What Are You Reading?

kirk buttercup

shrapnel222 wrote: »

Dragon's egg by Robert Forward. Great Hard Sci fi

Looked it up sounds pretty cool ,is it science-y similiar to the Martian?

shrapnel222

kirk buttercup wrote: »

Looked it up sounds pretty cool ,is it science-y similiar to the Martian?

haven't read the martian unfortunately, so let me know the answer to your question once you've read it :pac:. There is a decent amount of science in it, but certainly not overwhleming.

wyrn

kirk buttercup wrote: »

Looked it up sounds pretty cool ,is it science-y similiar to the Martian?

Would call The Martin hard sci-fi. It has a lot of science but it did win the Best Comedy at the Golden Globes

mcgovern

kirk buttercup wrote: »

Looked it up sounds pretty cool ,is it science-y similiar to the Martian?

Both great books, but wouldn't say they are similar.

Jawgap

Was an avid SciFi reader a long time ago and have just started to get back into it, so I've returned to one of my faves - "The Mote in God's Eye"

Squall Leonhart

I'm re-reading Wizards' First Rule by Terry Goodkind. I first read it (and the subsequent 10 or so books that followed) in 2008.

I am finding it really difficult to read this time around.... it's poorly written, really poorly written, repetitive weak dialogue and one dimensional characters. The story isn't a poor one per se, it's just tedious reading it. The book is several hundred pages too long.

Thoughts on the series?

sydthebeat

Squall Leonhart wrote: »

I'm re-reading Wizards' First Rule by Terry Goodkind. I first read it (and the subsequent 10 or so books that followed) in 2008.

I am finding it really difficult to read this time around.... it's poorly written, really poorly written, repetitive weak dialogue and one dimensional characters. The story isn't a poor one per se, it's just tedious reading it. The book is several hundred pages too long.

Thoughts on the series?

read that book years ago... and the one recurring memory i have of it is a very disappointing ending. i didnt continue the series

Thargor

Jawgap wrote: »

Was an avid SciFi reader a long time ago and have just started to get back into it, so I've returned to one of my faves - "The Mote in God's Eye"

Brilliant book, couldnt believe it was written in 1974 when I read it, it was really fresh. Its also part of a series but I havent read any others:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CoDominium

The Sun King

Finished the Gunslinger last night by King. Don't really know what to say. I mean, I want to read more of the series but I hope the relationships pick up a bit.

Didn't buy the feelings the gunslinger had for Allie or Jake. I was told about them, sure, but never really felt it.

I understand he heavily edited the book years later, and I reckon I read an earlier version.

Thargor

Yeah the Dark Tower truly starts now, enjoy it.

drake70

Squall Leonhart wrote: »

I'm re-reading Wizards' First Rule by Terry Goodkind. I first read it (and the subsequent 10 or so books that followed) in 2008.

I am finding it really difficult to read this time around.... it's poorly written, really poorly written, repetitive weak dialogue and one dimensional characters. The story isn't a poor one per se, it's just tedious reading it. The book is several hundred pages too long.

Thoughts on the series?

I made it as far as "Naked Empire". Goodkind's personal beliefs/politics were really leaking into the story by then and it just put me off finishing it.

I watched some of the series and thought they made a reasonable effort within the constraints of their budget
( I am unable to find budget details but some of the effects looked on the cheaper side to me.)

That said they really advanced the introduction of characters and plot-lines and seemed to miss out on others. This is usually the norm for book to TV adaptions.

Terry himself told his fans, before it's release, not to expect the TV show's story to follow the books closely. That this was the way in TV land in order to appeal to a larger audience.

In conclusion, I would treat both the TV show and the books as separate but related entities.

I think this is my longest post on Boards

Nody

Squall Leonhart wrote: »

I'm re-reading Wizards' First Rule by Terry Goodkind. I first read it (and the subsequent 10 or so books that followed) in 2008.

I am finding it really difficult to read this time around.... it's poorly written, really poorly written, repetitive weak dialogue and one dimensional characters. The story isn't a poor one per se, it's just tedious reading it. The book is several hundred pages too long.

Thoughts on the series?

If you think that's bad wait until his books after 911 are coming; he goes full nuts in his political alignments in the series to prove how the free market always trumps the evil communists...

I finished the whole series to the original ending and it does not get better as it progress deeper into the story.

Anyway; currently on the fifth book in the Clone Rebellion series (and just put the next five on order); nothing to deep but it's an interesting take on the world and humanity at times.

The Sun King

Bought 'Leviathan Wakes'. Well, the missus wanted an electric blanket, 40e in Argos or 36 euro on Amazon including a free book for me.

Hope it's good now.

ixoy

22% into 'Vicious' by V.E. Schwab. Reminding me a little of a dark mix of 'Flatliners' and Brandon Sanderson's Reckoners, dealing with people with supernatural powers. Not quite yet convinced but it's still relatively early days.

wyrn

I watched the first episode of The Magicians and whilst I'm not completely sold on the story, I am keen to know what happens next. Anyone read The Magicians by Lev Grossman? I'm tempted to buy it

Kovu

wyrn wrote: »

I watched the first episode of The Magicians and whilst I'm not completely sold on the story, I am keen to know what happens next. Anyone read The Magicians by Lev Grossman? I'm tempted to buy it

Yea I've read all three. Hated it at first as I just thought it was complete rip off of Narnia. Then I read a couple of reviews before throwing the book through the window, realised it was meant to be tongue in cheek and got into it.

It's good, bit weird, predictable in places and it certainly gets darker as you go on. Enjoyable once I got into the story, don't know if I'd have continued after the first book if I hadn't the trilogy in one set.

wyrn

Kovu wrote: »

Yea I've read all three. Hated it at first as I just thought it was complete rip off of Narnia. Then I read a couple of reviews before throwing the book through the window, realised it was meant to be tongue in cheek and got into it.

