# [January] What are you reading?



## Mark CMG (Jan 3, 2014)

There's always something interesting to read in Man, Myth and Magic: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural (1985) which I got for nothing when the local library was clearing them off their reference shelves. 


http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/829998.Man_Myth_And_Magic


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## Zombie_Babies (Jan 3, 2014)

Bukowski's Hollywood.  It's not great, not bad.  I'm nearly done and will be moving on to Turgenev next.


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## Jan van Leyden (Jan 3, 2014)

Mage's Blood by David Hair (first part of the book that is). I've got it as christmas present from my son. I'm still in the exposition part, learing about the world and people.

The premise is quite interesting with strong political and religious undertones.


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## Crothian (Jan 3, 2014)

I'm finally getting to the Birthright novels and realizing that they are pretty badly written.


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## Richards (Jan 4, 2014)

_The Girl Who Played with Fire_, by Stieg Larsson.  It's every bit as good as the first one in the series.  I may have to pick up the third one after I finish this, and it's a pity there are no more to follow, but I really can't fault the author, what with him having died and all....

Johnathan


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## Nellisir (Jan 4, 2014)

_Britain BC_, by Francis Pryor. "Life in Britain and Ireland before the Romans". It tries really hard to be professional without being dry as dirt; not surprisingly, it gets more interesting as we get closer to "now" and information gets better. There's only so much that can be derived from flint shards and post holes from the Mesolithic.

Does make you really think about how long we as a species spent just kinda chillin' out and existing.


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## Mark CMG (Jan 4, 2014)

Nellisir said:


> _Britain BC_, by Francis Pryor. "Life in Britain and Ireland before the Romans". It tries really hard to be professional without being dry as dirt; not surprisingly, it gets more interesting as we get closer to "now" and information gets better. There's only so much that can be derived from flint shards and post holes from the Mesolithic.
> 
> Does make you really think about how long we as a species spent just kinda chillin' out and existing.





I'll have to check that out!  Fictionally speaking, have you read _Stonehenge_ by Bernard Cornwell?  It was my introduction to his novels.


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## delericho (Jan 4, 2014)

My first novel of the year was "The Commodore", book 17 of the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brien. Very good, as always.

I'm now reading "Ten Little Aliens", by Stephen Cole. It's a Doctor Who story, featuring the 1st Doctor, and part of their 50th anniversary line. So far it's okay, but nothing spectacular.

Next up will be "Stalking the Beast", the most recent Pathfinder Tales novel. And after that "David Copperfield" by Dickens.


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## Ebon Shar (Jan 6, 2014)

I'm reading The Son by Philipp Meyer.  It reads as if Cormac McCarthy wrote James Michener.  In other words, it's excellent and I look forward to getting back to the book as soon as I have to put it down.  No book has made me feel this way in quite some time.

On a slightly related note, I've pretty much burned out on fantasy novels.  I've decided to read more books from the Literature section, The Son being my first from that list.  I tired of the endless parade of similar plot-lines, paper-thin characters, and endless sequels.  I'll come back when Abercrombie publishes his next book or Martin finally finishes his series.


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## Nellisir (Jan 6, 2014)

Mark CMG said:


> I'll have to check that out!  Fictionally speaking, have you read _Stonehenge_ by Bernard Cornwell?  It was my introduction to his novels.




I have not. I read something by him I think..._Gallows Thief_?  I have at least one other Bernard Cornwell book too.

Pryor (in Britain BC) talks about ritual landscapes and sacred landscapes quite a bit throughout the book; it dovetails well with my landscape architecture background, but I'm not sure he really explains it well enough. I get it, I just feel like he could break the concept down a little more.  Then again, maybe it's just homework flashbacks.


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## Mark CMG (Jan 6, 2014)

Nellisir said:


> I have not. I read something by him I think...Gallows Thief?  I have at least one other Bernard Cornwell book too.





I haven't read Gallows Thief yet but imagine I'll get to it eventually as I've come to very much like Cornwell, especially his action and battle sequences.




Nellisir said:


> Pryor (in Britain BC) talks about ritual landscapes and sacred landscapes quite a bit throughout the book; it dovetails well with my landscape architecture background, but I'm not sure he really explains it well enough. I get it, I just feel like he could break the concept down a little more.  Then again, maybe it's just homework flashbacks.





  Well, I've got it on ILL order at the local library, so I'll give it a go when it arrives.  If I like it well enough, I'll add it to a few search engine alerts and pick up a hardcover copy for my own shelves when I can get one at a reasonable price (it's a bit expensive as much non-fiction in a certain publication-age-range tends to be for hardcover).  In any event, I'm sure I'll enjoy enough of it for a reading and this winter looks like it will present plenty of opportunities.


