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Mad Poster
#851 Old 23rd Aug 2015 at 7:11 AM
Just finished The Wars of the Roses by Dan Jones, which was very well-written! It may be actual history, but it read more like the Kings Landing stories in A Song of Ice and Fire! So, naturally, the next book I'm moving on to is The Plantagenets, about the English royalty that kind of led the British islands into the beginnings of the Wars of the Roses.

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Mad Poster
#852 Old 26th Aug 2015 at 8:42 PM
I bought the Inheritance Cycle (Eragon) a while ago but never got to reading it, so I'm currently reading the first book, nearing the end of it.
Field Researcher
#853 Old 16th Sep 2015 at 3:40 AM
Quote: Originally posted by ellxn
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. I'm a little late to the TMI and TID series, but I'm trying.


I read that and thought it was pretty good. Of course, I didn't understand the appeal of Will, at all, and he made it very unenjoyable for me, but eh. Not gonna lie, don't remember the main chick's name. I remember Will, Gem, and I think Magnus Bane (the gay vampire wizard guy, can't remember exactly). It was silly, but I finished it so it wasn't too bad. Like all series, it was the only one I read, I didn't feel interested to see how it played out in the rest of the series, and the other set didn't interest me.

Just finished Cinder by Melanie Meyer. I'd rate it a 4/5. There were parts that irritated me on the most minor of levels (really, am I just this hard to please?), but overall it was enjoyable. Despite liking the first book, I most likely will not be continuing the series, as per my usual tradition (I don't often read past the first book in series for various reasons). I may if it comes to the library, but I'm not going to seek it out.

I'm currently reading The Android's Dream by Scalzi. So far I'm lukewarm to it (20 pages in), but I basically start that way with all books, so yeah. It's not a genre with a subject interest I read about often, and usually I don't care for comedy in books, but what little has been in there has been good and low-key so far, so that's good. In general, I'm a fuddy-duddy and I think that comedy is SUPER hard to pull off on the page.
Instructor
#854 Old 25th Sep 2015 at 10:32 PM
A whole lot of books. The Hounds of Baskervilles, The Map of Time and Duma Key. But I only read a few chapters and then nah. I don't know, none of them just really caught my attention. I decided to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid because I just randomly saw it in the library and it was easy to deal with, you know, to ease into reading again. Well, that was a disappointment.

But what I'm actually really reading, and I think I might actually be able to finish it, is The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull. I found it a used book store amd bought it without even reading the back, but it's actually really good.
Mad Poster
#855 Old 25th Sep 2015 at 10:50 PM Last edited by HarVee : 25th Sep 2015 at 11:18 PM.
Masnavi i Ma'navi: The Spiritual Couplets of Maulána Jalálu-'d-Dín Muhammad Rúmí—Its an English-translated compilation of the original Masnaví-i Ma'naví that pertains the poetics of Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, a 13th-century Persian poet and Islamic scholar. The last paragraph of my current forum signature is a verse from it.

Because the earth is standing still, and the truth becomes a lie
A choice profound is bittersweet, no one hears Cassandra Goth cry

Mad Poster
#856 Old 10th Oct 2015 at 8:13 AM
Anything by Mary Roach will be crass, disgusting, unsettling, or tactless, and always absolutely fascinating! From space travel to the digestive system, she has a surprisingly readable style, even on topics that would otherwise be the height of untouchable- great for learning about all sorts of unusual topics!

EDIT: Wow, that really sounds like a dust-jacket quote, doesn't it? I swear, I'm not being paid to say that!

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Mad Poster
#857 Old 12th Oct 2015 at 8:58 AM
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson is the first of a trilogy about a somewhat feudal society with an oppressive ruler that a small group of peasants plan to overthrow with the help of natural talents who have the ability to use metal to enhance certain abilities. The story is mostly told through the eyes of one such talented street thief who is recruited to join the rebellion.
Instructor
#858 Old 12th Oct 2015 at 8:06 PM
Just finished The Perks of Being a Wall Flower by Stephen Chbosky. I'm crying. I thought it was a light hearted teenage book, but it wasn't. I don't know why I thought that. I don't know what to do with myself.
Mad Poster
#859 Old 21st Oct 2015 at 5:02 PM
The "How to Draw Manga" and "Let's Draw Manga" series as part of my studies. In the former, my favorite book is Bishoujo Around the World. Hikaru Hayashi, a regular author for this series, beautifully rendered African and Oceanic girls in a way that breaks the stereotypical gross caricatures normally seen in Japanese cartoons, manga or anime.

Personal Quote: "I like my men like my sodas: tall boys." (Zevia has both 12 and 16 oz options)

(P.S. I'm about 5' (150cm) in height and easily scared)
Mad Poster
#860 Old 22nd Oct 2015 at 9:38 PM
I started Seveneves by Neil Stephenson - I love books about people in space.
Field Researcher
#861 Old 23rd Oct 2015 at 1:16 PM
Ready Player one
Test Subject
#862 Old 5th Nov 2015 at 5:17 AM
Default The Kite Runner
I just finished 'the kite runner'.
I highly reccomend reading it.
'Twas a tragic and yet beautiful tale of a guilt ridden adult who finally finds redemption by returning to his homeland.
Read it!
Mad Poster
#863 Old 6th Nov 2015 at 4:59 AM
"What If?", a collection of essays by respected historical scholars on how history might have played out differently had just one or two tiny things been different- for instance, if the wind had been blowing differently during the Spanish Armada's approach to England in 1588, and the English fireships hadn't worked... or what if Alexander the Great had died even younger than he did, before he'd become "Great?" It's a very interesting read, especially since I spent so much time in Model UN sitting on committees that played out just these kinds of scenarios.

