Book recommendations

[Halberto]

I'm looking for a new book and was hoping some of you guys could point me in the right direction. After reading a thread a while back I got American Psycho, which was awesome, and was looking for something somewhat similar. I haven't read any of Hunter S. Thompson, but when I hear the narration in the movies he sounds like an interesting writer.

[leemajors]

I liked Horns by Joe Hill.

[Agloco]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41R7CHWGQZL._SS500_.jpg

or

http://blog.educationjelly.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/motion_mountain1.jpg

[silverblk mystix]

I just started...11/22/63 by Stephen King...

If you like time travel...psych thrillers....you will love this.

The date is, of course, the day JFK was killed...and this is a time travel...portal...back to 1958...and the character has a chance to change history by stopping oswald....

pretty awesome so far...

[DeadlyDynasty]

Finnegan's Wake...you'll have a stroke by the 2nd page.

[Halberto]

Agloco, go fuck yourself. I've been tortured with enough physics. silverblk, that sounds interesting I'll look into that.

[Giuseppe]

"Going Wrong" by Ruth Rendell

It's not new, but, it is outstanding work. I've read it 3 times and each time it only gets better.

[Giuseppe]

"Victim: The Other Side of Murder" by Steven Kinder

It's nonfiction and is the story of the "hi-fi murder case" in SLC in the late 70s. The retelling of the actual murder won't leave you ever so take that in account afore you start.

------

"Last Rampage" by James Clarke. The Tison gang's breakout from the Arizona State Pen in the late 70s and their murderous rampage reads like a novel. It's fantastic.

[silverblk mystix]

Agloco, go fuck yourself. I've been tortured with enough physics. silverblk, that sounds interesting I'll look into that.

...

I particularly enjoy some of the stuff that the time traveler observes from 1958...such as;

Milk Bottles delivered to your door every morning...and the taste of the milk...

The switch on cars to change from low lights to bright lights...on the lower left foot panel...in a metal switch that you work with your left foot....(when was the last time anyone mentioned that...or if anyone here has any grandpas with old pickup trucks--might remember seeing this)


Women in sundresses who would die of embarrassment if even a bra-strap peeked out of their dress...and the time traveler observes how shocked these women would be if they could see 2011's women with their tats...bodies displayed without shame,etc....

5 or 10 cent frosty mugs of rootbeer...bought in a drugstore or pharmacy...and the full bodied taste of the root beer....


love reading some of these gems....

[Giuseppe]

^I'll be looking into that as well.

[silverblk mystix]

^I'll be looking into that as well.

so far a great read....and it is around 850 pages....yikes!

Try ebay...for a little discount...I usually wait for the paperback version...but kinda knew I couldn't wait...so I will just keep the hardcover....

probably grab an electronic bookreader soon...

[Drachen]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41R7CHWGQZL._SS500_.jpg

or

http://blog.educationjelly.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/motion_mountain1.jpg

Yep, these are EXACTLY like American Psycho. :lol

Oh and my favorite book is "Demon Haunted World; Science as a candle in the dark" by Carl Sagan.

I also like "The Sign and the Seal" by Graham Hancock. I find his conclusions are much farther out there than I would go, but there is a lot of history in the story and that is what I like about it.

[Drachen]

...
The switch on cars to change from low lights to bright lights...on the lower left foot panel...in a metal switch that you work with your left foot....(when was the last time anyone mentioned that...or if anyone here has any grandpas with old pickup trucks--might remember seeing this)



Grandpas? Dude, my first car (a 1987 Dodge Ramcharger) had this. Oh and it was freaking awesome. I wish they all still had it.

[Giuseppe]

so far a great read....and it is around 850 pages....yikes!

Try ebay...for a little discount...I usually wait for the paperback version...but kinda knew I couldn't wait...so I will just keep the hardcover....

probably grab an electronic bookreader soon...

I haven't liked King since after "The Stand"...he's always treating men like dirt. Grows old after awhile.

But, this one I'll have to read.

[MannyIsGod]

Last King book I read was the DT7. Haven't been back since, but stuff like the Stand is gold.

Actually, if you want something good go back and read the first four dark towers. Don't read 5,6,7 though. They're not bad per say, just unsatisfying, IMO. Pretend King died. :lol

[Agloco]

Agloco, go fuck yourself. I've been tortured with enough physics.


Yep, these are EXACTLY like American Psycho. :lol

Ahh, yes. My drive-by posting fails again. :lol

Sorry Hal, didn't see you elaborate on what you were looking for. At any rate, both books I recommended are light reading to be sure. A glass of fine Cognac and a pipe go well with them.

[cantthinkofanything]

I haven't liked King since after "The Stand"...he's always treating men like dirt. Grows old after awhile.

But, this one I'll have to read.

100%. I really liked a lot of his older books and tried his new ones over the last 10 years from time to time but never could finish them. I told myself I was going to give it one more shot on 11/22/63 because it looked like an interesting story. Glad I did. Finished it a few days ago and definitely recommend it.

[leemajors]

Last King book I read was the DT7. Haven't been back since, but stuff like the Stand is gold.

Actually, if you want something good go back and read the first four dark towers. Don't read 5,6,7 though. They're not bad per say, just unsatisfying, IMO. Pretend King died. :lol

I liked the ending of the Dark Tower, personally. Roland as Sisyphus. And Joe Hill is writing better books than his dad these days, too.

On another note, everyone should read Childhood's End by Arthur C Clarke. The Plot Against America is also an excellent work of historical fiction by Philip Roth - Lindbergh beats FDR in the election and the US does not enter WW2. I also recommend anything by Philip K Dick.

[cantthinkofanything]

For the OP, you ought to try Chuck Palahniuk. He wrote Fight Club. I've read Survivor and Invisible Monsters and both were pretty good. Although I've started a couple of others of his and didn't make it through them. But if you liked American Psycho, you should enjoy these.

As to Hunter Thompson, I read Fear and Loathing in LV and it had it's moments. He really nails certain moments. But as a whole, I wouldn't recommend.

In the last few years, the best and most memorable book I read was City of Thieves. One of the few books I've read lately that lived up to the the rave reviews.

[baseline bum]

Agloco, go fuck yourself. I've been tortured with enough physics. silverblk, that sounds interesting I'll look into that.

Dang... and I was about to recommend MTW.

[silverblk mystix]

Last King book I read was the DT7. Haven't been back since, but stuff like the Stand is gold.

Actually, if you want something good go back and read the first four dark towers. Don't read 5,6,7 though. They're not bad per say, just unsatisfying, IMO. Pretend King died. :lol

Most people think King is only horror...

I tend to gravitate to his psychological stories...like the Dead Zone...Delores Claiborne...

...and his memoir...On Writing...was excellent...

his short story...The Body (Movie: Stand by Me) was nice...

Hearts in Atlantis...good...

[cantthinkofanything]

Most people think King is only horror...

I tend to gravitate to his psychological stories...like the Dead Zone...Delores Claiborne...

...and his memoir...On Writing...was excellent...

his short story...The Body (Movie: Stand by Me) was nice...

Hearts in Atlantis...good...

I agree with sbm again. His non-horror holds up much better than a lot of his other work. Check out Different Seasons which has 4 novellas. 3 were made into movies including the excellent Shawshank Redemption (orginally Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption) and as mentioned above, Stand by Me. Also the Bachman Boooks were very good although they leaned more toward the horror side.

[silverblk mystix]

I agree with sbm again. His non-horror holds up much better than a lot of his other work. Check out Different Seasons which has 4 novellas. 3 were made into movies including the excellent Shawshank Redemption (orginally Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption) and as mentioned above, Stand by Me. Also the Bachman Boooks were very good although they leaned more toward the horror side.

How could I forget Shawshank....

[spursncowboys]

A book like American Psycho....hmmmmm. Oh I know

http://i43.tower.com/images/mm112146309/audacity-hope-thoughts-on-reclaiming-american-dream-barack-obama-book-cover-art.jpg

[leemajors]

Most people think King is only horror...

I tend to gravitate to his psychological stories...like the Dead Zone...Delores Claiborne...

...and his memoir...On Writing...was excellent...

his short story...The Body (Movie: Stand by Me) was nice...

Hearts in Atlantis...good...

Hearts in Atlantis was a great book, and possibly one of the worst movies ever.

[CuckingFunt]

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9915/damnedus1.jpg

I haven't read it yet, personally, since it just came out and I don't have time to read anything that's not directly related to my thesis, but I love his voice and humor.

Also, if you're looking for more like American Psycho, you could always look into other of Ellis's novels. I've heard it's different in tone, and perhaps not quite as good, but the main character of his Rules of Attraction is Patrick Bateman's little brother. Could be good for follow up reading.

[Spurminator]

Reading World War Z right now. It's pretty good, but I don't recommend taking a very long break from reading in the middle of it.

[CuckingFunt]

Reading World War Z right now. It's pretty good, but I don't recommend taking a very long break from reading in the middle of it.

Same for Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, incidentally, which was the last of the books I tried to read over the summer. I enjoyed what I've gotten through so far, but I never got to that point where I had to just keep reading, and really none of it has stayed with me since I put it down at the beginning of the semester. I'll likely finish it at some point, but I'll probably have to start over from the beginning because the first half left zero impression.

[Giuseppe]

Hearts in Atlantis was a great book, and possibly one of the worst movies ever.

Yep. It's almost a tragedy to bear witness to it.

Same thing with "The Stand." That book (the extended cut) is a life changing event when freshly read. Even the subsequent readings I found affected me. Then that GD movie came out and I watched it and it sullied the memory of the book in my mind. I can keep them separated, but, the visions of the movie are palpable, vulgar and poor. The visions I'd created in my mind before the movie were sacred, pure and timeless.

[Dex]

Cabinet of Curiosities by Patrick Mauries is a good suspense/thriller, albeit kind of an oldie.

Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk was pretty effed up too.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a great read if you've never read ay Thompson stuff. Then again, I may like it just because I can replay the movie in my head while going through it....can't help but read everything in Depp's voice.

American Gods / Neil Gaiman

If you've never read through Catcher in the Rye, also one of my favs.

[CuckingFunt]

Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk was pretty effed up too.

I love Lullaby, but it barely scratches the surface of effed up in Palahniuk's oeuvre. That title is probably shared by Haunted and Invisible Monsters.

Rant is also particularly good.

[leemajors]

Cabinet of Curiosities by Patrick Mauries is a good suspense/thriller, albeit kind of an oldie.

Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk was pretty effed up too.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a great read if you've never read ay Thompson stuff. Then again, I may like it just because I can replay the movie in my head while going through it....can't help but read everything in Depp's voice.

American Gods / Neil Gaiman

If you've never read through Catcher in the Rye, also one of my favs.

American Gods is great. Salinger's Glass family books are way better than Catcher in the Rye imo - Nine Stories, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters/Seymour - An Introduction, Franny and Zooey.

I never got the fascination with Chuck Palahniuk, read a little seemed like pulpy crap.

[DMX7]

Finnegan's Wake...you'll have a stroke by the 2nd page.

I read the first page on Amazon, and I didn't know what the fuck I had just read.

[baseline bum]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41R7CHWGQZL._SS500_.jpg


Hey ag, did you check out the Fabric of the Cosmos series he just did on Nova? The Quantum Leap episode was awesome, as was the space one. The Universe or Multiverse? hypothesis about parallel universes with copies of ours sounds ridiculous though, unless spacetime can be thought of as a finite lattice.

[Agloco]

Hey ag, did you check out the Fabric of the Cosmos series he just did on Nova? The Quantum Leap episode was awesome, as was the space one. The Universe or Multiverse? hypothesis about parallel universes with copies of ours sounds ridiculous though, unless spacetime can be thought of as a finite lattice.

Yeah, I did. The multiverse theory is definitely "out there" but it's born of observable physical signatures in our own neighborhood. I'll dig up the thread I posted in the Political Forum about it.

