What are you reading?

Way off-topic, and allowed! General discussions on anything and everything.

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brunoafh
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by brunoafh »

Eldo wrote:It's a classic for different reasons and strokes compared to, say, Sandman.
Yeah, exactly.

Maybe the Sheriff arc isn't quite as bad as I recall... I just remember it being way too preachy, and the Nazi thing felt really forced and out of place to me. It's like Ennis knew he just had to throw in his 2 cents about Nazis at some point, and the that arc was the unfortunate one that had to bite the bullet.
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Rolos
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Rolos »

Speaking of Nazis, has anyone ever read the Nuremberg trials? I don't mean every transcript, obviously (I don't think you can even get those), but any of the books in which (some of) the opening and closing statements are contained.
Ribbentrop states his case against retroactive law quite beautifully.

Also, currently reading Voltaire's "Philosophic Letters" (also known as "On the English").
It's moderately amusing.

About Preacher:
If you look at it as a work of comedy, then it certainly could be considered a great work. I guess you guys are right, I was too harsh in my judgment, I mean, I still can get a good laugh when I remember that conversation about voodoo witch doctors and shrinks.
"But... shrinks are for dicks!"
"You guys have issues."
Hahaha, classic.

P.S. We were THIS close to once again confirming the truth of Godwin's law.

EDIT: Hahahaha, I just searching this forum for the word "Voltaire" (I wasn't sure if I had already mentioned that I'm reading one of his books) and came across some posts by a guy named Masterei.
Hehehe, I laughed for about ten minutes.
What a funny person.
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Rolos
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Rolos »

Currently reading Keith Devlin's "Logic and Information".
It' hard.
I don't usually find myself backtracking in a book, just so I can understand what the fuck's going on, but this book has made me do it 4 times already.
It's really, really hard, but it doesn't paint itself like it was.
I just wanted something light to read on the bus, and picked a book with some random god-like figure picking binary code from an eclipse.
The book is trap, posing as an informal introduction to a relatively intuitive subject, when in fact it's much more difficult precisely BECAUSE it isn't easy to draw a clear line between it's subject matter and real life situations.
Also, still no applications.
Logic without applications is useless.
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Grahf
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Grahf »

Song of ice and fire: storm of swords
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papasith
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by papasith »

Ok so i might of mentioned reading these before, but i am not almost done with the malazan book of the fallen series.

I will say that if you like A song of fire and ice series, and/or the black company series you owe it to yourself to read this series.

The first book "The gardens of the moon" will be the main trial. Not because the book itself is lacking, but because you will probably be confused through most of the book.
The world, and events in this series are very complex, and intricate. The author really does not like spoon feeding information at all though so it takes a bit of getting used too.

The series pulls the great characterizations of a song of fire and ice, and puts in the grittiness of black company into a real awesome story.

To be honest i cant really begin to say exactly what the story is about because there is so many plot lines along the way that i cant say it is about one event, It is more about a series of event all leading upa possible reworking of what it is to be a god in this world (as i see it)

I am not one to rant for long so i will leave this with a link to a review and a short part of the review on it for people not wanting to read it. (i put it in spoilers to save space)

[spoiler]There is no doubt that Gardens of the Moon is in many ways a challenging book, and readers weaned on the ‘easy reading’ styles of Robert Jordan or Robin Hobb will find it difficult to get past the first few chapters. Erikson consciously avoided many fantasy plot, character and thematic stereotypes when building Gardens of the Moon, and this lends the book a level of difficulty which many will find offputting.

I personally have put Gardens of the Moon down several times over the past few years after reading the first several hundred pages.

And yet, like so many ‘difficult’ books, once the more advanced reader pushes past Gardens’ first few chapters and becomes more comfortable with what Erikson is trying to achieve, it becomes obvious that something rather remarkable and, to be honest, bloody awesome is going on. This is book that enjoys playing with the fantasy tropes that readers have come to expect – in a hilarious, sophisticated and overwhelmingly positive way.[/spoiler]

http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/11/2 ... on-review/
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brunoafh
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by brunoafh »

Malazan Book of the Fallen is a good series. The world and it's events are presented in a very unique fashion. The first book is tough to get through, but once you get into the 3rd book it pays off very well. I only read up to Midnight Tides.
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Rolos
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Rolos »

Good to see this thread back to life.
Uhm, let's see, what have I read since I last posted here?
Well, there's the entire Song of fire and Ice series, which I thought was entertaining but nothing more, and "Pensees", by Blaise Pascal, which was insightful but dated.
It kind of reminds me of "Justine", by the Marquis of Sade, in the sense that it contains many an outrageous claim that seems ridiculous from a modern perspective.
Still, it's a good book.

I'm currently reading "An introduction to mathematical logic" by Elliot Mendelson.
It's fucking awesome.

And, in the near future, I want to read something by Terry Pratchet, who I have been told is a great author.
I did read "Good Omens", which he co-authored with Neil Gaiman, and I thought it was downright mediocre.
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Grahf »

Damn it all to hell man. I have a test at work coming up in October and I really can't be reading all these great books, but I'll try to get the fallen series in there as well.
"Context is for Kings"
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Mail »

papasith wrote: To be honest i cant really begin to say exactly what the story is about because there is so many plot lines along the way that i cant say it is about one event, It is more about a series of event all leading upa possible reworking of what it is to be a god in this world (as i see it)
There are definitely a lot of plots going on here. In my mind though there is one overarching plot that lasts through the entire series and seems to be the main tale he's telling.
[spoiler]The crippled god's story (his fall to the world, actions while there, and eventual redemption[/spoiler]

What's amazing about these books is that any one of the subplots could be a book in itself and yet he still manages to tie them together. Definitely worth a read, but the sheer amount of information you have to retain to remember what the hell is happening can be daunting. He does really well with the characters though so it's easy to remember them. God I love Tehol :lol: .

Like you said, the first book can be a bitch in terms of just understanding what's happening. This is one series that benefits greatly from multiple rereads. I really enjoyed it.
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Grahf »

well my best attempt to read slowly went okay with "A Dance with Dragons". Lord it was probably my least favorite book of the series. SMDH
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by dialdfordesi »

I just started the Dark Tower series. It's a nice refresher from reading about patient case scenarios!
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Grahf
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Grahf »

Just blazed through the hunger games. I thought it was pretty good for being short.
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Shade »

I'm actually reading Swiss Family Robinson again for the first time in 15 years.
It's actually really good. Amusing how 'proper' people spoke back then. Capital even! lol
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by KimPayne »

Hello everyone, where can I get translations for my japanese comics?
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Grahf
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Grahf »

Reading the "Ender Quintet" I've read 'Enders Game" "Ender in Exile" "Speaker for the Dead" in the last couple of weeks. I've just started on "Xenocide" probably when I'm done I'll attack the "Shadow series".
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by psi29a »

Grahf wrote:Reading the "Ender Quintet" I've read 'Enders Game" "Ender in Exile" "Speaker for the Dead" in the last couple of weeks. I've just started on "Xenocide" probably when I'm done I'll attack the "Shadow series".
Read them all... easy and fun reads the lot of them. However they are really idealistic and things... just perfectly come together. No real tension. :/

Currently re-reading Magician... in Dutch.
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Texanian »

Bumped into "Conan the Barbarian" series by different authors a year ago.Have to say i didn't expect them be so ....Lovecraftian , sometimes.
The descriptions of battles are also sweet.Be it massive ones or just 1v1.
Haven't read the most of books yet ... but i'll try my best to

want to mark "Conan and The prophet of darkness ", short roman by Gregory Archer.The book reminded me something ....something familiar .Something about "The Tower" and about "Retribution".Pity,Can't remember ....been awhile.
"Then you will come to think of things in a wide sense, and taking the Void as the Way, you will thee the Way as Void.In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence,spirit is nothingness."- M.M (TBO5R)
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