webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
Just started in on the Vorkosigan Saga, reading the first book "Shards of Honor". You can tell this was written in the 80s, but it's pretty fun so far!
It's a lot of reading and quite dense. And the dialogue is rather Jane-Austeny so you have to be in the mood for that. If you like the kind of footnotes that Jack Vance liked to adorn his books with, then there's a treat in store for you.
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3cl1ps3I will build a labyrinth to house the cheeseRegistered Userregular
Of the books I didn't expect to get a sequel, Borne would have been near the top of the list. I'll happily read a sequel, though. Jeff VanderMeer's bizarre, vaguely upsetting shit can colonize my brain any time.
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Tynnanseldom correct, never unsureRegistered Userregular
I enjoyed Borne so much more than Southern Reach. It’s in that same category of unnerving, but I felt like Borne worked harder to earn its weirdness.
Im preparing for a next Stormlight book that is supposed to come out this November, currently I am halfway through Way of Kings.
I still love this book with my whole heart. The only problem is that this book is making my arrogance grow even larger than it already is, because I cannot understand why not everyone loves it as much as I do, making me want to just scream at others "it's great because it's great! what is hard to understand there!".
It's a lot of reading and quite dense. And the dialogue is rather Jane-Austeny so you have to be in the mood for that. If you like the kind of footnotes that Jack Vance liked to adorn his books with, then there's a treat in store for you.
I would read almost all of the fake books mentioned or quoted in the footnotes
Im preparing for a next Stormlight book that is supposed to come out this November, currently I am halfway through Way of Kings.
I still love this book with my whole heart. The only problem is that this book is making my arrogance grow even larger than it already is, because I cannot understand why not everyone loves it as much as I do, making me want to just scream at others "it's great because it's great! what is hard to understand there!".
I was watching a Sanderson Q&A and he mentioned that Way of Kings is tough to recommend to be the first book of his to read, despite being the first book of his core project, because you sort of have to already be all-in with Sanderson's writing style. It starts, in his words, with essentially three prologues and that can be a tough sell.
Im preparing for a next Stormlight book that is supposed to come out this November, currently I am halfway through Way of Kings.
I still love this book with my whole heart. The only problem is that this book is making my arrogance grow even larger than it already is, because I cannot understand why not everyone loves it as much as I do, making me want to just scream at others "it's great because it's great! what is hard to understand there!".
I was watching a Sanderson Q&A and he mentioned that Way of Kings is tough to recommend to be the first book of his to read, despite being the first book of his core project, because you sort of have to already be all-in with Sanderson's writing style. It starts, in his words, with essentially three prologues and that can be a tough sell.
I started with Way of Kings, and yea, but I was fully prepared from friend recommendations that the first 2/3 of the book is setup. It helps that the characters are great and I get can behind all of them. Finally, having the next two books in the series out makes it much easier to recommend now. It would have been real hard to start clean with just Way of Kings published. I'm already champing at the bit for the 4th book later this year!
I mean, I know what people find difficult to like here.
Irrational part of my mind just treats it as difficult, not impossible, as if other people just do not want to put an effort into properly liking it as I do.
Asthariel on
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3cl1ps3I will build a labyrinth to house the cheeseRegistered Userregular
I enjoyed Borne so much more than Southern Reach. It’s in that same category of unnerving, but I felt like Borne worked harder to earn its weirdness.
I liked them both a lot but Southern Reach was extremely bleak in a way that made it exhausting to read sometimes.
edit: Borne also goes out of its way to humanize all its characters, whereas Southern Reach goes out of its way to dehumanize all its characters, which adds to that.
I find borne bleaker, tbh, but agree about the humanization. Southern reach just scratches a particular nihilistic itch in a way that brings me a certain bitter optimism.
I'm not much of a fan of Neverwhere, but the last half is better than the first half.
What is your favorite Neil Gaiman joint?
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, followed by Anansi Boys.
I guess I wanted to spark a debate here, but yeah. Those are pretty much the ones, now that you come out and say them.
Welp a couple other books to add to the list for lockdown reading. Between those, Jonothan Strange and Mr. Norell, the Vorkoisigan Saga...There is a Lot to Read!
3cl1ps3I will build a labyrinth to house the cheeseRegistered Userregular
I like American Gods more than Anansi Boys, personally, but see previous disclaimer about formative teen years etc.
Although that said
there's literally not a single main character in Anansi Boys who I actually like (the old ladies who helped raise him are rad but they're minor characters), which is a 100% personal problem but does make it hard to rate it above Neil Gaiman's other books
I finally finished A Brief History of Seven Killings. Lots of hard stuff to read. There is a first person perspective part of someone who is addicted to drugs, high on cocaine, and being buried alive. The first half is about Jamaica and gangs and The Singer (Bob Marley) and the time a bunch of people tried to kill him.
Then the second half is mostly in NYC and is also about (Jamaican) gangs and dealing drugs and all that. Bleak stuff.
When the fuck does Brandon Sanderson sleep? Does he sleep?
He channels the potential productivity of all other writers. Every time someone like George RR Martin decides to not work on his books, that potential energy is then drawn into Sanderson's elaborate system and harnessed for his own use to ensure it doesn't go to waste. The more writers that decide to not work on their books, the more productivity he's able to draw upon.
