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The New Coffee Room

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  3. What are you reading now?

What are you reading now?

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  • George KG George K

    Someone, was it @LuFins-Dad ?, asked if I've read the latest of the "Bobiverse" books my Taylor. I hadn't, and though it's not as thought-provoking as Reynolds' stuff, it's a fun read. This is, like all of Taylor's stuff, Popcorn. About 10% through today, and exactly what I'd expect.

    It's good, but for popcorn, I prefer John Scalzi.

    image.jpeg

    George KG Offline
    George KG Offline
    George K
    wrote on last edited by
    #407

    @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

    "Bobiverse" books my Taylor.

    OK, I'm about 350 (out of 800) pages into this. Very VERY popcorn.

    But, I noticed something with this book that I hadn't noticed with the others.

    Remember, the premise is that that there are dozens, hundreds, or even more "clones" of "Bob" - the protagonist of the first book. Each of them is a computer-saved individual, identical in most ways to the source. Yet, each copy has a slightly different personality. Some call themselves, "Bob." Others call themselves "Bill" or "Will (Riker)". Slightly different personalities, each.

    A major sub theme of this book is that, now 20 generations out, the "copies" of "Bob" are not copies - they have individual personalities, goals and ethics.

    But, I digress...

    So, in this book, although it's all first-person, each chapter is told by a different "Bob." And...the timelines are not necessarily consecutive.

    "Reading" the book as opposed to "Listening" to the book is a totally different (and better) experience, because, although each chapter identifies the "Bob" whose perspective it is, and the date, this is the kind of stuff that gets lost, very easily, in an audio version.

    But, the popcorn's been good this weekend.

    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • kluursK Offline
      kluursK Offline
      kluurs
      wrote on last edited by
      #408

      I'm still in the middle of this one - but an excellent book discussing a wide range of issue related to some of what is happening in the world today with tribalism and the challenges of effective communication. This is on my recommended pile. It has the benefit of not being written by a journalist but rather a qualified researcher.

      6c83d8be-a555-440b-b3b8-bff9aaa02762-image.png

      1 Reply Last reply
      • George KG George K

        Someone, was it @LuFins-Dad ?, asked if I've read the latest of the "Bobiverse" books my Taylor. I hadn't, and though it's not as thought-provoking as Reynolds' stuff, it's a fun read. This is, like all of Taylor's stuff, Popcorn. About 10% through today, and exactly what I'd expect.

        It's good, but for popcorn, I prefer John Scalzi.

        image.jpeg

        George KG Offline
        George KG Offline
        George K
        wrote on last edited by George K
        #409

        @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

        Someone, was it @LuFins-Dad ?, asked if I've read the latest of the "Bobiverse" books by Taylor. I hadn't, and though it's not as thought-provoking as Reynolds' stuff, it's a fun read. This is, like all of Taylor's stuff, Popcorn. About 10% through today, and exactly what I'd expect.

        Finished this AM. A totally fun read. A good story which ends well, but leaves the door open for future adventures.

        So, today I started my re-read of "Persepolis Rising." Probably going to binge through this and the final two books.

        iu.jpeg

        "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

        The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

        George KG 1 Reply Last reply
        • George KG George K

          @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

          Someone, was it @LuFins-Dad ?, asked if I've read the latest of the "Bobiverse" books by Taylor. I hadn't, and though it's not as thought-provoking as Reynolds' stuff, it's a fun read. This is, like all of Taylor's stuff, Popcorn. About 10% through today, and exactly what I'd expect.

          Finished this AM. A totally fun read. A good story which ends well, but leaves the door open for future adventures.

          So, today I started my re-read of "Persepolis Rising." Probably going to binge through this and the final two books.

          iu.jpeg

          George KG Offline
          George KG Offline
          George K
          wrote on last edited by
          #410

          @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

          So, today I started my re-read of "Persepolis Rising."

          On re-read, it was...okay.

          It's very much a "let's set this up for the final chapter(s) of the story" type of book. It's very much like the 4th book of the series. Somewhat filled with, well, "filler" material which could have been easily omitted for the sake of the story.

          But, when you gotta write a book, you gotta write a book.

          So, I read the first half, and skimmed through the second.

          Now, the penultimate book, at least so far, is a HELL of a ride. I'm only about ⅓ of the way through, and thoroughly enjoying. I hope to finish it this week.

          alt text

          "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

          The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

          LuFins DadL 1 Reply Last reply
          • George KG George K

            @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

            So, today I started my re-read of "Persepolis Rising."

            On re-read, it was...okay.

            It's very much a "let's set this up for the final chapter(s) of the story" type of book. It's very much like the 4th book of the series. Somewhat filled with, well, "filler" material which could have been easily omitted for the sake of the story.

            But, when you gotta write a book, you gotta write a book.

            So, I read the first half, and skimmed through the second.

