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The New Coffee Room

  1. TNCR
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  3. What are you reading now?

What are you reading now?

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  • George KG George K

    More pulp....

    alt text

    Reynolds has written a huge saga based on the "Revelation Space" universe. I've not read any of them, but they look intriguing. This book consists of two short stories, "The Great Wall of Mars" and "Glacial." Though not written first, they are chronologically first in the tale.

    Thought I'd give it a shot.

    The first story was great. Nice, self-contained introduction into the rest of the saga. Looking forward to the others.

    George KG Offline
    George KG Offline
    George K
    wrote on last edited by
    #151

    @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

    Reynolds has written a huge saga based on the "Revelation Space" universe. I've not read any of them, but they look intriguing. This book consists of two short stories, "The Great Wall of Mars" and "Glacial." Though not written first, they are chronologically first in the tale.

    Great, hard, HARD, sci-fi.

    I've read the first four short stories/novellas in the "Revalation Space" universe.

    "Great Wall of Mars" sets up the universe with the background of the "Conjoiners." The next three stories expand on the premise.

    One of the reasons I decided to go chronologically rather than in order of publication is that some of the characters that appear in later novels are introduced in the short stories/novellas.

    Each is about 90 minutes or so, and are really fun.

    Gonna take a break from this and dive into the next of the "Dune" prequels: The Machine Crusade.

    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.

    George KG 1 Reply Last reply
    • George KG George K

      alt text

      A nice, fun, 45-minute listen.

      jon-nycJ Offline
      jon-nycJ Offline
      jon-nyc
      wrote on last edited by
      #152

      @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

      alt text

      When did he write that? Seems like a reference to Tweety.

      Only non-witches get due process.

      • Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
      George KG 1 Reply Last reply
      • jon-nycJ jon-nyc

        @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

        alt text

        When did he write that? Seems like a reference to Tweety.

        George KG Offline
        George KG Offline
        George K
        wrote on last edited by George K
        #153

        @jon-nyc said in What are you reading now?:

        When did he write that? Seems like a reference to Tweety.

        In 2010. Pick your POTUS.

        "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.

        jon-nycJ 1 Reply Last reply
        • CopperC Offline
          CopperC Offline
          Copper
          wrote on last edited by
          #154

          ![alt text](5b9f88fc-58ac-4ef8-8aca-9c1e0b6624db-image.png image url)

          1 Reply Last reply
          • George KG George K

            @jon-nyc said in What are you reading now?:

            When did he write that? Seems like a reference to Tweety.

            In 2010. Pick your POTUS.

            jon-nycJ Offline
            jon-nycJ Offline
            jon-nyc
            wrote on last edited by
            #155

            @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

            @jon-nyc said in What are you reading now?:

            When did he write that? Seems like a reference to Tweety.

            In 2010. Pick your POTUS.

            Yeah but the bird cage in particular.

            Only non-witches get due process.

            • Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
            1 Reply Last reply
            • bachophileB Offline
              bachophileB Offline
              bachophile
              wrote on last edited by bachophile
              #156

              F336D4B4-485D-4DC6-850C-901DACF3C811.jpeg

              Just finished this, deeply painful romance, good also if u r interested in WWI historical fiction with a lot of WWI medical history. But in the end, a love story. By the author of the piano tuner, which I also enjoyed.

              B0EEC49D-B3BA-415F-B0AE-77989543DA92.jpeg

              Now just starting this

              1 Reply Last reply
              • George KG George K

                @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

                Reynolds has written a huge saga based on the "Revelation Space" universe. I've not read any of them, but they look intriguing. This book consists of two short stories, "The Great Wall of Mars" and "Glacial." Though not written first, they are chronologically first in the tale.

                Great, hard, HARD, sci-fi.

                I've read the first four short stories/novellas in the "Revalation Space" universe.

                "Great Wall of Mars" sets up the universe with the background of the "Conjoiners." The next three stories expand on the premise.

                One of the reasons I decided to go chronologically rather than in order of publication is that some of the characters that appear in later novels are introduced in the short stories/novellas.

                Each is about 90 minutes or so, and are really fun.

                Gonna take a break from this and dive into the next of the "Dune" prequels: The Machine Crusade.

                alt text

                George KG Offline
                George KG Offline
                George K
                wrote on last edited by George K
                #157

                @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

                Gonna take a break from this and dive into the next of the "Dune" prequels: The Machine Crusade.

                Finishing this up (hope to be done tomorrow).

                It's a great tale, and a worthy sequel to "The Butlerian Jihad." I know it'll leave a lot of things unresolved until the final book of the trilogy, but I've enjoyed it.

                There are some flaws (some disposable characters that waste a lot of space - introduced and then gone), but it picks up nicely from the first book.

                When I dove into this, I found it fascinating that Xavier Harkonnen is such a hero. I can't wait to find out what the story about the Harkonnen/Atreides feud is all about.

                If you haven't read "Dune," it might be a bit of a heavy lift, because there are so many points at which you go "Oh! Yeah! That explains what happened there...." But as a standalone, it does have its merits, particularly when joined with the first book. Looking forward to #3.

