Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 349

ficbot · 06-14-2010, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookwerm

LOL, we have similar interests in nonfiction - I just finished 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' yesterday! Ha. I'm taking a break and making a brief trip to fiction land, but if you hear of more good nonfiction, definitely recommend it to me!

'The Devil and Sherlock Holmes' by David Grann is next on my list.

pilotbob · 06-14-2010, 07:58 PM

Just started reading Cory Doctorow's new one, _For The Win_. I saw it on the recent editions of the new Feedbooks D/L ebook. This is a Young Adult novel and since I liked Little Brother I'm giving it a try. So far, I like it.

BOb

afa · 06-15-2010, 12:24 AM

I had started reading The Scar by China Mieville in May, and it took me a looooong time to get through, mainly because of the mind-numbingly boring first half. I took a full month to reach the mid-point of the novel, but only a few days to finish the rest. Go figure. Until the second half, I genuinely hated this book, and was convinced that I would never bother with Mieville again.

Final thoughts? Well, I actually liked the second half. Well written, exciting... stuff was actually happening, as opposed to the rather dry first half. Best of all, Mieville actually cuts down on the use of the word "thaumaturgy", which can only be a good thing. (He had over-used it in the first half to the point where it actually made me angry whenever I came across it.)

So - first half: a pathetic 4/10 (and I'm being generous).
Second half: a solid 8/10.
Overall rating (not an average): 7/10. In other words, not a book I'm absolutely in love with, but good enough that I'm not as averse to reading more Mieville novels as I thought I'd be.

Currently, I'm reading Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie (the final instalment in The First Law trilogy). I really liked the first two, so I'm quite sure I'll like this one.

As you can tell, I'm into Fantasy.

FlorenceArt · 06-15-2010, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exer

Just finished The Passage, by Justin Cronin. Wow, that is about the first word that springs to mind. A 700+ page book that I read in the span of 2 days (my Kindle nearly passed out), that is how hooked I was. I finally polished it off a little after 3 A.M this morning after a marathon reading session (my GF is out of state, I needed something to occupy me).

“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.”

I thought this story was going to go one of two ways: a completely cliché filled retelling of every other like-themed book and movie, or something different, that would catch me by surprise. It turned out the surprising thing was the fact that it DID use some of the most well known thought fodder, but in a way that left me nodding, thinking that every myth, legend, or campfire story really could have some basis in fact.

The funny thing about the story is I can't quite shoehorn it into one theme. To me it seems a mash-up of creature-feature horror, biological thriller, and a post-apocalyptic / rebuilding / survival yarn. And I mean that in a good way. I'm not sure how he did it, and made it so believable, but he did. For me at least. I set the book down a couple times and felt like I could flick the TV onto a news channel and see a live broadcast of what I was just reading about.

It had everything I like in a book.

Of course mileage will vary.

Well, you certainly got me interested, I will have to look for this one...

Just finished The General of the Dead Army in the train this morning. A very good book.

FlorenceArt · 06-15-2010, 11:25 AM

I bought the Lonely Planet guide for Scotland at lunchtime, and intend to study it on the commute home

poohbear_nc · 06-15-2010, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

I bought the Lonely Planet guide for Scotland at lunchtime, and intend to study it on the commute home

Planning a trip? Or just exploring/vacationing on the cheap?

thinkpad · 06-15-2010, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

I bought the Lonely Planet guide for Scotland at lunchtime, and intend to study it on the commute home

Scotland is a good choice for a vacation. Beautiful scenery, bagpipes and friendly people.

FlorenceArt · 06-15-2010, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Planning a trip? Or just exploring/vacationing on the cheap?

Well, sort of hovering on the edge of. Trying to find a place where I can stay for a few days, see some sights and do some hiking without having to drive too much. Did you know they drive on the wrong side?

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

Scotland is a good choice for a vacation. Beautiful scenery, bagpipes and friendly people.

Yes, that's what I heard

poohbear_nc · 06-15-2010, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Well, sort of hovering on the edge of. Trying to find a place where I can stay for a few days, see some sights and do some hiking without having to drive too much. Did you know they drive on the wrong side?

Yes, that's what I heard

And don't forget to sample the Scotch! Visit at least one distillery!

FlorenceArt · 06-15-2010, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

And don't forget to sample the Scotch! Visit at least one distillery!

