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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2020 23:06:39 GMT 1
Re books or comic books?
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Post by josephjoestar1 on Apr 30, 2020 22:24:09 GMT 1
Currently I am reading Micheal Crichton's Jurassic Park for probably the fourth time and along with that I'm also reading a manga Tokyo Ghoul.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2020 19:13:47 GMT 1
Marvel: The Characters and Their Universe by Michael Mallory. It is a very interesting book published in 2001 about the history of Marvel and covers all of the media they had been translated to at the time. There are lots of great pictures throughout it too.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2020 19:17:09 GMT 1
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
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Post by AQUA JAR!™ on May 1, 2020 19:38:56 GMT 1
The Road by Cormac McCarthy Loved the film.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2020 23:17:48 GMT 1
The Road by Cormac McCarthy Loved the film. I'm planning to watch it when I finish the book.
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Post by AQUA JAR!™ on May 1, 2020 23:22:48 GMT 1
I'm planning to watch it when I finish the book. SMART!
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Post by AQUA SALZ! on May 2, 2020 17:07:46 GMT 1
Currently reading Ian Fleming’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1963), the 19th James Bond book and the 2nd to involve Blofeld. Not that far into it, but it’s good so far—almost identical to the movie (though, as the cover art accurately depicts, Book-Tracy is not Diana Rigg), but the scenes after Bond meets Drago are better, and the opening wistful (Bond returns to Casino Royale and sees Vesper’s grave, almost prefiguring a handing of the torch from Vesper to Tracy and, thus, foreshadowing the ending). Almost all the Fleming books I’ve read so far have been well-written, well-paced, harsh thrillers, and I highly recommend them, especially to Bond movie fans who’ve never read the books. I was on a Bond kick a year or so ago and read from Live and Let Die to Thunderball in rapid succession because they’re such easy reads (I’d already read Casino Royale). Skipped over Moonraker because my library didn’t have it; I’ll have to go back to that one. Of those, the only one I didn’t really like was Diamonds Are Forever (it has nothing to do with the movie, but amusingly I didn’t like either of them, albeit for totally different reasons). Haven’t read a Bond since then, so thought it was high time to read this one, which I own. Have skipped over the short stories and The Spy who Loved Me (which isn’t supposed to be good), will have to go back to those too. Also highly, highly recommended, by the way: the BBC radio adaptations, with Toby Stephens as an excellent Bond and faithful adaptations of Fleming’s stories. Oh, and my favorite Bond books so far are Casino Royale (movie’s surprisingly faithful), Live and Let Die (so much better than the movie: voodoo, that gruesome scene with Felix Leiter, and Bond hunting pirate treasure), From Russia, with Love (brilliantly structured, Fleming’s best plot), and Goldfinger. OHMSS may make the list; will check in again when I finish.
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on May 3, 2020 9:09:18 GMT 1
I've almost finished A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen.
Since the library is currently closed and not wanting any books returned, they're letting us hang onto whatever books we last borrowed out and we don't have to worry about any late fees. Yay!
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Post by Grandmaster on May 3, 2020 12:41:08 GMT 1
Sakaar talking threads.
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Post by Indiana Jones on May 5, 2020 15:16:45 GMT 1
Finishing The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski.
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Post by AQUA SALZ! on May 6, 2020 4:06:09 GMT 1
Currently reading Ian Fleming’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1963), the 19th James Bond book and the 2nd to involve Blofeld. Just finished it. (Spoilers, but if you’ve seen the movie the book’s nearly identical.) Unfortunately, it’s good but not great. It’s the rare book whose best part is its middle: most books falter and get bogged down there, but here Fleming tells a spooky, suspenseful plot. Bond sleuths around Blofeld’s mysterious mountaintop lair, trying to avoid people and things that will give away his real identity (along with the watchful eye of the horrible Irma Bunt) and figure out the mad scientist’s evil plan. This is all fun stuff, reminiscent of the spy stories I used to read as a kid where the hero was in disguise and could be found out at any moment. It all takes a bit of a nosedive, however, when Bond escapes and heads down the mountain, as Fleming (somewhat ironically) wasn’t a good action writer. The books’ action scenes are usually their weakest, and (possibly because this is the first book written after the movie series came out) here he tries to pile on the action, and it quickly becomes dull. More of a problem, though, is that Tracy is kept offscreen so long that Bond’s decision to marry her comes as unearned. Yes, she’s charming and gorgeous and the right type of girl for Bond, but so was Solitaire, so was Domino. Fleming should have made Tracy more like Vesper, giving us a psychological reason for Bond to want to marry her almost right away. Because he didn’t, however, the nasty surprise ending also comes off as unearned, though Bond’s “all the time in the world” speech (kept verbatim, as far as I remember, in the movie) is strong. Alas, not as good as the early books, but still a good spy story. Will be interested to read You Only Live Twice and The Man with the Golden Gun, the last two novels in the series; neither is supposed to be all that good, but unlike most of the books up to this point, they’re supposed to be completely different from their movie adaptations. Some amusing side-comments: Bond suddenly becomes half-Scottish here (!). Much to his own surprise, Fleming loved Connery’s performance in Dr. No. Did Fleming have Grace Kelly in mind as Tracy? That cover painting seems to be based on her, definitely, but Fleming’s description seems to be as well. In that case…well, I withdraw my objections to Bond’s suddenness in falling for her. Blofeld gets some great speeches, but he’s not ‘onscreen’ much. Too bad that the best movie Blofeld (IMO), Max von Sydow, had a terrible film around him (“unofficial” Bond Never Say Never Again). The OHMSS movie’s Telly Savalas is my second favorite Blofeld.
