SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
What Else Are You Reading?
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Anyone else NOT reading A Dance with Dragons yet?
Ronald wrote: "+1 Becky. I feel the same way. It just fits. While it's still disturbing, it's not "I can't read this book" disturbing.Speaking of which, I need to go read some more of Dance. I'm almost 200 page..."
Maybe you can read a page a day. That way when you finish The Winds of Winter will be nearing publication!
Unless you are constantly distracted by the glowing red (1 new) on threads you follow! You'll feel compelled to click and read the new messages and never get your reading done. (evil laughter)
We call that The GoodReads Curse. It's incurable and escalates rapidly. Soon, you'll be checking and rechecking and re-rechecking threads even when there are no updates, just to make sure you didn't miss one. Friends and family will start to wonder where you are, and wonder why you look so pasty, when you do manage to get out of the computer chair briefly... An intervention may be staged... but it's too late.
I've only read the first two, thus far. I like to give them time between them, I don't wanna get burned out X3
Jack wrote: "I've only read the first two, thus far. I like to give them time between them, I don't wanna get burned out X3"Going slow is definitely the best way to go about it. I stopped reading after Storm of Swords came out and I'm not reading any more until the series is finished. There are enough great books out there to keep me busy until he finishes and waiting years between books drives me crazy.
Ronald wrote: "Probably a good idea. I read the first 4 books back to back and it was ..."Then you should re-read them! ;D Either that or look them up in the A Song of Ice and Fire Wiki.
Craig wrote: "Going slow is definitely the best way to go about it. I stopped readin..."I have a long list of books to read, so I'm quite happy with waiting a month or two between books, and then if necessary years til the next comes out.
Ronald wrote: "I just promised to read the original Shannara trilogy with someone when I've finished reading Dance and Mistborn. I already suck at reading consistently as it is without piling more on top :PAlso, because I haven't actually finished reading anything as of yet in 2011, I need to finish these before the mean girls potato sack me to death. "
D'aww that is sad. I always have too many books to read X( I try to read quickly, but I've always got so much /stuff/ to do. I've only recently decided to resort to audio books so I can multi-task while doing homework.
LOL "Resort" to audiobooks. I love audio, IF the reader is good. Unfortunately, I am sooooooo picky when it comes to audiobook readers. They really can make or break a story and a bad one just... It's just bad. Coincidentally, I was talking about the ASOIAF audios in Chris's ASOAIF group, *shameless plug*: Valar Morghulis--Valar Dohaeris */shameless plug*, and I don't like the reader's style. And apparently it's not that great when it comes to ADWD.
PLus, I think I'd have had a REALLY hard time keeping everything straight on audio. My nook made it SO easy to refer back to anything I needed to when I was reading. I think all books should come with a Find feature! :D
I agree that audio makes it hard to keep up with a bunch of characters and places. Though I'd say that the ebook does the same thing.
For that kind of stuff, I need a real book. Paper and glue and words and binding.....
A, a... PAPER book? The OS on those is ANCIENT. :P
I don't much care for audiobooks because I have a tendency to ignore the book and it feels like cheating. I am also a fan of the written word, but I will use an eReader for out-of-the-house reading so I don't muck up my book in a bag.
It's not cheating. It's making efficient use of your time. :D
Yeah,... that's why I'm doing it. XD I don't have time for calculus, work, AND all the books I love!
I can't really do audiobooks, either. I have a hard time following them and my mind starts wandering. I mean, sometimes my mind starts wandering when I'm reading, too, but then I can just find where I was on the page and continue... can't really do that with the audios.I think if I ever tried audio again I'd have to do what some people do and follow along with the paper book while listening to the audio - though that would be more for the experience of it than the time saving aspect, obviously.
I can only do audio books when I'm walking and want something to occupy my mind while I'm getting exercise or running errands. Otherwise ... I have too much of a need to control the pacing. >.>
I've only tried audiobooks once. It didn't work for me.bthe narrators voice was so damn whiney I wanted to punch him in the face.
Plus the whole getting distracted and not paying attention thing <.<
Plus the whole getting distracted and not paying attention thing <.<
I hear you guys on the audiobooks. On the other hand, there's some that just are done but such good readers (actors really) that it gives voice and life to a well-loved book.
