Spoilers What Book Are You Reading?

[kazmac]

It is American, - the initial scenes take place in New York - but it takes an alternative look at some well known fairy tales in a way that is very subversive and very, very funny.

Actually, I was teaching at the time, (in one of those Ancient Seats of Learning) & recommended it to some of my colleagues - some junior staff in modern European history - where I was - and philosophy - shared a small common room, and a number of them read it and thoroughly enjoyed it.

For that matter, I also introduced them to the world of Harry Potter, but that is a different story - and those books went down very well, too.

Subversive is good. I recently saw the movie Enchanted again which also subverts Disney princesses (and princes) in the silliest way possible.

I have a hard time reading novels these days so I pretty much stick to comics and movies. That said, 10th Kingdom is now in my Amazon wishlist so thank you again for the recommendation.

---

Speaking of reading, A small French publisher released Judge Bao Volume 1: Judge Bao and the Jade Phoenix in English. Judge Bao is China's symbol of justice and remains a very popular folk hero for a variety of media. In this first volume Bao and his assistants work to clear the name of a young man accused of murder. This is slow paced, but artist Chongrui Nie does beautiful work making ancient China come alive. There are another four additional volumes in French only which is a shame as Nie's art is definitely worth the purchase price.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Subversive is good. I recently saw the movie Enchanted again which also subverts Disney princesses (and princes) in the silliest way possible.

I have a hard time reading novels these days so I pretty much stick to comics and movies. That said, 10th Kingdom is now in my Amazon wishlist so thank you again for the recommendation.

---

Speaking of reading, A small French publisher released Judge Bao Volume 1: Judge Bao and the Jade Phoenix in English. Judge Bao is China's symbol of justice and remains a very popular folk hero for a variety of media. In this first volume Bao and his assistants work to clear the name of a young man accused of murder. This is slow paced, but artist Chongrui Nie does beautiful work making ancient China come alive. There are another four additional volumes in French only which is a shame as Nie's art is definitely worth the purchase price.

Agree: Subversive is very good.

Terry Pratchett (I recommend all of the 'witch' books - they are sidesplittingly brilliant) in "Witches Abroad" takes a look at some of the well known fairy tales - and subverts them very cleverly, too - in a way that is both funny and subversive.

On that topic, I cannot recommend "Wyrd Sisters" - his second "witch'' book (which features Granny Weatherwax, and Nanny Ogg) highly enough.

But "10th Kingdom" wonders 'what happens next'? with some of them, and that makes for wonderfully subversive conclusions and stories.

 

[Huntn]

Price fixing was a one sided issue. The price fixing was more anti-competitive than actual price rigging. The big six publishers and their underlings met with Apple and charged higher. That is because at the time and even now, Amazon is the market leader for books. The in-house specialists I mentioned are merely cover artists. Some people will scoff at these people charging $10,000-15,000 for a cover, but that sum pales in comparison to how much they can charge and how willing a publisher is to spend on a know and highly recommended author, such as Stephen King.

Whether digital or traditional, in traditional publishing the costs add up fast.

Agent/Author purchase fees
Advance fee
Cover Artist fee
Printing costs
Storage costs
Copyeditor fee
Line editor fee
Translations fee
Marketing costs

You do get some interesting "mishaps" in the storyline of a typical novel's life. Andy Weir's novel made waves and money before the print and ebook rights were snatched up by Crown for around $100,000. If you recall a certain adult novel author who had one of her books made into a feature film, she made a lot of money before the rights were sold off. I can't find the breakdown I read a couple of years ago, but it's estimated that the publisher who bought the rights to the book had a break even point of several hundred thousand physical units of the hardback variety or a mix, which would take longer, to recoup costs.
[doublepost=1480805762][/doublepost]
9.99 is actually a good price point. Considering they were caught selling higher. Publisher seem to get the idea 9.99 is high and will often run sales at much lower prices. Just because you go digital, it doesn't mean you don't incur costs to offer that digital product. Publishers have been tangoing with piracy since the early days. When I was in university, we'd Xerox the most expensive books and pass the copies around in book form. Granted, back then a university book would cost $60, sometimes $80 at most. This was a long time ago but the CoL was also much less than it is today. Wages were a fraction of today's, too.
[doublepost=1480805875][/doublepost]
The search feature is great. But for large manuals I tend to prefer a physical approach and rely on the glossary if the chapter headings don't suffice. I never got the point of an ereader until I tried one. Then I was sold.

