The Zone

by **Ribbons** on Sun Feb 05, 2012 12:51 am

Yelsaeb wrote:...I was expecting the final chapter, so I was a little bezoomny...

That sounds like a perfectly cromulent word...

by **caruso_stalker217** on Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:50 am

Recently read 'Salem's Lot. And then I did something I never did before and started reading it all over again. Something's wrong with me.

by **Maui** on Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:24 pm

The Sister Brothers by Patrick deWitt.

by **caruso_stalker217** on Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:44 pm

Maui wrote:The Sister Brothers by Patrick deWitt.

Sounds kinky.

by **Yelsaeb** on Fri Mar 02, 2012 9:24 pm

I just finished reading Audition by Ryu Murakami. It was freaking weird, man. I'm also about to start reading Layer Cake by JJ Connolly. I liked the movie, although I lost track of the plot near the end. I'm reasonably sure that'll happen with the book, but it still looks like a fun read.

by **justcheckin** on Sun Mar 04, 2012 1:28 am

caruso_stalker217 wrote:Recently read 'Salem's Lot. And then I did something I never did before and started reading it all over again. Something's wrong with me.

Probably one of my least favorite King books. I read it after reading the Darktower series because Father Callahan and a few of the old vampires are in that series and I wanted to compare the characters.

by **minstrel** on Sun Mar 04, 2012 2:02 am

I'm about to start The Kingdom of the Wicked, by Anthony Burgess, who is one of my favorite writers.

by **caruso_stalker217** on Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:00 am

Recently finished The Bloody Crown of Conan, the second of three books published by Del Rey containing all the Conan stories and shit. This one had three stories (well more like a novella, a [short] novel and a novella) in it and I thought they were all pretty good. Well, "A Witch Shall Be Born" was okay, not great. The "People of the Black Circle" and "The Hour of the Dragon" were pretty darn good though. I look forward to buying The Conquering Sword of Conan so I can enjoy all of these stories finally because Robert E. Howard was a good writer of stories where people get their fucking heads smashed open and so on.

by **justcheckin** on Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:28 pm

I think I mentioned this earlier. I quit reading it to read some other stuff but picked it back up this weekend.

"Zombies Vs. Unicorns" by various artists. Anyway it is a book made of short stories where every other one is about zombies or unicorns with this banter between the two main authors about which is better. Half of the stories are ok and a couple are pretty cool and unique. The unicorn stories aren't all about rainbow pooping horses and the zombies ones aren't all George Romero style zombies. It might be worth it if you are looking for some zombie or unicorn fiction.

by **SilentBobX** on Mon Apr 02, 2012 8:07 pm

Recently finished Me Of Little Faith by Lewis Black. First time I'd read anything by him. I need to get something new. Maybe Alistair McClain or something classic.

Mahalo

by **SilentBobX** on Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:21 pm

And on that note, I got something new. And dirt cheap. Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes for a mere fifty cents(unsure of the UK translation, probably a halfpence or some such monetary measure). I've yet to start but even if it sucks, I can use it to prop up the table leg.

Mahalo

by **Fievel** on Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:40 pm

SilentBobX wrote:Recently finished Me Of Little Faith by Lewis Black. First time I'd read anything by him. I need to get something new. Maybe Alistair McClain or something classic.

Mahalo

I listened to an audiobook of his book Nothing's Sacred (read by him) and laughed my ass off. He had a bit talking about watching the results of a Presidential election when he was either in college, or young in general, but he was so upset at the results that he got up and took a shit on the TV. I almost passed out I was laughing so hard.

PLEASE DO post even a mini-review on the Crichton book. I have been intrigued, but not intrigued enough to look into that one.

by **SilentBobX** on Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:45 pm

Fievel wrote:
SilentBobX wrote:Recently finished Me Of Little Faith by Lewis Black. First time I'd read anything by him. I need to get something new. Maybe Alistair McClain or something classic.

Mahalo

I listened to an audiobook of his book Nothing's Sacred (read by him) and laughed my ass off. He had a bit talking about watching the results of a Presidential election when he was either in college, or young in general, but he was so upset at the results that he got up and took a shit on the TV. I almost passed out I was laughing so hard.

