...
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
What Book Are You Reading?
Collapse
X
-
Mortality was quite enjoyable IIRC.
Also reading a Shrap recommendation at the moment albeit from the other place - a fantasy book called The Fifth Season. Enjoyable about 1/3 of the way in, I get the sense it could really take off.
Also doing a guilty pleasure listen to Ready Player One yet again.
Comment
-
Just finished The mountain shadow by Gregory Roberts, which is the sequel to Shantaram.
Now Shantaram is a phenomenal book, so it was always going to be difficult to reach those dizzy heights again. The sequel takes you back to the same place but fails to deliver in the same manner and falls very short.
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostMortality was quite enjoyable IIRC.
Also reading a Shrap recommendation at the moment albeit from the other place - a fantasy book called The Fifth Season. Enjoyable about 1/3 of the way in, I get the sense it could really take off.
Also doing a guilty pleasure listen to Ready Player One yet again.No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity, but I know none, therefore am no beast.
Comment
-
Originally posted by shrapnel View Postcracking read. I'm actually going to where the denouement takes place this summer. Looking forward to visiting the sights in question.No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity, but I know none, therefore am no beast.
Comment
-
Originally posted by pokerhand View PostThat book has been gathering dust in my place for three years. Just can't seem to make myself finish it. Think I am only 5 pages in.Last edited by shrapnel; 07-04-18, 15:19.
Comment
-
Originally posted by shrapnel View Postlol, "5 pages in" does not go with a "can't finish it" comment. 5 pages in doesn't even qualify as "starting it"No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity, but I know none, therefore am no beast.
Comment
-
Originally posted by pokerhand View Postjust read this for the 1st time today. Very enjoyable read. Any other guilty pleasures that you recommend?
It's fantasy as such but written in almost a noir-ish style with the main character a bit like Humphrey Bogart in the Maltese Falcon. I guess he's my favourite character in all of literature.
Another world class recommendation from Shrap actually!Last edited by Keane; 07-04-18, 16:29.
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostNot really a guilty pleasure but I find myself re-listening to Roger Zelazny reading his Nine Princes In Amber and the subsequent books several times a year.
It's fantasy as such but written in almost a noir-ish style with the main character a bit like Humphrey Bogart in the Maltese Falcon. I guess he's my favourite character in all of literature.
Another world class recommendation from Shrap actually!
Comment
-
Guilty pleasures. books you've read so many times you just can't remember, but you'll still probably read them 10 times more:
Ender's trilogy (ender's game, speaker for the dead and xenocide) by Orson Scott Card. from the battle room, to the piggies to the hive queen, i just never tire of these stories. It probably also helps that i read them when very young so they always stayed fresh in my mind.
The Hyperion and Endymion series by Dan Simmons: My favorite Sci fi series ever. I've read them countless times and still get excited at every re-read.
Perfume:the story of a murderer by Patrick Suskind. The story of grenouille is just such an incredible journey. Gripped from the first page to the last every time. If you haven't read it or don't know it, just pick it up and read it. A crime novel like no other.
Stone Junction by Jim Dodge. Not sure why, but i never mention this book, even though it's one of my favorites. i read it every other year and this since the early 90s. Some might say a spiritual book dressed up as an adventure, full of amazing characters. It never ceases to put a smile on my face, and makes me want to believe in magic.
I'll think of a few more but those just spring to mind straight away.
Comment
-
Guilty pleasures:
Empire trilogy by Fiest/watts. Just superb. Find myself reading so many times its ridiculous. So easy to read and always fun.
Kingslayer books by Rothfuss (bastard, fucking bastard if his latest interview has any merit). But the books are so beautifully written that you can almost forgive him.
The lies of Locke lamore. Just so much fun.
Wheel of time series. A longer undertaking, but every three years or so I reread them as just love the world it's set in.No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity, but I know none, therefore am no beast.
Comment
-
Originally posted by pokerhand View PostGuilty pleasures:
Empire trilogy by Fiest/watts. Just superb. Find myself reading so many times its ridiculous. So easy to read and always fun.
Kingslayer books by Rothfuss (bastard, fucking bastard if his latest interview has any merit). But the books are so beautifully written that you can almost forgive him.
The lies of Locke lamore. Just so much fun.
