What Are You Reading?

[Newbified]

Re: What Are You Reading?

I'm currently reading War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy.

[rzr]

Re: What Are You Reading?

Wow, that's a classic. Are you enjoying it?

[Shenlon]

Re: What Are You Reading?

I am devouring terry pratchett books and just finished reading What is the what by Dave Eggers.

[RagedBerserker]

Re: What Are You Reading?

Right now I'm reading A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines... tis for school but, it's not a bad book.

[JKPolk]

Re: What Are You Reading?

I am devouring terry pratchett books and just finished reading What is the what by Dave Eggers.

Did you read Thud!? That book was hilarious.

[Shenlon]

Re: What Are You Reading?

Read Thud! Own Thud! Loved Thud!...! After reading one of his books as it was recommended to me I used up all my chapters (barnes and nobles Canadian equivalent) gift cards and bought 25 of them. I unfortunately have read them all.

[spiritking7]

Re: What Are You Reading?

Im reading this thread...

[JKPolk]

Re: What Are You Reading?

Shen what are some others you suggest? I work at a Waldenbooks until the end of April and want to make the most of my discount while I've still got it...

[Shenlon]

Re: What Are You Reading?

For the most part they were all amazing, but off hand, if I had to suggest..oh - say three, they'd be:
Small Gods - it was one of the first TP books i've ever read and it is one of my favourites.

Men at Arms - one of the books that focuses on the Watch. I tend to favour these ones and this is a particularly good one.

For the third one I will tie it between Soul Music and The Truth. Both are just as good as most others. I'd of recommended Thud! but you already beat me to it.

What you can also do is read the first couple in order. The second is almost a direct sequel of the first and are very enjoyable reads. In fact I'd probably replace the last one with those two.

The beauty about reading it in order is that you tend to enjoy the nods and references in future novels. Small Gods takes place mostly in continuum but out of the timeline and is definitely very stand-alone.

[devonin]

Re: What Are You Reading?

Dude, are you crazy? Jingo is hands down, bar none the best Terry Pratchett novel. If you want to have read Terry Pratchett, you absolutely have to had read Jingo.

Also, though it isn't -just- a Terry Pratchett novel, Good Omens by him and Neal Gaiman was spectacular.

Further, any of you who appreciate the style of humour that Terry Pratchett uses would do well to look into reading some Spider Robinson too. He's a Canadian (yay!) sci-fi writer who uses the same kind of intelligent wordplay for his humour that Pratchett does. He's written a reasonably large amount of more serious sci-fi too, but if you find any book with the name "Callahan's" in it, you've found comedy sci-fi gold. They have a chronology, but you'll quickly see from his books that he does a very good job working enough references to what has gone before into his books that you don't need to read them in order at all.

[Shenlon]

Re: What Are You Reading?

I completely forgot about Jingo! Honestly save for Small Gods I just took a quick glance at my bookshelf and took the first two that I remembered fondly.

But bar none the best TP book? I dunno about that...

And Good Omens was a great read. Have you read the Amazing Maurice? I don't know why but I also enjoyed that. Sometimes when an ending fits neatly together it resonates. But good job with the Jingo. Carpe Jugulum was also fantastic come to think of it.

[JKPolk]

Re: What Are You Reading?

Thanks guys I've got all these written down and my book-sense is tingling!

[devonin]

Re: What Are You Reading?

Hehe, I could produce sound reccomendations for easily two dozen authors in sci-fi or fantasy to fit pretty much any preference within those genres.

I haven't read the Amazing Maurice since, with the exception of Good Omens, I've pretty much stayed inside Discworld. Carpe Jugulum wasn't bad, and I did enjoy Small Gods, but I'm primarily a fan of the City Watch books (Guards! Guards!; Men At Arms; Feet of Clay; Jingo; The Fifth Elephant; The Truth; Night Watch; Monsterous Regiment; Thud!)

[Shenlon]

Re: What Are You Reading?

I couldn't easily produce that many recommendations. At least not within the confines of those genres. I barely read sci-fi or fantasy anymore. I'm more of a devout generalist, if that makes any sense.

Also the Amazing Maurice does take place in the Discword universe albeit in the most negligible manner. It's mostly a means to an end.

And I'm of the same feeling: the Watch books consistently rank among the best TP books. I can't get enough of saying TP either. Triple Penetration, Terry Pratchett... who knows what I'm referring to.

And JK - no problem.

[Redorigami]

Re: What Are You Reading?

Just finished Hero by Perry Moore and All Quiet on the Western Front by Remarque.
Currently reading Animal Farm by Orwell.