what book are you reading

[Glompbot]

The book various friends have been telling me to read on and off for about 5 years now:

Snow Crash


its weird so far.

[and3w]

YAY! Sapia catches up with THE book of 1999! YAY!

[Glompbot]

I don't like hyped up stuff, if something is incredibly hyped up, i tend to avoid it.

[annie]

Just about to start the 4th book in Stephen Eriksons series, 'House of Chains'. I just can't get enough of these books!!! They are awesome, they have everything, the greatest storylines, excellent twists, humour, sorrow, gore, suspense, everything! READ THEM!

[Mr. Bungle]

George R.R. Martin - A Storm of Swords

i think i will just read all these books in a row. fucking good stuff.

[Hired Goon]

As I have nothing much else to reed, I'm recommencing Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond after 10 months of it sitting around. It got all sciencey on my ass and I got bored, so I stopped reading it, but I think I'll give it another try.

[Thyrd]

The Da Vinci Code

[MisterBishi]

As I have nothing much else to reed

I think you still have a few Janet and John books to get through yet.

[Hired Goon]

I think you still have a few Janet and John books to get through yet.

Yeah that's it man. Then mum puts on my Wiggles DVD before my afternoon nap.

[BlueBoy]

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk.

[ShinymetalASS]

Rage of a Demon King - mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm still going

[MADCAT]

I just finished The Two Swords, it was a pretty good book but IMO the ending was a but of a downer compared to the endings of some of Salvatore's other books.

[oggy]

i cant read

[BlueBoy]

Would you stop cunting up every fucking thread?

[oggy]

Would you stop cunting up every fucking thread?

cunting is such a harsh word.......i prefer, fucking` them up!

seriously now, i dont read much at all, apart from the odd paper or two but i have read several of Dean R Koontz books, now he`s a great writer.

sorry to have bothered this thread, as you were!

[Glompbot]

I don't like hyped up stuff, if something is incredibly hyped up, i tend to avoid it.

OK.

I've just finished snow crash...
Almost everyone I've spoken to has said that they didn't like the ending.

I found the first half of the book slow, and didn't really grab my attention - i mean, a book can still be slow and grab me, but this one just didn't.

Half way through it changed, everything started to come together - I don't think this was as well done as in books by Stephen Erikson. I did like the whole religion virus thing, and backing it up with quotes and the library, that was mildly interesting.

The end was good. I actually liked it...

I'm not sure I'd bother to read the book again though.

[ewe2]

Well snow crash is always a formative experience :) It's actually better as an ebook, i've been listening to it on my ipod for a couple of weeks. Try reading Cryptonomicon now, that's a fun one. A lot of people like The Diamond Age too.

[and3w]

Or, for a change of subject (to eco-activism, not sci-fi) try reading his first (I think) book called Zodiac (again, I think; I read it in the early '90's as I remember).
Still a damn fine book.
I disagree with your (sapia) assessment of snowcrash..it was one of the first books to really bring the idea of 'memes' to a wider audience, and the mixing of historical truth and sci-fi themes was very well done. It is worth remembering when it was written...some of the ideas are common place nowadays, but then it was a different matter.
For more of the mixing of historical quasi-truth and sci-fi (day-after-tommorrow sci-fi, really) try Cryptonomicon, as reccomended by ewe2 ( a person of good taste in literature, IMHO).
The Diamond Age is a good 'alternative history' / sci-fi book, but not as good as the others mentioned I think.

[Glompbot]

The first book that I read that introduced memes to a wider audience was Hot Head by Simon Ings (if i remember his name correctly).

[and3w]

You do indeed..he also wrote a series of books on the theme of 'wet-ware'..can't remember the books names but they were cool. I also enjoyed those, but still think the combination of future, past, memes & virus type uses in snowcrash is better.
And it has those uber-hot doggie thing at Mr. Lees Greater Hong Kong! :-)

[-=[BB]=-]

I have just finished The Mote in Gods Eye
And have started on The Moat around Murchesons Eye.

Somwehere I have to find the time to finish all the Ian Fleming books my mate has been lending me :) busy busy busy!

[Glompbot]

I have to admit..... I liked 'reason'.

[Twitch]

A version of the book of counted sorrows

[Mooney]

An unfortunate Life by A.B.Facey!
I'm reading it for like the 100th time! Its really good!

[phunkachunka]

Leonardo da Vinci : Flights of the Mind

Is basically all his manuscripts translated to english and published. Almost like an autobiography.

[Glompbot]

Snow crash made me miss the old classics

So I picked up my copy of Neuromancer

After this I'll read a book about an australian hacker
and then maybe hot head by simon ings.

[and3w]

Yeah, nice to remember when cyberpunk was new, isn't it....Reason was one of those cool toys the mafia had wasn't it...had to have a cooling tail in water or something :-)
If you like that sort of stuff I have found (?) a great writer called Neil Asher - personally I'd start with 'The Skinner' but there is a whole series..gridlinked, Line of polity etc and a good short story book, Runcible Tales. I reccomend them highly, especially The Skinner, a great idea brilliantly told..

[BlueBoy]

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.

[Glompbot]

May have to revise that previous reading list

I went out and bought The Diamond Age (they didn't have any other books except that and snowcrash), and I also bought another Pratchett book (going postal) so those will be read as soon as I finish Neuromancer :D

[ChodeMaster]

About to start reading 'Battleaxe' By Sara Douglass

No idea what inspired me to buy it. Just saw it and thought "that looks medium interesting", and was out the door with the book...

[biomechanic]

Non-Fiction - Chuck Palahniuk

[Enos]

Just finished Felaheen by Jon Courtney Grimwood. Is the third in his Arabesque series and all three are very very cool.

Since then have started Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis and so far it's the most self-indulgent piece of tripe I've ever read... :wank:

[Mooney]

Reading A book called True Crime History... Very Interesting

[criminy]

Fiction: R A Salvatore's "The Cleric Quintet"
Non-Fiction: Levanon & Mozeson's "Radar Signals"

[nrejones]

Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. V Good Read. Saw the film first so it spoiled it a bit.

[ChodeMaster]

Fiction: R A Salvatore's "The Cleric Quintet"

Fuckin A! I love R.A Salvatore's books.

Much respect

[and3w]

Just finished Felaheen by Jon Courtney Grimwood. Is the third in his Arabesque series and all three are very very cool.

Since then have started Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis and so far it's the most self-indulgent piece of tripe I've ever read... :wank:

I liked Grimwood's earlier stuff..the 'New Venice' series especially, but for some reason I can't get into the Arabesque series..maybe I need to read more than the first one??

I have never read a bad ellis book, but this new one has had very mixed reviews..when I have some spare money I will give it a go.

At the moment I am into older stuff..am reading the uplift wars series by David Brin again..I had forgotten how good they are.
Again though I would reccomend The Skinner by Neil Asher, and then the rest of the series..if you are into space opera/cyber-punk you will love it/them.

[Lina]

I'm reading Introducing Ethics by Dave Robinson aand Chris Garratt. Bloody interesting read. A perfect introduction to ethics for the uninititated, methinks.

[Glompbot]

I'm reading Fools Fate by Robin Hobb

I really do <3 working within walking distance of Borders, Angus and Robertson and Dymocks.

[Serpent_Girl]

Fools Fate is an awesome book, I really enjoyed it.

Atm I'm reading Nightpeople by Anthony Eaton.

[melic]

Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë

[Thyrd]

The Beast of Heaven - Victor Kelleher

[RedMaN]

Just finished... Mathew Reilly - Seven Ancient Wonders

Currently looking for something else to captivate my attention.

