Books @lemmy.world dresden @discuss.online 2mo ago

What book(s) are you currently reading or listening? 22 April

Reading Three Days to Never by Tim Powers. The premise is pretty interesting, can't wait to see where he takes it.

As mentioned last week, @[email protected] and @[email protected] are working on something related to Bingo card for books.

Keep your eyes peeled, just one week (or so) to go.

Also, welcome @[email protected] as a newly minted mod of this community!

Now to topic at hand, what have you been reading or listening lately?

47 comments

Mort by Pratchett. I can't believe it took me this long to actually get into Discworld.
- BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.
  
  That was in Death's voice.
Men In Arms by Terry Pratchett.
Shogun, James Clavell.

Inspired by the recent adaptation which fell short in a couple ways for me, I went back to the novel which I listened to a few years ago and found it... doesn't quite hold up as well as I remember. At the very least, I wish there were an abridged version, or even better, a full-cast abridged dramatization. There's just so much of it and much of it is repetitive or unnecessary, at least the second time around, in my opinion. There's too much glorification of a hyper-violent fascist feudalism for my taste. Also, it isn't quite as accurate as it would like to be- No carrier pigeons in Japan at that time, and the author gets some of the Japanese wrong for instance.

That said, it really is quite a good book. The politics and drama, while somewhat exhausting, are also gripping and anxiety-inducing on behalf of the characters. The world feels real and lived-in, and invites and rewards investment and attention. The climax is especially rewarding.

I give it 6/10: Well worth it if you have the time and like historical fiction and political drama. Could be a slog for those with short attention spans, like myself. Ralph Lister is a great narrator. I recommend an abridged version if possible.
- Interesting.
  
  Just checked, the book is part of a series, but they are all in different places. Is the story in the books linked or just different books linked due to historical fiction genre?
  
  I haven't read the others, so I can't speak to them, but I think I read they share a fictional timeline. Probably mostly what you said though.
Last chance to see by Douglas Adams
I finished up the current Murderbot books and am working on some short stories and novellas by Ursula K Le Guin (The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas) and T Kingfisher (Minor Mage, Illuminations)
- Is the series still going on? Or has it finished?
  
  The author has indicated that there will be more on the way and it’s definitely not reached a point one could call concluded. But I don’t know anything beyond that.
Still trying to finish:

Slewfoot (book)

Eleanor is completely fine (book)

Haite Kudasai (manga)

But university/ thesis is wrecking my time and in the weekends feel a bit to tired to read.
- University / thesis are important. Don't worry about the other stuff, it will be here when you are finished with those.
Reading Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. Already read Pride and Prejudice and loved it, feeling good about this one.
Reading English, August by Upamanyu Chatterjee and listening to Jane Eyre.
Just about finished with Emperor of Ruin by Django Wexler. It's fun, escapist fantasy. Decent characters and decent story, even if it is the over-troped "only this small band of ragtag individuals can save the entire world from a supremely powerful magician." It's the 4th and final book in the series, so there is no sitting around waiting for the next one.
Jurassic Park (the book) - first time reading it after watching the movie multiple times.
- Interesting. How are you liking it so far?
  
  Very interesting and different in some ways than the movie.
Still reading the Alphabet series by Sue Grafton.

Currently on B is for Burglar and making progress; soon I’ll read the next one as well.
- How are you liking the series?
  
  I have A, B, F and L. Thinking about starting reading A is for Alibi soon, and if I like it, start collecting the rest of the series.
  
  I like it. I just won’t spoil the series.
Act Of Oblivion by Robert Harris.
State and revolution by Vladimir Lenin (its his birthday)

Society of the spectacle by Guy Debord (not his birthday 😔)
- Not mine either. 😞
Currently listening to Star Wars Outbound Flight. The reader/speaker isn't a good one.
- I am not familiar with Star Wars novels. What is this about?
  
  A Jedi master is like, we should expand outside of the current galaxy and into other galaxies. Political and military kerfuffles ensue.
  
  It is now classified as Legends and no longer canon since the Disney purchase of Lucas. It took place between Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones films.
Finished Southern Gods from last week on Sunday (it was ok), and spent last night picking out something new. Ended up with Stargazy Pie by Victoria Goddard, which seems pleasantly light and cozy so far; should be just about long enough to last a week.

