Books Read 2013

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msteelers
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by msteelers »

The Gunslinger is definitely atypical of the rest of the series. The second book isn't exactly up to par with the rest of the series ether, but it has its moments. The problem is the long, drawn out moments where nothing seems to happen.

IMO, the series doesn't really take off until book 3.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

Good to know, thanks! I spent my April credits on a new book on the Borgias, but maybe I'll pick up 3 and 4 next month (most of the SK novels are just 1 credit on emusic...~ $10).
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jaddison »

Dark Tower IV is one of the best, if not the absolute best, audio book I have ever listened to....Frank Muller is amazing. Muller originally did The gunslinger as well but then they did another version of it and George Guidall read that one. Guidall is a good reader but Muller is the best. Definitely stick it out to IV
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by silverjon »

Recommended for all you dads/Star Wars fans out there, of which I know there are many, Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown is a very cute collection of comics. Not terribly consequential, but an entertaining little book.

He's also done a few books of Transformers-inspired comics called Incredible Change-Bots, also good.
wot?

To be fair, adolescent power fantasy tripe is way easier to write than absurd existential horror, and every community has got to start somewhere... right?

Unless one loses a precious thing, he will never know its true value. A little light finally scratches the darkness; it lets the exhausted one face his shattered dream and realize his path cannot be walked. Can man live happily without embracing his wounded heart?
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by IceBear »

Yeah, my brother-in-law gave me that book for my birthday last year. Very cute. That and a Death Star planetarium.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by hitbyambulance »

Finished 2013:

H.G. Wells - The War of the Worlds
James Joyce - Dubliners
Charles Portis - True Grit
Nordhoff/Hall - Mutiny on the Bounty

In Progress:

Haruki Murakami - 1Q84
the usual class textbooks
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by silverjon »

Gave up on the Vonnegut?
wot?

To be fair, adolescent power fantasy tripe is way easier to write than absurd existential horror, and every community has got to start somewhere... right?

Unless one loses a precious thing, he will never know its true value. A little light finally scratches the darkness; it lets the exhausted one face his shattered dream and realize his path cannot be walked. Can man live happily without embracing his wounded heart?
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by WYBaugh »

Finished Monster Hunters Internation Alpha by Larry Correia

This is an excellent series of books and are always non-stop action. Larry does a very good job with the characters and tying past events into the new books. Highly recommended.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Smoove_B »

Just finished Horns by Joe Hill and I'd say it was a better read than Heart Shaped Box. No idea it was being turned into a movie, but I bet it will be a decent film.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Zarathud »

silverjon wrote:Recommended for all you dads/Star Wars fans out there, of which I know there are many, Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown is a very cute collection of comics. Not terribly consequential, but an entertaining little book.
My daughter just got the Darth Vader and Daughter book. She is now completely spoiled for the original Trilogy.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

Knight Tenebrae by Julianne Lee :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky:

The opening chapters of Julianne Lee's Knight Tenebrae were truly groan-worthy. A modern American fighter plane is found buried in muck off the coast of Scotland. Curiously, however, the plane is found under the remains of a sunken, 500-year old fishing boat. British journalist Lindsay Pawlowski travels to the United States to speak with American fighter pilot; Lt. Alexander MacNeil. After several days, Alex give Lindsay a ride home on his plane. Then in a scene borrowed from Final Destination, some sort of anomaly appears in the sky, and the plane is whisked away to 13th century Scotland.

Are your eyes rolling yet?

Now Lee borrows from Michael Crichton's Timeline, as the 21st century refugees adapt to life in medieval times. It just so happens that Lindsay is somewhat of an authority in Middle English and was able to understand otherwise incomprehensible babbling. That the Scots would have mostly spoke Celtic and the Lords, archaic French notwithstanding, both Lindsay, and after a short time, Alex, have no problems communicating in ancient English. Plopped down in the midst of the Scottish Wars of Independence, Alex finds himself immediately knighted by Robert the Bruce himself. Lindsay, for her part, quickly made herself to resemble a boy and became Alex's squire, afraid of what might befall a single woman in this day and age.