What sort of conceptual framework would be appropriate is anyone's guess. I don't believe that there's enough data for fruitful discussion. I won't pretend to be familiar enough with the theory to give a well-educated guess on that. :lol

[MannyIsGod]

I second the American Gods recommendation. Absolutely fantastic book.

[cantthinkofanything]

I second the American Gods recommendation. Absolutely fantastic book.

Great book. You'd probably like this one also. Debut novel from KJ Bishop.
Unfortunatly, she never has followed up with anything else. But Etched City was excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Etched-City-K-J-Bishop/dp/0553382918/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322758536&sr=1-1

EDIT: Thought I read this book but was thinking of Neverwhere.

[PakiDan]

I second the American Gods recommendation. Absolutely fantastic book.

I just ordered it. Can't wait to get it.

[leemajors]

I second the American Gods recommendation. Absolutely fantastic book.

Neverwhere is pretty good too.

[cantthinkofanything]

Another author who's really good and offbeat is Darly Gregory. He's written three novels, all differerent from each other but all excellent. In order from my favorite:

Pandemonium
The Devil's Alphabet
Raising Stony Mayhall

[Bender]

I'll try Am. Gods too...

[MannyIsGod]

I went ahead and picked up the Elegant Universe for the drive home tomorrow. Gotta love Kindle Edition prices and delivery.

[baseline bum]

I went ahead and picked up the Elegant Universe for the drive home tomorrow. Gotta love Kindle Edition prices and delivery.

PNS Nova did a three-part series based on The Elegant Universe a few years ago; shouldn't be too hard to find online. They also just did a four-part series for his new book, Fabric of the Cosmos, about a month or so ago. All of the episodes are worth checking out.

[baseline bum]

Oops, didn't see that I just discussed the Nova episodes 9 posts up from that one. LOL not reading the thread.

[The Reckoning]

for all the history and geography buffs, this book is incredible...

http://www.amazon.com/Shaping-America-Geographical-Perspective-1492-1800/dp/0300038828

[The Reckoning]

Yeah, I did. The multiverse theory is definitely "out there" but it's born of observable physical signatures in our own neighborhood. I'll dig up the thread I posted in the Political Forum about it.



if you're into supernovas and whatnot, this is a great text one of my professors wrote...he was pres of the AAS at one point. its a very easy read.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Cosmic-Catastrophes/J-Craig-Wheeler/e/9780521651950

[Halberto]

I finished Survivor a few days ago and just started Choke. Choke already seems 2x more interesting than Survivor.

[Agloco]

I went ahead and picked up the Elegant Universe for the drive home tomorrow. Gotta love Kindle Edition prices and delivery.

I approve this purchase. :lol

[Agloco]

if you're into supernovas and whatnot, this is a great text one of my professors wrote...he was pres of the AAS at one point. its a very easy read.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Cosmic-Catastrophes/J-Craig-Wheeler/e/9780521651950

Wheeler.......name rings a bell. I've probably bumped into him a time or two during my time at FERMILAB.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[leemajors]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cfMJPgUyCyI/TAwYiwy_zII/AAAAAAAAAcU/ITjhWLGNxQQ/s1600/3964-1.jpg

[manufan10]

http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/136710000/136719444.JPG

I'm getting this one on my tablet. Also, any book by Mitch Albom is a good read.

[z0sa]

I'm obsessed with Robert A. Heinlein right now.

[IronMaxipad]

Hyperion by Dan Simmons.

sooogoood.jpg

[Gutter92]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ab/Hunger_games.jpg/200px-Hunger_games.jpg

The movie is based on this. I'd recommend reading it, it kept me awake til 5:30 one morning when I had to be at work at 8. Worth it...just finished 2nd book and am on the third one (last one) now. It's one of those books that you read and can't stop reading...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgssLmsOa2s

[vander]

also looking for recommendations.

I loved the first half of The Company
I liked the first half of Seven King's It, but currently having a hard time getting into The Stand
I liked The Girl who played with Fire, but the 2 followup books were crap

other than that I can't think of anything I've read recently that I've liked.

but The Company... damn that was so good for a while, are there any other good history/fiction books on a grand scale like that?

[leemajors]

also looking for recommendations.

I loved the first half of The Company
I liked the first half of Seven King's It, but currently having a hard time getting into The Stand
I liked The Girl who played with Fire, but the 2 followup books were crap

other than that I can't think of anything I've read recently that I've liked.

but The Company... damn that was so good for a while, are there any other good history/fiction books on a grand scale like that?

The Girl Who Played with Fire is the second book.

[Pero]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ab/Hunger_games.jpg/200px-Hunger_games.jpg

The movie is based on this. I'd recommend reading it, it kept me awake til 5:30 one morning when I had to be at work at 8. Worth it...just finished 2nd book and am on the third one (last one) now. It's one of those books that you read and can't stop reading...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgssLmsOa2s

Thanks for the recommendation. Was thinking of getting the boxed set on Amazon in the past but got other things instead. Maybe next time I'll get this.

[vander]

The Girl Who Played with Fire is the second book.

oh, right. Dragon Tattoo was good, Fire and Hornets Nest were weak.

[IronMaxipad]

Wind-up Bird Chronicle

http://i.imgur.com/L88Fh.jpg

[leemajors]

Wind-up Bird Chronicle

http://i.imgur.com/L88Fh.jpg

I really liked that one, very odd.

[desflood]

A few months ago I read The Six Wives of Henry VIII and The Children of Henry VIII, both by Alison Weir. Very detailed and informative on that particular period of Tudor history. The first drags a bit; understandable, as it takes a lot to explain six marriages, no matter how short some of them were! The biggest thing I took away was a much better understanding of the mind of his daughter, Princess Mary, who later became known as "Bloody Mary".

More recently I've begun rereading Chaim Potok's Davita's Harp, the story of a half-Jewish girl being raised by communist parents in post-WWI America. It was one of my favorites as a young teenager, but of course now as an adult I understand so much more of it.

[IronMaxipad]

I really liked that one, very odd.

:tu

Yep, Murakami is probably my current favorite author. Check out his other works too, good stuff imo.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Norwegian Wood
Kafta on the Shore

[leemajors]

:tu

Yep, Murakami is probably my current favorite author. Check out his other works too, good stuff imo.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Norwegian Wood
Kafta on the Shore

I have been meaning to since I read Wind Up Bird, but I have been tackling a lot of Sci Fi/Fantasy classics I haven't read yet. Thanks for the rec

[leemajors]

Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey is $1 on Nook and Kindle today. Pretty awesome book.

[leemajors]

The Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson is pretty good.

[Proxy]

http://images.indiebound.com/498/333/9780385333498.jpg

[Reck]

The Elric Saga.

First series of books I read and couldn't get enough of.

Highly recommend it.

[Avante]

The Elric Saga.

First series of books I read and couldn't get enough of.

Highly recommend it.

One of the most amazing reads out there. I have all of them I think. Then there's Dorian Hawkmoon.

Why Hollywood hasn't done the alpino prince with his vampiric runesword Stormbringer...???? Perfect for todays movie goers?

[Reck]

One of the most amazing reads out there. I have all of them I think. Then there's Dorian Hawkmoon.

Why Hollywood hasn't done the alpino prince with his vampiric runesword Stormbringer...???? Perfect for todays movie goers?

I agree.

The amount of books that series spun is quite big. I"ve not read all of them, although I want to but for some reason or the other I never looked for the rest.

I have only read Stormbringer, The fortress of the Pear and The Revenge of the Rose.

These books are hard to find.

And I rather Hollywood stay away from these books. They would only screw it up. Besides, it would take someone with great vision to bring this masterpiece to the big screen.

Someone like Peter Jackson. He has an idea of what it is to bring complex characters and world.

[Avante]

I agree.

The amount of books that series spun is quite big. I"ve not read all of them, although I want to but for some reason or the other I never looked for the rest.

I have only read Stormbringer, The fortress of the Pear and The Revenge of the Rose.

These books are hard to find.

And I rather Hollywood stay away from these books. They would only screw it up. Besides, it would take someone with great vision to bring this masterpiece to the big screen.

Someone like Peter Jackson. He has an idea of what it is to bring complex characters and world.

Hollywood did a great job with the last Conan, (have all of those books) I have no doubt they could do the same with Elric as long as they mimiced Moorcock like they did Howard.

I bought the two book The Elric Saga at a book store, a friend turned me on to Elric. The rest the books and other Moorcock books I found at yard sales, thrift shops. The Dorian Hawkmoon stories a must if you like Elric. Actually everything by Moorcock is a great read.

[AussieFanKurt]

http://mmslibrary.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/a-clockwork-orange.jpg

[symple19]

Been on a sci-fi kick lately. Anderson and Herbert have done an admirable job of continuing the saga that Frank began (prequels are dope, too)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c7/PaulCover.jpg/200px-PaulCover.jpghttp://moderateinthemiddle.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/windsofdune.jpg%3Fw%3D490

Also just read Lescroart's latest effort

http://www.audiobooksonline.com/media/ss_size1/Damage-John-Lescroart-unabridged-Brilliance-Audio-books.jpg

Last non-fiction I read was Jack Kerouac's Lonesome traveler. If you can get used to his prose it's an amazing read

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ApRJZA36L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg

[leemajors]

Just finished NOS4A2 by Joe Hill, and I loved it. He definitely has his father's talent for writing page turners.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1f/NOS4A2_cover.jpg/220px-NOS4A2_cover.jpg

[Avante]

Anything by James Lee Burke.

[leemajors]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RsmyZGrS91A

I'm very curious.

[DPG21920]

Reading "Ender's Game" right now. Enjoyable so far.

[leemajors]

IronMaxipad you checked this out? Good stuff, I am on the second of the Expanse:

http://www.orbitbooks.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/LeviathanWakes1-300x458.jpg

[Thread]

"Death Scenes"...this is a rectangular shaped paperback of photos of b&w death scene photographs, primarily from the first half of the last century. They've been recovered from a LAPD police detective's files. It's done well. As a bonus there is a lengthy narrative in the front that is done superbly and adds to what the reader is "seeing."

Most of the photos are mighty gruesome, but, it is the combination of the visual and the narrative that will draw you in and never let you forget.

[IronMaxipad]

IronMaxipad (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=17679) you checked this out? Good stuff, I am on the second of the Expanse:

http://www.orbitbooks.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/LeviathanWakes1-300x458.jpg

:tu I've heard good things. It has been recommended to me several times. I actually have it on my kindle just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[~Sweetmelody~]

One of my top recommendations is I know this much is True by Wally Lamb, which deals with schizophrenia. Story is about two twin brothers and one has schizophrenia but its more about the other brother and his journey through failure, family history ect…

http://cache0.bdcdn.net/assets/images/book/medium/9780/0610/9780061097645.jpg

I will refrain from giving my Romance recommendations, lol

[Thread]

Here's an older one by Ruth Rendell: "Going Wrong." I've read it numerous times and so enjoy it. It's terribly tragic & quite intense throughout. It deals with a young man in London who is in love with a young girl. She has grown away from him, but, he can't see it. He operates on the edge of criminal activity and this facet is an important part of the plot. British Television produced a teleplay of this story a few years back, and I've seen it. It's poor and is now lodged in my psyche and the purity of my visions at just reading this story have been sadly compromised. Don't do it.

[Avante]

Anything by James Lee Burke/Lee Child.

[Rogue]

The dive from Clausen's pier is a good book imho, by Ann Packer. you can buy the book from a book store or you can simply download the tape of it for free on http://www.scarlett-fan.com/extras/sounds/. I've listened to that story quite a few times and I never feel bored of the narrator's magnificent voice, never :cry

[leemajors]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RsmyZGrS91A

I'm very curious.

Just finished it, loved it.

