This was a nice week for book reading. Don’t usually get this much time generally.

Finished The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid. I didn’t like the writing style initially but got used to as I read along. It’s a small book, just a little more than 100 pages. An umm… interesting read.

Got my copy of The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson. Really liked the book. It was a fun, light book. There was much less action than I was expecting, after reading the announcement of the book, but that didn’t make book any less enjoyable. Finished the book in two days, which I rarely get to do now.

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher. Book 3 of Dresden Files. I have just started it, but it’s the same Dresden Files. Nothing to say about that.

What have you been reading?

  • runjun@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I am currently reading The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett. This was really rough at the start to get into it. I have a hard time with fantasy stories that throw a ton of made up names at me since I have such a hard time remembering “normal” names. But I got over the hump and have started to enjoy it.

    Here’s the list of books, recent to oldest, I’ve read since Reddit went down. I decided that instead of purely replacing Reddit, I would use my time better. I haven’t read this much since before high school.

    I, Robot-Isaac Asimov The Player of Games-Iain M. Banks The Secret History-Donna Tartt Circe-Madeline Miller Shogun -James Clavell Flowers for Algernon-Daniel Keyes Only Human-Sylvain Neuvel Waking Gods-Sylvain Neuvel Sleeping Giants-Sylvain Neuvel

    • schism@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      A lot of people recommend starting the Discworld series with Mort rather than The Colour of Magic (I’m not actually sure the reason, perhaps something to do with growth into the style?) But I hope you enjoy the book, and series, should you continue with it

      • canon_not_cannon@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        The first two books are stylistically (and canonically) quite different from the later books. The first two books are more likea sketch shows. There isn’t much of a story besides getting Rincewind in a new predicament.

        The humour and especially the characters are also less… Developed. Death for example is quite cruel in the first books.

        The first books also mainly make fun of fantasy tropes, while later books use Discworld more as a mirror to explore social issues on our world.

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      1 year ago

      I have been using bullet journal for years now, but funnily enough I have never read the book. You made me realize that, so going to order it right away. 😀

      • jgrim of Sublinks@discuss.online
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        1 year ago

        It’s pretty incredible how so much of the history aligns with my issues. It’s a great book. I have a good feeling about it being able to help organize my life.

        • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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          1 year ago

          Interesting. I have added it to my list of books to get this month. Will give it a read as soon as I get it.

  • DadWagonDriver@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    I’m reading The Hero of Ages from the Mistborn trilogy right now. I’m only on chapter 9, but it’s a little “meh” so far.

    On audiobook, I’m listening to Joe Abercrombie’s Best Served Cold. I’ve read it before, but wanted to reread the six books in the First Law universe before I jump into The Age of Madness, but I had heard good things about the audiobook version. Say one thing about Steven Pacey, say he can voice act!

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      1 year ago

      I read Mistborn quite a while ago, and remember liking it a lot, but I have heard from people that Mistborn is probably his weakest series, in terms of writing. How did you like the first two books?

      As much as I don’t like grimdark, First Law was a pretty good series. I have two standalone novels left, want to read them before continuing to Age of Madness.

      • NakedGardenGnome@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I liked the mistborn series, and found the magic system quite unique and inventive.

        I’m now nearing the end of warbeaker, in which I also like his special magic system.

        • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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          1 year ago

          Yeah, he has interesting magic systems. That is one of the appeal of reading his Cosmere novels, to read different magic systems on different worlds.

      • DadWagonDriver@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        The Mistborn series is just OK, but I want to see the payoff and how this ties into the Cosmere as a whole. I actually disliked it so much the first time I read Mistborn that I gave up halfway through; I thought it was absolutely the dumbest magic system I’ve ever read.

        I came back to it after reading the Stormlight books, which is also a dumb magic and currency system but such an epic story I got past it much more easily. The Mistborn series feels a little too YA for me, but I do really like some of the characters.

        • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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          1 year ago

          I actually like his magic systems. Very scientific-y. If you didn’t like his magic systems in Mistborn and Stormlight, don’t read Elantris. 😀

          • DadWagonDriver@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            The Stormlight magic system is a lot better than the metal system in Mistborn to me, but the goofiness of using essentially marbles as money just sticks with me. I just picture Adolin constantly walking around with like a cartoon money sack from a bank filled with spheres.

            • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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              1 year ago

              Heh, that is a funny image. Though, people did use to carry gold / silver / copper coins, so maybe it’s not that different. Different kind of spheres for different stuff, having couple of pouches on you, rest in some chest.

  • ShaneIsGames @discuss.tchncs.de
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    1 year ago

    Just finished Shadows Linger by Glen Cook. Was a bit frustrating that the first half was more of a crime thriller than the milfic of the first book, but the back half was a great ride.

  • RudeGryphon@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Aye I’m reading one of Sanderson’s secret projects right now! It’s the latest one. I don’t want to spoil the title for anyone. But it hasn’t been one of Sanderson’s best works in my opinion. Feels a bit YA. But as long as I get some extra Cosmere knowledge I’m on board!

