ready player one. best. book. ever.

Reading Mad Ship, book 2 of Robin Hobb's Liveship Trilogy. Good stuff

I'm reading The Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse, 3rd Edition. It's a difficult read at times, but a very good resource for survivors and their partners.

On the "fun" side, I'm working my way through Clive Barker's Weaveworld. It's been a good read so far, and fairly different from what I expected.

Sexual Healing: The Musical Interlude

Just finished As I Lay Dying. The Vardaman sections are like Faulkner's warm up to The Sound and the Fury.

Starting As You Like It.

Both books gifts from my son from his college reading list.

Just finished As I Lay Dying.

That the one with the dude who breaks his leg and concrete?

Finished Of Love and Shadows. Sob.

What to read next? Hmm....

1. Billy Bathgate
2. The French Revolution: From 1793 to 1799
3. A Game of Thrones
4. No Exit and Other Plays

1d4 ⇒ 1

E.L. Doctorow it is.

A Game of Thrones

I know this'll just make you want to read it right away, but seriously, dude, consider waiting to see whether

(c) we'll end up in a Dune/Amber prequel situation in which Martin's estate farms the whole thing out to some untalented hack.

Depends upon who will inherit the rights to the books. Also, after his comments about purposeful not leaving notes that would allow someone else to finish the books I wouldn't be surprised if he'd made some specific provisions for the rights to his books. Including clause like "any attempt to write prequel/sequel/whatever will void the inheritance of the right to my books and transfer their ownership to someone else or make it public domain or something".

Doodlebug Anklebiter wrote:

A Game of Thrones

I know this'll just make you want to read it right away, but seriously, dude, consider waiting to see whether

(a) he's going to finish it one day in this century;
(b) HBO will do it for him (because they can film entire seasons faster than JRR Martin can write single chapters);

My plan to not read Martin until the series was finished or he was dead has been wrecked by my friend's purchase of the first season on DVD.

But, I haven't started it yet.

My plan to not read Martin until the series was finished or he was dead has been wrecked by my friend's purchase of the first season on DVD.

Heh. Mrs Gersen watched two episodes on Netflix, and next thing I know we're driving all over Houston looking for stores that had Season 1 in stock. It was a long night. Then she makes us watch them all in like a week, and immediately declares she wants to watch them over and over until Season 2 comes out.

The thing is, she hasn't read any of the books, and has no intention of ever reading any of them, because it would cut into her Twilight/Hunger Games reading.

Lost interest in the Zothique cycle due mostly, I think, the limitations of the short story medium. I think I read six or seven, so a little shy of half the stories. I liked what I did read, but I wanted narrative complexity that the short story format was not going to permit.

Spent a fair part of the past few weeks reading old Alternity setting book and adventures.

Tonight, as a favor to my mother, I'll begin reading Genealogy Online for Dummies. I mentioned digging up my paternal great-grandfather's Ellis Island records. She said it would be neat to know things about her family, aside from what's in their extensive mental health and police records but her research skills are limited and I thought it might be fun to give a whirl since as soon as she mentioned she didn't know her grandfather's name my mind popped to how it would be on the census documents and her father's birth certificate and probably land records. I had a little fun with the Mormons' site, which got me one ancestor born in Enniskillen, Ireland (Now Northern Ireland) in 1776 with no idea how they got that information.

But you know, records are likely to be in English and the novelty of tracing the breadcrumbs hasn't worn off yet. I decided I needed to get a better handle on how to organize this stuff or I'd go nuts and the getting started advice I found online was fragmentary and not very useful. And I like it anal, dammit.

Doodlebug Anklebiter wrote:

My plan to not read Martin until the series was finished or he was dead has been wrecked by my friend's purchase of the first season on DVD.

Heh. Mrs Gersen watched two episodes on Netflix, and next thing I know we're driving all over Houston looking for stores that had Season 1 in stock. It was a long night. Then she makes us watch them all in like a week, and immediately declares she wants to watch them over and over until Season 2 comes out.

The thing is, she hasn't read any of the books, and has no intention of ever reading any of them, because it would cut into her Twilight/Hunger Games reading.

Oddly enough, I don't find myself particularly compelled to read them. Loving the show, though. Like DA (before he caved), I would just assume wait until the series is done before reading the books.

And I like it anal, dammit.

Sounds like a non sequitur.

I read the first 4 of the Song of Fire and Ice, but he is taking so damn long between them, I was forgetting what was going on.

So I'm going to wait til they're all done, then start back at the beginning.

I figure this will happen around the time I'm ready to retire.

Lost interest in the Zothique cycle due mostly, I think, the limitations of the short story medium. I think I read six or seven, so a little shy of half the stories. I liked what I did read, but I wanted narrative complexity that the short story format was not going to permit.

Pretty much why I decided to take Conan at an easier pace. I read the first four or five books all at once and the stories were starting to blur together. Conan the Buccaneer was one of my faves exactly because it had a book-long narrative. Of course, the next one is The Hour of the Dragon, which I've never read, but, still, I'm going to read a couple of other things first.

