Return of the Book Thread

[FatuousTwat]

The library in the next town over from me (Sandy, OR) has a book sale each year, and they always have some pretty interesting books. I got a primer on syphilis from the 30s, a book on transistor physics from 1958, a book on proper business correspondence from 1927, a nursing guide to treating TB from before penicillin was widely available, a first edition Zane Grey from 1918, and a German book called der naturwissen schaften und der technik from the mid 50s.

A book titled A Book About a Thousand Things is probably my favourite so far. It includes answers to questions such as "Why do horses have "chestnuts" on their legs?", "Why are the Balkans so called?", How did "cartridge" originate?", "What is meant by "a man on horseback", and "How did a rabbits foot become a good luck charm?". It was published in 1946, so there are some crazy ones too, like "How did "big as cuffy" originate?" (I hadn't even heard of this before, apparently it was "an old familiar or humorous nickname for a Negro, particularly one who puts on airs.), and "why are cockroaches called "Croton Bugs"?" (never heard of that either).

[slog]

I'm one of those people that likes to relax at the beach reading a History book.  In previous years I've read 'A peace to and all peace' (on the fall of the Ottoman empire) and Keegan's books on WW1, WW2, and 'history of war'

If folks have suggestions for 2 more books in this genre that would be great.  My only requirements is that they are written in a style is that easily readable since there will be  numerous interruptions for me.  I tried reading a Roman Empire book last year but the Author seemed more interested in showing off his extensive vocabulary than in writing a readable book for the layman.

 edit typo

[Sky]

The library in the next town over from me (Sandy, OR) has a book sale each year, and they always have some pretty interesting books.

We started listing stuff on amazon a couple years ago, and my interesting book take as a perk has gone to shit. I did get a mid-1800s leather-bound Shakespeare this year, though, they didn't want to ship it or something. If you work recycling day, you can still get first dibs on stuff people bring in to recycle, but it's usually in shit condition (or they'd donate it instead). I got a nice Twain book, a Foundation Trilogy (one volume = less shelf space) and a guide to prostitutes in New Orleans.

I did get pissed when I noticed they listed and quickly sold a first edition Lovecraft Dunwich Horror that was my first experience with Lovecraft and is the authoritative versions of most of the stories. Not a good way to mark them so I can get a shot if we discard them.

Croton bug is easy if you're from my neck of the woods.

[Abagadro]

slog,

If you have any interest in the Vietnam war/Pentagon Papers I found Daniel Ellsberg's Secrets very interesting.  It's more of a memoir than history technically but it would actually be a decent companion piece to Peace to End All Peace.

[Johny Cee]

I'm one of those people that likes to relax at the beach reading a History book.  In previous years I've read 'A peace to and all peace' (on the fall of the Ottoman empire) and Keenan's books on WW1, WW2, and 'history of war'

If folks have suggestions for 2 more books in this genre that would be great.  My only requirements is that they are written in a style is that easily readable since there will be  numerous interruptions for me.  I tried reading a Roman Empire book last year but the Author seemed more interested in showing off his extensive vocabulary than in writing a readable book for the layman.

Try some of John Keegan's books?  Unless you typed Keenan and meant Keegan? 

[slog]

slog,

If you have any interest in the Vietnam war/Pentagon Papers I found Daniel Ellsberg's Secrets very interesting.  It's more of a memoir than history technically but it would actually be a decent companion piece to Peace to End All Peace.

I am, thanks!

[slog]

I'm one of those people that likes to relax at the beach reading a History book.  In previous years I've read 'A peace to and all peace' (on the fall of the Ottoman empire) and Keenan's books on WW1, WW2, and 'history of war'

If folks have suggestions for 2 more books in this genre that would be great.  My only requirements is that they are written in a style is that easily readable since there will be  numerous interruptions for me.  I tried reading a Roman Empire book last year but the Author seemed more interested in showing off his extensive vocabulary than in writing a readable book for the layman.

Try some of John Keegan's books?  Unless you typed Keenan and meant Keegan? 

I typoed it. oops

[Johny Cee]

Try some of John Keegan's books?  Unless you typed Keenan and meant Keegan?  

