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

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

I'm about halfway through the Scarlet Lion. I like it, what can I say I'm a sucker for historical fiction and Elisabeth Chadwick knows how to write. As a bonus I'm learning a whole bunch of new words that I didn't know from before.

The only thing that bothers me is that it was bought as a package with all three books. You download one file and the file contains all three books.

This is not a good way to publish any series.

First of all it's very hard to keep track off how far you've gotten into the book because the total is shown for all three books .

Second when you want to jump directly to book number two or three you've got to page through the TOC to find the right jump spot

This is a problem I've seen on several occasions when buying a series.
- They're not splitting it into several files which clearly should have been done for the benefit of the consumer. I can see the usefulness of just having one file for organisational purposes but it doesn't way up for the problems with the readability.

I have a couple of author omnibus editions (six books each) and don't find that a problem. I go to the TOC first to see which page the next book starts with (say 600), and the go to the beginning of the book I want to read (say page 300); easy enough to remember where I am in the book after that.

[Fbone]

I can already tell Mistress of the Art of Death is going to be a slow read. Very slow.

I'm only on page 10 and I've read for an hour.

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I wonder if any are available for reading on the iPad? Logicomix is print-only.

No idea, although I do know that the funnily informative and highly recommended Action Philosophers! is available in iApp form for the old back issues (but not the new collected edition with bonus material).

The Ayn Rand short is a sample iComic freebie, and they've got some PDFs of their other philosopher (and comic-book history) stories to try at the site, and they're also available at DriveThruComics as DRM-free, watermarked PDFs.

And No Starch Press throws in a free PDF copy of their Manga Guides to Physics, Relativity, Molecular Biology, etc. when you buy a print copy direct from them at $19.95 (e-version alone $15.95). There's apparently a bundle discount if you get the first 6 volumes for a total of $75, but I think you have to be logged in to see the promo since I'm getting an unauthorized user message when I click the link.

But those may or may not be in your area of reading interest, so maybe this doesn't help (I like them and they're entertaining and informative, but very cartoony and definitely on the "light" side, so YMMV).

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

...Jim Ottaviani's collaborative science-history graphic novels ... info and samples on the GT Labs website

I just ordered Two-Fisted Science ("the book that started it all") from Amazon. It seemed that the beginning might be a good place to start with that series.

Originally Posted by ATDrake

No idea, although I do know that the funnily informative and highly recommended Action Philosophers! is available in iApp form for the old back issues (but not the new collected edition with bonus material).

The Ayn Rand short is a sample iComic freebie, and they've got some PDFs of their other philosopher (and comic-book history) stories to try at the site, and they're also available at DriveThruComics as DRM-free, watermarked PDFs.

I've been delving into the Action Philosophers series through the ComiXology app on my iPad. Of course, I started with the Ayn Rand freebie. It's an interesting series. I'd rather have the version that's formatted as a comic rather than a PDF. The comics readers do such fascinating things with panel navigation these days.

Originally Posted by ATDrake

And No Starch Press throws in a free PDF copy of their Manga Guides to Physics, Relativity, Molecular Biology, etc. when you buy a print copy direct from them at $19.95 (e-version alone $15.95). There's apparently a bundle discount if you get the first 6 volumes for a total of $75, but I think you have to be logged in to see the promo since I'm getting an unauthorized user message when I click the link.

But those may or may not be in your area of reading interest, so maybe this doesn't help (I like them and they're entertaining and informative, but very cartoony and definitely on the "light" side, so YMMV).

You've given me quite a few leads to follow up, sir. Thank you!

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I just ordered Two-Fisted Science ("the book that started it all") from Amazon. It seemed that the beginning might be a good place to start with that series.

...

Be sure and post a review. I'm interested, but not sure about the $15...

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Be sure and post a review. I'm interested, but not sure about the $15...

Two-Fisted Science is awesome, but then I own practically all their stuff and am biased.

However, it's more a collection of amusing brief scientist anecdotes, and if you're looking for serious science-history which goes into depth, then you definitely want to start with the other volumes and pick a topic you're interested in.

However, if you're a Richard Feynman fan, then the included Feynman stories (about 4 of them, IIRC, and you can read part of the "Safecracker" story online at the GT Labs website) will be worth the price of admission.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Two-Fisted Science is awesome, but then I own practically all their stuff and am biased.

However, it's more a collection of amusing brief scientist anecdotes, and if you're looking for serious science-history which goes into depth, then you definitely want to start with the other volumes and pick a topic you're interested in.

However, if you're a Richard Feynman fan, then the included Feynman stories (about 4 of them, IIRC, and you can read part of the "Safecracker" story online at the GT Labs website) will be worth the price of admission.

Thanks!

[thinkpad]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I have a couple of author omnibus editions (six books each) and don't find that a problem. I go to the TOC first to see which page the next book starts with (say 600), and the go to the beginning of the book I want to read (say page 300); easy enough to remember where I am in the book after that.

Yes jumping to the right section in the file is not a big problem with a decent TOC. I find it more irritating not knowing how far into the book I've reached.

[Crusader]

Finally finished Dracula. What a disappointing ending. All those pages to wade through and the ultimate battle is done in less than a paragraph!

[richvalle]

Originally Posted by Crusader

Finally finished Dracula. What a disappointing ending. All those pages to wade through and the ultimate battle is done in less than a paragraph!

Wow, really? I have that as a free book on my eReader and kept it around thinking I should read the 'classic'. Based on this I think I'll skip it.

[Crusader]

Originally Posted by richvalle

Wow, really? I have that as a free book on my eReader and kept it around thinking I should read the 'classic'. Based on this I think I'll skip it.

Well, I wouldn't say it's bad enough to not read it. I think it's good to go back to the roots and read the classics. For its time I think it's pretty good. Compared to modern day Vampire literature the pace is very slow and there's no overly graphic violent scenes or kick-butt vampire hunters.

[richvalle]

Originally Posted by Crusader

Well, I wouldn't say it's bad enough to not read it. I think it's good to go back to the roots and read the classics. For its time I think it's pretty good. Compared to modern day Vampire literature the pace is very slow and there's no overly graphic violent scenes or kick-butt vampire hunters.

Yeah, it's amazing how much writing styles change over time. I'd hate to read an ok book and have a bleh ending.

And there are SO many other books I have loaded up to read. With... well... not overly graphic violent scenes but some good action ones. And kick-butt vampire hunters! Dresden anyone?

When I want to go 'back to the roots' I'll dig out Tolkien. Been meaning to do that lately anyway.

[stylib38]

I'm Reading "Riven" right now that was a free Amazon book a while back ( now $9.98) by Jerry Jenkins. It's in the Christian Fiction category and so far is really good. Excellent author of numerous books including the "Left Behind" Series-though this book is completely different and he considers it his best work.

[stylib38]

Oops- I think I posted this in the wrong spot so am reposting here! I'm Reading "Riven" right now that was a free Amazon book a while back ( now $9.98) by Jerry Jenkins. It's in the Christian Fiction category and so far is really good. Excellent author of numerous books including the "Left Behind" Series-though this book is completely different and he considers it his best work.

[orlok]

Tony & Susan by Austin Wright. Never heard of this author before, only to find he is already dead. Such a shame, as the book is an excellent read - a book within a book, full of fear and pain and revenge. Not finished yet, so don't know if there is redemption too, but I am really enjoying the journey.