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Who likes [books]? I like books! Let's read!

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  • McFodderMcFodder Registered User regular
    webguy20 wrote: »
    I'm re-reading the Dragonriders of Pern series. I just love these books. Of all the series I've read I would love to put myself into this one. So much great imagery.

    I loved this series reading them through high school, but I've always been a bit scared to go back and re-read them in case they don't hold up.

    I really should track some of them down.

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  • RoyceSraphimRoyceSraphim Registered User regular
    Burning through memory and ran headlong into a scene that reminded me of losing my father. Damn well written.

  • webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    McFodder wrote: »
    webguy20 wrote: »
    I'm re-reading the Dragonriders of Pern series. I just love these books. Of all the series I've read I would love to put myself into this one. So much great imagery.

    I loved this series reading them through high school, but I've always been a bit scared to go back and re-read them in case they don't hold up.

    I really should track some of them down.

    There are a few odd male/female dynamics in the early books, but they do take place in a "golden age feudal" type society. It's interesting reading "The MasterHarper of Pern" which is written much later than the original series, but is a prequel to them. Anne McAffrey did a pretty good job of making it work.

    Steam ID: Webguy20
    Origin ID: Discgolfer27
    Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
  • Butler For Life #1Butler For Life #1 Twinning is WinningRegistered User regular
    Just finished the Eschaton segment of Infinite Jest

    That was absolutely magnificent

    Just so wonderfully absurd and played so straight

  • knitdanknitdan In ur base Killin ur guysRegistered User regular
    Now go YouTube the Decemberists "Calamity Song"

    “I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
    -Indiana Solo, runner of blades
  • Butler For Life #1Butler For Life #1 Twinning is WinningRegistered User regular
    Just watched it and it was terrific

    There's probably not much of the book that could be adapted to film but that worked wonderfully

    Music was good too!

  • Brovid HasselsmofBrovid Hasselsmof [Growling historic on the fury road] Registered User regular
    Started reading Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks which has been on my kindle forever. So far it's okay but I'm waiting for it to really click. Going to give it time though because I really, really loved Engleby.

  • SporkAndrewSporkAndrew Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Started reading Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks which has been on my kindle forever. So far it's okay but I'm waiting for it to really click. Going to give it time though because I really, really loved Engleby.

    We did birdsong at either GCSE or a-level. Nothing ruins a good book than dissecting it for months.

    The underground segments were really effective, I remember. Everything felt so claustrophobic from the prose.

    The one about the fucking space hairdresser and the cowboy. He's got a tinfoil pal and a pedal bin
  • StraightziStraightzi Here we may reign secure, and in my choice, To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered User regular
    I finished His Bloody Project the other day, which was a pretty interesting read. It's a historical fiction novel that is told mostly through (fabricated) primary source materials. Essentially, a young man in 19th century Scotland is accused of triple homicide, and it gives you witness accounts, his written account, medical reports, the work of a contemporary criminologist, and records from the trial, all of which provide different pieces of information to allow you to fully form your opinion.

    It was quite good, overall. It didn't fall into the trap of having a single piece of damning evidence to tell you what the "one true story" was, and actually felt a lot like the sort of things I've done research on in a very similar line (I once wrote a thesis paper on the Appin Murder, so there are parts of this that felt eerily familiar). I think it might not have gone quite far enough in historicizing and obfuscating its documents - the trial was mostly contemporary narrative with quotes from the trial and newspapers at the time, for instance, and I'd rather have had a trial transcript and a couple of newspaper articles reporting on the trial in wildly different fashions - but this also probably made it a lot more readable than it would have been if it had been full of period spelling and stuff like that.

    So essentially, don't let the premise throw you, if you're not used to reading non-fiction - it's very well crafted as a novel still, despite the conceit.

  • Grey GhostGrey Ghost Registered User regular
    Last night I bought Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology and the color edition of Scott Pilgrim vol. 1
    Despite the fact that I still own lots of books I haven't read yet!

    Hooray books!

  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    Grey Ghost wrote: »
    Last night I bought Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology and the color edition of Scott Pilgrim vol. 1
    Despite the fact that I still own lots of books I haven't read yet!

    Hooray books!

    My copy of Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology arrived yesterday and I'm already a third of the way through it (and that is with me actively taking breaks/switching activities).

    It is so good...

    And having Loki make huge mistakes while drunk and then have to lie his way out of all consequences speaks to me like no other fictional character to date.

    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • Librarian's ghostLibrarian's ghost Librarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSpork Registered User regular
    I read that book before it was released. I am so cool.