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## Nellisir (Jan 6, 2014)

I read _Drowned Cities_, by Paolo Bacigalupi. Working my way through _Hyperbole And A Half_; it's not a really long read, but there comes a point where I just had to put it down and hope to god she's getting professional help, in a truly sincere way. It's a good collection, but it's more serious than the blog I think, and read all at once, it's a little depressing.


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## Nellisir (Jan 6, 2014)

Mark CMG said:


> Well, I've got it on ILL order at the local library, so I'll give it a go when it arrives.  If I like it well enough, I'll add it to a few search engine alerts and pick up a hardcover copy for my own shelves when I can get one at a reasonable price (it's a bit expensive as much non-fiction in a certain publication-age-range tends to be for hardcover).  In any event, I'm sure I'll enjoy enough of it for a reading and this winter looks like it will present plenty of opportunities.



It's a very good book; landscape architecture jargon is just a pet peeve of mine; it doesn't take much for me to start frothing at the mouth, sometimes unjustly.


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## Mark CMG (Jan 6, 2014)

Nellisir said:


> It's a very good book; landscape architecture jargon is just a pet peeve of mine; it doesn't take much for me to start frothing at the mouth, sometimes unjustly.





I hear ya.  Sometimes a anachronistic colloquialism will have me climbing the walls.


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## Altamont Ravenard (Jan 6, 2014)

Finishing the 2nd book in R. Scott Bakker's "The Prince of Nothing" trilogy. Hoping that the 3rd will come from Amazon soon. Will be reading some Christmas gifts: Rob Delaney's (stand-up), Scott Adams' (of Dilbert) and Karl Pilkington's latest books.

AR


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## Zombie_Babies (Jan 7, 2014)

Hollywood is done.  Not bad, not great.  On to Turgenev's First Love and Other Stories.  Only into the intro at this time.  I figure I ought to read him since Hemingway and Bukowski both counted him among the best.


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## Nellisir (Jan 8, 2014)

Mark CMG said:


> I hear ya.  Sometimes a anachronistic colloquialism will have me climbing the walls.




I think I've pinpointed what's bothering me. It's not his use of "sacred" or "ritual" landscape per se; it's that it seems to be his de facto answer. Anything big is ritual. Anything big and broken has been ritually destroyed or sacrificed. It also bothers me that he's probably right.  My brother and I certainly imbued our childhood landscape with a lot of meaning, and our "active" period was really only about ten years; from 7-17 or so. How much deeper and layered does it get after a thousand, or five thousand, years?


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## Nellisir (Jan 8, 2014)

I finished _Hyperbole and a Half_.  Hats off to Allie Brosh for her honesty.  Now please give us a book that doesn't make me want to send you a check for psychiatric help.


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## Mark CMG (Jan 8, 2014)

Nellisir said:


> I think I've pinpointed what's bothering me. It's not his use of "sacred" or "ritual" landscape per se; it's that it seems to be his de facto answer. Anything big is ritual. Anything big and broken has been ritually destroyed or sacrificed. It also bothers me that he's probably right.  My brother and I certainly imbued our childhood landscape with a lot of meaning, and our "active" period was really only about ten years; from 7-17 or so. How much deeper and layered does it get after a thousand, or five thousand, years?





I'll keep that in mind once the book arrives and I get going with it.  In the meantime, The Pagan Lord is now available, so I'll let that tide me over.


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## Jeremy E Grenemyer (Jan 8, 2014)

I'm reading _Cosmos_ by Carl Sagan. New copy with a new foreword by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

I have an original copy and I haven't read the book in ages. Nice to dive back in.


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## valhallions (Jan 8, 2014)

Just finished the Judge Dredd Case files Vol.1 A bit dated but lots of fun. I love the shear over the top-ness

About to sit down with a Memory of Light, ben waiting for this one and looking forward to seeing how it all ends.


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## Nellisir (Jan 14, 2014)

Mark CMG said:


> I'll keep that in mind once the book arrives and I get going with it.  In the meantime, The Pagan Lord is now available, so I'll let that tide me over.



Let me know what you think of it. I liked the book, but seem to have a hard time saying "it's a good book", and someone else has asked me about it (my daughter's "you win 6 free lessons" piano teacher).


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## Nellisir (Jan 14, 2014)

Reading _Something Rotten_ by Jasper Fforde right now, plus rehashing some comics. Reading has been slow: I've been trying to get things done around the house; finish up _The Complete Illusionist;_ and watch a little more Netflix. Plus just not really in the mood.


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## Mark CMG (Jan 14, 2014)

Nellisir said:


> Let me know what you think of it. I liked the book, but seem to have a hard time saying "it's a good book", and someone else has asked me about it (my daughter's "you win 6 free lessons" piano teacher).