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      1 year ago

      I have read first two secret projects, and both are a bit on the lighter side. I think that’s the tone he went with for all of them.

  • PDFuego@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Halfway through a reread of Blood Rites (also Dresden Files), halfway through The Way of Kings by Sanderson & Thankless in Death by JD Robb, just finished book 3 of Seanen McGuire’s Incryptid series but I’ll start 4 tomorrow and should have it finished by Sunday, I sprinkle in the Incryptid short stories whenever I have half an hour to spare, and I just started the first of the Resident Evil novelisations but that one’s going to be a pretty low priority and will probably take months. I have a very slow job.

    This is my first Sanderson book and I’m really enjoying his style so far, I’ve had him on my reading list for years and should have gotten started sooner.

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      1 year ago

      Wow, that’s a lots of books.

      Blood Rites is the book that made me stop reading Dresden Files, because I couldn’t get the book, and I didn’t want to miss one book and read the next ones. Stared the re-read after getting the book (and about a decade after I stopped).

      Have you read rest of the books in “in Death” series? I have read couple of romance novels by Nora Roberts a while back, but haven’t read her crime novels, or well any crime series at all (except couple of novels in Robert Galbraith’s Cormoran Strike). Would you recommend her in Death series a good starting point for crime novels?

      Seanen McGuire’s October Daye and Wayword Children has been recommended to me many time, but haven’t gotten around to them yet. Maybe after Dresden Files. How are you enjoying the series?

      I didn’t know Resident Evil novels exist, but with such a big franchise, it makes sense. Any idea, if they are any good?

      Last but not least, welcome to Cosmere! Brandon Sanderson is currently my favourite fantasy writer, so glad you got to start reading him!

      • PDFuego@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Thankless in Death is book 37, plus a few shorts, and I’ve been reading them all up to this point. They’re fine. They’re mostly an easy read, I usually get through them in a couple of nights each depending on when I’m working. Sometimes they surprise you though, the killer in this book is particularly horrible, and there’s a lot of competition considering I’m several dozen books in. Some of the books are really good, but I don’t read any other crime, nor do I know anything about policework. The overarching story of the main character getting her life together is the most interesting part, but you only really get a trickle of that each book so if you get into it you’re stuck there for about 60 novels. I started in about 2008 with Creation in Death and read maybe 10-12 of the books randomly because I was a broke teen who took what he could get, that book was good enough that it hooked me and got me back a over decade later to give the series a complete read.

        I haven’t read any other McGuire. Incryptid is almost a guilty pleasure, the first 2 books were ok, but I really enjoyed the third. The series switches point of view characters every couple of books so I haven’t seen everyone yet, but that’s something I enjoy except for the fact that when you get attached to someone they might not show back up for a while. This one I’ve been listening to rather than reading, Ray Porter does the narration for book 3’s character and he’s fantastic. They even got the narrator from the first two books in for all of 5 lines in a phone call, which was a nice surprise. I mainly got into these (and Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson books) to fill time before the next Dresden Files, but they’re both enjoyable enough.

        In my opinion Resident Evil’s story is absolute balls, and I don’t expect the books to be any better. I’m like 20 pages into the first one so I can’t fairly judge that yet.

        • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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          1 year ago

          Wow, 37 books. I will give Naked in Death a try, and see how it goes from there.

          Thanks for the detailed info.

  • JaymesRS@midwest.social
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    1 year ago

    I’m finally getting around to reading The Goblin Emperor and just finished The Giver. I managed to never read it before, ¯\(ツ)/¯.

    Somewhere in the middle of Grave Peril is where the Dresden books really seem to hit their stride and become more consistently good in my opinion.

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      1 year ago

      The Goblin Emperor gets recommended a lot, let us know how you like it. As for The Giver, I haven’t read it either, the movie didn’t make me much interested in it, thought that could just be the fault of the movie.

      Well, I haven’t gotten a time to read since I started the book, so maybe will reach that point soon!

  • yenahmik@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Artemis by Andy Weir. I’m a little over halfway through and thus far I am really enjoying it. I didn’t know what to expect when I started it, so I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how fun it is.

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      1 year ago

      Artemis is the least liked of Andy Weir’s books. I wanted to read it before Project Hail Marry, but couldn’t get my hands on a copy. Glad to see you are enjoying it.

      • yenahmik@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I guess that doesn’t surprise me, given how different it is from The Martian. If you go in expecting it to be like The Martian, you’re going to be very disappointed. For what it was, though, I really liked it. Granted, I generally prefer the heist genre that Artemis is, over the survivalist genre of The Martian.

  • nostromo@compuverse.uk
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    1 year ago

    Consider Phlebas. I’ve wanted to read the Culture series for years. It’s an odd one so far. I’ve seen a lot of people advise to not start with Phlebas and I can see why.

    I am enjoying it but parts of it feel very tangential. About halfway through so far.

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      1 year ago

      Hmm… I didn’t know people recommend not to start with Consider Phelbas. I read it, couldn’t get into it, and didn’t continue the series. Let me know if the series get better, would consider giving it another chance.