    (Switch Friend Code) SW-4910-9735-6014(PSN) timspork (Steam) timspork (XBox) Timspork


  • StraightziStraightzi Here we may reign secure, and in my choice, To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered User regular
    I really like Neil Gaiman, but I'm apprehensive of his Norse mythology book. I mean, I'm apprehensive of all books of mythology that aren't primary sources in translation (and even then, unless you're Robert Fagles, I might not trust you as a translator).

    How is he handling the structure of the book? What are his citations like?

  • ChiselphaneChiselphane Registered User regular
    Finished The Heart of What Was Lost by Tad Williams, a followup to Memory,Sorrow, and Thorn, a trilogy I adore. It's shortish and I think that hurts it a little bit, Williams works best in longer form in my opinion, but it gives insight into the culture of the Norns instead of the blank slate enemies they were in the trilogy. Some frustrating behavior in some characters that deviates from their earlier portrayals as well. It's still worth a read if you're a fan of the original trilogy, and writing it spurred him to start a new trilogy.

  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    edited February 2017
    Straightzi wrote: »
    I really like Neil Gaiman, but I'm apprehensive of his Norse mythology book. I mean, I'm apprehensive of all books of mythology that aren't primary sources in translation (and even then, unless you're Robert Fagles, I might not trust you as a translator).

    How is he handling the structure of the book? What are his citations like?

    He doesn't use citations. He still did research and such, but this book is presented as a storybook as opposed to a literary presentation of the mythology. This is Neil Gaiman telling you stories from Norse Mythology.

    Regarding structure every chapter is a single story.

    Zonugal on
    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • StraightziStraightzi Here we may reign secure, and in my choice, To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered User regular
    edited February 2017
    Zonugal wrote: »
    Straightzi wrote: »
    I really like Neil Gaiman, but I'm apprehensive of his Norse mythology book. I mean, I'm apprehensive of all books of mythology that aren't primary sources in translation (and even then, unless you're Robert Fagles, I might not trust you as a translator).

    How is he handling the structure of the book? What are his citations like?

    He doesn't use citations.

    This is Neil Gaiman telling you stories from Norse Mythology. Every chapter is a single story.

    Not even like, end notes on sourcing or anything? Even Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark cites its dang sources.

    Straightzi on
  • Librarian's ghostLibrarian's ghost Librarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSpork Registered User regular
    Straightzi wrote: »
    Zonugal wrote: »
    Straightzi wrote: »
    I really like Neil Gaiman, but I'm apprehensive of his Norse mythology book. I mean, I'm apprehensive of all books of mythology that aren't primary sources in translation (and even then, unless you're Robert Fagles, I might not trust you as a translator).

    How is he handling the structure of the book? What are his citations like?

    He doesn't use citations.

    This is Neil Gaiman telling you stories from Norse Mythology. Every chapter is a single story.

    Not even like, end notes on sourcing or anything? Even Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark cites its dang sources.

    He cites where he predominantly got his info from in the author's notes and Introduction.

    (Switch Friend Code) SW-4910-9735-6014(PSN) timspork (Steam) timspork (XBox) Timspork


  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    Straightzi wrote: »
    Zonugal wrote: »
    Straightzi wrote: »
    I really like Neil Gaiman, but I'm apprehensive of his Norse mythology book. I mean, I'm apprehensive of all books of mythology that aren't primary sources in translation (and even then, unless you're Robert Fagles, I might not trust you as a translator).

    How is he handling the structure of the book? What are his citations like?

    He doesn't use citations.

    This is Neil Gaiman telling you stories from Norse Mythology. Every chapter is a single story.

    Not even like, end notes on sourcing or anything? Even Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark cites its dang sources.

    Nope.

    He talks in the prologue about how he drew from both the Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda as well as verses from the Poetic Edda as his two primary sources.

    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • StraightziStraightzi Here we may reign secure, and in my choice, To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered User regular
    Straightzi wrote: »
    Zonugal wrote: »
    Straightzi wrote: »
    I really like Neil Gaiman, but I'm apprehensive of his Norse mythology book. I mean, I'm apprehensive of all books of mythology that aren't primary sources in translation (and even then, unless you're Robert Fagles, I might not trust you as a translator).

    How is he handling the structure of the book? What are his citations like?

    He doesn't use citations.

    This is Neil Gaiman telling you stories from Norse Mythology. Every chapter is a single story.

    Not even like, end notes on sourcing or anything? Even Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark cites its dang sources.

    He cites where he predominantly got his info from in the author's notes and Introduction.

    Alright, that's something.

