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Hieronymous Alloy posted:Shogun was my first thought also but it's probably not the sort of uplifting narrative he's looking for. Unless Shogun is downright depressing and about hopelessness I can read it. I've read a lot of fantasy in my life. Some real life fiction interests me now.
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Nov 8, 2013 14:06
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bowmore posted:Have you read the Night Angel trilogy that Brent Weeks wrote before Black Prism? I haven't, is it good?
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Nov 8, 2013 15:56
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I hope someone can help me! I'm looking for books suggestions for Christmas gifts for my uncles. They typically read Flanker Press (a Newfoundland publisher) books that are "true story" type books, about being trapped in the north, stranded in the woods, whatever (I don't read these). An example of the writing is found here: http://www.flankerpress.com/searchdanny_excerpt.shtml They have enjoyed non-Newfoundland based books, like Angela's Ashes, as well. They would probably like Farley Mowat-type things. Farley Mowat books themselves are out. His portrayal of Newfoundlanders in "A Whale for the Killing" has made him author-non-grata. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! edit: the newer the book, the better, as it reduces the chance they've already read it. Unless another province, say BC, has a whole trove of equally terrible lost-in-the-BC-wilderness books. Hurrah. Spadoink fucked around with this message at 16:30 on Nov 8, 2013 |
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Nov 8, 2013 16:26
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Spadoink posted:I hope someone can help me! I'm looking for books suggestions for Christmas gifts for my uncles. Gonna assume they know Jack London Pretty well, and maybe James Houston's White Dawn, but if not.. . Not Canadian, but The Tiger by John Vaillant is one of my favorite non-fiction books and something that often gets recommended here. It has many references to Dersu the Trapper, which I have not read, but looks like it could work, too. A step further from your specific request, but Ian Frazier's Travels in Siberia is pretty cool (and I just came across Tent Life in Siberia, which is probably more on-the-money). Not survival-related, but most anything Simon Winchester could also do the trick.
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Nov 8, 2013 18:10
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Spadoink posted:trapped in the north, stranded in the woods, whatever (I don't read these). Sten Nadolny's Discovery of Slowness - a retelling of the life of John Franklin, who repeatedly led disastrous expeditions mapping out the north of Canada.
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Nov 8, 2013 18:47
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After gobbling up a bunch of books on ancient Chinese and Norse mythology, I'm in the mood for some good books about Japanese mythology. By which I mean either books ABOUT the mythology for more of an educational read, or books like translated and updated novels from the period or modern-written stories in that period in the vein of Bridge of Birds. Either is great. I'm open to other cultures too if you think the book is really good since I love ancient cultural myths and folklore of any kind.
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Nov 8, 2013 19:46
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funkybottoms and inktvis posted:Good stuff Thanks! That was really fast too 
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Nov 8, 2013 19:51
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RisqueBarber posted:I haven't, is it good?
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Nov 8, 2013 21:34
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Rurik posted:Unless Shogun is downright depressing and about hopelessness I can read it. In that case go for Shogun. It's pretty awesome. If you don't mind reading actual real life, I'd highly recommend the Edmund Morris biography of Theodore Roosevelt, especially the first volume, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. (The last volume is a little sad because, y'know, he dies at the end). It's all about the crazy obstacles Theodore overcame and the amazing stuff he accomplished en route to the presidency.
