Now Reading...

[OrbWeaver]

That one was kinda like an 'on the side' Discworld book. I'm not sure I've ever read it. Now I'm not sure I want to bother.

With Feet of Clay, I always thought I wasn't quite 'getting' something. Since it focuses on golems, I might not be familiar enough with the concept.

If you are a Rincewind fan, then you should read Eric, just to kind of keep up on where Rincewind has been. That character has been through ALOT thanks to Pratchett. Also, it's sort of a Faust spoof.

As for Feet of Clay, if you're somewhat familiar with mythology surrounding golems, it should be fairly easy to get. A Golem is basically brought to life by putting a spell inside the construct's head, with words that outline the task the golem is supposed to do. So the Golem that went batty basically had too many words in its head.

There, I think I explained that without giving away any spoilers for potential readers...

 

[Ruthven]

This man can't write anything bad.

I am woely underread on Dan Simmons, considering how regarded he is in the horror field, too.

 

[metalprof]

This man can't write anything bad.

The Fires of Eden.



Ken

P.S. That's the only one I can think of, though!

 

[Yippee38]

"Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman/Terry Pratchett

I read that. It was a damn funny book.

If you like your science fiction, then go get a copy of Hyperion by Dan Simmons now!

Although I liked that book, I didn't like it enough to pick up the second. Then again, I'm not big into Sci-Fi. I mostly stick to fantasy and history.

 

[Pellaz]

Hyperion is brilliant, but I was a bit put out by the abrupt ending....really, it should be read as a block with the second book handy for immediate reading afterward, since it begins seconds after the first book ends.
Terrific series overall. It isn't listed in my favorite books list, so I'll have to add it immediately; that was clearly an oversight on my part.

 

[jhallum]

Just finished Last Colony by John Scalzi. Amazing book. It should be a Hugo Nominee next year. Its a great finish to the Old Man's War trilogy.

Now I'm back on a Neil Stephenson kick. I re-read Snow Crash last week, now I'm on to Cryptonomicon...If I'm feeling really crazy, I might try to tackle his last Trilogy(the one the ends with System of the World) , but I'm not sure that I'm that into pain right now. I had problems finishing the first book, but maybe I'm in the mood for it now.

 

[booB]

I have a huge problem with most landmark sci-fi books and movies, and Hyperion is no exception. I thought the first book made a cool, quirky short story compilation, but had no real plot or character development. I couldn't even get through the entire second book. I need characters I care about, and dialogue I can get into. The only character I gave a shit about was Martin Silenus, and that was because he was funny and told things like he saw them, sort of like the Tyrion Lannister of the series.

As far as sci-fi goes, there's not really too much that I do like in book form (most of it tends to rely on plot, and skips over character development and things to "hook" the reader)... however, China Mieville is a great read, especially Perdido Street Station. Dark, quirky, original sci-fi with interesting characters is where it's at for me.

 

[OrbWeaver]

Speaking of Lannisters...

Does anyone know what the heck is up with GRRM? A Dance of Dragons was supposed to be released last year! We're nearing the end of 2007 and it's STILL not out! WTF. I'm going crazy. I want to know what's up with my Tyrion and my Daenerys, dammit.

 

[Cheiron]

It'll be done when its done. That is as much as you'll get out of him right now. He isn't even going to provide more updates really until its finished. Though he did work on it instead of going to World Con in Japan. My guess is that its nearing completion. Probably a late 2007, or early 2008 release.

And it was never stated that it would be released last year. We fans just thought that he had already had it basically finished when releasing Feast for Crows... based on the whole separating one book into two situation.

 

[booB]

Welcome to the world of waiting-for-GRRM-to-release-the-next-book-in-the-ASoIaF-series.

 

[metalprof]

China Mieville is a great read, especially Perdido Street Station. Dark, quirky, original sci-fi with interesting characters is where it's at for me.

This was an example of a book I found very impressive but not enjoyable. I agree with each of your adjectives - it is dark, quirky, original and the characters are interesting. But to me, interesting does not equate to likable, and I need at least one or two characters that I can actually care about. Eventually I ended up hoping the slake moths would just kill everyone already.

I'll probably try The Scar or one of his others later on, though.

Ken

 

[metalprof]

Welcome to the world of waiting-for-GRRM-to-release-the-next-book-in-the-ASoIaF-series.

