What book is on your nightstand? Readers!

[passedpawn]

WTF did I just read? It was The Dark Tower crossed with John Dies At The End...

Re: The Hike. I bought it a while back on my Audible acct. I have audible books for biking, and I haven't done that regularly in a while. Time to get back out there again

 

[passedpawn]

Just received Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory,
by Ben Macintyre.

I should add, after that critical review of the movie, that the story was compelling and I WISH I had read the book first. I'm sure you'll love it.

 

[MaxStout]

I should add, after that critical review of the movie, that the story was compelling and I WISH I had read the book first. I'm sure you'll love it.

I first heard of the story a few months ago while watching something about it on PBS. And thinking what a crazy but brilliant plan. I found the book on Amazon and ordered it. It's next in line on my reading stack.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Pretty good comparison, I would have gone with A Hitch Hiker's Guide but that one works too. Glad I found a pearl, because since then it's been slim pickins for me, can't seem to find any good fantasy or sci fi as of late.

I had some good luck for a while looking through the last 5-6 years of Hugo Award finalists and winners in the novel category.

A few I've liked recently:

• The Inhibitor trilogy by Alistair Reynolds.
• Harbinger by Olan Thorensen (sadly it's the first of a series and book #2 release date is unknown)
• The Final Architecture trilogy books 1-2 by Adrian Tchaikovsky (book #3 not yet released)
• The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin (more fantasy than sci-fi)

If you haven't read any of those, give them a try.

If you want some easy-reading pulp sci-fi, look up the Silver Ships series by Scott Jucha. They're a little formulaic in the construction of each book, but it's interesting and quick reading, and I grew attached to the characters. Between that and two offshoot series, it's something like 28 books, but all quick reads.

 

[corkybstewart]

James Baldwin's Another Country.

 

[passedpawn]

WTF did I just read? It was The Dark Tower crossed with John Dies At The End...

Maybe throw in some Matrix. I just finished The Hike. I would not recommend. Didn't hate, didn't love.

 

[estricklin]

Maybe throw in some Matrix. I just finished The Hike. I would not recommend. Didn't hate, didn't love.

Well at least it was a short book then?

 

[Kevin Wurtz]

John grisham any of his books.

 

[passedpawn]

Well at least it was a short book then?

It was mesmerizing and went quickly. I've read lots of books like that. These days, if I even finish it, that's saying something.

 

[passedpawn]

Just finished this - captivating! I laughed, I cried, it's got it all. Taking the test Saturday morning.

Interesting thing, I found a typo in the book and emailed the author. He replied in about 1 minute and told me he's gonna send me the next book (General Class) for the typo report.

 

[estricklin]

Just finished this - captivating! I laughed, I cried, it's got it all. Taking the test Saturday morning.

Interesting thing, I found a typo in the book and emailed the author. He replied in about 1 minute and told me he's gonna send me the next book (General Class) for the typo report.
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I hope congratulations are in order!

I would say that's a pretty good reward. When I punched my ticket, I took the tech and general on the same day. I took my time studying for the extra though.

The ARRL has a multitude of good books for hams. The antenna book is practically a bible for hams.
http://www.arrl.org/arrl-antenna-book
It's an awesome hobby, and I personally have learned a lot of skills that I use in my day job too, and have met lots of great people.

 

[passedpawn]

I hope congratulations are in order!

I would say that's a pretty good reward. When I punched my ticket, I took the tech and general on the same day. I took my time studying for the extra though.

The ARRL has a multitude of good books for hams. The antenna book is practically a bible for hams.
http://www.arrl.org/arrl-antenna-book
It's an awesome hobby, and I personally have learned a lot of skills that I use in my day job too, and have met lots of great people.

Thanks! Yes, I passed. Call sign not issued yet. I am planning to take General soon - waiting for my study guide to arrive.

Radio is on it's way. I've got one antenna here (6M) and one on the way(40M). I just bought that antenna book on amazon. Free shipping there.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Company Commander by Charles B. MacDonald. A memoir of his time in command of I Company, and later G Company, of the 23rd Infantry Regiment 2nd Infantry Division Nov '44 through the end of the war.

 

[topazann]

The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier - I am slowly working my way through du Maurier's works. I've read most of the more well-known ones and really enjoyed them.

 

[estricklin]

Wife and I read this over the course of a few weeks, while having some drinks on the back porch in the spring. I recommend the audio version because it is read by the author. I worked in a 4 star restaurant, and a bar when I was in college, so I could relate to a lot of the book.

Some of the better books I've read lately:

• Confessions of a Vintage Guitar Dealer: The Memoirs of Norman Harris
• Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory
• Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
• Hell Divers by Nichols Sansbury Smith
• Maze Runner by James Dashner
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

@betarhoalphadelta I ended up picking up Broken Earth Book 1, and am most likely going to read Harbinger also, thanks for the recommendations.

