StarDestroyer.Net BBS

So weirdly the new Winter Storm names the Weather Channel just released led me to a book called "The Well at the World's End" by William Morris, which is free on Project Gutenberg. Supposedly Tolkien was deeply inspired by this book - even has a character named Gandolf. Published in 1896, so that ought to be interesting.

Well, I just finished Philip K. Dick's Deus Irae. I am curious as to what religion it sides with, or whether it is truly meant to work from multiple sides. As an atheist, I find Tibor's quest illy-thought-out at best, its result hilarious and predictable. It's almost as if it parodies how the RCC handles the shroud.

The Bourne Identity

My first impression was... man, is the guy's prose purple. Also slightly disocncerting the way that the narrative constantly changes the term used for the main character. So times using the names he's adopted, but often random reverting back to 'the patient' he discovered his real name now though so hopefully It'll settle down a bit.

Re-read and finished Neil Gaiman's "Fragile Things". "The Hydrogen Sonata"by Ian M Banks.
After that, piling into the Humble Indie Book bundle books

The Grim Squeaker wrote:Re-read and finished Neil Gaiman's "Fragile Things". "The Hydrogen Sonata"by Ian M Banks.
After that, piling into the Humble Indie Book bundle books

I just picked up the Humble eBook bundle myself, started with John Scalzi's Old Man's War and just could not put it down. I'm only halfway through but I recommend it. (warning: the nano/genetics usage could break suspension of disbelief, but I was just having too much fun with the story of an old man going off to war to fight all manner of alien lifeforms to notice.)

Ordered The Hydrogen Sonata (among others) but had it all shipped to parents by mistake, so I guess I'll get that around Thanksgiving or something.

Re-(+re-re-for most of them)-reading the Wheel of Time leading up to the final book's release this January.

Just finished Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey (aka Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck), a fun novel in the less-often-utilized setting of "mankind in space, but only our solar system settled." The Hydrogen Sonata is waiting for me to get a few days ahead of schedule on WoT.

The sequel to Leviathan Wakes, Caliban's War, is pretty good too.

I've been participating in a re-readalong of Cloud Atlas on the web, as well as a novella in "The Expanse" universe (same setting as Leviathan Wakes).

I can't stop re-reading the Posleen books by Ringo. What the fuck. Apparently I never finished the last Cally's War spin-off book, Honor of the Clan.

If I start reading the SS one, I'll ask for an intervention.

have i mentionedyet how much i'm enjoying dodger, by pterry? (oh and using pare ts loan of a minilaptop while kitty is supervising my surfing is taking some getting used to....

Picked up an old anthology of French SF, and it is interestingly different; about two dozen short stories and mini- novellas from the fifties through seventies, and if the essential reality of anglospheric science fiction is Space, the essential reality of French science fiction is Sex.

At least half the stories are about erotic self- realisation, and most of them have a heavily defeatist tone- in that the protagonists generally fail to do so, and usually get played for fools in the process, often betraying their selves and their species. A lot of this stuff is starting to make Barbarella look sane.

That and a whole bunch of other stuff I raided various second hand bookshops for, none of it individually massively important.

Just finished Dan Worths Progenitors trilogy. Way too much frantic combat in the third book, need to read something soothing.

The Voice of Reason: A V.I.P. Pass to Enlightenment by Chael Sonnen

This book is so awesome that it's official endorsed by Jesus Christ, who by the way wrote the forward to the book. It is comedy gold, but not only that, it'll make hipsters and liberals' heads explode. Just wait till you read the part on why Richard Nixon was awesome.

Phantasee wrote:I can't stop re-reading the Posleen books by Ringo. What the fuck. Apparently I never finished the last Cally's War spin-off book, Honor of the Clan.

If I start reading the SS one, I'll ask for an intervention.

Let's get down to reality: Ringo is fucking awesome and he writes some of the best fiction I've read in a long time.
It's not in the Posleen series, but wait'll you get to the one about a maple syrup tycoon who saves the world from evil aliens. Pure gold.

aerius wrote:Let's get down to reality: Ringo is fucking awesome and he writes some of the best fiction I've read in a long time.
It's not in the Posleen series, but wait'll you get to the one about a maple syrup tycoon who saves the world from evil aliens. Pure gold.

I wouldn't call them evil aliens. Just aliens that want to conquer and enslave us (at first. Later it's just extermination). My wife likes him far more than I would have expected.

I've recently read two books by Brandon Sanderson, 1st was The Way of Kings. Based on that I also picked up the 1st book in the Mistborn triology, The Final Empire.

I liked both books quite a lot. Very interesting setting, very detailed and in the Mistborn book you had some very competent and dangerous villains all the way to the end.

Man the selection for Cyber Monday Kindle books seems lousy. Any recommendations? I just came into possession of an Amazon gift card.

Just pre-ordered "Winner Lose All", a new SW Novella by Zahn featuring Lando. Debating whether or not to pre-order "Scoundrels" as well; that Kindle gift card is burning a hole in my pocket.

Standing in Another Man's Grave the newest Rebus novel by Ian Rankin. Only half way through, but the clocks really ticking down for the ol' drunkard. Beware ye' all who scorn the Complaints....

I'm gonna get it from Stark for this, but The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor which my mom got me.

Hunt for Red October. Not bad. Devoid of literary merit however.

Working my way through the most recent few Horus Heresy books. Fell severely behind on Horus while I was reading A Song of Ice and Fire.

The Penguin Classics compilation of two chronicles, Geoffroy de Villehardouin on the Fourth Crusade (the one that kind of, um, missed, and sacked Constantinople instead) and Jean de Joinville on the Seventh (a more or less complete shambles); Villehardouin is a much more engaging narrator, even if the subject matter is quite depressing, a catalogue of misadventure, massacre, betrayal and cockup, he lays out what, why and how as a man who knows how people are. Joinville is, well, to go with the 40K reference, if you thought they were exaggerating, you're wrong. The man's a latter day Pharisee; reason completely swallowed up by faith, unable to refer to any event without God's hand in it- could not describe a field of grass without a biblical tag. Villehardouin added to my comprehension- Joinville has yet to do so.

I just finished Grieg Beck's third novel in the Alex Hunter series, This Green Hell. Nice mix of supersoldier-meets-monsters brain candy in each novel. The first, Beneath the Dark Ice, is still my favorite though.

Moving on to other Lovecraftian works by Lumley and H.P. himself.

A Stephen King double-whammy for me right now. 11/22/63 and (FINALLY) The Shining.

Just finished Alexander Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Not sure what's up next. I've been feeling academic lately, so I was discussing with a friend reading Dante's Divine Comedy alongside Milton's Paradise Lost to compare and contrast views of evil, hell, etc. from a 17th century English Protestant and a 14th century Italian.

Alternatively, I may try out some Lovecraft. Only ever read a few of his old short stories, but I'd like to read more.

I just started The Time Machine since it was available on Play Books for free. I haven't gone too far into it yet but it seems interesting so far.