Books! The good Reads thread

[Idlehands]

Read books 1 and 2 of Brian Mcclellan's Valkyrie Collections series. It's not as good as Powder Mage, but it's very readable and entertaining. It's basically mediocre Dresden Files, about as good as bottom third Dresden Files book. I will 100% read book 3 when it comes out. Trying to read book 6 of the Craft Sequence (Max Gladstone) before going to Book 4 Expanse.

I could really use a new Dresdon Files about now.

[SquatsALot]

Just picked up the first 4 books of the Dresden Files, I've heard good things.

Just finished the first book in the Echoes of the Fall series (Adrian Tchaikovsky). It was good, in an easy-reading fantasy kinda way.

[5hout]

Read books 1 and 2 of Brian Mcclellan's Valkyrie Collections series. It's not as good as Powder Mage, but it's very readable and entertaining. It's basically mediocre Dresden Files, about as good as bottom third Dresden Files book. I will 100% read book 3 when it comes out. Trying to read book 6 of the Craft Sequence (Max Gladstone) before going to Book 4 Expanse.

I could really use a new Dresdon Files about now.

We get 2 new ones this year. He changed wives or something, but one is soon and the other late in the year. Read Valk now, then feast on Dresden. Also, read his other books if you haven't.

[Idlehands]

Read books 1 and 2 of Brian Mcclellan's Valkyrie Collections series. It's not as good as Powder Mage, but it's very readable and entertaining. It's basically mediocre Dresden Files, about as good as bottom third Dresden Files book. I will 100% read book 3 when it comes out. Trying to read book 6 of the Craft Sequence (Max Gladstone) before going to Book 4 Expanse.

I could really use a new Dresdon Files about now.

We get 2 new ones this year. He changed wives or something, but one is soon and the other late in the year. Read Valk now, then feast on Dresden. Also, read his other books if you haven't.

Dont' tell me my business!
Trying to finish footfall or the second spin, but maybe Valk is a better one. My attention span is busted lately

[jake241983]

https://www.tor.com/2020/05/01/sign-up- ... sanderson/

Just saw this on Facebook. Tor is giving away the first book in the Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson for free on Monday. Great series for anyone that likes fantasy.

[Idlehands]

https://www.tor.com/2020/05/01/sign-up- ... sanderson/

Just saw this on Facebook. Tor is giving away the first book in the Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson for free on Monday. Great series for anyone that likes fantasy.

He needs to finish it. Like so many questions and he's off writing other books!

[jake241983]

He needs to finish it. Like so many questions and he's off writing other books!

Book four is supposed to come out in November. Hopefully doesn't get postponed. He's supposed to be writing a seventh Mistborn book too.

[hsilman]

Sanderson has always been good about making deadlines and pushing content. I have total trust in his ability to finish this series.

[jake241983]

I think think he'll finish too and not pull a George RR Martin. I could be wrong, but I thought book two or three got delayed a couple times. Nothing crazy, just a couple months.

I missed the Dresden Files posts awhile back. I've read most except the newest couple. I just finished book five in the Codex Alera series also by Jim Butcher. Started a little slow, but it's gotten pretty good. To me it's pretty unrecognizable to his writing style in the Dresden Files. Not in a bad way or anything, it's just different than I expected.

[Idlehands]

Ok it's not his prolific nature is the diversity of his writing. One book in series a here a book in series b here lets start yet another series ... eventually back to series. guy is all over the place.

where the fuck is kingkiller book 3?

[Inverstone]

I've been wanting to recommend this book to you all for ages. If you'd like a short break from your usual stuff.
Even if you have no interest in scuba diving, mixed gas wreck diving, etc. It's one of the best and most engrossing true stories (think of a Clive Cussler novel in real life) and historical mysteries I've ever read by far.
I've recommended it to ex submariners, people who never dived, etc. and always got enthusiastic reviews back from them. If you saw and liked the film Das Boot (The Boat) there are similarities:
"Shadow Divers" author Robt. Kurson It's available in/thru many public libraries as it was a best (or good) seller a few years ago. It was slated to be made into a film by Ridley Scott and then by Peter Weir (directing) but it never seemed to go anywhere.

It's about a commercial fisherman discovered "something" that he tells his commercial and recreational diver buddies about and it turned out to be a German WWII U boat that had no record of being anywhere near the N.J. Coast.

The mystery to solve which boat it is, what happened to the crew aboard, etc. is exciting action filled, interesting historical research, bio.s on the divers, etc. If anyone watched the History Channel's "Deep Sea Detectives" it's "those guys" before they got famous. It's hard to put down. MUCH better than the show was.

PBS's "Nova"'s most popular episode ever, was about this, entitled "Hitler's Lost Sub". John, the guy in the show who helps Chatterton and his buddy do the research is an old pen pal friend and he gets no mention in the book...which was weird... I did a fair amount of easy/touristy wreck diving after reading this I was so inspired. My favorites were the natural reef program Canadian Destroyer Escorts in Nanaimo, B.C. (260' (approx.) wrecks at 110 feet.

I think if you guys at least gave it a try, you'd find it engrossing during this time of isolation.

If anyone here has read it, let me know what you thought? Definitely read the book before watching the NOVA episode though. It's MUCH more tense, and detailed and the show would give it all away, but it's worth following the book up with the show.

[SquatsALot]

Finished the Culture series. The 2nd to last book was the best IMO.

Started Dresden Files, read the first 2 this weekend. I like that they're nice and easy to blaze through.

[hsilman]

I decided to read LOTR. I am through Fellowship and Two Towers and a couple of chapters into ROTK.

Fellowship isn't a good book. Full stop. It should not be well rated, and for most of it nothing of import happens at all to contribute to the story. It's boring. Now, it isn't a TERRIBLE book, it's still like a 5/10. But it's a slog to get through at least 50% of the content. Not chronologically, there's some good bits interspersed with bad bits, but Tolkien was in desperate need of an editor. Highlights: Bree, The Council, Lothlorien.

Two Towers on the other hand, was very good. Lots of suspense, great character development. I'm not sure if I would have preferred more interweaving of the 2 plotlines instead of one after the other, but it worked just fine. I really like the bleak ending. Honestly, I'm absolutely sure it's been said before but it's a lot like Empire vs ANH. ANH is "fine", but Empire is really the high point of the series. I'm not sure how ROTK will stack up, but I suspect it won't complete this analogy due to higher overall quality than many 3rd parts.

Only a couple of chapters into ROTK, but the things I like so far: Merry and Pippin not being treated as jokes. Denethor's characterization. The Dunedain showing up with Galadrial's message, which helps explain the army of the dead.

To take a second to think about Jackson's Trilogy, reading these definitely makes me appreciate his editing abilities. He did a really good job of cutting the fat and creating a movie-friendly, plot-moving narrative. This reinforces my opinion that the theatrical cuts are superior to the extended editions. The brilliance of the movie trilogy is how well the books have been edited down, so adding more back in takes away from that. Now, this doesn't mean they are perfect. I like Galadrial much better in the book. The Ents made more sense. And the explanation and introduction to the army of the dead was way more consistent than the deus ex machina feeling you get in the movie. In contrast, the Caradhras section in the book is super underwhelming compared to the movie. Also Helm's Deep was fairly confusing, though the timeline and conclusion made more sense. But I think it was a good choice to make that battle more drawn out and epic in the movie.

In any event, I'm looking forward to finishing this damn thing up so I can read something else!

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

[5hout]

@omaniphil Halfway through the most recent Expanse book, will finish tonight or tomorrow. This series is outstanding in the second half, it keeps getting stronger. Anything else similar to recommend?

[Allentown]

Reading some sort of political action/thriller my brother bought for me after hearing about it on Joe Rogan. It's 100% Fox News Porn. Basically the exact plot of the first season of Punisher on Netflix, but with constant jams at how spineless and nasty the Democrats are, and how awesome waterboarding is, and how someone needs to put a bullet in Snowden, and Benghazi.

[broseph]

I decided to read LOTR. I am through Fellowship and Two Towers and a couple of chapters into ROTK.

Fellowship isn't a good book. Full stop. It should not be well rated, and for most of it nothing of import happens at all to contribute to the story. It's boring. Now, it isn't a TERRIBLE book, it's still like a 5/10. But it's a slog to get through at least 50% of the content. Not chronologically, there's some good bits interspersed with bad bits, but Tolkien was in desperate need of an editor. Highlights: Bree, The Council, Lothlorien.

Two Towers on the other hand, was very good. Lots of suspense, great character development. I'm not sure if I would have preferred more interweaving of the 2 plotlines instead of one after the other, but it worked just fine. I really like the bleak ending. Honestly, I'm absolutely sure it's been said before but it's a lot like Empire vs ANH. ANH is "fine", but Empire is really the high point of the series. I'm not sure how ROTK will stack up, but I suspect it won't complete this analogy due to higher overall quality than many 3rd parts.

Only a couple of chapters into ROTK, but the things I like so far: Merry and Pippin not being treated as jokes. Denethor's characterization. The Dunedain showing up with Galadrial's message, which helps explain the army of the dead.

To take a second to think about Jackson's Trilogy, reading these definitely makes me appreciate his editing abilities. He did a really good job of cutting the fat and creating a movie-friendly, plot-moving narrative. This reinforces my opinion that the theatrical cuts are superior to the extended editions. The brilliance of the movie trilogy is how well the books have been edited down, so adding more back in takes away from that. Now, this doesn't mean they are perfect. I like Galadrial much better in the book. The Ents made more sense. And the explanation and introduction to the army of the dead was way more consistent than the deus ex machina feeling you get in the movie. In contrast, the Caradhras section in the book is super underwhelming compared to the movie. Also Helm's Deep was fairly confusing, though the timeline and conclusion made more sense. But I think it was a good choice to make that battle more drawn out and epic in the movie.

In any event, I'm looking forward to finishing this damn thing up so I can read something else!

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

I'm glad to finally hear a mixed review of LOTR. I finished Fellowship and didn't even bother continuing since I disliked it so much. Such a slog.

You've given me A New Hope, and maybe I'll start Two Towers.

[OrderInChaos]

I decided to read LOTR. I am through Fellowship and Two Towers and a couple of chapters into ROTK.

Fellowship isn't a good book. Full stop. It should not be well rated, and for most of it nothing of import happens at all to contribute to the story. It's boring. Now, it isn't a TERRIBLE book, it's still like a 5/10. But it's a slog to get through at least 50% of the content. Not chronologically, there's some good bits interspersed with bad bits, but Tolkien was in desperate need of an editor. Highlights: Bree, The Council, Lothlorien.

Two Towers on the other hand, was very good. Lots of suspense, great character development. I'm not sure if I would have preferred more interweaving of the 2 plotlines instead of one after the other, but it worked just fine. I really like the bleak ending. Honestly, I'm absolutely sure it's been said before but it's a lot like Empire vs ANH. ANH is "fine", but Empire is really the high point of the series. I'm not sure how ROTK will stack up, but I suspect it won't complete this analogy due to higher overall quality than many 3rd parts.

Only a couple of chapters into ROTK, but the things I like so far: Merry and Pippin not being treated as jokes. Denethor's characterization. The Dunedain showing up with Galadrial's message, which helps explain the army of the dead.

To take a second to think about Jackson's Trilogy, reading these definitely makes me appreciate his editing abilities. He did a really good job of cutting the fat and creating a movie-friendly, plot-moving narrative. This reinforces my opinion that the theatrical cuts are superior to the extended editions. The brilliance of the movie trilogy is how well the books have been edited down, so adding more back in takes away from that. Now, this doesn't mean they are perfect. I like Galadrial much better in the book. The Ents made more sense. And the explanation and introduction to the army of the dead was way more consistent than the deus ex machina feeling you get in the movie. In contrast, the Caradhras section in the book is super underwhelming compared to the movie. Also Helm's Deep was fairly confusing, though the timeline and conclusion made more sense. But I think it was a good choice to make that battle more drawn out and epic in the movie.

In any event, I'm looking forward to finishing this damn thing up so I can read something else!

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

I'm glad to finally hear a mixed review of LOTR. I finished Fellowship and didn't even bother continuing since I disliked it so much. Such a slog.

You've given me A New Hope, and maybe I'll start Two Towers.

Could this be an element of hard worldbuilding that makes FOTR (& Silmarillion, lost tales, etc) essential to the creation of the universe and all the subsequent allusions, embedded tales, languages, histories, blah, but makes for a slog of a read as a standalone?

As in, the Hobbit's a much better self-contained tale. TT and ROTK are much more compelling, per page, than the first. But would the Tolkein world work if it were much more sparse and less detailed?

Which is why soft worldbuilding can be much more compelling and meaningful as well as more appealing to a reader, as long as well executed?

(Children of Hurin and the Fall of Gondolin are pretty legit - Beren and Luthien bears reading if you really enjoy the histories and worldbuilding elements of Tolkein but is a rough read, more academic, multiple retellings of the same myth that JRR wrote across 5ish decades - all much better than the Silmarillion itself)

[hsilman]

But would the Tolkein world work if it were much more sparse and less detailed?

He spends a full 10% of the book on Tom Bombadil, which adds literally nothing to the world or story. Plus a few more mentions about how they can't give the ring to Tom cause he'd leave it on the subway or some shit.

Pretty sure it could be just a teensy less detailed at the very least.

[broseph]

But would the Tolkein world work if it were much more sparse and less detailed?

He spends a full 10% of the book on Tom Bombadil, which adds literally nothing to the world or story. Plus a few more mentions about how they can't give the ring to Tom cause he'd leave it on the subway or some shit.

Pretty sure it could be just a teensy less detailed at the very least.

“World Building” = describing ordinary hills and streams for pages on end.

[hector]

Reading some sort of political action/thriller my brother bought for me after hearing about it on Joe Rogan. It's 100% Fox News Porn. Basically the exact plot of the first season of Punisher on Netflix, but with constant jams at how spineless and nasty the Democrats are, and how awesome waterboarding is, and how someone needs to put a bullet in Snowden, and Benghazi.

Is this the book the Navy SEAL wrote?