But wait, that's not all! It seems all of the "wee folk" of Celtic mythology aren't just stories after all. The anomaly that brought them to the past was actually them wrecking a spell by an ancient elf, consigning his people to oblivion. Needless to say, he was rather displeased. Their first confrontation lasted just minutes in real time, but when they re-emerged into ancient Scotland, 7 years had past and the two were nearly killed as traitors. At this point, Alex is saved by a Hector MacNeil. Yes, you guessed it, a distant ancestor of Alex was a prominent lord in these times.

Are you still with me?

Believe it or not, it does get better. Alex and Lindsay integrate into their new surroundings, and while Lindsay is impatiently waiting for Alex to make nice with the elf and secure their return to modern times, Alex is kind of digging his new career as a warlord. It seems he has a talent for hand-to-hand combat, and quickly amasses a group of followers. After exemplary performance at the Battle of Bannockburn, Alex is given his own castle in the northern islands. If you take out encounters with fairies and elves, this part of the book is a reasonably interesting and well-written historical novel.

The end of the book returns to the pit of silliness Lee had dug throughout the book. Librarything was nice enough to assign me the second book in the series to read this month....somehow the saga continues.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by xwraith »

Finished The Civil War: A Narrative: Volume 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville by Shelby Foote and now I'm deep into volume 2. For all that the Civil War did to change the US and its people, I realize just how little we're taught about it. My recollection of my high school textbook twenty plus years ago was to focus on some of the causes, primarily slavery, with mention of a few battles in passing. Then Grant shows up at Appomattox, Lincoln is assassinated, and reconstruction commences. My history teacher did much to supplement this, and I still regard him as one of my favorite instructors ever, but if you had a teacher that just used the book.... :doh:
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Kasey Chang »

Jeff V wrote:Knight Tenebrae by Julianne Lee :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky:

The opening chapters of Julianne Lee's Knight Tenebrae were truly groan-worthy. (Some time loop thingie snipped)
A lot of oddball fiction start like that. There's a few novels from Baen that started with a small Midwestern Town that suddenly got transplanted to couple hundred years ago...

Ah, here it is. 1632 by Eric Flint. http://www.baenebooks.com/p-379-1632.aspx" target="_blank
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Eco-Logic »

I recently finished Lions of Lucern by Brad Thor and thought it was excellent.

Now I'm reading "The Fifth Wave" Rick Yancey.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

Vaporware by Richard Dansky :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky:

Technology goes awry, and some creation in the form of a smoking hot female wreaks havoc until put down. How many times have seen this tired formula used in bad MFTV movies? Video game writer Richard Dansky believes there's always room for one more.

Dansky's particular spin is a video game project, killed by the publisher, taking on a life of its own. And not just a pixelated pixie, but in a flesh-and-err...electricity female who refuses to abide by the cancellation order. Still sounds like a worn retread? It does but there is a redeeming factor that some might enjoy. Dansky uses his experience working in video game studios to create an accurate portrayal of daily life (and the characters therein) in a typical game development studio. As a former member of the gaming media, I have visited my share of studios and met individuals very like those portrayed in the book -- so I can vouch for the characters and setting. Unfortunately for those harboring a vision of game development being all, well, fun and games -- it really is like Dansky tells it, in illusion-shattering detail. I'm glad he didn't fluff it up -- it really is a tough profession that is destructive to those who pursue it.

Told in first-person, Vaporware won't win any awards for writing style. The result is indicative of a moderately skilled writer with little or no professional editing. Throughout the book, I kept thinking of how much better it could be with some stylistic changes and a more plausible plot. But don't read this for the plot -- if ever you were interested in a day in the life of a gaming studio, you'll probably like this book. There is much truth found behind the silliness.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

Opera Explained: An Introduction to The Ring of the Nibelung by Stephen Johnson :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky:

I really wish classical music scholar Bill McGlaughlin would release his syndicated radio shows in audiobook form. Each time I hear another attempt to explain some great piece of music, I pine for the elegance and style of McGlaughlin's deconstructions of a piece, a theme, or a musical style.

