UKBouldering.com

Books... (Read 514547 times)

jwi

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 4219
  • Karma: +331/-1
    • On Steep Ground
#1925 Re: Books...
February 06, 2023, 02:49:02 pm
Reamde also had a subtext that bothered me greatly and made it hard to enjoy. Every single non-american figure had a personality that was extremely stereotypical for their ethnicity. Only americans could have inherent personalities, to be good or bad, smart or dumb, or tall or short, independent of their nationality. All Russians where prone to violence and drank a lot, all Chinese characters were logical and untrustworthy etc.

Maybe this is a genre convention in the 'International spy thriller' genre. I would not know as I have not read much in that genre, except le Carré which I found excellent.

I would not have finished Reamde if it was not the only book I brought to the refugio.

owensum

Offline
  • **
  • player
  • Posts: 98
  • Karma: +7/-0
#1926 Re: Books...
February 06, 2023, 05:29:58 pm
Just finished Neal Stevenson's "Anathem" was bloody brilliant tbh, so inventive and complex, I loved it. Was definitely for niche tastes though

It is probably the Stephenson novel I've liked best, of those I've read.

The only thing that I found irritating was that the intellectuals who were separated from society believed in the absolute garbage pseudo-science of eugenics. I realise that is likely because Neal Stephenson do so himself, but it was jarring to read the narrator explain to the reader that the avout were not allowed to have kids because it would create a race of übermench—no one with good biology fundamentals would believe such utter nonsense, and the protagonists seemed good at plant breeding.

Funny, Im 80% through this right now as it happens. Love the concept, heavily influenced by A Canticle for Leibowitz. Not so keen on his writing though. Too many characters, can barely distinguish them. The "lets have a contrived socratic dialogue which functions as exposition of the main themes in the story" device is heavily over used, but is slightly excused by the fact that the characters are all nerdy monks.

The clock idea is cool. It's based on Brian Eno's The Clock of the Long Now (https://longnow.org/clock/) project.

As for Penrose's ideas on consciousness, you dont need to read his very long book to understand it, just look for an essay online. They've actually done some experiments to see if they can find evidence for it recently. No luck, but doesn't mean it's wrong. His general idea is that collapsing wavefunctions cause conscious experience. He has no evidence for this other than his intuition and the existence of microtubules in the brain (which was brought to light after penrose wrote his book). I think in a century or so we will end up seeing that everything, including consciousness, is underpinned by quantum mechanics.

jwi

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 4219
  • Karma: +331/-1
    • On Steep Ground
#1927 Re: Books...
February 06, 2023, 06:22:09 pm
I'm familiar with Penrose's computational theories of human intelligence. I think they are a bit meh. Anathem is probably better. But equally verbose.

jwi

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 4219
  • Karma: +331/-1
    • On Steep Ground
#1928 Re: Books...
February 20, 2023, 08:49:31 am
About Moby Dick (and Ghostbusters™) https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/the-most-american-movie

Will Hunt

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Superworm is super-long
  • Posts: 7976
  • Karma: +631/-115
    • Unknown Stones
#1929 Re: Books...
March 17, 2023, 10:53:54 am
Perdido Street Station.
Having read The City and The City I assumed from the name that this would be a cop mystery set around a police station on Perdido Street. I was very wrong.

If you like Discworld novels then this one is for you. New Crobuzon is a darker Ankh-Morpork and the story is more horrific, visceral, dreadful.

I'd recommend reading on a Kindle because China Mieville uses a very good thesaurus throughout and it's useful to be able to long-press a word and get a quick definition.

Dingdong

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 564
  • Karma: +40/-9
#1930 Re: Books...
March 17, 2023, 01:43:08 pm
Finished Flowers for Algernon the other day. The short story, not the full novel. 30 odd pages but a very powerful and beautiful short story and worth a read.

Duma

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5751
  • Karma: +226/-4
#1931 Re: Books...
March 18, 2023, 03:02:10 pm
Perdido Street Station.
I'd recommend reading on a Kindle because China Mieville uses a very good thesaurus throughout and it's useful to be able to long-press a word and get a quick definition.
Other ereaders are available - my Kobo does this too

Will Hunt

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Superworm is super-long
  • Posts: 7976
  • Karma: +631/-115
    • Unknown Stones
#1932 Re: Books...
March 18, 2023, 08:21:58 pm
Perdido Street Station.
I'd recommend reading on a Kindle because China Mieville uses a very good thesaurus throughout and it's useful to be able to long-press a word and get a quick definition.
Other ereaders are available - my Kobo does this too

Right you are, I'm afraid I was using the word Kindle in the same way that people say Hoover or Sellotape.