[rayjayjohnson]

try something by robert harris, maybe fatherland?

[Glompbot]

Finished fools fate, which has to be the best 'conclusion' book I've ever read.
I thought it would end 2/3 of the way into it, but unlike most other books, it spent the last 1/3 closing off ALL the loose ends.

Absolutely amazing.



Now reading Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson

[annie]

Finished fools fate, which has to be the best 'conclusion' book I've ever read.
I thought it would end 2/3 of the way into it, but unlike most other books, it spent the last 1/3 closing off ALL the loose ends.

Absolutely amazing.



Now reading Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson


Yay Steven Erikson! I finished reading House of Chains the other week, oh so good, as usual! I still have to get around to buying Midnight Tides, which is the next one.

Since House of Chains, I've read 'The Other Boyeln Girl' by Phillipa Gregory, and the Complete Alien Omnibus by Alan Dean Foster. (Alien, Aliens and Alien3).

Now i'm starting to read 'The Redemption of Althalus' by David and Leigh Eddings.

[Glompbot]

Yay Steven Erikson! I finished reading House of Chains the other week, oh so good, as usual! I still have to get around to buying Midnight Tides, which is the next one.

Since House of Chains, I've read 'The Other Boyeln Girl' by Phillipa Gregory, and the Complete Alien Omnibus by Alan Dean Foster. (Alien, Aliens and Alien3).

Now i'm starting to read 'The Redemption of Althalus' by David and Leigh Eddings.

I spent a fair bit giggling when kruppe was re-introduced to memories of ice...
he'd just stolen a whole heap of horses...

Ah, he's a nice character.

[and3w]

Fiction: Fingersmith by Susan Waters
Non Fiction: New York; A biography by Michael Pye

[Something Fast]

I used to really love the "Spellsinger" series by Alan Dean Foster when I was in school. They're still rad for some light reading occasionally, too.

[ttpuk]

currently and just finished

wit'chfire : cant remember author
kings of many castles : brian freemantle
full house : janet evanovich

[Lina]

I'm 3/4 of the way through Helen Garner's Joe Cinque's Consolation. A non-fiction. I read this far last night and it kind of sunk through whilst I was sleeping and I woke up disturbed and irratated. I then did a bit of research and came across articles and interviews with the murderess and the author, which has deepened my thought process on the issues raised in the book. Issues of which I've been gnawing at the edges of for a while - since jury service and and my subsequent reading more on ethics.

[BlueBoy]

I was given the Sin City books for my birthday a day early, so I've been reading them.

[Glompbot]

Steven Erikson - House of Chains (A tale of the Malazan book of the fallen)

[Grumblefish]

I'm just about to start Plutarch, the Lives. I've read a lot of citations from it, but I've never bothered to sit down and read it first-hand.

[fbleagh]

The Hanging Mountains - Sean Williams

[Mr. Bungle]

"A Feast for Crows" - George R.R. Martin

this is the most recent one in the series and all of them have been amazing.

concurrently reading the comic "From Hell" by Alan Moore

[Hired Goon]

I'm just re-browsing through a book called Ashes of Vietnam now. It's written by Stuart Rintoul and features post Vietnam interviews with Australian soldiers relating their experiences. It's certainly one of the most honest and disturbing insights into the Vietnam war from a soldiers point of view I have read, and I highly recommend it.

Unfortunately it's out of print now, but I got my copy from ebay. Here's a story I typed out that gives a good indication of how shit it must have been to be there:

We had to go out to the foothills of the Long Hais on a search and destroy mission, July 21, 1969. It was about half past ten in the morning. We were pretty bloody exhausted. We'd had a few light contacts and the tension was there because we knew we were in a mine area.

I'd been carrying the radio, we'd just stopped and formed a circle off the track and the lieutenant and I were going up for a recon. Jerry, the sarge, was out at point and Doc was looking after the radio. He yelled out "Skip, the Yanks have just walked on the moon." "Fuck the Yanks," he said. Next thing Bang! I always believed Skip had stood on the mine, the jumping jack, but a lot of my mates reckon I stepped on it.

We were there for hours. Shit it was terrifying, because there were mines all around us. Jerry was hurt bad, and my left boot was up near my knee, my right leg was broken. I was hit in the guts, shoulders, face, arms, upper legs. I'm still picking the pieces out of my back today.

I dragged my leg back and I could feel the grating of the bones. My legs were at different angles and I felt like I was being burnt. The pain was pretty bloody bad. I crawled back to the radio and tried to give our position, but some stupid bloody sargeant-major told me to give the position code and I yelled "You can go and get fucked, Smiley, we've got dead, we've got badly injured." There were bodies everywhere, injured people, we couldn't move. I wanted air support, I wanted artillery, God knows what.

Johnny Needs came up and took over the radio then. John was brilliant. He made everyone lay down or sit down and he walked around to find out where it was safe. He deserved a Victoria Cross for what he did that day. He just took complete charge, made sure everyone was right, went to the wounded, risked his own life to set up safe lanes, called in a helicopter and then medevaced everyone.

I still remember lying there and feeling the bloody run down my knee and onto my thigh. I immediately thought "oh no," and stuck my hand down my trousers and felt the old fellow: it was full of blood. I thought to myself, oh fuck, I might as well be dead. I was more worried about my balls than I was about my legs or whether I was going to die or not, because if they got me in the balls I wanted to be dead.

I was winched up in this bloody helicopter, eighty feet up in the stretcher and this big Negro, holy Jesus he was a brute of a man - it may have been because I was lying down looking up at him, but he had to be six feet seven if he was an inch, and eighteen stone - is saying "Come on you mother fucking son of a bitch, stay awake," and he's wacking me across the face: "You motherfucker"

After I'd been lifted, John and a doctor were carrying another wounded by stretcher into the helicopter and apparently John stepped outside the taped area onto another mine and it killed him instantly. The doctor was blinded. I was nineteen. I'd been in Vietnam seventy-seven days and that was it.

-Frank Hunt

[and3w]

Hired Goon, dunno if you have read it but 'Dispatches' by Michael Herr is probably the best I have read on the Vietnam War.
Not specifically aussie but gives you a real taste of how fucked up that war was..try & get it, I think you would like it

[Hired Goon]

Hired Goon, dunno if you have read it but 'Dispatches' by Michael Herr is probably the best I have read on the Vietnam War.
Not specifically aussie but gives you a real taste of how fucked up that war was..try & get it, I think you would like it

No I haven't. Thanks dude, I will see if I can get a copy.

Another good one is Escape from Laos by Dieter Dengler. I haven't read it since it's also out of print and hard to get, but I saw the documentary and it was an amazing story, I would like to get hold of the book.

[Sparhawk]

Just finished Feast for Crows. I'm going to read the third book in the Earth trilogy by Williams and Dix now.

[Aardvark]

Chapterhouse Dune

Veeeerrryyy... sslllloooooowwwllllyyyyyy

Only because I know the author's bastard offspring is planning on writing the next one in the sequal and I hate that guy so frigging much it hurts

[Icky]

Im reading the Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan, again.

[hockypocky]

I am also reading The Wheel of Time series again. Sometimes I wonder if he will ever end the series.. We can always hope !!

[Icky]

It will be finished, only one book to go. YAY
I just think i will be disappionted with the last book or utterly amazed that he could tie everything together to a satisfactory level in the last book.

[ShinymetalASS]

Small Gods, by Pratchett....

I ran outta Feist to read.

