Author Topic: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings (Read 291494 times)

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #420 on:** April 02, 2015, 08:03:45 AM »

Quote from: jammindude on April 02, 2015, 06:48:14 AM

Anyone ever heard of Peter Orullian?

I was at Comicon and went up to Keven J Anderson's booth... (he signed the Clockwork Angels companion book I bought as well as a reprint of an older book based on Grace Under Pressure called Resurrection Inc) ...and I got to talking with this other guy (Peter Orullian, as it turned out) at his booth because we started talking prog rock and metal. We hit it off pretty well and traded contact info. I figured he was one of Kevin's "minions". But then 10 minutes later I walk by a big poster of him promoting his new book! I went back to the booth and jokingly said, "You jerk! Why didn't you tell you tell me you were an author??"

He may have enjoyed just talking to someone like a regular guy.

Sacul · « **Reply #421 on:** April 04, 2015, 10:48:24 PM »

So after buying 15 books back when I went to England, I realised I had only read one (Fool's Errand), and can't start 4 of them because they're part of a series and need the previous books to be understood. I gave away on to my uncle. And started another, but thought it was awfully written (I Am Legend). So it leaves me with 7 books (I'm didn't count A Memory of Light too - already read it, but I needed to have it on hardback!). 5 of them are English classics, one is the first of a sci-fi saga (Hyperion).

So it all leaves me with... Sophie's World, by Jostein Gaarder. I had already read a chapter of it on a high school project, and liked it. Now, a few chapters in, I'm deeply enjoying it. I've always been kind of a dreamer, and I live in my head most of the time, so I find philosophy totally fascinating.

masterthes · « **Reply #422 on:** April 06, 2015, 09:21:41 AM »

Moved on to Going Postal

Zydar · « **Reply #423 on:** April 06, 2015, 09:23:49 AM »

Mick Wall - When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #424 on:** April 06, 2015, 12:09:35 PM »

The Justice Project - edited by Brian McLaren, Elisa Padilla, and Ashley Bunting Seeber

ariich · « **Reply #425 on:** April 06, 2015, 02:53:11 PM »

Quote from: masterthes on April 06, 2015, 09:21:41 AM

Moved on to Going Postal

Have you seen the TV adaptation? It's excellent.

masterthes · « **Reply #426 on:** April 07, 2015, 04:37:49 AM »

I'm usually the type who reads the book before seeing the adaptation, so I'll have to check it after

masterthes · « **Reply #427 on:** April 08, 2015, 06:17:19 PM »

Taking a break from the Pratchett-thon and reading Gotham City 14 Miles, a collection of essays about the 66 TV show

masterthes · « **Reply #428 on:** April 10, 2015, 12:32:30 PM »

William Shakespeare's The Phantom of Menace by Ian Doescher

Sacul · « **Reply #429 on:** April 10, 2015, 03:53:34 PM »

Decided to continue where I left, and finished 1Q84's book one. Since it all seems to be just one big story just neatly divided into 3 parts, I'll start book two now. So far I love how mature and excellent the writing is. The subtle changes, small twists, the "fantasy" elements - its amazing.

About 1/4 through Sophie's World, and its been a delight. Reading it 1 chapter at a time has helped me not feel overwhelmed by the crazy amount of philosophical content

. Of course if you're into philosophy, this will read as a For Dummies, but given is a teen novel, its wonderful.

masterthes · « **Reply #430 on:** April 11, 2015, 05:37:36 AM »

The Leftovers by Tom Perrota

masterthes · « **Reply #431 on:** April 15, 2015, 06:58:25 AM »

Venturing into Dune

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #432 on:** April 15, 2015, 07:02:15 AM »

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

again

Dimitrius · « **Reply #433 on:** April 15, 2015, 01:07:55 PM »

Almost halfway through re-reading A Dance with Dragons, I was pretty harsh on the Jon and Dany chapters the first time around and now I'm enjoying them (or maybe the better word is understanding them better).

Evermind · « **Reply #434 on:** April 15, 2015, 01:23:52 PM »

Quote from: Dimitrius on April 15, 2015, 01:07:55 PM

Almost halfway through re-reading A Dance with Dragons, I was pretty harsh on the Jon and Dany chapters the first time around and now I'm enjoying them (or maybe the better word is understanding them better).

I love Jon's arc in ADWD. One of the better ones for sure.

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #435 on:** April 15, 2015, 02:55:28 PM »

Quote from: Evermind on April 15, 2015, 01:23:52 PM

Quote from: Dimitrius on April 15, 2015, 01:07:55 PM
Almost halfway through re-reading A Dance with Dragons, I was pretty harsh on the Jon and Dany chapters the first time around and now I'm enjoying them (or maybe the better word is understanding them better).

I love Jon's arc in ADWD. One of the better ones for sure.

I agree.

Dimitrius · « **Reply #436 on:** April 15, 2015, 03:12:18 PM »

Yeah, it's been better this time around. First time I just read a bunch of complaining from him.

Still doesn't come close to Reek's arc, though.

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #437 on:** April 16, 2015, 06:46:54 AM »

Dune by Frank Herbert

masterthes · « **Reply #438 on:** April 16, 2015, 10:47:00 AM »

you weren't influenced by my decision, were you?

