What book(s) are you reading?

[Eric P]

i have had anathem sitting on my shelf for a while now but i've just not grabbed it to read it.

i'm currently reading a fantasy novel

i am as shocked as you

[BlueTsunami]

Read the first three Chapters of Snow Crash yesterday and I I'm still fucking amazed at how bad fucking ass Stephenson made delivering Pizza in some future. I love his style of writing too, very casual with witty sarcasm. His grasp on upcoming technology is sick too, I was worried that certain aspects would sound dated (this being published in 92'), it doesn't. Also his vision of a virtual Metaverse makes Playstations Home into some tweeny Toon Town.

[Joe Molotov]

Snow Crash is pretty sweet. It does get a bit silly late in the story, but it's still awesome.

Just finishing up:



Just starting:



Mythos

[tiesto]

Snow Crash was fucking AMAZING... prob. my favorite book ever, even if it ends extremely abruptly.

[chronovore]

Stephenson's Zodiac is also very tight, engrossing. It's not as "cool" as Snow Crash, but if you like crime fiction with a ticking clock running on it, I recommend it highly.

[ManaByte]

Was in the mood for Tom Clancy, but Clancy doesn't seem to write anymore so I settled on this:

[chronovore]

I'll be checking this out as soon as it is available:
http://www.locusmag.com/2010/April1st_AtlasSequel.html

Doctorow and Stross to Write Authorized Sequel to Atlas Shrugged
by L. Ron Creepweans
— posted @ 4/01/2010 12:01:00 AM PT

Today the estate of Ayn Rand announced that they had authorized science fiction writers Charles Stross and Cory Doctorow to write an official sequel to Rand's bestselling novel Atlas Shrugged.

"Given that the original novel features an amazing new metal alloy, a secret valley protected by force field, and an unlimited new energy source, we felt that a science fiction perspective was key to carrying forward Ayn Rand's ideas," said Rand estate spokesman Perry Leikoff. "And what better science fiction writers to chose than two collaborators who were also past winners of the Prometheus Award given out by the Libertarian Futurist Society?"

Stross, author of the Prometheus Award-winning novel Glasshouse, said that he and Doctorow (author of the Prometheus Award-winning novel Little Brother) were hesitant at first. "But then we realized that both of us shared one important trait with Ayn Rand: all three of us really, really like money. That made it much easier for Cory and I to cash the seven figure check."

The sequel, Atlas Rebound, features the teenage children of the founders of Galt's Gulch rebelling against their elders and traveling out into a world devastated by John Galt's strike, where they develop their own political philosophy with which to rebuild. That philosophy, called Rejectivism, features a centralized bureau to rebuild and control the new economy, socialized medicine, compulsory labor unions, universal mass transportation and a ban on individual automobiles, collectivized farms, a tightly planned industrial economy, extensive art subsidies, subsidized power, government control of the means of production, public housing, universal public education, a ban on personal ownership of gold and silver (as well as all tobacco products), government-issued fiat money, the elimination of all patents and copyrights, and a cradle-to-grave social welfare system.

"Plus strong encryption!" added Doctorow.

After 1,200 pages (80 of which consist of Supreme Leader Karla Galt-Taggart's triumphant address), a new Utopia is born. The final scene of the novel features the grateful citizens of the new world order building a giant statue of Atlas with the globe restored to his shoulders, upon the base of which is chiseled "From Each According to His Ability/To Each According To His Needs."

In other Rand-related news, editor David Hartwell (who lives in nearby Pleasantville) reported a weird humming emanating from the grave Rand shares with her husband Frank O'Conner in Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York. Said Hartwell: "I think she's become a Dean Drive."

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[MrSingh]

  :'(

[Bocsius]

[BlueTsunami]

I finished Snow Crash a couple of days ago and I'm now on 'Salem's Lot. Man, some of the scenarios with suspension in this book are off the charts good.

[etiolate]

The short stories is on my Reader, along with a bunch of other public domain downloads that I've been briefly reading.  I started reading James H Schmitz's "The Other Likeness" as well. I consider it part of my personal research writing rather than reading for fun. I don't particularly love the story yet, but since he's known for female characters that worked against common portrayals during the era of hardboiled femme fatals, it is potentially interesting.

