Yeah, I am not very far into it, so sorry I cannot say too much of it atm. I only read it on weekends. I am still working my way through the Theaetetus from Plato.
What an interesting book that is.
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What Are You Reading? (June 2019)
- Thread starter Jag
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What an interesting book that is.
Almost done with A Darker Shade of Magic.
It's the first fantasy novel in quite a few months (up to a year almost iirc) that has grabbed me enough to not leave it midthrough. It helps that it's not too long.
Really enjoying it, for once in the mood to read the sequels.
It's the first fantasy novel in quite a few months (up to a year almost iirc) that has grabbed me enough to not leave it midthrough. It helps that it's not too long.
Really enjoying it, for once in the mood to read the sequels.
I'm reading Tanith Lee's Death's Master:
That is one hell of a cover
I kind of miss the 70s/80s style of cover art for fantasy novels. The modern editions of this book are much less interesting-looking.
It's one long-ass book, but puts a lot of meat on the bones of the HBO show.
I can't believe how misunderstood Buddhism is. It's been heavily sanitized by the New Age/Self Help movements. A lot of the "Buddha quotes" you see littered on social media are straight up fake. Even on this forum I've seen people show a very poor understanding of what Buddhism is actually about. Buddhism isn't about sitting around and feeling good about yourself, nor is it about doing or believing whatever you want. Buddha's message was that all of life was suffering and that everyone should put their full effort into realizing that.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to filter through the bullshit that's been spread. It does a really good job at identifying where the fake quotes actually came from and providing a real Buddhist perspective on them.
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Spent most of the month reading House of Chains by Steven Erikson.
Started off as a difficult read due to the unlikeable protagonist, but soon turned into that usual Erikson awesome quality of epicness.
Now reading The Terracotta Army by John Man. He essentially describes the state of Qin as more hardcore than Sparta, an entity singularly focused on ideals similar to fascism and fucking everyone around them mercilessly. They're making the Romans look friendly in comparison, and they've got crossbows too, yikes.
Started off as a difficult read due to the unlikeable protagonist, but soon turned into that usual Erikson awesome quality of epicness.
Now reading The Terracotta Army by John Man. He essentially describes the state of Qin as more hardcore than Sparta, an entity singularly focused on ideals similar to fascism and fucking everyone around them mercilessly. They're making the Romans look friendly in comparison, and they've got crossbows too, yikes.
Anyone read "The name of the wind" by Patrick Rothfuss?
I'm not a fan of fantasy, especially not the usual trappings and reading the synopsis that's exactly what it sounds like but I have been recommended this book and it's sequels twice this month. Is it any good?
I'm not a fan of fantasy, especially not the usual trappings and reading the synopsis that's exactly what it sounds like but I have been recommended this book and it's sequels twice this month. Is it any good?
It's a huge favorite among fantasy enthusiasts. I remember reading it and the sequel over a weekend and really enjoying them, but I know a lot of people have issues with characterization and some other things.
Also consider the final book in the trilogy has been MIA for many years and news on it is rare, so the wait is going to be long.
You should try it anyhow, I enjoyed it quite a bit.
I wouldn't really recommend it. it's good in parts, but overall it is not.
I too have been reading this and it's a very nice light read so far, which is what I needed after Assassin's Apprentice.
It's been 8 years since the second book came out and that to me is reason enough to not even think about giving this a try until that third book is out.
Just started up 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami a few days ago and slowly closing in on 1/4th of the way through.
I know it's one of his most divisive books but I've really enjoyed his larger, slow-burn novels like Wind Up Bird and even last year's Killing Commendatore so I'm excited to finally try 1Q84 for myself, so far it's got a compelling and very Murakami setup!
I very much enjoyed both Name of The Wind and it's sequel Wise Man's Fear. Compared to almost all other fantasy books on the market this one drills down heavily on simply being about the day-to-day life of a single person living in a somewhat fantasy world (not a ton of outward magic). There's a lot about his relationships, his ambitions, and hell even a lot on his money-management in order to stay solvent! It's refreshing in that sense and the writing is high quality.
