Books: And What Are You Reading?

[Scepticalscribe]

Just finished the Second in the Mistborn Trilogy, The Well of Ascension, and while it has a lot of gravity, I find I’m really enjoying that this story since book 1 is not predictable, and it ends on an upbeat note based on my standards, there is still hope no matter how much carnage there is. And then in the beginning of the next book, Hero of Ages, it starts with a kick-ass Mistborn fight.

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I love the development of the characters of both Vin and Elend in that book (The Well of Ascension), I love their relationship - above all - how it has evolved - and matured - from the mutual attraction of the first book, - their dialogues are simply wonderful, and I love, love, love, Sazad.

And Vin rocks.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just finished the Second in the Mistborn Trilogy, The Well of Ascension, and while it has a lot of gravity, I find I’m really enjoying that this story since book 1 is not predictable, and it ends on an upbeat note based on my standards, there is still hope no matter how much carnage there is. And then in the beginning of the next book, Hero of Ages, it starts with a kick-ass Mistborn fight.

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I love Vin and Elend.

And I must say that I have long loved the scene where Vin (wounded in battle) decides that she (finally) wishes to be with Elend, and Sazad (treating her injuries, pulling stitches with bloodied fingers) attempts to argue her out of it.

 

[sgtaylor5]

After many decades of not being able to have a copy of the Lord of the Rings in the house because I would get too deeply into it, I finally realized that I could read it like a normal novel (slowly and carefully) and not get ahead of myself.

So a week ago, I bought a Mariner Books imprint of the Fellowship of the Ring. When I get done with that book, reading one or two chapters a day, I'll buy the next book.

Also going to buy a copy of the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales and possibly even The Hobbit in the same imprint.

 

[lizkat]

For the life of me I have never been able to get into The Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit either. I've concluded there's just something wrong with me, and somehow I'm not willing to get it repaired. I just can't make myself give the stuff another shot. Yet I'm one who tells nieces or nephews they haven't lived unless they've read assorted books I do favor... Go figure. It's just somehow a blind spot, and a stubborn one at that.

 

[Huntn]

For the life of me I have never been able to get into The Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit either. I've concluded there's just something wrong with me, and somehow I'm not willing to get it repaired. I just can't make myself give the stuff another shot. Yet I'm one who tells nieces or nephews they haven't lived unless they've read assorted books I do favor... Go figure. It's just somehow a blind spot, and a stubborn one at that.

I have read this series (TH + LOTR) 3 times. I just don’t know how you don’t enjoy The Hobbit, it‘s light, some humor, adventure, elves, and not much of a time commitment. Now LOTR is heavier, I could give you a pass on that one.

 

[lizkat]

I have read this series (TH + LOTR) 3 times. I just don’t know how you don’t enjoy The Hobbit, it‘s light, some humor, adventure, elves, and not much of a time commitment. Now LOTR is heavier, I could give you a pass on that one.

I dunno, man, My mind just literally seizes up at the very thought of any of those four books. I've developed a mental block via trying a few times to reboot and have a fresh look at them. Can't do it.

 

[Huntn]

I dunno, man, My mind just literally seizes up at the very thought of any of those four books. I've developed a mental block via trying a few times to reboot and have a fresh look at them. Can't do it.

Sorry did not mean to give you a hard time about it, not my intent. There’s lots of content I can’t stand that others love and vice a versa.

 

[lizkat]

Sorry did not mean to give you a hard time about it, not my intent. There’s lots of content I can’t stand that others love and vice a versa.

No offense taken. In a way, I'm still a bit curious about why the Tolkien books don't appeal to me. But not curious enough to try to puzzle that out any more; there are too many other books still in the to-be-read pile

 

[Huntn]

No offense taken. In a way, I'm still a bit curious about why the Tolkien books don't appeal to me. But not curious enough to try to puzzle that out any more; there are too many other books still in the to-be-read pile

I’d call these fantasy. Do you like fantasy in general?

 

[DT]

No offense taken. In a way, I'm still a bit curious about why the Tolkien books don't appeal to me. But not curious enough to try to puzzle that out any more; there are too many other books still in the to-be-read pile

I've done a partial re-read in the last, oh I'd say maybe 10 years or so, and I found them a little tedious. Don't get me wrong, I think they're the foundation for most modern fantasy works, and I have fond memories of reading them early in life, but there's much better fantasy material (some older, some very new). Just off the top of my head, I'd suggest checking out the Broken Earth series by N.K. Jemisin.

 

[Huntn]

I've done a partial re-read in the last, oh I'd say maybe 10 years or so, and I found them a little tedious. Don't get me wrong, I think they're the foundation for most modern fantasy works, and I have fond memories of reading them early in life, but there's much better fantasy material (some older, some very new). Just off the top of my head, I'd suggest checking out the Broken Earth series by N.K. Jemisin.

When I first read The Hobbit I was in 5th grade or so and was shocked it was written in the 1930s, which even then seemed like ancient history to me.

 

[lizkat]

I've done a partial re-read in the last, oh I'd say maybe 10 years or so, and I found them a little tedious. Don't get me wrong, I think they're the foundation for most modern fantasy works, and I have fond memories of reading them early in life, but there's much better fantasy material (some older, some very new). Just off the top of my head, I'd suggest checking out the Broken Earth series by N.K. Jemisin.

