What are you reading?

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
I can't always find enough quiet time during the day to do my studies, so I've started reading Dracula during my breaks at work.

Edit: I finished Dracula, and now I plan on reading Neuromancer. I've heard good things, and am really excited to start reading it.

Edit: I finished Neuromancer, and loved every page of it. I can't believe I waited this long to read it. Before moving on to the other books in Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy, I'm going to re-read Vagabond.
 
Picked up Murakami's Norwegian Wood in preparation of staying occupied, reading it on a 21 hour journey last weekend, turned out I slept through most of the journey without any reading. So I got to it after and I couldn't put it down, time flew and few paper cuts later the book ended. I need to moisturize my paws better. Satisfying end to a sad coming of age-love story. He threw in some deep questions. I could somewhat relate with the sentiment of lost love or the connection between characters like Toru and Midori. I'm curious about his other works, this was my first book by him. Picked up The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, while I wait to receive it in the mail I began reading the comic John sent me - Invincible.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Just finished Scott McCloud's "The Sculptor". I've been a big fan of McCloud's since his Zot days, so this was a real treat since it's been almost a decade since he'd made a new comic.

He's one of the best visual storytellers in US comics. He literally wrote the book on visual critiques of comic art. So, this was a book he'd worked on for 5+ years and was a concept he'd had rolling in his head for more than 20 years.

The story itself is straightforward enough: A down-and-out sculptor makes a deal with Death to gain the ability to shape any material to anything he can imagine, but he has just 200 days to live. The power is in the visual storytelling, the action between frames, all the details of the world. McCloud is pretty clever about building in backstory to even the smallest characters, and smallest moments, so the dense artwork between the lines of the story are like a little world in and of itself.

Highly recommended for anyone still into American comics. :guts:
 
Cool recommendation, thanks Walter. Just picked it up on Amazon along with the rest of the Invincible series by Robert Kirkman.

Wrapped up volume 1 of Invincible (Ultimate Collection) and was left kicking myself for not having volume 2 right beside me. This volume contains 13 issues and the story flies quick. It starts with Mark, a high school senior, finding his powers inherited from his superhero dad come to form. He then becomes part of a teen superhero squad and has to juggle that with being in school and getting trained on the side by his superhero dad. His dad's originally an alien from a race of people who put themselves on different planets to protect the people and help with their technological progress. There's a plot twist 2/3rd's into the volume and things get hard for everyone. The best part of the story so far is the relationship between Mark and his superhero dad. Thanks John for introducing me to this comic!
 

Johnstantine

Skibbidy Boo Bop
IncantatioN said:
Cool recommendation, thanks Walter. Just picked it up on Amazon along with the rest of the Invincible series by Robert Kirkman.

Wrapped up volume 1 of Invincible (Ultimate Collection) and was left kicking myself for not having volume 2 right beside me. This volume contains 13 issues and the story flies quick. It starts with Mark, a high school senior, finding his powers inherited from his superhero dad come to form. He then becomes part of a teen superhero squad and has to juggle that with being in school and getting trained on the side by his superhero dad. His dad's originally an alien from a race of people who put themselves on different planets to protect the people and help with their technological progress. There's a plot twist 2/3rd's into the volume and things get hard for everyone. The best part of the story so far is the relationship between Mark and his superhero dad. Thanks John for introducing me to this comic!

It's my absolute pleasure. If you want volume 2, I can mail it to you. I have the compendiums now (which contain 47 issues per volume), so it's yours if you want it.

You won't be able to stop though.
 
Reading Brandon Sanderson's "The Way of Kings" book 1 of 10 (only 2 are out atm) not too far in but so far im really enjoying it. any of you guys read it?

10mifth.jpg
 

Johnstantine

Skibbidy Boo Bop
Snake said:
Reading Brandon Sanderson's "The Way of Kings" book 1 of 10 (only 2 are out atm) not too far in but so far im really enjoying it. any of you guys read it?

10mifth.jpg

I haven't read it, but man...10-part series is pretty substantial. Hopefully he does GRRM him fans.
 
