What are you reading?

[Atria35]

Finished Sea of Monsters. Too bad I don't own the next book, and it's out of the library.

Started The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

[Nanao]

started Murder is Easy by Agatha Christie last night

[Phantom_Sorano]

Taming of the Shrew by Will Shakespeare

[ich1990]

“The Communist Manifestoâ€

[SnoringFrog]

Right now I'm (finally) working on Dune Messiah by Frank Herbet.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

So, I haven't posted here in a little while, so I've read a few books lately.

Dune was one of the best books I've read in a while. Too bad Duncan Idaho didn't have much of a role. It's a pretty big waste to give such an awesome name to someone then hardly utilize it. Ah well, definitely 9/10

So, I've still been reading Star Wars stuff, and this time I read the Hand of Thrawn duology, consisting of Specter of the Past and Vision of the Future. Honestly, I think Zahn's writing has improved since the Thrawn Trilogy. I can't really pinpoint why, but I enjoyed these two more than the Thrawn Trilogy, which was already pretty awesome. 9/10 for both, moving on to Survivor's Quest, as I plan to read all the Zahn stuff before moving on to Aaron Allston and Matthew Stover.

[bigsleepj]

“]The Communist Manifesto[/B]” by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

I must admit that I disappointed.

I've heard that Das Kapital is the more definitive work of Marxism, which was written later under less stressful circumstances.

The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe
The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe
The Sword of the Lictor by Gene Wolfe
The Citadel of the Autarch by Gene Wolfe
The Urth of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe

Hmmm. I'd like to know your thoughts on these books when you're done with them. I've read all five and generally liked them (did not like Urth of the New Sun - struck me as weak) but knowing Gene Wolfe the novels would probably be better the second time around.

[Kaori]

Recently, it seems that whenever I open a book, I read about something terrible happening to someone. So I’ve read a lot of horrible, well-written stories, like “The Long Way Outâ€

[Atria35]

Got the next two Percy Jackson series in today, so I finished reading The Titan's Curse and The Battle of the Labrynth

[Nanao]

started A Reason for God by Timothy Keller. was given the book a while back, but haven't read it yet. yesterday i realised that i was feeling the need to read some Christian literature, besides the Bible. it's been a while since i really sat down with something like that.

Also read thirty-some essays by students and two by Michel de Montaigne (the man who invented essays). I certainly cannot give an assessment of Montaigne as a writer based on such a small sample of his work, but what stood out to me the most about the two essays I read was how utterly random and unstructured they were. He has influenced writers from Descartes and Pascal to Asimov, so I probably ought to give him more of a chance, but what I read didn’t really make me want to.

which two essays were they? we had to read a book of his essays in school, and they were pretty random, though sometimes that made them more interesting.

[uc pseudonym]

I'm still reading the last three books on my list, so this will be a Gene Wolfe post.

If you have the time I would be interested in hearing what you thought of Gene Wolfe. He has long been on my "to-read" list, but I have never been so interested by his writings as to bump them to the top of my list. Did you like him? If so, are any of the above a good place to start reading his works?

I need to begin by saying the amount of hype surrounding Gene Wolfe is considerable, and having read that before his books colored my reactions. Everyone spoke of how complex and incomprehensible his work was. If I had read the reviews afterward I would have been a little surprised, since that isn't how I would describe it.

Instead, it was an enjoyable post-apocalyptic fantasy. It had some things you don't see very often (the main character is a torturer) but otherwise was much more conventional than I was led to expect. I think the books I listed (except the last) should be considered a single volume. Over four books there is a normal story arc and everything that seems mysterious is explained. I know some people don't like this device in fiction, and for them I can imagine the work is frustrating. But for most readers who are used to MacGuffins being overused, or who piece together fiction while they read it, it's really not asking you to wait for more things than normal.

So I can't give any kind of easy read/don't recommendation. It has a well-constructed plot and an interesting blend of high technology with a low technology setting. The style may be a great hindrance to some readers and the pacing is strange. There's no question it's better than a lot of books, but my experience was not as euphoric as many described.

Hmmm. I'd like to know your thoughts on these books when you're done with them. I've read all five and generally liked them (did not like Urth of the New Sun - struck me as weak) but knowing Gene Wolfe the novels would probably be better the second time around.

I felt very disappointed in the events of the first book (everything after he leaves the torturers). Except for the visit to the gardens I felt as though surprisingly little happened. However, the characters of Dr. Talos and Baldanders as well as the apparently pointless conflict with Agia slowly showed themselves to be the start of larger and more interesting plots. Though I'm glad for the second subplot because it introduced interesting aliens, even in the end I'm not sure it was really well integrated into the rest of the plot.

Once the series got underway, however, I enjoyed it. I was fine with the self-aware aspects and the tendency to spend chapters at a time on plays or stories. Didn't think the romantic subplots added much of anything to the story, though perhaps that's only my bias. My favorite parts were probably learning about the Empire's culture and gaining a real understanding of the extraterrestrials. And the concept of a fuligin cloak is just interesting in general.

