Whatcha readin now? (book, books, reading, read) (7 Viewers)

[badmojo1006]

Just finished The Forever War. Very good read. Some interesting foreshadowing for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Only thing I did not like was the Spielberg like happy ending tacked on. Other than that, excellent read

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

Sweetsmoke - by David Fuller

centers around a Civil War era slave on a Virginia tobacco plantation. Very good so far.

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

Just finished City of Thieves by David Benioff. Definitely recommended. It's about a boy and a soldier that are forced to become friends in WWII Russia. If you know even a little bit about the horrific nature of the fighting/surviving that went on...you'll be really interested in the details. If you don't know anything going in, it's a great way to get an overview of what kinds of things were really going on in the Eastern front of that war. Very well written. It's about 250 pages, but you'll swear it's only about 100 because it flies by so fast and reads so easily. The last 5 pages left a little to be desired...but it's a minor complaint.

Awesome book. Just finished it myself.

 

[ragincajun]

Starting Forgetting Christmas.

 

[Tough As Nails]

I finished Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. I liked the story. I was interested in the outcome. The "mystery" was well done. But damn, the dialogue by the 9-year-old protagonist was so awful. Juno on steroids. I tried to convince myself that he never really talks in real life and all of the conversations were done in his head...but it's clearly not the case.

As an aside...Foer wrote Everything is Illuminated as well...and if you haven't seen the movie adaptation, go out and get it today. It's really good.

Well don't forget it's an untrustworthy narrator, so you have to read it that way. I loved that book. Haven't gotten to Everything is Illuminated yet.

This is a good way to look at it. Well said. I can definitely get on board with the thought that he embellished all of the conversations and actual interactions.

 

[badmojo1006]

Just finished The Hunger Games. Great read. A bit of Running Man, a bit of Survivor, a bit of 1984.

Very enjoyable read and should be a great movie when it is finally made in 2013

 

[simsarge]

I'm now starting "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. "Seabiscuit" was my favorite all time book, so I have high hopes for this one.

My mom read this & loved it. She said it's unbelievable the stuff that guy went through. It's in my queue, as I really liked "Seabicuit" too.

Phenominal story Started lsitening to it on CD on my commute and was so hooked I had to buy the story and read it on the CINC's Nook after I got out of the car. This story is begging to be made into a movie. Can't recomend it enough.

 

[ODoyleRules]

Got "War" by Junger for Xmas and just started it. Great so far.

Just finished this. One of the better war books on describing the camaraderie between soldiers that I've read and providing a good look into the mental side of war. I thought his descriptions of the attacks themselves were just OK and the book could have benefited a lot from a map or two. I liked "The Perfect Storm" better.

 

[Urinal Mint]

About 1/4 way through Tony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. What a fascinating read. Tony tells a great story anyway, but what's really grabbed me is the inner workings of the restaurant. I've always been a fan of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (BBC version, where he isn't yelling) because of the same behind-the-scenes view of the nuts-and-bolts of the restaurant world.

Really fun read. Recommended.

 

[Bob Lee Swagger]

About 1/4 way through Tony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. What a fascinating read. Tony tells a great story anyway, but what's really grabbed me is the inner workings of the restaurant. I've always been a fan of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (BBC version, where he isn't yelling) because of the same behind-the-scenes view of the nuts-and-bolts of the restaurant world.

Really fun read. Recommended.

That's great to hear. I really like the BBC Kitchen Nightmares, too, and I got Kitchen Confidential for Christmas

 

[ConstruxBoy]

Got "War" by Junger for Xmas and just started it. Great so far.

Just finished this. One of the better war books on describing the camaraderie between soldiers that I've read and providing a good look into the mental side of war. I thought his descriptions of the attacks themselves were just OK and the book could have benefited a lot from a map or two. I liked "The Perfect Storm" better.

Just bought the Restrepo DVD, which is the documentary that "goes with" the book. I'm thinking it will help understand the attacks better. Frankly, I'm sure he was scared ####less during them and didn't want to pretend he knew what was going on.

 

[HellToupee]

Got "War" by Junger for Xmas and just started it. Great so far.

Just finished this. One of the better war books on describing the camaraderie between soldiers that I've read and providing a good look into the mental side of war. I thought his descriptions of the attacks themselves were just OK and the book could have benefited a lot from a map or two. I liked "The Perfect Storm" better.

