What books are you guys reading

Oh yes... this book. Such a disappointment. Squandered potential for what could have been a great trilogy. But now no, we must squeeze for cash. We must make it longer than three volumes. Bullshit. Fuck off.

I am currently reading Marcus Sakey's Brilliance because I heard there will be a film adaptation I'm 37% in and it's okay so far.

Trying to read The Hobbit. I'm at the midpoint of the story and it's fucking boring so far. I may as well drop it and read Lord of the Rings.

If that doesn't go well, also? I might buy Dune and see how that goes.

The hobbit picks up, but it was never a "thrilling" book by any means for me. It was more relaxing then anything and I think thats because of the detail/pace the book has.

I started Dune over the summer. It was a little dry, but interesting. Sadly things got busy and it kind of got left aside.

Two days ago I started reading the sequel to The Shining, Dr.Sleep. I am only a few chapters in, but I am liking it so far. The beginning was a bit annoying because it was clearly made for people who never read The Shining before, but once that shit is out of the way it is like being back in a familiar place. Kind really did a good job of nailing the same/similar tone that The Shining had.

Currently, I'm reading The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, For Whom the Bell Tolls by Hemingway, and The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (Kingkiller Chronicles, anyone?). Just read through Ender's Game for the first time last week and it was enjoyable. Before that, I read Neuromancer by William Gibson,The New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of People, Nations, and Business by Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen, and Dirty Wars: The War is a Battlefield by Jeremy Scahill all at once. Loved it.

For the longest time I was only interested in nonfiction for academic reasons, but I've been enjoying an escapade in science fiction and fantasy over the past few months.

Waiting on my bookshelf: 2666 (Roberto Bolaño), Infinite Jest (David Foster Wallace), In the Name of the Rose & Foucault's Pendulum (Umberto Eco), Love in the Time of Cholera (Márquez), some Phillip K. Dick, etc. I am notorious for writing out a book list and not adhering to it, then coming back to it a year or two later...

Leviathan Wakes.

I'm getting kind of sick of sci-fi... but only not-famous sci-fi. I want to get into Asimov and Le Guin, but whenever I read something I haven't previously heard of, I feel like it's tangibly inferior, that there's a reason I hadn't heard of it before. I don't know if I'm actually right, or just elitist.

Is this a stealth or an accidental pun? I've tried to read Dune twice and both times I've found myself kinda bored.

I'd wager that if you're bored by The Hobbit, you'll be bored by The Lord of the Rings as well. I actually enjoy reading The Hobbit more than I do The Lord of the Rings.

I just finished reading Stephen King's The Gunslinger and checked Michael Crichton's The Lost World out of the library on a whim earlier today. The Gunslinger was a really good book if a little out there. It's a pretty good thing that I know there's more story out there, too, or that ending would have been pretty disappointing. I was never a big fan of philosophical or metaphysical finales that don't actually solve anything, but The Gunslinger was interesting enough to make me want to read part 2 at some point in the future. I'm not far into The Lost World but I like Crichton's writing. I remember reading Jurassic Park in high school and not being able to decide on whether I liked the movie or book better. I liked both of them a lot, though. Should probably re-read Jurassic Park at some point.

"Guards! Guards!" by Pratchett. It's my first Discworld book, and I hear it's a great introduction to the universe.

I just caught up on Naomi Novik's Temeraire series. Really liked it alot. Recently reread Lev Grossman's The Magicians and The Magician King. Fox sex never gets old. Favorite book of the last few years though is John Scalzi's Redshirts. I don't even give a shit about Star Trek and I love that novel. Make sure you read the codas.

The Pagan Lord by Bernard Cornwell, not all that different from the past books but just more badass Saxon fun. Going through it fairly quickly but enjoying it a lot. Once I'm done I'll be returning to reading through Cornwell's Sharpe series, think I'm on book 10 or 11 now.

I haven't read anything in years, used to read any Forgotten Realms or Dragon Lance book I could get.

Recently though, I found "S" which is collaboration between JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst. Its book called "Ship of Thesius. And inside it has notes written in the margins on every page, which is the correspondence between two college age kids, who are trying to unlock the riddle of who the author really is. The book itself is made to look like a library borrowed book, that one has stolen, and it is filled with scrap book clippings, photos, and a whole bunch of things that these kids, have been studying over the course of their research.

So, the whole thing is like two stories rolled into one book. The story in the actual book, and the story that unfolds as you read the correspondence between the two who have already read the book and are trying to figure out if there is some big conspiracy, who the author is really, and when and how he died.

I'm only a few chapters in so far, but it is pretty interesting

The Death Of Virgil by Hermann Broch. Simply mesmerizing, a long prose poem on life, death, art, philosophy, morality, and guilt. As ambitious as it gets.

Debunking Economics by Steve Keen.

Th autobiography of Bear Grylls!

Picked up two book sets a few days back. The Hobbit + Lord Of The Rings set, and the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' set.

Just started The Hobbit - really enjoying it; all the detail is pretty great - then I'll probably continue on with the rest, then start the first of five from the next set.

A lot of reading ahead, it seems.

Haven't been reading anything lately. I have The Road sitting on my desk here but just haven't gotten around to starting it yet.

The last book I read was Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, which was a really strange book. I enjoyed it though.

Before that was The Great Gatsby which kind of surprised me with how much I liked it. I was expecting to either find it dull and not bother to finish it, or just say 'meh, not for me' by the end. I'd like to see the latest film adaptation at some point, despite not being a fan of the director.

I also have the first Game of Thrones novel sitting on the shelf waiting to be read. One day...

I just finished Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. I will continue to give him credit for having some great world-building skills, even if his characters aren't always as up to snuff.

Aristotle's Metaphysics and Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad

@ch3burashka: I'm guessing you've never heard of the Long Price Quartet fantasy series by the same author who wrote Leviathan Wakes. I've read two of the books in that series and I liked them quite a bit.

I can't ever get away from reading non-fiction so I am currently immersed Urban Fortunes: the Political Economy of Space - Logan & Molotch. I highly recommend it to anyone with a slight interest in cities.

But I am also reading Dickens' Hard Times.

Also, good to learn that Blood Meridian is so highly regarded here on Giant Bomb.

Currently reading We, The Drowned by Carsten Jensen, and it's fucking amazing!

Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis (the guy who wrote American Pyscho) and it suckkkkkks. It's like a crappy version of an even snarkier Paranormal Activity.

So far I'm 1-3 with Ellis' books: Less Than Zero is pretty good and well written, and Lunar Park and Imperial Bedrooms both have had incredible starts, but then goes on to have a story that is completely different and just, lame.

I seldom read. My last book was The Hunger Games. I was disappointed to find out that it's part of a series after I was done, having expected an ending. I enjoyed it, but not enough to continue.

I completely forgot The Magician King came out. I didn't completely love the first book, but I liked it enough that I want to read more. Right now I'm reading Amnesia Moon by Jonathan Lethem. It's a really strange post-apocalyptic story. I'm early enough into it that I can't tell whether I like it yet.

Currently I'm finally re-reading Dune.

It's fascinatingly insane how much of a different experience it is re-reading it now in my late twenties compared to the first time I read it when I was 12 (i think?).

The one constant is that Fremen still feel like the most badass people in the universe, ever.

@cannedstingray: Was going to write that I am reading "S" myself! I love how... realized this book is. If that is the right word. The fact that the book you read seems old, with stains and even sort of an old-book-smell is really cool. I also enjoy how sinister the notes are becoming. You can identify when the notes are written by the color pen they used, black and blue are early day notes, while yellow and red are later. Some of those early red and yellow notes make it seem like something bad and weird is going to happen, which adds a cool tension to the whole thing.
Almost halfway so far, and I love it.

@mechanical_ape: If you liked the Fillory stuff in the first book, you will greatly enjoy The Magician King.

books?

does mickey mouse comics count as books ?

@thebluthcompany: That part was good and I was disappointed they didn't explore it more in the first book, so I'm definitely interested in reading more of that. My main issue with the first book was the main character. I found him kind of annoying and whiny for most of the book. Although after Alice died he did seem to mature a bit.

Trying to get through Excession by Iain M Banks. Sadly finding it pretty slow and uninteresting.

I lost all interest in fiction some years ago, but I read a lot of magazines and non-fiction. Right now I'm reading books on the Iraq and Afghanistan war, most recently Jane Mayer's excellent The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned Into a War on American Ideals. That's one of the best books I've read in a few years, actually.

Have you read his other books?

Excession is one of my favorite sci-fi books of all time, but it does require previous knowledge of the universe he set up to enjoy fully imo. (which can be both a fault for those new and a blessing for those already familliar)

He also has a style of slow buildup in general, gradually building the tension and the stakes towards the end. It's definitely not for the impatient. A better sci-fi author for more action happening at all times through ought his books is Peter F. Hamilton in his earlier works, tho he too tends to slow things down recently.

• The Perfect Fool - Stewart Lee
• Beyond a Pale Horse - William Cooper
• 1Q84 - Haruki Murakami
• Tron - Brian Daley

Of those, Murakami entertains thoroughly, the Tron film novelization is amusing, Stewart Lee is a phenomenal comedian though this foray into hard-boiled fiction isn't visceral brilliance and William Cooper believed aliens interact with the CIA and have done since the 50s, eh, why not?

I've been reading The Pilgrim's Progress (John Bunyan,) The Hero With A Thousand Faces (Joseph Campbell) and The Holy Bible (a version with a bunch of apocryphal texts.) Enjoying them all immensely. The Pilgrim's Progress I have especially been enjoying. It's a heavily Christian allegory, but the imagery is very striking. Along the course of his pilgrimage the protagonist meets with characters who are all named after certain virtues or traits. So, for instance, he comes across a man named "Talkative" who does not practice with his words what his mouth preaches. The book is pretty much just a long string of encounters and dialogues with characters such as that. He comes upon the Vanity Fair, the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and other such locations. Great book.
I can't speak for how good a translation of The Bible this version is but it reads well enough. At this point I assume it's hard to come by an accurate translation of The Bible anyway.

Anyhow, I have "Thus Spake Zarathustra" by Friedrich Nietzsche waiting to be read. I have heard mixed views on it from various people, but considering it's more of a narrative than Nietzsche just talking more directly from his own inner voice I'm looking forward to reading it.

@mechanical_ape: He really matures in the second book. He is dare I say likable at the end.

Took me too long to finally get around to it, but about halfway through Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian. It is FAN-TASTIC!

Dr. Sleep by Stephen King.

William Gibson sprawl trilogy. Just finished Count Zero - which is amazing, and started on Mona Lisa Overdrive.

Books written in the late 80's that envision the future in such a creative way with amazing detail to slang, fashion and way of life.

Against a Dark Background - Iain M. Banks

Dont read that much these days but when I do its always Banks, makes me facepalm hard when hear people praising how awesome the story is in Bioshock or whatever....read some Banks kid get some some real story down you :p

Fear Itself it's a book about FDR's very successful first 100 days, and how it shaped Modern America. "American's do not eat in the long run - they eat everyday." Talking about building the Food stamp program.

That was the first Banks book I read, about 12 years ago or something. I just read Look To Windward for the first time recently, the guy was a fucking phenomenal writer.

Norwegian Wood. Interesting read, although a little corny at times...

I am also starting A Feast for Crows. Still to early to give an opinion, though...

Apparently a PDF of three JD Salinger short stories leaked to file sharing sites this week. I'm gonna read those.

I should probably finish the ICO novel at some point as well.

The End of Faith by Sam Harris.

Currently Foundation and Earth by Isaac Asimov

The only book worth reading. The King James version of The Bible. "Murica!"

I've been reading First and Only by Dan Abnett and after that I want to read Sabriel by Garth Nix or Mogworld by Ben Croshaw.

at the moment, 1Q84.

I'm currently reading Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy. I just bought a hardback copy from an Amazon sale and will probably continue reading off that rather than kindle.