What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
#4
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
I liked it (King rarely disappoints me). An interesting twist on a classic monster archetype, especially coming at it from a strong detective/forensics angle. My only quibble, a problem I have with a lot of King's writing, is that it feels a couple hundred pages too long.
Word of warning ... this book drops gigantic spoilers from the Bill Hodges trilogy (Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, End of Watch). So if you haven't read those (but plan on doing so at some point), I recommend you read them before The Outsider.
#5
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Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
just finished:
Another brilliant work of dark, psychological horror from Tremblay...
just started:
Some chatter in the June thread had me add this to my list, and I picked it for my "going on vacation" book...
Another brilliant work of dark, psychological horror from Tremblay...
just started:
Some chatter in the June thread had me add this to my list, and I picked it for my "going on vacation" book...
#7
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
That was me that recommended this, so if you hate it I probably don't want to know about it Generally I'd say people who like sci-fi/horror tinged action adventure like James Rollins, Preston & Child, and Maberry's Joe Ledger books would like this. Long's a bit more literary than those guys.
#8
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Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
brainee - other than some of his short stories I would recommend 'Head Full of Ghosts' also from Tremblay. I'd say either will give you his style rather cleanly.
I am looking forward to The Descent. That is most certainly in my genre wheelhouse...
I am looking forward to The Descent. That is most certainly in my genre wheelhouse...
#9
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
Peter Jackson & the Making of Middle-Earth. While I am not at all a fan of the films, I found the book fascinating, and it actually made me at least try and rewatch the films. I've always found that, even when there are movies I can't stand, I don't mind reading books about the behind-the-scene efforts that it took them to make the movie. Lots of interesting info is found in the book, and I'd recommend it to people who, like me, aren't even fans of the movies...
Born Trump. Great book that sheds a lot of light on the upbringings of Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka, Kushner (yes, they cover Kushner, too), and, to a lesser degree, Tiffany...Good read that only took me a day to read...Lots of details in the book will infuriate you, and it obviously doesn't paint the kids in the best of lights (which would've been almost impossible to do, given their behaviour and support of their father), but it's well worth a read...
Yes, We (Still) Can by Dan Pfeiffer. Much, much better than I expected. At least the author seems pretty honest and doesn't sugarcoat even the "misses" that occurred during the Obama administration...I'd say this was a pretty good read, and another one that really only takes a day to read...
Born Trump. Great book that sheds a lot of light on the upbringings of Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka, Kushner (yes, they cover Kushner, too), and, to a lesser degree, Tiffany...Good read that only took me a day to read...Lots of details in the book will infuriate you, and it obviously doesn't paint the kids in the best of lights (which would've been almost impossible to do, given their behaviour and support of their father), but it's well worth a read...
Yes, We (Still) Can by Dan Pfeiffer. Much, much better than I expected. At least the author seems pretty honest and doesn't sugarcoat even the "misses" that occurred during the Obama administration...I'd say this was a pretty good read, and another one that really only takes a day to read...
#10
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
Finished:
Revisionist fairy tales are nothing new, and I know "alternative" takes on Peter Pan have been in done multiple times in different mediums. Still, I thought this was very good. It's very short (a little over 200 pages) and a quick read. This goes into dark dark places, and is practically a horror story (with children dying horrible and gory deaths).
I need to pick up the author's similar take on Alice in Wonderland (which seems to be her most popular title).
Revisionist fairy tales are nothing new, and I know "alternative" takes on Peter Pan have been in done multiple times in different mediums. Still, I thought this was very good. It's very short (a little over 200 pages) and a quick read. This goes into dark dark places, and is practically a horror story (with children dying horrible and gory deaths).
I need to pick up the author's similar take on Alice in Wonderland (which seems to be her most popular title).
#13
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
Sucks so few people post in this thread. Surely other active posters here read. I enjoy seeing what others read since it sometimes points me in the direction of things I hadn't heard of.
Finished:
Which I think is one of those books I heard about first here in an earlier monthly thread. Good suggestion too. I think the cross between True Detective and Inception in the book description is a good one. But I would add in a grim twisty time travel story in there, like 12 Monkeys (with a sci-fi Hellraiser apocalypse on top). This wasn't an easy read, and it's easy to get lost in what is going on (not to mention keeping track of all the acronyms that the author likes to toss about). But certainly a worthwhile journey.
Finished:
Which I think is one of those books I heard about first here in an earlier monthly thread. Good suggestion too. I think the cross between True Detective and Inception in the book description is a good one. But I would add in a grim twisty time travel story in there, like 12 Monkeys (with a sci-fi Hellraiser apocalypse on top). This wasn't an easy read, and it's easy to get lost in what is going on (not to mention keeping track of all the acronyms that the author likes to toss about). But certainly a worthwhile journey.
#14
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
I finished rereading The Stand and will start The Outsider next. I put The Gone World on my "to read" list
#15
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
Finished:
I bought this for a friend writing a novel; it was cheap so I got one too. Short reference guide with examples. It starts with, "This book will teach you how to write better ransom notes."