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Nov 9, 2013 01:07
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bowmore posted:Have you read the Night Angel trilogy that Brent Weeks wrote before Black Prism? I found it to be annoying. Endless unrequited love. I read it 2 years ago and I've already forgotten everything about it except that I remember thinking "can't you just have some sex already and get on with the story". I never bought another Brent Weeks book after that. ---- Oh, I'm I'm having a similar issue with Lynch's Republic Of Thieves. He's a good writer but I DESPISE unrequited passions. Enough already. Maybe a plot instead. (I think the original Lies Of Locke Lamorra is one of the 20 greatest books of my life and I read a lot) specklebang fucked around with this message at 01:41 on Nov 9, 2013 |
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Nov 9, 2013 01:38
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Rurik posted:I'm interested about something in which the character develops as a person. I feel I'm in period of personal growth in my life myself and this kind of reading interests me. Overcoming one's flaws, becoming better, that kind of stuff. Something inspirational and not depressive. Definitely pick up number9dream by David Mitchell. wiki posted:number9dream is the second novel by English author David Mitchell. Set in Japan, it narrates the search of 19-year-old Eiji Miyake for his father, whom he has never met. Told in the first person by Eiji, it is a coming of age/perception story that breaks convention by juxtaposing Eiji Miyake’s actual journey toward identity and understanding with his imaginative journey. And a longer description from goodreads for good measure.
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Nov 9, 2013 04:35
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I just finished re-reading Dune and finished Dune Messiah for the first time. I've also just started Children of Dune and have the rest of Herbert's sequels. Beyond this and the Martian Chronicles, I've never been a huge sci-fi fan. I'm looking for some recommendations along the lines of Dune (I especially enjoy the religious aspects of the series). I'm sure someone posted something like this before but I haven't seen it yet. EDIT: I should've posted, and thank you all the same, that I've been recommended Hyperion and have already picked up the first. So far, I like C.O.D. more than Dune Messiah. Should I really brace myself to be really let down in the later Herbert sequels. I'm also aware that the Anderson/Herbert sequels/prequels are not supposed to be all that great either. SylvainMustach fucked around with this message at 02:55 on Nov 10, 2013 |
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Nov 10, 2013 02:31
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SylvainMustach posted:I just finished re-reading Dune and finished Dune Messiah for the first time. I've also just started Children of Dune and have the rest of Herbert's sequels. Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos is a four book space opera with tons of cool religions, prophecies, secretive monastic orders and messiahs. The quality does plummet towards the end, so it's similar to Dune in that aspect as well.
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Nov 10, 2013 02:41
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Rurik posted:Unless Shogun is downright depressing and about hopelessness I can read it. Shogun is an absolutely fantastic book. Well worth the time investment to read.
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Nov 10, 2013 15:31
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Any recommendations for books exploring the Rodney King trials and the subsequent L.A. Riots? I know very little of the subject and would love to know more about what lead up to everything.
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Nov 11, 2013 05:57
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I've been working my way through classic sci-fi this year, but for some reason, lately I've been in the mood for romantic fantasy. I blew through the Sevenwaters series from Juliet Marillier and Kushiel's series from Jacqueline Carey. Does anyone have any recommendations on that score?
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Nov 11, 2013 21:39
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Jelmylicious posted:I've been working my way through classic sci-fi this year, but for some reason, lately I've been in the mood for romantic fantasy. I blew through the Sevenwaters series from Juliet Marillier Holy sixth grade, Batman. I loving loved those books when I was a kid! How do they hold up? I remember I could not put them down. quote:Kushiel's series from Jacqueline Carey. I'm so sorry. For recommendation, may I suggest the Samaria series by Sharon Shinn? http://www.sharonshinn.net/HTML/samaria.html Starts off with Archangel. A good balance between fantasy/fantasy sci fi world building, plot and romance so there's always something going on, light but engaging reading without being trite and (like sevenwaters) the plot doesn't revolve exclusively around the romance so it doesn't get boring. Haven't read it in ages but I remember reading it after the Sevenwaters series and really enjoying it. LEFTENANT RIGHTIE fucked around with this message at 01:23 on Nov 12, 2013 |
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Nov 12, 2013 01:20
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The first two Sevenwaters books are a pretty decent read. They were a gift from a friend, who swooned over them in middle school, apparently. It helps that each plot is based on a fairy tale and a whole lot of Irish lore I really know nothing about. She's not much of an action writer, which means a lot the issues that come up in the books are solved a bit too conveniently for my tastes. In the end, they're still light and fun. Marillier wrote a second trilogy, in case you didn't know, and it's alright. The books get a bit formulaic and predictable, but if you're in the mood for more Sevenwaters, they're quick and engaging reads. I'm not sure I would have read the Kushiel series if I knew about all the BDSM going into it, but if you can ignore it, the story itself was much more rewarding than Sevenwaters. It was suspenseful and surprising, and the reinterpretations of medieval European society are just good fun. What can I say.. I have no taste. Thanks for the recommendation! I'll try and dig up Archangel somewhere, it sounds like a fun new series to sink my teeth into.