PLEASE DO post even a mini-review on the Crichton book. I have been intrigued, but not intrigued enough to look into that one.

Will do, Fievel. And btw......why do I have a feeling that doing that rather unseemly thing to a television isn't new?

Mahalo

by **Nachokoolaid** on Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:19 pm

My high school is participating in a program called "One School, One Book" where every teacher, student, administrator, janitor, etc. all read the same book so there is a common dialog among everyone. For the most part, it has worked, and people seemed genuinely interested in this book.

Anyway, the book is THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME. It's told from the perspective of an autistic teenage boy, and it's really an amazing book. It's one of those rare books where the narrator feels totally real, and there's not a moment where the author hits a false note or falls out of line. I highly recommend it.

As a funny aside, the school has had a quite a few complaints. Their heart was in the right place by choosing a books about a special needs kid, but I don't think they realized the boy really shows his world exactly like he sees it. So there's stuff like," Fuck you, mother fucker. Suck my cock. And fuck off, gentleman." Obviously, not stuff they'd see in Shakespeare or Whitman or someone. And surely, I think that brashness has interested some kids who would have never considered the book if the "dangerousness" of it didn't attract them.

by **justcheckin** on Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:11 pm

I finally started the 3rd Dragon Tattoo book, The Girl That Kicked the Hornet's Nest. So far, so good. The second book was really really good so I'm hoping this one gets even better.

by **Ribbons** on Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:20 pm

I liked The Girl Who Played With Fire as well. People who've read the series tend to say it was either their favorite or least favorite, and I would fall into the former category. Although I had more fun with the first one, the mystery in the second one was more clever.

by **justcheckin** on Wed Jun 06, 2012 4:56 pm

Nachokoolaid wrote:My high school is participating in a program called "One School, One Book" where every teacher, student, administrator, janitor, etc. all read the same book so there is a common dialog among everyone. For the most part, it has worked, and people seemed genuinely interested in this book.

Anyway, the book is THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME. It's told from the perspective of an autistic teenage boy, and it's really an amazing book. It's one of those rare books where the narrator feels totally real, and there's not a moment where the author hits a false note or falls out of line. I highly recommend it.

As a funny aside, the school has had a quite a few complaints. Their heart was in the right place by choosing a books about a special needs kid, but I don't think they realized the boy really shows his world exactly like he sees it. So there's stuff like," Fuck you, mother fucker. Suck my cock. And fuck off, gentleman." Obviously, not stuff they'd see in Shakespeare or Whitman or someone. And surely, I think that brashness has interested some kids who would have never considered the book if the "dangerousness" of it didn't attract them.

Haha, my school did that a few years ago and the story had some of that in it. So, part of the community is super religious and it caused a bid uproar. Now we do a book list for the whole school so the more conservative parents can help their children pick conservative books and so on. We all pick one (teachers, admins) and then in September we do a lit day with guest speakers and teachers who lead group discussions, etc.

I'm going through my list now... kind of underwhelming.

by **caruso_stalker217** on Sat Jun 30, 2012 12:47 am

I recently read Heart-Shaped Box and Horns by Joe Hill. Probably my new favorite author. I'll be keeping an eye on that guy.

Right now I'm reading The Glass Key and No Country For Old Men. Not sure I'm digging McCarthy's style in this one. It worked for The Road, but here it's a bit difficult to figure out who is speaking, or when.

by **Bloo** on Sat Jun 30, 2012 1:02 am

caruso_stalker217 wrote:I recently read Heart-Shaped Box and Horns by Joe Hill. Probably my new favorite author. I'll be keeping an eye on that guy.

Right now I'm reading The Glass Key and No Country For Old Men. Not sure I'm digging McCarthy's style in this one. It worked for The Road, but here it's a bit difficult to figure out who is speaking, or when.

check out 20th Century Ghosts by Hill, he's a great writer from some good pedigree

by **caruso_stalker217** on Sat Jun 30, 2012 1:57 am

Bloo wrote:
caruso_stalker217 wrote:I recently read Heart-Shaped Box and Horns by Joe Hill. Probably my new favorite author. I'll be keeping an eye on that guy.

