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Sakurazuka posted:Recommend me some good books with lesbian main characters, caveat: must be relatively happy and not everything is depressing all the time because gay. Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear isn't bad. It's a steampunk adventure story, and the main character's love interest is a woman.
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May 21, 2016 11:56
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Sakurazuka posted:Recommend me some good books with lesbian main characters, caveat: must be relatively happy and not everything is depressing all the time because gay. I have read a bunch of relatively happy lesbian books lately BUT they're all romance novels. If you're okay with schlock then I can recommend, but I understand that you probably want actual literature.
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May 21, 2016 14:30
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Gyre posted:I have read a bunch of relatively happy lesbian books lately BUT they're all romance novels. If you're okay with schlock then I can recommend, but I understand that you probably want actual literature. In fact the opposite is actually true so go ahead.
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May 21, 2016 15:03
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Butt Frosted Cake posted:Recommend me the Evangelion of literature I got a lot of similar themes from Evangelion in Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow. This blog post actually compares some of the similarities and argues that Anno could have been inspired by it. Recommend me depressing lesbian lit. I feel like I've already explored the majority of worthwhile gay male lit out there that isn't M/M wish fulfillment trash. hope and vaseline fucked around with this message at 15:22 on May 21, 2016 |
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May 21, 2016 15:16
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hope and vaseline posted:I got a lot of similar themes from Evangelion in Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow. This blog post actually compares some of the similarities and argues that Anno could have been inspired by it. Oh yeah that's a really good call.
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May 21, 2016 15:43
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Sakurazuka posted:In fact the opposite is actually true so go ahead. Alright. These are all cloyingly sweet, and if there's drama then it's typically resolved relatively quick. Also, they tend to have terrible covers. Robin Alexander - The Trip, Summer of Our Discontent, Just Jorie, and Scaredy Cat. Alexander's basically the queen of "funny lesbian romances". IMO Summer is the best, because the premise is "mortal enemies realize the other person is actually pretty cute". Amy Dawson Robertson - Midnight in Orlando and its sequel Midnight on a Mountaintop. Introverted women go to lesbian fiction convention and find ~love~. Sequel IMO isn't as good but still quite comfortable. M.J. Duncan - Atramentum and Spectrum. I've also heard her novels Second Chances and Veritas are good. Spectrum tends to the more dramatic, but is still a relatively comfortable read. K.L. Hughes - Popcorn Love. Upper class fashionista falls in love with her babysitter; features an adorable child. G. Benson - All The Little Moments. Probably the most dramatic on the list, because the premise is "lesbian's brother dies, leaves her guardianship of his kids". I really enjoyed it, tho. Set in Australia, so you get to learn about our friends down under! If you can stomach YA literature (who am I kidding, you're in an anime forum, HS kids are your game): Abby Crofton - Say Yes to the Cheerleader. "I never thought someone like you would notice me", but with girls who like other girls. Kat Fletcher - Our Demented Play Date. Has a weird rear end name for some reason. Features some coming out ~drama~ towards the end but it resolves itself quickly. Yes, I know it's a ton of them. I was depressed a while ago and needed happy books, and now I make it my mission to seek out lesbian romances that aren't full of drama.
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May 21, 2016 16:45
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Thanks and to everyone else who recommended stuff too. 
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May 21, 2016 16:50
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hope and vaseline posted:I got a lot of similar themes from Evangelion in Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow. This blog post actually compares some of the similarities and argues that Anno could have been inspired by it. yeah lol GR references Qlippoths alot and it reminded me of some insane and long post someone made in this forum about the Kabbalah and Eva's being Qlippoths because they're both shells of the dead or something
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May 21, 2016 18:07
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DisDisDis posted:Recommend me lit or nonfiction about soldiers processing war trauma/guilt. Also maybe something happy since I just finished Man Tiger and am now nearing 200 pages into Zone. The Karl Marlantes one-two punch of Matterhorn and What it is Like to Go to War. The first is a thinly-fictionalized account of his time in Vietnam and the second is exactly what you are asking for, so it almost reads like a sequel. Both are excellent and I'm surprised they didn't come right up. Sakurazuka posted:In fact the opposite is actually true so go ahead. Malinda Lo is a good YA fantasy author with very strong lesbian/lesbian-leaning characters.
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May 22, 2016 13:02
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Gyre posted:IMO Summer is the best, because the premise is "mortal enemies realize the other person is actually pretty cute". That sounds cute, I'mma check it out.