[Rogue]

I finished reading the horse whisperer last week and the end of the story was really sad... Tom Booker sacrificed his life to save Grace's, which was different than what you saw in the film where Tom remained alive. The movie starring my goddess was great, of course, but the book is even greater.

the part of the book (and the movie as well) I liked best was when Grace burst into tears in her mom's arms whining "Who's gonna want me like this...", which was so touching and I was almost moved to tears when reading/watching that part. My goddess deserved at least an Oscar nomination for that film, tbh.

[cantthinkofanything]

Just finished this one...pretty good...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JOK-Blf7L._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

[Rogue]

I want to read Gone with the wind but I only catch random glimpses of it, read casual excerpts of it instead of reading it consecutively from beginning to end, because shit's long as hell, and the "negro's" talks are too hard for me to understand (would've been easier to me if I still had that LM troll though)

[ididnotnothat]

I've been reading quite a bit more recently. The younger generation seems to have lost or forgotten the joy of reading.

[Chinook]

Just finished this one...pretty good...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JOK-Blf7L._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Yeah, 14 and the semi-sequel The Fold are both pretty good.

I decided on a whim to get an Audible subscription, and now I go through about 5-7 books a month to justify having it. The Girl with All the Gifts was pretty cool. Usually still do some YA series since they're easy to listen to while working out.

[hater]

Reading "Ender's Game" right now. Enjoyable so far.

Amazing book. And so easy o read.

[hater]

If u like that go for Asimov. Start with foundation.

Another mind blowing one, cats craddle

[SpursforSix]

Amazing book. And so easy o read.

great one. Did you finish the whole series? I started Speaker for the Dead but got bogged down early. Had someone tell me it got better but never picked it up again.

[Chinook]

If u like that go for Asimov. Start with foundation.

I did the five books of the main series. Didn't do the prequels, though. That's like the scifi series. It's funny what things people thought we'd get early on and what they thought would take thousands of years to develop. That universe had robots in the 1990s but didn't get speech-to-text technology for 20k-plus years.

[Avante]

ENDZONE...Don DeLillo

Taft Robinson is the first black footballer at Logos College in west Texas. His speed on a whole other level.

Courtship of Marcus Dupree....Willie Morris

The story of the most sought out black HS footballer in the nation in the south, a true story.

[BD24]

Wow surprised some of you read. I see that Kool has avoided this thread like the plague.

Anyway A Series of Ice and Fire and The First Law series are two of my favorites atm. Generally a fan of James Pattersons books and other thrillers.

[Headon]

Still a big Stephen King fan. Finders Keepers.

[Spurtacular]

Almost a 100 posts in four years. Stay knowledgeable ST.

[Chinook]

Just knocked out The Power of the Dog and its sequel The Cartel by Don Winslow. Those might be the best books I've ever read. They were everything Sicario wanted to be without all the pretentious artistic shit that just got in the way of the movie.

[leemajors]

Still a big Stephen King fan. Finders Keepers.

This book was excellent. The first was good, but this one was better. Read it a month ago. I also enjoyed The Bone Clocks. Never read Clout Atlas but I liked this one.

[leemajors]

Just knocked out The Power of the Dog and its sequel The Cartel by Don Winslow. Those might be the best books I've ever read. They were everything Sicario wanted to be without all the pretentious artistic shit that just got in the way of the movie.

Thanks, I'll check those out

[Chinook]

This book was excellent. The first was good, but this one was better. Read it a month ago. I also enjoyed The Bone Clocks. Never read Clout Atlas but I liked this one.

Bone Clocks was crazy. That last story is so damned bleak. Thought it was a good book, though. Before I read The Cartel, I read a book called Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway. Takes a couple of chapters to get into, but once it picks up, it's awesome. Weirdest mix of concepts I've ever seen.

[Avante]

Everything by....

Lee Child
James Lee Burke
Robert E, Howard
H.P.Lovecraft
Jack London
Hermann Hesse
Edgar Allan Poe
Max Brand
Zane Grey
Luke Short
Louis L' Amour
Olaf Stapeldon
A. Merritt
Ambrose Bierce
Lord Dunsany
Sax Rohmer
Norman Mailer
Harlan Ellison

[Wild Cobra]

The Great War of our Time by Michael Morell.

[Chinook]

Gone through about 40 more books since last updating. Just finished The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi. That was a really good book. Kinda of The Road, but slightly more optimistic. Also got into the Kovac and Liska series by Tami Hoag. Those are just murder mystery novels, but they are easy listens. Ghostwritten was David Mitchell's debut novel, but it was also good. Had a lot of fun with John Dies at the End and This Book is Full of Spiders as well

[SpursforSix]

Gone through about 40 more books since last updating. Just finished The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi. That was a really good book. Kinda of The Road, but slightly more optimistic. Also got into the Kovac and Liska series by Tami Hoag. Those are just murder mystery novels, but they are easy listens. Ghostwritten was David Mitchell's debut novel, but it was also good. Had a lot of fun with John Dies at the End and This Book is Full of Spiders as well

Yeah...I like the David Wong books also. I have the newest one downloaded but haven't started it.

[leemajors]

Gone through about 40 more books since last updating. Just finished The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi. That was a really good book. Kinda of The Road, but slightly more optimistic. Also got into the Kovac and Liska series by Tami Hoag. Those are just murder mystery novels, but they are easy listens. Ghostwritten was David Mitchell's debut novel, but it was also good. Had a lot of fun with John Dies at the End and This Book is Full of Spiders as well

I'll check out the Water Knife and the Kovac and Liska stuff, love detective fiction. I've been rereading Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe novels for the last two months aside from the Fireman. Almost done with them, three left.

[Frank Dux]

Everything by....

Lee Child
James Lee Burke
Robert E, Howard
H.P.Lovecraft
Jack London
Hermann Hesse
Edgar Allan Poe
Max Brand
Zane Grey
Luke Short
Louis L' Amour
Olaf Stapeldon
A. Merritt
Ambrose Bierce
Lord Dunsany
Sax Rohmer
Norman Mailer
Harlan Ellison

Good list.

I would expect you to also be a Larry McMurtry fan. Ever read Lonesome Dove, The Last Picture Show, etc?

[Chinook]

Everything by....

Harlan Ellison

Dude's a pretty talented narrator too.

[Chinook]

Finally got around to reading The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. Surprisingly enough, this isn't the best clockpunk book set in England that I've read. Thought it was interesting, but even though it wants to be profound, it's not one of those books that makes you think. In fact, it kinda falls apart if you think about it too much. Probably would like it a lot less if I had read it. But listening to it while having one of those grind-it-out, not-look-up-from-your-desk-for-eight-hours allowed me to enjoy it as the author intended it to be rather than what it turned out to be.

[leemajors]

I just finished End of Watch by Stephen King, the last book in the Bill Hodges trilogy. I really enjoyed the entire trilogy.

[Chinook]

I just finished End of Watch by Stephen King, the last book in the Bill Hodges trilogy. I really enjoyed the entire trilogy.

On a book called Haunted House by Jack Kilborn. Hey, at least you don't have to wonder what it's about.

[leemajors]

Gone through about 40 more books since last updating. Just finished The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi. That was a really good book. Kinda of The Road, but slightly more optimistic. Also got into the Kovac and Liska series by Tami Hoag. Those are just murder mystery novels, but they are easy listens. Ghostwritten was David Mitchell's debut novel, but it was also good. Had a lot of fun with John Dies at the End and This Book is Full of Spiders as well
Just started Ashes to Ashes after finishing Lying On the Couch by Irvin D Yalom, which was great.

[Chinook]

Just started Ashes to Ashes after finishing Lying On the Couch by Irvin D Yalom, which was great.

Ashes to Ashes is a very interesting book, because I don't think Hoag knew it was going to be part of a series when she wrote it. The rest of Kovac and Liska is a little more standard for detective series.

Over the past month or so, I read through a few interesting books. I did Everyday by David Levithan, which is really the book he's been living off for years now. It's pretty good, but it gets mad preachy about 60 percent of the way through. Dawn Patrol is another Don Winslow/Ray Porter combo. It was pretty cool, though it got overly descriptive. Neal Asher's Transformation trilogy is shaping up to be pretty awesome. Book Three isn't coming out for another year, though. Edge of Lost was a nice little story about family and immigration (the happy-go-lucky Ellis Island kind). Also knocked out a spin-off of Kovac and Liska called Cold, Cold Heart. Was VERY different from the main series, though it was still good.

Having a hard time right now with books. I am crawling through Handmaid's tale. I tried NOS4A2 again, and again I put it away. Trying to get into BV Larson's Lost Colonies series, but that's slow as well. Hopefully at least one will pick up so I can get to more books. Still have 30-40 in my queue that I have already purchased, so I don't want to get out of the habit of listening to Audible on account of some dubious selections.

[leemajors]

Ashes to Ashes is a very interesting book, because I don't think Hoag knew it was going to be part of a series when she wrote it. The rest of Kovac and Liska is a little more standard for detective series.

Over the past month or so, I read through a few interesting books. I did Everyday by David Levithan, which is really the book he's been living off for years now. It's pretty good, but it gets mad preachy about 60 percent of the way through. Dawn Patrol is another Don Winslow/Ray Porter combo. It was pretty cool, though it got overly descriptive. Neal Asher's Transformation trilogy is shaping up to be pretty awesome. Book Three isn't coming out for another year, though. Edge of Lost was a nice little story about family and immigration (the happy-go-lucky Ellis Island kind). Also knocked out a spin-off of Kovac and Liska called Cold, Cold Heart. Was VERY different from the main series, though it was still good.

Having a hard time right now with books. I am crawling through Handmaid's tale. I tried NOS4A2 again, and again I put it away. Trying to get into BV Larson's Lost Colonies series, but that's slow as well. Hopefully at least one will pick up so I can get to more books. Still have 30-40 in my queue that I have already purchased, so I don't want to get out of the habit of listening to Audible on account of some dubious selections.

Yeah I am about 40% done, and I was wondering why the series was called Kovac and Liska, since she isn't one of the main characters at this time.

[Chinook]

Yeah I am about 40% done, and I was wondering why the series was called Kovac and Liska, since she isn't one of the main characters at this time.

Yeah, but the next book, Liska is at the same level as Kovac. It was sort of jarring for me, as I had read most of the series starting at book two and wasn't prepared for the difference with Ashes to Ashes when I looped back to it.

[Chinook]

So I just knocked out Mark Lawrence's second trilogy, The Red Queen's War. I thought it was fantastic. They may be my favorite books of the year when taken as a set, though I still do like Water Knife more than any of the books individually. If your mind is open to SciFi/Fantasy, I'd recommend it highly.

[leemajors]

So I just knocked out Mark Lawrence's second trilogy, The Red Queen's War. I thought it was fantastic. They may be my favorite books of the year when taken as a set, though I still do like Water Knife more than any of the books individually. If your mind is open to SciFi/Fantasy, I'd recommend it highly.

I've read all of his books, I liked them a lot. Didn't the two leads pass by each other in the Red Queen's War? I'm reading The Nighmare Stacks by Charles Stross, part of the Laundry Files. This series gets weirder with every book, but they are great reads.

Edit: I didn't see the final book of Red Queen's War came out, I will read that after Nightmare Stacks.

[Chinook]

I've read all of his books, I liked them a lot. Didn't the two leads pass by each other in the Red Queen's War?

They're in the same bar in the Liar's Key in addition to Jalen almost agreeing to fight Jorg. But if you liked that scene, then you'll have something to look forward to when reading in The Wheel of Osheim. It's not really a spoiler, either, because it happens early on and doesn't affect the plot. It's just a fun little scene that I'm sure I'll appreciate more after reading Broken Empire.

[leemajors]

Jorg is a trip.

[leemajors]

They're in the same bar in the Liar's Key in addition to Jalen almost agreeing to fight Jorg. But if you liked that scene, then you'll have something to look forward to when reading in The Wheel of Osheim. It's not really a spoiler, either, because it happens early on and doesn't affect the plot. It's just a fun little scene that I'm sure I'll appreciate more after reading Broken Empire.