Right now I'm reading The Glass Key and No Country For Old Men. Not sure I'm digging McCarthy's style in this one. It worked for The Road, but here it's a bit difficult to figure out who is speaking, or when.

check out 20th Century Ghosts by Hill, he's a great writer from some good pedigree

by **Wolfpack** on Wed Nov 28, 2012 11:41 pm

"Betrayal" by Aaron Allston. Book 1 of the Legacy of the Force series.

by **SilentBobX** on Thu Nov 29, 2012 5:58 pm

Been waiting for it to go on sale, but I finally got Ace Frehley's book No Regrets on clearance. I've been a fan of the Spaceman's guitar work for years and so far it's a very cool read. I'm just now getting into the 4th chapter or so, when KISS is just taking off. I'm going to get Peter Criss' book(Makeup to Breakup) later as well. I will say this: It's certainly a better read than Steven Tyler: I love drugs and sex.

Mahalo

PS-(Wow, 1500 posts? Have I been here that long?)

by **minstrel** on Thu Nov 29, 2012 8:31 pm

Annals of the Former World, by John McPhee. McPhee is a journalist who decided to make a twenty-year project of surveying American geology in the company of geologists, who turn out to be interesting people. This book is the result.

by **Spandau Belly** on Sun Dec 02, 2012 11:39 am

I've read a couple books by this guy named Duane Swierczynski while waiting in airports 'n shit. They were titled 'The Blonde' and 'Severance Package'. They're pretty enjoyable trash reads. This guy knows how to think up these gimmicky setups and explore them with fast-moving plots and lots of twists. He always finds the humour in these tense and gorey situations. So if you like stuff like CRANK movies or those old Guy Ritchie films, I would recommend these. I would say 'Severance Package' is the superior of the two. I think 'The Blonde' dragged a bit near the end, it went on a bit too long, but was still really fun.

by **caruso_stalker217** on Sun Dec 02, 2012 5:24 pm

Spandau Belly wrote:I've read a couple books by this guy named Duane Swierczynski while waiting in airports 'n shit. They were titled 'The Blonde' and 'Severance Package'. They're pretty enjoyable trash reads. This guy knows how to think up these gimmicky setups and explore them with fast-moving plots and lots of twists. He always finds the humour in these tense and gorey situations. So if you like stuff like CRANK movies or those old Guy Ritchie films, I would recommend these. I would say 'Severance Package' is the superior of the two. I think 'The Blonde' dragged a bit near the end, it went on a bit too long, but was still really fun.

I've just looked into this guy and it sounds like my kind of shit.

by **Wolfpack** on Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:46 am

I've started reading "Bloodlines" by Karen Traviss - book 2 of the Legacy of the Force series. It features a geriatric Boba Fett.

by **caruso_stalker217** on Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:51 pm

Since I read The Hobbit for the first time recently and seeing as how I bought all the fuckin' books, I decided to make my second attempt to conquer The Lord of the Rings. I read The Two Towers at work a while back and that was a pretty satisfying read. Starting from the beginning again was definitely easier than when I tried it at age fourteen. But the first two hundred pages are still quite a fucking slog. Aragorn has just entered the story and that was a breath of fresh air, I tell you. This shit is on now.

Also, that fucking Tom Bombadil guy. Jesus. Are there really people out there who got their panties in a wad when Jackson cut that subplot?

by **justcheckin** on Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:22 pm

caruso_stalker217 wrote:
Also, that fucking Tom Bombadil guy. Jesus. Are there really people out there who got their panties in a wad when Jackson cut that subplot?

Not me... that whole trek through the woods took forever!

