Topic: Books You're Currently Reading?

@draco-n-eliptic1 Well you're about to tackle one of the works that changed and shaped Western Philosophy so it will be quite consuming. (Basic) knowledge of rationalism (think Leibniz and Wolff) and the works of René Descartes will be quite helpful.

Glad to see the interest on this forum. I love reading philosophy (especially regarding ethics, religion and politics), thinking and talking about it with friends and strangers. It helps a lot in understanding the world and most importantly yourself.

@JJ-Firl What do you think about the idea that all our values are socially constructed?

To lower the tone, I haven't been reading any of that existential philosophy bobbins, but I have finished the Wayward Pines Trilogy since last time. I then moved on to the first two books in the Mangle Street Murders series and am currently reading Jurassic Park to see how it differs from the film. Not sure what will be next on the list.

@draco-n-eliptic1 Very interesting question. Got a couple of hours?

That's the stuff people write whole books about. I don't think this is the time and place to discuss this but feel free to add me on PSN if you want to talk about it (or, y'know, play some games )

I'm back in The Wheel of Time (Book 7) - seems to have a little more urgency to the first 80 pages or so. Good sign.

@Dichotomy I'd recommend First Blood if you're looking for a good movie adapted book. It's a cracking read. Short too.

Currently reading The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan

Chapman's Iliad. A true classic of English verse.

So, since last month I've read through
Just One Damned Thing After Another (Was OK, not sure if I'll continue with the series though)
The Undead: Part 1 (wasn't expecting much, but was an enjoyably light read)
Lock In (Interesting idea and an enjoyable shortish book)
Dark Matter (by the guy who did Wayward Pines, I thought this was better)
And I've almost finished Extinct from the Extracted Series (Entertaining, but they're taking the time travel thing a bit far in this one).

Doctor Socrates by Andrew Downie, pretty cool, tells the story of Brasilian legend Socrates early years, career and how he helped in the movement for change when the military regime were in power, with the Corinthians Democracy.

I have started reading The Lyra Novels By Patricia C. Wrede last week.

@Krest_arisen ahh Joe Abercrombie. Great writer. Fun stories.

On that vain, I was wondering, What is everyone's favorite fantasy book or author?

For me it is Patrick Rothfuss "King Killer" series. NAME OF THE WIND and WISE MANS FEAR are two of best books I have ever read. His prose is amazing. Honorable mention would be Brandon Sanderson. Loving the Way of Kings series.

@Elodin Yeah, I think I may have mentioned on this thread a while back about my love for Rothfuss and Sanderson. Excellent choices. The only issue with Pat Rothfuss is - where is Part 3, Doors of Stone?! Yeesh, we’ve been waiting forever! It’s the equivalent of what we were discussing in the other thread about games in development hell. This conclusion to the trilogy has been in “writing hell” for a while. But I am interested in the rumors of a movie and a TV series of the Kingkiller Chronicles.

As for Sanderson, the dude is the opposite of Rothfuss in that he churns out books like there’s no tomorrow! I haven’t been able to keep up! I haven’t read the last book in the Reckoners series, which would be a quick read if I ever just got around to it. I’m curious how it concludes. It’s more low-brow superhero fiction, but a fun read anyway. But the epic Way of Kings series (actually I think it’s called “The Stormlight Archive”) is really what I’m more interested in and I need to get on with reading the 3rd book that recently came out Oathbringer. It’s just those books are tomes, they’re so long! The first 2 books of the series were excellent though. I enjoyed the Mistborn series too but haven’t gotten around to the second trilogy in that world, the one that starts with The Alloy of Law. Like I said, Sanderson is so prolific that I can’t keep up.

My third favorite author is Robin Hobb. If you haven’t tried her, she writes a very similar style of these other two guys. The Assassin’s series is wonderful and I’m currently reading “The Tawny Man” trilogy. Thus, why I haven’t gotten to Oathbringer yet.

