Just finished reading Game of Thromes part 3 ( A Storm of Swords) soooo good. So many incredible things happened right up to the end. Wanted to keep reading. But I think i"m gonna take a little break from GoT. Between reading the first three books, watching the first three season, seeing each episode multiple times... the last couple years of my life have been overflowing with GoT. So I'm probably going to take a break of 6 months or more before I start the next one.
I claimed I was going to take a break after finishing each GoT book, never lasted more than a few days before I found myself diving into the next one.
Did you read them before the show started? I think have the show around will allow me to stay away for a while. I have all the books, but I also have many other books I need to dive into.
I often try to force myself to wait on these things. I highly doubt I'm going to read them again, so once I read them... its over, ya know? I do it with TV shows that I have on DVD or blu ray. Sure, I COULD watch Homeland all in one weekend, or I could space it out and give myself time to enjoy it, thinking about it, think about what happened next.
I saw the first episode of the TV show and then immediately read all the books. I was done by the time season 2 started. So I did and did not have the show while I was reading.
I'm about 3/4ths of the way through Superman: The Unauthorized Biography by Glen Weldon, a reviewer and writer for, among other places, NPR.com. It's a fun read. Maybe nothing too surprising in there if you know a lot about the history of Superman, but Weldon's a good writer and he makes things interesting. If you've ever read any of his comics articles on the NPR blog Monkey See or enjoy his comments on the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, you'll dig this.
Just finished reading "Game of Thrones and Philosophy" pretty good companion type book to the show/books. Also finished reading Batman: Hush. Got the trade for Christmas. Read it when it first came out years ago, but gave away many, many comics since then. Got the trade. Still liked it.
Currently reading "Do androids dream of electric sheep" REALLY like it so far.
Currently reading James Ellroy's first novel, Brown's Requiem. I've read a lot of his stuff, but not all of it, so when Amazon offered this cheap for Kindle a while ago I got it with the intention of reading everything in order.
It's clearly a first novel. There's glimpses of the stuff that makes later works like LA Confidential and American Tabloid so good, but so far it reads like a standard detective novel, but with a few more interesting touches than you'd get from more generic books in the genre.
Currently reading James Ellroy's first novel, Brown's Requiem. I've read a lot of his stuff, but not all of it, so when Amazon offered this cheap for Kindle a while ago I got it with the intention of reading everything in order.
It's clearly a first novel. There's glimpses of the stuff that makes later works like LA Confidential and American Tabloid so good, but so far it reads like a standard detective novel, but with a few more interesting touches than you'd get from more generic books in the genre.
I took the same journey with Ellroy's stuff. Just read 'em as I found 'em.
Tempted to start the first GoT novel. But I plan on waiting till Martin finishes the series. If he ever does. I already waited 4 and 5 years between novels when reading King's Dark Tower series. And I don't feel like doing that again.
So instead I read Lights on Quests Mountain by Mary L. Kirchoff and James M. Ward. This is the 12th book in the old D&D Endless Quest series of Choose your own adventure style books. Got it from my local library for 25 cents.
Just finished Pete Towshends autobiography, "Who I am". A good, insightful read, but for my money, not a patch on Joe Jacksons memior "A cure for gravity".
Wrapped up Surrender to the Will of the Night by Glen Cook. It's the third book in his Instrumentalities of the Night series. I enjoyed it, but think that it suffered a bit as a result of the gap between my read of the first and second volumes and this one. The series seems to be set in an alternate Europe (different names and places, but political structures seem to be close) during the crusades. Magic exists, to a limited extent. Gunpowder is starting to be utilized, though availability of weapons and powder are limited and use is largely limited to fighting Night critters. I liked it and will continue to read pretty much anything that Cook puts on the shelf. My one exception is the Garrett, P.I. books. Urban fantasy is not my cuppa.
I'm now mid-way through Old Man's War by John Scalzi. So far, it's entertaining, but it has yet to brush anything close to Forever War or Starship Troopers as far as quality.
