What good books have you read lately?

[Ryvicke]

I didn't find a thread for this, but it might just be because the search function is brearked.

I've got some great recommendations from the few threads soliciting them here (that philosophy one a few weeks ago was fucking awesome), would love to know what you all are reading. Have definitely got great fantasy recommendations from people here.

Anyhow, here's the good stuff that I've read in the last few months:

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers - lyrical non-fiction account of a muslim family in New Orleans during hurricane Katrina. Same Dave Eggers voice with a really excellent accounting of post-disaster recovery and a reminder that muslims have been and always will be a huge part of our country's melting pot.

20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill - easily became one of my favorite short story horror/fantasy collections. Hard to pin down as the stories genre hop quite a bit, excels in painting very human characters and connections amid some brilliant surreal plots. Also apparently this guy is Stephen King's son. Fun stuff.

Life by Keith Richards - Wasn't expecting to read this all the way through, I'm not a huge Stones fan and haven't ever been interested in rock autobiographies that don't involve members of The Who. Totally blew through this though. Great voice throughout--the character of Keith Richards becomes more interesting than any one of the (many) famous-people-love-drugs stories found throughout.

NOW SHOW ME YOURS.

[Androidpk]

http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?t=44912



8========D

[Ryvicke]

Eat a dick and post what you've been reading. Or go resurrect your thread and eat a dick.

[Androidpk]

Are there any options where eating a dick isn't an option?

Only thing I've been reading lately is the 2010 National Security Strategy report. *Dork*

[Fallen]

I need to get the next Dead Space book. Anyone read this series? Like any book based on a game it is definitely "light" reading, but the first one was very entertaining.

[Androidpk]

I didn't even know there was a Dead Space series, will have to check that out, been looking for a good sci-fi book lately. Other than WH40k.

[Fallen]

I didn't even know there was a Dead Space series, will have to check that out, been looking for a good sci-fi book lately. Other than WH40k.

Halo, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age all have books based in their world as well. Though I suppose Dragon Age would be Fantasy as opposed to Sci-fi.

[Gelston]

I read a series of books about Genghis Khan by Conn Iggulden. He also wrote a series on Julius Caesar that was pretty good.

I'm currently reading Death, A Life. Its an autobiography of Death. Pretty funny.

I also recommend The Imperial Cruise, by James Bradley. Basically a book about European and then US foreign relations in the Pacific up to the 1940s.

Another good history book, the Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power, by Max Boot. Really good book. Talks about the series of small, unknown, untaught conflicts the US fought from the 1810s until the 1910s.

[Delias]

I didn't even know there was a Dead Space series, will have to check that out, been looking for a good sci-fi book lately. Other than WH40k.

Reading A Thousand Sons right now...

[kookiegod]

Reading some nifty sci fi currently..

The Time God by L.E. Moddest Jr. and its prequel Timedivers' Dawn.

Interesting mix of Norse myths and the ability to slide in time as a parasitic race that lives off others technology and obliterates anyone who could possibly one day be a threat to the them.

Until a young Temporal Guard named Loki comes along...

[NocturnalRob]

Competition Solution by Paul London

[Gnome Rage]

Despite the "young adult" reading level I enjoyed Feed a lot, the idea of the book was interesting.

[Delias]

Despite the "young adult" reading level I enjoyed Feed a lot, the idea of the book was interesting.

Sounds like the appropriate level.

[AnticorRifling]

But you are a "young adult"

[BriarFox]

Despite the "young adult" reading level I enjoyed Feed a lot, the idea of the book was interesting.

Not knowing what _Feed_ is about, I read your comment as:

"Despite my young adult reading level, I really enjoyed the bloody, gory, and sadistic topics that _Feed_ covered."

:P

[Delias]

Not knowing what _Feed_ is about, I read your comment as:

"Despite my young adult reading level, I really enjoyed the bloody, gory, and sadistic topics that _Feed_ covered."

:P

The only things that come to my mind when the word Feed is used as a title are vampires... which the young adult part means its essentially another shiney vampire homo humpfest like twilight... or something about horses. I hope it's about horses.

edit: No offense to actual homos. No honest homosexual could be as gay as twilight.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I've been reading the Omnivore's Dilemma while on the train in the mornings. Going to look for a good fiction book tonight to read on the plane tomorrow.

[Vanyah]

I recently started reading the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I know, I know I am years behind.

Made it halfway through book 2 last night.

[diethx]

Richard Laymon.

[AnticorRifling]

I recently started reading the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I know, I know I am years behind.

Made it halfway through book 2 last night.

Great series.

[Delias]

Great series.

Pretty much the only King I ever enjoyed reading.

[NocturnalRob]

Pretty much the only King I ever enjoyed reading.
Sinner

[Vanyah]

Great series.


I agree, the first book was a little hard to get into (King was extremely wordy in an abstract way that kept losing my interest.) The second one has since really captured it again.

As far as King's work, I've never cared for his books aside from Four Seasons which was excellent.

[Latrinsorm]

All Terry Pratchett, all the time: Thud is the one I read recently that I liked the most.

[pabstblueribbon]

Thud is a good book.

I'm reading Brunner. It's compilation of books / stories about a psychopathic bounty hunter in the warhammer fantasy universe..

Super high brow reading.

[WRoss]

L.E. Modesitt has a great series called the Saga of Recluce. The first two or three in the series are kinda meh, but I started reading the series back in 94 or when there were only 5. I was also a kid then so they were really good. Anyways, he just came out with book 17 or 18. The good thing is that they aren't in chronological order, so you don't have to read them in order necessarily.

[pabstblueribbon]

The Death Dealer series is really good too if you can find it.

Lords of Destruction
Tooth and Claw
Plague of Knives

Rise of the Death Dealer


They're mostly love stories.

[Gnome Rage]

The only things that come to my mind when the word Feed is used as a title are vampires... which the young adult part means its essentially another shiney vampire homo humpfest like twilight... or something about horses. I hope it's about horses.

edit: No offense to actual homos. No honest homosexual could be as gay as twilight.

Not at all.

Feed is set in a world where everyone basically has a computer in their head (a feed) that controls almost everything you do and the relationship between the main character and a girl who is trying to "fight the feed".

The reading level was probably about 8th or 9th grade, It could have been written much better but the concept was interesting nonetheless.

[Vanyah]

A very good book, if you like that, is Snow Crash.

[Androidpk]

Snow Crash is awesome.

[Vanyah]

Now I want to read that again too...

Its one of those copies that is so old and has been read so many times its almost falling apart.

I'll have to see if I can get it on Kindle.

[ravashaak]

Been on a sci-fi bend lately...

Manifold Space - Stephen Baxter

The Quiet War - Paul McAuley
Gardens of the Sun - Paul McAuley

[Drakefang]

Ya know, I have been looking for some decent sci-fi to read lately.

I'm looking for something moderately easy to read. Along the lines of David Weber's Honor Harrington stuff and the Star Trek novels. I was switching between the two series, reading a Honor Harrington novel then a Star Trek one. By no means am I close to being complete on the Star Trek side at all. I am looking for something involving space combat/drama/adventure. Something Fireflyish is fine but I prefer more space warfare over adventure. Nothing mind bending, just good reading...sex optional.

[AnticorRifling]

Ender's Game.

[AnticorRifling]

Or...Hyperion Cantos although it's not super light it's a great read.

[DCSL]

I'm waiting for a fresh crop of books from my favorite authors, due to come out on March 1st. Until then, I'm re-reading a bunch of Pratchett. Right now, I'm on Interesting Times. Rincewind is deeply sympathetic.

[Delias]

Not at all.

Feed is set in a world where everyone basically has a computer in their head (a feed) that controls almost everything you do and the relationship between the main character and a girl who is trying to "fight the feed".

The reading level was probably about 8th or 9th grade, It could have been written much better but the concept was interesting nonetheless.

I like horses. I shall continue to believe it is about horses.

[TheEschaton]

Not at all.

Feed is set in a world where everyone basically has a computer in their head (a feed) that controls almost everything you do and the relationship between the main character and a girl who is trying to "fight the feed".

The reading level was probably about 8th or 9th grade, It could have been written much better but the concept was interesting nonetheless.

Sounds like 1984.

[TheEschaton]

And the Dark Tower seemed to get really meta around book 6. Both book 6 and 7 were written after King's near death experience when he was hit by that van, and his writing got a bit screwy for a bit there. CF The Dreamcatcher.

[Deathravin]

For the DT series, once he wrote himself into the series I sort of lost interest.

Book 3, 4, and some of 5 were pretty good... I'd say for me it would be 1, 4, 3, 5, 2, 7, 6

[TheEschaton]

The early ones were the best, I think 4 is the only decent love story he ever wrote, and it was a Western at that. Three and two were great one was good in an abstract, simplistic way.

[ravashaak]

Ender's Game.

The series seemed to get a little stale to me after awhile, but having said that, I'd still suggest reading it.

[diethx]

Sinner

This.

Best Stephen King book ever? The Eyes of the Dragon.

[WRoss]

I commented earlier on L.E. Modesitt, but here is a list of all his books. Call be a super fan or a super nerd, but I've read the entire Saga of Recluce and Corean Chronicle series. Both of them have elements of sci-fi and fantasy. They both take place in the same world, but at different times. I've read a few of his other books and want to finish the Spellsong Cycle Series. Check it out, it's fucking good!

http://www.lemodesittjr.com/the-books/

[Jorddyn]

Eaarth.

