What are you reading right now?

[Scholes]

I just finished up Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon and enjoyed it immensely. Others I've recently finished are Rabbit is Rich from John Updike, Life is Elsewhere by Milan Kundera and A Season with Verona by Tim Parks.

I liked them all, and was looking for another book to get going on and thought I'd get some suggestions.

I read pretty much everything, but I guess fiction "with a message" i.e: Atlas Shrugged or Infinite Jest would be my favorite kind of novel.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[scooper]

Front Office Football Central's General Discussion board.

[Ksyrup]

Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All-Time.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Grant Comes East, the second Civil War fiction from Newt Gingrich/William Forstchen.

Just finished Teeth of the Tiger, Tom Clancy's introduction of Jack Ryan, Jr. as his a central character.

[cthomer5000]

A thread titled "What are you reading right now?"

[wade moore]

In Cold Blood By Truman Capote. An older book obviously, but it is very good so far (about 3/4 through)

[Samdari]

Front Office Football Central's General Discussion board.

Wow, the wiseass answer in the first post.

Nice work.

[QuikSand]

I still have a copy of Infinite Jest lying around somewhere... I never built up momentum to start reading it.

My last book was James Lee Burke's Last Car to Elysian Fields - the latest in his series of very good, very literary detective novels. Not exactly what you're looking for, I understand, but I recommend Burke generally.

[SplitPersonality1]

Just finished Thr3e by Ted Dekker. Very good book. I'm not sure what I am going to read next. I will probably peruse sachmo's "Books" dynasty to get a few ideas.

[Draft Dodger]

just finished James Patterson's Along Came a Spider. Moving on now to Kiss the Girls. in spare time, also working through Learning Perl

[albionmoonlight]

Though you've probably already read it, I am in the middle of re-reading Catch-22 right now. It sounds right up your alley.

Kurt Vonnegutt may also be a good option for you, though he is a bit lighter than some of the stuff that you mention. His two best are Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five. Jailbird is nice if you are looking to build up an intellectual and spiritual liberal lather during this election season.

[albionmoonlight]

dola--and I think that you would really enjoy Lolita if you have not read it yet. FWIW, I got much more enjoyment out of the annotated version than I would have out of the unannotated.

[cthomer5000]

I can second the Vonnegut recommendations (Cat's Cradle, Slaughterhouse Five), and of course Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (my favorite book ever, hands down), although most people read it at some point in high scool.

Any here ever read the book Ishamel?

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Just started American Soldier the semi autobiography (has a co-author) of General Tommy Franks. It's pretty good so far and I am looking forward to finishing it. I'm also reading Moneyball by Michael Lewis - but that's more work than fun reading. My fun reading, or should I say re-reading (for the third time) is The Federalist Papers.

Of course, this is all in my spare time..of which I have none lately.

[Glengoyne]

Just finished: "The five people you meet in Heaven" -- Mitch Albom

Awaiting from Amazon "Something Rotten: A Thursday Next Mystery" -- Jasper Forde
I heard about this on NPR. The author gave a fairly humorous interview, and read a section of a more recent book where Hamlet is placed in a Starbucks. He rambles on for hald of a page, while putting off making a decision.

[Pumpy Tudors]

The label on a bottle of Tums.

Don't pig out on chocolate chip cookies at 2:30am. :(

[SirFozzie]

Chievo Vaffanculo~!

The new World of Darkness RPG book, and the Vampire the Requiem book.. what can I say, I'm a RPG addict :)

[albionmoonlight]

Just finished: Awaiting from Amazon "Something Rotten: A Thursday Next Mystery" -- Jasper Forde

I heard about this on NPR. The author gave a fairly humorous interview, and read a section of a more recent book where Hamlet is placed in a Starbucks. He rambles on for hald of a page, while putting off making a decision.
My wife loved his Thursday Next novel, "The Eyre Affair." It was not really my cup of tea overall, though it had some really funny moments.

[mauchow]

Sole Survivor by Dean Koontz..

