Posted February 11, 2016
Yezemin
Panda-holic
Registered: Jul 2014
From Germany
Maxvorstadt
I is more stronger than Darth Vapour!
Registered: Apr 2014
From Germany
Posted February 11, 2016
Just a light Sci Fi pulp.
Sci Fi as opposed to Science fiction (like Foundation or Dune which have actual scientific elements and examine the human condition in a future setting in relation to technology).
We get it, you like psychic powers but there's no need to put them in every freaking book.
I would still like to read Gunslinger though.
Hey anyone got a backlog of 10+ books or am I the only one?
What I read now? Well, I`m used to reading more than one book at a time, but the book that`s the most interesting in the moment is: "History of Bavaria From the beginnings to the present".
ScotchMonkey
60.27% Through!
Registered: Apr 2012
From Denmark
Posted February 11, 2016
Ah much better now. Though I am still afraid to count them
Nirth
Songs of Conquest
Registered: Oct 2010
From Other
Posted February 11, 2016
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. I'm only 5 chapters in but it's looking good.
pirateoftheah
New User
Registered: Dec 2011
From Hungary
Posted February 14, 2016
Finished Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.
First of all it is disgusting. The author is very innovative and has a wild fantasy, but for me some of the creatures are simply disgusting. (I have to admit that before I purchased it I had only known that it had been regarded as a very good book and had no idea about that it was a horror book similar to Lovecraft's and Cthulhu books.)
But apart from that the story is builded up very well, although the introductory part is very long (about half of the book), but when the action scenes start it becomes very intense and exciting. It is a very good point that the main protagonists are not heroic characters (a renegate scientist and a rebellious artist), so they become much more real. As a contrast they can be hated too, because they rarely act at the critical moments, but "freeze" and do nothing. To tell the truth probably I would do the same when a monster comes at me to lick my brain. Maybe the characters can be hated for not acting, but from another viewpoint their motives are described very well, for example the longing for flying.
As a whole the atmosphere of the book is very unique, the steampunk and horror elements are mixed well (the description of the city and its citizens are great), so in overall it's a good book with some parts that were not for my taste.
First of all it is disgusting. The author is very innovative and has a wild fantasy, but for me some of the creatures are simply disgusting. (I have to admit that before I purchased it I had only known that it had been regarded as a very good book and had no idea about that it was a horror book similar to Lovecraft's and Cthulhu books.)
But apart from that the story is builded up very well, although the introductory part is very long (about half of the book), but when the action scenes start it becomes very intense and exciting. It is a very good point that the main protagonists are not heroic characters (a renegate scientist and a rebellious artist), so they become much more real. As a contrast they can be hated too, because they rarely act at the critical moments, but "freeze" and do nothing. To tell the truth probably I would do the same when a monster comes at me to lick my brain. Maybe the characters can be hated for not acting, but from another viewpoint their motives are described very well, for example the longing for flying.
As a whole the atmosphere of the book is very unique, the steampunk and horror elements are mixed well (the description of the city and its citizens are great), so in overall it's a good book with some parts that were not for my taste.
TerriblePurpose
Kwisatz Haderach
Registered: Sep 2008
From Canada
HereForTheBeer
Positive Patty
Registered: Oct 2009
From United States
Posted February 14, 2016
Today I'll be wrapping up "Variable Star" by Robert Heinlein and Spider Robinson.
Outlined by Heinlein before he died, and then taken up and written by Spider Robinson. Gotta say, definitely has the 'voice' of Heinlein. If I didn't know better, I'd say Heinlein time traveled to 2006 to write the book and then went back in time to die in 1988. But it's better in at least one way, since Heinlein had a tendency (not always, but quite often) to make his heroes impossibly perfect and clever, whereas our protagonist here is certainly flawed.
After I finish that I have "Raylan", by Elmore Leonard, waiting for me.
Outlined by Heinlein before he died, and then taken up and written by Spider Robinson. Gotta say, definitely has the 'voice' of Heinlein. If I didn't know better, I'd say Heinlein time traveled to 2006 to write the book and then went back in time to die in 1988. But it's better in at least one way, since Heinlein had a tendency (not always, but quite often) to make his heroes impossibly perfect and clever, whereas our protagonist here is certainly flawed.
After I finish that I have "Raylan", by Elmore Leonard, waiting for me.
Cbob60
New User
Registered: May 2012
From United States
Posted February 14, 2016
First of all it is disgusting. The author is very innovative and has a wild fantasy, but for me some of the creatures are simply disgusting. (I have to admit that before I purchased it I had only known that it had been regarded as a very good book and had no idea about that it was a horror book similar to Lovecraft's and Cthulhu books.)
But apart from that the story is builded up very well, although the introductory part is very long (about half of the book), but when the action scenes start it becomes very intense and exciting. It is a very good point that the main protagonists are not heroic characters (a renegate scientist and a rebellious artist), so they become much more real. As a contrast they can be hated too, because they rarely act at the critical moments, but "freeze" and do nothing. To tell the truth probably I would do the same when a monster comes at me to lick my brain. Maybe the characters can be hated for not acting, but from another viewpoint their motives are described very well, for example the longing for flying.
As a whole the atmosphere of the book is very unique, the steampunk and horror elements are mixed well (the description of the city and its citizens are great), so in overall it's a good book with some parts that were not for my taste.
ScotchMonkey
60.27% Through!
Registered: Apr 2012
From Denmark
Posted February 14, 2016
Dune takes up quite a long section of my shelf. I even read the 6 prequals from Brian Herbert. You can take them or leave them I suppose.
TerriblePurpose
Kwisatz Haderach
Registered: Sep 2008
From Canada
Posted February 15, 2016
I read House Atreides and House Harkonnen, but couldn't bring myself to read any of the others. I'm thinking I may pick up Hunters and Sandworms simply to see how Frank Herbert (supposedly) intended to finish the series.
ScotchMonkey
60.27% Through!
Registered: Apr 2012
From Denmark
Posted February 15, 2016
I know FB is a hard legacy to live up to but jeez. Brian is one apple that fell way off the tree.
Though I really had a romp with House Atreides, but I took it in the context of a Sci Fy adventure set in the Dune universe and not an actual Science Fiction novel.
TerriblePurpose
Kwisatz Haderach
Registered: Sep 2008
From Canada
Posted February 15, 2016
Yeah, that's probably best, but I think I can get them from the local library. So I may give it a shot that way. If it's too painful, I'll probably just break down and google the plot lines.
Yeah, I didn't expect a duplicate of Frank, but ye gods, the difference is shocking.
Yeah, I didn't expect a duplicate of Frank, but ye gods, the difference is shocking.
Nirth
Songs of Conquest
Registered: Oct 2010
From Other
Posted February 16, 2016
No, I've some 350+ on my to-read list at Goodreads. Problem is that I read very slow (partially on purpose) and for every book I finish there's at least 5 or so I find by researching similar themes. I avoid large book series other than trilogies though and I believe with age and increased demand for quality writing will reduce a great deal that I otherwise might have read.
pirateoftheah
New User
Registered: Dec 2011
From Hungary
Posted February 17, 2016
It requires a strange taste to like Khepri women. Honestly I did not even try to imagine as they chew and spit and must look odd, but the Khepri parts were amazing, especially when it describes how Lin escaped from her own community.
ScotchMonkey
60.27% Through!
Registered: Apr 2012
From Denmark
Posted March 01, 2016
Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce by Stanley Weinthrub
On and off for five years and I'm kicking my self for not reading it through sooner.
On and off for five years and I'm kicking my self for not reading it through sooner.
Post edited March 01, 2016 by ScotchMonkey