"We're all a disappointment to someone."

[Chinook]

"We're all a disappointment to someone."

I see you're well into Wheel at this point. I'm hesitant to read anything else right now. That happens when I binge on a series. I knocked out all three of the Red Queen's War books in like four-and-a-half days. Audible's daily deal today is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I picked it up since it seems like an interesting plot. We'll see how it goes.

[leemajors]

I see you're well into Wheel at this point. I'm hesitant to read anything else right now. That happens when I binge on a series. I knocked out all three of the Red Queen's War books in like four-and-a-half days. Audible's daily deal today is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I picked it up since it seems like an interesting plot. We'll see how it goes.

Finished it Saturday, it was definitely the best book in both series, and I enjoyed all of them - Snorri's story was fantastic . Lawrence also liked my review on goodreads.com haha, all I said is that it was simply amazing. Reading Dust to Dust now.

[Chinook]

Finished it Saturday, it was definitely the best book in both series, and I enjoyed all of them - Snorri's story was fantastic . Lawrence also liked my review on goodreads.com haha, all I said is that it was simply amazing. Reading Dust to Dust now.

I'm not gonna lie: The climax of Snorri's story is as close as I've gotten to tearing up over a book. It was built up so well over the course of the trilogy. Even the way the flashback was revealed was perfect.

[leemajors]

I'm halfway through Dust to Dust and Conlan showed up :tu This book is pretty damn good, thanks for the series recommendation Chinook

[Gummi Clutch]

"Beyond good and evil" friend said it just came out recently, supposed to be really good

[Chinook]

I'm halfway through Dust to Dust and Conlan showed up :tu This book is pretty damn good, thanks for the series recommendation Chinook (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=37557)

I'm glad you like it. I thought it got better as it went on.

I just wrapped up Night Circus. It was a very odd book. It was boring at the beginning and the end, which is like the opposite of what you want. People call it the new Harry Potter, but it reminded me more of Great Expectations, especially the BBC miniseries that came out a few years ago. Well, that series had it been directed by Tim Burton.

[leemajors]

Prior Bad Acts was really good :tu

[z0sa]

Its hard buying books when one cant get past all the public realm stuff free on the Kindle marketplace. Currently reading War and Peace.

[SpursforSix]

Prior Bad Acts was really good :tu

I'm listening to Ashes to Ashes via Audible every night before I fall asleep. Pretty good story. But one thing that's putting me off is that the narrator's voicing of the female characters. And trying to do all of the characters in a different voice.

[Chinook]

I'm listening to Ashes to Ashes via Audible every night before I fall asleep. Pretty good story. But one thing that's putting me off is that the narrator's voicing of the female characters. And trying to do all of the characters in a different voice.

I do think David Colacci gets better with that as the books progress. As noted earlier, a lot of going on in A2A with the characters and establishing the world. After this book, it's calmed down quite a bit.

Speaking of which, I have Bitter Season in my cart waiting to check out.

[lefty20]

You all need to check out the Red Rising trilogy, if you haven't already. Now that was a fantastic read.

[leemajors]

I do think David Colacci gets better with that as the books progress. As noted earlier, a lot of going on in A2A with the characters and establishing the world. After this book, it's calmed down quite a bit.

Speaking of which, I have Bitter Season in my cart waiting to check out.

Just finished 9th Girl, ending happened really fast but it was still really good.

[SpursforSix]

I do think David Colacci gets better with that as the books progress. As noted earlier, a lot of going on in A2A with the characters and establishing the world. After this book, it's calmed down quite a bit.

Speaking of which, I have Bitter Season in my cart waiting to check out.

It's actually gotten better over the last couple of days. I think maybe I just noticed it too much initially and it kept my focus off the story. But I'm enjoying it.

[Chinook]

It's actually gotten better over the last couple of days. I think maybe I just noticed it too much initially and it kept my focus off the story. But I'm enjoying it.

His Kovac voice is exactly as I would imagine Sam sounding. His Liska voice changed between this book and D2D.

[SpursforSix]

His Kovac voice is exactly as I would imagine Sam sounding. His Liska voice changed between this book and D2D.

The most annoying to me by far is Angie. I guess he's trying to make a clear differentiation between her and Kate. But it sounds like a voice one would make if they were mocking their wife or something. LOL.

[Chinook]

The most annoying to me by far is Angie. I guess he's trying to make a clear differentiation between her and Kate. But it sounds like a voice one would make if they were mocking their wife or something. LOL.

There aren't that many Ray Porters out there, that's for sure.

[leemajors]

Chinook , I was initially annoyed at the lack of Kovak and Liska in Cold, Cold, Heart but damn it may have been my favorite so far. On to the Bitter Season - have you read any of her other books?

[Chinook]

Chinook (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=37557) , I was initially annoyed at the lack of Kovak and Liska in Cold, Cold, Heart but damn it may have been my favorite so far. On to the Bitter Season - have you read any of her other books?

I haven't. I only have A Thin Dark Line as non-Kovac/Liska. But that's still as of yet unread.

I haven't gotten to Bitter Season yet, because I'm about 30 percent through King of Thorns. You'll probably pass me up.

[leemajors]

I haven't. I only have A Thin Dark Line as non-Kovac/Liska. But that's still as of yet unread.

I haven't gotten to Bitter Season yet, because I'm about 30 percent through King of Thorns. You'll probably pass me up.

hah, I'm just thankful for the recommendation, I'll read everything she has written now. Bitter Season was fantastic, you'll love it. My daughter went to Schlitterbahn with her grandparents and I read all day. Gonna start Deeper than Dead next.

[Chinook]

hah, I'm just thankful for the recommendation, I'll read everything she has written now. Bitter Season was fantastic, you'll love it. My daughter went to Schlitterbahn with her grandparents and I read all day. Gonna start Deeper than Dead next.

I'll probably start Bitter Season tomorrow. I just finished Emperor of Thorns. Red Queen's War is definitely a much better trilogy. I actually felt like EoT started off with a lot of potential but just kind of fell flat at the end. It was a better journey series than it was a destination series, but I'd give RQW the nod in both.

[Chinook]

I will say, though, that I'm flashing through parts of Wheel of Osheim with knowledge of The Broken Empire series. Definitely a deeper reading. But I like that I read them in this order. RQW was better, so I appreciate not having any of it spoiled by BE.

[leemajors]

yeah RQW had a lot more depth, was definitely better. BE isn't bad for a first effort, and I am looking forward to the Red Sister trilogy

[Chinook]

yeah RQW had a lot more depth, was definitely better. BE isn't bad for a first effort, and I am looking forward to the Red Sister trilogy

I am too (so much so that I probably won't start it until 2019). I'm kind of bummed that it won't take place in BE universe, but at the same time, they found two different ways to sort of end it anyway. I want to see what Lawrence does with a new world and if it's going to still have a GoT feel.

[Avante]

Odd John...Olaf Stapledon


Odd John




http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Odd_John_first_edition_cover.jpg/220px-Odd_John_first_edition_cover.jpg (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/File:Odd_John_first_edition_cover.jpg) First edition cover



Author

Olaf Stapledon (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Olaf_Stapledon)



Country

United Kingdom



Language

English



Genre

Science fiction novel (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Science_fiction_novel)



Published

1935 (Methuen (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Methuen_Publishing))



Media type

Print (hardback & paperback)



Odd John: A Story Between Jest and Earnest is a 1935 science fiction novel by the British author Olaf Stapledon (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Olaf_Stapledon). The novel explores the theme of the Übermensch (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/%C3%9Cbermensch) (superman) in the character of John Wainwright, whose supernormal human mentality inevitably leads to conflict with normal human society and to the destruction of the utopian (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Utopia) colony founded by John and other superhumans.

The novel resonates with the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Friedrich_Nietzsche) and the work of English writer J. D. Beresford (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/J._D._Beresford), with an allusion to Beresford's superhuman child character of Victor Stott in The Hampdenshire Wonder (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/The_Hampdenshire_Wonder) (1911). As the devoted narrator remarks, John does not feel obliged to observe the restricted morality of Homo sapiens (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Homo_sapiens). Stapledon's recurrent vision of cosmic angst (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Angst) – that the universe may be indifferent to intelligence, no matter how spiritually refined – also gives the story added depth. Later explorations of the theme of the superhuman and of the incompatibility of the normal with the supernormal occur in the works of Stanisław Lem (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Stanis%C5%82aw_Lem), Frank Herbert (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Frank_Herbert), Wilmar Shiras (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Wilmar_Shiras), Robert Heinlein (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Robert_Heinlein) and Vernor Vinge (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Vernor_Vinge), among others.

The book is mentioned by Julian May (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Julian_May) in Intervention, part of the Galactic Milieu Series (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Galactic_Milieu_Series). It is also responsible for coining the term "homo superior (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Homo_superior)".[1] (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/#cite_note-1)[2] (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/#cite_note-2)

[Chinook]

hah, I'm just thankful for the recommendation, I'll read everything she has written now. Bitter Season was fantastic, you'll love it. My daughter went to Schlitterbahn with her grandparents and I read all day. Gonna start Deeper than Dead next.

Just wrapping up Bitter Season. I can honestly say that I've never hated a character more than I hated Evi Burke. She taints what is actually a very good book otherwise. Love how the plots interweave and some of the family philosophy. But really, I'm just sick about Evi and the way she's evaluated. Can't stand it.

[leemajors]

Just wrapping up Bitter Season. I can honestly say that I've never hated a character more than I hated Evi Burke. She taints what is actually a very good book otherwise. Love how the plots interweave and some of the family philosophy. But really, I'm just sick about Evi and the way she's evaluated. Can't stand it.

yeah she was terrible. I am on the second Oak Knoll book, I should probably take a break from reading serial killer books

[Chinook]

yeah she was terrible. I am on the second Oak Knoll book, I should probably take a break from reading serial killer books

I definitely like to change things up. I have five books loaded on my device right now: In the Heart of the Sea, Battle Cruiser: Lost Colonies by BV Larson, The Handmaid's Tale, NOS4A2 by Joe hill (still can't really get into it), and It's What I Do by Lynsey Addario.

I'm not sure where I'm going to go with those, but I'd like to clear them off so they don't keep clogging up my queue.

[leemajors]

Just finished the Oak Knoll Trilogy, pretty good stuff.

[SpursforSix]

Just finished the Oak Knoll Trilogy, pretty good stuff.

Damn you find a lot of time to read. I'm envious.

[leemajors]

Damn you find a lot of time to read. I'm envious.

I work from home and have my daughter half the time.

[SpursforSix]

I work from home and have my daughter half the time.

I wish I could work from home. No reason I couldn't other than a boss that doesn't understand the Internet. So I end up spending hours on Spirstalk. Lol. How old is your daughter? (no Avante)

[leemajors]

I wish I could work from home. No reason I couldn't other than a boss that doesn't understand the Internet. So I end up spending hours on Spirstalk. Lol. How old is your daughter? (no Avante)

11, and she reads faster than I do. She's starting middle school in two weeks.

[SpursforSix]

11, and she reads faster than I do. She's starting middle school in two weeks.

My daughter's school is doing their best to turn her off on reading. For the summer, they assigned them 2 books to read. No big deal. But they wanted them to annotate every page of the book. Every page. Regardless of whether there was anything worth mentioning.

[Chinook]

My daughter's school is doing their best to turn her off on reading. For the summer, they assigned them 2 books to read. No big deal. But they wanted them to annotate every page of the book. Every page. Regardless of whether there was anything worth mentioning.

I HATED marking in my books, so I'd've probably just checked out. In fact, I really never cared for English class, despite the fact that I've always like reading, writing and language.

