What Are You Reading, Part 2

[Left he/him]

50 minutes ago, Ammanas said:

Have you read many H.P lovecraft stories? I have read several of them...he reminds me a little of Sir Walter Scott; they have great ideas , but use way too many words to get them across. Call of Cthulhu is lovecrafts most popular story if you want a stronger one.

I've never read anything of Lovecraft before, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I did notice far too many descriptions in the story, but had hoped that it might just be the fault of the individual story and not the author in general. 

[Orlion Blight he/him]

58 minutes ago, Left said:

I've never read anything of Lovecraft before, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I did notice far too many descriptions in the story, but had hoped that it might just be the fault of the individual story and not the author in general. 

Let me calm your mind on that point: Lovecraft is a terrible writer. They should have named purple prose after him! 

What was the story,  anyway? 

[StormingTexan he/him]

I've read a couple pretty disappointing books one being Fight and Flight the most recent Magic 2.0 book. It's like the the author ran out of antagonist so he created a completely stupid one that never really seemed to offer a genuine threat. 

Also tried a new author Becky Chambers The long way to a small angry planet which was billed as similar to Firefly (which I absolutely love). The character development was pretty good and produced interesting characters. The problem was the lack of plot and tension. Not sure if I'll give the next book a shot or not. 

Just started a biography about Elon Musk. Never thought I'd classify a biography as a page turner but man I can hardly put this thing down! 

[Left he/him]

31 minutes ago, Orlion On a Cob said:

Let me calm your mind on that point: Lovecraft is a terrible writer. They should have named purple prose after him! 

What was the story,  anyway? 

The beast in the cave. I got a collection of 7 lovecraft stories and it was the first one in the collection. 

[StrikerEZ he/him]

I just finished part 3 of The Way of Kings.

(Spoilers)

Spoiler

Holy crap. So, I'm pretty sure Kaladin is a surgebinder (or something like that) after he survived that highstorm. And he freaking killed a Shardbearer and turned down becoming one! And that got the last few members of his squad killed because of it. I thought the scene where he killed the Shardbearer was intense, that last scene with Amaram was way more intense.

And Shallan...ugh, why?! What the heck were those weird symbol-head guys? Why does Jasnah gotta be a jerk? Of course, I know that Shallan stole her soulcaster, but still.

I might be able to finish it tonight, if I don't get any sleep. Let's see how this goes.

[Ammanas]

3 hours ago, Left said:

The beast in the cave. I got a collection of 7 lovecraft stories and it was the first one in the collection. 

If you want a really good short story collections I have a couple of suggestions:

My favorite is The Stories of Ray Bradbury. Its about 1,000 pgs and published by everyman's library. Bradbury shows a lot of range moving from comedic, horror and science fiction really well.

Another really good one is Galactic Empires edited by Neal Clarke. It came out earlier this year and each story is set in a galactic empire of some sort. It even has the Brandon Sanderson story Firstborn (it was a fun story that was a kind of subversion of Ender's game).

Edited May 22, 2017 by Ammanas

[Orlion Blight he/him]

27 minutes ago, Ammanas said:

My favorite is The Stories of Ray Bradbury. Its about 1,000 pgs and published by everyman's library. Bradbury shows a lot of range moving from comedic, horror and science fiction really well.

Wait,  Everyman's has an edition of Ray Bradbury's stories? Everyone should drop what they are doing and grab it right meow! 

Seriously, the hardcover is on sale for 20.45! Get it now! 

The Stories of Ray Bradbury (Contemporary Classics Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307269051/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-ALizbZCTM9KC

Edited May 22, 2017 by Orlion On a Cob
There is a sale!

[Ammanas]

5 minutes ago, Orlion On a Cob said:

Wait,  Everyman's has an edition of Ray Bradbury's stories? Everyone should drop what they are doing and grab it right meow! 

Its been out since 2010. It includes all of his most famous stories. Yes get it immediately!

[Orlion Blight he/him]

1 minute ago, Ammanas said:

Its been out since 2010. It includes all of his most famous stories. Yes get it immediately!

You bet I did! Particularly because now, if you order on Amazon, you save something like 15 bucks! Its well worth it for the original price, on sale is a no brainer! 

[Ammanas]

@Orlion On a Cob there is also Bradbury Stories 100 of his most celebrated Tales. There is not a overlap between this book and the Everyman publication we have been talking about. The other collection is stronger, but this one also has some real gems.

Edited May 22, 2017 by Ammanas

[Briar King]

Reading MoI reminds me I really should get the Beuchain and Korbal novellas.

[swablueme]

I've been reading To Like the Lightning and Seven Surrenders and its pretty amazing so far. 

[StrikerEZ he/him]

I just finished The Way of Kings.

I am a changed human being.

[AngelEy3 he/him]

31 minutes ago, StrikerEZ said:

I just finished The Way of Kings.

I am a changed human being.

Wasn't it just fantastic? I read it the first time about 6 or 7 months ago. Slow burn the first 1/4 or so, then a solid core, and my, oh my, those last 200 or so pages... 

Are you able to start WoR right away? 

