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Just finished All Quiet on the Western Front and Amerika by Kafka. I loved AQWF. It deserves every ounce of hype it gets. Amerika was a mixed bag for me. I liked the absurdity of the situations and the idiotic characters. Still, it felt unfinished(because it was) and I disliked the suddenness of the ending.
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Jan 20, 2007 21:00
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perceptual_set posted:American Empire series by Harry Turtledove. Back on topic. I just finished Tai-Pan by James Clavell. Classifiable as historical fiction I suppose, this deals with the Chinese opium trade around the middle nineteenth century. Much economic and political maneuvering. Founding of Hong Kong. Rise of the Triads. It's a great read, full of interesting characters; though it's a long book and it was my third time through it, I finished it in two days. Easily my favorite of the Asian saga, better even than Shogun.
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Jan 20, 2007 21:55
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Away Message posted:Does this follow Guns of the South, or is it set in another universe entirely? One thing that made GotS interesting for me was the jump in technology that would follow it. I'm curious how this would develop over the following years. Different universe entirely. This series begins with the book called How Few Remain (A quote from a poem by Abraham Lincoln), which details the second war between the USA and the CSA. This storyline has no book specifically about the civil war.
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Jan 20, 2007 22:38
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I finished Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko last night. It was ok, but the writing was kind of hard to deal with in some places. I don't know if that's from the translation, or just the way that Lukyanenko writes. As far as the story goes, I liked the first two parts of the book but the third didn't do it for me. It's not a difficult read, so if you're looking for some escapist fction for a weekend check it out. Next up is a collection of H. P. Lovecraft that I just picked up a la the "So I Want To Read Lovecraft..." thread.
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Jan 20, 2007 23:10
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perceptual_set posted:Different universe entirely. This series begins with the book called How Few Remain (A quote from a poem by Abraham Lincoln), which details the second war between the USA and the CSA. This storyline has no book specifically about the civil war.
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Jan 22, 2007 00:46
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I just finished Mother Night, which is my second Vonnegut novel. I read Slaughterhouse V from Tuesday to Thursday, and Mother Night from Friday to Sunday. I have a large collection of Vonnegut which my mother gave me when I finished Slaughterhouse V, but I'm thinking of taking a break and reading someone else. I highly reccommend Mother Night. As well as Vonnegut's awesome style, the elements of a spy novel were also very intriguing. The twists and conflicts were timed so well, and the relative ease of the chapters will make it a quick read, and it is very satisfying. I'm going into mid terms this coming week, so I'm going to need something I can read in short spurts and not have to look to deeply into.
Lao Tsu fucked around with this message at 21:41 on Jan 24, 2007 |
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Jan 22, 2007 00:47
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Away Message posted:Ahh, thanks. That's too bad, anachronistic technology was one reason I like Turtledove's books. Take the Colonization series - not very good overall, but B-17s dropping laser guided bombs? Awesome. It's still a really great series if you're into Turtledove.
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Jan 22, 2007 01:08
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I just finished Augusten Burroughs' Possible Side Effects. It's a collection of memoir-essays, and it reminds me some of David Sedaris's writing, although Burroughs is more sentimental. Parts of it were unbelievably funny, though. kurupi fucked around with this message at 02:24 on Jan 22, 2007 |
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Jan 22, 2007 02:21
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I just started and finished Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix. It's a kids book that's basically a cross between "The Truman Show" and "The Village", even though it was published in 1995, 3 years before the former and 9 years before the latter. Wikipedia says that the publishers considered legal action against "The Village", and it's pretty obvious why: It starts in a small town in the 1840's, following a girl named Jessie. Kids start to get sick with diptheria, and shortly thereafter her mother tells her the truth: That the year is actually 1996, and their whole town is just a historical tourist attraction. The leaders of the town have cut off medical supplies and are refusing to let the sickness be treated. Jessie's mother helps her to escape the town, giving her directions on who to contact to get medicine for the sick children. Jessie escapes into the modern world, and has to try to get in touch with the right people before any of her friends die. It's a very short read, possibly even shorter than "The Giver". It's quasi-science fiction, I guess, and doesn't really have much in the way of literary themes or anything else. A pretty fluffy story. Beef Hardcheese fucked around with this message at 03:25 on Jan 22, 2007 |
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Jan 22, 2007 03:21
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reflir posted:I just finished Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman. I don't care much for his poetry, but there were a few really good short stories in there. I just finished this as well. I didn't really think it was as good as Smoke and Mirrors, but it had its high points. Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire was a pretty fun read, and I really liked the way Other People worked structurally. The Monarch of the Glen was good, but kind of predictable if you've read the other American Gods stuff. I also just finished up Candide. I enjoyed it, but don't really feel like I got that much out of it, besides the rebuttal of the eternal optimist position. It would probably help if I knew more about some of the things he was satirizing.