Like McGlaughlin, Stephen Johnson intersperses narrative with musical samples in talking about Richard Wagner's epic 4-opera The Ring of the Nibelung. Johnson, however, gives a more superficial treatment, mostly sticking to a level of detail typically found in program notes. The awesomeness of the material virtually stands on its own. Unfortunately, for all but the very new listener, Johnson adds little in his "explanation" of the story outside of a synopsis of the story line and some examples of "leitmotif" musical device employed throughout by Wagner.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky:

A little better than The Gunslinger, the characters in The Drawing of the Three are a little better defined. They just aren't very pleasant characters.

Suffering from injuries and infection, The Gunslinger manages to cohabit the minds of others in mid-1980's New York. In some cases, he is an urgent voice in the head, in others, he takes control and pushes aside the body's owner to a secondary role. His choice of companions include a crippled. schizophrenic woman whose evil side has a particular hatred for white folk and a junkie. Often times, the characters are mostly a danger to themselves, but in the end they become comrades.

Various side stories are mildly interesting, but mostly it is fodder as The Gunslinger continues his quest to reach the Dark Tower. In the end, some people died, some "lobstrosities" were eaten, and Roland is closer to his goal.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Holman »

xwraith wrote:Finished The Civil War: A Narrative: Volume 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville by Shelby Foote and now I'm deep into volume 2. For all that the Civil War did to change the US and its people, I realize just how little we're taught about it. My recollection of my high school textbook twenty plus years ago was to focus on some of the causes, primarily slavery, with mention of a few battles in passing. Then Grant shows up at Appomattox, Lincoln is assassinated, and reconstruction commences. My history teacher did much to supplement this, and I still regard him as one of my favorite instructors ever, but if you had a teacher that just used the book.... :doh:
I absolutely adore Shelby Foote's writing. He is prone to occasional excesses as a historian (presuming to know various historical actors' minds and moods, for instance), but his narrative is simply beautiful.

I infrequently and barely maintain a blog that almost no one reads, but if you're interested, my thoughts on reading Foote are there.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by JonathanStrange »

Ahhh....can't delete posts no mas.
Last edited by JonathanStrange on Mon May 20, 2013 10:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Books Read 2013
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by WYBaugh »

Finished The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by silverjon »

I never read Mary Poppins when I was a kid, so now I'm on the third book in the series (thanks to Alan Moore). Different sources say the author objected to the saccharine Disneyfication of the character and that she had script approval. Book-Poppins is a scary lady.

I also read Libriomancer and agree it was ok.
wot?

To be fair, adolescent power fantasy tripe is way easier to write than absurd existential horror, and every community has got to start somewhere... right?

Unless one loses a precious thing, he will never know its true value. A little light finally scratches the darkness; it lets the exhausted one face his shattered dream and realize his path cannot be walked. Can man live happily without embracing his wounded heart?
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Scuzz »

silverjon wrote:Recommended for all you dads/Star Wars fans out there, of which I know there are many, Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown is a very cute collection of comics. Not terribly consequential, but an entertaining little book.

He's also done a few books of Transformers-inspired comics called Incredible Change-Bots, also good.

I remember seeing that at Barnes and Noble and going through it. It looked like a fun read.

And I had no idea Mary Poppins was a book series.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

Knight's Blood by Julianne Lee :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky:

If you made it through the first, and become attached enough to the characters to come back for more, then you'll probably enjoy this book at least as much as a dish of vanilla ice cream. Moreso than the first, it embraces the weird; that being mythical creatures of Celtic extraction. Combined with some time-travel oddities, and you end up with a plot that is fairly unique. The main characters, Alex and Lindsay, returned to the 21st century at the end of Knight Tenebrae. Lindsay was pregnant, and infant mortality in the 13th century was enough to force Alex to give up his new career as a rising star among Scottish nobility in the service of Robert the Bruce and seek a return passage. Both resume their careers, Lindsay as a reporter in London and Alex as an air force pilot. A few days after Lindsay gives birth to a pointy-eared freak, her baby is snatched and a "changeling" -- kind of a leprechaun, is left behind to be killed in a rage. Confident the perpetrator spirited her son back to the 13th century, she finds the same creature who was responsible for her last trip and compels him to send her back again, without waiting for Alex to catch up. Alex has the same idea, but seeks (and finds) a different route. Alex is repatriated with his clansmen and fief, while Lindsay falls in with a group of raiders on the Scottish/English border.

