What Are You Reading Now?

[SteelBlue]

Reading Kazuo Ishiguro's newest, Klara and the Sun. Definitely a David Mitchell influence (especially the Sonmi sections of Cloud Atlas) and similar in some ways to Ishiguro's own Never Let Me Go. I'm not finished yet but far enough that I will highly recommend it.

[BigPiney]

Reading Kazuo Ishiguro's newest, Klara and the Sun. Definitely a David Mitchell influence (especially the Sonmi sections of Cloud Atlas) and similar in some ways to Ishiguro's own Never Let Me Go. I'm not finished yet but far enough that I will highly recommend it.

Nice just got it yesterday. Going to finish "Fake Accounts" first even though it it not very good.

[SeattleUte]

I finished Proust Vol. 4 and am well into Vol. 5, The Captive. Good stuff. I read a new translation of a Brazilian novel, the Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas, by Machado de Assis, known as the Mark Twain if Brazil, and its greatest novelist. I'm finishing up Until the End of Time by Brian Green. Highly recommended. He explains science better than anyone I've read, and in this one he delves into humanities and human history as well. Greene is like Harari, but actually for smarter people. I finally read I, Claudius, and experienced that rare but uneasy feeling of absorbing a supposed classic and feeling that it really isn't very good. It's a political-historical like Mantel's novels, but Graves doesn't have near the artistry as Mantel. This is like tabloid historical fiction. It is a fairly entertaining overview of the first three emperors, with a great deal of lurid stuff drawn from speculation and gossip in the historical record, and made me want to watch Caligula.

[Northwestcoug]

Mrs. NWC got me 'The Way of Kings' and 'Words of Radiance' for Christmas. I didn't want to read them; they're pretty daunting at 1200 pages each. But I just finished them and will start 'Oathbringer' soon.

Sanderson is a really good fantasy writer. I've enjoyed his other books that I've read. This represents something new for me. I've never really tackled an epic series like this. He keeps it very interesting. Although sometimes I feel it's a slog reading the side stories and flashbacks, they all tie in well with the main story. If you're interested, I recommend bookmarking a wiki that doesn't have obvious spoilers. It's easy to forget details after so many pages.

[BigPiney]

Mrs. NWC got me 'The Way of Kings' and 'Words of Radiance' for Christmas. I didn't want to read them; they're pretty daunting at 1200 pages each. But I just finished them and will start 'Oathbringer' soon.

Sanderson is a really good fantasy writer. I've enjoyed his other books that I've read. This represents something new for me. I've never really tackled an epic series like this. He keeps it very interesting. Although sometimes I feel it's a slog reading the side stories and flashbacks, they all tie in well with the main story. If you're interested, I recommend bookmarking a wiki that doesn't have obvious spoilers. It's easy to forget details after so many pages.

I have been meaning to eventually read those.

I am finishing up World Without End right now. This is book 2 of Ken Follett's middle ages series. The first book Pillars of the Earth was great imo and this one is as well. I forgot how much I like reading Follett. These are also huge books. This one comes in at 1046 pages.

[Northwestcoug]

I have been meaning to eventually read those.

I am finishing up World Without End right now. This is book 2 of Ken Follett's middle ages series. The first book Pillars of the Earth was great imo and this one is as well. I forgot how much I like reading Follett. These are also huge books. This one comes in at 1046 pages.

I think I saw that miniseries advertised a while back. It’s historical fiction without a magic component? Looks interesting.

[BigPiney]

I think I saw that miniseries advertised a while back. It’s historical fiction without a magic component? Looks interesting.

No magic. First one is about the building of a cathedral . It has been described as melodramatic, but Follett creates characters that I love to hate. Some really evil people. I really like the world that he describes and puts you in.

[swampfrog]

Mrs. NWC got me 'The Way of Kings' and 'Words of Radiance' for Christmas. I didn't want to read them; they're pretty daunting at 1200 pages each. But I just finished them and will start 'Oathbringer' soon.

Sanderson is a really good fantasy writer. I've enjoyed his other books that I've read. This represents something new for me. I've never really tackled an epic series like this. He keeps it very interesting. Although sometimes I feel it's a slog reading the side stories and flashbacks, they all tie in well with the main story. If you're interested, I recommend bookmarking a wiki that doesn't have obvious spoilers. It's easy to forget details after so many pages.

I've enjoyed his stuff as well. I've read the first 3 of that series and most (if not all of the other ones). His worldbuilding is at least on par with Card's, if not better.

[LiveCoug]

Loved the pillars of earth series. He just finished a prequel to that trilogy this year that was also pretty great.

His 20th century trilogy wasn't as appealing to me, so I only finished the first book.

Still trying to be brave and dip my toes into the sandwerson stormlight archives...

[falafel]

Loved the pillars of earth series. He just finished a prequel to that trilogy this year that was also pretty great.

His 20th century trilogy wasn't as appealing to me, so I only finished the first book.

Still trying to be brave and dip my toes into the 89124 archives...

Pillars of Earth was so great. I'm excited to hear there is a prequel. I will look for it.

Edit: just got the audio book. 24 hours.

[BigPiney]

Pillars of Earth was so great. I'm excited to hear there is a prequel. I will look for it.

Edit: just got the audio book. 24 hours.

started book 3 this morning.

1.4 speed is how I listen, it cuts off a good 4-6 hours off a book

[LiveCoug]

started book 3 this morning.

1.4 speed is how I listen, it cuts off a good 4-6 hours off a book

Over the last couple years, i've upped the speed of my audiobooks. Used to be just normal speed, then up to 1.4. Now, if it's an american narrator, I do 1.8, british narrator, I do 1.6

Normal speed is soooooooo slow

[Non Sequitur]

Over the last couple years, i've upped the speed of my audiobooks. Used to be just normal speed, then up to 1.4. Now, if it's an american narrator, I do 1.8, british narrator, I do 1.6

Normal speed is soooooooo slow

My decision to up the speed usually depends on the quality of the narrator. The better the narrator, the more likely I am to listen at normal speed.

[Jeff Lebowski]

My decision to up the speed usually depends on the quality of the narrator. The better the narrator, the more likely I am to listen at normal speed.

Agreed. Lonesome Dove for example is one that has to be enjoyed at normal speed.

[falafel]

Over the last couple years, i've upped the speed of my audiobooks. Used to be just normal speed, then up to 1.4. Now, if it's an american narrator, I do 1.8, british narrator, I do 1.6

Normal speed is soooooooo slow

Booo. I like to hear it at normal speed. My wife listens at at least 1.4 though. Sounds like adult chipmunks.