Your 2012 Book List as it Develops

[moviedoors]

Originally Posted by Karelia

Let me know what you think of Snow Crash. Very interested in that book myself.

Read it. It's a great novel. It's equal measures thrilling, hilarious, and intellectually stimulating. It'll throw you a hysterical, suspenseful pizza delivery scene and then expend your brain with long discussions on neurolinguistics and Babylonian culture. It's a mindwarp of a novel.

-

I'm on book ten of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series. Reacher is such a great character. He's a moutainous badass, the ultimate alpha male, but he has a real moral compass. I'm eager for the movie adaptation of the ninth novel, One Shot, but I remain to be convinced that Tom Cruise is Jack Reacher. I know Child himself has signed off on it, but I just don't see it. This is more than a "but Lois isn't a redhead!" fanboy complaint. Jack Reacher is a big, powerful man. His physique and his personality are absolutely intertwined. He's also slyly humorous and sort of bemused in his interactions with people. I like Tom Cruise, but his strengths tend towards very serious characters. Yes, even Les Grossman. That character works because Cruise played it like he wasn't in on the joke. I'm going to keep an open mind (and they got Werner Herzog to play the villain, so I'm so there), but it's going to take a lot to convince me that Cruise is Jack Reacher. If Dwayne Johnson had any sense, he'd have persued this role to the ends of the earth.

[moviedoors]

Originally Posted by Figs

I'm up for recommendations if any of you have some. I really enjoy horror the most, don't recommend King or Barker though, I own pretty much all their novels.

Check out Summer of Night by Dan Simmons. The first novel I've read in a long, long time that made me turn on the lights. It's ball-shrivelingly terrifying.

It's a sci fi novel, but Peter Watts' Blindsight shook me to the core. It's a first contact story that deconstucts consciousness in such a way that it could literally change your life, and it also has the single coolest evolutionary explaination for vampirism I've ever encountered. Jukka Sarasti is my favorite vampire ever.

[Figs]

Originally Posted by moviedoors

Check out Summer of Night by Dan Simmons. The first novel I've read in a long, long time that made me turn on the lights. It's ball-shrivelingly terrifying.

It's a sci fi novel, but Peter Watts' Blindsight shook me to the core. It's a first contact story that deconstucts consciousness in such a way that it could literally change your life, and it also has the single coolest evolutionary explaination for vampirism I've ever encountered. Jukka Sarasti is my favorite vampire ever.

Thanks! I'll give it a read.

[Drizzle]

So far this year, I've finished:

A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin
Hilarity Ensues by Tucker Max
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

and I'm about halfway through Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins right now.

[childeroland]

Originally Posted by Figs

My gf got me a kindle last christmas and so far I've put on it, American Psycho, the complete Sherlock Holmes works, and all the John Carter novels(Amazon has a deal right now for only $.99).

I'm up for recommendations if any of you have some. I really enjoy horror the most, don't recommend King or Barker though, I own pretty much all their novels.

Ramsey Campbell - Alone With the Ghosts (a story collection). Midnight Sun. The Doll Who Ate His Mother. The Nameless. Any of his early books, really, but especially those.

Dan Simmons - Song of Kali.

Thomas Ligotti - Teatro Grottesco

Algernon Blackwood - The Centaur. Ancient Sorceries and Other Weird Stories. The Complete John Silence Stories. Tales of Terror and Darkness.

[Figs]

Originally Posted by childeroland

Ramsey Campbell - Alone With the Ghosts (a story collection). Midnight Sun. The Doll Who Ate His Mother. The Nameless. Any of his early books, really, but especially those.

Dan Simmons - Song of Kali.

Thomas Ligotti - Teatro Grottesco

Algernon Blackwood - The Centaur. Ancient Sorceries and Other Weird Stories. The Complete John Silence Stories. Tales of Terror and Darkness.

Thanks!

[moviedoors]

Yeah, Song of Kali will ruin your day, in a good way.

