Return of the Book Thread

[Lt.Dan]

I just rediscovered the public library system.  It's changed a lot since I was a kid that's for sure.  Up to 30 books out at a time!

As a result, I've been able to read a whole pile of graphic novels that I've wanted to read but didn't want to buy - stuff like Preacher, AKIRA (vol 1-4), X-men eXtinction series, The Invisibles.

I've also been raiding the bargain bin at the local gaming store and picked up a copy of the 3rd edition Gamma World Gm's handbook and a couple of adventures.  I'm not planning on gaming again anytime soon but for $5 each they're still a pretty good read.

However, after this recent binge on sci-fi i'm looking for some different, light reading.  I don't want to see another 900 page novel for a while.  Maybe I'll re-read Catcher in the Rye.

[schild]

You know, here's 2 light reading books about film. One is supa long, the other isn't. But they're both very light reading and really fucking enjoyable.

Agitator - The Cinema of Takashi Miike (427 pages)

You'll have to check out this one from the library:
The Emperor and the Wolf: The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune (848 pages)

I've recommended them before but I'll keep recommending them until someone reads them. I think Stray read Emperor and the Wolf. Not sure though. But they're both damned good.

[Rasix]

I'll pick the Mifune book.  Definately.  Not sure how I missed you recommending that the first time.

Edit: yikes, that's hard to find and expensive...

[schild]

You know where I live. Worst come to worse, you COULD borrow my copy. Libraries probably don't have it either despite what I said. I picked it up the day it came out though (still expensive back then - like $40 or something) and I don't think they've done a second printing. A long time ago a paperback was announced, but I guess that fell through.

Edit: Well damn, I might have to reneg on that and put it in the safety deposit box. Goddamn book from BN.com resellers is $141.50 - $243.50. Yeesh, had I known that would happen when it came out, I'd have picked up 5 copies. For $59 I suppose it's a steal. Or at least, that's what Ebay would have you believe. Whoever likes Mifune and Kurosawa AT ALL would be a fool not to be it at $59 actually. It would seem that book is SHOCKINGLY EXPENSIVE everywhere. But don't ignore my recommendation of Tom Mes' Agitator, it really is a great look at Takashi Miike.

[Sky]

I just rediscovered the public library system.

Hi! Interloan kicks ass. We have 43 libraries in our system.

Anyway.

I think I've read the first four Cooks, they're up on deck after I finish the Rosenberg stuff (on Not Quite the Three Musketeers right now). The second Rosenberg series has started out ok, but it's much more normal fantasy fare (with orks, no less). I miss the aspect of having Earth people in the fantasy world, it kinda put a nice twist on what could have otherwise been a very bland fantasy world.

And for Stray, I found a bunch of woodcarving and hand tools books at Barnes and Noble last night ;)

edit: We don't have that book, Schild. Whoever those guys are ;) But it is amazing how lucrative the secondary market for books is. We're beginning to change our policy from recycling old books or selling them at a book sale for $1/ea to reselling them on Amazon. One three-volume set went for $300! 

[Morfiend]

I picked up Silver Spike from my book store last night. They didnt have the 5th 6th or 7th book, so Ill have to amazon those.

[stray]

But it is amazing how lucrative the secondary market for books is. We're beginning to change our policy from recycling old books or selling them at a book sale for $1/ea to reselling them on Amazon. One three-volume set went for $300! 

This is like a part time job for me. Not as much these days though, since the store that was giving me the most cash closed down (I wonder why....).

[Furiously]

Maybe...Space Pirate Amazon Ninja Catgirls would hold more interest?

[WayAbvPar]

Your forgot Nude.

[Johny Cee]

Reminder:

August 8th for the new Brust book.  Vlad makes a return after....  5 years?

[WayAbvPar]

Woohoo!!!!

[Telemediocrity]

"Millenium" by Felipe Fernandez Armesto is as good as it gets.  "A history of the last thousand years."

My girlfriend recently got me the "Gangsta Rap Coloring Book" as a gift, and it's awesome.  Has even the people you wouldn't quite expect, like Brotha Lynch Hung and DJ Screw.  I nearly died laughing when the drawing of the Geto Boys was labelled "not drawn to scale".

"Access All Areas", a "User's Guide to Urban Exploration" written by the late Ninjalicious, is the ultimate in DIY spelunking guides.