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Jan 23, 2007 08:37
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Phobophile fucked around with this message at 02:31 on Jun 16, 2010 |
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Jan 23, 2007 12:59
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I just finished Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and really enjoyed it. Probably going to tackle Emma next after I finish some other neglected novels on my shelf.
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Jan 24, 2007 00:18
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galahadzero posted:I just finished Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and really enjoyed it. Probably going to tackle Emma next after I finish some other neglected novels on my shelf. I just talked to my APLit teacher, and apparently that's our next book. We had to watch Sense and Sensibility last year, and I am dreading this book more than anything.
Lao Tsu fucked around with this message at 21:42 on Jan 24, 2007 |
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Jan 24, 2007 00:49
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splink posted:I just finished this as well. I didn't really think it was as good as Smoke and Mirrors, but it had its high points. Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire was a pretty fun read, and I really liked the way Other People worked structurally. The Monarch of the Glen was good, but kind of predictable if you've read the other American Gods stuff. Now that you mention it, I did like his "person volunteers for a magic trick and DOESNT RETURN!!" story in Smoke and Mirrors better
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Jan 24, 2007 01:00
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I just finished reading White Noise by Don DeLillo. The book is divided into three parts with an extended middle sequence seperating two distinct and starkly contrasting storylines. After initially enjoying the book, I wasn't sure how I felt about the last third of it--I felt the almost absurdist portrayal of an ultra-modern family was more interesting than the protagonist's brooding on death and mortality. The final chapter, however, ties both of these together in a very satisfying way, and when taken as a whole I feel that the book is truly great and worthy of the praise that made me pick it up in the first place. It was my first DeLillo book, but I plan on reading more.
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Jan 24, 2007 02:02
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I finished Time Out of Joint a few days ago. Easily the best Philip K. Dick novel I've read. For something written in the 50s it's a surprisingly prescient work of science fiction. Now I'm slogging through Lisey's Story, the new Stephen King book. Maybe I'm becoming accustomed to his writing style or something after reading countless pages, but it's drat tiresome to read. I'm barely interested in what's going on, but I assume it's going to pick up. If every one of his other novels are any indication there will be some crazy paranormal bullshit from left field.
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Jan 24, 2007 07:46
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Susanna Clarke's premier novel, Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Honest to God, this is the only fantasy-oriented book I've ever actually enjoyed. Nothing really insightful to be gained here; Norrell is effectively little more than pulp, but it's such a clever, immersive book with so many entertaining, original characters that I found it hard to put down. Clarke's habit of littering the book with "historical" footnotes, geography, interactions with historical figures and events (such as the Duke of Wellington, who becomes a good friend of Strange after his magical feats at Waterloo), and the occasional use of archaic spelling almost gives one the impression that, to echo a critic, there actually was a traditional history of English magic that I simply hadn't heard about until now. It's very accessible, very detailed, and very entertaining. I look forward to Clarke's follow-up, as Norrell ended on a somewhat depressing cliffhanger. Notably, Neil Gaimain fans should check out Norrell, as Gaiman helped out Clarke with a lot of the writing process and heavily endorses her work. Edit: It also won a Hugo Award. Next up: Les Miserables. Jesus Christ, Victor Hugo's writing is thick. Big Big Moon fucked around with this message at 19:28 on Jan 24, 2007 |
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Jan 24, 2007 19:26
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I just finished Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris based on a recommendation from a friend and because it was 50 cents brand new at the library book sale in town. It was humorous and a quick read. At first I had trouble getting into, and put it down to read two other books. Then I needed something to read so I gave it a second chance. I recommend it if you enjoy something thats humorous and a little intelligent, but it's a collection of essays that are connected but there is no concrete ending.