I started reading China Miéville’s Railsea on the flight back from Denver. It’s Moby-Dick with trains, with a bit of 1950s giant monster movie concepts and a treasure hunt thrown in. It's fast-paced and very enjoyable so far.
Wrapped up Old Man's War. Really enjoyed it overall. It's not a particularly deep book, but I don't think that it tries to be. Will definitely be picking up more of Scalzi's work to try.
Now I'm working on Patrick Rothfuss' second book, Wise Man's Fear. 200 pages in and enjoying it.
couldn't put down Ready Player One loved the juxtaposition of old pop culture references and new world virtual reality technology. Quick read w/the Kindle app..
Comic-Con and the business of pop culture by Rob Salkowitz
My Uncle sent me this book earlier this year after he went to San Diego Comic fest. And really I wasn't impressed by the book. Nothing in it is new info for anyone that has been into comics for years. Plus there is quite a few errors,stuff that the author could have easily caught.
Helltown by Dennis O'neil
This is a novelization of the first 10 issues or so of the 80s "The Question" comic. Really well done and a fast read. Seems this is out of print and will run you around 10 bucks at the cheapest. But if you are a fan of the Question it is worth tracking down.
Urban Gothic by Brian Keene
5th or 6th novel by Keene I have read. This was kind of meh. Read like a average mid 80s b-level horror film. If you like horror and find this cheap grab it. But don't pay more than 2 bucks for it.
Following in other games footprints, Privateer Press has released digital novellas and novels set in the Iron Kingdoms/Warmachine/Hordes setting. It's fantasy in an industrial revolution type world, so it has some nice steampunk stuff to it as well.
Downloaded all them yesterday, going to start on them tonight.
My FUBS (Favorite Used Book Store) had pretty much EVERY book by Chuck Palaniuk on the shelf (except Pygmy) so I've scooped them all up and am going to have a "Summer of Chuck".
Already read: Haunted - I fucking love this book. Short stories are great, but the way he goes about presenting them and weaving them into an overall narrative. Books like this piss me off because I'll never be that bloody creative but I also love them because they show me it can be done.
Snuff - Everything you never wanted to know about porn but were afraid you'd find out anyhow. Disturbingly humorous and sick ending. Somehow they're making a movie out of this with Tom Sizemore and Darryl Hannah...I can't wait to see how they pull this off.
Damned - A Judy Blume book about going to Hell and discovering yourself. That's totally an accurate description of it. Difficult to get a handle on the main character (I don't know many 13-year old girls who say "Ye Gods"...even geeky ones), but the concept and overall storyline made it well worth the read.
Currently reading: Fight Club - Saw the movie. Loved the movie. Hard to read the book without picturing Pitt, Norton and Carter in their respective roles. Doesn't make it any less enjoyable. But I should be talking about fight club. That's rule #1 and #2, y'know. :)
It's on the stack...I have all of them except Pygmy. I'll move it up after Fight Club - I think I'll go pretty much in order from here on out so it's either Survivor or Invisible Monsters next.
I've read Fight Club, Choke, Lullaby and Invisible Monsters. I was in my early 20's at UGA and loved them. I've read Fight Club a few times, but other than snippets I can't remember a thing about his other books. Palahniuk writes great literature for college-aged guys. I don't mean for that to sound like I'm belittling his writing because I really feel that his work hits the identity issues that GenX and GenY feel (to very disturbing and extreme levels). Every guy in his early 20s should read some Chuck Palahniuk and Hunter S Thompson.
Wrapped up Patrick Rothfuss' Wise Men's Fears. The series has an interesting structure. Lead character is basically narrating his memoir. Much of it is day-in-the-life sort of stuff that occurs while he's at University and the friendships and rivalries that he develops, but at the same time, it delves into a greater mystery, some fantasy adventure and explores how his legend came to be. Interludes throughout the book bring the story up to the character's present day and seem to be advancing the story toward it's ultimate culmination.
Overall, I continue to enjoy the series and will look forward to the next one.
