rc0101 Posted October 29, 2020 Author Share Posted October 29, 2020 Starting the last Uhtred book. War Lord. A little sad to be finishing this series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 2 hours ago, rc0101 said: Starting the last Uhtred book. War Lord. A little sad to be finishing this series. How’d you get it early? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodporne Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon I picked up the book, read ten pages and somehow got distracted quite some time ago. Reading it mainly to compare to the film which I really love and have watched several times now. I'm curious to see what the major differences are and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc0101 Posted October 29, 2020 Author Share Posted October 29, 2020 10 hours ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said: How’d you get it early? I have a friend in the UK. It’s also out on Audible I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CitizenVectron Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 I finally read The Left Hand of Darkness, but Ursula K Le Guin, and really enjoyed it. It's a sci-fi classic, and involves a planet of humans who are androgynous and asexual (except once a month when they change into either man or woman to mate), and the envoy of the human galactic community who is sent their to make contact. It examines gender roles, prejudice, and puts the envoy (who is a straight man) into the role of a pervert, as that is how the society sees him (for being constrained to a single gender, and always being sexual). It was written in 1969 and was quite ahead of its time. I highly recommend it! I started—but can't seem to finish—The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, by Robert A. Heinlein. Published in 1966, it's considered a sci-fi classic, and while it does bring up interesting ideas about AI and lunar colonies, it's deeply rooted in the era's (and author's) prejudices. It's really painful to read sci-fi from the golden age a lot of the time, with how the authors treated female characters. My next book will either by the first of the Earthsea series (fantasy, also by Le Guin), or possibly Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake, the first of the Gormenghast series (gothic fiction/fantasy). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 23 hours ago, rc0101 said: I have a friend in the UK. It’s also out on Audible I believe. That’s awesome. I’ll be getting it, but I’m still behind on the series. I’ve read through The Pagan Lord. Gonna start The Empty Throne soon. Just been mostly reading horror for October. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted November 2, 2020 Share Posted November 2, 2020 I completed the audiobook version of this a few days ago and I HIGHLY recommend it: Dominion by Tom Holland | Basic Books WWW.BASICBOOKS.COM Visit the post for more. The author previously wrote several great books about antiquity (Rubicon, Persian Fire, Dynasty) and the early Middle Ages (The Shadow of the Sword, The Forge of Christendom) and I really do think this is his masterwork (so far!). The premise of the book is that Christianity represented a genuine "revolution" in the development of Western society and contains "revolutions" within itself that fundamentally changed it through the ages. In the realm of political thought, Holland's central thesis is that all those wonderful "Enlightenment values" that the West holds so dear aren't Greco-Roman in the least, but rather they're "Christian". Holland even goes so far as to posit that even Marxism has its roots in Christian philosophical values. In fact, Holland identifies only one Western political movement that is truly inherently anti-Christian: fascism. Essentially, the moral/philosophical basis of fascism is the complete and total negation of the moral/philosophical basis of Christianity. This was a seriously damned fine history book! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CitizenVectron Posted November 2, 2020 Share Posted November 2, 2020 Just started A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursule K Le Guin, and after that I will probably read Titus Groan, by Mervyn Peake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted November 2, 2020 Share Posted November 2, 2020 Started The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper last night. She's a black ED doctor and this is a memoir of her experiences. Really good so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Now reading The Empty Throne by Bernard Cornwell. I love horror, but it is nice to get back to other genres now that October is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamer.tv Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 Last three books mentioned (bar the Uthred book which I've happily read) have now been noted for future buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 I'm finishing up The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi. Really mixed feelings on this one. Their(author is nonbinary) writing is beautiful, but there's an incest plot that makes me hella uncomfortable. Not sure how I feel about this one. Also reading Fascism: A Warning my Madeleine Albright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercury33 Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Rereading Dune for the first time since I was 13/14. Was supposed to be in preparation for the movie but now not so much Its reads so much easier than I remember. For some reason I remembered it being overly descriptive and verbose like Lord of the Rings but I was pleasantly surprised to realize that it’s not that at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number305 Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 The Fires of Vengeance (The Burning, #2) by Evan Winter WWW.GOODREADS.COM The Fires of Vengeance book. Read 65 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Desperate to delay an impending attack by the indigenous peo... I'm about a quarter of the way into this. Anyone who hasn't read the first in this series 'The Rage of Dragons" should start there. It is excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewhyteboar Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 15 hours ago, Mercury33 said: Rereading Dune for the first time since I was 13/14. Was supposed to be in preparation for the movie but now not so much Its reads so much easier than I remember. For some reason I remembered it being overly descriptive and verbose like Lord of the Rings but I was pleasantly surprised to realize that it’s not that at all. I had the same experience. I read it for the first time at 15 and thought it was really good, but tough to get through. Then I reread it in college and appreciated it even more. I just finished Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher. I really liked it, so now I'm working through more books by her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 Reading Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. Also going to start A Promised Land by Barack Obama. Really been looking forward to the first of his memoirs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dre801 Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 One of the newer "Alex Cross" books. I pretty much gave up on James Patterson, but I still read these for whatever reason. Guess I'm invested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fizzzzle Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 James Patterson books are perfect for flights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 It's been years since I read a James Patterson book. I got burned out. I will always have a fondness for The Jester, though. Man, I'm at 84 books completed on the year. My previous record was 70 last year. Obama's memoir is instantly addictive, but I know it'll take me a bit to read it. I'm gonna start Warriors of the Storm by Bernard Cornwell for my next fiction. Really want to get through this series and read some of his other