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Listening through Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
My reaction to it is kinda mixed. Some of the humor hits, some of it doesn't. I suspect part of that is that so much of both the style of humor and the specific jokes have seeped down into culture enough to not be surprising.
Stephen Fry, reading it, is definitely giving a performance.
I'm rereading William Gibson's Neuromancer, it's been a while and I forgot how good it is.
ahh, i really want to re-read this, i read it when i was a teenager and i think a revisit would be interesting!
I just finished The Reversed Centaur’s Guide to Life by Cory Doctrow a few minutes ago. The central argument is that when a technology exists that makes a human better in a way, that makes the human a centaur (part human, part tech — the usual term for this would be cyborg, but that’s not as funny). What we have now in the age of AI though, Doctrow argues, are a bunch of techs that ride humans to get better. It’s not an anti AI book per se, but does a good job of pointing out how easy it is to fall into the trap of supporting a system that offers nothing in return.
I finished The Invincible by Stanislaw Lem! I finally just sat down last night and spent an hour or so getting through the last 20%, and now I wish I'd done that sooner. It's a neat little story about an unknowable threat on an alien planet; a lot of time is spent with crew scientists conjecturing why things are the way they are, but neither the characters nor the reader ever find out for sure. I found this both refreshing (not having the answers keeps things interesting) and frustrating (lots of dialogue and musing bog down the pacing). The last chapter finally dispenses with so much talking, but then ends somewhat abruptly. I liked it, but more in a "the storytelling was interesting" kind of way.
Still picking out a new book.
Path of Daggers book 8 from the Wheel of Time series. 21% atm. And some books related to my studies.
I started A Crown of Swords yesterday :)
It's a pity that I am unable to read such long series, it takes me years and I forget most of what I read before because of how much time passes for me between each book. I have to read plot summaries for all the previous books when I start the next one and the further I go the more I have to catch up. At least there's the WoT Compendium app.
It sure is a project. Sometimes I read another fiction book in between. And then I can start on the next book. Usually it comes back to me what previously happened. Thanks for the tip, I'll look into the compendium. Keep on reading!
Sometimes I read another fiction book in between.
Ah, so you keep reading WoT almost book after book. I read book 6 one and a half year ago and started book 7 a couple days ago. In the meantime I probably read a dozen other books in different genres. That's why I don't remember.
I forgot that
Tap for spoiler
Rand was abducted by Aes Sedai
in book 6. That seems important, right? ;)
Thanks for the tip, I'll look into the compendium.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.silvermast.wotcompendium
I don't know if there's an iOS counterpart. It's a super useful app.
Well, there have been times I wanted to abandon the series. Now I decided I want to finish the entire series. I already have the remaining books on my ereader, that helps.
I just finished Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman this morning! Fantastic read!
That's been on my list for awhile, hoping to get around to it soon.
I am about halfway through A Parade of Horribles, the latest book in the DCC series. Really having fun with the series and super glad I picked it up
Also started Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Just got to the part where they are broken into houses. I am not sure I am feeling it but going to probably finish the book and see how I feel.
I've read all the Red Rising books and it is by and far one of my favourite series. Darrow is an amazing character and although it's epic sci-fi I didn't find myself losing track of all the characters. I think I've read them twice and listened to the audiobooks.
I didn't go much on book one of DCC, but I have been bullied into book two by too many people, so I will see how I get on.
I read that trilogy a few years ago. The stakes really ratchet up after the first book. I have heard the 2nd trilogy is pretty good but I haven't been compelled to check it out myself
Just finished Perdido Street Station definitely recommend as an amazing well built steampunk fantasy. Currently just started Omnivore's Deception so far a good book exposing the myths specieist's use to justify their oppression.
Wuthering Heights.
That's still on my reading list. How do you like it so far?
It’s intriguing, style is beautiful and it is interesting . It has more humor too (subtle) than I expected.
Nice! I read that for the first time about six months ago and thoroughly enjoyed how unhinged every single character was.
I think I was too young when I read it, because I mostly didn't like any of the characters and didn't understand their motivations. I thought it was well written, I just didn't enjoy. I think I might enjoy it a lot more now.
Same thing with the movie Sideways. I hated that movie for so long until I watched it recently. Now I understand a lot more what is going with his mental health issues.
Just about to finish Red Dwarf : Titan. The new prequel book co-written by the late Rob Grant. It pulls a lot from the lore of the Red Dwarf universe, but in a good way. It certainly "feels" like Red Dwarf, which is good in my mind.
Yes! Love the red dwarf books, I devoured them after I finished the show. They did a great job at maintaining the vibe of the show.
Thanks for the reminder. I've seen the show somewhere around 9999 times but never got around to the books.
Currently reading: Children of Strife by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Children of Time #4). I really enjoyed books 1 and 2 in the series but found 3 to be a bit messy. This so far feels like a return to form and I'm enjoying it much more. The mantis shrimp seem to be an addition to stick to the older framework but I'll reserve judgment once I've seen more from the one character we've met
Just finished: Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite. An interesting little premise that blazes through so fast that you don't really get to examine the scenery or dive into any ideas. It's not bad, but if it's aiming to be a cozy mystery the rapid pace seems discordant
Right now I'm listening to Theodor Seuss Geisel's 1954 masterpiece Horton Hears a Who!.
It's a wild tale of equality and friendship that seventy-two years later still has a lot to say to readers.
It was only mid twenties the last couple days so I was able to get some work done than get a decent reading break. I’m halfway through SW legends “Before the Storm”, it’s book 1 of a trilogy. It’s got a fairly obvious continuity error, but the first prequel movie was 1999 and this book was 1996. It says the Yoda was a hermit on Dagobah for over a hundred years, or close. I’m enjoying it, part of the story centers around Lando, and his partner Lobot from Cloud City who we haven’t heard from since Vaders little tea party there.
