What book are you reading...

Kobi · 23 Jun 2016 at 22:00

Finished Dawn of wonder. Picked up in the last 1\3 and the whole book fitted together nicely. A great build up for the next one.

Started on Pratchett's Guards Guards.

Glaucus · 24 Jun 2016 at 23:48

Kraken Rising: Alex Hunter, Book 6
Written by: Greig Beck

disappointing, I really like the others in the series despite the simplicity. but they were good fun. made the mistake of revisiting something he's already done and he;s not good enough to pull that out I was quite bored towards the middle.

5/10

RobDogDog · 26 Jun 2016 at 13:44

On to 'A Dance With Dragons Part 1'. First time reading this one!

checjb · 27 Jun 2016 at 08:45

Glaucus said:
Kraken Rising: Alex Hunter, Book 6
Written by: Greig Beck

disappointing, I really like the others in the series despite the simplicity. but they were good fun. made the mistake of revisiting something he's already done and he;s not good enough to pull that out I was quite bored towards the middle.

5/10

I agree. I love the Hunter books but this was by far the weakest of the bunch. The 'First Bird' series was terrible though. What the heck he thought he was doing there I have no idea. It was like it was written by a bunch of school and each was writing a totally different story.

checjb · 27 Jun 2016 at 08:46

ThePainBarrier said:
If you like those books, have a look at David Leadbeater's Matt Drake (and spin off) series (Kindle store only).
Over the top action and tomb raiding galore!

One of my favourite self-publishing authors. He manages to knock a new book out every few months - no idea how he manges it!

Great. Thanks for the heads-up.

Glaucus · 27 Jun 2016 at 09:35

just finished Quantum: A Guide for the Perplexed

From Schrodinger's cat to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, this book untangles the weirdness of the quantum world.
Quantum mechanics underpins modern science and provides us with a blueprint for reality itself. And yet it has been said that if you're not shocked by it, you don't understand it. But is quantum physics really so unknowable? Is reality really so strange? And just how can cats be half alive and half dead at the same time?
Our journey into the quantum begins with nature's own conjuring trick, in which we discover that atoms - contrary to the rules of everyday experience - can exist in two locations at once. To understand this we travel back to the dawn of the 20th century and witness the birth of quantum theory, which over the next 100 years was to overthrow so many of our deeply held notions about the nature of our universe.
Scientists and philosophers have been left grappling with its implications ever since.

parts still left me perplexed, but I think that's just the nature as its just so unrelated to what we see evry day,, still good overall.
although my opinion of Niels Bohr has now dropped through the flaw

cant believe he held such opinions. how can a scientist say we shouldn't search for the true meaning its un obtainable.

now onto Herding Hemingway's Cats: Understanding How Our Genes Work

The language of genes has become common parlance. We know they make your eyes blue, your hair curly, or your nose straight. The media tells us that our genes control the risk of cancer, heart disease, alcoholism, or Alzheimer's. The cost of DNA sequencing has plummeted from billions of dollars to a few hundred, and gene-based advances in medicine hold huge promise.
So we've all heard of genes, but how do they actually work? According to legend, Ernest Hemingway was once given a six-toed cat by an old sea captain, and her distinctive descendants still roam the writer's Florida estate today. Scientists now know that the fault driving this profusion of digits lies in a tiny genetic control switch, miles away (in molecular terms) from the gene that "makes" toes. And it's the same mistake that gives rise to multi-toed humans too. There are 2.2 meters of DNA inside every one of your cells, encoding roughly 20,000 genes. These are the "recipes" that tell our cells how to make the building blocks of life, along with myriad control switches ensuring they're turned on and off at the right time and in the right place. But rather than a static string of genetic code, this is a dynamic, writhing biological library. And figuring out how it all works - how your genes make you, you - is a major challenge for researchers around the world. Drawing on stories ranging from six-toed cats and stickleback hips to wobbly worms and zombie genes, geneticist Kat Arney explores the how our genes work, creating a companion to the book of life itself.

shroomz · 27 Jun 2016 at 20:35

Hey guys, I started listening to the Mistborn books by Brandon Sanderson, narrated by Michael Kramer and was completely blown away. Finished all 75 hours of the first 3 while driving this month. I've also got the continuation but find the narrator really jarring and they've got random special effects that are just distracting. The ones narrated by Kramer are on Audible for £20-odd each, is that really the going rate for audiobooks?