So far, it's keeping me interested but I'm obviously already invested in the series and characters.  The early combat, one of the strong suits of Cornwell, certainly is in keeping with his style, which is a good sign, IMO.


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## Nellisir (Jan 14, 2014)

Mark CMG said:


> So far, it's keeping me interested but I'm obviously already invested in the series and characters.  The early combat, one of the strong suits of Cornwell, certainly is in keeping with his style, which is a good sign, IMO.



I meant _Britain BC_.  Sorry!


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## Mark CMG (Jan 14, 2014)

Nellisir said:


> I meant _Britain BC_.  Sorry!





 I see. 


I'll certainly let you know.  The only copy was at a Milwaukee library and the ILL hasn't arrived at my local branch just yet.


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## trappedslider (Jan 17, 2014)

13 Reason why by Jay Asher..I honestly believe that every school should require it's kids to read it at some point because of it's subject material . I'll post what it's about from Amazon. 

[sblock]When Clay Jenson plays the casette tapes he received in a mysterious package, he's surprised to hear the voice of dead classmate Hannah Baker. He's one of 13 people who receive Hannah's story, which details the circumstances that led to her suicide. Clay spends the rest of the day and long into the night listening to Hannah's voice and going to the locations she wants him to visit. The text alternates, sometimes quickly, between Hannah's voice (italicized) and Clay's thoughts as he listens to her words, which illuminate betrayals and secrets that demonstrate the consequences of even small actions. Hannah, herself, is not free from guilt, her own inaction having played a part in an accidental auto death and a rape. The message about how we treat one another, although sometimes heavy, makes for compelling reading.[/sblock]


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## Dungeoneer (Jan 17, 2014)

I just finished Timebound by Rysa Walker. A YA book with a very tight, mind-bending time travel plot. Fast paced too. Also has a very interesting angle where the ability to use time travel devices is hereditary and must be inherited. One of the best time travel books I've read in a while.


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## sabrinathecat (Jan 17, 2014)

Tried reading Thief's Covenant, but gave up in annoyance at the author's constantly bouncing back and forth in time with the narrative. Not sure what he was thinking. Won't be picking up any more of those books. Sadly, I bought 3 as a package deal on amazon. Not sure what to do with them now.
I have a small stack of books I've finished with. Suggestions?


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## Zombie_Babies (Jan 22, 2014)

I've finished The Diary of a Superfluous Man, Mumu, Asya and First Love from the collection of Turgenev stories I'm reading.  The first three are pretty good but First Love is really noteworthy.  It's amazing, really.  I think it's more accessible than the others - and more than most translated Russian classics overall - and doesn't suffer from the same level of melodrama one typically finds in works from this place at this time.  It just works, I guess.


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## Nellisir (Jan 22, 2014)

Just finished _Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang_, by Kate Wilheim.  Excellent book. 5/5.  Reading _The Locked Room_ right now.


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## Starman (Jan 25, 2014)

This month I've read _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?_ by Phillip K. Dick, _The Religion_ by Tim Willocks, _Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea_ by Jules Verne, and _The Dogs of Babel_ by Carolyn Parkhurst. Currently I'm reading _Kraken_ by China Mieville.


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## Nellisir (Jan 25, 2014)

_The Locked Room_ was excellent; just started a Kurt Wallander novel but forget which one.  Also reading through _The First Annual Year's Best Science Fiction_ by Gardener Dozios (1984). It's a bit of a trip; the little author bios Dozios writes keep referring to "upcoming" novels I read in high school.

Also reading through piles of d20 and earlier edition D&D books for magic items to convert to Swords & Wizardry.


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## Jhaelen (Jan 27, 2014)

Starman said:


> This month I've read _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?_ by Phillip K. Dick, _The Religion_ by Tim Willocks, _Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea_ by Jules Verne, and _The Dogs of Babel_ by Carolyn Parkhurst. Currently I'm reading _Kraken_ by China Mieville.



_Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?_ is the only book I've read more than twice - love it.
Please let us know what you think of 'Kraken'. I've been contemplating to get it for a long time.


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## Zombie_Babies (Jan 27, 2014)

Yeah, PKD was amazing.  I'm not a sci-fi fan, really, but I love his stuff.  Probably cuz it's only kinda sorta sci-fi.  What he was actually doing was a bit different.


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## Starman (Jan 29, 2014)

Jhaelen said:


> Please let us know what you think of 'Kraken'. I've been contemplating to get it for a long time.




I'm about 200 pages in and loving it, but I have yet to read anything by Mieville that I didn't like.


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## Zombie_Babies (Jan 29, 2014)

Just started A Sportsman's Notebook.  Only through the intro so far.


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## Mark CMG (Jan 29, 2014)

Nellisir said:


> I meant _Britain BC_.  Sorry!





Got it, finally! 

Tons of plates and pics in this tome.


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