                "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 Offline
                  George KG Offline
                  George K
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #158

                  Good story, but very much a place holder for the last part of the trilogy.

                  Gonna take a Dune break and dive into Revelation Space (Alistair Reynolds). I did the first stories of this universe (short stories, all) and liked what he's setting up.

                  I'm going to go chronological, not in terms of publication, but in terms of the story.

                  So, up next:

                  alt text

                  Tom Dreyfus is a Prefect, a law enforcement officer with the Panoply. His beat is the multifaceted utopian society of the Glitter Band, that vast swirl of space habitats orbiting the planet Yellowstone, the teeming hub of a human interstellar empire spanning many worlds. His current case: investigating a murderous attack against one of the habitats that left 900 people dead, a crime that appalls even a hardened cop like Dreyfus. But then his investigation uncovers something far more serious than mass slaughter---a covert plot by an enigmatic entity who seeks nothing less than total control of the Glitter Band. Before long, the Panoply detectives are fighting against something worse than tyranny, in a struggle that will lead to more devastation and more death. And Dreyfus will discover that to save what is precious, you may have to destroy it.

                  "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 2 Replies Last reply
                  • Catseye3C Offline
                    Catseye3C Offline
                    Catseye3
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #159

                    For Mik --

                    Wine Girl: The Trials and Triumphs of America's Youngest Sommelier

                    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TF91YMC?_bbid=17064396&tag=bookbubemail12-20

                    Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • George KG George K

                      @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

                      Gonna take a break from this and dive into the next of the "Dune" prequels: The Machine Crusade.

                      Finishing this up (hope to be done tomorrow).

                      It's a great tale, and a worthy sequel to "The Butlerian Jihad." I know it'll leave a lot of things unresolved until the final book of the trilogy, but I've enjoyed it.

                      There are some flaws (some disposable characters that waste a lot of space - introduced and then gone), but it picks up nicely from the first book.

                      When I dove into this, I found it fascinating that Xavier Harkonnen is such a hero. I can't wait to find out what the story about the Harkonnen/Atreides feud is all about.

                      If you haven't read "Dune," it might be a bit of a heavy lift, because there are so many points at which you go "Oh! Yeah! That explains what happened there...." But as a standalone, it does have its merits, particularly when joined with the first book. Looking forward to #3.

                      LuFins DadL Offline
                      LuFins DadL Offline
                      LuFins Dad
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #160

                      @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

                      @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

                      Gonna take a break from this and dive into the next of the "Dune" prequels: The Machine Crusade.

                      Finishing this up (hope to be done tomorrow).

                      It's a great tale, and a worthy sequel to "The Butlerian Jihad." I know it'll leave a lot of things unresolved until the final book of the trilogy, but I've enjoyed it.

                      There are some flaws (some disposable characters that waste a lot of space - introduced and then gone), but it picks up nicely from the first book.

                      When I dove into this, I found it fascinating that Xavier Harkonnen is such a hero. I can't wait to find out what the story about the Harkonnen/Atreides feud is all about.

                      If you haven't read "Dune," it might be a bit of a heavy lift, because there are so many points at which you go "Oh! Yeah! That explains what happened there...." But as a standalone, it does have its merits, particularly when joined with the first book. Looking forward to #3.

                      Yeah, the Harkonnen/Atreides story is definitely interesting. I also enjoyed the Norma development...

                      The Brad

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      • George KG George K

                        Good story, but very much a place holder for the last part of the trilogy.

                        Gonna take a Dune break and dive into Revelation Space (Alistair Reynolds). I did the first stories of this universe (short stories, all) and liked what he's setting up.

                        I'm going to go chronological, not in terms of publication, but in terms of the story.

                        So, up next:

                        alt text

                        Tom Dreyfus is a Prefect, a law enforcement officer with the Panoply. His beat is the multifaceted utopian society of the Glitter Band, that vast swirl of space habitats orbiting the planet Yellowstone, the teeming hub of a human interstellar empire spanning many worlds. His current case: investigating a murderous attack against one of the habitats that left 900 people dead, a crime that appalls even a hardened cop like Dreyfus. But then his investigation uncovers something far more serious than mass slaughter---a covert plot by an enigmatic entity who seeks nothing less than total control of the Glitter Band. Before long, the Panoply detectives are fighting against something worse than tyranny, in a struggle that will lead to more devastation and more death. And Dreyfus will discover that to save what is precious, you may have to destroy it.

                        George KG Offline
                        George KG Offline
                        George K
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #161

                        @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

                        alt text

                        Great tale. Wonderful world-building that expands on the short stories that I read before. Long and intricate, without being confusing.

                        I'm going to go thru the "Revelation Space" universe in chronological (not published) order. The short stories and novellas have given enough background to make it understandable.

                        But...up next, to finish the trilogy:

                        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.

                        George KG 2 Replies Last reply
                        • Frank_WF Offline
                          Frank_WF Offline
                          Frank_W
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #162

                          alt text

                          https://tentaclesandwich.blogspot.com

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • George KG George K

                            @George-K said in What are you reading now?:

                            alt text

                            Great tale. Wonderful world-building that expands on the short stories that I read before. Long and intricate, without being confusing.

