What are you reading? V1

[Daniel]

In a Free State was a bit of an oddball.  I expected one novel, but it's really four narratives that seem to have nothing to do with each other, other than the overarching theme of colonialism.  Makes for a jarring read at first, since the narrator shifts so drastically without warning, and it presents itself as a novel.  The main story in it is good though, and I'll definitely read more Naipaul.

Back to the Book of the New Sun series, and I do not like it.  Unfortunately, I already got all four books, so I guess I'll go through it.  I'm not far into the second one, so it might get better.

[PARROTHEAD]

6 hours ago, Daniel said:

Back to the Book of the New Sun series, and I do not like it.  Unfortunately, I already got all four books, so I guess I'll go through it.  I'm not far into the second one, so it might get better.

Glad you said something. I ran into a description on that series 2 days back and was about to grab them.

[Daniel]

1 minute ago, PARROTHEAD said:

Glad you said something. I ran into a description on that series 2 days back and was about to grab them.

It's much pulpier than I expected it to be, and the first one ends really abruptly.  The second one picks up after that, but skips a chunk of time in between so that the ending of the first book and opening of the second are confusing.  There are a few other passages that are also confusing to read because what happens is so strange, and it's introduced with little to no fanfare.

I'm only 30 or 40 pages into the second book, and the first one isn't a complete story, so it may get better.  I bought the whole thing, so I'll probably read the whole series anyway, but so far, it is waaaaaay overhyped.  Obviously lots of other people like it though.

[RamRod]

Rewatching some of these movies in this book then gonna start it soon.

[The Gnat]

Wrapped up The Night Tiger a day or two ago, thought it was pretty solid.

Started Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet. It is more for a reading challenge than anything, but has been okay thus far. An interesting concept for a fantasy book.

[Deadpulse]

Anyone read Logic's book?

https://www.amazon.com/Supermarket-Bobby-Hall/dp/1982127139

had a gift card so i grabbed it but havent read it yet

[The Gnat]

Started listening to Towers of Heaven. Why is all LitRPG not edited? Has some dark pact been made to keep them from using an editor?

Further into Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet. I think that it's an interesting concept. I'm not sure that it's written amazingly, but it isn't bad, and it's a fun romp sort of story more than anything all that heavy.

[PARROTHEAD]

On 6/10/2019 at 1:54 PM, PARROTHEAD said:

A Song For Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay.

Was a nice adventure. Likable lead. For only 500 pages. GGK really knows how to build character and story well. Built 7-8 characters, took on 2 countries and a war in that amount of pages. Well put together.

 

So far going through the GGK books.

Sarantine Mosaic - 10/10

Tigana - 4/10

Song for Arbonne - 8/10

Upcoming - The Lions of Al-Rassan

The Lions of Al-Rassan - 7.5/10

Id put it on level with Arbonne if not for the epilogue. Was a fantastic read until that point, then everything was polished off all Disney like.

Really enjoying this writer. He seems to follow a pattern of having a group of very likeable characters, but the character you will hate thats a goodguy comes through triumphant. In this book. Character says and does all the right things and believes in such in his heart. But is a total brash tool.

So far going through the GGK books.

Sarantine Mosaic - 10/10

Tigana - 4/10

Song for Arbonne - 8/10

The Lions of Al-Rassan - 7.5/10

Upcoming - The Last Light Of The Sun (inspired by the Viking invasions during the reign of Alfred The Great)

[The Gnat]

Wrapped up Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet. I didn't leave that book feeling either bitter or sweet. It's just kind of a bland book (it's about infusing magic into cooking somewhat hence the food descriptions). Nothing stood out and the twist at the end was just okay. Nothing special, nothing bad, which is pretty boring.

[Daniel]

On 6/20/2019 at 8:17 PM, PARROTHEAD said:

Glad you said something. I ran into a description on that series 2 days back and was about to grab them.

So, OK.  The second book is better, but I still wouldn't recommend the series.  There were way fewer really strange hard to understand moments, but there were just as many abrupt, strange plot shifts, and the whole thing seems almost to be more of a fantasy story set in a post-apocalyptic setting than really sci fi.  And if you're gonna start it, you'll pretty clearly need to read all four.  They're a single story in four books, not four books, and what I mean by that is that neither the first or second book really tells a complete story.  It feels really episodic, and the second book ends pretty abruptly, though at least not nearly as abruptly as the first.

I'm trying to get through Ulysses again.  Third attempt.  First in high school, wasn't ready.  Second in college after I read and really liked Portrait of the Artist, got bored with it.  This time, I'm gonna get past the Stephen Dedalus section, dangit!

[PARROTHEAD]

On 6/26/2019 at 3:25 PM, PARROTHEAD said:

So far going through the GGK books.

Sarantine Mosaic - 10/10

Tigana - 4/10

Song for Arbonne - 8/10

The Lions of Al-Rassan - 7.5/10

Upcoming - The Last Light Of The Sun (inspired by the Viking invasions during the reign of Alfred The Great)

Last Light Of The Sun is another great read by this guy. Just 411 pages, but packaged wonderfully. 1 great character arch which wasnt even for a main. Tale follows decent people stuck on each side. The places are called different in the book but it shows whats between the Brits/Scots/Vikings during the invasion period while Britain was establishing strongholds to fend against raids. With just a slight hint of well written magic tossed in.

So far going through the GGK books.

Sarantine Mosaic - 10/10

Tigana - 4/10

Song for Arbonne - 8/10

The Lions of Al-Rassan - 7.5/10

The Last Light Of The Sun - 8.5/10

Upcoming - Under Heaven (inspired by the Tang Dynasty)

And would like to point out. Each book rated would have been a point or so higher if Sarantine Mosaic wasnt so freaking amazing. And the rest stuck being compared to one of the GOATs.

[PARROTHEAD]

On 7/2/2019 at 1:26 PM, PARROTHEAD said:

Last Light Of The Sun is another great read by this guy. Just 411 pages, but packaged wonderfully. 1 great character arch which wasnt even for a main. Tale follows decent people stuck on each side. The places are called different in the book but it shows whats between the Brits/Scots/Vikings during the invasion period while Britain was establishing strongholds to fend against raids. With just a slight hint of well written magic tossed in.

So far going through the GGK books.

Sarantine Mosaic - 10/10

Tigana - 4/10

Song for Arbonne - 8/10

The Lions of Al-Rassan - 7.5/10

The Last Light Of The Sun - 8.5/10

Upcoming - Under Heaven (inspired by the Tang Dynasty)

And would like to point out. Each book rated would have been a point or so higher if Sarantine Mosaic wasnt so freaking amazing. And the rest stuck being compared to one of the GOATs.

Under Heaven - Amazing. The characters are as good as any you will find. Heavily recommend.

So far going through the GGK books.

Sarantine Mosaic - 10/10

Tigana - 4/10

Song for Arbonne - 8/10

The Lions of Al-Rassan - 7.5/10

The Last Light Of The Sun - 8.5/10

Under Heaven - 9.5/10

Upcoming - River of Stars (12th century Song Dynasty and the Jin-Song Wars)

[MikeT14]

Dang, this is good. A mystery similar to a Stephen King novel.

[KewlBeanz]

Batman Killing Joke (the novelization of the graphic novel)

its ok

 

[The Gnat]

I've gotten about 15% of the way  into Honor Among Thieves. It's a well written YA style Sci-Fi book. I like the premise thus far, we'll see how well it holds up now that we're diving more into the main plot, it feels like.