Books discussion

[Eleazar]

Currently reading The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson. Good, but only a short way in so not really sure yet where it's going.

Diamond age is possibly the densest concentration of sci-fi i've ever read. In other words, if you don't have a strong background in science fiction you probably will be lost most of the time, because he just assumes the reader is familiar enough with many of the more esoteric sci-fi concepts that they can connect the dots with a minimum of explanation or description of rather weird stuff. -- Or else they are willing to go along for a really trippy ride.

As to where the story is going-- the plot is definitely not cookie-cutter. It was interesting, and weird, maybe a bit unfocused, and i'm not sure that i can say i enjoyed it. Your milage may vary.

But i would definitely not recommend it to anyone who is not a hard-core sci-fi fan.

[thespaceinvader]

Sounds like a recommendation to me. I'm enjoying it, I'm just not sure where it's going plot-wise yet. We keep seeing new characters who seem as-yet unconnected with the old ones. That being said, I'm only getting a few pages in at a time.

EDIT: had a free day, and had finished my jobs, so finished the Diamond Age. Very good, albeit I found the ending a little unfulfilled, particularly in the light of the fact that the back cover of the book promised

Spoiler:

that the Primer was a matter compiler, which I saw absolutely no evidence of, so I spent the whole book waiting for it to be the Seed they talked about constantly (presumably, a matter compiler which can compile from local matter rather than a Feed), but was disappointed... Other than that, very good stuff.

[Hulavuta]

Started reading Ender's Game, was pretty hyped up for me

Read the first few chapters, seems very good already.

[Dunno]

Started reading Ender's Game, was pretty hyped up for me

Finally, or once again?

[thespaceinvader]

There's another one I need to read.

Currently reading Damp Squid - the English language laid bare, by Jeremy Butterfield. Fascinating.

[Captain_Wrathbow]

Master and Commander, by Patrick O'Brian. A very good novel about ships and navies in the early 1800s.

[artisticdude]

Master and Commander, by Patrick O'Brian. A very good novel about ships and navies in the early 1800s.

Wow, really? I just finished that series a couple months back. Excellent writer, O'Brian. I've long been a nautical enthusiast, and personally I consider his books to be the best nautical stories I've read to date, even surpassing the Hornblower series.

[Hulavuta]

Started reading Ender's Game, was pretty hyped up for me

Finally, or once again?

Finally. Haha.

[Einherjar]

I'm reading two books simultaneously, and I'm almost done with both: Animal Liberation by Peter Singer and Free Software, Free Society by Richard M. Stallman. I can recommend both of them warmly. Free Software, Free Society especially for anyone interested in free software (such as Wesnoth), and Animal Liberation I would recommend to every person alive.

[Rigor]

i got this book from a friend and i tried to read it. it was not up to date anymore and many things have changed in the industry. i couldnt help but not like what he wrote: my studies touch the subject of production of food and i can say that i have a good view on how things are produced and why like that and not differently, and he just used the same information in a very dramatic and misleading way, using very special examples to generate a picture that is absolutely not true in my own country. but i can understand that now you feel like you want every living person to read the book. i cannot recommend it, unfortunately.

right now im fascinated by book 2 of the fire and ice saga that obviously everybody starts sooner or later when he stays in this thread for longer. its very cool

[thespaceinvader]

Just read Ben Elton's Past Mortem today. Let me start by saying, this book is not for the faint of heart nor the prudish of temperament, featuring as it does several uncompromisingly graphic descriptions of sex and violence. It is also not for anyone expecting Elton's usual level of comedy, which is not present. That's not to say it doesn't have its moments, but the usual aisle-rolling does not take place.

What it is, is a powerful whodunnit, and a powerful examination of some deeply disturbing themes, namely childhood bullying, and the impacts it can have on adulthood, as well as dipping into domestic violence. It's very well written, with well described characters, and a strong plot. It is, however, unfortunately predictable - I guessed who the murderer was the first time that character was mentioned by name - through no other means than this character being particularly well-described for someone so currently-unconnected to the plot. But that doesn't cast a shadow. Some of the best whodunnits leave the detectives in ignorance whilst the reader already knows the answer.

Overall, well worth reading.

I'm also reading The World's Greatest Idea, the fifty ideas that have changed humanity by John Farndon. This, unfortunately, just hasn't grabbed me yet. Partly, I've been reading it whilst tired or otherwise paying attention to other things. Partly, I just don't get on with the writing style. Partly, I don't particularly like his glowing testimony about things with which I have fundamental disagreements, particularly talking about the scientific evidence for acupuncture in his chapter on qi/chi, which is far, far slimmer than he implies. I dunno, maybe there's something more in it, so I shall persevere. But I'm dubious at present.

[Colouredbox]

[Hulavuta]

Finished Ender's Game.



<-------------Me

[Mountain_King]

Just finished Alien Intrusion by Gary Bates. An interesting perspective on the UFO phenomenon.

Oh yeah, and reading the Harry Potter books for the first time (after watching the movies for the first time over the past month, I figured "why not?").

And for good measure, read through books 1-9 of the Ranger's Apprentice books. I got them all for free from an acquaintance. Yeah, me likes to read.

[thespaceinvader]

Just finished Daemon and Freedom™ by Daniel Suarez, and damn. Two of the best books I've read in a long, long time. Well-written stories (though the romantic subplot felt a little tacked-on), but perhaps more importantly, deeply, deeply disturbing in light of current events.

Read these books.