The Literature Thread

[Oblomov Boblomov]

Ghostwritten - David Mitchell

I read this years ago, and if anything enjoyed it even more than I remembered. I love Mitchell's writing when he doesn't get himself too bogged down in fantasy. To be able to write a first novel like this in your 20s is an astonishing feat. You can clearly see the blueprint for Cloud Atlas in it. Brilliant.

I may give this a go next, it sounds good. How many pages is it would you estimate?

I can tell you exactly: 448.

[Tomous]

Had a mindblowing minute or two reading David Mitchell wrote Cloud Atlas before I googled it...

[Oblomov Boblomov]

Had a mindblowing minute or two reading David Mitchell wrote Cloud Atlas before I googled it...

[Curls]

Ghostwritten - David Mitchell

I read this years ago, and if anything enjoyed it even more than I remembered. I love Mitchell's writing when he doesn't get himself too bogged down in fantasy. To be able to write a first novel like this in your 20s is an astonishing feat. You can clearly see the blueprint for Cloud Atlas in it. Brilliant.

I may give this a go next, it sounds good. How many pages is it would you estimate?

I can tell you exactly: 448.

That's what I like about you Oblokalashnikov, no beating aaround the bush, straight in with the hard facts.

[Squinty]

I've been digging into The Magician, first book in the Riftwar Saga. Cool idea. Interested to see where it goes.

[Xeno]

I have decided to read some Isaac Asimov starting with Caves of Steel. It has been a while and might just read all the Robots and then Foundation series a go as well. May as well do the R Daneel Olivaw read through.

[Squinty]

Liked the second foundation book, The Mule. I have no idea how they made a TV show out of the series though. Need to check it out.

[Curls]

Can we put the word book or reading in the thread title so i can find this when I use search?

[more heat than light]

Finally finished the Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow book that I ordered like nine months ago. Fair to say I didn't really enjoy it, I found the main characters in it utterly unlikeable. Also, it talks about videogames as if the reader has no idea what a videogame is. At one point a character tells someone they're like an NPC, the author then writes a full paragraph as to what an NPC is. Became quite tiring in the end.

I would give it a 4/10.

[Oblomov Boblomov]

number9dream - David Mitchell

This is his second novel, and a big shift in style from his first. It is often (deliberately) difficult to tell when you're reading what's actually happening as opposed to what the protagonist is imagining. At times it felt like I had to slog my way through it. Notably, the most enjoyable sections are side stories that are told alongside the main plot.

Glad I finally got round to it as it's been on my bookshelf for years, and it was certainly worth finishing, but it's not one I'll read again.

[rinks]

I’ve only read one of Mitchell’s books (so far) - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. It was excellent, and really transported me to 18th-century Japan. This was fortunate, because I read it while I was in hospital, and in desperate need of something to take my mind off the awful tedium. My praise for the book might be biased by my gratitude.

[Oblomov Boblomov]

I’ve only read one of Mitchell’s books (so far) - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. It was excellent, and really transported me to 18th-century Japan. This was fortunate, because I read it while I was in hospital, and in desperate need of something to take my mind off the awful tedium. My praise for the book might be biased by my gratitude.

I have that on my 'to read' shelf, next to Utopia Avenue .

I'm enjoying Wuthering Heights at the moment, but will be getting round to Thousand Autumns soon enough.

[Curls]

Finally finished the Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow book that I ordered like nine months ago. Fair to say I didn't really enjoy it, I found the main characters in it utterly unlikeable. Also, it talks about videogames as if the reader has no idea what a videogame is. At one point a character tells someone they're like an NPC, the author then writes a full paragraph as to what an NPC is. Became quite tiring in the end.

I would give it a 4/10.

Just finished it too.

It had many flaws but I'd rate it higher because it was a page turner and enjoyable enough. 6/10 or 7 for me.

Sam and Sadie are truly dislikeable though. Sadie is a narcissist and blames the whole world for her failings, you can't sympathise with her whatsoever.
Sam is meant to be the one you like and can sympathise with as the misunderstood nerd, but instead you feel like he's quite arrogant and almost a bit of an fedora-wearing misogynist(maybe that's too far).

The book goes from trying to spoon feed you video game facts to then assuming you are quite clued up about it, it then gets things wrong entirely. Still. i did enjoy it, and wouldn't put someone off from reading it if they displayed interest.
I imagine they'll make a film, I imagine in the film they'll try to adjust the characters to more likeable human beings, and it'll annoy people who read the books.

[more heat than light]

Sam is meant to be the one you like and can sympathise with as the misunderstood nerd, but instead you feel like he's quite arrogant and almost a bit of an fedora-wearing misogynist(maybe that's too far).

This is exactly how I pictured him too.

[jiggles]

I sort of accidentally stumbled into Mistborn having not heard of the series or the author before and on nobody’s recommendation. I’m only two thirds of the way in to the first book but god, it’s really got its hook into me.

I’ve since gone looking at the author’s most recent recommended reading order of his stuff so I’m pretty excited at the prospect of what’s ahead of me, if the plots can stay as fun as this.

[ITSMILNER]

Currently reading Reggie Fils-Amie’s book, quite an interesting read to see where he started and how he wound up at Nintendo. Also good to read some behind the scenes scenarios at Nintendo as they are the not a company you tend to that from a lot.

[rinks]

Currently reading Reggie Fils-Amie’s book, quite an interesting read to see where he started and how he wound up at Nintendo. Also good to read some behind the scenes scenarios at Nintendo as they are the not a company you tend to that from a lot.

I bet when he finished the first draft, he emailed his agent: My body text is ready.

[ITSMILNER]

Currently reading Reggie Fils-Amie’s book, quite an interesting read to see where he started and how he wound up at Nintendo. Also good to read some behind the scenes scenarios at Nintendo as they are the not a company you tend to that from a lot.

I bet when he finished the first draft, he emailed his agent: My body text is ready.

[Squinty]

I sort of accidentally stumbled into Mistborn having not heard of the series or the author before and on nobody’s recommendation. I’m only two thirds of the way in to the first book but god, it’s really got its hook into me.

I’ve since gone looking at the author’s most recent recommended reading order of his stuff so I’m pretty excited at the prospect of what’s ahead of me, if the plots can stay as fun as this.

The Mistborn Trilogy is awesome. It's a really fun ride.

The last one I read by him was Steelheart, his super hero series. It was pretty good. I recommend The Way of Kings, although it's a bit slower.

I've finished Magician by Raymond E Feist and I'm now reading Silverthorn.

[still]

I’ve only read one of Mitchell’s books (so far) - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. It was excellent, and really transported me to 18th-century Japan. This was fortunate, because I read it while I was in hospital, and in desperate need of something to take my mind off the awful tedium. My praise for the book might be biased by my gratitude.

That's sounds like my cup of tea. Gone on the list for next time I'm in Waterstones.