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Nov 12, 2013 15:26
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Rurik posted:Unless Shogun is downright depressing and about hopelessness I can read it. There's also David Mitchell's The Thousands Autumns Of Jacob De Zoet for novels featuring a character's personal growth in Japan (with a bit of
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Nov 12, 2013 16:25
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Just finished this one up. I guess it's the author's first book, but it's pretty damned entertaining. Space-cabbage smuggler turns to human trafficking, things get ridiculous. Reminded me a lot of Douglas Adams' work.
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Nov 13, 2013 06:20
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I recently read Tough Sh*t by Kevin Smith and Not Taco Bell Material by Adam Carolla. Both were casually written books about their upbringing and roads to success. I found them both pretty motivational and would like to know if anyone has any similar recommendations. It does not have to be a 'funny guy' personality like Smith or Carolla, just a similar type of story.
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Nov 14, 2013 17:12
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Finished "Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets" and "Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member". I found both to be incredibly immersive. I read them straight through. Any other recommendations that are just completely engrossing? 80s and beyond in particular. Philthy fucked around with this message at 05:52 on Nov 15, 2013 |
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Nov 15, 2013 05:45
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Philthy posted:Finished "Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets" and "Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member". I found both to be incredibly immersive. I read them straight through. Venkatesh has another book called Floating City. Also Cop in the Hood: My Year Policing Baltimore's Eastern District by Peter Moskos and Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing by Ted Conover
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Nov 15, 2013 06:12
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Philthy posted:Finished "Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets" and "Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member". I found both to be incredibly immersive. I read them straight through. You may also enjoy The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer by Philip Carlo. It's a true story. The author interviewed Richard Kuklinski when he was in prison shortly before he died and dramatized his life story in this book.
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Nov 15, 2013 15:33
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Hi goons, I'm looking for some fiction/fantasy book recommendations. I like trilogies because it seems less daunting, but I'm not opposed to a longer series if it's worth reading. Stand alone books are cool, too. Stuff I liked: The Black Company trilogy (books of the north) The First Law trilogy and other Joe Abercrombie books Mistborn Trilogy & Alloy of Law LOTR books Ender's Game Harry Potter Patrick Rothfuss' books Stuff I didn't like: Song of Ice and Fire. Too many loving characters and I got sick of reading 1000 page books where not a lot happened (book 2, I stopped after it) Dresden files. I read one of them, thought it was ok but haven't had much desire to read more of them. Dune Half Made World (first book was good, couldn't get through the 2nd) I thought about looking into Wheel of Time or Malazan Book of the Fallen but they're on quite a bit larger scale than I've read before. Suburban Dad fucked around with this message at 18:47 on Nov 15, 2013 |
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Nov 15, 2013 18:28
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Larrymer posted:Hi goons, I'm looking for some fiction/fantasy book recommendations. I like trilogies because it seems less daunting, but I'm not opposed to a longer series if it's worth reading. Stand alone books are cool, too. I don't think you'll like either Wheel of Time or Malazan, based on your lists and stated preferences. I'd recommend Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. First trilogy only -- it wraps up nicely and is completely self-contained. The later books are dull and not very good. e: Just saw sci-fi is ok too. I recommend the Foundation series. Limited cast of characters, some really interesting ideas and twists, just a compelling story. There are two ways of reading it, in my opinion -- either you can stick to just the Foundation series in which case the reading order would be: Foundation Foundation and Empire