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Jan 24, 2007 20:37
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goatasaur posted:Now I'm slogging through Lisey's Story, the new Stephen King book. Maybe I'm becoming accustomed to his writing style or something after reading countless pages, but it's drat tiresome to read. I'm barely interested in what's going on, but I assume it's going to pick up. If every one of his other novels are any indication there will be some crazy paranormal bullshit from left field. I have not read it but my mom recently finished it and had the same feeling you did while reading and finished it and really just thought it was bleh. It's not horrible but you never care too much if she's correct. I'll read it eventually.
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Jan 24, 2007 23:27
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I just read The Ghost Writer by John Harwood. I'm way out of the loop on books because I haven't really read anything pretty much for years, but I'm trying to get into it again. The point is, I don't know if this book is well known or anything, but I loved it. My whole life I've always loved ghost stories, and this book not only has a ghost-story-esque main plot, but four short Victorian horror stories mixed in, written by the main character's grandmother. It had a great ending, too; I was literally gasping and cringing in horror in my bedroom as I read it. Not scary, like "Boo," more like just a total mindfuck. I'm reading I Am Legend now. Loving it, loving it, loving it.
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Jan 25, 2007 05:01
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I just finished The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. I was excited going into it as I was unable to find The Neverending Story at the store, and it seemed like a similar read. In the end though, I'm left a little disappointed. I'm hoping reading through the Grimm fairytales will make it more exciting to me (as it reinterprets a lot of them into the book) but I really don't think this is going to be a "timeless fairy-tale" as one review I read put it. It's about a 12 year old boy, David, trying to cope with the loss of his mother, and the addition of a step mother, and new brother to his family by travelling to a fairy tale land. In the end though, I just don't find myself seeing the growth in David, and find his attitudes at the end of the book, while logical, either what he most likely would have desired from the beginning, or unwarrented by his adventure. Still a decent read though. Wippersnapper fucked around with this message at 20:35 on Jan 27, 2007 |
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Jan 27, 2007 20:20
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I should also add this to the confessions thread, but I just finished The College Dorm Survival Guide by Julia Devillers. My Uncle gave it to me for Christmas, and I read it to be polite. After reading it, I read the about the other, and the author just writes chick books. The Survival Guide made an attempt to appeal to both sexes, but it was a chick book as well. It really should be advertised as such, because it was really really lame, and several chapters were about things to do with roommates like "collages and murals" and how to not get raped. The poo poo we read for our uncles.
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Jan 28, 2007 14:56
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James Dickey's "Deliverance". Took awhile to get started, but awesome.
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Jan 28, 2007 15:24
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Just finished The Sun Also Rises by Hemmingway for class, and I loved it. Not on my favourites list, but definitly an amazing book. Got a little annoying with the description of the bullfighting, but other than that, I loved it. And for fun: Vurt By Jeff Noon. I loved the concept behind it, and the incest was just a little weird, but it was still cool. There weren't really any twists though, but i couldn't stop reading it, despite having a decent idea of what would happen in the end. I would like to see a more visual representation of it though, just because the description was so sparse that I couldn't form a mental image of anything that was going on.
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Jan 28, 2007 19:19
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After reading many posts here in the Barn, it seems the Dune series is still a wildly popular read. I just finished the first, and I loved it. With a background in the movies, I had at least an outline of what to expect, but the level of detail and complexity in the relationships between the characters and various sociopolitical forces populating the galaxy was just unparalleled. Don't know whether or not I'll get around to the others, but that first book was fanbloodytastic. Now, I've started Slaughterhouse Five. This is gonna be good.
