What are you reading right now?
Moderator: Edi
- Darth Nostril
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Re: What are you reading right now?
It does get rather trying, Warlord is a good place to stop Thuvia & Chessmen just drag out the agony, the former IIRC doesn't really involve John Carter it's mostly some never heard of before character's undying love for some other Martian beauty of heart stopping loveliness who must absolutely be saved from a fate worse than death. The latter drags up yet another evil foe for Carter to demolish to save his beloved red planet from yet another fate worse than death.
Burroughs succumbed to the law of diminishing returns with later books sucking sweaty donkey cocks.
Burroughs succumbed to the law of diminishing returns with later books sucking sweaty donkey cocks.
So I stare wistfully at the Lightning for a couple of minutes. Two missiles, sharply raked razor-thin wings, a huge, pregnant belly full of fuel, and the two screamingly powerful engines that once rammed it from a cold start to a thousand miles per hour in under a minute. Life would be so much easier if our adverseries could be dealt with by supersonic death on wings - but alas, Human resources aren't so easily defeated.
Imperial Battleship, halt the flow of time!
My weird shit NSFW
Imperial Battleship, halt the flow of time!
My weird shit NSFW
- Dalton
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Re: What are you reading right now?
I've kind of noticed that pattern. Thuvia was a slave rescued from the Therns in Gods of Mars; I think it's Carter's son Carthoris who has to go save her from peril. I wonder if they encounter the Blue Men of Mars who communicate not with words but elaborate instruments.Darth Nostril wrote:It does get rather trying, Warlord is a good place to stop Thuvia & Chessmen just drag out the agony, the former IIRC doesn't really involve John Carter it's mostly some never heard of before character's undying love for some other Martian beauty of heart stopping loveliness who must absolutely be saved from a fate worse than death. The latter drags up yet another evil foe for Carter to demolish to save his beloved red planet from yet another fate worse than death.
Burroughs succumbed to the law of diminishing returns with later books sucking sweaty donkey cocks.
To Absent Friends
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"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
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Re: What are you reading right now?
I read all the Barsoom books several times over when I was a kid. Thuvia, Maid of Mars is one of the most boring books of the series, but I rather liked Chessmen of Mars. After that, you can basically skip almost all of them, the only one I remember as being somewhat better was Llana of Gathol.
Warwolf Urban Combat Specialist
Why is it so goddamned hard to get little assholes like you to admit it when you fuck up? Is it pride? What gives you the right to have any pride?
–Darth Wong to vivftp
GOP message? Why don't they just come out of the closet: FASCISTS R' US –Patrick Degan
The GOP has a problem with anyone coming out of the closet. –18-till-I-die
Why is it so goddamned hard to get little assholes like you to admit it when you fuck up? Is it pride? What gives you the right to have any pride?
–Darth Wong to vivftp
GOP message? Why don't they just come out of the closet: FASCISTS R' US –Patrick Degan
The GOP has a problem with anyone coming out of the closet. –18-till-I-die
- The Grim Squeaker
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Re: What are you reading right now?
And for tonights reading trick - all 60 issues of Waren Ellis's "Transmetropolitan".
Good series! I enjoyed it. (I hadn't read it in the past due to thinking it was confused stuff by Grant Morrison).
Recomended!
Next up (apart from academic reading and study) - "Priests of Mars" by Graham McNeill, WH40K and the first book of the Macharian crusade - "Angel of fire". And some Python, and machine learning texts as soon as I find some.
Good series! I enjoyed it. (I hadn't read it in the past due to thinking it was confused stuff by Grant Morrison).
Recomended!
Next up (apart from academic reading and study) - "Priests of Mars" by Graham McNeill, WH40K and the first book of the Macharian crusade - "Angel of fire". And some Python, and machine learning texts as soon as I find some.
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Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
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Re: What are you reading right now?
In every book so far John Carter effortlessly finds a few dudes with shaky faith, get them to abandon their religion and thus through them raises an army of <color> men to take down the Jeddak/Goddess/Holy Thern/Whatever. I mean c'mon, Tars Tarkas, Kantos Kan, Dator Xodar et cetera?Edi wrote:I read all the Barsoom books several times over when I was a kid. Thuvia, Maid of Mars is one of the most boring books of the series, but I rather liked Chessmen of Mars. After that, you can basically skip almost all of them, the only one I remember as being somewhat better was Llana of Gathol.
