Jon's comments
(member since Mar 31, 2009)
Jon's comments from the Beyond Reality group.
(showing 1-20 of 142)
Janny wrote: "McKiernan's SF book, Caverns of Socrates, which I thought numbered among his best ever"I've not tried his SF novel. City of Jade hasn't grabbed my attention yet, but I'm not very far into. I'll have some time over the holiday to finish it and I'll let you know what I think. I loved Voyage of the Fox Rider and The Eye of the Hunter.
I finished The Hobbit yesterday. It was wonderful to return to a more innocent Middle Earth. I started Ethan of Athos yesterday afternoon and it is proving to be a very quick read.
In planning for my trip to Texas this week, I'll take my three library books - City of Jade, Blindsight and the second Imager novel. I'll throw in a couple more paperbacks and maybe an audio book or two (for the long drive to Denton/Plano).
Beyond Reality is quickly becoming my favorite group here at GoodReads. Group hug to all of you!
I agree Kathi. It's like that old joke I hear often:
What do you call a musician without a girlfriend?
Homeless.
Photography. Both my dad and uncle are amateur photographers. And their father was an Army (WW II) and Air Force photo recon officer. I enjoy photography, just don't have the budget to afford the "real" cameras and lenses. Reading I inherited from my mother, who now works for a library.
Finished The Gathering Storm (my review) last night. I'm picking Blindsight back up and will start a re-read of The Hobbit this week as well.
I received The Affinity Bridge via BookMooch today in the mail. I also picked up a copy of The Hobbit Or There and Back Again at a used book store because it was in better shape than my three decades old edition. Also snagged A Sorcerer's Treason by Sarah Zettel and Song of the Beast by Carol Berg at the same time. But what's really got my attention right now, is the signed/numbered copy of The Gathering Storm I received in the mail a couple of days ago. :)
Got a tweet from TOR books that TGS made #1 on the NY Times Best Sellers list: The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan & @BrandonSandrson is a #1 New York Times bestseller! Congrats Brandon & Team Jordan! #TGS #WoT
I've noticed that as well. I miss the arrogance, the condescension, the undecision, the undercurrent ... but I'm still in the Prologue. Perhaps it will get easier as I read on.
Ken wrote: "The Gathering StormBeen waiting for this for a while, 2 reasons, see how Sanderson handles himself and gett some closure."
Started reading TGS this evening. :)
I've only read a dozen or so pages (over lunch). Wow, what a switch from traditional fantasy! Definitely has a very hard SF feel to it.
My two favorites by Brust are The Phoenix Guards and Five Hundred Years After. I've read Cowboy Feng's and thought it was okay, but not remarkable. Just way, way, way out there. :)
I finished this novel this morning. I am impressed. It reminded me strongly of a faerie tale or a fable. I'll write up my review tonight because I want to spend the day mulling over the tale. And I want to spend lunch starting/reading Blindsight.
I finished The Lies of Locke Lamora (my review) yesterday; just wish it hadn't taken so long to finish. Book club reads this month (and some leftover from last month) include:
I'll be finishing up these selections:
I received a surprise in the mail today - my signed/numbered copy of The Gathering Storm. :)
I finished twenty pages and it's so refreshing to be reading Brust again. It's been years, but I'm enjoying it. Especially after some of the more contemporary fantasy reads I've surged through recently.
You made my October a very enjoyable month, Janny. Thanks again for sharing of yourself, your time and your talents.
Janny wrote: "Jim and Jon, I really wish that schools were allowed to be more innovative, and that education taught people how to think. But from what I understand, all the standardized testing given to kids now..."One of my biggest regrets is that I didn't have the resources or opportunity to home school my children. After my own experience of being sacrificed for the good of the mediocre, I knew I would be fighting an uphill battle as a mother with public schools.
Both of my children are artists - one a visual graphic artist and the other a musician (vocal performance, musicology, opera and eventually vocal pedagogy). Both of them became very frustrated with the public school system because they kept cutting back on the arts - and they would come home and say the same thing you said Janny (and that I agree with 100%) - the arts improve academic performance. How many times does it have to be studied and proven before the educational bureaucracy will see the light?
I'll get off my soapbox now and apologize for usurping the topic of "the story" ... :)
Ron wrote: "I had a rotten teacher for calculus in high school. She wasn't dim, quite the reverse, she was a great mathematician, so good she couldn't see how we might not understand with the briefest demonstr..."I had a fantastic math teacher in high school, but my school was so small (only 54 in my graduating class) that they didn't teach much higher level math. I finished all the algebra and geometry early (because I was in the anemic gifted program) and taught myself trigonometry and calculus.
I loved it so much I went on to pursue mathematics in college. Someday, I may actually use some of it outside of a textbook or at least return to it to revel in the fun.
I accidentally bought an ebook from B&N yesterday. I wanted to use a three-day coupon I'd been e-mailed, but discovered after I'd already purchased the ebook that those coupons are not valid for use with digital editions. :(So, I'm the proud (?) owner of my first ebook Best Served Cold.
My second ebook may turn out to be Way of Shadows if that book wins the run off for January.
