Books Read 2023

[hitbyambulance]

Gaiman's intro is a blurb on each of the six books, so yeah, probably the same intro for all. If you'd like my copy of LHOD, let me know, I was thinking of depositing it at a Little Free Library anyway.

i would take it - i am not sure if i still have my paperback copy from college...

[Carpet_pissr]

Has anyone read ‘Sapiens’ by Yuval Noah Harari? I’m about to finish and I think it’s fantastic. Every Homo sapiens should read it!

[Jeff V]

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

Freelunch would like this book. A silly story about a bunch of exactly 22 year old girls kidnapped by aliens, then jettisoned on an ice planet when their ship has trouble. The lead character decides to leave and survey the area, where she encounters native critters, passes out, and is awaken by a vaguely humanoid going down on her. It gets worse. Much worse.


In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

Freelunch might enjoy this one as well, a travelogue in Australia in 1998. I think I virtually met him (Freelunch, not Bryson) around 1990, and this would have taken place some time after I was messaging him about this crazy MF on my TV (Steve Irwin's early Crocodile Hunter shows). Typical Bryson humor, sometimes laugh out loud since I maybe understood more of the subtleties than most (again, thanks Freelunch for making me slightly more aware of AU than I am of the much-closer Canada).

[Jeff V]

Has anyone read ‘Sapiens’ by Yuval Noah Harari? I’m about to finish and I think it’s fantastic. Every Homo sapiens should read it!

I'm scarcely Homo erectus these days. I guess it's not for me?

[Hipolito]

The Wheel of Time, Book 12: The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (ebook + audiobook): This is the first book in the series to be written by Brandon Sanderson, after the Pattern took Robert Jordan from us. It’s also the first Sanderson book I’ve read.

The difference in writing style between Jordan and Sanderson is like night and day. Jordan is absurdly detailed and descriptive, Sanderson is concise. It’s a refreshing change. I also like how the characters under Sanderson’s control engage in far less bickering and scheming and more introspection and vulnerability. Yet Sanderson remains true to Jordan's style in some ways. For example, when women cross their arms, they still cross them under their breasts.

Some may say Sanderson’s writing is simplistic, on-the-nose, and too young adult. This is a legitimate complaint. And some of the greatest moments in the series would probably not have shone as brightly with Sanderson’s utilitarian prose as they did with Jordan’s flair and flourish. But this is the change the series needed.

The first third of this book thrilled me with Sanderson’s writing style. For the second third, the honeymoon wore off and not much was happening. I became worried this book would be not any better than its predecessors.

But the final third ... oh my days. I guess this is what fans mean by "Sanderlanche." It was incredibly intense. Yet even amidst the chaos, Sanderson manages to add a little humor and romance. The final chapter was profound, transcendent, and corny enough to bring tears to my eyes. 6 out of 8 bubbles of evil.

[Scuzz]

The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons

This is a follow up to what I thought was an excellent book in Hyperion. I guess there are some other books based in the same world after this but I think I will stop here based on what I have heard. As I said I really liked the first book. I liked this book but not as much. It is a continuation of the Hyperion story but is is a much less personal book. War comes to Hyperion and the book follows new characters as well as the original ones. The themes now are larger, and I think the book can be confusing at times. We get times travel. rogue AI's and galactic war. Politics are a thing. There is just a lot going on, especially for the last third of the book.

I did still like the book, just not enough to keep going in this world. Maybe Simmons tried to do to much. But the trip was a good one.

[Scuzz]

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick

I did see Blade Runner many many years ago, but I have never read this book before. There are quite a few differences in the two so I wasn't really spoilered by my memories of the movie. The book is short and an easy read. Except for one chapter dealing with a side character and what passes for religion in the future world. I won't compare the two, as I don't want to spoil anything for those who might want to read it. But I did enjoy this on it's own. Deckard is surrounded by a different world than in the movie and I think I like what the book does better. The main question of the book regards the androids and how they should be treated, which I admit for awhile I questioned. Maybe I had missed it earlier but later in the book that was explained.

As for the million dollar question, is Deckard an android? Based on the book I would have to say no. But there are certain ambiguities in the book that could lead you to believe otherwise. But the answer I got was no.

I would definitely recommend this book to others.

[ImLawBoy]

I loved that book. Like you, I read it well after having seen Blade Runner. I appreciated how different the movie was while still maintaining significant connecting threads. I think the movie and book are complementary in the same way that the movie and book versions of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest are.

[hitbyambulance]

I would definitely recommend this book to others.

and now you can move onto other novels in the Dick œuvre!

[ImLawBoy]

Twofer!