I picked it up after I heard Bill McKibben speak last year. Yes, it's a global warming, tree hugging, hippie liberal book*. Hence, why I love it.

[Warriorbird]

And the Dark Tower seemed to get really meta around book 6. Both book 6 and 7 were written after King's near death experience when he was hit by that van, and his writing got a bit screwy for a bit there. CF The Dreamcatcher.

I'm not a big fan of 5/6. I actually dug 7.

[EasternBrand]

Eaarth.

I picked it up after I heard Bill McKibben speak last year. Yes, it's a global warming, tree hugging, hippie liberal book*. Hence, why I love it.

I scrolled all the way down to the bottom of the page, but I never did find this footnote.

[Jorddyn]

I scrolled all the way down to the bottom of the page, but I never did find this footnote.


*Posting while drinking not recommended.

[diethx]

*Posting while drinking not recommended.

I had the drink equivalent of a silent but deadly at dinner tonight. Was the weakest-tasting LI iced tea i've ever had.

Half way in I was all of a sudden fucking sloshed out of no where.

[Carl Spackler]

Lone Survivor - Marcus Luttrell

Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain

[Ryku]

The Name of the Wind. Beastmode stuff.

[Androidpk]

DT 1 -4 were great, with Wizards and Glass being one of my top favorite books ever. I didn't like 5 or 6 and haven't even bothered to read 7 yet. Little side note, Javier Bardem has apparently been offered the role of Roland for the film adaptation.

[Eliaku]

Just started "the darkness that comes before". Its pretty good so far. "name of the wind" was awsome and part II is out soon.

[Delias]

This.

Best Stephen King book ever? The Eyes of the Dragon.

I'll admit he has had some good concepts, but the rest is all demon lamps, demon cars, and shitty writing.

[diethx]

I'll admit he has had some good concepts, but the rest is all demon lamps, demon cars, and shitty writing.

Well, there's no accounting for taste (or your lack thereof).

[Delias]

Well, there's no accounting for taste (or your lack thereof).

That's true... after all, I like you well enough.

[Delias]

Oh, in an effort to contribute... one of my favorites is "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress". It's short, but its fuckin' great.

[Ryvicke]

I'll admit he has had some good concepts.

This is pretty much it. Say what you will about his failings as a writer, or his inability to bring his plots to pure transcendence, but the man has forgotten better shit than we've ever written down. His non-gimmicky (as in, no dogs and no cars) early stuff, Salem's Lot, The Dead Zone and probably my favorite, Firestarter, are pretty fucking tight, great stories. I would argue that almost everything he wrote is insanely readable. The best part is, you can't actually call the guy overrated as no one has ever argued for him being part of the literary canon or considers him much more than an above average and prolific genre writer.

So stfu with your hatings.

[Ryku]

This is pretty much it. Say what you will about his failings as a writer, or his inability to bring his plots to pure transcendence, but the man has forgotten better shit than we've ever written down. His non-gimmicky (as in, no dogs and no cars) early stuff, Salem's Lot, The Dead Zone and probably my favorite, Firestarter, are pretty fucking tight, great stories. I would argue that almost everything he wrote is insanely readable. The best part is, you can't actually call the guy overrated as no one has ever argued for him being part of the literary canon or considers him much more than an above average and prolific genre writer.

So stfu with your hatings.

I endorse this.

[Delias]

This is pretty much it. Say what you will about his failings as a writer, or his inability to bring his plots to pure transcendence, but the man has forgotten better shit than we've ever written down. His non-gimmicky (as in, no dogs and no cars) early stuff, Salem's Lot, The Dead Zone and probably my favorite, Firestarter, are pretty fucking tight, great stories. I would argue that almost everything he wrote is insanely readable. The best part is, you can't actually call the guy overrated as no one has ever argued for him being part of the literary canon or considers him much more than an above average and prolific genre writer.

So stfu with your hatings.

Hating is really all I've got. It's what I'm best at.

[NocturnalRob]

Hating is really all I've got. It's what I'm best at.
Don't sell yourself short, Judge. You're a tremendous slouch! (read: You're pretty good at eating and boozing. And pooping.)

[Delias]

Don't sell yourself short, Judge. You're a tremendous slouch! (read: You're pretty good at eating and boozing. And pooping.)

Caddyshack ftw.

Also, I've even taken my pooping to the next level- I successfully ran an adventure in a d&d campaign online, using RPTools, from the toilet. It may be relevant that I have the flu.

[Warriorbird]

I'll admit he has had some good concepts, but the rest is all demon lamps, demon cars, and shitty writing.

Eh. There's clearly bad books but they're hardly the totality of his work. The Stand (uncut version, obviously), Salem's Lot, the Bachmann Books, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption (novella wise, though almost all of Different Seasons rocks), The End of the Whole Mess (still one of my favorite short stories ever), The Dark Tower, Firestarter, Carrie, and even The Colorado Kid from the modern stuff. He's written some great fiction.

[Androidpk]

My favorite short story of his would have to be either 1408 or Crouch End.

[Warriorbird]

1408 rocks hard too.

[TheEschaton]

You mention his dog and car books, which is what, 3 from a total of 40 or more? Yeah, Chrstine wasn't great, and bringing back a possessed car in From a Buik 8 was meh. Cujo was good, imo, and I'm hard pressed to find another demon dog book of his you might be thinking of, unless you're thinking of the novella Sun Dog, which was really more about a photograph of a dog, not actually a dog.

Also, Bag of Bones was pretty good, imo, for some of his more modern stuff. I liked Cell too, though the ending aggravated me. You can't really do apocalyptic fiction any other way though.

[diethx]

I loved Insomnia. It was so weird though, even for King.

[4a6c1]

I'm usually reading 4 plus things at once. Including my magazine. Does anyone else do this? Some things are better at different times of day. Also some things I have to come back to or am not always in the mood for.

Rereading Confederacy of Dunces - 2/3rds finished - been on and off this one for about a month.
Star Trek Starfleet Year 1, just started last night.
Vector by Robin Cook just finished it was okay not his best - read it in a week.
Forgotten Chemistry by somebody - had this one on me for 2 weeks, reference.
Texas Gardening by Month - been reading it off and on for 6 months.
Particle Garden - Some physics stuff. Finished this on Tuesday. Took me 2? weeks.

I NEED TO GET A NOOK. I've been putting it off but I really need one. I'm a book devourer.

[Kid Danger]

Wings of Wrath by C.S. Friedman - This is Friedman's second book of the Magister Trilogy. I have enjoyed all of her novels specially the Coldfire Trilogy. Unlike Coldfire, the Magister Trilogy reads more like a large book edited into three separate novels. Each of the Coldfire books was a novel on to itself which I feel were written a bit smarter and tighter than Magister. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the third book coming out in September.

Currently reading The Madness Season by the same author.

Insomnia was weird but then again so was The Langoliers.

[Ryvicke]

I loved Insomnia. It was so weird though, even for King.

Was that the one with little white guys in a dreamland? Admission: I read lisey's story and didn't hate it.

[LMingrone]

Helmet For My Pillow

[DoctorUnne]

For anyone who likes military history Army at Dawn by Rick Atkinson is really good. Dude won the Pulitzer for it and it's about the war in North Africa. Part one of a three part series about WWII in Europe.

[diethx]

Was that the one with little white guys in a dreamland? Admission: I read lisey's story and didn't hate it.

Yes. The little white bald doctors or something. And the auras.

[Delias]

I'm usually reading 4 plus things at once. Including my magazine. Does anyone else do this? Some things are better at different times of day. Also some things I have to come back to or am not always in the mood for.

Rereading Confederacy of Dunces - 2/3rds finished - been on and off this one for about a month.
Star Trek Starfleet Year 1, just started last night.
Vector by Robin Cook just finished it was okay not his best - read it in a week.
Forgotten Chemistry by somebody - had this one on me for 2 weeks, reference.
Texas Gardening by Month - been reading it off and on for 6 months.
Particle Garden - Some physics stuff. Finished this on Tuesday. Took me 2? weeks.

I NEED TO GET A NOOK. I've been putting it off but I really need one. I'm a book devourer.

I'm usually reading one fiction and one non-fiction book at a time. The number can increase if I am reading for a particular purpose other than enjoyment.

[4a6c1]

My problem is I cannot stop reading a book unless it is absolutely horrendous. I've even read Nora Roberts books before because they were just O.K. It's true. It happened. I let it happen. I wanted to say no but then I didnt and afterward I felt dirty. I think I probably had to read at least 2 separate feminist manifestos to make the feeling go away. What were we talking about? NOOK. I am 4 2 getting one asap.

[DCSL]

I liked Cell too, though the ending aggravated me.

Whoa, what, seriously? I read Cell because I was stuck in an airport and my spare book to read after my original flight book was packed in checked baggage. I basically forced myself to finish it. The concept was fine, although nothing that wow'd me. It just read like a cheap, transparent bid for selling the book as a screenplay.


Wings of Wrath by C.S. Friedman - This is Friedman's second book of the Magister Trilogy. I have enjoyed all of her novels specially the Coldfire Trilogy. Unlike Coldfire, the Magister Trilogy reads more like a large book edited into three separate novels. Each of the Coldfire books was a novel on to itself which I feel were written a bit smarter and tighter than Magister. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the third book coming out in September.