@Th3solution I'm excited to see what direction the movie and TV show are going to in as well for the king killer Chronicles. I'm glad they got Lin Manuel Miranda for the tv show. He really knows how to create great music, which is perfect for Kvothe and his lute. As a side note I'm lucky to live an hour away from Pat Rothfuss. He came to my book store when his novella came out. A great person to talk and listen too.

Sandersons Oathbringer continues a great story. I wasn't quite a fan of the second Mist born series though.

As for Robin Hobb, I did read the assassin's trilogy and while I enjoyed it I'm not sure if I can read another Hobb book. At the end the villain doesn't get his due, more just a slap on the wrist. It bothered me too much after all the pain he brought the protagonist.

If you haven't read V. E. Schwabb I'd recommend it. She wrote a great trilogy The Darker Shade of Magic is book one. Also all three are done. (I'm looking at you Rothfuss).

Currently reading the Red Rising trilogy which is a pretty enjoyable sci-fi romp.

@Elodin Those three authors are really good, but I'd pick Abercrombie as my favourite, probably. Rothfuss has done too little and his spin-off book did nothing for me. Sanderson is solid too, but I think Abercrombie's characters are a bit more memorable. I also like his current approach to writing his next trilogy, he is not releasing his first book until the first draft of the last one is complete. He basically said that, as he had to wait to find a publisher for the first book in his First Law Trilogy, he could change things in the first book as he wrote more and he feels it allows him to make a better story overall. It also means we won't be waiting over 7 years for the final part like with Rothfuss

@Elodin 😮 That’s so cool that you got to meet Rothfuss. From all the interviews of his I’ve read he sounds like a really witty and fun person. His personality seems to be just what I would imagine from his writing style. I even liked that little novella The Slow Regard for Silent Things even though Rothfuss said he didn’t really expect people to like it at all. His writing is just so smooth that I didn’t care that the story wasn’t even a story after all.

I will put Schwabb on the watch list. Thanks for the recommendation.

@Dichotomy Red Rising series was great too! A nice debut for Pierce Brown. You mention that you’re reading the “trilogy.” I read it a couple years ago and thought it ended after Morning Star but now I saw the release of Iron Gold a couple months ago, which I wasn’t expecting. Have you read it too? I need to read that. It’s not clear to me whether it is the beginning of a new trilogy in that universe or just an extension of the storyline. It’s in my reading backlog too. (Which is getting a large as my gaming backlog)
Speaking of which, I would also like to try Joe Abercrombie too. His stuff sounds highly praised and I’ve never read any of his. Where am I supposed to start? I see in Amazon a series called “The First Law Trilogy” with book 1 - The Blade Itself, but I also see a whole series “The First Law World” Book one, Best Served Cold. Which is the best starting point? Or is there another?

@Th3solution The Blade Itself is the first one (the other two I think are Before They are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings), the other three are separate stories set between 1 and 10 years after the main trilogy and contain some of the same characters. Save them for later as they will contain spoilers to the main trilogy. There is also a short story collevtion called Sharp Ends set in the same universe, but you can safely save that til last.

I'm on the second book in the Red Rising trilogy, I think the new one (and I'm pretty sure there is a fifth) are separate books and maybe prequels. I didn't want to read the synopsis though in case of spoilers

@Th3solution , @Dichotomy The Red Rising trilogy is amazing! I'm in the middle of the 4th, Iron Gold, and it is great as well. It continues the story with the same characters only 10 years later or was it 15?, either way it's a continuation of the same story line.

@Elodin @Dichotomy Great! Sounds like we have similar tastes, so I’m looking forward to try Schwabb and Abercrombie.
It’s also good to hear that Iron Gold holds up. I was worried it would be a cash-in on the original 3 books’ success and feel tacked on.
Other notable favorites would be Orson Scott Card and Stephen R. Donaldson. Anyone a Peter F. Hamilton fan? Been thinking of getting into his books at some point.

The Lyra Novels By Patricia C. Wrede.

@Th3solution ah, 'the PFHamilton' as my mate calls him. He's been recommended to me a lot on the strength of my affinity for Gene Wolfe and Frank Herbert, but I haven't dived in.

Book 9 in The Wheel of Time ongoing.