Pretty much why I decided to take Conan at an easier pace. I read the first four or five books all at once and the stories were starting to blur together. Conan the Buccaneer was one of my faves exactly because it had a book-long narrative. Of course, the next one is The Hour of the Dragon, which I've never read, but, still, I'm going to read a couple of other things first.

I suppose I might do that, but I'll probably just forget.

I got everything I needed out of the first chapter of Genealogy for Dummies so I guess I wasn't ignorant enough. I'll have to try harder next time.

Now I'll probably try one of these:
Exalted Sits the Chief: The Ancient History of Hawai'i Island by Ross Cordy
The Spanish Borderlands Frontier 1513-1821 by John Francis Bannon
Johannes Cabal, The Detective by Jonathan Howard
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse by Thomas Sniegoski

These came as gifts from a friend who has bought me a book for my birthday and forgotten to mail it for about five years now. (He also sent me this.) The last one, excluding the Johnson book, is some sort of noir urban fantasy with a fallen angel detective protagonist, which sounds delightfully awful. I think he mentioned that the author did some kind of supernatural romance series with a similar character, so it's probably good for a laugh.

Unless I like it and then I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror. Fortunately, Cabal and the Spanish Borderlands sound way sexier right now.

I am pleasantly surprised at how good Billy Bathgate is. I don't know why, probably because the movie wasn't that great, despite featuring a nude Nicole Kidman.

And he wrote a fictionalized account of the execution of the Rosenbergs that ends with a fictionalized Columbia Universty-style campus occupation? [Adds The Book of Daniel to the ever-growing list.]

Opted to start Johannes Cabal, the Detective.

My friend prevailed upon me to watch the first episode of A Game of Thrones and my resolve crumbled. Goodbye Dutch Schultz, hello Ned Stark!

My friend prevailed upon me to watch the first episode of A Game of Thrones and my resolve crumbled. Goodbye Dutch Schultz, hello Ned Stark!

One of the things I don't think the books or the TV show emphasize enough is that Winter Is Coming. I mean, blink and you'll miss it.

It was nigh on a year ago, when some dude got up at the second Occupy NH General Assembly and stated, "As George Martin said, 'The winter is coming.'"

Vive le Galt!

Just finished "Best Served Cold" by Joe Abercrombie.

Just began "The Warded Man" by Peter V. Brett.

Creatures of the Pool by Ramsey Campbell.

Just finished "Best Served Cold" by Joe Abercrombie.

Just began "The Warded Man" by Peter V. Brett.

I thought Best Served Cold was awesome, but could, maybe, have been trimmed by 100 pages or so.

Northwest of Earth, from the Planet Stories line. Picked up a ton of those for $3 each during the 10th anniversary sale.

SmiloDan wrote:

Just finished "Best Served Cold" by Joe Abercrombie.

Just began "The Warded Man" by Peter V. Brett.

I thought Best Served Cold was awesome, but could, maybe, have been trimmed by 100 pages or so.

I actually kind of flew through it pretty quickly.

It reminded me of a cross between "Azure Bonds" and "The Crow."

C. S. Friedman's Madness Season is an interesting bit of Sci-fi that I'm not sure how to describe without dipping into spoilers.

I'm also reading The Essential Neruda, Selected Poems since I came across his work when I was learning Spanish and am trying to get back into practice with the language. Can anyone recommend any other Spanish language poets?

I loved Poet in New York by Lorca. Also, try Cesar Vallejo. Good stuff.

Rereading Dresden Files. On Blood Rites.

Doodlebug Anklebiter wrote:

SmiloDan wrote:

Just finished "Best Served Cold" by Joe Abercrombie.

Just began "The Warded Man" by Peter V. Brett.

I thought Best Served Cold was awesome, but could, maybe, have been trimmed by 100 pages or so.

I actually kind of flew through it pretty quickly.

It reminded me of a cross between "Azure Bonds" and "The Crow."

Huh. I never thought of Azure Bonds, but I can see what you mean.

Never saw The Crow, but I did think of Kind Hearts and Coronets.

SmiloDan wrote:

Doodlebug Anklebiter wrote:

SmiloDan wrote:

Just finished "Best Served Cold" by Joe Abercrombie.

Just began "The Warded Man" by Peter V. Brett.

I thought Best Served Cold was awesome, but could, maybe, have been trimmed by 100 pages or so.

I actually kind of flew through it pretty quickly.

It reminded me of a cross between "Azure Bonds" and "The Crow."

Huh. I never thought of Azure Bonds, but I can see what you mean.

Never saw The Crow, but I did think of Kind Hearts and Coronets.

** spoiler omitted **

Yeah, there were at least 3 or 4 plot twists I never saw coming.

EDIT:

"The Crow" has one of the best motion picture soundtracks of the 90s, so it's worth checking out.

I have ordered some more books. I am getting tired of reading nothing but short stories and magazines* ever since I finished The Sound and the Fury. More to come soon!

*Don't get me wrong; I appreciate the fact that I have learned several more dishes that feature heirloom tomatoes.