Wheel of time series. A longer undertaking, but every three years or so I reread them as just love the world it's set in.
Comment
-
Originally posted by shrapnel View PostEmpire trilogy, i'm guessing you mean Feist/Wurts? Definitely one of mine also! read it countless times, although not read it in a while. Important to read the magician trilogy first though for the background.
Having said that, do enjoy reading magician as its the first fanasty book I've read. Picked it up before lord of the rings. Lord of the rings is still a favorite but the movies kinda dampened my interest in it.No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity, but I know none, therefore am no beast.
Comment
-
I loved the Feist stuff when I read it. The Rothfuss books are very good as well. Have only read each once actually - have been meaning to give them another spin. I loved the first Locke Lamora book - really loved it - but couldn't get into the second one and didn't end up finishing it.
It's probably an unpopular opinion but after a decent first few books the Wheel of Time descends into complete garbage and is about as big a waste of time as you can get while still reading books!
I have read Ender's Game and the first two Hyperion books - loved all of them. Never read anymore of the OSC books and never read the Endymion part of the Hyperion series either. All three books I could easily justify a re-read and probably carrying on further with them as well.
@Shrap - any of the follow ups to Dune worthwhile or best to leave well alone?
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostI loved the Feist stuff when I read it. The Rothfuss books are very good as well. Have only read each once actually - have been meaning to give them another spin. I loved the first Locke Lamora book - really loved it - but couldn't get into the second one and didn't end up finishing it.
It's probably an unpopular opinion but after a decent first few books the Wheel of Time descends into complete garbage and is about as big a waste of time as you can get while still reading books!
I have read Ender's Game and the first two Hyperion books - loved all of them. Never read anymore of the OSC books and never read the Endymion part of the Hyperion series either. All three books I could easily justify a re-read and probably carrying on further with them as well.
@Shrap - any of the follow ups to Dune worthwhile or best to leave well alone?
I've read Dune so many times as well, and read the 2nd one, but just didn't enjoy it as much and never carried on. Plenty of people say they're great though.
Comment
-
Is the Empire trilogy the part with Eric as the main character and his friend who becomes super rich? There's a coffee house in the city that he weasels into and starts loads of business ventures iirc. Actually that might be the Serpent War.
There's another one where two princes who are twins go on a diplomatic mission to Kesh and one of them gets lost - maybe that's it? I remember loving the ones with Eric and that one with the princes as well
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostIs the Empire trilogy the part with Eric as the main character and his friend who becomes super rich? There's a coffee house in the city that he weasels into and starts loads of business ventures iirc. Actually that might be the Serpent War.
There's another one where two princes who are twins go on a diplomatic mission to Kesh and one of them gets lost - maybe that's it? I remember loving the ones with Eric and that one with the princes as well
Comment
-
Jaysus get reading the 2 Endymion books, they are joyously good. Denis Wheatley books are my guilty pleasure, racist in a HR Haggard type way but similarly rich characters and adventures.Low fee Euro/UK money transfer, 1st transfer free through my referral
https://transferwise.com/u/bfa0e
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostIs the Empire trilogy the part with Eric as the main character and his friend who becomes super rich? There's a coffee house in the city that he weasels into and starts loads of business ventures iirc. Actually that might be the Serpent War.
There's another one where two princes who are twins go on a diplomatic mission to Kesh and one of them gets lost - maybe that's it? I remember loving the ones with Eric and that one with the princes as well
The twin princes were in a standalone (pre-serpent war) book called princes of the blood.No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity, but I know none, therefore am no beast.
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostSerpent War doesn't stand up so well to a reread? It has popped into my head a few times over the years so would be tempted to revisit it but I do remember being a small bit disappointed a few years ago when I went back to the Magician series having adored them as a youngster.
He started a new trilogy this month, which has a different setting.No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity, but I know none, therefore am no beast.
Comment
-
Originally posted by mocata View PostDenis Wheatley books are my guilty pleasure, racist in a HR Haggard type way but similarly rich characters and adventures.
Don't really like anything with even a hint of supernatural about it but The Loney by Andrew Hurley was greatLast edited by Strewelpeter; 11-04-18, 15:53.Turning millions into thousands
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostI see the movie version of that book 'Annihilation' I mentioned a while back came out a few weeks ago. Seems to have gotten decent reviews.