Thanks for the info! $10 still seems high to me. When it comes to book sales, they rarely work for me, either I'm unaware of the sake or don't know what I'll want to read next, and as a rule, I don't stock up on books to read in advance unless I'm vested in a series, then I'd jump on a sale.

My comment about manuals was based on what I considered to be poorly written or manuals where references to different systems/devices/references where scattered around. Why flip through 30 pages where a search rapidly finds every reference to what your looking for?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Thanks for the info! $10 still seems high to me. When it comes to book sales, they rarely work for me, either I'm unaware or don't know what I'll want to read next, and as a rule, I don't stock up on books to read in advance.

My comment about manuals was based on what I considered to be poorly written or manuals where references to different systems/devices/references where scattered around. Why flip through 30 pages where a search rapidly finds every reference to what your looking for?

Well, one thing I do re books, is rely on reviews.

By that, I mean, that if a reviewer - or, a commentator, or a writer (as a reviewer), whom I respect writes warmly about a work, I will be more positively inclined to want to take a look at it.

 

[Huntn]

Well, one thing I do re books, is rely on reviews.

By that, I mean, that if a reviewer - or, a commentator, or a writer (as a reviewer), whom I respect writes warmly about a work, I will be more positively inclined to want to take a look at it.

You are better researched than I am. I frequently rely on best seller lists and word of mouth. Like in a forum like this.

Speaking of world of mouth, I have no idea why this flashed into my head, and probably mentioned it before, but if anyone wants to read real history that reads like a novel, set in the U.S. during the Civil War read the Killer Angels (Michael Sahara). The telling of the battle of Gettysburg. It won the Pulitzer Prize. The author died and his son picked up the torch, writing two more books that completes the telling of US Civil War, but I'd read KA first.

The first book written by the son is Gods and Generals, covering the beginning of the Civil War. If you are a fan of the South, this is the book to read first, but if you are fan of the North, you'll find this book to be painful. The South Led by General Lee with less men and equipment executed some serious ass whoop'n on those Yankees at least in the beginning.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

You are better researched than I am. I frequently rely on best seller lists and word of mouth. Like in a forum like this.

Speaking of world of mouth, I have no idea why this flashed into my head, and probably mentioned it before, but if anyone wants to read real history that reads like a novel, set in the U.S. during the Civil War read the Killer Angels (Michael Sahara). The telling of the battle of Gettysburg. It won the Pulitzer Prize. The author died and his son picked up the torch, writing two more books that completes the telling of US Civil War, but I'd read KA first.

The first book written by the son is Gods and Generals, covering the beginning of the Civil War. If you are a fan of the South, this is the book to read first, but if you are fan of the North, you'll find this book to be painful. The South Led by General Lee with less men and equipment executed some serious ass whoop'n on those Yankees at least in the beginning.

Best seller lists have no effect on me; some of the history I have seen there is truly dreadful, while yes, admittedly, some of the works that have made it are excellent.

Reviews - especially by people I rate - and recommendations, again, by colleagues I respect and rate - carry far more weight with me. So, yes, word of mouth (but depending on who is giving the recommendation) is something that can sometimes sway me.

 

[Lone Deranger]

Recommended by just about every respectable landscape painter out there.
Since it is long out of print, if measured and compared by volume, this book (it's tiny) cost me more than that (gigantic) Jony Ive coffee table book. Ouch! I hope it will be worth it. It'll be hard to beat Carlson's book though.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Recommended by just about every respectable landscape painter out there.
Since it is long out of print, if measured and compared by volume, this book (it's tiny) cost me more than that (gigantic) Jony Ive coffee table book. Ouch! I hope it will be worth it. It'll be hard to beat Carlson's book though.

View attachment 676182

Well, then, it is clearly regarded by those who understand this area as something of a classic.

Enjoy it.

