OS Book Club Pt II

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  • DieHardYankee26
    BING BONG
    • Feb 2008
    • 10178

    #976
    Re: OS Book Club Pt II

    When the aliens drop by to harvest the remains of this planet long after we're extinct, the flow chart of our accomplishments will look like this:

    Fire - - -> The wheel - - - > Electricity - - - >Bomb strong enough to destroy ourselves--->The personal computer - - - > The Kindle

    I'm going to finish Goblet by the end of this week or die trying. It feels like I've never finished a book it's been so long lol. Also I'm def cheating and counting the Old Testament and New Testament as separate books on goodreads. I'm owed the double dip.
    Last edited by DieHardYankee26; 10-16-2018, 06:27 AM.
    Originally posted by G Perico
    If I ain't got it, then I gotta take it
    I can't hide who I am, baby I'm a gangster
    In the Rolls Royce, steppin' on a mink rug
    The clique just a gang of bosses that linked up

    Comment

    • mattlanta
      MVP
      • Aug 2008
      • 2384

      #977
      Re: OS Book Club Pt II

      In the spirit of Halloween, I'm going to start reading Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. I called my local library to check its availability and also checked my online libraries and it looks like none of them have this in stock. I've downloaded the sample to my Kindle and will probably just end up buying it after I breeze through that. It's only $8, but the grad student in me is always looking to save money in any way, shape, or form... I considered eBay, but I didn't want it to get here right before Halloween lol.

      Comment

      • DieHardYankee26
        BING BONG
        • Feb 2008
        • 10178

        #978
        Re: OS Book Club Pt II

        Worst case, Google Calibre (converts ebook files to different formats), and throw on your pegleg if you know what you're doing (ebooks >>>>> paper books). Then just buy the paper copy later.

        I'm making good progress in Goblet. After I finish this, I'm gonna try to power through The Haunting of Hill House in a couple days then do C&P before Michelle Obama's book comes out Nov 13. Hopefully I can do all this with enough time to squeeze in Vengeance.
        Originally posted by G Perico
        If I ain't got it, then I gotta take it
        I can't hide who I am, baby I'm a gangster
        In the Rolls Royce, steppin' on a mink rug
        The clique just a gang of bosses that linked up

        Comment

        • DieHardYankee26
          BING BONG
          • Feb 2008
          • 10178

          #979
          Re: OS Book Club Pt II

          Been a while so I'll try to be quick with these:

          Imago by Octavia Butler

          Spoiler


          Murder Rap: The Untold Story of the Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur Murder Investigations by Greg Kading

          Spoiler


          Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

          Spoiler


          The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle

          Spoiler


          The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

          Spoiler


          I did end up finding some solid horror picks, I saw some good stuff about My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due and I still want to read Frankenstein but October is over and I can't put off the comrade any longer so...Crime and Punishment here we go. Bible progress: on schedule to hit the New Testament in 7/8 days depending on how I choose to do the transition between them, probably 8, the schedule is weird, they'll have you stopped in the middle of a chapter, makes no sense to me. I also found a New Testament audiobook read by James Earl Jones and I can't think of anything better to use an Audible credit on than that.
          Originally posted by G Perico
          If I ain't got it, then I gotta take it
          I can't hide who I am, baby I'm a gangster
          In the Rolls Royce, steppin' on a mink rug
          The clique just a gang of bosses that linked up

          Comment

          • Fresh Tendrils
            Strike Hard and Fade Away
            • Jul 2002
            • 36131

            #980
            Re: OS Book Club Pt II

            Originally posted by DieHardYankee26

            Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

            Spoiler
            The podcast is really making me feel like I need to read these again even though I ran through them last year, but GOF might be my least favorite of the "serious" ones (post-Chamber of Secrets). Compared to the others it's the most bloated and dense as it not only expands the magical universe and lore, but also continues to build upon it's characters and each of their arcs. Some threads are left dangling (SPEW) and Ron's turn as the queen bitch is irredeemable to me.

            And yeah. **** Snape. I agree with the contention that he is one of the series' most complex characters by far, but the dude is loathsome. His behavior is largely unforgivable and his pining over a secret teenage crush for the majority of his life is relatively creepy.


            The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

            Spoiler


            I did end up finding some solid horror picks, I saw some good stuff about My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due and I still want to read Frankenstein but October is over and I can't put off the comrade any longer so...Crime and Punishment here we go. Bible progress: on schedule to hit the New Testament in 7/8 days depending on how I choose to do the transition between them, probably 8, the schedule is weird, they'll have you stopped in the middle of a chapter, makes no sense to me. I also found a New Testament audiobook read by James Earl Jones and I can't think of anything better to use an Audible credit on than that.
            I'm still thinking about this book and my feelings towards it grow greater because of it. The premise she rests the book's foundation on is such a simple "twist" (basically we are haunted by our own-selves), but it is almost limitless in it's scope and offers a wealth of narrative opportunities.

