|
|
Post by weenie on Sept 13, 2012 7:14:42 GMT -8
Just started Snow Crash, which has been on my to-read list for about a million years. I'm feeling sci-fiey right now, so I think I'm gonna burn through a bunch that I've been meaning to read. Any suggestions on that front?
|
|
|
|
Post by Drew on Sept 13, 2012 7:22:43 GMT -8
2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
Blindsight by Peter Watts
Existence by David Brin
Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder
|
|
|
|
Post by Drew on Sept 13, 2012 7:23:12 GMT -8
oh and The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
|
|
|
|
Post by weenie on Sept 13, 2012 8:28:19 GMT -8
Drew, you're a sweetheart. I'll get right on those.
|
|
|
|
Post by Drew on Sept 13, 2012 14:05:39 GMT -8
My favorite of those is probably The Windup Girl. It's pretty incredible. 2312 and Existence are full of really cool science but they're not really tight fiction. Blindsight is hardboiled sci-fi, with futuristic space vampires.
|
|
|
|
Post by Drew on Sept 13, 2012 14:06:12 GMT -8
I'm always excited to share books - I can't wait to talk if you end up reading any of those!
|
|
|
|
Post by Friendly Destroyer on Sept 18, 2012 15:30:38 GMT -8
I have a copy of the new Michael Chabon novel on it's way from Amazon. Half of his books I just love, and half didn't really do much for me. It's gonna be hard for it to measure up to The Yiddish Policemen's Union, but I'm excited to read it just the same. You know a book is good when it makes you crave gefilte fish! |
|
|
|
Post by weenie on Sept 28, 2012 18:53:11 GMT -8
My new favorite author is Brandon Sanderson. He's the guy who took over the Wheel of Time books so some might dislike him, but I've never had the inclination to start that timesink. I really liked his Mistborn series (which might have some sort of video game coming up?) and am halfway through "The Way of Kings", which is the first of some series I can't remember right now. Now that I've read a couple of his different works I'm confident in saying I really dig him. He has a way with bring disparate characters together in a drawn-out multi-leveled story that reminds me of my other fave fantasy writer Tad Williams.
TLDR: Nerrrrrrrdddddd
|
|
|
|
Post by Pea on Sept 28, 2012 21:52:33 GMT -8
I'm reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. It's alright.
|
|
|
|
Post by Drew on Sept 28, 2012 22:18:25 GMT -8
My new favorite author is Brandon Sanderson. He's the guy who took over the Wheel of Time books so some might dislike him, but I've never had the inclination to start that timesink. I really liked his Mistborn series (which might have some sort of video game coming up?) and am halfway through "The Way of Kings", which is the first of some series I can't remember right now. Now that I've read a couple of his different works I'm confident in saying I really dig him. He has a way with bring disparate characters together in a drawn-out multi-leveled story that reminds me of my other fave fantasy writer Tad Williams. TLDR: Nerrrrrrrdddddd NERD ALERT LEVEL TWELVE I started reading Sanderson when they announced he was taking over Wheel of Time (which by the way, weenie, you might as well read so that me and you and JWW can talk about it), and Mistborn is actually pretty fucking good, but the rest of his books leave me bored. It's like he comes up with the best idea ever for a fantasy book, and then he puts a bunch of boring recycled fantasy trope characters into it spouting canned dialogue, and there's not a whit of inspiration in the prose. That's the problem with so much fantasy - the prose is just DULL. That's why I've turned to hard sci-fi, because these guys are half science writers and their style is just weird and awesome. Anyway, Mistborn is still pretty sick in spite of those things, because the premise is just so sweet, and there are SO MANY PLOT TWISTS. The earring? Fuck me, I almost shit myself when that was revealed. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2012 10:10:37 GMT -8