And then the boy shows up. Except, he's not a baby anymore, in fact, he's scarcely younger than his parents! Fun with time travel indeed. It turns out he's a petulant little brat, bitter over being abandon by his parents his whole life, accusing them of not trying to find him (although to his parents, it's only been a few weeks since he disappeared as a baby). For some reason, Alex doesn't use this as a defense, and conflict continues throughout the book. This time, however, Alex and Lindsay don't return to modern times at the end -- they both think it unlikely they will be able to, and Alex has been upgraded to "Earl" status. As before, when sticking to more mundane, historical events, Lee shows she can be a competent historical novelist. I am moderately interested in what the next book brings.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by silverjon »

(Bitter baby storyline stolen from Angel season 3.)
wot?

To be fair, adolescent power fantasy tripe is way easier to write than absurd existential horror, and every community has got to start somewhere... right?

Unless one loses a precious thing, he will never know its true value. A little light finally scratches the darkness; it lets the exhausted one face his shattered dream and realize his path cannot be walked. Can man live happily without embracing his wounded heart?
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

Cooked - A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky:

I love Pollan's other books. He's always provided good information, the hows and whys to ditch "big food" and embrace more traditional methods of food preparation and dining. This book is all about methods of cooking. When pimping this book on The Colbert Report, Pollan suggested that people would eat a lot less French fries if they made them themselves from scratch. I anticipated the book would follow that line of reasoning -- just as in an earlier book, Pollan suggested reading labels and considering whether you grandmother would recognize all of the ingredients (if not, don't buy it). However, there is a lot less proselytizing this time around, and more out and out indulgence. Pollan's obsessions in this book include whole-hog BBQ, home made beer, kraut and kimche, sourdough bread, and cheese. While he discusses the challenges of making truly healthy, and tasty whole-grain bread; trying to make a whole BBQ pig healthy requires a more tangential line of reasoning (that being it's a social, communal activity).

Pollan's affable style makes Cooked an enjoyable read. It's missing the "you gotta read this!" punch his other books have had, but if you're a fan, you shouldn't miss this one. It just won't create too many new fans on its own merits.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by silverjon »

Scuzz wrote:And I had no idea Mary Poppins was a book series.
The Disney movie is adapted from stories from a number of the books (they're more story collections than novels). Since I've never actually seen the whole film, I'm now quite curious if the Judy Garland character exhibits any of Book-Poppins' vanity and temper, or if she's a completely neutered figure of whimsy.
wot?

To be fair, adolescent power fantasy tripe is way easier to write than absurd existential horror, and every community has got to start somewhere... right?

Unless one loses a precious thing, he will never know its true value. A little light finally scratches the darkness; it lets the exhausted one face his shattered dream and realize his path cannot be walked. Can man live happily without embracing his wounded heart?
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Isgrimnur »

She's no Nanny McPhee.
It's almost as if people are the problem.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Rumpy »

silverjon wrote:
Scuzz wrote:And I had no idea Mary Poppins was a book series.
The Disney movie is adapted from stories from a number of the books (they're more story collections than novels). Since I've never actually seen the whole film, I'm now quite curious if the Judy Garland character exhibits any of Book-Poppins' vanity and temper, or if she's a completely neutered figure of whimsy.
I'm sure you meant Julie Andrews ;)
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by silverjon »

Well, of course.

(I said I haven't seen it. :P )
wot?

To be fair, adolescent power fantasy tripe is way easier to write than absurd existential horror, and every community has got to start somewhere... right?