Second Foundation Foundation's Edge Foundation and Earth Asimov Foundation preludes (optional and only read if you're desperate for more) non-Asimov Foundation preludes (ditto) The more ambitious way is to interleave relevant Robot novels in there. At first you won't see why, but they reflect on some of the things that happen in the Foundation series in an interesting way. This reading order would be: Foundation Foundation and Empire Second Foundation The Naked Sun The Caves of Steel Robots and Empire The Stars Like Dust Foundation's Edge The Currents of Space Foundation and Earth (As above re: Foundation preludes) No matter what, don't read the preludes until after the main series, if at all, or some twists will be spoiled. regulargonzalez fucked around with this message at 23:17 on Nov 15, 2013 |
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Nov 15, 2013 23:11
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I'm looking for a good fantasy book/series where traditionally 'evil' types of magic are used by the/a protagonist, specifically stuff like necromancy/summoning demons/infernal pacts, poo poo like that. An antihero or villain protagonist is a plus, but not necessary. I'm tired, so even though I've read quite a few of these types of books, the only example I can currently think of is Stroud's Bartimaeous (?) series, which I enjoyed.
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Nov 16, 2013 01:07
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Lprsti99 posted:I'm looking for a good fantasy book/series where traditionally 'evil' types of magic are used by the/a protagonist, specifically stuff like necromancy/summoning demons/infernal pacts, poo poo like that. An antihero or villain protagonist is a plus, but not necessary. I'm tired, so even though I've read quite a few of these types of books, the only example I can currently think of is Stroud's Bartimaeous (?) series, which I enjoyed. Johannes Cabal (first book is "Johannes Cabal the Necromancer"). Set in some sort of quasi-Victorian world. http://www.johannescabal.com/ Fade to Black (odd futuristic world; main character is a "pain-mage"). http://sfcrowsnest.org.uk/fade-to-black-rojan-dizon-book-1-by-francis-knightbook-review/ Dead Things (urban fantasy; main character is a necromancer). http://www.mybookishways.com/2013/02/review-giveaway-dead-things-by-stephen-blackmoore.html Three Parts Dead (futuristic fantasy world where the gods have been taught a lesson; main character is a necromancer if necromancers were law firm associates). http://www.amazon.com/Three-Parts-Dead-Max-Gladstone/dp/B00D00VKYW The Lord of Castle Black (although, really, you should read all of the rest of the Khaavren Romances first. Still, there's a great bit where the pov characters reflect on their use of necromancy etc. etc.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paths_of_the_Dead#The_Lord_of_Castle_Black
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Nov 16, 2013 03:32
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I just finished all the Riyira books, and am looking for a new fantasy series to dive into. The only other fantasy I've read is the GOT stuff, and urban fantasy like Dresden Files. I'd prefer something I can get on kindle/audible so I can listen to it at work and read it at home.
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Nov 16, 2013 05:03
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Yay Pudding! posted:I just finished all the Riyira books, and am looking for a new fantasy series to dive into. The only other fantasy I've read is the GOT stuff, and urban fantasy like Dresden Files. I'd prefer something I can get on kindle/audible so I can listen to it at work and read it at home. I'd suggest Codex Alera, also by Butcher, or Mistborn by Sanderson. And I've read Johannes Cabal, will check those others though.
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Nov 16, 2013 05:20
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Lprsti99 posted:I'd suggest Codex Alera, also by Butcher, or Mistborn by Sanderson. I'll try Codex Alera, I've read pretty much everything BranSan.
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Nov 16, 2013 05:56
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Thanks! I'll give those a shot.
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Nov 16, 2013 14:11
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This is just more for curiosity rather than a recommendation, but I can't figure it out. In 6th grade, we read a survival book about a guy who got buried in an avalanche. I can't for the life of me remember what it was called and can't find it via google. I remember it was a true story, the guy was buried basically upright (could see light from above him) and I think he ate pieces of a raw bird that he had hunted. It's killing me trying to figure it out.
