome stuff though, wish I had picked this up years ago. Got the Fight Club novel earlier today since I haven't read that yet as well as books 10 and 11 of the Horus Heresy series. Fallen Angels and A Thousand Sons, respectively.

[msconstrew]

I am currently reading Krakauer's "Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman", which is excellent. Then I am planning to re-read "Into Thin Air" (Krakauer) and "This Is Where I Leave You" by Jonathan Tropper, which is one of the only books in recent memory that made me actually laugh out loud.

And OMG, I totally need to reread "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman soon! My favorite parts are where the various Egyptian gods come into play.

[Warriorbird]

Holy crap Shogun is a big book. So many words! Very awesome stuff though, wish I had picked this up years ago. Got the Fight Club novel earlier today since I haven't read that yet as well as books 10 and 11 of the Horus Heresy series. Fallen Angels and A Thousand Sons, respectively.

If you enjoy Shogun I recommend Taiko by Eiji Yoshikawa and then Musashi.

Right now I'm reading Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon again.

[Androidpk]

I am currently reading Krakauer's "Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman", which is excellent. Then I am planning to re-read "Into Thin Air" (Krakauer) and "This Is Where I Leave You" by Jonathan Tropper, which is one of the only books in recent memory that made me actually laugh out loud.

And OMG, I totally need to reread "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman soon! My favorite parts are where the various Egyptian gods come into play.

I'm drawing a complete blank as to what the last non-fiction book that I read was. Hopefully not Into Thin Air, because that was over 10 years ago. Just read the description of Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman, sounds like something I would enjoy so that has been added to the ever expanding list.


If you enjoy Shogun I recommend Taiko by Eiji Yoshikawa and then Musashi.

I will check those out, thanks.

[Reliel]

Nerding out on a Gundam tech book.

[Androidpk]

Nerding out on a Gundam tech book.

Gundam is the shit. On a somewhat related note I plan on picking up some low level manga stuff for my Japanese class. I've heard it's a good way to pick up how to read the language.

[Reliel]

Gundam is the shit. On a somewhat related note I plan on picking up some low level manga stuff for my Japanese class. I've heard it's a good way to pick up how to read the language.

DUDE. Do you own a PS3? If the answer is yes. Check this shit out.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=621rhT72yFo

Free to play.

[Androidpk]

No I don't and stop making me feel guilty for not owning one yet. I will buy one someday because of the exclusive ps3 only games. Heavy Rain, Uncharted, and the upcoming The Last of Us. I also need a psp for Final Fantasy Tactics.

[Reliel]

No I don't and stop making me feel guilty for not owning one yet. I will buy one someday because of the exclusive ps3 only games. Heavy Rain, Uncharted, and the upcoming The Last of Us. I also need a psp for Final Fantasy Tactics.

Son, I am disappoint.

[4a6c1]

I fondled The Hunger Games a little in the store but couldnt bring myself to buy something from a shelf labeled "Teen Fiction" and sitting next to fifty shades of durdurdur. Dripping with a confusing mix of disdain and shame I shuffled over to the bargain table and bought a beautiful table piece Art of War. Barnes and Nobles makes these awesome fancy books that are sort of old fashioned looking and shiny and glorious. So I guess I'm reading the Art of War again because it's pretty.

[Delias]

I fondled The Hunger Games a little in the store but couldnt bring myself to buy something from a shelf labeled "Teen Fiction" and sitting next to fifty shades of durdurdur. Dripping with a confusing mix of disdain and shame I shuffled over to the bargain table and bought a beautiful table piece Art of War. Barnes and Nobles makes these awesome fancy books that are sort of old fashioned looking and shiny and glorious. So I guess I'm reading the Art of War again because it's pretty.

I love that book. No better way in all the world to annoy an opponent you are crushing at any game than to quote the art of war.

[Androidpk]

Other than the daily news and global current events I have been a complete slacker in the reading department so I have cracked down on that. Just finished up with Mark Bowden's The Finish: The killing of Osama bin Laden. Absolutely fantastic piece and really goes in depth to show the amount of hard work and determination that went into tracking this man down, starting in the mid-90's.

About halfway through with the biography piece on General David Petraues and so far it is excellent as well.

