[Abyss]

Andorion, on 17 June 2019 - 05:41 AM, said:

Abyss, on 17 June 2019 - 04:04 AM, said:

Andorion, on 17 June 2019 - 02:47 AM, said:

My to-read pile is so big that I have stopped browsing recommendation and discussion threads as I feel guilty that I am not reading the books I actually have.

Nonsense.

Your TRP only counts when your chances of finishing it in your lifetime are nil.

I think I qualify.

I want to read Winds of Winter and Doors of Stone you see.

Nah. If they don't exist, they don't count for the TRP.

It must be quantifiable physical books or electronic files, which would make you physically ill to quantify.


You must be able to look at the pile/file, approximate the number of books therein, and be able to confidently state that if you read a book a week for the remainder of a normal human lifespan, you could not hope to complete the pile.

Then, and only then, is your TRP truly a TRP.

[Mezla PigDog]

Tiste Simeon, on 13 June 2019 - 04:23 AM, said:

Abyss, on 13 June 2019 - 12:43 AM, said:

pat5150, on 12 June 2019 - 11:21 PM, said:

Go get yourself The Obelisk Gate and The Stone Sky, which are both even better reads!

Seconded.

Thirdeded

I finished The Fifth Season this morning. Waking at 3am and being unable to go back to sleep has it's bonuses. I think it is the second or third book I have finished since my son was born 3 years ago! SHAME. I have started about 5 books so the fact I found the energy to finish it says enough for how good it is. However considering it starts with

Spoiler

a toddler boy being beaten to death

my nerves were pretty shredded for the first half or so.

Started Obelisk Gate this evening.

This post has been edited by Abyss: 18 June 2019 - 10:53 PM
Reason for edit: Spoilers and killer bees and also spoilers

[Aptorian]

You should read Stephen King's Pet Cemetery next, Mezla.

Finished the second Mortal Engines book, Predators Gold. These books aren't very good, which is disappointing considering the setting. I want Reeves to write an adult version.

Started a biographic interview book with our former Primeminister Lars Lykke Rasmussen, who'll be stepping down in a few weeks. It's called Befrielsens Øjeblik (Moment of release).

It's a strange book, it's written in the moment, as a series of conversations about Rasmussens daily life with various political arguments squeezed into the cracks.

It's a vehicle for the idea of forming a new administration across the center between the two big left and right parties and other political ideas Rasmussen had before he lost the election.

I'm only 40 pages in so far but it's good, if a bit disjointed. I don't like his politics necessarily but I like the man.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 18 June 2019 - 08:45 PM

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Gibson's Neuromancer is Good. It doesn't feel anachronistic or obsolete. How do the next two books in the trilogy — Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive — compare?

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Finished Dragons of a Vanished Moon - I didn't read this one before, genuinely remembered nothing about the ending. I genuinely enjoyed it. Strangely, I think overall I enjoyed War of Souls more than my re-read of the original chronicles, although I enjoyed both.

Also finished Geek Girls Don't Cry by Andrea Towers. It's.... it's okay. Fluffier than I expected and some of its conclusions are a bit of a reach, but still, it's interesting enough and fun if you don't think about it too hard.

Picked up a copy of Good Omens after really enjoying the TV series, so started that this morning.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 19 June 2019 - 08:28 AM

[Tsundoku]

Aptorian, on 18 June 2019 - 08:36 PM, said:

(Moment of release).

squeezed into the cracks.

he lost the election.

I like the man.

Despite his apparent electile dysfunction?

[Aptorian]

He looks like a melted garden gnome so I think that's the least of his problems.

[QuickTidal]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 19 June 2019 - 08:27 AM, said:

Finished Dragons of a Vanished Moon - I didn't read this one before, genuinely remembered nothing about the ending. I genuinely enjoyed it. Strangely, I think overall I enjoyed War of Souls more than my re-read of the original chronicles, although I enjoyed both.

Yes. Agreed. War of the Souls is really a step up from what Chronicles was. Not massively or anything, but I definitely think I got more from Souls.

[Andorion]

I am going through this peculiar stage where I really want to read smart complicated stuff - things I don't really understand and have to work at.

