What are we reading?

Started by Martok, March 05, 2012, 01:13:59 PM

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Staggerwing

#225
Quote from: Steelgrave on July 19, 2012, 01:00:56 PM
I just finished a really good sci/fi trilogy by John Scalzi, "Old Man's War", "Ghost Brigades", and "The Last Colony". Some solid concepts fleshed out by good characters and a plot that moves right along. "The Last Colony" took an interesting turn and had a very satisfying ending. Well worth a read.

I read Old Man's War recently. I liked it a lot. It reminded me of two particular milscifi classics (no spoilers) merged together. The next book is on my short list.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?  -Voluspa

Nothing really rocks and nothing really rolls and nothing's ever worth the cost...

"Don't you look at me that way..." -the Abyss
 
'When searching for a meaningful embrace, sometimes my self respect took second place' -Iggy Pop, Cry for Love

... this will go down on your permanent record... -the Violent Femmes, 'Kiss Off'-

"I'm not just anyone, I'm not just anyone-
I got my time machine, got my 'electronic dream!"
-Sonic Reducer, -Dead Boys

Steelgrave

^It was indeed inspired by those unnamed books you are talking about, but I think Scalzi managed to go in some unanticipated directions. Be sure and read the third book as well. It ties the series together very nicely.

Staggerwing

Quote from: Steelgrave on July 19, 2012, 01:42:16 PM
^It was indeed inspired by those unnamed books you are talking about, but I think Scalzi managed to go in some unanticipated directions. Be sure and read the third book as well. It ties the series together very nicely.

Reading assignment accepted.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?  -Voluspa

Nothing really rocks and nothing really rolls and nothing's ever worth the cost...

"Don't you look at me that way..." -the Abyss
 
'When searching for a meaningful embrace, sometimes my self respect took second place' -Iggy Pop, Cry for Love

... this will go down on your permanent record... -the Violent Femmes, 'Kiss Off'-

"I'm not just anyone, I'm not just anyone-
I got my time machine, got my 'electronic dream!"
-Sonic Reducer, -Dead Boys

Staggerwing

Quote from: Steelgrave on July 19, 2012, 01:42:16 PM
^It was indeed inspired by those unnamed books you are talking about, but I think Scalzi managed to go in some unanticipated directions. Be sure and read the third book as well. It ties the series together very nicely.

Looks like there's a fourth book that takes place at the same time as the third: Zoe's War
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?  -Voluspa

Nothing really rocks and nothing really rolls and nothing's ever worth the cost...

"Don't you look at me that way..." -the Abyss
 
'When searching for a meaningful embrace, sometimes my self respect took second place' -Iggy Pop, Cry for Love

... this will go down on your permanent record... -the Violent Femmes, 'Kiss Off'-

"I'm not just anyone, I'm not just anyone-
I got my time machine, got my 'electronic dream!"
-Sonic Reducer, -Dead Boys

Steelgrave

^Yes and no....from the review's I've read, Zoe's War is a retelling of the third book from her perspective. I haven't decided if that interests me enough to pick it up or not.

eyebiter

This week graphic novels from the library. 

Northlanders Book 4 was excellent, plan to follow the rest of this series.

Preacher: Salvation - great art but didn't care much for the story line... Might have been cutting edge in the 1990's
but just seemed lame now days when compared with modern realistic crime comics like Scalped.

Onward towards our noble deaths - manga book of Imperial Japanese Army in World War 2.

Gusington



слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

LongBlade

Great point about the graphic novels, Eyebiter.

I read the first 48 Walking Dead in their anthology over the weekend.

Man, that was a trip.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Steelgrave

Quote from: LongBlade on July 20, 2012, 10:42:21 AM
Great point about the graphic novels, Eyebiter.

I read the first 48 Walking Dead in their anthology over the weekend.

Man, that was a trip.

I did the same thing, but it was like 35 or so at the time. I'm glad that the TV version doesn't mirror the events in the comics exactly, means that you can enjoy both without knowing for sure what might happen.

meadbelly

Quote from: Steelgrave on July 19, 2012, 09:28:55 PM
^Yes and no....from the review's I've read, Zoe's War is a retelling of the third book from her perspective. I haven't decided if that interests me enough to pick it up or not.

In my opinion, Zoe's Tale is the best of the series. For all of Scalzi's strengths, I think he is best capturing a somewhat immature voice. His ability to put the reader into the mind of a precocious teen girl is makes the previous three seem somewhat shallow.

Steelgrave

Quote from: meadbelly on July 20, 2012, 08:58:02 PM
Quote from: Steelgrave on July 19, 2012, 09:28:55 PM
^Yes and no....from the review's I've read, Zoe's War is a retelling of the third book from her perspective. I haven't decided if that interests me enough to pick it up or not.

In my opinion, Zoe's Tale is the best of the series. For all of Scalzi's strengths, I think he is best capturing a somewhat immature voice. His ability to put the reader into the mind of a precocious teen girl is makes the previous three seem somewhat shallow.
Really? I think you just talked me into a trip to Amazon.....dotcom, that is......

I did think that the female protagonist in Ghost Brigades (so as to not give away the storyline) was well done, with her struggles about who and what she was. That continued nicely into The Lost Colony. Gotta give Scalzi his dues, not the best writer ever but four solid books under his belt. Not bad. Thanks for the feedback  :)

meadbelly

Quote from: Steelgrave on July 20, 2012, 09:09:11 PM
Quote from: meadbelly on July 20, 2012, 08:58:02 PM
Quote from: Steelgrave on July 19, 2012, 09:28:55 PM
^Yes and no....from the review's I've read, Zoe's War is a retelling of the third book from her perspective. I haven't decided if that interests me enough to pick it up or not.

In my opinion, Zoe's Tale is the best of the series. For all of Scalzi's strengths, I think he is best capturing a somewhat immature voice. His ability to put the reader into the mind of a precocious teen girl is makes the previous three seem somewhat shallow.
Really? I think you just talked me into a trip to Amazon.....dotcom, that is......

I did think that the female protagonist in Ghost Brigades (so as to not give away the storyline) was well done, with her struggles about who and what she was. That continued nicely into The Lost Colony. Gotta give Scalzi his dues, not the best writer ever but four solid books under his belt. Not bad. Thanks for the feedback  :)

That's a good point re: female protagonist. Scalzi mentions in an author's note in Zoe's Tale that he pushed himself to capture Zoe right. I wonder if the bit of extra effort to accurately depict the fairer sex sharpens his skills a bit.

Right back at ya on feedback. I'm early into Ambercrombie's The Heroes thanks to your (and nefaro's? martok's?) recommendations on the wargamer. Hope to get deeper in this weekend.

eyebiter

Quote from: Gusington on July 20, 2012, 09:13:38 AM
^How is that last one?

Onward Towards our Noble Deaths is excellent, the author Shigeru Mizuki was stationed at Rabul during 1943.  Unusual drawing style where the character faces are cartoonish but the uniforms, equipment, and backgrounds are all very realistic. 



From looking on google apparently it won an Eisner award at Comic Con 2012.

Gusington

^I dig that sample. You've piqued my interest.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Greybriar

I am Legend by Richard Matheson.
Regardless of how good a PC game may be it will always have its detractors and no matter how bad a PC game may be it will always have its fans.