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

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I'm floundering after reading 11/22/63...

Tried a sample of Exodus by Uris... didn't catch my interest.

Now reading a sample of Atlas Shrugged to see what all the fuss is about.

BOb

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Atlas Shrugged is highly overrated.

On his blog, King Fuy Monkey, John Rogers wrote on March 19, 2009, "There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."

[LovesMacs]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Atlas Shrugged is highly overrated.

*shrug*

I will say this upfront, I don't agree with Rand's ideology, at least what I see as a very rigid portrayal of what and who is right and wrong in this book.

Setting that aside, I enjoyed reading Atlas Shrugged, despite what I consider serious flaws in plot, dialogue, and character development. Her prose has been described as dense and wooden, but I would even say that she is under-appreciated as a stylist because of her very visual descriptions of scenery.

I think Atlas Shrugged is worth reading at least once, to see what the fuss is about and be able to discuss it intelligently. I plan on reading it again.

[maianhvk]

Originally Posted by thinkpad

I finished the first book: The Eye of the World in the Wheel Of Time series and it will probably be the last book I read from this series.

It didn't appeal to me. I thought it had too many similarities with The Lord Of The Rings.
A bit too gloomy and I didn't find the characters involved interesting enough.

I intend to read that, although I heard many complaints

[thinkpad]

Originally Posted by maianhvk

I intend to read that, although I heard many complaints

It seems to be two groups out there. Either you love it or you don't, I think I fall into the second category, my sister falls into the first, she was the one recommending it to me.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Starfarers by Vondra N. McIntyre.

This was a bit of a slow start, but I warmed up to the story and some of the characters as it went along. I may well buy the omnibus of the four-book series at some point.

Next up: Farlight by Michael Swanson

Originally Posted by Fbone

(As opposed to pdurrant who lets 5 years pass before reading, I read all my latest buys. )

I bought this one in April 2005. I've just finished the first chapter, and I think I might have read it at the time. We'll see.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

On his blog, King Fuy Monkey, John Rogers wrote on March 19, 2009, "There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."

[astrangerhere]

Just finished both Winter's Bone and The Silmarillion. Still working on The Law of Superheroes and started a quick re-read of My Ántonia.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The way I understand it (which is often times barely at all), the fourth Dunk & Egg novella will be released "early this summer" in another of Martin's short story anthologies entitled (or themed?) Dangerous Women.

As I said... often times barely at all. It seems to be official now, that the new Dunk & Egg novella will not be a part of the Dangerous Women anthology.

[Quake1028]

Finished The Gun Seller the other night and also read through Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe.

[NickyWithNook]

OK next book is Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. It sounds really good.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by NickyWithNook

OK next book is Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. It sounds really good.

It is an excellent book. I enjoyed every minute of it. The film adaptation was a bit of a letdown.

[JoelArnold]

Finished reading A Canticle for Liebowitz by George Miller over the weekend. I can see why it's considered a sci-fi classic. Very original and well written.

I'm currently reading Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. It's about the history of the American West from 1860-1890 from the Native American perspective. Very intriguing, well written, and rather depressing. But I'd recommend it, definitely.

[tilia]

Finished reading Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. This was the first I've read by Tom Franklin, and I'm tempted to starting another book of his straight away, but I've already started A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold, so I think I'll read that, and then see what I feel like.

[Crusader]

Originally Posted by caleb72

One of my favourite books. I don't know if I'll ever find the time required to read it again, but it placed Stephenson up there as one of my favourite authors.

Yes, it is quite something. Even when nothing much happens it's so beautifully written it keeps you spellbound.

[fantasyfan]

I read Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang by Emma Thompson. She shows some effective wit and by-and-large it's a fairly successful pre-teen book, though perhaps it could do with a little less of nudge, nudge, wink, wink authorial narration. And some strings are left a bit hanging at the end--something children will certainly notice.

Very interesting, too, is the diary which is more-or-less an entertaining "making of the film" . She alternates "Story" chapters with "Diary chapters so that the reader can simply skip the diary and read the entire narrative in sequence or vice-versa.

The little glossary at the end is most informative. I now know what "grips" and "gaffers" are and have some conception of the complex directorial hierarchy. Film credits will mean a great deal more to me now!