I hear that club is having a joint convention with the waiting-for-Jordan-to get-well-and-finish-TWoT group, the waiting-for-OS-Card-to-finish-the-damn-Alvin-Maker-series group, the Brin-just-tell-us-what-was-in-the-ship-in-Startide-Rising-dammit! group, and the someone-just-make-it-stop! group dedicated to Terry Goodkind.

It will be quite a large gathering

Ken

 

[Yippee38]

It'll be done when its done.

Hmm. It's been a while since I read the last one, but I thought I remember reading in his Afterword that he wrote the whole book and it was massive, so he decided to split the two books based upon characters. That would imply that it was already written.

I hear that club is having a joint convention with the waiting-for-Jordan-to get-well-and-finish-TWoT group

I don't get the hype that TWoT gets. The first few books were pretty good, but it went downhill fast IMO. Now, I won't buy another one of his books. The last I read (checks bookshelf) was The Path of Daggers and although it was well written, didn't feel like it advanced the plot at all. When I finished I thought, "That was a decent story, but so what?"

 

[Tess]

Welllllllll, I'm not done with Obama's book yet but I got some in the mail last week! I'll never catch up!!!!!

I got:
Heartsick - Chelsea Cain
The Quickie - James Patterson
Men At Work - George F. Will
AND
Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors at the Playboy Mansion - Izabella St. James

That last one was a gift and I was told to read it on my long flight to Denmark so we'll see if I can get through some of these others first!!! I always did wonder how that whole playboy mansion stuff works AHHHHHHH!!!!!

 

[booB]

This was an example of a book I found very impressive but not enjoyable. I agree with each of your adjectives - it is dark, quirky, original and the characters are interesting. But to me, interesting does not equate to likable, and I need at least one or two characters that I can actually care about. Eventually I ended up hoping the slake moths would just kill everyone already.

I'll probably try The Scar or one of his others later on, though.

You might like The Scar better, actually... it's still quirky, not nearly as dark, but the main character is a bit more fleshed out. Perdido Street Station is an example of a "beginner" novel, and as such, it does have some beginners' mistakes in it, but I still consider it one of the best sci-fi books I've ever read.

I have Iron Council (the third book in the "series") but I haven't started it yet.

I hear that club is having a joint convention with the waiting-for-Jordan-to get-well-and-finish-TWoT group, the waiting-for-OS-Card-to-finish-the-damn-Alvin-Maker-series group, the Brin-just-tell-us-what-was-in-the-ship-in-Startide-Rising-dammit! group, and the someone-just-make-it-stop! group dedicated to Terry Goodkind.

I wouldn't know; I was hanging out at the booth for the why-does-anyone-still-waste-their-time-reading-Jordan-at-all group.

I always did wonder how that whole playboy mansion stuff works AHHHHHHH!!!!!

I'll be waiting with anticipation to hear what you find out. If you can get me in, that'll be a bonus.

 

[urayoan]

The Wretched Of The Earth: Frantz Fanon

 

[Thorn23TX]

Just finished "Spy" by Ted Bell... it was a page turner that kept me up late, obviously. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Bell, he writes hero/adventure novels with a recurring character (Alexander Hawke) who saves the world from certain doom at the hands of terrorists and other ne'er do wells - much in the same vein as Clive Cussler has done with his überhero (Dirk Pitt) over the years.

 

[Pellaz]

I hear that club is having a joint convention with the waiting-for-Jordan-to get-well-and-finish-TWoT group, the waiting-for-OS-Card-to-finish-the-damn-Alvin-Maker-series group, the Brin-just-tell-us-what-was-in-the-ship-in-Startide-Rising-dammit! group, and the someone-just-make-it-stop! group dedicated to Terry Goodkind.

It will be quite a large gathering

Ken

Lol.....alas, I think I'm a member of all of the above....as well as the Where-the-hell-is-the-allegedly-coming-soon-Elric-movie club, the Hurry-up-David-and-give-us-another-Honor-Harrington-novel club, and -- skipping over toward the TV -- the Can't-friggin-wait-for-Season-3-of-The-Venture-Bros club.

 

[Tess]

I'll be waiting with anticipation to hear what you find out. If you can get me in, that'll be a bonus.

Consider it done, sexy

 

[jaimek]

I hear that club is having a joint convention with the waiting-for-Jordan-to get-well-and-finish-TWoT group,

Well, unfortunately that group is now disbanded, as Robert Jordan died last night.