What Are You Reading, Part 2

[Musicspren]

A couple of questions on specific authors I've heard of: I've seen Gaiman's name a bit; are his good (and if so, which)? Also, is Scalzi normally funny like in The Shadow War of the Night Dragons, Book One: The Dead City (Prologue)? Because I really liked that, and would read something else of his if that much humor is typical.

[Aethling]

I have only read one of Gaiman's books, but I will never read anything by him again. I could be on death row and offered a pardon if I read another of his books and I will still tell them what they could do with it.

[Shivertongue]

Gaiman's books are fantastic. Stardust, Neverwhere, Good Omens - a collaboration with Terry Pratchett- and above all others, American Gods. American Gods is one of my all-time favorite books, and I reread it about twice a year. I highly recommend it.

Of Scalzi, I've only read Old Man's War. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and it had moments that were really funny, but it wasn't a humor book. Still, if you enjoy scifi with a somewhat classic feel to it, it's definitely worth it.

Edit: I have determined that Aethling and I have very different tastes in books.

[Brendan]

Yeah Gaiman is good, I loved Neverwhere and Good Omens, I also enjoyed his other work.

Scalzi has that humour through all his books, he is one of those authors I often find myself actually laughing out loud while reading.

[CrazyRioter]

I LOVED Good Omens. Haven't read anything else by Gaiman yet.

[Aethling]

True, everyone does differ in what they like in their books. Honestly, I do not like books that have needless, graphic, violent sex acts in them. That is one of the main reasons I like Sanderson, Eddings, Chima, and Sullivan so much. They can make fantasy work without putting that type of stuff in them. Generally, it contributes little to the plot and restricts the readership.

American Gods is the book I was talking about. I probably should have started with another one of his books, but that was the only one my local library had in stock. Just from memory it has: graphic depictions of prostitution, graphic infidelity, necrophilia, beastiality, graphic homosexual content, and probably others I can't remember. When the tamest part of the book is when a zombie wife tells her husband that his friend was a better lover, the author probably went a little overboard. Some people may actually like reading about that stuff, but I do not.

[FeatherWriter]

I picked up a couple of books from the library that are interesting. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is one. I'm not very far into it, but it's exceptional thus far. Death is an amazing narrator to say the least.

The other one was The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner. I found out about this book - through ways that will become apparent as this post continues - and decided to check out the synopsis. Historical fiction set in the French Revolution? I don't care if it's YA, I'm interested. I'm such a French fangirl and the French Revolution is an amazing period to read about. In fact, the only time I've ever tried writing historical fiction, it was a French Revolution fic. (Assassin's Creed fanfic for NaNoWriMo actually... I'm lame, I know.)

So I keep reading. The main character's got mind-reading powers? Okay, so this isn't just the French Revolution. This is French Revolution with a light fantasy twist. Count me in!

On top of that, the audiobook is narrated by Tom Hiddleston. As in that-guy-who-plays-Loki, his-amazing-voice-could-melt-butter, I've-been-fangirling-for-like-three-weeks-over Tom Hiddleston. Yes, yes. That's how I found this book. I was in the Hiddles tag on tumblr. I have like six hours of Tom Hiddleston talking and pronouncing beautiful French words magnificently. I'm not even sorry.

And then, I queue up the first track anD THE INTRO MUSIC IS DANSE MACABRE BY CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS! Which is of course, pretty much my favorite piece of classical music ever. I've studied the composition, history, and music theory of this piece so in depth it's not even funny. I've written essays over this piece. I taught classes over this piece. And now it's on this book and TOM HIDDLESTON IS TALKING OVER IT. Let's just say I died and went to fangirl heaven.

I've only read a few chapters of that one as well, and it's okay so far. I really hope this book doesn't suck. It has too many of my favorite things to suck. I think I'll cry. (And then go finish reading The Book Thief)

[Aethling]

Feather, if you like stuff about involving France, I think I read where His Majesty's Dragon is about the Napoleonic era with dragons fighting. I haven't read it, but it was free on kindle many months back.

