Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[tecweston]

Oh, I didn't see you mention Dexter's dead father mentoring him on the TV series. That's not an example of anything supernatural because he isn't a ghost. It's just the voice inside Dexter's head talking to him as his father.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by tecweston

Well, spoilers abound here for anyone who hasn't read the Dexter books.

Spoiler:

"The third book has a ton of supernatural stuff in it. Unlike the show, in which his "dark passenger" is a metaphor for his troubled past, he literally is possessed by an ancient demon he refers to as his "dark passenger." Also, I haven't read it but I've heard from someone who has that "Dexter is Delicious" is about vampires. "

The dark passenger is similar to his father - it is a construct of his mind. Nowhere in the book does it manifest itself as discrete from Dexter.

Dexter is Delicious is not about vampires. Not in the slightest.



"As far as people knowing he's a serial killer, from what I remember, his brother is still alive (unlike the TV show), and he is training both Astor and Cody to become serial killers as well. Deb knows he's a serial killer (although she knows on the show now as well). It's like a big family secret that he's out there killing people, unlike on the show where he keeps it from everyone."

Some people know - his immediate family - that's hardly the whole town.

[tecweston]

Dexter spoilers for the TV show and books.

Spoiler:

"The dark passenger is similar to his father - it is a construct of his mind. Nowhere in the book does it manifest itself as discrete from Dexter."

That's not how I read it. We must have had different interpretations, but to me it was pretty clear that Dexter was being possessed by an ancient demon. The book also mentioned the kids had their own "dark passengers," ie demons possessing them.

"Dexter is Delicious is not about vampires. Not in the slightest."

Like I said, I didn't read it. I gave up after book three was so terrible. But I know someone who has read all of the books so far and he said that book was about vampires. Maybe he was wrong.

"Some people know - his immediate family - that's hardly the whole town."

When I said "the whole town" I was not literally talking about every person in the city of Miami. I meant the major characters in the books. A bunch of them know who he is, unlike in the show where no one knew except characters who showed up for one season and either got killed or left town. Now Deb knows, apparently, but I gave up on the show earlier this season too.

But regardless, that doesn't change the fact that the books aren't worth reading, in my opinion. The show is worth watching, up until the latest season with Colin Hanks and Edward James Olmos. The first book is decent and the second one is okay, but I wouldn't read any further than that.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by tecweston

Dexter spoilers for the TV show and books.

Spoiler:

"But I know someone who has read all of the books so far and he said that book was about vampires. Maybe he was wrong."

It has some goths in it that pretend to be vampires, but are actually cannibals. But there's nothing supernatural about it.

[JSWolf]

I've decided to read 10th Anniversary by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.

For every secret

Detective Lindsay Boxer's long-awaited wedding celebration becomes a distant memory when she is called to investigate a horrendous crime: a badly injured teenage girl is left for dead, and her newborn baby is nowhere to be found. Lindsay discovers that not only is there no trace of the criminals—but that the victim may be keeping secrets as well.

For every lie

At the same time, Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano is prosecuting the biggest case of her life—a woman who has been accused of murdering her husband in front of her two young children. Yuki's career rests on a guilty verdict, so when Lindsay finds evidence that could save the defendant, she is forced to choose. Should she trust her best friend or follow her instinct?

There's a different way to die

Lindsay's every move is watched by her new boss, Lieutenant Jackson Brady, and when the pressure to find the baby begins interfering with her new marriage to Joe, she wonders if she'll ever be able to start a family.

[tiffadms]

This book was full of adventure throughout the whole book , very vivid imagery, no romance but it does bring you to a magical place. It has definitely become my favorite book and was left wanting more so I'm reading it again.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Just started reading The Dark Vineyard, #2 in the Bruno, Chief of Police books by Martin Walker. If you haven't run across this series, and you enjoy a cozy mystery, then by all means grab a copy and give it a try. This is #2, but really, you can start anywhere I think.

And finished The Dark Vineyard. This one had more focus on wine than the previous one (hey, the title might have been a hint). I enjoyed this cozy (a solid 4 out of 5), and am looking forward to reading more in the series. Recommended for those who like cozy mysteries and especially if you have an interest in food, wine, and the French countryside, though those are not requirements at all.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

On a recommendation from this thread, I just started reading Crusade by David Weber and Steve White.

Good choice.

I notice that Insurrection was published first but chronology-wise is 3rd in the series?

Fourth, I believe. After "Crusade", "In Death Ground", and "The Shiva Option". It's in its correct chronological position as the 2nd half of "The Stars at War II".

Are the two books not written by Weber an actual continuation (i.e. Dave left the story unfinished) or just set in the same world?

I'd regard Steve White as the "primary" author of these books, and he does continue as a co-author of the the later books. Each (or each two, in the later cases) is a standalone "episode" in the history of the Starfire Universe.

[Latinandgreek]

I'm reading "The Magus" by John Fowles; it is the revised version. I wonder if I should have rather started reading the non-revised version. I'm finding the book very interesting so far, but I've only read a few chapters.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

I'm reading "The Magus" by John Fowles; it is the revised version. I wonder if I should have rather started reading the non-revised version. I'm finding the book very interesting so far, but I've only read a few chapters.

I read this as a teenager, and was blown away and mystified by it in equal measure. It's worth the journey .

