Books. Whats the best one you have read lately?

[onthekeg]

Did you read A Feast For Crows? It sounds like that's what you are comparing Dance With Dragons to, as it has all the viewpoints that Feast didn't.

Is this a series you have to read in the proper order?

 

[iijakii]

Is this a series you have to read in the proper order?

Yes, A Song of Ice and Fire is a series that needs to be read in this order:
A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast For Crows
A Dance With Dragons.

There are to be two more books, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring.

 

[Boleslaus]

Yes, A Song of Ice and Fire is a series that needs to be read in this order:
A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast For Crows
A Dance With Dragons.

There are to be two more books, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring.

Any reason why they all begin with "A" except The Winds of Winter. Seems like a lot of work naming books to throw it away with one title.

 

[dwarven_stout]

I don't see how you can finish SoS and not think it to be the best thing ever. GRRM basically just takes everything you love and ****s all over it. It's fantastic.

Yeah, that's what I meant by "grittier". By "coarser", I meant that the dialogue doesn't seem as polished, and I felt a little bit like this conversation kept running in his head: "Hmm.. something's missing here. Dialogue's too slow. I know- I'll mention that one time someone got raped!".

Also, relevant to your comment:
http://hbowatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Game-of-Thrones-1.jpg

 

[iijakii]

Any reason why they all begin with "A" except The Winds of Winter. Seems like a lot of work naming books to throw it away with one title.

He originally meant it to be a three book series. Then four. Then six. Now he hopes to finish it in seven and not eight. Maybe that has to do with it.

 

[BBKing]

Cormac's writing style is odd. He writes with a huge vocabulary and very little punctuation. I think this leads to a very fluid read, but it's definitely off-putting at first.
QUOTE]

This is excatly it. Off putting is the word also. It took me a chapter or two to really get into the swing of it but I didnt see his style as a negative.

I've read a handful of McCarthy. I could take him or leave em, but The Road is a great book. SWMBO cried at the end of the movie lol

 

[BBKing]

I don't want to ruin anything because it's so powerful, but the basic storyline is a father and very young son traveling together in a brutally harsh, post-apocalyptic world. My mom recommended it to me, and we both still talk about it when we get together because we both feel so differently about the ending.

My high school English teacher aunt and I got into it a few times about the ending as well.

I take the darker version.

 

[rifraf]

My high school English teacher aunt and I got into it a few times about the ending as well.

I take the darker version.

I think it's inevitable. Our argument always revolved around our opinion of the father at the end of the book, and whether we saw him as a good man or a bad one.

 

[teal]

Ripping off the other threads about movies and such. We know it all started here.
My current favorite author doesn't have a movie to his name yet, to my knowledge.
Clive Cussler.
I have been reading about 2 books a week of his lately. I wish there was a movie to watch to compare.

The last 2 I read were
Corsair
Plague Ship.

Both are a little out there, but you can't put them down! Anyone else enjoy the old book by the fireplace?

Sahara was a movie based off his book. I've compared them, I prefer Clive's book but the movie is decent. By that I mean you'll recognize characters and things that a non-book fan wouldn't.

Currently reading "Great Beers of Belgium" by Jackson. Love the subject, his writing - not as much. Can't put my finger on it and I do love to read (usually 2 or 3 different books at a time).

 

[BBKing]

I think it's inevitable. Our argument always revolved around our opinion of the father at the end of the book, and whether we saw him as a good man or a bad one.

Ah, gotcha. Kind of splitting hairs there

SPOILER ALERT (well, kind of):

We always argued about what happened to the boy after his dad died and the other people took him in. My aunt thinks that he was indeed "The One" and went on to save the world or whatever.

I choose to think that he had a bleak existence and died at a young age
Its more in tune to the book I think, but whatever.

 

[passedpawn]

Ah, gotcha. Kind of splitting hairs there

SPOILER ALERT (well, kind of):

We always argued about what happened...

That's a pretty big spoiler. You really shouldn't do that, even with the alert.

 

[ktblunden]

I see a lot of great books and series recommended in here. I'll second (or third or fourth) the following:
Dark Tower series (amazingly epic, and my favorite part doesn't even take place during the actual continuity of the story, Wizard and Glass is amazing!)
A Song of Ice and Fire (haven't grabbed Dance of Dragons yet, but I'll get around to it)
Wheel of Time (This one is soooo long and it really loses steam midway through, I still haven't gotten into the Sanderson books yet)
Pillars of the Earth and World Without End (I really enjoy Follett's regular spy stories, but these books are just amazing in scope, haven't read the newest one yet)

To add in my suggestions, keeping with the fantasy stuff:
Lord of the Rings (I re-read this every other year or so, it's just a masterpiece)
Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind (really good series, loses steam at the mid point and then picks back up)

And one that I just recently finished:
The Warded Man & its sequel Desert Spear by Peter V Brett. This is a series in process right now and its just a really refreshing take on the fantasy genre, very well written books.