Very much looking forward to Legacy of Kings. CS Friedman is an excellent, clever novelist. She always has so many threads going but she doesn't drop any of them.

[Kid Danger]

I'm usually reading one fiction and one non-fiction book at a time.

This is also my reading habit. I generally read no more than two books at the same time.


Very much looking forward to Legacy of Kings. CS Friedman is an excellent, clever novelist. She always has so many threads going but she doesn't drop any of them.

She's not as prolific as other authors but I will take quality over quantity any day. Only The Wilding has gotten some poor reviews. If you or anyone has read it please tell me what you think. In Conquest Born was too good of a novel to have a mediocre follow up.

[Cephalopod]

Yes. The little white bald doctors or something. And the auras.

Wasn't one of the doctors bad, and he was using a huge pair of scissors to cut the aura-balloons off of people? That book had a lot of tie-ins to the Dark Tower series.

[Androidpk]

A lot of King's books have tie ins to the Dark Tower.

[Cephalopod]

A lot of King's books have tie ins to the Dark Tower.

I think all of them (since, like, 1977) do. Insomnia was hugely tied in, though, with references specifically to the Crimson King, Roland and the Tower.

[diethx]

Wasn't one of the doctors bad, and he was using a huge pair of scissors to cut the aura-balloons off of people? That book had a lot of tie-ins to the Dark Tower series.

Yes.

[LMingrone]

For anyone who likes military history Army at Dawn by Rick Atkinson is really good. Dude won the Pulitzer for it and it's about the war in North Africa. Part one of a three part series about WWII in Europe.


I'll be picking these up. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Latrinsorm]

I'm usually reading 4 plus things at once. Including my magazine. Does anyone else do this? Some things are better at different times of day. Also some things I have to come back to or am not always in the mood for.Completely the opposite, when I'm reading something I have to read only it and read it multiple times in a row. I must have all the fluid, you see, there's no time for grazing.

[Delias]

Completely the opposite, when I'm reading something I have to read only it and read it multiple times in a row. I must have all the fluid, you see, there's no time for grazing.

Some books I fly through, others I digest. I don't own any books I've read only once, and I rarely read a book I don't own. I insist my books be made of actual paper- no kindles or nooks or ebooks for me (game books that I've stolen are the exception). I am very particular about my reading habits, I guess.

[Drakefang]

Water for Elephants, book or movie?

[Warriorbird]

A very good book, if you like that, is Snow Crash.

I got Snow Crash packed in with the Mac tank game Spectre: VR back in the day. It was about the best bonus game content I've ever gotten.

[4a6c1]

Water for Elephants, book or movie?

Book! Hollywood ruins everything.

[Lady Lightning]

Finally here!

Who else is reading?

[Gelston]

Finally here!

Who else is reading?

Reading is for nerds.

[Androidpk]

Ya know, I have been looking for some decent sci-fi to read lately.

I'm looking for something moderately easy to read. Along the lines of David Weber's Honor Harrington stuff and the Star Trek novels. I was switching between the two series, reading a Honor Harrington novel then a Star Trek one. By no means am I close to being complete on the Star Trek side at all. I am looking for something involving space combat/drama/adventure. Something Fireflyish is fine but I prefer more space warfare over adventure. Nothing mind bending, just good reading...sex optional.

If you haven't already read it then definitely get Warriors of Ultramar by Graham McNeill. Easy reading, great story, nonstop brutal and visceral combat, epic space fleet battles and billions of invading aliens. Think of it as Aliens + Starship Troopers, jacked up on steroids. If you've never read a Warhammer 40k novel this is one of the best ones to start out with.

Highly recommended.

[kookiegod]

I chose the Kindle over the Nook awhile back after comparing them, and then just kept putting it off.

Best new toy I ever got for my birthday.

EVER! /thanks love :)

~Paul

[Caiylania]

Reread Thorn Birds and Hero of Ages.

Blue Moon Rising is one of my favorite fantasies. It has all the cliches and mixes them up. Humor, courage and all that. Don't like the sequels though. :(

Books I'm excited about coming out are Land of Painted Caves (Jean Auel) and Omen Machine (Terry Goodkind)

[Warriorbird]

If you haven't already read it then definitely get Warriors of Ultramar by Graham McNeill. Easy reading, great story, nonstop brutal and visceral combat, epic space fleet battles and billions of invading aliens. Think of it as Aliens + Starship Troopers, jacked up on steroids. If you've never read a Warhammer 40k novel this is one of the best ones to start out with.

Highly recommended.

It's quite good, though I tend to push the newb 40k readers towards Dan Abnett's "Gaunt's Ghosts" stuff.

[Delias]

It's quite good, though I tend to push the newb 40k readers towards Dan Abnett's "Gaunt's Ghosts" stuff.

Been reading the Horus Heresy series... Some real gems, but some are shitty. I was incredibly disappointed with the adeptus mechanicus novel in the series... I got so bored that it joined the list of the few books I have started and not finished.

[Androidpk]

I've been meaning to start on the Horus Heresy series. Last WH40k book I finished was the Ravanor omnibus, thinking about going with the Blood Angels next.

[ravashaak]

If you haven't already read it then definitely get Warriors of Ultramar by Graham McNeill. Easy reading, great story, nonstop brutal and visceral combat, epic space fleet battles and billions of invading aliens. Think of it as Aliens + Starship Troopers, jacked up on steroids. If you've never read a Warhammer 40k novel this is one of the best ones to start out with.

Highly recommended.

I've been in the mood for something from the epic space battle genre. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Delias]

I've been meaning to start on the Horus Heresy series. Last WH40k book I finished was the Ravanor omnibus, thinking about going with the Blood Angels next.

The first three focus like entirely on Horus and the Luna Wolves, and then the books get a little random in their order. Descent of Angels, the dark angels book, is pretty great. Apparently there is a sequel to it that I have yet to read. Thousand Sons was pretty good too.

[Warriorbird]

I'll cosign the Thousand Sons recommendation. They channeled a great deal of awesome.

I want Dark Millennium to be out sooner. I miss 40k more than I thought after selling my Necron army.

[DCSL]

A bunch of books I was waiting for came out on the 1st and I've been beating a trail through them for the last couple of days. Most of them are not suitable for this thread (I don't know how many of you are interested in the gods and goddesses of Old Europe) but I just finished one that some of you might like.

Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series is awesome. Hilariously sarcastic and gritty urban fantasy centered on a pair of brothers. They're quite good airplane books. Thurman's other new series, starting with Chimera and soon to have the sequel Basilisk, seems very promising as well. I'm never sorry I read one.

[Drunken Durfin]

I just finished the first two of the Lonesome Dove series.

DO NOT read the preface for the third book in the series. For some unknown reason they decided to put a spoiler in there about how they kill off one of the main characters. I realize that the book won the Pulitzer, but that is no reason to assume that everyone knows everything about the books. Really stupid.

All that aside, I'm enjoying the hell out of the series. Well written, believable characters and moves along well.

I recommend. :thumbup:

[Allereli]

Life Itself by Roger Ebert

[Darkwynde]

Re-reading The Hunger Games trilogy before the movie comes out. Forgot how good Suzanne is.

On another note, for those who will not admit in PC to liking the Twilight books and would like to read a more 'adult' romantic fantasy along the same lines... only MUCH better (stronger characters as well), an acquaintance of mine put out 'A Discovery of Witches' last year. Her name is Deborah Harkness. This is the first book in The All Souls trilogy. The second book, Shadow of Night, will be released this Summer.

If all else fails, read Good Omens.

[Allereli]

Re-reading The Hunger Games trilogy before the movie comes out. Forgot how good Suzanne is.

Just finished the 2nd one last night, soooo good. My sister is Nook lending me the third one tonight. I also got The Wise Man's Fear in the mail yesterday, and I started reading it on the way home.

[BriarFox]

Re-reading The Hunger Games trilogy before the movie comes out. Forgot how good Suzanne is.

On another note, for those who will not admit in PC to liking the Twilight books and would like to read a more 'adult' romantic fantasy along the same lines... only MUCH better (stronger characters as well), an acquaintance of mine put out 'A Discovery of Witches' last year. Her name is Deborah Harkness. This is the first book in The All Souls trilogy. The second book, Shadow of Night, will be released this Summer.

If all else fails, read Good Omens.

A Discovery of Witches was very good. I particularly enjoyed her depiction of academic culture (mostly of Oxford). I'm looking forward to the next one.

I've also been reading Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan books lately, which are in the same genre. The heroine reminds me of my girlfriend and I get a kick out of them. Book 3 was pretty terrible IMO, but I've enjoyed 1-5 otherwise. She's up to ... 9 or so now.

[Gsgeek]

I enjoyed harrison's Rachel Morgan series. I got on a kick reading those and the Dresdan series by Butcher.

I also read the Hunger games trilogy, but something was missing for me. I liked the idea and the plot line behind them, but I didn't really enjoy the way she narrated the character. Not sure exactly what it was, just something didnt click for me entirely. It'll be interesting to see what they do with the movies on them.

[4a6c1]

I read the Gabrielle Giffords book which was great and another book by a hot astronomer (which I only bought because it was by a hot astronomer) which put me to sleep.

[Menos]

I finally got around to reading Starship Troopers and quite liked it. Slowly catching up on whatever classics I missed somehow. I needed something to do while I catch my breath and prepare to tackle the next 20,000 page Steven Erikson book.