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May 22, 2016 16:17
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I've been wanting to get back into fantasy after burning out on it due to reading it exclusively for about a decade, but I'd like something a bit different to the generic adventure stories and dark and gritty war stories that I used to read. Ideally what I'm looking for is a book with a female protagonist where there's no romantic sub-plot, or at least one that's minor enough that I can basically ignore it, and that's focused less on adventure and more on world-building and the characters just kinda living and hanging out in the world. Just one of those two things would be enough but if there are any that have both that'd be great.
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May 22, 2016 16:47
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Stanfield posted:I've been wanting to get back into fantasy after burning out on it due to reading it exclusively for about a decade, but I'd like something a bit different to the generic adventure stories and dark and gritty war stories that I used to read. If you don't insist on the female protagonist bit, a pretty good fantasy where nothing happens is The Goblin Emperor.
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May 22, 2016 17:11
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Stanfield posted:I've been wanting to get back into fantasy after burning out on it due to reading it exclusively for about a decade, but I'd like something a bit different to the generic adventure stories and dark and gritty war stories that I used to read. If you're fine with YA, maybe try the Circle of Magic series by Tamora Pierce. 4 young kids (3 female, 1 male) from vastly different backgrounds sent to the same temple-university to learn to control their weird magics they didn't know they had. Each novel does build towards a big action set-piece at the end but there's a lot more focus on the kids' relationships with each other, their teachers, and the nature of their magic.
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May 22, 2016 17:28
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Stanfield posted:I've been wanting to get back into fantasy after burning out on it due to reading it exclusively for about a decade, but I'd like something a bit different to the generic adventure stories and dark and gritty war stories that I used to read. My off the cuff recommendations are The Rook by Daniel O'Malley, The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay, and . . .one of the Chalion books by Lois McMaster Bujold, but each of those has a caveat that I can't spell out eight now because I'm phoneposting.
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May 22, 2016 17:57
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Stanfield posted:I've been wanting to get back into fantasy after burning out on it due to reading it exclusively for about a decade, but I'd like something a bit different to the generic adventure stories and dark and gritty war stories that I used to read. Catherynne Valente's Fairyland books. And The Orphan's Tales. They're adventurous, but build fascinating worlds with bwaitiful prose. Most things by Carol Berg. She frequently has male protagonists, but some are co-protagonist...ed...or switch viewpoints through the series. Collegia Magica is the main one I know for that. The first book in Bridge to D'Arnath focused on a female protag, but the later books in the series dropped off pretty hard in quality imo. Her stories are often mystery-oriented and focused on the chatacters and how they fit in their worlds (or don't). Patricia McKillip's books, maybe? Most are standalone and they have a variety of protagonists. A lot are female. Her prose is best described as "dreamlike." Frequently has romance, though there's usually more going on than that and the relationships actually get some development. A lot of them have a narrowed focus that I like. Winter Rose takes place mostly in two houses and a forest, for example, but the inter-character drama drives the entire book. City of Stairs is also a good suggestion. I might think of more later but Carol Berg sounds most like what you're looking for to me, because those are the things I like her for.
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May 22, 2016 19:56
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:My off the cuff recommendations are The Rook by Daniel O'Malley, The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay, and . . .one of the Chalion books by Lois McMaster Bujold, but each of those has a caveat that I can't spell out eight now because I'm phoneposting. i'm guessing the caveat for lions of al-rassan is that it can be fairly dark? i read the first half/third a few years ago and there's some pretty bad poo poo that goes down
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May 22, 2016 21:55
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Stanfield posted:I've been wanting to get back into fantasy after burning out on it due to reading it exclusively for about a decade, but I'd like something a bit different to the generic adventure stories and dark and gritty war stories that I used to read. there's a ton of manga like this if you're open to it
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May 22, 2016 21:59
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Stanfield posted:I've been wanting to get back into fantasy after burning out on it due to reading it exclusively for about a decade, but I'd like something a bit different to the generic adventure stories and dark and gritty war stories that I used to read. Did you just read this off the dust jacket from one of Robin Hobb's The Liveship Traders books?
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May 22, 2016 23:47
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Stanfield posted:I've been wanting to get back into fantasy after burning out on it due to reading it exclusively for about a decade, but I'd like something a bit different to the generic adventure stories and dark and gritty war stories that I used to read. Jessica Amanda Salmonson's Tomoe Gozen series comes to mind, although it still has more of an adventuring focus (the protagonist is a female ronin).
