What Are You Reading?

[vinnyguy]

'Ender in exile'. Just finished 'Speaker for the dead' about a month ago and 'Enders game' a year before that. I'll be onto 'Xenoxide' next. I'm really into this series right now. The movie on the other hand was not so good.

[vinnyguy]

Any body read the foundation series by Asimov, I enjoyed that a ton. Lots of reading, I didn't realize I liked to read until I poked those books up.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Mordor will come and consume us, or the secret history of Slavs by Ziemowit Szczerek, self-proclaimed gonzo writer. A collection of stories from post-USSR Ukraine. Having paid a visit there at the last century's end, I don't find it particulary sensational or exotic, but it's a well-written piece of Eastern European self-flagellation. I can tell it must be tricky to translate.

I'm not really into tourism writing of any kind (why not live a life instead of reading about other people's lives?), but I suppose it's good out loud reading material.

P.S. One thing I just remembered: short story about a local asking tourists on the street whether they would help him to start an arcade, because arcades are no more so he has a business plan. That's the book in a nutshell.

[evil_ash_xero]

I can't read.

[null1024]

Been reading some of the Bolo works, stories [generally] about gigantic, super-advanced AI tanks that serve humanity and the people who fight along side them. Excellent military sci-fi.

Mainly been going through a handful of the original Keith Laumer stories [excellent stuff, although there doesn't seem to be a solid continuity] and quite a bit of the David Weber stuff [with a very connected continuity that tends to dip further and further into a final war, where humanity and a race known as the Melconians fight an increasingly bitter war to exterminate each other completely]. Of particular note is David Weber's Old Soldiers [novel], A Time to Kill [short story], and Miles to Go [short story, and one of the best of the lot].

Great stuff. Never thought I'd feel sorry for a goddamn giant tank either, the tone throughout almost all of the stories is generally quite melancholy.
Loads of the books will have some of the same short stories in them, if anyone's interested in checking the series out, so make sure you check what's in each book before you get it. Namely, the Compleat Bolo contain both Rogue Bolo and Bolo [but there's a different compilation called Bolo! -- note the exclamation mark].

[Ghegs]

I've been meaning to check the Bolo books out. Didn't know David Weber has been writing them too, his Honor Harrington books are great.

[BIL]

I can't read.

Me neither! Not for pleasure anyway. :[ Cigarette burn-esque floater in my right eye drives me fucking insane, I can only just about choke down the texts I have to.

I looove the audiobooks though! Enjoyed The Running Man on Skykid's recommendation. The differences between the novel and movie can't be expressed in sub-astronomical terms (though the latter's still good at what it does - they're about as related as "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream" and The Terminator).

Word of warning for fellow cheap, blind motherfuckers - the version on Youtube includes the "Importance of Being Bachman" foreword, which spoils the ending. Spoils how it turns out, anyway... the hellish trial and atom bomb release of the sequence is untouchable. Skip to 13:05, then listen to it afterward. Making it an afterforeword.

[Skykid]

I can't read.

Me neither! Not for pleasure anyway. :[ Cigarette burn-esque floater in my right eye drives me fucking insane, I can only just about choke down the texts I have to.

I looove the audiobooks though! Enjoyed The Running Man on Skykid's recommendation. The differences between the novel and movie can't be expressed in sub-astronomical terms (though the latter's still good at what it does - they're about as related as "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream" and The Terminator).

Word of warning for fellow cheap, blind motherfuckers - the version on Youtube includes the "Importance of Being Bachman" foreword, which spoils the ending. Spoils how it turns out, anyway... the hellish trial and atom bomb release of the sequence is untouchable. Skip to 13:05, then listen to it afterward. Making it an afterforeword.

I have a floater in my left eye and I never found it much of an obstacle to reading - I just look past it, as it were, and manage not to notice it 90% of the time.

But if audiobook works for you, fair enough, I'm just very glad I inspired someone to enjoy The Running Man for its wonderfully visceral, adrenaline pumping goodness.

Anyone else who enjoys books that metaphorically blast you out of a cannon, follow BIL's lead!

Edit: oh, and yes, that spoiler in the foreward is heinous. Reading it the second time I wasn't stung by it, but u remember thinking it was a crazy thing to stick in there for newcomers.