[leemajors]

I HATED marking in my books, so I'd've probably just checked out. In fact, I really never cared for English class, despite the fact that I've always like reading, writing and language.

Me too, my personal books are unmarked. I use the highlighting on the Kindle and bookmark to remember specific parts later though.

[leemajors]

I finished all the non-romance novel Hoag books last week Chinook, Deer Lake 1&2 were good but obviously her first efforts and not as good as the other series. I also read the new Star Wars books this week, and while they were fairly entertaining, not as good as the Zahn books. I am reading the Everything Box by Richard Kadrey before starting the Water Knife.

[SpursforSix]

I finished all the non-romance novel Hoag books last week Chinook, Deer Lake 1&2 were good but obviously her first efforts and not as good as the other series. I also read the new Star Wars books this week, and while they were fairly entertaining, not as good as the Zahn books. I am reading the Everything Box by Richard Kadrey before starting the Water Knife.

I could not make it through Ashes to Aahes in Audible. I think because I couldn't just skim through the Kate/Quinn romance scenes and thoughts.

[Chinook]

I could not make it through Ashes to Aahes in Audible. I think because I couldn't just skim through the Kate/Quinn romance scenes and thoughts.

Then just try D2D. You barely miss anything, and the character arcs for Kovac and Liska don't really start until that book anyway.

[Chinook]

I finished all the non-romance novel Hoag books last week Chinook, Deer Lake 1&2 were good but obviously her first efforts and not as good as the other series. I also read the new Star Wars books this week, and while they were fairly entertaining, not as good as the Zahn books. I am reading the Everything Box by Richard Kadrey before starting the Water Knife.

Which SW books? I'll look up Everything Box. Road-tripping this week, and I'm listening to Obelisk Gate during the drive. It's the second book in the Broken Earth trilogy.

[leemajors]

Which SW books? I'll look up Everything Box. Road-tripping this week, and I'm listening to Obelisk Gate during the drive. It's the second book in the Broken Earth trilogy.

Aftermath and Life Debt by Chuck Wendig. I got the first book in Broken Earth, it just won a Nebula award.

[SpursforSix]

Then just try D2D. You barely miss anything, and the character arcs for Kovac and Liska don't really start until that book anyway.

Might do that. It's hard to believe that this didn't turn in to a John Quinn and Kate series. Was surprised to hear it was Lissa/Kovak.

[Chinook]

Aftermath and Life Debt by Chuck Wendig. I got the first book in Broken Earth, it just won a Nebula award.

How'd Fifth Season turn out for you?

I will say, this hasn't been a great month for me and books. After Obelisk Gate, I listened to Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong. That book (and especially that audiobook) was fantastic. Then I listened to Red Shirts by John Scalzi. That was also good.

Then it got weird. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell was great in the first half when she wasn't trying to actually write a serious story. But once she decided to actually get own with the plot, it sort of ground to a halt. Still great dialog and characters, but the story was bland, and it felt like just an excuse to have some M/M shipping going on.

After that, my friend and I started a writing challenge where we are each making short stories that blend Cosmic Horror with an underdog sports story. So I've been trying to get in some Lovecraftian stories, and I find that I don't really like them. Lovecraft was a deplorable human being, and even if his writing didn't show that, his horror is sort of outdated. So I'm in a position where I don't want to read/listen to his stories but won't let myself do anything else.

[leemajors]

How'd Fifth Season turn out for you?

I will say, this hasn't been a great month for me and books. After Obelisk Gate, I listened to Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong. That book (and especially that audiobook) was fantastic. Then I listened to Red Shirts by John Scalzi. That was also good.

Then it got weird. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell was great in the first half when she wasn't trying to actually write a serious story. But once she decided to actually get own with the plot, it sort of ground to a halt. Still great dialog and characters, but the story was bland, and it felt like just an excuse to have some M/M shipping going on.

After that, my friend and I started a writing challenge where we are each making short stories that blend Cosmic Horror with an underdog sports story. So I've been trying to get in some Lovecraftian stories, and I find that I don't really like them. Lovecraft was a deplorable human being, and even if his writing didn't show that, his horror is sort of outdated. So I'm in a position where I don't want to read/listen to his stories but won't let myself do anything else.

I actually got stuck reading Carl Hiaasen books - All the Skink books (7), and am on my tenth total - reading Bad Monkey now. He is hilarious, but I need to get to Broken Earth, Water Knife, and the Three Body Problem. I was looking at Christopher Moore's website and hadn't realized there was a recommended books section :/

[I. Hustle]

What are these books??!!! I need more books to read. What genre are they?

[I. Hustle]

How'd Fifth Season turn out for you?

I will say, this hasn't been a great month for me and books. After Obelisk Gate, I listened to Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong. That book (and especially that audiobook) was fantastic. Then I listened to Red Shirts by John Scalzi. That was also good.

Then it got weird. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell was great in the first half when she wasn't trying to actually write a serious story. But once she decided to actually get own with the plot, it sort of ground to a halt. Still great dialog and characters, but the story was bland, and it felt like just an excuse to have some M/M shipping going on.

After that, my friend and I started a writing challenge where we are each making short stories that blend Cosmic Horror with an underdog sports story. So I've been trying to get in some Lovecraftian stories, and I find that I don't really like them. Lovecraft was a deplorable human being, and even if his writing didn't show that, his horror is sort of outdated. So I'm in a position where I don't want to read/listen to his stories but won't let myself do anything else.

I want in on that writing challenge. Is it a Book of the Dead style?

[Chinook]

What are these books??!!! I need more books to read. What genre are they?


I want in on that writing challenge. Is it a Book of the Dead style?

Someone's eager.

[Avante]

Great read.

https://www.amazon.com/Harlem-Vogue-David-Levering-Lewis/dp/0140263349

[leemajors]

Chinook started Water Knife yesterday.

[Chinook]

Chinook (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=37557) started Water Knife yesterday.

Cool. Interested to see what you think. As I've said, I'm quite the fan of it. For me, I'm still on this writing challenge, so I've listened (and relistened) to cosmic horror stories. Favorite Lovecraft was Shadow Out of Time, which I think captures the genre's mix of subtlety (no jump scares or gore) and mind-breaking hugeness. And it's shock ending actually hits its mark, as opposed to many of his other stories, which I found to be really dated. Color Out of Space, Dunwich Horror and Call of Cthulhu are also strong works in the genre, but they all show their age.

[leemajors]

Cool. Interested to see what you think. As I've said, I'm quite the fan of it. For me, I'm still on this writing challenge, so I've listened (and relistened) to cosmic horror stories. Favorite Lovecraft was Shadow Out of Time, which I think captures the genre's mix of subtlety (no jump scares or gore) and mind-breaking hugeness. And it's shock ending actually hits its mark, as opposed to many of his other stories, which I found to be really dated. Color Out of Space, Dunwich Horror and Call of Cthulhu are also strong works in the genre, but they all show their age.

It was pretty good, ending surprised me a bit.

[Chinook]

It was pretty good, ending surprised me a bit.

Yeah, I loved the ending of it. It was dark and realistic, but it still felt satisfying for all the characters involved.

So I have finished for the time being with my exploration of Cosmic Horror. Last book I read was a collection of Lovecraft tributes called Lovecraft's Monsters. For someone like me who was trying to figure out how to mesh Lovecraft with other genres, this was a really good buy, and the stories were very good.

Now, I'm on Gothic stories (specifically Southern Gothic and more specifically Texas Gothic). I picked up a collection of Faulkner's short stories and am working my way through that right now. Took a break to read Child of God by Cormac McCarthy. Damn, what a strange, strange book.

[leemajors]

Yeah, I loved the ending of it. It was dark and realistic, but it still felt satisfying for all the characters involved.

So I have finished for the time being with my exploration of Cosmic Horror. Last book I read was a collection of Lovecraft tributes called Lovecraft's Monsters. For someone like me who was trying to figure out how to mesh Lovecraft with other genres, this was a really good buy, and the stories were very good.

Now, I'm on Gothic stories (specifically Southern Gothic and more specifically Texas Gothic). I picked up a collection of Faulkner's short stories and am working my way through that right now. Took a break to read Child of God by Cormac McCarthy. Damn, what a strange, strange book.

Child of God was pretty disturbing. I recently read Vonnegut chronologically up to Mother Night, am now reading Brandon Weeks' first Trilogy, Night Angel. Pretty goof stuff.

[leemajors]

Yeah, I loved the ending of it. It was dark and realistic, but it still felt satisfying for all the characters involved.

So I have finished for the time being with my exploration of Cosmic Horror. Last book I read was a collection of Lovecraft tributes called Lovecraft's Monsters. For someone like me who was trying to figure out how to mesh Lovecraft with other genres, this was a really good buy, and the stories were very good.

Now, I'm on Gothic stories (specifically Southern Gothic and more specifically Texas Gothic). I picked up a collection of Faulkner's short stories and am working my way through that right now. Took a break to read Child of God by Cormac McCarthy. Damn, what a strange, strange book.

Red Sister is out by Mark Lawrence.

[Chinook]

Red Sister is out by Mark Lawrence.

Awesome, but I'm going to have to pretend like it doesn't exist for two more years. I was really fortunate to discover RQW a month or so after WoO was released. It's going in my wish list so I can make sure to pick it up when it's on sale.

Books I've read over the last four-plus months:

Cycle of Arwan and first two books of Cycle of Galand: Series started off slowly, but it really grew on me as it went on. Can't wait for the third CoG book to come out on Audible.

The Hike: Very solid short book about a guy walking through the woods.

Sphere: Compelling book that was apparently made into a bad movie.

Seventh Bride: Another cheap book that was actually pretty funny. The ending was weak, but the whole felt pretty nice overall. Never tried to be more than it was.

Riyria: I don't see it listed here. Red all nine books of that. It was fun.

American Gods: Probably doesn't need an explanation.

Speaks the Nightbird: Thought it was a perfect example of Gothic Horror. It manages to do all of that while being realistic, which is impressive. It's not exactly Hawthornesque in terms of prose, but it is written in a old-feeling style, which can be a turn-off.

[Chinook]

Waiting for Infinity Engine to be adapted into an audiobook so I can finish up the Transformations trilogy. Also very excited to see who Broken Earth will end once Stone Sky comes out. Also, there is supposed to be a new David Wong book out this year. Good stuff.

Now if Peter Clines can put out something that isn't part of Ex-Heroes, it'll be a great year.

[leemajors]

Awesome, but I'm going to have to pretend like it doesn't exist for two more years. I was really fortunate to discover RQW a month or so after WoO was released. It's going in my wish list so I can make sure to pick it up when it's on sale.

Books I've read over the last four-plus months:

Cycle of Arwan and first two books of Cycle of Galand: Series started off slowly, but it really grew on me as it went on. Can't wait for the third CoG book to come out on Audible.

The Hike: Very solid short book about a guy walking through the woods.

Sphere: Compelling book that was apparently made into a bad movie.

Seventh Bride: Another cheap book that was actually pretty funny. The ending was weak, but the whole felt pretty nice overall. Never tried to be more than it was.

Riyria: I don't see it listed here. Red all nine books of that. It was fun.

American Gods: Probably doesn't need an explanation.

Speaks the Nightbird: Thought it was a perfect example of Gothic Horror. It manages to do all of that while being realistic, which is impressive. It's not exactly Hawthornesque in terms of prose, but it is written in a old-feeling style, which can be a turn-off.

I'm gonna check out Riyria, sounds cool.

I read the first two books of Joe Nesbo's Harry Hole detective books, pretty good. Waiting on the third from library in eBook.

Finally read The Broken Earth, it was pretty good.

Read the second of the Vorrh trilogy, The Erstwhile. Very weird, liked it a lot.

Finished Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne by Brian Stavely. The first book is the best.

The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington was awesome.

Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins was incredibly good.

Read about 7 Brent Weeks books - his first trilogy, Night Angel, was pretty good. His second series, the Lightbringer, is 4 books in, and I love it.