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Jan 28, 2007 19:56
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Stephen King's Carrie. Currently reading Jeff Lindsay's Darkly Dreaming Dexter.
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Jan 28, 2007 20:07
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Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey I enjoyed it, but nowhere near as much as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
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Jan 29, 2007 04:24
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ImDifferent posted:Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey Does it at least draw you in faster than Cuckoo? :|
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Jan 29, 2007 05:01
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just finished Choke by Pahalniuk. not bad, but i liked Invisible Monsters better
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Jan 29, 2007 12:41
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Just finished A Forrest of Stars by Kevin j Anderson, first book in the series Hidden Empire was pretty good but now its getting to crazy, i don't know maybe i like my science fiction to not go super crazy and have talking water, fire and trees. A little bit is ok but when the plot starts moving with more emphasis on them (crazy talking fire/water/trees) it annoys me. Oh well i will stick through and finish the series.
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Jan 29, 2007 13:55
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Just finished Larry Niven's Ringworld... actually most recently Ringworld Engineers, and just started Ringworld Throne... （ ´Д⊂ヽ Somebody help me! Good books though, a refreshing break from my hectic Discworld reading schedule.
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Jan 29, 2007 15:18
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Connie Willis' The Doomsday Book followed immediately by her To Say Nothing of the Dog. Two time travel novels, both based in the same world and with overlapping characters. The Doomsday Book is an astonishingly dark and scary book - the heroine is trapped in the Middle Ages, where a terrible disease is raging; meanwhile back in the present, there's another epidemic, the lab is under quarantine and there's nobody to bring her back to the present. It's very dark, very moving. Meanwhile To Say Nothing of the Dog is hilarious, light hearted, intricately plotted and very silly indeed. Weird to read them together, both excellent in their own way. I'm going to be getting more by this author.
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Jan 29, 2007 18:47
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The trial is good. Real good. I just finished reading "le petit prince" in French. It was a huge accomplishment. Now I can still not understand French when people speak, but I can read signs...if they lead to the moon and whatnot. I also just finished Proust's "Swann's Way"...and it is not that bad. I think the translation is very good. However, I have to say that the entirety of Swann's recollection just made me scream things like "dude...let the skank go!" I had to put the book down a couple times and drink a bit of whiskey to remind myself that there was no way to help him...kind of like when someone on these forums asks for help, but really just for attention.
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Jan 29, 2007 20:47
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I know it's not a real book, but I just finished Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. It was okay as far as thriller books go, and now I get to work on The DaVinci Code. I don't really like his style of writing as much as Brad Meltzer or some other people (Yes... I know they're all bad  ), but he's okay and he puts together a good read. I also finished Deception Point, another Dan Brown book in the past month or so, so I've been a Dan Brownaholic recently.I swear I'll read a good book after The DaVinci Code. I need to read The Great Gatsby and Heartbreaking blah blah blah of staggering blah, so I will, for once read a good book. 