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Forum Resident
#864 Old 9th Nov 2015 at 6:51 AM
Just finished Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Pretty good.

The first half is a really slow buildup and explanation of how the world functions in the 2040's. Took me a while to start catching onto all the 80's references, since I'm not an 80's baby... but ah well. That's to be expected. Sort of a predictable ending, but it was enjoyable enough. Took me a little longer to read than other books, though that's probably because of my grind to get through the first half of "okay well this is a visor... this is OASIS... blablablabla... Monty Python. Boom. Done."

Time to pick another book from my sci-fi wishlist and buy it to read this week. Any recommendations? Also, Zara, that "What If?" collection sounds like a very interesting read - I'll have to take a look at that.

"God created dinosaurs. God destroyed dinosaurs. God created Man. Man destroyed God. Man created dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs eat man...Woman inherits the earth."

- Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park


My Simblr | Hadi Family Tree
Mad Poster
#865 Old 9th Nov 2015 at 3:45 PM Last edited by RoseCity : 9th Nov 2015 at 7:28 PM.
I just finished Slade House by David Mitchell - a great supernatural story.

@ Zarathustra - Not sure, but I think you might like Seveneves.
Mad Poster
#866 Old 9th Nov 2015 at 3:58 PM
"Taken" in the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka. It's urban fantasy, somewhat similar in style to Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files".
Mad Poster
#867 Old 20th Nov 2015 at 4:13 AM
Apparently I'm finally "old enough" to appreciate Edward Abbey's "Desert Solitaire." I've tried reading it three times in the past, but never was able to get into it enough to make it through more than the first few chapters... This time though, I know enough of the desert southwest, enough of the types of people he tells stories from, and enough of the mindset of living in the middle of nowhere and wanting it to stay that way that it's really captivating me... It's also making me really happy about the prospect of getting to go back to work in another month or so (even though my work and Abbey's are very different types of park ranger jobs...). He really has done a great job conveying the feel of the high desert though... I can see why people are so enamored of this book.

Welcome to the Dark Side...
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Forum Resident
#868 Old 2nd Dec 2015 at 2:26 AM
Finished the Jurassic Park novel earlier today. And now I'm already devouring The Lost World. Pretty sure I'll be reading the rest of Crichton's books until I finish all of them... He's such a good writer, my gosh.

"God created dinosaurs. God destroyed dinosaurs. God created Man. Man destroyed God. Man created dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs eat man...Woman inherits the earth."

- Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park


My Simblr | Hadi Family Tree
Lab Assistant
#869 Old 12th Dec 2015 at 2:05 AM
The Hobbit. I just passed where Bilbo met Gollum (I love the fact that he has a little boat!). I'm...not big on the writing style. It's hard at times to tell who's speaking, the writing jumps around and it's easy to lose track of what Tolkien's talking about. Also, cheating the narration (Example: we're in Bilbo's POV, but then Tolkien tells us about Gollum's memories of living with his grandmother in the same scene--something Bilbo would not have known. He could have had Gollum mention her instead). It is good book so far, but it's been spoiled by my seeing the movies first and expecting them to resemble each other more closely.
Mad Poster
#870 Old 12th Dec 2015 at 2:47 AM
The Egyptian Book of the Dead. For like 82nd time.

Because the earth is standing still, and the truth becomes a lie
A choice profound is bittersweet, no one hears Cassandra Goth cry

Lab Assistant
#871 Old 12th Dec 2015 at 3:22 AM
Quote: Originally posted by HarVee
The Egyptian Book of the Dead. For like 82nd time.


Cool. And it looks like there are about 82 versions of it, too. Which one do you have?
Mad Poster
#872 Old 12th Dec 2015 at 4:19 AM
Quote: Originally posted by BringMeSugar
Cool. And it looks like there are about 82 versions of it, too. Which one do you have?

There really is only one "Book" of the Dead per say. Its just different people have transcribed it.

The versions in this ones collection consist of E. A. Wallis Budge's iteration, James Wasserman's iteration, and Muata Ashby's iteration. While Budge's iteration may be a more literal translation of these texts, it doesn't go into further detail about much really. And thus is this ones least favourite iteration thus far. Ashby's version seems to focus more on mystical aspects, and ignoring some of the more literal parts of Budge's iteration. Of these three Wasserman's iteration is the best balance between educational and spiritual.

Ah, but who needs just these when the landmarks containing these texts are all within a decent distance from ones own home?

Because the earth is standing still, and the truth becomes a lie
A choice profound is bittersweet, no one hears Cassandra Goth cry

Lab Assistant
#873 Old 13th Dec 2015 at 10:25 PM
I didn't know that certain authors touched on different aspects more than others. I know to check out updated versions, obviously, but your descriptions of each book were a big help, HarVee. Thanks.
Scholar
#874 Old 2nd Jan 2016 at 2:41 AM
I'm so bad when it comes to starting books and not finishing them lately. I was reading a book a year ago called Sticks & Stones that I never finished. Then I was reading Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning and I never finished that one and just gave up. I was reading Made You Up by Francesca Zappia back when I was in the hospital in September and had nothing else to do; got about halfway through it and have made no progress since. Just started But I Love Him by Amanda Grace and haven't gotten too far with it, and All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner and I like it so far but I probably won't finish that one too. We'll see, I guess. At least I read a lot of books for class this year.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
bleed-in-ink.tumblr.com
Scholar
#875 Old 2nd Jan 2016 at 8:00 PM
I actually went to the library last week and ended up with Silence of the Lambs (I forget the author's name)So far I've read the first five chapters and am really enjoying it. Its been on my to read list for a very long time.
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