I typoed it. oops

I asked not to be pedantic, but because I really enjoy Keegan's pop-history as well and he's the first author that pops into my head for "readable popular history".

I'll take a look tonight for a couple of titles.

Edit:


Empires of the Sea by Roger Crowley -- Enjoyable reading on 16th century Mediterranean powers and warfare, big focus on the Knights of Malta and the Turks.Link

Jefferson and the Gun-Men by M.R. Montgomery -- Very readable, mixed reviews.  Heavier on the entertainment rather than the history side of popular history.Link

To Rule the Waves by Arthur Herman --  British Navy ruled the sea.  Link

The Crucible of War by Fred Anderson -- History of the Seven Years War.  Link

[Samwise]

"The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists" by Neil Strauss was a pretty entertaining read.  And educational, if sometimes depressingly so.

[Morat20]

"The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists" by Neil Strauss was a pretty entertaining read.  And educational, if sometimes depressingly so.

Yeah, the bits and pieces of that scene I've seen seem....depressing. As in "Some days Angry Bob's Day of the Rope looks better and better". I'd imagine a deeper, inside look would not make them look better.

Speaking of books -- my father-in-law is looking for a new author. All I know of his tastes is he finds Clive Cussler to be about right in terms fo light reading, and he's looking for something with a similiar feel. He's also very much a "If I don't get dragged in the first chapter or two, I'm not sticking with it" type.

I've recommended the Honor Harrington books. Anyone else have any suggestions?

[Abagadro]

Larry Bond is decent for that type of stuff.

[Sky]

The fic librarian says try to google Clive Cussler read alikes, though she looked at the first library hit and disagreed with those authors she knew (she doesn't read Cussler, so is just going by experience with patrons).

[Morfiend]

I just got around to finishing the Black Company series. I enjoyed it, although the last two books where a tad odd in pacing.

I need some recommendations. I feel like something a bit more contemporary. Maybe something like the Dresden files, or such, or, some good pulpy Sci-fi. I kind of need something a little light after reading like 6 Black Company books in a row. I enjoyed the Necropath series, also the Takashi Kovach (Altered Carbon) series.

Any one have any ideas?

[NowhereMan]

Just finished Jonathon Littell's The Kindly Ones. A really well researched fictional autobiography of an SS officer. Definitely not light reading but if you're interested in that time period or just the sort of mind set and beliefs that fuelled the Nazis it's a really interesting read. At about 1000 pages it does start to drag, I found pp.700-900 a pretty hard slog as he does seem to get lost in diary listing shit. The author does a good job of humanising a really quite horrible main character, I found myself sympathising with him at points even though he's doing truly horrific things. I'll admit the last portion seems to descend into unrealistic craziness but I took that as a stylistic comment on the last days of the Third Reich and everything completely falling apart, mostly because the rest of the book seemed too well written for the author just to have gone off putting the crazy random crap in to fill the last couple of hundred pages.

Also finally read The Forever War, which was entertaining. Good, short and simple Sci-Fi novel, a good concept that's fairly well executed. I'd say style wise it suffers somewhat from it's period (it really feels a lot like the sort of story that is serialised in a Sci-Fi magazine where space is something of a premium) and if it was being done nowadays would probably take up a few hundred more pages. Not sure if that would be an improvement though, I can see why it's a classic.

Also bought the Dune Trilogy. I've read Dune 5 or 6 times but have never really tried the rest after attempting Children of Dune when I was about 16 and just going . So far I'm enjoying Messiah, though I'm aware if I plan to tackle anything beyond the Trilogy I'm going to need to do some research into which are actually readable.

[dd0029]

I need some recommendations. I feel like something a bit more contemporary. Maybe something like the Dresden files, or such, or, some good pulpy Sci-fi. I kind of need something a little light after reading like 6 Black Company books in a row. I enjoyed the Necropath series, also the Takashi Kovach (Altered Carbon) series.

Any one have any ideas?