I'm re-reading Robin Hobb's books to get ready for her final book about FitzChivalry next month. Some of my favorite books starting with Assassin's Apprentice.

[Chinook]

Riyria is good. The author recommends you read Revelations before Chronicles (so in publication order), but I'd recommend in reverse, because Chronicles comes before Revelations chronologically, and I retrospectively found it harder to care about the prequels after having read the main series.

[Avante]

War Chief....Edgar Rice Burrough, yes the creator of Tarzan and the John Carter on Mars stories wrote westerns. Great read and it makes ya wonder why he didn't just stick to westerns.

[Chinook]

The third book of Cycle of Galand just dropped on Audible, and I am finished with it. Easily the best in the series. It feels like the fourth book should be the final one, but the author says he's only half-way through this second series. It's really cool to see how much better a writer can get by looking at each book in a series. Started off (first trilogy) feeling like a forgettable fantasy world, and now it's up there with best I've read. The next book comes out next month in print. Might have to make the time to read it rather than letting Tim Gerard Reynolds do it for me.

[leemajors]

Riyria is good. The author recommends you read Revelations before Chronicles (so in publication order), but I'd recommend in reverse, because Chronicles comes before Revelations chronologically, and I retrospectively found it harder to care about the prequels after having read the main series.

Finished Crown Tower last night, really enjoyed it.

[Chinook]

Finished Crown Tower last night, really enjoyed it.

Glad you liked it. Apparently, there is a fourth Chronicles book coming out soon. I'd definitely read Rose & Thorn before getting started on Revelations. Those two (CT and R&T) form the origin story, with the rest of Chronicles is supposed to be stand-alone novels. I really liked Death of Dulgath, but it's not as necessary to read that one before reading the main series, as it has no long term effects on the universe.

[SpursforSix]

Yo...is the Red Rising series worth reading? I started the first one but got sidetracked.

[leemajors]

Glad you liked it. Apparently, there is a fourth Chronicles book coming out soon. I'd definitely read Rose & Thorn before getting started on Revelations. Those two (CT and R&T) form the origin story, with the rest of Chronicles is supposed to be stand-alone novels. I really liked Death of Dulgath, but it's not as necessary to read that one before reading the main series, as it has no long term effects on the universe.

Just finished all of them, great stuff. Also been reading Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series, also excellent

[Avante]

Odd John....Olaf Stapeldon

Odd JohnFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/#mw-head), search (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/#p-search)

Odd John
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Odd_John_first_edition_cover.jpg/220px-Odd_John_first_edition_cover.jpg (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/File:Odd_John_first_edition_cover.jpg) First edition cover



Author
Olaf Stapledon (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Olaf_Stapledon)


Country
United Kingdom


Language
English


Genre
Science fiction (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Science_fiction) novel


Published
1935 (Methuen (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Methuen_Publishing))


Media type
Print (hardback & paperback)


Odd John: A Story Between Jest and Earnest is a 1935 science fiction novel by the British author Olaf Stapledon (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Olaf_Stapledon). The novel explores the theme of the Übermensch (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/%C3%9Cbermensch) (superman) in the character of John Wainwright, whose supernormal human mentality inevitably leads to conflict with normal human society and to the destruction of the utopian (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Utopia) colony founded by John and other superhumans.
The novel resonates with the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Friedrich_Nietzsche) and the work of English writer J. D. Beresford (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/J._D._Beresford), with an allusion to Beresford's superhuman child character of Victor Stott in The Hampdenshire Wonder (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/The_Hampdenshire_Wonder) (1911). As the devoted narrator remarks, John does not feel obliged to observe the restricted morality of Homo sapiens (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Homo_sapiens). Stapledon's recurrent vision of cosmic angst (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Angst) – that the universe may be indifferent to intelligence, no matter how spiritually refined – also gives the story added depth. Later explorations of the theme of the superhuman and of the incompatibility of the normal with the supernormal occur in the works of Stanisław Lem (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Stanis%C5%82aw_Lem), Frank Herbert (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Frank_Herbert), Wilmar Shiras (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Wilmar_Shiras), Robert Heinlein (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Robert_Heinlein) and Vernor Vinge (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Vernor_Vinge), among others.
The book is mentioned by Julian May (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Julian_May) in Intervention, part of the Galactic Milieu Series (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Galactic_Milieu_Series). It is also responsible for coining the term "homo superior (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Homo_superior)".[1] (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/#cite_note-1)[2] (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/#cite_note-2)

[spurraider21]

https://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/9781491043950_p0_v1_s192x300.jpg

[Chinook]

Just finished all of them, great stuff. Also been reading Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series, also excellent

I haven't looked at those. I've gone through a number of books, including the Spells, Swords & Stealth series by Drew Hayes. Those books are like popcorn. Read The Left Hand of Darkness by LeGuin, which was interesting. Finally got around to The Curse of Jacob Tracy. Not happy that there's no sequel until the end of next year. Also did Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear. Annoyed that I started the series and am in the holding pattern with everyone else.

[leemajors]

I haven't looked at those. I've gone through a number of books, including the Spells, Swords & Stealth series by Drew Hayes. Those books are like popcorn. Read The Left Hand of Darkness by LeGuin, which was interesting. Finally got around to The Curse of Jacob Tracy. Not happy that there's no sequel until the end of next year. Also did Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear. Annoyed that I started the series and am in the holding pattern with everyone else.

I've been waiting for about 6 years on Doors of Stone now. It's amazing how upset some people are on how long it is taking, but as long as it's good i'm fine.

[spurraider21]

https://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/9781491043950_p0_v1_s192x300.jpg
wondering if Avante has given this one a read

some good, compelling stuff

[pgardn]

I haven't looked at those. I've gone through a number of books, including the Spells, Swords & Stealth series by Drew Hayes. Those books are like popcorn. Read The Left Hand of Darkness by LeGuin, which was interesting. Finally got around to The Curse of Jacob Tracy. Not happy that there's no sequel until the end of next year. Also did Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear. Annoyed that I started the series and am in the holding pattern wi.

Jesus... Strange stuff...



Le Guin. The Word For World Is Forest.

Amazingly I stumbled upon, The Word For Worlds is Forest. It has some amazing biology thoughts in it for a fairly older book. Then I had to read The Left Hand of Darkness. I found the former to be uncommonly good for one of a series (did not read any of the others, any series gets old for me) Then..... I accidentally wandered into a person at the airport who had to read it as a part of a English/Science class at Rice. We spent a couple of hours talking about the book as this person was an English major but had to write a science paper on it (The Word For...) This was just a few months ago.

Le Guin is clearly an ardent feminist. But she came up with some very clever Biology/Ecology.
My review as a hater of Science Fiction but a lover of Science.
Cant believe I actually liked it. And I thought no one else could possibly like either.

[Reck]

Been thinking about joining audible. How exactly does that work Chinook?

Can you listen and download all their books for a monthly sub? Or are you stuck to listening on their own site?

[Avante]

wondering if Avante (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=33483) has given this one a read

some good, compelling stuff

I own 23 books on Islam, the Middle East, being a Muslim, why I'm no longer a Muslim, the history of all that violence and why we have it. Trust me when I tell you this....

Those people cannot seperate ancient times from today and that is the problem, they can't figure out all that shit in the Koran was for a totally diffrent world, they think it still applies to modern times. Then we add the fact they just don;t have enough things going on to keep their mind occupied on things other than religion. No NFL, NCAA, MMA, pro rasslin', rock and roll, Hollywood, NBA, etc etc. Imagine you living in a world like that, hell yes you'd be demented and dangerous.

My Judy is a leader, she was captain of her volleyball team in college, a class president in HS, owns her own business and is a leader at her church, she takes no shit from anyone and there is no way in hell she's wearing all that stupid gard and letting a man boss her around, that will not happen. So to live like Muslim women are forced to live...hahahaha~~~~~~

[Chinook]

Been thinking about joining audible. How exactly does that work Chinook?

Can you listen and download all their books for a monthly sub? Or are you stuck to listening on their own site?

You get credits that allow you to acquire a book or two each month. So it's not unlimited, but you keep your books if you unsubscribe and can redownload them whenever.

You can listen off site by downloading onto you device. They are your books, after all. They also have daily and monthly sales on books, so evem though it feels expensive and limited to start, within a couple of months, you can really start getting your money's worth, provided you use it.

[Reck]

You get credits that allow you to acquire a book or two each month. So it's not unlimited, but you keep your books if you unsubscribe and can redownload them whenever.

You can listen off site by downloading onto you device. They are your books, after all. They also have daily and monthly sales on books, so evem though it feels expensive and limited to start, within a couple of months, you can really start getting your money's worth, provided you use it.

That's too bad.

Doesn't sound like I would benefit from it.

I'd be more than willing to pay a monthly fee if it means I could pick a book whenever I want.

The whole wait a month is not really my thing. Do they stack up?

I see it like Netlix, there are times I could go weeks and months without using it.

[Chinook]

That's too bad.

Doesn't sound like I would benefit from it.

I'd be more than willing to pay a monthly fee if it means I could pick a book whenever I want.

The whole wait a month is not really my thing. Do they stack up?

I see it like Netlix, there are times I could go weeks and months without using it.

They don't stack up any faster than you'd expect. But what makes them stretch is that you can get severe discounts on books via the daily deals. Each day, they sell a book for between two and six bucks. Those tend to be highly rated books, so even if you don't know anything about them or they aren't your genre, they're usually pretty good. Those stack up really quickly, and most of my favorite books I've picked up that way.

Also those monthly sales are often BOGO for credits, so if you have a few credits saved up, you can get a lot of books at once. I have more than 200 books that I've picked up since June 2015. Listened to about 150 in that time.

[Chinook]

Outside of sales, I only use credits on sequels to books I've picked up cheaply, so I usually have two to four on hand at any given time.

[Reck]

They don't stack up any faster than you'd expect. But what makes them stretch is that you can get severe discounts on books via the daily deals. Each day, they sell a book for between two and six bucks. Those tend to be highly rated books, so even if you don't know anything about them or they aren't your genre, they're usually pretty good. Those stack up really quickly, and most of my favorite books I've picked up that way.

Also those monthly sales are often BOGO for credits, so if you have a few credits saved up, you can get a lot of books at once. I have more than 200 books that I've picked up since June 2015. Listened to about 150 in that time.

I was shopping for a tablet and settled for a kindle because I'm serious about getting into book reading and stumbled upon one of their subcriptions called Kindle unlimited for 10 dollars a month. Signed up for it.

This is kind of what I was looking for. Cant wait for the tablet to ship.

[Chinook]

I was shopping for a tablet and settled for a kindle because I'm serious about getting into book reading and stumbled upon one of their subcriptions called Kindle unlimited for 10 dollars a month. Signed up for it.

This is kind of what I was looking for. Cant wait for the tablet to ship.

I'd beware of Kindle Unlimited. You get access to only some books. It's something you can use and get value out of, but it's not something to get if you want to target specific books.

Audible has a good bit of "free" content as well. It's not all al a carte. To add on to what I had said earlier, I have four credits now and will get two move in a couple of weeks. Right now, they are having a $5 sale on a a hundred or so books, and there are a number of good ones there. Obviously, you aren't going to be reading it if you were to get into Audible. But I just wanted to give you a reference to the throughput for books that I get. I spend at least 100 hours a month listening to books, so the value is a no-brainer for me. But if you prefer reading and don't care about a limited selection, you may have a good deal there.

[Reck]

I'd beware of Kindle Unlimited. You get access to only some books. It's something you can use and get value out of, but it's not something to get if you want to target specific books.

