Book 'Em Danno! Reading Record 2021
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Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu (translated by Ken Liu).
One of the best science fiction stories I have read for a long, long time. Its a rare experience to realise you are reading a classic without knowing anything about it before opening the book. Thought provoking, unusual, relevant, I am woefully unable to do this book justice but if you enjoy true science fiction, it’s frankly a must-read. I need to get cracking on the two sequels now to complete the trilogy.
That was awkward and unsettling, never post anything like it again. -
So the six body problem? -
The sequel is even better. I havent read the 3rd one yet. You could stop after 2 and be satisfied.Holding the wrong end of the stick since 2009. -
Wow, looking forward to the second. Why would you want to stop? A real joy to read. I’m currently doing New York 2140 which is ok but nothing compared with Three Body Problem.That was awkward and unsettling, never post anything like it again.
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The second one leaves you at a point where you could consider the story completed. Well - sort of.
I will be going for the 3rd one but I was taking a break from sci-fi for a while.
Children of Time and Three Body Problem are alongside the best sci-fi I have ever read. I'd put them alongside Dune personally. Titanic pieces of work.Holding the wrong end of the stick since 2009. -
I need to check out Children of Time. Agree on Three Body Problem as a classic of the genre.That was awkward and unsettling, never post anything like it again.
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Three Body Problem is up soon for me. I’m up to my neck in fantasy at the moment (both Assassin’s Quest and To Green Angel Tower Part Two—both absolutely massive books—on the go at the moment) so a bit of hard sci-fi might be a good antidote.Get schwifty. -
I might try the three body problem. I seem to have lost lots of reading momentum since the footy has started, it's taken me over a month to read Pine which isn't even very long.
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Ooh. I’ve looked at Pine before. What do you think of it?Get schwifty.
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It's... fine. Mildly intriguing at points but nothing particularly special IMO.
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stellavista wrote:I need to check out Children of Time. Agree on Three Body Problem as a classic of the genre.
If you are OK with spiders then you will love it. It's massive - like Three Body. Just as you say - one is left feeling unable to communciate just how good it is. It is enormous in its scope. Fantastic piece of work .Holding the wrong end of the stick since 2009. -
Finally finished Hail Mary. I’m so bad with books. I’ve been on 95% all week. Get into bed, read a couple pages and I’m asleep. It’s ok. The weakest of his three books imo. But not bad and some cool ideas. -
About to finish Press Reset, the new Jason Schreier volume of game dev nightnare scenarios. Instead of being about specific games like his first book, this one centers more on certain studios and their closing. It's very well put together with a lot of first-hand quotes from people involved. The lengthy tale of Curt Schilling is mad.
About to have the Ask Iwata hardback arrive, and I have a charity shop find to keep me going too. Once In A Lifetime, the story of the New York Cosmos in the 1970s with Pele, etc. Looks good. -
afgavinstan wrote:Can pass on Press Reset to anyone who'd like it, btw.
Hi -
Wife bought me a book called "S". Ergodic like house of leaves, written by Dorst and JJ Abrams. Unfortunately it is the Italian version!
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Oh I have that. It's alright.
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Make sure to keep track of what pages the bits fall out of.
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Particularly the codec wheel.
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regmcfly wrote:afgavinstan wrote:Can pass on Press Reset to anyone who'd like it, btw.
Hi
Will do. -
I have a duolingo class to get through first, unless she can get hold of the English version.
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afgavinstan wrote:regmcfly wrote:afgavinstan wrote:Can pass on Press Reset to anyone who'd like it, btw.
Hi
Will do.
Loveya
Lord_Griff wrote:I have a duolingo class to get through first, unless she can get hold of the English version.
Forza Azurro I think -
House of Leaves was a terrible book, yet its my favourite book I own. -
Lord_Griff wrote:HoL is a masterpiece.
Sure is -
Third of a way though Crime and Punishment. Quite something so far.Holding the wrong end of the stick since 2009.
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Completed Crime and Punishment. Quite a work. And striking simply because of its age as it feels quite modern.
It asks some rather weighty questions using what is at first glance a rather simple tale. Its age explains some of the overly melodramatic sections (one death scene I was relieved to get out of the way such was the tediousness of it - perhaps that is sacrilegious to say that of this highly respected work) and the overuse of "spitting on" and "to the Devil with" is perhaps also a sign of the time and the fact that is a translation. But it, and the Russian names , along with their variations take a bit of getting used to.
It's worth it however. For all that it is still an intriguing work and demands re-reads of at least certain passages.Holding the wrong end of the stick since 2009. -
22. Dark Knights: Metal (Scott Snyder)
Mental event comic in which the dark God Barbatos invades reality with an army of evil Batmen and it's up to the Justice League to stop them. Completely embraces the ludicrous nature of superhero comics and takes it up to 11. Great fun.
23. The Batman Who Laughs (Scott Snyder)
Sequel of sorts to the above, with Batman trying to stop the end of the world (again), going up against an evil version of himself crossed with Joker from another dimension. Again, great fun and completely aware of it's own daftness.
24. DCeased
The DC version of Marvel Zombies but far, far better. Darkseid tries to mutate the anti-life equation with the DNA of Death himself, but only succeeds in creating a bio-technological virus that spreads through both screens and blood. Everyone dies in graphic and gore-splattered ways Massively entertaining nonsense that is really only possible in this genre.
25. State of the Art (Iain M Banks)
Collection of short stories some of which are better than others - but the real treasure is the title story. The Culture visits Earth circa 1976 and considers whether or not we're worth making contact with.Gamertag: gremill -
Master and Margarita, Crime and Punishment. Staying in Russia and going to tackle War and Peace. I tried reading this when I was very young (late teens maybe) and gave up half way through. Just wasn't engaged. Have Anna Karenina and Dr. Zhivago on order (all in from the same series from Penguin - a very attractive set of paperbacks with Russian textile designs on the covers).
War and Peace first. See you on the other side....Holding the wrong end of the stick since 2009. -
44. To Green Angel Tower Part Two, book four of Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams. It’s over, thank heavens. It has some nice descriptive prose. That’s the only pro I can come up with. This series has endured, so it’s clearly loved by many, but overall I thought this was a terminally dull story set in a dull (and derivative) world populated by dull characters. If there was any actual drama contained within its bloated length it passed me by entirely. There’s just nothing in his writing that even remotely stirs the blood. The most similar thing I’ve read this year was Giles Kristian’s Lancelot, in that they are both medieval adventures. Kristian’s Lancelot manages to be exciting and visceral, evocative and characterful, and it does it in a fraction of the length of Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. I was stunningly bored throughout, and by the time I started the fourth book I was rooting for the bad guys. No more Tad Williams for me.Get schwifty.
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