What Are You Reading? vX.x

[PurdueBrad]

Originally Posted by lcjjdnh

Anyone with a passing interest in the Supreme Court should check out Justice Stevens's Five Chiefs. A fun and informative read. Lots of small anecdotes about the court--such as the tobacco spittoons by the justices' seats--combined with his reflections--some times critical--of the past five chief justices and the court.

I took this recommendation and enjoyed it thoroughly as well. At times I ended up going to outside sources to get a bit more background but an interesting read about a fascinating arm of our government.

[spleen1015]

I am thinking about reading Matterhorn next. I have 4-5 books I am thinking about reading next.

Play Their Hearts Out: A Coach, His Star Recruit, and the Youth Basketball Machine

How Few Remain (Prequel to The Great War Series)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy Series #1)

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War

11/22/63

[PurdueBrad]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I am thinking about reading Matterhorn next. I have 4-5 books I am thinking about reading next.

Play Their Hearts Out: A Coach, His Star Recruit, and the Youth Basketball Machine

How Few Remain (Prequel to The Great War Series)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy Series #1)

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War

11/22/63

Hey Spleen- I've read 3 of those on your list and don't think you can go wrong with Dragon Tattoo, Matterhorn or 11/22/63. Honestly, if you have the time to commit to a longer work, go with 11/22/63. If you want something where the end is a bit more in sight, go with Matterhorn. Good list though and now I'm looking up How Few Remain.

[cschex]

Turtledove can be completely hit or miss, but IMO How Few Remain is probably his best "alt-history book". Very interesting view on what the political and geographic outcomes of the South winning the Civil War could have been.

Loved 11/22/63 as well. Recently finished The Art of Fielding which had a very John Irving-esque feel to it. I really enjoyed it

[Chief Rum]

I have so many books, I don't know where to start, lol.

I am currently reading Alastair Reynolds' Terminal World. It has been a good read so far. I like Reynolds and his hard SF, but I know that's not everyone's gig. Some of his work is almost as incomprehensible as Stephenson. But Terminal World is much more straight forward.

Next on my list is Steve Berry's The Jefferson Key, his latest in the Cotton Malone books to reach paperback. Decent series from a storytelling perspective, but really no different from your usual adventure/conspiracy theory/crime drama types. What gets me into those is the history angles. Berry is like Dan Brown, except he actually seems to care to get shit right.

I recently read the latest book in SM Stirling's Emberverse series, Book 6 (I forget the name, might be The Sword of the Lady. This one was okay, but it was clearly a setup for the seventh novel, which I believe is the final novel in the series, so it moved a little slower.

I have read the first three chapters of Packing for Mars, and that is a fun read so far. I sometimes put nonfiction down and come back to it.

I recently bought Invisible Monsters and will be borrowing The Fight Club by Chuck Palahniak (sp?), as I have heard great things about both. I have heard they are intense reads, though, so not sure when I'll get to them.

I bought the first book of the Robin Hobb series that was discussed here, so that's on the list, I have both Snow Crash and Diamond Age by Stephenson to read, I have another Reynolds book to read, and somewhere is the latest Jonathan Kellerman Alex Delaware book, which I started and somehow misplaced. I know I'll find it, and it's usually good, pulp crime novel read.

At some point, I intend to go get the latest Reacher novel by Child, and 11/22/63, and Ready Player One.

[Grover]

Just finished reading The Devil in the White City last weekend. Very engaging read that takes two true stories and makes them feel like a fiction novel. I enjoy pieces centered around late 19th to early 20th century US history and the story of the country's first really recognized serial killer sated my appetite.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by Grover

... the story of the country's first really recognized serial killer sated my appetite.

Phew, we're safe ... for now.

[Grover]

Originally Posted by Autumn

Phew, we're safe ... for now.

*wrings hands* Indeed.

[terpkristin]

Reading Geek Mafia right now,when I have time.

I just finished Rule 34 as part of the Sword and Laser book club. It was alright but I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anybody. My review.

Currently listening to Brisingr. I forgot how utterly cheesy it is. I'm hoping to finish it soon so I can listen to Inheritance and wrap up that series.