Oh no! I'm already dangerous enough when I drive sober

sheilalayoli · 06-15-2010, 02:46 PM

Hey, I am with distopic sci-fi, Now "Metro 2033" and "Moster nation"

Ea · 06-15-2010, 03:21 PM

Reading Reginald Hill at the moment. Finished "The death of Dalziel" a few days ago and am now in the middle of "The price of butcher's meat". Hill won me over completely with "Pictures of perfection" and I really like his writing. There aren't many authors who use/dare omnipotent view anymore, but I like Hill's use of it.

poohbear_nc · 06-15-2010, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

Reading Reginald Hill at the moment. Finished "The death of Dalziel" a few days ago and am now in the middle of "The price of butcher's meat". Hill won me over completely with "Pictures of perfection" and I really like his writing. There aren't many authors who use/dare omnipotent view anymore, but I like Hill's use of it.

Be sure to read (or re-read) Jane Austen's "Sanditon" after "The price of butcher's meat" - Hill is VERY clever.

recluse · 06-15-2010, 06:21 PM

I enjoyed Hill's "The Stranger House" and plan to read "Death's Jest Book" eventually.

The Whether Man · 06-16-2010, 05:55 AM

I'm slowly working through Mount To-Be-Read in alphabetical order. At the moment I'm reading The Wench is Dead by Colin Dexter, an Inspector Morse mystery. Half way through the year and I'm still in the Ds...

06-15-2010, 12:24 AM	#5223
afa The Forgotten Posts: 1,136 Karma: 4689999 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Dubai Device: Kindle Paperwhite; Nook HD; Sony Xperia Z3 Compact	I had started reading The Scar by China Mieville in May, and it took me a looooong time to get through, mainly because of the mind-numbingly boring first half. I took a full month to reach the mid-point of the novel, but only a few days to finish the rest. Go figure. Until the second half, I genuinely hated this book, and was convinced that I would never bother with Mieville again. Final thoughts? Well, I actually liked the second half. Well written, exciting... stuff was actually happening, as opposed to the rather dry first half. Best of all, Mieville actually cuts down on the use of the word "thaumaturgy", which can only be a good thing. (He had over-used it in the first half to the point where it actually made me angry whenever I came across it.) So - first half: a pathetic 4/10 (and I'm being generous). Second half: a solid 8/10. Overall rating (not an average): 7/10. In other words, not a book I'm absolutely in love with, but good enough that I'm not as averse to reading more Mieville novels as I thought I'd be. Currently, I'm reading Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie (the final instalment in The First Law trilogy). I really liked the first two, so I'm quite sure I'll like this one. As you can tell, I'm into Fantasy. Last edited by afa; 06-15-2010 at 12:27 AM.

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06-14-2010, 07:58 PM	#5222
pilotbob Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,832 Karma: 11844413 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Device: Kindle Touch	Just started reading Cory Doctorow's new one, _For The Win_. I saw it on the recent editions of the new Feedbooks D/L ebook. This is a Young Adult novel and since I liked Little Brother I'm giving it a try. So far, I like it. BOb

06-15-2010, 11:25 AM	#5225
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,761 Karma: 5042529 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6 Plus	I bought the Lonely Planet guide for Scotland at lunchtime, and intend to study it on the commute home

06-15-2010, 02:46 PM	#5231
sheilalayoli Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Madrid Device: Sony reader pRS 505, Amazon kindle DX	Hey, I am with distopic sci-fi, Now "Metro 2033" and "Moster nation"

06-15-2010, 03:21 PM	#5232
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	Reading Reginald Hill at the moment. Finished "The death of Dalziel" a few days ago and am now in the middle of "The price of butcher's meat". Hill won me over completely with "Pictures of perfection" and I really like his writing. There aren't many authors who use/dare omnipotent view anymore, but I like Hill's use of it.

06-15-2010, 06:21 PM	#5234
recluse Banned Posts: 3,724 Karma: 535488 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: the Mortuary Device: Kindle 2	I enjoyed Hill's "The Stranger House" and plan to read "Death's Jest Book" eventually.

06-16-2010, 05:55 AM	#5235
The Whether Man Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kobo, Kobo Touch	I'm slowly working through Mount To-Be-Read in alphabetical order. At the moment I'm reading The Wench is Dead by Colin Dexter, an Inspector Morse mystery. Half way through the year and I'm still in the Ds...