What book are you reading right now?
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DLeeWebb
Headphoneus Supremus
"The Unwinding: An Inner History Of The New America" - George Packer (I've had the book since it came out. I'm finally getting around to reading it. (opinions/reviews seem to indicate that it's a good read...MagicCabbage, this might be a good one to add to your non-fiction list!)
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Being from Wisconsin, anything by a man names "Packer" has to be good...
"The Unwinding: An Inner History Of The New America" - George Packer
Being from Wisconsin, anything by a man names "Packer" has to be good...
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Another giant in historical fiction! I was putting this off for 2 years but now it is time. Some people said that it can be cryptic in places and hard to understand because of the experimental writing style but i can say that i am 55 pages in now and it is riveting!
JoeDoe
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Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
Screwtape will be soon to follow.
Screwtape will be soon to follow.
Saraguie
Headphoneus Supremus
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Really enjoyed Wolf Hall.
Reading one of my favorite series, I've read every one.
Another giant in historical fiction! I was putting this off for 2 years but now it is time. Some people said that it can be cryptic in places and hard to understand because of the experimental writing style but i can say that i am 55 pages in now and it is riveting!
Really enjoyed Wolf Hall.
Reading one of my favorite series, I've read every one.
Really enjoyed Wolf Hall.
Reading one of my favorite series, I've read everyone.
Harry Bosch is one of my favorite characters in any book series. Great writer that Michael Connelly.
Andolink
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CaptSharpe
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Just finished reading 'Devil May Care' by Sebastian Faulks (writing as Ian Fleming). It was good for a 60s james bond novel, but mostly felt like a dreary mish-mash of previous bond books/films. Each scene or plot beat seemed to be pulled from a specific previous adventure. Still worth a read I suppose.
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Finished Wolf hall and i'm onto this next -
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his prose is incredible
Santoryu
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Pretty stock standard, but after finishing the 3rd season of Game of Thrones, I've decided to pick up the book series. Just got home with the first 2 novel's now and will soon begin my reading.
XStayFrostyX
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This! Highly recommend for anyone who is a fan of long fantasy series books or even just anyone who likes to read about power struggles and good drama. This series called A Song of Ice and Fire has the perfect blend of:
1. setting - it's a medieval setting but a fictional world that's pretty similar to our own but a smaller scale - enough so that the author covers events and adventure, or if even just a touch of history of the entire expanse of the lands of the fictional world, but also uses intricate detail of this world to shape events of the story - like the way surrounding geography of a region influences the outcome of wars, battles, strategy, struggles, etc. The technology available to the fictional people is exactly the same as what was available in the mid to advanced middle ages (trebuchets, catapolts, siege towers - no cannons / gunpowder used for projectiles) but there is also a touch of demons, magic, and dragons but this is not spot lighted, so it makes the store feel more real.
2. Character Developement - Easily the most impressive thing about this tombe, possibly offsetting for others, but there is hundreds characters, though more like 50-75 prominent characters, but it feels overwhelming and hard to keep track of at first, but you quickly learn what you should remember, and what not. There is a very complicated genealogy that the author made up himself and somehow manages to prefectly keep track of (I suspect he has a large chart of the whole genealogy he keeps and just adds characters to it as he makes them up), but it makes for a really interesting story line
3. Level of Detail - No level of detail is missed, this might also be something that is off putting. Everything is vividly described which creates a very vivid picture in turn, and makes it easily to get lost in the world which is one of my favourite things about it. He also has a poetic flair to his writing and always finds unique was to describe something without getting repetitive. The book is also written with an old english feel to it, but in such a level of detail that he has basically created a new dialect complete with it's own euphemisms, euphemisms, cliche phrases, and just way of saying things and describing things. Very refreshing.
4. Story line - The concept is really nothing new, it's an epic fantasy story spiced with monsters & magic, but if I had to describe the book in a one sentence, it would be about the power struggle of ruling families in an ancient time. The drama is exquisite and really makes the book exciting and hard to put down. Betrayals and backstabbing at every turn. Disclaimer: there is alot of sex, killing, and some profanity so don't give it to young kids - it will ruin their innocence. It is how r.r. martin weaves the elements of a fantasy novel into a it's so good I can't put the book down drama that makes the story really hit home.
If you haven't noticed by now I am a huge fan of this series - now I haven't actually read it but listen to it via audiobook while I commute to work every day - each book is 1000 pages and would likely take me the better part of a year to get through the whole series instead of a book every 40 days since I am a slow reader and free time is limited. I'm normally not huge on the whole audiobook thing but it is really also well read; the voice actor Roy Dotrice does a really good job with it - there are multiple readings for different volumes of the book, but I think he's the best.
#1 Favourite series though as has been touched on before is Stephen Kings dark tower series; I just feel like there are alot of personal themes in the book that really reverberate with me and my own life experiences. I think I have to say that A Song of Ice & Fire is a better story.
Quote:
1. setting - it's a medieval setting but a fictional world that's pretty similar to our own but a smaller scale - enough so that the author covers events and adventure, or if even just a touch of history of the entire expanse of the lands of the fictional world, but also uses intricate detail of this world to shape events of the story - like the way surrounding geography of a region influences the outcome of wars, battles, strategy, struggles, etc. The technology available to the fictional people is exactly the same as what was available in the mid to advanced middle ages (trebuchets, catapolts, siege towers - no cannons / gunpowder used for projectiles) but there is also a touch of demons, magic, and dragons but this is not spot lighted, so it makes the store feel more real.
