Spoilers What Book Are You Reading?

[Scepticalscribe]

Well, I'd recommend Brandon Sanderson with the Mistborn trilogy; Scott Lynch with The Gentlemen Bastards (The Lies of Locke Camorra, Red Skies on Red Seas, The Republic of Thieves - three out of seven books published so far), Garth Nix with the Abhorsen trilogy - all come to mind.

One of the problems of TLOTR is the deadly seriousness with which it takes itself, there is no easy wit - I have a bit of a weakness for witty men, who wear their learning lightly; and, personally, I prefer the lighter tone in The Hobbit, and liked the cheerful insouciance of Bilbo - far preferring it to the despairing sacrificial tone of TLOTR.

Now, I accept that it is brilliant (in parts) and that it set the standard - and defined the whole field - of modern fantasy writing.

 

[mac666er]

Thanks, I'll check them out. I have the Song of Ice and Fire in my queue as I haven't seen the Game of Thrones series and apparently there is a large fan base that seems to like it.

I didn't start reading it as I got the feeling it was mostly politics (fighting for the throne) and that doesn't get me excited in fantasy.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Thanks, I'll check them out. I have the Song of Ice and Fire in my queue as I haven't seen the Game of Thrones series and apparently there is a large fan base that seems to like it.

I didn't start reading it as I got the feeling it was mostly politics (fighting for the throne) and that doesn't get me excited in fantasy.

Why not?

Politics is about power - the fight for power, how people can lose themselves and their souls n the pursuit of power - how principle wars wth corruption (in life and in fantasy) when power is sought. Personally, I love it when politics is treated intelligently in fantasy writing.

I haven't seen the TV series of GOT, but I have studied (and taught) history - including medieval history - and I am fascinated by politics. I will admit that I thought the books (most of which I read - but, at a gallop, some years ago, so I must re-read them) excellent.

 

[mac666er]

Why not?

I have one Master's degree in Economics ( which is always invariably related to Politics) and my line of work ( Economics) is also closely tied to Politics. I would even argue, you can't do any type of big business or any historical study without understanding politics at some basic level. While I don't hold political fantasy in intellectual disdain, I really have to be away from it in my free time for sanity's sake .

It is my sad opinion that politics brings out the worst in people, and if a political fiction work is any good, it has to show that element. 8 hours a day at a minimum at work is more than enough for me!

But I like dragons, so I may read that book at least
[doublepost=1467683924][/doublepost]Speaking of political fantasy, I not always succeed in staying away from it.

Two books that I recommend in spades are Tom Clancy's: Hunt of the Red October and Red Storm Rising.

The first one I was impressed, because he wrote it BEFORE (1984) the Soviet Union collapse (1991), and I think it captures very well the dynamics we see now in the Russian speaking countries extremely well, but were unknown at the time. I still can't believe he wrote it before the collapse and not after.

With that as his credentials, I was recommended Red Storm Rising. It depicts global politics and conflict when everybody has to show how committed they really are on extending their influence. It is an amazing read. Wasn't able to put it down. It tries to show how NATO would work and how Soviets (in that era) would work.

Now here is the kicker: in that book he says the major de-stabilization points in global politics are Muslim fanatics doing terrorist attacks... this book was written in 1986. Yes, you read that right, 1986.

 

[LizKat]

Meanwhile someone who knew I was reading a history of Belarus said "oh you must read Svetlana Alexievich's Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets (Nobel winning book, an oral history, interviews of ordinary Russians 1991-2012), the translation is out now, you will go nuts and not be able to put it down."

So of course I had to just get a sample and then of course I ended up getting it, and of course I cannot put it down, I will be bleary-eyed into July 5th and still more than half the book to read... it is mindblowing to sense the wreckage wrought via a lurch into capitalism let rip briefly and then shot straight to oligarchy and political corruption of the highest orders, finally sending Russia reeling back in search of a conveniently positioned and available strong man rescue figure again, all within a few decades.

And so my plan to lighten up and read a Walter Mosley novel is put off until another weekend!

 

[pachyderm]

As a small kid, it was possibly my favourite movie. Loved it. Just loved it.

Actually, my brother and I were brought to see it on a number of occasions.

Indeed, as kids, we both received - as presents - from my godmother, those small toy cars - exquisitely made, which we had for years, modelled on 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'. Among other things, it is left me with an unseemly passion for old, open-topped classic vintage and veteran cars, the origin of which I didn't quite understand for years.
[doublepost=1467675221][/doublepost]In fact, we loved the movie so much that my father found the Ian Fleming book somewhere - complete with illustrations - and bought it for us.

So, to be honest, we saw the movie before we read the book.

And, given the slightly seedy upper class air of some of Ian Fleming's other work, - and elements of his life - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (on which the movie was loosely, very loosely, based) is an absolutely charming book.

I loved that film too. And I had a toy Chitty Chitty Bang Bang too... I want to say it had wings that popped out from underneath ...

I want to read a Bond novel one day.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I loved that film too. And I had a toy Chitty Chitty Bang Bang too... I want to say it had wings that popped out from underneath ...

Yes, it had. You pressed the gear lever and they swept out.

Actually, it was a physically very beautiful - and extraordinarily well made - toy.

And, I recall that it also cost a fortune, so you can imagine my stupefied delight when my godmother bought my brother and I one each.
[doublepost=1467716316][/doublepost]

I have one Master's degree in Economics ( which is always invariably related to Politics) and my line of work ( Economics) is also closely tied to Politics. I would even argue, you can't do any type of big business or any historical study without understanding politics at some basic level. While I don't hold political fantasy in intellectual disdain, I really have to be away from it in my free time for sanity's sake .

