The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings

[WDADU]

A Map of Days, by Ransom Riggs.

[SchecterShredder]

Harry Potter et le Prisonnier d'Azkaban

[Evermind]

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. I've read a lot of reviews claiming it was awful, and also a lot of praise for that one, so let's see what it's all about.

[Samsara]

Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills - Greg Rucka

Rucka wrote a lot of stuff in the comic realm that I like a ton, including the killer Gotham Central storyline. This book, so far, is really enjoyable.

[TAC]

I need to read a book.

[masterthes]

Even though Realms of Atlantis disappointed me greatly, I'm a big enough Lestat fan that that's not deterring me from reading Blood Communion by Anne Rice

[vtgrad]

I need to read a book.

Haven't read that one TAC... who's the author?  Sounds like a solid story-line from the title.  Seriously though, Audible is a great app for audio books if that's your thing; I listen while driving and doing yard work and wood-work.  It's very relaxing when you want to take a break from music for a bit.

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson
The Golden Alphabet : An Exposition of Psalm 119 by C.H. Spurgeon

If audio books do count, I'm working my way through The Dark Tower volumes again whilst traveling to-and-from work... up to Wolves of the Calla now.

[Evermind]

I can't for the life of me focus on audiobooks. I just fall asleep whenever I try audiobooks on my commute five or ten minutes in. Glad to know there are people enjoying them though!

Prince of Thorns is frustrating so far, but the story is alright. Got about a hundred pages left. I'm not sure what to think so far.

[masterthes]

That was so much better than the last book. Anne is back in my good graces.

Now back to Sherlock one last time this year, with The Return of Sherlock Holmes

[Cool Chris]

I need to read a book.

And by "book" TAC meant "stone tablet."

I can't for the life of me focus on audiobooks. I just fall asleep whenever I try audiobooks on my commute five or ten minutes in.

Me too. I have tried but I apparently have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to audio books.

[masterthes]

Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters by Anne Boyd Rioux

[masterthes]

Finishing off the month with some horror from my favorite: Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

[masterthes]

Getting prepared for Bohemian Rhapsody with Queen: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Crown Kings of Rock by Phil Sutcliffe

[masterthes]

Springfield Confidential by Mike Reiss. I'll be shocked if this doesn't get a perfect rating from me, because I loved The Simpsons in its heyday

[Evermind]

Prince of Thorns is frustrating so far, but the story is alright. Got about a hundred pages left. I'm not sure what to think so far.

Finished this. I liked the writing style, but the story was pretty weak. Also doesn't help it's grimdark, so everyone (protagonist included) is pretty much murdering, torturing and raping everyone. Ugh. The protagonist also succeeds in basically everything. Going to probably abandon this trilogy and look for Red Sister / Gray Sister books by the same author as I know Podaar liked those.

Sweet Silver Blues by Glen Cook

[Podaar]

Prince of Thorns is frustrating so far, but the story is alright. Got about a hundred pages left. I'm not sure what to think so far.

Finished this. I liked the writing style, but the story was pretty weak. Also doesn't help it's grimdark, so everyone (protagonist included) is pretty much murdering, torturing and raping everyone. Ugh. The protagonist also succeeds in basically everything. Going to probably abandon this trilogy and look for Red Sister / Gray Sister books by the same author as I know Podaar liked those.

The next two in the "Thorn" trilogy get better. Jorg is still an evil scumbag but much like Moorcock's Elric he tries to find a way to be helpful to the larger world by being the foil to an even greater evil. Plus, there are some surprisingly smart twists.

Still, Lawrence has changed as a writer the Ancestor trilogy (Sisters) is loads better with way more relatable characters. We're only a few months away from the release of the final book (Holy Sister) in that trilogy. I can't wait.

[Kwyjibo]

I'm finishing my Harry Potter (re-)reading with Harry Potter and The Cursed Child.

Also reading The Force by Don Winslow. This is really enjoyable so far.

[Evermind]

Prince of Thorns is frustrating so far, but the story is alright. Got about a hundred pages left. I'm not sure what to think so far.

Finished this. I liked the writing style, but the story was pretty weak. Also doesn't help it's grimdark, so everyone (protagonist included) is pretty much murdering, torturing and raping everyone. Ugh. The protagonist also succeeds in basically everything. Going to probably abandon this trilogy and look for Red Sister / Gray Sister books by the same author as I know Podaar liked those.

The next two in the "Thorn" trilogy get better. Jorg is still an evil scumbag but much like Moorcock's Elric he tries to find a way to be helpful to the larger world by being the foil to an even greater evil. Plus, there are some surprisingly smart twists.

Still, Lawrence has changed as a writer the Ancestor trilogy (Sisters) is loads better with way more relatable characters. We're only a few months away from the release of the final book (Holy Sister) in that trilogy. I can't wait.

There are no Sister books in our English bookstores at all, the Thorn trilogy books are the only ones I could find. I'm going to be in Hamburg in February so perhaps their bookstores will have those.

[Podaar]

You could always have me pick them up for you and ship them...send me a PM if that appeals.

[Nekov]

Haven't posted here in a while. I'm currently reading Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson and I have to say this guy has become one of my favorite authors by far. His books are complex, fun and full of super interesting information and tons of food for thought.

[Evermind]

You could always have me pick them up for you and ship them...send me a PM if that appeals.