[Strawberry Eggs]

Not too long ago I finish City at the End of Time by Greg Bear. Talk about your mixed bags literature-wise.

City at the End of Time is a sci-fi novel with some fantasy elements, taking place both in contemporary Seattle and the last human city 100 trillion years in the future called the Kalpa. As the book's title implies, the Kalpa exists in an artificially generated space, as the universe/multiverse (from what I can gather, the many universes converge into one chaotic mess at this "time") is so ancient, it is "worn out," so to speak. This seems to have either developed into or called the attention of an entity/force called the Typhon, which turns old space/time into pure chaos. The descendants of humanity living within the city largely try to ignore the universe turning into chaos, but some have been working on the problem of reversing it. Somehow this involves using bio-engineered beings called "Ancient Breeds" made from "primordial matter" (ordinary atoms, as most of the inhabitants of the Kalpa are either virtual or made of exotic material). The way these Ancient Breeds are described, they are either suppose to resemble pre-human ancestors, or the people of the distant future don't quite remember what old humans looked like, so they gave them fur over some areas and odd-shaped ears. In any case, the Breeds live away from human descendants, but some special members are trained to go out into the Typhon, seeing if they can find another city in the chaos.

The Typhon is not only making the multiverse as we know it cease to exist, the effects are reaching back in time, so that eventually it would be like the familiar multiverse never existed in the first place. Meanwhile in the present, there are three special young people, all of them with the ability to jump to other universes in which a version of themselves exist. They all carry strange items called Sum-runners, which are somehow key to saving the multiverse. Because of this, the forces of a goddess-like cosmic entity called the Chalk Princess are after them. Two of these youths, a girl named Virginia and a guy named Jack also have dreams of a city, the Kalpa itself and seem to be able to briefly see through the eyes of two of the Ancient Breeds there, a male named Jebrassy and a female named Tiadba.

So how does all this save existence as we know it? I'm still trying to figure parts of that out. This book has such fascinating, grand ideas of what it would be like in an incredibly distant point in time, the technology, the history, and the people that inhabit the Kalpa. The notion of the universe not only ceasing to exist, but never existing in the first place is also awe-inspiring. However, this book handles it rather clumsily. It's a slog to get through. Chapters upon chapters of not much at all occur before something interesting or revealing happens. Also, the parts that take place in the Kalpa are written in too much of an in-universe voice so that it can come across as confusing. Worst of all, despite the book's length, there is very little time spent on meaningful characterization. None of the protagonists feel like distinct individuals. They all just seem to be pushed along by the grandeur of the novel's concepts. Oddly enough, only one of the villains feels like a substantive and interesting character. This book has some great ideas, and I didn't entirely dislike my time reading it, but it can be difficult to comprehend and a real chore to read at times.

On a side note, I still can't decide if how the Typhon meets its end is one of the most awesome things I ever read or one of the dumbest. Let's just say it involves millions upon million of cats.

I'm currently re-reading the manga Love Attack by Shizuru Seino to tide me over until I can get to the library.

[FeatherWriter]

I've read the first couple books of the Temeraire series actually! His Majesty's Dragon is the first book in that series. They're pretty good. I really need to pick up the rest! There's not much French in it actually though, since the main characters are all English!

[Aethling]

Well, The Three Musketeers by Dumas is definately French. Lady DiWinter is probably my favorite villain from any book or series. (the book version, not the movie versions). Scott has a YA series where a good portion takes place in Paris and four of the main characters are French, but I really wouldn't consider that much French based as most of the books take place in Paris, London, and San Francisco

[Jack the Halls]

Hyperion - Dan Simmons (audio book)

The Long Earth - Pratchett/Baxter (My god is this book amazing!)