[Asha]

The Peace and War trilogy by Joe Halderman.
Awesome hard-science fiction.

Currently just finished Flood by Stephen Baxter and I'm onto its sequel Ark. Another hard-science fiction novel but based on how the fuck would we get to the nearest star system if the Earth was about to become to wrecked to support human life.

[Ysamine]

My favorite book is Fool by Christopher Moore.
One of the funniest books I've ever read and an entertaining spin on Shakespear's King Lear from the prospective of his Jester. I have now bought three copies of this book because every time I loan it out, it never comes back.

[Bhaalizmo]

The call of Cthulu. Omg it's like a pamphlet.

[Asha]

I have no mouth and I must scream. - Short story I quite enjoyed. Beware though, that shit is dark.

[Keller]

I read the Gabrielle Giffords book which was great and another book by a hot astronomer (which I only bought because it was by a hot astronomer) which put me to sleep (after I masturbated to the hot astronomer).

FTFY

[Warriorbird]

Charles Mann - 1493: Uncovering The New World Columbus Created

http://www.amazon.com/1493-Uncovering-Columbus-Created-ebook/dp/B004G606EY

[4a6c1]

FTFY

srs.

Both Stephen Coonts and Robin Cook let me down last night. I fell asleep reading my Backpacker magazine. Not a book but still really good!

[Drunken Durfin]

I just finished the first two of the Lonesome Dove series.

DO NOT read the preface for the third book in the series. For some unknown reason they decided to put a spoiler in there about how they kill off one of the main characters. I realize that the book won the Pulitzer, but that is no reason to assume that everyone knows everything about the books. Really stupid.

All that aside, I'm enjoying the hell out of the series. Well written, believable characters and moves along well.

I recommend. :thumbup:

Okay, I don't know WTF happened with the editing of this one, but the character he claimed he killed off in the preface did not die! WTF? I spent the whole time turning the page wonder if this was going to be the scene where he died and he didn't! Not only that, he killed off three other characters that were the best ones of the whole frigging series!

I will not read the fourth book, ever. Yeah, they were well written, but FFS what the hell?!?

[4a6c1]

Okay, I don't know WTF happened with the editing of this one, but the character he claimed he killed off in the preface did not die! WTF? I spent the whole time turning the page wonder if this was going to be the scene where he died and he didn't! Not only that, he killed off three other characters that were the best ones of the whole frigging series!

I will not read the fourth book, ever. Yeah, they were well written, but FFS what the hell?!?

snort laff

Durfin. I know this is news for real but none of those people are actually alive.

This just in, Durfin is burning down the house of Lonesome Dove series author.

[msconstrew]

srs.

Both Stephen Coonts and Robin Cook let me down last night. I fell asleep reading my Backpacker magazine. Not a book but still really good!

Which Robin Cook? I always liked "Mutation", even though it has plot holes the size of MAC trucks.

I just finished Jeffrey Eugenides's "The Marriage Plot". Loved it.

[4a6c1]

Invasion. Intervention? One of those. I'll try Mutation next I guess. His plots are hit or miss, aren't they? He's In Love with his main characters. The sheer amount of time he spends rehashing his other books and old life events that are not pertinent to the current storyline is what drives me batty. But...He's an excellent critical thinker, especially on the subejct of biotechnology, and I love to find his political perspective amid a good story.

[Latrinsorm]

I used to read Robin Cook books all the time in middle school. Wasn't there one where the guy started to metamorphosize and developed a scary penis? Or that other one, the one where the priest had the circles on his hands and did miracles because of that spoiler spoiler thing?

[Drunken Durfin]

snort laff

Durfin. I know this is news for real but none of those people are actually alive.

This just in, Durfin is burning down the house of Lonesome Dove series author.

YOU SHUT YOUR LYING WHORE MOUTH THEY ARE TOO ALIVE AND REAL!

[4a6c1]

1) Me thinks the Lady doth protest too much.

2) What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

3) Is that you John Wayne? Is this me?

[Ryvicke]

Swamplandia!

[Androidpk]

I'm halfway through All Quiet on the Western Front and really digging it. I'm also halfway through Catechism of Hate, can't go wrong with Ultramarines vs. Tyranids.

[leifastagsweed]

Recently read the anecdotal expose Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. This book completely changed my life and I would highly recommend that you read it and change yours. It was a tough read because the concepts truly take time to digest (pun intended). Foer also wrote Everything Is Illuminated, which I is also an acclaimed piece of literature and highly recommended.

[Androidpk]

Fulgrim.

http://www.amazon.com/Fulgrim-Warhammer-40-000-Novels/dp/1844164764

Some of the scenes rival any of the horror books ever written.

[DCSL]

With all the talk about the Hunger Games, I re-read Battle Royale. Just as good as I remembered.

[Reltov420]

Re-reading 'The Dark Tower' series. Again.

[Bhaalizmo]

With all the talk about the Hunger Games, I re-read Battle Royale. Just as good as I remembered.

Did someone get a pot lid in their sack just like in the movie? That was effed up.

[Warriorbird]

YOU SHUT YOUR LYING WHORE MOUTH THEY ARE TOO ALIVE AND REAL!

They're dead and we're going to have to take them back to Montana.

[kookiegod]

Read 50 shades of grey.

Too much a romance, but it was hot in a lot of parts.

Next up, rereading the entire Deryni series I just downloaded to my Kindle.

~Paul

[Warriorbird]

Read 50 shades of grey.

Too much a romance, but it was hot in a lot of parts.

Isn't it advertised as romance for housewives?

[kookiegod]

Isn't it advertised as romance for housewives?

More or less, but I was interested in how they depicted s&m, which they did a pretty good job on, and its quite possibly going to supplant The Story of O.

Pretty much if you see a chick reading this, she's gonna be open to new ideas. :)

[DCSL]

The works of Marguerite Duras. Obviously not all of them, as she was prolific, but a few like "Destroy, She Said" and "The Malady of Death". The nihilism is particularly pointed as I'm surrounded by semi-unwelcome family visitors for the next couple of weeks.

[Tisket]

Don't know if it's been mentioned before but it deserves a second (and third and fourth etc.) mention: Boy's Life by Robert McCammon.

Awesome storytelling.

[Wheelerm]

I finally finished reading The Dark Tower series. I had been putting it off until it was complete. I am reading The Tommyknockers at the moment.

The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman is a solid story, too.

[Ysamine]

Since no one here seems to read any of Christopher Moore's stuff I found this excerpt from Fool.

Excerpt contains language that may be offensive to some(though I doubt to anyone here).

Always a Bloody Ghost

Tosser!" cried the raven.

There's always a bloody raven.

"Foolish teachin' him to talk, if you ask me," said the sentry.

"I'm duty-bound foolish, yeoman," said I. I am, you know? A fool. Fool to the court of Lear of Britain. "And you are a tosser," I said.

"Piss off !" said the raven.

The yeoman took a swipe at the bird with his spear and the great black bird swooped off the wall and went cawing out over the Thames. A ferryman looked up from his boat, saw us on the tower, and waved. I jumped onto the wall and bowed — at your fucking service, thank you. The yeoman grumbled and spat after the raven.

There have always been ravens at the White Tower. A thousand years ago, before George II, idiot king of Merica, destroyed the world, there were ravens here. The legend says that as long as there are ravens at the Tower, England will stand strong. Still, it may have been a mistake to teach one to talk.

"The Earl of Gloucester approaches!" cried a sentry on the west wall. "With his son Edgar and the bastard Edmund!"

The yeoman by me grinned. "Gloucester, eh? Be sure you do that bit where you play a goat and Drool plays the earl mistaking you for his wife."

"That would be unkind," said I. "The earl is newly widowed."

"You did it the last time he was here and she was still warm in the grave."

"Well, yes. A service that — trying to shock the poor wretch out of his grief, wasn't it?"

"Good show, too. The way you was bleatin' I thought ol' Drool was givin' it to you right proper up the bung."

I made a note to shove the guard off the wall when opportunity presented.

"Heard he was going to have you assassinated, but he couldn't make a case to the king."

"Gloucester's a noble, he doesn't need a case for murder, just a whim and a blade."

"Not bloody likely," the yeoman said, "everyone knows the king's got a wing o'er you."

That was true. I enjoy a certain license.

"Have you seen Drool? With Gloucester here, there'll be a command performance." My apprentice, Drool — a beef-witted bloke the size of a draught horse.

"He was in the kitchen before the watch," said the yeoman.

The kitchen buzzed — the staff preparing for a feast.

"Have you seen Drool ?" I asked Taster, who sat at the table staring sadly at a bread trencher laid out with cold pork, the king's dinner. He was a thin, sickly lad, chosen, no doubt, for his weakness of constitution, and a predisposition toward dropping dead at the slightest provocation. I liked to tell him my troubles, sure that they would not travel far.

"Does this look poisoned to you?"

"It's pork, lad. Lovely. Eat up. Half the men in England would give a testicle to feast thus, and it only mid-day. I'm tempted myself." I tossed my head — gave him a grin and a bit of a jingle on the ol' hat bells to cheer him. I pantomimed stealing a bit of his pork. "After you, of course."

A knife thumped into the table by my hand.

"Back, Fool," said Bubble, the head cook. "That's the king's lunch and I'll have your balls before I'll let you at it."

