What are you reading?

The third book was written only after the first two had been out for some time already, imagine that it had ended at the end of book two. Just like with the Mockingbird Chronicles, you can sense the difference in style and storytelling, and it is for the better. It always felt like he had started writing a story but could not quite figure out how to end it.

Kafka on the Shore was brilliant in my opinion. It was the first Murakami novel that I read, so that may have had some influence but the pacing, the characters, the amount of actual events made this a thrilling read. A lot of people generally complain about the lack of a real resolution or an answer to all questions, but I simply loved it and thought that there was little need for a satisfying resolution. I do have high hopes for Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, but it will have to wait as I just started Tale of the Genji. I read excerpts before in class but could never muster up the time to work my way through the entire works.

I have just finished The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell. It took me weeks to get through the first 150-200 pages where it seemed like nothing was really happening or going on, but it was a great read later on when the focus became broader to include other characters.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Just finished Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver. Currently wading into The Forever War by Joe Haldeman.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Bernard Black

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami - It was enjoyable to read, the third book moreso than the others, but I felt it came together too quickly and too neat at the end, and it took a while to get where it needed to be.

I'm reading this right now, actually. I'm on the second book and things are starting to drag a bit, but I'm still enjoying it overall.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Cool beans man, let us know what you thought of it!

Capo, I'll put that at the top of the Murakami list~

Peter, I get what you mean. Kafka on the Shore wasn't the first I read (that'd be Hard Boiled Wonderland) but there was something I found really compelling about it over the others. It's been a good few years since I read it but I've got a lot of warm feelings about it.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I just recently finished Mother of Winter and Icefalcon's Quest, post-trilogy sequels to Barbara Hambly's Darwath Trilogy. I read the original novels seven years ago, reread them last month and then continued on to the sequels. Despite being written over the course of a decade-or-so after the originals were done (with other, unrelated novels sandwiched in between), they didn't feel like they were especially disjointed tone-wise. <3

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Starting this again cause I got a bone to pick!

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Spoiler:

This was entertaining to read. It wasn't that I found it a slog to get through. I liked Blomkvist. I did not really "get" Salander. She felt like she'd been cobbled together out of Larsson's favourite ideas of edgy or alternative things. Her clothing was described so much. Once was enough to give the impression, every other time it didn't seem to add anything. Also another emotional cripple has special talent character. Bored bored bored of it. I also felt cheated when he hinted at the significance of her tattoos and then despite the name of the friggin book we never find out what was behind the dragon (I mean an educated guess can be made but really!). Steig you're such a troll!

FELIPE NO

Man, who would have thought mass market lit would be entertaining (read: distracting) drivel.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I haven't been reading as much as I'd like, but I recently finished The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Junot Diaz has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I don't speak Spanish so a big part of it is probably lost on me, but the guy has a way of matter-of-factly blending in obscure LOTR references alongside the history of the Dominican Republic that just works. Not that I'm the kind of person who's wooed by LOTR references as I'm not even particularly a fan, but it's an interesting style. More than anything, he captures that second-generation immigrant experience so well, that even as a Indian guy with no ties to the Caribbean, I feel like I get it and can relate.

This Is How You Lose Her is also a great collection of short stories, and very accessible. Highly recommended.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Capo

Man, who would have thought mass market lit would be entertaining (read: distracting) drivel.

Yeah I did kind of bring this on myself, but I was caught off-guard! Someone I value the opinion of told me they were really good books and I thought, you know, not everything that is popular is bad right?

But I mean asides from being drivel, I actually find them borderline offensive. The whole thing reads like some poor abuse survivor's Mary Sue - if the author weren't male and needlessly sexualised Lisbeth I'd be inclined to think it really was. I was under the impression the books were meant to discuss and empower victims of sexual violence, yet I fail to see what is helpful about creating a 5 foot nothing "anorexically thin" abuse survivor who is essentially superhuman and able to fend off or actually beat sensless even the most ridiculously invincible attacker imaginable. That's actually really harmful stuff to be churning out.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I'd be inclined to say thought on the level you are speaking of was not intended for the readers of said series of books.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Hopefully what they don't see won't hurt them!

talk about belated response

Just finished reading Flowers for Algernon. Incredibly eloquent, some absolutely wonderfully phrased thoughts. Also, this book is chuffing sad. I really enjoyed it.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

The Jack Ford Story: Newfoundland's POW in Nagasaki

This is an interesting book, as I never knew my home-province had a soldier who became a POW held in Nagasaki. I always assumed Newfoundland had sent soldiers only to the European Theatre in World War II.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I'm reading Pedagogy of the Oppressed. It's a great read about subverting power structures and non-violent practices for empowering disenfranchised groups. It's really reinforcing my beliefs as an educator and secular humanist.