[MacroGuru]

Chievo Vaffanculo~!

The new World of Darkness RPG book, and the Vampire the Requiem book.. what can I say, I'm a RPG addict :)
I was majorly into Vampire years ago, loved it...in fact, my AIM name is my clan and character name for an online PBEM I played in years ago.

Anyways,

I am reading The Kings Buccaneer by Raymond E Feist - I am in my yearly cycle of all the FEIST books, however, I am growing bored and may move to a new one.

And at work, I am going through an ASP.NET book, as I moved forward into doing more and more web dev.

Anyways, I will keep my eye on this thread as I always write some of these books down to check out.

[gstelmack]

Just finished a re-read of "Footfall" by Pournelle and Niven, and am now on a re-read of "The Legacy of Heorot" by Pournelle, Niven, and Barnes. Gotta love used bookstores where you can re-find classics you've lost or misplaced ;)

I also just picked up Steve McConnell's "Code Complete 2nd Edition". I never read the first, figured it was about time. That will be my at-work "while a compile is running" reading when I've caught up with FOFC...

[SirFozzie]

I want to re-read the Janissaries series by Pournelle, especially since I think Eric Flint will be doing the next book in the series..

[gstelmack]

I want to re-read the Janissaries series by Pournelle, especially since I think Eric Flint will be doing the next book in the series..
Stop the presses: series? I've read "Janissaries", but I did not realise there was more than one. Do you have titles?

[Galaril]

I am reading George RR Martin's Game of thrones the first book in his eries .Great book.It reminds me alittle of Tolkien minus the elves and fantasy elements WHICH IS ALOT .Anyone else finish reading his fire an dice series books?

[Franklinnoble]

The August '04 issue of Juggs.

[Ksyrup]

Franklinnoble and I are head-to-head for first place in this competition.

[cthomer5000]

The label on a bottle of Tums.

Don't pig out on chocolate chip cookies at 2:30am. :(
were you drunk on your newfound poker prowess? ;)

[SirFozzie]

Stop the presses: series? I've read "Janissaries", but I did not realise there was more than one. Do you have titles?

Janissaries
Clan and Crown
Storms of Victory

(the 2nd and third books were released as a single book under "Tran" I believe)

[Alf]

Aasimov Foundation (actually , that is a re-read since I got out of new books options))

[Radii]

Da Vinci Code. Good book so far, will probably finish it tonight.

[Bee]

I am reading George RR Martin's Game of thrones the first book in his eries .Great book.It reminds me alittle of Tolkien minus the elves and fantasy elements WHICH IS ALOT .Anyone else finish reading his fire an dice series books?

I've read all the ones that are out. One of the best fantasy series I've ever read. I've been a little concerned it might start dragging on forever like the Wheel of Time series from Robert Jordan but so far so good.

[JeeberD]

Currently re-reading (for the umpteenth time) The Wastelands, book three of the Dark Tower series...

[bbor]

How to make love like a pron star....by Jenna Jameson..

No i am not kidding...it actually is a quite interesting read.

Very fluffy(scuse the pun) but a good time killer.

[3ric]

I am reading George RR Martin's Game of thrones the first book in his eries .Great book.It reminds me alittle of Tolkien minus the elves and fantasy elements WHICH IS ALOT .Anyone else finish reading his fire an dice series books?
Ditto, I'm reading that book too. Great read so far.

[sachmo71]

Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All-Time.


K,

Did you read Sound of the Beast? Saw it at Half Price, and had it in my hands, but put it down for more sci-fi.

[gstelmack]

Janissaries
Clan and Crown
Storms of Victory

(the 2nd and third books were released as a single book under "Tran" I believe)
Thanks. Now I have to go hunt those down...

[sachmo71]

I am reading George RR Martin's Game of thrones the first book in his eries .Great book.It reminds me alittle of Tolkien minus the elves and fantasy elements WHICH IS ALOT .Anyone else finish reading his fire an dice series books?

Yes, but the series is not finshed.


