What Are You Reading?

12 years ago

July 3, 2012 at 10:30 am

Dear oh dear, I’ve finally caved and bought a Kindle to share with my wife. Typically, because I’m a Philistine, the first book I bought was Game of Thrones. I know, I know, I’m extremely late to the party, but I might as well start somewhere. But what are you guys reading at the moment?

To be perfectly honest, I think the Game of Thrones TV show actually feels like a more subtle, well-made production compared to the book its based on. I’m about 30 chapters in, and I’m not a huge fan of the writing, which feels a bit flat to be perfectly honest. I think George R. R. Martin is incredible at universe-building, and that’s clearly the strength of this book, but sentence to sentence it feels a little laboured and dull.

Still. I’m reading it and enjoying it for the most part. I just hate everything.

Anyway, let us know what you’re reading at the moment in the comments below!

Comments

91 responses to “What Are You Reading?”

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Splicer

July 3, 2012 at 10:36 am

Just about to start ‘A storm of swords: part 1’ within the week…hopefully

Reply
1. alex
  
  July 3, 2012 at 11:28 am
  
  are you me?
  
  Reply
  1. Splicer
    
    July 6, 2012 at 9:31 am
    
    Could be.
    
    Reply
Jordaan Mylonas

July 3, 2012 at 10:36 am

Years ago, I lost my copy of Altered Carbon when ~1/2 way through it, so I’m planning on getting the whole trilogy on my Kindle DX.

Otherwise, for the most part I just read Programming how to books. (Game Engine Architecture by Jason Gregory is an amazing read, btw)

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1. ZaneStriker
  
  July 3, 2012 at 10:46 am
  
  Altered Carbon is great.
  
  Reply
2. Adam Ruch
  
  July 3, 2012 at 11:05 am
  
  Altered Carbon is awesome. So are the two low-fantasy books thus far: The Cold Commands and the Steel Remains. i think I just wrote them in reverse order, though.
  
  Reply
3. m0sh
  
  July 3, 2012 at 3:14 pm
  
  Altered Carbon is one of the best books EVAR.
  
  If people haven’t read it, well you have lived a hollow and fruitless existence. And if even if you have read it….READ IT AGAIN!
  
  PS: The rest of the trilogy isn’t as good, though. I prefer to see AC as a stand alone work.
  
  Reply
DishD

July 3, 2012 at 10:37 am

Finished all 3 of Markus Heitz “The Dwarves” and iv just started volume 2 of Michael J Sullivans “The Riyria Revelations”. So far the series has been awesome, very easy to read(like watching movie) and yet detailed enough to draw the reader in and want to find out what happens next. Highly recommend if you liked GoT (the tv series)

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Matthew K

July 3, 2012 at 10:37 am

CGL06 Standard Commercial Liability Policy Wording. *puts gun in mouth*

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Crispus

July 3, 2012 at 10:43 am

Big Jules Verne fan here – nearly finished “Round the Moon”

Oh and Mark, you can get heaps of classics for free on the Amazon store, like Mary Shelley, Verne, HG Wells and Edgar Allen Poe.

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Hyperthx

July 3, 2012 at 10:45 am

Always reading Hyper>> RetroGamer and PC Powerplay. Haven’t read a book in a long time, though have plans to collect all my favourite series once I get some proper bookcases. Namely Discworld, Philip K. Dick. History of Middle Earth and C. S. Lewis among others.

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Dire Wolf

July 3, 2012 at 10:46 am

Half way through Dust of Dreams, 9th book in The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Only 1 and a half books to go until I finish this series and I’m having a hard time imagining it’s going to have a satisfactory ending. He (the author) is still introducing new characters and plot points whilst there’s still dozens of unanswered questions lingering from previous books. I just can’t see everything being wrapped up by the end of book 10.

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1. Jo
  
  July 3, 2012 at 2:27 pm
  
  As interesting as that series is it can be a long slog sometimes. Like Serrels said of R.R. Martin – awesome world building but a bit lacking sentence to sentence.
  
