what are you reading?

shimeril · Post by **shimeril** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 11:40 am 0

sty wrote:
grue wrote:The player of games - Ian Banks

Everything I've read of him is pure genius, stunning Sci-Fi
I love all the Ian Banks stuff (so much so that I have a complete set of first editions)

I came to a grinding halt in Fearsum Enjin though and I've been reading that for about 5 years now, I must get down and either finish it or give up.

Recently I read Dead Air and it was superb, really enjoyed it

Player of Games would be one of my absolute favourite reads. I enjoy Iain's Culture books immensely, but Dead Air and The Business were a bit of a let down for me. Ah well, horses for courses eh?

Currently reading The Confusion, Book 2 of Neal Stephenson's Baroque epic. It can be hard going, but I still find it rewarding. Prior to that "It's Not About the Bike" by Lance Armstrong. I was absolutely engrossed, and demolished it in a day. I am a rabid cycling nut though....

One obscure one worth a look for you all. Rynosseros by Terry Dowling - a very alternative Australia where the Aborigines are in control. Hard to find, but a dead set brilliant read, IMHO of course.

sty · Post by **sty** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 11:41 am 0

I've been trying to get back into reading again recently and thanks to a couple of trips away seem to have drifted back into it again

Just finished The Osbournes - An ordinary family, which I bought at the airport as some 'junk' reading, suprisingly interesting and covered the whole back story of Ozzy and Sharon quite well, also some interesting insights into how the series came about and what was going on at the time. Suprisingly enjoyable, and easy to read

Currently reading two books:

Iain Banks - Raw Spirit

Terry Pratchett - Wee Free Men

(both from my to read piles)

offyoutoddle · Post by **offyoutoddle** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:17 pm 0

sty wrote:I've been trying to get back into reading again recently and thanks to a couple of trips away seem to have drifted back into it again

Just finished The Osbournes - An ordinary family, which I bought at the airport as some 'junk' reading, suprisingly interesting and covered the whole back story of Ozzy and Sharon quite well, also some interesting insights into how the series came about and what was going on at the time. Suprisingly enjoyable, and easy to read

Currently reading two books:

Iain Banks - Raw Spirit

Terry Pratchett - Wee Free Men

(both from my to read piles)

You read two books at a time? Not sure I could do that!

TheGoodbyeGirl · Post by **TheGoodbyeGirl** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:19 pm 0

everklear wrote:
everklear wrote:
TheGoodbyeGirl wrote:I didnt really read when i was younger at all infact the only book i remember reading in school of my own choice was one about a girl surviving a nuclear war having lived in a valley, the name of which i forget as i dont have it in my library.
Oh man...I read that when I was in school too. I have no idea what the name of that book is. I remember it being gripping at the time.
Trust google.
Third hit with the following search criteria: book girl survive holocaust valley

"Z is for Zachariah"
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/autho ... OBrien.htm

Must try to find....

Everklear thank you soooo much, I'm off to see can i find it myself now.

sty · Post by **sty** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:36 pm 0

offyoutoddle wrote:
sty wrote:I've been trying to get back into reading again recently and thanks to a couple of trips away seem to have drifted back into it again

Just finished The Osbournes - An ordinary family, which I bought at the airport as some 'junk' reading, suprisingly interesting and covered the whole back story of Ozzy and Sharon quite well, also some interesting insights into how the series came about and what was going on at the time. Suprisingly enjoyable, and easy to read

Currently reading two books:

Iain Banks - Raw Spirit

Terry Pratchett - Wee Free Men

(both from my to read piles)
You read two books at a time? Not sure I could do that!

I don't usually, it's just that my reading has been so erratic I decided to read a couple of books as the mood took me. Also Raw Spirit is non fiction so it's easier to dip in and out of.

hmobius · Post by **hmobius** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:48 pm 0

Just finished the first young James Bond book, Silverfin by Charlie Higson, which is good, clean fun, am halfway through Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson and am just starting Pattern Recognition by William Gibsonagain, although it was a toss up between that and Vurt by Jeff Noon.

Nerdsville · Post by **Nerdsville** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:02 pm 0

