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

[Rumpelteazer]

I finished Jim Butcher's Blood Rites (Dresden Files #6) a couple of days ago. With each book I like this series better and better. For the first time (or so it seems) Harry takes matters into his own hands instead of waiting for things to happen to him. The new revelations make me want to continue with the series more than with any previous book.

I'm now reading The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey (The Monstrumologist #2). It's even harder to put down than the first book of the series!

[saram965]

Right now, I'm reading two books. I'm working on Deadline by Mira Grant (not bad), and Josh Tremino's Poisoned Star (I'm totally loving this one). I'd recommend both pieces.

[thinkpad]

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

Moving on to a stand alone fantasy by Stephen King, The Eyes of the Dragon, http://www.amazon.com/Eyes-Dragon-ebook/dp/B002SR2PSS

There goes $9 dollars out the window. If I had known that this book was young adult (YA) (likely for a very young audience, or perhaps it's just me who feels like the author is telling a story for a child) written in third person I would never have bought it.
I was looking for a standalone fantasy and this book came recommended on some blog. Next time I will do better research before hitting the buy button.

In search of some Fantasy resource I came upon this link:
Top 100 Fantasy Books:
http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersy...sts_books.html

I don't know how the list was constructed but I have read very few of these top 100 books (I find it strange that not a single one of Elisabeth Moons books is included), but I will bookmark it for future reference and reading tips.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by beppe

Even in peripheral and culturally marginal Italy, the new literary effort of Harold Bloom, The Anatomy of Influence has been noticed, with a full page in the cultural section of our main newspaper. I did not know about him. I found out that he is a living monument to literary criticism. This is the 5 pages review of his book in the New York Times (5/20/2011).

The book is carried by Amazon, even in ebook format. I downloaded the sample, of which I am happy to provide two quotations that to me appear at least meaningful. I will get the book and read it carefully, bit by bit....

The Anatomy of Influence: Literature as a Way of Life by Harold Bloom does indeed look interesting, but at $17.88 on Amazon, I think I'll wait for the price to drop. It only came out on Kindle 7 weeks ago, so I imagine it will.

Bloom is a gifted writer.

[Crusader]

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

There goes $9 dollars out the window. If I had known that this book was young adult (YA) (likely for a very young audience, or perhaps it's just me who feels like the author is telling a story for a child) written in third person I would never have bought it.

If I remember correctly he wrote it for his daughter.

I've just finished and reviewed The Last Four Things by Paul Hoffman. As predicted I didn't like this one much. I struggled with the first novel, and this one is much the same with a much slower pace.

I don't really know what to classify it as. The publisher says it's fantasy, but there's no magic or monsters, aside from the humans. There's lots of poking fun at religion and some of the more absurd things done in the name of religion. However it got a bit much for me especially since some things went into the weird territory.

Weird territory:

Spoiler:

A nation of kleptomaniacs named Klepths.
The Laconic nation are pederasts.
The Pope turns out to be hermaphrodite.
The weird amalgamation of the real world history and the fantasy world

I did like the main characters though and at the very least I will read the last novel to see how things turns out.

I wonder if my review is a bit harsh?

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by Crusader

If I remember correctly he wrote it for his daughter.

Yes, he did. He wanted something she would & could read. It is actually a very good story. Then again, I was closer to the intended demographic at the time that I read it, so......

[Iridal]

Originally Posted by Crusader

If I remember correctly he wrote it for his daughter.

I've just finished and reviewed The Last Four Things by Paul Hoffman. As predicted I didn't like this one much. I struggled with the first novel, and this one is much the same with a much slower pace.

I don't really know what to classify it as. The publisher says it's fantasy, but there's no magic or monsters, aside from the humans. There's lots of poking fun at religion and some of the more absurd things done in the name of religion. However it got a bit much for me especially since some things went into the weird territory.

Weird territory:

Spoiler:

A nation of kleptomaniacs named Klepths.
The Laconic nation are pederasts.
The Pope turns out to be hermaphrodite.
The weird amalgamation of the real world history and the fantasy world

I did like the main characters though and at the very least I will read the last novel to see how things turns out.

I wonder if my review is a bit harsh?

Told you so I think that was a mild review, I wouldn't have given it 5.5 out of 10. More like 3 out of 10.

[Crusader]

Originally Posted by Iridal

Told you so I think that was a mild review, I wouldn't have given it 5.5 out of 10. More like 3 out of 10.

Well, I already grew attached to the characters so that's what upped the rating for me. I enjoyed some scenes enough to put it in the "average" category.

I'm still confused as to what it really is I was reading. I heard it was promoted to YA readers as well, but the themes seem far too dark and adult to really be suited to that demographic.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

I finished Jim Butcher's Blood Rites (Dresden Files #6) a couple of days ago. With each book I like this series better and better. For the first time (or so it seems) Harry takes matters into his own hands instead of waiting for things to happen to him. The new revelations make me want to continue with the series more than with any previous book.

I'm now reading The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey (The Monstrumologist #2). It's even harder to put down than the first book of the series!

I think Book 7 of Dresden was the best for me.

[alansplace]

Ghost Story: A Novel of the Dresden Files [Kindle Edition] us amazon.com $14.99 - also available in appropriate ebook formats at these other web ebook sellers
ebooks.com $14.99
kobobooks.com $14.99 and
barnesandnoble.com $14.99

The eagerly awaited new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series.

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

[poohbear_nc]

After being bombarded with endless repeats of Shawshank Redemption on AMC for the past week or so [I do like the movie very much - just not back to back every night] - I finally read the original Stephen King novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" - an excellent read. I read up a bit on this novella - apparently King wrote this as part of a collection "Different Seasons" - to show he was capable of non-horror, more mainstream literary composition. I was very impressed with this novella, and am continuing on with the rest of the collection.
Of course, you are forced to hear the narrative in your head in Morgan Freeman's voice, but it's not too distracting. There were some interesting changes made for the screenplay - the novella is a lot simpler plot-wise.
[N.B. - apparently casting for the movie changed many times - The part of Red was offered to (among others) Clint Eastwood. At first this struck me as totally wrong, but as I continued reading the novella, I could indeed hear the narrative in Eastwood's voice as well.]

[amward]

Originally Posted by beppe

I just finished reading The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt (2009). An unforgettable experience.

An absolutely fabulous book, even better than "Posession" IMO

[gmw]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

[...] I finally read the original Stephen King novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" - an excellent read. [...]

I agree, an excellent novella and the movie was a great adaptation. If you have not read/seen, I would also recommend the Stephen King short story "The Body" (also from the Different Seasons collection) and the corresponding movie "Stand By Me" (narrator Richard Dreyfuss).

[maianhvk]

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

In search of some Fantasy resource I came upon this link:
Top 100 Fantasy Books:
http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersy...sts_books.html

I don't know how the list was constructed but I have read very few of these top 100 books (I find it strange that not a single one of Elisabeth Moons books is included), but I will bookmark it for future reference and reading tips.

Thanks for the link.

I've read only 19 of them too.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Ghost Story: A Novel of the Dresden Files [Kindle Edition] us amazon.com $14.99 - also available in appropriate ebook formats at these other web ebook sellers
ebooks.com $14.99
kobobooks.com $14.99 and
barnesandnoble.com $14.99

it was released yesterday and i just finished it. it's right up there with the 12 other books in the series. i'd recommend re-reading the last chapter of 'changes' and the final short story in 'side jobs', called 'aftermath', first.