 

[Airplanedoc]

I have been reading about 2 books a week of his lately. I wish there was a movie to watch to compare.

Sahara and Raise the Titanic were made into movies

 

[Rubes]

I see a lot of great books and series recommended in here. I'll second (or third or fourth) the following:
Dark Tower series (amazingly epic, and my favorite part doesn't even take place during the actual continuity of the story, Wizard and Glass is amazing!)
A Song of Ice and Fire (haven't grabbed Dance of Dragons yet, but I'll get around to it)
Wheel of Time (This one is soooo long and it really loses steam midway through, I still haven't gotten into the Sanderson books yet)
Pillars of the Earth and World Without End (I really enjoy Follett's regular spy stories, but these books are just amazing in scope, haven't read the newest one yet)

To add in my suggestions, keeping with the fantasy stuff:
Lord of the Rings (I re-read this every other year or so, it's just a masterpiece)
Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind (really good series, loses steam at the mid point and then picks back up)

And one that I just recently finished:
The Warded Man & its sequel Desert Spear by Peter V Brett. This is a series in process right now and its just a really refreshing take on the fantasy genre, very well written books.

I forgot about the Sword of Truth, I loved that series. When I read sci-fi/fantasy forums everyone talks **** about it, but I thought it was great. I am confused though, becauseTerry Goodkind said the series was done after Confessor came out and that he was moving on. Now I see The Omen Machine in the store, which takes place after Confessor. I guess his publisher wanted more SoT..

 

[HopHead209]

Just got it today, good read so far.

 

[Rubes]

Kitchen Confidential is a great book. Definitely puts you in your place when you're watching Food Network thinking "I could totally be a chef..."

 

[Cromwell]

I loved Pillars of the Earth, and I also loved World Without End. They're not the same, but they're both great. I also really enjoyed Fall of Giants, but it's a totally different book, nothing like Pillars of the Earth. But I didn't know much about WWI, and it was pretty enlightening.

Hunger Games was a good read - it was a good page-turner, but ultimately I didn't like the ending. Glad I read it though.

Other than Palmer's How to Brew, and 100 Classic styles, and Brewing up a Business, I'm reading 1Q84, which so far, is pretty interesting, but I'm only 1/3 through, so it could go either way.

 

[ktblunden]

I forgot about the Sword of Truth, I loved that series. When I read sci-fi/fantasy forums everyone talks **** about it, but I thought it was great. I am confused though, becauseTerry Goodkind said the series was done after Confessor came out and that he was moving on. Now I see The Omen Machine in the store, which takes place after Confessor. I guess his publisher wanted more SoT..

Ugh, I didn't know he had written another one. Authors need to leave well enough alone when they finish an epic like that.

Oh, just remembered another series I finished a few months ago. The Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson (the guy finishing up the Wheel of Time). It's another unique take on the fantasy genre that isn't just wizards and elves and dwarves and stuff. Good read.

 

[Bprisk]

Kill Shot by Vince Flynn

 

[BIGCUNN60]

I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell, ******** Finish First, and just picked up Hilarity Ensues all by Tucker Max

 

[bstacy1974]

I loved Pillars of the Earth, and I also loved World Without End. They're not the same, but they're both great. I also really enjoyed Fall of Giants, but it's a totally different book, nothing like Pillars of the Earth. But I didn't know much about WWI, and it was pretty enlightening.

Hunger Games was a good read - it was a good page-turner, but ultimately I didn't like the ending. Glad I read it though.

Other than Palmer's How to Brew, and 100 Classic styles, and Brewing up a Business, I'm reading 1Q84, which so far, is pretty interesting, but I'm only 1/3 through, so it could go either way.

I'm not much of a reader, but my wife got me a Nook for Valentines last year (2001). I've read more in one year than my entire life.
Hunger Games was good.
I've read two of the three Maze Runner books. Ok.
I'm currently trying to finish the Skin Map. Its ok I guess.
Looking at reading the Hobbit before the movie comes out.

 

[Hop_machine]

Tearing through some orsen scott card Enders game series, finishing the fourth book. I really enjoyed this series. My favorite before this was the dark tower series. I think king really does become all the characters...

 

[rifraf]

Tearing through some orsen scott card Enders game series, finishing the fourth book. I really enjoyed this series. My favorite before this was the dark tower series. I think king really does become all the characters...

