Author Topic: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings  (Read 286589 times)

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Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2380 on: May 15, 2019, 01:41:22 PM »
It was hard getting back into Interview with a Vampire because of the shift Anne Rice decided to make in the second book by making Lestat the protagonist of the series, so I'm going to get my trivia on instead with An Underground Education by Richard Zacks

Offline SchecterShredder

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2381 on: May 17, 2019, 01:17:03 PM »
Has anyone here read Butcher's Codex Alera series? If so, what are your opinions?

Online Evermind

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2382 on: May 18, 2019, 04:54:47 AM »
I did a few years ago, wasn't too fond of it to be honest. Felt like generic fantasy novels at best.
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Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2383 on: May 19, 2019, 10:32:37 AM »
The Life of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir. I absolutely loved her book on the Six Wives of Henry VIII. Hopefully, I'll get the same reaction from this

Offline The Walrus

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2384 on: May 19, 2019, 01:21:49 PM »
GRRM - A Game of Thrones

Bought it once again, first time attempting to read them since I got into the show all those years ago - let's do it.  :metal
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Offline Phoenix87x

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2385 on: May 19, 2019, 02:36:25 PM »
GRRM - A Game of Thrones

Bought it once again, first time attempting to read them since I got into the show all those years ago - let's do it.  :metal

Me too, and I am loving it so far. On book one right now and hopefully by the time I finish all of them, winds of winter will be out.
« Last Edit: May 19, 2019, 03:23:42 PM by Phoenix87x »

Offline XJDenton

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2386 on: May 19, 2019, 03:22:31 PM »
Oh my sweet summer child.

I don't really read much anymore but I do listen to audiobooks, and I am listening to "Heroes: Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures" by Stephen Fry, which is his second book retelling the Greek Mythology, and "Overlord" by Max Hastings, which is about the D-day landings and the invasion of europe in 1944.
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Offline The Walrus

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2387 on: May 21, 2019, 07:55:18 AM »
Oh lord. A Game of Thrones is great.

I think I know what put me off the first time, and it's a combination of two things. 1) An odd and somewhat creepy focus on sexual behavior with young characters. Viserys running his hands over Dany's body - she's 13 - and pinching her nipple, and then the talk of perfuming her genitals. It's just weird. I don't need that with my 13 year old character, thanks. I know there's worse coming, but that was one of the reasons I got turned off prior to watching the show. 2) An overwhelming amount of ASOIAF-specific terminology. Fantasy that frontloads the first few chapters with all that terminology really makes it hard for me to get into the story, and I remember having an issue with that during Bran and Catelyn's first chapter, trying to visualize all these words that I don't really have any basis for.

Having seen the show, it really made opening that book for the umpteenth time way easier, and reading the early chapters has for the first time not been exhausting.

I am excited to see where this takes me and I hope to finish it this weekend.
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
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Online Evermind

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2388 on: May 21, 2019, 10:43:50 AM »
I think GRRM planned the young protagonists' ages according to his original plan of having five years gap in the middle of the series, but that got scrapped later. I think he might've even admitted he screwed up a bit on the ages and wished some Stark children and the rest of young folks in the series were a bit older. I may be wrong though, and I'm not going to look for the exact quote either. :)
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Online Kwyjibo

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2389 on: May 21, 2019, 12:33:18 PM »
I read something along what evermind said too, and in our medieval times it wasn't that much different. People were "adults" in young ages and died of old age with maybe 35 years.

And then Viserys is supposed to be creepy.
Must've been Kwyji sending all the wrong songs.   ;D

Offline The Walrus

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2390 on: May 23, 2019, 07:13:29 AM »
Yeah, the ages thing makes sense, it's just reading about the sexualization of young women that I don't like reading about. But I get it, I really do. My favorite thing about the book so far - still not halfway in - is Ned's first chapter. The dialogue between Robert and Ned is so damn good. I just wish Robert's first line was that of the show's - "You got fat" :)

And unlike the other times I've tried reading, GRRM's writing hasn't bugged me yet. I know people mock his apparent tendency to write about food but that hasn't happened yet.
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
"I don't worry about nothing, no, 'cause worrying's a waste of my time"

Offline Cool Chris

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2391 on: May 23, 2019, 01:00:37 PM »
An overwhelming amount of ASOIAF-specific terminology. Fantasy that frontloads the first few chapters with all that terminology really makes it hard for me to get into the story...

