The Book Thread

[Konrad]

Can't remember if there is already a "What's everyone reading?" thread going.
I just finished "Wicked" by Gregory McGuire. It is, in addition to being a clever, brutal twist on the Oz story, a beautiful tragedy. I don't think I'm spoiling the ending by saying that. I recommend watching "The Wizard of Oz", see how messed up that story is, "Oh no Dorothy. Only wicked witches are ugly...." and then give it a read.
Hey, on the off chance there is anyone old fashioned and still reads books as in their original paper form, we ought to have a summer book swap. Bring a pile of paperbacks to the next game day and lend, lease, borrow away.

[The Underdweller]

I haven't read many paper books recently, except for about 45 minutes on the train every week. I just started listening to Jules Verne's "From the Earth to the Moon" on recommendation from a guy at work. And just finished listening to "A Thousand Sons" which was good if a bit overly descriptive for my tastes.

[Primarch]

I started reading The Purging of Kadillus recently from the Black Library. However, I kind of gave up on it as it suffered from "All but one of the main characters is retarded as a way of moving the plot forward" syndrome.

[job]

Can't remember if there is already a "What's everyone reading?" thread going.
I just finished "Wicked" by Gregory McGuire. It is, in addition to being a clever, brutal twist on the Oz story, a beautiful tragedy. I don't think I'm spoiling the ending by saying that. I recommend watching "The Wizard of Oz", see how messed up that story is, "Oh no Dorothy. Only wicked witches are ugly...." and then give it a read.
Hey, on the off chance there is anyone old fashioned and still reads books as in their original paper form, we ought to have a summer book swap. Bring a pile of paperbacks to the next game day and lend, lease, borrow away.

I most recently finished "The Heretics of Dune", the fifth book in the Dune series by Brian Herbert. I recommend the first three, but afterwards you are reading to mostly just re-immerse yourself in this sci-fi universe. If you haven't read "Dune" I recommend it. If you haven't read "The Heretics of Dune", well, I think you'll enjoy some of the vistas on the way to this book. That and the character Miles Teg is fun to read about.

Otherwise, a book swap would be pretty cool. Should we post books that we are looking for? Or books we can offer? I'm looking for the 3rd installment of the Stieg Larrson series, "The Girl who kicked the Hornet's Nest".

[The Other Dave]

I recently read "Blindsight" by Peter Watts (you can pick it up for free here).

Very hard SF, very dark, very dense. Good stuff if you're into that kind of thing.

[Spevna]

Finished the last Game of Thrones book last month , just finished listening to Know no fear last week. I'm now rereading Enter the Kettlbell by Pavel Tsatsouline.

[ashmie]

@Spev, Prim, Lovejoy How was Game of Thrones?

I've finished a really heavy going book on the plantations in Jamaica and Barbados. 'The Sugar Barons' Slow reading indeed. Now I'm enjoying Stephen Kings Novel 11/22/63. It's a back to the future style romp through the Kennedy assassination and a what if it was stopped. Sounds naff but he has got better, he does a really good period piece of the '50's in Maine America. He also revisits the dirty town of Derry from 'IT'. Yes there are links to that novel and references given. It's the same town and something is inherently wrong about Derry once again. It's satisfying for fans to have that background info ahead of the protagonist in the narrative.
Great stuff, recommended and easy to read. Timetravel fans will love it. It has quite a few Phillip K Dick moments and best bits of Stephen King. He knows what's good in his writing.

@ job Well done for getting as far as Heretics of Dune. I really enjoyed the first 2 books but got a bit lost on the third one. Maybe I got as far as the 4th but I don't remember.

@ TOD, sounds good, I'll pick up a copy. Thanks.

[Tenorikuma]

I just finished The High Crusade by Poul Anderson, a light-hearted sci-fi tale about medieval knights who manage to commandeer an alien starship.

[job]

@ job Well done for getting as far as Heretics of Dune. I really enjoyed the first 2 books but got a bit lost on the third one. Maybe I got as far as the 4th but I don't remember.

Hehe The part I didn't mention was that I've been reading the series periodically for the past 13 years. But each time it really fires up the imagination.

[ashmie]

Thanks Ten, just ordered a copy of that High Crusade as well as TOD's Blindsight recommendation. Liking the sci-fi lately. Better cancel that flight and get some reading done.