  Reply
ZaneStriker

July 3, 2012 at 10:47 am

Currently reading the Commonwealth Saga by Peter F. Hamilton.

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1. Jimmy James
  
  July 3, 2012 at 12:27 pm
  
  Enjoy 🙂
  
  Reply
2. thesnores
  
  July 6, 2012 at 6:14 pm
  
  Top read.. enjoy 🙂
  
  Reply
Hyperthx

July 3, 2012 at 10:47 am

Also still want to get around to reading all of David Eddings books, as my brother has been going on about them for years!

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1. Darren
  
  July 3, 2012 at 10:54 am
  
  May I point you to the Elenium and Tamuli series. The main character is Spahawk (Sparhawk?) and both series are not only action packed but funny as hell. You really need to get those books.
  
  The first ones he wrote, the Belgarion and Malorian are good. But I feel that the Elenium and Tamuli books are leaps and bounds ahead in writing style and tone. Well worth getting in to.
  
  Sorry for the double post.
  
  Reply
  1. Brendan
    
    July 3, 2012 at 11:00 am
    
    I’ve read the Belgarion series a ton of times and recently finished the Malorian which was also pretty decent. Fantastic series. I actually got in to his stuff when someone left a copy of Belgarath the Sorcerer at my work – I spent the rest of the day reading it behind the counter.
    
    Will have to try the other two soon though.
    
    Reply
  2. Lortarg
    
    July 3, 2012 at 11:21 am
    
    Agree with this.
    Just finished re-reading the Belgarion and Malorian, and I’ll probably start Elenium and Tamuli soon.
    Also, The Redemtion of Althalus is another good Eddings book. It’s a standalone, large book written by David and Leigh.
    
    Reply
2. Azza
  
  July 3, 2012 at 11:34 am
  
  David Eddings is a terrible writer. I read his books when I was 14 and didn’t know any better. I decided he wasn’t for me when I read “stabbed him with his sword, like a stick slides into water” for the thousandth time.
  
  Reply
  1. Lortarg
    
    July 3, 2012 at 11:44 am
    
    Are you sure you’re thinking of David Eddings? I don’t think I’ve ever read that line, and I’ve read most of his books multiple times.
    
    Reply
    1. Azza
      
      July 3, 2012 at 12:07 pm
      
      Yep most definitely. Belgarion series he’s got it in at least 3 books. I didn’t realise it until my friend pointed it out to me and then I started seeing it constantly.
      
      Reply
      1. Darren
        
        July 3, 2012 at 10:28 pm
        
        I always found the Belgarion stuff to be ok. But nothing beats the Elenium and Tamuli.
        “I detest people that use poison.”
        “Really?”
        “Yes, here is what you do, make an incision just under the naval, then bend them backwards and knee them in the small of their back. They tend to worry about their innards for some reason.”
Darren

July 3, 2012 at 10:48 am

Reading Romance of The Three Kingdoms. Also got the 18 disc dvd TV series (2010). Wow. I have said it once and I shall say it again, Game of Thrones you can keep.

Three Kingdoms is where it is at.

Reply
1. Darren
  
  July 3, 2012 at 10:51 am
  
  May I point you to the Elenium and Tamuli series. The main character is Spahawk (Sparhawk?) and both series are not only action packed but funny as hell. You really need to get those books.
  
  The first ones he wrote, the Belgarion and Malorian are good. But I feel that the Elenium and Tamuli books are leaps and bounds ahead in writing style and tone. Well worth getting in to.
  
  Reply
2. Tabijinka
  
  July 4, 2012 at 8:15 pm
  
  I doubt you will ever see this, but OMG WHERE DID YOU FIND THAT ON DVD?
  
  Reply
HotDamn!

July 3, 2012 at 10:51 am

“I’m not a huge fan of the writing, which feels a bit flat to be perfectly honest.”

……….could you repeat that, Mark?

