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

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Mindy

I'm reading Accelerando by Stross, which happened to come with my Cybook. I'm not really a hard sci-fi kinda girl and I can't help but feel that a lot of it's going over my head, but am persevering nonetheless and particularly enjoyed the bit in Edinburgh because it had landmarks and references I could related to.

When I finally get to reading Accelerando and I don't get the landmarks and references related to Edinburgh, I can always ask my wife as she comes from Scotland.

[DixieGal]

Finished: Down & Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow

I liked this one a lot. Whuffie... what a silly name for "MR karma." The story is lighthearted and a quick read on one hand. On the other hand, it is a warnig about nationalism and the dangers of closing borders. On the third hand, it is a story about people, friendship, love, betrayal, and forgiveness. For a relatively short book, it is very intense.

Finished: Frost by Bud Sparhawk

A hellish vision of a traditional Christmas. I didn't see this one coming!

Currently Reading: Hal Spacejock by Simon Haynes

So far I like it. Seems to be an old fashioned space opera, and just the thing to change my mood from all of the hard scifi that I've been reading lately.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Finished: Down & Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow

I liked this one a lot. Whuffie... what a silly name for "MR karma." The story is lighthearted and a quick read on one hand. On the other hand, it is a warnig about nationalism and the dangers of closing borders. On the third hand, it is a story about people, friendship, love, betrayal, and forgiveness. For a relatively short book, it is very intense.

I have this downloaded, and am getting ready to start it......glad you liked it!

[Laz116]

Dark tower 4: It's getting really boring at this point (hope the next book is better), therefore I am also reading:

Pillars of the earth: seems ok, but more melodrama than substance so far imo.

Non ebooks:

J.M. Bernstein "Against Voluptuous Bodies - Late Modernism and the Meaning of Painting": Work, but nevertheless very interesting.

Modern Art and the Grotesque: Work... it's so so.

Looking forward to reading: Cormac Mccarthy - The Road.

Thinking of rereading: HP7, Dune series

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by Mindy

I'm reading Accelerando by Stross, which happened to come with my Cybook. I'm not really a hard sci-fi kinda girl and I can't help but feel that a lot of it's going over my head, but am persevering nonetheless and particularly enjoyed the bit in Edinburgh because it had landmarks and references I could related to.

I had the same with the bit in Amsterdam at the beginning. I'm a regular at The Wildeman, and Brewery 't IJ has some beers I quite enjoy...

[seajewel]

Recently Finished:
Cherie Priest's Four and Twenty Blackbirds. LOVED it, I want the next two books in ebook format stat.
Tanith Lee's Metallic Love. Silver Metal Lover was AMAZING and wonderful, metallic love was the biggest letdown with the most ridiculous plot. First ebook I paid for.. and I wish I'd borrowed it from the library as I would have done if I hadn't had my Sony Reader on hand.

Now working on:
Soul by Tobsha Learner. It's OK so far.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by seajewel

....Silver Metal Lover was AMAZING and wonderful,
...

Yeah, I remember that one. I enjoyed it very much. I'm not sure why (memory not being my strong point) but some aspects reminded me of the later books in Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos (more the technological environment I suspect...though, as I said, memory...not good...).

Cheers,
Marc

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Finished: Down & Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow

I liked this one a lot. Whuffie... what a silly name for "MR karma." The story is lighthearted and a quick read on one hand. On the other hand, it is a warnig about nationalism and the dangers of closing borders. On the third hand, it is a story about people, friendship, love, betrayal, and forgiveness. For a relatively short book, it is very intense."

I finished the book.......and LOVE the term "Whuffie"........how do we get the word "karma" changed to "wuffie"?

Okay, now, I agree with you that it was about 'people, friendship, love, betrayal and forgiveness" But, you gotta explain the nationalism and the dangers of closing borders part.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Laz116

Dark tower 4: It's getting really boring at this point (hope the next book is better)

If you find book 4 boring, then I am afraid you will not like the rest of the series at all. (I hope you prove me wrong. I loved the series.)

[seajewel]

I think Tanith Lee's language in the book was so poetic and beautiful. The story was touching as well, even if Jane was a little weepy. Metallic Love, on the other hand.. it just went out of the believability bounds, and I couldn't empathize with the characters. The constant mention of Jane and Silver just made it worse, because it reminded me of a better book with better characters, not to mention a better plot.

Originally Posted by montsnmags

Yeah, I remember that one. I enjoyed it very much. I'm not sure why (memory not being my strong point) but some aspects reminded me of the later books in Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos (more the technological environment I suspect...though, as I said, memory...not good...).

Cheers,
Marc

[DixieGal]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I finished the book.......and LOVE the term "Whuffie"........how do we get the word "karma" changed to "wuffie"?

Okay, now, I agree with you that it was about 'people, friendship, love, betrayal and forgiveness" But, you gotta explain the nationalism and the dangers of closing borders part.

To me, it seemed like each "ad-hoc" could represent a different nation, living in harmony with its neighbor. But then assasinations, power grabs, espionage, xenophobia, and economics rear their ugly heads. Gradually the idealistic "ad-hocs" become nationalistic and truly believe their various park attraction is the best in the world and they try to keep other ad-hocs from seeing what they are planning. Eventually, they even build a wall of sorts to close their borders, you know, the painted curtains to keep Debra's group from seeing what they are doing. However, in a cautionary warning, the collapse of the ad-hoc, when it happens, comes from within and from the highest levels of the ad-hocracy.

This is fun! Now it's you guys' turn to tell me I'm full of BS and what it really means. Dont'cha love literary criticism? I do!

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

I finished the book.......and LOVE the term "Whuffie"........how do we get the word "karma" changed to "wuffie"?

Okay, now, I agree with you that it was about 'people, friendship, love, betrayal and forgiveness" But, you gotta explain the nationalism and the dangers of closing borders part.

To me, it seemed like each "ad-hoc" could represent a different nation, living in harmony with its neighbor. But then assasinations, power grabs, espionage, xenophobia, and economics rear their ugly heads. Gradually the idealistic "ad-hocs" become nationalistic and truly believe their various park attraction is the best in the world and they try to keep other ad-hocs from seeing what they are planning. Eventually, they even build a wall of sorts to close their borders, you know, the painted curtains to keep Debra's group from seeing what they are doing. However, in a cautionary warning, the collapse of the ad-hoc, when it happens, comes from within and from the highest levels of the ad-hocracy.

This is fun! Now it's you guys' turn to tell me I'm full of BS and what it really means. Dont'cha love literary criticism? I do![/QUOTE]

OOOh.........now I understand. I thought you were talking about the 'bitchun' society as a whole, in relationship to the rest of the world who elected not to join, but as I understood it, they all did eventually. What you say makes perfect sense!

[DixieGal]

When it comes to literary criticism, the one constant is this: If you can't blind 'em with brilliance, then baffle them with BS. Guess which one I did?

Please tell me more about your thoughts on the Bitchun society. Sounds interesting.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

When it comes to literary criticism, the one constant is this: If you can't blind 'em with brilliance, then baffle them with BS. Guess which one I did?

but.......but......you made so much SENSE! Oh, wait.......is THAT why the world is in the shape its in?? We're are blinded with BS?

[jerryleejr]

I did not know that this thread was about books, So let me catch up on the 1st 45 pages and then I will hop into the fray.