Return of the Book Thread

[Ingmar]

I decided to read the free copy of Atlas Shrugged that I got through the Apple reader store.  I had never read it before and it reads much more smoothly than I anticipated.  So far I'm enjoying it.  Then I'm still listening to Xenocide on my way to and from work.  Enjoying that as well- much better than I expected.  After that I plan to start on the Black Company .  

We'll miss you when you turn into an Objectivist Mormon.

[Chimpy]

Will he then begin a quest to find the historical home city of his adopted family of miscreants?

[ghost]

I decided to read the free copy of Atlas Shrugged that I got through the Apple reader store.  I had never read it before and it reads much more smoothly than I anticipated. 

Just wait until John Galt starts speechifying.

This sounds like I may not finish it.....

[bhodi]

I thought it was a decent book, as long as you keep in mind that it's easy to have a philosophy work when you get to write the reactions the world makes. Every author does it to some extent, and I find it interesting to divine the author's beliefs through their writings, so I'm not bothered by it as much as others. For example, I've also read some stuff by John Ringo. Unfortunately, like others, I was forced to gasp "Oh, John Ringo, No!".

However, I had one disadvantage - I listened to it on audiobook. The speech that took two hours? Yeah, it took two hours.

[FatuousTwat]

Been reading a ton of old sci-fi stuff, The Stars My Destination, Alas, Babylon, Citizen of the Galaxy, Stand on Zanzibar and Solar Lottery.

I've liked all of them (haven't finished Zanzibar) except Solar Lottery. It felt very primitive compared to the other books written in the same era.

[Abagadro]

The Stars My Destination

This is one of my favorites. Bester's The Demolished Man is also really good.

[FatuousTwat]

I've actually been looking for The Demolished Man, I know I have it around here somewhere.


And I agree on The Stars My Destination, it really is great, I've read it a few times now (and I usually don't really do that).

[Sheepherder]

I thought it was a decent book, as long as you keep in mind that it's easy to have a philosophy work when you get to write the reactions the world makes.

The problem with Ayn Rand is that her version of humanity is obviously fucking batshit insane.

Is the villain in Atlas Shrugged also such an unbelievable mustache-twirling godmind populist caricature acting through hundreds or thousands of unwitting pawns to destroy the creativity of each individual free-thinker?  Because I read that book, though it was called The Fountainhead, and included one of Ayn Rand's surprise rape fantasies.  I'm also pretty sure that that was the plot of The Call of Cthulu.  Without the evil socialists, of course.

[Abagadro]

The Fountainhead at least has the advantage of being a fairly decent book and a bit more on the subtle side with some decent concepts that don't go into the fucking ludicrous fantasy land of Atlas Shrugged.

[ghost]

A couple of classic Sci Fi books I love:  Man in the High Castle, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Starship Troopers, Foundation stuff, The Stars my Destination, The Demolished Man, and Canticle for Leibowitz ( this book a lot).

If you're looking for something quite good but maybe a bit obscure try the Confluence trilogy by Paul Anderson.  It's good quality. 

[FatuousTwat]

Speaking of obscure, I've got to find a copy of The Dying of the Light by George R.R. Martin. One of my favourites.

[MahrinSkel]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blank_Slate

Blowing my MIND. I feel like every page I read is raising my IQ. I've been continuing my study of psychology to better understand myself and others and this one book hits so many avenues in life. It even has insights into things like multiplayer gaming and raid mentality. 

If you like that, you should try The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind.  I came away from it with the nagging feeling I might be a "Philosophical Zombie".

--Dave

[Sky]

Ironwood, did you know he dedicated it to Glen Cook?

 

Glen Cook ?  The name escapes me... Did he write anything I'd have heard of ?

No.

 

[HaemishM]

I decided to read the free copy of Atlas Shrugged that I got through the Apple reader store.  I had never read it before and it reads much more smoothly than I anticipated.  So far I'm enjoying it.  

Get out now, while you still can.

But if you enjoy it, read Capitalism by her. If you aren't   by the end of it, fucking kill yourself.

EDIT: So as not to just shit on Ayn Rand some more, I did finish William Gibson's Spook Country. I enjoyed it, though I finally begin to see why people don't like his style. His prose is so clipped at times, it's like trying to jump on a moving bicycle while chained to the road by the ankles. Once you get up to speed, it's good but it can be very disconcerting at first.