And I miss Dash and Jimmy.... theres a threesome any girl would be after ;)

[Icky]

ShinymetalASS how many fiest books do you have?
I have 19 0f them but im on the hunt to find the rest.

[ShinymetalASS]

I dont know... maybe..... 10 or 11.... believe it or not, i dont have magician, but have the next three...

:)

hahahaha

[Icky]

:omfg: How can you be missing Magician?

:laughing: I'm missing Jimmy the hand and the other book (i have murder in LaMut in the legends of the rift war trilogy

[gunsella]

success - martin amis

[FrenchSpyMonkey]

White Thorn - Bryce Courtney
1984 - George Orwell

Not trying to sound smart i just have a retarded habit of reading multiple books.
I've not read any of Courtney's books since Power of One and Tandia.
I had forgotten how god damned depressing he is.

[Serpent_Girl]

Lords and Ladies - Terry Pratchett. :)

Oh, I am *still* reading 1984 too, just haven't finished it. Funny how whenever I mention 1984 everyone says Animal Farm is better and vice versa. Atm I'm liking 1984 better. :p

[FrenchSpyMonkey]

Thats funny i'm *still* reading 1984 as well. Its a book I really wanted to read but just can't seem to finish, which is stupid because its not that long. I read Animal farm when i was a kid and i may not have understood all of the political subtext but i think its just an easier read than 1984.

[Hired Goon]

I preferred Animal Farm because even though it was a dig at Stalin and communism, today it is also somewhat relevant to the politics of large companies, which I can relate to (ie hypocrisy). It also contained some humour. I read it at high school too, but really wasn't capable of comprehending (or possibly interested in) the significance of the novel.

I found 1984 good, but it was so bleak, and by the end I really did lose interest.

[ShinymetalASS]

Thats cause EVERYONE wants to live in a Brave New World.

1984 is just BNW for cynics and martyrs. :)

[dazmon]

Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis

[Sutter]

American Gods by Neil Gaiman. First time in about 6 months that I've wanted to keep reading a book past page ten.

[BlueBoy]

I've got more Gaiman books if you like American Gods.

[Diva]

Just finishing up 'The Honourable Schoolboy', by John LeCarre. It is the sequel to 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' (well, 2nd in the 'Hunt for Karla' after TTSS at least) which has the honour imo of being the greatest spy story ever written.

Once I'm finished, it will be time for 'Smiley's People'. I've read the series before, but you can never get too much of a good thing :)

Now just have to get the BBC mini series of TTSS and SP, which starred Alec Guinnes in his only tv work every.

[Glompbot]

Steven Erikson - Midnight Tides (A tale of the Malazan book of the fallen)

[Wombatunder]

The Science of Discworld by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart & Jack Cohen
an interesting take on the formation of the universe, causality, and evolution explained, as seen through the eyes of wizards...

[Wombatunder]

Oh and my monthly Summernats magazine(The Bible)
:)

[SirTwist]

Declare by Tim Powers, the master of secret histories.

[FatherShark]

Virtual Nation: The Internet in Australia, edited by Gerard Goggin

[Diva]

Declare by Tim Powers, the master of secret histories.

heh - he is reading my copy of it. Complete with a self-portrait sketch of the author as a spy, dedicated to me. Tim rocks :D

[ChodeMaster]

'Cryptonomicon' by Neal Stephenson.

Only ~90 pages into it, but at this point I am really enjoying it. Its a little hard to follow at first, with the jumping around through the different periods, but after you get ahold of that its fine.

I'm also loving the cheeky way he refers to, and deals with, historical characters and events in it .
(e.g. The description of the attack on Pearl Harbour, and the way he refers to his friend 'Al' who later becomes 'Alan' before it is finally revealed that he is 'Alan Turing' (a name that im more than a little familiar with since I'm garduating from a software eng degree)

All in all a good read so far..

[Serpent_Girl]

I'm reading all the Sherlock Holmes stories after watching the TV series a while ago. Pretty good! :)

[and3w]

I'm reading all the Sherlock Holmes stories after watching the TV series a while ago. Pretty good! :)


Pretty Good?? PRETTY GOOD???? don't you mean pretty fucking brilliant. I also hope you were referring to the Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce films being shown on TV.."If it aint Bas & Nig, It ain't worth a shit"

If it isn't Bas, get torrenting, they were made in the 30's & 40's and are sublime; In fact I love those versions so much I cannot watch any others

[Serpent_Girl]

Okay, Okay, in your words "Fucking Brilliant". Yeah, I was talking about the ones you were referring to. Still, I find reading the books of it just as good.

[and3w]

Okay, Okay, in your words "Fucking Brilliant". Yeah, I was talking about the ones you were referring to. Still, I find reading the books of it just as good.

Have to agree..I also liked "The 7% Solution" if you havent read it I think you would enjoy it. See http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0393311198/ref=sib_rdr_bc/104-7893235-0147945?%5Fencoding=UTF8&p=S06C&j=0#reader-page for a little more info

[Lina]

Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out How Type Really Works by a german guy called Erik Spiekermann. He also makes movies about typography. So cool for me, yet so utterly boring for non-typo people :D

[Something Fast]

Not actually reading yet, but I've finally decided to plow into Atlas Shrugged for shits and giggles. Also about to start reading Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

[muppet]

Massage for Dummies...

and a book on aromatherapy

[and3w]

Not actually reading yet, but I've finally decided to plow into Atlas Shrugged for shits and giggles. Also about to start reading Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Don't like Ayn Rand..bit of a proto-fascist precursor of the US New Conservatives.
Reading: Fish of the Seto Inland Sea (3 generations of a Japenese family) - Ruri Pilgrim
Re-reading Light - M. John Harrison (great hard sci-fi)

[ShinymetalASS]

The Kings Buccaneer.

Small Gods kept me amused in the meantime, but, well, what can I say?? I'm on a Feist Feast.

[Spades]

Sven Hassell - the second world war from a german perspective...

[berserk]

John Reed's Ten Days that Shook the World (http://www.marxists.org/archive/reed/1919/10days/10days/index.htm)

[Glompbot]

Grass by Sheri S Tepper.

Awesome book.

[Girl.]

Just finished 'A Fine Balance' by Rohinton Mistry, which I couldn't put down-- absolutely incredible book. Also concurrently read and finished Milan Kundera's 'The Joke', which I liked but not as much as I liked 'Immortality'.

Currently reading a book of short stories by Barbara Kingsolver. Not really impressed with them at the moment but we shall see...

[and3w]

Idoru - William Gibson (again) and 'The HTML Bible' by some geek blokes

Grass by Sheri S Tepper.

Awesome book.


You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Sapia again.

[Glompbot]

Its one of the first sheri s tepper books I read

I love her writing, i love her stance, i identify with her opinions.

I really really love the way all her 'trilogies' are so loosely based that you can read them in whatever order you like, and still get the whole series.

[and3w]

^^ Werd^^ and I do think that Grass is one of her best

[Glompbot]

^^ Werd^^ and I do think that Grass is one of her best

I didn't mind Gate to Womens Country

Interesting look at post holocaust world with a matriacal society (fuck me thats hard to type when drunk)

Also the whole selective breeding thing... and the living with the spawn of a rape.

[Diva]

I've been on a bit of a Georgette Heyer historical mystery phase for the past few days. I've read 6 of them I think (they don't take long to read)

[locust]

Alastair Reynolds - Pushing Ice

[BtrFly]

good quick light read, Colin Bateman - chapter and verse.

[Mr. Bungle]

I just finished part 4 of "A Song of Ice and Fire" series by George RR Martin. I am excited for the next installment, but will have to wait at least another year.