Comment
-
Originally posted by shrapnel View PostHaven't read the book, but watched the film. Not bad, but can't say it's good either. Not sure I'd want to read the book either based on the film
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostI see the movie version of that book 'Annihilation' I mentioned a while back came out a few weeks ago. Seems to have gotten decent reviews.
I'm still in audiobook mode which is mostly books about politics and human history but must get back to my kindle to finish Hyperion and get back on the fantasy ride.
Would like to read the follow up to sampiens, homo deus, too.
Comment
-
I'm currently working my way through four books - which is a few more than I normally have on the go at once.
Almost finished the audiobook Out of Your Mind by Alan Watts
Now, with Out of Your Mind: Essential Listening from the Alan Watts Audio Archives, you are invited to immerse yourself in 12 of this legendary thinker's pinnacle teaching sessions about how to break through the limits of the rational mind, and begin expanding your awareness and appreciation for the Great Game unfolding all around us.
Also getting into Factfulness by Hans Rosling on Emmet's recommendation in BBV. This is part of an ongoing effort to convince myself that capitalism is still improving the world, because the alternative is too bleak. I'm only ~10% in but so far there's nothing that you wouldn't have seen in Rosling's various videos online, but it's amazing how well his highly engaging voice translates to the page.
Also reading The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin. This is the second instalment of the Broken Earth series - another great Shrap recommendation as far as I remember. The first book was really good, and the second one feels like it might be even better 20% of the way in. Highly recommended for fantasy fans.
Lastly, still working my way through Sapiens at a glacial pace. This is no reflection on the book which is excellent - I've just been reading a couple of pages a day for months.
Comment
-
Excited at the prospect of moving onto the Endymion and Daughter of the Empire books after this.
Canvassing for non-fiction suggestions for when I finish up the Watts book and Sapiens. I have Fooled by Randomness on Audible which I'm pretty sure I started but didn't finish a few years ago. I presume Homo Deus is good also?
Comment
-
Guest
Originally posted by Keane View PostExcited at the prospect of moving onto the Endymion and Daughter of the Empire books after this.
Canvassing for non-fiction suggestions for when I finish up the Watts book and Sapiens. I have Fooled by Randomness on Audible which I'm pretty sure I started but didn't finish a few years ago. I presume Homo Deus is good also?
Bostrom's Superintelligence is what I'm reading now and it's very good.
If you're keeping with the Sapiens type thing, I think Guns Germs & Steel is a must if you haven't read that already.
Superforeceasting byTetlock
The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Genome by Matt Ridley
Originals Adam Grant
Any of them are good.
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostAlso reading The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin. This is the second instalment of the Broken Earth series - another great Shrap recommendation as far as I remember. The first book was really good, and the second one feels like it might be even better 20% of the way in. Highly recommended for fantasy fans.
Finished the Alan Watts book last week and started Fooled by Randomness as it was easy to hand on Audible.
Also discovered I have Our Oriental Heritage (The Story of Civilization #1) on Audible which has great ratings but seems to be enormous - and only the first part of eleven! Anyone dabbled with these? Seems like a huge undertaking.
Comment
-
Guest
I'm reading Doors of Perception by Huxley at the minute, it's as you'd expect, a bit off the wall but interesting none the less.
Super-intelligence by Bostrom was excellent, I'd recommend that for sure.
I've bought loads as of late and they're continuing to pile up.
The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly is next. I bought a couple of Pinker's and Carlo Rovelli's which will probably come after. I'm not on target for 50 this year but hoping to increase the amount over the next while.
Comment
-
The quality of the audiobook for World War Z is amazing so far, big list of Hollywood actors doing the voices. Even Max Brooks, the author, who does the main interviewer is great.