To Absent Friends
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
Re: What are you reading right now?
In the first three books, yes, and the same pattern repeats in Thuvia. John Carter doesn't appear as a primary character in Chessmen and the same is true of Llana of Gathol. There were also the one or two books where the main character is a different earthman, Ulysses Paxton, which I also liked better than some of the others with John Carter.Dalton wrote:In every book so far John Carter effortlessly finds a few dudes with shaky faith, get them to abandon their religion and thus through them raises an army of <color> men to take down the Jeddak/Goddess/Holy Thern/Whatever. I mean c'mon, Tars Tarkas, Kantos Kan, Dator Xodar et cetera?Edi wrote:I read all the Barsoom books several times over when I was a kid. Thuvia, Maid of Mars is one of the most boring books of the series, but I rather liked Chessmen of Mars. After that, you can basically skip almost all of them, the only one I remember as being somewhat better was Llana of Gathol.
When you read any Burroughs books in general, you can see that same pattern repeating. Whether the Barsoom series, the Tarzan series or the Pellucidar series, they are very formulaic, though the Tarzan series is the greatest offender in this respect.
Note also that when I say I read them as a kid, I mean that. It was between 3rd and 7th grades, which was 23 to 28 years ago and some of my memories are no doubt colored by that fact.
Warwolf Urban Combat Specialist
Why is it so goddamned hard to get little assholes like you to admit it when you fuck up? Is it pride? What gives you the right to have any pride?
–Darth Wong to vivftp
GOP message? Why don't they just come out of the closet: FASCISTS R' US –Patrick Degan
The GOP has a problem with anyone coming out of the closet. –18-till-I-die
Why is it so goddamned hard to get little assholes like you to admit it when you fuck up? Is it pride? What gives you the right to have any pride?
–Darth Wong to vivftp
GOP message? Why don't they just come out of the closet: FASCISTS R' US –Patrick Degan
The GOP has a problem with anyone coming out of the closet. –18-till-I-die
- Dalton
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Weren't these originally serials?
To Absent Friends
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
- Darth Nostril
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Think you'll find that's true of a lot of older scifi, the only way to get published back then was via short story or serialisation in Astounding Tales etc.
So I stare wistfully at the Lightning for a couple of minutes. Two missiles, sharply raked razor-thin wings, a huge, pregnant belly full of fuel, and the two screamingly powerful engines that once rammed it from a cold start to a thousand miles per hour in under a minute. Life would be so much easier if our adverseries could be dealt with by supersonic death on wings - but alas, Human resources aren't so easily defeated.
Imperial Battleship, halt the flow of time!
My weird shit NSFW
Imperial Battleship, halt the flow of time!
My weird shit NSFW
- CaptHawkeye
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Chalk up another guy who finished Tooze's "Wages of Destruction". Now if only I could find a similar quality book on the economics of the Soviet Union.
Best care anywhere.
Re: What are you reading right now?
Just finished The Apocalypse Codex, the latest Laundry Files novel by Charles Stross. Bob Howard continues to live in Interesting Times, thanks to the efforts of an evangelical preacher with a terminal case of mistaken identity as to what he's trying to hasten the second coming of, and all signs point to even more interestingness in the imminent future. (Imminent for Bob, doubt we'll see another book at least 2014, sequel to Saturn's Children is next year's business, though there is the collab with Cory Doctorow coming up pretty soon)
Re: What are you reading right now?
About halfway through The Last Run , which is the third and final prose novel in the Queen and Country series. Tara Chace is currently treating her own bullet wound and collapsed lung on the roadside, having already administered a chest tube on the floor of a pharmacy she crashed a stolen car into, while fighting asphyxiation.
You wish your favorite character was this badass.
You wish your favorite character was this badass.
"I fight with love, and I laugh with rage, you gotta live light enough to see the humour and long enough to see some change" - Ani DiFranco, Pick Yer Nose
"Life 's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this: it's living." - Spike, Once More with Feeling
"Life 's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this: it's living." - Spike, Once More with Feeling
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Currently re-reading Discworld City Watch books for the umpteemth time.
