Author Topic: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings  (Read 286408 times)

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Offline Jaffa

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #175 on: November 12, 2014, 10:44:48 PM »
Rooms, by Laurie Oliver.
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Offline mike099

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #176 on: November 13, 2014, 11:37:41 AM »
Cell by Robin Cook.  Interesting book so far.  Topic is the shortage of primary care doctors and the use of smart phones to replace primary care doctors.  Will see how this plays out.
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Online hefdaddy42

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #177 on: November 13, 2014, 11:48:53 AM »
I hope it's better than Cell by Stephen King.  I love King, but that book was awful.
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Offline ozzy554

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #178 on: November 13, 2014, 12:22:43 PM »
I hope it's better than Cell by Stephen King.  I love King, but that book was awful.


I've tried to read cell 2 times. It always loses me before the halfway point. Which is too bad because I thought the beginning was fantastic.
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Offline Sacul

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #179 on: November 14, 2014, 07:42:18 PM »
I've just finished The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson. It's a great new take on fantasy, with a strong magic system. But, sadly, it fall into a few cliches. And I wish the book had like 50 more pages, to show better the character development. It isn't bad, but I felt it happened too fast. Either way, it's an interesting book - way better than the ones I've read about the same topic.

Offline adace

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #180 on: November 15, 2014, 03:50:51 AM »
Finished Fatherland by Robert Harris. One of the most interesting mystery novels I've read. His vision of a victorious Nazi Germany after the war could have done with a bit more inspiration (maybe something a la Wolfenstein: New Order) but that's only a minor criticism. That aside, it ties in the fictional Nazi Germany with the real one in a really creative way. I also really like the film noir feel of the dialogue.

Just started The Empty Throne by Bernard Cornwell, the 8th title in his Saxon Chronicles series. Per usual, it's fantastic so far.

Offline lucky7

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #181 on: November 15, 2014, 04:42:38 PM »
Just started Revival by Stephen King.....slow start hope it gets great soon...

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #182 on: November 15, 2014, 06:11:08 PM »
Before reading the next book on the Mistborn trilogy, I'm finishing Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain, which I left in a hiatus some weeks ago. Her TED talk on introversion was so inspiring that it led me to her book, and I'm throuloughly fascinated by it. Everybody should read it.

Offline adace

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #183 on: November 16, 2014, 04:39:46 AM »
Finished Empty Throne. Superb storytelling as usual and the ending left me practically begging for more. Uhtred is seriously one of my favorite fictional characters.

Now I'm finally getting around to the Game of Thrones books with A Song of Fire and Ice.

Online hefdaddy42

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #184 on: November 16, 2014, 05:15:56 AM »
Just started Revival by Stephen King.....slow start hope it gets great soon...
I read a great review of it the other day.  I'm looking forward to reading it, but I imagine that will be a Christmas present for me.
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Offline Scorpion

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #185 on: November 16, 2014, 01:12:38 PM »
Finished The Twelve by Justin Cronin. It was awesome.

I now want part three very muchly.
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Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #186 on: November 16, 2014, 03:21:30 PM »
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Offline Randaran

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #187 on: November 16, 2014, 04:42:46 PM »
I've just finished The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson. It's a great new take on fantasy, with a strong magic system. But, sadly, it fall into a few cliches. And I wish the book had like 50 more pages, to show better the character development. It isn't bad, but I felt it happened too fast. Either way, it's an interesting book - way better than the ones I've read about the same topic.

Nice.  :tup I love the magic system in this series, and look forward to reading about your impressions of the remaining two books.

I hope it's better than Cell by Stephen King.  I love King, but that book was awful.


I've tried to read cell 2 times. It always loses me before the halfway point. Which is too bad because I thought the beginning was fantastic.

Stephen King does a great job creating settings and characters, but he sucks at leading these components to a satisfactory conclusion. Under the Dome was fantastic until he decided to kill off everyone rather than resolve the far more interesting politcal and personal conflicts. Even with this, I would have left the book with a good impression if the last few pages had been altered. The only King book I can think of that had a great ending was It, which also happens to be my favorite book of his.

As for Cell, the beginning was great, it steadily got worse, and ended with one of King's worst conclusions to date.