Sarebear wrote: "On the other hand, there's some that just are done but such good readers (actors really) that it gives voice and life to a well-loved book."I agree with this. A good reader can add a whole lot to the experience.
Nicki wrote: "but they're too bloody slow. When it takes like 30 hours to read a book that I could get through in 5... screw that. "That's true, if the time spent reading is really the only factor. But if it's hard to make time FOR reading, they can help. Listening while exercising, cleaning, commuting, working (if you have a mindless job), working on hobbies or projects, wrapping presents, etc helps to squeeze in reading time when otherwise it would just be wasted by doing that other stuff!
If concentration is an issue, it's going to be an issue whether you're listening or reading. *shrug* I can't really help on that score. But I do know that audiobooks help me to get a lot more shit done than I would otherwise most of the time, because my priorities are in perfect order with reading topping the list. ;)
The concentration thing isn't much of a problem for me. If I need to focus on something else, I pause until I am ready to listen again. But then, I'm used to listening to audiobooks now. Believe me, I used to sound just like all of you guys, never wanting to listen to them, thinking I would hate hearing someone else's interpretation of the story or voices or whatever. I refused to try them... Until I did. LOL It's just like anything else. If you give it a chance, you might find you like it. *shrug*
And that ends my two-part inspirational talk on "Audiobooks: How to Learn to Love Them. Or Don't. Whatever."
Ronald wrote: "Also, if I listened to an audiobook while I was working I'm 99% sure I would fall asleep. :P "Please don't listen to audio books while driving.
Ronald wrote: "@Becky: I tried listening to Harry Potter on audiotape and made it like two chapters in before I was bored to tears by the pacing. =\ "Hmm... I'm assuming the Jim Dale version? That's the one people usually love. If so, then.. yeah. You're not really cut out for audiobooks. Although, one would think that you'd be the perfect candidate, considering you haven't read anything all year. LOL
You're an anomaly, Ron. I just don't know what to do with you.
Something involving tar and feathers
That's true, Nicki. I was thinking of it more in terms of story... You know? Like if it's not grabbing you, it wouldn't whether you were listening or reading (most likely). But you're right, it is two different things.
Pacing is an issue for me, too.A lot of people rave about Gaiman's audiobooks, especially since he does them himself and he's a good reader.
I tried to listen to the Graveyard stuff, since they had chapters for free on the net, and the pacing was killing me. It just seemed to me like he was reading... so... slowly...
And then there were these little musical interludes between chapters or something.
I couldn't listen to more than 5 minutes without wanting to stab something.
Another wine drinker?
I really must be missing something with this whole wine thing
I really must be missing something with this whole wine thing
Ronald wrote: "Gee Becky, I seem to get that from women a lot :PI tried both versions of the audiotapes. Just wasn't my thing. I tend to read fairly quickly (when I do read) and the audiotapes are like... being stuck in 1st gear on a race track. So irritating. :P "
I can understand that. LOL
I prefer reading, but I like audiobooks for long car trips. I live about an 18 hour drive away from my family, so when I visit them, I'll borrow an audiobook from the library. It makes the drive so much more tolerable.
Honestly, I read A Game of Thrones and the writing style was too jarring. The multiple narrators were unique at first, but then there were like six of them in one book, and I hear the number only increases, so I'm not too interested. I'll watch the series on HBO.
But if I did change my mind and want to read the rest of the books, I'd wait for him to finish the damn series. There's nothing I hate more than getting into an epic series only to find out I have to wait five years for the last one. No thanks.
But if I did change my mind and want to read the rest of the books, I'd wait for him to finish the damn series. There's nothing I hate more than getting into an epic series only to find out I have to wait five years for the last one. No thanks.
Ronald wrote: "Elisa wrote: "Honestly, I read A Game of Thrones and the writing style was too jarring. The multiple narrators were unique at first, but then there were like six of them in one book, and I hear the..."