Finished Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris. Is this a cheat? I don't care! I read this to my daughter (age 9) as a before bedtime story over a period of weeks. My wife and I had previously read this to our oldest as a bedtime story, but since I only read about half of it then, I'm considering this a new read. The author here is, yes, that Neil Patrick Harris - aka Doogie Howser. He's writing about his true love - no, not his husband or kids, but magic! It's the story of a young boy (Carter) who's parents are dead/disappeared, and he's been forced to live with his grifter Uncle Sly. His quick hands and knack for sleight of hand make him valuable, but he doesn't want to steal so he runs away and hops a train. He ends up in a quaint town where he quickly falls in with another group of kids who also happen to like magic. They become aware that there's something nefarious about the circus that's in town and they decide to get to the bottom of it. It's a silly kids book that my daughter adored. I'm happy to report that I got her the next book in the series (4 total) and she immediately started reading it on her own instead of having me read it to her, so it's a winner in my mind. There are also asides throughout that teach simple magic tricks and there are some coded messages throughout. It's not really much for grown ups, but if you have kids in the right age range, go for it.

I also finished Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher, which is volume 8(?) of the Dresden Files about wizard Harry Dresden and his adventures as a detective in Chicago. In this one he's trying to figure out why horror movie creatures are coming to life and killing people and how to stop them. It's as entertaining as the rest of the books and also advances some of the backstory underlying the series as a whole.

[Isgrimnur]

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
It was a struggle to get through, as short as it is. I can certainly see some of the historic impact of the book, but I don't think it's aged well as a good story.

[hitbyambulance]

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
It was a struggle to get through, as short as it is. I can certainly see some of the historic impact of the book, but I don't think it's aged well as a good story.

would highly recommend Huxley's _The Doors of Perception_ instead (along with its now-bundled essay _Heaven & Hell_) - i really enjoy his non-fiction work.

[Scuzz]

I would definitely recommend this book to others.

and now you can move onto other novels in the Dick œuvre!

What would you recommend next?

[Jaymann]

I would recommend:

Ubik
A Scanner Darkly
The Transmigration of Timothy Archer
The Man in the High Castle

[hitbyambulance]

I would definitely recommend this book to others.

and now you can move onto other novels in the Dick œuvre!

What would you recommend next?

Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said
A Scanner Darkly (if you can read it in as few sittings as possible - it's a trip)

The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch has some very funny parts, but there's a portion in the middle where the drugs must have worn off or something and it draaaags for a while.
and i thought Martian Time-Slip was going to be one of the 'poor' efforts, but it was actually decent.

The Transmigration of Timothy Archer

technically the third in a trilogy (after VALIS and The Divine Invasion)

The Man in the High Castle

it has its moments, but the planned sequel for this was never written, which i think would have helped, plotwise

[ImLawBoy]

There's some irony that I read most of Vol. 4 of The Sandman (Seasons of Mist) by Neil Gaiman (and a cadre of artists and letterers) in the wee hours of the morning while unable to sleep. In any event, I finished Vol. 4 at about 2:45 am this morning (and then was able to get to sleep quickly!). Lucifer has promised to get revenge against Morpheus for how his last journey into Hell went down, and when Morpheus comes calling again, he's got a devious plot. I really enjoyed seeing various gods in this volume and how Gaiman carries through some ideas from American Gods here. It's good stuff.

[Jeff V]

He's a fun writer. My first experience with him was with his book about the English language. I forget exactly what it was called, but it was highly entertaining. Then I read A Walk in the Woods, where he attempts to hike the entirety of the Appalachian Trail, and that too was very good. In fact they made that one into a movie featuring Robert Redford as Bryson and Nick Nolte as his friend Katz.

The Mother Tongue, and yes, it was. The Body was great, as were The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, A Walk in the Woods, and especially A Short History of Nearly Everything.

I've liked everything I've read by Bryson, I like his style of humor. I recently read his travelog of Australia -- sure, it happened 30 years ago, but I bet much of it is still accurate.

[Isgrimnur]

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir - Matthew Perry

A quick read, it's 260 pages of the tribulations of Perry dealing with his demons, childhood trauma, and drug and alcohol addition.

[Scuzz]

The Forge of God by Greg Bear

The world has been invaded by aliens, and things don't look good. I have to say this is a rather depressing look at the alien invasion story. Bear has written good characters and this is a real easy read. I read the last 180 pages in two days which for me is pretty good. The depressing part is more the story and how the characters react to it, although there is an "upbeat" ending. At a certain point in the book you realize where it is going and that unlike most sci-fi novels there will be no magic at the end to save the day.