teestub

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 2574
  • Karma: +166/-4
  • Cyber Wanker
#1933 Re: Books...
March 18, 2023, 08:54:45 pm

Wellsy

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1405
  • Karma: +102/-8
#1934 Re: Books...
April 21, 2023, 09:45:51 am
Finally got around to reading Alasdair Reynolds' Revelation Space

Really really good. If you like sci-fi I'd say it's 100% worth a read, and if you don't it's good enough to give a crack at.

owensum

Offline
  • **
  • player
  • Posts: 98
  • Karma: +7/-0
#1935 Re: Books...
May 22, 2023, 04:29:11 pm
The short story Zima Blue by Reynolds is also worth tracking down (a much simplified version features in Netflix's Love Death & robots). Up there with the best of Ted Chiang's stories (the 9A of sci fi short fiction).

M John Harrison interview this weekend in the Gruniad:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/may/20/m-john-harrison-i-want-to-be-the-first-human-to-imitate-chatgpt-wish-i-was-here

His "anti memoir" is out soon, I'll definitely be reading it.

Fiend

Offline
  • *
  • _
  • forum hero
  • Abominable sex magick practitioner and climbing heathen
  • Posts: 13413
  • Karma: +676/-67
  • Whut
#1936 Re: Books...
May 22, 2023, 09:52:55 pm
Finally got around to reading Alasdair Reynolds' Revelation Space

Really really good. If you like sci-fi I'd say it's 100% worth a read, and if you don't it's good enough to give a crack at.

About bloody time!!

Great author, his early stuff really reinvigorated modern sci-fi!

Fiend

Offline
  • *
  • _
  • forum hero
  • Abominable sex magick practitioner and climbing heathen
  • Posts: 13413
  • Karma: +676/-67
  • Whut
#1937 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 11:29:45 am
Hello can someone please recommend me some new-ish interesting sci-fi / fantasy / unreal stuff, available on Kobo??

Last things I've enjoyed: The Anomaly Quartet, The Teixcalaan Duology, Piranesi. I like stuff that's a bit more quirky and creative than the usual cliches, and preferably with clear crisp writing. Ta!

Wellsy

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1405
  • Karma: +102/-8
#1938 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 12:35:11 pm
Have you read The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi? If not it's definitely worth it, a banger

jwi

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 4219
  • Karma: +331/-1
    • On Steep Ground
#1939 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 01:33:37 pm
Becky Chambers's Monk and Robot books perhaps? A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy are slightly left-field feel-good novellas.

If you liked the Teixcalaan books, Arkady Martine's Rose/House seems pretty good so far. Full report later.

I realised that I only recommended novellas, but at least they are all available on Kobo (in France at least).

Will Hunt

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Superworm is super-long
  • Posts: 7976
  • Karma: +631/-115
    • Unknown Stones
#1940 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 01:34:38 pm
Hello can someone please recommend me some new-ish interesting sci-fi / fantasy / unreal stuff, available on Kobo??

Last things I've enjoyed: The Anomaly Quartet, The Teixcalaan Duology, Piranesi. I like stuff that's a bit more quirky and creative than the usual cliches, and preferably with clear crisp writing. Ta!

Perdido Street Station. No idea if that's on Kobo.

Johnny Brown

Online
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 11437
  • Karma: +690/-22
#1941 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 02:06:25 pm
Been an interesting year, with three good friends publishing books. Grit Blocs you'll all have, obvs, Caff's book I've not got yet, but somehow slipping under the radar on here is this:

The way the day breaks, David Roberts.
Dave is a ukb member, previously best known for an amusing attempt on Quent's dyno. This is his first novel, following a west yorkshire family in the 1980's through various perspectives, particularly that of the youngest son. I hesitate to add too much to the already enthusiastic mainstream reviews - 'Brilliant' - Literary review , 'Very funny' - TLS, but this is wonderful book that will stay with you. I'm not a big fiction reader, especially not 'experimental' which this veers towards, but I really enjoyed it and will be rereading soon. Highly recommended.


Duma

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5751
  • Karma: +226/-4
#1942 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 02:16:12 pm
Hello can someone please recommend me some new-ish interesting sci-fi / fantasy / unreal stuff, available on Kobo??

Last things I've enjoyed: The Anomaly Quartet, The Teixcalaan Duology, Piranesi. I like stuff that's a bit more quirky and creative than the usual cliches, and preferably with clear crisp writing. Ta!

Perdido Street Station. No idea if that's on Kobo.