/tk

[Groundhog]

Despite the recommendations, I made it 22% through The Name of the Wind before giving up. The writer's style just doesn't grab me at all. I'm sure it picks up after a time, but I'm starting to think that maybe Fantasy just isn't for me, George R. R. Martin aside...

I've started Stephen King's 22-11-63 after my mum gave a pretty astounding recommendation. I have zero interest in the Kennedy assassination but flew through the first hundred pages of this book and I'm loving it so far. Haven't read anything from King in years and years.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by PurdueBrad

Hey Spleen- I've read 3 of those on your list and don't think you can go wrong with Dragon Tattoo, Matterhorn or 11/22/63. Honestly, if you have the time to commit to a longer work, go with 11/22/63. If you want something where the end is a bit more in sight, go with Matterhorn. Good list though and now I'm looking up How Few Remain.

I started reading 11/22/63 a couple of days ago.

Spoiler if you've read it.

Spoiler

I'm just after the point where Jake/George and Sadie get back together. I'm finding that I am more interested in what happens between those 2 and what's up with the time traveling anomalies than I am with the Lee Harvey Oswald story line.

Who is the Yellow Card Man? Why did the card change from yellow to orange to black. What's up with JIMLA?

Looking forward to finishing it, likely over the weekend.

[Grover]

Started reading Simon Singh's 'Big Bang' on Monday and haven't been able to put it down

[PurdueBrad]

I just finished Alcatraz: A Definitive History and it was okay. I felt like it went too in-depth in some places and then stayed fairly superficial on some of the more interesting lines.

I am about halfway through Ready Player One and have to say that I'm really enjoying it. Greatly appreciate the 80's references and some of the cultural criticism. Very well put together.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by PurdueBrad

I just finished Alcatraz: A Definitive History and it was okay. I felt like it went too in-depth in some places and then stayed fairly superficial on some of the more interesting lines.

I am about halfway through Ready Player One and have to say that I'm really enjoying it. Greatly appreciate the 80's references and some of the cultural criticism. Very well put together.

Ready Player One looks really interesting. I'll have to add it to my list.

My list is getting really long.

[samifan24]

Just started Neil Gaman's "American Gods." I've heard it mentioned a few times on the board and wanted to try it when the Kindle 10th anniversary edition was on sale for $1.99 last week. I'm about 1/3 of the way through and so far it's an interesting and weird book.

[Chief Rum]

Heh... Gaiman only does weird.

[k0ruptr]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Reading Geek Mafia right now,when I have time.
/tk

It's not the greatest written book/trilogy, but for me at least it was a really fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed them all. The first was definitely the best though.

[BYU 14]

Ed Delahanty in the Emerald age of Baseball - One thing is apparent very early. Athletes and owners were both just as greedy in the 1880's and 90's as they are now.

The author paints a very good picture of the front office aspect of Baseball back then and has done exhaustive research on Delahanty, who it is apparent was a troubled and complex soul even as a young man.

[PurdueBrad]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Ready Player One looks really interesting. I'll have to add it to my list.

My list is getting really long.

Actually finished it when I got home from work and found it to be really enjoyable. I kind of wanted a bit more out of the ending although some interesting foreshadowing depending on how you read it. Very well done overall.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by PurdueBrad

Actually finished it when I got home from work and found it to be really enjoyable. I kind of wanted a bit more out of the ending although some interesting foreshadowing depending on how you read it. Very well done overall.

I just finished it tonight. Like you, I was looking for more from the ending. Overall it was a decent book.

[cougarfreak]

I'm reading the second book in the John Corey series by Nelson Demille, it's called "The Lion's Game". I'd highly recommend the series, the first one "Plum Island" was good as well. If you've got a kindle, I've gotten them both for free from my library.

[MacroGuru]

I am reading two large series at once.

The Hitchhikers Guide and all the books, because I was in a Douglas Adams mood last week. Then I am starting the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I have also per-ordered Feists, The Crown Imperiled which will leave one last book after it until he is done with Midkemia.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by cougarfreak

I'm reading the second book in the John Corey series by Nelson Demille, it's called "The Lion's Game". I'd highly recommend the series, the first one "Plum Island" was good as well. If you've got a kindle, I've gotten them both for free from my library.

Plum Island is good but The Lion's Game is on a completely different level. Just a fantastic book. I also loved Gold Coast and Word of Honor which are separate books from him. Nightfall continues the Corey series but compared to the other two it's a bit weaker in my opinion. I've heard Wildfire is awful so I never even tried.

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by rowech

Plum Island is good but The Lion's Game is on a completely different level. Just a fantastic book. I also loved Gold Coast and Word of Honor which are separate books from him. Nightfall continues the Corey series but compared to the other two it's a bit weaker in my opinion. I've heard Wildfire is awful so I never even tried.

I'm about halfway through the lions game, its been very, very good.

[Doug5984]

Just finished reading the Hunger games series, it was pretty good.

Need some help picking my next book-

Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
or
The Black Echo - Michael Connoly (basically start this series)

I tried reading another Palahniuk book a couple years ago and it was a very hard read (don't remember what it was called) and I gave up a few chapters in. I've seen flight club countless times, so I could probably follow it a little easier.

I also finished the series by Dennis Lehane a while back and really enjoyed those, does anyone know how that would compare to the Michael Connoly series?

[PurdueBrad]

Hey Doug-

I enjoy Lehane and Connelly a ton and do think they are similar. I actually prefer Connelly's Bosch series, particularly picks up around book 3 and stays pretty strong.

As for Palahniuk, I teach high school lit and he's okay but I feel that he's reverted to little more than shock value at this point (the literary equivalent of say Marilyn Manson). I used to really like the book Fight Club, and a good number of my students still choose it during independent reading, but I feel it is a bit dated and he has undermined what could've been some very cool themes with some of his personal contradictions.

So of the two, while I still find Fight Club enjoyable, I would point you down the Connelly road.

[cougarfreak]

Connelly is good, but the Black Echo is a little dated. It's his first novel about Bosch, and their are some ties to the Vietnam War. I enjoy Connelly quite a bit.

[Doug5984]

Thanks for the info- looks like I'll be starting Connolly's series, it is a little old but figured best to start at the beginning.

I was looking at the list of books, I noticed he has a couple series going where characters make appearances in the other series, is there an easy way to figure out what order to read them in to keep everything chronologically accurate?

I really enjoyed the Kenzie / Genaro series from Lehane (except the last one, it seemed... off) so if they are similar I'll be very happy

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by Doug5984

Thanks for the info- looks like I'll be starting Connolly's series, it is a little old but figured best to start at the beginning.

I was looking at the list of books, I noticed he has a couple series going where characters make appearances in the other series, is there an easy way to figure out what order to read them in to keep everything chronologically accurate?

I really enjoyed the Kenzie / Genaro series from Lehane (except the last one, it seemed... off) so if they are similar I'll be very happy

Yeah, just read them in the order they were written and you should be good to go from what I remember.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

I have also per-ordered Feists, The Crown Imperiled which will leave one last book after it until he is done with Midkemia.

Wow. I like Feist's Midkemia books a lot. I'm in the middle of the Serpentwar books. I need to get back to those...

/tk

[Vince, Pt. II]

So I finally finished How Firm a Foundation. I was not really all that into it until the end, but he tied it up really well and the last third of the book was pretty fantastic.

After that I finished the Hunger Games trilogy with Catching Fire and Mockingjay. I did not think that the second and third installments were NEARLY as good as the first, but I did still enjoy them.

Now I'm reading Tad Williams' Otherland. Been recommended to me by far too many people, so we'll see. I'm barely 50 pages in, so it's hard to even have an opinion yet.

[tyketime]

There are some great suggestions listed here, but for the first time in quite awhile... I'm really struggling trying to decide what I want to read next. Not because I'm trying to decide between 3-4 books that currently appeal to me. Rather I'm just not excited about any particular one. I most recently finished Stephen King's 11/22/63 which I absolutely loved.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Wow. I like Feist's Midkemia books a lot. I'm in the middle of the Serpentwar books. I need to get back to those...

/tk

Yeah, Feist is my favorite author, I own all of the midkemia books, I am looking for a 1st edition magician somewhere without paying the big prices on ebay. But I will be sad when he closes the book on the Midkemia world.

[cougarfreak]

Has anyone read any of W.E.B. Griffin's books on war, soldiers, police, etc? I have always wanted to, but didn't want to pay for them on kindle. Now they are available through my library on kindle, so I'm going to pick some of them up.