I am now starting a children's book originally published in German called "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke. Looks like it could be a fun read.

[Diva]

ooh - Mr Bungle, was it good? I want to read it, but i figure if I wait until the mass market paperback is out, then I will have less time to wait before the next one. A Feast for Crows took so long to write (umm - 4 years I think) that I don't want to get my hopes up again too soon for the next one.

for the record, the next book is A Dance of Dragons. It was supposed to be #4 but he added an extra book into the series instead of telling stuff in flashback. the series changed from for 6 to 7 books at this point. I can't remember the names of the last two, as stated by Martin (somewhere on his website I think, but I couldn't find it). One is something like A Winter of Wolves, and can't remember anything at all about the other.

[Diva]

forgot to say there are a series of short stories for ASoIaF, set about 100 years before the series. 'The Hedge Knight' can be found in Legends Vol I (ed Robert Silverburg), and 'The Sworn Sword' is in Legends Vol II (ed Robert Silverburg). If you haven't checked them out, definitely worthwhile. Egg is a character who reappears in the series (kinda sorta)

[and3w]

I like the few Hard Sci-Fi books George RR Martin wrote..not keen on fantasy stuff

[Mr. Bungle]

Awesome. Martin talks about why he split up the book into two sections at the end of A Feast for Crows. I enjoyed it and I read all of them back to back to back to back. It has some let down in pace, but overall it is still excellent. I prefer most of the characters not covered in AFfC, but the next book will take care of that.

Since you have to wait for book 5, might as well wait for the paperback as well.

[SOC]

I'm currently reading The Two-Minute Rule, the latest novel from crime writer Robert Crais.
Also reading The Insider, the 'memoir' by former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan.

[Sashasword]

Does poetry count as "what are you reading?"?
Not a book exactly, but rather cool, and I wanted to share it with someone.
If I could have found a poetry section, I would have put it there.

It is called:

Grendel's Dog, from Beocat

Brave Beocat, brood-kit of Ecgthmeow,
Hearth-pet of Hrothgar in whose high halls
He mauled without mercy many fat mice,
Night did not find napping nor snack-feasting.
The wary war-cat, whiskered paw-wielder,
Bearer of the burnished neck-belt, gold-braided collar band,
Feller of fleas fatal, too, to ticks,
The work of wonder-smiths, woven with witches' charms,
Sat upon the throne-seat his ears like sword-points
Upraised, sharp-tipped, listening for peril-sounds,
When he heard from the moor-hill howls of the hell-hound,


Gruesome hunger-grunts of Grendel's Great Dane,
Deadly doom-mutt, dread demon-dog.
Then boasted Beocat, noble battle-kitten,
Bane of barrow-bunnies, bold seeker of nest-booty:
"If hand of man unhasped the heavy hall-door
And freed me to frolic forth to fight the fang-bearing fiend,
I would lay the whelpling low with lethal claw-blows;
Fur would fly and the foe would taste death-food.
But resounding snooze-noise, stern slumber-thunder,
Nose-music of men snoring mead-hammered in the wine-hall,
Fills me with sorrow-feeling for Fate does not see fit
To send some fingered folk to lift the firm-fastened latch
That I might go grapple with the grim ghoul-pooch."
Thus spoke the mouse-shredder, hunter of hall-pests,
Short-haired Hrodent-slayer, greatest of the pussy-Geats.


-- From Poetry for Cats, by Henry Beard.

[Sashasword]

Just to remain on topic, I have also been reading an actual book.

It's called "Mindswap", by Robert Sheckley.
A bit of an old print, pages going slightly yellow and all that.

It's a trippy sci-fi story that is set way in the future.
Marvin Flynn, a human from Earth, longs to travel and see the galaxy.
However, it is horrendously expensive just to go to the moon.
An alternate choice is available - to 'mindswap' with another alien being on their planet. You would, for the set time, paid in advance, have use of another being's body, and they yours - all without physically going anywhere.

Thing is, when Marvin does this, he soon finds out that a criminally inclined alien has buggered off with his body and is nowhere to be found.
He then has to "hedgehop", using mindswap to travel around in an attempt to find his body, as he cannot survive without one.

This was actually a great and funny read, until it turned to shit halfway through and ended really stupidly and abrubtly, like the author just discovered he had to hand it in tomorrow.

I hate it when that happens.

[Phife]

Religious Diversity in the Graeco-Roman World

I have to feed my religious geekiness or it will consume me!

[Glompbot]

Raising the Stones by Sheri S tepper

Part of the Marjory Westriding trilogy (grass, raising the stones, sideshow)

[Girldef]

The War of the Flowers - Tad Williams

Red Otherland ages ago and loved it. Hope this is as good. Haven't really got into it yet.

[and3w]

Read the Thorn somaat or other by Tad Williams..ages ago, enjoyed that, read nothing of his since

[TheBloatedFish]

Just finished reading Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. This book is pure genius, cleverly written the book is dark and gruesome while at the same time light hearted and funny. The books wit is brilliant and possibly has the driest humour I have ever encountered in any form of media. If you havnt read this book I highly recommend purchasing a copy.

[MisterBishi]

Read it again, it gets better.

[and3w]

Just finished reading Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. This book is pure genius, cleverly written the book is dark and gruesome while at the same time light hearted and funny. The books wit is brilliant and possibly has the driest humour I have ever encountered in any form of media. If you havnt read this book I highly recommend purchasing a copy.

Damn right...and it knocks the film into a cocked hat! Most disapointing film of a book I can think of :chair:

[SOC]

Finished The Two-Minute Rule. Now reading Cell, by Stephen King.

[SirTwist]

Lord of the Rings again... it's time for my annual read :D

[mr_russy]

Just finished The Da Vinci Code, ready for the film, and all I can say is it lived up to the hype in my eyes. I'm not usually a book reading fan (the youth of today!!) but I was addicted to it couldn't put it down.

About to start The Godfather for the second time, once you've seen the film I felt the book was too much effort but I aim to finish it this time...

[Boobmeister]

Last week read the new Stephen King book "Cell", being a huge King freak, I was a little dissappointed with this offering, for full details on this, stay tuned I may even do a review for ZPrint in the near future(Time permitting).

Just about to finish "Deviant" by Harold Schechter, the story of Ed Gein, and when I'm done with that tonight, I'll be picking up Catch 22 ... have never read it so I'm hoping it is interesting.

I've made a concious decision to read some "classic" novels, I believe I may even give some Dicksons and the type a go. Read all the original horror books such as Dracula, Frankenstein and Jekyll and Hyde last year, so Im keen for some older stuff.

[Icky]

Nineteen Eighty-Four
http://www.zgeek.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49680

[Glompbot]

I both started, and finished reading Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett.

Very funny book.

[nrejones]

Finished the Da Vinci Code yesterday. What a pile of overated crap! I stayed up till 1am 4 nights in row and it turned out the 'holy grail' was just a hoax.

bah! Flimshaw! Balderdash!

[Canalien]

just finished reading Shakey: Neil Young's Biography by Jimmy McDonough, and Helicopter Rescue: The Story of Australia's First Full Time Chopper Doctor by Ken Wishaw... just started Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

[Sashasword]

I have just finished reading Thud - by Terry Pratchett

Awesome read, as usual.
I won't go into details about it, as I don't want to spoil it for anyone who is yet to read it, but I will say that it's a Nightwatch novel, focusing on Vimes and his family - not to mention the fact that he still has the city to run as well.
The usual weird shit follows, and Vimes saves the day.