Pighardia · 27 Jun 2016 at 20:48

If you join audible you get a free book credit every month.

shroomz · 27 Jun 2016 at 20:51

Pighardia said:
If you join audible you get a free book credit every month.

I know, spent it on firefight but I find that narrator annoying too, so damn hard to please haha

Safetytrousers · 27 Jun 2016 at 20:56

Finnegans Wake. I'm a show off, or an idiot , or both.
As my bedtime book, I reckon I'll be on it for a year or more.

Edrof · 28 Jun 2016 at 09:32

War and Peace, the Constance Garnet translation.

FortuitousFluke · 28 Jun 2016 at 09:58

I've been reading the second of Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicle books. I'm quite enjoying it despite the fact that nothing really happens for vast periods of time.

I've also got Abercrombie's Best Served Cold on the go on audiobook through Audible. Really well narrated I have to say, excellent range of accents. As with the First Law series it's almost impossible to root for any of the characters, good writing but it can be quite draining because of that.

No really a book but I need to get back into listening to Reddit's no sleep podcast, I think I still have half a season left but changed phones so have no idea where I'm, up to.

dannyjo22 · 2 Jul 2016 at 09:01

Finished the last of the Fear saga, Fear the Future. TBH I don't know why I continued after the first book. The whole trilogy should have been one book. It's pushing it to say there is a 1/3rd of a decent book in each one of the trilogy.

Great idea poorly delivered. I really enjoyed the last 1/3rd of the first book which I think drove me into the terrible second book. The 3rd book was the dullest build up to a final battle I have ever read, then they flipped it from characters you might care about to bit part players and it didn't work. The ending was also terrible.

3/10 for the whole series. Terrible writing but as I was on audio book an excellent narrator.

Might try a Ben Kane book now.

melmac · 2 Jul 2016 at 14:22

Just finished the Dark Tower, the Drawing of the Three, next stop for our ragged group is the Wastelands.

Hope to see you all on the other side!

Glaucus · 2 Jul 2016 at 17:13

massively recommend Herding Hemingway's Cats: Understanding How Our Genes Work
its very easy to understand and yet shows how over simplified media, school etc essentially lie about genetics.
especially liked and never heard of the effects of rna and the very small rna found in sperm and other places.

now onto JAck Higgins, Rain on the dead latest of the Sean Dillion series.

got such a back log, but after hearing about Seveneves on Still Untitled - adam savage podcast, so want to read it.

Rids · 4 Jul 2016 at 11:24

Had a bit of a Malazan fest over the last 6 weeks.

Dancers Lament: Path to Ascendancy - Not a bad book, the founding of the empire and characters such as Kelenved, Dancer and Dassem have always interested me. Really sets the scene well for the future books, gives background to some of the characters we encounter later in the Esslemont novels too. Felt it lacked an ending though, closed on a very soft note.

Forge of Darkness - I'll admit to not being a huge fan of the Tiste plotlines in the main book of the fallen series. Nothing here has really changed that - bit of background about the Azzathani, the Jaghut war on death, and the usual Erikson bleak depressing view on society. A good book, an enjoyable read but not something I'll be rushing to read again.

Fall of Light - builds well on the first in the series, stage is set for the inevitable conclusion. Again its a solid story, depressing as hell in places, but I'm intrigued to see what the last book in the series will bring.

Return of the Crimson Guard - ok, I'm probably going to catch a metric ****ton of flak for this, but I really enjoyed this. Interesting characters, fleshes out the story of a lot of the "old guard" as well as introducing likeable new characters and spins a decent yarn. I hope the rest of the Esslemont books are up to the same standard, although I'm lead to believe that isn't the case.