 

[0388631]

Best seller lists are total units moved in a fixed time period, not the quality of the writing. Perceived quality of writing is subjective. For example, I think Stephen King is full of **** and I think contemporary writers like Keruac are awful. His novels read like a young adult, coming-of-age novel. Frank Herbert is hit or miss depending on what you read. Someone like Orson Scott Card manages to weave lessons into his work but the man is a disgusting excuse for a human being based on his personal beliefs. James Patterson, while wildly successful and a quick read, likely hasn't written a book all by his lonesome in at least a decade. I'm not going to claim I know anything of the subculture, but I know FSoG was a pile of rubbish. Ironically, in a English class I had to take in university, our professor than told us for extra credit we could read this novel that came out in the 1950s in France and translated into English. I can't remember the name nor the author except her name rhymed with Regal. It was incredibly spicy for those days let alone in Catholic France in the 1950s. It was incredibly scandalous and it still is today. I wouldn't be caught dead reading something like that now. I'm also sure the translation ruined the author's word flow because event then during group readings, we were left scratching our heads at the weird grammar.

I want to say that in a year, traditional publishes and their affiliated publishers will publish more works in the English language than you will read in a lifetime. If you're wanting to explore, choose blindly. Often, you'll end up with something you like a lot.

There's lots of literature that's amazing but you'll never know because the masses don't attach themselves to it like parasites. Best seller lists are novels which were written to market. Meaning they're incredibly researched to sell first, and adhere to the subject they portray second. If you know a bit about statistics, you can figure out what's the best written to market novel, and its sales will show. Provided you're a decent writer and have some form of statistical background, you can come up with a trope filled story arc that will entice an agent at a first read and have a high probability to get picked up. Now, you find yourself wanting to ask, "then why don't a lot of people get published if it's that "simple"?" Simply because people want to write what the want to write. Not what people want as per market info. A publisher buys a manuscript they believe will perform well in the market that hasn't change much in decades.

 

[BeefCake 15]

Current Audiobook:

[doublepost=1481209465][/doublepost]Audiobook just completed:

 

[pachyderm]

Best seller lists are total units moved in a fixed time period, not the quality of the writing. Perceived quality of writing is subjective. For example, I think Stephen King is full of **** and I think contemporary writers like Keruac are awful. His novels read like a young adult, coming-of-age novel. Frank Herbert is hit or miss depending on what you read. Someone like Orson Scott Card manages to weave lessons into his work but the man is a disgusting excuse for a human being based on his personal beliefs. James Patterson, while wildly successful and a quick read, likely hasn't written a book all by his lonesome in at least a decade. I'm not going to claim I know anything of the subculture, but I know FSoG was a pile of rubbish. Ironically, in a English class I had to take in university, our professor than told us for extra credit we could read this novel that came out in the 1950s in France and translated into English. I can't remember the name nor the author except her name rhymed with Regal. It was incredibly spicy for those days let alone in Catholic France in the 1950s. It was incredibly scandalous and it still is today. I wouldn't be caught dead reading something like that now. I'm also sure the translation ruined the author's word flow because event then during group readings, we were left scratching our heads at the weird grammar.

I want to say that in a year, traditional publishes and their affiliated publishers will publish more works in the English language than you will read in a lifetime. If you're wanting to explore, choose blindly. Often, you'll end up with something you like a lot.

There's lots of literature that's amazing but you'll never know because the masses don't attach themselves to it like parasites. Best seller lists are novels which were written to market. Meaning they're incredibly researched to sell first, and adhere to the subject they portray second. If you know a bit about statistics, you can figure out what's the best written to market novel, and its sales will show. Provided you're a decent writer and have some form of statistical background, you can come up with a trope filled story arc that will entice an agent at a first read and have a high probability to get picked up. Now, you find yourself wanting to ask, "then why don't a lot of people get published if it's that "simple"?" Simply because people want to write what the want to write. Not what people want as per market info. A publisher buys a manuscript they believe will perform well in the market that hasn't change much in decades.

the first two lines... take note JK Rowling fans...

also, i used to be completely agreed on stephen king. never read any of his stuff but i like the movies his books are made into. so i cut him slack now.

also, Derrrr..., Keruac novels were young adult, coming-of-age novels.

and ... duh...

i'm pretty sure we all knew what data was/is used to comprise a best seller list.