[proudft]

After finishing my fifth or so read of the Game of Thrones Volume I-III.5 in celebration of the HBO series coming up, I have, in a fit of madness, started again on the Wheel of Time extravaganza.  It's been at least 10 years since I read any of 'em.

Eye of the World didn't hold up very well at all.  Most of the dialogue is pretty clunky, in particular.  However, I finished The Great Hunt last night and that actually DID hold up and I particularly liked the second half of the book - basically once everything starts going down in Falme.  That book really WAS pretty good, who knew?  I predict I'll be able to make it to around book 5 or so this time before it goes off the rails for me.  

[Sky]

I predict I'll be able to make it to around book 5 or so this time before it goes off the rails for me.  

Goddamned FoH, always ruining everything!

[ghost]

I predict I'll be able to make it to around book 5 or so this time before it goes off the rails for me.  

I've tried to read these a few times.  I always quit at book five too. 

[Rasix]

My spot was always after Dumai's Wells at the end of 6.  Two times I got stuck there.  Powered through it last year and got through 12.   7-10 were largely forgettable outside of anything to do with Matt.  11 was OK, nothing special.  12 was really good in that it finally moved a lot of story lines forward. It seemed to recapture the pacing (especially the urgency) of the earlier books.

After I'm done with the Night Watch series of books, I'll likely pick up 13 and devour that.

edit: got confused with the numbering. 

[ghost]

I'm going to wait and restart only if it looks like the series ends up well. 

[WayAbvPar]

My spot was always after Dumai's Wells at the end of 6.  

That is definitely where it went off the rails for me. I think I made it through 10, but haven't read anything since. I may try to re-read the whole thing once Sanderson finishes it off. Of course, I will have to re-buy everything on my brand new Kindle 3G now, so hopefully there is some sort of steep discount by then. Provided I ever finish Malazan...

[Sand]

So the whole Game of Thrones series, is it good? Was thinking of reading it before seeing it on HBO.

Also picked up the first trilogy by some British author named Mark Chadbourn, the series is the Age of Misrule. Something about the Celtic mythos popping up in the middle of the modern day world starting in England.
Anyone read it?

[ghost]

So the whole Game of Thrones series, is it good?

Absolutely.  Martin is a helluva writer.

[Sheepherder]

The Fountainhead at least has the advantage of being a fairly decent book and a bit more on the subtle side with some decent concepts that don't go into the fucking ludicrous fantasy land of Atlas Shrugged.

Comparatively, yes.  Until the Rourke blows up a building and convinces a court that it was the right thing to do and Toohey begins chanting ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.

Eye of the World didn't hold up very well at all.  Most of the dialogue is pretty clunky, in particular.  However, I finished The Great Hunt last night and that actually DID hold up and I particularly liked the second half of the book - basically once everything starts going down in Falme.  That book really WAS pretty good, who knew?  I predict I'll be able to make it to around book 5 or so this time before it goes off the rails for me.  

I found The Eye of the World to be pretty damn good the last time I read it.  Specifically, Jordan manages to convey the feeling that the cool kids of Emond's Field are being hunted down by an enemy that is deadly serious really well.  My only real complain is that horrid sequence in the middle where Jordan flashes back in time without really indicating it well.

The alternate lives sequence in The Great Hunt is really, really fucking cool though.

At some point past 3 but before 7 it goes to shit.  It gets better at 11.  7-9 are pretty much terrible except for one or two chapters apiece.  I'm not sure there is anything whatsoever that redeems 10.

So the whole Game of Thrones series, is it good?

Absolutely.  Martin is a helluva writer.

Who attempts to be as graphic as possible when writing sex scenes.  But yeah, it's pretty much the Badicalthon of actual literature.

[Rendakor]

Just be warned that the series has no end in sight before you pick it up.

[Arrrgh]

Just be warned that the series has no end in sight before you pick it up.

And he's not getting any younger or thinner.

[Merusk]

At some point past 3 but before 7 it goes to shit.  It gets better at 11.  7-9 are pretty much terrible except for one or two chapters apiece.  I'm not sure there is anything whatsoever that redeems 10.

When I read 10 I only read the Mat chapters in full. I'll agree the rest of the book was awful.  There's some plot points you need to know, but reading a summary is better than reading the book.

Just be warned that the series has no end in sight before you pick it up.

Yeah, I've decided it's done.  He's pretty obviously not interested in taking it any farther.

