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The Official Novel Thread -What Are You Reading?

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  • chriswchrisw Posts: 792

    As for Wild Cards, I remember that series from the 80's, but really thought it ran out of steam around the 6th book. I also love that DC blatantly stole the "super hero gene" idea that was in the book, although they didn't use the alien virus part of it. I keep meaning to reread it, but it just never quite leaps to the top of my reading pile. How are the new novels?
    I don't recall what book it was, but by the time they had characters going off into space, it felt so far removed from the basic concept that made the first few books so great that I soon found myself losing interest. I'm kind of keeping my expectations low if I get to the new books.

    But I was addicted to those first few books. I don't recall much of what I read in high school and college with a lot of clarity, but for some reason a lot of those stories really stuck with me. I suspect that in re-reading them, they may not hold up to my memories.
  • dubbat138dubbat138 Posts: 3,200

    As for Wild Cards, I remember that series from the 80's, but really thought it ran out of steam around the 6th book. I also love that DC blatantly stole the "super hero gene" idea that was in the book, although they didn't use the alien virus part of it. I keep meaning to reread it, but it just never quite leaps to the top of my reading pile. How are the new novels?
    I don't recall what book it was, but by the time they had characters going off into space, it felt so far removed from the basic concept that made the first few books so great that I soon found myself losing interest. I'm kind of keeping my expectations low if I get to the new books.

    But I was addicted to those first few books. I don't recall much of what I read in high school and college with a lot of clarity, but for some reason a lot of those stories really stuck with me. I suspect that in re-reading them, they may not hold up to my memories.

    I will agree there is some of the wild cards novels that arent taht good. The one with the group of aces and jokers doing the world tour is one I have never cared for much. As far as the new novels ,I really enjoyed "Inside Straight". It is about a reality show that is a game show with aces. "Fort Freak" looks to be interesting. It is set in a police station in new york where most of the staff is either aces or jokers.
  • dubbat138dubbat138 Posts: 3,200
    Read 1 1/2 books today.

    "Adventures in babysitting" by Elizabeth Faucher

    I had this same books years ago. Got it at the school book fair. So recently a friend got a copy and sent it to me as an early birthday present. And as a kids adaptation of a slightly above average 80s comedy it is a pretty good read. Plus since it is 140 pages it is a super quick read.

    "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Halloween Rain" by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder

    Only about half way through this book so far. But it captures the feel of the tv show perfectly.
  • I just read "Storm Front" based on the recommendations of this forum and loved it. The prose was a bit bland and derivative for my taste but the plot, continuity and uniqueness made me dig it. I am sucker for a good detective series and am excited to have a new one to get through.

    I also just finished "All the Kings Men" by Robert Penn Warren and loved it. I try to read a few classics a year and I am a political junkie so this was perfect. It is amazing how old and boring these classics seemed when I was a kid. Now I realize their is a reason classics become classics. Absolutely wonderful read.
  • dubbat138dubbat138 Posts: 3,200
    I just read "Storm Front" based on the recommendations of this forum and loved it. The prose was a bit bland and derivative for my taste but the plot, continuity and uniqueness made me dig it. I am sucker for a good detective series and am excited to have a new one to get through.

    That is the first of the series right? The first few books are just good,but it really improves later in the series. Word of advice try your best to avoid all spoilers about any of the books you haven't read.
  • brydeemerbrydeemer Posts: 216
    I just finished "Star Wars: New Jedi Order - Star By Star" and now I'm on to "A Distant Mirror".

    Bry
  • JGalaJGala Posts: 19
    I'm glad to see so many GRRM fans in here or to be precise, A Song of Ice & Fire.
    Currently going through A Storm of Swords (just got my hands on it yesterday).
    I LOVED book 2, and I'm picky about the editions I get for my book collection so I waited awhile to find the edition of my desire.

