Re: The Official Book Thread

by Hapless_Hans Sun May 24, 2020 1:10 pm

btw, while we're on the topic of books being turned into TV series

think I wrote it before somewhere, but I can only again strongly recommend "The Plot Against America" by Philip Roth.

It's easy to read, it's awesome, subtle, unassuming, beautiful but with a political alternate-history story that is just devastatingly eerie

The series adaptation by David Simon is surely good, looking forward to watching it, but I think you'd miss out on a great reading experience if you don't read the book first without having the fleshed out pictures appropriating your imagination

by rincon Sun May 24, 2020 2:35 pm

Warrior wrote:Libraries will open may 25th. I'll buy many famous books that are considered as must read. Feel free to suggest

I remember, long ago, some poster here, can't remember who, told me he had read The Three Kingdoms before. Apparently it's extremely long book with thousands of people but thankfully i already know all the important characters. The way it's written is it challenging to read like many classics or it's straightforward and clear as in Art of War ?

Do you mean Romance of the Three Kingdoms? I read the first volume a long time ago, it's not too long, at least not compared to fantasy books. You know the basis of the story and characters from DW so it won't be too confusing.

I would say it's quite clear and straightforward. It's more about the themes and the grand story, than about complex writing.

by M99 Sun May 24, 2020 5:12 pm

Hapless_Hans wrote:
M99 wrote:Normal People is really good. Wasn't a big fan of the author's first novel (Conversations With Friends) but this was more my type. I don't think I ever rooted for two people to end up together and be happy more in any other book.

Why didn't you like the first one?
I'm not sure which I like better, Normal People is a more gentle coming-of-age story, maybe less arty despite the slightly mannerist thing with the time stuff in the chapters ("3 days later", "15 minutes later" etc)
But I thought the first one, in its laconic, dry tone, was very good too. Harsher. Both hit pretty close to home tbh.

Funnily, Normal People strikes me almost like a real girly Romance novel, but with ALL aspects of what determines love involved -class, money, psychoanalysis, depression, violence, miscommunication

I loved that sentence where he is quasi sexually assaulted by his old high school teacher and she says "oh you're so hard" which strikes him as thoroughly absurd as he isn't at all

I could not sympathize with the characters in the first book. Bit unfair since it becomes clear the protagonist suffers from mental issues but I disliked her and her braindead decision making. Mind you I did not dislike the book overall, think it was good but not great.

Found all of the characters in Normal People better written, both likable and unlikable ones.

The part where Connell delays asking to move in and then miscommunicating at the last moment hit hard...especially after we saw the POVs back to back.

by Warrior Sun May 24, 2020 5:50 pm

rincon wrote:
Warrior wrote:Libraries will open may 25th. I'll buy many famous books that are considered as must read. Feel free to suggest

I remember, long ago, some poster here, can't remember who, told me he had read The Three Kingdoms before. Apparently it's extremely long book with thousands of people but thankfully i already know all the important characters. The way it's written is it challenging to read like many classics or it's straightforward and clear as in Art of War ?

Do you mean Romance of the Three Kingdoms? I read the first volume a long time ago, it's not too long, at least not compared to fantasy books. You know the basis of the story and characters from DW so it won't be too confusing.

I would say it's quite clear and straightforward. It's more about the themes and the grand story, than about complex writing.

Thanks

I want to read it since many years but the book is hard to find where i live. Also for some reason the fact it's chinese literature was intimidating.

Liu Bei is my favorite character but i like most of them

by Myesyats Fri Jun 12, 2020 7:15 pm

Either/Or: A Fragment of Life by Søren Kierkegaard

I'm a big fan of texts about existentialism. Was taken aback quickly by Kierkegaard, very clever and aesthetic writer. Highly recommend to anyone

by McAgger Sun Jun 14, 2020 4:56 pm

Just finished The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, part of the Stormlight Archive. Soooo good. If you're into high fantasy series, I highly recommend. Part 5 of the book was just mindblowingly good with all the twists and revelations.

by Firenze Mon Jun 15, 2020 12:07 am

fisher price fantasy :coffee:

basically fantasy power rangers

seen people saying they tear up over the corny motto shite Laughing

ain't nobody got time for that

by BarrileteCosmico Mon Jun 15, 2020 12:32 am

Don't call me James wrote:Just finished The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, part of the Stormlight Archive. Soooo good. If you're into high fantasy series, I highly recommend. Part 5 of the book was just mindblowingly good with all the twists and revelations.

welcome to the addiction and keep reading.

Also if you're approaching the last third of a book make sure you can commit the next 5 hours to it

by McAgger Sat Jun 20, 2020 3:58 am

BarrileteCosmico wrote:
Don't call me James wrote:Just finished The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, part of the Stormlight Archive. Soooo good. If you're into high fantasy series, I highly recommend. Part 5 of the book was just mindblowingly good with all the twists and revelations.
welcome to the addiction and keep reading.

Also if you're approaching the last third of a book make sure you can commit the next 5 hours to it

I finished Words of Radiance today haha. Couldn't stop at the end of Book 1 after all the cliffhangers. It is addicting. I love the world and the magic. Although, I thought Book 2 was weaker than Book 1.