 

[An Ankoù]

Folks here have mentioned Bernard Cornwell. He writes historical fiction from old England and is best known for his books on The Last Kingdom. I am reading one of his about the Elizabethan theater called Fools And Mortals. So far very engaging. I'm about 30% in.

We're just coming to the end of Season 2 of The Last Kingdom on Nitflox. It's escellent.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

@betarhoalphadelta I ended up picking up Broken Earth Book 1, and am most likely going to read Harbinger also, thanks for the recommendations.

The writer of Harbinger, Olan Thorensen, also has a series called "Destiny's Crucible". I can give a short synopsis of the premise without it really being a spoiler:

American chemistry grad student Joseph Colsco is on a flight from SF to Chicago. Looking out the window, he sees a flash and then all hell breaks loose. He wakes up on an alien craft speaking to an AI who tells him that the collision was accidental, and they have repaired his injuries (which took two years). They can't let him back on Earth, because he now knows of the existence of aliens, but these aliens are investigating the past where some other alien race transplanted humans to other planets in that region of the solar system (for unknown purpose). They offer that he can be dropped onto one of those planets, a place where technology is circa 1700's Earth, or can choose termination.

He chooses the alternative planet. He arrives on an island, slowly learns the language and blends in to the local culture, all the while trying to find ways to use his knowledge of technologies unknown in this society (and his chemistry background) to uplift their society. At the same time, the island has a small occupying force of one of the main empires from the rest of the planet, bent on subjugating the island and incorporating it into the empire. Obviously a conflict will ensue, and Joseph (now called Yozef due to language/pronunciation differences) becomes a more and more pivotal factor in that conflict due to his knowledge.

The only true "sci-fi" portion of this is the premise of how he ended up on-planet. It's not really so much "sci-fi" after that point.

To give you an idea of how this series has gripped me, there are 8 books currently. I bought book 1 on June 20. I am now halfway through book 8.

I highly recommend it.

 

[Lampy]

 Waterman, by David Davis. Bio of Duke ahanamoku, Hawaiian swimming legend and trailblazer.
It is interesting to see how the world record times of the early 20th century were basically as fast as the  state-level records of high school swimmers of the early 21st century.

 

[passedpawn]

Recommend the following. Dayum, good stories. You'll think it's very Steven-Kingish. The story in there I just read reminded me a lot of Kafka's Metamorphosis, for those who have read that. Weird story about a kid who is an "inflatable". You'll see. Quite good, surprisingly.

20th Century Ghosts - Kindle edition by Hill, Joe. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

 

[passedpawn]

I'm about halfway through this one. It's really well written. I read (partially read) Michener's Hawaii years back, and remembered that Capt James Cook discovered the island. Bought this, and now finally getting into it.

Amazon.com: Farther Than Any Man: The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook eBook : Dugard, Martin: Kindle Store

 

[aceluby]

Rereading Will Wights Cradle series before the last book is released later this year. I love this series, it’s an action packed king fu fantasy series that removes a lot of fluff. 2-300 pages a piece and now I’ve got my wife hooked. She’s on book 3, which is one of the best

 

[TheCache]

Reading Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. I put this one off for a while because of its length, but now that I'm into it, I remember how much I enjoy his writing.

 

[MajorJC]

You'll think it's very Steven-Kingish.

You do know who Joe Hill is don't you? As in who his father is?

 

[MajorJC]

I'm currently working my way through three different books. When driving I'm listening to my Audible copy of Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson.

Here at work, I have two new books that I'm working on. I'm concentrating mainly on Yeast by Chris White with Jamil Zainacheff right now, but also dipping into Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll to see what I need to order to make some cheese and set up a cheese cave.

 

[AZ Maverick]

 

[MajorJC]

View attachment 779125

Very good book! Seeing your hard copy makes me wish I could afford to buy all my favorites in both hardback and audible versions. I've got about 450 books in my audible library. I rarely buy hardback versions anymore.

 

[AZ Maverick]

Very good book! Seeing your hard copy makes me wish I could afford to buy all my favorites in both hardback and audible versions. I've got about 450 books in my audible library. I rarely buy hardback versions anymore.

As I'm getting older (closer to 70 now than 60), audibles are getting to be my preferred option.

 

[aceluby]

I'm currently working my way through three different books. When driving I'm listening to my Audible copy of Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson.

Here at work, I have two new books that I'm working on. I'm concentrating mainly on Yeast by Chris White with Jamil Zainacheff right now, but also dipping into Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll to see what I need to order to make some cheese and set up a cheese cave.

View attachment 779124

Just finished Rhythm of War. Can’t wait for my kickstarter books to get here next year. Bought the hardcover of those

 

[passedpawn]

You do know who Joe Hill is don't you? As in who his father is?

No, I never met any of the author's family, nor Joe himself. At least, we were not introduced properly if I did.

 

[MajorJC]

No, I never met any of the author's family, nor Joe himself. At least, we were not introduced properly if I did.

Joseph Hillström King, better known by the pen name Joe Hill, is an American writer.

Joe Hill (writer) - Wikipedia