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What Are You Reading?

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    #512
    OxfordComma
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭OxfordComma


    Macca3000 wrote: »
    I'm going to get slaughtered for admitting this but I think I may be the only person who never got what was so wonderful about Life of Pi. Then again I'm also the only person I know who thinks the Alchemist was boring.:(

    You're not alone! I didn't like Life of Pi at all, personally.

    I've actually never read any proper fantasy yet, but I've a copy of Magician sitting on my shelf so I'm going to give that a go. I've heard a lot of good things about it :)


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    #513
    bonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 15,443 ✭✭✭✭bonkey


    Zapp Brannigan wrote: »
    Is there a set date for Esselmont's new book?

    Stonewielder? First Ed due in October. Thats the £99, 300-copy limited edition.

    Given that I have first-edition copies of NoK and RoTG, I'm thinking seriously about springing for it....


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    #514
    bonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 15,443 ✭✭✭✭bonkey


    Currently reading Shadows of the Apt series, by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

    Pretty good...certainly good enough to buy books 3 and 4...


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    #515
    RocketFalls
    Registered Users Posts: 115 ✭✭RocketFalls


    The October Country by Mr. Bradbury.
    Again. I make a habit of reading that around five times a year. Beautiful piece of work, if not exactly science fiction. Although I've always felt that Bradbury veered more towards the atmospheric, camp-fire sort of storytelling as opposed to the so-called 'hard science fiction' anyway.

    Incidentally, has anybody read Kathleen Ann Goonan? I picked up a copy of 'Light Music', and was pretty astounded. Kind of annoyed that it's the fourth book in a cycle, since the others are impossible to come by.
    'Nanopunk', I think the genre is called. I recommend it highly.


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    #516
    Zapp Brannigan
    Registered Users Posts: 8,326 ✭✭✭Zapp Brannigan


    bonkey wrote: »
    Stonewielder? First Ed due in October. Thats the £99, 300-copy limited edition.

    Given that I have first-edition copies of NoK and RoTG, I'm thinking seriously about springing for it....

    No way would I spring that amount for Esselmont. Erikson maybe, but not Esselmont.


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    #517
    Woow_Aqualung
    Closed Accounts Posts: 228 ✭✭Woow_Aqualung


    The Mote in Gods Eye.

    "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"

    It is brilliant. Nearly finished. The writting just flows from the pages.

    Out of interest how many people have read A Clockwork Orange? It's one of my favourite books, but when I tell people this they give me a look of disgust, and the conversation peters off.


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    #518
    mcgovern
    Registered Users Posts: 4,267 ✭✭✭mcgovern


    Woow_Aqualung wrote: »
    The Mote in Gods Eye.

    "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"

    It is brilliant. Nearly finished. The writting just flows from the pages.

    Out of interest how many people have read A Clockwork Orange? It's one of my favourite books, but when I tell people this they give me a look of disgust, and the conversation peters off.

    I've read it, and while I enjoyed it, I wouldn't say it was one of my favourites.
    Just finished Neal Asher's "Cowl".


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    #519
    El Tarangu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,616 ✭✭✭El Tarangu


    Woow_Aqualung wrote: »
    Out of interest how many people have read A Clockwork Orange? It's one of my favourite books, but when I tell people this they give me a look of disgust, and the conversation peters off.

    Definitely preferred the film (not too often that you can say that)


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    #520
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,990 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    mcgovern wrote: »
    Just finished Neal Asher's "Cowl".
    What did you think?

    I've just started "Hilldiggers" (also by Neal Asher).


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    #521
    El Tarangu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,616 ✭✭✭El Tarangu


    I've got a book of his called 'Line of Polity' on the bookshelf at home. Can I read that as a stand-alone book, or will it not make sense unless I've read the previous title in the series?


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    #522
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,990 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    El Tarangu wrote: »
    I've got a book of his called 'Line of Polity' on the bookshelf at home. Can I read that as a stand-alone book, or will it not make sense unless I've read the previous title in the series?
    Read it in sequence as they're definitely connected. Start with "Gridlinked".
    The Polity universe has a number of series set within it, including the Agent Cormac series.


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    #523
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    neal stephenson - quicksilver

    book shop wasnt able to get the books I ordered, so I just picked this up frmo the shelf. it's quite big so hopefully it's also quite good.


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    #524
    bonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 15,443 ✭✭✭✭bonkey


    Great book. You are aware, I assume, that its the first of a trilogy, and the other two are equally large?

    /currently taking a break from sci-fi / fantasy, and re-reading The Woman in White (Wilkie Collins)


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    #525
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    yeah, i thought the fact that quicksilver itself was made of three 'books' was what the trilogy reference i saw online was referring too but if quicksilver is as good as you say, then 2 more equally large books wont be a problem at all :)


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    #526
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,990 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »
    yeah, i thought the fact that quicksilver itself was made of three 'books' was what the trilogy reference i saw online was referring too but if quicksilver is as good as you say, then 2 more equally large books wont be a problem at all :)
    It's also very light in terms of science-fiction. Sure it's a fictional novel about the Enlightenment and how science was developed, but don't expect anything like a Steampunk setting or the like. It's rooted in a lot of historical fact.
    I found the series at times wonderful but also frustrating. The sheer detail meant the plot got lost at times. It's a very impressive piece of work but I didn't always care to read it.