            Now, the penultimate book, at least so far, is a HELL of a ride. I'm only about ⅓ of the way through, and thoroughly enjoying. I hope to finish it this week.

            alt text

            LuFins DadL Offline
            LuFins DadL Offline
            LuFins Dad
            wrote on last edited by
            #411

            @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

            @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

            So, today I started my re-read of "Persepolis Rising."

            On re-read, it was...okay.

            It's very much a "let's set this up for the final chapter(s) of the story" type of book. It's very much like the 4th book of the series. Somewhat filled with, well, "filler" material which could have been easily omitted for the sake of the story.

            But, when you gotta write a book, you gotta write a book.

            So, I read the first half, and skimmed through the second.

            Now, the penultimate book, at least so far, is a HELL of a ride. I'm only about ⅓ of the way through, and thoroughly enjoying. I hope to finish it this week.

            alt text

            How did you like that opener?

            Just finished Leviathan Falls…

            The Brad

            George KG bachophileB 2 Replies Last reply
            • RenaudaR Offline
              RenaudaR Offline
              Renauda
              wrote on last edited by
              #412
              This post is deleted!
              1 Reply Last reply
              • LuFins DadL LuFins Dad

                @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

                @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

                So, today I started my re-read of "Persepolis Rising."

                On re-read, it was...okay.

                It's very much a "let's set this up for the final chapter(s) of the story" type of book. It's very much like the 4th book of the series. Somewhat filled with, well, "filler" material which could have been easily omitted for the sake of the story.

                But, when you gotta write a book, you gotta write a book.

                So, I read the first half, and skimmed through the second.

                Now, the penultimate book, at least so far, is a HELL of a ride. I'm only about ⅓ of the way through, and thoroughly enjoying. I hope to finish it this week.

                alt text

                How did you like that opener?

                Just finished Leviathan Falls…

                George KG Offline
                George KG Offline
                George K
                wrote on last edited by
                #413

                @lufins-dad said in What are you reading now?:

                How did you like that opener?

                Yah. All that phoniness from Duarte seeping through into Holden's psyche.

                Very good. It's much MUCH better than the previous book.

                "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                1 Reply Last reply
                • LuFins DadL LuFins Dad

                  @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

                  @george-k said in What are you reading now?:

                  So, today I started my re-read of "Persepolis Rising."

                  On re-read, it was...okay.

                  It's very much a "let's set this up for the final chapter(s) of the story" type of book. It's very much like the 4th book of the series. Somewhat filled with, well, "filler" material which could have been easily omitted for the sake of the story.

                  But, when you gotta write a book, you gotta write a book.

                  So, I read the first half, and skimmed through the second.

                  Now, the penultimate book, at least so far, is a HELL of a ride. I'm only about ⅓ of the way through, and thoroughly enjoying. I hope to finish it this week.

                  alt text

                  How did you like that opener?

                  Just finished Leviathan Falls…

                  bachophileB Offline
                  bachophileB Offline
                  bachophile
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #414

                  I’m finishing up nemesis games (expanse #5)

                  Taking me forever because I reading other things concurrently.

                  One question, I haven’t quite figured out how the titles of the books have anything to do with the plot lines.

                  George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                  • bachophileB bachophile

                    I’m finishing up nemesis games (expanse #5)

                    Taking me forever because I reading other things concurrently.

                    One question, I haven’t quite figured out how the titles of the books have anything to do with the plot lines.

                    George KG Offline
                    George KG Offline
                    George K
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #415

                    @bachophile said in What are you reading now?:

                    I haven’t quite figured out how the titles of the books have anything to do with the plot lines.

                    Well,

                    https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/216897/what-do-the-novel-titles-of-the-expanse-series-refer-to

                    1. Leviathan Wakes

                    The Leviathan is a sea monster in Judaism, most well known from its appearance in the Book of Job.

                    The title refers to the waking of the long-dormant protomolecule from Phoebe, moon of Saturn.

                    1. Caliban's War

                    Caliban is a half human, half monster character from Shakespeare's play The Tempest.

                    The title refers to the project which created hybrid human-protomolecule soldiers and the war fought with and over them.

                    1. Abaddon's Gate

                    Abaddon is a Hebrew name for the abyss or pit of destruction, as well as an angel personifying the same.

                    The title refers, I think, to the characters passing through the protomolecule's gate and the rapid forced braking they experience and the destruction that follows.

                    1. Cibola Burn

                    The Zuni-Cibola Complex is an archeological site in New Mexico. It was believed by the Spanish to be one of the Seven Cities of Gold.

                    The title refers to Ilus, a planet settled by both Belter refugees and a mining company from Earth, who both wanted to mine the planet for its valuable lithium. It may also refer to the ancient buildings they find on the planet.

                    1. Nemesis Games

                    Nemesis is a Greek goddess who enacts retribution against the arrogant.

                    The title refers to Marco Inaros and his Belter "Free Navy" who attack the Earth.

                    1. Babylon's Ashes

                    Babylon was the capital city of the Babylonian Empire. In Jewish and Christian symbolism it stood for the corrupt world, evil, and eventually the Roman Empire.