"My balls are yours for the asking, milady," said I. "Would you have them on a trencher, or shall I serve them in a bowl of cream, like peaches?"

Bubble harrumphed, yanked her knife from the table and went back to gutting a trout at the butcher block, her great bottom rolling like thunderclouds under her skirt as she moved.

"You're a wicked little man, Pocket," said Squeak, waves of freckles riding o'er her shy smile. She was second to the cook, a sturdy, ginger-haired girl with a high giggle and a generous spirit in the dark. Taster and I often passed pleasant afternoons at the table watching her wring the necks of chickens.

Pocket is my name, by the way. Given to me by the abbess who found me on the nunnery doorstep when I was a tiny babe. True, I am not a large fellow. Some might even say I am diminutive, but I am quick as a cat and nature has compensated me with other gifts.

But wicked?

"I think Drool was headed to the princess's chambers," Squeak said.

"Aye," said Taster, glumly. "The lady sent for a cure for melancholy."

"And the git went?" Jest on his own? The boy wasn't ready. What if he blundered, tripped, fell on the princess like a millstone on a butterfly? "Are you sure?"

Bubble dropped a gutless trout into a bushel of slippery cofishes.

"Chanting, 'Off to do ma duty,' he was. We told him you'd be looking for him when we heard Princess Goneril and the Duke of Albany was coming."

"Albany's coming?"

"Ain't he sworn to string your entrails from the chandelier?" asked Taster.

"No," corrected Squeak. "That was Duke of Cornwall. Albany was going to have his head on a pike, I believe. Pike, wasn't it, Bubble?"

"Aye, have his head on a pike. Funny thing, thinkin' about it, you'd look like a bigger version of your puppet-stick there."

"Jones," said Taster, pointing to my jester's scepter, Jones, who is, indeed, a smaller version of my own handsome countenance, fixed atop a sturdy handle of polished hickory. Jones speaks for me when even my tongue needs to exceed safe license with knights and nobles, his head pre-piked for the wrath of the dull and humorless. My finest art is oft lost in the eye of the subject.

"Yes, that would be right hilarious, Bubble — ironic imagery — like the lovely Squeak turning you on a spit over a fire, an apple up both your ends for color — although I daresay the whole castle might conflagrate in the resulting grease fire, but until then we'd laugh and laugh."

I dodged a well-flung trout then, and paid Bubble a grin for not throwing her knife instead. Fine woman, she, despite being large and quick to anger. "Well, I've a great drooling dolt to find if we are to prepare an entertainment for the evening."

[Androidpk]

Finished up a few Horus Heresy books, they keep getting better and better. Descent of Angels, Legion, and Battle for the Abyss.

Also finished reading All Quiet on the Western Front which I really really liked.

[Reltov420]

Crushed out the "Dune" series again. So great.

[Bhaalizmo]

Crushed out the "Dune" series again. So great.

Dune is on my "to be read" stack. Once I get thru these latest Drizzt novels it'll be down to picking between Frank Herbert and HP Lovecraft.

[Reltov420]

I'd stick with Herbert, I've read all his books, and he's never failed to impress me.

[GS4-Seomanthe]

I'm reading Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway right now, which is so far very good as long as you enjoy complicated stories with lots of little threads to put together.

I discovered the author with The Gone Away World, which is fantastic and assures me that he is a competent little-thread-knitter.

[Nilandia]

I blitzed through Storm Front (book one of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher) on Monday and loved every minute of it. It was first released in 2000, but it's still new to me! The writing style is fantastic, especially Dresden's commentary on his life. I'm probably going to have to borrow the rest of the series from a friend.

Gretchen

[TheEschaton]

Just finished The Idiot for the first time since sophomore year of college. I love how books change over the course of 10 years of living your life.

[Jace Solo]

Beat the Reaper. Awesome

[WRoss]

I just read the Macroeconomic effects of Remittances by the IMF. Pretty fucking interesting, but I'm a nerd.

[Xzean]

RE: Stormfront

The series only gets better, I promise you. His other series, Codex Allera, is just as good. The first book drags a tiny bit but it picks up pace nicely.

[Nilandia]

RE: Stormfront

The series only gets better, I promise you. His other series, Codex Allera, is just as good. The first book drags a tiny bit but it picks up pace nicely.
I've had several people tell me that, and it's only made me want to find the other books even more.

Gretchen

[Androidpk]

I picked this up for my brother today since he is expecting his first kid in a little under a week.

http://g-cdn.apartmenttherapy.com/3396672/01-Darth-Vader-and-Son_rect540.jpg

Naturally it is freaking adorable and now I need to buy another copy.

http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2012/04/05/darth2x-wide-community.jpg


http://designyoutrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/darth-vader-and-son-toy.jpg


http://www.slightlywarped.com/crapfactory/curiosities/2012/may/images/cute-star-wars-darth-vader-and-son-12.jpg

[Tisket]

Hah, I had to go buy that from Amazon. Also, lmao:

http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Wisdom-Jedi-Masters-Staub/dp/0787978949/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1336280638&sr=8-3

[Gnome Rage]

Pk only bought that book because I found it in freaking barnes and noble and sent him a message to say he should buy it for his brother.

Gosh! Gimmie some credit.

[diethx]

Oh gee you're speshul.

[Gnome Rage]

Yeah, I think that was the point. I'm special, give me credit.

duh.

[diethx]

Yeah, I think that was the point. I'm special, give me credit.

duh.

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/251/443/b0b.jpg

[Gnome Rage]

Poh-Tay-Toh.

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l14/KillerNinjaGirl/LOTR/potatoes.gif

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

Right now I'm reading The Concubine's Daughter, by Pai Kit Fai.

It's a pretty sad story so far but very well written, it's been hard for me to put it down.

[RSR]

My brother bought this and it is freaking awesome:
http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/brick-bible.png

The author has a website as well, it's pretty great.

http://www.thebricktestament.com/


-Richard.

[Tisket]

Read 50 shades of grey.

Too much a romance, but it was hot in a lot of parts.

It was steaming alright...a steaming pile of shit. I just don't understand it's appeal. There is a glut of soft porn that isn't this poorly written and plotted. The characters in the book are so one-dimensional they seem cartoonish. It's just horrid.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

It was steaming alright...a steaming pile of shit. I just don't understand it's appeal. There is a glut of soft porn that isn't this poorly written and plotted. The characters in the book are so one-dimensional they seem cartoonish. It's just horrid.

I read the original fan fic to do a guest blog for a friend's book blog. It was easily one of the worst things I have ever, EVER read. The whole premise that a sadist is only a sadist because he's fucked up in the head, that they can't be in a loving relationship (probably with a masochist), that it's something that can just be removed by "finding the right person" really annoyed the shit out of me. Just the whole portrayal of people who are into BDSM.. And all the sex scenes read exactly the same way. I love how it's supposed to be titilating and "rough sex" and he basically just ties her up once in a while and occasionally smacks her ass in between ardent whisperings of "I don't want to hurt you!!" and psychotic over-controlling-boyfriend behavior. Every woman creaming her panties over the book has clearly never heard of literotica.

[Tisket]

And what the fuck...why not make the characters realistic. A billionaire and a virgin are the only acceptable protagonists? Seriously? Stupid stupid stupid.

[AnticorRifling]

And not once did he open the distance to 12 horts.

[Allereli]

Unbroken (http://www.amazon.com/Unbroken-World-Survival-Resilience-Redemption/dp/1400064163/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288802871&sr=8-1#) by Laura Hillenbrand I'd been reading it for the past 4 hours straight, until the battery in my Kindle died. I'm only half way through but it's pretty incredible. About the life of Louie Zamperini, an Olympic track runner who was a bombardier in WWII in the Pacific.

edit: finished yesterday. despite my atheism, his turnaround when he rediscovered his religion is astounding and inspiring. Some people just need religion to conquer their demons.

[Allereli]

I'm reading Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway right now, which is so far very good as long as you enjoy complicated stories with lots of little threads to put together.

I discovered the author with The Gone Away World, which is fantastic and assures me that he is a competent little-thread-knitter.

based on this post, I downloaded the short ebook Edie Investigates. Stay tuned.

[4a6c1]

My bosses boss just gave me Seal Target: Geronimo by Chuck Pfarrer. I am looking forward to reading it but also feeling rebellious because it feels like homework.

Then my dad gave me a Covey book for my bday that also feels like homework.

It's summer and neither of these are trashy enough for the beach but I guess I'm reading them anyway. :-[

[Androidpk]

My bosses boss just gave me Seal Target: Geronimo by Chuck Pfarrer. I am looking forward to reading it but also feeling rebellious because it feels like homework.

Then my dad gave me a Covey book for my bday that also feels like homework.

It's summer and neither of these are trashy enough for the beach but I guess I'm reading them anyway. :-[

I recommend Helion Rain.

[Ryvicke]

Going to the outer banks of NC next week with friends so downloaded the first few Dark Tower books cause I never read them. Then went nuts and just finished the first two. Man reading King has just become awesomely comfortable and probably the only author I've been reading my entire life. Always a decent time, and sometimes he's really fucking great, like these.

[Androidpk]

Reading King your entire life but somehow you missed out on his greatest books ever?!?

I just finished reading the first one and Wizard and Glass again. If you haven't I would highly highly recommend The Talisman.

