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What books are we reading now?

KoshFan said:
Different stuff for different folks. I've finally encountered someone who doesn't like Pratchett, for example; I knew such people existed, of course, but never met one.
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To be fair, I've never read enough of a Prachett book to judge him or his works. It's him as a person I find unappealing - which is something I can forgive a genius for, occasionally - I mean, it's almost part of the job :D .. I quite enjoyed the Narnia series, for example, also if CS Lewis' world view was 180° from mine. And I love some Lynyrd Skynyrd songs, also if they were a bunch of pricks.

I was quite instantly turned off from his works though when leafing through a random book of his at a fleamarket, some time ago. It seemed so dripping with self-admiration, somehow. Like every sentence could have been followed by "Well aren't I funny, aren't I cute."
 
One potential difficulty with Banks is that most of his human characters aren't terribly likeable; they usually come across as wildly spoiled, which of course they are. The only really likeable characters are the Minds, the almost-almighty AIs that run everything, and you can't even really get along with all of them.

You've got to love any spaceship that names itself Ultimate Ship the Second, though.
 
Chilli said:
To be fair, I've never read enough of a Prachett book to judge him or his works. It's him as a person I find unappealing - which is something I can forgive a genius for, occasionally - I mean, it's almost part of the job :D .. I quite enjoyed the Narnia series, for example, also if CS Lewis' world view was 180° from mine. And I love some Lynyrd Skynyrd songs, also if they were a bunch of pricks.

I was quite instantly turned off from his works though when leafing through a random book of his at a fleamarket, some time ago. It seemed so dripping with self-admiration, somehow. Like every sentence could have been followed by "Well aren't I funny, aren't I cute."
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I've read all his works, and whilst they can seem a little indulgent and self referential, I've never felt that reaction at all. In interviews, he often seemed quite self-depcreciating to, having been a down-trodden civil servant for quite some time before writing.

You may want to try Good Omens, which he wrote with Neil Gaiman. There is a noticable difference in style there, mainly due to the other author's influence. Its also very good.
 
Maybe at some point :D .. but I've already got a stack of books I've been wanting to read that will keep me busy for a few years. Not feeling like making any more reading plans at the moment.

Now started Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey
 
I just finished reading "The Road" by Carmac McCarthy. Even though it had received terrific reviews it wasn't something that I wanted to read - - but there it was on the library shelf - - and so I checked it out. It's "a searing, post apocalypic novel - - of a father and his son walking through a burned out America." Probably not for everyone but I couldn't put it down and finished it in record time. It's by the author of "All the Pretty Horses," - - which was made into a movie.
 
hypatia said:
Excellent choice, Chilli. :D
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That was, indeed, an awesome book. Which kind of surprised me - the movie didn't capture me in the way it captured other people. (it was most certainly impressive, but it was kind of .. slow. Like having a collection of the most impressive paintings on the planet, but having to look at each painting for half an hour.)

Question: are the sequels worth reading? I know that the movie 2010 is considered to be a big suck, but I know next to nothing about the books.

Now started George Orwell's Animal Farm
 
I personally like the movie 2010. I'm just not so loud about liking it as others are about bashing it. ;)

I'd read 2010 and 3001. I am an AC Clarke fan so I had to read the one in the middle somewhere there, 2016 or whatever the hell it was.

That book can be skipped, and should unless you are a religious follower of all of AC Clarke's works. :)

2060? I don't know I have it around here somewhere. :p

2010 and 3001 will complete the story for you. And I personally would love to have someone to talk to about how he ended it all. :D

So read 3001. ;)
 
Yes ma'am ;) .. turns out I actually had 2010 in a random book shelf downstairs, randomly acquired at a fleamarket by my sister years ago. Go fleamarkets! :D
 
hypatia said:
Oh yea, you can find some of the greatest old books at antique stores, flea markets and yard sales. :)
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And CHEAP nice new books too sometimes :D

The fleamarket of the American School in Vienna can be great at times, as often, you'll have people desparately trying to get rid of all their stuff, due to having to head back to the US, and not having the means to take everything home with them. I have some very nice hardback books - old and new - that I got for 50 cents at there. Paperbacks are often around 20 cents, when I'm lucky.

Now started reading a collection of short stories by Philip K. Dick, including:

* Minority Repor
* Imposter
* Second Variety
* War Game
* What Dead Men Say
* Oh, to Be a Blobel!
* The Electric Ant
 
Did you read 2010 already? :LOL:

From what I've heard you'll enjoy your reading. Tell us what you think, I might read them some day. :)
 
That is a good selection of Dick.You will enjoy I think :)

You should be aware that the 2001 sequels are not continuos but set in alternative realities so don't treat as canon the book before it.

Too avoid confusion :)
 
I'm reading "With Their Backs to the World: Portraits of Serbia" by Asne Seierstad.

Telling the stories of various Serbians of different backgrounds during the more recent changes in their country ( i.e. 2000 ). Interesting perspective about what happened and the world around them.


 
I just picked up "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman and "Hood" by Stephen Lawhead. Going to read them in that order.
 
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