What did you just read?

gremlinz273

gremlinz273

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Finally picked up Jack Vance's Dying Earth series this year. I have no idea what took me so long and that they would so good when I got to them. The first book in the series is a collection of world building short stories and is one now one of my favorite books. The last book is also incredibly good. Amazing author and very foundational to the genre.

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Drinsic

Drinsic

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Arbitrary said:
View attachment 620553

There is No Anti-Memetics Division

Secret agency tackles anti-memetic threats, otherworldly predators or alien intelligences that are difficult to impossible to perceive or even remember the existence of.

I've read a fair amount of horror and science fiction stories and this one was more unsettling than most without resorting to horriblely unpleasant shit or general edgelording. It's got some gore and some body horror but it's the ideas that get to you. I listened to this on audiobook and at nine hours it does not overstay it's welcome. I was never bored. The lady that does the reading does an excellent job but whoever produced this thing introduced an element that should earn anyone in such a position a day in the stocks at the center of a major city. Rotten fruit should be hurled at them by children. Stray dogs should piss on their legs.

When the book begins we are introduced to a sound that will play during sections that, I assume, would have been garbled in the text. Textual gimmicks are old hat but they can be fun if used carefully. The sound is a mixture of static, garbled speech, screeches and other unpleasant bits. There are two sections of this audiobook where it plays this very, very annoying to listen to mess for two or three minutes almost continuously. I was at my computer and could quickly lower the volume. For someone with earbuds it would be akin to being spit in the face and then slapped. I was considering bailing on a book that I was five hours in to and really liked. That's how annoying I found it. I've not experienced audiobook sound design so poorly thought out in the 25 years I've been listening to them.

If we exclude that bullshit it's a solid B with some occasional spikes in to the A- territory.
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Just read this on a recommendation from a friend and came to see if it had been mentioned. It's fantastic. Short, easy, compelling read. The sound you're referring to I would assume are parts of the book that appear as redacted text, and in one chapter there's a couple pages that are nearly redacted in their entirety. If they really played some nonsense sound based on the length of those redactions... lol. I definitely recommend the actual book though.
 
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Arbitrary

Arbitrary

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Drinsic said:
If they really played some nonsense sound based on the length of those redactions... lol.
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It's still a recommend for the audiobook but fuuuuuuuck the sound engineer or the director or whoever gave that shit the all clear needs a kick in their pants.
 
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Kajiimagi

Kajiimagi

<Aristocrat╭ರ_•́>
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Revenge Prey - John Sandford. My mom got me into these novels, it's based on an ex cop now Marshal named Lucas Davenport. All his books end in Prey. They are really light reading but fun popcorn serials. 350-400 pages most times easy to breeze through. You also see the bad guys point of view as well.
 
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Borzak

Borzak

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I'm a nerd. This one isn't that old. But normally the older the better the book is on this topic. Amazing what was normal 75 years ago that went away and is now back.

Better Diagnosis and Prescription in Southern Forest Management; no.145 (Paperback or Softback) by Grosenbaugh, L. R. (Lewis Randolph): New Paperback or Softback (2021) | BargainBookStores

ISBN: 9781014665355 - Paperback or Softback - Hassell Street Press 9/9/2021 - 2021 - Condition: New - Better Diagnosis and Prescription in Southern Forest Management; no.145 - Better Diagnosis and Prescription in Southern Forest Management; no.145 (Paperback or Softback)
www.abebooks.com
 
Arbitrary

Arbitrary

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An old man volunteers for medically assisted suicide and at the last minute is given the chance to participate in a medical experiment that will change everything. A young super scientist with dubious funding has spliced the DNA of a variety of immortal jellyfish with other organisms to create a hybrid that causes it's host to age backwards. Things are looking promising for our group of volunteers until the experiment begins to go out of control.

I've read half a dozen books by Nick Cutter (Craig Davidson) thus far. They range from alright to good and this one is in the good category. His writings are usually high concept horror and sci-fi/horror typically containing some body horror, something terrible happening to an animal and something really unpleasant described in detail. There can be some overlap between those things. This one was really light on the animal stuff which I appreciated.

I'm a little worried about even starting his previous book The Queen. I can tell from the blurb on the inside cover it's going to be gross.
 
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willzilla

willzilla

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Currently reading Solo Leveling the Novel Omnibus (physical), Dungeon Crawler Carl book 5 (on Kindle), and Attack on Titan Before the Fall 14.

 
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OU Ariakas

OU Ariakas

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Arbitrary said:
View attachment 636175

An old man volunteers for medically assisted suicide and at the last minute is given the chance to participate in a medical experiment that will change everything. A young super scientist with dubious funding has spliced the DNA of a variety of immortal jellyfish with other organisms to create a hybrid that causes it's host to age backwards. Things are looking promising for our group of volunteers until the experiment begins to go out of control.

I've read half a dozen books by Nick Cutter (Craig Davidson) thus far. They range from alright to good and this one is in the good category. His writings are usually high concept horror and sci-fi/horror typically containing some body horror, something terrible happening to an animal and something really unpleasant described in detail. There can be some overlap between those things. This one was really light on the animal stuff which I appreciated.

I'm a little worried about even starting his previous book The Queen. I can tell from the blurb on the inside cover it's going to be gross.
Click to expand...

The Queen was pretty awesome. It is a little gruesome at times, but well worth it for the concept.

EDIT: Anyone who hasn't read any Nick Cutter but likes slow, creeping horror with some body horror mixed in.... The Deep, Little Heaven, and The Troop are all also good.
 
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Arbitrary

Arbitrary

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I'd seen the 30 for 30 episode "Judging Jewell" as well as the film that Clint Eastwood produced and wanted to give the book a go when I got a chance.

