Read anything good lately?

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MSR1701
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Re: Read anything good lately?

Postby MSR1701 » July 27th, 2021, 11:19 am

DaHeckIzDat wrote:
MSR1701 wrote:
DaHeckIzDat wrote:I've got Lord of Chaos sitting on my desk waiting to be read right now! Can't wait for the show.

LOL! That's the volume I'm on, just started reading it a few days ago...

People tell me that the books get really slow and boring by the middle of the series. While its usually against my policy to force myself to read books I don't like because the series gets better "later" I'm making an exception for WoT because the last few books were written by Brandon Sanderson.

If you want to get me to do something, don't offer me a Klondike Bar. Promise me a new Brandon Sanderson book.

Truthfully, I have been slow to finishing each book, though it is due to trying to read the series while working 10-11+ hour days for the last yea-many months. I'm very frustrated that I lost track of a character in one area of the story, only realizing why I forgot about her - she was in a part of the story the series hadn't focused on in a while, and it had been literal WEEKS since I had ready any significant portion of the books due to exhaustion. Heck, I've barely had time to play any games other than a few quick goes at the Evercade and Blaster Master Zero on the Swtich.

The Wheel of Time books, such as I've read them thus far (up to Lords of Chaos is Book 6, I have NOT read the Prequel yet, as I usually read a new series in Published order if I can help it) has been very good. Book 1 did seem to take a while at parts, but in hind sight it was the mood of the story coupled with a VERY busy spell at work that may have affected my reading of that portion. The book got very good and interesting as it went, and by Book 2 I was very interested in the goings-on.

I'm not usually one for a "it get's better yea-so-many Volumes/Hours later" in books and Games (one of the MANY reasons I refuse to ever touch Final Fantasy XIII again), but between my Dad's excitement that I have seen over the years (I still remember him reading the books in the early 90s while installing whatever the latest versions of Windows was onto our home computer and enjoying the series), and reading through this series that he has wanted to discuss with me from one fan to another is one of the things I look forward to doing; though he is going nuts as I refuse spoilers, wanting to savor the story and what I think will happen.

Also, Timothy Zahn does have the Thrawn Prequel Trilogy coming to a close soon, and if you are a fan of Timothy Zahn's Star Wars novels, I would suggest the Thrawn Trilogy and Thrawn Prequel Trilogies; just know that watching Star Wars Rebels Season 3 and 4 are almost required to NOT be confused...)

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matmico399
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Re: Read anything good lately?

Postby matmico399 » July 27th, 2021, 5:08 pm

I have never been a connoisseur of fiction. Most of what I have read most of my life is nonfiction. However I read Stephen King's sequel to The Shining. I enjoyed it so much just recently I picked up his IT. When I looked at it I was like oh my gosh almost 1,300 pages. But it was well worth it. The story is just amazing and of course is so much broader than the movies. It's an investment but well worth it.

jon
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Re: Read anything good lately?

Postby jon » May 23rd, 2023, 7:09 pm

"K2: Life and Death on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain" by climber/author Ed Viesturs is a book I read and I'm actually surprised I didn't mention this. I've always been intrigued by things I'm terrible at, like fundamentals at baseball. I'm the worst climber in history.

This in my opinion has to be the definitive book on climbing. I've read a few and the Everest ones are so boring. K2 is a much more interesting mountain. I have to admit perhaps some of its mystique has diminished since its first winter summit recently and this past season a million climbers summiting. But the book details the most notable attempts going back to the 1930's. I don't think expensive vacations are worth it, but if I were to take one it would be to take the trek to K2. It's said to be very beautiful. Of course I'd just chill at base camp, probably getting pretty ill. But hey, I'd probably survive. They'd helicopter me out.

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LoganRuckman
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Re: Read anything good lately?

Postby LoganRuckman » February 8th, 2024, 9:00 pm

I have been loving the Earthsea series so far! Just finished The Farthest Shore.

MaverickMoPete
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Re: Read anything good lately?

Postby MaverickMoPete » February 8th, 2024, 11:23 pm

I just read a throwback book for me on http://www.archive.org: The Little Riders.

It's a great little story about a family in Holland during World War II and the lengths they go to to protect a collection of priceless antique bell tower riders from falling into Nazi hands and being melted down into bullets.

Voor
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Re: Read anything good lately?

Postby Voor » February 9th, 2024, 1:41 pm

Started Wheel of Time in November. Someone told me the first book takes 100 pages to get going, and that was correct. But I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I’m taking my time—halfway into 2nd book—but I’m really glad I chose the series.

I’ve also heard that there is a “slog” around books 6-9, but the final books are fantastic. I initially wanted to buy the set, but that would put pressure on me, so I decided to just go at my own pace. It might take me a few years.

I appreciate that there is a glossary at the end of each book, though Jordan does a good job reminding us what things are via context clues.

It’s very well written.

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Stalvern
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Re: Read anything good lately?

Postby Stalvern » February 9th, 2024, 6:16 pm

I was once accosted at a gas station in the middle of the night by a tweaker who REALLY wanted me to read The Wheel of Time. His car had a big dent in it that he said was from punching it when he got angry. One of the strangest experiences of my life.

Zack Burner
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Re: Read anything good lately?

Postby Zack Burner » February 21st, 2024, 10:08 pm

"Remarkably Bright Creatgures" by Shelby Van Pelt. A nice little drama book taking place on a California coastline focusing on many characters, an old lady who cleans an aquarium, a bum of a man searching for his family, and of things; at times a chapter is told from the perspective of an intelligent yet elderly Giant Pacific Octopus named Marcellus who observes everything, even interacts with the two leads via physical contact. A strange yet fascinating book one won't want to put down the moment the reader starts reading.

newmodelarmy
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Re: Read anything good lately?

Postby newmodelarmy » February 22nd, 2024, 7:06 am

I usually read about a book per month, love to read. Nothing better to do on a quiet Sunday afternoon in the family room in my chair, sipping on some bourbon with the girls out of the house...


Anyway....."Masters of the Air"...the story about the 8th Air Force in WW2, unbelievable to me the courage these men had. Anybody with an inkling of interest in WW2 should pick this book up. It is also a miniseries on Apple TV which is pretty good.

"140 days to Hiroshima". I have been obsessed with the WW2 Pacific theater lately. This book expertly chronicles the decision making to use atomic weapons along with what was going on with Japan's leadership leading up to the eventual surrender. This is a great book. I just finished it but may read it again. Honestly, they should make a movie out of it.
Last edited by newmodelarmy on February 23rd, 2024, 6:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

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ActRaiser
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Re: Read anything good lately?

Postby ActRaiser » February 22nd, 2024, 12:31 pm

I'm pretty slow at reading books with a lot of fast starts and slow finishes. Over our vacation back in August with all the plane rides and airports I finished a couple of Hercule Poirot mysteries by Agatha Christie; Murder on the Orient Express, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and Curtain: Poirot's Last Case. It was a three in one volume from Barnes and Noble. These were my first tastes of Agatha Christie. All were quite clever. Only the first one was one that I figured out long before the ending. The other two got me.

We tend to go to B&N before going on trips to pick up a few things. I also picked up The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. That thing took until January for me to finish. It's over a 1,000 pages. It wasn't the length that got me so much as having to look up unknown words from time to time. It's a good book but you can see it as something from its time. The writing style made me think a bit versus something more modern.

Also, plus 1 vote for the Thrawn books. I listened to the Audible versions of them over the last few years. All were good.

Most recently, I started an H.P. Lovecraft collection. It's filled with mostly short stories, so far so good.


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