It is my sad opinion that politics brings out the worst in people, and if a political fiction work is any good, it has to show that element. 8 hours a day at a minimum at work is more than enough for me!

But I like dragons, so I may read that book at least

Well, (apart from history) politics has been my interest, passion and profession for years - and if it is treated intelligently in a work of fantasy, this - to my mind - is a further reason to want to read it.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I want to read a Bond novel one day.

The Bond books - and world - is very world different from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - which is engaging, slightly barbed (in a way that children like), but is, nevertheless, a thoroughly enjoyable book.

There is an upperclass seediness to James Bond - the character, which I never much cared for - that it took me ages to realise had come from his creator.

James Bond is of his world and time - that world of the late 50s, and early to mid 60s, - the world of Profumo, cocktail parties, spies, of a glittering social life underpinned by real sleaze, where women and colleagues were used and discarded as needed, - where social change was coming, but those in charge still led lives that were not subject to too much scrutiny.

Anyway, Flaming's own background was comfortable, he had studied at Eton, and resigned from Sandhurst before he was commissioned as he had contracted a venereal condition. Later, Fleming served with Naval Intelligence during WW2, rising to the rank of commander, and getting some idea of the world of intelligence, and the sort of people who inhabited it, much of which surfaced in the Bond books.

Until I read Andrew Marr's excellent "A History of Modern Britain", I hadn't known that Ian Fleming was every bit as louche as James Bond. He had a home in the Jamaica he called 'Goldeneye', and both he had his wife had affairs - she conducted a torrid affair with the then Leader of the Labour Party, Hugh Gaitskell, while his private life was every bit as busy.

 

[pachyderm]

wow!

 

[LadyX]

Well, I'd recommend Brandon Sanderson with the Mistborn trilogy; Scott Lynch with The Gentlemen Bastards (The Lies of Locke Camorra, Red Skies on Red Seas, The Republic of Thieves - three out of seven books published so far), Garth Nix with the Abhorsen trilogy - all come to mind.

[...]

It's Lamora. The Lies of Locke Lamora.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It's Lamora. The Lies of Locke Lamora.

Sorry, I never even spotted that this typo had occurred; thanks for drawing my attention to it.

Of course, it is Lamorra (that auto-correct makes me look like an illiterate sometimes - it corrected it again, just now to Camorra); anyway, I have the book and have read it - and think that it is excellent.

 

[LadyX]

Sorry, I never even spotted that this typo had occurred; thanks for drawing my attention to it.

Of course, it is Lamorra (that auto-correct makes me look like an illiterate sometimes - it corrected it again, just now to Camorra); anyway, I have the book and have read it - and think that it is excellent.

Another typo there with the double 'r'. Sorry, can't help it

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Another typo there with the double 'r'. Sorry, can't help it

Well, sod it. And, as I don't have the book in my hand, I can't confirm this. What is the error (why the expletive deleted did this thing insist on writing 'terror'?)

Anyway, this is why I always prefer working from a hard copy. It is so much easier to spot errors.

Usually, when I refer to a book, I tend to confirm the title by having it in front of my eyes, lying near to hand, on the sofa. In any case, TLOLM is under a mountain of books, several mountains of books, on one of the sofas, and I am not sure quite where it is, and nor am I minded to go looking for it.

 

[S.B.G]

I just finished reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.
A fabulous, eye-opening book filled with scientific reasoning and justifications over age old superstitions.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I just finished reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.
A fabulous, eye-opening book filled with scientific reasoning and justifications over age old superstitions.
View attachment 640585

Yes, this is a book that is (rightly) considered a classic.

 

[0388631]

I just finished reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.
A fabulous, eye-opening book filled with scientific reasoning and justifications over age old superstitions.
View attachment 640585

Yes, this is a book that is (rightly) considered a classic.

To complement that book, many, including myself, enjoy this as well.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

I feel as if I'm going to regret saying this, but I've been reading it to my children here and there in between other material and of course children's books.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

To complement that book, many, including myself, enjoy this as well.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

I feel as if I'm going to regret saying this, but I've been reading it to my children here and there in between other material and of course children's books.

My brother swears by that book; he reads a handful of books each year, and that was his Christmas reading one year.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I am currently reading Into The Black on my Kindle.

 

[S.B.G]

I am currently reading Into The Black on my Kindle.

View attachment 640736

Looks interesting. Please let us know how you like it.

 

[Khalanad75]

I'm going to throw this out there. It's the first book of a series from one of my good friend's wife. I can't say if it's good or not yet (haven't got my signed copy from her yet, but should have it soon), but it's gotten some good praise already and from knowing her and how her mind works, it's should be a good read.

review-the-branson-beauty-by-claire-booth

 

[0388631]

My brother swears by that book; he reads a handful of books each year, and that was his Christmas reading one year.

Clearly a man of good taste. It provides a concise nibble in each chapter. Then the reader is free to find more material on any of the topics that he or she enjoyed. I can't recall where I bought mine, but it was a few years after its initial release. It's a fantastic read.

 

[Teon]

I read only the technical literature on networks , computers , programming .

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Clearly a man of good taste. It provides a concise nibble in each chapter. Then the reader is free to find more material on any of the topics that he or she enjoyed. I can't recall where I bought mine, but it was a few years after its initial release. It's a fantastic read.

I am an avid reader, but that was a book I hadn't read, and my brother (who reads newspapers, periodicals, briefs, - but less often, books) was warm and enthusiastic in his recommendation.

 

[LadyX]

I just finished reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.
A fabulous, eye-opening book filled with scientific reasoning and justifications over age old superstitions.
View attachment 640585

I'm assuming from the title alone that the author is atheist and hopes to convert his readers to atheism.

 

[S.B.G]

I'm assuming from the title alone that the author is atheist

Yes, he is an atheist.