Having said that I did enjoy the book. There is a sequel, maybe two although it appears Bear never did write the third book in the series. This book ends in a way I found satisfying, at least as far as the plot went, and so I think I will stop here. But I enjoyed it enough to read more of Bear's work. I do recommend it. I am a fan of the old fashioned larger than life sci-fi story, this is just not an uplifting one.

[Hipolito]

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (paperback): At the age of 36, in his last year of neurosurgery training, the author was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. In the remaining time he had left, he wrote this memoir that delves into the philosophical beliefs that steered him to become a neurosurgeon and the new insights he gained from being a patient whose prognosis was not improving.

This book is a fine companion to Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations and Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. Anyone who is a doctor, a seriously ill patient, or the loved one of a seriously ill patient (in other words, pretty much everyone) should read it. With humility, curiosity, and wit, the author writes about how doctors are not saviors, but oracles who help their patients grieve for what is lost and find new identity and meaning in the days ahead. 7 out of 8 operating rooms.

[Isgrimnur]

The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944
By: Rick Atkinson
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
Series: The Liberation Trilogy, Book 2

[Hipolito]

The Man You Trust by Bill Harris (paperback): Like many of you I'm sure, I’ve been a regular reader of Bill Harris’s writing since the start of his Dubious Quality blog (and even before that when he wrote the Night Call column on Gone Gold). I’m awed by how, despite his many admitted insecurities, he puts vision to action and gets things done, like his Gridiron Solitaire game on Steam and now this novel.

The protagonist is Inspector Paul Newman. With his black bowler hat, red umbrella, and red briefcase, he walks across the desert from one town to another, eats at diners, chats with locals who admire and even revere him, and takes readings at special huts that forecast future temperatures. He has a formal way of talking, struggles to understand humor, and tries his hand at poetry every night. Who he is and why he does all this, you’ll just have to read and find out.

All this time, I never suspected that this is the type of story Bill had in him. And yet, the writing style I’ve long loved on his blog is there on every page: economical, readable, funny, sad, warm. I think I even see how some of the characters are inspired by the people in his life that I’ve come to know through his blog. The ending could have been better and more questions could have been answered, but this book counts as another mark in the Win column for Bill. 6 out of 8 pieces of dry toast.

[Scuzz]

The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944
By: Rick Atkinson
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
Series: The Liberation Trilogy, Book 2

That’s a good trilogy. I wonder if something has happened to Atkinson as he has never released book 2 of his Revolutionary War series?

[disarm]

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

I read this a couple years ago and it really is a fantastic book. Reading about how he is a young physician who, along with his wife, is unexpectedly forced to come to terms with his own mortality is an incredibly moving story. Combine the subject with an impressive talent for writing and you have a really great book. As a physician myself, I can understand and relate to a lot of what he talks about in a different way than most, but I don't think anyone can read his memoir without being affected because it's ultimately a story of what it means to be human...such a great read.

Anyone who reads this book should also look into what happened with his wife in the years since...interesting how she found happiness again.

[El Guapo]

How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems by Randall Monroe

I gotta say I really love Randall Monroe's stuff. This is another variant on his What If? books in effect. The premise is to take simple tasks (how do I arrive places on time?) and tackle them in over the top absurd but scientific ways (try approaching the speed of light, try altering time, etc.). Enjoyable, funny, and lots of fun. Recommend it if you like his other stuff.

[Jaymann]

How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems by Randall Monroe

I gotta say I really love Randall Monroe's stuff. This is another variant on his What If? books in effect. The premise is to take simple tasks (how do I arrive places on time?) and tackle them in over the top absurd but scientific ways (try approaching the speed of light, try altering time, etc.). Enjoyable, funny, and lots of fun. Recommend it if you like his other stuff.

Definitely in!

[disarm]

I really enjoy most of Randall Munroe's stuff. I have the first What If? and Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words. TE is pretty funny because he uses simple illustrations and only the ten-hundred most commonly used words in the English language (can't say one thousand) to explain some pretty complex subjects...very cool coffee table book.

[El Guapo]

I really enjoy most of Randall Munroe's stuff. I have the first What If? and Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words. TE is pretty funny because he uses simple illustrations and only the ten-hundred most commonly used words in the English language (can't say one thousand) to explain some pretty complex subjects...very cool coffee table book.

I ordered Thing Explainer last night. Going through Monroe's whole catalogue.

Also great because my son also really enjoys his stuff too, so I get to use this stuff as bedtime story material as well.

[Hipolito]

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Anyone who reads this book should also look into what happened with his wife in the years since...interesting how she found happiness again.