Just bought the Restrepo DVD, which is the documentary that "goes with" the book. I'm thinking it will help understand the attacks better. Frankly, I'm sure he was scared ####less during them and didn't want to pretend he knew what was going on.

I watched Restrepo without reading War but was thinking about picking it up. I read the 1st chapter on my kindle & liked it.Mind boggling what they have to go through.

 

[ODoyleRules]

Got "War" by Junger for Xmas and just started it. Great so far.

Just finished this. One of the better war books on describing the camaraderie between soldiers that I've read and providing a good look into the mental side of war. I thought his descriptions of the attacks themselves were just OK and the book could have benefited a lot from a map or two. I liked "The Perfect Storm" better.

Just bought the Restrepo DVD, which is the documentary that "goes with" the book. I'm thinking it will help understand the attacks better. Frankly, I'm sure he was scared ####less during them and didn't want to pretend he knew what was going on.

Yeah, I'd like to see the Restrepo documentary too. Don't get me wrong - I liked the book. As a writer in the thick of the action, he does bring a different perspective to what it means to be a modern soldier. I just thought that there are other war stories / books that are more interesting or exciting as a narrative.

 

[D_House]

The Last Good Kiss, by James Crumley. Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos both recommended this novel as inspirations for their own crime novels. I've seen multiple descriptions of Crumley as a mix between Chandler and Huntler S. Thompson, and I think that's apt. The first line of this novel is renowned and gives some insight into what he's all about:

When I finally caught up with Abraham Trahearne, he was drinking beer with an alcoholic bulldog named Fireball Roberts in a ramshackle joint just outside of Sonoma, California, drinking the heart right out of a fine spring afternoon.

Basically boozy hardboiled detective fiction with a poetic bent set in the dusty American West. There are some killer lines in this book, and the book's anti-hero, C.W. Sughrue, is a memorable character. Highly recommended.

 

[SimonMoon]

The Last Good Kiss, by James Crumley. Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos both recommended this novel as inspirations for their own crime novels. I've seen multiple descriptions of Crumley as a mix between Chandler and Huntler S. Thompson, and I think that's apt. The first line of this novel is renowned and gives some insight into what he's all about:

When I finally caught up with Abraham Trahearne, he was drinking beer with an alcoholic bulldog named Fireball Roberts in a ramshackle joint just outside of Sonoma, California, drinking the heart right out of a fine spring afternoon.

Basically boozy hardboiled detective fiction with a poetic bent set in the dusty American West. There are some killer lines in this book, and the book's anti-hero, C.W. Sughrue, is a memorable character. Highly recommended.

Very effective (the author's opening line, and your posting it). This book is now at the top of my Must Read list.Just about to wrap up the 8th or 9th journey through The System of the World. Neal Stephenson. I've recommended him often, and will continue to do so. Maybe one day I'll open an Official Thread on the man and his oeuvre, but probably not.

 

[igbomb]

The Last Good Kiss, by James Crumley. Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos both recommended this novel as inspirations for their own crime novels. I've seen multiple descriptions of Crumley as a mix between Chandler and Huntler S. Thompson, and I think that's apt. The first line of this novel is renowned and gives some insight into what he's all about:

When I finally caught up with Abraham Trahearne, he was drinking beer with an alcoholic bulldog named Fireball Roberts in a ramshackle joint just outside of Sonoma, California, drinking the heart right out of a fine spring afternoon.

Basically boozy hardboiled detective fiction with a poetic bent set in the dusty American West. There are some killer lines in this book, and the book's anti-hero, C.W. Sughrue, is a memorable character. Highly recommended.

Was just looking at some reviews of this and saw a comparison to James Lee Burke as well. Since Burke and Lehane are my the best mystery/thriller writers I have every encountered, I'm putting this one on my list immediately.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Anyone read Joe Abercrombie's First Law books? The synopses look interesting.

 

[timschochet]

Reading Whitethorn by Bryce Courtenay. It's not available in the U.S., I had to order it on Amazon. Like all of his novels, this is lengthy (900 pages) but I like that. It's similar in storyline to Power of One (this one is also about an English boy who grows up among hostile Afrikaners) but this novel is darker. I like it a lot.

 

[badmojo1006]

I just finished Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. This is the follow up to Hunger Games. Very well done series so far. I cant wait for the third one. I am on a very long waiting list at the library for it.

I am almost finished with Catching Fire. The Katniss/Peeta/Gale love triangle is but I am enjoying the rest of it

 

[rolyaTy]

90% through with "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. Very nicely written book and an absolutely amazing story.