I bought this for a friend writing a novel; it was cheap so I got one too. Short reference guide with examples. It starts with, "This book will teach you how to write better ransom notes."
#16
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
I read The Outsider earlier this month. It was fine, but I feel like King has lost his edge a little bit. When he's writing dialogue for younger characters, it comes across forced, unnatural, and basically like something a 70 year old man thinks a teen (or twenty-something) would say. And I liked the Bill Hodges trilogy well enough, but not enough to care about seeing any of those characters carried over into new material. Still, it was a good, if ultimately forgettable, summer read.
Also, I just finished Dark Matter by Blake Crouch last night. It was a fast paced and very entertaining book. I'm not a fan of things like time travel or interdimensional alternate realities in stories. It's usually just a way to make a story more complex than it really should be (looking at you Westworld). But this one pulled it off pretty well.
Also, I just finished Dark Matter by Blake Crouch last night. It was a fast paced and very entertaining book. I'm not a fan of things like time travel or interdimensional alternate realities in stories. It's usually just a way to make a story more complex than it really should be (looking at you Westworld). But this one pulled it off pretty well.
#17
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
Finished:
I've heard this favorably compared to The Night Circus (which I loved), so I thought I'd give this popular YA book a shot. Maybe I just needed to be a teenage girl to love this as well (which I am quite far away from being). It was fast fluffy reading, to be sure. And there are some good story ideas and plot twists. I just found the author's purple prose to be eye-roll inducing (instead of the "magical" aura that I'm sure she was aiming for). Maybe this is where not being a teenage girl hurts me ... there are just so many flowery descriptions of the attractiveness all the main male characters that I can handle (including multiple accounts of how fabulous Julian's, the male lead, muscles are).
It looks like this is optioned to be a movie, and might be a rare example of material better suited for a visual medium. Even the writing places a huge emphasis on color descriptions. I can see how boiling this down to the main plot and characters, with solid direction and acting, could make for a better movie than book
I've heard this favorably compared to The Night Circus (which I loved), so I thought I'd give this popular YA book a shot. Maybe I just needed to be a teenage girl to love this as well (which I am quite far away from being). It was fast fluffy reading, to be sure. And there are some good story ideas and plot twists. I just found the author's purple prose to be eye-roll inducing (instead of the "magical" aura that I'm sure she was aiming for). Maybe this is where not being a teenage girl hurts me ... there are just so many flowery descriptions of the attractiveness all the main male characters that I can handle (including multiple accounts of how fabulous Julian's, the male lead, muscles are).
It looks like this is optioned to be a movie, and might be a rare example of material better suited for a visual medium. Even the writing places a huge emphasis on color descriptions. I can see how boiling this down to the main plot and characters, with solid direction and acting, could make for a better movie than book
Last edited by brainee; 07-23-18 at 01:17 PM.
#19
DVD Talk Legend
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
I recently read Stoner by John Williams, which is considered by some one of the greatest books in the English canon. While I wouldn't place it quite that high, it is fabulously written and tremendously entertaining despite its lack of narrative incident, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it highly to any serious reader.
#20
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
Finished:
I had never read anything by this author, but having every book of a fantasy trilogy either win (or be nominated for) the Hugo and Nebula awards got my attention. And it was really really good. Literary but very readable. With a non-standard fantasy world that I hadn't seen before. I'll certainly be moving on to the other two books of the trilogy.
I had never read anything by this author, but having every book of a fantasy trilogy either win (or be nominated for) the Hugo and Nebula awards got my attention. And it was really really good. Literary but very readable. With a non-standard fantasy world that I hadn't seen before. I'll certainly be moving on to the other two books of the trilogy.
#21
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Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
After finishing Jeff Long's 'The Descent' (which was an action-packed blast - and a recommendation I picked up in this thread) I decided to jump into the sequel.
Just started:
I skimmed a couple of reviews that were less than favorable, but I'm on board for more subterranean horror/action.
It's set about 10 years after the events of 'The Descent' fwiw....
And yes: Jeff Long's Deeper does sound like a porn title.
Just started:
I skimmed a couple of reviews that were less than favorable, but I'm on board for more subterranean horror/action.
It's set about 10 years after the events of 'The Descent' fwiw....
And yes: Jeff Long's Deeper does sound like a porn title.
#23
DVD Talk Legend
Re: What Are You Reading? (July 2018)
Greg Bear - Anvil of Stars
In the novel, volunteers from among survivors of the recently destroyed Earth are sent on a quest by a mysterious race of beings known as "The Benefactors" to find and destroy "The Killers", the civilization responsible for the Earth's destruction. The Benefactors' Law requires the "Destruction of all intelligences responsible for or associated with the manufacture of self-replicating and destructive devices." The book is written almost entirely from the point of view of a central character, Martin Gordon, known as Martin Spruce, who is the son of a central character in The Forge of God, Arthur Gordon. Although a leader or Pan, Martin has moral qualms. His successor, Hans, however, does not hesitate to finish "the Job."