Reading challenge 2014: I've read 99 books but GRRM ain't one

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Reading challenge 2014: I've read 99 books but GRRM ain't one

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

I failed last year and got to 28, still more than double the amount I read in 2012! So I'll be less ambitious this year and go for 29!

My Goodreads, feel free to add me as I always need more friends

# ¿ Jan 4, 2014 08:46

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# ¿ May 15, 2024 06:38

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

Augster posted:

Think I'll go for 40 books or 20,000 pages, like last year. Out of 45 books last year only 3 were women authors, down from 4 out of 42 the year before, so I'll follow what many in this thread are doing and really ramp that up.

40 500+ page books?

# ¿ Jan 4, 2014 08:47

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

Roydrowsy posted:

Two books down!

I read "The Joy of Sex" because it was super cheap on the kindle. I can see why it was a big deal in the 70s, but it isn't anything special these days.

People still don't know how to have sex and would probably benefit from reading it. Though the stuff about the armpits was a bit odd to me.

# ¿ Jan 6, 2014 00:38

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

Top 5 books of past year I'd say:

Promise of Blood by Brian McLennan
Mortal Engines (and it's sequels!) by Phillip Reeve
The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick
Luther: The Calling by Neil
Cross

# ¿ Jan 13, 2014 20:58

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

I don't think I'm going to finish any more books in January!

1) Infernal Devices by Phillip Reeve (5/5)

Just a drat fine book. The third book in the Mortal Engines series. The 16 year jump between the second book and third book threw me off a bit but I soon got used to it.

2) A Darkling Plain by Philip Reeve (5/5)

The last book in the Mortal Engines series. The whole series was basically flawless (to me), the only other series I have read that compares to it in YA fiction is Harry Potter. The last quarter of the book had me on the verge of tears, so much emotion, grr!!

3) Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming (4/5)

Casual Racism ahoy! In all seriousness this book is a product of the time it was written. Racism and sexism are abundant here. If you can overlook that the book was a pretty drat enjoyable pulp thriller, nothing at all like the movie thankfully. Poor Felix

4) Overqualified by Joey Comeau [4/5]

This whole book is cover letters to be attached to resumes for job applications, only difference is that it's what he would want to write instead of all the usual bullshit. Most of them are hilarious and a few touching which some cover letters have interlocking threads.

5) Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve [3/5]

6) A Web Of Air by Philip Reeve [3/5]

6/29

# ¿ Jan 24, 2014 02:17

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

8one6 posted:

Time for a terrible book update!

26) Ship of the Line (ST: TNG) by Diane Carey
In the TNG episode "Cause and Effect" the Enterprise barely avoids a catastrophic impact with the USS Bozeman, commanded by Captain Bateson (as played by Kelsey Grammer.) In "Ship of the Line" Diane Carey follows up on that brief cameo with a novel length Down Periscope/Next-Gen crossover staring Captain Bateson (as played by Lt. Cmdr. Thomas 'Tom' Dodge (as played by Kelsey Grammer.)) Only it's not nearly as fun as that description implies.
He's a captain who drinks rum on the bridge, argues with people, and would probably smoke cigars if the author thought she could get sneak it in among all the love for the coast guard she's worked into the story.
The dialogue feels, at its best, off, and at its worst the characterizations feel completely weird. There's a part where Picard is feeling mopey because of the loss of the Ent-D and Riker gets him to man up for his *big secret mission* by watching a couple of episodes of the Original Series on the holodeck. This does the trick and he's ready to face the b-plot of revisiting the TNG episode where he was tortured. I would call it inconsequential but the A-plot is no better, with an ancient Klingon out for revenge against Bateson.

Even on the scale of Star Trek tie-in fiction this is a piece of crap.

27) Storm Front (The Dresden Files #1) by Jim Butcher
The action scenes was fun, it was decently paced, and there was enough detail there to show the author cared about how the setting worked without bogging you down in every detail. I have a few complaints, but nothing serious, and really nothing I wouldn't expect from a detective story anyway. I'm told (by pretty much everyone) that these get better as they go along.

They do! Storm Front is the weakest one I've read so far and I'm up to Dead Beat.

# ¿ Mar 18, 2014 05:28

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

I've increased my goal to 52 from 25 but I'm including graphic novels and similar now.

# ¿ Apr 10, 2014 01:10

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

Tiggum posted:

What's challenging about reading a book? The whole point is to set a goal to keep yourself reading, because you want to. There's no contest, there's no rules, If someone wants to set their goal at 20 comic books for the year, who the gently caress cares? It's a personal goal, it's what each individual wants to do. There's no objective standard for what counts or what an appropriate goal is.

Should be the thread title IMO.

I'm reading as many graphic novels as I can get my hand on and that includes lovely X-Men books but also trying to get at least a proper novel in every two weeks. I should probably do an update in here eventually.

# ¿ Jun 2, 2014 08:51

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

thehomemaster posted:

drat I wish I could read this much, but I just end up browsing forums.

Good on all of you!

I'm with you brother

# ¿ Sep 26, 2014 06:32

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

Dresden just gets better and better every book.

# ¿ Oct 20, 2014 11:05

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

I passed my challenge but writing it all up in the thread sounds like a chore (100+ books)

# ¿ Dec 29, 2014 05:44

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

Mahlertov Cocktail posted:

Maybe just post all the titles but just give little reviews of your favorites for content?

Yeah I might do that.

# ¿ Dec 29, 2014 07:28

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# ¿ May 15, 2024 06:38

bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

5/5 books, these books were rad

Jim Butcher - Dead Beat (Dresden Files #7)
Phillip Reeve - Infernal Devices
Phillip Reeve - A Darkling Plain
George Orwell - Animal Farm
Vonnegut - Breakfast of Champions
John Green - Looking for alaska
Brian Mclellan - The Crimson Campaign

4/5 books, I enjoyed these a lot

Joey Comeau - Overqualified
Phillip Reeve - Fever Crumb
Bukowski - Post Office
Bukowski - Hot Water Music
James Dashner - The Maze Runner
Brandon Sanderson - The Alloy of Law
Karl Pilkington - The Moaning Of Life
Randall Munroe - What If: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
John Marsden - The other side of dawn
Ian Fleming - Moonraker

3/5 books, enjoyable enough to finish

Phillip Reeve - A Web of Air
Ian Fleming - Live and let die
John Allyn - The 47 Ronin Story
John Buchan - The 39 Steps
Karl Kruszelnicki - Game of Knowns
John Marsden - Burning For Revenge
John Marsden - The Night is for hunting

1/5 what the gently caress was that piece of poo poo

Wayne Gladstone - Notes from the internet apocolypse

25 books, 1 for every two weeks in the year-ish. I'm happy with that considering university.

Notable Graphic Novels I read that I would happily push on everyone!

Scott Pilgrim Series
Transmetropolitan Series
Saga books 1, 2 and 3
Wonder Woman (new 52) (soooooo good)
Sweet Tooth
The Manhattan Projects
Walking Dead Compendium 1 & 2
Chew
Seconds by Brian Lee O'Malley
The Sandman: The Dream Hunters
Justice League (new 52)

# ¿ Jan 1, 2015 02:41

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Reading challenge 2014: I've read 99 books but GRRM ain't one