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1. Darren
  
  July 3, 2012 at 10:53 am
  
  I thought his writing was ok. Not the best I have ever come across. I just found the subject matter to be….rather harsh. Young girls getting raped over a pile of dead bodies….yea….not cool.
  
  Reply
Dr Nic

July 3, 2012 at 10:52 am

DO NOT START READING GRRM BOOKS. REPEAT: DO NOT START THIS SERIES. YOU WILL ONLY OPEN YOUR WORLD TO INORDINATE DISAPPOINTMENT.

Reply
1. c
  
  July 3, 2012 at 10:59 am
  
  not if you are going for the “bad” guys 😉
  
  Reply
2. Yield
  
  July 3, 2012 at 11:29 am
  
  I support this. Starting reading them years ago. I think next book I am just going to read the one character who remains interesting and skip the rest. I am reading John Steinbeck at the moment, not usually my kind of thing but I love his writing style. Also +1 for anybody who mentioned David Eddings.
  
  Reply
  1. Dr Nic
    
    July 3, 2012 at 1:07 pm
    
    Y’all should read my Tyrion/Optimus Prime fanfiction “A Game of Energon Cubes”. It’s what you need: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bx_z3-gVHMEnejk3OU14WXRsSjg
    
    Reply
lambogirl99

July 3, 2012 at 10:58 am

Finally got around to reading Fate of The Jedi: Apocalypse recently. FYI, to those that have read the book and haven’t watched the clone wars TV show, in season 3 there are three episodes on *that* mission Obi Wan and Anakin went on. Episodes 15,16 and 17.

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Anthelme

July 3, 2012 at 10:59 am

Why does Santa have an axe

Reply
1. Jordaan Mylonas
  
  July 3, 2012 at 11:23 am
  
  because reindeer meat is delicious.
  
  Reply
  1. Benny
    
    July 3, 2012 at 12:16 pm
    
    AND MY AXE!
    
    Reply
Beavwa

July 3, 2012 at 10:59 am

Dune.

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DistantDrop

July 3, 2012 at 11:01 am

Still reading Gauntlgyrm probably havn’t touched it in months I also started on The Thran I never really get much time to read.

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prestojo

July 3, 2012 at 11:01 am

Do like I did when I bought a Kindle and raid Project Gutenberg, old books are great! currently reading Nostromo.

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Parkway91

July 3, 2012 at 11:02 am

Picked up the first Mass Effect novel and plan to work though those. Also slowly working through War and Peace by Tolstoy.

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N3RD1001101

July 3, 2012 at 11:06 am

You guys need to read “The Belgariad” Series by David Eddings.

There are 5 books in the series. I’m on Book 3, and its absolutely incredible.

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1. Lortarg
  
  July 3, 2012 at 11:33 am
  
  As posted above, just re-read this (think I might be in double digits for it now) and the sequel the Malorian.
  
  I find that the story telling in it is fairly simple (it was his first series) but still quite good. His other main series The Elenium and The Tamuli I find are much better. Currently re-reading The Redemption of Althalus which is a stand alone book.
  
  I just found out about another series he wrote that I’m going to have to look into called The Dreamers.
  
  Reply
Adam Ruch

July 3, 2012 at 11:06 am

I just finished Heart of Darkness yesterday. Also read Lord of the Flies and the Road earlier this week/last week. (Went on a bit of a binge)

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Greg

July 3, 2012 at 11:12 am

dont hate on the kindle there are a lot of cheap self published books out there that are quite good reads i’d recommend “mageborn : the blacksmiths son” it was cheap and it was hella fun to read

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HotDamn!

July 3, 2012 at 11:21 am

I am just started reading Shadowmarch, by Tad Williams. So far, so good!

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Swipe!

July 3, 2012 at 11:24 am

A Complete Study guide for CCNA by Todd Lammels.

Hooray.
Thank god he adds some humorous comments to break up the monotony.

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Inquisitive

July 3, 2012 at 11:24 am

This is exactly how I felt about A Game of Thrones! The universe and political maneuvering is awesome but the regular writing is a bit lacking. I’m glad to hear someone else say it.