Next up: John Scalzi's Ghost Brigade and Ian Cameron Esslemont's Blood and Bone.
Nothing else was really grabbing my interest, so I decided to reread Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, and now I'm thinking it'll probably be a Vonnegut Summer, where everything is beautiful and nothing hurts until, at last, it comes to an end. So it goes. :D
Nothing else was really grabbing my interest, so I decided to reread Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, and now I'm thinking it'll probably be a Vonnegut Summer, where everything is beautiful and nothing hurts until, at last, it comes to an end. So it goes. :D
Not afraid to visit the weird private world of Frank.
“All our lives are symbols. Everything we do is part of a pattern we have at least some say in. The strong make their own patterns and influence other people's, the weak have their courses mapped out for them. The weak and the unlucky, and the stupid.”
Comments
Currently reading "Do androids dream of electric sheep" REALLY like it so far.
It's clearly a first novel. There's glimpses of the stuff that makes later works like LA Confidential and American Tabloid so good, but so far it reads like a standard detective novel, but with a few more interesting touches than you'd get from more generic books in the genre.
So instead I read Lights on Quests Mountain by Mary L. Kirchoff and James M. Ward. This is the 12th book in the old D&D Endless Quest series of Choose your own adventure style books. Got it from my local library for 25 cents.
Incredible story!
I'm now mid-way through Old Man's War by John Scalzi. So far, it's entertaining, but it has yet to brush anything close to Forever War or Starship Troopers as far as quality.
Now I'm working on Patrick Rothfuss' second book, Wise Man's Fear. 200 pages in and enjoying it.
My Uncle sent me this book earlier this year after he went to San Diego Comic fest. And really I wasn't impressed by the book. Nothing in it is new info for anyone that has been into comics for years. Plus there is quite a few errors,stuff that the author could have easily caught.
Helltown by Dennis O'neil
This is a novelization of the first 10 issues or so of the 80s "The Question" comic. Really well done and a fast read. Seems this is out of print and will run you around 10 bucks at the cheapest. But if you are a fan of the Question it is worth tracking down.
Urban Gothic by Brian Keene
5th or 6th novel by Keene I have read. This was kind of meh. Read like a average mid 80s b-level horror film. If you like horror and find this cheap grab it. But don't pay more than 2 bucks for it.
Downloaded all them yesterday, going to start on them tonight.
Already read:
Haunted - I fucking love this book. Short stories are great, but the way he goes about presenting them and weaving them into an overall narrative. Books like this piss me off because I'll never be that bloody creative but I also love them because they show me it can be done.
Snuff - Everything you never wanted to know about porn but were afraid you'd find out anyhow. Disturbingly humorous and sick ending. Somehow they're making a movie out of this with Tom Sizemore and Darryl Hannah...I can't wait to see how they pull this off.
Damned - A Judy Blume book about going to Hell and discovering yourself. That's totally an accurate description of it. Difficult to get a handle on the main character (I don't know many 13-year old girls who say "Ye Gods"...even geeky ones), but the concept and overall storyline made it well worth the read.
Currently reading:
Fight Club - Saw the movie. Loved the movie. Hard to read the book without picturing Pitt, Norton and Carter in their respective roles. Doesn't make it any less enjoyable. But I should be talking about fight club. That's rule #1 and #2, y'know. :)
Palahniuk writes great literature for college-aged guys. I don't mean for that to sound like I'm belittling his writing because I really feel that his work hits the identity issues that GenX and GenY feel (to very disturbing and extreme levels). Every guy in his early 20s should read some Chuck Palahniuk and Hunter S Thompson.
Just finished the Thrawn Triliogy as well on audio book and I must say DAMN
Overall, I continue to enjoy the series and will look forward to the next one.
Next up: John Scalzi's Ghost Brigade and Ian Cameron Esslemont's Blood and Bone.
I remember the book very fondly, and am curious as to how well it has aged.
Not afraid to visit the weird private world of Frank.