Johnstantine said:
I haven't read it, but man...10-part series is pretty substantial. Hopefully he does GRRM him fans.

lol these super long epic fantasies are pretty overwhelming. The author puts out multiple books a year (2-3) the Stormlight archive is not the only series he's working on though, if that was the case, he could probably release 1 book per year, these are long books too, first book is 1000+ pages, second book is even longer. there are two other series he's working on right now, when he's finished with them i hope he focuses on this one more. he's been planning the story for 10+ years so hopefully the pay off is great buy the end of the series :guts:.

one thing in this series that reminds me of berserk is one of the main characters has a companion that kinda reminds me of puck! puck is still the best though :puck: :puck: :puck: :puck: :puck:

Fanart
x3ffv7.jpg
 

Dar_Klink

Last Guardian when? - CyberKlink 20XX before dying
IncantatioN said:
Picked up Murakami's Norwegian Wood in preparation of staying occupied, reading it on a 21 hour journey last weekend, turned out I slept through most of the journey without any reading. So I got to it after and I couldn't put it down, time flew and few paper cuts later the book ended. I need to moisturize my paws better. Satisfying end to a sad coming of age-love story. He threw in some deep questions. I could somewhat relate with the sentiment of lost love or the connection between characters like Toru and Midori. I'm curious about his other works, this was my first book by him. Picked up The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, while I wait to receive it in the mail I began reading the comic John sent me - Invincible.

Nice Incantation, I actually finished 1Q84 recently and enjoyed it a lot, I'm currently reading Hard Boiled Wonderland and the World of Tomorrow, which heavily influenced my favorite anime Haibane Renmei. I've also read Kafka on the Shore by Murakami and bought The Strange Library by him recently.

1Q84 was really interesting throughout although I felt the ending was almost a bit rushed. It didn't leave me dissatisfied with what I got, but I did want more! Hard Boiled Wonderland is good so far and I can definitely see how it influenced Haibane and how the "Hard Boiled" part was influenced by detective novels. I'm glad I'm finally taking the time to read more of Murakami's novels since I first read Kafka on the Shore in 2008.
 
Snake said:
Reading Brandon Sanderson's "The Way of Kings" book 1 of 10 (only 2 are out atm) not too far in but so far im really enjoying it. any of you guys read it?
I freaking loved the first two books. If you like Fantasy and Sci fi stories check these books out, it's a really amazing story. Even if it doesn't ever get finished, give the first books a chance.
One thing i have to recommend to you, don't read the first two books together. I did and i was burned out towards the end. I suggest you let a few months pass till you start the second book, just to appreciate the story more.
 
Johnstantine said:
It's my absolute pleasure. If you want volume 2, I can mail it to you. I have the compendiums now (which contain 47 issues per volume), so it's yours if you want it.

You won't be able to stop though.

Aaah shoot, I ordered up to volume 10 on Amazon right after I finished reading 1 and 2 has been shipped. Thanks for offering to help!

Dar Klink said:
Nice Incantation, I actually finished 1Q84 recently and enjoyed it a lot, I'm currently reading Hard Boiled Wonderland and the World of Tomorrow, which heavily influenced my favorite anime Haibane Renmei. I've also read Kafka on the Shore by Murakami and bought The Strange Library by him recently.

1Q84 was really interesting throughout although I felt the ending was almost a bit rushed. It didn't leave me dissatisfied with what I got, but I did want more! Hard Boiled Wonderland is good so far and I can definitely see how it influenced Haibane and how the "Hard Boiled" part was influenced by detective novels. I'm glad I'm finally taking the time to read more of Murakami's novels since I first read Kafka on the Shore in 2008.

Nice, guess I have a lot of catching up to do. Is there an order to what should be read among his works?

I found out about the author because of 1Q84. I was seeing everyone reading it on the subway when it came out and talking about it on my social feed, quoting the book as much as people quoting Paulo Coelho's stuff! It got annoying, so I kinda stayed away from it.
 
Joe Chip said:
I freaking loved the first two books. If you like Fantasy and Sci fi stories check these books out, it's a really amazing story. Even if it doesn't ever get finished, give the first books a chance.
One thing i have to recommend to you, don't read the first two books together. I did and i was burned out towards the end. I suggest you let a few months pass till you start the second book, just to appreciate the story more.

yeah so far i only heard great things about the series, and i was planning on starting words of radiance after i finish the first book because my memory of the first book will still be pretty fresh but ill take your word for it, ill either take a break or read a stand alone book. I do think that he will finish the series without a doubt, his work eithic is amazing, i am sure he will finish it.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Dar Klink said:
my favorite anime Haibane Renmei.