Max Brooks as The Interviewer
Steve Park as Kwang Jingshu
Frank Kamai as Nury Televadi
Nathan Fillion as Stanley MacDonald*
Paul Sorvino as Fernando Oliveira*
Ade M'Cormack as Jacob Nyathi*
Carl Reiner as Jurgen Warmbrunn
Waleed Zuaiter as Saladin Kader
Jay O. Sanders as Bob Archer
Dennis Boutsikaris as General Travis D'Ambrosia
Martin Scorsese as Breckinridge “Breck” Scott*
Simon Pegg as Grover Carlson*
Denise Crosby as Mary Jo Miller*
Bruce Boxleitner as Gavin Blaire*
Ajay Naidu as Ajay Shah
Nicki Clyne as Sharon*
Jeri Ryan as Maria Zhuganova*
Henry Rollins as T. Sean Collins
Maz Jobrani as Ahmed Farahnakian
Mark Hamill as Todd Wainio
Eamonn Walker as Xolelwa Azania / Paul Redeker / David Allen Forbes
Jürgen Prochnow as Philip Adler
David Ogden Stiers as Bohdan Taras Kondratiuk*
Michelle Kholos as Jesika Hendricks
Kal Penn as Sardar Khan*
Alan Alda as Arthur Sinclair Junior
Rob Reiner as "The Whacko"
Dean Edwards as Joe Muhammad
Frank Darabont as Roy Elliot*
Becky Ann Baker as Christina Eliopolis
Parminder Nagra as Barati Palshigar*
Brian Tee as Hyungchol Choi / Michael Choi*
Masi Oka as Kondo Tatsumi*
Frank Kamai as Tomonaga Ijiro
John Turturro as Seryosha Garcia Alvarez
Ric Young as Admiral Xu Zhicai*
Alfred Molina as Terry Knox*
John McElroy as Ernesto Olguin
Common as Darnell Hackworth*
F. Murray Abraham as Father Sergei Ryzhkov*
René Auberjonois as Andre Renard*
* The Complete EditionLast edited by Tar.Aldarion; 03-05-18, 10:14.
Comment
-
Finished the Fooled By Randomness audiobook. Thought it was OK. Certain sections more interesting than others, could have done with a bit more editing I think.
Started Endymion last week, about 20% through it. So far it's great, no idea why I had in my head that they were meant to be much worse than the first two.
Comment
-
Guest
I ordered 15-20 books from WorldofBooks. They're an Amazon store but free delivery to the UK so parcel motel was handy.
I haven't started any as of yet. I'm a bit here and there with a few books at the minute.
The Doors of Perception, Case against Sugar and The Inevitable(right up Hitch & Dennys street) currently.
The ones I bought are all Dan Dennetts, couple of Sam Harris and the rest being those of Hitchens that I don't own.
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostStarted Endymion last week, about 20% through it. So far it's great, no idea why I had in my head that they were meant to be much worse than the first two.
Realising I had forgotten a lot of the details of the first two books when I started Endymion, I decided to download the audiobook of the original Hyperion and go through it. I had forgotten just how good it is, it's ridiculous.
SPOILERThe first story in it - Paul Duré travelling to Hyperion, meeting the Bikura and learning about the cruciforms is so chilling and powerful.
Comment
-
Originally posted by Keane View PostMoving house has slowed my progress a bit but about 70% of the way through this - still very enjoyable.
Realising I had forgotten a lot of the details of the first two books when I started Endymion, I decided to download the audiobook of the original Hyperion and go through it. I had forgotten just how good it is, it's ridiculous.
SPOILERThe first story in it - Paul Duré travelling to Hyperion, meeting the Bikura and learning about the cruciforms is so chilling and powerful.
Comment
-
Originally posted by shrapnel View PostEvery single one of their stories is brilliant imo, but that one is just unreal!!SPOILERKassad'smight be the weakest, withSPOILERLamia'sbeing the second best.
Just getting to theSPOILERConsul'sone now.
Comment
-
Originally posted by Tar.Aldarion View PostListening to Ready Player One read by Wil Wheaton, it and him reading it are both awesome.
Comment
-
Guest
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View PostHmm: that's the 'share' link on Goodreads. Does this work?: Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...erintelligence
I'm reading Master Algorithm atm and it would have probably been better to read the other way around.
That said it's best book I've read this year.
Comment
-
Did Outliers by Gladwell and now doing Tipping Point by him, enjoyable pop science with correlation = causation for him. Also did some famous persuasion influence book that was full of things I already do . Have gotten an audio book on scrum as we've started that in work.Last edited by Tar.Aldarion; 22-06-18, 11:15.
Comment
Comment