    Like, I don't need a line by line of the Eddas or nothin' (well, I probably will get around to reading one of those at some point, but that's a different matter), I just have certain standards I like to see upheld with regards to mythology. My current favorite easy reading version of Norse mythology is Kevin Crossley-Holland's, and I believe he handled it with just author's notes and the occasional (unmarked) end note on points of dispute. And that does the job pretty well, if you're just looking for familiarity.

    I've already seen a bunch of people categorizing this book in their Fantasy section as opposed to their Mythology section, it's just got me real on edge.

  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    Straightzi wrote: »
    Straightzi wrote: »
    Zonugal wrote: »
    Straightzi wrote: »
    I really like Neil Gaiman, but I'm apprehensive of his Norse mythology book. I mean, I'm apprehensive of all books of mythology that aren't primary sources in translation (and even then, unless you're Robert Fagles, I might not trust you as a translator).

    How is he handling the structure of the book? What are his citations like?

    He doesn't use citations.

    This is Neil Gaiman telling you stories from Norse Mythology. Every chapter is a single story.

    Not even like, end notes on sourcing or anything? Even Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark cites its dang sources.

    He cites where he predominantly got his info from in the author's notes and Introduction.

    Alright, that's something.

    Like, I don't need a line by line of the Eddas or nothin' (well, I probably will get around to reading one of those at some point, but that's a different matter), I just have certain standards I like to see upheld with regards to mythology. My current favorite easy reading version of Norse mythology is Kevin Crossley-Holland's, and I believe he handled it with just author's notes and the occasional (unmarked) end note on points of dispute. And that does the job pretty well, if you're just looking for familiarity.

    I've already seen a bunch of people categorizing this book in their Fantasy section as opposed to their Mythology section, it's just got me real on edge.

    Gaiman specially notes that he stayed away from rereading Kevin Crossley-Hollan's work (which he is a fan of) because he wanted this to be his pure reinterpretation of the Norse myths.

    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    Man. If I'd known that Gaiman was coming out with something like this, I wouldn't have bothered to slog through The Gospel of Loki last year. I don't know how you manage to retell Norse mythology from start to finish in a 300 page book and still manage to be plodding and tedious, but apparently it's possible.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
  • Grey GhostGrey Ghost Registered User regular
    The Granny Weatherwax in Wyrd Sisters seems very different from the one in Equal Rites

  • noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
    Finished Joe Hill's The Fireman. It was okay. Joe Hill for me is a bit hit of miss (Loved Heart Shaped Box, thought Horns was okay, didn't finishNos4a2). This one has a pretty good apocalyptic premise-a new disease causes people to spontaneously combust- but I never felt it went anywhere, and the main character does a bunch of dumb, selfish decisions that kinda infuriated me.

    I'm currently listening to Ben H Winter's Underground Airlines I LOVED his Last Policeman series, and this one is even better. And the audible version is super great, with the narrator having not only the pitch perfect voice, but also having the ability to make all the other characters sound different.

  • HermanoHermano Registered User regular
    Grey Ghost wrote: »
    The Granny Weatherwax in Wyrd Sisters seems very different from the one in Equal Rites

    Yeah Equal Rites was a really early Discworld novel, it's closer to Colour of Magic than the later books


    PSN- AHermano
  • MorivethMoriveth BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWNRegistered User regular
    noir_blood wrote: »
    Finished Joe Hill's The Fireman. It was okay. Joe Hill for me is a bit hit of miss (Loved Heart Shaped Box, thought Horns was okay, didn't finishNos4a2). This one has a pretty good apocalyptic premise-a new disease causes people to spontaneously combust- but I never felt it went anywhere, and the main character does a bunch of dumb, selfish decisions that kinda infuriated me.

    I liked The Fireman at first but in retrospect it's probably my least favorite of his. My favorite is probably NOS4A2, though.

  • JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    Hermano wrote: »
    Grey Ghost wrote: »
    The Granny Weatherwax in Wyrd Sisters seems very different from the one in Equal Rites

    Yeah Equal Rites was a really early Discworld novel, it's closer to Colour of Magic than the later books

    Agreed. Equal Rites is very experimental, back when he was evolving from fairly shallow fantasy pastiche to a fully-realized world of his own. By the time Wyrd Sisters came around, his characters were much more solid. From there on out, they still change in the sense that they have arcs, but they won't undergo huge inexplicable shifts in tone in between books. The Granny Weatherwax of his latter books is recognizable as an older version of the character in Wyrd Sisters, but has only a few characteristics in common with the version in Equal Rites.

