I am a chapter into Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton. I was thinking a little bit about my reading habits/history the other day, and I decided to pick up another Crichton book, because he's actually been one of my favorite novelists, and seeing as Pirate Latitudes will be his last work (I assume, unless they're holding onto something else of his) it seemed appropriate.
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Soliloquy
Just Finished reading Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett. Man, I've never read a Pratchett book before, and I must say, I was missing out!
I'm now reading the next book in the series, Men at Arms
I'm now reading the next book in the series, Men at Arms
Currently reading The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey. 5th book in her Tales of the 500 Kingdoms series. The whole thing is a different look at fairy tales (or the Tradition in the books) and how the Fairy Godmothers fight against them or even use them to their advantages. Fun series.
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Right around there is where Pratchett really hit his stride with Discworld. He's had lots of fun with that series.
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Philosopher B.
Love the Watch series. Speaking of Pratchett, I keep kicking myself for not having read Unseen Academicals yet.
Anyhoo, I finished Leviathan. It was pretty good, though it ended when stuff was really heating up. Now I gotta wait for the next installment!
Also, I'm in the middle of Harry Harrison's Return To Eden, the concluding chapter in a fantastically realized alternate history trilogy focusing on what would've happened if the dinosaurs weren't wiped out.
Not sure what I'm going to read next. I might try out King's Stand, director's-cut style.
Anyhoo, I finished Leviathan. It was pretty good, though it ended when stuff was really heating up. Now I gotta wait for the next installment!
Also, I'm in the middle of Harry Harrison's Return To Eden, the concluding chapter in a fantastically realized alternate history trilogy focusing on what would've happened if the dinosaurs weren't wiped out.
Not sure what I'm going to read next. I might try out King's Stand, director's-cut style.
Nice, I love Harrison. The Stainless Steel Rat and Bill the Galactic Hero are two of my favorite guilty pleasure series'.
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Iaculus
Read China Mieville's Kraken a while back. Writing was a tad on the rough side, but the story was otherwise excellent, and cements Mieville as one of the most flat-out imaginative fantasy authors currently writing. Here's the summary of it from the TVTropes article (which I mostly wrote myself):
Went on a bit of a vacation a couple of weeks ago and read a bit.
Started the Ender's Game series, only at Xenocide so far but I've really enjoyed all of them. I prefered Ender's Game to Speaker for the Dead I think but both were very solid. Also read A Scanner Darkly and picked up Penny Arcade's 1th and a half anniversary book.
Started the Ender's Game series, only at Xenocide so far but I've really enjoyed all of them. I prefered Ender's Game to Speaker for the Dead I think but both were very solid. Also read A Scanner Darkly and picked up Penny Arcade's 1th and a half anniversary book.
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Jiarn
Been hitting up the Salvation Army/Goodwill/Thrift Stores in the area recently, since the girlfriend got me addicted to looking for books there. Recently picked up CELL by Stephen King for .50c. Read an excerpt in a magazine a while back and really liked what I read.
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Jiarn
I don't I could survive rush hour traffic, long waiting room waits or the hour before sleep without reading. Then again, the girlfriend goes through 3 books a week, no idea how she does it.
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Jiarn
She reads alot of Romance Novels. She also takes hour long baths, does alot of the reading there.
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Iaculus
Yep. Chaos Nazis. What happens when your common-or-garden fascist reads way too many books on quantum theory, whilst holding up the Marquis de Sade as a lifestyle guru.
Buit of course, you knew that.
Finished Pirate Latitudes, but the ending was a little unsatisfying. Also, a few chapters in the book feel a little inconsistent with the rest of the narrative, which I guess is to be expected since they literally found this story on Michael Crichton's computer after he passed away. It's entirely possible that he wasn't quite finished with it.
Now I'm 20 pages into the Independent Panel on Canada's Future Role in Afghanistan report which I finally picked up after months of putting it off. When I finish that, I'm going to start Prince Caspian.
Now I'm 20 pages into the Independent Panel on Canada's Future Role in Afghanistan report which I finally picked up after months of putting it off. When I finish that, I'm going to start Prince Caspian.
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Wyrminarrd
Finished reading "The Warded Man" by Peter V. Brett. This is a very good fantasy book and the authors first. It left me eager to read the sequel though I have to say that I felt that to much of this book was setting things up and there wasn't really a strong central story until near the end.
