63 replies to this topic

[Salamol]

I've always been a REALLY slow reader so my list of read books has always been shorter than most peoples. I only finished LOTR last year. I read all the Guild Wars books after that (finishing in the autumn). Not great literary examples but nice to have the backstory if you're into game lore. I was very close to starting all the Witcher books earlier this year, but after the ending of TW3, I don't like thinking about anything Witcher related... Other than that, I've been reading Dan Brown. I've done them all except Inferno... but just haven't been in the mood to do that last one. Then in the last few days I found out Elon Musk has a biography, so I'm going to put that on my phone.

When I'm not in the mood for proper reading, I am working my way slowly through all the Fables comics after being enchanted by Telltale's The Wolf Among Us. My books tend to be very game inspired

[nidriks]

 

Try Stephen R Donaldson's - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. Hard to start, but very worth the read.

 

Yep, they are hard work, but well worth a read. I've read the first Chronicles. Thomas is a dark man and I often found myself mimicing his depressive states while I read the books.

[nidriks]

+1 for Robin Hobb, David Gemmel and David Eddings! Think I've read almost all their books; great reads.

 

Have you read Eddings' The Dreamers series? I had to give up on the first book because I found it sadly lacking compared to The Belgariad, Mallorean and Tamuli series. It started ok, and I really enjoyed the scene setting regarding the Gods, but it became so cliched and simply written that I couldn't read on.

 

The only book I've given up on quicker was The Da Vinci Code. I lasted about five pages on that.

 

I have Redemption of Althalus. I should give that a go. It's not that I need to renew my faith in Eddings, but the Dreamers disappointed me.

[Mitch]

I agree the Dreamers wasn't as good as the others, but still enjoyed it nonetheless. Redemption of Althalus is probably my favourite book, although it too can be a bit simple.

[Bregor]

Last thing I've read if A song of Ice and Fire, A dance with Dragons (second book) on my vacation. Now I got to wait until GRR finishes the next book. Also been reading some Battletech novels a while back from 3025 fourth Succession War era till 3065 Civil War.

[Salamol]

Last thing I've read if A song of Ice and Fire, A dance with Dragons (second book) on my vacation. Now I got to wait until GRR finishes the next book. Also been reading some Battletech novels a while back from 3025 fourth Succession War era till 3065 Civil War.

I would love to say I'd read GRRM recently... but, well it's GRRM and we could be waiting a while

[nidriks]

I would love to say I'd read GRRM recently... but, well it's GRRM and we could be waiting a while

 

He's still got two books to write, yes? In watching the TV show we could know what hapopens before we all read the last book. GRRM has told the HBO guys the ending of his book, and though they've changed things a little on the show, both book and show have to end the same way, surely. Call me a literary snob, but I think I'd rather read the end than see the end.

[Rainu]

Most recent fiction is The truth about the Harry Quebert affair (by Joël Dicker), the most recent book is Modern Cuisine (by Nathan Myhrvold - a very special person, he went from working under Stephen Hawking to becoming the first CTO at Microsoft to writing what has been called the most influential cook book of past 50 years) - well I read some recipies and cooking theory and it's from a downloaded pdf because while I love cooking, no way am I paying over 500€ for a cook book.

[Salamol]

He's still got two books to write, yes? In watching the TV show we could know what hapopens before we all read the last book. GRRM has told the HBO guys the ending of his book, and though they've changed things a little on the show, both book and show have to end the same way, surely. Call me a literary snob, but I think I'd rather read the end than see the end.

Yeah I think there are a couple more to go. The last TV season (and less so the ones before) did split fairly significantly, once I got over that "they did this wrong" I enjoyed it a lot more. I was at a panel with some of the cast earlier this year and it was brought up because most of them were killed differently to the books and others (like Pyp at the Wall) were killed off in the show but still live in the books.

I guess it's best to look from now on at the TV show as a TLDR for the books. There's so much in the books that isn't included in the shows that they could probably make a series on what was left out.

Relevant:

[nidriks]

Yeah I think there are a couple more to go. The last TV season (and less so the ones before) did split fairly significantly, once I got over that "they did this wrong" I enjoyed it a lot more. I was at a panel with some of the cast earlier this year and it was brought up because most of them were killed differently to the books and others (like Pyp at the Wall) were killed off in the show but still live in the books.

I guess it's best to look from now on at the TV show as a TLDR for the books. There's so much in the books that isn't included in the shows that they could probably make a series on what was left out.

 

Yep, it has moved away from the books in quite a big way in the last couple of seasons. The story is still essentially the same though, it's just sort of condensed and squashed in to fewer characters. Hopefully they'll give two different endings.

 

I feel somewhat similar regarding what they've done to characters. I didn't like the changes to Sansa, nor the merged arc with the Watch and the King-Beyond-The-Wall...and I'm trying not to say too much for fear of spoiling the books for anyone who might read them later. Also, I thought Tyrion's story in Essos was far too condensed. I wanted to see Penny and her pets. The loss of the Young Griff storyline was a shame too.

