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What are you reading? (August 2010)

Salazar

Member
bumbillbee said:
Finished The Long Ships yesterday. Fucking awesome. Thanks so much for recommending it, book-GAF. I hadn't had so much fun reading a book in a while.

Likewise.

I'm reading Scott McCloud's ZOT!, which is damned good - especially the De-Evolutionaries charging around everywhere turning everybody into apes.
 

peakish

Member
borghe said:
just finished Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Really loved it, considering it's the first novel I've read in decades that wasn't written by J. K Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, or set in the Star Wars universe (not a fast reader, and thus get bored quickly). Trying to figure out if I want to go onto the next book in the millennium trilogy or if I want to head somewhere different. any recommendations for fiction in a similar direction/style or am I just best to continue onto Played With Fire?
I'm not a fan of the genre (read quite a few swedish detective novels over the years though), but I'd just continue on with the trilogy. Sadly the other two books are more action than research, but at least Played With Fire is quite good at it.
 
eznark said:
Out of curiosity, what is considered to be the best of the four Martin novels?
Storm of Swords, but it's not radically different from it's predecessors. You'll probably have a similar lukewarm reaction.
 

Salazar

Member
Incidentally, anybody having Long Ships withdrawals should check out Royal Flash.

2ntxyxx.jpg


Flashman tangles with femme fatale Lola Montez and the dastardly Otto Von Bismarck in a battle of wits which will decide the destiny of a continent. Did Flashman's adventures in the Duchy of Strackenz provide the inspiration for The Prisoner of Zenda? The similarities are certainly there as Flash Harry becomes embroiled in a desperate succession of escapes, disguises, amours and (when unavoidable) hand-to-hand combats in an epic adventure that takes him from the gaming-halls of London to the dungeons and throne-rooms of Europe. And for once Flashman's talents for deceit and treachery are matched by those of Otto von Bismarck and the beautiful but deadly Lola Montez.

n4dqw0.jpg


Badass-adventure-novel-GAF assemble.
 
Going to a book sale at a nice big public library tomorrow. $1.50 for paperbacks, $2 for trade pb, and $3 for hard cover. This sale usually accounts for a good 75% of my non-Kindle books for the year. :D
 

Vard

Member
I want to read The Long Ships now after hearing more about it, but it looks like it's out of print (not at my library and only used copies on Amazon). Is there a superior edition to get above all others?

Edit- nevermind, my search just wasn't bringing up the The Long Ships (New York Review Books Classics) (Paperback) result!... But my library only has the 1954 edition so thoughts on either edition won't hurt!
 
Vard said:
I want to read The Long Ships now after hearing more about it, but it looks like it's out of print (not at my library and only used copies on Amazon). Is there a superior edition to get above all others?

Edit- nevermind, my search just wasn't bringing up the The Long Ships (New York Review Books Classics) (Paperback) result!... But my library only has the 1954 edition so thoughts on either edition won't hurt!

I'm pretty sure it's the same translation.
 

Bowflex

The fact that anyone supports Hillary boggles my mind... I have tested between 130-160 on IQ tests

nilbog21

Banned
call me lame, but i just finished this

the_girl_with_the_dragon_tattoo-large.jpg


soo good :D

also does anyone know what the original title is? The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo sounds so lame and Americanized. i gota kno if it was changed!
 

Verdre

Unconfirmed Member
nilbog21 said:
also does anyone know what the original title is? The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo sounds so lame and Americanized. i gota kno if it was changed!

Wiki says:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (original title in Swedish: Män som hatar kvinnor – "Men Who Hate Women")
 
Rick Moody's The Four Fingers of Death is, ostensibly, a pulp-novel inside the frame of the story of writer in 2025, but I really wasn't expecting it to be so beautifully written now that I've gotten to the book-within-the-book part. Some of the most gorgeous prose about space travel I've ever read. Stunning stuff.
 

newsguy

Member
nilbog21 said:
call me lame, but i just finished this

the_girl_with_the_dragon_tattoo-large.jpg


soo good :D

also does anyone know what the original title is? The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo sounds so lame and Americanized. i gota kno if it was changed!


Yeah it's "Men Who Hate Women" and it's a theme that's consistent throughout the series.
 

Monocle

Member
The New Oxford Book of Light Verse chosen and edited by Kingsley Amis.

Afrodium said:
1tE2e.jpg


I'm halfway through this and I am loving it. I was really intimidated by it before I stared, and didn't think I would make it to the end, but I'm finding it surprisingly readable and easy to follow. I will definitely be reading more Dostoevsky.
Win.
 

DK-Y2Y

Neo Member
I am reading Alan Moore's smash hit Watchmen. The movie made me love the graphic novel even more. Moore is the master of all comic book writers. He does a fresh new start to newcomers to comics. He made me what I am today.
 
Silicon Knight said:
I'm looking forward to reading that one. What did you think of it?

It wasn't bad. I think that (while for the sake of completeness) it got pretty redundant. Also, I already knew much of what the book covered. There are some very interesting parts though, just be prepared, a huge portion of the book seems to focus only on Varg.