            My expectation of the book was essentially the traditional haunted house and ghost story lore, but I was happy to discover that Jackson went so much further than that. It is truly a rewarding, insightful, and at times terrifying read. The ghosts in the world are scary indeed, but the ghosts in our heads are much worse.

            Despite the Netflix series not sharing the same narrative I'm glad they decided to go for the same tone and perspective and that, too, has been a rewarding experience.

            re: Guillermo del Toro
            I love this guy's films. Even the "okay" ones are rewarding in their own way. Pan's Labyrinth is my favorite of his, but I have not been disappointed in his work or the works he has put his name on.



            Comment

            • DieHardYankee26
              BING BONG
              • Feb 2008
              • 10178

              #981
              Re: OS Book Club Pt II

              I struggled rating GoF, I will probably take it down to a 3. It feels disconnected from the others to an extent, like Harry is crossing over in this book from the new wizard years to the "I've got to save the world" years. Unrelated but I almost don't even want to watch the rest of the movies after they cut the entire house elf story out, like wtf. And man it's just long. Order is even longer so I'll have to prep for that. Snape just does too much. He's a great villain character from the perspective of a school kid, but dude making fun of Hermione's teeth? Even the clear Slytherin preference is fine, but he's just so cartoonishly antagonistic.
              Originally posted by G Perico
              If I ain't got it, then I gotta take it
              I can't hide who I am, baby I'm a gangster
              In the Rolls Royce, steppin' on a mink rug
              The clique just a gang of bosses that linked up

              Comment

              • Fresh Tendrils
                Strike Hard and Fade Away
                • Jul 2002
                • 36131

                #982
                Re: OS Book Club Pt II

                Originally posted by DieHardYankee26
                I struggled rating GoF, I will probably take it down to a 3. It feels disconnected from the others to an extent, like Harry is crossing over in this book from the new wizard years to the "I've got to save the world" years. Unrelated but I almost don't even want to watch the rest of the movies after they cut the entire house elf story out, like wtf. And man it's just long. Order is even longer so I'll have to prep for that. Snape just does too much. He's a great villain character from the perspective of a school kid, but dude making fun of Hermione's teeth? Even the clear Slytherin preference is fine, but he's just so cartoonishly antagonistic.
                I think she wrote herself into a corner early on with him whether she or her loyal fans will admit to it or not. It's clear he was meant to be the red herring threat early on. In the first two books he is perfect because his cartoonish behavior is so believable from a child's perspective.

                As the series progresses and the tone becomes darker and serious it's hard to take his antics and behavior seriously. It's hard for me as a reader to reconcile his actions and comments early on compared to the roles he's forced into by both Dumbledore and Voldemort. He's supposed to be another tragic character, but I cared little for his tragedy.



                Comment

                • Fresh Tendrils
                  Strike Hard and Fade Away
                  • Jul 2002
                  • 36131

                  #983
                  Re: OS Book Club Pt II

                  Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

                  This is a fairly easy, enjoyable read and one that (for better or worse) leans hard on the premise of the title. As one would imagine it's historical fiction written party in a biographical style that is supplemented with excerpts from letters and journals (many of which are from Lincoln's own hand). Smith spices up a looming figure in US History by setting Honest Abe on a quest to rid America of the evils of Vampires. The worst and most evil of them are working in concert with the pro-slavery movement and eventually ally with the Confederacy in an effort to continue slavery as a means of feeding and subjugation of the entire human race.

                  At points it is fascinating and harrowing. Smith does a fantastic job of blending historical fact and fiction in ways that are compelling both for what's happening on the page and because one wonders where exactly the line begins to blur. Obviously the vampires are not real, but diving into Lincoln's mind from the perspective of his journals is quite fascinating. Lincoln is a looming figure of great importance, sure, but history typically teaches us of a man's actions. Rarely are we rewarded with glimpses into the man himself - his depressions, passions, eloquence, etc. Part of the charm of this novel is tethering an American God to the soil he actually walked across rendering him more of a man than myth.

                  With that said there's little in the way of character development. Outside of Abraham there's no other character arc as characters exist solely as names in letters. There are some that are more fleshed out than others, but this is a relatively flat book with little to offer beneath the surface. Re-imagining historical events and figures certainly makes for an interesting read, but one that probably won't be revisited like The Haunting of Hill House.

                  Apparently there is a sequel to this. I'll probably save it for next year because I personally didn't like the ending. I might look into the movie soon, though.

                  Spoiler


                  I have Frankenstein started as of this morning. I expect it to be a quick read considering it's barely 200 pages. I still want to reread Something Wicked This Way Comes and maybe dive into Dracula, but I'm nearing my fix for horror/Halloween fix so we'll see. I still hope to get to The Mirage and The Prestige before Thanksgiving, but our recent trip to The Biltmore in Asheville has me wanting to check out the Serafina and Black Cloak Series by Robert Beatty. With 8 books left to read to meet my Reading Challenge goal I'm unashamedly leaning on these shorter novels to keep pace.