[naff]

Reading a book of short stories by Asimov and the Akira manga. The prologue to Asimovs book of short stories is pretty much just him talking about himself and how great he is/was and how everyone thinks he must be so old because he's such a prolific writer as well as seeming very wise, yet he's only in his 20's (early 30's maybe) at the time of writing 

[ManaByte]

(Image removed from quote.)

You should read D-Day and Citizen Soldiers with it. Easy Company is mentioned in both and both are even better than BoB but the three kind of form a trilogy.

[Kestastrophe]

I'm not much of a fantasy reader, but this book is excellent thus far. I am about halfway through

[Bocsius]

You should read D-Day and Citizen Soldiers with it. Easy Company is mentioned in both and both are even better than BoB but the three kind of form a trilogy.

I bought David Webster's Parachute Infantry. I may check out those others.

[chronovore]

I finished Snow Crash a couple of days ago and I'm now on 'Salem's Lot. Man, some of the scenarios with suspension in this book are off the charts good.

Yeah, Salem's Lot holds its own well. I recall reading it and expecting silly old '70s horror writing, and instead being glued to the book.

By coincidence, I'm reading The Long Walk now, which King wrote under his Bachman pseudonym. I'm only a little bit in now, but it would have been pretty great to have the Stand By Me group of young actors play out the Walk story in a "sequel"...

Also just started Abarat on the train in to work today. I like Clive Barker's work in general, and I've always been curious how he adapts to young adult fiction.

[Groogrux]

Good stuff.  Just good stuff.

[Eric P]

i'm reading the complete short stories of Graham Greene.

They're mostly kind of blah, laying on the page like lifeless fish

they don't pop nor sing like his novels do.  i am highly disappointed.

[Madrun Badrun]

I, Claudius

Good stuff.

[Groogrux]

Two at one time right now:

[Phoenix Dark]

(Image removed from quote.)

I'm not much of a fantasy reader, but this book is excellent thus far. I am about halfway through

I keep hearing good things about this. Might give it a go soon

[Kestastrophe]

I keep hearing good things about this. Might give it a go soon

I am actually finishing it up now. It starts off really slow and doesn't pick up until over halfway through.

[Eric P]

i'm reading The Castle of Otranto by Horace Wapole

[Cormacaroni]

I keep hearing good things about this. Might give it a go soon

I am actually finishing it up now. It starts off really slow and doesn't pick up until over halfway through.

The sequel STILL isn't out yet so you can take it slow!

[BlueTsunami]

Had taken out these two from the library...



Reading Cat's Cradle first (interesting memoir style in regards to the chapter setup, breath of fresh air to me). I really need to get into a Non-Fiction though, I've purely read Fiction for a good while now.

[Phoenix Dark]

I keep hearing good things about this. Might give it a go soon

I am actually finishing it up now. It starts off really slow and doesn't pick up until over halfway through.

The sequel STILL isn't out yet so you can take it slow!

I'm used to waiting for fantasy book sequels  :'(

[Groogrux]

I've purely read Fiction for a good while now.

Do people view that as a problem? 

[BlueTsunami]

I've purely read Fiction for a good while now.

Do people view that as a problem? 

Some people are definitely of the opinion that purely reading fiction is somehow childish or something. I don't know, I like my fiction :'(

[Rman]

[etiolate]

Same themes as before:


finished

Enjoyed the non-traditional format. Made me feel like there's space out there for my concepts.


Prose felt plain and young at first. Has had it's moments though. Only a third of the way through.


Reading this after I finish the rest.


Eh.


and the light reading

[Eric P]

it's like david bryne had a pompadour that tried to commit suicide

[Eric P]

If I was that close to Derrida's brain I'd try to kill myself too.

i do think that deconstructionism is interesting though

[Kestastrophe]

This book sucks. It really does.

[chronovore]

Reading "John Dies at the End" a horror comedy by David Wong. I don't know if the pace is going to kill me or not, but I was hooked from the first page. Apparently a movie is in the works, but much like Douglas Adams' absurd narrative style, it's not something that is likely to translate well to film. Hm, then again, if they go with classic film noir style voiceovers, it might work.

