The 'What are you reading at the moment' thread

[Dohva.]

I preferred Chronicles of Narnia to LOTR.

[MARS]

No...but honestly I've always had a hard time staying with a series. Something seems to change for me around book 3 and then I get discouraged. So I know what you mean.

It's not really a series. Books 1 and 2 were realeased simultaneously and book 3 came like half a year after that. They're all in one volume in the US. The last book just wasn't good.

[Avron the S'wit]

I finished book 3 of 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami the other day. I loved books 1 and 2, but 3 was pretty meh. As far as I'm concerned the story could have ended with book 2. There wasn't enough Fuka-Eri in 3. Plus most of the characters developed in ways I didn't like. In addition, everyone that wasn't Tengo or Aomame just got completely washed away. I won't complain about insight into Ushikawa's brain though. His last few chapters were great.

...does anyone know what I'm talking about? >_>

Yes. I loved 1Q84. It transitions so perfectly from a kinda "normal" story into a "What the hell is going on story?" so perfectly, in my opinion, that I couldn't help but keep reading more. It's one of those weird books where you just have to know what's going on.

Book 3 was definitely weird, but it was totally building up to it. I thoroughly enjoyed that story a lot. It's the only book I really eagerly kept saying, "Just another chapter!" since I read Koontz's Velocity, which was aaaaamazing.

[ReeceH]

Just started Chris Walter's 'I Was a Punk Before You Were a Punk' (book two of a trilogy). An incredible autobiography, some of the hardest living I have ever come across.

[BetaB17]

Been reading Meditations on First Philosophy by René Descartes.
It's not that easy as like some book.. each part is deserving of deep though. Sad that it takes longer to dwell on the words than to actually read them>_<

[TheOogyBoogyMan]

I just finished One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and my nook broke while looking for another book
It seems to only function properly when it's hooked up to the computer to charge. Stoopid nook.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest was good tho, of course. Much more insightful of the human psyche and gives a more interesting view of social pressures than the movie.

[Dohva.]

I'm still not even halfway into "Game of Thrones". The excitement has worn off and now I'm bored. Someone please tell me this gets better! I never leave a book unfinished, so with 700 more pages to go I'm sick of there being no page turning stimulation. Currently, I'm finding this a boring read. Although the world and characters are well described and I feel like I'm getting to know them. Maybe that's the point.

[p-sto]

The Song of Ice and Fire series is like this. You can go through 300 pages of painful lull but when Martin does choose to make things interesting it's been worth it in my opinion. Really I felt the first two books were the worst in terms of uneven pacing but it is a lot to read through in order to get to some more consistent reading.

[Dohva.]

Hm, well I probably won't be making it to book 2 by the way things are looking. I like fast paced reads so this one is killing me.

[p-sto]

The intensity and complexity kept me with the series but especially with the fourth and fifth books there were times where I was wondering if he was adding in unnecessary plots just to pad the story.

[Arch-Mage Matt]

Anyone heard of the Malazan series? I'm nearly done with the first book.

[The-Shadow-One]

Malazan book of the fallen? If so yes I'm just beginning myself. Brilliant so far.

[Dohva.]

Giving up temporarily on "Game of Thrones" for lack of excitement (Daenerys is the only character fueling my desire to read that book right now), I've decided to start reading "The Violin Maker's Wife" instead. Its a western fantasy and it just sounded too cool not to pick up. Hopefully this goes a bit better.

[BetaB17]

Ever try The Bartimaeus Series? It's really good in my opinion and blends fantasy with world history. Theres a triliogy and a stand alone 4th book.
We got The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, and lastly Ptolemy's Gate. The trilogy really does sum up really well. As for the 4th, its The Ring of Solomon and acts like a prequel

[Norroen Dyrd]

Re-reading The House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. I love this book.

[Velvet LeChance]

Finally finished Perdido Street Station and am now reading the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx. Have to write a paper on communism for my economic's class and it's a free download so I figured why not.

[kailay]

Currently reading Nothing To Envy; Real Lives in North Korea. Not the type of book I'd usually read but it's super interesting.

[TheOogyBoogyMan]

A Clockwork Orange, and I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into.

[scribbane]

I sorta forgot that this thread existed, but as an English major, I currently have like 10 books/poems/plays/etc on my plate.

What a Writer Needs-Ralph Fletcher
On Writing Well-William Zinsser
The Right to Write-Julia Cameron
Staying Alive-Vandana Shiva
The Meaning of Video Games-Steven E. Jones
"Lysistrata"-Aristophanes
"The Bacchae"-Euripides
"Iphigenia at Aulis"-Euripides
Metamorphoses-Ovid
Women in Love-D.H. Lawrence
Poets such as Yeats, Sasson, Eliot

Outside of class, whenever I get a spare moment and actually feel like reading for enjoyment, I'm working through Plato's dialogues, starting with some of the ones I haven't read. Currently, I'm on The Republic. Well, I just started it. So yeah, I do a lot of reading, but very little for enjoyment anymore. I'd love to get stuck in on a new series or novel, but just don't have the time. I'm reading Plato because it actually relates to several of my classes so it makes sense for supplementary material.

[Wardo235]

I'm currently reading A Song of Ice and Fire: A Clash of Kings

[mulder]

A collection of stories by H.P. Lovecraft

[VirtualWeasel]

I've started reading Lovecraft's compendium of short stories and novellas... Creepy stuff.

Also have been reading a bit of the Great Gatsby when I have the time.

[Alarra]

I am currently reading "A Dance With Dragons" by George R.R. Martin. I next plan to read "Killer Honeymoon" by G.A. McKevett, the newest book in a chick-lit mystery series nobody has heard of but which I love.

[Velvet LeChance]

I'm now reading Pandora's Star by Philip F. Hamilton. I'm enjoying it so far and I don't usually enjoy science fiction books.

[Dohva.]

I am currently reading "A Dance With Dragons" by George R.R. Martin. I next plan to read "Killer Honeymoon" by G.A. McKevett, the newest book in a chick-lit mystery series nobody has heard of but which I love.

I'm not proceeding to book 2, just don't care enough about the characters or plotline to keep going. GOT isn't for me...the minority. Instead, I just purchased "Boreal Herbal: wild foods and medicine plants of the north". I'm eager to start reading. This book is specific to plants that grow in my backyard and has so much information on which plants are good for what, how/when to harvest, how to make medicines, salves, foods, etc. Its gorgeous too with helpful pictures.

I'm in herb heaven.