What are you reading?

[Blacklight]

I'm reading Raising Dragons by Bryan Davis.

I got the first two books in that series years ago... still haven't finished the second book...

Resumed Frankenstein and reading it when I'm not busy or distracted...

[Roberts]

Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson. I'm only 3 chapters in and finding it pretty interesting, picking up where we left off with certain characters after the closing act of Reaper's Gale. It is supposed to be the only two-parter in the series, and is the 'beginning of the end' so to speak. I don't expect events to ramp up all that quickly, and can forgive it that (for a time).

Toll the Hounds (the previous book, which I finished recently) was game changing storywise (until the conclusion... somewhat), it left me feeling as though the true 'enemy' of the series may yet be forthcoming... or that there may be no true enemy at all. Ambiguity (moral or otherwise) seems to be a far reaching theme in the series; things are not always as they seem, and the ramifications of most decisions are never as small as they appear at first glance.

Over all, the series (Malazan Book of the Fallen) thus far has been an enjoyable read. It is a unique flavour of gritty High Fantasy that has well earned its place in my collection. I'll probably throw up a final series-wide review when I have finished it in its entirety. Until then, I'll just keep on reading .

[Yukio Masachita]

I'm reading books from William Gibson and I say, he is my most favourite author yet because I love Cyberpunk.

I have Neuromancer, Burning Chrome and Idoru. I haven't finished them yet but I recently bought The Difference Engine, which is a Steampunk co-written with Bruce Sterling. Sort of a fresh departure from Sci-fi.

By the way, anyone heard the rumour of Idoru being adapted into an Anime film. I was imagining the same thing before I read about it... Please that I'm not Haruhi Suzumiya.

[the_wolfs_howl]

Well, I've read some boring books in my time, but I don't think I've ever read a book more boring than The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I mean, it was more boring than Twilight, even (to Twilight fans: just not my thing, so it bored me). It felt almost completely pointless, hardly anything happened for the first half of the book, and was just the dullest feminist drivel I've ever slogged through in my life. The only way I got through it was because I was forced to for school

I was also assigned The Color Purple by Alice Walker, and I hated it. That book is so chock-full of vulgarity, evil, and lies, I could hardly trudge through it all. (And oh, what Ms. Walker would say if she could hear me....) It wasn't enough that it started with a very bald description of sexual abuse, nor was it enough that there was a sick lesbian relationship in it that made me want to puke and made me cry myself to sleep when I finished the book. Nope, it had to make the point that "God is everything, including me."

Excuse me while I go off and listen to Andy Serkis reading The Screwtape Letters.

[Kaori]

As part of the curriculum for my World Cultures class, I have started reading The Epic of Gilgamesh. So far I find it utterly fascinating.

Epic of Gilgamesh is awesome--I find the obsession with death and immortality, and the sense of deep grief that pervades the piece, to be highly compelling. It also makes a fascinating comparison/contrast with Christianity. I’ll be rereading some portions of that pretty soon because I’m about to teach it.

Get Into Graduate School, published by Kaplan (3rd edition). Pretty self-explanatory, I think. Some of the information was useful; some things I already knew. Also, due to the nature of this kinds of book, there were large sections that were skippable because they simply didn’t apply to me (information about other fields; or information for minority students, students with disabilities, international students, and so on). Overall, it was somewhat useful, but not extremely.

[GeneD]

I just started reading Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox yesterday, so I'm taking note of some of the problems you guys have with it. At best I can just ignore it as a part of the series. I have the first 3 books, which are the best, but I've not been motivated to buy the rest and just get them from the library. I noticed the Holly "crick in the neck for magic thing", and was like "Where the heck does that come from?! Mr. Colfer, I think you need to go back and read your own books again." I got to the part [spoiler]where Holly tells Artemis the cure for his mom and he was like Ohlemuuuuur I killed you! O.o[/spoiler] and had to stop reading and motivate myself to carry on.