MORE PAGES. STILL NOT DONE. ALAS, ALAS.

I have been getting lots of email lately asking for an update on the progress of A FEAST FOR CROWS. Here it is. I aim to please.

I have been getting even more email asking if the latest publication date announced by one bookstore or another is correct. It isn't. I don't even care what date it is. I am still writing the book. Until it is done and delivered, all these announced pubdates are arrived at by throwing darts at a calendar.

As I have been saying for a year, the moment the book is done I will announce it here. The instant. The second. So if you visit this website, and this notice is still in place, it means I'm still writing. That remains as true in June as it was in January. Yes, I have been slow in updating this announcement, but believe me, I will not be slow to tell the world that my FEAST is headed for the table.

For whatever reason, this fourth book has given me much more trouble than any of the earlier volumes. As of today, I have finished forty-eight chapters, and have another eighteen partially written. Half a dozen of them are within a few whiskers of completion. The good news is that I have recently completed the final Jaime chapter for this volume. I'm very close on Arya and Sansa too, and fairly close on Tyrion. The not-so-good news is that all the other viewpoints remain incomplete, and one crucial one is barely half-done. The prologue is giving me fits as well, but as of last night I think I may have solved it.

The last printout I did for my editors (who are even more interested in my progress than my readers) came in at 1067 manuscript pages. That count includes includes only the finished chapters, not the partials. The final draft of A GAME OF THRONES was 1088 manuscript pages. A FEAST FOR CROWS will definitely be longer. Most likely it will be longer than A CLASH OF KINGS. As to whether it will eventually be as long as A STORM OF SWORDS... I hope not, but I have given up on making predictions.

The tale grew in the telling, J.R.R. Tolkien once said. Mine too. At a certain point, the best that you can do is follow your story where it leads you.

The vast majority of the email that I receive continues to be very supportive. I do not have the time to respond to all those letters, or to answer questions about why the seasons are the way they are, how the maesters make their chains, which of the Targaryen kings married their sisters, or where Myr is located in relation to Tyrosh (there will be a map of the Free Cities in FEAST that should take of that last one at least). If I did, my progress would be even slower than it is at present. I do read my emails, however, and I appreciate all the enthusiasm and kind words.

Of late, some of the words I have been getting have been less kind. I don't answer those either, though at times I am tempted. I will say, just to set some rumors straight, that I am not dead, I am not dying, I am not in ill health, I have not forgotten about my readers, and I am not lounging in my hot tub drinking chilled wine with hot babes in bikinis (though I'd like to be). I have been working on this bloody book almost every bloody day (okay, except for Sundays during football season and the two days of the NFL draft) for more years than I care to contemplate, writing, rewriting, revising, and writing again, trying to make FEAST a feast in truth.

As for those of you (only a handful, thankfully) who seem outraged that I continue to collect toy knights, read books by other people, travel, teach, speak, and make appearances (as evidenced by my website)... sorry, but I have a life beyond A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. You should get one too. I am sorry if the long delays on A FEAST FOR CROWS have made you lose interest in the series, but believe me, your frustrations cannot possibly hold a candle to my own. For one thing, the way the book biz works, I don't get paid until the novel is (a) delivered, and (b) published.

It is worth remembering that Jack Vance published the third volume of his wonderful Demon Prince series (THE PALACE OF LOVE) in 1967 and the fourth volume (THE FACE) in 1979. And need I mention how long J.R.R. Tolkien worked on THE LORD OF THE RINGS or THE SILMARILLION? Does anyone now wish that he had knocked them out faster?

In the end, the only thing anyone remembers about a book is how good it was. I won't tell you that A FEAST FOR CROWS is going to be great. That's not my call to make. But I will say that I am doing my damndest.

Hang in there. I'll try to make you glad you did.


—George R.R. Martin, June 16, 2004


Grrr.