Spoiler:

I'm totally spent from reading though. I'm gonna take a hiatus from the series for a few months until Book 4 release date is closer and then start Oathbringer.

by BarrileteCosmico Sat Jun 20, 2020 9:19 pm

Yeah the last stretch can be exhausting, can totally see why you would feel that way.

If you want something in between you might consider picking up Warbreaker, completely separate and optional story but it would allow you to identify a few crossover characters in book 3.

by Warrior Fri Jun 26, 2020 9:29 pm

Remember those fantasy books that were also RPGs ? You'd build an OP character, choose your own path and you needed a dice to cast your spells, defense etc

Completely forgot about this Very Happy

my mom found my collection in an old box, childhood nostalgia hits me hard

by Blue Wed Jul 22, 2020 2:12 am

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/18/noel-gallagher-fiction-waste-time

Laughing

I do find it amazing that such statements would come from an artiest, and one that wrote Champaign Supernova.

Honestly if he said that about Fantasy genera it would have been a correct take, but all of fiction is just wrong.

by Blue Wed Jul 29, 2020 12:39 am

Anyone has Kindle unlimited? I wonder if it is worth it, want to know if virtually every book is available through its subscription.

by McLewis Wed Jul 29, 2020 2:40 pm

I don't have Kindle, but I do have Audible subscription and a Comixology subscription as well. I recommend both for audiobooks and comic books.

by Warrior Wed Jul 29, 2020 5:24 pm

Oasis brothers Laughing

bunch of melts that make shit music and cannot talk without swearing. I bet Noel never watch a movie and restrict himself to documentaries. Books are a way to pass the time it's not meant to be productive

The biggest waste of time is being a fan of Man City

by RealGunner Wed Jul 29, 2020 6:03 pm

Blue wrote:Anyone has Kindle unlimited? I wonder if it is worth it, want to know if virtually every book is available through its subscription.

Do you want it legally? The books?

by M99 Wed Jul 29, 2020 6:40 pm

City Of Thieves is fantastic. Don't sleep on it because of what Benioff did to GOT. Has become one of my favorites in historical fiction.

by BarrileteCosmico Wed Jul 29, 2020 6:54 pm

Blue wrote:Anyone has Kindle unlimited? I wonder if it is worth it, want to know if virtually every book is available through its subscription.

depends on what books are available through KU in your country and how much you read

by BarrileteCosmico Wed Jul 29, 2020 7:21 pm

M99 wrote:City Of Thieves is fantastic. Don't sleep on it because of what Benioff did to GOT. Has become one of my favorites in historical fiction.

I actually had this in my "to be read" list but removed it after S8 haha

by Warrior Wed Jul 29, 2020 7:40 pm

M99 wrote:City Of Thieves is fantastic. Don't sleep on it because of what Benioff did to GOT. Has become one of my favorites in historical fiction.

The Official Book Thread - Page 13 Noel_g10

by Warrior Wed Jul 29, 2020 7:42 pm

Tried to start reading some Stephen King, he is immensely famous and i was curious about his work. Usually i'm not into horror-morbid type of literature.

The books i buy were "It" from which a movie came out recently. Well after 450 pages of the first book i decide i'll continue later in my life. Very boring. No suspense and no action whatsoever except for a few arms getting teared off.

by RealGunner Wed Jul 29, 2020 8:31 pm

King is a quantity over quality guy. His ideas are amazing but he isn't great at executing them. Hit n miss.

by Blue Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:18 pm

BarrileteCosmico wrote:
Blue wrote:Anyone has Kindle unlimited? I wonder if it is worth it, want to know if virtually every book is available through its subscription.
depends on what books are available through KU in your country and how much you read

I am a very picky reader, yeah I don't think it is for me after some research. Large collection but may not have the book I want to read.

I may look into Audible though, may come in handy rather than being on my phone or listening to music.

by Blue Thu Jul 30, 2020 3:13 am

RealGunner wrote:
Blue wrote:Anyone has Kindle unlimited? I wonder if it is worth it, want to know if virtually every book is available through its subscription.

Do you want it legally? The books?

Either way, I do find books through torrents. Could be time consuming honestly. Downloading then transfer to my device.

If you know an app or website with huge collection and reliability I would like to hear it.

by Blue Thu Jul 30, 2020 3:28 am

Yeah Stephen King books can be a hit or miss, they all get great reviews so it doesn’t help before choosing.

The Last Stand is my fav book of his.

Been reading quite a bit of Philip K Dick books recently, I have read his well known books in the past.

3 Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Flow My tears, The policeman Said
Clans of the Alphane Moon

IMO are all worth reading

by Nishankly Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:33 am

I come from a book reading family, my grandmother had a separate room always for all the prime English books even in old times in newly formed India. My mom and sister did the same. I tried but I could never get into it.

Me, I was always into sports, I chose 4-5 hours of play after school rather than books and the only influence on me was me finishing the Famous 5, LOTR and a bit of HP (of course influenced by my age), I did do a bit of Dan Brown, Poirot as well.

That said, I would love to come into this, but I just don't/can't have the concentration span, any help?

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