Talking about disappointing books, a few days ago I finished The High Lord from Trudi Canavan. I enjoyed The Novice, the second book in this series and was looking forward to seeing how it ends, but...[spoiler]She killed off Akkarin AND Lorlen! (I got to like him, Lorlen, a lot more in the 3rd book) I'd rather have Rothen really been dead, if she was going to kill someone. Gah, I was not happy with you, Trudi Canavan, not happy at all.[/spoiler] I'd like to read more of her books, but I'll be sorely tempted to read the wiki synopsis to see who lives or dies.

[rocklobster]

starting Storm of Swords. Over 900 pages? This could take a while...

[ich1990]

“A Wizard of Earthseaâ€

[Atria35]

I'm about 1/3 of the way through Mistborn- This book is incredible. The detail, the story, it's just so awesome!

[rocklobster]

Atria, Brandon Sanderson, the writer of the Mistborn books, also writes the Wheel of Time books beginning with The Gathering Storm. However, I suggest you read the original ones Robert Jordan wrote first.

[Atria35]

Atria, Brandon Sanderson, the writer of the Mistborn books, also writes the Wheel of Time books beginning with The Gathering Storm. However, I suggest you read the original ones Robert Jordan wrote first.

I will TOTALLY do so!

[Htom Sirveaux]

I'm about halfway through Terry Pratchett's Thief of Time, with random bits of poetry on the side.

[Hohenheim]

Having finished The Epic of Gilgamesh, I have to say I agree with Kaori's assessment of it; the themes of immortality and death are presented in a very compelling way.

I have now started reading a modern prose version of The Ramayana, the famous Hindi epic poem, by R. K. Narayan. So far there is quite a bit of imagery and detail going into the descriptions of wherever the characters go, be it cities, valleys, deserts, etc. There also seems to be a tone of peaceful contemplation to it that I find very endearing. I only hope that the rest of the story is like what I've read so far.

[rocklobster]

Starting The Time Paradox today.

[Atria35]

Finally finished Mistborn! That.... was an awesomely terrific book. I was really surprised by he sheer quality of it, and how interesting it all was. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!

[rocklobster]

Re-reading Wheel of Time Book 5: The Fires of Heaven

[Atria35]

Started Boneshaker- my steampunk/zombie/alt. history book of the month! I'm thrilled to be reading it. And it is very good so far. 1880's- A machine developed to get gold out of the Alaskan ice is set loose in Seattle by it's inventor, ripping through downtown and killing quite a few. When it all ends a gas starts seeping through the area. Those that inhale it die... but some, not permantly. The nation gets together to build a barrier around the city, and the inhabitants that survive build again on the outskirts. The story revolves around the inventor's wife and son. They've dealt with a lot since they're partially blamed for the stuff that went wrong. The son wants to redeem his father's name, while the mom wants to let it go.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

For teaching purposes, over the last three weeks I have read (and greatly enjoyed):

Plato - The Meno
St. Augustine - The Trinity Book IX
Descartes - Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy (selections)
David Hume - An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (selections)

steampunk/zombie/alt. history

That sounds liek a fascinating blend of genres, Atria.

[Atria35]

That sounds liek a fascinating blend of genres, Atria.

It is! And I'm surprised how well it works! In it the Civil War has been raging for 18 years. That led to a flurry of steam-powered inventions, since they needed war machines, and that led to the invention of the Boneshaker which released the Blight... the zombie-making gas. So it all ties together in a wonderful, logical way. It's great! XD

[rocklobster]

starting Sunset, the finale for Warriors: The New Prophecy.

[the_wolfs_howl]

I've started reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Maybe it's just because the last thing I read was really gross and I hated it, but I actually like this quite a bit even though the feminist message is as obvious as smelly cheese. It has enough of a speculative side to it that my fantastical tastes perk up (intense realism is apparently not my thing), and is written in a willy-nilly way that simultaneously reminds me of Annie Dillard and The Mysterious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. (Though...probably no one else would see the connections.)