After this, it’s book 6 of DCC. I’m hoping the weather isn’t stupid hot and I can get some deck reading in. I enjoy just sitting with my feet in a bucket of water. Anything bigger like a wading pool and the dogs splash too much, can’t ruin my brothers books.
I'm stil reading Helm by Sarah Hall. For the second time while reading this book I got ill, but today I'm finally feeling a bit better. I'm almost done, so I'll probably finish it tonight.
It's a really beautiful book so far. I love the mix of different time periods and even writing styles. One story is really heart-wrenching, another is kinda thrillery, it's a good mix. I hope the ending will be as good.
I'm glad you're feeling a bit better! Being ill sucks, hopefully you stay in consistent good health afterwards. I added Helm to my tbr based off of the first time that you shared, looking forward to what you think about the ending/overall.
Still reading Dungeon Crawler Carl - I’m up to chapter 22 this week!
Working through the last of the audio books for "The wheel of time" series. Been over a year since I started the journey and been loving it. Going to be very bitter sweet when I reach the conclusion.
Been borrowing the audio books from the library
The Chernobyl accident fascinates me, so I'm reading Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham. I have read INSAG-7 (a couple of times), so I think I have a decent layperson understanding of the accident. INSAG-7, however, is primarily a mechanical document, and I wanted to learn more about the human aspect of the operators. I have to admit, I'm disappointed, but it's not the fault of the book, since I set my expectations incorrectly. Apparently, Higginbotham interviewed many people involved in the accident over a decade, and I was hoping this was a more journalistic book with quotes and facts and figures. Instead, Higginbotham set out to tell the story of the accident, and that's how the book reads. This is a fine approach, just not quite the one I wanted to read. While I've caught a few errors, the book is well researched. It does irk me that he cites Grigori Medvedev in his work, since Medvedev's book is known to have inaccuracies. At the very least, Midnight in Chernobyl is far more accurate than the HBO miniseries.
I am reading a non-fiction book about salt. The title of the book is Salt and the author is Mark Kurlansky. I know that sounds super-boring but Kurlansky is really good at deep research and creating narrative from historical events. Higly recommend his books if you are into non-fiction.
I'm making my way through the "He who fights with monsters" series, after enjoying the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. I'm on book 9 at the moment. There have been some books that were a bit better than others in the series, but overall I'm very much enjoying it. It isn't like the most complicated or deep book series, but it's enjoyable.
Just wrapped up back to back reads of the full DCC run and just finished Parade of Horribles, stuck with the theme and started Kaiju Battle Surgeon.
Started reading The Sword of Kaigen (TBR centre square for the bingo) a couple nights ago. Immediately before that, I read my first-ever Kurt Vonnegut novel -- Deadeye Dick (weapon on cover - hard mode square), I really enjoyed his writing though I'm glad to have jumped into something less bleak at the moment.
On the nonfiction side, I'm gradually making my way through Seeing Like a State by James C. Scott, which came heavily recommended by another author (Erika Hall) who I really dig.
On the nonfiction side, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. And then this morning I started The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson. Just finished A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie.
Your book sounds super interesting, I'm gonna add it to my TBR.
I'm reading How Far the Light Reaches: A book in ten sea creatures by Sabrina Imbler. Fascinating memoir written through metaphors that is simultaneously educational. I'm really enjoying it so far, it's a short little read.
Yes, it's an interesting book. Would love to hear your thoughts when you get around to reading it.
Death Defiant. From a local author here in Portland. YA Paranormal Romance. We've got some good local authors around here these days.
I started Learn My Lesson by Kate Robert while on vacation. I had to put a pause on that because it’s a bit too smutty as my daily driver book.
After I paused that book, I walked around the airport bookstore and picked up Devolution by Max Brooks. I was interested when I went to the airport bookstore on my way out, when I picked it up a second time on my way home, I decided to purchase it. I’m really digging the book a lot!
Same book as you!!
Plus Yesteryear on audiobook.
on the short stories front i started & finished Fifty-One Tales by Lord Dunsany, which i enjoyed very much. i liked how lean his writing was, just enough detail to set a picture in the mind but not enough to overwhelm, and there were some lovely stories. now i am on an Arthur Machen collection, from it i have only read The Great God Pan so far and it's one of those situations where i can see why it was influential but simultaneously didn't like it as much as it gets lauded. i will keep trucking along with the collection for now but if i end up dropping this one, so be it.
i am also reading The House of the Wolfings by William Morris, a little over a third of the way through and enjoying it very much, i know there is a lot more of Morris to explore so i am excited. it is very enchanting and vivid, and i like how he pops a bit of verse in there. a few archaic words i have needed to look up as i could not quite discern from context, but that is fun too :)
I started Jazza's (an art YouTuber) book last week, The Ascendents. Pretty good so far. Im not quite half way through. the opening couple chapters read just like the first half of James Cameron's Aliens.
This was my week: "Wow, this fantasy story is great! It has themes, it talks about children's rights to self determination, and domestic abuse especially from parents, and the sexualisation of girls even when they've done nothing to invite it. I wonder who the author is?"
(Posthumously accused of sexual abuse and grooming)
"Oh." 😑
I just finished Villain by Natalie Zina Walschots. It was enjoyable but I think I preferred the first book of the series, Hench, more.
Now I've started reading Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer. It's too early to tell how I feel about it.
It sure is a project. Sometimes I read another fiction book in between. And then I can start on the next book. Usually it comes back to me what previously happened. Thanks for the tip, I'll look into the compendium. Keep on reading!
I think you accidentally commented on main post, instead of replying to a specific comment.
Tnx, I'll let my reply stand and copied it to reply to my replier.