Audible has a good bit of "free" content as well. It's not all al a carte. To add on to what I had said earlier, I have four credits now and will get two move in a couple of weeks. Right now, they are having a $5 sale on a a hundred or so books, and there are a number of good ones there. Obviously, you aren't going to be reading it if you were to get into Audible. But I just wanted to give you a reference to the throughput for books that I get. I spend at least 100 hours a month listening to books, so the value is a no-brainer for me. But if you prefer reading and don't care about a limited selection, you may have a good deal there.

Good to know. I'm on the free 30 days so I have plenty of time to back out if I find something I dont like.

[Chinook]

So the Cycle of Galand is definitely one of my favorite series. The author puts out a book faster than once a year, and they're good. If you count the previous trilogy, there are seven books so far (almost a week's worth of audiobook). Also read the two War of Broken Mirrors books. The magic system in there feels unique, and I'm excited to see where the series goes, but the characters aren't nearly as engaging as those in the Cycles.

[leemajors]

So the Cycle of Galand is definitely one of my favorite series. The author puts out a book faster than once a year, and they're good. If you count the previous trilogy, there are seven books so far (almost a week's worth of audiobook). Also read the two War of Broken Mirrors books. The magic system in there feels unique, and I'm excited to see where the series goes, but the characters aren't nearly as engaging as those in the Cycles.

I'll check it out. I probably recommended it before, but Robin Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings series is one of my favorites. I'm gonna read Age of Myth by Sullivan soon, and the newest Laundry Files by Charles Stross.

[Chinook]

I'll check it out. I probably recommended it before, but Robin Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings series is one of my favorites. I'm gonna read Age of Myth by Sullivan soon, and the newest Laundry Files by Charles Stross.

If you want to get into The Cycle, make sure to start with Cycle of Arawn, which is a different series in name only. Galand absolutely depends on the reader reading Arawn first.

I have Age of Myth, but I'm holding out for Sullivan to release the whole series first. A new one drops at the end of the year, I think.

[benefactor]

So a good friend of mine is in jail and reads fast as fuck. Need some stuff that's good and relatively cheap. Anything fantasy.

[Avante]

So a good friend of mine is in jail and reads fast as fuck. Need some stuff that's good and relatively cheap. Anything fantasy.

Here it really is all about the authors.

Lin Carter
Fritz Leiber
Robert E.Howard
H.P.Lovecraft
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Otis Kline

Own over 100 books by that gang, and found them all at yard sales/thrift shops.

[Chinook]

So a good friend of mine is in jail and reads fast as fuck. Need some stuff that's good and relatively cheap. Anything fantasy.

E-books or paperback only?

[benefactor]

E-books or paperback only?
Paperback

I've actually started reading again for the first time in 10 years. 11/22/63 by Stephen King. I'm about 450 pages in and really enjoying it.

[SpursforSix]

Paperback

I've actually started reading again for the first time in 10 years. 11/22/63 by Stephen King. I'm about 450 pages in and really enjoying it.

I read that a few years ago. Maybe the only King book that I enjoyed in 15 years. I think.

[Avante]

Anything by Lord Dunsany.


Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of DunsanyFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/#mw-head), search (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/#p-search)
"Lord Dunsany" redirects here. For the peerage, see Baron of Dunsany (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Baron_of_Dunsany).
"Edward Plunkett" redirects here. For other uses, see Edward Plunkett (disambiguation) (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Edward_Plunkett_(disambiguation)).


The Right Honourable (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/The_Right_Honourable)
The Lord Dunsany


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Edward_Plunkett%2C_18th_Baron_Dunsany.jpg/220px-Edward_Plunkett%2C_18th_Baron_Dunsany.jpg (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/File:Edward_Plunkett,_18th_Baron_Dunsany.jpg) Edward JMD Plunkett
Lord Dunsany (18th Baron)



Born
(1878-07-24)24 July 1878
London, England


Died
25 October 1957(1957-10-25) (aged 79)
Dublin (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Dublin), Ireland


Pen name
Lord Dunsany


Occupation
Writer (short story writer, playwright, novelist, poet)


Nationality
Irish, British


Genre
Crime (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Crime_fiction), High fantasy (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/High_fantasy), Horror (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Horror_fiction), Science fiction (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Science_fiction), Weird (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Weird_fiction)


Notable works
Early short story collections, The King of Elfland's Daughter (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/The_King_of_Elfland%27s_Daughter)


Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany (/dʌnˈseɪni/ (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Help:IPA/English); 24 July 1878 – 25 October 1957) was an Anglo-Irish (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Anglo-Irish) writer and dramatist; his work, mostly in the fantasy (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Fantasy_literature) genre, was published under the name Lord Dunsany. More than eighty books of his work were published, and his oeuvre includes many hundreds of published short stories, as well as successful plays, novels and essays. He is best known for his 1924 fantasy (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Fantasy) novel The King of Elfland's Daughter (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/The_King_of_Elfland%27s_Daughter). He achieved great fame and success with his early short stories and plays, and during the 1910s was considered one of the greatest living writers of the English-speaking world.
Born and raised in London, to the second-oldest title (created 1439) in the Irish peerage (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Peerage_of_Ireland), Dunsany lived much of his life at what may be Ireland's longest-inhabited house, Dunsany Castle (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Dunsany_Castle) near Tara (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Tara,_Ireland), worked with W. B. Yeats (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/W._B._Yeats) and Lady Gregory (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Lady_Gregory), received an honorary doctorate from Trinity College, Dublin, was chess and pistol-shooting champion of Ireland, and travelled and hunted (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Fox_hunting) extensively. He died in Dublin (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Dublin) after an attack of appendicitis (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Appendicitis).

[leemajors]

If you want to get into The Cycle, make sure to start with Cycle of Arawn, which is a different series in name only. Galand absolutely depends on the reader reading Arawn first.

I have Age of Myth, but I'm holding out for Sullivan to release the whole series first. A new one drops at the end of the year, I think.

The White Tree was good.

[leemajors]

I read that a few years ago. Maybe the only King book that I enjoyed in 15 years. I think.

Wind Through the Keyhole and the Bill Hodges trilogy were top notch.

[Chinook]

The White Tree was good.

I got the complete trilogy as a bundle, so I don't even remember the second book's name. I'd say White Tree has the weakest climax of the three, but it gets you into the action faster. I'm glad you liked it.

I'm on the Viridian Gate Archives right now. It's pretty good, though I'm not used to Lit RPGs. Dawn of Wonder was a very fascinating first book, and the hope the rest of The Wakening series turns out as good as it's shaping up to be. I also read Andrew Rowe's three books. They're all pretty good. Cephrael's Hand was pretty good, but it felt derivative.

Got to finish the Broken Earth trilogy when The Stone Sky came out. A bit disappointed in the finish, but the series was so different from everything I've read that it almost felt like a palette cleanser.

[Reck]

I started reading Pandora's Star. A book that I bought like 5 or so years ago.

I'm not into science or space stuff but this book is gripping. Cant stop reading it.

http://i.imgur.com/UERosIT.jpg


I'm going to buy the rest of these books.

[lefty20]

Yo...is the Red Rising series worth reading? I started the first one but got sidetracked.

A bit late here. But, YES!

I'd say it's prolly my favorite series I've ever read.

[lefty20]

Just finished the 2nd book of Kingkiller Chronicle. Loved both books despite the main character being somewhat of a Gary Stu.

The description of Kvothe in synopsis is actually the main reason why I ignored reading this series for as long as I did. But I simply couldn't ignore it's high ovr rating on goodreads any longer and gave in. And I'm happy to say that my only regret is waiting as long as I had. I found both Patrick's world building and the story Kvothe's adventures quite gripping.

[leemajors]

Just finished the 2nd book of Kingkiller Chronicle. Loved both books despite the main character being somewhat of a Gary Stu.

The description of Kvothe in synopsis is actually the main reason why I ignored reading this series for as long as I did. But I simply couldn't ignore it's high ovr rating on goodreads any longer and gave in. And I'm happy to say that my only regret is waiting as long as I had. I found both Patrick's world building and the story Kvothe's adventures quite gripping.

Check out Slow Regard of Silent Things, too. It's about Auri.

[Avante]

It's always more about authors.

Olaf Stapeldon......a must read.

[lefty20]

Check out Slow Regard of Silent Things, too. It's about Auri.


Will do :toast

[Brunodf]

Will do

Just lower your expectations because SRoST is nothing like the other books, there's no "real" characters other than Ari, and will only show how she thinks and her day-to-day activities...There will be 2 or 3 actually relevant information about the series.

[Chinook]

Just finished the 2nd book of Kingkiller Chronicle. Loved both books despite the main character being somewhat of a Gary Stu.

The description of Kvothe in synopsis is actually the main reason why I ignored reading this series for as long as I did. But I simply couldn't ignore it's high ovr rating on goodreads any longer and gave in. And I'm happy to say that my only regret is waiting as long as I had. I found both Patrick's world building and the story Kvothe's adventures quite gripping.

Wise Men's Fear is such a long-ass book that manages to pretty much go nowhere at the same time. I liked a whole lot about it, despite the tone of my criticism. I just think Patrick is struggling to reconcile the lack of development in that book with the idea that everything is supposed to be completed by the end of the next one. Sure, Kvothe is probably still a teenager when he's telling the story, but there is still likely years between where we are in the narrative and when the framing device occurs.

[lefty20]

Wise Men's Fear is such a long-ass book that manages to pretty much go nowhere at the same time. I liked a whole lot about it, despite the tone of my criticism. I just think Patrick is struggling to reconcile the lack of development in that book with the idea that everything is supposed to be completed by the end of the next one. Sure, Kvothe is probably still a teenager when he's telling the story, but there is still likely years between where we are in the narrative and when the framing device occurs.

It honestly feels like this is a prequel trilogy. Patrick says Doors of Stone is suppose to take us from ending of WMF to "Kvothe's life arrived to where he is now". Considering the final exchange between Bast and the Chronicler, it doesn't seem like Kvothe has dealt with the Chandrian before he met the chronicler.

Otoh, PR has also said that Doors of Stone is suppose to draw an end to Kvothe's arc. So... wtf? Does that mean that DoS suppose to cover Kvothe's life from the end of WMF to Waystone Inn + the final showdown vs Chandrian?

If so, how fucking big will it be?

If not, do the following books follow Bast instead? Because PR has has confirmed that he will continue writing about this world. But he hasn't given any indication as to what it will be out.

[Chinook]

It honestly feels like this is a prequel trilogy. Patrick says Doors of Stone is suppose to take us from ending of WMF to "Kvothe's life arrived to where he is now". Considering the final exchange between Bast and the Chronicler, it doesn't seem like Kvothe has dealt with the Chandrian before he met the chronicler.

Otoh, PR has also said that Doors of Stone is suppose to draw an end to Kvothe's arc. So... wtf? Does that mean that DoS suppose to cover Kvothe's life from the end of WMF to Waystone Inn + the final showdown vs Chandrian?

If so, how fucking big will it be?

If not, do the following books follow Bast instead? Because PR has has confirmed that he will continue writing about this world. But he hasn't given any indication as to what it will be out.

I wouldn't put too much stock into what he says. I really do think he feels he messed up when writing WMF, and that's why DoS has taken so long. The idea that Kvothe or whatever name he takes henceforth could have more books written about him after this one makes a ton of sense, though I don't know how well fans will take the news that DoS doesn't resolve the conflicts.

If I had to pick, I'd say Kvothe legit believes his story is done at this point. He's telling Chronicler everything as if it's a three-act play, but it really does feel like a four-act structure, with whatever terrible shit happening in DoS being the "black moment" that begins the final act. I'd rather that happen than have the plot rushed to the ending just because it was originally billed as a trilogy. There are legit ways to end things in this book, but unless those things make sense, it would be better to just split the rest of the story into two or three more books.

[leemajors]

Don Winslow's Power of the Dog series is pretty good, last book just came out and I am almost done with the second. Like reading a more in depth Narcos:Mexico.

[Dr. Gonzo]

I like Murakami books. Kafka on the Shore was really good. 1Q84 was a fantastic read.