I'm a fan of Jemisin's work. both short stories and novels...

 

[Arkitect]

Just finished…

The Roman Triumph, Mary Beard

Sets out to investigate the whole Roman Triumph of popular culture.

Was the general's face painted red?
Was there a slave standing behind him, whispering, "Remember you are only a man."
Were the captives executed?
Did the Romans inherit their ritual from the Etruscans?

The answer is an emphatic, resounding, "Maybe. Sometimes. Perhaps. Who knows?"

Slightly unsatisfying.

 

[DT]

I'm a fan of Jemisin's work. both short stories and novels...

Ahh, I kind of figured you were probably familiar.

Several years back I pulled out some old paperbacks (I have __many__), and started both some Zelazny, and Moorcock fantasy stuff, neither really held up for me, their core series are sort of neat in concept, but kind of a chore past the first book.

What I did have fun with was the The Burrowers Beneath and The Transition of Titus Crow, two books by Brian Lumley (some may know him from his more recent Necroscope series), but in the 70s he wrote a lot of material based on the the HP Lovecraft Cthulhu Mythos. Those two books are really fun, they read a bit like HPL fan fiction, but it's a totally different take on the mythos, less like a gothic "we're all doomed" tale, and more like a sci-fi adventure.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Having a heck of a time getting through Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel. The author definitely is far more intelligent than I am, but the book reads like a textbook to me and I find it difficult to keep up with the constant blast of information. IMO, a bit more filler (which would have probably 2-3xed the book) would help a lot lol. Still an interesting read - learning about cultures I didn't know before.

I figured I'd try something new this year and picked up the ebook version of a book my wife got - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Was a big change for me - as someone who usually reads non-fiction history books / autobiographies. Definitely a bit easier to read than Diamond's book. lol.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Vaccine mandates for folks who drag their behind across the country, cry me a river.

For the life of me I have never been able to get into The Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit either. I've concluded there's just something wrong with me, and somehow I'm not willing to get it repaired. I just can't make myself give the stuff another shot. Yet I'm one who tells nieces or nephews they haven't lived unless they've read assorted books I do favor... Go figure. It's just somehow a blind spot, and a stubborn one at that.

Personally, I think it an astonishing - but, also, an exceptionally flawed - work; having read it a number of times, it is not one I wish to return to.

It is a magnificent achievement - for it has created the architecture for much of modern fantasy, (not to mention many of its tropes), but is a work that I find very uneven.

It probably doesn't help that I cannot abide Frodo, and detest his relationship (this celebration of servility) with Samwise.

However, I suspect that it is one of those works that appeals more to men than to women; and Tolkien couldn't write a credible female character for toffee (one of the problems I have with the work).

Having a heck of a time getting through Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel. The author definitely is far more intelligent than I am, but the book reads like a textbook to me and I find it difficult to keep up with the constant blast of information. IMO, a bit more filler (which would have probably 2-3xed the book) would help a lot lol. Still an interesting read - learning about cultures I didn't know before.

Jared Diamond's book is excellent - a genuinely original, and exceedingly well researched and argued book.

 

[ericwn]

Personally, I think it an astonishing - but, also, an exceptionally flawed - work; having read it a number of times, it is not one I wish to return to.

It is a magnificent achievement - for it has created the architecture for much of modern fantasy, (not to mention many of its tropes), but is a work that I find very uneven.

It probably doesn't help that I cannot abide Frodo, and detest his relationship (this celebration of servility) with Samwise.

However, I suspect that it is one of those works that appeals more to men than to women; and Tolkien couldn't write a credible female character for toffee (one of the problems I have with the work).

Jared Diamond's book is excellent - a genuinely original, and exceedingly well researched and argued book.

You are once again quoting me from a totally different discussion. [emoji1745]

 

[ericwn]

I dunno, man, My mind just literally seizes up at the very thought of any of those four books. I've developed a mental block via trying a few times to reboot and have a fresh look at them. Can't do it.

It took me two or three attempts as well, to digest his material. It got easier after I enjoyed the moves ( the ring movies, mind you, the Hobbit movies are just nonsense).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

You are once again quoting me from a totally different discussion. [emoji1745]

Not sure I quite understand.

Actually, I'm quoting myself, but glad that you agree with me (on TLOTR, I assume).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It took me two or three attempts as well, to digest his material. It got easier after I enjoyed the moves ( the ring movies, mind you, the Hobbit movies are just nonsense).

Ah, okay.

I think the books flawed, and very uneven.

There re some superb sections (the Ents, the Mines of Moria), some terrific characters (Gandalf, Saruman, Gollum), some ideas - once original, now a somewhat tired cliché - the idea of weak kings, evil counsellors, fueding brothers, the Wise Mentor, kings who will be revealed by destiny, gorgoeus and impossibly attractive elves, grasping dwarves, bucolic bliss, and so on, and some absolutely awful characters (Tolkien couldn't write a credible female character to save his life, and Frodo and Samwise do not - remotely - appeal), and some sections that just drag interminably.

I far preferred Bilbo - wise, witty, humane, sane, brave but not reckless, with a perfectly understandble appetite for many of the good things that life has to offer, - to Frodo, and would have liked to have read about his quest, and what that journey would have done to him and how he would have coped with it.