This book also goes into more detail about the dwarves, and we get a new and interesting insight on how Carrot actually views himself and the world.
Very nice character development, especially on ones you thought you already knew.

If you're a Terry Pratchett fan, it's a must read.

[Mr. Bungle]

... when I'm done with that tonight, I'll be picking up Catch 22 ... have never read it so I'm hoping it is interesting.

this is my favorite book of all time. i think you will not be disappointed, but then again it is somewhat of a strange book.

[and3w]

Dear Mr Russy: The Da Vinci Code is one of the worst books I have ever read.
Yours sincerely, everyone in the world except you.

Most of it was stolen from 'The Holy Blood & The Holy Grail'

[IamSpartacus]

Dante's Inferno ... and it is rather hard going.

[gunsella]

jules verne - around the world in 80 days.

[Glompbot]

Bought Colour of Magic and am reading it for what I believe is the first time..
I *may* have read it in primary school, but it is possible I just stared at the cover a lot.

[and3w]

A baliffs letter :-( (well, they can fuck off for a start!)

But really, 'Londons Underworld' vol 2 of 'London Labour & the London Poor' by Henry Mayhew...absolutely fascinating; picked all 4 volumes up from a second hand shop for £5.00, not bad for saying they were originally published between 1851 -1862. Unfortunately, not first editions (otherwise I would be fairly rich) but still a nice, Victorian set.

[Canalien]

Dante's Inferno ... and it is rather hard going.
I feel your pain. Are you reading a version with the Cantos summarized at the end of each one? God help you if you're not (ha!). I can't offer any words of encouragement, Purgatory and Paradise are even harder.

[ShinymetalASS]

Planet Simpsons - Chris Turner

Rather more insightful and thought out than one would expect.

Good enough to be a reference text I say.

And vicariously piss funny to boot.

[SOC]

The Pythons By The Pythons ... the autobiography of the group by the group

[Grumblefish]

I just started Plutarch's Lives.

I finished his biography of Theseus and Romulus, and tomorrow I will read the comparison. It's pretty good so far, and I learnt a lot while reading the bio on Theseus, especially regarding Minos. My copy was originally published in 1683 however, so the English is a tad dated, and it is 1600+ pages of tiny text.

[rayjayjohnson]

Finished The Two-Minute Rule. Now reading Cell, by Stephen King.
finished cell recently. not a bad idea he had going in that, i reccommend it.

[nrejones]

Letters from a Nut by- Ted L. Nancy( aka Jerry Seinfeld)

[Glompbot]

Started and finished Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

MUCH better than colour of magic IMHO.

[Icky]

I'm reading my politics text book it is extremely boring.
Yay get to read someone trying to justify Beurocrats and say there useful
:shrug::shrug::shrug:

[Buffy]

Currently flipping through Legends II (http://www.galaxybooks.com.au/items.asp?id=282375). It's a collection of short novels by lots of cool authors and edited by Robert Silverberg :)

[berserk]

Dante's Inferno ... and it is rather hard going.
Because of the translation or the obscure Virgilian references?

[and3w]

I'm reading my politics text book it is extremely boring.
Yay get to read someone trying to justify Beurocrats and say there useful
:shrug::shrug::shrug:

Nothing to 'em, just remember:

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/2434/libertarianismcomic28sf2lg.jpg

:D :D

Myself, am re-reading a Inspector Rebus anthology, 'Rebus: The St. Leonards Years' by Ian Rankin (3 books in one, 'Strip Jack', 'The Black Book' & 'Mortal Causes') and also 'A Pepys Anthology', edited by Robert & Linnet Latham, a good anthology to start you off in an enormous field of work.

[Icky]

Nothing to 'em, just remember:

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/2434/libertarianismcomic28sf2lg.jpg

:D :D

I love that, it is fucken awesome. tempted to print out and share it with all my anarchist friends at uni.
:D:D:D

[Mr. Bungle]

I tried reading this last year, but got into a different book.

Isaac Newton - James Gleick

[and3w]

I love that, it is fucken awesome. tempted to print out and share it with all my anarchist friends at uni.
:D:D:D

Help yourself mate, I stole it from 'punktorrents' and, as 'all property is theft', you go for it! :D :D :D

[pliskin]

have started readind the "otherland" series by Tad Williams

[katydyd35]

Star Wars -Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn
Normally I'm not into the Stars Wars Books, much perfer the movies but this one is not to bad

[ShinymetalASS]

Honoured Enemy - Feist.

:)

I just love my Feist

[Cassa]

<3 tad williams, pliskin

I'm about to start Green or Gone: Health, Ecology, Plagues, Greed and Our Future. Stop breeding you bastards!

[BlueBoy]

The Straw Men by Michael Marshall.
Interesting so far, but it's very different to One of Us (which I just finished).

[BlueBoy]

Finished the above, now I'm reading a stack of web design books.
First one is Designing with Web Standards by Jeffrey Zeldman. It's not actually a boring read.

[mcnish]

I tried. I really tried. But I just couldn't finish Feists 'Shadows of the Dark queen' - or whatever the title was. This books was just awful, awful. My wife loved it and said that things in the second book redeemed the series. The library wanted the book back just before I finished and well, I let them take it from my arms.

[ShinymetalASS]

I tried. I really tried. But I just couldn't finish Feists 'Shadows of the Dark queen' - or whatever the title was. This books was just awful, awful. My wife loved it and said that things in the second book redeemed the series. The library wanted the book back just before I finished and well, I let them take it from my arms.


This is heresy and you should be hanged.


I'm presently reading Beauty by Sherri S Tepper.

[Diva]

I'm on a Dorothy Sayer's kick at the moment, she is probably the best puzzle creater and character writer of the 'golden age' dectective novelists, and it is just pure joy to read the tales of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane.

In the past week I have read:
- Whose Body?
- Unnatural Death
- Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club
- Strong Poison
- Murder Must Advertise, and currently
- Gaudy Night, which will be followed by
- Busman's Honeymoon

I discovered my copy of "Have His Carcass" is missing, and there are a few more of the novels that I have read but don't own, so I'm looking at getting the rest from Amazon.

Then I have the short story collections to look forward to:
- Lord Peter Views the Body
- Hangman's Holiday
- In the Teeth of the Evidence

I highly recommend these books to anyone who wants to read well constructed mysteries with in-depth characterisation and beautiful use of language. Sayers is particularly know for her witty and sparking dialogue, and coming back to these books after a few years break is always like rediscovering an old friend.

[Guest.]

The Iliad - Homer

[Space Cowboy]

Jeffrey Archer - A Matter Of Honour

[catt]

I've just finshed 'In my Skin: A Memoir' by Kate Holden, really interesting read, Kate Holden was a herion addict who turned to prositution to support her habit, beat her habit and then wrote a book about it

[JessicaDV8]

Oh, hey, Song of Ice and Fire people, I love those books. Martin opened his book tour here in Nashville when he released the latest book and I went to see him talk. The line was too long for me to bother waiting to get my copy signed, though.

Right now I'm reading through the SO's Terry Pratchett collection. One of the things I love about meeting people is raiding their books, and I've been plowing through David's for over a year now.

[Symon_magus]

"Blacks and the Populist Revolt" by Gerald H. Gaither.
I'm also reading "The People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn

[Glompbot]

This is heresy and you should be hanged.


I'm presently reading Beauty by Sherri S Tepper.

Beauty isn't one of her best IMHO.... Its a bit too wishy washy for me... I've got friends who love it though.