Still, I could really do with some stories about guys now

[Kaori]

Plato - The Meno
St. Augustine - The Trinity Book IX
Descartes - Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy (selections)
David Hume - An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (selections)

Would that be a philosophy survey course?

For my own classes, I’ve been reading the following: selections from “Images or Shadows of Divine Thingsâ€

[rocklobster]

starting Prince of Dogs, book 2 in the Crown of Stars series by Kate Elliot.

[Atria35]

Finished Boneshaker- if anyone wants something with adventure and zombies, this is the book to pick up! There is some language and gore, but it's an amazing easy and good read!

[Atria35]

Double-posting because I can't edit my post above- picked up a few new books from the library!

I ended up reading a book called At Home in Japan, a book about an American woman who marries into a traditional Japanese family. She married him about 20 years ago, and the story is all short segments ("short stories" I suppose you could call them) about little things in Japanese life. From tea ceremonies to the changing of the seasons, to the bath and bath order, there are tons of things about Japanese life that I didn't know or realize before, and it's beautifully told.

Pet Sematary- one of the other books I picked up. SCARY! I loved it! I think it's on-par with The Shining in terms of how much I like it and how much it creeped me out. Fantastic thing to be reading before Halloween!

Next up: The Screwtape Letters

[Htom Sirveaux]

Next up: The Screwtape Letters

One of my all-time favorite books


I've been on a poetry jag lately. Eliot, Cummings, Chaucer, Homer, Dante . . . all that good stuff.

[Atria35]

One of my all-time favorite books

I wish I could say the same. I think it's decent- there are bits that don't jive with me, I don't agree with, and bits that really resonate. But overall I find it a mediocre reading experience.

checked out a few more books from the library- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Aftermath, Inc.- everything gets but after this one! About a crime writer who temporarily joins a crime scene cleaning service. Good stuff! (yeah, gorey like nothing else. But it doesn't bother me.)
Mere Christianity
Pendragon: The Merchant of Death- started on this one and put it down a few pages in. Main seems like a Gary Stu. I'll keep reading, but not at the moment.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Pendragon: The Merchant of Death- started on this one and put it down a few pages in. Main seems like a Gary Stu. I'll keep reading, but not at the moment.

Meh, you should pass this one up.

[rocklobster]

I wish I could say the same. I think it's decent- there are bits that don't jive with me, I don't agree with, and bits that really resonate. But overall I find it a mediocre reading experience.

Pendragon: The Merchant of Death- started on this one and put it down a few pages in. Main seems like a Gary Stu. I'll keep reading, but not at the moment.

He gets better throughout the series. Bobby goes through lots of character development. He's not a Gary Stu, he's what you call an "escapist character". They're kinda similar to Gary Stus and Mary Sues, but originally, escapist characters were ideal because the audience wishes to be like them. Oh and here's something else that'll quell your Gary Stu claims:
[spoiler]Do Gary Stu's always win? Because he doesn't![/spoiler]
Anyway, I'm starting The Atlantis Complex

[Atria35]

He gets better throughout the series. Bobby goes through lots of character development. He's not a Gary Stu, he's what you call an "escapist character". They're kinda similar to Gary Stus and Mary Sues, but originally, escapist characters were ideal because the audience wishes to be like them. Oh and here's something else that'll quell your Gary Stu claims:
[spoiler]Do Gary Stu's always win? Because he doesn't![/spoiler]

[spoiler]Not winning all the time is a poor indication of a Gary Stu. Most writers are aware that characters usually don't win all the time and under such conditions, suffer "character development" (or a good reason to angst).[/spoiler] However, that doesn't make an "escapist character" much better than a Gary Stu, since he's still essentially a "perfect kid". Escapist characters can be Mary/Gary Stus. They aren't mutually exclusive.