Everything ties together at the end but I'm not sure how much I liked it. I think the Autarch revelation was intentionally abrupt, but I'm not convinced it couldn't have been written better in a different way. I would have considered the fact that so much time is spent on Vodalus, who then does nothing, to be a problem, but as far as I'm concerned that entire plotline is redeemed by the final scene in which we find out the truth about the coin from the very beginning. Deeply dissatisfied that the meeting with Valeria from the beginning did not turn out to be more significant.

As for Urth of the New Sun, I'm glad it was separated from the others. It didn't match the rest due to the stronger science fiction elements and it mostly answered questions that I was fine with being left intentionally unknown.

Welcome back, I must have missed it when you updated your thread.

It's easy to miss. There aren't any further updates, but if you're interested there were pictures.

Too bad Duncan Idaho didn't have much of a role. It's a pretty big waste to give such an awesome name to someone then hardly utilize it.

For whatever it's worth, he and his ghola (clones with full memories) remain fairly major characters all throughout the Dune series.

[rocklobster]

Just started Persecution: How Liberals are Waging War Against Christianity by David Limbaugh. Yes, he's related to Rush Limbaugh: he's his brother. So, no, I can't talk about the book here. But I will say it's recommended.

[Kunoichi]

Heaven by Randy Alcorn. I like it so far, gives me a lot to ponder and think about.

[Atria35]

Will finish reading The Divine Comedy by Dante today.

Tomorrow, I will start 1984 by George Orwell.

[Kaori]

which two essays were they? we had to read a book of his essays in school, and they were pretty random, though sometimes that made them more interesting.

"Of war horses" (this topic looked the most interesting to me) and "Of ancient customs" (located immediately after "Of war horses").

Will finish reading The Divine Comedy by Dante today.

Tomorrow, I will start 1984 by George Orwell.

Nice! How did you like the Divine Comedy?

[Atria35]

Nice! How did you like the Divine Comedy?

Even the translation had a sort of poetry to it- I got a literal translation- and it was very interesting... until I got to the Paradiso part. It got more into the philisophical justifications and explanations of God, which I've just never been able to concentrate on and was even harder than usual due to the style that it was written in. Unfortunately, reading the entire notes and context part of the book was also necessary due to just not knowing who half these people or events were that he spoke to in Hell and Purgatory.

EDIT: And now I'm onto 1984. Interesting stuff. His anti-communism is stronger here than in Animal Farm... or it might be that he doesn't have any basis to criticize capitalism as it doesn't exist here. But I do find it to be highly disturbing at the same time.

[That Dude]

I'm currently reading a few...

All Of Grace -by- Charles Spurgeon. - A classic.
The City Of God -by- Augustine. - Nothing like a good ole' Augustine book.
Genesis In Space And Time -by- Francis Scheaffer. - He has got to be one of my alltime faves'
Lord Save Us From Your Followers -by- Dan Merchant. - So far I've agreed with most of the objections raised, but from what I've read, the solution is somewhat heretical. So I'm reading it in order to understand the "other side" if you will.

[Atria35]

Finished 1984. Will be picking up Starship Troopers from the library today.

[MomentOfInertia]

Will be picking up Starship Troopers from the library today.

I remember that being pretty good.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

So The Hunger Games was a huge disappointment.

[Sheol777]

Will finish reading The Divine Comedy by Dante today.

Tomorrow, I will start 1984 by George Orwell.

Can we be best friends?

[Atria35]

Can we be best friends?

I'm guessing you like those books?

[Sheol777]

I'm guessing you like those books?

1984 is tied for my favorite of all time with Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

...and even though I haven't finished The Divine Comedy I adore it and try to keep tabs on all media relating to it.

[FllMtl Novelist]

Finished Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code today. Better than The Arctic Incident, but it still needs more Artemis and less of all the other characters I don't really care about. XD I did enjoy it, though. Started The Opal Deception.

[rocklobster]

Starting The Man Who Was Thursday by GK Chesterton.

[bigsleepj]

Starting The Man Who Was Thursday by GK Chesterton.

You're in for a wild ride.

[the_wolfs_howl]

started A Reason for God by Timothy Keller.

I LOVE THAT BOOK!!! Tim Keller is awesome. And a great speaker, too]Pride and Prejudice[/i] to my little sisters - now we get to watch the movies, yay!

And for a school project I reread the scene in Crime and Punishment where Sonya reads the story of Lazarus and remembered why that's one of my absolute favorite parts of the book :3

[Atria35]

Finished the first book in the Warriors series. Very good for a children's book- it was great light reading.

[rocklobster]

Finished the first book in the Warriors series. Very good for a children's book- it was great light reading.

Just you wait. The first arc really picks up midway through the second book. Firepaw does some pretty cool stuff in order to get his warrior name. And no, that doesn't count as a spoiler.

[Atria35]

Just you wait. The first arc really picks up midway through the second book. Firepaw does some pretty cool stuff in order to get his warrior name. And no, that doesn't count as a spoiler.

He got his warrior name in the first book