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Post by Merv on Jun 30, 2022 20:25:01 GMT 1
Was gonna reply on the movie thread but figured why not start a book one instead... I'm starting an ambitious summer reading list Whatcha reading? I'm halfway through the final book of the Age of Madness trilogy by Joe Abercrombie...its tied to all his First Law books. It's been a fantastic ride and its going to be kind of bittersweet when I finish because he hasn't written any more at the moment. His character work is top notch to me and his humor and ability to write interesting combat is spectacular.
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Post by Lord Death Man on Jun 30, 2022 21:02:56 GMT 1
Fiction The Three-Body Problem - Liu Cixin (halfway through, need to finish this) Woe to Live On - Daniel Woodrell (part of a long-planned re-read) The Quality of The Informant - Gerald Petievich
Non-Fiction The Man Who Broke Capitalism* - David Gelles A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles - Thomas Sowell Atomic Habits* - James Clear
* = audio books
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Post by Lord Death Man on Jun 30, 2022 21:04:37 GMT 1
I have until mid September to get through my list. It's doable, but I'll need to cut back on random TV watching.
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Post by Merv on Jun 30, 2022 21:08:37 GMT 1
Fiction The Three-Body Problem - Liu Cixin (halfway through, need to finish this)Woe to Live On - Daniel Woodrell (part of a long-planned re-read)The Quality of The Informant - Gerald Petievich Non-Fiction The Man Who Broke Capitalism* - David Gelles A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles - Thomas Sowell Atomic Habits* - James Clear * = audio books Ive had the Three Body Problem on my 'to read' for a while. But theres a lot of books on my 'to read'. It seemed interesting. I think I kind of threw it a bit on the backburner after hearing about the authors political thoughts...but I'll probably still read it eventually.
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Post by Merv on Jun 30, 2022 21:14:29 GMT 1
I have until mid September to get through my list. It's doable, but I'll need to cut back on random TV watching. Audiobooks help for me. I don’t have any particular deadline but the availability to listen to a book while cutting the grass, driving, cooking, or at the gym really helps keep me invested. I’ve sometimes combined paper and audio so I can continue the same story no matter the task.
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Post by Lord Death Man on Jun 30, 2022 21:20:08 GMT 1
Fiction The Three-Body Problem - Liu Cixin (halfway through, need to finish this)Woe to Live On - Daniel Woodrell (part of a long-planned re-read)The Quality of The Informant - Gerald Petievich Non-Fiction The Man Who Broke Capitalism* - David Gelles A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles - Thomas Sowell Atomic Habits* - James Clear * = audio books Ive had the Three Body Problem on my 'to read' for a while. But theres a lot of books on my 'to read'. It seemed interesting. I think I kind of threw it a bit on the backburner after hearing about the authors political thoughts...but I'll probably still read it eventually. I put the Three-Body Problem down for similar reasons, but I'm well-known in some circles for having finished every book I've ever started, and this one can't be an exception. It's intellectually challenging, but I'm not sure if it's actually entertaining. I love crime fiction, Ellroy, Pietevitch, and the like, and The Quality of The Informant is the last in the "Charles Carr" tetralogy, which included the blistering Money Men and One-Shot Deal. Woe To Live On was introduced to me by a family member who recently passed away, and I'm re-reading it in their honor. The non-fiction stuff is part fun and part research for a Marvel fan-fiction piece I plan to take on in the winter.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2022 10:34:47 GMT 1
It has been a while. I think the last book I read to completion was about a poor man's Hannibal Lecter, Hangman by Jack Heath. That or Authority by Jeff VanderMeer (second in the Southern Reach Trilogy)-Ive mentioned the movie before that was based on this series, starring Natalie Portman
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Post by Lord Death Man on Jul 1, 2022 16:43:11 GMT 1
I have until mid September to get through my list. It's doable, but I'll need to cut back on random TV watching. Audiobooks help for me. I don’t have any particular deadline but the availability to listen to a book while cutting the grass, driving, cooking, or at the gym really helps keep me invested. I’ve sometimes combined paper and audio so I can continue the same story no matter the task. I've never tried switching between paper and audio before, that sounds like a hack worth trying, thanks.