[Scoobz0202]

I can't really tell you anything about the quality because I read them when I was 12 or 13, but I did read the entire marine series then. I believe it is called The Corps. I also read some of the european theatre one which I believe is Brotherhood of War. I mean, I fucking loved The Corp series. I still have a handful of them in paperback. But I don't really remember them. Would be interested in reading them again to see if my taste as a early teen was good or not, though

EDIT: I just looked at my bookshelf. I have a few of the Brotherhood of War and even the first book of the police (Badge of Honor). I guess I really loved W.E.B. Griffin.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Yeah, Feist is my favorite author, I own all of the midkemia books, I am looking for a 1st edition magician somewhere without paying the big prices on ebay. But I will be sad when he closes the book on the Midkemia world.

So it is looking like in a rush to get the book out in Europe before the deadline Ray's publisher overseas made a massive screwup, an ending to one chapter is missing and a deleted chapter was added in its place.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I can't really tell you anything about the quality because I read them when I was 12 or 13, but I did read the entire marine series then. I believe it is called The Corps. I also read some of the european theatre one which I believe is Brotherhood of War. I mean, I fucking loved The Corp series. I still have a handful of them in paperback. But I don't really remember them. Would be interested in reading them again to see if my taste as a early teen was good or not, though

I also read them probably 15 years ago. I know I read most of The Corp and probably some of Brotherhood. It was hard to get them in order from our local library and IIRC some of the series was missing.

I know I enjoyed them though couldn't tell you a story line now to save my life. FWIW I like a book that mixes fictional characters into a historical setting, especially WWII. Wouk's "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance" are two of my favorite books.

Certainly worth checking out for a look.

[spleen1015]

Just finished Catching Fire this morning.

It wasn't better than the Hunger Games, but I still loved it. I wish there was more time spent during the Games. I know this is a kids/teen series, but I'm finding that it ia really easy to see what is coming.

Should I read Mockingjay next or Play Their Hearts Out? Likely Mockingjay since it will be a short read.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Just finished Catching Fire this morning.

It wasn't better than the Hunger Games, but I still loved it. I wish there was more time spent during the Games. I know this is a kids/teen series, but I'm finding that it ia really easy to see what is coming.

Should I read Mockingjay next or Play Their Hearts Out? Likely Mockingjay since it will be a short read.

I read the series in a 4 days span...read Mockingjay finish it up..

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I have so many books, I don't know where to start, lol.

I am currently reading Alastair Reynolds' Terminal World. It has been a good read so far. I like Reynolds and his hard SF, but I know that's not everyone's gig. Some of his work is almost as incomprehensible as Stephenson. But Terminal World is much more straight forward.

Next on my list is Steve Berry's The Jefferson Key, his latest in the Cotton Malone books to reach paperback. Decent series from a storytelling perspective, but really no different from your usual adventure/conspiracy theory/crime drama types. What gets me into those is the history angles. Berry is like Dan Brown, except he actually seems to care to get shit right.

I recently read the latest book in SM Stirling's Emberverse series, Book 6 (I forget the name, might be The Sword of the Lady. This one was okay, but it was clearly a setup for the seventh novel, which I believe is the final novel in the series, so it moved a little slower.

I have read the first three chapters of Packing for Mars, and that is a fun read so far. I sometimes put nonfiction down and come back to it.

I recently bought Invisible Monsters and will be borrowing The Fight Club by Chuck Palahniak (sp?), as I have heard great things about both. I have heard they are intense reads, though, so not sure when I'll get to them.

I bought the first book of the Robin Hobb series that was discussed here, so that's on the list, I have both Snow Crash and Diamond Age by Stephenson to read, I have another Reynolds book to read, and somewhere is the latest Jonathan Kellerman Alex Delaware book, which I started and somehow misplaced. I know I'll find it, and it's usually good, pulp crime novel read.

At some point, I intend to go get the latest Reacher novel by Child, and 11/22/63, and Ready Player One.

Terminal World ended up being a good read, a lot more comprehensible, IMO, than a lot of Reynolds' more "out there" stuff. It also had plot tendrils that were unresolved or were hints at a sequel, but according to Reynolds' wikipedia page, it will be a standalone book and he does not plan to return to that universe or characters. So that is disappointing. But it is worth the read.

