Books, Books?, Books!, Books...What are YOU reading? aka the WoT, GoT, Orson Scott Card thread

**GrandConsequence** · 2018-04-05 22:28

I'm still reading my copy of the complete series of Bone by Jeff Smith. The damn book is long as hell but I enjoy every page on it.

**Burningthought** · 2018-04-05 23:15

Originally Posted by mallister

altered carbon is really fucking good; i just burned through all three of those.

i enjoyed the magicians but some people i recommended it to didn't care for it at all. the main character is such a twat for much of the story, it's hard to sympathize with him sometimes. i think the series is worth the read.

I finished the Remembrance of Earth's Past series: Three Body Problem, Dark Forest and Deaths End. I really enjoyed it even though the slower parts. I feel like the build up from Book 1 and 2 really paid off in Book 3. It's a really interesting take on Fermi's Paradox, if you're into hard sci-fi it's definitely worth reading but the pay off isn't like a typical blockbuster.

I'm leaning heavily on starting the Magicians Trilogy, but at the same time I want to do Altered Carbon and i'm having difficulty picking. I'm also deep into the Witcher books, I think i'm 2-3 books behind the latest release so I need to catch up on that but i've been watching on the PS4 Pro patch for Witcher 3 to come out so I can replay the game. I'd like to kind of do all that at once.

All that being said. I've already seen the Magicians season 1-3, i've already watched Altered Carbon on netflix and i've already played through Witcher 3. As much as i'd like to drop a small fortune on more of the same I really want something different at this point. I've tried picking up Artemis by Andy Weir, i've tried to start Foundation, and Hyperion but nothing is really sticking. It could also be the samples aren't long enough to hook me. I don't know. I know this sounds like a lot of back and forth but once I finally pick something and sit down i'll binge the entire god damn book series.

Edit:

I think another one of my problems is if I see that the book is only 300-400 pages I have a hard time paying $10-15 for the book when I know i'll finish it in a single sitting.

**Zetanio** · 2018-04-06 06:39

Originally Posted by Burningthought

I think another one of my problems is if I see that the book is only 300-400 pages I have a hard time paying $10-15 for the book when I know i'll finish it in a single sitting.

This is a source of annoyance for me as well. My yearly book budget is a bit ridiculous.

**Souj** · 2018-04-06 07:23

I had that problem too. Then I started going to used book stores which didn't really solve the problem because inventory doesn't always have what I want, newer books are still close or same to retail and then I also end up spending way more on books I typically wouldn't have even considered getting- which isn't bad in the end really. And unless I really like the book a lot I end up trading it back in because when I was moving last October I realized I had waaaaaaay too many fucking books. My fiance also got me a kindle for xmas and while it does save money on new releases and sometimes I can pick up older, random titles for .99-$3, I still have a stigma attached to digital books because I'm really a physical media kind of guy.
And I've just recently really hit a new habit that puts my book spending costs to shame in the form of graphic novels. Jesus Christ why did I start picking those up?

Burningthought;
If you're trying to find a sci-fi novel to get you in, it's been recommended in this thread before and I read it not too long ago is Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

**Brill Weave** · 2018-04-06 16:19

I ended up subscribing to the Amazon book service. Upside it's 9.99 a month. Downside, I've never seen so many unedited "books" in my life. Some of the writing is laughably bad.

**Zetanio** · 2018-04-06 16:31

Some of the shit is so unbelievably bad. I get gifted lots of books via Goodreads by authors and I usually make it about 10 pages in before my head explodes.

**BaneTheBrawler** · 2018-04-06 17:09

Amazon Unlimited? Yeah, it can be hit or miss. One I've enjoyed that come with that is the Ember War saga by Richard Fox. Sorta a Heinlein-esque military sci-fi.

**mallister** · 2018-04-06 21:56

Originally Posted by Burningthought

I finished the Remembrance of Earth's Past series: Three Body Problem, Dark Forest and Deaths End. I really enjoyed it even though the slower parts. I feel like the build up from Book 1 and 2 really paid off in Book 3. It's a really interesting take on Fermi's Paradox, if you're into hard sci-fi it's definitely worth reading but the pay off isn't like a typical blockbuster.

I'm leaning heavily on starting the Magicians Trilogy, but at the same time I want to do Altered Carbon and i'm having difficulty picking. I'm also deep into the Witcher books, I think i'm 2-3 books behind the latest release so I need to catch up on that but i've been watching on the PS4 Pro patch for Witcher 3 to come out so I can replay the game. I'd like to kind of do all that at once.

All that being said. I've already seen the Magicians season 1-3, i've already watched Altered Carbon on netflix and i've already played through Witcher 3. As much as i'd like to drop a small fortune on more of the same I really want something different at this point. I've tried picking up Artemis by Andy Weir, i've tried to start Foundation, and Hyperion but nothing is really sticking. It could also be the samples aren't long enough to hook me. I don't know. I know this sounds like a lot of back and forth but once I finally pick something and sit down i'll binge the entire god damn book series.