 

[AVBeatMan]

Well, I, for one, love Stephen King's books. Especially his older works but more recently 22.11.63. Great and imaginative fun.

 

[kazmac]

Well my idea of reading lately is most comic book trade paperbacks so I reluctantly read the current Moon Knight's team first arc "Lunatic" and did a complete about face on it.

Once again, the Egyptian God of Vengeance isn't playing very nice with his human avatar Marc Spector (Moon Knight). Marc finds himself in a very archaic and awful mental institution: All kinds of is that is real or not? stuff ensues including mummies in New York subway tunnels (see, now I'd pay $2.75 a ride to run the hell away from that ); and this arc ends on a note that sort of honors Charlie Huston's* "The Bottom" storyline from the 2006 MK relaunch.

Really liked "Lunatic", takes some of the best and worst ideas from several previous MK runs and runs with them. The second arc isn't as good, but I suspect that was all simply to pay off what is coming next month. Just when I thought I completely swore off Marvel comics, they're still doing this character right.

* Whenever MK is eventually green lit for live action, I hope Huston is involved. His ideas still were the most disturbing, funny and weird.

 

[0388631]

the first two lines... take note JK Rowling fans...

Rowling's first four weren't great. Each novel read better as time went by.

also, i used to be completely agreed on stephen king. never read any of his stuff but i like the movies his books are made into. so i cut him slack now.

Except King isn't a fan of the movies his novels turned out to be. To my knowledge, he had no hand in their script or how they were directed. The films interpret the story.

also, Derrrr..., Keruac novels were young adult, coming-of-age novels.

Except they weren't marketed as such. Mr. Silk was borderline there. The majority of his work was read by young adults and still are. The beauty of his work is that it's rather timeless. It doesn't mean his work is strictly young adult coming of age. It isn't. In the same vain, young female's writer Beverly Clary is still relevant among American youth under the age of 12 or whatever the cutoff is. JD Salinger's Catcher In The Rye is still relevant today because it speaks to young adults and adults alike. There's still life lessons to be taken from these novels. Coincidentally, there's an upcoming film about the author and his novel that follows a young high school student that felt so connected to the novel.

i'm pretty sure we all knew what data was/is used to comprise a best seller list.

You would be surprised how few people know how it works and which data is applicable. Many believe the lists are paid off or that they randomly choose a book they believe the editorial staff found incredible. Like Sceptical, I rely on reviews, but even I've bought highly prized literature that was awful.
[doublepost=1481266351][/doublepost]

Well, I, for one, love Stephen King's books. Especially his older works but more recently 22.11.63. Great and imaginative fun.

Every book he puts out, I read at least 50% the way through before deciding whether I want to continue or not. I do find few of his works rather good because they weren't Stephen King-esque. Apt Pupil, The Long Walk and Rage are about the only works I can stomach. Though I recently bought Rage. A used copy in perfect condition. It left an unsettling feeling of how realistic the novel was.

 

[LizKat]

I'm reaching that point of desperation where I will read almost anything, watch anything to prevent my finishing (or wrapping) holiday gifts. Today I scrabbled around in search of suitable distraction, anything past a cereal box really, and eventually found to my delight a book lent me by a sibling a couple years ago, David Ignatius' Bloodmoney. So now of course I cannot put it down since it's a good read so far. I foresee some long days early next week trying to get these gift-related missions back on track.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I am currently reading Sacred Planet on my Kindle. The author went to college with my daughter. I'm about 20% finished and so far it is pretty good.

https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Planet-Book-One-Dominion-ebook/dp/B01KKXBYO2/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

 

[ardchoille50]

I am currently reading Sacred Planet on my Kindle. The author went to college with my daughter. I'm about 20% finished and so far it is pretty good.

https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Planet-Book-One-Dominion-ebook/dp/B01KKXBYO2/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1


View attachment 677178

I highly enjoy space operas, and this one seems like a good read. Thank you for the information, I've added it to my Kindle wish list.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I highly enjoy space operas, and this one seems like a good read. Thank you for the information, I've added it to my Kindle wish list.

Thanks. The author is a good kid, I've met him several times.

