Re: The "What Are You Reading?" Thread (necroed)

A.G.Morgan Wed Oct 01, 2008 5:42 am

Gazongola wrote:

Not an incredibly huge fan of Pratchett, but I seem to have been able to bare a few of his books.

I'm sorry, Mr. Gazongola, but could you try clarifying that one? I understand the words, and the grammar is correct. But I just can't seem to make sense of that statement.

Gazongola Wed Oct 01, 2008 5:45 am

A.G.Morgan wrote:
Gazongola wrote:

Not an incredibly huge fan of Pratchett, but I seem to have been able to bare a few of his books.

I'm sorry, Mr. Gazongola, but could you try clarifying that one? I understand the words, and the grammar is correct. But I just can't seem to make sense of that statement.

It was a tongue in cheek statement about the fact that I am not a big fan of Pratchett, compared to say other authors, but I have read works of his.

T.Taylor the Third Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:20 am

im reading a lovecraft collection and a darkling plain by philip reeve

i downloaded an audio book called a study in emraled its like a sherlock holmes meets lovecraft story
it says its in a shadows over baker street anthology what other books like this are there?

Mr. Ethan Grammatikidis Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:17 am

Just started & finished A Voyage in a Balloon -- Jules Verne. It's very short and curiously... gripping. Shocked

Prior to that was The Hacker Crackdown, Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier by Bruce Sterling. There are strange factual stories, bizarre 'factual' stories, and then there are stories like this book which could not have been made up!

I've now got Verne's The Blockade Runners open on my PDA. Not sure if I'll read it all the way through again, but remember it as a good tale, if a bit dense in parts.

Edit: I entered "steam" into the title search of gutenberg.org and intend to start on The Huge Hunter Or, the Steam Man of the Prairies by Edward Sylvester Ellis.

T.Taylor the Third Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:26 am

yeahu some of vernes more obscure works are a bit dense..

has anyone read the war in the air by hg wells? its really good.

Mr. Ethan Grammatikidis Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:45 pm

I just downloaded The War in the Air last night, being reminded I'd never got round to downloading any of H.G. Wells works, but read The Huge Hunter instead. The Huge Hunter is good fun. I guess it's a Boys Own Western, except that those elements are eclipsed by the gigantic steam man and it's young, hunchbacked inventor who built it in secret. Maybe trying to categorize it is a bad idea, because the story makes a lot more sense than those few words would suggest.

As to Verne & density, I found Journey to the Center of the Earth a bit dry & dense in the critical parts, too. I prefer Burroughs for colour & life in early sci-fi, only the 'colour' and 'life' are so bright in Burroughs I have to wonder if he was taking something as he wrote. Extract of coca plant is my guess, it seems to relate itself to war.

P.S. I was surprised not to find Brave New World on gutenberg.org. Crome Yellow was there, but I've never been one for reading about teenage angst.

Jemima Annabelle Clough Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:29 pm

Just started on Neal Stephenson's Anathem. Once I got past the first two or three dozen pages in which it felt like every other word was made up, it all suddenly clicked and I'm loving it.

Mr Clockwork Thu Oct 09, 2008 5:04 pm

I started reading Kathy Reichs' book Deja Dead last night, and today I bought Starcross, the sequal to Larklight, both written by Phillip Reeve, I am looking forward to reading both books at the moment.

Tanuki Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:40 am

After an eerily similar dream the other night, I decided to finally start reading Y - The Last Man this morning. It was such a good series, I did not stop until finishing the final issue (#60) this evening.

Rare it is indeed that I will read one thing for such a long stretch of time.

Earl Otterby Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:49 pm

I am reading "War of the worlds" for the first time, done the first chapter and I love it.

James Harrison Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:30 am

I'm about a third of the way through Anne Rice's 'Interview with the Vampire' and I've just finished Bram Stoker's 'The Lair of the White Worm'.

Both are splendid.

A.G.Morgan Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:43 pm

I've almost finished Pratchett's Last Continent. Rincewind's just got found while hiding in a carnival and is now cornered in an alley by the Bugerup Watch.

I'm wondering how similar to Australia EcksEcksEcksEcks really is...

Plum Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:00 pm

I finished Captain Bluebear and am now in the middle of The City of Dreaming Books (even more utterly utterly brilliant than Bluebear) also by Walter Moers.

I am an addict, he is superb. I recommend The City of Dreaming books to any bibliophile; some of the references and anagrams on real world authors really are don't-read-on-the-train-if-you-don't-want-to-snort-embarrassingly hilarious.

Shameri Mon Oct 13, 2008 10:31 pm

I'm currently reading The Invisible Man by you-know-who, and The Time Travellers Wife by you-don't-know-who-and-neither-do-I!
Not enjoying the invisible man (my first Wells *blush*) as much as I hoped, there is lots happening but hardly any character behind it.
The TTW ( Very Happy

) Is a jolly good read, not at all steamy and on a few of those best-selling lists which I usually take as 'books not to read', but the characters and scenario are so thouroughly explored I can't help but admire.
Plum- I read The City of Dreaming Books a little while ago, and loved it; but in the two months afterwards I found myself frantically buying more books than I have in any other whole year of my life! It's hypnotic cyclops

Mrs. Sullivan Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:05 pm

Shameri wrote:I'm currently reading The Invisible Man by you-know-who, and The Time Travellers Wife by you-don't-know-who-and-neither-do-I!
:

The Time Traveller's Wife is one of my favorite books! A beautiful, emotional story.

The Kernel Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:07 pm

This must be a female thing - I read it but it just didn't "click", good characters but the plot pretext just didn't ring true enough!

Prof. George of Chaos Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:45 am

I'm afriad enjoyment of The Time Traveller's Wife can't be an exclusively female thing. When I read it a few months ago I thought it rather magnificent. So sad, though...I love the early interaction with Claire's friends, and that Niffeneggar worked reccomendation s to her reader into the plot. I began listening to the Violent Femmes on the strength of their presence in the book, and am very pleased to have done so.

Rowan of Rin Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:11 pm

I just finished (literally 10 minutes ago) "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" by Douglas Adams, quite the hilarious read!

I am now going to snuggle into bed, and read about the horror that is "The Kraken Wakes" by John Wyndham. That is, if I don't fall aslepp *yawn* Sleep

Paul8v Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:19 pm

just about to start reading the difference engine :-)

OldProfessorBear Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:14 am

Have begun Full Dark House.

CaptainPhania Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:09 am

Love, Life, Goethe by John Armstrong. Not Steampunk, but still interesting.

T.T. Sat Oct 18, 2008 5:05 am

I just finished Fahrenheit 451.

Dax Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:33 pm

Currently reading The Sunrise Lands by S.M. Stirling. Just finished re-reading A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny.

I'll probably give David Weber's Off Armaggeddon Reef another going over before the sequel comes out in paperback this winter. By the way, that's one of the best recent sci-fi/adventure novels that I've read in recent years.

The V.A.P. Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:19 pm

A sequel to "Off Armageddeon Reef"? That should be interesting - I enjoyed that book for it's originality.

Dax Sun Oct 19, 2008 6:34 pm

Yes, its called By Schism Rent Asunder and I'm looking forward to reading it. The early reviews are that its wordier than Off Armageddon Reef, with less action, but that might only indicate that its a little more thoughtful, and might also be providing exposition for a longer series.http://us.macmillan.com/byschismrentasunder

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