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Post by AQUA RAPTOR! on Jul 2, 2022 5:25:03 GMT 1
Agent Pendergast mostly for the right now.
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Post by Indiana Jones on Jul 14, 2022 2:25:46 GMT 1
Finishing up True Evil by Greg Iles.
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Post by AQUA KEN! on Jul 15, 2022 13:54:40 GMT 1
Itchy, Tasty by Alex Aniel
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Post by AQUA CAT! on Jul 15, 2022 18:41:30 GMT 1
I don't read.
Well, I read a lot of text. Articles, papers, stuff for school. But reading for recreation or pleasure, like novels and fiction? I haven't done that in ages. I don't even remember the last book I read for fun.
"Books". I barely remember what they are.
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Post by Merv on Jul 17, 2022 22:05:09 GMT 1
I don't read.
Well, I read a lot of text. Articles, papers, stuff for school. But reading for recreation or pleasure, like novels and fiction? I haven't done that in ages. I don't even remember the last book I read for fun.
"Books". I barely remember what they are.
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Post by Merv on Jul 17, 2022 22:29:36 GMT 1
The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie...its the final book in his Age of Madness trilogy and the 10th book in his overall connected First Law world. I loved it. It was such a good final arc for so many characters. My absolute favorite thing about the way Joe Abercrombie writes characters is that it feels like he's thought them through and given you enough of their story to make you understand where they are coming from even if you hate them. Especially with how brutal this world is, it doesn't even feel like they need to apologize for being the assholes that everyone around them has made them. The more characters try to hide from who they really are the more miserable they become. In the words of the great champion of the Circle Logen Ninefingers "You have to be realistic about these things." If this is the final First Law novel it works...but theres enough here to insinuate that more is coming and I'll be first in line for the next novel when it comes out.
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Post by Merv on Jul 21, 2022 3:07:00 GMT 1
I've started/continued two King novels I havent read yet...
Rose Madder...which is about an abused woman fleeing her husband.
11/22/63...which involves a time traveling english teacher who tries to stop the Kennedy assasination.
Im still early in both...and Rose Madder especially I've been slogging on and picking up other books in the meantime. But Im hoping to finish both these by labor day.
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Post by Merv on Sept 2, 2022 1:20:18 GMT 1
Finished 11/22/63....really enjoyed it. One of Kings best endings imo. One of Kings criticisms are that his endings fall flat a bit but I think he nailed it here. He does give credit to his son for coming up with the final version of the ending tho. But all in all very good.
I am almost finished with the first Dresden Files novel, Storm Front. This book (and this series from what Ive been told) is a noir style fantasy that follows a kind of private eye of the supernatural, and wizard, Harry Dresden as he tries to solve a couple murders and gets beat up by mafioso henchmen and has romantic parlays with several ladies across town. The noir vibes are very thick and with a supernatural element thrown in this is a very interesting read. Its pretty light, lots of sarcasm and snarkiness. Also very short, under 400 pages (8 hours on audio).
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Post by LokisMom on Sept 8, 2022 12:23:22 GMT 1
The Other Side of Silence by Bill Pronzini.
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Post by Merv on Sept 17, 2022 23:45:29 GMT 1
Just finished the second Dresden Files novel by Jim Butcher. Fool Moon was its title...can you guess what supernatural problem Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, private investigator and wizard, has to deal with in this one? Werewolves everywhere! Turns out theres like 5 different kinds of werewolves. Chaos ensues. Im really loving this series so far. The old timey detective noir vibes mixed with the supernatural elements all set in present day Chicago is a flavor of novel I was optimistic I'd like and sure enough, I really do. These are nice light palette cleansers so far so I may try to mix them in between other books I'd like to read. Apparently theres almost 20 of these novels so...ive got my hands full. Definitely recommend if it sounds even mildly interesting.
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