Hey Bookworm, What Are You READING?

[Trionth]

A room of one's own. FML

So anyways, I heard The Name of the Wind was a good book. Should I go read it?

YES!
The characters and story are so developed that I was pissed when the book ended and I didn't have the second. I truly cared what was happening (not just mildly interested like I am with most other books) its really good.

Second book still isn't out...

[KillerAim]

In my opinion, the best fantasy series of recent years is "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin. (7 books planned; 4 published). He breaks a major flaw that I've had with fantasy series going back to Burroughs and Tolkien: the fact that the major characters either never die or they die at the end of the series. Hell, in his books, almost every person that I believed would be a major player has died. The "good" characters aren't that good and some of the arch-villainscould turn out to be heroes.


What I just got finished reading was the detective trilogy by Stieg Larsson (The Girl with (1) The Dragon Tattoo, (2) Who Played With Fire, (3) Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest.) Too bad the author died so young. His heroine, Lisbeth Salander, ranks up there with the most unique leading characters of all time.

[Trionth]

In my opinion, the best fantasy series of recent years is "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin. (7 books planned; 4 published). He breaks a major flaw that I've had with fantasy series going back to Burroughs and Tolkien: the fact that the major characters either never die or they die at the end of the series. Hell, in his books, almost every person that I believed would be a major player has died. The "good" characters aren't that good and some of the arch-villainscould turn out to be heroes.

Wow, real world characters. Not like killing the main character and bringing him back to life...

I'll definently have to find these books! Thank you!

[Noodle]

Killer Aim, I'm also a huge George RR Martin fan. Very well-written stuff - love the Jaime Lannister and Tyrion Lannister characters, as well as Jon Snow and others. It's too bad he's so slow to introduce new books!

Bernard Cornwell writes consistently good stuff, although without the fantasy aspect. The Sharpe series, the Archer's Tale series, the Warlord series, all good reads. Stonehenge wasn't my favorite, although it's a fine standalone book.

[BRKO]

In my opinion, the best fantasy series of recent years is "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin. (7 books planned; 4 published). He breaks a major flaw that I've had with fantasy series going back to Burroughs and Tolkien: the fact that the major characters either never die or they die at the end of the series. Hell, in his books, almost every person that I believed would be a major player has died. The "good" characters aren't that good and some of the arch-villainscould turn out to be heroes.

True. Reading it I was shocked to see Lord Stark beheaded. At the end of the first book! Really I just didnt expect it. The more I appreciate the authors approach to the cliché-ish genre.

Very well-written stuff - love the Jaime Lannister and Tyrion Lannister characters, as well as Jon Snow and others. It's too bad he's so slow to introduce new books!

Tyrion is my favourite villain as well

However each following is imho weaker making the storyline quite messy and bit too out-stretched by the fourth book. And the sexual content...having seen the authors photos I just dont buy it :-)

[Noodle]

I dunno, seeing Cersei get taken down due to her own Machiavellian intrigues getting away from her was pretty darn satisfying in the last book, I thought.

[Talga Vasternich]

So anyways, I heard The Name of the Wind was a good book. Should I go read it?

Absolutely... one of the best books I have read in the past few years.

Currently, two different series:
Chainfire - Terry Goodkind (8th book of the Seeker series)
and
Sacrifice - Andrew Vachss (6th book of the Burke series - old series, but I just started it about 6 months ago)

Not like killing the main character and bringing him back to life...

Funny you said this when I just finished reading the Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks where this is one of the main themes (by design)

[TheNix]

I usually read the Edding's series' a couple on times a year and have for fifteen or twenty years now, but for the last year to eighteen months I've been reading non-fiction.

I just finished reading The World Without Us by Alan Weisman, part science, part politics, part environmentalism. Not a bad read.

I'm about to re-read Extreme Stars - at the edge of creation by James Kaler a heavy book about the types of stars of the cosmos, their lives and deaths. At times the science is beyond me, but a great read none-the-less.

[Risingred]

Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker. Based on an old English myth.

I've read all of the Martin books in A Song of Ice and Fire series. Decent writing, I like the perspective switching (like a sorely watered-down Faulkner in a weird way) but the last two books were really weak. Dunno if I'm interested in the next one if he ever decides to finish it.

Ah hell, here's my queue for the next month or so:

Under the Dome by Stephen King because I like bad, brainless reading sometimes.
Suttree by Cormac McCarthy to wash the king from my brain.
Germs, Genes & Civilization by David P. Clark
The Passage by Justin Cronin, so I can keep up with the ever-important literary trends (yes, I read all the twilight books to my dismay)
The Reincarnationist Series by M.J. Rose
Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

[Mikachu]

The vampire/dracula books by Bram Stoker are classic, but I never could get into Dracula. I found Mina too annoying.