I can't think of any good recent pulpy sci-fi.  The closest I can think of is the one-off Scalzi book The Android's Dream.  I wish someone would start that back up.  But for fantasy that feels like Dresden, I really enjoyed Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt series.  It's very noir vampire detective.  The series is done.  I also just read the beginning of a new series that's just starting, so keep that in mind, called Sandman Slim.  Not as light as Dresden, but it hits most of the other Dresden notes.

[Sky]

Kevin Anderson's Saga of Seven Suns is pretty pulpy and a fun light read. I also liked Hamilton's Night's Dawn trilogy, pulpy and a light read, though the material is much darker (and sillier at times). Modesitt has done a couple good light sci fi pulps, Flash was probably my favorite.

[Rendakor]

While I found the Night's Dawn trilogy rather good, the first book in particular is not a light read; it really drags on setting up the various characters and settings before the primary conflict really appears.

[Ard]

Also bought the Dune Trilogy. I've read Dune 5 or 6 times but have never really tried the rest after attempting Children of Dune when I was about 16 and just going . So far I'm enjoying Messiah, though I'm aware if I plan to tackle anything beyond the Trilogy I'm going to need to do some research into which are actually readable.

I'd read up through God Emperor.  I liked it a fair deal and thought it compared well with Dune.  The last two of his books are part of a storyline that he wasn't able to finish before he died, so the lack of resolution may or may not be rage inducing, depending on what sort of person you are.  Anything by his son I'd just straight up pass on.  From what I've read in other people comments they're pretty spectacular abortions.

[tgr]

While I found the Night's Dawn trilogy rather good, the first book in particular is not a light read; it really drags on setting up the various characters and settings before the primary conflict really appears.

I actually found the entire trilogy awesome to read, a proper page-turner. So much so I was saddened when it ended. Well, except for the last 100-200 pages, because he had to wrap it up in what I can only call a rushed manner.

[Johny Cee]

I just got around to finishing the Black Company series. I enjoyed it, although the last two books where a tad odd in pacing.

I need some recommendations. I feel like something a bit more contemporary. Maybe something like the Dresden files, or such, or, some good pulpy Sci-fi. I kind of need something a little light after reading like 6 Black Company books in a row. I enjoyed the Necropath series, also the Takashi Kovach (Altered Carbon) series.

Any one have any ideas?

If you liked Dresden:

Cook's "Garrett" books -- Raymond Chandler meets traditional fantasy, much lighter/more humorous tone mostly.  First person wisecracker.  I have a pet theory that Butcher drew a fair amount from these books for Dresden, between the fact he likes to name check Cook (amongst the other fantasy authors he lists in his little afterword) and the fact that Butcher's publisher used to have a blurb from Cook on the front of the early editions of the Dresden books.

Chandler -- I'd recommend giving these a shot.  '30s and '40s hard-boiled dick, first person wisecracker.  I really liked The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye, read a couple others that were good but didn't grab me quite like those two.

Huston's "Joe Pitt" books -- I love Charlie Huston, and the Joe Pitt books start out at least lighter than the usual Huston books, but...  Huston generally writes books about sympathetic assholes getting fucked over by the world.  Most of the time because said assholes can't shut up and stop being assholes for a few minutes.  Not exactly light.

The Mystic Art of Erasing All Signs of Death (also by Huston) is a great read.  Not sff or urban fantasy, but a healthy dab of crime novel.  And being made into an HBO series.

Simon R. Green "Nightside" books -- If it works for you, this is pulpy over-the-top fun.  If it doesn't, it's cheesy as hell.  You can find the first few books collected in handy omnibus editions.

Sandman Slim -- Read this, and my reaction was kind of "meh".  Basically, the metaphysics kind of suck and the lead is a far too Action Man/All-powerful.  It feels very much like a shittier novelized Supernatural.

Kate Griffin "Matthew Swift" books -- A Madness of Angels and Midnight Mayor so far...  Magic, London, entertaining read, fun characters.  Shit happens, but the narrative feels light.

The early books of all the "big names" in urban fantasy/supernatural detective are all worth a read, really.  Hamilton wrote some fun books, before she decided she was writing vampire porn.  Kelley Armstrong's first two books are good reads and actually have substantial themes (Bitten and Stolen), before she started cranking out novels for a payday.  Hell, I though the Charlaine Harris "Sookie Stackhouse" books were reasonably entertaining for a bit.

