Reed Rothchild | 9,533 Editorials Team · Posted December 8, 2022 Author Share Posted December 8, 2022 I also count Animal Farm amongst my favorite books. Probably the only non-children's book I've read three times. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,533 Editorials Team · Posted December 15, 2022 Author Share Posted December 15, 2022 Hooray for audiobooks If It Bleeds - Four King novellas. The first two are okay. The last two are pretty good, one of which is basically a sequel to the Holly Gibney story, The Outsider. Which I wish I had realized up front because I hadn't read The Outsider or End of Watch yet, and it spoiled quite a bit of both of them. Oops. Midnight Tides (Malazan Book 5) - Hella confusing. I spent the first half in a daze. It stuck the landing at the end though. I'm taking a bit of a break before doing book six, since these things are tomes. The Silmarillion - Hated it. I knew what it was going in. I knew the reputation. And I'm a big fan of lots of the extended Middle Earth universe stuff. But man was this a drag. Billy Summers - It was good. Not at all what I expected, and maybe not living up to it's potential. And I'm not sure if I completely bought in on the female lead. But I enjoyed it. Firefight (Reckoners 2) - Super enjoyable. Sanderson loves his twists. Not at the level of Mistborn (and I haven't read Stormlight yet), but still a trilogy I'm eager to finish. Dreamcatcher - Probably one of King's worst novels, which was the reputation I was aware of going in. Probably why I put it off for some long. But I really feel like he struggled to make this one coherent. There was basic plot explanations that I didn't even get until the end of the book. Not because they were a mystery, but because shit was so confusing. The Dark Tower VII - Pretty good. Middle of the pack for the series. I really though that books 2-4 were the highlights, with 6 being the lowlight. But I think it wrapped up in a satisfyingly enough manner at the very end. And I really liked some of the choices he made, especially with the Ka-Tet. Really did not care for some of the other things though. Like I thought Mordred and Randall Flagg's arcs ended in a pretty underwhelming manner. And the Crimson King... I mean, Jesus Christ. Oh well. American Gods - Not what I expected, which is fine. Not everything has to be a big fast-paced epic. This is more of a slow burn, character study. Lots of stuff to like. Lots of slow parts to have patience with. Blaze - King does Of Mice & Men. I had low expectations, but actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Very different from most of his other stuff. End of Watch - The conclusion to the Bill Hodges trilogy. I thought it was the weakest entry, and wished he hadn't revisited certain things that were best left concluded, but it was still pretty enjoyable. Heart-Shaped Box - King's Son, Joe Hill. I think the book started very strong, and remained pretty good for the remainder of the book. Probably because it starts out so creepy in the beginning, but that shifts the tone in a pretty marked way. I wish it had stayed creepy. The Girl Next Door - Made famous by the movie adaptation, which is often considered one of the most disturbing movies of all time. And this is definitely one of the most disturbing, feel-bad books you can ever read. Made even worse knowing that it's all based on a very true story. Take that as you will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avatar! | 1,812 Posted December 16, 2022 Share Posted December 16, 2022 It's funny we were discussing Animal Farm, because my limited edition letterpress printed Farm arrived today! If you don't know what "letterpress" means please see this (there are similar videos, this one is older but I think wonderful)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv69kB_e9KY Suntup Press is a USA-based publisher of limited editions that span the range of primarily contemporary classics. Their editions are either high-quality offset printing (most books are printed "offset") or high-quality letterpress. Letterpress is always more expensive, but always more beautiful. They always use original specially commissioned illustrations, and their books are always signed by the artist. If the author is alive, they also have the author sign. While their books are not cheap, for the quality you get, they are very affordable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaMan52 | 2,445 Posted December 25, 2022 Share Posted December 25, 2022 Well, it's that night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Pac | 7,550 Graphics Team · Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 I finished Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut yesterday. I don't mind bleak stories, but this was a bit too nihilistic for me. At least I can say I've read a Vonnegut novel now, and I know where the band Ice Nine Kills got it's name from haha. (If you're a fan of this one, I might suggest the literary adaptation of Dr. Strangelove by Peter George. I got the same vibes from both.) -CasualCart 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PII | 1,886 Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 31 minutes ago, CasualCart said: I finished Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut yesterday. I don't mind bleak stories, but this was a bit too nihilistic for me. I can relate. This is the only Vonnegut novel I've read so far, (although I recently acquired a copy of Slaughterhouse 5) It's been a few years now since I read it and I remember it having some fascinating moments but yeah, otherwise bleak and nihilistic pretty much sums it up. It's the sort of thing I'd recommend, but not so much for enjoyment.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,533 Editorials Team · Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 Yeah, don't read Vonnegut for anything uplifting. The blurb for Deadeye Dick in particular cracks me up with how bleak it is The novel's main character, Rudy Waltz, or "Deadeye Dick", commits accidental manslaughter as a child when he shoots a gun out of a window and fatally strikes a pregnant woman. Rudy was so traumatized and guilt-ridden by the incident that he lives life as an asexual "neuter," neither homosexual nor heterosexual. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avatar! | 1,812 Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 6 hours ago, CasualCart said: I finished Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut yesterday. I don't mind bleak stories, but this was a bit too nihilistic for me. At least I can say I've read a Vonnegut novel now, and I know where the band Ice Nine Kills got it's name from haha. (If you're a fan of this one, I might suggest the literary adaptation of Dr. Strangelove by Peter George. I got the same vibes from both.) -CasualCart In my opinion, Vonnegut's masterpiece is Slaughterhouse-Five. I highly recommend it, even if Vonnegut is not your cup of tea, Slaughterhouse-Five is a "must read" and ranks among the greatest anti-war novels of all time. It's also part autobiographic and part science fiction with a big dose of loopiness 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avatar! | 1,812 Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 Just got this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RH | 4,904 Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 I'm listening on Archive.org two the three Myst books, Myst - The Book of Atrus, Myst - The Book of Ti-Ana and Myst - The Book of D'ni. I think the books are abridged and are short, but they are a bit better than expected. Even for the Myst fan I am. I've stuck to collecting just system variants of the game, but this may make me breach collectibles and I may need to pick up the hard cover copies of these books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabonga | 2,318 Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I got the latest Pendergast novel "The Cabinet of Dr. Leng" by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child in the mail yesterday - I am about 7/8 through it and it is up to their usual high standards - it follows up the cliffhanger of the previous novel in the series and it is obviously going to carry over to the next book - there is simply not enough space left to resolve any of the various plots woven into the narrative. (For those in the know there was a clever reference to "The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra" in the book.