GRcade

<]:^D wrote:Blindsight was a slog honestly; it had a great Event Horizon vibe but i got lost towards the end of it

I did feel like it constantly erred on the side of overblown terminology. Why call Big Ben an Oasa object when you could just call it a gas giant etc etc. I honestly feel I missed half the revelations as they were wrapped in obscure terminology. But I still enjoyed it's ideas.

yes i dont regret reading it at all, just felt it couldve been better (probably if i was more intelligent!)

I'm sort-of on the final stretch with Dark Tower. Just on Wind Through the Keyhole, with the final three books to go after that. Slipping back in with the gunslinger and his ka-tet feels like putting on an old glove.

Not sure where I'm going to go after this. I think I'll feel really sad when I've finished them all.

I'm currently near the end of Shaman by Kim Stanley Robinson. A truly fantastic book, easily one of my favorites now, though I must say some of the terms used confused me, and made otherwise vivid descriptions of the world as it was 30-45,000 years ago harder to picture.

I really need to visit the Ardeche now.

Alvin Flummux wrote:I'm currently near the end of Shaman by Kim Stanley Robinson. A truly fantastic book, easily one of my favorites now, though I must say some of the terms used confused me, and made otherwise vivid descriptions of the world as it was 30-45,000 years ago harder to picture.

I really need to visit the Ardeche now.

I read his Mars books last year and enjoyed them even if they were a bit of a slog at times.

I might check that one out, a brief look at the synopsis makes it sound interesting.

Poser wrote:I'm sort-of on the final stretch with Dark Tower. Just on Wind Through the Keyhole, with the final three books to go after that. Slipping back in with the gunslinger and his ka-tet feels like putting on an old glove.

Not sure where I'm going to go after this. I think I'll feel really sad when I've finished them all.

Do a complete genre switch and read James Ellroy's LA Quartet.

I've been reading One Flew over the Cuckoo's nest. It's good so far, really enjoying the whole story but not sure where it'll go.




Anyway books I've recently read

1Q84 - This was an interesting read, but when I look back on it, it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, there was a lot of potential for these characters, but it never really developed, and the sex stuff in it was just weird at times. 5/10 Whilst I was actually reading through it though I may have been inclined to give it something of a higher rank.

The Da Vinci Code - 7 / 10 - Not exactly a literature masterpiece but I enjoyed it and its a page turner, Ive never seen the films so it was all new to me too, althought Tom Hanks' image was ingrained to Langdon for me.

Guards Guards - 8/10 Pratchett really was a funny old genius wasn't he? The books are just so funny. I'm not always in the mood for the stories of the Discworld, but when you need some funny easy reading, then Pratchett got it spot on every time.

Curls wrote:
1Q84 - This was an interesting read, but when I look back on it, it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, there was a lot of potential for these characters, but it never really developed, and the sex stuff in it was just weird at times. 5/10 Whilst I was actually reading through it though I may have been inclined to give it something of a higher rank.

Is that a book called 1Q84 or is it a typo of 1984?

Because 1984 deserves a much much higher score.

Moggy wrote:

Curls wrote:
1Q84 - This was an interesting read, but when I look back on it, it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, there was a lot of potential for these characters, but it never really developed, and the sex stuff in it was just weird at times. 5/10 Whilst I was actually reading through it though I may have been inclined to give it something of a higher rank.

Is that a book called 1Q84 or is it a typo of 1984?

Because 1984 deserves a much much higher score.

A book called 1Q84 by that Japanese dude. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1Q84

Curls wrote:

Moggy wrote:

Curls wrote:
1Q84 - This was an interesting read, but when I look back on it, it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, there was a lot of potential for these characters, but it never really developed, and the sex stuff in it was just weird at times. 5/10 Whilst I was actually reading through it though I may have been inclined to give it something of a higher rank.

Is that a book called 1Q84 or is it a typo of 1984?

Because 1984 deserves a much much higher score.

A book called 1Q84 by that Japanese dude. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1Q84

Having read 1984 a month ago, you had me trying to remember if the sex stuff in it is weird

Asked for Stephen King recommendations a few pages back and ended up reading Salem's Lot and I really enjoyed it.

One thing I didn't understand though was:

Tomous wrote:

Curls wrote:

Moggy wrote:

Curls wrote:
1Q84 - This was an interesting read, but when I look back on it, it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, there was a lot of potential for these characters, but it never really developed, and the sex stuff in it was just weird at times. 5/10 Whilst I was actually reading through it though I may have been inclined to give it something of a higher rank.

Is that a book called 1Q84 or is it a typo of 1984?

Because 1984 deserves a much much higher score.

A book called 1Q84 by that Japanese dude. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1Q84

Having read 1984 a month ago, you had me trying to remember if the sex stuff in it is weird

You don't think it counts as weird sex if your big brother watches you do it?

Curls wrote:

Moggy wrote:

Curls wrote:
1Q84 - This was an interesting read, but when I look back on it, it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, there was a lot of potential for these characters, but it never really developed, and the sex stuff in it was just weird at times. 5/10 Whilst I was actually reading through it though I may have been inclined to give it something of a higher rank.

Is that a book called 1Q84 or is it a typo of 1984?

Because 1984 deserves a much much higher score.

A book called 1Q84 by that Japanese dude. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1Q84

I've been meaning to get round to reading that having loved some of his other stuff. 5/10 doesn't sound good, are you generally a fan of Murakami?