[lefty20]

Finished the Malazan series last night. That was a proper beast right there. I was completely immersed into the series up until The Bonehunters(#6). Kinda started losing interest in the characters after that because of how bloated the books/series had become due to the ridiculous amount of fillers in there. I slogged through the rest of the series because the overall quality was still good, but it was just really hard to keep caring about the characters the way I did in the first half of the series. Idk if that makes any sense, but it's how I felt.

Next up I'm starting The Expanse series.
I've also gotta re-read Stormlight Archives in preparation for RoW release.
And then I'd like to knock out the stand alone books in The First Law series before the end of the year. I loved the Trilogy and have heard nothing but great things about the stand alone books.

[pgardn]

Life and times of the

Thunderbolt Kid

by Bill Bryson

I was at my fathers and had not noticed it in his library before. He said good book but dated and I found it absolutely hilarious. Good book for these times.
This guy is an incredibly good writer. I laughed out loud at night and was asked nicely to go into another room. I wish I had grown up during the 50s-60s in the Midwest.

[leemajors]

I read all of James Lee Burke's Robicheaux books, all 23 of them were great.

[koriwhat]

"Stalking Men On Facebook is a 24/7 Job"

[lefty20]

The Expanse was great. Really looking forward to the final book. The show is pretty good as well.

Recently finished The Stand. What a terrible fucking ending. The starting and middle parts were absolutely brilliant, but the ending pretty much ruined the book for me.

About to finish the first book of Licanius Trilogy. I kinda expected more based on the mostly positive reviews this series has garnered. It's just good enough to keep my pique curiosity, but nothing special so far.

[Thread]

The Expanse was great. Really looking forward to the final book. The show is pretty good as well.

Recently finished The Stand. What a terrible fucking ending. The starting and middle parts were absolutely brilliant, but the ending pretty much ruined the book for me.

About to finish the first book of Licanius Trilogy. I kinda expected more based on the mostly positive reviews this series has garnered. It's just good enough to keep my pique curiosity, but nothing special so far.

Was it the extended cut, or, the regular book? Read both versions and much enjoyed the extended one. Read it twice in fact.

[lefty20]

Continued...

The Burning by Evan Winter is a great (ongoing)series. I think this is the only series I've ever read that's based on African culture. Would definitely recommend it.

The Murderbot Diaries is another series that I'd highly recommend. This is the perfect pop-corn sci-fi series.

Loved the Mistborn Era 2 books a lot more than Era 1. Although this is almost entirely due to how bad the pacing is in The Well of Ascension.

The Sun Eater series is a fairly high quality space opera. But I'd only recommend this to those who prefer more of the hard sci-fi genre.

The Sword of Truth series was just awful. I should've DNF'd the series during the 2nd book but my OCD wouldn't let me.

Ready Player Two was a shit show. Again, I should've just DNF'd this one at around 20 pages in but...

[lefty20]

Was it the extended cut, or, the regular book? Read both versions and much enjoyed the extended one. Read it twice in fact.

Extended version. I've never read the original cut.

[Chinook]

Glad to see this thread is back. I read the four books in Jemisin's Inheritance series. You can definitely tell that they are written before Broken Earth. It some of the same artistic flourishes, but it's way less refined and as a result somewhat more distracting. I've read the first six books of The Expanse. I heard the series is a trilogy of trilogies, so I stopped at what I think was a stable place. The Murderbot Diaries was a fun and short series. I know more books are being added, but the first four novellas were basically a full arc. A couple of series I've been interested released second books recently. David Wong put out a sequel to his Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits novel. That was really good, though the first was better. Drew Hayes put out the second Villians' Code book, which I like a bit more. I also read the Mortal Engines and Alterworld series. Both were a mix of good and bad. They were interesting, but ME is such a stupid premise and it often would come up and ruin my immersion, and Alterworld is fascist propaganda that gets worse the longer the series goes on.

[SpursforSix]

The Expanse was great. Really looking forward to the final book. The show is pretty good as well.

Recently finished The Stand. What a terrible fucking ending. The starting and middle parts were absolutely brilliant, but the ending pretty much ruined the book for me.

About to finish the first book of Licanius Trilogy. I kinda expected more based on the mostly positive reviews this series has garnered. It's just good enough to keep my pique curiosity, but nothing special so far.


x2 on the Stand. But you could say the same thing about a ton of King books. Great storytelling until the finish. Then it deus ex machina. I've always thought his best stories were the ones that didn't involve the supernatural.

[leemajors]

I just started Billy Summers.

[leemajors]

Continued...

The Burning by Evan Winter is a great (ongoing)series. I think this is the only series I've ever read that's based on African culture. Would definitely recommend it.

The Murderbot Diaries is another series that I'd highly recommend. This is the perfect pop-corn sci-fi series.

Loved the Mistborn Era 2 books a lot more than Era 1. Although this is almost entirely due to how bad the pacing is in The Well of Ascension.

The Sun Eater series is a fairly high quality space opera. But I'd only recommend this to those who prefer more of the hard sci-fi genre.

The Sword of Truth series was just awful. I should've DNF'd the series during the 2nd book but my OCD wouldn't let me.

Ready Player Two was a shit show. Again, I should've just DNF'd this one at around 20 pages in but...

Sanderson puts books out at a ridiculous pace for how long they are. I am enjoying Stormlight Archive.

[Reck]

Good timing on the name drop.

I just downloaded the entire series of Sanderson's Cosmere books plus the Wheel of Time in audio format. Want to start it sometime this weekend.

[SpursforSix]

I need to get back to reading more. Was hoping to read a book a month but that fell apart after February. I recommend the following:

Killers of the Flower Moon : history of the Comanches (and specifically Quanna Parker) and the conflict they had with the white man. I don’t read much non-fiction but this was incredibly well written and is an easy read. 8/10

Nickel Boys : novel based on true events about a reform school in Florida. Pretty sad but a great book with a little twist at the end (bend over, I’ll give you a twist in the end). Also 8/10

Currently reading Mosquito Coast. Was going to watch the series but then came across the book. Pretty good so far. An inventor moves his family to Honduras. So far, it’s pretty interesting. I’ve never read anything by this author (Paul Theroux) but I like the way he writes and will probably check out some of his other books when I’m done.

[SpursforSix]

I just started Billy Summers.

I wasn’t even aware of this new King book. That’ll be next up for me.

[SpursforSix]

I just started Billy Summers.

How is this? It generally has good reviews but the negatives all mention how it's over the top in attacking Trump. Not that I don't think he earned it but the when I read, I pretty much want to get away from real world shit.

[leemajors]

How is this? It generally has good reviews but the negatives all mention how it's over the top in attacking Trump. Not that I don't think he earned it but the when I read, I pretty much want to get away from real world shit.

I will finish it later, it's good. There are a couple Trump disses, but they are in passing (a half sentence here or there, no rants) just referencing rich pieces of shit. I wouldn't think it was worth a mention, personally. He's never hidden his political leanings.

[SpursforSix]

I will finish it later, it's good. There are a couple Trump disses, but they are in passing (a half sentence here or there, no rants) just referencing rich pieces of shit. I wouldn't think it was worth a mention, personally. He's never hidden his political leanings.

Thanks. I assume that those reviews might have been from pro Trump readers. I don't mind a few mentions. As long as it's the book isn't a diatribe on politics.

[leemajors]

Thanks. I assume that those reviews might have been from pro Trump readers. I don't mind a few mentions. As long as it's the book isn't a diatribe on politics.

Yeah pretty snowflaky.

[leemajors]

The ending was great, FYI.

[lefty20]

Recently came back to the First Law universe after reading the OG Trilogy almost 3 years ago and I've just finished binging my way through all the standalones and Age of Madness books..

WOW!

I'd really forgotten how good JA is at writing interesting characters. Most of his characters are varying degrees of assholes but you can't help but root for them when things get tense. That's just good writing. It's true many of the twists were easy to see coming but they were just executed so well that they took absolutely nothing away from the quality of the ride. And the ride was thrilling all the way through.

By the end of the Age of Madness series I've been thoroughly corrupted by JA.


SPOILERS!!!!!!


Considering how my boy Orso got done drity, I'm straight up backing Team Bayaz in the future books. When he and Hildi comeback to burn down the new Union, I'd be more than happy to douse it in gasoline and hand them the fucking match box.

[leemajors]

Recently came back to the First Law universe after reading the OG Trilogy almost 3 years ago and I've just finished binging my way through all the standalones and Age of Madness books..

WOW!

I'd really forgotten how good JA is at writing interesting characters. Most of his characters are varying degrees of assholes but you can't help but root for them when things get tense. That's just good writing. It's true many of the twists were easy to see coming but they were just executed so well that they took absolutely nothing away from the quality of the ride. And the ride was thrilling all the way through.

By the end of the Age of Madness series I've been thoroughly corrupted by JA.


SPOILERS!!!!!!


Considering how my boy Orso got done drity, I'm straight up backing Team Bayaz in the future books. When he and Hildi comeback to burn down the new Union, I'd be more than happy to douse it in gasoline and hand them the fucking match box.

I really liked the books of those I read. I am reading Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache books, they are excellent.

[lefty20]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a-k6eaT-jQ

This mf is straight crazy, but I'll allow it.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dragonsteel/surprise-four-secret-novels-by-brandon-sanderson?ref=section-homepage-projectcollection-3-staff-picks-newest

[leemajors]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a-k6eaT-jQ

This mf is straight crazy, but I'll allow it.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dragonsteel/surprise-four-secret-novels-by-brandon-sanderson?ref=section-homepage-projectcollection-3-staff-picks-newest

Mormons write at a ridiculous pace, tbh. I wonder when we will get the new Stormlight Archive.

[lefty20]

Mormons write at a ridiculous pace, tbh. I wonder when we will get the new Stormlight Archive.

Prolly in mid/late 2024. We've got the final novel Mistborn era 2 coming out in November this year. I'm guessing he'll start working on SLA 5 after he's done refining/editing these 4 new books.

[SpursforSix]

I just started Billy Summers.

This was very good. Seems like it would be perfect for a series.
Was going to start the Inspector Gamache series but decided to start reading King's, Later.
Only a few chapters in but enjoying it. Seems like it's going to be a quick read.

[leemajors]

This was very good. Seems like it would be perfect for a series.
Was going to start the Inspector Gamache series but decided to start reading King's, Later.
Only a few chapters in but enjoying it. Seems like it's going to be a quick read.

I'll check that one out, thanks!

[lefty20]

Finished Liveship Traders Trilogy over the weekend. It was mentally exhausting, but fantastic at the same time.
Robin Hobb's characterization is simply top notch.
It's a bit wild that her Elderlings saga doesn't qualify as "grimdark" on technical aspect of lacking amoral or morally ambiguous protagonist/characters. Cuz the world she pens is definitely grim af and she also puts her characters through some real dark shit.


Read Troy Saga by David Gemmell and really loved that series as well.
Historical/Mythological retelling can be tricky because the readers already know how it ends but David managed to make this one pretty hard to put down.


I'm also going through Discworld books in the publishing order and most have really great.
Reaper Man, Small Gods and Men at Arms are prolly my favorite so far. These books are perfect to sneak in between heavier reads.


Green Boone Saga by Fonda Lee is another fantastic series.
The first book was average at best, but the 2nd and 3rd really knocked it outta the park for me.
The setting is quite unique as well. It's like the 70/80s Urban Fantasy within a Mafia/Yakuza family.


Raven's Blade Duology by Anthony Ryan was all-right.
While it was definitely a step up from the disastrous book 2 & 3 of Raven's Shadow books, it still fell short of high bar set by Blood Song.


Cradle by Will Wight is pretty good YA Progression Fantasy.
It's a perfect series to burn through when you need something light as an adult.
Also a good recommendation for middle school kids, nephews or nieces in the family.