Author Topic: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings (Read 291006 times)

v_clortho · « **Reply #3150 on:** December 14, 2020, 07:30:07 PM »

Reading "The Black Echo" by Michael Connelly.
Loved the Bosch series on Amazon so I'm reading the first book in this series. Pretty good so far.

Kwyjibo · « **Reply #3151 on:** December 15, 2020, 10:02:06 AM »

John le Carre has died at age 89.

I don't know how many of you know him, so I won't start a new thread.

I've read a lot of his books, his hero George Smiley was the antithesis to James Bond and therefore his books seemed a lot more realistic.

My favorites are probably The Spy Who Came In From The Cold and The Little Drummer Girl.

Cool Chris · « **Reply #3152 on:** December 16, 2020, 12:06:35 AM »

I have only read The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by him, many many years ago. I recall much of it went over my head and hampered my enoyment of it. Been meaning to read something else of his. Better get something from the digital library before everything gets scooped up.

v_clortho · « **Reply #3153 on:** December 16, 2020, 06:34:42 AM »

I read the first George Smiley book. Liked it fine and will read the next at some point.

Kwyjibo · « **Reply #3154 on:** December 16, 2020, 08:50:16 AM »

A lot of Carre's stories play during the cold war. I wonder how those books resonate with someone who hasn't lived during that period, hasn't firsthand experience of that time and can therefore probably not relate to the atmosphere created?

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #3155 on:** December 16, 2020, 02:26:50 PM »

The First Christmas by Marcus J. Borg & John Dominic Crossan

masterthes · « **Reply #3156 on:** December 17, 2020, 10:46:01 PM »

Claus: Legend of a Fat Man by Tony Bertauski

SchecterShredder · « **Reply #3157 on:** December 18, 2020, 09:58:16 PM »

ReaperKK · « **Reply #3158 on:** December 19, 2020, 06:10:58 AM »

You're going to laugh at me but:

Porsche 911 - The Practically Free Supercar by Robert McGowan

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #3159 on:** December 19, 2020, 06:33:17 AM »

The Last Odyssey by James Rollins

masterthes · « **Reply #3160 on:** December 19, 2020, 05:47:22 PM »

Just finished my big goal for the year by reading at least ten books each month this year. Moving on to A Lot Like Christmas by Connie Willis

masterthes · « **Reply #3161 on:** December 21, 2020, 12:41:07 PM »

Getting my musical theater history on with American Musical Theater: A Chronicle Fourth Edition by Gerald Bordman and Richard Norton

Evermind · « **Reply #3162 on:** December 22, 2020, 08:03:13 AM »

Quote from: Evermind on December 07, 2020, 05:54:03 AM

Paused Oathbringer due to a business trip (too heavy to take it with me) and started on Northern Lights by Philip Pullman.

Now Rhythm of War arrived today. I'll probably finish Northern Lights first, then just read the plot summary of Oathbringer and get into that. Or I don't know. Man, my to-read shelf is growing fast.

Northern Lights was pretty good. Very fairy-tale like YA which I rather liked. I'll get into the rest of the trilogy next year.

Sitting at home with Covid allowed me to spend more time reading, so I did a full reread of Oathbringer. I liked the plot way more this time—the whole Kholinar section is much better than I remembered—but it felt like Brandon had to finish the book in a rush. I don't know how to describe it, but he used the same words over and over (lots of characters thinking/saying "Bother." whenever something happened, everyone "exploding" with Stormlight, that kind of thing). He usually isn't very good at prose but this time it actually stood out and not in a good way.

That being said, I'm still interested what happens next, so I'm starting Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

masterthes · « **Reply #3163 on:** December 23, 2020, 04:30:14 AM »

Getting into book two of the Sun Eater trilogy, Howling Dark by Christopher Ruocchio

Stadler · « **Reply #3164 on:** December 23, 2020, 08:19:21 AM »

Up to A Feast Of Crows now in the Game Of Thrones series. It's going way faster than I had expected, so I'm going to hit the wall sooner than I thought (pun intended). The books are way better than the series; I'm getting so much in terms of backstory and motivations. I also am surprised that the series followed the books longer than I thought, though that may just be my faulty memory.

I hope George is able to finish this. I really do. I had doubts before I got immersed - a "man plans, god laughs" notion - but now that I'm in it, it's less "doubts" than it is "fears"; it would be a shame to have this monumental a work go unfinished.

Kwyjibo · « **Reply #3165 on:** December 26, 2020, 03:44:41 AM »

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Evermind · « **Reply #3166 on:** December 26, 2020, 03:56:59 AM »

Quote from: Kwyjibo on December 26, 2020, 03:44:41 AM

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Not my favourite book from the series, but it was enough for me to keep reading.

Quote from: Evermind on December 22, 2020, 08:03:13 AM

That being said, I'm still interested what happens next, so I'm starting Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

Wow, that was a big yawn. The first two parts were alright and then the book lost all momentum in Part 3. The ending was also alright but yeah, this book is on Oathbringer level for me. At least that one had good flashbacks. Rhythm of War flashbacks were the most boring so far. Maybe it'll get better on reread a few years later.

Kwyjibo · « **Reply #3167 on:** December 26, 2020, 04:02:43 AM »

Quote from: Evermind on December 26, 2020, 03:56:59 AM

Quote from: Kwyjibo on December 26, 2020, 03:44:41 AM
The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Not my favourite book from the series, but it was enough for me to keep reading.

I've heard a lot of good things about the series so I thought I start at the beginning and see where it goes.