    I just finished Hannibal by Thomas Harris and Hart Crane's complete poetry (all recommended if you haven't already read).
  • chriswchrisw Posts: 792
    I will agree there is some of the wild cards novels that arent taht good. The one with the group of aces and jokers doing the world tour is one I have never cared for much. As far as the new novels ,I really enjoyed "Inside Straight". It is about a reality show that is a game show with aces. "Fort Freak" looks to be interesting. It is set in a police station in new york where most of the staff is either aces or jokers.
    I remember at the time thinking the world trip was the last of the early books that at least felt connected to the original concept of different writers each contributing a short story that formed a larger one, that also explored what it would be like to have superpowers in the real world. After that, the stories seemed much more driven by a single plot-line, so my enjoyment rested more on how much I cared about that particular plot.

    That first book was so great, I think the later ones just had a hard time living up to it.
  • dubbat138dubbat138 Posts: 3,200
    I'm glad to see so many GRRM fans in here or to be precise, A Song of Ice & Fire.
    Currently going through A Storm of Swords (just got my hands on it yesterday).
    I LOVED book 2, and I'm picky about the editions I get for my book collection so I waited awhile to find the edition of my desire.

    I just finished Hannibal by Thomas Harris and Hart Crane's complete poetry (all recommended if you haven't already read).

    So far the only GRRM I have read has been in the Wild Cards series. Gonna wait till SoI&F is finished before starting to read it.
  • WetRatsWetRats Posts: 6,314
    Next on deck:

    Death of Kings by Bernard Cornwell.
    I love Bernard Cornwell's books. I've read 3 of the Sharpe series and one of the Saxon books. I also read Agincort which was awesome.

    Bry
    Finally finished slogging through the Godwin book and am reading Cornwell. What a difference! I've never read anyone who writes better combat.

    @brydeemer, I highly recommend his Arthur trilogy.
  • John_SteedJohn_Steed Posts: 2,087
    "Watership Down" by Richard Adams

    I have seen the movie decades ago - meant to read the book since then - now I finally do.....

  • QuinQuestionQuinQuestion Posts: 130
    I just bought the first 4 books of the Dark Tower Series. I read the first 2 in high school and I figured I should get back to it. I just finished reading Super Gods by Grant Morrison.
  • Eric_CEric_C Posts: 263
    I'm just starting 1776 by David McCullough. I am really excited for this one
  • edited May 2012
    I just read "Storm Front" based on the recommendations of this forum and loved it. The prose was a bit bland and derivative for my taste but the plot, continuity and uniqueness made me dig it. I am sucker for a good detective series and am excited to have a new one to get through.
    I haven't been reading for a long time and so I decided to jump in and see how different it was from the series. It got me to pick up the next two books at the library. Sorry, not ready to plonk down my hard earned yet, and I guess that is a comment in itself.
    I just finished "Star Wars: New Jedi Order - Star By Star" and now I'm on to "A Distant Mirror".

    Bry
    I remember reading that series a few years ago. I essentially read all the books in order one after the other and got a sense of the entire war. I think it was about 20 books for that series alone. @brydeemer, What do you think of the invasion?

    I think it is interesting that so many different authors outside comics can write a continuous series that seems to flow together well.
  • Amalgam_ManAmalgam_Man Posts: 53
    I'm waiting for A Memory of Light, from Jordan/Sanderson. I love this series and am sad to see it come to an end. It is also sad that Jordan isn't here to see it to the conclusion.
  • Michael777Michael777 Posts: 15
    I've recently started reading "prince of Thorns" by Mark lawrence. Rather underwhelmed so far... hope it picks up soon. the whole point seems to be to illustrate that the protagonist is gritty and cold. Meh.
  • DARDAR Posts: 1,128
    I have about 40 pages to go in The Girl Who Played With Fire. After that I'll start The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest to finish out the series.
  • kgforcekgforce Posts: 326
    edited May 2012
    I just finished up the Hunger Games trilogy this weekend (liked the first two, didn't care for the third book).

    Started reading The King Raven Trilogy (Hood, Scarlet and Tuck) by Stephen Lawhead.