The biggest complaint with the series, and a valid one at that, is that the main character is a bit of a Mary-Sue. He causes people to cry whenever he plays music and is a gifted genius in a lot of the scholarship he's involved with. The author tries to counteract this by giving him the glaring weakness of being very impulsive but it doesn't really negate some of the bad taste of it all. I still adore the series all the same, and that flaw doesn't ruin it for me and most I know, but it's worth being aware of.
I know it's one of his most divisive books but I've really enjoyed his larger, slow-burn novels like Wind Up Bird and even last year's Killing Commendatore so I'm excited to finally try 1Q84 for myself, so far it's got a compelling and very Murakami setup!
I very much enjoyed both Name of The Wind and it's sequel Wise Man's Fear. Compared to almost all other fantasy books on the market this one drills down heavily on simply being about the day-to-day life of a single person living in a somewhat fantasy world (not a ton of outward magic). There's a lot about his relationships, his ambitions, and hell even a lot on his money-management in order to stay solvent! It's refreshing in that sense and the writing is high quality.
The biggest complaint with the series, and a valid one at that, is that the main character is a bit of a Mary-Sue. He causes people to cry whenever he plays music and is a gifted genius in a lot of the scholarship he's involved with. The author tries to counteract this by giving him the glaring weakness of being very impulsive but it doesn't really negate some of the bad taste of it all. I still adore the series all the same, and that flaw doesn't ruin it for me and most I know, but it's worth being aware of.
I remember a lot of weird sexual shit in that one and feeling uncomfortable reading the book on the tube lol. (subway for you Americans)
I haven't hit anything too bad yet but that matches pretty well with what I expect of Murakami. Depending on the book and context I usually either find it mildly refreshing for a book to be so open towards notions of sexual encounters and sexuality or a bit straight up overwhelming in just how much he leans into it sometimes (it's particularly unfortunate that he glaringly puts the focus on women more often too)
I love Murakami for his sort of dreamy adventures and very human stories in the context of larger, indecipherable situations, but without fail the sex stuff is always a bit of a tag along :/
Thanks MDSVeritas Knight in Shining Armani Paganmoon Dec
Knowing what I normally like I think it's probably best to give it a miss for now but looks like something worth keeping in mind for when I fancy a change and when the trilogy actually gets finished.
Knowing what I normally like I think it's probably best to give it a miss for now but looks like something worth keeping in mind for when I fancy a change and when the trilogy actually gets finished.
i just finished reading Goddamn Electric Nights by William Pauley III, and... i didnt really like it. generally these days i prefer short stories and short story collections/anthologies, novellas or short form works, and im back on my "weird fiction" kick. i like a lot of the authors that Copeland Valley press publishes (and when i say "weird fiction", i mean weird, and i love it) and thusly a lot of their works really appeal to me and are quite good, so i thought id give this a shot. i read it basically in the space of two afternoons (mostly because i was just not at all in love with what i was reading). one or two of the stories werent bad at all, but by the time i finished the last story - Spin Doctors Mixtape, whose conclusion left a taste in my mouth i wasnt fond of - i was glad to toss it back on the bookshelf. not sure why this one didnt jive with me - im really into a lot of works from authors in this same circle (Gary J. Shipley, for instance - love Dreams of Amputation! - and Josh Myers' Feast of Oblivion, which stars Peter Weller of Robocop fame writing a book about halibut conspiracies), but it was a real whiff.
right now im re-reading CJ Cherryh (one of the best sci-fiction/fantasy authors in the game, period) The Dreaming Tree, which collects The Dreamstone and The Tree of Swords and Jewels. really lovely and fantastic Celtic-flavored fantasy, heavy on the fae and the fey (and the gaelic).
now im just waiting on Peter Ackroyd's Hawksmoor to drop in the post.
weird question, but does anyone have any recs for novels (not manga or graphic novels) that are tokusatsu/super sentei themed? its okay if they are Japanese light novels, as long as some translation exists for them.
right now im re-reading CJ Cherryh (one of the best sci-fiction/fantasy authors in the game, period) The Dreaming Tree, which collects The Dreamstone and The Tree of Swords and Jewels. really lovely and fantastic Celtic-flavored fantasy, heavy on the fae and the fey (and the gaelic).
now im just waiting on Peter Ackroyd's Hawksmoor to drop in the post.
weird question, but does anyone have any recs for novels (not manga or graphic novels) that are tokusatsu/super sentei themed? its okay if they are Japanese light novels, as long as some translation exists for them.