The shipping costs to Russia are usually pretty insane, and with our national currency being shit and becoming shittier to both $ and € (five years ago, $1 was like 40-45 roubles, now $1 is about 70 roubles) I think it's a bit more than I can afford if I want to both visit Hamburg on my birthday and travel to Netherlands for Ayreon in September. I mean, Prince of Thorns cost me ~$8 in the store. Shipping two Sister books from US will probably cost ~$30-40, so I'll end up paying more for shipping than the book costs.

I appreciate the offer a lot, though. This is why I love DTF.

Haven't posted here in a while. I'm currently reading Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson and I have to say this guy has become one of my favorite authors by far. His books are complex, fun and full of super interesting information and tons of food for thought.

I've read Snow Crash. It was good until a certain part which I won't mention in case you didn't get to it yet. Never returned to that author, although I heard Cryptonomicon was good.

[Nekov]

Cryptonomicon is good, but I found Anathem to be the most mind blowing one. Snow Crash is one of his earlier works so maybe he hadn't fine-tuned his skills yet. Seven Eves is also pretty interesting but in a very different vein than the rest.

[Evermind]

Cryptonomicon is good, but I found Anathem to be the most mind blowing one. Snow Crash is one of his earlier works so maybe he hadn't fine-tuned his skills yet. Seven Eves is also pretty interesting but in a very different vein than the rest.

My best friend is a big fan of Stephenson. I've bought him Seveneves in 2015 as a Christmas gift (actually a New Year's gift, we don't celebrate Christmas on the 25th, but anyway). He said it was alright, but nowhere near Cryptonomicon or Anathem, yeah.

[Kwyjibo]

Evermind, what about eBooks in Russia?

I buy and read most books nowadays as ebooks and have no problem getting foreign editions for a decent price. Sometimes books by german authors are cheaper when buying the english translation than buying the german original. 

[v_clortho]

Prince of Thorns is frustrating so far, but the story is alright. Got about a hundred pages left. I'm not sure what to think so far.

Finished this. I liked the writing style, but the story was pretty weak. Also doesn't help it's grimdark, so everyone (protagonist included) is pretty much murdering, torturing and raping everyone. Ugh. The protagonist also succeeds in basically everything. Going to probably abandon this trilogy and look for Red Sister / Gray Sister books by the same author as I know Podaar liked those.

The next two in the "Thorn" trilogy get better. Jorg is still an evil scumbag but much like Moorcock's Elric he tries to find a way to be helpful to the larger world by being the foil to an even greater evil. Plus, there are some surprisingly smart twists.

Still, Lawrence has changed as a writer the Ancestor trilogy (Sisters) is loads better with way more relatable characters. We're only a few months away from the release of the final book (Holy Sister) in that trilogy. I can't wait.

The Red Queen's War trilogy is really good too. Same world as Thorns, different protagonist. More fun/funny.

[Podaar]

Prince of Thorns is frustrating so far, but the story is alright. Got about a hundred pages left. I'm not sure what to think so far.

Finished this. I liked the writing style, but the story was pretty weak. Also doesn't help it's grimdark, so everyone (protagonist included) is pretty much murdering, torturing and raping everyone. Ugh. The protagonist also succeeds in basically everything. Going to probably abandon this trilogy and look for Red Sister / Gray Sister books by the same author as I know Podaar liked those.

The next two in the "Thorn" trilogy get better. Jorg is still an evil scumbag but much like Moorcock's Elric he tries to find a way to be helpful to the larger world by being the foil to an even greater evil. Plus, there are some surprisingly smart twists.

Still, Lawrence has changed as a writer the Ancestor trilogy (Sisters) is loads better with way more relatable characters. We're only a few months away from the release of the final book (Holy Sister) in that trilogy. I can't wait.

The Red Queen's War trilogy is really good too. Same world as Thorns, different protagonist. More fun/funny.

[Evermind]

Evermind, what about eBooks in Russia?

I buy and read most books nowadays as ebooks and have no problem getting foreign editions for a decent price. Sometimes books by german authors are cheaper when buying the english translation than buying the german original. 

E-books are of course available, but I'm somewhat of an old school guy and prefer to have the actual book made of paper in my hands.

[masterthes]

Moving on to a book about one of my favorite entertainers, My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke

[masterthes]

100 books for the year!

Now, taking a break from the life stories and reading The Novel: An Alternative History: Beginnings to 1600 by Steven Moore

[masterthes]

That didn't work out so well. Instead, going back to biographies to read The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King

[Samsara]

Star Wars Guardians of the Whills by Greg Rucka was an excellent read, and gave a wonderful backstory on both Chirrut and Baze from Rogue One. Short read, highly entertaining, very recommended if you love Star Wars Rogue One.

I'm putting down the books at the moment, and getting caught up on Daredevil (comics). Picked up Vol. 5 (all issues), so I have quite a bit of reading to catch up on. I'm a big fan, but haven't collected the comics in years, so I'm back and all-in.

[hefdaddy42]

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

[Kwyjibo]

On to another wizard Harry: Storm Front by Jim Butcher

[Podaar]

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Good luck, Hef. I've tried that one a half dozen times in the past decade and can never get very far into it before I get bored.

On to another wizard Harry: Storm Front by Jim Butcher

This series really starts to take off by the third book. Storm Front is a first novel, and it shows (not bad, just not quite up to later standards). Fool Moon leap frogs it as a sophomore effort. Then Grave Peril is where things really get good.

I hope you stick with it.

[hefdaddy42]

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Good luck, Hef. I've tried that one a half dozen times in the past decade and can never get very far into it before I get bored.

It's certainly not a page turner.