Unless one loses a precious thing, he will never know its true value. A little light finally scratches the darkness; it lets the exhausted one face his shattered dream and realize his path cannot be walked. Can man live happily without embracing his wounded heart?
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

The New Father -- A Dad's Guide to the First Year by Armin Brott :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky:

I received this book as a gift to prepare for our first child. The book is broken down in to 12 monthly segments, each describing what to expect in terms of baby development, spousal issues, and family life. Interspersed is some helpful tips on things such as budgeting and insurance. The author has multiple children through multiple partners, and speaks of step-issues as well (not applicable in my case). The information provided seems to be helpful and well-presented. When d-day comes, I will probably re-read this on a chapter-per-month basis, focusing on the immediate future.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by WYBaugh »

Finished Promise of Blood (The Powder Mage Trilogy) by Brian McClellan
"Promise of Blood is a hugely promising debut. Guns, swords, and magic together? What more could you want? How about tense action, memorable characters, rising stakes, and cool, cool magic? Not only the finest flintlock fantasy I've read, but also the most fun. Brian McClellan is the real thing." (New York Times bestseller Brent Weeks)
This is a promising start to a new seires by a very Sanderson-esque writer Brian McClellan. It's a different fantasy where you have magicians called the Privileged that are able to manipulate the 'else' with their hands. You have the Marked who are powder mages that are able to injest and use gunpowder. And finally you have the knacked that can do one thing very well.

The leader of the Marked overthrows the king in a very bloody coup and then fights to protect the new land from without and within. It has three main story lines going between the field marshall, his son and an inspector the field marshall employees.

All in all a very enjoyable read.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Kasey Chang »

Finished Caliphate by Tom Kratzman (note: FREE on Amazon and Baen eBook Library)

Caliphate is one of those novels that pokes a really really uncomfortable topic and creates a truly nightmarish scenario... what is radical Islam actually managed to take over most of Europe and the Middle East? Not through war or such, but actually through "democracy"?

Imagine one scenario: in an anniversary of 9/11 (say, 2015) Al Qaeda managed to mount a GLOBAL attack... 7 nukes, former Russia, Pakistani, North Korea... and possibly Iranian were smuggled into multiple Western countries. UK got 1, US got 5, and Israel got 1. Except the Israeli one was caught when gunboats sank the "smuggler". UK got lucky when their bomb fizzled, as did 2 of the American bombs (dirty bomb). Three did not. 3 cities were nuked. Boston, LA, and Kansas City. The president (and a bunch of "patriots") cleaned house for the next two years (purged any left-leaners), then basically declared war on the entire Muslim world (and nuked North Korea back to the stone age). This basically lead to refugees flooding into Europe and eventually turning Europe into a Muslim state in 100 years when European nations (except UK) chose appeasement. Slaves and human trafficking is "normal".

In this nightmarish dystopia, a girl and his brother, enslaved young, tried to survive amidst the chaos.

Over in America, a young lieutenant is getting his baptism by fire against the new Moro Islamic Insurrection, then was tapped for a higher purpose... chasing down renegades who may have sold their loyalty to the highest bidder...

And their paths will intersect...

The book is a nightmare, a lot like Ralph Peter's "War in 2020", when Russia was mired in a civil war and collapsing against the former republics, now armed by Islamic money and Japanese military hardware, and the world barely survived a pandemic that's worse than AIDS out of Africa. But it is BASED in reality, when it raised issues like Islamic honor killings (killing young girls who refuse arranged marriages and such) in Western nations and liberal sympathies for them, as well as various incendiary remarks by radical islamists who basically stated that Islam is allowed to treat non-believers like **** while others are not allowed to treat Islamists like ****. Supposedly one German judge actually cited a sura in Koran that said a woman CAN be beaten by her husband if they're both muslims. if you push it to the extreme, you end up with a separate police for the Muslim neighborhoods in Europe under control of the radicals, and that is indeed a nightmarish scenario.