Have you checked out The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories or Thomas Ligotti's Song of a Dead Dreamer and grimscribe?
Like all anthologies they are hit and miss but both have lots of really good stories in them. Although I'd recommend getting The Weird as an ebook as it's massive and the stories really suit the digital format.
While they might not be the majority I wouldn't say that whole day to day thing is that uncommon. Most of Robin Hobb's books have a strong day to day feel and the Goblin emperor which was a favourite a few years ago in gaf is also like that.
thanks for the recs! ill definitely check out The Weird, but ive definitely been through and around all i could find of Ligotti's stuff (although, strangely enough, i prefer his non-fiction work to his fiction - Conspiracy Against the Human Race is one of my favorite philosophical texts and shares a space of honor between my Saltus and Zapffe.
if you have any other weird horror antho recs, feel free to drop them!
Reading a mix of things at the moment. Djuana Barnes' Nightwood, Joyce's Ulysses, and Hemingway's Farewell to Arms (which is surprisingly funny, by the way).
Yeah I prefer his Conspiracy Against the Human Race as well. But I love the short story Chymist so funny, so fucked up and so well written.
I'm finally over halfway through Moby Dick. It's taken me a year. Don't judge me because 1) this book is dense and 2) I'm only reading like 3 chapters a fortnight.
Ishmael is currently describing the Sperm whale and Right whale heads attached to either side of the Pequod. I skipped the earlier chapters on Whale art because omg, Ishmael, shut up.
Ishmael is currently describing the Sperm whale and Right whale heads attached to either side of the Pequod. I skipped the earlier chapters on Whale art because omg, Ishmael, shut up.
Reading "Recursion" by Blake Crouch and Naked Economics by Wheelan.
Just blazed through 50 some pages of Recursion. If you liked Dark Matter or Inception or the Matrix, then you might like this short thriller.
Going back to college this fall and I'm trying to train my brain up with some big words haha, hence the pop-Econ book. Two chapters in and haven't really learned anything I didn't already know, but it is supposed to be basic ish stuff.
Also finished: "Last Night in Montreal" by Emily St Mandel. Good book. Read if you want a low stakes millennial type slightly melodramatic mystery. Also read Station Eleven by the same author if you haven't already.
Just blazed through 50 some pages of Recursion. If you liked Dark Matter or Inception or the Matrix, then you might like this short thriller.
Going back to college this fall and I'm trying to train my brain up with some big words haha, hence the pop-Econ book. Two chapters in and haven't really learned anything I didn't already know, but it is supposed to be basic ish stuff.
Also finished: "Last Night in Montreal" by Emily St Mandel. Good book. Read if you want a low stakes millennial type slightly melodramatic mystery. Also read Station Eleven by the same author if you haven't already.
Finished Abercrombie's Blade Itself a while ago and have started Before They Are Hanged. At first I didn't even really care about the Named Men, but now they're my favorite set of characters in the story and look forward to their chapters. Dogman, Threetrees, Black Dow... love em. But in general I'm starting to really get into the story. TBI felt like a bit of a long prelude storywise, but at least it fleshed out the characters well enough to make you care for them. Logen, Sand and Jezal are all starting the second book from a really interesting position.
Read these books earlier this year and loved them. Glokta has become one of my favourite characters in fantasy fiction.
I started reading this series about a month ago due to seeing it so much in these threads and I'm very glad I did. I burned through the trilogy and am currently on the last of the three stand-alones and I could read stories from this world forever (also, if you do end up enjoying the series, there's a new trilogy in the same world starting up in September).
