What book did you just buy? - Page 21

Goliath · 01-20-2009, 12:51 AM

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel
Night Watch - Pratchet

Azrayne · 01-20-2009, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

Very good read, picked it up last year. Takes a while to ramp up but when it does it's very enjoyable. Not sure if it quite deserves all the praise it has thrown at it, I think critics just like having a book to hail as 'harry potter for adults.' But a good book nonetheless.

Picked up American Gods, The Book of Joby and The Last Witchfinder for christmas.

Finished American Gods, it was a good read and I wish I'd read it earlier, but at times it felt very bland and undescriptive, no real emotion to it. Kind of anti-climatic ending as well, as though he spent all his time building this amazing story then wasn't sure how to finish it up. I liked his take on mythology though.

Half way through The Book of Joby, not sure if I'll finish it. It's very vivid and well written on the one hand, but I absolutely hate the religious and philosophical worldview the author colored it with, intentionally or otherwise. Won't go into specifics until I finish the book, but the entire book makes me want to facepalm, and if it weren't for sheer stubborness I'd probably stop reading it. Has anyone else read it and had the same opinion?

Tarrant220 · 01-20-2009, 08:36 AM

Xenocide--Book three in the Enders Game Series.

Had a hard time getting into it at first but it's pretty decent now.

Ronaan · 01-20-2009, 03:56 PM

Lynn Hill -- Climbing Free

still have last year's Follet somewhere but I can't bring myself to start reading it...

OneofOne · 01-21-2009, 01:46 AM

Aliens: Earth Hive - Steve Perry

What can I say? Nothing was interesting on this outing, and it was on the $.50 rack. I suppose I've read worse, that's about the best I can come up with. The part that should have been the most interesting (Earth getting overrun) was glossed over in about 2 pages. Most disappointing.

Saying that, if I see the other 2 books in the trilogy on the cheap rack I'll probably get them just because I hate not finishing stories.

ToeMissile · 01-21-2009, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarrant220

Xenocide--Book three in the Enders Game Series.

Had a hard time getting into it at first but it's pretty decent now.

That's the one with the piggies right? It doesn't start a bit slow, but picks up. I'm a big Orson Scott Card fan. Working on book 6 of The Tales of Alvin Maker series, The Crystal City. Pretty sure I didn't read 5 yet though, oh well. Then next will be:

The Stranger - Albert Camus
Ender In Exile - Orson Scott Card
Generation Kill

Kevincheese · 01-21-2009, 09:00 AM

Watchmen

Tarrant220 · 01-21-2009, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToeMissile

That's the one with the piggies right? It doesn't start a bit slow, but picks up. I'm a big Orson Scott Card fan. Working on book 6 of The Tales of Alvin Maker series, The Crystal City. Pretty sure I didn't read 5 yet though, oh well. Then next will be:

The Stranger - Albert Camus
Ender In Exile - Orson Scott Card
Generation Kill

Book 2 brought in the piggies

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

PosterOfStuff · 01-21-2009, 08:04 PM

The Lifeline bookfest is on again here (Brisbane, Aust). I didn't pick up as many books as last time as I still have a shit load from that visit still to read...

Basically all the books cost $1 or less...

Michael Moorcock
The Ice Schooner
The Winds of Limbo
The Mad God's Amulet
The Runestaff
The City in the Autumn Stars

Gene Wolfe
The Claw of the Conciliator

Robert A Heinlein
Waldo and Magic Inc

A.E Van Vogt
The far out worlds (short stories).

M.John Harrison
The pastel City

Allen Dean Foster
Spellsinger

David Jarrett
Witherwing (about a guy who has a swan wing for one of his arms !!!)

Also picked up some Java books and Cocktail books as well.

General
The Giant Book of S.F
New Writings in SF-6 and 16
Realms of Shadow (AD&D) Short Stories

ToeMissile · 01-21-2009, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarrant220

Book 2 brought in the piggies

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Ohhh, right right and

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

... good times.

earthfell · 01-22-2009, 02:02 AM

I thought Ender's Game was ok, but everything after that was just garbage. How he won those awards I don't know. Speaker of the Dead is just a really shitty fictional ethnography the author uses as a platform for his ideology. Very much in the same vein as The Golden Compass (ideology first, story second). If you want to enjoy Card's writings, don't take any introductory courses in anthropology or sociology, as you'll find yourself with more intelligence than the author, and laugh every other paragraph at his ignorance. I had to stop 3 chapters from the end, I just couldn't take the nonsense any longer.