      • nostromo@compuverse.uk
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        1 year ago

        The series, from what I understand is only loosely connected as in it’s set in the same universe. The next couple in the series are supposed to be really good.

  • 子犬です@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I just started “Leviathan Wakes”, the first novel in The Expanse universe. According to Google I’m about 25% through, and I’m loving it!

    I’m not much of a reader, but I just can’t seem to put this down !

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      1 year ago

      I would love to hear what you think about The Expanse. Have been looking for an interesting sci-fi series to start.

      • 子犬です@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I hope I’m able to properly communicate my thoughts to you! Haha

        Alright, so to start, it reads sort of like a tv show, in the way that every chapter we get a shift in perspective and what character we are following. It shifts between 2 narratives. Sort of like every chapter is a different episode. Perhaps I just don’t read enough, but this constant back and forth seemed a little odd to me in a written medium? Including the prologue, we get 3 different character POVs.

        As for the pacing, it isn’t slow, but it isn’t fast either. I’d say it’s well-paced, but each POV seems to have a slightly different speed, where a chapter for one character could be just a typical day, the chapter for the next character could span a few weeks. This doesn’t interrupt the story much at all, and it really seems to only serve to enhance the readers immersion in this world and how fast or slow things move in space and “The Belt” as it’s called in the series.

        Speaking of the world, so far, it has been built and established pretty wonderfully. 114 pages into the first book of the series, and the writer never seems to shoehorn in exposition into the narrative, but rather it’s, usually, a tasteful cutaway to a flashback of sorts that explains perhaps who they’re talking to/about, or what event happened to kick off a chain reaction and why, etc.

        I have encountered 1 misspelling so far earlier in the book, and it’s probably just me, but it’s stuck with me since.

        In terms of its actual writing and language used, the author uses basic, everyday language, with a few “$5” words sprinkled in that can sometimes cause confusion, although that could just be due to my limited personal dictionary. Overall, it doesn’t detract from the story, especially if you’re willing to take a moment to look up a word or 2 every couple chapters.

        In terms of “sci-fi”-ness, so far everything the entire series has taken place either in the empty vacuum of space, or smaller stations scattered throughout the solar system. The way the author describes some everyday actions and activities, and their difficulty or impossibility in the altered gravity of space and/or space stations really sucks me into the universe as it makes me believe that even though these people are humans, they’re living an entirely different existence, with different rules.

        I said a lot, especially for only being 114 pages into the first book, but it has sucked me back into reading, and I commend it for that.

        Also, a few articles I’ve seen scattered across the internet when searching for other books in the series have called it “the greatest sci-fi series of the decade” for whatever that’s worth to you.

        Oh, and they also have a “major” tv show based on the books.

        Hope this comment answers a few questions for you :)

        • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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          1 year ago

          Thanks for such a detailed response. I know there’s a TV show based on the series, but I don’t know anything about it. I am going to look up the series on my next visit to the bookstore.

  • lvl13charlatan@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture by Virginia Sole-Smith. I just started it so no opinions yet.

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      1 year ago

      I just looked it up because title seemed interesting, would love to hear what you think about it.

  • DrMango@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I usually have a few books going at once. Some print, some digital that I can read in bed with the lights out, and some audio that I can read in the car or while exercising.

    I just finished Plath’s The Bell Jar, found that one quite enjoyable. Very pretty prose throughout.

    I’ve been reading Ovid’s Metamorphoses which I’m finding surprisingly approachable given it’s age.

    I’m making good progress on my second read of Infinite Jest.

    I’m nearly through with The Black Echo which is a pretty run-of-the-mill police drama recommended to me by a friend. It’s part one of a lengthy series started in the 90s,but I don’t think I’ll be following along with the rest of them. It was fine and pulpy. Nice to put on when I didn’t need to pay much attention.

    I’ve just ordered a few books by Siddhartha Mukherjee which look interesting.

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      1 year ago

      Nice list of books! Which translation of Metamorphoses are you reading?

      As for The Black Echo, why are all crime series so long? PDFuego mentioned J. D. Robb’s in Death series in this thread below, and it’s also 30+ books. Well, the good thing is, if you end up liking the books, you don’t have to wait for the next one, but they just keep going.

      Just looked up Siddhartha Mukherjee, his works looks interesting. Which ones did you order?

      • DrMango@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I got the Penguin Classics edition of Metamorphoses. It’s working out great for me, but I don’t really have any scholarly investment in the text. Just reading because I always liked the old mythos.

        I got all 3 of Mukherjee’s books as well as Outlive by Peter Attia and Better by Atul Gawande. Why do doctors have some burning desire to tell us about Ignaz Semmelweis? It seems impossible not to mention the guy in your early chapters if you’re an MD. I don’t know what I’ve gotten myself into.

        I don’t typically read crime novels, but I’m also not one to turn down a recommendation from a friend.

        • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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          1 year ago

          Thanks for the info.

          I have never really read any books by MDs, so can’t comment on Ignaz Semmelweis part. Though I am looking at the Cancer one by Mukherjee, so may get it soon.

          I did get The Black Echo couple of days ago. Though haven’t started reading it yet.