[Cringer]

Not in a "heavy" reading mode right now. I am working y way through King's Dark Tower series again, maybe read the Stand again after that, unless i feel some push towards some new or heavier stuff

[Glengoyne]

I am reading George RR Martin's Game of thrones the first book in his eries .Great book.It reminds me alittle of Tolkien minus the elves and fantasy elements WHICH IS ALOT .Anyone else finish reading his fire an dice series books?
This is a great series. The fourth book is nearing completion, and I can barely wait.

This has the chance to become my favorite fantasy series. At one time I felt that Robert Jordan had surpassed The Lord of the Rings with his Wheel of time series, but it has now spiraled out of control. I have now learned my lesson, and will reserve judgement until this venture is complete.

Oh I also would advise you to avoid any type of spoiler information, because there are some pretty big events that should be experience through your own surprise. Don't cheat yourself.

[markprior22]

Just finished Deception Point by Dan Brown. Political thriller that was actually very good. Hated to put it down.

Just started a fictional baseball/murder mystery book called Screwball. About a third of the way through and it hasn't really pulled me in yet.

[Bee]

I once started King's Dark Tower series and got about half way through the first book and lost interest...is it worth trying again?

[GrantDawg]

Speaking of Martin, who remembers the old book cliub we used to have? :)

I'm curently re-reading Jordan because I am a masochist.

[JeeberD]

I once started King's Dark Tower series and got about half way through the first book and lost interest...is it worth trying again?

Yup. The first book is by far the most difficult to get through. It's very...dry...compared to the rest of the series. Book two gets your blood pumping almost immediately...

[sachmo71]

Speaking of Martin, who remembers the old book cliub we used to have? :)



Whoot!

[Senator]

I don't like fiction very much. I have just completed John Adams, Theodore Rex, Dutch, and closing in on LBJ: Master of the Senate.

But a contemporary handed me a book a couple of weeks ago called - wait for it - A Game of Thrones, which, frankly would not normally catch my eye anyway. I am around page 200 and so far it is pretty good. Because I am not into fantasy fiction it is hard to "lose myself" to the fictional environment. There are obviously alot of people who on this board that like it, so I will follow it up.

SPOILER -









I thought I was really going to like it when I thought Bran was dead (it came out of nowhere and was a great evil touch) but they have let the kid live and I thought that was a cop out.

[Ksyrup]

K,

Did you read Sound of the Beast? Saw it at Half Price, and had it in my hands, but put it down for more sci-fi.
No, but I'd like to get that one.

[wade moore]

I once started King's Dark Tower series and got about half way through the first book and lost interest...is it worth trying again?


I personally LOVE the series... you have to get past the fact that King doesn't "write" that well and enjoy the story... it is a great story, he just does not tell it as well as it could be told..

[CamEdwards]

I've got my work reading and my pleasure reading.

Work:

"Unfit for Command"
"Blown Away" (a great read about women and firearms by Caitlin Kelly. Very balanced, has lots of interviews with women on both sides of the spectrum).
re-reading Bernard Goldberg's "Arrogance"

Play:

"Return Engagement" by Harry Turtledove

"You Make Me Feel Like An Unnatural Woman" by Judith Newman (warning to conservatives and/or people happy about an impending child: this woman will make you want to scream. What an obnoxious woman, and I can't help but feel sorry for her children).

"Presidential Campaigns: From George Washington to George W. Bush" by Paul F. Boller. Fairly amusing anecdotes about every presidential election. Kinda cool for history geeks like myself.

[Super Ugly]

"Erasure" by Percival Everett is a book I enjoyed recently. I also recommend a Japanese writer called Haruki Murakimi, who if I remember correctly is pretty big in the States. I don't really get to read much contemporary stuff though. And "Gravity's Rainbow" was just too much for me ...

[Samdari]

I don't like fiction very much. I have just completed John Adams, Theodore Rex, Dutch, and closing in on LBJ: Master of the Senate.

But a contemporary handed me a book a couple of weeks ago called - wait for it - A Game of Thrones, which, frankly would not normally catch my eye anyway. I am around page 200 and so far it is pretty good. Because I am not into fantasy fiction it is hard to "lose myself" to the fictional environment. There are obviously alot of people who on this board that like it, so I will follow it up.