"Charlie Wilson's War" is really effing long but not bad for a skim; read it now before Tom Hanks bastardizes it in the movie version.

"Lord Vishnu's Love Handles" is a freaky semi-spy novel that conjures up more than a little of that Chuck Palahnuik magic.  I recommend it.

A novelization of Snakes On A Plane was recently released.

The Discoverers by Daniel Boorstin is quite possibly the greatest non-fiction book I have ever read, and I'm going through it again for the third time.  A history of 'man's journey to know himself and the world around him'.

[Sky]

Rosenberg's series is taking a nosedive imo. I'm on the second book of the second series (Not Quite Scaramouche).  He's still got Walter Slovotsky and a few Other Side characters, but he isn't really focusing on them as much, and the whole twist of his books was seeing a fantasy world through the eyes of someone from our world. Also, ten commas in one paragraph/sentence. This man needs a new editor.

[Reg]

Yeah I read those books years ago and lost interest during the second series as well. I don't think I've read anything else of his since. Has he been grinding out novels set in that universe like whats-her-name with the Deryni series?

[Johny Cee]

Reminder:

August 8th for the new Brust book.  Vlad makes a return after....  5 years?

Honestly,  not too impressed by Dzur.  Vlad returns to Adrilankha for the first time in quite a few books.  Lots of old friends have a walk through.  The writing is eerily like Zelazny,  but not much of a sense of fun.

It might be the fact the wait has been so long....   

Not much of substance happens.  (Some minor things,  but don't want to spoil even the minor stuff.  One very fun moment at the very beginning of the book [first 15 pages])

Been reading some Hunter S. Thompson.  Finished off Hell's Angels,  and almost done Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.  Fear and Loathing is fun....  Hell's was decent.  Nice to see where all the forum flavor text came from.  Any other Thompson stuff worth the effort to find?  I picked up those two on some Borders discount shelf.

Been on a reread tear of the Black Company books....

[lamaros]

I am convinced that Under The Volcano, by Malcolm Lowry is the greatest book I have read in my life.

[Sky]

Reading Hunter T reminds me of the summer and autumn of 1989.

[HaemishM]

Been reading some Hunter S. Thompson.  Finished off Hell's Angels,  and almost done Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.  Fear and Loathing is fun....  Hell's was decent.  Nice to see where all the forum flavor text came from.  Any other Thompson stuff worth the effort to find?  I picked up those two on some Borders discount shelf.

Pretty much all of it. The Curse of Lono is fantastic, what with the writing and the Ralph Steadman artwork all over it. It was the first Thompson I'd ever read. The Great Shark Hunt is a good compliation of stuff.

[Strazos]

As an aside, I picked up Hyperion earlier this week, and I'm really liking it so far. What's the correct sequencing of the books?

[Johny Cee]

As an aside, I picked up Hyperion earlier this week, and I'm really liking it so far. What's the correct sequencing of the books?

Hyperion, then Fall of Hyperion.

Endymion and Rise of Endymion follow,  though not really as good.

[Sky]

Heading off to Maine next week and I forgot to reserve books for the trip! I put holds on the rest of Glen Cook's stuff (Silver Spike onward) and the last Rosenberg. Lo, today I come into work (last day before vacation) and Silver Spike, Shadow Games, and Dreams of Steel are all sitting in my box. Woohoo!

[Strazos]

Heh, just finished Hyperion in 2 days.

Awesome. Excellent use of the Chaucer-esque use of Frame Story. Loved the vivid differentiation of the different characters and their stories. Reading each story felt distinctly different. I guess I'll have to pick up Fall of Hyperion when I can.

[Riggswolfe]

am I the only one here who reads books that aren't intended to broaden my  mind or give me cred in the literary scene?

The only things I'm reading currently are Kim Harrison's Hollows books (alternate universe where vampires and werewolves and witches, etc coexist with modern day humanity. The main character is a witch who is also a PI and her vampire roomate who wants to share blood and be her lesbian lover as well as a pixie who lives in her garden and a werewolf who needed her to register in his pack so he could get promoted in his insurance job. Trying to describe it doesn't do it justice)

I'm going through sort of a noir/fantasy kick lately. I'm at work and can't think of any other examples but I'll let you know if I do.

[Strazos]

That actually sounds pretty funny.

[Telemediocrity]

I re-read Flatworld the other day.  Hell of a book.

[Johny Cee]

Heh, just finished Hyperion in 2 days.