Also, grats Jaymes!
Reading "A tale of two cities" by Charles Dickens. I am not too far into it, but so far it's been really enjoyable! The English accents are really hard to follow for someone whose native language isn't English, but I'm getting used to it.
- Listen to audiobook it's a interesting story. Does OP want a complete list? Because just finished my 69th book for the year so far and 12 audiobooks. Goal is over 100 stories read by end of year which probably accomplish before the end of June.
  
  Ah, just replied to your other post.
  
  The idea is generally to share what you are reading since the last time you posted in one of these thread (which are posted weekly), or just what you are reading lately.
  
  Also, 69 books and it's just April, that's really cool. With this speed, you can have around 200 books by the year end. Would love to see how your journey progresses.
  
  I should really start listening to audiobooks more often. I just looked and the book is freely available on Librivox, so I may switch back and forth between reading and listening from now on. Thanks for the tip!
Just finished Annie Bot by Sierra Greer and liked it! I love how reading fiction males certain concepts click for me, this book worked that way and das still entertaining
Moon of the Turning Leaves. It’s the second in a post-apocalyptic, and picks up 10 years after the first. I’ve only just started it, but I have high hopes

Listening to Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey (book 3 of The Expanse). I gotta say, the narrator sucks pretty bad. He pronounced the spice cumin as “Come In”.

PHYSICAL AND EBOOKS

1. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote*
2. Parasite by Mira Grant*
3. Symbiont by Mira Grant*
4. Chimera by Mira Grant*
5. How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them by Barbara P Walter.*
6. Animal Farm by George Orwell*
7. Just After Sunset by Stephen King*
8. The Murder At The Vicarage by Agatha Christie
9. Feed by Mira Grant
10. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
11. In The Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace*
12. Deadline by Mira Grant
13. Countdown by Mira Grant
14. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
15. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
16. Blackout by Mira Grant
17. Elevation by Stephen King
18. The Woman In Me by Britney Spears*
19. It's Ok To Be Angry About Capitalism by Bernie Sanders*
20. Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie*
21. The Firm by John Grisham*
22. Sitting Pretty The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig*
23. It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover
24. The Last Stand Of The California Browncoats by Mira Grant
25. In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune*
26. My French Whore by Gene Wilder*
27. The Climate Book by Greta Thunberg*
28. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
29. The Grownup by Gillian Flynn
30. Nightmares & Dreamscapes by Stephen King*
31. The Mysterious Affair At Styles by Agatha Christie
32. Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King*
33. Verity by Colleen Hoover
34. The World Without Us by Alan Weisman*
35. The Exchange by John Grisham*
36. Double Homicide: Santa Fe, Boston by Jonathan & Faye Kellerman*
37. The Pelican Brief by John Grisham*
38. No Time Like The Future by Michale J. Fox
39. The Death Cure by James Dashner
40. The Kill Order by James Dashner
41. The Fever Code by James Dashner
42. Dolly Parton Songteller by Dolly Parton with Robert K. Dermann
43. Mean Baby by Selma Blair
44. 1984 by George Orwell
45. The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley
46. A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to The Future by Michael J. Fox
47. Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
48. The Book of Hope by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams
49. Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes
50. Throttle by Joe Hill and Stephen King
51. The Fold by Peter Clines
52. Full Throttle by Joe Hill
53. Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
54. The Hollow Places b y T. KingFisher
55. Something Wicked This Way Come by Ray Bradbury*
56. Her Little Flowers by Shannon Morgan
57. The Fireman by Joe Hill
58. The Nightmare Man by J.H. Markert
59. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
60. Theodore Boone:Kid Lawyer by John Grisham*
61. Theodore Boone:The Abduction by John Grisham*
62. Yes Man by Danny Wallace*
63. Theodore Boone:The Accused by John Grisham*
64.Theodore Boone:The Activist by John Grisham*
65.The Soul Thief by Charles Baxter*
66.Theodore Boone:The Fugitive by John Grisham*
67.Theodore Boone:The Scandal by John Grisham*
68.The Assault On Reason by Al Gore*
69.Theodore Boone:The Accomplice*




AUDIOBOOKS

1. Lords Of Uncreation by Adrian Tchaikovsky
2. Guns by Stephen King
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. Bird Box by Josh Malerman
5. The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
6. The Guardians by John Grisham
7. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
8. Thank you For Smoking by Christopher Bukley
9. Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson
10. I'll Be Gone in The Dark by Michelle McNamara
11. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
12.The Storyteller by Dave Grohl

Wow, that's a lot of books. How long did it take to read all these?
What’s with the asterisks? Also what has been your favorite from that list?

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