 

[0388631]

Narration is rather humorous. Is it funny? I never understood space opera or most science fiction, but I know these types of novels are incredibly popular and move fast. The correct use of emdash is also brilliant. Kudos to the young man.

 

[pachyderm]

Agree: Subversive is very good.

Terry Pratchett (I recommend all of the 'witch' books - they are sidesplittingly brilliant) in "Witches Abroad" takes a look at some of the well known fairy tales - and subverts them very cleverly, too - in a way that is both funny and subversive.
...

i kinda want to read some TP stuff but i don't want to get stuck in a series.

also i liked good omens - pratchett/gaiman. i couldn't really tell who wrote what though. is there a way?
[doublepost=1481371032][/doublepost]

Well, I, for one, love Stephen King's books. Especially his older works but more recently 22.11.63. Great and imaginative fun.

i actually have that on my "to read" list. and one or two others he's recently published.

 

[0388631]

There's a read along on Spotify for Gaiman. I believe it's one 4 hour CD in English, and the other two are in German or Dutch. I bought the Long Earth series the other day.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

i kinda want to read some TP stuff but i don't want to get stuck in a series.

also i liked good omens - pratchett/gaiman. i couldn't really tell who wrote what though. is there a way?
[doublepost=1481371032][/doublepost]

i actually have that on my "to read" list. and one or two others he's recently published.

Well, all of the books describe one world (the Disc), though some focus on different parts of it, and some of the characters, who may have played a major role in one book, drift into another - set elsewhere, or maybe in the place where they themselves had played a role - as a cameo, or as a minor, background character.

Like the pair in 'Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead' - where the story of individuals who are peripheral to the main story are told in another tale, Terry Pratchett's world has several over-lapping, and occasionally, intersecting features.

Having said that, some of the specific characters form their own story arcs, and those are quite self contained.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just finished "The Falconer's Knot" by Mary Hoffman - very enjoyable bed time reading these past few nights.

 

[takao]

... JD Salinger's Catcher In The Rye is still relevant today because it speaks to young adults and adults alike. There's still life lessons to be taken from these novels. Coincidentally, there's an upcoming film about the author and his novel that follows a young high school student that felt so connected to the novel.
...

the problem with the catcher in the rye is that it needs to be read at very certain point in ones youth to be relevant. Or at least one needs to have had a very rebellious youth and feel nostalgic about it.
When i read it as a 15 year old in the late 90ties i found it pointless, boring and a "old people think up a story for teenagers" book. One of the worst books i every read.
Just like Herman Hesse: great for soul searching "what is the meaning of my life" teenagers. For the others pure torture and a waste of time.
Both are typical examples of "books loved by teachers"

Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Lord Of the Flies, Animal Farm,Clockwork Orange and Blade Runner all were more relevant to me. Because they don't involved spoiled teenagers which don't know what to do with their time but actually are about what makes a human a human



On TP Discworld: There isn't really a straight story line across all of the books. It's more like 5-6 different series (+ some stand alones with camoes from the different charcters) set in a single universe. The different series can all be quite different in character.
I have actually read most of them out of sequence.

-the rincewind/wizard books: usually the most outlandish set ups, fantasy inspired, usually the books with which everybody starts
-death: usually a side charcter in other books, but those which feature him as a mai ncharacter are simply fantastic ... together with the wizards my favorite
-the witches: usually folklore/fairy tale inspired ... to be honest: i found them to be more hit and miss since it depends on the knowledge of english folklore
- the city watch: crime including politics & society problems, many characters i liked more and more with each book
- Tiffany Aching: loosly connected to the witches(fairy tales folklore) but i found it more teenager focused, less laugh out loud inducing IMHO
- Moist von Lipwig: economy inspired (postal & monetaric system etc.) and great but i feel not the best to start the discworld, more for those who already know the universe.

 

[0388631]

catcher in the rye is that it needs to be read at very certain point in ones youth to be relevant. Or at least one needs to have had a very rebellious youth and feel nostalgic about it.
When i read it as a 15 year old in the late 90ties i found it pointless, boring and a "old people think up a story for teenagers" book. One of the worst books i every read.

Or some form of hybrid tabula rasa where an adult may not have experienced life as other adults know it. Perhaps a sheltered one. Those can appreciate the book.