Its the only Sheri S Tepper book I've only read 3 times...
(apart from the marianne trilogy, but thats because i'm scared if i touch them they'll fall apart)

[ShinymetalASS]

Beauty isn't one of her best IMHO.... Its a bit too wishy washy for me... I've got friends who love it though.

Its the only Sheri S Tepper book I've only read 3 times...
(apart from the marianne trilogy, but thats because i'm scared if i touch them they'll fall apart)


Im reading it on my lunch break now. I find it a bit... annoying in parts. Beauty as a character is just a *little* self-righteous. It's an interesting concept and a rather novel novel (tee hee) but I'd agree saps, just a little too meh. And try-hardy as well.

[Glompbot]

Im reading it on my lunch break now. I find it a bit... annoying in parts. Beauty as a character is just a *little* self-righteous. It's an interesting concept and a rather novel novel (tee hee) but I'd agree saps, just a little too meh. And try-hardy as well.

I suggest for the whole 'fantasy' style reading Gate to Womens Country - its an interesting matriarchal look on post holocaust society with a very Troy feel.

For something a bit less overtly feminist I'd go for The Marjorie series... (grass, raising the stones, sideshow).

[Diva]

Im reading it on my lunch break now. I find it a bit... annoying in parts. Beauty as a character is just a *little* self-righteous. It's an interesting concept and a rather novel novel (tee hee) but I'd agree saps, just a little too meh. And try-hardy as well.

I love retellings of Faerie Tales, but there was something missing from Beauty. Not quite sure what it is, but I was left feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

A Song of Ice and Fire, on the other hand, is awesome. I find A Game of Thrones hard to read because of what happens towards the end. And of course the Red Wedding is just - well, unmatched in modern fantasy fiction. Maybe if there is enough interest we can start a thread, and I can talk about how I think GRRM is taking the traditional 'hero's journey' narrative and smashing it into a million little pieces spread between about 6 protagonists. I love talking literary theory :D

[JessicaDV8]

A Song of Ice and Fire, on the other hand, is awesome. I find A Game of Thrones hard to read because of what happens towards the end. And of course the Red Wedding is just - well, unmatched in modern fantasy fiction. Maybe if there is enough interest we can start a thread, and I can talk about how I think GRRM is taking the traditional 'hero's journey' narrative and smashing it into a million little pieces spread between about 6 protagonists. I love talking literary theory :D

A SoIaF thread would be cool. Then I could talk about how much I hate Caitlin I love Jamie. And I would like to hear what you all have to say about it. I have a couple of friends who like the books, and I gave one of them the board game last year.

[Diva]

I'm actually on the official SoIaF boards, although I'm not active in the series discussion threads at the moment until I have read A Feast for Crows (we have a copy, I just haven't had time to reread the rest of the series yet)

[Mr. Bungle]

I would be interested in this ASoIaF thread as well, did anyone start one?

Currently reading Stephen King - The Dark Tower VII. King really lost the style he had going in the first four books over these last three. However, I want to see what happens to Roland of Gilead so I will finish it off.

[and3w]

Just finished re-reading 'The Brass Man' by Neil Asher, in preperation to reading his newest book in the 'polity' universe, which I have just bought, 'The Voyage of the Sable Keech'.
If you like hard sci-fi, with massively new ideas, a wicked sense of humour and fascinating storylines then I cannot reccomend Neil Asher highly enough. (I think I may have raved about him before).
I would suggest starting with 'The Skinner', even though it is the second book set in this universe simply because of it's sheer inventiveness and violence (there used to be a 'category' of books called 'Splatter Punk', back in the '80's and this fits perfectly into that category).
DO NOT MISS THESE BOOKS!
His site: http://freespace.virgin.net/n.asher/books.htm
Hopefully, by the time I finish reading this book, the newest will be out (due for release in May).
I LIKE Sherry Tepper, but also agree that 'Beauty' is not one of her better books..I much prefer the 'Grass' books, even though I'm not much of a fantasy reader....
Diva..nice to hear someone still enjoys the classics of crime writing..I used to love the 'Lord Peter Whimsey' TV programme when I was a kid, which led me to her writing, which I enjoyed even more.
Catt: I've also read that book and found it superb..she get's the details right all the way (and I should know..well, not the prostitution bit, you understand :aah: )...
Space Cowboy..ALL Jeffery Archer's so-called 'books' should be burnt as a wate of paper..Farenheit 911 was right in this one case! :boxing:

[Serpent_Girl]

Currently reading Priestess of the White by Trudi Canavan. :)

[Diva]

J
Diva..nice to hear someone still enjoys the classics of crime writing..I used to love the 'Lord Peter Whimsey' TV programme when I was a kid, which led me to her writing, which I enjoyed even more.


I haven't seen the earlier series, but I saw the ones with Harriet Walter as Harriet Vane, and someone Petherbridge as Peter Wimsey. I actually can't remember the order - I *think* I read Have His Carcase first, and before I saw it on tv, but it was around the same time anyway.

I love classic crime fiction. Big fan of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers and Ngaio Marsh, and to a lesser extent Margery Allingham. I'm also very fond of Dashiel Hammett, Dornford Yates, and Raymond Chandler. And I've read some of the Raffles books - can't remember who they were by. And the Trent books too, by E.C. Bentley.

I love the period settings, the difference between the american writers and the english writers and their respective societies. In the gumshoe stories it is more thriller-esque, as they often know who they are looking for but not necessarily why. The english writers are more into puzzles and twists, and I love trying to work out who did what and why. I'm pretty good - generally guess most of it by half way, it drives Twist crazy (same with modern books and movies too. I love to work it out before the protagonist).

I have been pretty lucky study-wise - at highschool for the HSC we did the thriller genre, rather than a specific book. Did the history of the country-house style murder mysteries, gumshoe / noire, and compared to modern thrillers. We did a couple of Christies, a couple of Chandlers, and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and were looking at style rather than actual stories, which was really interesting. And then I did more genre studies at uni at part of my english major.

I love books :)

I'm happy to have a mystery / thriller discussion thread too if others are interested. Rather than just one author we could talk about the whole range, from 'golden age' to contemporary.

[Something Fast]

The Shrine of Jeffery Dahmer - Brian Masters.

[PhilDude]

Pet Sematary - Steven King.

[ShinymetalASS]

Dark Legacy - Corey Daniels (Book II in the T'En Trilogy)

[ShinymetalASS]

I found out Corey Daniels is a pseudonym and this person has written many "well known books" and they live in Brissie. I tell you what, I can't wait to find the third book.

Im currently reading:

Colours in the Steel - KJ Parker (1st book in Fencer Trilogy).

Its a Fantasy about lawyers. Hahahahahahaha. But the lawyers argue cases with swords. And to win, you have to WIN. You die, you lose.

So its more than just a fantasy book. Its more like an ideal world.

[Serpent_Girl]

I just started reading Magician by Raymond E. Feist. Never read anything by this author but apparently he's good. I'll see... :)

My next book on the list after this is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, to aid with my work on dystopias and it's supposed to be a good book anyway.

[Icky]

The Last published book of The Wheel of Time, Knife of Dreams.
Then i will be reading the RuneLord series by David Farland, Just brought book 4 last night so looking forward to it :D

[locust]

Kim Stanley Robinson - Forty Days of Rain.

[ShinymetalASS]

I just started reading Magician by Raymond E. Feist. Never read anything by this author but apparently he's good. I'll see... :).

He's slightly above average

My next book on the list after this is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, to aid with my work on dystopias and it's supposed to be a good book anyway.