 

It sounds like I hated the TV series. I did enjoy it, but it didn't give me the same sense of excitement as the books. I sometimes wish I hadn't read them so I could be as excited as colleagues at work.

 

 

Most recent fiction is The truth about the Harry Quebert affair (by Joël Dicker), the most recent book is Modern Cuisine (by Nathan Myhrvold - a very special person, he went from working under Stephen Hawking to becoming the first CTO at Microsoft to writing what has been called the most influential cook book of past 50 years) - well I read some recipies and cooking theory and it's from a downloaded pdf because while I love cooking, no way am I paying over 500€ for a cook book.

 

That's quite the pricey cookbook, Rainu. I'm intrigued. Looking it up I see it really is extensive.

[Salamol]

It sounds like I hated the TV series. I did enjoy it, but it didn't give me the same sense of excitement as the books. I sometimes wish I hadn't read them so I could be as excited as colleagues at work.

Nobody knows what's happening next season and that has me pretty excited about it.

[nidriks]

Nobody knows what's happening next season and that has me pretty excited about it.

 

Yep, gone is the smug look I have when my colleagues talk about the latest episode. I could barely keep my mouth shut before the Red Wedding.

[nidriks]

Hope no one minds if I reboot this thread again.

 

I wanted to echo suggestions to read Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss. I read the original Mistborn trilogy and loved it so much. I then read the first three books (one more to come) of the Wax and Wayne quadrilogy. I had thought nothing could top Vin, Kelsier, Elend and co, but Wayne is such a strong character. I loved those books and can't wait for the final one.

 

I just read In The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (finished it today actually), and loved it so much that i can't believe it has taken me this long to get to his books.

 

 

I actually bought a series of books today because they were 99p each on the kindle store and wondered if anyone had read his stuff before. The author is Jeff Wheeler and the series in the Covenant of Muirwood. Can't go wrong for £2.97 for three books.

 

I also downloaded a sample of book 1 of the Tearling Trilogy by Erika Johansen because Amazon recommended it to me. I read a little of the sample and it was promising. I got suggested Guy Gavriel Kay by Amazon though, and I'm sorry to say I couldn't finish the book they recommended. It was called Tigana and is somewhat well respected and given good reviews, but I only managed half way before I said 'no more'. The "love-making-in-a-cupboard-whilst-hiding-from-people-in-the-same-room" scene just killed me. It was a nice idea for a story, but I just couldn't take the characters seriously. Though there was one character I did like, but I just couldn't continue reading the poor lead character. Hope their recommendations bode better with Johansen.

 

 

Getting through a lot of new authors of late whilst I wait for three books to be finished. Waiting for the next ASOIAF book (hope it's not ruined by the TV series), the last book of The Fitz and the Fool and the last Wax and Wayne book. Right now I'm really looking for new authors; hence coming back to this thread. 

Edited by nidriks, 06 October 2016 - 08:55 am.

[Thib]

I think Sanderson is my favourite author currently. I really appreciate the effort he goes into to create new worlds and "magic" systems to empower characters and give flavour to the stories. If you haven't already, read his novella Legion - really different and very good - as is Riftmatic

 

Gemmell is very good but very formulaic - if you've read 1 Drenai novel you've pretty much got the premise of them all - his historical fiction stuff is good though.

Eddings again was very good

 

One series i read whilst i was on holiday (and i got the first 3 books for free) was the Sanctuary series by Robert J Crane. For those of us having a WoW resurgence of late, these books will really resonate with you.

 

Finally, for all my sins, i still can't stop reading RA Salvatore and the myriad of Drizzt books he has released. I know they are a Wizards of the Coast cash cow - and there's been nothing new in them for years, but (like the Supernatural TV series) i just have to read the next one that comes out

[nidriks]

I think Sanderson is my favourite author currently. I really appreciate the effort he goes into to create new worlds and "magic" systems to empower characters and give flavour to the stories. If you haven't already, read his novella Legion - really different and very good - as is Riftmatic

 

Gemmell is very good but very formulaic - if you've read 1 Drenai novel you've pretty much got the premise of them all - his historical fiction stuff is good though.

Eddings again was very good

 

One series i read whilst i was on holiday (and i got the first 3 books for free) was the Sanctuary series by Robert J Crane. For those of us having a WoW resurgence of late, these books will really resonate with you.

 

Finally, for all my sins, i still can't stop reading RA Salvatore and the myriad of Drizzt books he has released. I know they are a Wizards of the Coast cash cow - and there's been nothing new in them for years, but (like the Supernatural TV series) i just have to read the next one that comes out

 

Yep, I read Legend a few years back, but only finished it by some strange force of dedication. The book never bought the characters to life enough for me, and there was never enough description to bring the world to life. After reading the likes of Hobb, I felt a bit starved of attention to detail by Legend.

[Demondim]

Currently reading "Superintelligence" by Nick Bostrom.

Am enjoying it, it really makes you think!