Awesome. Excellent use of the Chaucer-esque use of Frame Story. Loved the vivid differentiation of the different characters and their stories. Reading each story felt distinctly different. I guess I'll have to pick up Fall of Hyperion when I can.

The next book is pretty good.  Good windup to the story.

I'll warn you that the Endymion books are not nearly to the same level,  but pretty good.

If you've just read The Illiad,  Simmons' Illium is pretty good.  I haven't motivated enough to read the next book, though...  Olympos.

[Johny Cee]

am I the only one here who reads books that aren't intended to broaden my  mind or give me cred in the literary scene?

The only things I'm reading currently are Kim Harrison's Hollows books (alternate universe where vampires and werewolves and witches, etc coexist with modern day humanity. The main character is a witch who is also a PI and her vampire roomate who wants to share blood and be her lesbian lover as well as a pixie who lives in her garden and a werewolf who needed her to register in his pack so he could get promoted in his insurance job. Trying to describe it doesn't do it justice)

I'm going through sort of a noir/fantasy kick lately. I'm at work and can't think of any other examples but I'll let you know if I do.

I've read a few of Harrison's books.  Kind of entertaining,  but fairly "meh".  A very Mary Sue lead character with alot of author wish fulfillment built in...     

If you're reading noir-fantasy,  pick up Butcher's "Dresden" books.  The first few are collected in omnibus now,  so the price should be pretty good.  Overall,  great entertainment reading with Scifi Channel making a series out of it this winter.

[Riggswolfe]

I've read a few of Harrison's books.  Kind of entertaining,  but fairly "meh".  A very Mary Sue lead character with alot of author wish fulfillment built in...     

If you're reading noir-fantasy,  pick up Butcher's "Dresden" books.  The first few are collected in omnibus now,  so the price should be pretty good.  Overall,  great entertainment reading with Scifi Channel making a series out of it this winter.

As flawed as Rachel is I don't think she qualifies as a Mary Sue. I mean the girl has fairly large problems and usually gets herself into alot of trouble through doing something stupid. Besides, a Mary Sue-ish character can be fun in original fiction if well written, see Honor Harrington for a good example.

[murdoc]

Just finished reading 'The Book of Jhereg" which has the first 3 Vlad books in it (Jhereg, Yendi and Teckla). Half-way through Jhereg I order the next four. Damn good stuff, thanks guys.

Also, just ordered World War Z:An Oral History of the Zombie War which is written by the guy who wrote the Zombie Survival Guide. Not released yet, but with Dead Rising out, I'm on a zombie kick again (just reread the first 4 TPB Walking Dead too) and it sounds pretty damn interesting. More of a serious look at the whole Zombie holocaust thing.

[WayAbvPar]

I envy you- reading the Taltos books for the first time is pure joy.

I am nearly done with the first 5 books of the Amber Chronicles. I am amazed at how much I had forgotten...still very good books.

[Morfiend]

I envy you- reading the Taltos books for the first time is pure joy.

Who what?

[Johny Cee]

I envy you- reading the Taltos books for the first time is pure joy.

Who what?

Steven Brust's "Vlad Taltos" books.  Good, good stuff.

Erikson's House of Chains,  book 4 in the Malazan Book of the Fallen is out now in trade paperback in the US.  Not as good as Deadhouse Gates or Memories of Ice,  but pretty damn good.  Mostly ties up the Raraku plot threads,  and quite a few characters get their just/unjust desserts.

[Lt.Dan]

Just finished "The Algebraist" by Iain M Banks.  Not as good as some of his other works but still a pretty good read.

Also read "Y: The last man" graphic novel, didn't care for the premise or the characters and can't stand "Ghost in the Shell" graphic novel.  The good news: libraries are free.

[Telemediocrity]

Anyone ever read The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down?  It was a fascinating intro to Hmong culture and their migration to America, which I previously knew almost nothing about.

[NowhereMan]

Just read Carter Beats the Devil which was quite a fun read. Very loosely based on an actual 1920's illusionist, it's in no way high literature but it's got some cool stage magic stuff.

Also started reading the Flashman novels, a nice series if you like non-serious historical stuff. Flashman is your quintessential English cad running around the world sleeping with random women, he's also a remarkable coward who keeps winding up in situations where he comes out a great hero. It's a half decent dig at the whole Boy's Own style hero with lots of interesting British Imperial history thrown in.