The Illustrated Man - Ray Bradbury

[Musicspren]

Update on books: I have bought the first three books of the Belgariad. I also have TWoK back from my friend, so it's possible I'll read that immediately after Warbreaker, then hope to still have time to venture into non-Sanderson.

Okay, given what Aethling has said, I won't be looking at Gaiman unless someone else says that American Gods is nothing like his other books (in which case I still won't look at American Gods).

One more book/author question: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams). I've heard it is humorous (presumably apart from the 42 joke). Would you recommend it?

[Joe ST]

Musicspren: HGTTG is a must-read, its all awesome and indeed I've tried to start American Gods, and got bored very fast

[Brendan]

With Gaimen, try Good Omens if you enjoy Pratchett, then if you enjoy it go onto Neverwhere. They are both great books, I enjoyed the other stuff of his I read but I loved both of these.

[Jack the Halls]

I was also bored silly by American Gods and stopped about halfway through. Another one I didn't like was Anansi Boys. There is just something about the tone of those books. Nobody is likable, and while I've heard so many people talk about how much they love American Gods, I've sort of noticed that few of them are avid readers. In fact, working at a book store, I've talked to so many people who name that book as the best book they've ever read, only to admit how infrequently they actually read and like a book. Just an observation.

Otherwise, his stuff is decent to good. Some of his short stories blow my mind. The episode of Doctor Who he wrote was absolutely brilliant. Sandman is one of the best comics out there.

How is the 42 joke not humorous? lol

[Musicspren]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts; I won't plan to read Gaiman's books, but I will try to read HGttG at some point.

How is the 42 joke not humorous? lol

The 42 joke is humorous; I was just wanting to know if the book was funny other than that. It could have been one of few funny things in the book (or, for that matter, it could have been one strange thing that the internet made funny).

[Jack the Halls]

Oh! I misunderstood.

I don't know about everyone else, but I find them hilarious and even funnier upon re-reads. Sometimes the humor is subtle, and sometimes it is in your face, but it's all in good fun and I think it's impossible to dislike it, ya know? While I don't think you're missing much with Gaiman, Hitchhiker's Guide is a must read for any SFF fan. My $0.02.

[Shivertongue]

Okay, I can't just sit by and let this happen. Gaiman deserves more love here, as does American Gods. Sit down kids, Uncle Shiv is gonna set you straight.

First of all, never go with one person’s suggestion. No offense to Aethling, but his interpretation of the book is tremendously flawed. Everything Aethling said does occur in the book, but they are minimal aspects to the overall story. I don’t know what bookstore Jack the Halls works at, but the idea that few Gaiman fans are avid readers is laughably false. Additionally, it says something when people who don’t read as much find a book they love enough to say they love it. Food for thought.

His books are full of likable characters and beautiful prose. Stardust has one of the most tragically beautiful endings I have ever seen, Neverwhere is beyond description, and Good Omens is one of the funniest books I have ever read. I have loved everything I have ever read of his, and count him among my favorite authors.

But onto, specifically, American Gods, and why it’s a big mistake to just discard it.

The scene in which Shadow's dead wife tells him that his best friend was a better lover is not “the tamest scene” in the novel. The book is rather graphic - I will fully admit to that - but American Gods is a novel that is about more than it's story.

The plot follows a man named Shadow, who, upon his release from prison, finds that everything that gave his previous life meaning is gone. His wife, killed in a car accident, along with his best friend, with whom she was having an affair, and the job he had waiting for Shadow upon his release. With nothing left, he accepts an offer from the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, and is drawn into a cryptic world where myth and legend coexist with reality. The old gods came to the new world with every human incursion, but their power has dwindled over the centuries as their followers have waned. New gods of the modern world, gods of technology, celebrity, and media, now threaten them with extinction.

