What are you currently reading?

[fernandito]

It's just one of those books that has been on my radar forever that I haven't gotten around to, honestly. (I'm sure everyone here has a few of those )

I guess since I'm so intimately familiar with the films my inclination to read the novels has lessened over time ... if however you tell me that the novel completely blows the film away I might have no choice but to read it just for comparisons sake!

[Ruthful]

[alkanto]

That stinks, Jen. I never understood pre-ordering books (unless they're signed/limited). If you don't get it the day it's released, what's the point. And it really sucks because it's B&N and I've never had any problems with them. But I'm betting you that they'll pull the "we're backed up with Christmas orders and shipping is a little slow" excuse.

I usually don't do it either, but in the same case you mentioned. Hence the pre-order this time. but oh well...I have to make a run into town today so I'll just pick it up then...

[fernandito]

I'm tapping out of The Casual Vacancy. I'm 80 pages in and I've found myself skimming through fairly substantial portions of it (something I hardly ever do) and have no interest in any of the characters or desire to see it through to the end. I gave it a shot, but it jus wasn't for me.

[Jean]

I'm tapping out of The Casual Vacancy. I'm 80 pages in and I've found myself skimming through fairly substantial portions of it (something I hardly ever do) and have no interest in any of the characters or desire to see it through to the end. I gave it a shot, but it jus wasn't for me.

yes, this is what most people say

bears, however, are looking forward to a reread... maybe it's just not fit for human consumption

[TwistedNadine]

if however you tell me that the novel completely blows the film away I might have no choice but to read it just for comparisons sake!

I thought the book was an excellent accompaniment to the film and visa versa. The movie offers visuals (example the town of Corleone) while the book offers character insight not easily gleaned from the movie (example Michael and Apollonia's relationship). One of my favorite reads - but of course Im biased...

[DoctorDodge]

Yeah, I'm not far into it at all, but I'm really enjoying how the writing allows me to get a little closer to the character's thoughts and histories (Tom Hagen is definitely one obvious example of this so far). Oddly enough, I spoke to my mum about just starting the novel, and apparently she's not only read it but thought it was brilliant. Didn't think it'd be her kind of novel, really. Definitely eager to read the rest of it, now.

[WeDealInLead]

Peter Straub - The Floating Dragon
Dan Simmons - Endymion
China Mieville - Perdido Street Station
Brian Hodge - Picking the Bones
Garth Ennis - The Boys, Definitive Edition Vol. 1
Alan Moore - From Hell

[TwistedNadine]

Peter Straub - The Floating Dragon
Dan Simmons - Endymion
China Mieville - Perdido Street Station
Brian Hodge - Picking the Bones
Garth Ennis - The Boys, Definitive Edition Vol. 1
Alan Moore - From Hell

Im always impressed with your ability to read more than one at a time - I just cant do it. Gives me a brain ache.

Yeah, I'm not far into it at all, but I'm really enjoying how the writing allows me to get a little closer to the character's thoughts and histories (Tom Hagen is definitely one obvious example of this so far)

The Tom Hogan character is a perfect example - the book really adds depth to him

[John Blaze]

Really enjoyed Cold Days, and the twist at the end was badass. I can't wait for more.

[OchrisO]

Really enjoyed Cold Days, and the twist at the end was badass. I can't wait for more.

The ending actually took me by surprise. I loved it.


Now I am starting Trapped, book 5 of The Iron Druid Chronicles. Anyone who likes The Dresden Files should really give the series a shot.

[John Blaze]

Facebook me some links, yo.

[Patrick]

if however you tell me that the novel completely blows the film away I might have no choice but to read it just for comparisons sake!

I thought the book was an excellent accompaniment to the film and visa versa. The movie offers visuals (example the town of Corleone) while the book offers character insight not easily gleaned from the movie (example Michael and Apollonia's relationship). One of my favorite reads - but of course Im biased...

Godfather I and II are in my top five movies of all time. I read this book a very long time ago and have a vague memory that reflects TN's sentiments. All this discussion makes me want to read it again.

Looking forward to your thoughts, DoctorD.

[divemaster]

I have a *ton* of anthologies. Mostly sci-fi from the "Golden Age" but also lots of horror and some general collections as well. Right now I am about halfway through Hartwell's The Dark Descent. I've been planning on starting Stories or perhaps one of the recent Cemetery Dance publications (The Stoker Winners: Horror Hall of Fame or the two-volume The Century's Best Horror Fiction). Before this horror kick, I finished up Conklin's The Best of Science Fiction; Robert Silverberg's Science Fiction Hall of Fame; and a couple other collections (Science Fiction of the '50s and Space Odyssey).