[+Extesian he/him]

1 hour ago, StrikerEZ said:

I just finished The Way of Kings.

I am a changed human being.

Just wait WoK is my favourite but the awesomeness-to-the-power-of-rad continues!

But not many scenes in all of fiction are as beautiful as "THE WORDS" scene

[StrikerEZ he/him]

3 hours ago, AngelEy3 said:

Wasn't it just fantastic? I read it the first time about 6 or 7 months ago. Slow burn the first 1/4 or so, then a solid core, and my, oh my, those last 200 or so pages... 

Are you able to start WoR right away? 

Sadly, no. I'm gonna be busy all this week, then I have the UIL State Solo Contest this Saturday. Next week is exams, then I'm out of school. I'll start after school's over.

2 hours ago, Extesian said:

Just wait WoK is my favourite but the awesomeness-to-the-power-of-rad continues!

But not many scenes in all of fiction are as beautiful as "THE WORDS" scene

I can't wait for Words of Radiance and Edgedancer. 

(Spoilers)

Spoiler

That moment where Kaladin sees his brother die...that really hit me hard. I'd been anticipating the moment where I'd see how Kaladin had lost Tien, but I still wasn't ready. It hit me so hard, because it made me think about if I were in Kaladin's place, seeing my little brother. I think that was the first time a book truly made me cry.

 

[Left he/him]

10 hours ago, Ammanas said:

If you want a really good short story collections I have a couple of suggestions:

My favorite is The Stories of Ray Bradbury. Its about 1,000 pgs and published by everyman's library. Bradbury shows a lot of range moving from comedic, horror and science fiction really well.

Another really good one is Galactic Empires edited by Neal Clarke. It came out earlier this year and each story is set in a galactic empire of some sort. It even has the Brandon Sanderson story Firstborn (it was a fun story that was a kind of subversion of Ender's game).

I actually hate reading Bradbury. I've tried....three or four of his books, gotten at least fifty to seventy pages in to all of them, and then had to quit because I couldn't understand the writing. i wish I could read his books because they are so highly respected, but I find the writing incomprehensible. It's really kind of sad, because I can read Milton, Cervantes,and Dante fine, slowly but fine, but I struggle with a more modern American author. 
 

[Orlion Blight he/him]

1 hour ago, Left said:

I actually hate reading Bradbury. I've tried....three or four of his books, gotten at least fifty to seventy pages in to all of them, and then had to quit because I couldn't understand the writing. i wish I could read his books because they are so highly respected, but I find the writing incomprehensible. It's really kind of sad, because I can read Milton, Cervantes,and Dante fine, slowly but fine, but I struggle with a more modern American author. 
 

I read Milton, Cervantes and Dante in grades 6 & 7. They're kids stuff!

Bradbury, his reading level is one that requires a soul!

Jabbing jokes aside, I find Bradbury gets a lot better as one gets older, particularly because the core of a lot of his writings is that of an older person remembering more innocent days. This nostalgic pathos permeates his work! 

[Steeldancer he/him]

6 hours ago, StrikerEZ said:

I just finished The Way of Kings.

I am a changed human being.

Hah good luck with Words of Radiance aka the best fiction book ever written

[Ammanas]

1 hour ago, Left said:

I actually hate reading Bradbury. I've tried....three or four of his books, gotten at least fifty to seventy pages in to all of them, and then had to quit because I couldn't understand the writing. i wish I could read his books because they are so highly respected, but I find the writing incomprehensible. It's really kind of sad, because I can read Milton, Cervantes,and Dante fine, slowly but fine, but I struggle with a more modern American author. 
 

I feel the same way about Gene Wolfe so while I disagree I do understand how that feels.

[Briar King]

21 minutes ago, Ammanas said:

I feel the same way about Gene Wolfe so while I disagree I do understand how that feels.

You...you ha hat hate Gene Wolfe?!

[Left he/him]

40 minutes ago, Ammanas said:

I feel the same way about Gene Wolfe so while I disagree I do understand how that feels.

Oh man, I've tried Gene Wolfe too. I made it through the Shadow of the Torturer, but I hated it. 

[Ammanas]

1 hour ago, Briar King said:

You...you ha hat hate Gene Wolfe?!

I don't hate Gene Wolfe. I think I am not smart enough to understand what he is trying to say. He just isn't my thing.

[AngelEy3 he/him]

Should hopefully finish Memories of Ice tonight. This has been much slower reading than I'm used to. It's a combination of making sure I got everything, and 'rewinding' to watch super cool parts over again. 

[Briar King]

12 minutes ago, AngelEy3 said:

Should hopefully finish Memories of Ice tonight. This has been much slower reading than I'm used to. It's a combination of making sure I got everything, and 'rewinding' to watch super cool parts over again. 

I'm only just shy of 200. Been playing a lot of 360 and having the kids this 1st week of summer. I know we keep saying it but yeah there is a lot of back flipping but the true reward is seeing tiny little things thrown in throughout that you won't even pick up on in bk 1 and on till a reread down the line. There are few if any reads as great as Malazan on your 1st go but that so far has been even better. Def worth considering for you to do a few yrs down the road I promise.