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May 23, 2016 00:14
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wellwhoopdedooo posted:Did you just read this off the dust jacket from one of Robin Hobb's The Liveship Traders books? It's been a long time, but I found Liveship Traders a chore around the end of book 2, start of book 3. Which was a massive shame after the Farseer trilogy. Has she written anything of the Farseer trilogy quality again? I tried to read Soldier Son trilogy, but put down one day and never picked it up again. e: Also, I'm interested in reading Gravity's Rainbow, and read in a review that it's worth it to read V first as the themes and style are close, but more accessible. Megabound fucked around with this message at 03:31 on May 23, 2016 |
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May 23, 2016 03:19
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Megabound posted:e: Also, I'm interested in reading Gravity's Rainbow, and read in a review that it's worth it to read V first as the themes and style are close, but more accessible. people always make a big deal about where to start with pynchon for whatever reason which i understand getting acclimated to his style(s) can be difficult if you're not used to it but i dunno i think its kind of silly. you can start with gr and if it doesnt grab you, put it down and try something else. people always reach for the crying of lot 49 or v first because they're close chronologically, thematically, and stylistically, but not as "difficult" and inherent vice also gets recommended as a pynchon starter because its sort of light (comparatively) and draws from detective fiction. honestly there's no real right or wrong way in although i would never recommend starting with mason and dixon. personally i think against the day is his most accessible.
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May 23, 2016 05:54
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mason and dixon is the one pynchon book I regret reading.
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May 23, 2016 05:58
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Radio Spiricom posted:people always make a big deal about where to start with pynchon for whatever reason which i understand getting acclimated to his style(s) can be difficult if you're not used to it but i dunno i think its kind of silly. you can start with gr and if it doesnt grab you, put it down and try something else. people always reach for the crying of lot 49 or v first because they're close chronologically, thematically, and stylistically, but not as "difficult" and inherent vice also gets recommended as a pynchon starter because its sort of light (comparatively) and draws from detective fiction. honestly there's no real right or wrong way in although i would never recommend starting with mason and dixon. personally i think against the day is his most accessible. I started with Gravity's Rainbow because it sounded the most interesting (and difficult) to me, and didn't sweat what I didn't understand. So far it's the only one I've read. If I read him again I'll probably go with another long and dense one, probably Against the Day. Solitair fucked around with this message at 07:24 on May 23, 2016 |
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May 23, 2016 07:08
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Thanks for the recommendations guys, definitely gonna check some of these out.Davincie posted:there's a ton of manga like this if you're open to it Sure. The only fantasy manga I've read is Yona, which I really like, so I'm absolutely open to suggestions.
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May 23, 2016 08:34
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Radio Spiricom posted:people always make a big deal about where to start with pynchon for whatever reason which i understand getting acclimated to his style(s) can be difficult if you're not used to it but i dunno i think its kind of silly. you can start with gr and if it doesnt grab you, put it down and try something else. people always reach for the crying of lot 49 or v first because they're close chronologically, thematically, and stylistically, but not as "difficult" and inherent vice also gets recommended as a pynchon starter because its sort of light (comparatively) and draws from detective fiction. honestly there's no real right or wrong way in although i would never recommend starting with mason and dixon. personally i think against the day is his most accessible. I always recommend Lot 49 because it's short enough to get through and digest, and it shows its style and humor up front. V. is a little misleading, because it starts with a hilarious Benny Profane chapter, and then throws you in deep with Stencil's madness. And Gravity's Rainbow throws you into a surreal nightmare right after a banana pancake breakfast. I think you can jump in wherever you want on those three. They're almost a literary triptych of Man's Search for Answers in a World Without.
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May 23, 2016 14:08
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Hey Book Barn, I've been a fan of Terry Pratchett since high school, and I've read almost everything he's written. Are there any authors that would fill the gap in my heart?
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May 23, 2016 17:35
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Breadmaster posted:Hey Book Barn, I've been a fan of Terry Pratchett since high school, and I've read almost everything he's written. Are there any authors that would fill the gap in my heart?
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May 23, 2016 17:38
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Breadmaster posted:Hey Book Barn, I've been a fan of Terry Pratchett since high school, and I've read almost everything he's written. Are there any authors that would fill the gap in my heart? Presumably you've already read Douglas Adams. On his good days Christopher Moore is sort of a low budget American version of Pratchett. The early Myth books by Robert Asprin are sort of the silent-film era of comic fantasy compared to Pratchett's Technicolor. Nothing can quite replace Pratchett but if you haven't read Neil Gaiman he and Pratchett were friends and similarly talented. Start with Good Omens and then Stardust. Get the version of Stardust illustrated by Charles Vess.
