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[kvetcha]

I've had a string of bad luck lately with books I thought would click with me but lost steam.

In the past month or two, I've dropped:
Remain in Love by Chris Frantz
The Cabinet by Un-Su Kim
To Hold Up the Sky by Cixin Liu
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Looking for a quick, weird read to get me back on track...

Couldn’t get into Snow Crash? I always thought that one was a ton of fun.

 

[smoothies]

Couldn’t get into Snow Crash? I always thought that one was a ton of fun.

I think there was something in it that immediately turned me off, but ilit was back in November and I can't remember what it was.

 

[kvetcha]

I think there was something in it that immediately turned me off, but ilit was back in November and I can't remember what it was.

It’s a very weird, irreverent work, but weirdly prescient. Still, Stephenson is an acquired taste, so I understand.

 

[smoothies]

Yeah, that's one I may give another chance eventually since I can't remember what my issue was.

 

[YoboD]

I think there was something in it that immediately turned me off, but ilit was back in November and I can't remember what it was.

Spoiler: Snow Crash Late Book Spoilers

I don’t know if it’s what you’re referring to, but there’s a part in the story where a fifteen year old girl has sex with an adult man that is described in detail. That was a very weird moment that took me out of the story big time. She’s also pretty sexualised throughout the book from what I remember.

 

[Niraj]

I remember having a hard time getting into the first novel, but the second and especially the third are top-shelf. Great trilogy.

Stuff I've read this year and loved:

The Teixcalaan Series (A Memory Called Empire / A Desolation Called Peace) by Arkady Martine
The Imperial Radch Trilogy (Ancillary Justice, Ancillary Sword, Ancillary Mercy) by Ann Leckie
Ru - Kim Thuy
The Secret Commonwealth - Philip Pullman
Devil House - John Darnielle
The Satanic Verses - Salman Rushdie

Stuff I've read this year and enjoyed:

Termination Shock - Neal Stephenson
How High We Go in the Dark - Sequoia Nagamatsu
I Contain Multitudes - Ed Yong

I need to read more regularly in 2023. I tend to go through phases.

I haven't read I Contain Multitudes, but just finished An Immense World by Ed Yong and thought it was an amazing read. Definitely perspective changing.

 

[kvetcha]

I haven't read I Contain Multitudes, but just finished An Immense World by Ed Yong and thought it was an amazing read. Definitely perspective changing.

I Contain Multitudes is very good! All about the human microbiome.

I will check out An Immense World, thanks.

 

[kvetcha]

Spoiler: Snow Crash Late Book Spoilers

I don’t know if it’s what you’re referring to, but there’s a part in the story where a fifteen year old girl has sex with an adult man that is described in detail. That was a very weird moment that took me out of the story but time. She’s also pretty sexualised throughout the book from what I remember.

I interpreted it more as an edgy 90s take on sexual independence, but yeah, YT is…a lot.

 

[KilgoreWolfe]

Finished Demon Copperhead today. I really enjoyed it, despite the fairly heavy subject matter (the crushing weight of institutionalized poverty). I didn't feel like it fell into "poverty porn" but I wouldn't necessarily fault someone if they thought it did.

 

[SammyJ9]

It’s a very weird, irreverent work, but weirdly prescient. Still, Stephenson is an acquired taste, so I understand.

It’s also written in third person present tense, which takes a LOT of getting used to. And has a lot of the usual Neal Stephenson exposition dumps and meandering. But overall it’s a book I really enjoyed once I got into it.

I’m about to start the final book in the Books of Babel series finally, I’ve been bad about reading much lately. I also need to get on the sequels to Gideon the Ninth.

 

[kvetcha]

It’s also written in third person present tense, which takes a LOT of getting used to. And has a lot of the usual Neal Stephenson exposition dumps and meandering. But overall it’s a book I really enjoyed once I got into it.

I’m about to start the final book in the Books of Babel series finally, I’ve been bad about reading much lately. I also need to get on the sequels to Gideon the Ninth.