I had to google that, couldn't remember what it was. Funny that it's your favorite anime. I watched it when it aired, it's been so long it feels like it was another life.
 
Halfway through both Neuromancer and Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House. Even now I can tell these will both end up as all time personal favorites.
 
Hi everybody, first post here.

One of my favorite ongoing series is Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples. The story and artwork are amazing, I can't recommend it enough. The easiest way to describe the plot is Romeo and Juliet meets Star Wars but for a complete adult audience but that doesn't even begin to do the plot justice. This is one of those books that when said and done will be up there with the greatest achievements in the medium without question, everyone should check this out.
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
Cuthbert19 said:
Hi everybody, first post here.

Welcome!

Cuthbert19 said:
One of my favorite ongoing series is Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples. The story and artwork are amazing, I can't recommend it enough. The easiest way to describe the plot is Romeo and Juliet meets Star Wars but for a complete adult audience but that doesn't even begin to do the plot justice. This is one of those books that when said and done will be up there with the greatest achievements in the medium without question, everyone should check this out.

A friend of my wife's recommended Saga. I've flipped through the first volume, and it looks really unique. I'm looking forward to checking it out one day. (That first page... :ganishka:).
 

Johnstantine

Skibbidy Boo Bop
I've been trying to read The Way of Kings, but everything already seems all too familiar so it's a little difficult to get into.
 
Johnstantine said:
I've been trying to read The Way of Kings, but everything already seems all too familiar so it's a little difficult to get into.
This happened to me too, i can understand what you are feeling. I was hooked as soon as they
reached the Shattered Plains
( <- Don't worry, it's not a huge spoiler =) )
Give it a bit of time, i am sure that it'll grow on you.
 
I'm reading "Conspiracy against the Human Race" by Thomas Ligotti and "Half the World" by Joe Abercrombie. "Conspiracy" has been a really creepy non-fiction so far that makes the case that being alive and conscious isn't a good thing, that it is an abomination against nature. True Detective draws a lot of inspiration from it. "Half the World" is just as solid as most of Abercrombie's work. Very Grimdark, subverting fantasy tropes, and full of wit and gallows humor. I'd recommend both so far.
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
I'm all caught up on Vagabond (on the Viz releases, anyway), so I've started reading The Walking Dead. My wife's parents got me the first compendium for Christmas.
 
Last week I finished Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and it's great. 600+ pages though, so it took me a while to finish and I was more open to distractions. To me, it has two distinct phases with the
occasional slip between dream and reality
. The book opens with the main protagonist on the search for his lost cat. He's unemployed. His wife, Kumiko, is a magazine editor and she insists he go look for their cat. While on his search, he interacts with interesting people and strange things begin to happen. It's not straightforward, there are different stories happening all at once. Had a hard time keeping up with towards the end but the story snapped back and finishes strong. Again, it's the length of the book that made way for distractions for me.

I'd recommend it. I did like it a lot. Maybe re-read it in a few years.

Currently reading Murakami's Dance Dance Dance.

Dar Klink said:
I'm currently reading Hard Boiled Wonderland and the World of Tomorrow, which heavily influenced my favorite anime Haibane Renmei. I've also read Kafka on the Shore by Murakami and bought The Strange Library by him recently.

Did you finish Hard Boiled...? Any good compared to other books you read by him?
 

Grail

Feel the funk blast
IncantatioN said:
Last week I finished Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and it's great. 600+ pages though, so it took me a while to finish and I was more open to distractions...
I'd recommend it. I did like it a lot. Maybe re-read it in a few years.
What a funny coincidence, I was just recommended this book by a coworker! I tried the first couple of hours on audiobook, but the reader for it was kind of driving me crazy. :ganishka:

As for myself, I plan to attempt to get back into the Song of Ice and Fire series, at the urging of a friend. It'll be an interesting return, because I'm not sure if I remember enough of the first four books to jump into a Dance with Dragons (the one I'll be reading), and I haven't seen the show yet. In a way, it feels like revisiting an old group of friends, some of whom you're excited to catch up with, and a few you'd rather not hear from ever again. :iva: I'm not too enthusiastic about getting mired in George's over-descriptions either, but there are a few unexplained mysteries and theories that I'm hoping to see develop. I think that's where his work really shines, but he seems to have trouble with sticking to the whole show-rather-than-tell thing. Regardless, it should be a quick read, like his stuff always is.
 
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