As for what I just bought: ~$350 worth of texts no one here will ever read, nor would I if it weren't required.

I highly recommend:

1984
Brave New World
Dune

Those are some of the greatest science fiction books ever written. They are very intelligent and also practical and relevant in that they are cautionary tales. 1984 warns of overt control, BNW covert control, and Dune, well, a lot of things.

Thorpe · 01-22-2009, 07:04 AM

Prey: Michael Crichton: Books

I've been on a Michael Crichton kick as of late.

Tarrant220 · 01-22-2009, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToeMissile

Ohhh, right right and

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

... good times.

Yeah, the crazy asian peopel story line is really what I had a problem getting into. I think I've gotten over that hump though and things seem pretty intresting again.

As for Enders Game, I liked it, I figured out the end before the actual end but I still enjoyed it a great deal.

I'll probably read all of the Enders Sage books before I move onto something else.

Kevincheese · 01-25-2009, 07:40 PM

Bean books >>>> Ender books (other than Ender's Game)

I saw a new hardcover from OSC, Ender In Exile, in the store the other day.

Anyone read it yet? Comments?

Waedar · 01-25-2009, 09:26 PM

well aside from crappy books for the spring semester the leisure reading:

Fulgrim, Legion, and Decent of Angels books 5,6,7 of the Horus Heresy series (numbers might be mixed on 6&7)

01-20-2009, 12:51 AM	#301 (permalink)
Goliath Still not the Abyss Join Date: May 2002 Location: Arizona Posts: 2,699	Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel Night Watch - Pratchet __________________ Damn my eyes! You're just another mirage!

01-20-2009, 03:56 PM	#304 (permalink)
Ronaan Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 575 +13 Internets	Lynn Hill -- Climbing Free still have last year's Follet somewhere but I can't bring myself to start reading it... __________________ retired monk of Solusek Ro Dr. Klaus "Screw it i'll just stick cinnamilk up my nose."

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01-21-2009, 01:46 AM	#305 (permalink)
OneofOne Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 918	Aliens: Earth Hive - Steve Perry What can I say? Nothing was interesting on this outing, and it was on the $.50 rack. I suppose I've read worse, that's about the best I can come up with. The part that should have been the most interesting (Earth getting overrun) was glossed over in about 2 pages. Most disappointing. Saying that, if I see the other 2 books in the trilogy on the cheap rack I'll probably get them just because I hate not finishing stories.

01-21-2009, 08:04 PM	#309 (permalink)
PosterOfStuff Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 300 -22 Internets	The Lifeline bookfest is on again here (Brisbane, Aust). I didn't pick up as many books as last time as I still have a shit load from that visit still to read... Basically all the books cost $1 or less... Michael Moorcock The Ice Schooner The Winds of Limbo The Mad God's Amulet The Runestaff The City in the Autumn Stars Gene Wolfe The Claw of the Conciliator Robert A Heinlein Waldo and Magic Inc A.E Van Vogt The far out worlds (short stories). M.John Harrison The pastel City Allen Dean Foster Spellsinger David Jarrett Witherwing (about a guy who has a swan wing for one of his arms !!!) Also picked up some Java books and Cocktail books as well. General The Giant Book of S.F New Writings in SF-6 and 16 Realms of Shadow (AD&D) Short Stories

01-22-2009, 02:02 AM	#311 (permalink)
earthfell The clouds are my friends. Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 881 -67 Internets	I thought Ender's Game was ok, but everything after that was just garbage. How he won those awards I don't know. Speaker of the Dead is just a really shitty fictional ethnography the author uses as a platform for his ideology. Very much in the same vein as The Golden Compass (ideology first, story second). If you want to enjoy Card's writings, don't take any introductory courses in anthropology or sociology, as you'll find yourself with more intelligence than the author, and laugh every other paragraph at his ignorance. I had to stop 3 chapters from the end, I just couldn't take the nonsense any longer. As for what I just bought: ~$350 worth of texts no one here will ever read, nor would I if it weren't required. I highly recommend: 1984 Brave New World Dune Those are some of the greatest science fiction books ever written. They are very intelligent and also practical and relevant in that they are cautionary tales. 1984 warns of overt control, BNW covert control, and Dune, well, a lot of things.

01-25-2009, 09:26 PM	#315 (permalink)
Waedar Slowpoke Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 338 -4 Internets	well aside from crappy books for the spring semester the leisure reading: Fulgrim, Legion, and Decent of Angels books 5,6,7 of the Horus Heresy series (numbers might be mixed on 6&7)