What are you reading?
- Thread starter Joe
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Hmm just Re-read through the entire Gaunt's Ghost Warhammer 40k imperial guard series with the realse of "Only In Death".
Also just finished Renegade Mage, the final book in another decent series by Robin Hobb.
Also just finished Renegade Mage, the final book in another decent series by Robin Hobb.
Ended "Children of Dune", and my roommate came home with a copy of Battle Royale that a friend lent him. I picked it up and am now hooked, but have to give it back during Thanksgiving Break. I'll likely read through Stone of Farewell, the second book to Memory, Sorrow and Thorn in that time.
I've finally gotten to Volume 3 of The Journey to the West. Having finally gotten used to the translator's (and original author's) style around Volume 2, I now quite frequently find myself stunned at just how clever and imaginative it is. I'm even starting to get the main character's jokes before he takes the time to explain them to the other character over whose head they constantly fly (named, appropriately, Idiot). It's got me thinking hard on the likes of medieval China, now.
Yes, a thousand times yes. All but one person I've talked to about the series has loved it, though the one's complaints were fair. It's a slow, slow read, but it picks up about three-quarters of the way through the first book and doesn't really slow down until the fourth. The fourth was a bit worse the sixth Dark Tower book, if you're familiar with the series, for all the same reasons. I do recommend it though, and I hate fantasy.Easykill said:
Edit: Just wrapped up Everything's Eventual. Fun read. There wasn't a bad short story in the bunch, and not all of it was horror. Now I'm onto A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. It's the story of the U.S. as told by the people it affected rather than the people who made policy. Pretty interesting so far.
Breaking my usual code and started reading a fantasy book series. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever by Stephen R. Donaldson -bit of a mouthful there. They started in the late 70's and wrapped up in the early 80's, following a cynical writer afflicted by leprosy. The Fantasy World he ends up in sometimes seems like a projection of his own psyche, which does make it fairly interesting.
They're sort of grim sometimes though, and I don't expect a happy ending.
They're sort of grim sometimes though, and I don't expect a happy ending.
I've just got my hands on the new Terry Pratchet book 'Making Money', but I did something pretty stupid and bought the special signed one... seeing I'm such a nerd I don't want to take it out of it's original packaging... So I just stare at it...vacantly.
So, I've decided to get round to actually reading 'His Dark Materials' before the stupidly named film is released next month. I should get 'Northern Lights' done by then, but then I'll have to read the rest of them.
So, I've decided to get round to actually reading 'His Dark Materials' before the stupidly named film is released next month. I should get 'Northern Lights' done by then, but then I'll have to read the rest of them.
Mainly been reading books related to Archaeology at the moment, finding little time outside my studies to get into any decent non-subject books. I have been listening to my copy of the raido series of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Recently finished A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. I'm now starting on the third book from the Song of Ice and Fire series: A Storm of Swords.
I do hope it's as good as the last two.
I do hope it's as good as the last two.
It warms my heart to see all the references to Neal Stephenson - Cryptonomicon is on my top 5 books of all time list, easily.
I'm currently trying to work my way through "Mason and Dixon" (Thomas Pynchon). I read Gravity's Rainbow by him when I was in the Peace Corps and absolutely hated it (but I finished it, because I had no electricity and nothing but time on my hands after 7 pm). However, I was moved to give him a second look by subsequent recommendations from friends, and more convincingly, from other authors who I really love (such as Neal Stephenson and Tom Robbins, both of whom seem to be influenced by Pynchon's style).
Mason and Dixon is good. The writing is pretty extraordinary, I'd have to say, but like Gravity's Rainbow, it's hard to tell what the hell is going on a lot of the time. And Pynchon's contempt for such literary details as "plot" and "clarity" is monumental. Overall though, I'd definitely recommend it to someone who was really into literature - he's an important author.
If I had to give a random recommendation, it would be for Peter Carey, especially "The True Story of the Kelly Gang." He's a fantastic writer.
I appreciate that recommendation for "Blindsight"; it sounds intriguing.