Also mildly interesting

[Buffy]

Magician (and the following series) was one of the first fantasy books I read as a youngin', it's still a favourite because of that :)

I just picked up A Game of Thrones because of all the recent talk, read a few chapters early this morning in bed, pretty cool :cool:

[sun_god]

Magician is still one of my favourites, but every subsequent book gets worse and worse until your drowning in barely legible tripe that reads like a DnD game.

I recently read Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, it was some of best and most complex fantasy I have read.

[sun_god]

Wow, I just re-read my last post and I sound like an arrogant twat. Although as far as I can tell from reading ZGeek that is the purpose of internet forums?

[Sutter]

Magician is still one of my favourites, but every subsequent book gets worse and worse until your drowning in barely legible tripe that reads like a DnD game.

I recently read Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, it was some of best and most complex fantasy I have read.

I see nothing wrong here, carry on.

[Sutter]

I'm currently reading Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. So far, so good. Glad I read American Gods before this though. :D

Thanks Blueboy :)

[ShinymetalASS]

I recently read Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, it was some of best and most complex fantasy I have read.


I reckon if you like Erikson, you should give Ian Irvine (in his fantasy capacity) a go.

The View from the Mirror Quartet was pretty darned good.

[Boobmeister]

Only picked it up last night, but Im starting "Chain of Command : The Road from 9/11 to Abu Ghraib" by Seymour M. Hersh. Basically gets into all the deception involved from the Bush govt ... looks like a good read. Hersh is a respected journalist, so I doubt it will be full of histrionics....

reviews here on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060195916/104-3469589-8343118?v=glance&n=283155

[rayjayjohnson]

the best a man can get by john o'farrell. dunno why, but this is one of my favourite books. very witty.

[Salted_Chipmunk]

Currently reading Long Way Around by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman.

Watched the DVD series and my girlfriend bought me the book.

Its a great read, the show is really good too. Some amazing views from all the countries that they ride through.

[sun_god]

I reckon if you like Erikson, you should give Ian Irvine (in his fantasy capacity) a go.

The View from the Mirror Quartet was pretty darned good.

I think I'll give it a read, I've been looking for what to read next.

[HAL]

The Ultimate Aphrodisiac by Robert G Barrett

fuck. it. rocks.

[TheBloatedFish]

The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon

[ShinymetalASS]

Two books:

Clive James - Travel Notes

(has a particularly great comment on who we blame when we vote in a poitician we dont like:

"...everything but the voting public's right to be self-interested".

even though it was written during the post-Whitlam storm, I find it succintly describes the obtuse conservatism practised by most Australians)

and

Moving Pictures by Pratchett.

[btwong]

Scar Tissue: By Anthony Kiedis & Larry Sloman

Its is interesting, but Anthony is a complete arsehole, woman-ising, self-indulgent prick sometimes. But is cool to hear about songs, and who/what they are about. Pity there isn't more of it, just plenty of drugs, sex and being a prick.

[Sashasword]

I am currently re-reading The Fifth Elephant, by Terry Pratchett.
And yes, it is still thoroughly enjoyable the second time around.
If you haven't read any of Terry Pratchett's books yet, then what have you been doing with your life?
Also, I have been reading a most excellent book on the making of knife handles and their accompanying scabbards.
It's called (funnily enough) Knifemaking - A complete guide to Crafting knives, Handles and Sheaths.
It's got over a $40 price tag on it, but it is informative.
Shame it kind of lies about the knife making bit though. It assumes you already have the metal bit, and goes from there.
Although, I suppose it's unfair to say that, because making a good knife blade is something that could easily fill a whole and chunky book.

[Steely]

re-reading the great and secret show by clive barker, it's a great story :)

[STallingU]

Moving Pictures By Terry Pratchett.

[Kanderson]

Nights in the Gardens of Spain by Witi Ihimaera.
(NSFHomophobes)

[Mr. Bungle]

Inkspell, the sequel to Inkheart. The first one was a cute kid's story and enjoyable. My gf's mom bought me this for my birthday. Light fare is always nice.

[Kanderson]

The Tale of the Body Thief - Anne Rice. It's rather interesting.

[ShinymetalASS]

The Tale of the Body Thief - Anne Rice. It's rather interesting.


I found it really good, though I think Memnoch is the best.

Always thought immortal characters (like vampires) make excellent vehicles to examine the mortal human condition from a purportedly outside perspective. :w00t:

[and3w]

Re-reading (AGAIN) Snowcrash by Neal Stephenson..one of my all time favourite books, great ideas, well told....on my 3rd copy now..I keep lending them out to people.
BTW, any Stephenson fan, try to get hold of his first book, Zodiak, it is great, but not sci-fi, more enviromental warriors type thing..very good..

[ShinymetalASS]

Artemis Fowl. Easy read, but pretty darned good y'all.

[RedMaN]

Tom Clancy's Net Force: State of War

I read the first book in the series a while back and I just bought this @ JFK airport before coming home. Not a bad read so far.

[Sagacious]

Carter's Criminal Code (LBC Looselesaf Service)


But Seriously....

...Re Re Re Reading (that is not a stutter) To serve them all my days by RF Delderfield. I just love this book.

and Re Re Reading (again not a stutter) Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley again an old favourite.

[ShinymetalASS]

Carter's Criminal Code (LBC Looselesaf Service)
.

I'd say you're a sick man, except what I'm reading *right* now is a business contract. :boohoo:

[Glompbot]

I'm re-reading Monstrous Regiment by terry pratchett.

I'm too broke to continue buying new books for a few weeks :(

[Glompbot]

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

[Xythan]

I have to read all these for Literature this year...

"Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad - done
"Dubliners" by James Joyce - done
"King Lear" by Shakespeare - starting over the next few weeks
"Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett - starting over the next few weeks

[ShinymetalASS]

"King Lear" by Shakespeare - starting over the next few weeks



Shakespeare was always my favourite part of English.

Hearts of Darkness had its moments but basically felt like trawling through a swamp.

[Hit And Rum]

The Sirens Of Titan

Kurt Vonnegut

I am halfway through and it is a good read so far.

[daonoir]

crime and punishment
-dostoevsky
realy good "but yeah one of thoes books"
afraid to read now :(

[and3w]

Xythan..King Lear is great, and for a different take on it watch the film 'Ran' by Kurosawa .. brilliant film, set in feudal Japan, but the same basic story of 2 weasley daughters and 1 nice one (but son's), which the doddery old king can't tell..Beatiful film http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089881/

daonoir - Crime & Punishment is one of my favourite books..1 thing to remember about it is that he wrote the first 1/2 odd at once, but the rest he wrote in inidividual chapters, which he sold to a magazine cos he was so broke..see if you can tell where it changes....

Me? Re-reading Hunter S Thompson's letters vol 1 - The Proud Highway..the making of a god in my view..

[nrejones]

Chain of Command by Seymour Hersch( the journalist who went public with the My LAi massacre story). Quite interesting, he makes alot of inflammatory claims about the Bush administration. but will not indicate who his sources are, so it is difficult to judge if he is accurate or not. Interesting nonetheless.

[Norm]

Memoirs of a Geisha, just a few pages to go, I have realy ejoyed it.

[and3w]

I enjoyed the film...

[Glompbot]

I have to read all these for Literature this year...

"Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad - done
"Dubliners" by James Joyce - done
"King Lear" by Shakespeare - starting over the next few weeks
"Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett - starting over the next few weeks

King Lear isn't so bad... at least its now Romeo and Juliet *spew*

My favourites are the Merchant of venice
and Much ado about nothing

[ShinymetalASS]

The Neptune Files - by Tom Standage

About the discovery of Uranus and the mathematical theories and subsequent calculations that discovered Neptune.