After "Priory of the orange Tree" and "Gutter Prayer" I am returning to Sci-fy with "Planerfall" by Emma Newman. Maybe I'll switch to Fantasy and continue the Saga of Fitz and the Fool by Robin Hobb.
Are their any new recommends on fatasy?
I alread bookmarked " A memory called Empire " as my next Sci-Fy read...
Are their any new recommends on fatasy?
I alread bookmarked " A memory called Empire " as my next Sci-Fy read...
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Wasted potential pretty accurately describes my feelings on the book. The potential is in the worldbuilding, the mythology and the magic. All of which contribute to giving the book a unique spin on the familiar urban fantasy series template. It's most evident in the prologue which features the most tantalizing plot thread, one that is sadly never really revisited in this book. The perils of reading a series I suppose, there are invariably plot threads left dangling for future books.
Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there. October, our main character, stumbles through a poorly constructed mystery, perhaps the weakest element in the book, displaying none of the skills she should have as a private investigator. This can possibly be excused as she is recovering from
14 years spent as a fish in a pond
Hard to recommend unless you are a fan of the subgenre. There is potential here but it's not enough. Too many elements just don't work here. Not dropping the series just yet but it's not high priority.
not too exciting i guess but i'm reading Harry Potter again. On the 4th book Goblet of Fire right now. I haven't read them since 2010 i think...maybe 2009. All these years i kept saying i'd come back to it and only now got around to it.
after I'm done with Harry Potter I'm gonna go through His Dark Materials + Lord of the Rings again. Both them I haven't read in years. Last I read HDM was in 2011 and LOTR...maybe 2007/2008.
once i'm done with them all then I'll go find new books to read again.
after I'm done with Harry Potter I'm gonna go through His Dark Materials + Lord of the Rings again. Both them I haven't read in years. Last I read HDM was in 2011 and LOTR...maybe 2007/2008.
once i'm done with them all then I'll go find new books to read again.
That's disappointing - some of McGuire's recent work (like Middlegame) was really good, so I'd been thinking of trying some of her older UF.
Wasted potential pretty accurately describes my feelings on the book. The potential is in the worldbuilding, the mythology and the magic. All of which contribute to giving the book a unique spin on the familiar urban fantasy series template. It's most evident in the prologue which features the most tantalizing plot thread, one that is sadly never really revisited in this book. The perils of reading a series I suppose, there are invariably plot threads left dangling for future books.
Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there. October, our main character, stumbles through a poorly constructed mystery, perhaps the weakest element in the book, displaying none of the skills she should have as a private investigator. This can possibly be excused as she is recovering from. Who knows what sort of effects that has on a person. That only gets you so much leeway though. After a certain point when other characters get involved in the stupidity it's just a little too much. Not to mention she fails to use the one skill she has which we are introduced to right at the start of the investigation. It would have saved some running around later and chopped 100 pages off the book.14 years spent as a fish in a pond
Hard to recommend unless you are a fan of the subgenre. There is potential here but it's not enough. Too many elements just don't work here. Not dropping the series just yet but it's not high priority.
I find McGuire so hit and miss. When she's got it's page turning fire. When she's bad, though...
Wasted potential pretty accurately describes my feelings on the book. The potential is in the worldbuilding, the mythology and the magic. All of which contribute to giving the book a unique spin on the familiar urban fantasy series template. It's most evident in the prologue which features the most tantalizing plot thread, one that is sadly never really revisited in this book. The perils of reading a series I suppose, there are invariably plot threads left dangling for future books.
Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there. October, our main character, stumbles through a poorly constructed mystery, perhaps the weakest element in the book, displaying none of the skills she should have as a private investigator. This can possibly be excused as she is recovering from. Who knows what sort of effects that has on a person. That only gets you so much leeway though. After a certain point when other characters get involved in the stupidity it's just a little too much. Not to mention she fails to use the one skill she has which we are introduced to right at the start of the investigation. It would have saved some running around later and chopped 100 pages off the book.14 years spent as a fish in a pond
Hard to recommend unless you are a fan of the subgenre. There is potential here but it's not enough. Too many elements just don't work here. Not dropping the series just yet but it's not high priority.
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