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Lortarg

July 3, 2012 at 11:25 am

Just finished re-reading The Belgariad and Malorian by David Eddings.
Currently re-reading The Redemption of Althalus, also Eddings, but it is on hold until I finish Snuff by Terry Pratchett, which I have been waiting to come out in paperback for a while.

After this I’m thinking of re-reading the other Eddings series The Elenium and The Tamuli before I jump back into The Wheel of Time in preparation for the last book coming out.

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Guzzer

July 3, 2012 at 11:32 am

Just started The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss,

Hang in there with Martin, bit challenging read but the twists and plot are well worth it.

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Splicer

July 3, 2012 at 11:40 am

If you like gory, creepy horror…try ‘Dead Sea’ by Tim Curran…for Sci-Fi(with awesome creatures), pretty much anything by Neal Asher.

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Leviathan

July 3, 2012 at 11:43 am

Well I’m finished the A Song of Ice and Fire books for now (Game of Thrones is the first book in the series) and am currently waiting for the next ones but I’m also thinking of picking up Metro 2033.

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Lone Wolf

July 3, 2012 at 11:55 am

I just yesterday picked up The Long Earth, by Terry Pratchett, my favourite author beside Raymond E Fiest, and Stephen Baxter.
Just starting on it now, but already drawing me in.

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Blurry

July 3, 2012 at 11:55 am

I think that a lack of sleep is making Mark more perfectly honest.

Reply
GFresh

July 3, 2012 at 11:59 am

Going through all the robin hobb books while i wait for wheel of time. Up to book 1 of the liveship traders. nothing beats Fitz and nighteyes though

Reply
1. Lortarg
  
  July 3, 2012 at 12:36 pm
  
  Read a heap of her stuff recently, Started with Liveship Traders since I’d read the earlier books. Her stuff is kinda depressing and a lot of the characters aren’t too likable.
  
  Enjoyed them all, but Fitz and Nighteyes (who are in the series after the Liveship Traders) are definitely the best characters.
  
  Reply
2. Azza
  
  July 3, 2012 at 1:13 pm
  
  I didn’t really enjoy Liveship Traders that much. The second trilogy based on Fitz kind of ruined the original trilogy for me as well.
  
  Reply
Tigerion

July 3, 2012 at 12:03 pm

I just finished dance of dragons so will probably start on something simple, maybe one of the horse lord novels or a discworld.
I found the GRRM books really good but can understand what you are saying about the writing. I don’t mind the style but I can see how some could find it flat. Reading DoD the thing I found was it was really hard to sit down and read and just lose myself in the world. I think this is because the number of different stories going on that have no relation to each other meant there was no really flow to the writing.
I found at the start of each chapter I was having to reset my mindset, ok where are we now, who is here. Ok got it now I can read.

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Benny

July 3, 2012 at 12:04 pm

Finished Hound of the Baskervilles this past weekend. Looking to finish Moby Dick soon also.

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John

July 3, 2012 at 12:25 pm

George RR Martin is an terrible waffler in his novels. He has some very bad writing habits. I know it’s supposed to be “epic” but I can’t remember half the story threads from 2 books ago. Whole characters are lost for an entire novel. For every main character he kills off he seems to add 10 new ones. It’s just a shame that the first few novels were interesting. I’ll still read book 6 when it comes out. Not that much will happen during it.

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1. Steve
  
  July 3, 2012 at 8:59 pm
  
  I think he’s been quoted as having never met a food he didn’t like… which certainly explain the amount of ridiculous food descriptions (lemon cakes).
  
  Reply
bazuden

July 3, 2012 at 12:29 pm

I’ve been reading HP Lovecraft’s works in chronological order. Just about to start The Call of Cthulhu, but I’ve been distracted by Marvel’s Dark Reign event from a few years back.

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redartifice

July 3, 2012 at 12:29 pm

About a quarter of the way through Anna Karenina.

I’m finding maintaining a Goodreads account does wonders for my reading habits.