I was basically fully onboard after Stephenson deployed the phrase “black chariot of pepperoni fire.”

 

[KilgoreWolfe]

I've begun a Brandon Sanderson kick, starting with Elantris. Really enjoying it so far, the characters are interesting, and I'm curious as to what happened to Elantris. The only thing I'm not super vibing with is a lot of the names, they kinda feel like they're "fantasy goofy for the sake of it", if that makes sense.

Debating on reading Warbreaker next or going for the Mistborn trilogy.

 

[Supreme Overlord]

Debating on reading Warbreaker next or going for the Mistborn trilogy.

Ah, I believe those are the two tracks fans generally recommend for starting out.

I primarily read Warbreaker through its free availability on the author's website, but that process was kind of carried out in chunks until I picked it up at the library, which might have masked some of the pacing clunkiness people talk about.

Some neat concepts in those, though.

I haven't read that much from Sanderson, in actuality, but from what I have read I'd recommend his novella, The Emperor's Soul.

 

[KilgoreWolfe]

Ah, I believe those are the two tracks fans generally recommend for starting out.

I primarily read Warbreaker through its free availability on the author's website, but that process was kind of carried out in chunks until I picked it up at the library, which might have masked some of the pacing clunkiness people talk about.

Some neat concepts in those, though.

I haven't read that much from Sanderson, in actuality, but from what I have read I'd recommend his novella, The Emperor's Soul.

I've read all of the Stormlight Archive books, including the novellas, but tbh they are actually probably better saved for after the rest of his work, as they contain a number of references that went over my head at the time. Still enjoyable, mind you.

 

[KilgoreWolfe]

Finished Elantris, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope Sanderson can put out a sequel at some point (he apparently has plans for one).

I also decided to deviate from my plan to just read a bunch of Brandon Sanderson, and have decided to read R. F. Kuang's Babel instead.

 

[1upmuffin]

Hey, you still there, old friend? @1upmuffin

Sometimes! I mostly post on Discord now, visiting forums now and then.

Reading update:

Recently Finished:

1. I recently finished the 4th Wheel of Time book, still trudging through that series, still enjoying it, will see how far I can make it.
2. Finished Fangirl, cute YA book with a not great representation of fanfiction culture

Currently Reading:

• Tress (audiobook), the first Sanderson kickstarter book (my first Brandon Sanderson book)
• The Once and Future King (physical book), this will take me awhile but I like it so far except for one very racist bird
• Blankets (Graphic novel), very good so far! Haven't read as many graphics novels lately as I used to.

How about you?

 

[kvetcha]

Killers of the Flower Moon was terrific. Horrifying, maddening, super compelling. Has me very excited for the upcoming Scorsese adaptation.

 

[SammyJ9]

Finished Elantris, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope Sanderson can put out a sequel at some point (he apparently has plans for one).

I also decided to deviate from my plan to just read a bunch of Brandon Sanderson, and have decided to read R. F. Kuang's Babel instead.

Elantris is (usually) regarded as one of Sanderson’s worst books, and you can definitely tell it was his first published. I still liked it and I don’t think it’s bad, but it has a lot of rough edges and things to it that would be smoothed out later in his writing.

I recently did a reread of The Lies of Locke Lamora and really enjoyed it again, Scott Lynch has a great feel for dialogue and setting. Supposedly Thorn of Emberlain will actually be coming out kinda sorta soon-ish (we’ll see) and I would definitely love some more Locke and Jean.

 

[KilgoreWolfe]

Elantris is (usually) regarded as one of Sanderson’s worst books, and you can definitely tell it was his first published. I still liked it and I don’t think it’s bad, but it has a lot of rough edges and things to it that would be smoothed out later in his writing.

I feel like that speaks more to the quality of the rest of his books, haha. But yeah, it does come across a little rough in some spots.

Babel was really good, if a tiny bit preachy at points. Definitely has one of the most interesting "magic" systems I've ever seen.

Reading Warbreaker now and I'm about 250 pages in. Quite enjoying it so far.