Right, but of course that wouldn't make sense as the name of the operation. Nice memorial, though.
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Spoilers What Book Are You Reading?
- Thread starter Huntn
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Currently re-finish-/-listen/ing the Audiobook ver. of Twilight Eyes by Dean Koontz...
... narrated by Malcolm Hillgartner 🤷♂️
I first read this from paper in the early 90's, and it was an entirely fascinating read.
Third-go-around on the AB version, and--as was my response to William Dufris's narration of Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon--I am left somewhat wanting
Still, I listen . . . (the equipoise garnered in listening to such on my daily commute is well-worth the minute devaluation inherent in such a subjective experience).
... narrated by Malcolm Hillgartner 🤷♂️
I first read this from paper in the early 90's, and it was an entirely fascinating read.
Third-go-around on the AB version, and--as was my response to William Dufris's narration of Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon--I am left somewhat wanting
Still, I listen . . . (the equipoise garnered in listening to such on my daily commute is well-worth the minute devaluation inherent in such a subjective experience).
I've downloaded some of the public domain ones like Shakespeare. Minimal features.
anything else? i like the dictionary better than Kindle but overall i like Kindle better
Received notification that some books awaited me in the library, hence paid a fleeting visit to the city to collect them.
I am in the process of reading Sarah Maas Court of Thorns and Roses fantasy series. I was initially interested since the series was very well reviewed and widely read. I had not heard much about it. Then I read the 2nd volume in the series (A Court of Mist and Fury) was tied for the 10th most banned and challenged book in the United States in 2022. In 2023 a school district in Iowa, made international news when they banned the same novel from library shelves after running a list of books through ChatGPT and asking it if the books, "contain a description or depiction of a sex act.”
So now this was definitely a fantasy series that was on my MUST READ reading list
[Edit: I’ve finished the first 3 volumes and have come to the conclusion: This whole series is actually pretty bad, reads more like bad fan fiction. Feels like it was written by someone who read the Twilight books, and decided to redo them using fairy tales instead of vampires & werewolves, yuck]
It is based on an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. It is very well written with great world building and superior character development. The series, the 1st volume in particular, is as much a romance novel as as it’s a fantasy story. Actually the first volume could easily be considered a Gothic Romance. Definitely not my usual genre of choice (typically a genre I avoid) .
Yes there is sex in the novels. But it is adult romance-novel sex (heterosexual from the women’s perspective). Dozens and dozens of adult romance novels have the same but it is just Sarah Maas is just a much better author. (I remember a party drinking game where we took turns reading out passages from a pile of adult romance novels). Not a reasonable reason to ban these books in particular. Interestingly, it was the 2nd volume that received all negative attention. Both volumes (so far) have equivalent sexual content, except the 1st volume has it at the end while the 2nd volume has it at the beginning. I guess that implies book banners can’t read past the first couple of chapters.
So now this was definitely a fantasy series that was on my MUST READ reading list
[Edit: I’ve finished the first 3 volumes and have come to the conclusion: This whole series is actually pretty bad, reads more like bad fan fiction. Feels like it was written by someone who read the Twilight books, and decided to redo them using fairy tales instead of vampires & werewolves, yuck]
It is based on an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. It is very well written with great world building and superior character development. The series, the 1st volume in particular, is as much a romance novel as as it’s a fantasy story. Actually the first volume could easily be considered a Gothic Romance. Definitely not my usual genre of choice (typically a genre I avoid) .
Yes there is sex in the novels. But it is adult romance-novel sex (heterosexual from the women’s perspective). Dozens and dozens of adult romance novels have the same but it is just Sarah Maas is just a much better author. (I remember a party drinking game where we took turns reading out passages from a pile of adult romance novels). Not a reasonable reason to ban these books in particular. Interestingly, it was the 2nd volume that received all negative attention. Both volumes (so far) have equivalent sexual content, except the 1st volume has it at the end while the 2nd volume has it at the beginning. I guess that implies book banners can’t read past the first couple of chapters.
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moving to fiction, i just completed this.
rarely does a novel move me to tears, yet this one surely did.
what a writer is Martina Cole …
rarely does a novel move me to tears, yet this one surely did.
what a writer is Martina Cole …
From his earliest to his latest short stories. A nice long read.
Recently re-read a few books by Gerald Durrell, and realised that they have dated considerably and that I like them now a lot less than I did when I first read them (which, granted, was ages - decades and decades - ago).
The animal stuff is still captivating, but when writing about human beings, Durrell's attitudes - on class, gender and race - show their age, and are (to my mind) far from attractive.
The animal stuff is still captivating, but when writing about human beings, Durrell's attitudes - on class, gender and race - show their age, and are (to my mind) far from attractive.
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Been re-reading some of Philip Pullman's works, the Sally Lockhart series.
They are still excellent.
They are still excellent.
I really liked the His Dark Materials/Golden Compass books. I found the books much better than the film. The film has very good visuals but I thought it did a mediocre job of recreating the story
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These (the Sally Lockhart books) are different to His Dark Materials - which are brilliant - (the Sally Lockhart books are mostly set in late Victorian London) and were written a little earlier, - the late 1980s and early 1990s - but they are still very good.
Unfortunately, in my experience, almost all of the books in question are better (by far) than their respective film/movie adaptations.
In fact, whenever I hear (or read) that a book I have loved is about to be subjected to a film/movie adaptation, my heart sinks.
Have any of you lot read any of the Flavia De Luce novels by Alan Bradley?
I have really enjoyed those.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Wikipedia
No, but they look very interesting, and thank you for the recommendation.Have any of you lot read any of the Flavia De Luce novels by Alan Bradley?
I have really enjoyed those.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Actually, I think it time - indeed, perhaps, high time - to make the introduction of these fascinating (I love a good strong, intelligent, female protagonist) works.Have any of you lot read any of the Flavia De Luce novels by Alan Bradley?
I have really enjoyed those.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Wikipedia
I loved them!Have any of you lot read any of the Flavia De Luce novels by Alan Bradley?
I have really enjoyed those.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Wikipedia
I've recommended them to many a friend here and, sadly, almost everyone started them then complained that they couldn't really get into them because they took place in England and they didn't get any of the references or some of the "language". These same folks all read that Harry Potter tripe, sorry MHO, and lapped it up!
Oh well... at least they gave my books back in good condition.
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OK, this sounds really delightful! I must check and see if my local library carries this series.....
I started reading them, (the first one) and think that they are terrific; the language is brilliant, the setting wonderful, and I love how well a late middle-aged male author has managed to get right into the head and mindset of a very bright (well read, socially awkward) eleven year old girl.
Very impressed so far.