Finally finishing up The Deed of Paksenarrion, amidst a horde of distractions that conspired to prevent me. While I enjoyed the trilogy overall, I'm miffed as hell that the "big mystery" that suddenly "bursts upon her mind" as she solves it is so hokey, trite, overdone, passe and otherwise lame -- and was telegraphed so blatantly in advance for the last book and a half -- that I was pretty sure I was going to puke when I read it.

But aside from that quibble, good stuff; +1 to my list of female fantasy authors (along with Patricia McKillip, Joan Vinge, and the awesomely talented Susanna Clarke) that I really enjoy. Thanks to TOZ for the loan.

Where They Stand: The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians

It's interesting but I'm not sure if I like it or not.

Finally finishing up The Deed of Paksenarrion, amidst a horde of distractions that conspired to prevent me. While I enjoyed the trilogy overall, I'm miffed as hell that the "big mystery" that suddenly "bursts upon her mind" as she solves it is so hokey, trite, overdone, passe and otherwise lame -- and was telegraphed so blatantly in advance for the last book and a half -- that I was pretty sure I was going to puke when I read it.

But aside from that quibble, good stuff; +1 to my list of female fantasy authors (along with Patricia McKillip, Joan Vinge, and the awesomely talented Susanna Clarke) that I really enjoy. Thanks to TOZ for the loan.

Tried Elizabeth Bear (aka "that girl what Scott Lynch likes") or Ellen Kushner yet?

Tried Elizabeth Bear (aka "that girl what Scott Lynch likes") or Ellen Kushner yet?

Neither -- I'll check them out if you recommend them.

For the record, I've read Anne McCaffrey, Anne Rice, J.K. Rowling, Madeleine L'Engle, and found their "voices" grate on my like fingers on a chalkboard. I liked Ursula K. LeGuin's writing, but her ideas didn't reach out and grab me. In contrast, I thought Andre Norton's first 5 or so "Witch World" novels were jam-packed with awesome, but her writing style is so dry it sucks the life out of you even while you're dying to find out what comes next.

Elizabeth Bear's "Blood and Iron" and "Whiskey and Water" were good.

I couldn't really get into their Shakespeare and Marlowe sequels.

Found some free stuff by Elizabeth Bear on Tor's site, if you want a taste.

My own experience of her, so far, has only been audio short stories on Podcastle and Starship Sofa.

As for Ellen Kushner, she's highly recommended by me. (And Neil Gaiman, if you want a second opinion. [The two first, in terms of when they take place, Riverside novels are part of the Neil Gaiman Presents series from Audible, and he says some very flattering things about them in his introduction.])

Well, I'm glad to see that Daenerys's nuptial deflowering is much more pleasant (and consensual!) in the book than is depicted in the tv show...

Come to think of it, where I left off in Billy Bathgate was about hawt, barely pubescent and morally questionable sexytime, too. I hope I'm not turning into a prevert.

Started Jean Hatzfeld's Machete Season. What's freaking me out is that I can sort of see how easy it would be for this to happen in the U.S., except with firearms instead of machetes, and along religious/political lines instead of tribal ones.

Rereading Dresden Files. On Blood Rites.

Small Favor now. Should get through Turn Coat, Changes, and Ghost Story by the end of the week.

That is a good list; read em many times; can hardly wait for Cold Days.

am currently reading:

Uncle John's Unsinkable Bathroom Reader. I recommend it for all gamers; has the whole history of Dungeons and Dragons in it.

Started The City and the Pillar by Gore Vidal. We'll see how this goes. It's easier to read than Faulkner...

Just finished "The Warded Man" by Peter V. Brett.

Just started "Thirteen" ("TH1RTE3N?") by Richard K. Morgan.

Started The City and the Pillar by Gore Vidal. We'll see how this goes. It's easier to read than Faulkner...

IIRC, there are two editions of this book--the original one published in '48, I think, and a Revised Director's Cut or something published much later.

"The City and the Pillar", hee hee! It's such a troll name, he was so awesome.

Currently reading The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe (just finishing The Claw of the Conciliator). Oddly enough, even though it came out when I was in high school, I'd never even heard of it until last year.

Have no idea when I last posted to this. Nightglass on the bus to and from work. The Numbers Game by Alan Schwarz on the john. And The Selfish Gene when just sitting back elsewhere at home.

Put up Cabal and ended up reading The Crusades: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press has a whole line of this stuff intending to do just what it says on the tin. I've had it for years but forgot about it until a friend mentioned that he'd been reading several of the science titles. It was a good read, though the author's repeated disgust at the use of crusading in modern political rhetoric got tedious before he was done with the first paragraph on the subject. Yes yes, we get it. It's not a complicated point.

But I learned a few things from it, which was cool. I may look into picking up others, especially for history subjects I haven't read a lot about previously. So far as the Crusades go, aside basic Western Civ stuff I only knew a fair bit about the fourth and some stuff I picked up by implication from discussions of late medieval proto-nationalism in the Iberian and along the Baltic, plus what I remember of Terry Jones' documentaries.

Re-reading David Weber's Off Armageddon Reef (and the rest of the Safehold series) in preparation for the new book coming out this month.