I'm currently trying to work my way through "Mason and Dixon" (Thomas Pynchon). I read Gravity's Rainbow by him when I was in the Peace Corps and absolutely hated it (but I finished it, because I had no electricity and nothing but time on my hands after 7 pm). However, I was moved to give him a second look by subsequent recommendations from friends, and more convincingly, from other authors who I really love (such as Neal Stephenson and Tom Robbins, both of whom seem to be influenced by Pynchon's style).
Mason and Dixon is good. The writing is pretty extraordinary, I'd have to say, but like Gravity's Rainbow, it's hard to tell what the hell is going on a lot of the time. And Pynchon's contempt for such literary details as "plot" and "clarity" is monumental. Overall though, I'd definitely recommend it to someone who was really into literature - he's an important author.
If I had to give a random recommendation, it would be for Peter Carey, especially "The True Story of the Kelly Gang." He's a fantastic writer.
I appreciate that recommendation for "Blindsight"; it sounds intriguing.
Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsey - The second book of the series. It's the book that the Showtime TV show Dexter was based on, although the series doesn't really stay close to the books. The books are just as good as the series.
The Satanic Bible by Anton LaVey - I purchased this merely out of interest. Its an interesting read about how man should embrace their inner desires rather than live their lives through, and I quote, "hypocritical self deceit".
The Satanic Bible by Anton LaVey - I purchased this merely out of interest. Its an interesting read about how man should embrace their inner desires rather than live their lives through, and I quote, "hypocritical self deceit".
"Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics" by Serway/Jewett.
Semester is almost over, though! Will have time to read something a little more... novel-y.
Semester is almost over, though! Will have time to read something a little more... novel-y.
Gettysburg, by Stephen Spears.
Then I have The Venona Secrets, which is by a few authors.
Then a couple of Jeffrey Deaver novels.
I really need to get cracking.
Then I have The Venona Secrets, which is by a few authors.
Then a couple of Jeffrey Deaver novels.
I really need to get cracking.
Consciousness Explained, by Daniel Dennett.
Dennett is probably the worlds greatest living philosopher. He writes clearly and entertainingly on very complicated and somewhat controversial subjects (this is the law of conservation of difficulty. If a text, particularly in philosophy, is written in impenetrable language, that usually means the theory it is describing is utterly trivial, and the author simply obfusticates this with unclear writing), he uses real scientific understanding to underpin his points, an empiricist, rather than an idealist (the latter is useful, but you eventually need something to tie a theory to observed facts, whereas Idealism prefers the ideal and ignores the facts if they don't fit.
You should read Dennett. Whether you're a philosopher or not (I'm certainly not), he'll blow your mind.
Dennett is probably the worlds greatest living philosopher. He writes clearly and entertainingly on very complicated and somewhat controversial subjects (this is the law of conservation of difficulty. If a text, particularly in philosophy, is written in impenetrable language, that usually means the theory it is describing is utterly trivial, and the author simply obfusticates this with unclear writing), he uses real scientific understanding to underpin his points, an empiricist, rather than an idealist (the latter is useful, but you eventually need something to tie a theory to observed facts, whereas Idealism prefers the ideal and ignores the facts if they don't fit.
You should read Dennett. Whether you're a philosopher or not (I'm certainly not), he'll blow your mind.
I'm currently reading The Chronicles of the Black Company
and in between, random stuff by H.P. Lovecraft. If you call yourself a horror fan and have not read any of Lovecraft's work, shame on you
and in between, random stuff by H.P. Lovecraft. If you call yourself a horror fan and have not read any of Lovecraft's work, shame on you
I just got through a period of reading Richard Dawkins that included The God Delusion, The Blind Watchmaker, The Ancestor's Tale, and of course, The Selfish Gene. I've now just got through reading "God Is Not Great - how religion poisons everything" by Christopher Hitchens, which was brilliant.
Next in line is probably George Orwell's 1984.
Next in line is probably George Orwell's 1984.
I'm actually reading the Vampire's series by Anne Rice. I thought it would be as interesting as a piece of rotten pie when my father gave it to me. But it turned out it wasn't, I'm now at the 3rd book and having a great time. I highly recommend it.
If your more fantasy Dungeon and Dragons type of person, R.A. Salvatore's books are the best there is.
If your more fantasy Dungeon and Dragons type of person, R.A. Salvatore's books are the best there is.