 

[igbomb]

Anyone read Joe Abercrombie's First Law books? The synopses look interesting.

Absolutely fantastic! He is hands down the best fantasy writer I have encountered since George R.R. Martin.Very gritty, violent stories with dark gray characters.

 

[Bull Dozier]

I'm now starting "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. "Seabiscuit" was my favorite all time book, so I have high hopes for this one.

My mom read this & loved it. She said it's unbelievable the stuff that guy went through. It's in my queue, as I really liked "Seabicuit" too.

Phenominal story Started lsitening to it on CD on my commute and was so hooked I had to buy the story and read it on the CINC's Nook after I got out of the car. This story is begging to be made into a movie. Can't recomend it enough.

Just finished Unbroken today. It was a great story, and definitely should be made into a movie considering the schlock Hollywood has been putting out.That said, the ending was a little disappointing. I honestly thought I had almost 100 pages left, but then realized they were all just footnotes, etc. I was left with a "that was it?" feeling at the end.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Anyone read Joe Abercrombie's First Law books? The synopses look interesting.

Absolutely fantastic! He is hands down the best fantasy writer I have encountered since George R.R. Martin.Very gritty, violent stories with dark gray characters.

Sold!Gonna do Unbroken next, then dive into Abercrombie. It appears there's the original trilogy, then a couple of standalones that take place in the same universe. Read the trilogy first, I assume?

I've also been eyeing Butcher's The Dresden Files. Anyone have any input on that series?

 

[FUBAR]

Got "War" by Junger for Xmas and just started it. Great so far.

Just finished this. One of the better war books on describing the camaraderie between soldiers that I've read and providing a good look into the mental side of war. I thought his descriptions of the attacks themselves were just OK and the book could have benefited a lot from a map or two. I liked "The Perfect Storm" better.

just picked this up to listen to on my long runs this week and next.

 

[dharmapunk]

I'm about 150 pages into Franzen's Freedom and I'm pretty impressed.

I think he's managed to put together something really outstanding here.

But then again, I thought that about The Corrections until I hit the Denise section and stopped reading. I've never seen a book with such polar opposite levels of writing. The first section was good. The section about the suburban family was incredibly good. The section about the parents on the cruise was ok. Then the Denise (the bicurious/whatever sister) section reads like something I'd see in an undergrad workshop. It was too painful to suffer through. Such a strange book.

So far Freedom is much, much better. It reads like a talented author who finally perfected his style.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Starting Forgetting Christmas.

Old age is a #####. I've been forgetting my anniversary for years.

 

[igbomb]

Anyone read Joe Abercrombie's First Law books? The synopses look interesting.

Absolutely fantastic! He is hands down the best fantasy writer I have encountered since George R.R. Martin.Very gritty, violent stories with dark gray characters.

Sold!Gonna do Unbroken next, then dive into Abercrombie. It appears there's the original trilogy, then a couple of standalones that take place in the same universe. Read the trilogy first, I assume?

I've also been eyeing Butcher's The Dresden Files. Anyone have any input on that series?

I've read the first seven or eight and really like them. The only other urban fantasy I have read before is Neil Gaiman, so I don't have much to base it on. But I really like the cast of characters in Dresden's series, and I think each one gets better than the one before. In fact, the first two or three simply are not that great. So if you decide to read them, get through a few before abandoning if the first couple don't jump out at you.Also, my biggest concern with the books, and the reason I hate shows like CSI, was that there would be a lack of ongoing storylines that span multiple books. On the contrary, while each of the Dresden books stands well enough on its own, there is definitely also one massive story being told and Butcher has said that he has the entire story arc planned through 25 books. I've heard that the newest ones are getting darker with some unexpected twists.

Definitely a series I recommend and one I intend to read all the way through.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Anyone read Joe Abercrombie's First Law books? The synopses look interesting.

Absolutely fantastic! He is hands down the best fantasy writer I have encountered since George R.R. Martin.Very gritty, violent stories with dark gray characters.

Sold!Gonna do Unbroken next, then dive into Abercrombie. It appears there's the original trilogy, then a couple of standalones that take place in the same universe. Read the trilogy first, I assume?

I've also been eyeing Butcher's The Dresden Files. Anyone have any input on that series?