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    #527
    madrab
    Registered Users Posts: 3,892 ✭✭✭madrab


    Currently reading Xenocide the 3rd book in the enders game series

    getting a bit bored of it at the moment, really liked the first one but this one is far too preachy


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    #528
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    ixoy wrote: »
    It's also very light in terms of science-fiction. Sure it's a fictional novel about the Enlightenment and how science was developed, but don't expect anything like a Steampunk setting or the like. It's rooted in a lot of historical fact.
    I found the series at times wonderful but also frustrating. The sheer detail meant the plot got lost at times. It's a very impressive piece of work but I didn't always care to read it.



    you can sing that, I'm not very far in at all and i'm already varying wildly from enjoying it to finding it a struggle. It feels like i'm reading something written by someone who knows they're a damned good writer, but wants to make sure I'm left with that impression too.

    to be honest, I'm considering leaving it aside for now and breaking out tad williams - otherland for a long over due re-read.


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    #529
    bonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 15,443 ✭✭✭✭bonkey


    madrab wrote: »
    Currently reading Xenocide the 3rd book in the enders game series

    getting a bit bored of it at the moment, really liked the first one but this one is far too preachy

    I found that the "original" series really went downhill....Enders Game itself was really the only great book there.

    The "Shadow" series, though....that was worthwhile. Again, though, book 1 is the highlight.


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    #530
    Shryke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,199 ✭✭✭Shryke


    Reading Inverted World by Christopher Priest. The man deserves so much more recognition. I've read a few of his others already and I've never been dissapointed. The opposite in fact.


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    #531
    Woow_Aqualung
    Closed Accounts Posts: 228 ✭✭Woow_Aqualung


    bonkey wrote: »
    I found that the "original" series really went downhill....Enders Game itself was really the only great book there.

    I hated (And still hate) Enders Game. The writting was too clunky and you could tell that the author loved writting about Ender and his army flying around that battle room.

    Thats my two cents.


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    #532
    mcgovern
    Registered Users Posts: 4,267 ✭✭✭mcgovern


    Now reading Firstborn by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter.


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    #533
    josephtoole
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭josephtoole


    Anything by Arthur C. Clarke really. The City and the Stars was probably the best book I've ever read, Rendezvous with Rama was great too. Timestorm with Stephen Baxter I would also recommend.

    AVOID The Last Theorem, a collaboration between him and Frederik Pohl. One of the most boring and utterly uninteresting books ever. Avoid.


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    #534
    Woow_Aqualung
    Closed Accounts Posts: 228 ✭✭Woow_Aqualung


    josephtoole wrote: »
    Anything by Arthur C. Clarke really. The City and the Stars was probably the best book I've ever read, Rendezvous with Rama was great too. Timestorm with Stephen Baxter I would also recommend.

    AVOID The Last Theorem, a collaboration between him and Frederik Pohl. One of the most boring and utterly uninteresting books ever. Avoid.

    What about 2001:A Space Odessey? I've always considered reading it, but I've heard the film is better.


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    #535
    mcgovern
    Registered Users Posts: 4,267 ✭✭✭mcgovern


    Woow_Aqualung wrote: »
    What about 2001:A Space Odessey? I've always considered reading it, but I've heard the film is better.

    I quite enjoyed it and the sequels, though I don't remember much from the sequels so they weren't amazing.

    Timestorm that josephtoole is reading, is, I guess, either a mistake or a new edition containing Book 1 (Time's Eye) + Book 2 (Sunstorm) of the Time Odyssey that I'm currently reading the 3rd book of.
    Also, The Light of Other Days, another collaboration between Clarke and Baxter, is I think much better than the Time Odyssey series.


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    #536
    Zapp Brannigan
    Registered Users Posts: 8,326 ✭✭✭Zapp Brannigan


    Started The Warrior Prophet last night. Really liked the catch-up at the start as it's been a while since I read the previous book.


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    #537
    mcgovern
    Registered Users Posts: 4,267 ✭✭✭mcgovern


    mcgovern wrote: »
    Now reading Firstborn by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter.

    Finished this yesterday and actually really enjoyed it, need to order the 4th one now :)
    Started Non-Stop by Brian Aldiss and while it can be quite predictable at times, it's still very good.


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    #538
    Johnny Storm
    Registered Users Posts: 3,984 ✭✭✭Johnny Storm


    josephtoole wrote: »
    Arthur C. Clarke...The City and the Stars was probably the best book I've ever read,....

    It's pretty amazing by any standards (but especially considering how long ago it was written)


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    #539
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,990 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    Currently reading "The Gathering Storm" by Brendan Sanderson (working off notes from Robert Jordan). As it's the 1,345th instalment in the "Wheel of Time" series, it's good to see that it finally seems to be ramping up to an end. There's a bit of pace so far that I hope keeps up.


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    #540
    mcgovern
    Registered Users Posts: 4,267 ✭✭✭mcgovern


    mcgovern wrote: »
    Finished this yesterday and actually really enjoyed it, need to order the 4th one now :)
    Started Non-Stop by Brian Aldiss and while it can be quite predictable at times, it's still very good.

    Finished that yesterday, good read :)
    Now onto Line War by Neal Asher.


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    #541
    Trojan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,411 ✭✭✭✭Trojan


    Just finished "The Folding Knife" by KJ Parker. Story of a Machiavellian type ruling a Roman style city. Well written but very fast paced, maybe a bit too fast. I really enjoyed it right up to the end but she did a Gemmell on it and crammed the ending into 40 pages instead of 200.

    I'd give it a 5/10, just.

    🎙️ The Recognized Authority Podcast



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