                            I'm going to go thru the "Revelation Space" universe in chronological (not published) order. The short stories and novellas have given enough background to make it understandable.

                            But...up next, to finish the trilogy:

                            alt text

                            George KG Offline
                            George KG Offline
                            George K
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #163

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

                            alt text

                            Finally, FINALLY, finished this.

                            Great tale which, considering the source material ("Dune") set thousands of years in the future from this story, does a great job of setting the foundation of so much of what becomes canon in "Dune."

                            The Mentats
                            The Bene Gesiret (though not named as such)
                            The Atreides / Harkonnen feud
                            The "are you a human" concept.
                            The origin of the "Freemen," Fremen of Arrakis.
                            The origin of House Corrino.

                            Thoroughly enjoyed the trilogy, though the ending seemed a bit rushed in the last 100 pages.

                            A good, rollicking sci-fi tale.

                            If you're up to a commitment, read the whole trilogy. It's fun. At my age, I enjoy popcorn.

                            "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?:

                              alt text

                              Finally, FINALLY, finished this.

                              Great tale which, considering the source material ("Dune") set thousands of years in the future from this story, does a great job of setting the foundation of so much of what becomes canon in "Dune."

                              The Mentats
                              The Bene Gesiret (though not named as such)
                              The Atreides / Harkonnen feud
                              The "are you a human" concept.
                              The origin of the "Freemen," Fremen of Arrakis.
                              The origin of House Corrino.

                              Thoroughly enjoyed the trilogy, though the ending seemed a bit rushed in the last 100 pages.

                              A good, rollicking sci-fi tale.

                              If you're up to a commitment, read the whole trilogy. It's fun. At my age, I enjoy popcorn.

                              LuFins DadL Offline
                              LuFins DadL Offline
                              LuFins Dad
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #164

                              @george-k I will second that.

                              The Brad

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              • bachophileB Offline
                                bachophileB Offline
                                bachophile
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #165

                                I dont know why but I’ve restarted the expanse series.

                                I read leviathan wakes a number of years ago, didn’t continue in the series and sort of forgot about it.

                                But on a lark I decided I want to read the whole shebang. So I restarted leviathan wakes. And I’m surprised i didn’t pick up earlier how well written it is.

                                So I’m at the start of what I guess will be the long haul.

                                Not sure if I want to squander the enjoyment by starting to watch the video series, because I’m still a firm believer in “the book is better than the movie” and although I’ve read the accolades here on the vid version, I still think I prefer to tackle it via the books.

                                It will take a while because of late I’ve found myself always distracted from reading by skimming Twitter, FB, and of course here, which always eats into my reading time and often nod off before getting back to the book. But I’m giving it the old college try.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                • jon-nycJ Offline
                                  jon-nycJ Offline
                                  jon-nyc
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #166

                                  32AB6E0E-3C16-47CB-B70F-00C8F0F30970.jpeg

                                  Only non-witches get due process.

                                  • Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
                                  LuFins DadL 1 Reply Last reply
                                  • jon-nycJ jon-nyc

                                    32AB6E0E-3C16-47CB-B70F-00C8F0F30970.jpeg

                                    LuFins DadL Offline
                                    LuFins DadL Offline
                                    LuFins Dad
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #167

                                    @jon-nyc said in What are you reading now?:

                                    32AB6E0E-3C16-47CB-B70F-00C8F0F30970.jpeg

                                    Should photoshop Christie and Bernie behind him.

                                    The Brad

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    • taiwan_girlT Offline
                                      taiwan_girlT Offline
                                      taiwan_girl
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #168

                                      With all that has been happening in 2020, I am reviewing/re-reading a couple of old books. One covers the Great Plague of London in 1665 and the other talks about the Black Death. Both are kind of "academic style", which makes them a bit boring, especially The Black Death book. Too much "in town X, these are the statistics of who died, who lived, etc" For me, not enough background and making the people and times seem "alive.

                                      IMG_4677 copy.jpg

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      • X Offline
                                        X Offline
                                        xenon
                                        wrote on last edited by xenon
                                        #169

                                        Anyone read the "Broken Earth" trilogy? Someone just gave it to me, but it's a fair bit of pages.

                                        Curious if I should queue it up next or put it on the backburner.

                                        Also - as far as fantasy trilogies go, has Rothfuss said anything about Doors of Stone yet?

                                        Aqua LetiferA 1 Reply Last reply
                                        • X xenon

                                          Anyone read the "Broken Earth" trilogy? Someone just gave it to me, but it's a fair bit of pages.

                                          Curious if I should queue it up next or put it on the backburner.

                                          Also - as far as fantasy trilogies go, has Rothfuss said anything about Doors of Stone yet?

                                          Aqua LetiferA Offline
                                          Aqua LetiferA Offline
                                          Aqua Letifer
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #170

                                          @xenon said in What are you reading now?:

                                          Also - as far as fantasy trilogies go, has Rothfuss said anything about Doors of Stone yet?

                                          It's somewhere between "I know what the story will be" and on the bookshelves, last I heard.

                                          Please love yourself.

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