What have you been reading recently?

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AuthorTopic: What have you been reading recently?
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #0
The topic is dead! Long live the topic!

—Alorael, who will throw in The Ringmaster's Daughter, a relatively normal and therefore still quite unusual novel by Jostein Gaarder. Unlike Sophie's World and therefore like his other books, it's definitely a novel and not a textbook. Like much of what he's written, it's very much concerned with the fiction.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Agent
Member # 2759
Profile Homepage #1
It's sad to see the end of the old topic :(

I just read Century Rain, most enjoyable. Also trying to get through a backlog of Accountancy Magazines (snooze...)

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Geneforge 4 stuff. Also, everything I know about Avernum | Avernum 2 | Avernum 3 | Avernum 4
Posts: 1104 | Registered: Monday, March 10 2003 08:00
By Committee
Member # 4233
Profile #2
I recently read "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" by Jules Verne on a lark. Completely silly given what we know these days, but still a very enjoyable adventure tale.

I also recently read the graphic novel version of "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman. I have to say, I actually preferred the movie version.

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You know, having read three works by Gaiman - "Neverwhere," "American Gods," and "Stardust," I'm finding myself a little underwhelmed by him, and not understanding what all the hype is about. He's okay at telling what happens, but not very good at describing it. "Tristram and Yvaine had many adventures on their way back to Wall." Great. A lot of that detail would have been nice to flesh out the story a bit further. I think this problem may come from the fact that he got his big start with "Sandman," which had great artwork to describe all the details he omits.

[ Monday, February 11, 2008 15:25: Message edited by: Drew ]
Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #3
Gaiman's stories never seem to be about the stories he tells, really. It's the peripheral characters and the world or cosmology that make his writing interesting. That works well for world-building junkies (like me) and less for anyone who wants to read a novel.

[Edit: The great niper makes no typos.]

—Alorael, who thinks American Gods is just plain different enough to deserve hype, Good Omens is fantastic but heavily Pratchettized, and Neverwhere is a very mediocre story with a fantastic setting.

[ Monday, February 11, 2008 20:50: Message edited by: Eggs don't belong on panels ]
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 7557
Profile #4
quote:
Originally written by Eggs don't belong on panels:

Gaiman's stories never seem to be about the stories he tells, really. It's the peripheral characters and the world or cosmology that make his writing interesting. That works well for world-building junkies (like me) and less for anyone who wants to read a novel.

—Alorael, who thinks i]American Gods[/i] is just plain different enough to deserve hype, Good Omens is fantastic but heavily Pratchettized, and Neverwhere is a very mediocre story with a fantastic setting.

The great sniper makes a typo! This must be preserved!

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*Eyes potential targets*
Posts: 942 | Registered: Sunday, October 8 2006 07:00
Guardian
Member # 5360
Profile #5
The Dune prequels, and after those, the sequels.

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Fear us, mortals, but never envy, for though we burn with power, our fuel is our sorrows.

Indeed, mortals, we envy you.
Posts: 1636 | Registered: Wednesday, January 5 2005 08:00
By Committee
Member # 4233
Profile #6
quote:
Originally written by Nija:

The great sniper makes a typo! This must be preserved!
Grow up.

[ Monday, February 11, 2008 17:29: Message edited by: Drew ]
Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00
BANNED
Member # 13806
Profile #7
Currently, Pragmatism, Minima Moralia, and a thick but unintimidating summary of psychology of religion.
Posts: 134 | Registered: Sunday, February 3 2008 08:00
Triad Mage
Member # 7
Profile Homepage #8
Path to Power, by Robert Caro - the first part of the story of LBJ

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"At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander
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Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy
Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet
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You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse!
Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00
Shaper
Member # 7420
Profile Homepage #9
quote:
Originally written by Drakefyre:

Path to Power, by Robert Caro - the first part of the story of LBJ
Ever since his crappy presidency, people don't give the man the credit he deserves for being the brilliant politician that he really was. Let me know if it's an interesting read.

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You lose.
Posts: 2156 | Registered: Thursday, August 24 2006 07:00
Triad Mage
Member # 7
Profile Homepage #10
It was *great*. I'm moving on to Means of Ascent soon.

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"At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander
====
Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy
Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet
====
You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse!
Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 7557
Profile #11
The Legend of Drizzt Parts 1 and 2.