I normally feel the exact same way but I never had problem with this series. From the beginning I felt like I was right in the middle of Westeros as a welcome citizen, not an anachronistic visitor from afar.
"Nostalgia is just the ability to forget the things that sucked" - Nelson DeMille, 'Up Country'

Offline hefdaddy42

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2392 on: May 23, 2019, 01:14:25 PM »
Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly
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Online Kwyjibo

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2393 on: May 24, 2019, 03:10:24 PM »
Having finished Rattenzauber (rat magic) by german author Kai Meyer it's back to the dark tower with Wolves Of The Calla by Stephen King, obviously.
Must've been Kwyji sending all the wrong songs.   ;D

Offline ReaperKK

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2394 on: May 24, 2019, 03:42:51 PM »
I'm putting down the DS9 Ominbus I started reading and I'm going to read Game of Thrones, I'm a huge fan of the show and I want to give the books a shot

Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2395 on: May 26, 2019, 08:23:43 AM »
Dangerous Liaisons by Pierre de Laclos. It's been a while since I've read a classic novel.

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2396 on: May 29, 2019, 05:45:47 AM »
Limited Wish -- Mark Lawrence
"Religion poisons everything” — Christopher Hitchens

Offline v_clortho

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2397 on: May 29, 2019, 07:27:26 AM »
Just started "Holy Sister" by Mark Lawrence. "Limited Wish" is in my pile to read and I'll probably read that next.

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2398 on: May 29, 2019, 07:55:31 AM »
Just started "Holy Sister" by Mark Lawrence. "Limited Wish" is in my pile to read and I'll probably read that next.

Holy Sister is a personal favorite!! Enjoy.
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Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2399 on: June 01, 2019, 01:16:21 PM »
Becoming Dr. Seuss: Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination by Brian Jay Jones. Also, reading intermittently, Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales by Ray Bradbury

Offline Cool Chris

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2400 on: June 01, 2019, 04:41:07 PM »
While we're speaking of Stephen King, by the way, why don't you guys recommend me something from him? I've read a few books and one of my friends is a big fan so I love to discuss King's works with him, but this time I want your recommendation. I've read:
Lisey's Story is also good, though a bit longer and slower. I am re-reading that one now.

Just finished Lisey's Story. I didn't seem to enjoy it as much as I recall doing so the first time around, a bit too slow out of the gate.
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Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2401 on: June 04, 2019, 01:50:44 PM »
The Dr. Seuss bio was a huge win for me, my favorite book of the year so far.

Moving on to Fall; or, Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson ???

Offline Lonk

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2402 on: June 04, 2019, 07:29:30 PM »
Went to BookCon over the weekend. Picked up a couple of books.

Today started reading Hell Diver. Finished one chapter and it’s alright so far.
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Offline vtgrad

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2403 on: June 05, 2019, 10:55:26 AM »
I'll throw a big +100 for Salem's Lot and It by SK... Salem's Lot is likely my favorite of his works.  I have his library and I'd agree with just about everything everyone else has said.  Check out his short story collections as well.

I'll suggest Greg Gifune's The Bleeding Season for you as well.

So I've tried to read books at once this time round (one is audio but that still counts):

Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill
At the Mountains of Madness - H P Lovecraft
Necronomicon - H P Lovecraft

Kind of been on a Lovecraft kick obviously.  One of those doesn't fit with the others....
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."  Ecclesiastes 12:13

Now with Twitler taking a high end steak of this caliber and insulting the cow that died for it by having it well done just shows zero respect for the product, which falls right in line with the amount of respect he shows for pretty much everything else.- Lonestar

Online Evermind

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2404 on: June 05, 2019, 10:58:01 AM »
I'm putting It in my bag to start it on my commute tomorrow. :tup
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Offline Cool Chris

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2405 on: June 05, 2019, 11:24:02 AM »
I'll throw a big +100 for Salem's Lot and It by SK... Salem's Lot is likely my favorite of his works. 

I read Salem's Lot a long time ago, a long while after I read many of his other stories. And it didn't resonate with me at all. I've been meaning to revisit it, something I don't normally do with books, but figured this one was worth a shot because it is not very long and it seems to be highly regarded by King fans.
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Offline SchecterShredder

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2406 on: June 05, 2019, 11:34:54 AM »
I'll throw a big +100 for Salem's Lot and It by SK... Salem's Lot is likely my favorite of his works. 

I read Salem's Lot a long time ago, a long while after I read many of his other stories. And it didn't resonate with me at all. I've been meaning to revisit it, something I don't normally do with books, but figured this one was worth a shot because it is not very long and it seems to be highly regarded by King fans.

