[Mentalist]

Andorion, on 23 February 2016 - 01:21 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 22 February 2016 - 06:35 PM, said:

Andorion, on 22 February 2016 - 04:11 PM, said:

Puck, on 22 February 2016 - 02:54 PM, said:

Not all classics are bad/unreadable.

But speaking of bad.. I'm currently reading Jealous Gods and Chosen People as my non-fiction intermezzo, and while the idea to draw connections between the mythologies of the Middle East and the area's tendency towards violence seems intriguing, this books so far does a bad job. Might as well be reading Wikipedia, for all the info and excitement. Can't recommend. It's only good point is that it's short (which may, in fact, be what keeps it from becoming good on the other hand).

Not all classics are bad. I am an enthusiastic proponent of Homer, Its just that the entire Victorian period is like this huge black hole which sucks up all my energy. Are people like Jack London, Jules Verne, Herman Melville considered classic authors? Because I like them.

Edit: Does the argument of your book hold up?

Yes, they are classics. Never read Melville, but it's considered a classic. Jack London is one of my favourite non-SFF writers of all time.

Never got into Victorian lit. I read "The Tale of 2 Cities" a few years back, but that's about it. English lit is a pretty big gap in my education.

Speaking of classics: almost done volume 1 of "10 years later". I remembered very little of it, and so far none of the bad stuff happened. I vaguely recall that vol 2 is mostly about love triangles/intrigues, and then there's Vol 3, writing of which would be spoilerific. I'm curious to see if I was just immature the first time I read vol 2 or if it's actually bad and boring.

I'm certainly appreciating the political stuff more now than I did last time I read it (which was maybe 15 yrs ago)

Tale of Two Cities is the only Dickens I do like. The others are.... not good. Austen and the Brontes are total nono for me. Can't touch them. Oscar Wilde is mildly entertaining at best. Victor Hugo bores me. But I love Alexandre Dumas and I consider the Count of Monte Cristo one of the best books ever written

I think I read some Wilde before. I liked most of Conan Doyle stuff I read. Also had to read the Xmass Carol for foreign lit class back home in Grade 6 before I came to Canada. Walter Scott and R.L.Stevenson are probably what I'd do think of "English classics" in the vein of Verne- YA-ish adventure novels.

ETA: and, yes, The Count of Monte Cristo rocks hard.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 23 February 2016 - 03:14 PM

[Andorion]

Mentalist, on 23 February 2016 - 03:12 PM, said:

Andorion, on 23 February 2016 - 01:21 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 22 February 2016 - 06:35 PM, said:

Andorion, on 22 February 2016 - 04:11 PM, said:

Puck, on 22 February 2016 - 02:54 PM, said:

Not all classics are bad/unreadable.

But speaking of bad.. I'm currently reading Jealous Gods and Chosen People as my non-fiction intermezzo, and while the idea to draw connections between the mythologies of the Middle East and the area's tendency towards violence seems intriguing, this books so far does a bad job. Might as well be reading Wikipedia, for all the info and excitement. Can't recommend. It's only good point is that it's short (which may, in fact, be what keeps it from becoming good on the other hand).

Not all classics are bad. I am an enthusiastic proponent of Homer, Its just that the entire Victorian period is like this huge black hole which sucks up all my energy. Are people like Jack London, Jules Verne, Herman Melville considered classic authors? Because I like them.

Edit: Does the argument of your book hold up?

Yes, they are classics. Never read Melville, but it's considered a classic. Jack London is one of my favourite non-SFF writers of all time.

Never got into Victorian lit. I read "The Tale of 2 Cities" a few years back, but that's about it. English lit is a pretty big gap in my education.

Speaking of classics: almost done volume 1 of "10 years later". I remembered very little of it, and so far none of the bad stuff happened. I vaguely recall that vol 2 is mostly about love triangles/intrigues, and then there's Vol 3, writing of which would be spoilerific. I'm curious to see if I was just immature the first time I read vol 2 or if it's actually bad and boring.

I'm certainly appreciating the political stuff more now than I did last time I read it (which was maybe 15 yrs ago)

Tale of Two Cities is the only Dickens I do like. The others are.... not good. Austen and the Brontes are total nono for me. Can't touch them. Oscar Wilde is mildly entertaining at best. Victor Hugo bores me. But I love Alexandre Dumas and I consider the Count of Monte Cristo one of the best books ever written

I think I read some Wilde before. I liked most of Conan Doyle stuff I read. Also had to read the Xmass Carol for foreign lit class back home in Grade 6 before I came to Canada. Walter Scott and R.L.Stevenson are probably what I'd do think of "English classics" in the vein of Verne- YA-ish adventure novels.

ETA: and, yes, The Count of Monte Cristo rocks hard.

Haven't read Scott, Stevenson's Treasure Island is cool, Kidnapped is weak, one of these days I have to try to read The Black Arrow.
Xmas carol is ok,

Conan Doyle is classic?
That makes me a classic expert! Read all the Holmes stuff several times, and the Lost World. One day I will finish the rest of the Challenger stories

[Andorion]

Reading Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows. Pretty interesting so far.

Anyone read the Safehold series by David Weber?

[QuickTidal]

Andorion, on 23 February 2016 - 05:15 PM, said:

Reading Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows. Pretty interesting so far.

Have you read the main Grisha series already? If not, you should, it's not only great, but gives a solid grounding in the world that SoC takes place in.

[Stalker]

Andorion, on 23 February 2016 - 05:15 PM, said:

Reading Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows. Pretty interesting so far.

Anyone read the Safehold series by David Weber?