If anyone has some recommended readings in the field of military history and leadership feel free to share.

[Wrathbringer]

Preston and Child's next Pendergast novel came out yesterday. I'm about 11 chapters in, and it's great so far, as always. Holmes and Dupin have nothing on Pendergast.

[Wrathbringer]

Other than the daily news and global current events I have been a complete slacker in the reading department so I have cracked down on that. Just finished up with Mark Bowden's The Finish: The killing of Osama bin Laden. Absolutely fantastic piece and really goes in depth to show the amount of hard work and determination that went into tracking this man down, starting in the mid-90's.

About halfway through with the biography piece on General David Petraues and so far it is excellent as well.

If anyone has some recommended readings in the field of military history and leadership feel free to share.

If you're into these kinds of books, you've probably already read W's decision points. I was entertained.

[Androidpk]

If you're into these kinds of books, you've probably already read W's decision points. I was entertained.

I have not but I'll add it to my list.

[Wrathbringer]

I have not but I'll add it to my list.

I think you'll be glad you did. The inside perspective on the events/aftermath of 9/11 was especially interesting, I thought.

[Ker_Thwap]

Rather than getting another crappy Clive Cussler book at the airport, I picked up "Unbroken" a biography of sorts about Louis Zamperini who was a WWII airman, who ended up being a POW. The writing was rather terse and to the point (a critic described it as cinematic) but the book still managed to weave a powerful and moving story.

[Drinin]

Shogun by James Clavell. This book has been sitting on my shelf for almost 10 years and I finally started reading it a few weeks ago. About halfway through it and I'm really enjoying it.

[Methais]

I'm reading this:

http://i.imgur.com/7ul5Cqz.png

[Androidpk]

Shogun by James Clavell. This book has been sitting on my shelf for almost 10 years and I finally started reading it a few weeks ago. About halfway through it and I'm really enjoying it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Shogun.

[Allereli]

I thoroughly enjoyed Shogun.

I always suggest it to people.

I need to read more, still making my way through The Goldfinch.

To do list:
The Slow Regard of Silent Things (http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00J9SUF2W) by Patrick Rothfuss
Fool's Assassin (http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00HBQUF8S) by Robin Hobb

[Ker_Thwap]

I always suggest it to people.

I need to read more, still making my way through The Goldfinch.

To do list:
The Slow Regard of Silent Things (http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00J9SUF2W) by Patrick Rothfuss
Fool's Assassin (http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00HBQUF8S) by Robin Hobb

Oooooh! The Fool and Fitz are back! Definitely will read this soon.

[Androidpk]

I always suggest it to people.

I need to read more, still making my way through The Goldfinch.

To do list:
The Slow Regard of Silent Things (http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00J9SUF2W) by Patrick Rothfuss
Fool's Assassin (http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00HBQUF8S) by Robin Hobb

Have you read any of the other Asian Saga books?

[Allereli]

Have you read any of the other Asian Saga books?

yeah, I didn't enjoy it. forget which one

[Androidpk]

NPR's top books of 2014

http://apps.npr.org/best-books-2014/#/_

[Archigeek]

Wanting to read Redeployment. Anyone read it? Just picked up a copy of Bonhoeffer, Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.

[Androidpk]

Wanting to read Redeployment. Anyone read it? Just picked up a copy of Bonhoeffer, Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.

Just added Redeployment to my ever growing list.

[Tisket]

Rereading Steinbeck's East of Eden

Anyone who's ever aspired to writing, read this and despair.

[Androidpk]

Rereading Steinbeck's East of Eden

Anyone who's ever aspired to writing, read this and despair.

For that very reason I think I'll skip it.

Anyone know where I can download a copy of On War? The original version.

[Ker_Thwap]

Rereading Steinbeck's East of Eden

Anyone who's ever aspired to writing, read this and despair.

One of my all time favorites.

[Androidpk]

Got a copy of this yesterday from my brother. I think it's my first wh40k hardcover.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51wh6-qX4UL.jpg

[Ardwen]

should be free versions on amazon, going to read Clausewitz?

[Androidpk]

should be free versions on amazon, going to read Clausewitz?