Many people like Kim Harrison's books (using a naming convention where they all have a take on an Eastwood movie), though they really didn't do that much for me.


Books like Takeshi Kovacs:

I highly recommend David Gunn's "Death's Head" books as a fun pulpy noir read.  Gunn is obviously someone's pen name.

Neil Asher.  Probably the guy that is recommended most if you like Morgan's cyberpunk.

Stephenson and Snow Crash.

[HaemishM]

I can second the recommendation for Chandler. I finally read The Big Sleep after years of writing hard-boiled type of stuff without ever actually having read the greats. It was a treat. Plot was a bit scattered, but you read noir for the stylistic language as much as anything.

[bhodi]

I need some recommendations. I feel like something a bit more contemporary. Maybe something like the Dresden files, or such, or, some good pulpy Sci-fi. I kind of need something a little light after reading like 6 Black Company books in a row. I enjoyed the Necropath series, also the Takashi Kovach (Altered Carbon) series.

Something by Peter F. Hamilton. I haven't read any Greg Mandel, which is a series of detective novels. As far as pulp sci-fi goes, Fallen Dragon definitely fits the bill for me; Night's Dawn trilogy was good as well, and I'm reading the commonwealth saga right now. Skip Misspent Youth.

[Johny Cee]

Almost forgot:

Mike Carey's Felix Castor books -- Read the first three, though the followups don't seem to be available in the US.  Castor is basically a novelized John Constantine.  Not a bad guy, bit of an asshole, always seems to fuck over his friends.  The first book was the weakest, though redeemed by a great ending.

[Morfiend]

Cook's "Garrett" books -- Ill buy the first one.

Chandler -- Can you give me the name of the first book, or some way for me to find the right thing on Amazon.

Huston's "Joe Pitt" books -- Which is the first one?

Simon R. Green "Nightside" books -- Read some of them. I really don't feel that Green is a very good writer. Sort of teenage stuff. Also, I dont think I could take reading "I'm John Taylor, a real badass, this would be horrible for anyone else, but im from the Nightside, and im badass, and Im John Taylor" one more time.


Sandman Slim -- Just ordered on Amazon.

Kate Griffin "Matthew Swift" books -- Read them. I REALLY liked the first one. The second one was good, but it didnt have the subtelty of the first one.

[Morfiend]

Almost forgot:

Mike Carey's Felix Castor books -- Read the first three, though the followups don't seem to be available in the US.  Castor is basically a novelized John Constantine.  Not a bad guy, bit of an asshole, always seems to fuck over his friends.  The first book was the weakest, though redeemed by a great ending.

Whats the first one?

[Ard]

Simon R. Green "Nightside" books -- Read some of them. I really don't feel that Green is a very good writer. Sort of teenage stuff. Also, I dont think I could take reading "I'm John Taylor, a real badass, this would be horrible for anyone else, but im from the Nightside, and im badass, and Im John Taylor" one more time.

Green is a hack.  The first book in any of his given series tends to be at least decent, but every single one of his main characters has powers of deus ex machina that always wins the day without the main character actually doing anything, and every book past the first tends to read exactly the same as the first, with dialog being straight up repeated again and again.  He'd be a lot more readable if he stuck to one shot novels, but then he'd probably start mashing his characters and settings and dialog together and we'd be back in the same boat.

[Johny Cee]

Cook's "Garrett" books -- Ill buy the first one.

Chandler -- Can you give me the name of the first book, or some way for me to find the right thing on Amazon.

Huston's "Joe Pitt" books -- Which is the first one?

Simon R. Green "Nightside" books -- Read some of them. I really don't feel that Green is a very good writer. Sort of teenage stuff. Also, I dont think I could take reading "I'm John Taylor, a real badass, this would be horrible for anyone else, but im from the Nightside, and im badass, and Im John Taylor" one more time.


Sandman Slim -- Just ordered on Amazon.

Kate Griffin "Matthew Swift" books -- Read them. I REALLY liked the first one. The second one was good, but it didnt have the subtelty of the first one.