[Eric P]

oh shit

i never sent the copy of that to muckhole

[muckhole]

It's ok man. I just figured you were taking your time making me a homemade audiobook version with your sexy, smooth voice. 

[FatalT]

The True Blood book series. Right now I'm reading the first one, Dead Until Dark. I also downloaded all the audio books of them so I can listen to them too.

[Madrun Badrun]

[muckhole]

(Image removed from quote.)

Cool, grabbed it after seeing folks praising it, but haven't started it yet. Going to wait until I get and read the first two, didn't clue in it was book three in the series.

[Eric P]

they're all interdependent.  they only deal in the same universe but it isn't a definitive book 1 is X book 2 is y.  I've skipped around and it's fine.

[etiolate]

Derrida is like the godfather of internet trolling.

[Joe Molotov]

they're all interdependent.  they only deal in the same universe but it isn't a definitive book 1 is X book 2 is y.  I've skipped around and it's fine.

I read Player of Games first, and it was pretty awesome.

[chronovore]

Forgot to mention that I finished Stephen King's "The Long Walk" - easily the best thing I've read by him in a long time. Tremendously human story, believable characters, sad. This should definitely be made into a movie, but Hollywood would screw it up so badly. Get some Swede to make it.

they're all interdependent.  they only deal in the same universe but it isn't a definitive book 1 is X book 2 is y.  I've skipped around and it's fine.

Yeah, I've never even heard them referred to numerically, even though they of course came out at different times. Are there really only three Culture novels?

[Kestastrophe]

nope. not kidding. If anyone has any other marital self-help books it would be greatly appreciated  :'(

[Eric P]

ver even heard them referred to numerically, even though they of course came out at different times. Are there really only three Culture novels?

no, there are 8 at this time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Culture#Novels

[chronovore]

ver even heard them referred to numerically, even though they of course came out at different times. Are there really only three Culture novels?

no, there are 8 at this time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Culture#Novels

Wow, what a trip! I actually started with Look to Windward... And have only read Player of Games. I'm happy that there are so many I've not yet read.

[Cormacaroni]

To be honest, I think many people couldn't tell the difference between a random Culture novel and one of his non-Culture SF novels. They all involve multiple sprawling interstellar and even intergalactic small-case cultures and tech so advanced as to seem magical. And it's all great. Don't get hung up on reading the Culture stuff or worrying about the reading order etc.

[Madrun Badrun]

Tried and failed last summer.  Trying again.

also this image came up when doing a google search
 

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[Eric P]

i'm reading The Animal Lover's Book of Beastly Murder, a collection of Patricia Highsmith short stories where animals kill humans

[etiolate]

My memorial day has been composed of reading this:

[Boogie]

Almost done this:



Very good history of MI:5, except for the boring-ass chapters on counter-subversion.

[Phoenix Dark]

who wins in a fight, CIA or MI5

[Madrun Badrun]

The authorized answer is MI5

[CajoleJuice]

Not far in, but it's really fun.

[Junpei the Tracer!]

I've been think of getting that. I remember PD raving about a while back.

[etiolate]

It's a good book. It's part superhero book, part travel narrative, part love story, part post-holocaust, part history of comics, part GAY PORN.

[Boogie]

who wins in a fight, CIA or MI5

CIA.  But if you combine MI5 + SIS, then I vote for the latter combo.

[brawndolicious]

I forgot why, but an econ major (I think) recommended this in some thread several months ago and I immediately put it on hold in my school library and forgot about it.  Apparently, a couple days ago, a faculty member finally returned the book after being over-due for several months and I got an email to come and pick it up.

I haven't started it yet but it sounds like it'll be really good.

[Cormacaroni]

On my iPad

Kindle WhisperSync is pretty fucking cool. I'm jumping back and forth between reading it on the iPad and on the iPhone and it keeps me at the right page automatically. Also, the instant delivery was nice - otherwise it would have taken a month-plus to get it to Japan from amazon.com. Not to mention the shipping fees. eBooks all the way for me, I think. I bought 6 on the first day I owned the thing.

[chronovore]

Wow, you must have meant it when you said your shelfspace was at a premium.