I started Jefferson Key, as I noted above, and I am early on in it just yet.

I also started Men Are Stupid and Women Are Crazy, a funny relationship book by Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee (who are a couple). It's pretty funny so far.

[Doug5984]

Spoiler on hunger game series...

Spoiler

I'm really dissapointed that this was directed more as a teen book, it was a very good book don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it- but it could've been so much more. I was really able to see what was coming throughout the series.

Me and my wife have been having a sort of debate on the book, and it is something I really wish the author would've spent more time on.

Even before Katniss showed up the mocking jay was the sign of the revolution. The girl who gave her the mocking jay pin was the daughter of the mayor, whose wife lost her sister (or was it best friend?) in the hunger games, who was also Katniss' mom's friend.

So this all brings me to- was she given the pin because they thought she could be the tipping point to set off the revolution, they knew what was really going on and were preparing all along, but simply waiting for the right time/person to spread the message to the masses. Or was it all coincidence that she was given the mocking jay pin, which was the secret symbol of the revolution, became the rallying cry of the revolution.

I hope that question makes sense... I wish the author would've gone into greater detail about the underground revolution that was going on before

[spleen1015]

Finished Mockingjay finally today. Great series. I hope the do the story justice with the movies.

Gonna read Play Their Hearts Out next.

[Doug5984]

Originally Posted by cougarfreak

Connelly is good, but the Black Echo is a little dated. It's his first novel about Bosch, and their are some ties to the Vietnam War. I enjoy Connelly quite a bit.

About halfway through right now, not much reading time lately, but I really like the book so far.

[larrymcg421]

Currently reading The War for Late Night: When Leno Went Early and Television Went Crazy. It's from Bill Carter, the same guy who did The Late Shift and this functions as a sort of sequel to it. It covers the time period when Conan got The Tonight Show and Leno was moved to 10pm. He also wrote Desperate Networks, which was about primetime television. He has a really good insight into the television business and makes the behind the scenes battles pretty exciting.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by samifan24

Just started Neil Gaman's "American Gods." I've heard it mentioned a few times on the board and wanted to try it when the Kindle 10th anniversary edition was on sale for $1.99 last week. I'm about 1/3 of the way through and so far it's an interesting and weird book.

I am currently reading "American Gods". I'm over half-way through. I am enjoying it. Pretty classic Gaiman.

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Ready Player One looks really interesting. I'll have to add it to my list.

"Ready Player One" is next up on my list. It's been sitting on my bedside table for over a month now.

I am a terribly slow reader. Between watching movies, some TV shows and hockey and playing computer/video games, I rarely find time to read as much as I'd like.

The biggest problem is that even if it's relatively early in the evening on a weekday night, once I start reading a book odds are I will be asleep within 15-30 minutes.

[Groundhog]

Finished 22-11-63 a while ago, absolutely loved it.

I've been playing a fair bit of Space Marine thanks to a Steam sale, so I picked up the Horus Rising book by Dan Abnett, expecting it to be some quick to read White Dwarf "fan fiction-esque" junk for me to breeze through. Surprisingly it's good science fiction so far, and Abnett isn't a bad writer at all.

[spleen1015]

I about about 2/3 of the way through Play Their Hearts Out. I don't know jack about AAU basketball and this book is pretty eye opening. I can't imagine that all AAU coaches are like many of the ones talked about in this book. If they are, I don't know how AAU has managed to last as long as it has.

[MacroGuru]

Just finished Girl with a Dragon Tattoo and I truly loved the book...I don't know what I am going to read next, I will dig through the Kindle Store and pick something.

I do have the rest of the series of the Dragon Tattoo.

I am looking for a good Epic Fantasy that isn't the norm as I have read most of them.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Just finished Girl with a Dragon Tattoo and I truly loved the book...I don't know what I am going to read next, I will dig through the Kindle Store and pick something.

I do have the rest of the series of the Dragon Tattoo.

I am looking for a good Epic Fantasy that isn't the norm as I have read most of them.

Amazon.com: The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive) eBook: Brandon Sanderson: Kindle Store

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Amazon.com: The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive) eBook: Brandon Sanderson: Kindle Store

Thank you, I will read the sample and purchase if it fits.