                    The title probably refers to the continuing recovery efforts of Earth after Marco's attack, although most book readers would be more likely to sympathise with the Earth's survivors. The title may also be a clue of the Laconian Empire's overtaking of Earth in the next book.

                    1. Persepolis Rising

                    Persepolis was the capital of the Persian Empire.

                    The title refers to the reemergence of the hidden Laconian Empire which, just as the Persian Empire had conquered the Babylonian Empire, then conquered the "Babylon" of Earth, Mars, and all the other inhabited systems.

                    1. Tiamat's Wrath

                    Tiamat is the Babylonian goddess of the sea and chaos.

                    The title refers the unknown alien race which had previously defeated the protomolecule's "Ring Builders" race and is now attacking Humanity (or arguably defending itself), by a variety of means including scrambling the physical parts of humans, causing system-wide consciousness breaks, and destroying everything in the Slow Zone.

                    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • bachophileB Offline
                      bachophileB Offline
                      bachophile
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #416

                      Well that was obvious

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      • HoraceH Offline
                        HoraceH Offline
                        Horace
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #417

                        alt text

                        Finished this one last night. No new insights for me contained there, but the culture is in desperate need of this book. Unfortunately the woke are not educable in any idea that might go against the social grain, so they are hopeless emotional robots in any case.

                        I appreciated that Mr McWhorter identified the push for four year college educations for all as the second most important populist cultural idea that needs to be broken. I've identified that same idea as our culture's second dumbest. Great minds and all that.

                        Education is extremely important.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        • Doctor PhibesD Offline
                          Doctor PhibesD Offline
                          Doctor Phibes
                          wrote on last edited by Doctor Phibes
                          #418

                          alt text

                          There's a massive knob living across the street, but this book hasn't helped at all.

                          I was only joking

                          George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                          • Doctor PhibesD Doctor Phibes

                            alt text

                            There's a massive knob living across the street, but this book hasn't helped at all.

                            George KG Offline
                            George KG Offline
                            George K
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #419

                            @doctor-phibes I thought the author was Hugh Jardon.

                            My bad.

                            "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                            The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • George KG Offline
                              George KG Offline
                              George K
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #420

                              As I said, I decided to binge through the last 3 books of the Expanse series.

                              Finished "Leviathan Falls" this afternoon. What a great ride it's been. The ending of the story is satisfying and complete, while still leaving the door open for more stories. All of the characters have an appropriate ending, especially the "Last Man Standing."

                              Just loved the scope and scale of the story.

                              THere's no doubt that, if you just wanted to tell "The Story," much could have been omitted, and rather than taking 9 books, 3-4 would have been sufficient. Get rid of the "Prax" stories, for example. Though enjoyable, they really don't move the story forward other than expanding on the horrors of Strickland's research.

                              It could have been leaner if all you wanted to do is tell the story. But, they were building a universe, and it worked. Very satisfied.

                              "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                              The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              • taiwan_girlT Online
                                taiwan_girlT Online
                                taiwan_girl
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #421

                                I am almost finished with the following book:

                                alt text

                                I wasn't really familiar with this story. Quite interesting. About a unknown young Malaysian guy who was able to get the Malaysian government to set up a soveriegn fund which he controlled and ultimately stole most of the money (hundreds and hundreds of millions of USD). I did do a search and it appears that he is hiding out in China (probably Macau).

                                @jon-nyc Have you heard of this case? It seems like it was quite easy for it to happen. Greed on the part of the investment banks, private bankers etc.

                                @Axtremus The book gives a pretty bad picture of corruption and politics in Malaysia. I dont know much about government affairs in Malaysia and was wondering if you feel corruption is pretty common there?

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                • George KG Offline
                                  George KG Offline
                                  George K
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #422

                                  I read this a long time ago.

                                  I thought it might be nice to revisit.

                                  alt text

                                  "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                  The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  • MikM Offline
                                    MikM Offline
                                    Mik
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #423

                                    That's the story he supposedly sold to the movies that bought his house.

                                    “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    • LarryL Offline
                                      LarryL Offline
                                      Larry
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #424

                                      image001.jpg

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      • Aqua LetiferA Offline
                                        Aqua LetiferA Offline
                                        Aqua Letifer
                                        wrote on last edited by Aqua Letifer
                                        #425

                                        4E5E9B5F-E7D2-4D7E-BD15-40AF8B22AE0B.jpeg

                                        @George-K : listened to this just last night, all in one go. My wife and I listened to it in the car on the way up to see my in-laws. The book ended just as we pulled into the driveway.

                                        (By the way, this is the second Scalzi book we've done this with. We started Redshirts on the way up to New Hampshire. Listened to it all in one go, got done right when we pulled into the parking lot.)

                                        Anyway, this series rocks. Please have Quinto play Tony in the TV series. This SO NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

                                        Please love yourself.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        • George KG Offline
                                          George KG Offline
                                          George K
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #426

                                          Wasn't it great?

                                          "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                          The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                          Aqua LetiferA 1 Reply Last reply
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