Lit Review

[RecreationalEgodeath]

I didn't see a book thread so here's my literal reading to-do list I just got in. I've got a million things to read but getting Conversations in was a big deal because they've got an interview with David Wallace-Wells that's fantastic and I heavily cited in my thesis years ago but wasn't able to get again off The Paris Review and All Tomorrow's Parties is somehow the one Gibson trilogy book I didn't already own.

[SabrinaTVBand]

I have a lot of books I own but haven't read yet, for kind of weird reasons [mostly I don't have a reading space in my apartment where I don't feel very physically uncomfortable. Looking to get a nice recliner or something after I move later this year so I can finally start tearing through my backlog of stuff.]

If anyone here is looking for a solid "trans literature" book, I highly recommend Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl. It's a solid story about a guy who can shapeshift. I personally didn't think the ending stuck its landing, but the first 70% or so of the book was brilliant.

[Dawn666]

I have a lot of books I own but haven't read yet, for kind of weird reasons

I bought a ton of books I haven't read in the last few years. Too hard to focus. I have like "internet ADHD". I've started so many. Cosmos (best tv show ever!), The Princess Bride, The Ice Dragon, The Kybalion, The Egyptioan Book of the Dead, The Necronomicon, The Encyclopedia of Misinformation, Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology, A Brief History of Time, Beren and Luthien, The King Killer Chronicles, 1984 (omg, didn't realize it was so bad)...

Last full book I read I was "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut. I love this guy. I think he is what George Carlin would have been like had he been a sci-fi writer instead of a stand-up comedian. It's based off his witnessing of the bombing of Dresden while he served in World War 2. The main character is present for it, and proceeds to get 'unstuck in time' as a result. He then proceeds to live every event of his life all at once. And there is aliens and stuff. (This is the premise, not a spoiler!). They made a movie out of it. I think it's on youtube. I'm afraid to watch it because it can't be as good as the book, and it certainly wouldn't have Vonnegut's voice. (This book popularized the saying "So it goes").

I've got two more books of his here I need to get around to reading. Breakfast of Champions, and Hocus Pocus(in which the main character realized someone randomly died every time he has sex. ). I should set aside an hour a day to read these. umm tomorrow. Maybe.

Random Favourite Short Stories:
Tower of the Elephant - Robert E Howard
The Jaunt by Stephen King
2 B R 0 2 B by Kurt Vonnegut
The Big trip Up Yonder by Kurt Vonnegut

[RecreationalEgodeath]

I have a lot of books I own but haven't read yet, for kind of weird reasons

Having a space to read is major. I've been reading at my desk - well, doing everything at my desk practically for years and it's not ideal but it's fairly comfortable. I just got the access to the couch back basically so I think my reading's probably going to increase.

Last full book I read I was "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut. I love this guy.

Oh yeah, absolutely. His books tend to be pretty short and he's considered one of the greats for a good reason. His writing's always sort of acerbic but it's clear in his writing how much he cares about people, too, and he's endlessly creative.

[Dawn666]

Oh yeah, absolutely. His books tend to be pretty short and he's considered one of the greats for a good reason. His writing's always sort of acerbic but it's clear in his writing how much he cares about people, too, and he's endlessly creative.

I was actually gong to say that, but didn't want to ramble on too long. He's very short on word count, but not short on content! Everything he writes is very profound and gives you a lot to think about. I got so fascinated with him, that I ended up listening to every interview and watching every documentary about him that I could. Which is why I fell behind on his books. Looks like there is a newish one too!

[omgjaxbee]

I work a lot and always have something going on, so I rarely have time to physically read anymore. I've been listening to audio books for years now when I am driving to and from work and things like that. I really enjoy it, and it scratches that itch for me. My tastes lean more into fantasy rather than literature though. I absolutely love Brandon Sanderson.

[Dawn666]

Here you go then... Too bad Kurt wasn't reading it. John Mulaney will do.

[RecreationalEgodeath]

I work a lot and always have something going on, so I rarely have time to physically read anymore. I've been listening to audio books for years now when I am driving to and from work and things like that. I really enjoy it, and it scratches that itch for me. My tastes lean more into fantasy rather than literature though. I absolutely love Brandon Sanderson.

Audio books count. My partner listened to Pattern Recognition while we were on the way to Chicago before the pandemic, so we ended up listening to it together. It was pretty nice, to be honest. Fantasy is definitely literature - I use the term in the generic sort of way.

[RecreationalEgodeath]

I work a lot and always have something going on, so I rarely have time to physically read anymore. I've been listening to audio books for years now when I am driving to and from work and things like that. I really enjoy it, and it scratches that itch for me. My tastes lean more into fantasy rather than literature though. I absolutely love Brandon Sanderson.

Audio books count. My partner listened to Pattern Recognition while we were on the way to Chicago before the pandemic, so we ended up listening to it together. It was pretty nice, to be honest. Fantasy is definitely literature - I use the term in the generic sort of way.

Here you go then... Too bad Kurt wasn't reading it. John Mulaney will do. [\quote]
I had no idea Mulaney did audio books, that's interesting, too.

[omgjaxbee]

I work a lot and always have something going on, so I rarely have time to physically read anymore. I've been listening to audio books for years now when I am driving to and from work and things like that. I really enjoy it, and it scratches that itch for me. My tastes lean more into fantasy rather than literature though. I absolutely love Brandon Sanderson.

Audio books count. My partner listened to Pattern Recognition while we were on the way to Chicago before the pandemic, so we ended up listening to it together. It was pretty nice, to be honest. Fantasy is definitely literature - I use the term in the generic sort of way.

I very much agree that audiobooks count, but folks like to argue the point and sneer at audiobooks, and I don't have the spoons to bother.

[Dawn666]

I've listened to so many Sanderson lectures, and his arguments about soft vs hard magic systems. I've got The Way of Kings on my google books account, but it seems very intimidating to get into his stuff, because there is soooo much of it. The guy linked all his stories together into a giant multiverse (The Cosmere).

It's hard to get into Fantasy for me because every little thing has to be a multi-book, years long commitment. And often times those books never come out. Book 3 of the King Killer Chronicles is a decade overdue. I remember Patrick bragging in the mid to late 00's about how all three books were mostly done and would be out soon. It's 2022 and Doors of Stone still isn't out yet. GrrM is NEVER finishing Game of Thrones / ASOIF.

I prefer 'one and done' Fantasy, but there isn't much of that to choose from. Hence why I linked the Tower of the Elephant above. The Pool of the Black One is really good too.

[omgjaxbee]

I've listened to so many Sanderson lectures, and his arguments about soft vs hard magic systems. I've got The Way of Kings on my google books account, but it seems very intimidating to get into his stuff, because there is soooo much of it. The guy linked all his stories together into a giant multiverse (The Cosmere).

It's hard to get into Fantasy for me because every little thing has to be a multi-book, years long commitment. And often times those books never come out. Book 3 of the King Killer Chronicles is a decade overdue. I remember Patrick bragging in the mid to late 00's about how all three books were mostly done and would be out soon. It's 2022 and Doors of Stone still isn't out yet. GrrM is NEVER finishing Game of Thrones / ASOIF.

I prefer 'one and done' Fantasy, but there isn't much of that to choose from. Hence why I linked the Tower of the Elephant above. The Pool of the Black One is really good too.

I hear you. GrrM is not my thing, so that's meh to me, but yeah, he's never finishing. Rotfuss pisses me off a little though. At this point it's just vaporware. Sanderson is fully on board with finishing everything that he writes though. Plus, even though most of his works are tied into the Cosmere, you don't have to read them all. The Way of Kings is great, but it's huge! The Mistborn trilogy is a GREAT place to start. The books aren't overly large and after the first trilogy you don't need to read the rest. You'll want to though. lol

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (finished by Sanderson) is also a great series. It's a bit dated, but it's really good.

Oh gosh, I've read so much fantasy over the years that I absolutely loved.

[Dawn666]

I hear you. GrrM is not my thing, so that's meh to me, but yeah, he's never finishing. Rotfuss pisses me off a little though. At this point it's just vaporware. Sanderson is fully on board with finishing everything that he writes though. Plus, even though most of his works are tied into the Cosmere, you don't have to read them all. The Way of Kings is great, but it's huge! The Mistborn trilogy is a GREAT place to start. The books aren't overly large and after the first trilogy you don't need to read the rest. You'll want to though. lol

The only GrrM, not counting comics, I ever read was most of the 'The World of Ice and Fire' in the ER waiting room one night. I also have his 'Ice Dragon' book to get through. It sucks because he has time to work on literally anything else.

I read like half of 'The Name of the Wind', but it got hard to go on because it's like the ultimate neck beard book, written by a neck beard, who desperately wants to live vicariously through his know-it-all neck beard character. He knows everything. He's unmatched at everything. He cuts off everyone mid-sentence to correct them. Even when the biographer shows up to write his story using a language he made up himself, Kvothe figures it out in 2 seconds. He's insufferable. ((Pat shows off the same personality traits when he's playing his celebrity DnD game.))

FromSoftware has said they want to collaborate with Sanderson on their next game (Elden Ring was a collaboration with Grrm). Looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (finished by Sanderson) is also a great series. It's a bit dated, but it's really good.

I bought The Eye Of The World in 1994 and still haven't gotten through it. I ended up reading everything in the various wikis out there. I caught the new series though and mostly loved it. There's a great fan made mini movie on youtube too.

I really want to get the novelization of "Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood" soon too.

[RecreationalEgodeath]

Geeze, I read Wheel of Time in high school and at one point had the d20 game for it (I think it was actually reasonably good even, but I never played it) and then Jordan died, I never really went back to it and I assume it's still pretty good but I don't know that I could do all that again. Like, it's such a commitment and I just like... don't have anything like that sort of time.

[omgjaxbee]

Geeze, I read Wheel of Time in high school and at one point had the d20 game for it (I think it was actually reasonably good even, but I never played it) and then Jordan died, I never really went back to it and I assume it's still pretty good but I don't know that I could do all that again. Like, it's such a commitment and I just like... don't have anything like that sort of time.

Yeah, this is why I've been doing audio books for so long. Epic fantasy is my jam, but I just can't commit that kind of time to physically read all the books that I want to.

[omgjaxbee]

I hear you. GrrM is not my thing, so that's meh to me, but yeah, he's never finishing. Rotfuss pisses me off a little though. At this point it's just vaporware. Sanderson is fully on board with finishing everything that he writes though. Plus, even though most of his works are tied into the Cosmere, you don't have to read them all. The Way of Kings is great, but it's huge! The Mistborn trilogy is a GREAT place to start. The books aren't overly large and after the first trilogy you don't need to read the rest. You'll want to though. lol

The only GrrM, not counting comics, I ever read was most of the 'The World of Ice and Fire' in the ER waiting room one night. I also have his 'Ice Dragon' book to get through. It sucks because he has time to work on literally anything else.

I read like half of 'The Name of the Wind', but it got hard to go on because it's like the ultimate neck beard book, written by a neck beard, who desperately wants to live vicariously through his know-it-all neck beard character. He knows everything. He's unmatched at everything. He cuts off everyone mid-sentence to correct them. Even when the biographer shows up to write his story using a language he made up himself, Kvothe figures it out in 2 seconds. He's insufferable. ((Pat shows off the same personality traits when he's playing his celebrity DnD game.))

FromSoftware has said they want to collaborate with Sanderson on their next game (Elden Ring was a collaboration with Grrm). Looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (finished by Sanderson) is also a great series. It's a bit dated, but it's really good.

I bought The Eye Of The World in 1994 and still haven't gotten through it. I ended up reading everything in the various wikis out there. I caught the new series though and mostly loved it. There's a great fan made mini movie on youtube too.

I really want to get the novelization of "Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood" soon too.

I am sort of meh on Rothfuss' work,.but I read the first two books and it'd be nice to just finish the series..whatever though, I don't see it happening.

I'd love to see a game based around lore written by Sanderson!

I'm really enjoying the WoT series. I don't care that it's not word for word true to the books. I think it's good and most of the changes seem necessary to me to tell that MASSIVE story in a way that will fit into a television series. People can't seem to wrap their heads around the fact that the series has a word count that exceeds Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and the Lord of the Rings all TOGETHER, and look at how huge those were as cinematic works. I also think that a lot of the changes were necessary to make the series appealing to people other than fans of Jordan, and I am okay with that.

[Dawn666]

...

Patrick read the prologue to book 3 on his stream last December.

He promised to release the first chapter by now if his stream fundraiser hit $300,000. It did. And now that the time has come to release it, he's making excuses. This was from last week.

“There’s a lot of things in process and things are moving more slowly than I would like, and a lot of the reason for that is that I am moving more slowly than I would like. There’s just kind of a lot in general that I’m doing in a bunch of ways, and there is some other stuff just in my life.”

He had a big deal with Lion's Gate to produce a show and movies and it fell through too. The whole project is cursed.

I'm really enjoying the WoT series.

I love how they show magic. It's just smoke and get its thicker or very subtle depending on how strong it is. And you see things like smoke rising from the ground before the ground shakes and explodes during the battle scenes. It makes me think of the smell of bonfire smoke when there is any magic on screen.

Most of my fantasy fandom comes from movies, comics and videogames. I love 80s fantasy movies. Conan, Red Sonja, Legend, Willow, etc. RAT QUEENS. And the usual big fantasy video game series.

at one point had the d20 game for it

But did you have the PC game for it? https://www.gog.com/en/game/the_wheel_of_time

[omgjaxbee]

...

I love how they show magic. It's just smoke and get its thicker or very subtle depending on how strong it is. And you see things like smoke rising from the ground before the ground shakes and explodes during the battle scenes. It makes me think of the smell of bonfire smoke when there is any magic on screen.

Most of my fantasy fandom comes from movies, comics and videogames. I love 80s fantasy movies. Conan, Red Sonja, Legend, Willow, etc. RAT QUEENS. And the usual big fantasy video game series.

I love the visual effects that they use in the series, it's just beautiful!

I love all those movies! Have you read Robert Jordans Conan novels? So good! I haven't read the entire TOR Conan series, but I really enjoy them!

[Dawn666]

I try to tell people all the time that LEGEND is the Zelda movie they say they always want, but it falls on deaf ears. The first few Zelda games borrowed so liberally from it.

We even got a shadow Zelda instead of a shadow Link.


Worth it just to see Tim Curry as the Lord of Darkness


I haven't read the other Conan stories yet. I like to stick to the original Robert E Howard ones for now, and I'm saving some of them for a rainy day. I miss the game that came out on the PS3/360 back in '07. It should be on Steam FFS.

[omgjaxbee]

I haven't read the other Conan stories yet. I like to stick to the original Robert E Howard ones for now, and I'm saving some of them for a rainy day. I miss the game that came out on the PS3/360 back in '07. It should be on Steam FFS.

Ohhh! I never had a chance to play that! I have a soft modded PS3, maybe I should get it...