I've read the first seven or eight and really like them. The only other urban fantasy I have read before is Neil Gaiman, so I don't have much to base it on. But I really like the cast of characters in Dresden's series, and I think each one gets better than the one before. In fact, the first two or three simply are not that great. So if you decide to read them, get through a few before abandoning if the first couple don't jump out at you.Also, my biggest concern with the books, and the reason I hate shows like CSI, was that there would be a lack of ongoing storylines that span multiple books. On the contrary, while each of the Dresden books stands well enough on its own, there is definitely also one massive story being told and Butcher has said that he has the entire story arc planned through 25 books. I've heard that the newest ones are getting darker with some unexpected twists.

Definitely a series I recommend and one I intend to read all the way through.

Thanks, ig. Abercrombie & Butcher will keep my queue full for several months, then, with squeezing in single releases as they come out. Dan Simmons has one coming later this year called Flash that I'm looking forward to. And maybe - just maybe - Martin's A Dance With Dragons will finally show up.Back to Abercrombie - should I read the First Law trilogy first before the related standalones?

 

[igbomb]

Anyone read Joe Abercrombie's First Law books? The synopses look interesting.

Absolutely fantastic! He is hands down the best fantasy writer I have encountered since George R.R. Martin.Very gritty, violent stories with dark gray characters.

Sold!Gonna do Unbroken next, then dive into Abercrombie. It appears there's the original trilogy, then a couple of standalones that take place in the same universe. Read the trilogy first, I assume?

I've also been eyeing Butcher's The Dresden Files. Anyone have any input on that series?

I've read the first seven or eight and really like them. The only other urban fantasy I have read before is Neil Gaiman, so I don't have much to base it on. But I really like the cast of characters in Dresden's series, and I think each one gets better than the one before. In fact, the first two or three simply are not that great. So if you decide to read them, get through a few before abandoning if the first couple don't jump out at you.Also, my biggest concern with the books, and the reason I hate shows like CSI, was that there would be a lack of ongoing storylines that span multiple books. On the contrary, while each of the Dresden books stands well enough on its own, there is definitely also one massive story being told and Butcher has said that he has the entire story arc planned through 25 books. I've heard that the newest ones are getting darker with some unexpected twists.

Definitely a series I recommend and one I intend to read all the way through.

Thanks, ig. Abercrombie & Butcher will keep my queue full for several months, then, with squeezing in single releases as they come out. Dan Simmons has one coming later this year called Flash that I'm looking forward to. And maybe - just maybe - Martin's A Dance With Dragons will finally show up.Back to Abercrombie - should I read the First Law trilogy first before the related standalones?

Yes, it's not critical, but there are definitely references to past events, and some characters make appearances in both the series and the stand-alones.If nothing else, reading the stand-alones first will give some heavy spoilers for the trilogy.

 

[facook]

Finally finished Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra. Just an incredibly detailed, intelligent novel. Strong characters, intrigue, action, humor, tragedy...it has it all. At almost 1000 pages there are some sections that drag a bit, but overall highly recommended.

Now onto Black Hills by Dan Simmons.

 

[Chadstroma]

Have any of you guys used Goodreads.com?

Kinda like a social networking for book nerds.

 

[badmojo1006]

Have any of you guys used Goodreads.com? Kinda like a social networking for book nerds.

My other board has been using it for a while. We have about 30 members and i get a lot of book recommendations from there.My user name over at Goodreads is amoxy

 

[D_House]

Dom Casmurro by Machado de Assis. This 1899 novel written by Brazil's most celebrated writer is a first person memoir told in the voice of Bento Santiago. Bento is a charming (though clearly unreliable) narrator that peppers the narrative with digressions and allusions to classic works, including Othello, to which this story bears a strong resemblance. He tells the tale of his childhood romance with Capitu, his escape from his mother's vow to make him a priest, and his eventual marriage to Capitu. Written with a lighthearted style, but with increasing insight into Bento's growing jealousy and ultimate self-destruction. Although its themes are classical, the prose is very modern and the book is a page turner. I highly recommend this one, if only to be introduced to some Brazilian literature.

http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/02/22/reviews/980222.22jacksot.html?_r=1

NY Times Review

First Chapters online

 

[Sundays Rule]

Have any of you guys used Goodreads.com? Kinda like a social networking for book nerds.

My other board has been using it for a while. We have about 30 members and i get a lot of book recommendations from there.My user name over at Goodreads is amoxy

Just signed up. Name: Nodnarb518

 

[badmojo1006]

Have any of you guys used Goodreads.com? Kinda like a social networking for book nerds.