Cool Chris · « **Reply #3168 on:** December 26, 2020, 10:16:11 AM »

Slobberknocker: My Life in Wrestling by Jim Ross. I became acquainted with JR around 2000 when I got back in to wrestling after a long absence. I eventually learned he had a long history in the industry prior to that, but had no idea it stretched back so far, and he had done literally almost everything. The storytelling seemed brief, like if you met him at the airport and wanted to hear some stories but he had a plan to catch and could only spare a couple minutes. But with all he has seen, heard, and experienced, only a massive multi-volume autobiography could do it justice.

masterthes · « **Reply #3169 on:** December 31, 2020, 03:36:58 PM »

First off, my last wrap up of 2020

December (12)
The Master’s Apprentice by Oliver Potzsch 11/30 - 12/2 ****
Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien 12/2 - 12/3 ****
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester 12/3 ***
From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back edited by Elizabeth Schaefer 12/4 - 12/5 ***
Deceived by Paul S. Kemp 12/5 - 12/7 ****
Fatal Alliance by Sean Williams 12/7 - 12/9 ***
The Star Wars Book by Cole Horton 12/9 - 12/10 ****
Mention My Name in Atlantis by John Jakes 12/10 - 12/12 ***
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor 12/12 - 12/14 ****
Claus: Legend of a Fat Man by Tony Bertauski 12/17 - 12/19 ***
A Lot Like Christmas by Connie Willis 12/19 - 12/21 ****
Howling Dark by Christopher Ruocchio 12/23 - 12/31 ***

Year update: 174 books read, and here's my top 10:

10. Musical Misfires by Mark A. Robinson
9. Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein
8. If it Bleeds by Stephen King
7. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
6. Injustice: Year One by Tom Taylor
5. Superman: The Unofficial Biography by Glenn Weldon
4. Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff
3. Battle Ground by Jim Butcher
2. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
1. Once There Was a Way: What if The Beatles Stayed Together? by Bryce Zabel

Now, currently reading Surrounded by Enemies: What if Kennedy Survived Dallas? by Bryce Zabel. I hope it's as good as The Beatles book

Kwyjibo · « **Reply #3170 on:** January 01, 2021, 11:43:13 AM »

The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

masterthes · « **Reply #3171 on:** January 03, 2021, 05:46:07 PM »

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. Wish me Luck!

Evermind · « **Reply #3172 on:** January 03, 2021, 07:14:14 PM »

Good luck, I finished that one but had absolutely no clue what was going on and didn't continue with the series

SchecterShredder · « **Reply #3173 on:** January 04, 2021, 09:57:55 AM »

The Dancing Girls by M.M Chouinard

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #3174 on:** January 04, 2021, 10:21:31 AM »

A Promised Land by Barack Obama

Podaar · « **Reply #3175 on:** January 05, 2021, 04:56:27 AM »

Quote from: hefdaddy42 on January 04, 2021, 10:21:31 AM

A Promised Land by Barack Obama

My favorite book of 2020.

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #3176 on:** January 05, 2021, 07:39:47 AM »

Quote from: Podaar on January 05, 2021, 04:56:27 AM

Quote from: hefdaddy42 on January 04, 2021, 10:21:31 AM
A Promised Land by Barack Obama

My favorite book of 2020.

I'm loving it so far. Very well-written.

SchecterShredder · « **Reply #3177 on:** January 06, 2021, 08:20:21 AM »

Dancing Girls was pretty good.

Back to La Tour Sombre VII

Cool Chris · « **Reply #3178 on:** January 06, 2021, 10:43:06 PM »

Just finished Half Moon Bay by Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman. Great stuff. Kellerman pere is still at the top of his game; Kellerman fils is establishing himself and his style well; and their Clay Edison series started out strong and is only getting better with each entry.

Now reading The Long Walk by Richard Bachman. Read it once many years ago.

ozzy554 · « **Reply #3179 on:** January 07, 2021, 07:05:45 AM »

I started the year by finishing Diamonds are Forever by Ian Fleming. While some of the racism from Live and Let Die creeps in here it's not nearly as bad as it was in that book. Overall I thought it was ok. So far Moonraker is my favorite of the book series.

Currently reading The Institute by Stephen King

masterthes · « **Reply #3180 on:** January 07, 2021, 01:49:10 PM »

Gardens of the Moon was great. Can't wait to read book two in February

As a quick palate cleanser, I read The Best of the Rejection Collection edited by Matthew Diffee. A collection of cartoons that didn't make the cut to go in The New Yorker

Now, currently reading Love and Other Pranks by Tony Vigorito

masterthes · « **Reply #3181 on:** January 07, 2021, 08:01:05 PM »

Already went to my first DNF of the year. Anyway, I was browsing Amazon Prime the other day and they had Election on, which I have never seen, but before I got too far in, I decided I wanted to check out the source material first (Election by Tom Perrota)

Kwyjibo · « **Reply #3182 on:** January 08, 2021, 01:23:20 PM »

Finders Keepers by Stephen King

masterthes · « **Reply #3183 on:** January 08, 2021, 01:26:34 PM »

Turning my way to superhero/villain-ish fiction with Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

SchecterShredder · « **Reply #3184 on:** January 10, 2021, 04:53:30 AM »

Quote from: SchecterShredder on January 06, 2021, 08:20:21 AM

Dancing Girls was pretty good.

Now that I've thought about it a little, the main character of that book had no impact whatsoever on the outcome of the story. She's a detective trying to track down a serial killer, but she never catches him, never identifies him, never meets him, and he never knows the police are looking for him. The suspense build up was still good, but it's a little weird that the main had nothing to do with the suspense.

News: Fall Into the Light, official video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFxH4kky6z4

Author Topic: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings (Read 291006 times)