I checked this out ... very interesting indeed. Thank you.

And now, some thoughts on a book that isn't quite as good.



Mass Effect: Retribution by Drew Karpyshyn (paperback): Continuing from the previous novel Mass Effect: Ascension, this book takes place between the games Mass Effect 2 and 3. It’s more spy games with various alliances and betrayals, but the stakes are higher and the character motivations are more interesting. I particularly liked how some characters are forced to question their own motives: are they truly guided by principle, or by their hunger for retribution? 5 out of 8 kinetic barriers.

Also, though it's barely worth mentioning, I read the mini-comics Mass Effect: Incursion and Mass Effect: Inquisition (sold as one on Amazon). They're meant to be read after playing Mass Effect 2. Incursion features Aria T'Loak of Omega and Inquisition features Captain Bailey of C-Sec. Although those characters are intriguing in ME2, their stories in these mini-comics are too brief and uninteresting. One high-ranking minor character does get offed, though it's not clear why. I assume ME3 will address this.

[Isgrimnur]

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

[El Guapo]

Manga Classics Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Picked this up on a whim, since Count of Monte Cristo (a super abridged version) was one of the books in an "adventure books" series I read for my kid. I liked the book - it's basically an anime / Manga version of the longer book. My only issue with the story is that it's exceptionally complicated with intricate relationships between the characters, and it's hard to remember who the Count de Montcerf is vs. Count de Whatever and what the Count's grievance is with one character versus another. The other thing is that it's a manga / graphic novel style but all in black and white - would've been nice to read it in color.

[El Guapo]

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (audio book)

Listened to Frankenstein in audio book format. I'll say as someone who had familiarity with Frankenstein only at a very high, superficial level, the actual story is way different from what I expected. Mainly that Frankenstein's Monster is way far from the "FIRE BAD!!" level of thinking and speaking that he's usually presented as in popular media - he's hideous, large, and strong, but otherwise thinks and talks mostly like a normal person (actually extremely articulate). Also there's a ton of angst in this book - angst by Frankenstein, angst by the monster.

As for the story, it really gets going and gets interesting once Frankenstein starts interacting with and fighting with the monster, but it felt like it was really slow getting there - kind of wish there was less in there about Frankenstein's youth. But oh well.

[hitbyambulance]

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (audio book)

Listened to Frankenstein in audio book format. I'll say as someone who had familiarity with Frankenstein only at a very high, superficial level, the actual story is way different from what I expected. Mainly that Frankenstein's Monster is way far from the "FIRE BAD!!" level of thinking and speaking that he's usually presented as in popular media - he's hideous, large, and strong, but otherwise thinks and talks mostly like a normal person (actually extremely articulate). Also there's a ton of angst in this book - angst by Frankenstein, angst by the monster.

As for the story, it really gets going and gets interesting once Frankenstein starts interacting with and fighting with the monster, but it felt like it was really slow getting there - kind of wish there was less in there about Frankenstein's youth. But oh well.

the writing is unusually accomplished for an 18 year old author, it must be said

[Rumpy]

Finished reading Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary. It was a really fun and inventive read, that at times evokes some of Arthur C. Clarke's best. Easily one of the best Sci-Fi novels I've read in years, and much better than his followup to The Martian, Artemis. Without spoiling it, a space mission is launched as a last-chance for humanity in order to hopefully diagnose and fix a problem happening to the Sun. Along the way, the main character has a first-encounter with an alien who's in search a fix for the same problem, and together, after breaking their language barrier, team up to solve it.

[Isgrimnur]

Finished reading Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary. It was a really fun and inventive read, that at times evokes some of Arthur C. Clarke's best. Easily one of the best Sci-Fi novels I've read in years, and much better than his followup to The Martian, Artemis. Without spoiling it, a space mission is launched as a last-chance for humanity in order to hopefully diagnose and fix a problem happening to the Sun. Along the way, the main character has a first-encounter with an alien who's in search a fix for the same problem, and together, after breaking their language barrier, team up to solve it.

Does their DJ, then, revolve it?

[Rumpy]

Sorry, I'm confused by the question? Their DJ?

[Isgrimnur]

[Rumpy]

[Isgrimnur]

Don't worry about it.

[Madmarcus]

How do you guys read multiple books at the same time!

And why?

I'm really late replying but I generally have a fiction and a non-fiction book going if I'm really in a reading phase. In the past I'd also separate books by location; I'd have an audiobook that I "read" in the car and a different fiction book at home. Or, as a kid, I'd have a hardback and a paperback because it was easier to take the paperback out of the house.