                  Does anyone have any good recommendations for Honest Abe?



                  Comment

                  • JayCutlersCig
                    Pro
                    • Nov 2017
                    • 638

                    #984
                    Re: OS Book Club Pt II

                    Originally posted by mattlanta
                    If you could name 3 books that changed your life, which ones would it be?


                    American Sniper. I read it a few months after I saw the movie and almost enlisted because of it, but wound up going to college.

                    With the Old Breed. A true, horrifying account of the Battle of Okinawa. Makes you hate the Japanese until you realize that WWII was seventy years ago. They were savages throughout the war.

                    Anything by Hemingway. He’s my idol.




                    Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

                    Comment

                    • DieHardYankee26
                      BING BONG
                      • Feb 2008
                      • 10178

                      #985
                      Re: OS Book Club Pt II

                      What about American Sniper hit you the way it did? I've never seen the movie or read the book but I'm kinda interested just hearing it impacted you in that way.

                      Side note I just hit goodreads and found out George RR Martin is releasing a book on the history of the Targaryens next month...this dude has to be trolling. How are you releasing side stories from a series you haven't finished at this point in your life? Crazy.
                      Originally posted by G Perico
                      If I ain't got it, then I gotta take it
                      I can't hide who I am, baby I'm a gangster
                      In the Rolls Royce, steppin' on a mink rug
                      The clique just a gang of bosses that linked up

                      Comment

                      • Fresh Tendrils
                        Strike Hard and Fade Away
                        • Jul 2002
                        • 36131

                        #986
                        Re: OS Book Club Pt II

                        He's working on the prequel series, too.

                        Why would he want to end all this cash rolling in? Get it, George.



                        Comment

                        • DieHardYankee26
                          BING BONG
                          • Feb 2008
                          • 10178

                          #987
                          Re: OS Book Club Pt II

                          Finished the Old Testament. Started the New Testament and this James Earl Jones audio book is throwing me off because I go back and forth between wondering what happened to the voice from the Old Testament and mistaking Jesus for Mufasa.

                          I put down Crime and Punishment... Just not the kinda read I want to do right now in between physics and calculus. It felt like I'd taken another class in Russian names, I'll come back to it either during Winter Break or in between the part time full time transition next year. For now, going to finally get to Vengeful, the sequel to Vicious which I loved. After that, I'll try to get through My Soul to Keep before Becoming next Tuesday.
                          Originally posted by G Perico
                          If I ain't got it, then I gotta take it
                          I can't hide who I am, baby I'm a gangster
                          In the Rolls Royce, steppin' on a mink rug
                          The clique just a gang of bosses that linked up

                          Comment

                          • JayCutlersCig
                            Pro
                            • Nov 2017
                            • 638

                            #988
                            Re: OS Book Club Pt II

                            Originally posted by DieHardYankee26
                            What about American Sniper hit you the way it did? I've never seen the movie or read the book but I'm kinda interested just hearing it impacted you in that way.

                            Side note I just hit goodreads and found out George RR Martin is releasing a book on the history of the Targaryens next month...this dude has to be trolling. How are you releasing side stories from a series you haven't finished at this point in your life? Crazy.


                            Honestly, I’ve been a big supporter of the military (I come from an Army family) all of my life and the power of that story just stuck with me. Even at the cost of relationships, fatherhood, and mental health, he felt obligated to go back 4x. It took God, Country, Family to a whole different level. I’m no Ra-Ra patriot by any means, but it just stuck.


                            Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

                            Comment

                            • DieHardYankee26
                              BING BONG
                              • Feb 2008
                              • 10178

                              #989
                              Re: OS Book Club Pt II

                              100 Notable Books of 2018 https://nyti.ms/2Dy9EWc

                              NY Times put out their 100 books of the year list, need to look over it and see what I need to add to my list.
                              Originally posted by G Perico
                              If I ain't got it, then I gotta take it
                              I can't hide who I am, baby I'm a gangster
                              In the Rolls Royce, steppin' on a mink rug
                              The clique just a gang of bosses that linked up

                              Comment

                              • Fresh Tendrils
                                Strike Hard and Fade Away
                                • Jul 2002
                                • 36131

                                #990
                                Re: OS Book Club Pt II

                                I didn't get to nearly as many of the 2018 titles as I wanted. Partly because half of them reviewed/rated poorly, but mostly because it's hard to compete with hundreds of years of literature.

                                I did pick up the new Brandon Sanderson book Skyward. It's a YA title (most likely a series I'm assuming), but after loving Mistborn I'm all over this guy's stuff.
                                Spensa's world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what's left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa's dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with her father's--a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa's chances of attending flight school at slim to none.

                                No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars.



                                Comment

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