Incidentally, I'm around page 200 and really enjoying it so far

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #439 on:** April 16, 2015, 11:07:14 AM »

Quote from: masterthes on April 16, 2015, 10:47:00 AM

you weren't influenced by my decision, were you? Incidentally, I'm around page 200 and really enjoying it so far

Actually, I was. I started HHGTTG, but fell out of the mood fairly quickly. So I saw your post, and decided to re-read Dune.

jammindude · « **Reply #440 on:** April 18, 2015, 10:08:28 PM »

Guys...I'm on vacation and reading The Unremembered by Peter Orullian....which I mentioned earlier.

You know how it is when you meet someone and they say they are a writer? I mean, you've met them as a regular guy, and then they start talking about their book? You know how you're all ready to give the "Back to the Future" response if it happens to suck? ("Marty! That was very interesting music!")

Totally NOT the case here. I'm honestly getting my doors blown off by this book. He is ACTUALLY really good. I don't have to hunt for positive things to say about it. It's just awesome. Find this book. (it doesn't hurt that he's a long time DT geek too)

Heck, for all I know, he could be one of my fellow DTFers and I wouldn't even know it.

adace · « **Reply #441 on:** April 19, 2015, 03:12:21 AM »

Halo: Fall of Reach and Halo: Cryptum. Amazing sci-fi books. Such a shame that they seem to be overlooked just because they're based on video games.

jasc15 · « **Reply #442 on:** April 19, 2015, 09:57:31 PM »

A paper on compatibilism I found from the Stanford university website. I've been interested in this question for a while, and am currently of the opinion that if you believe in free will, then you must believe in the supernatural, since that is the only way to interfere with the deterministic natural phenomena that govern the brain's operation.

Since this is clearly not a settled question in physics or philosophy, I'm reading about ways free will can be compatible with determinism. The paper doesn't assume familiarity with other philosophical concepts, but I'm still finding it a bit hard to follow.

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/compatibilism/

Sacul · « **Reply #443 on:** April 19, 2015, 11:36:12 PM »

Quote from: jasc15 on April 19, 2015, 09:57:31 PM

I've been interested in this question for a while, and am currently of the opinion that if you believe in free will, then you must believe in the supernatural, since that is the only way to interfere with the deterministic natural phenomena that govern the brain's operation.

I might not see a big picture as you since I'm not familiar with determinism, but I don't even see how supernatural and free will relate. Is it that I have to ask a ghost to change my bran's functions?

Surely our biology limits us, but as how science is progressing, I think it will become less of a problem with time.

masterthes · « **Reply #444 on:** April 28, 2015, 05:46:37 AM »

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

WDADU · « **Reply #445 on:** May 02, 2015, 02:11:11 AM »

Reading The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls right now. Read Abarat by Clive Barker before that.

Fiery Winds · « **Reply #446 on:** May 02, 2015, 07:40:14 AM »

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

Prog Snob · « **Reply #447 on:** May 02, 2015, 10:50:09 AM »

I finally finished A Dance With Dragons. My brother is telling me I should start the Wheel of Time series next.

Sacul · « **Reply #448 on:** May 02, 2015, 11:36:41 AM »

Quote from: Prog Snob on May 02, 2015, 10:50:09 AM

I finally finished A Dance With Dragons. My brother is telling me I should start the Wheel of Time series next.

You should

.

The first 3 books can seem a bit like classic fantasy, but the rest just keeps expanding, more and more, into really different ways, and you end up with like 20 characters, each with its own arc. The books are big (an average of 700 pages each on English I think), and the pace might be slow at times, but if you could finish ASOIAF, then you can tackle this one.

Although I started with it, I wouldn't recommend the prequel as your first book, since you won't understand a thing

.

Randaran · « **Reply #449 on:** May 03, 2015, 12:58:18 PM »

Quote from: Prog Snob on May 02, 2015, 10:50:09 AM

I finally finished A Dance With Dragons. My brother is telling me I should start the Wheel of Time series next.

Definitely do so. I found that it was well worth the time it took to read.

Quote from: Sacul on May 02, 2015, 11:36:41 AM

Although I started with it, I wouldn't recommend the prequel as your first book, since you won't understand a thing .

I second this. The first time through the series, read them in the order they were published. This would put New Spring between Crossroads of Twilight and Knife of Dreams. New Spring contains worldbuilding elements and character movitations that you are not meant to know about until much later in the series.

adace · « **Reply #450 on:** May 03, 2015, 02:02:28 PM »

Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur Clarke
The Hidden Reality by Brian Greene

LudwigVan · « **Reply #451 on:** May 03, 2015, 03:09:33 PM »

Quote from: adace on May 03, 2015, 02:02:28 PM

Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur Clarke

Read this one over 30 years ago. Enjoyed it immensely.

Fluffy Lothario · « **Reply #452 on:** May 03, 2015, 06:59:02 PM »

Read Northern Lights / The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. I actually thought it was pretty bad. Prose was mostly dry and dull, characterisation was very thin for every character but Lyra, and about 80% of the dialogue was exposition, info dumping and discussion of the universe/concept, the entire way through.

masterthes · « **Reply #453 on:** May 05, 2015, 06:56:24 AM »

The Mahabharata by Vyasa and translated by Ramesh Menon

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #454 on:** May 05, 2015, 07:07:02 AM »

Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver (a 007 novel)

News: The staff at DTF wish to remind you all that a firm grasp of the rules of Yahtzee can save your life and the lives of your loved ones. Be safe out there.

Author Topic: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings (Read 291494 times)