Tomous wrote:Asked for Stephen King recommendations a few pages back and ended up reading Salem's Lot and I really enjoyed it.

One thing I didn't understand though was:

Why did he reveal in the intro that Ben and Mark make it out and go to Mexico? I know he doesn't name them but it's obvious who survives later in the book and it completely ruined the tension in the final standoff against Barlow. The whole time I was thinking "well I know they get out of this okay because they're going to hang out in Mexico for awhile". If I hadn't known that, reading the scene would have been a much better experience in my opinion.

Agreed, and I don't have an answer/explanation. I think he thought it was more subtle, perhaps?

Reminds me (in a way) of the end of Kill Bill. They reveal at the end of the first film that Bride's daughter is still alive. Totally ruins what would have been an utterly epic reveal at the end of the second film. Bride is utterly ruined when she finds out - and we could have shared that shock with her.

Sorry for constantly turning this in the Stephen King thread, but if anyone is interested in hearing his stuff discussed in much, much more depth, then Consequence of Sound is running a podcast that is going over his books in order. They are fans, and give the material due deference (they spend almost nine hours talking about Night Shift, for example ), but are also critical when necessary. I'm currently on the first of three episodes which look at The Stand.

The episodes are listed here, and presumably available wherever you usually get your podcasts from (pretty sure they're on iTunes).

https://consequenceofsound.net/podcasts ... sers-club/

It's not a perfect podcast - the girl's voice is a bit whiny, but she makes a lot of very good points and has an excellent perspective on most stuff. They also talk over each other a bit when they get excited. But I've been really enjoying it.

Rex Kramer wrote:

Curls wrote:

Moggy wrote:

Curls wrote:
1Q84 - This was an interesting read, but when I look back on it, it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, there was a lot of potential for these characters, but it never really developed, and the sex stuff in it was just weird at times. 5/10 Whilst I was actually reading through it though I may have been inclined to give it something of a higher rank.

Is that a book called 1Q84 or is it a typo of 1984?

Because 1984 deserves a much much higher score.

A book called 1Q84 by that Japanese dude. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1Q84

I've been meaning to get round to reading that having loved some of his other stuff. 5/10 doesn't sound good, are you generally a fan of Murakami?

Never read him before....I liked the way he wrote a lot of the time, but The story just never seemed to go anywhere and some of the characters that he could have done a lot with were just a bit forgotten about.

I did read all 3 books though, and I don't regret reading them, so maybe 5/10 is a bit harsh.

I've started reading a 4 book series called Extinction Point by Paul Antony Jones and I'm just over half way through book one and so far it's great.
It's been on my kindle for years and I've only just got round to reading it and I'm glad I decided to give it a try and I highly recommend it if you like what starts out as a mystery of the red rain.
The book is pretty much all about one woman and so far she's (I've managed to forget her name even though I've literally just put the book down to type this I think it may be Emily but yeah I'm just that gooseberry fool with names so reading the Game of Thrones novels was just me going who the strawberry float is this now ) been really interesting.

One big plus point for me is there's been no sexy time which I always approve of. Down with that sort of thing and careful now.

Poser wrote:Sorry for constantly turning this in the Stephen King thread, but if anyone is interested in hearing his stuff discussed in much, much more depth, then Consequence of Sound is running a podcast that is going over his books in order. They are fans, and give the material due deference (they spend almost nine hours talking about Night Shift, for example ), but are also critical when necessary. I'm currently on the first of three episodes which look at The Stand.

The episodes are listed here, and presumably available wherever you usually get your podcasts from (pretty sure they're on iTunes).

https://consequenceofsound.net/podcasts ... sers-club/

It's not a perfect podcast - the girl's voice is a bit whiny, but she makes a lot of very good points and has an excellent perspective on most stuff. They also talk over each other a bit when they get excited. But I've been really enjoying it.

I had a listen to this and found it quite interesting. Only problem is I now see their point about King describing every single woman in his books by their tits. Started The Gunslinger again the other day and he does it in there too.

Rex Kramer wrote:

Poser wrote:Sorry for constantly turning this in the Stephen King thread, but if anyone is interested in hearing his stuff discussed in much, much more depth, then Consequence of Sound is running a podcast that is going over his books in order. They are fans, and give the material due deference (they spend almost nine hours talking about Night Shift, for example ), but are also critical when necessary. I'm currently on the first of three episodes which look at The Stand.

The episodes are listed here, and presumably available wherever you usually get your podcasts from (pretty sure they're on iTunes).

https://consequenceofsound.net/podcasts ... sers-club/

It's not a perfect podcast - the girl's voice is a bit whiny, but she makes a lot of very good points and has an excellent perspective on most stuff. They also talk over each other a bit when they get excited. But I've been really enjoying it.

I had a listen to this and found it quite interesting. Only problem is I now see their point about King describing every single woman in his books by their tits. Started The Gunslinger again the other day and he does it in there too.

Yeah, it's a bit of an issue. I've just finished their Stand three-parter and found it generally pretty interesting. Sometimes I think over-analysis is irritating, but I think this is cool, especially as the material is so old. They do a decent job of judging it as being of its time, too.

Next episode is the Dead Zone, but I've not read it yet so will probably skip that one.

(DT update: now on Wolves of the Calla. Loving it so far...)