[4a6c1]

I recommend Helion Rain.

goodreads:

"The world of Idos is on the verge of destruction, wracked by catastrophic storms and plagued by ravening tyranids. Into this maelstrom come the Raven Guard 4th Company, the warzone perfectly suited to their lightning-strike methods of combat. Led by Veteran Sergeant Grayvus, their mission is simple – to rescue the planet’s last survivors. But in the midst of this nightmare, they receive new orders to locate and destroy a power station. The station is built upon a fault line, and the resulting quake would swallow thousands of tyranids and turn the war in the Imperium's favour. Grayvus and his company must fight their way through genestealers, acid spore mines and a deadly biomorph if they are to succeed and reclaim Idos for the Imperium"

This has been approved for my trash fiction summer reading list. Thank you.

[Warriorbird]

goodreads:

"The world of Idos is on the verge of destruction, wracked by catastrophic storms and plagued by ravening tyranids. Into this maelstrom come the Raven Guard 4th Company, the warzone perfectly suited to their lightning-strike methods of combat. Led by Veteran Sergeant Grayvus, their mission is simple – to rescue the planet’s last survivors. But in the midst of this nightmare, they receive new orders to locate and destroy a power station. The station is built upon a fault line, and the resulting quake would swallow thousands of tyranids and turn the war in the Imperium's favour. Grayvus and his company must fight their way through genestealers, acid spore mines and a deadly biomorph if they are to succeed and reclaim Idos for the Imperium"

This has been approved for my trash fiction summer reading list. Thank you.

I'd recommend Gaunt's Ghosts stuff to start with. Personally, I'm partial to the Soul Drinkers though.

Non fluff choice?

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

[diethx]

Reading King your entire life but somehow you missed out on his greatest books ever?!?

I just finished reading the first one and Wizard and Glass again. If you haven't I would highly highly recommend The Talisman.

I've been reading King my whole life and still haven't read the series. I have the first few books on my shelf, just haven't gotten around to them yet.

I find it hard to believe, though, that this series could be better than The Eyes of the Dragon.

[Androidpk]

The reason why I said Helion Rain is because, as an audriodrama, it is only 60 minutes long. It's also epic as fuck. Unfortunately despite my attempts to give out free copies no on is interested.

Diethx, do yourself a favor and read it. At least the first one, I guarantee you'll get hooked.

[Ryvicke]

Reading King your entire life but somehow you missed out on his greatest books ever?!?

I just finished reading the first one and Wizard and Glass again. If you haven't I would highly highly recommend The Talisman.

Is the talisman the one that was kinda for kids? I remember reading that forever ago. I'm not sure why I never read the Dark Tower books until now. I think my dad had lost the first two or so,etching and I tried starting with the third but didn't know wtf was going on.


Non fluff choice?

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Murakami is a guy I never miss a book from. Just finished 1Q84 a few weeks back and although for the first half I was kinda eh I thought it really finished strong. For being longer than wind-up bird I was kind of expecting more of an epic tale but was happy I read it for sure.

[Androidpk]

Is the talisman the one that was kinda for kids? I remember reading that forever ago. I'm not sure why I never read the Dark Tower books until now. I think my dad had lost the first two or so,etching and I tried starting with the third but didn't know wtf was going on.


The main character is a 12 year old boy but by no means is the book for kids. It's dark and grim and in a lot of parts quite violent. It's a must read for King fans IMO. Also, it was written by both King and Peter Straub. IIRC they alternated chapters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Talisman_(King_and_Straub_novel)

[Ryvicke]

The main character is a 12 year old boy but by no means is the book for kids. It's dark and grim and in a lot of parts quite violent. It's a must read for King fans IMO. Also, it was written by both King and Peter Straub. IIRC they alternated chapters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Talisman_(King_and_Straub_novel)

Awesome. I'm gonna check it out. I learned last summer when I read all the GoT books back to back that it's not a good idea to go crazy like that so I'm trying to stop myself from doing the same with the DT books.

[Androidpk]

A lot of King's books all have ties with the Dark Tower series. From characters, places, and themes.

[diethx]

Should I reread Insomnia before moving on to the Dark Tower series? I know they have shit that ties in and it's been years and years since I read Insomnia. I don't remember all of the details.

[GS4-Seomanthe]

The Dark Tower is the hub that a lot of Kings other books are tied to, but there's no reason to re-read before getting into the DT storywise. You'll follow the plot just fine. The tie-ins are basically fun little easter eggs.


I'm almost done with Neal Stephenson's REAMDE. It's a mobsters, terrorists, and spies action/suspense sort of book with the typical OCD attention to detail that Stephenson is known for... If you can wade through that, it's quite good and feels really well thought out.

The action is all over the world and also in a WoW-type game called T'rain that has overtaken WoW in popularity and encourages gold farming and selling. The plot basically gets underway when some Chinese goldfarmers develop a virus that holds harddrives hostage for gold, someone in the Russian mob gets infected, and decides that extreme measures need to be taken.

[Androidpk]

Should I reread Insomnia before moving on to the Dark Tower series? I know they have shit that ties in and it's been years and years since I read Insomnia. I don't remember all of the details.

No. You're better off just reading DT. The tie ins aren't exactly clear until you read those books.

[diethx]

Ok, will do.


The Dark Tower is the hub that a lot of Kings other books are tied to, but there's no reason to re-read before getting into the DT storywise. You'll follow the plot just fine. The tie-ins are basically fun little easter eggs.

In other news, I'm glad you changed your avatar. That bitch was creepy and made me want to gloss over your posts. Ahaha.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I'm about 2/3rds of the way through 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson (http://www.amazon.com/2312-ebook/dp/B004RD8544/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1339211672&sr=8-2).

His way with words and imagery is heart-stoppingly amazing, and the science is pretty much spot on. I'm yet to be jarred or find myself going "Wait how the fuck does that work?" which is a feat for most sci fi I read.

[Androidpk]

Just finished another pair of WH40K books.

Book 9 of the Horus Heresy series Mechanicum (http://www.amazon.com/Horus-Heresy-Mechanicum-Graham-McNeill/dp/1844166066/ref=sr_1_24?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339221184&sr=1-24). I will admit this one had my nerd boner raging hardcore due to the Titan on Titan battles.

http://i46.tinypic.com/n16k5y.jpg (http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/members/1/348/347737/thumb_620x2000/24764_md-Apocalypse_Titan_Warhammer_40000_Warlord.jpg)


And then also Battle of the Fang (http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Fang-Warhammer-40-000/dp/1849700478/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339221705&sr=1-1), featuring the awesome (Viking like) Space Marines and one of my new favorite fictional characters Bjorn the Fell Handed.

http://i46.tinypic.com/55lbsy.jpg

[Delias]

Just finished another pair of WH40K books.

Book 9 of the Horus Heresy series Mechanicum (http://www.amazon.com/Horus-Heresy-Mechanicum-Graham-McNeill/dp/1844166066/ref=sr_1_24?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339221184&sr=1-24). I will admit this one had my nerd boner raging hardcore due to the Titan on Titan battles.

http://i46.tinypic.com/n16k5y.jpg (http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/members/1/348/347737/thumb_620x2000/24764_md-Apocalypse_Titan_Warhammer_40000_Warlord.jpg)


And then also Battle of the Fang (http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Fang-Warhammer-40-000/dp/1849700478/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339221705&sr=1-1), featuring the awesome (Viking like) Space Marines and one of my new favorite fictional characters Bjorn the Fell Handed.

http://i46.tinypic.com/55lbsy.jpg

I actually got bored with mechanicum about halfway through and just put it back on the shelf.

[Androidpk]

I agree it does start off a bit slow but the second half is the best part.

[Drinin]

Just finished another pair of WH40K books.

Book 9 of the Horus Heresy series Mechanicum (http://www.amazon.com/Horus-Heresy-Mechanicum-Graham-McNeill/dp/1844166066/ref=sr_1_24?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339221184&sr=1-24). I will admit this one had my nerd boner raging hardcore due to the Titan on Titan battles.

http://i46.tinypic.com/n16k5y.jpg (http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/members/1/348/347737/thumb_620x2000/24764_md-Apocalypse_Titan_Warhammer_40000_Warlord.jpg)


And then also Battle of the Fang (http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Fang-Warhammer-40-000/dp/1849700478/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339221705&sr=1-1), featuring the awesome (Viking like) Space Marines and one of my new favorite fictional characters Bjorn the Fell Handed.

http://i46.tinypic.com/55lbsy.jpg

Mechanicum was actually my 2nd least favorite Heresy novel (the least favorite being The Outcast Dead). Still good reads but they just weren't paced well enough for me. I just finished Know no Fear and Deliverance Lost in the Heresy set of books. Both were fantastic. If you like the Space Marines Battles series Helsreach is the best one I've read to date. It features the Black Templars fucking some orcs up on Armageddon.

I'm reading a book that caught my eye at the library 'Legacy' by David L Golemon. Apparently he's got a whole series of books (but I've never heard of them). The synopsis in the jacket reminds me alot of Prometheus. Humans find evidence of their origins in space from millions of years ago during the Prometheus project. News leaks and everyone on Earth goes crazy with the implications. I'm 100 pages in and it's pretty good so far.

[Whyspe]

Blacksmiths Son, The Mageborn Series by Michael Manning, good up and coming author. The whole series has been great so far.