Has anyone read his book about time travel? I do not remember the exact title, though it was a date. If so, is it any good, and more importanly, does it have a decent ending?
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Offline Dimitrius

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #188 on: November 16, 2014, 05:20:49 PM »
11/22/63 you mean? I thought it was fucking great all the way through! The ending was poignant and satisfactory to the story, IMO.
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Offline Randaran

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #189 on: November 16, 2014, 05:22:26 PM »
11/22/63 you mean? I thought it was fucking great all the way through! The ending was poignant and satisfactory to the story, IMO.

Yes, that is the one. Your comment makes me optimistic; I may start reading this one soon.
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Offline Dimitrius

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #190 on: November 16, 2014, 05:26:17 PM »
I do agree with what you say on King, but most of the time I don't care. With him I've learned to focus on the journey and not the destination.
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Offline Sacul

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #191 on: November 16, 2014, 06:08:43 PM »
Nice.  :tup I love the magic system in this series, and look forward to reading about your impressions of the remaining two books.
It seems that book two is more focused on political games and discovering more details about the magic system. By the way, I'd love a prequel with Kelsier's full backstory. I hope to get more info on him on the rest of the series, but a book telling how he met Mare and his friends, and established his status would be great.

Offline Onno

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #192 on: November 17, 2014, 03:33:39 AM »
11/22/63 you mean? I thought it was fucking great all the way through! The ending was poignant and satisfactory to the story, IMO.
That book was really, really great.

Offline lucky7

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #193 on: November 17, 2014, 05:51:33 PM »
11/22/63 you mean? I thought it was fucking great all the way through! The ending was poignant and satisfactory to the story, IMO.
That book was really, really great.


I loved it as well....the new one (Revival) is good...it is different like all of King's books.

Offline Fluffy Lothario

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #194 on: November 17, 2014, 08:30:48 PM »
I'm into the sixth chapter of Ulysses. Not as much trouble so far as I feel the book is made out to be. It's a bit more challenging than your average read, but not impossible. I've heard enough about later chapters to know it's going to get more puzzling as it goes on, but quite a fun read so far, I love the mundaneness - details like Bloom eyeing up a woman in the street while his friend is talking to him - and the sheer extent of the inner dialogue of the characters you're privy to.

In recent times, I've started to feel weird about never re-reading books. I read a ton of Stephen King in high school, and only have a vague memory of it now, so I think once I finish Ulysses, I'm gonna start re-reading my way through King's work between new books.

Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #195 on: November 18, 2014, 08:58:32 AM »
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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #196 on: November 18, 2014, 11:34:20 AM »
I'm into the sixth chapter of Ulysses. Not as much trouble so far as I feel the book is made out to be. It's a bit more challenging than your average read, but not impossible. I've heard enough about later chapters to know it's going to get more puzzling as it goes on, but quite a fun read so far, I love the mundaneness - details like Bloom eyeing up a woman in the street while his friend is talking to him - and the sheer extent of the inner dialogue of the characters you're privy to.
I have put that one off for years.  I need to actually read it.

In recent times, I've started to feel weird about never re-reading books. I read a ton of Stephen King in high school, and only have a vague memory of it now, so I think once I finish Ulysses, I'm gonna start re-reading my way through King's work between new books.
I have always re-read my favorite books.  If it isn't worth a re-read, it isn't worth keeping.
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Offline Fluffy Lothario

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #197 on: November 18, 2014, 06:47:03 PM »
I'm into the sixth chapter of Ulysses. Not as much trouble so far as I feel the book is made out to be. It's a bit more challenging than your average read, but not impossible. I've heard enough about later chapters to know it's going to get more puzzling as it goes on, but quite a fun read so far, I love the mundaneness - details like Bloom eyeing up a woman in the street while his friend is talking to him - and the sheer extent of the inner dialogue of the characters you're privy to.
I have put that one off for years.  I need to actually read it.
Yeah, it's been on my horizon for years. I read both Portrait of the Artist and Odyssey to prep. I've been surprised how indirect and trivial the Odyssey allusions are. It hasn't really contributed to understanding the story at all, which I thought it would - I mean, it's literally in the title. It just casts a certain light on some chapters. Reading Portrait first has really helped though, because it familiarises you with the Daedalus family, and is a good warm-up in Joyce's voice and earlier style so the stylistic oddness of Ulysses doesn't bowl you over.