    You'll see similar jumps in sophistication between Mort and Soul Music, and to a lesser extent between Guards! Guards! and Men at Arms.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
  • V1mV1m Registered User regular
    Hermano wrote: »
    Grey Ghost wrote: »
    The Granny Weatherwax in Wyrd Sisters seems very different from the one in Equal Rites

    Yeah Equal Rites was a really early Discworld novel, it's closer to Colour of Magic than the later books

    It's maybe not his best stuff, but it still has a lot of charm.

  • HermanoHermano Registered User regular
    V1m wrote: »
    Hermano wrote: »
    Grey Ghost wrote: »
    The Granny Weatherwax in Wyrd Sisters seems very different from the one in Equal Rites

    Yeah Equal Rites was a really early Discworld novel, it's closer to Colour of Magic than the later books

    It's maybe not his best stuff, but it still has a lot of charm.

    Oh yeah I really like the early books, they're just quite different from the rest of the series


    PSN- AHermano
  • RoyceSraphimRoyceSraphim Registered User regular
    I finished memory and find this story to be......the death of the main character's childhood. Accepting who they are and grieving for the adventures that they had lived.

    It's about growing up.

  • Bluedude152Bluedude152 Registered User regular
    The Fireman is great until ot turns into a book about creepy summer camp

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  • noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
    The Fireman is great until ot turns into a book about creepy summer camp

    Part of why I ended up feeling a bit negative on it is because I kept waiting and waiting for the summer camp thing to be over with. The whole thing with
    Carol becoming a tyrant
    Just felt like a retread of stuff his dad has done. And the whole ending left me with a bit of 'that' s it?'

  • MorivethMoriveth BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWNRegistered User regular
    noir_blood wrote: »
    The Fireman is great until ot turns into a book about creepy summer camp

    Part of why I ended up feeling a bit negative on it is because I kept waiting and waiting for the summer camp thing to be over with. The whole thing with
    Carol becoming a tyrant
    Just felt like a retread of stuff his dad has done. And the whole ending left me with a bit of 'that' s it?'
    I kinda figured that the fireman would die and of course she'd fall in love with him.

  • KhraulKhraul Registered User regular
    So I've just started playing Sunless Sea, from the peeps who made Fallen London, and it has me in the mind to read something in that vein... something like China Miéville's Perdido Street Station.

    Something kinda weird fiction, kinda creepy... Any suggestions?

    Bnet - Khraul#1822
    Gamertag - Khraul
    PSN - Razide6
  • The JudgeThe Judge The Terwilliger CurvesRegistered User regular
    Finch by Jeff VanderMeer might appeal.

    Last pint: Turmoil CDA / Barley Brown's - Untappd: TheJudge_PDX
  • Indie WinterIndie Winter die Krähe Rudi Hurzlmeier (German, b. 1952)Registered User regular
  • JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    I'm...not sure about that. Neverwhere had a pretty solid ending.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
  • EtchwartsEtchwarts Eyes Up Registered User regular
    I'm not sure I want a sequel

    Another book in that world could be neat, though

  • JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    Khraul wrote: »
    So I've just started playing Sunless Sea, from the peeps who made Fallen London, and it has me in the mind to read something in that vein... something like China Miéville's Perdido Street Station.

    Something kinda weird fiction, kinda creepy... Any suggestions?

    If you're looking for something that evokes both Sunless Sea and Perdido Street Station, I can highly recommend The Etched City by K.J. Bishop.

    Also, if you haven't worked your way through Mieville's back catalog, The Scar, Iron Council, and Kraken are all pleasantly weird. I didn't really like Railsea, though.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
  • KhraulKhraul Registered User regular
    Jedoc wrote: »
    Khraul wrote: »
    So I've just started playing Sunless Sea, from the peeps who made Fallen London, and it has me in the mind to read something in that vein... something like China Miéville's Perdido Street Station.

    Something kinda weird fiction, kinda creepy... Any suggestions?

    If you're looking for something that evokes both Sunless Sea and Perdido Street Station, I can highly recommend The Etched City by K.J. Bishop.

    Also, if you haven't worked your way through Mieville's back catalog, The Scar, Iron Council, and Kraken are all pleasantly weird. I didn't really like Railsea, though.

    I've read Scar, Iron Council and Kraken and loved them all... haven't read Railsea. The City & the City was good, if not exactly up my alley genre/theme wise.

    I'll take a peek at The Etched City and The Judges recommendation of The Finch.

    Bnet - Khraul#1822
    Gamertag - Khraul
    PSN - Razide6
  • MorivethMoriveth BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWNRegistered User regular
    The City & The City is probably my favorite Mieville, because
    Overall the actual thing of the cities is much more mundane which makes the whole concept of unseeing things that much more bizarre

    I can totally see it as not being someone's thing, though.

This discussion has been closed.