It's thought provoking, as it managed to mix a memoir, from present day, about the lives of a German girl, involving her Egyptian boyfriend, and later her daughter, as Europe slowly devolved into an Islamic state, and juxtaposed that with a spy / military adventure in the year 2105 (or so) when the nightmare world is "real" and people have to make sacrifices.

The problem I have with this book is it not only juxtaposes space (two separate plot in the 2100's timeline, one involving the girl, and the other involving the American lieutenant), it also mixed in a THIRD plot regarding the German girl's experience as Europe descend into Islamic control. This can get a bit confusing. Though overall he carried it through quite well.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

I was looking for a better phone app for listening to audiobooks (the Amazon MP3 player plain sucks), and downloaded Overdrive. I didn't realize that Overdrive was useless for playing things I already have in MP3 form -- but the app does interface with the local library where I can "check out" and download audiobooks, and then play them from the app. So I went and got me a library card for the first time since high school, and last night downloaded book 3 in the Dark Tower series. If this works well, I'll cancel my audiobook purchase on eMusic and save $20 per month.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by JonathanStrange »

Hey, JeffV !

I, too, have found the public library to be a great resource for audio books and Kindle books. I probably listen to 40-50 audio books a year and have for maybe ten years - with recorded books on cassette and DVD before that. So I've had plenty of experience with all sorts of apps and devices and irritations with transferring and sorting books.

Sometimes I've felt it'd be easier just to read the old-fashioned paper text rather than try and find out why this audio or that device work so poorly together.

Overdrive Media has been the best overall for me - although its WMA audio books are difficult to use on Apple devices. It's a crap shoot with missing title covers, out-of-order files, slow transfers, etc. But the MP3 books are easy to download and use. One Click Digital is another audio book provider used by libraries, I've had better luck with them but their selection of titles isn't as large. ebrary has a sort of dry selection of titles; more academic and non-fiction oriented, but its worth trying. The Project Gutenberg audios have a mixed reputation, it seems, but I've never had a poor audio from them.

I've never joined a subscription service mostly because I tell myself "When you run out of interesting library audios to download, then try Audible or AudioBooks.com". The drawback to that is I find myself not always listening to that audio book that I'm deeply interested in because it's not available. Not available for free anyway. I may, though, treat myself to a year of Audible if I can find enough non-library available science, history, economics and sci-fi titles.
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Books Read 2013
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Kasey Chang
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Kasey Chang »

If you got really really bored... Take your Amazon/Kindle ebook, break the DRM on the PC, then use Android FBReader's Speak+ to simply read it to you. That way you don't have to worry about NOT having the right book.
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Pyperkub
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Re: Books Read 2013

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Pyperkub wrote:Finished

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens - was interesting to read this for the first time. I might have to read some more Dickens this year

The Perks of being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky - saw the movie last year, and enjoyed it, but felt that there was something missing in the translation to the screen. The letter format seemed to work much better to tell the story, and the themes were expanded by sections of the book that were cut from the movie. I also found the Study topics interesting (as this is one of the newer HS Literature books that ends up on the banned lists frequently)

Down on the Farm - Charles Stross (Laundry novella/Short story) - fun addition to Stross's Laundry files

Overtime - Charles Stross (Laundry short story). apparently somewhat out of chronology, but in the correct order - a holiday-themed Laundry story. One of the better ones (he doesn't go overboard in explaining magic/mathematics conjunction. Convinced me to pay over 9.99 for the Apocalypse Codex...

The Apocalypse Codex - from a pacing perspective, probably the best Laundry novel yet (but Jennifer Morgue is still the best).

Lost Homicidal Manaic (goes by Shirley) - Jeff Strand's most recent Andrew Mayhem novel. A bit darker than most of his stuff (and he's a horror writer), but a lot of the humor is still there. His books are just crying to become movies (I'd really like to see Wolf Hunt get done right).
Updating 6/5/13:

The Twelve (Book Two of the Passage Trilogy)
Nickel Plated - Aric Davis
A Memory of Light - Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson
A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness
The Uncertain Places - Lisa Goldstein
The Silver Linings Playbook
Lilith, A Snake in the Grass (Book One of the Four Lords of the Diamond Series) - Jack L. Chalker
Reamde - Neal Stephenson

Currently Reading:
The Forever War

Posting review capsules shortly (I hope).
Last edited by Pyperkub on Fri Jun 07, 2013 4:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!