It's dry and probably a bit too long for the material but in doing so we get an exhaustive history of that year's Olympic games, all of the relevant people up through the eventual arrest and trial of Eric Rudolf (the actual bomber) and death of Jewell. Spoilers. I liked it and would give the book a "B" but I don't think there's much here for anyone that isn't showing up already interested.
 
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Intrinsic

Intrinsic

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The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

This has long been one of my favorite books ever. It is Gothic, noir, romantic, a mystery, fantastical. It just read so well to me and from the first time I read resonated so much. One of only a few books that have ever done that and that I've remembered for over a decade after reading. I've seen it classified as young adult but don't really feel that is fair with all the topics it deals with. At the heart it is a coming-of-age story of the main character, Daniel, maybe YA these days makes me think of Hunger Games.

Why this is even more awesome to me this time is that during this re-read a full set of signed Subterranean Press editions of the series (plus two other Zafon novels) popped up in a trade group on Facebook. I've been trying to find a matched set for probably close to 10 years and the timing has never been right. Unfortunately, this one is not all matched numbers, but it seemed very serendipitous to be listed the same day I finished the read through.

The four "Cemetery of Forgotten Books"

- The Shadow of the Wind
- The Angel's Game
- The Prisoner of Heaven
- The Labyrinth of the Spirits

I"m so excited to just finally have a whole set and not having to piece them together on eBay or elsewhere. Still holding out hope for a matched set one day but for whatever reason these just don't come up for sale often. They aren't drastically inflated in the secondary market, but it is rare to see them pop up for sale.

Purely by accident I put them on the shelf next to the Grim Oak editions of The Dresden Files. The SubPress editions of Dresden Files were illustrated by Vincent Chong, who also illustrated these Zafon books! (except for Marina).

1786756069309.png
 
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willzilla

willzilla

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Intrinsic said:
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

This has long been one of my favorite books ever. It is Gothic, noir, romantic, a mystery, fantastical. It just read so well to me and from the first time I read resonated so much. One of only a few books that have ever done that and that I've remembered for over a decade after reading. I've seen it classified as young adult but don't really feel that is fair with all the topics it deals with. At the heart it is a coming-of-age story of the main character, Daniel, maybe YA these days makes me think of Hunger Games.

Why this is even more awesome to me this time is that during this re-read a full set of signed Subterranean Press editions of the series (plus two other Zafon novels) popped up in a trade group on Facebook. I've been trying to find a matched set for probably close to 10 years and the timing has never been right. Unfortunately, this one is not all matched numbers, but it seemed very serendipitous to be listed the same day I finished the read through.

The four "Cemetery of Forgotten Books"

- The Shadow of the Wind
- The Angel's Game
- The Prisoner of Heaven
- The Labyrinth of the Spirits

I"m so excited to just finally have a whole set and not having to piece them together on eBay or elsewhere. Still holding out hope for a matched set one day but for whatever reason these just don't come up for sale often. They aren't drastically inflated in the secondary market, but it is rare to see them pop up for sale.

Purely by accident I put them on the shelf next to the Grim Oak editions of The Dresden Files. The SubPress editions of Dresden Files were illustrated by Vincent Chong, who also illustrated these Zafon books! (except for Marina).
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Nice pickup! :D
 
Maximis Velocity

Maximis Velocity

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Just started the Imperium series on kindle. Book one was good. It is an interesting futuristic isakai where the futuristic fighter pilot ends up in Roman times. Very good series so far.

Finished the series. I enjoyed it. Someone turned a game of Civilization into a book.
 
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Kajiimagi

Kajiimagi

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Pretty sure I read about it here but finally got around to reading book 1 in the Bobiverse. Really clever story. Held me enough I immediately started the 2nd one and grabbed all that are out up to now. Highly recommend.
 
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Arbitrary

Arbitrary

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I like to pop in on 1950s/1960s science fiction from time to time and this one had caught my eye. I think this is the first full novel by Arthur C. Clarke that I've read and I was not disappointed. Aliens invade and take over the planet but in a bloodless and benevolent coup. The story follows a few different characters at a few different time periods leading up to answering why the aliens arrived in the first place. It's got big ideas and is short enough to not drive them in to the ground, a solid "B" start to finish.
 
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moonarchia

moonarchia

The Scientific Shitlord
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Intrinsic said:
View attachment 637216

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

This has long been one of my favorite books ever. It is Gothic, noir, romantic, a mystery, fantastical. It just read so well to me and from the first time I read resonated so much. One of only a few books that have ever done that and that I've remembered for over a decade after reading. I've seen it classified as young adult but don't really feel that is fair with all the topics it deals with. At the heart it is a coming-of-age story of the main character, Daniel, maybe YA these days makes me think of Hunger Games.

Why this is even more awesome to me this time is that during this re-read a full set of signed Subterranean Press editions of the series (plus two other Zafon novels) popped up in a trade group on Facebook. I've been trying to find a matched set for probably close to 10 years and the timing has never been right. Unfortunately, this one is not all matched numbers, but it seemed very serendipitous to be listed the same day I finished the read through.

The four "Cemetery of Forgotten Books"

- The Shadow of the Wind
- The Angel's Game
- The Prisoner of Heaven
- The Labyrinth of the Spirits

I"m so excited to just finally have a whole set and not having to piece them together on eBay or elsewhere. Still holding out hope for a matched set one day but for whatever reason these just don't come up for sale often. They aren't drastically inflated in the secondary market, but it is rare to see them pop up for sale.

Purely by accident I put them on the shelf next to the Grim Oak editions of The Dresden Files. The SubPress editions of Dresden Files were illustrated by Vincent Chong, who also illustrated these Zafon books! (except for Marina).

View attachment 637217
Click to expand...
I know I have some of those books. I should reread them.
 
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