[Yodaman]

NOVELS

Star Trek Enterprise: Kobayashi Maru by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Star Wars: Darth Maul - Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

SCHOOL

Random Violence by Joel Best
More Damned Lies and Statistics by Joel Best

[hopefuldreamer]

I'm working my way very slowly back into reading after a few years of not finishing a single book

So far this year :

The Awakened Mage - Karen Miller
Magic Kingdom for sale, Sold! - Terry Brooks

Currently reading:

Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
The Black Unicorn - Terry Brooks

[uniqueweasel]

Finished

Books:
The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson
I, Partridge, We Need To Talk About Alan - Alan Partridge
This is a Call: The Life and Times of Dave Grohl - Paul Brannigan
Becoming the Natural: My Life in and Out of the Cage - Randy Couture
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest: Stieg Larsson

Graphic Novels/Trades:
Batman: Under The Hood Vl.2
Spider-Man: Coming Home
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
Iron Man: Extremis
Green Lantern: Rebirth

Currently Reading:

Spider-Man: Birth of Venom

[uniqueweasel]

Finished

Books:
The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson
I, Partridge, We Need To Talk About Alan - Alan Partridge
This is a Call: The Life and Times of Dave Grohl - Paul Brannigan
Becoming the Natural: My Life in and Out of the Cage - Randy Couture
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest: Stieg Larsson

Graphic Novels/Trades:
Batman: Under The Hood Vl.2
Spider-Man: Coming Home
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
Iron Man: Extremis
Green Lantern: Rebirth
Spider-Man: Birth of Venom

Currently Reading:

The Ultimates: Super-Human

[Rylvan]

Originally Posted by Figs

I'm up for recommendations if any of you have some. I really enjoy horror the most, don't recommend King or Barker though, I own pretty much all their novels.

The Secret Histories series by Simon R*. Green are amazing. A mix of sci-fi/fantasy, horror, and espionage, it was originally intended to be a trilogy, but the response was so positive he's expanded it to, at the moment, six books.

The Man With The Golden Torc
Daemons Are Forever
The Spy Who Haunted Me
From Hell With Love
For Heaven's Eyes Only
Live And Let Drood

The first one was AWESOME, the second one was even better, and the third one was good, but personally I'd rate it as the third best of the first three.



*Whoops, just noticed I made a small typo, it's Simon R. Green.

[Figs]

Originally Posted by Rylvan

The Secret Histories series by Simon G. Green are amazing. A mix of sci-fi/fantasy, horror, and espionage, it was originally intended to be a trilogy, but the response was so positive he's expanded it to, at the moment, six books.

The Man With The Golden Torc
Daemons Are Forever
The Spy Who Haunted Me
From Hell With Love
For Heaven's Eyes Only
Live And Let Drood

The first one was AWESOME, the second one was even better, and the third one was good, but personally I'd rate it as the third best of the first three.

Have to give these a read sometime. Love how they're all plays on Bond titles.

[Ash J. Williams]

Books:
Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
The Cambridge Companion to Aquinas - edited by Norman Kretzmann and Elenore Stump

Graphic novels:
Ghost Projekt - Joe Harris and Steve Rolston
Stan Lee Presents The Incredible Hulk - Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and various
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth - Chris Ware

Currently reading

Books:
The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick

[Yodaman]

NOVELS

Star Trek Enterprise: Kobayashi Maru by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Star Wars: Darth Maul - Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

SCHOOL

Random Violence by Joel Best
More Damned Lies and Statistics by Joel Best
Poverty in America by John Iceland

[mara]

Currently reading: Hounded by Kevin Hearne

Finished:
Mighty Hammer Down by David J Guyton
Blood and Bronze by David J Guyton
Hammered by Kevin Hearne

On my List:
Hexed by Kevin Hearne
Tricked by Kevin Hearne
Darth Plagueis by James Luceno
The Dame by R.A. Salvatore

[ComicChick]

Complete:

Graphic Novels:
Astonishing X-men - Unstoppable - Joss Whedon
Uncanny X-Men: Lovelorn - Matt Fraction
Ultimate X-Men 17: Sentinels - Robert Kirkman
X-Men: Divided We Stand - Multiple Writers

Books:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Jane Austen and Seth Grahame Smith
The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks
Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi
The Future of Us - Jay Asher and Carolyn Macker
Dead Girl Walking - Linda Joy Singleton
Dead Girl Dancing - Linda Joy Singleton
Dead Girl In Love - Linda Joy Singleton
Starcrossed - Josephine Angelini (again)
Seriously, I'm Kidding - Ellen Degeneres
Life Eternal - Yvonne Woon

Currently Reading:
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larson
13 Reasons Why - Jay Asher
Young X-Men Final Genesis - Marc Guggenheim

[Swimmingfish]

It is embrassing to post my list, spent too little time on reading. Improve mysself next year

[Spider-Fan]

My first update of the year!!!

Finished:

Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card - 5/5
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - 3.5/5

Let me cover each individually:

Speark for the Dead was an amazing book, and genius follow up to Ender's Game. It completes the journey started by Andrew Wiggin, as well as beginning an epic story which I am anxious to follow. Another masterpiece to begin an epic saga, which is rare.