My other board has been using it for a while. We have about 30 members and i get a lot of book recommendations from there.My user name over at Goodreads is amoxy

Just signed up. Name: Nodnarb518

Just accepted...And the book you are reading looks really interesting. Going to pick it up at the library in a couple of days

 

[krista4]

I'm about 150 pages into Franzen's Freedom and I'm pretty impressed.

I think he's managed to put together something really outstanding here.

But then again, I thought that about The Corrections until I hit the Denise section and stopped reading. I've never seen a book with such polar opposite levels of writing. The first section was good. The section about the suburban family was incredibly good. The section about the parents on the cruise was ok. Then the Denise (the bicurious/whatever sister) section reads like something I'd see in an undergrad workshop. It was too painful to suffer through. Such a strange book.

So far Freedom is much, much better. It reads like a talented author who finally perfected his style.

I'm about 180 pages into this, too. Weird. I can't decide what I think yet. I was so burned by The Corrections (for the same reasons you mentioned) that I think that, while I'm enjoying this one, I just don't trust Franzen.

 

[D_House]

Now reading Tree of Smoke, by Denis Johnson. I picked this one because it was a National Book Award winner in 2007 and because of some praise in this thread (and despite a scathing review at the Atlantic). I also wanted to read a book with a Vietnam War setting since so much of the classic writing of the last century seemed to be centered on the Second World War and I wanted something different. I'm about 100 pages in and so far there have been a few scattered chuckles and some really elegant sections of prose. This is yet another recent novel with multiple shifts in perspective, so I haven't yet fully connected with the characters.

Finished this today after slogging through it for close to a month. I never did connect with any of the characters, the plot was incoherent, and although there are a few passages of truly sparkling writing, there is an even larger number of passages that just don't work, particularly the dialogue. If this is meant to be a novel of ideas, I'm not sure what the ideas Johnson is trying to convey here are. So 600+ pages with no plot, no characterization, uneven writing, and nothing new to say about war in general or Vietnam specifically. Waste of time, I'm not sure how this won the National Book Award.

On to The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

 

[facook]

Have any of you guys used Goodreads.com? Kinda like a social networking for book nerds.

My other board has been using it for a while. We have about 30 members and i get a lot of book recommendations from there.My user name over at Goodreads is amoxy

Just signed up. Name: Nodnarb518

Just accepted...And the book you are reading looks really interesting. Going to pick it up at the library in a couple of days

Just registered as facook over there as well. Cool site, hadn't heard of it before.

 

[KarmaPolice]

After plugging through a couple classics from the Great Novel Draft, thought I'd cleanse my palate with a lighter read, so I am re-reading Sideways. One of the very rare books that I was able to read after I saw the movie and enjoy, let alone finish.

 

[Maelstrom]

Reading The Tipping Point right now, about half-way through. Not sure I completely buy the logic, and while I do find it interesting, I often have trouble continuing on with it. I've read 2 other books while only making it halfway though Tipping Point.

Registered at Goodreads as well as Maelstrom.

 

[Trey]

I'm about 150 pages into Franzen's Freedom and I'm pretty impressed.

I think he's managed to put together something really outstanding here.

But then again, I thought that about The Corrections until I hit the Denise section and stopped reading. I've never seen a book with such polar opposite levels of writing. The first section was good. The section about the suburban family was incredibly good. The section about the parents on the cruise was ok. Then the Denise (the bicurious/whatever sister) section reads like something I'd see in an undergrad workshop. It was too painful to suffer through. Such a strange book.

So far Freedom is much, much better. It reads like a talented author who finally perfected his style.

I'm about 180 pages into this, too. Weird. I can't decide what I think yet. I was so burned by The Corrections (for the same reasons you mentioned) that I think that, while I'm enjoying this one, I just don't trust Franzen.

No prior experience with Franzen but I picked this up last week.I just finished it and thought that it was just unbelievable. I found it impossible to put down Patty's initial "autobiography".

 

[kupcho1]

I don't know why you ##########s are #####ing about the Corrections. Great book

Yes, I've been drinking.

 

[Urinal Mint]

anybody taken a swing through the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld?

 

[Abraham]

Reading The Tipping Point right now, about half-way through. Not sure I completely buy the logic, and while I do find it interesting, I often have trouble continuing on with it. I've read 2 other books while only making it halfway though Tipping Point.Registered at Goodreads as well as Maelstrom.