But new books i've read recently include... Master & Commander. The first Patrick O'Brien book. Much denser and harder to read than Forrester's Hornblower and not as good. Not helped by reading wiki and knowing that Aubrey's exploits exactly match the real life Cochrane's.
The other book is Changes of the Dresden Files. The first half of this book was very interesting in the way it pushes Harry's buttons and destroyes his life, driving hi mto the edge. The second half though was severely lacking in actuall pay off for me. A lot of tactics/action seemed borrowed from previous books and then end... meh. I spoiled myself on it and it didn't really affect me. Compare to Dance With Dragons where another event that I'd been spoiler on still felt like a punch to the gut when it actually happened.
Spoiler
But new books i've read recently include... Master & Commander. The first Patrick O'Brien book. Much denser and harder to read than Forrester's Hornblower and not as good. Not helped by reading wiki and knowing that Aubrey's exploits exactly match the real life Cochrane's.
The other book is Changes of the Dresden Files. The first half of this book was very interesting in the way it pushes Harry's buttons and destroyes his life, driving hi mto the edge. The second half though was severely lacking in actuall pay off for me. A lot of tactics/action seemed borrowed from previous books and then end... meh. I spoiled myself on it and it didn't really affect me. Compare to Dance With Dragons where another event that I'd been spoiler on still felt like a punch to the gut when it actually happened.
Spoiler
- Dalton
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Just picked up Anansi Boys during the NOOK sale last weekend. So far it's piqued my interest but I suspect like most Gaiman books it'll take a bit to really ramp up.
To Absent Friends
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
Re: What are you reading right now?
Have you read American Gods? It's not required, as it's not a strict sequel, but they're in the same universe.Dalton wrote:Just picked up Anansi Boys during the NOOK sale last weekend. So far it's piqued my interest but I suspect like most Gaiman books it'll take a bit to really ramp up.
"I fight with love, and I laugh with rage, you gotta live light enough to see the humour and long enough to see some change" - Ani DiFranco, Pick Yer Nose
"Life 's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this: it's living." - Spike, Once More with Feeling
"Life 's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this: it's living." - Spike, Once More with Feeling
- Dalton
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Fuck yes.InnerBrat wrote:Have you read American Gods? It's not required, as it's not a strict sequel, but they're in the same universe.Dalton wrote:Just picked up Anansi Boys during the NOOK sale last weekend. So far it's piqued my interest but I suspect like most Gaiman books it'll take a bit to really ramp up.
To Absent Friends
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
Re: What are you reading right now?
Then you'll love Anansi BoysDalton wrote:Fuck yes.InnerBrat wrote:Have you read American Gods? It's not required, as it's not a strict sequel, but they're in the same universe.Dalton wrote:Just picked up Anansi Boys during the NOOK sale last weekend. So far it's piqued my interest but I suspect like most Gaiman books it'll take a bit to really ramp up.
"I fight with love, and I laugh with rage, you gotta live light enough to see the humour and long enough to see some change" - Ani DiFranco, Pick Yer Nose
"Life 's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this: it's living." - Spike, Once More with Feeling
"Life 's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this: it's living." - Spike, Once More with Feeling
Re: What are you reading right now?
Currently in the middle of David Anthony Durham's Acacia, which despite the somewhat intriguing premise is decidedly uninspiring in many ways. Somehow it just falls flat on its face in too many ways. I'm halfway through and not inclined to pick up the sequels.
Next on the list is the omnibus edition of Glen Cook's Darkwar. After which I'm probably going to reread the entire Black Company series, since I never got to read the last one. My copy was a misprint that had some 100 pages twice in succession, with the pages that should have been there missing, which was enough to introduce a nearly killing rage.
Next on the list is the omnibus edition of Glen Cook's Darkwar. After which I'm probably going to reread the entire Black Company series, since I never got to read the last one. My copy was a misprint that had some 100 pages twice in succession, with the pages that should have been there missing, which was enough to introduce a nearly killing rage.
Warwolf Urban Combat Specialist
Why is it so goddamned hard to get little assholes like you to admit it when you fuck up? Is it pride? What gives you the right to have any pride?