Raymond Chandler --  I haven't read them all, but I get no sense of story continuity.  They are mostly episodic.  The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye were the two I liked the most.

Cook -- Sweet Silver Blues is the first.  

Huston -- Already Dead.  For non-sff/uf, try The Shotgun Game or Mystic Arts etc. etc. etc.  

Mike Carey -- The Devil You Know.  I think there is another book named the same thing as more vampire/demon porn, so make sure.  Carey is a comics writer, and has a large wikipedia page if you want to doublecheck.

Edit:

For cyberpunky alt-history -

I quite liked Jon Courtenay Grimwood's Arabesque trilogy.  Alternate near future, where the Ottoman Empire never dissolved and there was no WWII, set in a near-future with some high technology/cyberpunk elements.  First book is Felaheen.

Another urban fantasy series, that you either don't get or love:

Liz Williams "Detective Chen" novels.  Near future, set in Hong Kong, in a world where Gods exist.  So, in this case, the traditional Chinese Heaven and Hell exist as actual places that affect the real world.  Understated.  I personally didn't care for it, but many people love the books.

[Johny Cee]

Simon R. Green "Nightside" books -- Read some of them. I really don't feel that Green is a very good writer. Sort of teenage stuff. Also, I dont think I could take reading "I'm John Taylor, a real badass, this would be horrible for anyone else, but im from the Nightside, and im badass, and Im John Taylor" one more time.

Green is a hack.  The first book in any of his given series tends to be at least decent, but every single one of his main characters has powers of deus ex machina that always wins the day without the main character actually doing anything, and every book past the first tends to read exactly the same as the first, with dialog being straight up repeated again and again.  He'd be a lot more readable if he stuck to one shot novels, but then he'd probably start mashing his characters and settings and dialog together and we'd be back in the same boat.

The Nightside books are pure pulp, with all that entails.  Over the top, badass boasts, repeated catchphrases, purple prose, bad jokes or one-liners.  I really don't like much else he's done, but I think he hit the right balance in the first storyline of that series.  It's like reading an old serial where the same lines and catchphrases are used each installment, with a cliffhanger between each.

The rest of his stuff pretty much misses the mark.

[Morat20]

I can't think of any good recent pulpy sci-fi.  The closest I can think of is the one-off Scalzi book The Android's Dream.  I wish someone would start that back up.  But for fantasy that feels like Dresden, I really enjoyed Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt series.  It's very noir vampire detective.  The series is done.  I also just read the beginning of a new series that's just starting, so keep that in mind, called Sandman Slim.  Not as light as Dresden, but it hits most of the other Dresden notes.

Try Charles Stross' The Atrocity Archive. It's a mix of IT bitching, computer science, Cthulu, and spy novels. In short: Advanced math makes the informational demons come, and there's a secret government branch designed to deal with it. And provide employment for computer scientists and mathematicians who accidentally summon soul eaters and such.

Wikipedia describes it as "Lovecraftian Spy Thrillers".

[Morfiend]

I can't think of any good recent pulpy sci-fi.  The closest I can think of is the one-off Scalzi book The Android's Dream.  I wish someone would start that back up.  But for fantasy that feels like Dresden, I really enjoyed Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt series.  It's very noir vampire detective.  The series is done.  I also just read the beginning of a new series that's just starting, so keep that in mind, called Sandman Slim.  Not as light as Dresden, but it hits most of the other Dresden notes.

Try Charles Stross' The Atrocity Archive. It's a mix of IT bitching, computer science, Cthulu, and spy novels. In short: Advanced math makes the informational demons come, and there's a secret government branch designed to deal with it. And provide employment for computer scientists and mathematicians who accidentally summon soul eaters and such.

Wikipedia describes it as "Lovecraftian Spy Thrillers".

I had been told I would like Charles Stross, and I bought Halting State, and I couldnt stand it. I think thats probably the first and last time I attempt to read a book written in the 2nd person. I only made it like 40 pages in. Is this one 2nd person also?