[BIL]

Oh I've had them for as long as I remember, only noticeable on sunny days, like a lot of people do... this one's different though, and a total fucking bitch. Opaque and moves back and forth just under each line. Like a fly trapped in my field of vision. It appeared right after I'd started my degree and has faithfully accompanied me every step of the way. -_- I was never a particularly avid reader... if I were I'd probably have done something about it by now.

But eh. It's nothing compared to some of the eye-related shit others put up with even on this forum.

Kevin Kenerly is great in that particular reading (dunno if there are others). I actually checked to see if he was really the only performer - wasn't surprised to read he's an experienced stage actor. That wail of "I did it for youuu!" was downright unnerving.

[Satan]

I parked Norman Finklestein's The Holocaust Industry and Naomi Klein's No Logo a few years ago and I've just finished both thanks to a week of sitting about in hospital waiting rooms being Mr. Supportive Boyfriend. Don't really want to say too much about The Holocaust Industry and I'm sure most of you'll have read Klein's book anyway, so here's Norman Finklestein on RT.

edit: this could be the most pointless post ever.

[jonny5]

Count Zero

[drauch]

Count Zero

Same here!

[jonny5]

Count Zero

Same here!

Seriously? Small world. I assume you also just read Neuromancer? It's funny, I must have read the whole trilogy a half dozen times in highschool, but I barely remembered any of it when I started re-reading them recently. Hard to believe Neuromancer was originally published in 1984!! One of my all time favorite writers.

[drauch]

I read Neuromancer (finally) about a year ago or so. I love all the stuff he inspired and really enjoy the cyberpunk sub-genre, I've just been lazy to getting around to reading his actual material. Needless to say, I loved Neuromancer and am so far greatly enjoying Count Zero. I love his sleazy world of drug addicts, hackers, anti-heroes, and corporate branding.

[jonny5]

I read Neuromancer (finally) about a year ago or so. I love all the stuff he inspired and really enjoy the cyberpunk sub-genre, I've just been lazy to getting around to reading his actual material. Needless to say, I loved Neuromancer and am so far greatly enjoying Count Zero. I love his sleazy world of drug addicts, hackers, anti-heroes, and corporate branding.

Have you read his Bridge Trilogy(Virtual Light, Idoru and All Tomorrow's Parties) yet? Really great stuff! Highly recommended if you enjoyed Neuromancer

[drauch]

Not yet. They're on my list, though! I watch too many goddamn movies. Trying to make the time for everything.

[MintyTheCat]

I've been meaning to check the Bolo books out. Didn't know David Weber has been writing them too, his Honor Harrington books are great.

I can recommend the Bolo books.

Have you ever played OGRE, Ghegs?

[MintyTheCat]

Hi all,

currently reading several books but today Clive Barker's 'The Damnation Game'. I quite like Clive's work and the man can tell a story and write well.

I tend to find that the best Horror writers in the English language are British.

[lilmanjs]

Mars Inc.: The Billionaires' Club by Ben Bova
A guy who happens to be a Billionaire in the not so distant future wants to go to mars. He tries convincing other Billionaires to give $1 billion a year for 5 years to fund a crewed mission to Mars.

Before that it was a re-read of In Fury Born by David Webber. Between him, John Ringo, David Drake, I've got a good sense of what my dad likes in military Sc-Fi. Man I could read In Fury Born many times over. One of my favorite books.

[CStarFlare]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Joy-Uncircumc ... 093406122X

Very interesting. I'm almost done with this one. I wonder what will be next?

[Ghegs]

I've been meaning to check the Bolo books out. Didn't know David Weber has been writing them too, his Honor Harrington books are great.

I can recommend the Bolo books.

Have you ever played OGRE, Ghegs?

Maybe once or twice in my life.

[MintyTheCat]

I've been meaning to check the Bolo books out. Didn't know David Weber has been writing them too, his Honor Harrington books are great.

I can recommend the Bolo books.

Have you ever played OGRE, Ghegs?

Maybe once or twice in my life.

OGRE was heavily influenced by Bolo.

[drboom]

Hi all,

currently reading several books but today Clive Barker's 'The Damnation Game'. I quite like Clive's work and the man can tell a story and write well.

I tend to find that the best Horror writers in the English language are British.