–Darth Wong to vivftp
GOP message? Why don't they just come out of the closet: FASCISTS R' US –Patrick Degan
The GOP has a problem with anyone coming out of the closet. –18-till-I-die
Why is it so goddamned hard to get little assholes like you to admit it when you fuck up? Is it pride? What gives you the right to have any pride?
–Darth Wong to vivftp
GOP message? Why don't they just come out of the closet: FASCISTS R' US –Patrick Degan
The GOP has a problem with anyone coming out of the closet. –18-till-I-die
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Was reading Foundation, but put that down for now and I'm reading Star Wars: Shadow of the Empire. It's a little hard to be concerned about the story, as I have no non-movie characters I really care about, and I know what's going to happen to the movie characters in Return of the Jedi.
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Can anyone recommend some free Sci-Fi eBooks, e.g. must-read classics? Like from the Baen library or otherwise. Classic Sci-fi has a unique feel all its own.
(Yes, I'm still reading Anansi Boys but I'm a cheap-ass Kindle jockey looking for freebies)
(Yes, I'm still reading Anansi Boys but I'm a cheap-ass Kindle jockey looking for freebies)
To Absent Friends
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Lots on Project Gutenburg, let me look up the link to the free Lensman set....
So I stare wistfully at the Lightning for a couple of minutes. Two missiles, sharply raked razor-thin wings, a huge, pregnant belly full of fuel, and the two screamingly powerful engines that once rammed it from a cold start to a thousand miles per hour in under a minute. Life would be so much easier if our adverseries could be dealt with by supersonic death on wings - but alas, Human resources aren't so easily defeated.
Imperial Battleship, halt the flow of time!
My weird shit NSFW
Imperial Battleship, halt the flow of time!
My weird shit NSFW
- Ahriman238
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Re: What are you reading right now?
How to Read Literature like a Professor.
I'm surprised how much I'm enjoying this book as it takes a very thorough, straight-forward yet fun way of explaining how to look for hidden themes or allusions. With many examples and relating always to earlier in the book.
@Dalton: Mutineer's Moon and sequels are still on the Baen free Library. So's the entire Posleen War series, but it takes a special sort of mindset to really enjoy those.
I'm surprised how much I'm enjoying this book as it takes a very thorough, straight-forward yet fun way of explaining how to look for hidden themes or allusions. With many examples and relating always to earlier in the book.
@Dalton: Mutineer's Moon and sequels are still on the Baen free Library. So's the entire Posleen War series, but it takes a special sort of mindset to really enjoy those.
"Any plan which requires the direct intervention of any deity to work can be assumed to be a very poor one."- Newbiespud
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Thanks - I'll raid the library later
Edit: I see only the first two Posleen books and the first Dahak book as free...?
Edit: I see only the first two Posleen books and the first Dahak book as free...?
To Absent Friends
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
Re: What are you reading right now?
Rob, have you tried NYPL's website? They have a collection of epubs available through a digitization process with Google and a lending system.
Though I'm buggered if I know how the lending e-book system works. Let me know if you try it!
Though I'm buggered if I know how the lending e-book system works. Let me know if you try it!
"I fight with love, and I laugh with rage, you gotta live light enough to see the humour and long enough to see some change" - Ani DiFranco, Pick Yer Nose
"Life 's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this: it's living." - Spike, Once More with Feeling
"Life 's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this: it's living." - Spike, Once More with Feeling
- Darth Nostril
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Dalton try here for the Dahak series (it's all three books in a single volume - and yes it's legit)
So I stare wistfully at the Lightning for a couple of minutes. Two missiles, sharply raked razor-thin wings, a huge, pregnant belly full of fuel, and the two screamingly powerful engines that once rammed it from a cold start to a thousand miles per hour in under a minute. Life would be so much easier if our adverseries could be dealt with by supersonic death on wings - but alas, Human resources aren't so easily defeated.
Imperial Battleship, halt the flow of time!
My weird shit NSFW
Imperial Battleship, halt the flow of time!
My weird shit NSFW
- Dalton
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Re: What are you reading right now?
Thanks - I just emailed it to my Kindle.
To Absent Friends
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.