I tried to read The Silmarillion as an adult and couldn't get through it. It was like reading the bible mixed with a greek mythology book. I kept having to take notes to keep gods and lords straight until I got bored.

by **Bloo** on Fri Dec 21, 2012 3:11 am

caruso_stalker217 wrote:
Also, that fucking Tom Bombadil guy. Jesus. Are there really people out there who got their panties in a wad when Jackson cut that subplot?

my roommate fucking loves Tom Bombadil and still 10, 12 years after LOTR doesn't understand why Jackson cut it out

by **justcheckin** on Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:20 pm

Nachokoolaid wrote:My high school is participating in a program called "One School, One Book" where every teacher, student, administrator, janitor, etc. all read the same book so there is a common dialog among everyone. For the most part, it has worked, and people seemed genuinely interested in this book.

Anyway, the book is THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME. It's told from the perspective of an autistic teenage boy, and it's really an amazing book. It's one of those rare books where the narrator feels totally real, and there's not a moment where the author hits a false note or falls out of line. I highly recommend it.

As a funny aside, the school has had a quite a few complaints. Their heart was in the right place by choosing a books about a special needs kid, but I don't think they realized the boy really shows his world exactly like he sees it. So there's stuff like," Fuck you, mother fucker. Suck my cock. And fuck off, gentleman." Obviously, not stuff they'd see in Shakespeare or Whitman or someone. And surely, I think that brashness has interested some kids who would have never considered the book if the "dangerousness" of it didn't attract them.

My high school did the same thing a few years ago with Shadow Divers and there is something like 'fuck off' in there and there was a big things with some parents. Now, we just do a book list but we still do it where everyone picks.

by **Al Shut** on Thu Dec 27, 2012 2:52 pm

Got New Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko for Christmas, the fifth book in the Watch series.

Have to say I'm a bit disappointed. I still think it's okay but it's my least favourite of the series. Not much to do for any character besides Anton, not much cool stuff happening, most of the book felt like filler material.

by **Wolfpack** on Thu Dec 27, 2012 3:22 pm

I am reading "Tempest" by Troy Denning. It is book 3 in the Legacy of the Force series. This is shaping up to be a great series. Lots of bombshells for the Star Wars universe.

by **justcheckin** on Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:49 pm

I finally had a minute to read the last of the Dragon Tattoo books. "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" It was really good, and quick. It's a shame that Stieg Larsson isn't around to write more books.

After seeing the preview for the Great Gatsby, I think I am going to have to read that quick. I don't remember it being quite as thrilling as the movie trailer made it seem. LOL!

by **minstrel** on Mon Dec 31, 2012 6:07 pm

I bought a couple of volumes of William T. Vollmann's Seven Dreams series, about the European settlement of North America. I got Fathers and Crows and The Rifles. I'm deciding right now which of them to tackle first. Who knows - I might wind up reading them both simultaneously.

I've read about Vollmann, including an in-depth interview with him, and he comes across as a mix of genius and self-obsessed asshole. I don't guarantee that I'll finish these books if the asshole aspect seems predominant. Still, I'm interested enough right now to give him a try.

by **justcheckin** on Thu Feb 07, 2013 7:27 pm

Let Me In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

It's pretty good so far. I never saw the movie and I hear the book was better anyway.

by **caruso_stalker217** on Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:32 pm

It was my birthday recently and my sister is an asshole so she got me the complete collection of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. There are FOUR of these fucking books.

Joke's on her, though, because I'm going to read the whole fucking thing.

by **minstrel** on Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:13 am

Two rather difficult books on the go right now: Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess, and Middle C by William Gass. I'm reading both, partly, to study masters of writing. Still, Burgess has a wicked sense of humor, so his book's fun as well as challenging.

by **caruso_stalker217** on Thu May 02, 2013 10:51 pm

Finished reading Double Feature by Owen King last night. Structurally, I thought it was a little all over the place, but it has a lot of humor and heart and I laughed a lot and there is a lot of humor involving penises.

I recommend it, if you're into that sort of thing.

And penises!

by **Bloo** on Fri May 03, 2013 1:57 am

caruso_stalker217 wrote:Finished reading Double Feature by Owen King last night. Structurally, I thought it was a little all over the place, but it has a lot of humor and heart and I laughed a lot and there is a lot of humor involving penises.