When horror was huge in the 1970's to the 1980's, Clive was my go to as a young man. I read everything and still feel The Great And Secret Show deserves another reading from me as a jaded old man. Koontz and King had nothing on Clive.

[Skykid]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Joy-Uncircumc ... 093406122X

Very interesting. I'm almost done with this one. I wonder what will be next?

Odd reading material, but seeing as it's warning against the dangers of circumcision (leave your kids alone!) it sounds like it's been written with good intentions.

Personally I'm about to sit down with the Picture of Dorian Gray - or at least I'm trying. I've read 30 volumes of Berserk and I'm trying to pry myself away from it.

[CStarFlare]

I came across it after watching the Penn and Teller Bullshit episode on circumcision. It has some historical background in the practice (can't wait for an opportunity to show off my new knowledge in conversation) followed up by a discussion of the methods people were using to uncircumcise as of the early 90s. (I probably should have looked for a more recent book.)

I'm a little surprised I read it through, though. I grabbed it with the intention of skimming here and there, but almost everything turned out to be pretty interesting. Most pages have a sidebar with letters from men describing their experiences while wanting to restore themselves, which made for a nice diversion when I started to lose interest in the main text.

[MintyTheCat]

Hi all,

currently reading several books but today Clive Barker's 'The Damnation Game'. I quite like Clive's work and the man can tell a story and write well.

I tend to find that the best Horror writers in the English language are British.

When horror was huge in the 1970's to the 1980's, Clive was my go to as a young man. I read everything and still feel The Great And Secret Show deserves another reading from me as a jaded old man. Koontz and King had nothing on Clive.

King is a bit hit and miss and varies too much in quality. Still, I thought The Stand was pretty good.

Have you read any James Herbert of Stephen Laws? The Dark was pretty frightening and I used to live alone

I never read any of Koontz's novels.

[BIL]

I remember loving one of the "Books of Blood" comps as a teenager... dunno how that thing ended up in my very religious school's library, haha. Maybe a practical joke? Maybe THE DEVIL DID IT and IT ALL LEAD ME TO THIS POINT Oh who am I kidding, some nasty bugger on the faculty was probably whackin' off to it.

"The Skins of the Fathers," "Rawhead Rex" and "Hell's Event" made some nasty impressions.

"I only wanted you to look at me," Hell said sullenly, and went along its unhappy way.

[MintyTheCat]

I remember loving one of the "Books of Blood" comps as a teenager... dunno how that thing ended up in my very religious school's library, haha. Maybe a practical joke? Maybe THE DEVIL DID IT and IT ALL LEAD ME TO THIS POINT Oh who am I kidding, some nasty bugger on the faculty was probably whackin' off to it.

"The Skins of the Fathers," "Rawhead Rex" and "Hell's Event" made some nasty impressions.

"I only wanted you to look at me," Hell said sullenly, and went along its unhappy way.

My second high-school was a 'bit religious' too. We had books on Magic and Satanism to be found in our school's library

Ah, the 1980s

[Skykid]

The Picture of Dorian Gray


Genius.

I'm very familiar with The Importance of Being Earnest since my family have put it on stage several times, and it's wonderful. This being Wilde's only novel I felt I should really get around to reading it at some point.

As perfect as it needs to be, for a philosophical criticism of man's inherent desire for immorality masquerading as gothic horror, it's unbelievably rich despite being incredibly short.

In terms of literature it's like swimming in honey, for want of a better metaphor: absolutely dreamy. I think Lord Henry's hedonistic character is probably the highlight, every line eternally quotable. Indeed, if you could memorise Henry's commentaries on living for excess and apply them to daily conversation you would probably become the character; and although some of what he says may appear sexist, it isn't really - he's as openly critical of male personality defects as he is female, although he seems to approve more of the former.

I didn't actually know 'Dorian Gray Syndrome' was a thing until I did a little post-reading research. Although it's kind of loosely apportioned to self-corrupting vanity, it's nice to see the work being recognised with some kind of real-world psychological address.

It's difficult to say what Dorian Gray does best: banter, social class commentary, humour, depravity, psychological investigation, the power of corruption - so I'll just throw it out there and say all it's parts are equal to each other.

Read this!

[Squire Grooktook]

The Picture of Dorian Gray


Genius.

Absolutely agree. Loved it.