2. Character Developement - Easily the most impressive thing about this tombe, possibly offsetting for others, but there is hundreds characters, though more like 50-75 prominent characters, but it feels overwhelming and hard to keep track of at first, but you quickly learn what you should remember, and what not. There is a very complicated genealogy that the author made up himself and somehow manages to prefectly keep track of (I suspect he has a large chart of the whole genealogy he keeps and just adds characters to it as he makes them up), but it makes for a really interesting story line
3. Level of Detail - No level of detail is missed, this might also be something that is off putting. Everything is vividly described which creates a very vivid picture in turn, and makes it easily to get lost in the world which is one of my favourite things about it. He also has a poetic flair to his writing and always finds unique was to describe something without getting repetitive. The book is also written with an old english feel to it, but in such a level of detail that he has basically created a new dialect complete with it's own euphemisms, euphemisms, cliche phrases, and just way of saying things and describing things. Very refreshing.
4. Story line - The concept is really nothing new, it's an epic fantasy story spiced with monsters & magic, but if I had to describe the book in a one sentence, it would be about the power struggle of ruling families in an ancient time. The drama is exquisite and really makes the book exciting and hard to put down. Betrayals and backstabbing at every turn. Disclaimer: there is alot of sex, killing, and some profanity so don't give it to young kids - it will ruin their innocence. It is how r.r. martin weaves the elements of a fantasy novel into a it's so good I can't put the book down drama that makes the story really hit home.
If you haven't noticed by now I am a huge fan of this series - now I haven't actually read it but listen to it via audiobook while I commute to work every day - each book is 1000 pages and would likely take me the better part of a year to get through the whole series instead of a book every 40 days since I am a slow reader and free time is limited. I'm normally not huge on the whole audiobook thing but it is really also well read; the voice actor Roy Dotrice does a really good job with it - there are multiple readings for different volumes of the book, but I think he's the best.
#1 Favourite series though as has been touched on before is Stephen Kings dark tower series; I just feel like there are alot of personal themes in the book that really reverberate with me and my own life experiences. I think I have to say that A Song of Ice & Fire is a better story.
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XStayFrostyX
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I know this sounds cliche, but the T.V. series really does not do the actual books justice. It would take an unlimited budget and 3 seasons / book to adequately cover the level of detail and intricacy of this book series.
Also, for any fans of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King....there are talks of a show...
From Wikipedia:
"Initially, in 2007 J. J. Abrams was connected to a film adaptation[20] but later revealed he had removed himself from involvement in the project.[21] On September 8, 2010, an official announcement was made that the series would be brought to both the big and the small screens via a trilogy of feature films and two seasons of a television series to bridge gaps between the films.[22] According to a press release from Universal Pictures from October 29, 2010, the first Dark Tower film would open on May 17, 2013.[23] On July 19, 2011, Universal pulled its support from the production of the Dark Tower films and television series. According to reports, the studio was unable to come to terms with producer Ron Howard.[24] Despite this, Stephen King remains confident Howard will see the project through with another studio, and Howard confirmed the adaptation is still on track, noting that HBO will now carry the television series portion of the project.[25][4] On March 13th 2012 it was reported that Warner Bros. is now interested in making at least the first film, and would be in prime position to green-light the TV element through its sister company, HBO. Russell Crowe, tipped to play Roland Deschain, is reportedly still on board. Reports indicated that filming may have commenced as early as the first quarter of 2013.[6] However, Warner eventually passed on the film.[26]"
Holy S**t am I excited for this. Not sure if Russell Crowe would be the perfect Roland Deschain, but I have faith in him as an actor and that he will do Roland justice.
I know this sounds cliche, but the T.V. series really does not do the actual books justice. It would take an unlimited budget and 3 seasons / book to adequately cover the level of detail and intricacy of this book series.
Also, for any fans of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King....there are talks of a show...
From Wikipedia:
"Initially, in 2007 J. J. Abrams was connected to a film adaptation[20] but later revealed he had removed himself from involvement in the project.[21] On September 8, 2010, an official announcement was made that the series would be brought to both the big and the small screens via a trilogy of feature films and two seasons of a television series to bridge gaps between the films.[22] According to a press release from Universal Pictures from October 29, 2010, the first Dark Tower film would open on May 17, 2013.[23] On July 19, 2011, Universal pulled its support from the production of the Dark Tower films and television series. According to reports, the studio was unable to come to terms with producer Ron Howard.[24] Despite this, Stephen King remains confident Howard will see the project through with another studio, and Howard confirmed the adaptation is still on track, noting that HBO will now carry the television series portion of the project.[25][4] On March 13th 2012 it was reported that Warner Bros. is now interested in making at least the first film, and would be in prime position to green-light the TV element through its sister company, HBO. Russell Crowe, tipped to play Roland Deschain, is reportedly still on board. Reports indicated that filming may have commenced as early as the first quarter of 2013.[6] However, Warner eventually passed on the film.[26]"
Holy S**t am I excited for this. Not sure if Russell Crowe would be the perfect Roland Deschain, but I have faith in him as an actor and that he will do Roland justice.
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