So currently I am reading Brian Greene's Elegant Universe and Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth and I find both books fascinating and in the case of Greene, unsettling.

I just wish I could translate this experience to fiction. I miss reading Malazan for the first time. A lot of books I read, I know where the story is going. Its not surprising anymore.

This is why I loved reading Carol Berg. Her character work was a delight to read, the way it unfurled its way across the story.

I really wish I could read something grand and mysterious and complex.

[Abyss]

Mezla PigDog, on 18 June 2019 - 08:27 PM, said:

...
I finished The Fifth Season this morning. Waking at 3am and being unable to go back to sleep has it's bonuses. I think it is the second or third book I have finished since my son was born 3 years ago! SHAME. I have started about 5 books so the fact I found the energy to finish it says enough for how good it is. However considering it starts with

Spoiler

a toddler boy being beaten to death

my nerves were pretty shredded for the first half or so.

Started Obelisk Gate this evening.

Spoilers Mezla, spoilers. MODGOD NOTICE OF FIXED.

That said, that scene... yeah, it's viscerally offputting. Deliberately so, and important to the story, but wow i was unprepared for my own reaction to it.

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 19 June 2019 - 03:15 AM, said:

Gibson's Neuromancer is Good. It doesn't feel anachronistic or obsolete. How do the next two books in the trilogy — Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive — compare?

IMHO, both are worth reading, both are good, neither are as quite as strikingly good (or bleak) as NEUROMANCER.
For maximum enjoyment i would recommend reading them together sooner rather than waiting, because there are a pile of very subtle connections that are easy to miss. Despite being relatively standalone, the trilogy works way better read together. Also, it has aged well.




I couldn't resist jumping into Alton's MEG: NIGHTSTALKERS. Silly at times, but when characters are dealing with the megalodons and other dino-sea-beasties, this series is a blast. Was a bit thrown (annoyed) when the author linked in his LOCH and VOSTOK books... honestly, the MEG series didn't need this but i guess he wanted the extra sales... thirty seconds online told me what little i could have figured out anyways. By the point in the book where it arises i was sufficiently engaged in the rest of the storylines not to care much so far.

[Abyss]

BfuckinK, on 19 June 2019 - 03:56 PM, said:

It was a fucked up scene in BE. One among many more.

I know two readers who dropped the book right there.

It's a shame because of how brilliant the trilo is and how much most fantasy lit fans enjoy it, but that one scene is so vividly disturbing

Spoiler

especially for parents

that i get it.

The author accomplished exactly what she set out to there, but i wonder in retro if she would still write it that way knowing the reaction it prompts. Probably. Jemisin doesn't exactly shy away from anything.

She's fairly accessible on twitter, i should ask her one of these days.

[amphibian]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 19 June 2019 - 03:15 AM, said:

Gibson's Neuromancer is Good. It doesn't feel anachronistic or obsolete. How do the next two books in the trilogy — Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive — compare?

I quite like where he took Zero and Overdrive, although the connections to Neuromancer are not super apparent, which Abyss rightly noticed. They kind of show how Gibson started taking his books into a cultural gestalt snapshot route rather than simple nuts and bolts of a hero's journey. His next books (Virtual Light and Idoru) really dig into that approach.

Gibson is one of my favorite authors and I have met him at a speech (plus got Count Zero signed). However, he can be a little "naive journey turns into encounter with a not quite explained force which goes off to do something ineffable".

The books are generally short and the characters very catchy, so if you want to get into them, it's not a huge time investment.

[worry]

Andorion, on 19 June 2019 - 10:31 AM, said:

I miss reading Malazan for the first time. A lot of books I read, I know where the story is going. Its not surprising anymore.
...
I really wish I could read something grand and mysterious and complex.

This is called "Chasing the Eleint" and has ruined countless lives, destroyed countless marriages, strained so many family relationships. But I will say this: it's all worth it.

[Abyss]

amphibian, on 19 June 2019 - 06:11 PM, said:

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 19 June 2019 - 03:15 AM, said:

Gibson's Neuromancer is Good. It doesn't feel anachronistic or obsolete. How do the next two books in the trilogy — Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive — compare?