 1. Perks of Being A Wallflower This has long been my favorite book - since childhood. Considering Stephen Chbosky wrote the screen play AND directed the film adaptation, I had to go see it. I know it hasn't gotten stellar reviews but who cares about those people. FD and I went to see it and I boohooed all the way to the car. It really came full circle for me in this weird way from angsty teenager to adult lady. So anyway, I'm going back to read it for the probably 15th time, but only time as an adult. 2. Labyrinths Another book that I really loved getting lost in and analyzing as a teenager. Re-reading as an adult. 3. Privilege, Power & Difference Sociology, sociology. When people say "GO READ A BOOK!", they are talking about this book (actually, whoever came up with that probably meant the Bible, but anyway...). You want to learn something about life and the way it works from a racial, religious, gender sociology standpoint, here's good primer. 4. How to Move to Canada Blah, blah. I'm moving to Canada and this makes sure I cross my Ts and dot my Iballs and what the fuck evvvvvvvvver. |
|
|
|
Post by J-Dawg on Nov 12, 2012 23:43:15 GMT -8
4. How to Move to Canada Blah, blah. I'm moving to Canada and this makes sure I cross my Ts and dot my Iballs and what the fuck evvvvvvvvver. I read a similar book when I moved here, and it was pretty useful. Much more useful in reality than the numerous conversations I had with other Canadian expats who moved to the USA. Some of those conversations were useful, but a lot of things have turned out pretty differently for me than it did for them. Ultimately, it all boils down to this: Don't fuck with immigration and they probably won't fuck with you (too much). It's their game, but if you play by their rules, I'm sure it will all be fine, even if it takes a loooooong time for some things. |
|
|
|
Post by Drew on Nov 13, 2012 12:23:08 GMT -8
Weenie, how's the sci-fi reading going?
|
|
|
|
Post by weenie on Nov 14, 2012 8:54:32 GMT -8
I'm actually in the middle of The Windup Girl right now but my phone is being a see-you-next-tuesday so I can only get through three pages at a time before it turns off on me.  I am thoroughly enjoying it so far though. The writing is incredibly evocative, and I like the way the world has turned to shit this time. Man, all you need in sci-fi is a dream and an original idea for how our world is gonna end eh? |
|
|
|
Post by Drew on Nov 14, 2012 9:52:39 GMT -8
Yeah, seriously. It is an original idea - rather than some extreme event, we just run out of food, and the rich hoard it and the poor count calories. Probably a lot more realistic than most scenarios.
|
|
|
|
Post by rimjobflashmob on Dec 1, 2012 11:25:11 GMT -8
The Windup Girl is great. He has a short story collection, Pump Six and Other Stories, that's really solid too.
Currently in the middle of rereading Blindsight by Peter Watts. Next up is Cloud Atlas maybe?
|
|
|
|
Post by Drew on Dec 1, 2012 12:36:58 GMT -8
Blindsight is stellar. Nihilistic and dark and totally perfect hard sci fi. I've had Cloud Atlas on my radar for a while now too. But I think I have to read Under the Dome first.
Just finished Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston, a gorgeous memoir, and recently finished Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin. Also read To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf a bit ago, and listened to the audiobook of Embassytown by China Mieville. Currently listening to Existence by David Brin.
What about ya'll?
|
|
|
|
Post by Horned Gramma on Dec 1, 2012 18:39:17 GMT -8
Workin on Chabon's 'Telegraph Ave.' (not his best) and I got Rushdie's recent memoir on deck. Stoked for that.
|
|
|
|
Post by rimjobflashmob on Dec 2, 2012 18:55:46 GMT -8
Embassytown by China Mieville? Fuck, I loved this book so much until I had about 100 pages left, and then it totally lost me. After being so unconventional and fascinating for the majority of the book, it felt like he just sort of phoned in the end so he could move on to his next project. I love the dude but he needs to take a couple years to tune his novels. Ever since Iron Council it's felt like he's just playing around with prose, trying a bit of everything. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't (I'm looking at you, Kraken). |
|
|
|
Post by Drew on Dec 2, 2012 21:37:14 GMT -8
The City and the City is a masterpiece, and Perdido Street Station is a masterpiece, and the rest of it is humble in comparison. I agree, he writes too damn fast, but dude's got some cool ideas.
|
|
I am thoroughly enjoying it so far though. The writing is incredibly evocative, and I like the way the world has turned to shit this time. Man, all you need in sci-fi is a dream and an original idea for how our world is gonna end eh? 