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Smoove_B
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Re: Books Read 2013

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Just finished 11/22/63. Probably one of the Top 5 Stephen King books I've read - maybe even Top 3. It wasn't at all what I was expecting, but he crafted a damn fine tale. I was amazed to read in the afterword that he actually started writing this story in 1972 but gave up trying to come to terms with the logistics (and the fact that it hadn't even been a decade since Kennedy was assassinated). I'm not really into the historical aspects so I can't really comment as to how he did. The story is much larger than just the Kennedy assassination, but I don't want to say anything for fear of ruining what the novel is really about. Highly recommended - even for people that are quick to avoid King.
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Jag
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Re: Books Read 2013

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King really got back to his roots in that one. It was like finding an old classic from him you never knew about.
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

Framed: A Historical Novel about the Revolt of the Luddites by Christy Fearn :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky: :binky:

Set in 1811 Nottingham, Framed takes place among the civil unrest at the outset of the Industrial Revolution. The garment industry is replacing skilled artisans with large "frames," looms that can do the work of six. As a result, unemployment is rampant and wages are depressed. Meanwhile, the crown is spending all of its money fighting Napoleon in Europe.

Framed follows the misfortunes of two, young 18 year old twins working in the garment industry. Robert works at a factory where the larger frames are being implemented. His sister, Lizzie, works at home, making stockings. Their wages are just enough to sustain them on a meager diet. Robert becomes swept up in a protest movement ignited by the fictional persona Ned Ludd; followers were known by the enduring term "Luddites." This group was not without sympathy in Parliament, and one of their champions was none other than the renown poet and Greek freedom-fighter, Lord Byron. Working clandestinely, Byron actually assumes the persona of Ned Ludd and lends his organizational and military skills to the roused rabble. Local militia were raised against the frame-breakers, and in one incident, the owner of the factory Robert works at is shot by his own nephew and heir, although Robert has the murder pinned on him. Byron meets Lizzie, and a love affair follows (the character of Lord Byron follows well what I know of him, and he was "Epicurian" in his pursuit of pleasure). Byron vows to right the wrong, get Robert out of prison, and put the right neck in the gallows. The book climaxes with Byron's famous speech to Parliament, ultimately unsuccessful as the vote to increase penalties for frame destruction from transportation (exile to Australia) to death, meaning the equipment was truly worth more than the men running it.

While Byron's role in the story is fictional, it is at least plausibly portrayed, a must for any historical novel. Most of the other characters in the story were too small, however. The "revolt of the Luddites" would continue for a number of years, and occupy much of England's military resources (eventually, more so than Napoleon!) The term "Luddite" endures to this day, referring to those who shun technological advancement, often without the deep-seated social issues that brought about unrest in the early 19th century. This particular story, however, seems small, predictable, and unimportant. The historical theme was nicely done, Fearn probably could have been more creative in the character development and overall plot of the story.
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Jeff V
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Re: Books Read 2013

Post by Jeff V »

JonathanStrange wrote:I've never joined a subscription service mostly because I tell myself "When you run out of interesting library audios to download, then try Audible or AudioBooks.com". The drawback to that is I find myself not always listening to that audio book that I'm deeply interested in because it's not available. Not available for free anyway. I may, though, treat myself to a year of Audible if I can find enough non-library available science, history, economics and sci-fi titles.
Audible has really draconian DRM, which has kept me far away from that service. eMusic isn't bad, $20 per month for 1 or 2 books, depending on how many credits they are. Size doesn't seem to matter, the massive Autobiography of Mark Twain Vol 1 was just 1 credit, while much shorter books go for 2. I also shop at bookcloseouts.com for audiobooks and have probably about 10 on CD waiting to be ripped. The library should work for now.

Is there a way to get one's own MP3 files to load in Overdrive?
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