Andarthiel on 29/12/2009 at 22:14
I've finished the Diamond Age and I am currently reading the third and final part of the Old Kingdom Trilogy by Garth Nix called Abhorsen.
doctorfrog on 30/12/2009 at 06:39
Reading my first Norman Mailer novel, An American Dream. A surprise gift from my girlfriend :) I might be letting my lack of experience/intelligence with modern novels show, but it reminds me of Philip K. Dick a bit.
It's certainly not as shocking as it might have been when it first came out, but none of the intensity is lost. The main character is out of his friggin' gourd.
Volitions Advocate on 30/12/2009 at 07:24
just finished volume 1 of the sandman graphic novels "Preludes and Nocturnes" I think i'd be a little less forgiving than morpheus was after being imprisoned in a glass ball with no air for over 70 years.
On to the next volume "the dolls house" .. I'm loving the DC comics tie in. So far I've seen some snippets from the justice league and even a whole issue with Constantine working alongside Morpheus. Its a pretty serious comic with a delightfully campy superhero vibe.
This is also my first graphic novel that isn't a Manga, or an Aliens comic from dark horse. I'm enjoying it.
T-Smith on 31/12/2009 at 01:14
Anathem by Neal Stephenson. Not very far into it. I can appreciate detailed worlds and languages, sure. But when you're discussing philosophy and a fictional world's history while injecting words you made up (at least 3 or 4 every sentence) constantly, it's a little hard to follow. Other books do this, but Stephenson seems to push it much more to the forefront, constantly interrupting the narrative with word definitions from his fictional dictionary.
That said, I'm still strangely drawn to it. I'm slowly beginning to get a picture of things and finding myself enjoying it. I know it seems strange to say right after criticizing it. But the first chapter simply didn't draw me in (which is typically important for most novels). I'm glad I kept going.
I also just recently finished Thirteen (also known as Black Man) and The Gates of Hell Are About to Open. After I finish Anathem, I think I'll finally begin Dune. I've been putting it off for about 6 years.
snowcap21 on 31/12/2009 at 14:02
I'm currently looking at Infinite Jest sitting on my shelf. It's quite big.
The Sandman series is my favourite graphic novel, I loved reading it, especially the last volumes. Much better than the other books by Gaiman in my opinion.
Stitch on 31/12/2009 at 22:09
Quote Posted by Volitions Advocate
I'm loving the DC comics tie in. So far I've seen some snippets from the justice league and even a whole issue with Constantine working alongside Morpheus. Its a pretty serious comic with a delightfully campy superhero vibe.
All of which thankfully doesn't survive past the first book. You're not quite there yet, but the Sandman universe is a little too mythic and self-contained to work well with DC canon.
And snowcap21 is right, all of Gaimen's prose books are pretty mediocre.
Also: NYE STITCH IS ON FIRE
Inline Image:
http://poly-p.com/schtuff/stitchpostsshitloads.jpgPeeperStorm on 1/1/2010 at 03:56
BETTER THROW HIM IN THE WATER
june gloom on 1/1/2010 at 06:25
AND HOLD HIM UNDER
Jennie&Tim on 1/1/2010 at 07:20
Just finished Soulless by Gail Carriger, nice romp, nothing serious but fun all the same. It's, per the cover, about Vampires, Werewolves, and Parasols. Disappointingly little about parasols to tell the truth, but a flaming gay vampire best friend for the heroine makes up for it.
Now I'm reading New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear. The first story has a Great Detective. Who is a Spanish vampire. Flying to the colonies via zepplin. A murder on board and how do you find out who done it without a body (tipped into the sea) or a forensic sorceror? I've just started the next story and have been introduced to Abigail Irene Garrett, forensic sorceress extraordinaire. And I do like the double (triple?) bow in her name to great names. Now she has to find why the young man was killed, and who spirited off the rest of the household. Well written I think.
Also, I'm getting tired of the Alera books by Jim Butcher. A little too strong on the Mary Sue quotient anymore. Hero grows in power, comes up against ever more impossible odds, wins; grows in power, ad infinitum. Meets new enemies, understands them better than anyone. It's getting boring.
The book I'm most hoping will be written is the next in the Vorkosigan saga. I really want to see Miles as a daddy. After that, probably the next Beka Cooper book, yes, I know it's YA; Tamora's still one of my favorite writers anyway.
Zerker on 2/1/2010 at 00:45
Well, I'm about halfway through and I'm giving up on "I Will Fear No Evil" by Robert Heinlein, which is not something I often do. This book seriously needed the editing that Heinlein (unfortunately) wasn't able to do at the time. As it stands, the plot is extremely drawn out with almost no progression and fairly uninteresting character interactions.
Oh well. Next book!