Next on my reading list is "Shamans Crossing" by Robin Hobb.
Next on my reading list is "Shamans Crossing" by Robin Hobb.
Prince Caspian was great, but I feel like the film may have ruined it a little bit for me. Every so often something would happen (or be about to happen) and I kept trying to recall what happened in the movie.
I'm going to try to get through at least a hundred pages of Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan now, before going on to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I'm quite excited.
I'm going to try to get through at least a hundred pages of Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan now, before going on to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I'm quite excited.
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Soliloquy
Just finished up Terry Pratchett's Men at Arms
The book has a distinctly British bent on the subject of firearms/gun control (which explains why my gung-ho conservative dad wasn't a huge fan), but I think that if the only problem you have with a book is philosophical, then you're reading a damn good book.
Also, Carrot Ironfoundersson is one of the more awesome characters in popular literature.
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The book has a distinctly British bent on the subject of firearms/gun control (which explains why my gung-ho conservative dad wasn't a huge fan), but I think that if the only problem you have with a book is philosophical, then you're reading a damn good book.
Also, Carrot Ironfoundersson is one of the more awesome characters in popular literature.
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Yeah, one medium always tends to ruin the other in some way. The movie version LOTR: The Two Towers was ruined for me because I read the books after Fellowship came out. Well, that and the fact that there was a woman in the theater who insisted on loudly proclaiming Orlando Bloom's hotness every time he showed up onscreen.
I intend to eventually read some of Pratchett's stuff. I've heard some great things about the Discworld series, and I have a friend who swears by Good Omens. I already know I enjoy Neil Gaiman, so I think I might let Good Omens be my gateway.
Prince Caspian was a decent book but it definitely is not the best book in the Narnia series. As far as Voyage of the Dawn Treader goes that is my favorite book in the Narnia series.
Someone in this thread said something similar (That it was their favorite Narnia book) when I started The Horse and his Boy. I have to say, I really enjoyed that one. And I've heard people say that The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is arguably the best in the series, so I have great anticipation for it as well.
Also, someone gave me rep with the command that I must read Good Omens post haste. It has just jumped many, many books in the hierarchy of my "Read Next" pile.
When I hit one of these heavy reading phases, it's always a scramble to read everything I've been intending to, before the phase passes.
Also, someone gave me rep with the command that I must read Good Omens post haste. It has just jumped many, many books in the hierarchy of my "Read Next" pile.
When I hit one of these heavy reading phases, it's always a scramble to read everything I've been intending to, before the phase passes.
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Iaculus
Good Omens is indeed excellent. I'd place it alongside the best of Pratchett's Discworld stuff.
That's my favorite as well.
The movie seems to be adding a real plot beyond exploration... sadly.
The movie seems to be adding a real plot beyond exploration... sadly.
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Wyrminarrd
Finished reading "Shamans Crossing" by Robin Hobb. This series doesn't start as well as some of her others and the first half of the book moves along rather slowly but fortunately it gets better in the second half.
Next up is "Forest Mage" by RObin Hobb, hopefully this one won't have the slow start of the last one.
Next up is "Forest Mage" by RObin Hobb, hopefully this one won't have the slow start of the last one.
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Soliloquy
I haven't bought the next book in Pratchett's City Watch series yet, but I found Reaper Man for 25 cents in a library used book store. I finished it yesterday.
I didn't enjoy it as much as the other Pratchett books I've read. The scenes involving Death/Bill Door were pretty funny, but the rest wasn't so much "funny" as it was "silly." Interesting satire on consumerism... just not a particularly well done one.
I'm taking a bit of a break from Pratchett right now, and have picked up Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Enjoying it so far.
I didn't enjoy it as much as the other Pratchett books I've read. The scenes involving Death/Bill Door were pretty funny, but the rest wasn't so much "funny" as it was "silly." Interesting satire on consumerism... just not a particularly well done one.
I'm taking a bit of a break from Pratchett right now, and have picked up Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Enjoying it so far.
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Soliloquy
I still prefer real books. No need to recharge them, and if you drop them down the stairs, you still have your book.
Also, more people need to use the word "aye."
Also, more people need to use the word "aye."
I'm rereading some H.G. Wells. Just finished 'The Island of Doctor Moreau', I'll read 'War of the worlds' next.
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