It's good, bit weird, predictable in places and it certainly gets darker as you go on. Enjoyable once I got into the story, don't know if I'd have continued after the first book if I hadn't the trilogy in one set.

Cheers! I also said it was a rip off of Narnia. I was just so curious because the first episode ended in a cliff hanger. I already have an irrational hatred for the main character.

Kovu

wyrn wrote: »

Cheers! I also said it was a rip off of Narnia. I was just so curious because the first episode ended in a cliff hanger. I already have an irrational hatred for the main character.

I started off the same, had him pictured in my mind as a whinging emo-esque character moping after the friends girlfriend. Certainly got to like him a lot better by the end of the first book.
What did the first episode end in if you don't mind me asking? I never even knew it was a series!

wyrn

That's it exactly, with his so "poor me, no one gets me" attitude. Also he was quite a crap friend

when she asked him to ask them to accept her or retest her.

The first episode I think was a double episode and it ended

at midday in class, where time seemed frozen and Mr Butterfly-Moth man came through the mirror and then squeezed out the principle's eyes. That was where it ended and now I'm dying to know if he's dead and who the bad guy is.

Kovu

Your first spoiler plays out quite a bit different in the book if it's who I'm thinking of. Actually looking at Wiki, the first episode is a hell of a lot different than the book even down to

how the beast is 'summoned.'

!
It's a catch 22, I generally hate reading something after watching and vice versa. Judging on the pilot episode though, the book plays it out a lot slower, probably too slow in places with a lot of filler for the first quarter of the book. Perhaps that's why they

brought a person you mentioned into it very early- they don't really show up until the end of the first book. Actually there's two like that but I won't say any more!

Thargor

ixoy wrote: »

22% into 'Vicious' by V.E. Schwab. Reminding me a little of a dark mix of 'Flatliners' and Brandon Sanderson's Reckoners, dealing with people with supernatural powers. Not quite yet convinced but it's still relatively early days.

Whats that Reckoners series like anyone?

I am currently loving Echopraxia by Peter Watts, thanks to whoever let me know Blindsight had a sequel, this is proper hard sci-fi, you get the impression the author is a bit of a genius himself when he writes about intelligence and consciousness.

fenris

The reckoners is probably good commute fodder, no big surprises, moves along nicely but at the same time you are unlikely to miss your bus stop from being overly sucked in :-)

mcgovern

I finished Swan Song, it wasn't great. It really could have done with losing about 50% of its bulk, which would have been a big improvement.
I also read the first book in the Black Company by Glen Cook, it's very obvious that the Malazan books were heavily influenced by it. It was a (relatively) lighter read though and I'll continue on with the series.
Finished listening to Aurora Rising by G.S. Jensen. It started off well, and then spent an absurd amount of time on two of the main characters getting it on / thinking of getting it on or arguing only to realise they had nothing to argue over and getting it on again. If it was a book I could have skipped through these pieces, but not so easy on audio book. Unless I hear the rest of the series isn't like that I won't be reading the rest.
About half way through Half the World by Joe Ambercrombie, so far so good, getting to see a bit more of the world, and focusing on some new characters.
I also started listening to Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson. I wasn't huge fan of the first book in the series, but after reading and loving the Stormlight archives, I decided to give it another go. I'm liking this one better so far.

Glebee

wyrn wrote: »

Would call The Martin hard sci-fi. It has a lot of science but it did win the Best Comedy at the Golden Globes

Just finishing up reading The Martian. Quite enjoyed it. Am I missing something completely though or how did this win a best comedy section of a film award competition...

ixoy

13% into "The Emperor's Blades" by Brian Staveley, the first book in his Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne trilogy. Naturally I thought it made sense to start another complex fantasy series rather than finish off the existing ones...
I'm liking what I've read so far though. Seems there's some interesting world building being done even if I'm being blasted with a variety of different terms and names at the moment.

5starpool

Anyone recommend some good time travel types books? I've recently read Replay by Ken Grimwood (good but somewhat disappointing I thought) and The First 15 Lives of Harry August by Catherine Webb (I really enjoyed this), and looking for others. I've read The Time Machine years ago (not a favourite of mine) as well as the Outlander books, and I'm looking for more. Might not be the right thread for this, apologies if so.

SpaceSasqwatch

5starpool wrote: »

Anyone recommend some good time travel types books? I've recently read Replay by Ken Grimwood (good but somewhat disappointing I thought) and The First 15 Lives of Harry August by Catherine Webb (I really enjoyed this), and looking for others. I've read The Time Machine years ago (not a favourite of mine) as well as the Outlander books, and I'm looking for more. Might not be the right thread for this, apologies if so.

maybe give century rain by alaistair reynolds ago. it involves travel back to an alternative earth.

beauf

Not sure if you'd call it time travel, its more scfi/fantasy the The Many-Colored Land by Julian May.

shrapnel222

5starpool wrote: »

Anyone recommend some good time travel types books? I've recently read Replay by Ken Grimwood (good but somewhat disappointing I thought) and The First 15 Lives of Harry August by Catherine Webb (I really enjoyed this), and looking for others. I've read The Time Machine years ago (not a favourite of mine) as well as the Outlander books, and I'm looking for more. Might not be the right thread for this, apologies if so.

i really enjoyed 11/22/63 by stephen king.

also both the hyperion and endymion books by Dan simmons deal with time travel but definitely not in a conventional sense

redrums

Started reading the Long earth series by Stephen Baxter & Terry pratchett , Half way thru The long war Finding them a good read so far