Latest Gene Wolfe book you read (1-10 scale)

[pooptastik]

JANUARY READS

The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Neil Gaiman) - 9/10 I think? My heart definitely says 10/10 because he's my new favorite. A little slow to start but once it hit, it was a constant uphill read that I couldn't put down. It was my first NG, so I went and bought a bunch more of his books and I can't wait.

great to hear that! you have to check out American Gods and the Anansi Boys!!!

[kickpuncher]

Ask the Dust (John Fante) ?/10 I don't think I'm ready to rate this yet?! I also had no idea that it was made into a movie. It was a gift from someone and after I read it I realized it was the second book of a 4 book series. So I feel like I need to read the rest of them before rating because it definitely feels like there was something before it and something after it and I just got this small chunk and don't know what to do with it.

hmm. read this last year, and i thought it stood pretty well on its own?

[featherboa]

The Stench of Honolulu by Jack Handey

HEH

[Whee of the Dead]

The Hound of the Baskervilles - 8/10

The last two points aren't loading.

The more I've thought about it, the more I've liked it. Wish there were more Holmes vs. Hammer horror stories.

[Honky Kong 64]

The BFG - 7.5

[EEEOOOEEEOOOEEEOOO]

Roland Barthes - Mythologies 9/10
Roland Barthes - Elements of Semiology 7/10
Gyan Prakash - Another Reason: Science and the Imagination of Modern India 7.5/10

[kelly]

great post!!!!

BUT

I came here to get your take on Hyperion, and

I really tried to be done with it inside January, but ended up finishing on the second, so it will be included on the February list!

great to hear that! you have to check out American Gods and the Anansi Boys!!!

Will do, boss!

Ask the Dust

hmm. read this last year, and i thought it stood pretty well on its own?

It does! That's why I mentioned my that there was a movie made of JUST THIS ONE, not a summation of all four. But I personally feel as though I'd like to read the whole series because to me it feels like the beginning and end are missing. Have you read any of the others?

[Necrometer]

I really tried to be done with it inside January, but ended up finishing on the second, so it will be included on the February list!

accuracy trumps precision, then? respect

[kickpuncher]

It does! That's why I mentioned my that there was a movie made of JUST THIS ONE, not a summation of all four. But I personally feel as though I'd like to read the whole series because to me it feels like the beginning and end are missing. Have you read any of the others?

ah, misunderstood. can't say that i've read any other Fante, but perhaps i'll seek more out after my current Bukowski binge

[Advances>|<MONKEY]

Gravity's Rainbow 9/10 The reputation this book has totally leaves out how fucking fun it is. I was not in any way expecting that and I almost started re-reading it immediately after I finished . The writing is just wonderful. I haven't read that many really serious sort of epic style classics so I'm probably a little over-wowed but why the fuck not. The setting of (post)WWII Europe as some sort of oddessylike wild-west on steroids, especially to an American, is magnificent. The only part I had trouble with was the whole rocket-state superhero team thing near the end, I felt that it was heavily referencing something I was missing, it had amazing parts though so I really do need to re-read it.

American Psycho 7/10 Considering my first experience with this was snippits I read off fitchased.com in like middle school, actually reading it was really interesting because it had a whole Fight Club-esqe 'the people who talk about this the most have totally missed the point which is literally explained in the book itself' which is rather tickling. Fun to read around the city to, considering the trends within never actually stopped. Dated in the very best way.

Red Mars = 5.5/10 I haven't actually finished this yet, its fun but I started to read it as a break from the constant drug fueled orgies(and space orgies) of everything I've been reading for last couple years. It feels like it was written by a boyscout troop leader, and while it has a lot of interesting ideas going on, you sort of feel like your being handed everything. It's too easy!

(the author also loves to end paragraphs like that which is hilarious.)

[featherboa]

The Passage by Justin Cronin (audio)
Long as fuck, Shakespeare quotes before each chapter, pretty clunky in not a few spots
But I still listened to it every work day for like 3 weeks
I thought it was a zombie book when I got it, but it's actually a vampire book
but the vampires never make out
the only person to ever mention it here is pisscubes and he never posted a review

[Honky Kong 64]

ADVANCES|MASON & DIXON

Claw of the Conciliator - 9

[Necrometer]

Claw of the Conciliator - 9

goddamnit

[Honky Kong 64]

Claw of the Conciliator - 9

goddamnit

Kind of faltered towards the end. Debating on whether or not to finish the series now or later.