No1newts · 4 Jul 2016 at 13:42

As a huge Erikson fan I'm in a lull with him. I've tried re-reading FoD for about 2 month now and only just added the wedding scene, I have FoL sat on my bedside table but not touched it which is not like me at all. My mistake was probably re-reading Gardens & Chain a little while back, the difference in pacing is hugely apparent. Early books had the perfect mix of tight prose, well paced narrative with introspection chucked in. Later books are like reading a beginners guide to philosophy with the odd moments of brilliance thrown in. I don't really get to read as much these days so struggling to bother with him as the 100 page grind for each 5 page bit of brilliance is too much. Still no desire to finish FoD, if I get them both done by Xmas I'd be surprised. I just hope his editor gives him a kicking for the upcoming book or I may (with a very, very heavy heart) chuck the towel in on perhaps my favourite author of all time.

I'm currently splitting my time between the third Peter James book, which is another good read and on a random recommendation picked up Los Nefillim which I must admit has surprisedme with how good it is, I would really recommend it for someone looking to try something a little new.

No1newts · 4 Jul 2016 at 13:45

Rids said:
Return of the Crimson Guard - ok, I'm probably going to catch a metric ****ton of flak for this, but I really enjoyed this. Interesting characters, fleshes out the story of a lot of the "old guard" as well as introducing likeable new characters and spins a decent yarn. I hope the rest of the Esslemont books are up to the same standard, although I'm lead to believe that isn't the case.

I actually liked RotCG unlike many, but I love the empire storylines over most everything else. The only thing I found slightly unsatisfying was the ending and the rise of Dom which has mainly been explained away through in satisfying fan theories.

Sadly for you Esselmont stories now nose dive into concrete, some interesting tidbits but generally painful reds though Stonewielder (I think that's the one about the wall) is passable.

Rids · 4 Jul 2016 at 14:19

No1newts said:
As a huge Erikson fan I'm in a lull with him. I've tried re-reading FoD for about 2 month now and only just added the wedding scene, I have FoL sat on my bedside table but not touched it which is not like me at all. My mistake was probably re-reading Gardens & Chain a little while back, the difference in pacing is hugely apparent. Early books had the perfect mix of tight prose, well paced narrative with introspection chucked in. Later books are like reading a beginners guide to philosophy with the odd moments of brilliance thrown in. I don't really get to read as much these days so struggling to bother with him as the 100 page grind for each 5 page bit of brilliance is too much. Still no desire to finish FoD, if I get them both done by Xmas I'd be surprised. I just hope his editor gives him a kicking for the upcoming book or I may (with a very, very heavy heart) chuck the towel in on perhaps my favourite author of all time.

I'm currently splitting my time between the third Peter James book, which is another good read and on a random recommendation picked up Los Nefillim which I must admit has surprisedme with how good it is, I would really recommend it for someone looking to try something a little new.

I must admit, if I were ranking Forge of Darkness / Fall of Light as individual books I'd probably put them at the very bottom of a ranking of Eriksons work. The only real reason they have garnered any interest from me is because he created such an immersive world, and like you say those moments when he can slip into absolute genius. Some of the banter between two of Anomanders officers had be grinning like an idiot on the train, its very rare for an author to be able to do that, and even if I'm not enjoying a book I know that something like that could be just around the corner. I don't know when the next book in the series is due out, if I'm honest I'm not all that fussed, I'll read it for the backstory, but I'm just passing time until the Karsa trilogy.

Can you link me to any of these fan theories? Would be interested to give them a read. As a Coltaine fanboy and somebody who was absolutely devastated by Deadhouse Gates I dream of the day that Korbalo Dom / Mallick Rel get what is coming to them.

I think the 6th of R Scott Bakkers books is out tomorrow, final one in The Great Ordeal trilogy so I'll be picking that up this week.

EddScott · 4 Jul 2016 at 14:32

Rather than start a new thread, I'm looking for some Sci Fi or fantasy. Just finished The Expanse Nemesis Games. Tended to read the Horus Heresy but lost interest for a number of reasons. Have done all the GoT books although found them too full of filler.

So my short list :-

Consider Phlebas: A Culture Novel
Pandora's Star (Commonwealth Saga)
Foundation: 1/3 (The Foundation Series)
Revelation Space
Hyperion
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger

Read Ready Player One was OK. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep I couldn't get in to and never finished.