It is and it's excellent

Duma

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5751
  • Karma: +226/-4
#1943 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 02:42:05 pm
I'm currently enjoying Beyond the Burn Line by Paul J McAuley

remus

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 2857
  • Karma: +146/-1
#1944 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 02:54:04 pm
The way the day breaks, David Roberts.
Dave is a ukb member, previously best known for an amusing attempt on Quent's dyno. This is his first novel, following a west yorkshire family in the 1980's through various perspectives, particularly that of the youngest son. I hesitate to add too much to the already enthusiastic mainstream reviews - 'Brilliant' - Literary review , 'Very funny' - TLS, but this is wonderful book that will stay with you. I'm not a big fiction reader, especially not 'experimental' which this veers towards, but I really enjoyed it and will be rereading soon. Highly recommended.

Thanks for the reminder and the review JB, I'd heard his book was out but it'd slipped my mind to pick it up. Now on the kindle ready and waiting to go.

Will Hunt

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Superworm is super-long
  • Posts: 7976
  • Karma: +631/-115
    • Unknown Stones
#1945 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 03:09:42 pm
Shit! I forgot Flames by Robbie Arnot. Absolutely brilliant and not long so not a committing read.

slab_happy

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1088
  • Karma: +141/-1
#1946 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 06:24:51 pm
Hello can someone please recommend me some new-ish interesting sci-fi / fantasy / unreal stuff, available on Kobo??

Last things I've enjoyed: The Anomaly Quartet, The Teixcalaan Duology, Piranesi. I like stuff that's a bit more quirky and creative than the usual cliches, and preferably with clear crisp writing. Ta!

It's from a few years back, but Yoon Ha Lee's Ninefox Gambit (and sequels)? Twisty dark maths-is-magic space opera about empire and consensus reality.

Also, because I was thinking of mentioning this anyway: might be worth taking a second look at the Locked Tomb Series (Gideon the Ninth etc.) -- as the series has continued, there's a lot of deeper and more complicated and unexpected stuff that turns out to be going on under the gonzo, terminally-online, "everyone talks like they're on Tumblr in 2010" surface.

(For starters, there's a reason why everyone in what you initially assume is the very far future talks in language derived from the contemporary internet.)

Tamsyn Muir's part of the same cluster of young writers as Arkady Martine, so if Teixcalaan worked for you, could be worth considering.

cheque

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 3389
  • Karma: +522/-2
    • Cheque Pictures
#1947 Re: Books...
June 22, 2023, 11:13:21 pm
Dave is a ukb member, previously best known for an amusing attempt on Quent's dyno.

I hope this is an excerpt from the back flap author blurb.


slab_happy

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1088
  • Karma: +141/-1
#1948 Re: Books...
June 23, 2023, 07:35:57 am
Hello can someone please recommend me some new-ish interesting sci-fi / fantasy / unreal stuff, available on Kobo??

Last things I've enjoyed: The Anomaly Quartet, The Teixcalaan Duology, Piranesi. I like stuff that's a bit more quirky and creative than the usual cliches, and preferably with clear crisp writing. Ta!

It's from a few years back, but Yoon Ha Lee's Ninefox Gambit (and sequels)? Twisty dark maths-is-magic space opera about empire and consensus reality.

Also, because I was thinking of mentioning this anyway: might be worth taking a second look at the Locked Tomb Series (Gideon the Ninth etc.) -- as the series has continued, there's a lot of deeper and more complicated and unexpected stuff that turns out to be going on under the gonzo, terminally-online, "everyone talks like they're on Tumblr in 2010" surface.

(For starters, there's a reason why everyone in what you initially assume is the very far future talks in language derived from the contemporary internet.)

Tamsyn Muir's part of the same cluster of young writers as Arkady Martine, so if Teixcalaan worked for you, could be worth considering.

P.S. Muir's is still obviously a very Marmite style, so fair enough if you bounce off, but I figured it might be worth knowing that it's got more going on than you might think.

Fiend

Offline
  • *
  • _
  • forum hero
  • Abominable sex magick practitioner and climbing heathen
  • Posts: 13413
  • Karma: +676/-67
  • Whut
#1949 Re: Books...
June 23, 2023, 10:34:31 am
Perdido Street Station - yes was great when I read it whilst travelling in New Zealand in 2002, so much so it actually distracted me from climbing at Payne's Ford!

Quantum Thief - yup read that and the sequels, good stuff.

Becky Chambers - I've read and enjoyed her Wayfarer series. Not really into novellas but might check out Rose/House

Beyond The Burn Line - will check that out.

Ninefox Gambit - yup read that and the sequels, good stuff.

The lesbian space vampires thing.....jeeez.....the synopsis still makes me itchy with distaste for the style BUT maybe I will try it  :blink:

 

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal