[Garet Jax]

I read Macbeth (third time around, the first being in high school, which barely counts). Still awesome. I need to check out some other Shakespeare stuff, as I am woefully under-exposed to his work, outside of a handful of movie adaptations and a few plays...I know people say they're not really "supposed to be read" per se, but I still like to because it's challenging and the experience is totally different.

I think my next Shakespeare might be Hamlet. I've never even seen any true adaptation of it (film or otherwise), and apparently the Lion King is based on Hamlet, and the Lion King is boss as fuck.

Good idea, FB.  Macbeth was always my favorite.  King Lear and Timon of Athens were both up there as well.  I am partial to his tragedies...  I really enjoyed "reading" his works as an old book from my grandfather was handed down to me. 

[Royce]

@H

So far, I really only have 1 book read, being Light, by John M. Hamilton, which I didn't particularly care for.

I did not enjoy Light as much as the second one,(It is supposedly a trilogy, but all the books are stand alones) Nova Swing. It has a very "David Lynchish" feel to it, where it is almost impossible to grasp the intentions of the various characters. The plot here is more detective noir style with loads of mysterious shit going on. Highly recommended.

I would also try out his various "Viriconioum" novels(also supposedly a trilogy) which are more fantasy with sci fi elements.

His name is M John Harrison by the way

[H]

@H

So far, I really only have 1 book read, being Light, by John M. Hamilton, which I didn't particularly care for.

I did not enjoy Light as much as the second one,(It is supposedly a trilogy, but all the books are stand alones) Nova Swing. It has a very "David Lynchish" feel to it, where it is almost impossible to grasp the intentions of the various characters. The plot here is more detective noir style with loads of mysterious shit going on. Highly recommended.

I would also try out his various "Viriconioum" novels(also supposedly a trilogy) which are more fantasy with sci fi elements.

His name is M John Harrison by the way

That's what I get for going off memory, haha, I was close as it were though...

I might try another book in the series eventually, but as for right now, I am moving on to other things.

I finished The Mechanical, by Ian Tregillis.  It was good, but definitely not great or amazing.  Interesting ideas, but most of it doesn't really pan out to much, at least through this, which in it's defense is just the first book in a series (of I don't know how many books).  If I had to equate it to something else I've read, it would be Lies of Locke Lamora, so if you like Lynch's style, you'll probably like this too.

Now, I am reading The Prince, by Niccolò Machiavelli.  I don't think it's particularly long, so maybe I can get in another book for August.

[SilentRoamer]

Hey H - glad you have gotten involved, I will update the first page

Well I finished Cormac McCarthys The Road about a week ago. Found this a very difficult read, scary as hell and deeply profound. I know people often criticise McCarthys style, whilst I found it difficult in places (in particular the speech was difficult to determine a source for in places) overall I found it extremely effective.

I have read a few articles about how McCarthy supposedly bowed to commercial pressure and make the ending of "The Road" happy but personally I thought it was anything but. I fully expect the "family" at the end were nothing more than smart cannibals. Sure they could have been "carrying the fire" and be some sort of religious zealots but I found it more likely they were just cannibals with good survival skills.

So now I'm looking for something to read next - as usual ruminating normally takes me a little while (I swear if I spent less time deciding what to read and more actually reading my target would be a lot easier!)

[SilentRoamer]

Hey Guys,

So I went back through the thread and updated everyones totals based on all of the posts they have made on here. Admittedly there are some people who have posted to the "What are you reading now" thread so I will go through that today and include any updates on there.

Finished Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey - nice easy read. The characters were ok (sometimes the scope felt a little limited and it would have been nice to get a non Miller/Holden PoV. Such as Naomi, Amos or Alex). The world building was great though - I like that the book was set only somewhat into the future rather than far future. I would give this a solid 3.5/5.

Starting The Forever War by Joe Haldeman later today.

[Wilshire]

JS&MN, HoC, 2001, Divine Invasion, The Gods Themselves
That makes 5/10, sir.

[SilentRoamer]

Corrected for you.

A lot of reads are posted in the "What are you reading now" thread which I haven't gone through yet - will update this evening to make sure it is accurate to date.

[Garet Jax]

Well I finished Dune this morning. Two words: Absolutely EPIC.