I thought I would throw this out, as it looks a lot like the Felix Castor vampire PI stuff.
The Nymphos of Rocky Flats. Not what you would expect.

Maybe I shouldnt have used pulp in my request. I dont know if I would consider Dresden pulpy. Maybe the first few.

I have ordered most of those books on amazon.

[Morfiend]

My list:

Items Ordered
1 of: The Reality Dysfunction (The Night's Dawn) [Paperback]
By: Peter F. Hamilton
 
1 of: Sandman Slim [Mass Market Paperback]
By: Richard Kadrey

1 of: Already Dead: A Novel [Paperback]
By: Charlie Huston
 
1 of: The Atrocity Archives [Paperback]
By: Charles Stross

1 of: Death's Head [Mass Market Paperback]
By: David Gunn
 
1 of: Sweet Silver Blues (Garrett, P.I.) [Paperback]
By: Glen Cook
 
1 of: The Devil You Know (Felix Castor) [Mass Market Paperback]
By: Mike Carey

1 of: Felaheen [Paperback]
By: Jon Courtenay Grimwood
 

[Viin]

Doh, just a bit too late to throw another recommendation for you.

But anyways, I think someone suggested this series in this thread and I enjoy it:
The Lost Fleet (Dauntless) by Jack Campbell

Good sci-fi books with big ship battles. Interesting twists too: The war has been going on so long, that no one knows how to fight anymore because they all die within a couple of years except for the cowards that run away to "fight another day". Leadership is full of people who don't know strategy or tactics because they've survived by running away while their peers die in mass zerg attacks.

[MahrinSkel]

Try Charles Stross' The Atrocity Archive. It's a mix of IT bitching, computer science, Cthulu, and spy novels. In short: Advanced math makes the informational demons come, and there's a secret government branch designed to deal with it. And provide employment for computer scientists and mathematicians who accidentally summon soul eaters and such.

Wikipedia describes it as "Lovecraftian Spy Thrillers".

I had been told I would like Charles Stross, and I bought Halting State, and I couldnt stand it. I think thats probably the first and last time I attempt to read a book written in the 2nd person. I only made it like 40 pages in. Is this one 2nd person also?

Halting State is probably the wrong one to start with for Stross.  Try Singularity Sky, Iron Sunrise (two books set in a post-scarcity future with a god-like AI deus ex machina, the Eschaton) or the Laundry: Jennifer Morgue, Atrocity Archives, Fuller Memorandum (hard to describe, sort of Bruce Sterling meets H.P. Lovecraft, with bits of Ian Fleming thrown in).  Halting State is a "Police Procedural" whodunit, hard enough to do for SciFi without trying to mix it with gamer in-jokes (I liked it, and am looking forward to Rule 34, but I get both the Police Procedural and the gaming stuff).

Stross I like a lot, he's from the same old-school "Wargames Hacker Brat" environment I am.  But The Laundry is easier to get into, and the Eschaton has a much more traditional sci-fi feel to it.

--Dave

[Jherad]

Just finishing Alexandra Horowitz, Inside of a Dog. Amusing look by an animal behavioralist at how dogs think and perceive, but definitely some new information/new angles, at least for me.

You might also like 'The Other End of the Leash' by Patricia McConnell (also an ethologist). Fun and informative.

[Johny Cee]

I thought I would throw this out, as it looks a lot like the Felix Castor vampire PI stuff.
The Nymphos of Rocky Flats. Not what you would expect.

Maybe I shouldnt have used pulp in my request. I dont know if I would consider Dresden pulpy. Maybe the first few.

I have ordered most of those books on amazon.

Dresden is pulpy, it's just not '30's Weird Tales pulpy.  The Dresden books tend to be pretty geeky too.


I'm kind of kicking myself because I forgot about Steven Brust.  The Vlad Taltos books (which are collected in handy omnibuses) might work for you, though they can bounce between lighter, darker, and too philosophical. 

Gaiman's Neverwhere is another London secret world/urban fantasy book that is quite entertaining.


I'd really recommend that you head to a bookstore or a library and browse a bit before you order too much.  Even if it's just 10 or 20 pages, you can figure out if an author will work for you or if you will enjoy their style.