In recent times, I've started to feel weird about never re-reading books. I read a ton of Stephen King in high school, and only have a vague memory of it now, so I think once I finish Ulysses, I'm gonna start re-reading my way through King's work between new books.
I have always re-read my favorite books.  If it isn't worth a re-read, it isn't worth keeping.
Well, I keep all books I really enjoy, but that just means most of them are in boxes in a closet in NZ.

I think it's partly because most of my reading has happened since leaving high school, so the list of books I read more than ten years ago that I want to revisit is pretty small - King, Frankenstein and maybe Tolkien and Animorphs.

Offline lucky7

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #198 on: November 19, 2014, 02:54:31 PM »
I would love to reread some of my books on my shelves, but I still have 500+ books that are waiting on a first read.  :smiley:

Just read some books based in New Olreans.
Bound by Blood by Rick Nelson
Claire Dewitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran
Unbroken (YA) by Paula Morris

All pretty good, I love the city and until I get back there, the books will have to do..

100 pages into Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult .. so far GREAT!  :tup

Offline Sir GuitarCozmo

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #199 on: November 20, 2014, 10:24:50 AM »
Just started "Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story" by Cameron Crowe.

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #200 on: November 20, 2014, 10:27:56 AM »
Just started "Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story" by Cameron Crowe.
Oooo, that sounds fun.
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Offline Sir GuitarCozmo

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #201 on: November 20, 2014, 10:53:03 AM »
22 pages in and it almost read like the script.  I've wanted to read this for a long time.  Hopefully it'll give me an even greater appreciation for the movie.

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #202 on: November 20, 2014, 01:07:42 PM »
22 pages in and it almost read like the script.  I've wanted to read this for a long time.  Hopefully it'll give me an even greater appreciation for the movie.
I look forward to it, although I'm not sure when I will have the time lol
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Offline Sir GuitarCozmo

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #203 on: November 20, 2014, 01:35:54 PM »
I'm very much enjoying it.  There are several things that you can see were inspirations for scenes in the movie, but they're a little diffferent in the book.  Very cool.

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #204 on: November 20, 2014, 01:48:55 PM »
So, after being sucked from my usual level of video gaming addiction to old school teenage levels of addiction, I haven't done much reading in the past year. However I got picked for jury duty Monday and ended up bringing a book I had gotten for my birthday.

So far, "Ready Player One" is freaking fantastic.
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Offline lucky7

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #205 on: November 20, 2014, 04:02:06 PM »
Just started "Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story" by Cameron Crowe.

Sounds good, I will have to try to get it...huge Cameron Crowe fan!  :smiley:  Next he needs to do one on Almost Famous!

I finished Jodi Picoult Leaving Time....it was fantastic.. I won't give anything away, but I need to reread it fast to work out how I missed so much. Now I know it is mostly guys on this forum and Jodi has more of a female fanbase, so I say to you all buy it for your wives, girlfriends.

Might try The City by Dean Koontz next...he has disappointed me of late so fingers crossed it is good...

Offline adace

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #206 on: November 23, 2014, 01:01:38 AM »
Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle. I expected it to be something like Ready Player One (which was awesome) since it's about games, but instead it's just this meandering, aimless story that doesn't accomplish much at all. He's a good writer for sure and his story had potential, but he just couldn't make it cohesive.

Also read The City and the Stars by Arthur Clarke. For a story that was written in the 1950's, this one is really ambitious and visionary. Some concepts could have been explained a bit more but overall I liked a lot.

Offline The Cat Of Tuscany

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #207 on: November 23, 2014, 12:24:52 PM »
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse.

Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #208 on: November 25, 2014, 07:46:33 AM »
The First Fifeteen Lives Of Harry August by Claire North

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #209 on: November 25, 2014, 03:31:45 PM »
Yesterday I finished reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. It probably is, along with the Wheel of Time series, the best book I've read on this year so far. It revealed me a lots of things I've been suspicious about myself, and helped me a lot to understand how I am. It's pure gold. Everybody on Earth should read it.