I second that.  In hindsight, I am glad I stayed out of the Dune conversations around here.  Most everyone here had recommended that I read the book, so I started the book with inflated expectations that were not only met, but were exceeded.

Ending on a high note is a little bit of an understatement, Wilshire... I must now read the rest of the Dune books before jumping back to Corey or Starting Reynolds.

Camlost... you should "...pull that one off your shelf and open it up."

Thanks again for the recommendation everyone, Dune is definitely a top sci-fi book in my world now.

EDIT: I noticed that on the grand scoreboard SR wrote that I need to update my goal...  So, Lets add all 5 remaining original Herbert books to my list for a BHAG.

[mrganondorf]

Dune is so good!

SR, i really like the Forever War, it's almost got a kind of MacGuyver feel for the specifics of some of the human/alien confrontations

no spoilers but, Hadleman's idea of Earth's future is *fabulous*

finished The Martian--a really really macguyver book, fun in the Apollo 13 manner

[Wilshire]

Finished Midnight Tides. Half way through the main series now, and that makes 6/10 books this year.

[SilentRoamer]

So I went through the "What are you reading now" thread and I think all up to date here now. GJ I have updated your target as well.

Forever War is good so far although I am enjoying much less the return to Earth midsection, I'm not sure that the social changes make much sense - although when dealing with large scale consciousness we rarely do. Anyway making good progress through this.

[mrganondorf]

So I went through the "What are you reading now" thread and I think all up to date here now. GJ I have updated your target as well.

Forever War is good so far although I am enjoying much less the return to Earth midsection, I'm not sure that the social changes make much sense - although when dealing with large scale consciousness we rarely do. Anyway making good progress through this.

can i do recently read here?

- Lord of All Things: one of those scifi books that gets filed in the 'Lit' section. perhaps a bit slow, chronicle of a complicated relationship between a French woman and a Japanese/American man.  includes magic, nanobots, aliens, ancient mysteries, the Devil's Island, and an ending that would make an Inchoroi smile.  was a really good, tragic book
- The Bees: 1984 for bees, but that's how they like it.  some interesting chivalry stuff imported into the story BUT the author really tries really hard not to over-humanizing the bees.  lots of descriptions involve scent
- The Martian: MacGuyver on the Red Rock.  very fun
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: pov of an autistic boy trying to solve the mystery of a dog's death.  author seems to have done a ton of research for what it's like to see the world this way.
- The Dinner: fancy eating parallels increasing distressing acts of violence, can recommend
- Library at Mount Char: a really different kind of fantasy set in the present and really disconnected from other trends, i think.  the most powerful person in the world is missing and his proteges are dealing with it, falls a bit slack at the end, but was well worth it

[SilentRoamer]

Yeah maybe at the start of next year we can kill the What Are You Reading Thread and make my next years reading list the sticky? I will keep it up to date with everyone's reads. MG I will add yours onto the front page - do you have any targets for the rest of the year? TELL ME! WHAT DO YOU SEE!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has just been added to my list - looks really interesting. I saw Bees recently in Waterstones and was tempted to buy so I think I will add this as well.

[mrganondorf]

Yeah maybe at the start of next year we can kill the What Are You Reading Thread and make my next years reading list the sticky? I will keep it up to date with everyone's reads. MG I will add yours onto the front page - do you have any targets for the rest of the year? TELL ME! WHAT DO YOU SEE!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has just been added to my list - looks really interesting. I saw Bees recently in Waterstones and was tempted to buy so I think I will add this as well.

there's a part in the Curious Incident where the boy travels from his hometown to London by himself and it's really pretty epic since he has so much to overcome

[SilentRoamer]

Yeah maybe at the start of next year we can kill the What Are You Reading Thread and make my next years reading list the sticky? I will keep it up to date with everyone's reads. MG I will add yours onto the front page - do you have any targets for the rest of the year? TELL ME! WHAT DO YOU SEE!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has just been added to my list - looks really interesting. I saw Bees recently in Waterstones and was tempted to buy so I think I will add this as well.

there's a part in the Curious Incident where the boy travels from his hometown to London by himself and it's really pretty epic since he has so much to overcome

That actually sounds really awesome in a tragic kind of way.