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Black Dahlia NZ

July 3, 2012 at 12:31 pm

Just finished The Dark Tower series, have read Game of Thrones, was gonna start Farseer trilogy, any other recommendations?

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1. GFresh
  
  July 3, 2012 at 12:38 pm
  
  Go with farseer, its awesome! what did you think of dark tower? it’s a long read but there was some cool ideas in it
  
  Reply
  1. Black Dahlia NZ
    
    July 3, 2012 at 12:50 pm
    
    Yea loved dark tower, but was very confusing at times and wasnt that chuffed with the ending tbh
    
    Reply
    1. Stu
      
      July 3, 2012 at 1:03 pm
      
      The Dark Tower is wonderful – I didn’t like the ending either, but I made the mistake of reading the last chapter after King specifically told me not to. If only I’d stopped when Roland entered the bottom of the Dark Tower… Try The “Axis” and “Dragonstar” trilogies by an Aussie writer Sara Douglass. They kick arse something hardcore.
      
      Reply
ibbers

July 3, 2012 at 12:57 pm

i can’t quite recall how the first book or so compared to the rest (i’ve read all of them so far), but put together, it’s a fantastic series, with real depth and quality to them. everyone i know who has stuck with the series has enjoyed it, despite reservations over the earlier ones (which i myself didnt notice).

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ibbers

July 3, 2012 at 12:58 pm

but i’m actually reading Moon over Soho in the Rivers of London series. Slightly China Mieville-ish, but excellent magical police procedural, with some very good writing, and some ripper lines.

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Aidan

July 3, 2012 at 1:06 pm

“Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China”

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Stu

July 3, 2012 at 1:08 pm

I’m almost finished A Feast For Crows, and I’m absolutely loving them. The criticism about loose story threads, superfluous characters, etc are all valid, but they don’t detract from the overall experience. I’m always overjoyed to turn a page and see the next chapter is Arya’s (or whatever she’s calling herself these days) wheras I’m annoyed when it’s Cersei’s. But that’s how well he’s sketched the world – I love Arya and I fucking hate Cersei, so dropping into their minds for twenty-odd pages is either awesome, or horrible. That’s the sign of a great story – even if the writing does plod from time to time.
I’m really not looking forward to the wait for Winds of Winter.

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Palms

July 3, 2012 at 1:11 pm

I’ve been reading the Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett. Just finished the 3rd book last night. It is an amazing series. It’s a little difficult to get into, but stick with it and you shall be rewarded.

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Azza

July 3, 2012 at 1:18 pm

I haven’t gotten around to finishing the last book of GRRM’s. There are too many characters, too many different threads and too long time between books that make it difficult to keep track of. I honestly thought he was going to start cutting down some storylines in the last book, but he seems to be adding more.
I look forward to the tv series more to be honest. They will likely look at the later books and just cut out half of the storylines to keep it much more concise (what GRRM should have done).

Also, is Arya anyone elses favourite character?

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1. Stu
  
  July 3, 2012 at 1:41 pm
  
  Arya’s my favourite character, absolutely. Westeros is a better place with her in it.
  
  Reply
2. XGarrettThiefX
  
  July 3, 2012 at 8:22 pm
  
  I love Bronn. he’s just a guy trying to get ahead in life…
  
  Reply
David Wildgoose

July 3, 2012 at 1:53 pm

I’ve just realised where I’ve seen old George before.

http://pics.mobygames.com/images/covers/large/1280873394-00.jpg

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Matt Dive

July 3, 2012 at 1:55 pm

Currently making my way through Matthew Reilly’s The Six Sacred Stones. Not my favorite Reilly book: the flaws in his style seem far more obvious than ever before (and that’s coming from a fan). It doesn’t help that an interlude earlier on makes the protagonist and his addopted daughter come across as self-important pricks.

Yeah, not my favorite so far. Temple remains my favorite Reilly book.