This might be the quarantine talking but I will fight anyone who badmouths old pulp fantasy and sci fi book covers TO THE DEATH
THE VERY END OF LIFE
You have my big curvy knife, sir.
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UnbrokenEvaHIGH ON THE WIREBUT I WON'T TRIP ITRegistered Userregular
oh speaking of writers and productivity, after averaging a book a year for the first 15 books of the series (plus 6 Codex Alera books in that time), it has been 5 years since Jim Butcher put out a Dresden Files book, or any novel for that matter.
A couple months ago that drought finally looked to come to an end, with the 16th Dresden Files book, Peace Talks announced to be released on July 14th.
Today he released a trailer for the book (which I'm not watching because a) potential spoilers, b) it's probably awkward as heck, and c) I don't want anything to conflict with my mental images of the characters), and at the end of the trailer, a second release date was announced - Battle Ground is coming out on September 29th.
so uh, yeah. Looks like the Dresden Files drought is over for a bit.
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Next I'll jump to Myke Coles new book 16th Watch, which I'm very hyped about.
Steam - Talon Valdez :Blizz - Talonious#1860 : Xbox Live & LoL - Talonious Monk @TaloniousMonk Hail Satan
I picked up Dead Astronauts a couple of weeks back and am intending to finally hunker down and read it.
Borne is one of my favorites...but The Strange Bird almost broke me.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
I don't have anything new to say about it but gosh what a delightful book to revisit a decade later
....I can't fucking believe she finally has a new novel coming out later this year and it's not a sequel to this
I've been meaning to for awhile
Same here, I got about 20% through it at one point and set it down for whatever reason. I need to pick it back up (and probably start over).
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
It's a lot of reading and quite dense. And the dialogue is rather Jane-Austeny so you have to be in the mood for that. If you like the kind of footnotes that Jack Vance liked to adorn his books with, then there's a treat in store for you.
I still love this book with my whole heart. The only problem is that this book is making my arrogance grow even larger than it already is, because I cannot understand why not everyone loves it as much as I do, making me want to just scream at others "it's great because it's great! what is hard to understand there!".
I would read almost all of the fake books mentioned or quoted in the footnotes
I was watching a Sanderson Q&A and he mentioned that Way of Kings is tough to recommend to be the first book of his to read, despite being the first book of his core project, because you sort of have to already be all-in with Sanderson's writing style. It starts, in his words, with essentially three prologues and that can be a tough sell.
I started with Way of Kings, and yea, but I was fully prepared from friend recommendations that the first 2/3 of the book is setup. It helps that the characters are great and I get can behind all of them. Finally, having the next two books in the series out makes it much easier to recommend now. It would have been real hard to start clean with just Way of Kings published. I'm already champing at the bit for the 4th book later this year!
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Irrational part of my mind just treats it as difficult, not impossible, as if other people just do not want to put an effort into properly liking it as I do.
I liked them both a lot but Southern Reach was extremely bleak in a way that made it exhausting to read sometimes.
edit: Borne also goes out of its way to humanize all its characters, whereas Southern Reach goes out of its way to dehumanize all its characters, which adds to that.
I find a lot of Neil Gaiman starts off kind of boring, and then by the end all of a sudden they're my favorite book
PSN/Steam/NNID: SyphonBlue | BNet: SyphonBlue#1126
What is your favorite Neil Gaiman joint?
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, followed by Anansi Boys.
I guess I wanted to spark a debate here, but yeah. Those are pretty much the ones, now that you come out and say them.
Welp a couple other books to add to the list for lockdown reading. Between those, Jonothan Strange and Mr. Norell, the Vorkoisigan Saga...There is a Lot to Read!
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
(Or maybe it doesn’t matter at all outside of a few Easter eggs, I can’t really recall)
It's tough, because I think Anansi Boys is a better book if you've read American Gods, but American Gods is undeniably an inferior book.
But it's not bad! So maybe read American Gods first.
If only for the Laura drowning scene, which is one of the funniest scenes I've ever watched. (This is less psychotic in context.)
Also this is my Sunday evening.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
80s and early 90s sci-fi covers were truly a wonder to behold.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Although that said
Then the second half is mostly in NYC and is also about (Jamaican) gangs and dealing drugs and all that. Bleak stuff.
He channels the potential productivity of all other writers. Every time someone like George RR Martin decides to not work on his books, that potential energy is then drawn into Sanderson's elaborate system and harnessed for his own use to ensure it doesn't go to waste. The more writers that decide to not work on their books, the more productivity he's able to draw upon.
THE VERY END OF LIFE
You have my big curvy knife, sir.
A couple months ago that drought finally looked to come to an end, with the 16th Dresden Files book, Peace Talks announced to be released on July 14th.
Today he released a trailer for the book (which I'm not watching because a) potential spoilers, b) it's probably awkward as heck, and c) I don't want anything to conflict with my mental images of the characters), and at the end of the trailer, a second release date was announced - Battle Ground is coming out on September 29th.
so uh, yeah. Looks like the Dresden Files drought is over for a bit.