One thing I appreciated was the objectivity of the writing. It didn't really seem to either glorify or disparage the black metal movement. It's worth the read for sure.
 

thomaser

Member
Still on D. F. Wallace's "Infinite Jest", around half-way, but just had to tell that I got this in the mail today:

51BNF4YZ2SL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

"Lanark - A Life in Four Books" by Alasdair Gray. It's in a beautiful limited edition (out of 2000) box-set and is signed by the author. Didn't know that when I ordered, so it was a nice surprise! Gray himself also did the illustrations for both the set and the four individual volumes. It's still available new for $40 at bookdepository.co.uk (with free shipping) or for $33 at amazon.co.uk. Thanks to the gaffer who recommended it several book-threads ago - it seems very interesting, can't wait to start it (but I WILL have to wait until next year because of the backlog...)
 

Max

I am not Max
How is the bookdepository.com on shipping? It must take awhile to get to Canada with free shipping... Although It does make VALIS $10 cheaper than on amazon.ca
 

demon

I don't mean to alarm you but you have dogs on your face
started The Long Ships. have barely read enough to get a feel for it. worst two weeks of my life. can't wait to really get into it though.
 

Angst

Member
Max said:
Tell me how this is. I want to read more of the SF Masterworks
Forever War was quite good. Very interesting story, but sort of sad at the same time. I highly recommend it. I'm thinking of continuing with Forever Peace, but I'm not sure if it's as good as the first one. Anyone know?
 

castlegar

Member
1054-1.jpg


Tried reading this when I was first getting into Vonnegut but couldn't stick with it. Really enjoying it now that I'm a lot more familiar with his work and history. Good stuff
 

Max

I am not Max
Could I get some recommendations for other fiction/sci fi? I really haven't been into reading until the beginning of the year so i'm not too informed on what some great reads are. Past few months I finished reading Mockingbird by Walter Tevis, The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick and I really enjoyed them. I have a bunch of PKD books that I'm interested in reading and I'm currently waiting for VALIS to arrive from bookdepository but I'd really like to know about some others that I can read in-between my phildickian binge

Read a little bit of a synopsis on Crime & Punishment and that sounds pretty interesting, and I'll probably try out The Forever War
 

Max

I am not Max
Sounds good, I'm going to check that out of my public library tomorrow to pass the time waiting for VALIS I think

Won a Philip K. Dick award :lol awesome.
 
Reading copious amounts of legislation and case law and commentary has ruined my resolve to read, but I actually finished something yesterday:

The+Desert+Spear.jpg


A solid follow-up to a strong debut. Now that the dust has settled, though, it feels like inspired mediocrity rather than anything more. But it does entail a lovely opening reminiscent of the Malazan volume, House of Chains.
 

Xater

Member
CruxisMana said:
The Swedish title makes way more sense.

Don't complain. The German titles are even worse.

Book 1: Verblendung (Blindness)
Book 2: Verdammnis (Damnnation)
Book 3: Vergebung (Forgiveness)

:lol
 

braves01

Banned
Xater said:
Don't complain. The German titles are even worse.

Book 1: Verblendung (Blindness)
Book 2: Verdammnis (Damnnation)
Book 3: Vergebung (Forgiveness)

:lol

I'm a bit confused as to how "Forgiveness" applies to the series, except for maybe one instance.
 

Keen

Aliens ate my babysitter
Finished:

34ypax5.jpg


Was kinda meh, after all the hype I've read. The plotting was pretty damn poor imo.


Now reading:

dxbyjb.jpg


Which is great so far! Really like it, and so far not much has happened! So really excited to read on!
 

Ryu

Member
ElectricBlue187 said:
torfatal_bg.jpg


Ugh what a nerd i am
:D

I'm reading this too. About 100 pages in now. It's not bad. It's also my first foray into The Old Republic portion of Star Wars and I feel like I'm missing something as I read as a lot of things are referred to but not explained.
 

sazabirules

Unconfirmed Member
I just started reading The Long Ships. I feel like I need to have Amon Amarth playing in the background while I'm reading this.
 

Xater

Member
sazabirules said:
I just started reading The Long Ships. I feel like I need to have Amon Amarth playing in the background while I'm reading this.

I ordered the book as well after I saw alot of people liking it. It arrived today and when I looked on the cover (which is a bit different from the english version) I thought: "I should probably read this with some Amon Amarth, Tyr and Ensiferum playing in the background." :lol
 

ilikeme

Member
Great to hear so much good words about Sandman. Not that it hasn't been hyped to hell, heaven and onwards just about everywhere already though. :)

I'm liking it a good deal so far after the first two volumes. My favorite part was actually a chapter from Doll's House called Men of Good Fortune. And I noticed my library has volumes 3, 4, 5 and 6 so I can loan them instead. I don't know if I'm that much of a fan of Gaimans writing style and the 90s charm and art is a large part of why I read it. Can't wait to see where it goes later on though! Taking a break from it atm though, reading up on some eastern comics.

I had started reading Nausicaä a few years ago, stopped after volume 4 because of some really dumb reason. Continuing now on volume 5, and damn. This comic makes me cry at least a couple of times per volume. Love it more than I want to admit, haha

nausicaakorean5big.jpg


I'm reading it in english but the Korean cover is cool. I love black. ;)

It's funny reading through all of this hype about The Long Ships, Röde Orm is the swedish name. We actually read it in class just this last spring. Why is it talked about so much right now on GAF? Not complaining, just wondering! :) I loved the book although I didn't finish all of it. I'll do it sometime soon, I wonder if I still have it somewhere or if I returned it...

edit: Just remembering why I liked The Long Ships.. it had such entertainment value! Adventure! Just a joyous ride through a historic landscape written in a .. I can't find the words,.. simple and fun! Straightforward. But still colorful! Glad to see everyone enjoying it.
 
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