Yeah, I mean, at first I wasn't bothered by it, but the thought of reading more and more books with more and more characters (and knowing that, in order to keep it from becoming chaotic narrative-wise, that a lot of characters I liked were going to die), I'm just not sure at this point that the story's worth it. Knowing me, though, once I watch Season 2 of Game of Thrones, I'll probably want to read the book and see how it compares. I'm weird that way.
So you write epic fantasy? =)
Yeah, I mean, at first I wasn't bothered by it, but the thought of reading more and more books with more and more characters (and knowing that, in order to keep it from becoming chaotic narrative-wise, that a lot of characters I liked were going to die), I'm just not sure at this point that the story's worth it. Knowing me, though, once I watch Season 2 of Game of Thrones, I'll probably want to read the book and see how it compares. I'm weird that way.
So you write epic fantasy? =)
I finally finished reading Dance with Dragons. I put it down for a few months when Tyrion consented to ride the damn pig, but then my sister wanted to borrow the book, so I had to finish it before I gave it to her. With the way Martin left things at the Wall, I kind of wish I'd never bothered with the book at all.The first three books were awesome, but the fourth book sucked softballs through a garden hose. I spotted Martin that one, but I'm not sure I'm going to pick up the sixth book when it comes out eleven years from now.
Ronald wrote: "I would still fall asleep and crash. Either:A. I'd be imagining what was being talked about and would rear-end someone.
B. Fall asleep and drive off a bridge.
That's not a problem for me. When I travel, I travel with my wife and two young children. I have nagging, whining, and screaming to keep me from falling asleep or becoming too immersed in the fantasy world.
Now if Christie Brinkly were to pull up next to me in a red convertible, I might have problems with my driving.
Yup. You just have to know yourself, and if an audiobook would be a problem (or boring) or whatever while driving or other things, that's great that you know what works and doesn't for you!For us it's like listening to talk radio, except not as boring. In fact talk/news radio sometimes takes MORE attention for us, depending on how much whatever news or whatnot impacts on us (like recently enduring category 2 hurricane winds and stuff; they were so localized that hubby had to know what was going on and where it was hitting on his way home from work, since it was almost category 1 when he left (poor, can't afford day off).
We were discussing Dance of Dragons last night at dinner. I've not started the series, but my friend Paul was a die hard GRRM fan UNTIL he read DoD - he was very put off by it...I've heard generally good things - and as I say he was a most ardent supporter up to it. I've tried picking up the series a few times but just haven't been able to "get into" it. Now that I've watched the first season of the HBO series...I'm going to give it another go.
I bought DoD when it first came out, but shelved it, like I did with the last few WoT books. When the last book finally comes out, I'll start the whole thing over again and read straight through on both series. I just can't keep rereading the whole series every time a new book comes out. There are too many other books in my five foot unread stack for that!!Both of those series are too detailed to not read all the books again every time a new one comes out - I find myself saying too often "who was that again?? what happened there??" etc.
I'm still working on book #1 so I'm not. Classes kind of kept me from my recreational reading for a while.
I usually don't reread books, but i read the first 2 books and the first part of the third ( i had no idea it was just the first part of one book) like five years ago and then i reread the first four a year ago and before Dance came out i reread all of them. I will probably have to reread them again when Winds Of Winter comes out too, but then i will only reread book 3, 4 and 5. The weird thing is the first time i read the first books i liked it but i was not that impressed, when i reread them a year ago i was totally blown away and now i am a hardcore fan.
I love this series, but I'm in no rush to read DoD. I may get around to it next summer...
What does the Department of Defense have to do with anything?(DoD)
I haven't read book four yet so I haven't read 5 yet either. I plan on getting to book 4 eventually so I'll get on to reading 5 probably a month or so after that.
Chris wrote: "What does the Department of Defense have to do with anything?(DoD)"
*snort*
This thread title has been bothering me but I've been biting my tongue so as to not seem nitpicky.
...or invite Ala's thread-renaming wrath down upon my head. ;)
Ala wrote: "love you too, Becks ;)"♥ Thanks :D
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This too... But even if it was a simple character trait, I wouldn't feel like it was gratuitous if it fit the characters. It adds depth and realism to the story for me rather than being anything that turns me off, even though I don't agree with it, would/could never do it myself.