    I'm a big fan of Stephen Lawhead, but haven't read any of his stuff in recent years, so I'm trying to catch up.

    I really loved his Arthurian take in the Pendragon Cycle series (Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, Grail).
  • dubbat138dubbat138 Posts: 3,200
    I just finished up the Hunger Games trilogy this weekend (liked the first two, didn't care for the third book).

    Started reading The King Raven Trilogy (Hood, Scarlet and Tuck) by Stephen Lawhead.

    I'm a big fan of Stephen Lawhead, but haven't read any of his stuff in recent years, so I'm trying to catch up.

    I really loved his Arthurian take in the Pendragon Cycle series (Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, Grail).

    I read the Hunger Games trilogy a month or so ago,and loved teh first two books. But thought the third one was badly paced and not well written.
  • brydeemerbrydeemer Posts: 216
    I just started reading "The Price of Freedom (Pirates of the Caribbean)" by A.C. Crispin.

    She kicked ass on the Han Solo trilogy, so I'm hoping this is a decent read.

    Bry
  • DARDAR Posts: 1,128
    I just started reading "The Price of Freedom (Pirates of the Caribbean)" by A.C. Crispin.

    She kicked ass on the Han Solo trilogy, so I'm hoping this is a decent read.

    Bry
    So does it tie into the films?
  • Third Dresden Files novel, Grave Peril, now under my belt. I read through it really quick and don't really remember it. Shows just how much it got my interest. Seemed a bit jumpy plot wise. I'll continue the series just to see how it goes... I love public libraries
  • brydeemerbrydeemer Posts: 216
    So does it tie into the films?
    It's the origin story of Jack Sparrow.

    Bry

  • DARDAR Posts: 1,128
    I'll have to check that out, though I kind of liked some of the mystery behind the character.
  • I'll have to check that out, though I kind of liked some of the mystery behind the character.
    Thing about mysteries is you know they can be spoiled. Perhaps it is just better to leave him as he is and do new adventures. There doesn't have to be an origin for him. He could just be an eccentric pirate.
  • DesertHermitDesertHermit Posts: 80
    edited May 2012
    I'm re-reading Neal Stephenson's 'Quicksilver' for the third time.
    It's the first volume in a HUGE three book series.
    I recommend the series (The Baroque Cycle) to everyone I know who reads, but no one has ever taken me up on it. I suppose I get it; they are tremendously long books.
    But I genuinely believe they're three of the best books in modern literary history.
  • brydeemerbrydeemer Posts: 216
    I'm re-reading Neal Stephenson's 'Quicksilver' for the third time.
    It's the first volume in a HUGE three book series.
    I recommend the series (The Baroque Cycle) to everyone I know who reads, but no one has ever taken me up on it. I suppose I get it; they are tremendously long books.
    But I genuinely believe they're three of the best books in modern literary history.
    I read "Quicksilver" and wasn't that impressed. I loved "Cryptonomicon". That was a fantastic book.

    Bry
  • tommysheroestommysheroes Posts: 174
    I'm re-reading Neal Stephenson's 'Quicksilver' for the third time.
    It's the first volume in a HUGE three book series.
    I recommend the series (The Baroque Cycle) to everyone I know who reads, but no one has ever taken me up on it. I suppose I get it; they are tremendously long books.
    But I genuinely believe they're three of the best books in modern literary history.
    That's a bold claim, my interest is piqued. How about a longer review of why it's worth ready this lengthy tome.
  • SteevenSteeven Posts: 215
    Finished The Wind Through the Keyhole (A Dark Tower Book) by Stephen King last night.

    I have no idea what I'm going to read next.

    It's been a while since I read the original Dragonlance trilogy ... maybe.
  • dubbat138dubbat138 Posts: 3,200
    Finished The Wind Through the Keyhole (A Dark Tower Book) by Stephen King last night.

    I have no idea what I'm going to read next.

    It's been a while since I read the original Dragonlance trilogy ... maybe.
    I have been putting off reading The Wind through the Keyhole. Mainly cause I am worried it is gonna suck.

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