[Tisket]

Blacksmiths Son, The Mageborn Series by Michael Manning, good up and coming author. The whole series has been great so far.

It's a trite, generic pile of horseshit.

No offense (I'm told I should say that more often so I am.)

[Drunken Durfin]

A Dance with Dragons - George Martin

It was a good book, but I've had enough of the Ice & Fire, a.k.a Game of Thrones, series. Book five was 1100 pages of slow, and the second half of book four was the same. Seriously, get on with it man! I know the whole HBO deal is making you tons of cash, but stop dragging this thing out.

[Dranock]

Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

Working on the second book of the trilogy now.

Third comes out next year - What a great read.

[Ardwen]

Name of the wind is a good read as is the sequel, looking forward to the new entries in the Safehold series by David Weber and the Change series by SM Stirling, and hell Sanderson should be about ready to release the end of the Wheel of Time I should imagine

[Chaddy]

Everyone that plays Gemstone should read Ready Player One by Ernie Cline. I didn't read it recently, but it's amazing.

[msconstrew]

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Interesting mystery, sort of epistolary in nature, told from two different viewpoints. I enjoyed it a lot.

[diethx]

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Interesting mystery, sort of epistolary in nature, told from two different viewpoints. I enjoyed it a lot.

Hey I learned a new word today.

[Darkwynde]

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. EXCELLENT.

Next up will be Gone Girl.

[Drisco]

Have been on a reading frenzy.

Finished Bossy Pants by tina fey and it was hilarious.

Free Range Chicken by Simon Rich was amazingly funny.

Elliot Allagash by Simon Rich was pretty amusing and made me wish I was super rich.

Currently Reading: What in Gods Name by Simon Rich and am loving it.



I got my hands on my friends Kobo account and she's been letting me use it. She has so many books it's amazing.

[Darkwynde]

I simply vanished for a little while. Read Shadows of Night by Deb Harkness.

Then I bought Gone Girl.

Now immersed. Caught between, "omg dudes think like that?" and "OMG CHICKS REALLY DO THINK LIKE THAT!"

I write 'chicks' loosely, as I are one. But not a loose chick. :bouncing:

Good book so far.

[Allereli]

Rather than start a new thread, I'll post here. Saw this today on the Wil Wheaton Facebook feed (me and 86,849 other ppl can't be wrong). http://www.humblebundle.com/

Pay what you want for 8 different sci-fi/fantasy ebooks. Cool concept, you can apportion your donation to the authors, charity and the website.

[DCSL]

That's pretty cool and I think I'll do it.

Also, I recently read The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Started out great, started lagging and then was.. satisfactory, I guess, in the end. I'm hoping the next two books will do better but it wasn't too bad.

[Allereli]

That's pretty cool and I think I'll do it.

Also, I recently read The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Started out great, started lagging and then was.. satisfactory, I guess, in the end. I'm hoping the next two books will do better but it wasn't too bad.

have you heard of/read any of the authors or books?

[Taernath]

I finally finished Crime and Punishment. I think I can be an official literary hipster now.

[Gsgeek]

Finished Sanderson/Jordan's last wheel of time novel a Memory of Light. Other than a few nonsensical story twists and dropped characters, overall I enjoyed the novel and had fun reading it. Not to mention, finally getting some resolution for the series as a whole was great. It has been a long, at times frustrating, journey with this series. But still one I at least am glad to have started and now finished. In some respects I wonder how much of the last few novels are Jordan and how much are Sanderson, but the overall picture between the two blended fairly damn well I thought. Time to move on now to the next great fantasy series hopefully.

[Allereli]

Since I learned about Robin Hobb in one of the reading threads here, I thought other people might be interested in a free signed bookplate with pre-order of her latest book (Blood of Dragons). The series is good, not great, but I like writer autographs. I pre-ordered the kindle edition, so that is an option.

http://t.co/T79I4dWZzl

[GS4-Seomanthe]

Finished NK Jemisin's The Dreaming Moon and loved it... Read Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold and found it pretty juvenile and predictable but basically readable... Wouldn't bother with any other books by him though. Back with Jemisin now for the The Shadowed Sun which is the next book in the trilogy, although the stories are self-contained. She may make it onto my "buy immediately" list of authors, I am enjoying these stories a lot, and I really liked the first book in the Inheritance Trilogy (haven't remembered to get the 2nd and 3rd ones yet).

[Gelston]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BD%2BmINVKL._SS500_.jpg

Just finished reading Marching With Caesar - The Conquest of Gaul by R.W. Peake. Excellent books if you like Roman History. It is all through the eyes of a Legionary in the 10th, and tells his story as he rises in the ranks. I'm reading his second book now, Marching With Caesar - Civil War. It is shaping out to be excellent as well.

The first one is 3.99 on Kindle on Amazon, if you want to give it a try.

http://marchingwithcaesarbookseries.com/

[Warriorbird]

Finished NK Jemisin's The Dreaming Moon and loved it... Read Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold and found it pretty juvenile and predictable but basically readable... Wouldn't bother with any other books by him though. Back with Jemisin now for the The Shadowed Sun which is the next book in the trilogy, although the stories are self-contained. She may make it onto my "buy immediately" list of authors, I am enjoying these stories a lot, and I really liked the first book in the Inheritance Trilogy (haven't remembered to get the 2nd and 3rd ones yet).

Best Served Cold is an attempt at a retelling of Dumas.

[Ker_Thwap]

Best Served Cold is an attempt at a retelling of Dumas.

Brust's "The Khaavren Romances" series is my favorite Dumas'esqe writing.

[Warriorbird]

Brust's "500 Years After" series is my favorite Dumas'esqe writing.

Good stuff and supporting a former GSer.

[GS4-Seomanthe]

Best Served Cold is an attempt at a retelling of Dumas.

I don't think the author explicitly intended to rewrite Dumas, although it is apparently often compared to the Count of Monte Cristo. BSC doesn't maintain the same themes as TCoMC except for the focus on vengeance. BSC's Monza gets screwed when she exhibits any mercy so decides never to be merciful again - unlike in TCoMC the count helps certain people and reaps some reward from that kindness later.

Overall BSC is a much bleaker story; enjoyable if you like inventive killing but in the end none of the surviving characters are sympathetic. Not in Dumas' league at all.

[Tisket]

Finished NK Jemisin's The Dreaming Moon and loved it...

I always like to read the synopsis on books that others recommend on Amazon but there is no book or author that match what you posted listed there. Did you spell it right?

[Tisket]

Ah, I found it under "The Killing Moon." I'm not a fan of scifantasy writing unfortunately.

[GS4-Seomanthe]

Ah, I found it under "The Killing Moon." I'm not a fan of scifantasy writing unfortunately.

It's not a sword & sorcery type SF novel, but it does feature magic and whatnot. What genres do you prefer?

[Tisket]

It's not a sword & sorcery type SF novel, but it does feature magic and whatnot. What genres do you prefer?

I don't like to pigeonhole myself; I've enjoyed books in all genres, however I most enjoy bios, history, science (yeah go figure), thrillers, and police procedural type murder mysteries.

[thefarmer]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lUgAcdy-778/UJEC6UW4qZI/AAAAAAAACPU/uynfr-bM-js/s1600/UKZom-BCityHB.jpg

http://bizarrocentral.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/zombiesandshit2a.jpg?w=590

[Tisket]

You complete me.

[GS4-Seomanthe]

I don't like to pigeonhole myself; I've enjoyed books in all genres, however I most enjoy bios, history, science (yeah go figure), thrillers, and police procedural type murder mysteries.

I'll recommend Reamde by Neil Stephenson then, it has a little of the thriller and a lot of (computer) science in it. Nate Silver's book on statistics is excellent (The Signal and the Noise) and surprisingly readable - notable coming from me because I have a deep aversion to math. I'm not current on new titles in history, bio or procedurals though... I'd be interested to hear some recommendations on the first two though!

I'm currently really enjoying Nexus by Ramez Naam, a slightly dystopian sci-fi/thriller.

[Tisket]

I'm not current on new titles in history, bio or procedurals though... I'd be interested to hear some recommendations on the first two though!

I enjoyed these bios/histories a lot:

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Suvival by Laura Hillenbrand
Night by Elie Wiesel
The Spy Who Loved: the secrets and lives of Christine Granville
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan

On my kindle but unread as yet:

The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kieman
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King (actually preordered this a while ago and didn't realize it had been auto delivered to my kindle until I checked my listings for this post)

I've got some others more gruesome reading as well but I'm not listing them. I know how you people judge! I'm not falling in that trap.

[Taernath]

Got a bunch of books that I plan on reading. First person to recommend one chooses which one I do first, otherwise I'll choose at random.

A Clockwork Orange
Fight Club
Catch-22
Stranger in a Strange Land
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
American Psycho

The theme apparently was: Books Where I Saw The Movie First

[Drinin]

Just finished The Once and Future King for the third time. Great book. Next up is the WH40k novel Salamander by Nick Kyme. Heard good things about this series so I'm looking forward to starting it.

[Wrathbringer]

Just finished Brandon Sanderson's "Steelheart." Couldn't put it down.

[Divone]

Haunted by Chuck Palahnuik.

I haven't finished yet but, damn, how can someone make something so gross sound so lyrical?