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Pac | 7,550 Graphics Team · Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 Today I finished The Talisman (1825) by Walter Scott. It's a historical fiction novel about King Richard and the Crusades. It's not as great as Ivanhoe (also by Walter Scott), but I still really enjoyed it. If you're a fan of medieval period-pieces and can withstand a smattering of old-English, I'd definitely recommend it. The big twist on character identities was the best part, even though it happened one too many times by the end of the story. -CasualCart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloves | 11,782 Administrator · Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 2 minutes ago, CasualCart said: Today I finished The Talisman (1825) by Walter Scott. It's a historical fiction novel about King Richard and the Crusades. It's not as great as Ivanhoe (also by Walter Scott), but I still really enjoyed it. If you're a fan of medieval period-pieces and can withstand a smattering of old-English, I'd definitely recommend it. The big twist on character identities was the best part, even though it happened one too many times by the end of the story. -CasualCart Ivanhooooooooe! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorEncore | 3,691 Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 Been working on this collection for a while. Love the art and the story. Really looking forward to watching the Netflix show. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guillavoie | 1,210 Events Team · Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 On 1/28/2023 at 7:54 PM, Gloves said: Ivanhooooooooe! Man, you're bringing me back some childhood memories here, that show used to play on Teletoon when I was young (watched it dubbed in French then). I never thought about looking for it on youtube, but now I might just for the nostalgia kick. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aguy | 773 Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 I just finished The Handmaid's Tale ny Margaret Atwood last night, not sure what's next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,533 Editorials Team · Posted January 30, 2023 Author Share Posted January 30, 2023 3 hours ago, Aguy said: I just finished The Handmaid's Tale ny Margaret Atwood last night, not sure what's next. I'm actually 30 pages away from the end myself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickman | 3,987 Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 18 hours ago, DoctorEncore said: Been working on this collection for a while. Love the art and the story. Really looking forward to watching the Netflix show. They’ve done a great job with the show. Absolutely loved it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,533 Editorials Team · Posted February 12, 2023 Author Share Posted February 12, 2023 Haunting of Hill House - Very slow, very short, and not exactly action-packed. But I enjoyed it. And the bleak ending which can be interpreted in several ways was very fitting. The Damnation Game - Very gruesome, and feel-bad. Just how I like it! Handmaid's Tale - Even more feel-bad! If that's even possible. I'm noticing a trend here. I really liked this, and I'm excited for the other couple Atwood books in my collection. Ghost in the Wires - Did not care for this. Very repetitive, very self-indulgent and self-aggrandizing (and arrogant). If everyone in your life is a rat bastard who betrays you, and you're a paragon of misunderstood good intentions whose repeatedly not treated fairly, I'm thinking you're pretty detached from reality. Hard to believe most of the shit this guy says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,533 Editorials Team · Posted February 12, 2023 Author Share Posted February 12, 2023 Oh, and one more audiobook: All the Pretty Horses - If Blood Meridian was Cormac McCarthy's NC-17 rated version of "a boy goes to Mexico and terrible shit happens" then ATPH is the R-rated version of "a boy goes to Mexico and terrible shit happens." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabonga | 2,318 Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 This is pretty good - I am only a few pages into it but the author has the whole fifties/early sixties horror movie vibe nailed down really well: https://www.amazon.com/Beast-Rose-Valley-Creature-Lorestalker/dp/1622530713/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YBF8KM0BTBRF&keywords=beast+of+rose+valley&qid=1677983563&sprefix=beast+of+rose+valle%2Caps%2C542&sr=8-1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avatar! | 1,812 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 Just added this signed-edition to my collection More pics in the "What's New in Your Collection Thread" -- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabonga | 2,318 Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 I am currently midway through Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series (which consists of 7 books and a spin off series of one book (so far))- it is about a homicide detective who winds up in a hidden off the grid small town in the Yukon of about 200 people who are hiding from society - everyone has secrets and some are fatal for those around them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PII | 1,886 Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 16 minutes ago, Tabonga said: I am currently midway through Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series (which consists of 7 books and a spin off series of one book (so far))- it is about a homicide detective who winds up in a hidden off the grid small town in the Yukon of about 200 people who are hiding from society - everyone has secrets and some are fatal for those around them. Sounds like an intriguing concept... a good character study... hard not to wonder at the possibilities... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabonga | 2,318 Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 1 hour ago, PII said: Sounds like an intriguing concept... a good character study... hard not to wonder at the possibilities... I have been enjoying them so far - as long as you look past obvious doubts that can't help but pop up you are fine - kinda like throwing aside certain things when you read walking dead stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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