What are you reading now?

[prinnysquad]

Keep going man. Things are getting juicy!

The characters are deliciously hate-able. For some reason I found the Cleganes amusing, also Mormont and the Brienne of Tarth.

[Darwock]

Seriously?? He's one of the best characters in the book man! That doesn't count for much though as another that I considered one of my favourites also got done in.. so you never know.

Did you dislike him just from the book or did the TV show colour your perception?

[Number45]

I told you I'm not supposed to hate him. :-p

I honestly thought the TV series was appalling, I couldn't see it out (stopped half way through episode seven I think). I don't think that's coloured my opinion of him though - if anything it should have made me hate Eddard Stark, but I like him just fine.

And your response isn't filling me with hope that I'll get what I want. :'(

[mekanor]

After not reading anything for years I've polished off two 600+ page novels in as many weeks. The Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear. Both truly amazing, I'd forgotten how enjoyable a good book can be until I picked them up. Now if only the 3rd book would come out...

Has anyone else read them, and if so can you recommend anything similar? I'm slightly worried that after just discovering the joys of a good book I have set the standard too high!

I did consider the song of fire and ice books, but after watching a few episodes of the TV show I honestly don't think I could cope with all the injustices.

[Number45]

I did consider the song of fire and ice books, but after watching a few episodes of the TV show I honestly don't think I could cope with all the injustices.

There have been so many times when I've been tempted to stop reading for just that reason, I've thrown the books down in disgust more than once.

[prinnysquad]

Sap! That made me chortle, I have to say. It's delicious - there's so many bad 'uns, you cling to people who aren't necessarily good, just slightly less ****ty. No holds barred in these books.

[Kieran76]

Struggling for inspiration so have gone back and re-read the Michael Palin diaries again. He is such a talented man and seems like a stupidly decent bloke as well. I also saw Terry Jones walking his dog the other day so that was good.

[Charlie]

The Book of Chuang Tzu - Chuang Tzu

A masterpiece of ancient Chinese philosophy, second in influence only to the Tao Te Ching. One of the great founders of Taoism, Chuang Tzu lived in the fourth century BC and was firmly opposed to Confucian values of order, control, and hierarchy, believing the perfect state to be one where primal, innate nature rules. The Book of Chuang Tzu perceives the Tao - the Way of Nature - not as a term to explained but as a path to walk; a journey towards the edge of reality, and beyond to the world of nature. Radical and subversive, employing wit, humor, and shock tactics, The Book of Chuang Tzu is concerned not with government but with life and the growth of the human spirit.

Fascinating read, it's basically a collection of short stories and poems bristling with wit and wisdom. Being Taoist philosophy, it's not exactly an easy read, it's often mystical and vague and paradoxical and sometimes so simple it's complicated (anyone who's read the Tao Te Ching will you know what I mean by that last comment) but it's one of those books that changed the world and continues to change peoples lives to this day. Indeed, like the Tao Te Ching, it's one of those books which, once read, can only lead to an increased sense of contentment and better understanding. And very few books deliver that. Top stuff.

[Fader209]

Bought the following today:
Terminal World - Alastair Reynolds. Brings my Reynolds collection up to 11 books now. Love it!
The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks. My first non sci-fi Banks book but I know it's a classic and praised by so many people so I had to pick it up finally.
Game of Thrones - George RR Martin. After seeing so many people reading this I thought I may as well give it a go. Again it is a break from the usual science fiction so I'm looking forward to getting stuck into it.

[JazzFunk]

Bill Buford - Among The Thugs. A truly fascinating yet vastly grim read, super-absorbing. American journalist becomes fascinated by English football hooliganism after witnessing fans trashing a train, then decides to infiltrate their ranks (openly) and spends the best part of the 80s being part of 'The Crowd'.

As Buford is clearly a very articulate, intelligent, well-read guy, it's incredibly interesting the way he documents the changes that take place within him, how he deconstructs himself and starts to become one of the 'beasts', even joins the NF, though he finds its ideologies repellent.

Near the start, there's a chapter documenting the way Man Utd. fans behave in Turin before and after a match with Juventus, it's pretty shocking, it's weird that people could BE like that, ACT like that, and Buford is thinking the same thing but at the same time is becoming more and more involved. It makes for gripping reading.

Like I already said, though, it's grim, squalid people, squalid situations, truly evokes bad memories of Britain in the 80s (it wasn't all about OutRun and Back to The Future!!!)

[JazzFunk]

^Just finished the above. Contains the single most horrible page I've ever read in a book.

Gah, so wish I could un-read page 241.

[prinnysquad]

You now need to explain what happens on that page.

[JazzFunk]

^Let's just say it involves a man with a level of focused anger akin to Joe Pesci in Casino, his

->Open Spoiler<-

mouth

and somebody else's

->Open Spoiler<-

eyeball

.

It is supremely horrific, *especially* as it was such a stupid, pointless act borne of nothing, really.

[Rossco]

Just bought Lord of the Rings. Love the Hobbit so hope it's similar in style.

[randombs]

I'm on Return of the King, about 20-30 pages in. I also read the Hobbit but I'm really behind as this is my first time reading all the books.