Just started Love in the Time of Cholera.

[Marrella]

Recently finished books:

Osama by Lavie Tidhar. Very strange book, but it kept me turning the pages. It is set in an alternate universe without terrorism, and the main character is being hired to look for the author of a series of pulp fiction novels about a certain Osama bin Laden. He travels through Europe and meets a whole plethora of strange people. Recommended.

Two novellas by George R. R. Martin: The Hedge Knight and The Sworn Sword. The former was actually a reread, it made me pick up Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series years ago. The two stories tell the adventures of the hedge knight Dunk (Ser Duncan The Tall) and his squire Egg, who is a very interesting character in his own right. They are set about 100 years before "A Game of Thrones", and I really loved to meet a bunch of living Targaryens other than Dany and Viserys.

Highly recommended. There is a third novella in this series which I will read very soon.

Currently reading (I am a very messy reader and have usually at least half a dozen books going, but here are the ones that hold my interest right now):

The Freedom Maze by Delia Sherman. This is a YA story about a girl who is projected into the past by a mysterious creature. Enjoying it very much so far (I have read about 45% of it).

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling. I have been a Harry Potter fan for 12 years now and I am very happy to finally have them all on my Kindle.

Lancaster and York by Alison Weir. This is a non-fiction book about the Wars of the Roses. I picked this up to do a bit of "background reading" for A Song of Ice and Fire.

Lightspeed Magazine May 2012. Read 5 of the 8 stories so far and like them a lot better than those in last month's issue.

This year, I am also trying to read most of the short fiction on the Hugo and Nebula ballots. I am currently reading Sauerkraut Station by Ferrett Steinmetz, liking it so far.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Curses, more books for the potential read list.

Currently reading Terry Pratchett, I Shall Wear Midnight and Andrea Resmini & Luca Rosati, Pervasive Information Architecture.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by orlok

I read this as a teenager, and was blown away and mystified by it in equal measure. It's worth the journey .

Just started Love in the Time of Cholera.

I think that I will love it. I can't wait to get my work done for the day so that I can get back to reading

I really enjoyed Love in the Time of Cholera, I hope that you do too. It's been many years since I've read it. I recently bought a Spanish special edition of 100 Years of Solitude, and I think that I might do a reread of Love in the Time of Cholera as well.

Originally Posted by Marrella

Two novellas by George R. R. Martin: The Hedge Knight and The Sworn Sword. The former was actually a reread, it made me pick up Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series years ago. The two stories tell the adventures of the hedge knight Dunk (Ser Duncan The Tall) and his squire Egg, who is a very interesting character in his own right. They are set about 100 years before "A Game of Thrones", and I really loved to meet a bunch of living Targaryens other than Dany and Viserys.

Highly recommended. There is a third novella in this series which I will read very soon.

Currently reading (I am a very messy reader and have usually at least half a dozen books going, but here are the ones that hold my interest right now):

The Freedom Maze by Delia Sherman. This is a YA story about a girl who is projected into the past by a mysterious creature. Enjoying it very much so far (I have read about 45% of it).

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling. I have been a Harry Potter fan for 12 years now and I am very happy to finally have them all on my Kindle.

Lancaster and York by Alison Weir. This is a non-fiction book about the Wars of the Roses. I picked this up to do a bit of "background reading" for A Song of Ice and Fire.

Lightspeed Magazine May 2012. Read 5 of the 8 stories so far and like them a lot better than those in last month's issue.

This year, I am also trying to read most of the short fiction on the Hugo and Nebula ballots. I am currently reading Sauerkraut Station by Ferrett Steinmetz, liking it so far.

I really, really enjoyed the GRRM novellas. I'd love to get them for my husband, but I don't think that they have been translated into Croatian yet. I'm a long time HP fan, too, and I'm very excited to be able to read them on my Sony Reader. I think that I will be adding Lancaster and York to my massive TBR list.

[Marrella]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

I really, really enjoyed the GRRM novellas. I'd love to get them for my husband, but I don't think that they have been translated into Croatian yet. I'm a long time HP fan, too, and I'm very excited to be able to read them on my Sony Reader. I think that I will be adding Lancaster and York to my massive TBR list.

The novellas are great. I would love to read the first one in English on my Kindle, but the first Legends book doesn't seem to exist in electronic format, so I had to reread it in my German hardcover.

Lancaster and York is interesting so far (I'm about 10% in). I wonder if Martin has based the Targaryens on the Plantagenets, at least it seems so. This afternoon, I have also started a sample of Game of Thrones and Philosophy, which also looks very interesting. Oh my, so many books, so little time...

[tecweston]

Originally Posted by Marrella

Two novellas by George R. R. Martin: The Hedge Knight and The Sworn Sword. The former was actually a reread, it made me pick up Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series years ago. The two stories tell the adventures of the hedge knight Dunk (Ser Duncan The Tall) and his squire Egg, who is a very interesting character in his own right. They are set about 100 years before "A Game of Thrones", and I really loved to meet a bunch of living Targaryens other than Dany and Viserys.

How'd you get ahold of these? I'm itching for some new Game of Thrones stuff to read but I don't know how to get those novellas. I know they were originally published in magazine format, but are they available as ebooks anywhere?