Edit:

I think another one of my problems is if I see that the book is only 300-400 pages I have a hard time paying $10-15 for the book when I know i'll finish it in a single sitting.

like i just posted in the new Magicians thread, it's really best if you look at the books and the series as different works based on the same source material. the books aren't as whimsical as the show can be sometimes, but i think they're stronger overall.

altered carbon series vs. show sticks more to the books, but they have some stuff/themes from the 3rd book inserted into the series. it doesn't make a huge difference either way, the story is basically the same just a few of the particulars/characters are different. they nailed kovachs pretty well, he's such a gigantic dick.

**Burningthought** · 2018-04-06 22:47

I added Children of Time and Sleeping Giants as samples, we'll see if either one sticks. If not i'll toss a coin on either Altered Carbon or Magicians.

@Mallister

I've already been sold on reading the novels for the Magicians solely because of how the book handles Julia finding out how her memories were wiped. The only real reason I keep going back and forth honestly is because if i'm going to pay $11.99 per book, i'd rather just buy the trilogy all at once and it's like $32. I've kind been hoping it'd go on sale or the Play Store might send me a coupon or something but right now it's still full priced.

I also started the Expanse TV series before I started reading the books and it's kind of the same as what your describing with Altered Carbon. They took the main plot of the first book and weaved in some plot lines from later books into the first season of the show. I'll probably be okay even if it hits a lot of the same major story beats.

**mallister** · 2018-04-13 00:08

Originally Posted by Souj

For Warhammer 40K people;

I went to a Barnes and Noble today and there was a new Eisenhorn book out called The Magos.
Half of it is short stories and the other is a story that follows the original Eisenhorn trilogy. Not sure where it fits in with the Raven and Belquin books, though.

I am almost done with The Magos. It's a must-read if you're into Eisenhorn. It is between the Ravenor trilogy and the new Bequin series.

**Wulfgang** · 2018-04-13 01:50

Originally Posted by Gustave

Bleh. I'm half way through the House of Chains and

Spoiler: show

The books are so good. I should have gotten someone else to start reading them with me for he discussion. Everyone in my group are usually 4-5 books behind me. I might try Reddit or join in some rereads.

Shit, I need to re-read the books; it's been ~7 years and I have a vague recollection of everything except of a handful of poignant scenes. Give me more Icarium the Slayer vs Karsa.

**Wulfgang** · 2018-04-13 01:52

Originally Posted by Burningthought

I added Children of Time and Sleeping Giants as samples, we'll see if either one sticks. If not i'll toss a coin on either Altered Carbon or Magicians.

@Mallister

I've already been sold on reading the novels for the Magicians solely because of how the book handles Julia finding out how her memories were wiped. The only real reason I keep going back and forth honestly is because if i'm going to pay $11.99 per book, i'd rather just buy the trilogy all at once and it's like $32. I've kind been hoping it'd go on sale or the Play Store might send me a coupon or something but right now it's still full priced.

I also started the Expanse TV series before I started reading the books and it's kind of the same as what your describing with Altered Carbon. They took the main plot of the first book and weaved in some plot lines from later books into the first season of the show. I'll probably be okay even if it hits a lot of the same major story beats.

Children of Time was one of the better sci fi books in recent memory for me. Really interesting take of the evolution of disparate species and a realistic portrayal of the likely confusion associated with first contact from two species with vastly different biological origins.

**Souj** · 2018-04-13 07:59

Originally Posted by Zetanio

Almost done with Revelation Space. Anyone else read it?

A little over 1/4 way in and I'm really liking it. 2nd book was $2 for kindle so I picked it up as well.

**Zetanio** · 2018-04-13 08:03

Originally Posted by Souj

A little over 1/4 way in and I'm really liking it. 2nd book was $2 for kindle so I picked it up as well.

I'm nearly done with the first. It's big story. I like it.

**Buffy** · 2018-04-13 17:08

I accidentally bought Calamity in German in iBooks after having already purchased it in English in iBooks. Why is this even possible?

**Souj** · 2018-04-21 22:42

Originally Posted by Zetanio

I'm nearly done with the first. It's big story. I like it.

I finished it and really liked it. I could have done with a little less info dumping though.

I'm skipping Chasm City for now since its a standalone and have Redemption Ark loaded and ready to go in my kindle. But for now I'll go with something else. I'm thinking either Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself or Anthony Ryan's The Waking Fire.

**Zetanio** · 2018-04-21 22:45

Abercrombie is a great read.

**bungiefan** · 2018-04-22 01:28

I just finished the Three Body Problem trilogy and liked it, though I wish the ending went a bit farther to say what happened rather than leaving it open.

COnsidering starting either the Destroyermen series or the Witcher series (haven't played any of the games yet).

**Souj** · 2018-04-25 18:54

Got two different emails from Barnes and noble today. First email on my notification showed: "Preorder new Game of...
And I'm like, new Game of thrones book finally got a date? Nope. Just another stupid prequel sort of thing about the Targarians. Fuck off, Martin. Stop writing stupid shit and come out with the next book already.

Second email was... Preorder the newest book in the Dresden...

And again, foolishly, I thought, hey! Butcher finally has a fate for the new Dresden book. Nope. It's a short story collection.

I'm used to Martin being a disappointment, but Jim Butcher used to put out a new book every year and then suddenly, nothing. I know he was working on that Aeronaut book, but still.