First few safehold books were pretty good. Introduction of advanced technologies into a backwards society, politics, and wars. All things I enjoy, but I put the series down around book 4 or 5, because it was starting to drag.

[Andorion]

QuickTidal, on 23 February 2016 - 05:21 PM, said:

Andorion, on 23 February 2016 - 05:15 PM, said:

Reading Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows. Pretty interesting so far.

Have you read the main Grisha series already? If not, you should, it's not only great, but gives a solid grounding in the world that SoC takes place in.

Nope, Was wondering about this. Are they like prequels?

[firvulag]

Just started reading Knights of Dark Renown by David Gemmell. It's the first of his books that I've ever read, though I haven't heard a single bad thing about him as an author I didn't want to start his Drenai series just yet so decided to give his stand alone works a look. I'm only a few chapters in but loving it so far!

[QuickTidal]

Andorion, on 23 February 2016 - 05:46 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 23 February 2016 - 05:21 PM, said:

Andorion, on 23 February 2016 - 05:15 PM, said:

Reading Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows. Pretty interesting so far.

Have you read the main Grisha series already? If not, you should, it's not only great, but gives a solid grounding in the world that SoC takes place in.

Nope, Was wondering about this. Are they like prequels?

No, they came first actually. It was while she wrote them that she had the idea for Six Of Crows. Same world and properties, but where SoC is Ocean's 11 sidestory, the Grisha Trilogy is the main series. Star Wars VS Rogue One.

I own the whole trilogy. VERY good.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

About 1/3 of the way into Queen of Fire. Not much has happened so far, but it's been entertaining. Hopefully it picks up the pace a bit.

[Abyss]

firvulag, on 23 February 2016 - 07:39 PM, said:

Just started reading Knights of Dark Renown by David Gemmell. It's the first of his books that I've ever read, though I haven't heard a single bad thing about him as an author I didn't want to start his Drenai series just yet so decided to give his stand alone works a look. I'm only a few chapters in but loving it so far!

Knights is a Drenai story tho. It's standalone within that series, but so are most of them aside from a very loose reading order.
Dark Moon is another good standalone of his.

[Chance]

Andorion, on 23 February 2016 - 05:15 PM, said:

Anyone read the Safehold series by David Weber?

It's good and fairly unique, test the first book and if its to your taste it only really gets better.

Don't expect the averange fantasy or SF book however this one is all about detailed war, technologic development and ecconomics. While it has elments of both SF and Fantasy it is much closer to alternative history military fiction.

[Inkdaub]

I'm reading Hawkins' Library at Mount Char and I'm not sure yet if I like it or not.

[Imperial Historian]

Chance, on 24 February 2016 - 04:27 AM, said:

Andorion, on 23 February 2016 - 05:15 PM, said:

Anyone read the Safehold series by David Weber?

It's good and fairly unique, test the first book and if its to your taste it only really gets better.

Don't expect the averange fantasy or SF book however this one is all about detailed war, technologic development and ecconomics. While it has elments of both SF and Fantasy it is much closer to alternative history military fiction.

I really enjoyed the first three, after that it starts to become increasingly bogged down with the scope of the world. If you like alternative military history it's worth a read. The 1632 series he writes in collaboration with eric flint does similar things better in my opinion.

[acesn8s]

Finished War Master's Gate, on to The Seal of the Worm.

[JPK]

It's been a good week for me as I've finished all three books I've been working on. So far 2016 has been done fantastic reading for me.

First, I finished THE MARTIAN in ebook. I liked the movie, but I loved the book. The big thing that got me to rank the book over the movie was that the book actually goes into the science behind what he was doing to survive. When the movie shows that he figures out a way to make water, for example, the book explains where he finds his hydrogen and how he separates it from the source.

My next ebook is EX-AISLE.

As for audio, I just finished DEADHOUSE GATES. That book is just as heartbreaking as it ever was.

Next up for audio is NOS4A2 by Joe Hill. I'm an hour in, and this is already creepy as hell.

Finally I finished S. in dead-tree format. I really enjoyed this, and it put me in mind of something Mark Z. Danielewski would write. In a good way. Btw, QT, I read it the way you recommended (color sets after the main text) and I think it added a lot to the experience.

Next up here is Sword and Citadel. I'm really looking forward to more BotNS.

[Andorion]

Imperial Historian, on 24 February 2016 - 03:35 PM, said:

Chance, on 24 February 2016 - 04:27 AM, said:

Andorion, on 23 February 2016 - 05:15 PM, said:

Anyone read the Safehold series by David Weber?

It's good and fairly unique, test the first book and if its to your taste it only really gets better.

Don't expect the averange fantasy or SF book however this one is all about detailed war, technologic development and ecconomics. While it has elments of both SF and Fantasy it is much closer to alternative history military fiction.

I really enjoyed the first three, after that it starts to become increasingly bogged down with the scope of the world. If you like alternative military history it's worth a read. The 1632 series he writes in collaboration with eric flint does similar things better in my opinion.

I aim to read it only for the military stuff.

[Abyss]

DANCERS LAMENT!!!!

[polishgenius]

This Census-Taker by China Mieville was just added to my library. Happy, happy, joy, joy (though I suspect those may not be my emotions when I actually crack it open on my commute).

[Andorion]

Amazon came through! Dancer's Lament, here I come!

Edit: Finished Six of Crows, fun book, predictable ending.

This post has been edited by Andorion: 25 February 2016 - 08:15 AM

[Gabriele]

Andorion, on 25 February 2016 - 08:04 AM, said:

Amazon came through! Dancer's Lament, here I come!

I got mine, too. Amazon.de still doesn't care about official release dates.