[kelly]

February - Posting early because I'm not sure that I'll get much or any more reading in this month.

Hyperion (Dan Simmons) …. whoa. 10/10 - A lot like my description of The Master and Margarita (January), so much in one book. It was like how looking into the Grand Canyon is too much to look at but in a good way. Even getting to the half way point I was thinking, "what am I reading?!". Very interactive in the sense that you're always wondering about everything whether or not you get answers or are wondering the right things. Upon closing it each session I didn't feel like I was on Earth anymore (imagine that!). Fascinating character history accounts, an appropriate amount of drama (some silly dumb-dumb shit), and just fucking weird. Without spoiling it for those who haven't read it yet, but possibly amusing to those who have: the dream I had the night I finished it involved dolphins riddled with bullet holes. Of all things.

Myst: The Book of Ti'ana (Rand Miller) 5/10 - Doesn't keep focus/attention well. Very long, simple writing that's very loose and leaves too many open gaps for challenge and/or criticism of inconsistencies. But it was still a sweet, nice story. Weird part was reading the way the protagonist spoke in the same manner that I chose for the interrogator of a different book.

SPOILERSPOILER_SHOW

If you link to an Age carrying a lot of personal effect it comes with you, so why couldn't you link holding the book to "lock the door" behind you so someone can't follow you in? What if you link into somewhere that is destroyed and in a crumbled building? Do you just appear in the Age as a crushed corpse? What would stop a person/family from just leaving D'ni altogether and living permanently in their Age since it is an actual place with resources where they can thrive?

Naked Lunch (William Burroughs) hmmm/10 - Haha.. Not my preferred kind of reading but holy smokes does this guy really put it out there. I think this book is categorized as a must read, but I honestly think it's more like: must read twice, once at any adult age and again in the throes of senility. Will read again when senile.

Good Omens (Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett) 8/10 - delightful and hilarious. Not in the LOL sense but rather in the sense that in your head you're smiling going Yup! or Oh I guess they're gonna take it there, right on. Plenty of awesome stabs at … everything?! A very upbeat and cheery narrative of the roles of angels and demons regarding the human condition while spiraling towards the apocalypse hand in hand.

The Drawing of the Three (Stephen King) 8/10 - Very enjoyable, way more development since the first book. But like the first one, I still feel like I'm waiting for answers to something - at least this isn't an imagined feeling since the close of the book basically says who knows what kind of answers we'll even get. Definitely more corny rolls eyes moments but that's kinda his thing right? A lot of people who have read more of his stuff than I have have pointed these things out along the way and I agree. I've had several people claim this was their favorite of the series but I felt like it was tracking the same as the first. I suppose I can make my decision after I finish the series.

Persepolis (Marjane Satrapi) 10/10 - My favorite. I saw the animated movie because I picked it up off a used shelf without knowing what I was getting into. I was not aware that the movie was based on this graphic novel style memoir until afterwards. It's about the coming of age of an Iranian female during pre through post Islamic Revolution. Both devastating and inspiring. The author's sense of humor is absolutely perfect for such a tragic story. The author includes an abundance of Iranian history too, a subject that is fascinating to me, so even if you're not all that familiar with their history you won't be lost. It might actually be an ideal beginner's intro to that subject for curious persons because it's very clear cut and concise.

[kelly]

It does! That's why I mentioned my that there was a movie made of JUST THIS ONE, not a summation of all four. But I personally feel as though I'd like to read the whole series because to me it feels like the beginning and end are missing. Have you read any of the others?

ah, misunderstood. can't say that i've read any other Fante, but perhaps i'll seek more out after my current Bukowski binge

I received the first book of the Fante series. I hope it has some of those missing beginning parts that I felt I needed prior to Ask the Dust - like the relationship history regarding his mother who he referenced several times, or how it came to be that he was a "starving artist" in LA since he was not from there, etc.

Not sure when I'll get around to it though! I'm doubled up on two books right now - one that I was recommended to read and one that I was requested to read

[canon.docre]

Scar Tissue (Anthony Keidis autobiography) 7/10 - written pretty poorly but entertaining so far. about half-way thru.

[Advances>|<MONKEY]

Red Mars-whatever/fuckit
THIS WAS NOT A BOOK WITH TWO SEQUELS IT IS PART OF A TRILOGY WHAT THE EVER LIVING FUCK WHY DID I DO THIS TO MYSELF.

SPOILERSPOILER_SHOW

They killed the two most interesting characters and I'm pretty sure Frank isn't coming back. I would have liked this more if it was just a book of Frank Chalmers. Frank Chalmers is my favorite fictional astronaut

The worst is that it's impossible just to write this off as bad. It's not. There is a TON of intersting shit going on, but it's just simply not FUN to read. The writing is very functional. It is good. It is simple and it gets the job done. He gets away with describing stuff that a lesser author wouldn't be able to describe in an interesting way, but it wasn't like the literary fireworks I'm after.

Thankfully, after that... Long experience.. I'm alfway though Platform by Michel Houellebecq and the phrase 'chicken soup for the soul' comes to mind. I'm reading Invisible Cities next and we shall see where the reading rampage leads. I don't want to fall right into reading more Pynchon because I want way too much to read more Pynchon. There are other authors that I am embarrassed about never reading!

[featherboa]

The Twelve by Justin Cronin
Another long ass installation
introduces a million more characters
but then things actually tie together
better than Song of Ice & Fire
I wouldn't recommend these, but once they get started they keep you going
If if you sometimes have to yell at your car stereo, fucking hurry up
These would have been cool if they were by Le Guinn or someone with a clue

[pooptastik]

a confederacy of dunces by john kennedy toole
fun book, made me paranoid if i'm as annoying as the the main character.

[Advances>|<MONKEY]

Platform - 8/10 The protagonist is my role-model. I would love to see a followup to this with the last ten years taken into account as it was pretty fucking timely if not sorta dated and very clearly influenced by 'clash of civilization' stuff.

SPOILERSPOILER_SHOW

The 'twist' ending gets better the more you think about it. He got that dude from the vacation killed too, and when they talk about the reaction in France they mention the anger at the french victims and I don't think a single word is spent on the locals who died.

I must read more by him.

[Necrometer]

Karamazov Bros. 7/10 (Trans. Constance Garnett) I was almost universally hating this until about 2/3 through and then there's some payoff but it's not really enough. I get that this is to literature what Citizen Kane is to modern cinema but I'll never really be able to go nuts over either since I'm a spoiled youngin'.

SPOILERSPOILER_SHOW

Before I read the book, my buddy noted that the three brothers represented id/ego/superego, which helped me appreciate things. I sort of like viewing the whole thing as an allegory for one person's various possible mental states - are you feeling like a Dmitry, an Ivan, or an Alexey today? And there's always the Smerdyakov x-factor... I'm eager to come up with some weird inheritance model where all the personality traits of the kids are contained in the father, but there was NONE of Alyosha in Fyodor, right? Grushenka was such an incredible villain and reminded me so strongly of this idiot attention-addicted histrionic coworker of mine that I was fuming when she (G) had her stupid redemption/epiphany. A friend thought the moral of the story was "god solves everything" but I didn't get any of that, finding it pretty even-handed overall regarding the theological stuff. Any thoughts or decoding ideas are be much appreciated.

Update: reading some explanations and praise, this book is really not my style and anything I didn't comprehend was not for me anyway. Where is KRB to defend this bloated thing...

[altars of radness]

Anybody else reach for some Garcia Marquez after he bit it last week? Reading Love In the Time Of Cholera now. Fuck, it's so good.

[BUNGVOX]

'love goest to buildings on fire: 5 years in new york that changed music forever' - will hermes.

8/10

good overview of the new york music scene and not just the usual punk angle.

[Zerohero]

The Monster Who Ate Stars
100000/10 cans of banana milk

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnhK2HvPf_E<