this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2024
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Still reading The Twelve by Justin Cronin. Book 2 of The Passage trilogy. Haven't read much more since the last week, but the few pages I did read are still in old time, and while they are interesting for world building, I can't make myself feel anything for characters that have been dead for 100 years, and have nothing to do with the "current" story. Still, like I said, going to read at least first 100 pages, and then see if I still want to continue.

Also started The Complete Fiction of H. P. Lovecraft. I have never gotten around to reading any of it, so wanted to read it all in published order. Couldn't find any good collection in local store, so started downloading all his work (which is in public domain), but then found out about the ebook created by "CthulhuChick", she has basically gone through what I was doing and compiled an ebook with his complete works, organized in published order (excluding his one story from very early days, and two other non-horror stories. Since I wanted to read those too, I just added them in myself).

So, enjoying this now. Have only read first couple of stories yet. Would love to see how his work evolves.

What about all of you? What have you been reading or listening to lately?


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[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I'm reading a book on grief. Grief has been an important part of my life for a good long time now, but last year has been difficult. And things will only get worse in the next few years. I suppose I'm bracing myself, even if I know it doesn't help much.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

Don't know what you are going through, but wish you good luck and hope things improve for you soon.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

Reading “Woman In Cabin 10” by Ruth Ware. The story is weakened by a really annoying protagonist.

I never did finish The Passage for some reason. I need to pick that back up and try it again. I was disappointed the TV show they based on it wasn’t renewed.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago

I just finished The Mercy of Gods which I enjoyed overall but I was a bit let down. It certainly wasn't as entertaining as Leviathan Wakes. I didn't find the characters particularly enthralling but the plot could go in some interesting directions in the coming books.

Still working on The Rise of Endymion which has become a bit of a slog but is starting to pick up.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago

Just finished CJ Tudor's "The hiding place" and starting today with "The last time I lied" by Riley Sager. For non fiction I'm reading "EMDR therapy" by Francine Shapiro.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

Reading Ball Lightning, by Cixin Liu. For now, I find it a bit less good than the Remembrance of the Earth's past trilogy I read before.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

I've been listening to the "Destiny's Crucible" series by Olan Thorensen. Currently on the 8th book "A Fearful Symmetry".

It's about a guy from earth that has been transported, by aliens, to another planet that happens to also have humans but their culture is at a much lower technology level(around what earth was in the 1600s). And it follows him as he adjusts to the culture, and carefully starts introducing innovations.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I'm listening to the audiobook of In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez.Its based on real people in the time of the Trujillo Dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Its a fictionalised account on the life of the Mirabal sisters who were executed by the regime in 1960.

And I just finished I Saw Her That Night by Slovenian author Drago Jančar. Its coincidentally also based on true events, in WW2 Slovenia. Honestly I read it, because I haven't found any other books for the Slovenia category of my "Read around the world" challenge. I'm glad it wasn't very long.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

Currently reading Fairy Tale by Stephen King. It's a light, fun read with an engaging story..

[–] GeekFTW 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Enjoy the Lovecraft! Big fan myself.

Decided I wanted to go back and zone up on my 'skills' given we're approaching Halloween season so I decided to re-read the Zombie Survival Guide (by Max Brooks) and the Zombie Combat Manual (by Roger Ma).

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

With my luck, if I get prepared for those, we would get completely different apocalypse, like Vampire one, or maybe Evil Robots.

[–] GeekFTW 2 points 1 week ago

Least it'll be a change of pace lmao

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I finally finished The Vanished Man after 3 attempts at starting. The book was great but I just couldn't get myself to focus long enough to get in to it properly but it was a really good read.

Next is Slow Horses and I've managed to get stuck in straight away on this one. I really enjoy the TV series so looking forward even more to the books.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Have you read other books in the Lincoln Rhyme series? I only know it from The Bone Collector movie, which I liked. If they are anything like that, they can be an interesting series to read.

I have heard good things about Slow Horses, haven't read it myself though.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Yeah I've read all the books up to The Vanished Man now. Initially I did chose them because I love the movie and every one so far has been great.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

Thanks for the info, will check them out.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Currently breezing through Auberon by James S.A. Corey, the story between books 7 and 8 of the Expanse. Not sure what I'll read next.

--

Finished Roadside Picnic by Arkady & Boris Strugatsky. The world-building around the Zone was as cool as I'd hoped, and I appreciated that expeditions into it were realistically strenuous, grimy, and dangerous. The overall tone is a bit bleak, though, and I didn't find the characters particularly relatable. There's a cool afterward from one of the authors, describing how difficult it was to get the book published (and when it was, how censored it had to be).

Bingo squares: Older Than You Are (1972), It Takes Two, Now a Major Motion Picture, (alt) Translated (hard).

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

The Expanse audiobooks are great if you also watched the TV show. The reader does a good job of inhabiting the established characterizations.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

Good to know, thanks!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That's the book I start leafing through when my D&D players screw around for too long, they know something bad is about to happen.

It's such a cool book, I love the silver edges on the pages. Not a huge fan of the stories themselves, sadly. Someday I hope they'll click with me.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

Ooooh. I think that's the only H. P. Lovecraft "Complete Fiction" book that's actually a "complete fiction". For instance, this one isn't actually complete: , which is I went the ebook route.

You don't like horror? Or don't like Lovecraftian horror? Or just don't like these stories specifically?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

lol I swear every time I see one of these topics I'm on another read through of Karen Rose (audiobooks). (She just released number 30, so I decided to dive in again).

I'm almost through Elements of Choice by Eric Johnson as my current ebook read, though. It's a pretty good look at how choice architecture affects decisions. Kind of similar to Richard Thaler's Nudge in terms of material, but I think I prefer Johnson's presentation (it's been a while though). Both are interesting and well worth the read, because people are using these tactics to affect your behavior.

Audible recently had an OK 5 credit bundle sale, so I finally pulled the trigger on the Stormlight Archive series on Audiobook. I've been working on the ebooks for a while, but it benefits from longer stretches of deeper immersion and I bounce way more on ebooks. I'll just start that over and do what he's written back to back once I do the dozen Rose books I have left.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Currently rereading The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson in preparation for Wind and Truth in December. Also reading the preview chapters as they come out.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This series is pretty good. I'm currently reading the mistborn series by Brandon now. If you like the storm light series you'd like the mistborn as well. Same style, political intrigue, bad ass fights, iconic individual heros and great page for dollar value.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Yeah, I've... read everything in the Cosmere. Even... White Sand. But thanks for the recommendation!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Prose or graphic novel?

I can't find White Sand or Dark One graphic novel at any local shop. May just have to order from amazon.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

It's...a problem.

The second volume of White Sand specifically was out of print for a long time. There is/was an omnibus edition published a few years ago that Diamond royally screwed up on delivering on time, but I think should be able to be ordered at least?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago

Yeah, I can see the omnibus at amazon. Thanks for the info!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Graphic novel. I read it on my kindle. The art in the first two is rough. It was apparently in vogue to add, just, so many lines for "additional details" that every object appears to be drawn by the shakiest hand they could find.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

still working through the first He Who Fights With Monsters audoiobook.

Liking it quite a but. Has nothing to do with national pride being an Aussie.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

I finished The Wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence (The Red Quern's War book 3). The character growth across this trilogy really made this book satisfying, though it made the earlier books a bit rough for me. I really wasn't a fan of the main character's flaws early on.

Now I'm on to The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time book 12!). Only just started so no real impressions yet but I'm so excited to see how this series wraps up. It feels like I'm actually getting close to the end of this giant journey!