Other recent reads were Roger Caras' Treasury of Great Cat Stories; Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts, and Joyce Carol Oates' The Museum of Dr. Moses.

I actually keep a speadsheet of all the stories, including my personal rating (1 to 4 stars) and a brief plot synopsis so I can keep track of what I've read over the years! For example, here are some 4-star stories from my current reading (first half of The Dark Descent):

The New Mother (Lucy Clifford)
Young Goodman Brown (Nathaniel Hawthorne)
Sticks (Karl Edward Wagner)
Vandy, Vandy (Manly Wade Wellman)
The Roaches (Thomas M. Disch)
Bright Segment (Theodore Sturgeon)
The Monkey (Stephen King)
The Rats in the Walls (H.P. Lovecraft)

Just finished up The Dark Descent. More of the 4-star stories:

Born of Man and Woman (Richard Matheson)
Good Country People (Flannery O'Conner)
Seven American Nights (Gene Wolfe)
Crouch End (Stephen King)
Clara Militch (Ivan Turgenev)
The Repairer of Reputations (Robert W. Chambers)
The Beckoning Fair One (Oliver Onions)

[DoctorDodge]

if however you tell me that the novel completely blows the film away I might have no choice but to read it just for comparisons sake!

I thought the book was an excellent accompaniment to the film and visa versa. The movie offers visuals (example the town of Corleone) while the book offers character insight not easily gleaned from the movie (example Michael and Apollonia's relationship). One of my favorite reads - but of course Im biased...

Godfather I and II are in my top five movies of all time. I read this book a very long time ago and have a vague memory that reflects TN's sentiments. All this discussion makes me want to read it again.

Looking forward to your thoughts, DoctorD.

Absolutely loving it. Again, really like how it does expand on more than a few characters. Most surprising of all is where I'm at now with Johnny Fontane - a tiny, one-scene only character in the film, but here, he has his own sub-plot, which I really like. Actually reminds me of the Sopranos, where it'd focus on not just the main characters, but also occasionally look at those who've been affected by them and their "business", so I'm really appreciating that. Overall, I'm just loving the whole story and reading at a pretty fast pace by my standards, so while I'll take a couple of days break to catch up on my 2000AD reading (again, one of those times when I've been missing out on an amazing story, of course), I should hopefully finish this book by next week.

[mystima]

Just finished 'Never More'...I have to say that I am disappointed with this book's ending...as in there wasn't any closure for me...the story was good but the ending was horrible. It was like James Patterson was in a hurry to finish it up or something. Some of the characters that were in the book didn't get an ending, he just left them on the side of the road...he usually has some stuff at the end of these books but in this one there isn't anything...no blog entries(in the whole Maximum Ride series one of the characters has a blog and he puts them at the end of the book.) I just hope he does put out more for this series besides this last book.

[TwistedNadine]

Absolutely loving it. Again, really like how it does expand on more than a few characters. Most surprising of all is where I'm at now with Johnny Fontane - a tiny, one-scene only character in the film, but here, he has his own sub-plot, which I really like.

I love that. When you watch the movie again it will be like viewing it in 3D with all the added character insights.

All this discussion makes me want to read it again.

Ditto!

[fernandito]

Sooooooooooooo, it looks like I need to read the book

[Patrick]

Sooooooooooooo, it looks like I need to read the book

What book?

[Ricky]

Just finished The Hobbit last night. It was okay. It definitely took me awhile to get into it.

[alkanto]

Have you read the LotR trilogy, then? Because if you found the Hobbit to be a bit slow...you might not like the Lord of the Rings.

[mae]

[Ricky]

Have you read the LotR trilogy, then? Because if you found the Hobbit to be a bit slow...you might not like the Lord of the Rings.

I haven't read any of the LOTR books. The Hobbit was the first JRR Tolkien that I've read. I just didn't like the episodic nature of the book. Too much "creature of the chapter" rather than a more "flowing" story. It was a decent enough read, but I wasn't too impressed.

[Jean]

Have you read the LotR trilogy, then? Because if you found the Hobbit to be a bit slow...you might not like the Lord of the Rings.

I think The Hobbit is much slower than TLotR. The latter has this inner tension - it is actually packed, even if not exactly with events

[John Blaze]

I've read them all because at the time I pretty much thought of them as nerd required reading but I doubt I'll ever read them again. Slowest story ever. Besides, I walk into Mordor whenever I fucken want to, YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, YOU'RE NOT MY REAL MOM!