SPOILER -









I thought I was really going to like it when I thought Bran was dead (it came out of nowhere and was a great evil touch) but they have let the kid live and I thought that was a cop out.


MORE SPOILER:
















Keep reading....

You'll get that feeling back.

[ntndeacon]

Just finished: "The five people you meet in Heaven" -- Mitch Albom

Awaiting from Amazon "Something Rotten: A Thursday Next Mystery" -- Jasper Forde
I heard about this on NPR. The author gave a fairly humorous interview, and read a section of a more recent book where Hamlet is placed in a Starbucks. He rambles on for hald of a page, while putting off making a decision.
Jasper Fforde is hilarious. All of the Thursaday Next books are good...The Eyre Affair, Lost in a Good Book, and The Well of Lost Plots are great fun. I am waiting for something rotten to go to paperback before buying that one.

[Bad-example]

I just finished reading William Gibson's latest, Pattern Recognition.

I found it interesting but a bit disappointing. Probably worth a look for fans of his earlier work.

[JeeberD]

I personally LOVE the series... you have to get past the fact that King doesn't "write" that well and enjoy the story... it is a great story, he just does not tell it as well as it could be told..

Blasphemy!

[Raven Hawk]

Currently reading The Sea Hawk by Rafael Sabatini. I've gotten into the "Pirate Mood" and decided to read a couple of classics that I haven't read yet. Just finished Captain Blood.

[terpkristin]

I am reading George RR Martin's Game of thrones the first book in his eries .Great book.It reminds me alittle of Tolkien minus the elves and fantasy elements WHICH IS ALOT .Anyone else finish reading his fire an dice series books? I've read all 3 so far, and have been waiting on A Feast For Crows (title of the next book) for over a year! I check his website daily to see if he's finished it

While waiting for that, I'm reading a book called Interface, by Stephen Bury. Very Manchurian Candidate-esque, frightening to read in this age of technology and before a presidential election.

Next on the list, I'm not sure. I'd like to get Neal Stephenson's Quicksilver and The Confusion, since I've read most of his other books (Snow Crash, Zodiac, The Diamond Age, and Cryptonomicon).

Also speding a lot of time writing the thesis and studying MCAT stuff (even though I'm not taking it until April).

~tk

[Franklinnoble]

Blasphemy!
I have to agree with wade on this one...

I remember reading "The Stand" and thinking, "Wow... neat idea, neat story, but it could have been done so much better."

[JonInMiddleGA]

LBJ: Master of the Senate.

I enjoyed that quite a bit myself.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I am reading George RR Martin's Game of thrones the first book in his eries .

IIRC, I'm more familiar with Martin as an editor (for the Wild Cards series) than as an author. Anybody able to compare/contrast Martin-the-author vs what I got from Wild Cards.

(I just loved that whole series)

[Kodos]

I'm reading Rotowire Fantasy Football Guide 2004 in preparation for my fantasy draft. :)

[IMetTrentGreen]

a conferacy of dunces. an appropriate choice for me i think. also, im reading the random family, about a couple people who grew up in brooklyn in the early 90s

[Bee]

Thanks for the feedback on the Dark Tower series...I think I'll give it another go.

[Tigercat]

Right now I am reading Hyperion. I am also in the middle of the second Borne book, although I enjoyed the first a lot more, some of the characters seem a lot more "campy" in his second.

[sabotai]

Funny this thread should come up today as last night I was just thinking about how I should stop spending so much time sitting on the computer and start reading all of these books I've been wanting too. :)

Been spending a lot of time working on my sim, so I have been "reading" bits and small sections of programming books as I need them.

Last night I picked up a book at random that I have not read before, and grabbed The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Can't beleive I've had this book for several years and have never read it.

[Cringer]

I personally LOVE the series... you have to get past the fact that King doesn't "write" that well and enjoy the story... it is a great story, he just does not tell it as well as it could be told..