Ender's Game is one of my all time favorite books, and is the single item I've gifted most in my life. Loved the next three + Ender's Shadow but never got around to reading the ones after that.

 

[Rubes]

Has anyone read far into the Dune series? I read the original Dune and loved it, but I never went any further. There's so many, I wasn't read to commit to another huge series. Maybe I'll look into it again if the rest are worth the time.

 

[Paulielow]

Okay, on your behest I googled it and found out there is a TV show! It is very good, almost like Scrubs but with a kitchen instead of a hospital. I managed to waste most of the afternoon watching all the season 1 episodes.

Ok I didn't even know they had made a sitcom out of it but I'm sure it would be a fictional series of events based on the non fictional book, so I'd read the book first before I let the show bastardise my idea of what the book should be like.... That being said I've read the book four times and think I might be ready to see the show so thanks for pointing that out.

 

[rexbanner]

Tearing through some orsen scott card Enders game series, finishing the fourth book. I really enjoyed this series. My favorite before this was the dark tower series. I think king really does become all the characters...

Dark Tower is awesome. Ender's Game is a classic. I highly recommend Ursula K. Leguin. She is a phenomenal writer. I've read her Earthsea books as well as The Dispossessed. Check them out.

 

[DirtyOldDuck]

The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. Great fantasy series, kind of similar to A Song of Ice and Fire.

I just finished reading Best Served Cold by Abercrombie and it was a great book. I had never heard of him until I found this big hardback book for $1 at the Dollar Tree. Very gritty book. Definitely glad I bought it.

 

[Rubes]

I just finished reading Best Served Cold by Abercrombie and it was a great book. I had never heard of him until I found this big hardback book for $1 at the Dollar Tree. Very gritty book. Definitely glad I bought it.

I'm currently reading Best Served Cold, it's great so far. Definitely go back and read the First Law Trilogy, it takes place in the same world and some of the same characters are in it (though the main characters are completely different). Best Served Cold is a stand-alone novel so you didn't miss anything by not reading the trilogy first.

 

[DirtyOldDuck]

I will check it out. Thanks.

 

[passedpawn]

Fiction:
Best book of 2012 (so far): American Assassin - Vince Flynn
Best book of 2011: Gold Coast - Nelson Demille
Best Book of 2010: The Road - Cormac somethingorother

Non-Fiction
McCarthy's Bar - Pete McCarthy - If you like beer and Ireland, here's a travelog that will make you LOL!

I read loads of classics. If anyone really likes them, here's a few of the best of the best that I read recently:
How Green Was My Valley - one of the best books ever written
Far from the Madding Crowd - T. Hardy - unbelievable prose. just genius

 

[spearko520]

Has anyone read far into the Dune series? I read the original Dune and loved it, but I never went any further. There's so many, I wasn't read to commit to another huge series. Maybe I'll look into it again if the rest are worth the time.

i read them all in high school - and lots of frank herberts other stuff too. i loved dune when i read it, and got sucked in - i couldn't get enough of that universe. i reread all of them a few times since then. i like them- the plot gets long and twisted with forays into some of the worlds and characters that we just caught a glance of in the earlier books, but good stuff if you are into that. I'm always looking for the judiac links...

 

[Kaotica]

Past month or so I read:

Unbroken, astounding read of Louie Zamperini's ordeal of drifting at sea and being at POW in WWII Japan.
Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, meh, it was ok. Some formulaic stuff that annoys me, but maybe just me.
$hit my Dad Says, pretty darn funny but short and reads more like an article than a book.

 

[rifraf]

Unbroken, astounding read of Louie Zamperini's ordeal of drifting at sea and being at POW in WWII Japan.

Received that for Christmas, impossible to put down

 

[TheBreweryUnderground]

I've been reading Debt: The First 5,000 Years - Anthropological look at debt, money, and their connection with violence and slavery. As well as How Nonviolence Protects The State - anarchist activist book about diversity of tactics and a more balanced history of nonviolence movements. I also really digged Origins by John Zerzan - a collection of primitivist essays critiquing civilization. I will be surprised if anyone else here would be interested in these, but thought I'd throw them out there anyway.

 

[spearko520]

I've been reading Debt: The First 5,000 Years - Anthropological look at debt, money, and their connection with violence and slavery. As well as How Nonviolence Protects The State - anarchist activist book about diversity of tactics and a more balanced history of nonviolence movements. I also really digged Origins by John Zerzan - a collection of primitivist essays critiquing civilization. I will be surprised if anyone else here would be interested in these, but thought I'd throw them out there anyway.

primitivist essays always pique my interest. anthropology is to me what architecture is to george costanza- the fictitious careers we use to impress women...