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Nov 16, 2013 19:16
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Fremry posted:This is just more for curiosity rather than a recommendation, but I can't figure it out. In 6th grade, we read a survival book about a guy who got buried in an avalanche. I can't for the life of me remember what it was called and can't find it via google. I remember it was a true story, the guy was buried basically upright (could see light from above him) and I think he ate pieces of a raw bird that he had hunted. Google seems to suggest it's Avalanche by Arthur Roth. The Amazon reviews even mention him eating the raw bird, but it's definitely not a true story. (I totally remember reading this book as a kid but the title/author rings absolutely no bells for me, so no wonder you couldn't remember it)
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Nov 16, 2013 20:42
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Can anyone recommend a nonfiction book that is a good general, pop-science overview of the anthropology of early Homo species? I've found myself recently fascinated by the capabilities of homo erectus, etc. Seems like it could make for a good read, if such a thing exists.
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Nov 17, 2013 03:29
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I'm looking for some fiction that's both weird and clever. Like a really "out there" idea for a book. I guess in the same vein as Chuck Palahnuik, Catherine Dunn (mainly Geek Love), and Mark Z. Danielewski to name a few.
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Nov 17, 2013 23:29
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Radio! posted:Google seems to suggest it's Avalanche by Arthur Roth. The Amazon reviews even mention him eating the raw bird, but it's definitely not a true story. Thanks, that's it. Didn't know why I thought it was non-fiction.
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Nov 18, 2013 00:03
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Philthy posted:Finished "Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets" and "Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member". I found both to be incredibly immersive. I read them straight through. On the offchance you havent read them, David Simon's Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets and The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood are both engrossing and depressing - especially the latter, which went on to become a 7 part series for HBO and then the foundation for the best television series of all time, The Wire. http://www.amazon.com/Homicide-A-Year-Killing-Streets/dp/0805080759 http://www.amazon.com/The-Corner-Year-Inner-City-Neighborhood/dp/0767900316/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago is definitely worth reading as well. http://www.amazon.com/Our-America-D...side+of+chicago I'm currently halfway through Detroit: An American Autopsy and it's really well done. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15811520-detroit?ac=1 timp posted:You may also enjoy The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer by Philip Carlo. It's a true story. The author interviewed Richard Kuklinski when he was in prison shortly before he died and dramatized his life story in this book. Allegedly a true story http://swallowingthecamel.wordpress.com/2013/07/17/the-iceman-lieth/ BrosephofArimathea fucked around with this message at 02:33 on Nov 18, 2013 |
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Nov 18, 2013 02:15
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Raspberry Bang posted:I'm looking for some fiction that's both weird and clever. Like a really "out there" idea for a book. I guess in the same vein as Chuck Palahnuik, Catherine Dunn (mainly Geek Love), and Mark Z. Danielewski to name a few. Read some Pynchon, especially Vineland or Mason & Dixon. They're clever, a little weird and laugh out loud funny. Neither are as daunting as some of his other books, too.
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Nov 18, 2013 03:35
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Raspberry Bang posted:I'm looking for some fiction that's both weird and clever. Like a really "out there" idea for a book. I guess in the same vein as Chuck Palahnuik, Catherine Dunn (mainly Geek Love), and Mark Z. Danielewski to name a few. I think you'll like The Magus by John Fowles. Kurt Vonnegut is an obvious next step from Palahniuk. Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five are the most famous, but The Sirens of Titan and Blackbeard are my favorites. But those may be better after you're familiar with his work. And those former two maybe fit the "out there" request better. e: maybe Blindness by Jose Saramago. Definitely had lots of "wow, is Saramago really going there? Yep, guess he is" moments. regulargonzalez fucked around with this message at 07:35 on Nov 18, 2013 |
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Nov 18, 2013 07:29
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