@MightyDemon82 I really enjoyed Mistborn and have read several others from Sanderson. As prolific a reader as you are, if you like complex fantasy you may want to also check out his Stormlight Archive series which is great but quite voluminous (and still going I think). The Mistborn trilogy (and even the less popular expansion Wax & Wayne series) would be a good place to start though, as it’s really where he cut his writing teeth, so to speak, and arguably still among his best stuff. He’s got tons of content if you end up liking his writing style.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
I've decided I need to get my act together and read some damn books. I have read a good amount but nowhere near as much as I'd like to, and there are many books on my shelves that I've had for years and never touched.
I received the first four Pirates! books (Gideon Defoe) as a gift a very long time ago, after the movie came out, and I'm finally going through them. For those that don't know, these are very short novels about a pirate crew getting into silly adventures with historical figures or classic fictional characters. Admittedly they're aimed at a younger audience than me, but they're easy to read and very funny in places.
I've read The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists and In an Adventure with Moby Dick so far, and have begun In an Adventure with Communists. They're daft, breezy stories that don't really make sense but are a lot of fun. They're like literary cartoons.
Once I've read these four that I own, there's a fifth in the series that's twice the length of the others, so I'll probably try and grab that. After all that I'm sure I'll be fed up of pirates, and luckily I have quite a few other books I want to get to.
After stunning you all into silence with my story about reading The Pirates! series, I'm happy to report I've just finished the fourth book (In an Adventure with Napoleon). My thoughts on these stories haven't changed — they're very silly, enjoyable, breezy novels. Recommended.
Since my last post, my partner bought me the Hitchhiker's Guide collection, so that's what I'll be delving into next. I'm actually pretty familiar with the story, or at least part of it; I've seen the original TV show and the movie, and I actually played Arthur Dent in a local stage production. It was based on the scripts from the radio plays, so it was wordy. I honestly have no idea how I remembered all those lines, but safe to say I'm already a fan.
Anyway! Yes, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is next. Never read the novels, so here goes.
I read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy about ten years ago and enjoyed it a lot, but I never really bothered with the other ones. Amazingly, there was a game, too — for C64 I believe. I'm pretty sure we've got it at home!
@Quintumply I've been absorbed in reading the first Mistborn book by Brandon Sanderson. Amazing how productive you can be without a phone anywhere near you. I like to turn mine off and read in peace.
I loved the pirates movie, love all Aardman stuff. It's a shame the didn't do a sequel. I should get Final Empire finished this weekend and then I have a library book to read, The Octopus man. Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy is something I've always wanted to read, will grab it the next time I'm in the library/bookstore!
@Quintumply
Oh I just love the Hitchhikers Guide series, have read them all more than once. In my opinion they contain some of the funniest lines I've ever done across and I don't think the film or tv adaptations did them justice - typical book snobbery I know, not sure about the radio stuff. My advice would be to not read them all in one go though, they do get a bit samey if you do. Thank your partner in advance and enjoy!
“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
@MightyDemon82 Yes, the film is also very good! If you like that, I do recommend the books. The Scientists novel is quite different from the movie, but the tone is bang on.
@sorteddan That’s actually good advice, I was definitely lining up to read all five books in a row. I do think that would be a mistake; for as much as I enjoyed the Pirates! books, reading them one after the other became pretty one-note.
I read 'No one writes to the colonel' by Marquez, a week ago and can't stop thinking about it; about the man and his fight. I'd read it like 10 years ago but didn't feel much. this time it was/is different. I'm thinking about it but I have nothing to say. just happy I found this forum. thanks Push■!!
@CthulhuFhtagn I also recently stumbled upon this forum and as an avid reader I'm loving it! I checked out "No one writes to the colonel" on Goodreads and it sounds very intriguing. Added it to my ToRead list (though, that is over 600 books long at the moment, so anyone's guess when I'll get around to it. It's quite short so I might bump it up as a palate cleanser between other books).
I recently finished "The Destroyer of Worlds" by Matt Ruff, the sequel to "Lovecraft Country" and I loved it! First book I've five-starred on Goodreads since November Recommended for anyone who liked the first book (and/or the TV series on HBO).
@FuriousMachine yes, as you said it's quite short and that for me is very important (I'm lazy and get bored very fast).
how is Lovecraft Country? must be better than the tv series. I'd never heard of it before the show, saw the first episode when it came out and that was it.
+600 books in the waiting room, huh?! I can't even imagine having 5 games on my backlog...
@CthulhuFhtagn Yeah, I signed up on Goodreads to keep track of book recommendations I kept forgetting, and 10 years on that list has grown quite large I average at around 30 novels yearly and still my backlog keeps getting bigger, not smaller. Too many books, not enough time!
As for Lovecraft Country, I preferred the book to the show, though I enjoyed them both. While they changed a few things for the show, it still felt quite faithful, so if you didn't care for the show I don't think the book will blow you away either.
Clocking in at approximately 330 pages, it might also be on the lengthy side for you; however it consists of several smaller interconnected stories, so you could easily take a break and put it down for a while and come back to it later, should you so desire.
@MightyDemon82 hehehe, #SorryNotSorry, as the kids say
I fully expect that following this thread will engorge an already massive backlog for me as well, but I I'll grin and bear it. The Hitchhikers discussion above made me remember that I never finished the series and that I need to re-read the first books as well. Boom, that's six more books for the old reading list, thanks
Just started "The Fourth Sacrifice". the second book in Peter May's "China Thrillers" series.
I really enjoyed the first one, "The Firemaker" and I absolutely loved his Lewis trilogy, so I have high expectations for this one.
I like the way May manages to convey cultures and ways of life that are quite foreign to me with great authenticity. At least I assume so, as I've not been able to sample the hard life of growing up on The Isle of Lewis in the 80s or being a policeman in China at the turn of the millennium, but it feels very authentic, at least
@FuriousMachine I was in Waterstones earlier and picked up Firemaker, along with several other books so I'll let you know what I think when I've read it.
Finished The Final Empire and The Octopus man, also read Nameless but it's a graphic novel (if that's what they are still called).
Started The Hydrogen Sonata this morning to finish off my Culture novel reads and got Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell author of Cloud Atlas from the library. Hopefully get both of those read this week in-between exploring the burning shores with Aloy.
After Hogwarts Legacy came out, I decided to re-read the Potter books.
Now halfway through “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, which is book number 4 (of 7).
Forums
Topic: Books You're Currently Reading?
Posts 541 to 560 of 1,083
Please login or sign up to reply to this topic