books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodporne Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 About to read: The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon Probably this weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EternallDarkness Posted November 24, 2020 Share Posted November 24, 2020 rereading King's Different Seasons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EternallDarkness Posted November 25, 2020 Share Posted November 25, 2020 started Ready Player 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 Reading Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam. It was BOTM pick and I thought it sounded interesting when I picked it. I've seen most BOTM users bashing it, but I felt like I should give it a shot, plus it's really short. I'm already over halfway and I started this morning. I don't hate it...but his writing isn't my style, really, and it's pretty vague. But I'm gonna finish it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EternallDarkness Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 Well Ready Player Two was a bit of a let down. Story was entertaining though not nearly as good as the original. There's more than a little virtue signaling and sadly a few sections dragged on too long, still it was fun to revisit Wade and the Oasis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chairslinger Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 Just finished The Color of Magic. Started on Fellowship of the Ring. I was in the mood for some Fantasy and was trying to avoid just going with a reread of the Wheel of Time for the tenth time. Man, Fellowship starts out alright, but now I am remembering why I had such a hard time getting through it years ago. I will never understand the fans that think the books, and especially the pacing, is better than the movies. 150 pages of the 1,000 page trilogy and they're just now out of the Shire! Oh well, I am determined to finish the Trilogy this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 On 11/28/2020 at 12:24 AM, EternallDarkness said: Well Ready Player Two was a bit of a let down. Story was entertaining though not nearly as good as the original. There's more than a little virtue signaling and sadly a few sections dragged on too long, still it was fun to revisit Wade and the Oasis. Weird, because I'm seeing it get slammed for some transphobic scenes. I still haven't read the first book, though it's been on my Kindle for four years. Started Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey on my Paperwhite last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EternallDarkness Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 6 hours ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said: Weird, because I'm seeing it get slammed for some transphobic scenes. seriously? Not sure how people are seeing it that way, but what do I know? trying to figure out my next read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 15 minutes ago, EternallDarkness said: seriously? Not sure how people are seeing it that way, but what do I know? trying to figure out my next read I can't say I ever pictured you for having much interest in LGBT issues, so I'm guessing you missed it. I read the section in question. To me, if felt more like hetero cis-male ignorance that an editor should have caught, rather than the overt trans bigotry, say, JK Rowling shows. It probably wouldn't ruin the book for me, but overall the reviews for this one seem pretty lackluster compared to its predecessor. I'll probably pass on it for that reason. I still need to read the first book, though. I've heard it's really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EternallDarkness Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 I won't say you're wrong. After spending the years I did watching people from all walks suffer and die, I have to say I kind of view all people the same. I mean I've had gay/lesbian friends, but I never really considered it beyond the fact that oh Sarah likes girls or well David's new boyfriend seems to be kind of a jackass. A failing or limited view on my part? perhaps. So you're right, I can't claim to have much interest or insight into LGBT issues. I try not to view people in terms of labels. People are people. You're going to find good and bad people in very category you can come up with. I'm not trying to downplay anyone's feelings. I'm sure if I was a part of one of these groups I'm might view things differently. I'm sure many would say that's my straight white male privilege talking (and maybe it is, but that just happens to be my own personal point of view in life...sorry can't help that since that's what I am, lol) So maybe I didn't see what others seem to have seen in the book. That being said, you won't be missing out on anything if you pass on Ready Player two, but you really should give Ready Player One a go sometime. Especially if you have nostalgia for the 80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 Over halfway through A Promised Land. It’s really good. Started Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden. It’s a good crime thriller written by an American Indian that takes place on a reservation. Mainly about the opioid crisis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins | PublicAffairs WWW.PUBLICAFFAIRSBOOKS.COM Visit the post for more. An absolutely damning account of the complicity of the United States government in the murder of hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people in Indonesia and Latin America by right-wing regimes in the name of "anti-communism". Quote In 1965, the U.S. government helped the Indonesian military kill approximately one million innocent civilians. This was one of the most important turning points of the twentieth century, eliminating the largest communist party outside China and the Soviet Union and inspiring copycat terror programs in faraway countries like Brazil and Chile. But these events remain widely overlooked, precisely because the CIA’s secret interventions were so successful. In this bold and comprehensive new history, Vincent Bevins builds on his incisive reporting for the Washington Post, using recently declassified documents, archival research and eye-witness testimony collected across twelve countries to reveal a shocking legacy that spans the globe. For decades, it’s been believed that parts of the developing world passed peacefully into the U.S.-led capitalist system. The Jakarta Method demonstrates that the brutal extermination of unarmed leftists was a fundamental part of Washington’s final triumph in the Cold War. Needless to say, I'm getting very, VERY angry reading this book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 I’m just about to wrap up A Promised Land. It’s been sooo good. Current fiction is Night Road by Kristen Hannah. I need a good drama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi. I never got around to this one all these years. The Flame Bearer by Bernard Cornwell. Getting close to wrapping up this series. It's really good, but I'm trying to finish it before I read any of his other books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Fiction: The Mothers by Brit Bennett. Her second book, The Vanishing Half is my BOTY for 2020 and I've heard her debut isn't quite as good, but the premise still makes me want to read it. Nonfiction: Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era by Jerry Mitchell. I'd always had an interest in finding a good book about the 1964 civil rights workers murders and this came out right around the time I was looking. These will be books 94 and 95 on the year for me. Kinda wish I could hit 100, but it's not quite going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EternallDarkness Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 on the third book of the Agent G series by CT Phipps. Crazy series of futuristic cyborg spies/assassins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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