Looking for number three. Best darn fiction I've ever read.

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*Eyes potential targets*
Posts: 942 | Registered: Sunday, October 8 2006 07:00
Agent
Member # 2210
Profile #12
I have arisen from the toaster freshly buttered on a clean white china plate. Behold :)

I am reading The Wood Wife by Terri windling. It is a Mythopoeic award winning book. I have Neil Gaiman's Stardust waiting to read, I intend to read the book, then immediately watch the film afterward.

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Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh.

Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight.

Add your one star vote to my tally.
Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00
By Committee
Member # 4233
Profile #13
The book and the movie were definitely pretty different. I actually think that I prefer the film.
Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00
Infiltrator
Member # 4248
Profile #14
I recently finished Ian McDonald's Scissors cut paper wrap stone. Now I'm browsing through random "how to create your character" threads on Ninja RPG forums.

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Life is a neverending carneval where everyone has multiple costumes. I just hope mine are pleasing to the eye.
Posts: 617 | Registered: Tuesday, April 13 2004 07:00
Infiltrator
Member # 7488
Profile #15
I'm in the process of rereading "The Intelligent Investor" by Benjamin Graham.

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Either I'm crazy, or everybody else is nuts. And I know I'm not crazy because the little man who lives on my shoulder told me so.
If people don't think there's something wrong with you, there's something wrong with you.
Oh well. Another day, another dementia.
Posts: 558 | Registered: Friday, September 15 2006 07:00
? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
Profile #16
I read Stardust, not realizing there was a graphic novel. My opinion was "meh," especially since I had thought American Gods was the standard. He is not an author I spend a lot of time looking for now. Recently I read 1632. That would make a good movie.

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Synergy, et al - "I don't get it."

Argon - "I'm at a loss for words..."
Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 6785
Profile #17
Trying to find time to read Mr. Baggins and Return to Bag-End by John D. Rateliff. It's quite hobbit forming.

The annotated version of the original manuscripts ofThe Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien before it got published.
Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00
Law Bringer
Member # 4153
Profile Homepage #18
I'm finally reading for enjoyment again (a bit), and just finished Ray Bradbury's Farewell Summer. Now, I'm back on one of my favorite authors, reading Jack McDevitt's Odyssey.

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Gamble with Gaea, and she eats your dice.
Posts: 4130 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00
Shaper
Member # 32
Profile #19
Naruto (vols 1 - 19)
Dragon Ball (vols 1 - 3)

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Lt. Sullust
Quaere verum
真実長ガス
Posts: 2462 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Agent
Member # 4574
Profile #20
Animal Farm and Brave New World simultaneously. I'll through Nineteen Eighty-Four in the mix eventually. If only our societies were like that...

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"I'm happy I'm the mentally disturbed person I am." -Nioca
"Yes, Iffy is a demon." -Iffy
"All (Spiderweb) servers should be taken down, erased, and then subjected to dissolution by alkahest." -Alorael
Posts: 1186 | Registered: Friday, June 18 2004 07:00
By Committee
Member # 4233
Profile #21
Ah, high school reading. Next stop for you: discovering the fascinating world of Ayn Rand, and then hopefully getting over it before college. :)
Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00
BANNED
Member # 13806
Profile #22
Hipsters read Rand nowadays? Well, I suppose it's preferable to Coulter.
Posts: 134 | Registered: Sunday, February 3 2008 08:00
Agent
Member # 8030
Profile Homepage #23
I don't think Drew is a hipster. He was in law school last time I heard.
Posts: 1384 | Registered: Tuesday, February 6 2007 08:00
Agent
Member # 4574
Profile #24
quote:
Originally written by Drew:

Ah, high school reading. Next stop for you: discovering the fascinating world of Ayn Rand, and then hopefully getting over it before college. :)
Nope. High school reading would be the great Latin classics.

EDIT: The reason I'm reading the books now is simple, I'm planning. Using these books as a foundation for my One World State...

[ Sunday, February 24, 2008 19:52: Message edited by: Kinggolden ]

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"I'm happy I'm the mentally disturbed person I am." -Nioca
"Yes, Iffy is a demon." -Iffy
"All (Spiderweb) servers should be taken down, erased, and then subjected to dissolution by alkahest." -Alorael
Posts: 1186 | Registered: Friday, June 18 2004 07:00

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