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Jan 30, 2007 09:02
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Psion posted:I read Charles Stross' latest, Glasshouse. That man is like I just finished Glasshouse. This is the first novel I can recall reading where the main viewpoint character is murdered, by a diverent copy of himself/herself who becomes the replacement viewpoint character. This really startled me. And the fact that Reeve's (increasingly unreliable, post- her being mindfucked by Hanta) narration is abruptly cut off and replaced by Robin's, without reading/"seeing"/experiencing her death inside the assembler from her perspective, made it even more grim, as I had to imagine it rather than having it described to me. Sure, Robin and Sanni decide to save and merge Reeve's memories into Robin prior to killing her, but let's face it, that's murder and memory theft, not a peaceful merging of deltas. Squick. After that, I frankly expected that Robin was going to resolve the situation by explosively scuttling the MASucker and killing everyone aboard. After all, he had come to terms with murdering thousands of civilians in the past, and although it's never explicitly stated he presumably still has the original version of himself living outside YFH-Polity. And speaking of mass murder, I thought the ultimate revelation of how that event in his history turned out was pretty shocking. You think you're rescuing thousands of people, but surprise, it turns out you've murdered them all! (One minor aside: I thought Stross's one-upping of Niven in the melee weaponry department was cute. Sword made out of monomolecular wire? Meh. How about a sword made out of BLACK HOLES? It cuts EVERYTHING.) Incidentally fucked around with this message at 20:18 on Nov 6, 2007 |
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Jan 30, 2007 17:24
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crossed with high tech. It's fun to read, but god does he mindfuck the reader with reckless abandon. If you want to read sci-fi that is not stereotypical sci-fi, pick up a copy of one of his books and give it a whirl. I'm a bigger fan of his future stuff like the Eschaton series or his standalones like Accelerando and Glasshouse instead of the rather weak Atrocity Archives.
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Jarhead, which I quite enjoyed. The Gulf War was a subject I knew very little about, and while this didn't expand much on politics or motivations, the personal account was quite interesting. There seemed to be a tremendous amount of phallic or homoerotic imagery. The military seems to be a little bit in denial.
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Feb 1, 2007 04:35
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I just finished Orwell's 1984. It really does deserve its reputation as a classic. I could hardly put the thing down. Very compelling story, with some fairly interesting political comment thrown in to the mix. Not to mention all the scary parallels you can draw with real life: we may not be living in a totalitarian dystopia, but lack of any true privacy (thanks, mobile phones), political spin and manipulation all rang true to some degree. Even doublethink doesn't seem all that outlandish. Also: that ending! 
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Feb 1, 2007 21:45
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LooseChanj posted:James Dickey's "Deliverance". Took awhile to get started, but awesome. Yeah, that is a drat good book. Much better than the movie, despite how cliched it is to say that. I just finished a couple books, first Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck, which I just picked up off my dads bookshelf and read on a whim. I was looking for Of Mice and Men, but couldn't find it, so decided to read any other Steinbeck book. I'm really glad I choose this book... seriously it is one of the best books I've ever read. I could really relate to Danny and his crew of friends, the passion for freedom and for drinking. As I was getting near the end of the book, I thought that, after all these mostly hopeful stories, I'd get a sappy meaningless ending, but Steinbeck gave this book an absolutely perfect ending, one that I didn't see coming, I didn't think someone could have the guts to write out an ending like that. Perfect. After that, while waiting in an airport, I started reading Ham on Rye by Bukowski. I think I first got intersted in Bukowski by a thread in GBS about him posted quite awhile ago. Most everyone else in the thread insulted his work and thought it was terrible, but the pieces posted that I saw, I thought were brilliantly written, really covering the grit and grease in a honest and well written way. So I always meant to read one of his books after seeing those poems, and finally did so this week. I think the book was good, but mostly depressing and pesimistic, basically showing how an essentially good kid is molded by influence and bad circumstance into growing up to become a bitter, angry bastard. Steinbeck could make ugly things more beautiful with his words, and Bukowski could make ugly things uglier, but often more human too.
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Feb 1, 2007 22:01
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Augustus by Anthony Everett. I enjoyed it a lot. It's a great look at Roman life, politics, Augustus, and other notables in the Roman Empire during his up-and-coming and reign. Everett's writing really makes the book much more readable and enjoyable than a lot of other biographies, although it can get slow and confusing at points. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys history and a good story.
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Feb 1, 2007 23:27
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I just finished Brave New World - Aldous Huxley. I really enjoyed it, and I was very pleased because it is always paired with 1984, and it was very different. I'm not sure how I enjoyed the ending, it seemed like a departure from the rest of the book, and the characterization of the Savage was not the most integral part of the book and I don't believe it should have been the resolution to it. I would have preferred the end of the book following Mustapha Mond or Helmholtz.
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Feb 2, 2007 00:04
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