That is the basic plot, but it goes so much deeper than that. As I said, American Gods is about more than it's story. It is about America, and the truth of this country - that every person who has ever lived here has roots from somewhere else. We have crossed oceans and land bridges, by foot and by ship, bringing with them the culture and beliefs of their native lands and weaving them into a tapestry that forms the American society. It is about Gaiman, having recently moved to the US from the UK, attempting to discover an America uniquely his own. This is a novel that resonates at many levels, levels that I cannot completely put into words. Shadow's quest along the back roads of America occurs alongside Gaiman's search for the American identity.

Gaiman paints vivid landscapes with quick brushstrokes, bringing out the beauty of the mundane. There is an undercurrent that runs through everything Gaiman writes, a thread of darkness hidden among poetic prose. Yes, there is graphic content, but this is a story that is about more than it's content. There is a humanization to the gods, bringing them down to the level of mortals while keeping their attitudes and characters true to the myths about them which have endured for millennia. And if you have read mythology - Greek, Norse, Russian, etc - you know the gods have tastes that mortals would deem crude, and seeing these deeds enacted by beings that seem so human can be disturbing.

There is not crudity for the sake of crudity, violence for the sake of violence, sex for the sake of sex. This is not Abercrombie or Martin or Morgan, being graphic in an attempt to shock you or seem gritty at the expense of story and fully-developed characters. It does not hold back, though, and does not whitewash the darkness in which some of the characters dwell. It is a rich, complex story, staying true to the mythological characters it uses despite how disturbing it might be.

I read this book a few months after it first came out, back in 2001, and it blew me away. It was one of those books where, as soon as I closed it, I just sat there, holding it as I stared off into space for a solid thirty minutes. I have reread it several times since then, at least once a year, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone. I can understand how some of the content might not be for everyone, but I urge you to give the book a chance before you discard even the possibility of reading it. Gaiman is a fantastic writer, every one of his books definitely worth reading.

So give the guy a bloody chance, okay? Some people might have found him boring - which is odd, considering that it seems people bored by most books were not bored by his - but give him the chance to bore you. He is one of the best writers I have ever encountered, and a damnation nice guy in person as well.

[dhalagirl]

I'm reading Redshirts and it's awesome!

[Trizee]

Hey!

I'm new here on this forum, so I figured I'd just post what i'm reading here:

The foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov (I'm reading the second now- Foundation and Empire, and then I'll read the third- Second Foundation- it's all in the same volume)

After that, I'll be reading Dune by Frank Herbert, and then its back to the library for me!

By the way, I saw a lot of people were praising the Belgariad on this thread, but I read the first one (Pawn of Prophecy) and thought it was kinda lame. So, is it worth it to keep reading -does it get better?

[Chaos]

Hey!

I'm new here on this forum, so I figured I'd just post what i'm reading here:

The foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov (I'm reading the second now- Foundation and Empire, and then I'll read the third- Second Foundation- it's all in the same volume)

After that, I'll be reading Dune by Frank Herbert, and then its back to the library for me!

By the way, I saw a lot of people were praising the Belgariad on this thread, but I read the first one (Pawn of Prophecy) and thought it was kinda lame. So, is it worth it to keep reading -does it get better?

I really love the Foundation trilogy.

I also recommend the fourth book, Foundation's Edge, but I understand why some people didn't like it as much as the original trilogy.

[Joe ST]

indeed Foundation and Robots are a pretty great universe

[Aethling]

Stick with Garion, Trizee. They really grow on you.

Lately I have been reading a bunch of semi-YA stuff. Lawheads Dragon King trilogy is what I am on now.

[Musicspren]

I have finished my reread of Warbreaker! And I have decided that (if I can time this correctly) I will reread TWoK at the end of the summer so I know I'll end with something really good. This means that next I will start the Belgariad.

Shivertongue, I appreciate your defense of American Gods; I'm not convinced to read it yet (what Aethling said was in the book, even more than people's personal opinions, still dissuade me). But I'll consider it, if I've gotten through other books (and if I'm not trying to do another Sanderson reread).