[Abyss]

End of Disc One, on 26 December 2011 - 04:33 AM, said:

Personally I needed a break every 2 or 3 Dresden books so I think you're doing the right thing.

I am a firm dresdencrack addict, but i agree with End on this. Back when i was powering thru the first nine, i found my enjoyment flagged a bit if i didn't split it up after about 3.

Of course, now that i'm all caught up, i only wish i had ten in a row to read...



@JLV - just curious: what's the point of this? I mean, you've got a lot of brilliant books on that list, and i can't see the benefit of trying to rushread them?

[JLV]

I won't be rush reading anything. I'd much rather sacrifice the contest than not enjoy a book I would have otherwise.

My style of reading is to procrastinate and not read any books for weeks, then decide to pick one up, love it, and read the entire thing in 1 day. It's not that I don't want to read the rest of that time, I just always find other, shittier things to do. Mostly dick around on the internet.

I'm challenging myself to focus a little and read more, especially as that's what I'm going into in college next year. I may only get 70 or 80, but I'd consider that a success.

[Kruppe's snacky cakes]

An ambitious goal, JLV. I don't have the patience to keep track of how many books I read per year. Counting would cut into my reading time.


I agree with worrywart, though. JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL makes for a rough start. I found the first part of the book brilliant and riveting, but the last half has long stretches of dullness that might slow you down. (Or, if you're like me, it will speed you up, because your mind will wander and you'll subconsciously start speed-reading.)


THE NAME OF THE WIND is awesome all the way through, though. Those are the only 2 books on your list that I've completed, so I can't comment on anything else, except to say that I'm currently enjoying GAME OF THRONES and GotM...

[JLV]

Just finished Butcher's FOOL MOON. Man, what a great start to my year. I love Harry, I love Marcone, I love/hate Murphy. Much fun.

[Abyss]

JLV, on 02 January 2012 - 12:49 AM, said:

Just finished Butcher's FOOL MOON. Man, what a great start to my year. I love Harry, I love Marcone, I love/hate Murphy. Much fun.

i envy you reading for the first time what that series has in store for you...

[acesn8s]

You've got some hefty weeks (Rothfuss week). Maybe add some smaller books to help distribute the load?

Have you read any of Moorcock's Elric novels? They are 200 pagers and good reads to boot.

[JLV]

I've never read the Elric novels, thanks for pointing them out!

I just finished Butcher's GRAVE PERIL, and holy shitballs I am happy with this series so far.

Minor gripes for the book would be the lack of Murphy, but Michael made up for it a bit, as did Thomas. It also suffered from the whole "let's not tell the main character something that could obviously have a major affect on his actions just to increase tension." I knew what had happened since the first reference from one of the police people. But I can look past that, and it was quite good fun. It also makes me want to pick up the next book and finish it tonight... which I might do.

[heretics fork]

Elric is awesome, and you can pretend to be reading something subversive and literary. Win win

[Orlion]

Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrel is great, as is the Gormenghast trilogy. Word of advice, though. If you are able to do it, you may want to read a lighter book at the same time. That way, you can get your numbers in and not fall behind so soon in the year (particularly with Titus Groan and Gormenghast. Terrific books, both of them, but they don't lend themselves to being read in half a week.)

Also, as far as the number of books in the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, there will be four. The last book, though (The Last Dark) won't be out until fall of 2013 at the earliest.

This post has been edited by Orlion: 08 January 2012 - 05:26 PM

[JLV]

Just finished Butcher's SUMMER KNIGHT. So extremely satisfying, much more so than the previous. My brain is too happy to go into details, so I'll just give it two thumbs up! I may take a break from Butcher now. I need to update the list in the OP.

[JLV]

I need a break from Butcher, so I'm thinking about reading some Gemmel, to give me more time to write. Is that a good idea? The books LOOK small, but are they easy reads as well?

[worry]

Can't answer your question, but I think you should occasionally mention how many books you're up to, over the course of the year.

[Binder of Demons]

Can't really give you any help on the GEMMELL front as I haven't read them, but I've never heard them described as dense in terms of prose, or terribly complicated, so you should be ok.

I'd suggest giving yourself a break from Dresden for now, especially as you are enjoying them so much. They continue to improve, and remain very quick reads, so they'll always be there as a way to reward yourself for books that are a harder slog.

If you still have space on the list, then i would recommend ALFRED BESTER'S "The Stars My Destination" as another sci-fi classic that's well worth reading. It's fairly short overall, but crammed with ideas, and Bester has a writing style that's surprisingly modern for someone writing sci-fi in the 50's and 60's. This book, and his other award winner, "The Demolished Man" had a huge influence on subsequent generations of sci-fi writers both in print and more particularly on tv and in the movies.

[JLV]

I've read 3 books so far this year. Exactly on track.

I have about 30 re-reads in there currently. I'm taking into account all suggestions, and I have a couple bucks from christmas in amazon/barnes and noble cards, so I'll definitely be buying them. I think I would like to replace the Malazan reread, as I've read those a few times. I want to keep Abercrombie/GRRM rereads in there, though, because I've read them only once and I think they deserve a second read as I work my way toward their work that I haven't read yet. I have Vampire Earth in there as well, they're basically my Dresden's after I run out of Dresden. Short, easy reads for busy times.

[D'iversify]

JLV, on 10 January 2012 - 12:11 AM, said:

I need a break from Butcher, so I'm thinking about reading some Gemmel, to give me more time to write. Is that a good idea? The books LOOK small, but are they easy reads as well?

Gemmell was an old fashioned kind of fantasy author in a sense, hearking back to the days before the bloated prose of the worst of high fantasy and the convolutions of the many-threaded plots typical of many of today's doorstoppers. His books are formulaic, but as long as you don't read nothing but Gemmell, it's a good formula.

This post has been edited by D'iversify: 10 January 2012 - 03:21 AM

[Paran]

Did you actually read "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell" in a week? That's a feat in and of itself! I'm still 60% through 6 years later!

[acesn8s]

Gemmel's books are easy reads, brain candy.

[JLV]

acesn8s, on 10 January 2012 - 02:04 PM, said:

Gemmel's books are easy reads, brain candy.

Started WAYLANDER last night, read for an hour and I'm almost halfway through.

Paran, on 10 January 2012 - 05:21 AM, said:

Did you actually read "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell" in a week? That's a feat in and of itself! I'm still 60% through 6 years later!

I skipped that, following the advice of the people on here. I'll start it first thing next month, after my January Nanowrimo is done.

[LadyMTL]

I'll add my good luck wishes to the rest of them because looking at that list gave me a headache, and when I did the math it only got worse. I tear through books, I usually have at least 2 going at once (at the moment it's 3 but one is a re-read) but I seriously doubt I could do it, unless I took a sabbatical from work.

And if I might make a recommendation, why not add some nonfiction in there? I find when I need a break from the usual it helps me refocus. Two that I really enjoyed were Alan Weisman's The World Without Us and David Grann's The Lost City of Z.

[Starling]

Wow, this looks awesome, good luck! I don't know a lot of the books listed, but I can say that personally I find Pratchett a fun and easy read. Something from the middle of the series would be best, Interesting Times or Maskerade maybe, as the latest ones tend to be bigger and more waffley. I started with Maskerade and have been hooked ever since