What books are you reading now?

Converse about your favorite literature and reading in this study.

What books are you reading now?

Postby Reno » Tue Jan 22, '08, 3:26 am

Me, I've just finished, "The Golden Compass" the first book in Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy. It was pretty decent and kept me hooked, but it's really one of those books you just read, finish, think to yourself, "Huh, that was pretty good, oh well, on to the next one." and move on. It's now a fairly unpopular and controversial, (can't believe that bit, really) movie that many fans have criticised for cutting out the last few chapters, (which really was a stupid decision, the last chapter is awesome) supposedly because of religious pressure. I've never seen the movie, so I can't really give my own assessment on it, but without the last few chapters, (and the fact that it's a movie based off of a book) I don't see it as being worth my time.

Anyway, enough of that. Discuss your recently read books here!
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Postby SparkyIII » Tue Jan 22, '08, 3:55 am

I'm reading a starcraft book. Shadow of the Xel'Naga. I've read the ones before and after it, cuz I'm bad with getting it right. Only on chapter 3 so I can't say much about it.
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Postby Yoshi » Tue Jan 22, '08, 5:47 am

I'm reading the Harry Potter series of books for the first time. They seem pretty popular so thought I'd give it a go. :mario:
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Postby Thoul » Tue Jan 22, '08, 7:47 am

I'm not reading anything at the moment. Last week, I read a preview of a book an online friend has written, to write a couple of lines of praise to be used on the cover when it is published soon. His book is about managing forums. It's not really anything I didn't know, but that's because I had learned a lot of it from working with him and people like him.
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Postby Reno » Wed Jan 23, '08, 12:39 am

To Sparky: Hmm, StarCraft huh? I'm in a SciFi mood right now, so I might be giving a Star Wars book a go, never read StarCraft though, let me know how it is.

To Yoshi: Indeed, the Harry Potter series is popular for a reason. J.K. Rowling's style makes for a quick and excellent read, (although I've still yet to read the last book!)

To Thoul: Is your friend really going to get it published? If so, then what you wrote was like one of those intro's you see at the beginning of some books that praise the author, right? I can't remember what they're called though.

Anyway, I think I'll be starting the Star Wars book, "Betrayal" from the "Legacy of the Force" series. This particular installment is written by Aaron Allston, (I honestly have no idea who he is). The series itself is set about 40 years after the movie, "A New Hope" and tells the story of Luke and Mara Jade's children as well as Han and Leia's, as they try to bring the Jedi together again. I've heard nothing but great things about it, so I thought I'd give it a try.
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Postby Thoul » Wed Jan 23, '08, 4:36 am

To Thoul: Is your friend really going to get it published? If so, then what you wrote was like one of those intro's you see at the beginning of some books that praise the author, right? I can't remember what they're called though.


Yeah, it's definitely going to be published. The copy I read was actually sent to me by the publisher. It was an uncorrected proof, but by now the book should be in the final stages of publication. The bit I wrote was more like something that would be on the back cover, just a couple of lines saying how good the book is to get people to buy it.
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Postby Silver_Surfer1 » Wed Jan 23, '08, 11:05 pm

I just saw an interesting book on Oprah today. It's more of a picture book, I guess you could say but it has interesting historical value as well. It's "Iconic America" and I think it is by Tommy Hilfilger (sp?). It is about great old historical stuff - like the slinky toy, and other stuff and how it got made, came to be, etc. I like historical stuff like that.
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Postby Reno » Mon Jan 28, '08, 4:11 am

Ugh, I read about half of the book before stopping and starting something else. It was good, don't get me wrong, it's just that it makes so many references to different books of past Star Wars books of a different series, so I would always find myself irritated when I came across a subject that I knew nothing about but realised later on that I was supposed to already know about.

Anyway, I've started a Duology called "The Hand of Thrawn" which is another set of Star Wars books written by a great SciFi author named Timothy Zahn. I've read the previous "Thrawn" trilogy, so there are no irritating references to things that don't make sense. I started about two days ago, and after finishing the first book, I have to say, that Zahn is still one of my favourite SciFi authors! His style reads so well and is very easily identified as his.
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Postby Atlinsmere » Mon Jan 28, '08, 4:19 am

I am currently reading The Wizard by Gene Wolfe, it is the second book in the series The Wizard Knight. I have already read The Knight. Though the series is short (2 books :P) it's good none-the-less.
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Postby Thoul » Mon Jan 28, '08, 2:09 pm

Reno wrote:Ugh, I read about half of the book before stopping and starting something else. It was good, don't get me wrong, it's just that it makes so many references to different books of past Star Wars books of a different series, so I would always find myself irritated when I came across a subject that I knew nothing about but realised later on that I was supposed to already know about.


Ooh, that would really get under my skin. I could understand a book making a reference to part of it's own series, but a different series should be just that - a different series. If the author's work couldn't stand on it's own, it should never have been published as a book.
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