I quite like where he took Zero and Overdrive, although the connections to Neuromancer are not super apparent, which Abyss rightly noticed. They kind of show how Gibson started taking his books into a cultural gestalt snapshot route rather than simple nuts and bolts of a hero's journey. His next books (Virtual Light and Idoru) really dig into that approach.

Gibson is one of my favorite authors and I have met him at a speech (plus got Count Zero signed). However, he can be a little "naive journey turns into encounter with a not quite explained force which goes off to do something ineffable".

The books are generally short and the characters very catchy, so if you want to get into them, it's not a huge time investment.

Yep. I found that the whole "naive journey turns into encounter with a not quite explained force which goes off to do something ineffable" was very much the style of The Bridge trilo, VIRTUAL, IDORU, and ALL TOMORROW'S PARTIES, i found he shifted towards characters more or less being dragged along observing events, which is not a style of book i tend to really enjoy and was where i stopped reading his work, tho i've reread the Sprawl trilo NEURO/COUNT/MONA thrice and the shorts collection BURNING CHROME is one i frequently revisit in pieces.

I'm told his more recent stuff is solid, but have yet to sample.

[polishgenius]

Abyss, on 19 June 2019 - 04:27 PM, said:

She's fairly accessible on twitter, i should ask her one of these days.

She fucking blocked me years ago and I've no idea why. Sadface.





Anyway I started reading Max Gladstone's new one, Empress of Forever, a space-opera-sort-of-thing. It's corking so far.

[Andorion]

worry, on 19 June 2019 - 06:40 PM, said:

Andorion, on 19 June 2019 - 10:31 AM, said:

I miss reading Malazan for the first time. A lot of books I read, I know where the story is going. Its not surprising anymore.
...
I really wish I could read something grand and mysterious and complex.

This is called "Chasing the Eleint" and has ruined countless lives, destroyed countless marriages, strained so many family relationships. But I will say this: it's all worth it.

It is. Absolutely

Also I just read Blake Crouch's Recursion.

Holy shit. We need more books like this.

[JPK]

I just started Tiamat's Wrath. I made it exactly one sentence and then had to pause the book to let that sentence really sink in. Fuck.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Abyss, on 19 June 2019 - 07:52 PM, said:

amphibian, on 19 June 2019 - 06:11 PM, said:

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 19 June 2019 - 03:15 AM, said:

Gibson's Neuromancer is Good. It doesn't feel anachronistic or obsolete. How do the next two books in the trilogy — Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive — compare?

I quite like where he took Zero and Overdrive, although the connections to Neuromancer are not super apparent, which Abyss rightly noticed. They kind of show how Gibson started taking his books into a cultural gestalt snapshot route rather than simple nuts and bolts of a hero's journey. His next books (Virtual Light and Idoru) really dig into that approach.

Gibson is one of my favorite authors and I have met him at a speech (plus got Count Zero signed). However, he can be a little "naive journey turns into encounter with a not quite explained force which goes off to do something ineffable".

The books are generally short and the characters very catchy, so if you want to get into them, it's not a huge time investment.

Yep. I found that the whole "naive journey turns into encounter with a not quite explained force which goes off to do something ineffable" was very much the style of The Bridge trilo, VIRTUAL, IDORU, and ALL TOMORROW'S PARTIES, i found he shifted towards characters more or less being dragged along observing events, which is not a style of book i tend to really enjoy and was where i stopped reading his work, tho i've reread the Sprawl trilo NEURO/COUNT/MONA thrice and the shorts collection BURNING CHROME is one i frequently revisit in pieces.

I'm told his more recent stuff is solid, but have yet to sample.

Thanks for the notes. Just purchazed Count and Mona!

[Aptorian]

I'm about 60 pages into Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.

This is not a good book. Certainly not an interesting sci-fi story. I'd have loathed reading this if I was a kid in an American school.

Edit: Oh wait. 12 pages later and we get an info dump that lends context to everything.

So far I'd say this book was a big middle finger to the television and the Internet from all the way back in the 1950s.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 20 June 2019 - 06:42 PM

[Macros]

You must be mistaken apt, Ray Bradbury is the greatest sci-fi writer in history

http://youtu.be/e1IxOS4VzKM

This post has been edited by Macros: 20 June 2019 - 06:44 PM