Prior to that, I read Pornland: How pornography hijacked our sexuality and Sex at dawn. I enjoyed both reads. Pornland focuses primarily on the porn industry. Sex at dawn is a book that Dan Savage mentions quite often on his podcast so I thought I would give that a read.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Just finished re-reading "The Fog" by James Herbert, had the inclination to read it again after a lot of heavy fog made it's way into town and after seeing some impressive artwork for it.
Next on the reading list is "Warsaw Anagrams" by Richard Zimler.

FELIPE NO

Finished Casino Royale. Fleming isn't a great writer - it comes off as a travelogue - but it picks-up half way through. Noticed a couple nice touches from the film that they lifted from the book.

Currently reading Moonraker - which has nothing to do with the movie of the same name.

I have a stack of books almost as tall as I am next to my recliner. I don't even bother watching TV anymore (except when BBC America runs marathons of TNG and Kitchen Nightmares.)

Most amazing jew boots

I have so many things to read. Yesterday I finally got around to reading the two volumes of Rosario+Vampire that I got while moving/being in AL! Legit one of my favorite in-progress manga.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Finally managed to survive the tome that is James Herbert's "Shrine" - if you like really long and drawn out stories, this one is for you. Not his best but not his worst either.

Not sure what to read next, thinking I might reread "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I've been on a bit of a Japanese light novel binge recently; they are basically short novels you can read in about 4-6 hours with several manga-like images interspersed throughout the novel. A lot of anime these days are adapted from them.

I just finished reading all 12 of the Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai novels. I enjoyed them right until the last novel which sort of made me regret spending all the time reading the previous novels.

I am also eagerly waiting for someone to finish translating volume 23 of Maria-sama ga Miteru after tremendously enjoying the story so far; nothing is more enjoyable than all girls school shoujo ai goodness. It is sort of annoying though because volumes 23-26 are untranslated then 27-33 are translated. I am seriously contemplating skipping to the translated ones seeing as how long it is taking for 23 to get done.

I've been trying to get back into Zero no Tsukaima (on volume 4) and I sort of stalled on Log horizon after 2 volumes. I am also stalled on Toradora! on Volume 8; I have really liked that one so far but for some reason I am finding it difficult to finish the last few volumes.

I also have been using a text to speech software to convert the Toaru Majutsu no Index novels into makeshift audiobooks which I have been listening to as I go running. I think I have been listening to them for almost a year now and am currently near the end of volume 18.

I also have been enjoying two non-Japanese light novels The Legend of Sun Knight and The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor. Moonlight Sculptor was the novel I use to make audiobooks out of (to listening to when running) before I changed to Toaru. I think I caught up to where the translators were on it and sort of forgot about it for a while there. It is one of my favorites as well as Sun Knight and I am hoping to resume reading both of those one of these days.

There are several others that I have read one volume or several chapters of, but those are the main ones I have been reading recently. If any of you still reading this post enjoy anime I recommend you google baka tsuki and check out some of the light novels that are being translated there. If you have a kindle or other electronic reader search for baka tsuki epub generator and check out the first site that pops up. They create epubs for most of the series being translated on Baka-Tsuki.

As for "serious" novels I have The Complete Conan Saga by Robert E. Howard sitting on my kindle but I haven't been able to motivate myself to start it. Maybe when I run out of light novels I will pick that up and several other fantasy novels I have sitting on my kindle as well.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Mistborn Saga - came highly recommended by friends. I certainly enjoyed it but there was something forced in the writing style that didn't sit well with me.

Way of Kings - Part One - I've only just started this but I'm finding it better than the Mistborn books - whatever was stuck in Sanderson's craw seems to be gone this time around.

A Song of Ice and Fire - Powered through these at the behest of a few friends so they could talk about the books and fan theories with me. Not to say I didn't enjoy them - I found them very readable, contrary to what others had said about A Game of Thrones in particular being too slow and dense, but then I like detailed high fantasy thick enough to be a murder weapon - but they are by no means perfect. Martin has a disgustingly good way with words in places.

Catch 22 - I started this between Mistborn and Way of Kings but got fed up being needled about not reading the latter by friends. A shame, because it's a very funny book.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I just recently finished the three-volume Japanese in MangaLand, which has a very weeb title and appearance but is actually really good at teaching basic Japanese grammar. My favorite part is how it doesn't assume I remember grammar terms that I learned when I was 7. :V what the fuck is a gerund

It does have a slight typo infestation, and some odd errors that I can only assume are carry-overs from being translated from (spain) Spanish, but as long as you maintain basic awareness they're really easy to notice

I KNOW BASIC GRAMMAR NOW this is exciting!

How ya doing, buddy?

I bought a box of Stargate SG1 novels that will last me for the next four years.

Provided we survive that.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?