I recommend it, if you're into that sort of thing.

And penises!

shit I've been debating reading that, now I'm going to have to

by **caruso_stalker217** on Fri May 03, 2013 8:15 pm

NOS4A2 is next up on the list.

After, uh, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

by **thomasgaffney** on Mon May 06, 2013 8:30 pm

Neil Gaiman's "Anansi Boys" (finally) in preparation for The Ocean at the End of the Lane...

by **caruso_stalker217** on Sat May 18, 2013 6:23 pm

caruso_stalker217 wrote:It was my birthday recently and my sister is an asshole so she got me the complete collection of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. There are FOUR of these fucking books.

Joke's on her, though, because I'm going to read the whole fucking thing.

So I finally got around to reading the whole fucking thing. Did it in a few days. I have to confess that I enjoyed the books and although I would never debase myself by crying while reading one, I will admit to a slight misting of the eyes during one of the more poignant moments.

I guess I am officially a girl now. Also, I've discovered that a fifth book has been published and I am going to damn myself forever by purchasing it, reading it, enjoying it.

Fuck you all.

by **Fievel** on Sat May 18, 2013 7:59 pm

Just finished The Twelve (sequel to The Passage) by Justin Cronin.

This author's stories are fucking cool. They are written in the most migraine-inducing time-shifting way. He then fills the story with so many little WTF moments (including all of the time jumps) that in the first book pissed me off. Really pissed. I wanted to stop and just leave it all behind. And then a couple people (including TonyWilson here in teh Zone) said "no, no, stick with it, it's seriously worth it." So I did. Sticking with it paid off in the first book. It was a fun adventure. Being used to it prepared me for it happening in the second book.

The second book was a different beast (albeit a similar "showdown & resolution"-style ending) and in a lot of ways more entertaining than the first - not that it was "better," but rather it just didn't have to waste time laying the groundwork of the world it's set in. I say that even though the book spends a chunk of time at the vampire outbreak. It wasn't from the point of infection like the first book was, which we already know, so that's a reason that this was a bit more entertaining.

The fact that Grey and Lila found each other and set off on their own adventure..... a little eye-roll worthy, but whatever. I guess the familiarity is better than two more new names. But the fact that Wolgast became a viral all those years and was within a few hundred yards of Lila at the end and never knew it was amusing.

Post-apocalyptic America + vampires = awesome. They just need Abraham Lincoln to come and kick ass now. :lol:

Can't wait for Book Three to see how it all ends.

by **caruso_stalker217** on Wed May 22, 2013 6:02 pm

Sisterhood Everlasting, the fifth book in the Traveling Pants saga, arrived in the mail today. I am really going to enjoy reading this. I'm practically ovulating just thinking about it!

by **SilentBobX** on Thu May 23, 2013 5:22 am

Re-reading Lewis Black's masterpiece Me Of Little Faith. Great little book.

Mahalo

by **Bloo** on Thu May 23, 2013 10:41 am

Re-read Tony Bourdain's restaurant/mobster book BONE IN THE THROAT so I went ahead and picked up the sorta sequel GONE BAMBOO.

by **Al Shut** on Thu May 23, 2013 11:23 am

caruso_stalker217 wrote:Sisterhood Everlasting, the fifth book in the Traveling Pants saga, arrived in the mail today. I am really going to enjoy reading this. I'm practically ovulating just thinking about it!

I bet the book is a big cheat and won't last forever, just like the Neverending Story.

by **TheBaxter** on Thu May 23, 2013 12:19 pm

Al Shut wrote:
caruso_stalker217 wrote:Sisterhood Everlasting, the fifth book in the Traveling Pants saga, arrived in the mail today. I am really going to enjoy reading this. I'm practically ovulating just thinking about it!

I bet the book is a big cheat and won't last forever, just like the Neverending Story.

no, it will be like the Dark Tower series, and the pants will end up right back where they began, and have to repeat traveling through the sisterhood all over again