Just got back from a weeks holiday where I read Wil Wheaton's Just a Geek

Amazon wrote:Synopsis
Wil Wheaton has never been one to take the conventional path to success. Despite early stardom through his childhood role in the motion picture "Stand By Me", and growing up on television as Wesley Cusher on "Star Trek: The Next Generation", Wil left Hollywood in pursuit of happiness, purpose, and a viable means of paying the bills. In the oddest of places, Topeka, Kansas, Wil discovered that despite his claims to fame, he was at heart Just a Geek. In this, his newest book, Wil shares his deeply personal and difficult journey to find himself. You'll understand the rigors, and joys, of Wil's rediscovering of himself, as he comes to terms with what it means to be famous, or, ironically, famous for once having been famous. Writing with honesty and disarming humanity, Wil touches on the frustrations associated with his acting career, his inability to distance himself from Ensign Crusher in the public's eyes, the launch of his incredibly successful web site, wilwheaton.net, and the joy he's found in writing. Through all of this, Wil shares the ups and downs he encountered along the journey, along with the support and love he discovered from his friends and family. The stories in Just a Geek include: - Wil's plunge from teen star to struggling actor; - Discovering the joys of HTML, blogging, Linux, and web design; - The struggle between Wesley Crusher, Starfleet ensign, and Wil Wheaton, author and blogger; - Gut-wrenching reactions to the 9-11 disaster; - Moving tales of Wil's relationships with his wife, step-children, and extended family; - The transition from a B-list actor to an A-list author Wil Wheaton--celebrity, blogger, and geek--writes for the geek in all of us. Engaging, witty, and pleasantly self-deprecating, Just a Geek will surprise you and make you laugh.

you can download some mp3s and hear Wil himself reading excepts from this and his other book Dancing Barefoot including the infamous WILLIAMFUCKINGSHATNER story at ITConversations just the sort of thing to pass a long train or bus journey.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:58 pm 0

Reading Executive Orders from Clancy.

Had to read something cheerful after abandoning the third Ender book after it went a bit nasty. Bit predictable if ya will.

benedictw · Post by **benedictw** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:17 pm 0

Just finished Going Postal (Terry P).

Cryptonomicon prequels next I think. Something light.

DocDaneeka · Post by **DocDaneeka** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:49 pm 0

the2bears wrote:
DocDaneeka wrote:Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov, always enjoyable to read well written Sci-Fi. Maybe not as good as Foundation And Empire, but I still have half the novel left to go.
Ah, the first 3 Foundation novels. Excellent stuff, one of my favourite series. After that I feel it went downhill, due to getting away from the original themes and style but those original stories... classics.

Bill

Just finished it today very good read, Ive got Foundations Edge on my shelf too I think Ill read that in a few books time.

everklear · Post by **everklear** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:54 pm 0

TheGoodbyeGirl wrote:
everklear wrote:
everklear wrote:
TheGoodbyeGirl wrote:I didnt really read when i was younger at all infact the only book i remember reading in school of my own choice was one about a girl surviving a nuclear war having lived in a valley, the name of which i forget as i dont have it in my library.
Oh man...I read that when I was in school too. I have no idea what the name of that book is. I remember it being gripping at the time.
Trust google.
Third hit with the following search criteria: book girl survive holocaust valley

"Z is for Zachariah"
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/autho ... OBrien.htm

Must try to find....
Everklear thank you soooo much, I'm off to see can i find it myself now.

You are most welcome.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 1:32 am 0

Reading Snow Crash now. You can see where the Matrix nicked half the characters from!

Found the style hard to get into at first as his style is very "teenager on a forum", but I'm getting it now. Not far in though.

kalmar · Post by **kalmar** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 1:41 am 0

TheGoodbyeGirl wrote:
everklear wrote:
everklear wrote:
TheGoodbyeGirl wrote:I didnt really read when i was younger at all infact the only book i remember reading in school of my own choice was one about a girl surviving a nuclear war having lived in a valley, the name of which i forget as i dont have it in my library.
Oh man...I read that when I was in school too. I have no idea what the name of that book is. I remember it being gripping at the time.
Trust google.
Third hit with the following search criteria: book girl survive holocaust valley

"Z is for Zachariah"
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/autho ... OBrien.htm

Must try to find....
Everklear thank you soooo much, I'm off to see can i find it myself now.

Heyy! Excellent book. I read that in my school library too

Took several lunch times. I remember being impressed by the bit where she has to get petrol for the tractor, by finding the manual handle for the pump. Not many fiction stories (even scifi) have accurate technical details in, and I liked technical details

I'd like to read that again too.

Now you've reminded me of another story from that library. It's set in the future, where London and the west have been cordoned off from the rest of the country, which is full of "unnems" and being left to rot. The suppressed population are fed a short-life cocktail of bad nutrition, brain destroying television and addictive gambling machines (sound familiar?). One privileged lad decides to explore the other side and eventually escapes to Scotland with his girl, where they get shot at by a automated RSPB protection system. It was obviously full of lots of political comment that I wouldn't have got at the time

Anyone?

sack · Post by **sack** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 1:51 am 0

PIHKAL - A chemical love story (ann & alexander shulgin)

TwistedScrote · Post by **TwistedScrote** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:13 am 0

Book 5 of The Dark Tower... Wolves of the Calla.. (Although I don't seem to be 'feeling' it as much as the previous books! (although I am only about 100 pages into it..)
Still an awesome collection tho.. Stephen King is possibly the greatest writer I have ever read... His style is just so natural and smooth. Geralds Game is also a stunning book.. actually made me jump at one part.. Never known that in any book before!