Absolutely fucking brilliant.

[HAL]

'Ends and Means' by Aldous Huxley

...bout the 3rd time i've read this book.

[dozer]

technical analysis of the financial markets - john murphy

fibonacci and gann here we come.

[BlueBoy]

The Upright Man - Michael Marshall

[criminy]

The Reality Dysfunction, by Peter F. Hamilton. A comprehensive tome. It's just started to get interesting (250 pages in). Quinn Dexter is a very nasty piece of work.

Finished The Nano Flower, ibid, didn't realise at the time it was part 3 of a loose trilogy. I was thinking that some of the characters were appearing just a little too fully formed.

Also slogging through Multifunction Array Radar, System Design and Analysis, by Sabatini and Tarantino (no, not that Tarantino).

[criminy]

The Neptune Files - by Tom Standage

About the discovery of Uranus and the mathematical theories and subsequent calculations that discovered Neptune.

Absolutely fucking brilliant.

It's been an hour and nobody seems to have made a pissweak double entendre yet about the discovery of Uranus, so allow me:

I'm impressed by the ability of mathematicians to extrapolate the location of Neptune merely by observations made of Uranus. Do you think they worked it out with a pencil?

[Glompbot]

Currently reading:
City of Golden Shadow - volume one of the Otherland series by Tad Williams

Its weird.

[Thyrd]

Amazing Spider-man #532.

Peter Parker is about it reveal himself as Spider-man to the public. Damn cliffhanger suspense!

[ShinymetalASS]

I'm impressed by the ability of mathematicians to extrapolate the location of Neptune merely by observations made of Uranus. Do you think they worked it out with a pencil?


I dare say old chap. And approximately 10,000 pieces of paper.


Actually, Im serious. There were 10,000 pages of calculations made by the Frenchman, who's mate Galle was the first to sight the planet. John Couch Adams actually calculated the position first, with far more mathematical grace.

Typical frog.

[annie]

Currently reading:
City of Golden Shadow - volume one of the Otherland series by Tad Williams

Its weird.


It may be wierd, but that whole series is excellent! I can't really say what makes it so enjoyable to me, but the plot is good and twisty (not twisted) and the situations that are presented bring beautiful images to mind. It's a long series though, as far I know Tad Williams had written it (all 4 or 5 books) as one long story, but obviously had to cut it into sections. You can kind of tell because one book will finish in what seems to be an odd place, but it all picks up and continues as soon as you get into the next book.

I hope you enjoy it Sapia!

[Glompbot]

I can already tell its a book that I like.

I'm past the weird war feather girl bit... and now the bomb went off in the african school...

[Norm]

http://www.avidreader.com.au/_dbase_img/story/gods.gif

Good read

Review here (http://www.carlavanraay.com/readers-comments.htm)

[gaLdaB]

I wish I was reading the manual for Guitar Hero

[Glompbot]

http://www.avidreader.com.au/_dbase_img/story/gods.gif

Good read

Review here (http://www.carlavanraay.com/readers-comments.htm)
wow, looks interesting... I might buy it when I get some cashzor

[MAX POWER]

Atomised - Michel Houellebecq

My girlfriend asked me what book I'd like her to buy me. I said something sexy, a thriller perhaps. So she got this book for me.

It's kinda weird, jumps around abit, between the two main characters mostly, but between different stages in time too.

It has some pretty graphic bits about sex, but the character is a bit of a loser/sexual deviant/public masturbator so it ain't very sexy. He spends most of his time chasing teenage girls.

I'm determined to finish it though...

[BlueBoy]

I wish I was reading the manual for Guitar Hero
You only have to wait 7 more days.

[ShinymetalASS]

Re-reading Terracotta Warriors - The Secret Code of the Emperor's Army by Maurice Cotterall.


I love the part about Chinese Mythology that tells me all about Monkey and Pigsy and how they went with Tripitaka.

NO FUCKEN SANDY THOUGH

[stinky]

I've got an english translation of the entire monkey saga at home in my box of old weird books. Is really cool, I was surprised how much of the storylines I recognised from the show.

[Meatsack]

i just finished Knife of Dreams, the 11th book in Robrt Jordans Wheel of Time series. once again it left me hurting for the next one.

i found H.G. Wells the Food of the Gods half finished under some papers near the back of my desk, so im finishing that now.

[ShinymetalASS]

Two Swords - by Salvatore.

I left the damn thing here half finished at Xmas time and Im now gleefully attending to outstanding business.

[kiki]

Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman

[kiki]

I've got an english translation of the entire monkey saga at home in my box of old weird books. Is really cool, I was surprised how much of the storylines I recognised from the show.

http://chinasprout.com/shop/books/storybooks/monkeyking that website has a pile of Monkey King books....they look awesome!

[FatherShark]

It's All True by David Freeman

[FatherShark]

Two Swords - by Salvatore.

Does the title refer to some unique genetic makeup of the Drow male reproductive system?

[stinky]

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I've been reading the random books by Marian Keyes. She writes about irish girls abroad and their hinjinks. I feel like less of a man for reading them, but it saves going out and spending stupid amounts of dollars on books myself :)

[AllStars]

Just finished Scar Tissue (ANthony Kiedis)

FUCKING UNREAL

(Thanks Sleeves)

[Girl.]

The Time Traveller's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger -- picked it up after meeting the author in London and am very impressed with it so far.

[and3w]

A great comic book called Wraithborn..I have uploaded it in 2 parts, will be there for the next 28 days odd, so if anyone would like a copy here are the d/l details..the art work is superb, and it is a great story
Help yourselves, my friends..

File 1 (Wraithborn) zipped
File size: 68.4 Mb
File ID: 4788578
Download Link (Public): http://www.axifile.com?4788578

File 2 (Part 6) zipped,

File size: 12.54 Mb
File ID: 7429109
Download Link (Public): http://www.axifile.com?7429109

Hope it is enjoyed / of use to some..if so, gimme some rep :-) and I'll post some other stuff..or maybe start a thread in the Torrenting forum, just for literature (in which I include good comics!)
If anyone thinks this would be a good idea, let me know..

[Something Fast]

I've been reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman for something like the sixth time. It's still one of the best written novel's I've read in a long time.

Also reading the Shrine of Jeffery Dahmer by I've forgotten who. It's interesting, but still very much a beat-up in parts.

[ShinymetalASS]

Does the title refer to some unique genetic makeup of the Drow male reproductive system?


I wish.



mmmmmmmm drizzt.:love:

[ShinymetalASS]

It's interesting, but still very much a beat-up in parts.


Yeah, some people just just cant let that whole 'serial killer' side to his personality go.

[annie]

Currently reading Faerie Tale by Raymond E Feist.

I'm really enjoying it, it's taken me in and I can't get out! But I don't want to get out! Just proves to me that Feist is a a really good author.

The past week I've been on a serious book bender, thanks to the lifeline bookfest :D
I finished off Return of the King again by Tolkien, (lovely)
Nip and Tuck by Kathy Lette, (funny, warm, but but it irked me for some unknown reason)
The constant princess by Philippa Gregory (which i bought - about Katherine of Aragorn/Queen of England and her rise to Queen.)
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.

I started a book called Madame by Antoni Libera, but it seems too slow for my liking, it doesn't move, and I gather that the whole book based on his teenage infatuation bordering on obsession with his french teacher (Madame). The style of writing seems to me difficult to read as well, but then again, from what I've gathered it's translated from Polish to English, so that could explain it.