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Trikeabout

July 3, 2012 at 2:20 pm

I’m in the last few pages of “Blackout”, the third book in Mira Grant’s excellent zombie trilogy. Then I’ll read Limeys, a pop-sci book about the discovery of vitamin C and the cure for scurvy (Arrrrr!). Back to SF after that with book 2 in Michael Cobley’s Humanity’s Fire trilogy. I have about 25 unread books by the bed, maybe I need to make August into Shameless Reading Month…

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Jo

July 3, 2012 at 2:39 pm

On book 4 of The Dark Tower at the moment.
Feel about it the same way as I did Song of Ice and Fire – good but a bit overhyped. Have been told by many people that they are are two of the best fantasy stories ever written but I alternate from interested to bored stupid practically chapter to chapter.

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XGarrettThiefX

July 3, 2012 at 8:20 pm

To Mark
” I’m not a huge fan of the writing, which feels a bit flat to be perfectly honest ”
You sir are a Cad.

Reply
SmurfyDog

July 3, 2012 at 8:27 pm

I’m reading the second book in the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovich.
It’s Harry Potter meets The Bill (back when it was a proper cop show). Very well done and very funny.

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Steve

July 3, 2012 at 8:57 pm

God going to sound like a huge hipster, but it still weirds me out to hear so many normals and bandwagoners go on about ASOIAF. For years, talking about Daenerys Targaryen or Ned Stark got you weird looks in the playground and now it’s… mainstream. In a strange way, it’s almost like this small, private world of devoted fans is now being pried open due to the popularity of the show.

Same thing happened when Harry Potter got big and I was the second kid in my school to have read it. It became… moderately popular as the books picked up steam but then the movies came and hit the scene like an atom bomb.

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1. m0sh
  
  July 3, 2012 at 9:19 pm
  
  When I read ASOIAF years back all my arty hipster type friends were like ‘Ugh, you read fantasy,?” And now they’re talking about the TV show like they discovered it. Sigh.
  
  Reply
Jackkkk

July 3, 2012 at 9:18 pm

I know most people will think it’s stupid, but I’m reading “Naruto vol 44 – Masashi Kishimoto”

Reply
Rohan

July 3, 2012 at 10:25 pm

Awesomest sci-fi I ever read and reread and reread is Hyperion- Dan Simmons. There are several sequels but just keeping reading the original. Brilliant

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Darren

July 3, 2012 at 10:33 pm

I am a little sad to see that no one has mentioned Raymond Feist or Steven Erickson 🙁
If you want a meaty, chunky, gritty, actiony, politicaly type book….you can not go to far past the Malazan Book of The Fallen series.

You know what else. It only took him about 8 years to write the series. 8 books in total I think. What a great series.

Reply
knifeyspoony

July 4, 2012 at 1:34 am

I’m about 200 pages into Dance with Dragons part 2, started the series late last year and I’m hooked

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Tabijinka

July 4, 2012 at 8:17 pm

I’m the same on game of thrones. I just read the first book, and i’m now reading Dracula the Undead(“official sequal”) before i go for the second book. I’m wondering if i’m not enjoying it as much because i know whats coming, or just that i dont enjoy the books

Reply
sharon

July 5, 2012 at 12:36 am

I have just finished reading the first two of the Grey trilogy. At my age, I`m afraid it`s solely for the interest that they sparked. Obviously I will have to read the third one to complete them!!!.
I must say that they should certainly put a spark into certain relationships. Unless, like me, you once had a partner who`s love-making skills were as dull as dishwater. There`s nothing wrong with trying to spice up your love-life and the first of the books ought to wake up many people to the needs of their partners. They are only books for Petes sake.
Now I`m reading Lee Childs, totally different, but I love his books too.

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RobbyM

July 5, 2012 at 12:28 pm

Reading The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks — really enjoying it which is a surprise as the book description doesn’t do it justice.

Reply
thesnores

July 6, 2012 at 6:15 pm

Currently rereading the Ravenor trilogy by Dan Abnett. Just because its so fraekin awesome 🙂

Reply

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What Are You Reading?

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