I only saw one version on amazon last time I checked and it wasn't free. Also the reviews said it wasn't a complete version. Would love to read it though.

[Hydra]

The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross.

Modern Cthulhu mythos spy/horror story where the main character (Bob Howard) is an IT professional in a secret government agency.

[Androidpk]

Picked up Anna Karenina earlier and so far I'm enjoying. Figured it was finally time to read some Tolstoy.

[iJin]

Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker.

[elcidcannon]

The Stand by Stephen King.

I read the entire Dark Tower series. Plan to read The Stand and then re-read DT!

[Androidpk]

I enjoyed The Stand.

[elcidcannon]

I'm about 20% done....it's a good read. I'm a huge King fan. Just finished Revival which was pretty good.

[Androidpk]

I'm about 20% done....it's a good read. I'm a huge King fan. Just finished Revival which was pretty good.

Is it your first time reading it?

[elcidcannon]

Yeah. I feel like I missed out on a lot in the Dark Tower series without having read The Stand....but I couldn't put those books down.

[Androidpk]

Any of you read Nietzsche's works?

[Wrathbringer]

Any of you read Nietzsche's works?

Of course. I'm sure you're shocked. Considering it?

[Androidpk]

Of course. I'm sure you're shocked. Considering it?


I am shocked. Started reading Zarathustra the other day so I could learn more about his thoughs on eternal return. Cause True Detective.

[Silvean]

Any of you read Nietzsche's works?

I have. I would supplement Zarathustra with this:

http://www.amazon.com/Nietzsche-A-Very-Short-Introduction/dp/0192854143

I'm not able to comment on the Nietzsche article in particular but the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is a good online resource overall:

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nietzsche/

[Androidpk]

I have. I recommend supplementing Zarathustra with this:

http://www.amazon.com/Nietzsche-A-Very-Short-Introduction/dp/0192854143

Thanks, I've added it to my list.

[Drinin]

Sword Song by Bernard Cornwell. I loaned him my Song of Fire and Ice books and he suggested checking this author out. I'm 100 pages in and I'm enjoying it. It's historical fiction set in 885 in England. Worth a read if you dig that kind of stuff.

[Silvean]

I am shocked. Started reading Zarathustra the other day so I could learn more about his thoughs on eternal return. Cause True Detective.

I wish I could read this with you but I don't have the time right now. Maybe I'll get around to it in late June; we could have rousing philosophical discussions right here on the PC.

[Latrinsorm]

Any of you read Nietzsche's works?The Gay Science many times, Zarathustra several times, Twilight of the Gods maybe once. Get the Kaufmann translations whenever possible. Zarathustra is the most popular and (not by coincidence) least important work to understand his philosophy. It's a self-parody (although kind of all of his work is) and I'm convinced a fan-fiction for the seven or so people who cared about his work at all while he was alive. Gay Science is what you want, and you should take both words very seriously if you want to understand Nietzsche. I will repost sections 125 (overman) and 341 (eternal recurrence) to give you some flavor:

The madman.
Have you not heard of that madman who
lit a lantern in the bright morning hours. ran to the market
place. and cried incessantly: "I seek God! I seek God!" -As
many of those who did not believe in God were standing
around just then, he provoked much laughter. Has he got lost?
asked one. Did he lose his way like a child? asked another. Or
is he hiding? Is he afraid of us? Has he gone on a voyage?
emigrated? -Thus they yelled and laughed.
The madman jumped into their midst and pierced them with
his eyes. Whither is God?" he cried; "I will tell you. We
have killed him-you and I. All of us are his murderers. But
how did we do this? How could we drink up the sea? Who
gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon? What were
we doing when we unchained this earth from its sun? Whither
is it moving now? Whither are we moving? Away from all
suns? Are we not plunging continually? Backward, sideward,
forward, in all directions? Is there still any up or down? Are
we not straying as through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel
the breath of empty space? Has it not become colder? Is not
night continually closing in on us? Do we not need to light
lanterns in the morning? Do we hear nothing as yet of the
noise of the gravediggers who are burying God? Do we smell
nothing as yet of the divine decomposition? Gods, too, decompose.
God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him.

"How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all mur-
derers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world
has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will
wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean
ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games
shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too
great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to
appear worthy of it? There has never been a greater deed; and
whoever is born after us-for the sake of this deed he will
belong to a higher history than all history hitherto."

Here the madman fell silent and looked again at his listeners;
and they, too, were silent and stared at him in astonishment.
At last he threw his lantern on the ground. and it broke into
pieces and went out. "I have come too early," he said then:
"my time is not yet. This tremendous event is still on its way,
still wandering; it has not yet reached the ears of men. Lightning
and thunder require time; the light of the stars requires
time; deeds, though done, still require. lime to be seen and
heard. This deed is still more distant from them than the most
distant stars-and yet they have done it themselves.

It has been related further that on the same day the madman
forced his way into several churches and there struck up his
requiem aeternam deo. Led out and called to account, he is
said always to have replied nothing but: "What after all are
these churches now if they are not the tombs and sepulchers of
God?"

The greatest weight:
What, if some day or night a demon
were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to
you: "This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will
have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there
will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every
thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in
your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession
and sequence--even this spider and this moonlight between the
trees, and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass
of existence is turned upside down again and again, and you
with it, speck of dust!"
Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth
and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced
a tremendous moment when you would have answered
him: "You are a god and never have I heard anything more
divine." If this thought gained possession of you, it would
change you as you are or perhaps crush you. The question in
each and every thing, "Do you desire this once more and innumerable
times more?" would lie upon your actions as the
greatest weight. Or how well disposed would you have to become
to yourself and to life to crave nothing more fervently than
this ultimate eternal confirmation and seal?

[Ker_Thwap]

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by Jemison. Fantasy, female protagonist, good stuff. Every word counts, an interesting premise, none of that crap filler pointless asides, so you don't find yourself skipping ahead to get back to the plot. Even though it's the first book in a series, it ended solidly. Ker_Thwap recommended.

[everan]

I mostly listen to books on CD on my drive to work.

I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

Pretty good so far.

[Androidpk]

I wish I could read this with you but I don't have the time right now. Maybe I'll get around to it in late June; we could have rousing philosophical discussions right here on the PC.

Sounds like a plan, man.

[Androidpk]

The Gay Science many times, Zarathustra several times, Twilight of the Gods maybe once. Get the Kaufmann translations whenever possible. Zarathustra is the most popular and (not by coincidence) least important work to understand his philosophy. It's a self-parody (although kind of all of his work is) and I'm convinced a fan-fiction for the seven or so people who cared about his work at all while he was alive. Gay Science is what you want, and you should take both words very seriously if you want to understand Nietzsche. I will repost sections 125 (overman) and 341 (eternal recurrence) to give you some flavor:

The madman.
Have you not heard of that madman who
lit a lantern in the bright morning hours. ran to the market
place. and cried incessantly: "I seek God! I seek God!" -As
many of those who did not believe in God were standing
around just then, he provoked much laughter. Has he got lost?
asked one. Did he lose his way like a child? asked another. Or
is he hiding? Is he afraid of us? Has he gone on a voyage?
emigrated? -Thus they yelled and laughed.
The madman jumped into their midst and pierced them with
his eyes. Whither is God?" he cried; "I will tell you. We
have killed him-you and I. All of us are his murderers. But
how did we do this? How could we drink up the sea? Who
gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon? What were
we doing when we unchained this earth from its sun? Whither
is it moving now? Whither are we moving? Away from all
suns? Are we not plunging continually? Backward, sideward,
forward, in all directions? Is there still any up or down? Are
we not straying as through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel
the breath of empty space? Has it not become colder? Is not
night continually closing in on us? Do we not need to light
lanterns in the morning? Do we hear nothing as yet of the
noise of the gravediggers who are burying God? Do we smell
nothing as yet of the divine decomposition? Gods, too, decompose.
God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him.

"How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all mur-
derers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world
has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will
wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean
ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games
shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too
great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to
appear worthy of it? There has never been a greater deed; and
whoever is born after us-for the sake of this deed he will
belong to a higher history than all history hitherto."

Here the madman fell silent and looked again at his listeners;
and they, too, were silent and stared at him in astonishment.
At last he threw his lantern on the ground. and it broke into
pieces and went out. "I have come too early," he said then:
"my time is not yet. This tremendous event is still on its way,
still wandering; it has not yet reached the ears of men. Lightning
and thunder require time; the light of the stars requires
time; deeds, though done, still require. lime to be seen and
heard. This deed is still more distant from them than the most
distant stars-and yet they have done it themselves.

It has been related further that on the same day the madman
forced his way into several churches and there struck up his
requiem aeternam deo. Led out and called to account, he is
said always to have replied nothing but: "What after all are
these churches now if they are not the tombs and sepulchers of
God?"

The greatest weight:
What, if some day or night a demon
were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to
you: "This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will
have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there
will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every
thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in
your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession
and sequence--even this spider and this moonlight between the
trees, and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass
of existence is turned upside down again and again, and you
with it, speck of dust!"
Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth
and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced
a tremendous moment when you would have answered
him: "You are a god and never have I heard anything more
divine." If this thought gained possession of you, it would
change you as you are or perhaps crush you. The question in
each and every thing, "Do you desire this once more and innumerable
times more?" would lie upon your actions as the
greatest weight. Or how well disposed would you have to become
to yourself and to life to crave nothing more fervently than
this ultimate eternal confirmation and seal?


Oooh, thanks for posting this stuff. I would have responded sooner but I didn't see it. I thought his idea on eternal recurrence only appeared in Z.

[Latrinsorm]

Cheers. :) The dwarf scene is in Zarathustra, and I assume that's what the True Detectives "flat circle" thing refers to having not watched it, but like everything in Zarathustra it is theatricalized and not necessarily representative of Nietzsche's own beliefs. This is true to a degree of everything he wrote, but Zarathustra takes it the furthest.

Not that Zarathustra is unimportant, or not worthwhile. Just that he and it are importantly distinct from usual scholarly philosophical works.

[Androidpk]

Yeah, my interest is because of the philosophy in True Detective, mainly that of Matthew McConaughy's character Rustin. Seems like his ideas align with mine somewhat, the optimistic nihilist.

[Taernath]

Flat Circle might be from Plato's Republic re: Forms.

I haven't watched True Detective so I don't know the context.

[Wesley]

Katherine by Anya Seton was a pretty good read recently. It's a fictionalized account of the life of Katherine Swynford, the third wife of John De Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster, set in the 14th century. It takes a good number of liberties with facts in the name of story, but the setting is by and far pretty historically accurate as far as what's known, and I enjoyed it. Would recommend it to anyone who likes European history.

[Androidpk]

Flat Circle might be from Plato's Republic re: Forms.

I haven't watched True Detective so I don't know the context.

It is mentioned by a character in the show and McConaughey replies with, "What is that, Nietzsche? Shut the fuck up."

And seriously, I'm disappointed you guys haven't watched it. Granted it isn't for everybody but it is one of my all time TV shows.

[Taernath]

It is mentioned by a character in the show and McConaughey replies with, "What is that, Nietzsche? Shut the fuck up."

And seriously, I'm disappointed you guys haven't watched it. Granted it isn't for everybody but it is one of my all time TV shows.

Yeah it's Nietzsche, I googled it.

I have too many other shows to finish before starting a new series.

[Ker_Thwap]

Read the first three books of the Hyperion Cantos by by Simmons. It had a super old school feel to it, like it was written in the 60s. Deathwands instead of guns, the FTL drive is called a Hawking Drive, some subtle name dropping of Sci Fi legends like Bradbury. Lot's of bad science, time travel, discussions of alternate gods, philosophy, and poetry.

The first book, is pretty much a series of separate life stories that are only semi pertinent to the plot. I found myself wanting to skip ahead at points, but didn't want to miss anything that might be vital later. Book two was quite good, but left a huge question unanswered. Book three just descended into a single note, exploring immortality with some action sequences. I don't think I'm going to bother with the 4th. I'm at the point where I wished he'd have wrapped it up in three and don't trust the author anymore to not ramble.

Currently into the fourth chapter of The Passage, by Cronin. The writing style is very ... Steinbeck American maybe? It's just somewhat comforting to read so far. The content isn't comforting, but the style is. Can't really comment too much on what else is going on with it.