[naum]

The Fountainhead at least has the advantage of being a fairly decent book and a bit more on the subtle side with some decent concepts that don't go into the fucking ludicrous fantasy land of Atlas Shrugged.

The Fountainhead is actually a decent story, and not as overloaded with the objectivist pseudo-philosophical political overtones like Atlas Shrugged. In college, a group of us devoured these books by Rand and were ardent^H^H^H^H^H^H deluded disciples. Somebody even scribbled John Galt sayings on the bathroom stalls…

Love this quote from Kung Fu Monkey:

There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.

Been trying to add some fiction in to the mix of 120+ non-fiction books I read per year… …recently, discovering older authors like Ursula K. LeGuin (currently reading The Lathe of Heaven), also Peter Hamilton, based on glowing from someone IRL that holds him up as greatest SF writer to ever grace the earth…

Otherwise, been reading a great deal of history and theology books. I know it's not a Christian friendly space here, but Richard Rohr (Fransciscan priest) The Naked Now blew my mind -- I think I've read through it 3+ times already. And Peter Rollins apophatic musings and parables in How (Not) To Speak of God and The Orthodox Heretic…

[Rendakor]

Peter Hamilton really is a good read, although for some reason his latest trilogy (the Void stuff) couldn't hold my interest very well.

[Sheepherder]

You guys have almost convinced me to pick up Atlas Shrugged with your comments that The Fountainhead is subtle.  I almost need to see what doesn't qualify as Ayn Rand being subtle.

Ironically, I'm reading through LotR again.  Great books, but Tolkien and his goddamn elves need to get a room.

[Sand]

Just be warned that the series has no end in sight before you pick it up.

Wait. What? So this is like the Wheel of Time all over again?
Actually I dont care if it doesnt end (given the fact I love to read R.A. Salvatore and his Drizzt series) as long as it moves the story forward, which Wheel of Time never did.

[Sheepherder]

It's different.  The story is going all kinds of places, but the author just plain stopped writing it.

[Rendakor]

What Sheep said. He slowed down dramatically after book three, and seems to have stopped altogether.

Song of Ice and Fire releases:
A Game of Thones: 8/96
A Clash of Kings: 11/98
A Storm of Swords: 8/00
A Feast For Crows: 10/05
A Dance with Dragons: Soon(tm)

And that's not even slated to be the last novel.

[Johny Cee]

It's different.  The story is going all kinds of places, but the author just plain stopped writing it.

I think ASoIaF is the exact same, actually.  We're just at an earlier point, and the author has been writing at a much slower pace.  Started as a Trilogy with good forward movement, then the author fell in love with lots and lots of characters and kept expanding the scope of what was covered, and finally he's written himself into a corner.

Right now, Martin is predicting seven books.  Just about the only way that's possible is if we get a flashforward after the next book, but that would leave a bunch of story threads hanging or cut off because he's doing the all the PoVs that were cut from Feast.

[Sand]

It's different.  The story is going all kinds of places, but the author just plain stopped writing it.

I think ASoIaF is the exact same, actually.  We're just at an earlier point, and the author has been writing at a much slower pace.  Started as a Trilogy with good forward movement, then the author fell in love with lots and lots of characters and kept expanding the scope of what was covered, and finally he's written himself into a corner.

Right now, Martin is predicting seven books.  Just about the only way that's possible is if we get a flashforward after the next book, but that would leave a bunch of story threads hanging or cut off because he's doing the all the PoVs that were cut from Feast.

Then no I will not read it. The guy could be the second messiah of fantasy writing and if he isnt likely to finish the story line no reason for me to start. Otherwise it ends up like a book version of Lost with some really shitty ending or his son/heir apparent trying to finalize it/scrape more money  out of it like Wheel of Time.

Yeah Im being snarky, Im drunk after an Oscar party. Man they blew this year.

[tar]

Also picked up the first trilogy by some British author named Mark Chadbourn, the series is the Age of Misrule. Something about the Celtic mythos popping up in the middle of the modern day world starting in England.
Anyone read it?

Yeah I've read it, enjoyed it, thought it was a good read. It's all set in Britain and it makes lots of references to local geography/legend, as a Brit that's fine for me but if you're not much of an Anglophile it might leave you a bit cold. For me it's a 'Hey, I know that place/story' or 'I've been there' sort of thing.