I use to feel the same, and even mocked my wife, albeit lightly, about her re-reading habits. Now I re-read a few books each year. Hell, my new year's resolution is NOT to re-read the Dark Tower series this year, and it's proving very difficult to keep. At the end of the day, what's the difference (aside from time, of course) between re-watching your favorite movie and re-reading your favorite books?

Offline Cool Chris

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2407 on: June 05, 2019, 11:54:42 AM »
What I meant to say was I don't tend to re-read books that I didn't care for the first time - just like I wouldn't re-watch a movie I didn't enjoy. But sometimes, like with Salem's Lot, I see a book I didn't like that I feel like I should have liked get a ton of praise, and I think "Did I miss something? Was I not in the right headspace when I read that? Should I give it another try?"

I do re-read favorite books from time to time as time allows or when I have nothing in the reading queue. I finished The Dark Tower series a few years back and would definitely like to go through again, but I want more time to pass.
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Online Podaar

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2408 on: June 05, 2019, 12:40:07 PM »
I was reading Miss Marple's Final Cases when I came across a creepy as fuck little short story called, "The Dressmaker's Doll" that had nothing whatsoever to do with Miss Marple. I'm still a bit spooked by it.
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Offline vtgrad

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2409 on: June 07, 2019, 12:37:41 PM »
I'll throw a big +100 for Salem's Lot and It by SK... Salem's Lot is likely my favorite of his works. 

I read Salem's Lot a long time ago, a long while after I read many of his other stories. And it didn't resonate with me at all. I've been meaning to revisit it, something I don't normally do with books, but figured this one was worth a shot because it is not very long and it seems to be highly regarded by King fans.

I use to feel the same, and even mocked my wife, albeit lightly, about her re-reading habits. Now I re-read a few books each year. Hell, my new year's resolution is NOT to re-read the Dark Tower series this year, and it's proving very difficult to keep. At the end of the day, what's the difference (aside from time, of course) between re-watching your favorite movie and re-reading your favorite books?

Oh I have to try hard, very hard, not to re-read the Dark Tower series each year... I have the same struggle with It and The Stand and to a lesser extent Salem's lot (because I know I'm going to read it in October!).  Likely because they're all tied together, but more likely because of the wanderings by the characters in these books.  Wandering through a world that's moved on appeals to my nature; and the fact that I share Roland's name doesn't hurt either (though spelled with a W).  :biggrin:

Salem's Lot was my first jaunt into King's head, so I have sentimental attachment to it; but the story itself reminds me so much of my little burg and how quickly things fall apart in small towns, that I'm launched right into the story (and at times my own writings take on that tone).  Plus I'm an old school Vampire nut (you know... when they were still demoniacal and teens didn't want to be one) and was drawn to the book immediately.  And the short story Jerusalem's Lot from Night Shift just stirs me up and gives me a King and H.P. Lovecraft fix at the same time! 

The '79 Salem's Lot mini-series was also one of the first horror movies I watched.
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."  Ecclesiastes 12:13

Now with Twitler taking a high end steak of this caliber and insulting the cow that died for it by having it well done just shows zero respect for the product, which falls right in line with the amount of respect he shows for pretty much everything else.- Lonestar

Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2410 on: June 10, 2019, 01:21:51 PM »
The Stephenson didn't work out for me. I ended up reading instead 20th century Ghosts by Joe Hill, which I enjoyed much more than his most recent story collection.

Anyway, for a change of pace, I'm reading a YA fantasy called The Devil's Apprentice by Kenneth B. Andersen, about a good kid who accidentally gets sent to Hell to be Lucifer's successor

Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2411 on: June 12, 2019, 01:29:33 PM »
For a change of pace, I'm reading Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis. Haven't read any of his stuff yet

Offline ozzy554

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2412 on: June 15, 2019, 01:56:05 PM »
Imajica by Clive Barker

Criminal Volumes 4,5 and 6 by Ed Brubaker

Hellboy Volumes 1 & 2 by Mike Mignola

Ghost story by Peter Straub

White Line Fever: The Autobiogaphy by Lemmy Kilmister & Janiss Garza

The Complete Maus: A Survivors tale by Art Spiegelman

Currently Reading Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb. I bought the entire Liveship traders trilogy at my town's library book sale which made me remember I had to finish this one first.
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Offline masterthes

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2413 on: June 21, 2019, 03:11:23 PM »
The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks. It's quite good so far

Offline Cool Chris

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Re: The Currently Reading Thread v. A Clash of Kings
« Reply #2414 on: June 21, 2019, 04:47:31 PM »
Imajica by Clive Barker

Read any Barker before? Curious about your thoughts when complete.
"Nostalgia is just the ability to forget the things that sucked" - Nelson DeMille, 'Up Country'