[GS4-Seomanthe]

Just wrapping up reading Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. Extremely interesting and thought-provoking book on behavioral science/economics, showing through many studies that the idea that people are fundamentally rational doesn't hold water. It made me reflect on my own perception and actions quite a bit. I'll have to purchase a copy of my own, because my library copy is FULL of page flags. Highly recommend for anyone interested in how people/you think.

[cwolff]

Got a bunch of books that I plan on reading. First person to recommend one chooses which one I do first, otherwise I'll choose at random.

A Clockwork Orange
Fight Club
Catch-22
Stranger in a Strange Land
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
American Psycho

The theme apparently was: Books Where I Saw The Movie First

Which one did you pick? A Clockwork Orange was incredible and although the movie did a good job it just couldn't come close to the novel's message.

[JustDan]

Currently listening to Academ's Fury, by Jim Butcher. Started in on the Codex Alera books after the next Dresden book got pushed back. I'm enjoying it far more than I thought I would.

[Cereal Killer]

I really enjoyed the Codex Alera books. It was a good read and ended on a satisfying note.

[Allereli]

I Am Spartacus!: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist by Kirk Douglas

[Warriorbird]

I Am Spartacus!: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist by Kirk Douglas

Hell of a read.

[Velfi]

Recently finished the Riftwar Saga books by Raymond Feist which was nice after such a long time and so many books (a la WoT). Good if rather standard fantasy fare, the first book of the series, Magician, got me into more reading (and later MUDs) as a kid.

[Moonwitch]

Homeland by R A Salvatore


I now understand why there were so many Drizzzdttsss running the Landing when I started playing.

[NinjasLeadTheWay]

Artemis Entreri was so much better than Drisszt. But that entire series of books is nothing short of awesome.

[Ker_Thwap]

Recently re-read Asimov's Foundation trilogy, was amazed that after 35 years, I remembered so much of it.

Read the first four Dresden Files books by Butcher. Too formulaic, too Marlowe. I also don't really like standard vampire/werewolf/fairie/demon/angels/devils/mages all wrapped up in a single universe books.

Midway through "Mr. Norris and Jonathan Strange," by Susanna Clark. It's kind of a 19th century prose style book with magic in Jane Austen's world. It's a very long, rather slow paced book, but still rather satisfying. Just don't expect a fast paced page turner.

[Johnny Five]

The Frontiers Saga by Ryk Brown if you like sci fi stuff.

[JustDan]

Been reading a ton lately (night shifts with nothing to do but stay awake for hours at a time help).

The Alex Verus books by Benedict Jacka are awesome. Very, very close to the Dresden books, but fresh and different enough to be thoroughly enjoyable.

The Feyre Court books by Mike Shevdon have been great so far. I'm halfway through the second one, and described it to my wife as a combination of The Matrix, Angels & Demons, and True Blood. :)

And I don't know HOW the Joe Pitt novels escaped my notice up until now. Charlie Huston writes them, and they're everything that I thought Sandman Slim could have been. I love the Jack Reacher books, and this is right up that alley, with a supernatural twist (though the protagonist is far less of a Superman type).

[Velfi]

I love the Jack Reacher books, and this is right up that alley, with a supernatural twist (though the protagonist is far less of a Superman type).

I actually just watched the Jack Reacher movie on Netflix the other day and decided to try out the books. I'm about halfway through Killing Floor, and the plot is pretty interesting but the writing style is vexing at times.

I walked into the restaurant and looked around. Sat down. Ordered a drink. Couldn't think of what to eat.

etc.

[Moonwitch]

I actually just watched the Jack Reacher movie on Netflix the other day and decided to try out the books. I'm about halfway through Killing Floor, and the plot is pretty interesting but the writing style is vexing at times.

I walked into the restaurant and looked around. Sat down. Ordered a drink. Couldn't think of what to eat.

etc.

There are sometimes where I can't read a book because of the writing style of the author makes it so hard to read. I listen to a lot of books on audio and the reader can make a big difference on whether it works or not. At times with some books I can listen to it but can't read it.

I love the Dresden books, James Marsters does an awesome job, then they got another guy to do the like 12th book and it was WTF?! Needless to say Marsters came back to do the next one. After that many books he is Dresden, and Murphy, and everyone else :)

[Moonwitch]

Artemis Entreri was so much better than Drisszt. But that entire series of books is nothing short of awesome.

Entreri is a rather interesting character, I listened to a couple of books with him in it when they came out on audible and I had extra credits. Better than Drisszt though? I don't know about that. I will say that the author is really awesome and the guy that reads the books is really good.

[Velfi]

There are sometimes where I can't read a book because of the writing style of the author makes it so hard to read. I listen to a lot of books on audio and the reader can make a big difference on whether it works or not. At times with some books I can listen to it but can't read it.


I can't get into audiobooks, myself. The style of the Reacher novels stays pretty similar, but at least after the first book they switched to third-person which made it less obnoxious I guess.

I've read the first three now in the series (Killing Floor, Die Trying and Tripwire), and the movie is based off of another in the series (One Shot) so I feel confident it's fairly similar. They all read like a formulaic movie series almost directly transposed to the page, with lots of quick cuts to see what other people are doing right at that moment and my favorite is the game of Who's The Mole? that you can start playing right away. Of the 3 books + the movie, all have one, however improbably. The on-switch of Reacher's Sherlock Holmes skills at the end is amusing too.

[Warriorbird]

I can't get into audiobooks, myself. The style of the Reacher novels stays pretty similar, but at least after the first book they switched to third-person which made it less obnoxious I guess.

I've read the first three now in the series (Killing Floor, Die Trying and Tripwire), and the movie is based off of another in the series (One Shot) so I feel confident it's fairly similar. They all read like a formulaic movie series almost directly transposed to the page, with lots of quick cuts to see what other people are doing right at that moment and my favorite is the game of Who's The Mole? that you can start playing right away. Of the 3 books + the movie, all have one, however improbably. The on-switch of Reacher's Sherlock Holmes skills at the end is amusing too.

It helps to have a great reader and time in which you must be driving. When I had to do 140 miles of commuting I got into them. The first I really enjoyed was Christine Falls by Benjamin Black (John Banville's mystery pseudonym) and Timothy Dalton totally rocked on the reading. It helps to listen to an audio sample first sometimes.

[Allereli]

Following Atticus

http://amzn.com/B004XVN82Y

[Velfi]

Not sure if it's been posted in here, but I've read a lot of amazingly good reviews about Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, so I've just started into that. Hoping for awesome!

[Warriorbird]

Not sure if it's been posted in here, but I've read a lot of amazingly good reviews about Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, so I've just started into that. Hoping for awesome!

All of the Sun books are good.

[Allereli]

2 free months of Audible http://local.amazon.com/deals/B00HUVVNXU?ref_=cm_sw_em_r_&cid=share_em

[Warriorbird]

If only Audible were Netflix style.

[Ryku]

I am about 50 pages from finishing Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and it is nothing short of amazing, especially for people like us. I can't put this book down.

[Velfi]

All of the Sun books are good.

I'm about halfway through the first book so far, and at times I have to question whether I'm reading God Emperor of Dune instead.

[Astru]

I recently finished reading Disposessed by Ursula Le Guin. It was pretty good. It started slow, but when I got to the end, I wanted there to be more which (to me) is a sign that a book probably ended just about where it should.

[Hydra]

On an unscheduled trip I recently took I stopped at a bookstore in the airport and picked up Stormfront by Jim Butcher. Loved it and am continuing to read the Dresden books. I'm now just starting Summer Knight.

Also, am I the only one that see's Hugh Laurie when reading Harry Dresden? Especially how he looked when playing House. Tall, lanky, scruffy.

[RSR]

http://images.quickblogcast.com/6/8/7/9/9/307503-299786/dresden_itunes.jpg?a=98

Paul Blackthorne. Can't picture anyone else after the SciFi series came out.

[Wrathbringer]

Recently discovered Preston & Child's Pendergast mysteries. I read The Relic long ago, but had no idea they did anything further.

[Warriorbird]

Recently discovered Preston & Child's Pendergast mysteries. I read The Relic long ago, but had no idea they did anything further.

I like them. I'm not particularly a fan of their guy with not long to live books though.

[Velfi]

I finally finished the Book of the New Sun a few weeks ago, and I'm a little up in the air still on how I feel about it. There was a lot more revelation/understanding in the end, and I've read that a re-read helps it as well but I haven't done that yet. For most of the books though, there was always at least some air of confusion which was frustrating at times and led to my lack of interest in pushing through some of the sections.

Right after finishing that, I read the first two books of the Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss on the recommendation of Allereli which were on the whole pretty enjoyable. I found a lot of vague similarities between these books and Book of the New Sun despite how different Severian and Kvothe are, but I don't know if that's just from being right on its heels or what. I looked up a list of Rothfuss' influential/favorite authors and he didn't even mention Gene Wolfe which I find at least a little bit curious.

I think I am going to try out the Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson next.

[Ker_Thwap]

I read the Stephanie Plum series, by Janet Evanovich. (Don't judge me.) Standard pulp vacation brainless reading page turners. Nothing special. I got them from the local old people's library. The reason I bring this up is because approximately 75% of them had food stuck between the pages. I've read many thousands of library books in my life and can't recall ever having seen this on this kind of scale before.

Which is more likely?

A. Janet Evanovich readers are pigs?
B. It was one person immediately before me who was a slob?

[cwolff]

Anyone reading these books?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stormlight_Archive