Hunger Games was a good start, but I do feel the story went some cliche places when more creativity was present, and it made me dislike the main character by the end of the first book. That said, it did make me want to continue the series and a got really into it toward the middle, which isn't easy. Overall solid cast of characters, though the main character loses big points toward the end.

Currently Reading:

Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert
Endymion by Dan Simmons
Xenocide by Orson Scott Card

I really got to get back on bott Heretics of Dune and Endymion

[childeroland]

Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe by John Boswell
Collected Stories, by William Faulkner
The Book of Psalms, translated by Robert Alter
The Passion of the Western Mind by Richard Tarnas
Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson
Elbow Room, by Daniel Dennett
Kind Minds by Daniel Dennet
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn
Music: A Very Short Introduction, by Nicholas Cook
A Game of Thrones, by George RR Martin
Consciousness Explained, by Daniel Dennett
Henry VI Parts I-III
The Taming of the Shrew
The Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas , by Peter Kreeft
Quantum: Einstein, Bohr, and the Great Debate about the Nature of Reality. by Manjit Kumar
Critique of Practical Reason, Immanuel Kant
The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins
Meditations on First Philosophy , by Renes Decartes
Little, Big, John Crowley
Titus Andronicus, by William Shakespeare
Richard III, by William Shakespeare
The Evolution of God, by Robert Wright
The Comedy of Errors
God Is Not Great, by Christopher Hitchens
The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Letter to a Christian Nation, by Sam Harris
Richard II
The End of Faith, by Sam Harris
Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime, John Heilemann and Mark Halperin
The Portable Atheist, edited by Christopher Hitchens

Schultz A Biography, by David Michaelis
A Clash of Kings, by George RR Martin

[Yodaman]

NOVELS

Star Trek Enterprise: Kobayashi Maru by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Star Wars: Darth Maul - Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

SCHOOL

Random Violence by Joel Best
More Damned Lies and Statistics by Joel Best
Poverty in America by John Iceland
Being Black, Living in the Red by Dalton Conley

[Ash J. Williams]

Books:
Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
The Cambridge Companion to Aquinas - edited by Norman Kretzmann and Elenore Stump
The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick

Currently reading

Books:
The Weight of Glory - C.S. Lewis

Graphic novels:
X-Men: Alterniverse Visions - Stan Lee, Bob Harras, and various

[ComicChick]

Complete:

Graphic Novels:
Astonishing X-men - Unstoppable - Joss Whedon
Uncanny X-Men: Lovelorn - Matt Fraction
Ultimate X-Men 17: Sentinels - Robert Kirkman
X-Men: Divided We Stand - Multiple Writers

Books:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Jane Austen and Seth Grahame Smith
The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks
Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi
The Future of Us - Jay Asher and Carolyn Macker
Dead Girl Walking - Linda Joy Singleton
Dead Girl Dancing - Linda Joy Singleton
Dead Girl In Love - Linda Joy Singleton
Starcrossed - Josephine Angelini (again)
Seriously, I'm Kidding - Ellen Degeneres
Life Eternal - Yvonne Woon
Starcrossed - Josephine Angelini (2nd time)

Currently Reading:
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larson
13 Reasons Why - Jay Asher
Young X-Men Final Genesis - Marc Guggenheim
Nine's Legacy (I Am Number 4 Lost Files) - Pitticus Lore

[Yodaman]

NOVELS

Star Trek Enterprise: Kobayashi Maru by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Star Wars: Darth Maul - Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

SCHOOL

Random Violence by Joel Best
More Damned Lies and Statistics by Joel Best
Poverty in America by John Iceland
Being Black, Living in the Red by Dalton Conley
Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare

[ComicChick]

Complete:

Graphic Novels:
Astonishing X-men - Unstoppable - Joss Whedon
Uncanny X-Men: Lovelorn - Matt Fraction
Ultimate X-Men 17: Sentinels - Robert Kirkman
X-Men: Divided We Stand - Multiple Writers

Books:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Jane Austen and Seth Grahame Smith
The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks
Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi
The Future of Us - Jay Asher and Carolyn Macker
Dead Girl Walking - Linda Joy Singleton
Dead Girl Dancing - Linda Joy Singleton
Dead Girl In Love - Linda Joy Singleton
Starcrossed - Josephine Angelini (again)
Seriously, I'm Kidding - Ellen Degeneres
Life Eternal - Yvonne Woon
Starcrossed - Josephine Angelini (2nd time)
I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Nine's Legacy - Pittacus Lore

Currently Reading:
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larson
The Pledge - Kimberly Derting
I Love You Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle