Other Books you are currently reading?

I read Dark Forest not knowing it was the second book in a trilogy. I really enjoyed it for the story and being different to western literature in style. Will also pick up the rest of the trilogy at some point. Another recommendation from me.

 

The style is definitely different - which is quite refreshing. Personally I struggled a bit at first with getting used to the chinese names, but the overall style and pacing was a refreshing change from western literature. The Three Body Problem also grants the reader a bit of insight into chinese history; specifically at the time of the cultural revolution.

 

Having worked for Huawei a few years ago I had quite a few occasions of situations which got me thinking "that wouldn't happen like this in the western world" but which I knew to be an accurate description of how "the Chinese" (isn't over-generalization fun?) work/think. It is a different mindset and I found it highly interesting, to read especially because it felt a bit like a throwback to my time at Huawei.

 

On a whim I went to the bookstore during lunch, and I lucked out and picked up these in one of those 3 for 2 deals:

Revenger - Alastair Reynolds
Sleeping Giants - Sylvain Neuvel (because perplekks45 said it was a masterpiece)
The Dark Forest - Cixin Liu

 

Have a great time with them! I know I did.

And please let us know what you think about all of them, especially Revenger.

 

Carthage must be destroyed: The rise and fall of an ancient civilization by Richard Miles.

 

Oh, man! NEEEEED!!!


BTW: may I highly recommend The Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber. It is in my opinion one of the most psychologically realistic depictions of a human colony on an alien planet.

 

It's been turned into an Amazon Prime pilot as well. Hope it gets the green light...

 

The Amazon series is based on the book plot, but not an exact adaptation. Looks intriguing though.

 

I read the black mage series recently on kindle. Was a enjoyable read maybe a touch short. Fun books for anyone who likes that sort of book.

 

HEX by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. God, that was intense. Loved it!

 

Just finished...

The Dark Forest - Cixin Liu

This was just as good as the first one, and Cixin Liu presents an interesting explanation for the Fermi paradox. Now to find the last book of the series...

Started "Sleeping Giants" yesterday, and I'm hooked.

 

Roughly 75% through Dauntless (book 1 of the Lost Fleet series).

Enjoying what I have read so far. Large scale fleet battles encompassing Light speed time dilation can make my brain turn to mush at times...

 

My girlfriend started it two days ago on her way to work and almost missed her stop, same on the way home.

Halfway through Haven by Thomas Deady. If you like your oldschool Stephen King "group of unusual heroes against monster/evil" stories you will definitely like this one.

 

Seveneves* - Neil Stephenson
Futuristic Violence & Fancy Suits - David Wong

*second read through.

 

Finished Haven. Yes, that was King in the 80s/90s with all the good and bad bits that made IT/The Stand and all the others a fun read back then.

But, more importantly, I finished Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel. A great successor to Sleeping Giants even though I am not happy about some decisions/events in WG. I read Sleeping Giants again (this time in less than 24 hours) to prepare for Waking Gods and it was the same brilliant experience as the first time.

Next up is Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

 

Great book I really enjoyed it. The miniseries adaption is pretty good too. I just finish reading Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

Fun tidbit, if you are into audio books, Neil Gaiman reads his own stories.

 

I like his way of storytelling. I didn't enjoy him singing too much, though. He was forced into a duet by his wife at her show in Vienna. Brilliantly funny guy but I think he did well writing books as he couldn't have made a career singing, I don't think.

Also thanks for the heads-up but I have yet to succeed getting into audio books.

 

Neverwhere is absolutely brilliant! I've gone through three copies of that book so far, and you've just put me in the mood of reading it again!

However, I just finished reading Revenger.

It's written by Alastair Reynolds, so of course it's good. It's just ... it's a difficult book to describe, or even to rate. It's gloomy and depressing on the same level as it's exciting and interesting. There's so much story in the world that Reynolds has created, but also so much story that has been lost. It's one of those books that you have to keep reading to find out more about the world in it, but which you also know, because of the world in it, that you won't find out more about. I do recommend it - it really is a very good book, but it's difficult to wrap ones head around. Still, I have a feeling that this will not be the last we hear of Arafura Ness (nor of her sister).

 

And it was brilliant.

Just started Bev Vincent's The Dark Tower Companion: A Guide to Stephen King's Epic in preparation for the movie coming later this year. It's just been too long since I read the books. I will most likely start another book to read in parallel but I have yet to decide which one.