I finished it but see your point. Glad well gets awfully repetitive in his books, making the second half a bit boring.

 

[Chadstroma]

Someone should start a Footballguys group on Goodreads.... I started to but then I decided not to because I am just now trying to get the lay of the land in there.

 

[trader jake]

When reading through this thread I often look for the replies to other FBG comments. In that spirit (forgive the number of replies)...

Just started The Savage Detectives.

Some have raved about it here, so I checked it out. I enjoyed the beginning and ending portions a great deal (told through the kid, Juan Garcia Madero) but felt the middle (told through numerous people who came in contact with the Visceral Realists) was a bit forced and dragged. Most seem to disagree but even in short bursts some of that middle was a slog to get through for me. I've wanted to read 2666 for a while but after reading Savage Detectives I'm guessing that may not happen for a while.Overall it was worth reading but it didn't live up to the hype for me.

Ah, it was called Battle Royale, here is a review comparing the two (actually the BR movie and Hunger Games book, not a fair comparison), for those looking for such, http://www.examiner.com/speculative-fictio...s-battle-royale

Loved Battle Royale. It's definitely not one for everybody but it's worth an effort. Same for World War Z.

Blood Meridian. Not the easiest read in the world, but I feel like I'm in the presence of greatness as I read.

Reading it now. Absolutely loved No Country and The Road by McCarthy. I'm about half way through and so far this one hasn't caught me like those two did but we'll see how it finishes.

Don't care about baseball, and barely know any of the players, but Moneyball is a great read so far.

Great read. Lewis is always solid and I'd suggest Liar's Poker as well or The Blind Side (don't let the film scare you off, the book is extremely compelling). Still waiting to read The Big Short and I'm glad the reviews here have been positive.

 

[trader jake]

Continuing from post above...

Couple days ago I started The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night (or whatever it's titled). Surprised how much I like this so far.

Ditto. A friend's wife suggested it but I was skeptical. Figured I'd give it 50 pages and zipped through the entire book in a couple of days. Not sure how to describe it but I'd definitely suggest it to someone if the plot interests them at all.

Taking a break from Infinite Jest (which is great) to plow through the Keith Richards bio. Very compelling read for fans of the Stones, it's very much written in Keef's voice.

I just started Infinite Jest, I'm 60 pages in. Very confusing so far, although I like the writing style very much.

Don't sweat it if you don't understand everything. Some tangents are fantastic and important to the plot, others are nothing but meandering sideways turns. Don't try and figure out which are which, just roll with them and keep movin'. It is simply one of the best books I've ever read. While reading it I couldn't believe how many people would see the book and start up a conversation (I read it between shows while working at a movie theater). Eventually I know I'll read it again and knowing the plot ahead of time (I'm guessing) will only make the book that much more enjoyable.I usually don't fly through books (one every two weeks or so) but that one took me well over two months to read. I know the number of pages (and daunting endnotes (and more endnotes of endnotes)) can be a challenge but it was worth ever effort and second of my time.

the opening to Delillo's Underworld remain the best examples of how to open a contemporary novel.

Heartily agree with you about the opening chapter of Underworld, which is as perfect and poetic as the opening paragraphs of Lolita or Ulysses. I'd go so far as to nominate Underworld as among the most disappointing novels I've ever read, as few things I've ever read have been able to measure up to that chapter.

Agreed 100%. Overall I didn't love Underworld but that opening may be the best I've ever read. Maybe the standard set by the opening doomed the rest for me because I immediately raised expectations to heights the rest of the novel couldn't reach??

 

[shuke]

Anyone read Joe Abercrombie's First Law books? The synopses look interesting.

Absolutely fantastic! He is hands down the best fantasy writer I have encountered since George R.R. Martin.Very gritty, violent stories with dark gray characters.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Anyone read Joe Abercrombie's First Law books? The synopses look interesting.

Absolutely fantastic! He is hands down the best fantasy writer I have encountered since George R.R. Martin.Very gritty, violent stories with dark gray characters.

How are you making out with A Song Of Ice & Fire?

 

[shuke]

Anyone read Joe Abercrombie's First Law books? The synopses look interesting.

Absolutely fantastic! He is hands down the best fantasy writer I have encountered since George R.R. Martin.Very gritty, violent stories with dark gray characters.

:IBTL:

How are you making out with A Song Of Ice & Fire?

Read the first three. Absolutely love the series.