I've seen this said before on this board about King. I am not the most educated man in the world by far, so what is it about his writing that you find bad? Because to me it's better then I can do, or hope to do, and find him an enjoyable read.

[Antmeister]

..."The Legacy of Heorot" by Pournelle, Niven, and Barnes...


That brings back memories. That was the book that got me into science fiction novels. Before that I was mainly a horror fan. Yep that was way back in 1988. or was it 1989 when I was still in high school. Good read since it is a cross between horror and sci-fi.

[Glengoyne]

...and I thought that was a cop out.
Keep reading, that is just not something you can say about how Martin handles his characters.

[Antmeister]

Planning to start my next David Gemmell novel "White Wolf". But for now most of my reading has to do with school books, "Adobe Photoshop CS One on One" and "PHP and MySQL Web Development".

[Glengoyne]

IIRC, I'm more familiar with Martin as an editor (for the Wild Cards series) than as an author. Anybody able to compare/contrast Martin-the-author vs what I got from Wild Cards.

(I just loved that whole series)
I am not familiar with the Wild Cards series, but I haven't run into anyone who was unhappy with the Song of Ice and Fire series.

[Draft Dodger]

Last night I picked up a book at random that I have not read before, and grabbed The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Can't beleive I've had this book for several years and have never read it.

the answer is 42. hope that doesn't spoil that for you.
:D

[Buccaneer]

Reading Stephen W. Sear's Gettysburg.

[GrantDawg]

a conferacy of dunces. an appropriate choice for me i think. also, im reading the random family, about a couple people who grew up in brooklyn in the early 90s
I love that book. I believe they are making a movie right now, but I doubt it will be as good as the book.

[Leonidas]

American Soldier, Tommy Frank

[pennywisesb]

Liberty, by Steven Coonts

[McSweeny]

i've been reading alot of Ed McBain. light reading, but very enjoyable

[oliegirl]

I am reading "The Gospel According to Disney", saw it at the library and grabbed it on impulse. It's a great book and very interesting to read. The author breaks down each Disney movie and spends 2 or 3 pages on it talking about the religious undertones and messages that are in the movies, even though Walt Disney had said he never wanted any religion mentioned in his movies because he didn't want to alienate anyone.

[Draft Dodger]

btw, is it wrong that I want to read Jenna Jameson's new book?

[oliegirl]

btw, is it wrong that I want to read Jenna Jameson's new book?

Have you seen her "True Hollywood Story" on the E channel? It's fascinating!!! Even though I would never choose the same career path, she is brilliant and seems to actually have managed to keep her wits about her through all the fame and money.

[SFL Cat]

Dune: The Machine Crusade. While none of the sequels (or in this case prequel) have ever matched the grandeur or mood of the original novel -- most have been interesting reads.

[Draft Dodger]

Have you seen her "True Hollywood Story" on the E channel? It's fascinating!!! Even though I would never choose the same career path, she is brilliant and seems to actually have managed to keep her wits about her through all the fame and money.

me and E! don't really get along very well. I've always considered it to essentially be the TV version of the Enquirer, except with about a bazillion more ads (commercials).

but, yeah, I think the behind the scenes story of the porn industry must be fascinating.

[Scholes]

I've heard that Will Ferrell is playing good ol' Ignatius J. in the pending movie of A Confederacy of Dunces... he'll have to put on some weight first, but I think he can pull it off... as close as you can get in translation to the screen I guess.

[psychedelicate-girl]

I just finished We're Just like You, Only Prettier by Celia Rivenbark (great!) and Somebody's Dead In Snellville (silly) by Patricia Sprinkle. I've moved on to a book of short stories called Final Vinyl Days by Jill McCorkle which I really like so far.

[Sharpieman]

Bushwacked

[sachmo71]

I am not familiar with the Wild Cards series, but I haven't run into anyone who was unhappy with the Song of Ice and Fire series.

It's been reprinted a couple of times now. If you are into superheroes, check this series out.