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May 23, 2016 18:16
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Breadmaster posted:Hey Book Barn, I've been a fan of Terry Pratchett since high school, and I've read almost everything he's written. Are there any authors that would fill the gap in my heart? Comedic Non-Genre: Daniel Handler, Roald Dahl ("My Uncle Oswald" is hilarious) Comedic Sci-Fi: Douglas Adams; Kurt Vonnegut; Robert Rankin Comedic Detective/Spy: "The Man Who Was Thursday" by G.K. Chesterton Comedic Fantasy: "Bridge of Birds" by Barry Hughart, "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman Comedic Non-Fiction: Jon Ronson ("So You've Been Publicly Shamed" is a fantastic quick read); Bill Bryson Popular American Comedic Writers: David Sedaris; Christopher Moore
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May 23, 2016 18:22
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Stanfield posted:Thanks for the recommendations guys, definitely gonna check some of these out. http://bato.to/reader#12bba7c3ccd5bcfc this one's about 2 little hobbit women living in a world, mostly just drinking and working with a bunch of world building, there's some especially nice pages at the end of most chapters just for fleshing out the world. its still ongoing. should check all your boxes http://bato.to/search?artist_name=Kui%20Ryoko KUI Ryoko is an author i'm fond of. she has written several short story collections with fantasy elements most of which have female protagonists, or at least have the woman be an important part of the group. Terrarium in Drawer & The Dragon's Seven Adorable Children are nice short story collections that are finished and Dungeon Meshi is her currently running work, focusing on a group of adventurers eating various exotic creatures. http://bato.to/reader#237f09da35c886a2 This is set in our world, but there's still a fantastical element running throughout the story with mermaids and other creatures here's a few that i feel like they fit both your requirements. as a side note, the authors of the last two are women Davincie fucked around with this message at 19:13 on May 23, 2016 |
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May 23, 2016 19:10
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Breadmaster posted:Hey Book Barn, I've been a fan of Terry Pratchett since high school, and I've read almost everything he's written. Are there any authors that would fill the gap in my heart? Try the Johannes Cabal series by Jonathan L. Howard. The series starts with the tale of a necromancer who sold his soul to the devil deciding he wants it back because lacking it turned out to be rather inconvenient to his studies. It goes places from there and is written hilariously throughout.
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May 23, 2016 23:15
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GR was my first Pynchon (now I have to choose between reading another one and rereading it) and I didn't have any trouble. I probably would have gotten frustrated and quit if people hadn't told me not to worry about understanding everything though. The book's just too massive and crazy to get everything the first time but if a part of it has you stumped keep reading and you'll get to the next incredibly funny or beautiful bit and be fine.
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May 24, 2016 02:46
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I kinda feel like the best way to approach Pynchon is just to dive in at the deep end with GR but only because that's how I did it. that said this book is neat if you're a pynchon fan: http://www.amazon.com/Pictures-Showing-Happens-Pynchons-Gravitys/dp/097731278X?ie=UTF8&qid=&ref_=tmm_hrd_swatch_0&sr=
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May 24, 2016 03:09
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Bookmobile may be moving again in the next few days, so don't forget to bookmark us !
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May 24, 2016 03:12
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:I kinda feel like the best way to approach Pynchon is just to dive in at the deep end with GR but only because that's how I did it. After the art, the greatest thing about the illustrated Gravity's Rainbow is that the artist is a professional porn star.
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May 24, 2016 04:33
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He used to be a goon I think
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May 24, 2016 04:35
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It's ridiculous that I've never read any Agatha Christie. Where should I start?
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May 24, 2016 08:21
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And Then There Were None.
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May 24, 2016 08:30
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Picayune posted:It's ridiculous that I've never read any Agatha Christie. Where should I start? I started with And Then There Were None and loved it, but if you want to start with one of her titular detectives (Poirot), Murder On The Orient Express is a classic, and I loved the hell out of the Murder of Roger Ackroyd. As for Miss Marple, I really, really loved reading the short stories involving her, but haven't yet touched any of the novels - yet! (My reaction, just a few seconds ago upon googling her - 'there are NOVELS featuring her??? brb library') Really though, it's hard to go wrong - unless you start with her first novel! The Mysterious Affair At Styles is lousy, lousy, and lousy and it kept me from reading her stuff for years until I started elsewhere.
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May 24, 2016 08:31
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Awesome, thanks--I'll pick up And Then There Were None and get started! (given where the thread is currently hanging out, I found myself wondering if anyone had ever made anime out of Agatha Christie, and what do you know)
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May 24, 2016 09:05
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