Bibliophile Thread

[DigitalGypsy66]

Oh boy, you are in for a treat. It only gets better from there. Try to get the novellas as well, they are now in one collection with a new ending novella:

https://www.amazon.com/Memorys-Legion-C ... 447&sr=8-1

Obviously, read the novellas in the right order to avoid confusion/spoilers etc.

[shafnutz05]

Awesome, thanks for the tip. Can I just read those after I finish the eight?

[Gaucho]

Yes.

[shafnutz05]

[Gaucho]

[nocera]

Are you vouching for the book, @Gaucho? It's always interesting when a primarily short story author writes a novel. Most of the time, it doesn't work out so well.

[Gaucho]

Haven't read it yet. But I loved The Gate at the Stairs.

[Gaucho]

And I can recommend Richard Ford's new novel.

[DigitalGypsy66]

I've been a Goodreads user for years, but Amazon basically does nothing with it except harvest data on its users. Almost no improvements to it in the 10 years they've owned it. They have no protection against review bombs, and only minimal manual protection against trolls and harassment.

I found out about Storygraph, which is Goodreads without Amazon, basically. And you can import your Goodreads data into it, and the recommendations algorithm seems to be much better than Goodreads.

[Gaucho]

[shafnutz05]

Oh boy, you are in for a treat. It only gets better from there. Try to get the novellas as well, they are now in one collection with a new ending novella:

https://www.amazon.com/Memorys-Legion-C ... 447&sr=8-1

Obviously, read the novellas in the right order to avoid confusion/spoilers etc.

Started Book 4 over the weekend. You were right.

[LeopardLetang]

I've been a Goodreads user for years, but Amazon basically does nothing with it except harvest data on its users. Almost no improvements to it in the 10 years they've owned it. They have no protection against review bombs, and only minimal manual protection against trolls and harassment.

I found out about Storygraph, which is Goodreads without Amazon, basically. And you can import your Goodreads data into it, and the recommendations algorithm seems to be much better than Goodreads.

Interesting thanks.

[nocera]

How do you guys use Goodreads? Is it just to keep track of your reading history or do you use it for reviews?

[DigitalGypsy66]

Mostly to keep track of what I've read, but I also check some of the reviews for potential books.

[LeopardLetang]

Track books. But with non fiction I check it before I read sometimes. With fiction I read them after I read the book.

[Gaucho]

[count2infinity]

Just finished "The Maid"... Don't bother. It has its moments, but that's about it. I read it because of all the acclaim it got (and the long wait time on libby... figured "I'll place a hold, I'm sure I'll need something by the time I get it"). The entire premise is confusing...

A big-time rich dude that frequents a hotel is murdered and the police immediately arrest.... the maid? The maid who is clearly autistic and has zero to gain by big-time rich dude's death? Weird, but okay...

Save your time... skip it.

[Freddy Rumsen]

I've been binge-reading all the Harry Bosch novels (I'm up to The Drop which I think is book #14) and they've all been consistently good, some even great.

[Gaucho]

That is correct.

[DigitalGypsy66]

This is the way.

[count2infinity]

Just finished up Where the Crawdads Sing. It was okay. I suppose I was expecting more based on the rave reviews. Seemed like it couldn’t quite figure out what kind of book it wanted to be… murder mystery? Coming of age? Rags to riches? It was incredibly slow. And then the very end of the book freaking zoooooms. Like, you took all that time to set everything up and then don’t get into detail about anything??? The characters are largely all very annoying. Jumpin and Mabel are the only characters I liked.

I suppose I could see how some would like it, but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

[DigitalGypsy66]

I am nearly through the first two books in Jack Carr's Terminal List series. I am enjoying them, and get real early Jack Ryan vibes from them.

I don't want to give too much away or steer this into political discussion, but I think the Amazon show is actually better than the book it was based on. I really wonder if Amazon combined two IPs to make the show, because while there are definitely the bones of the story in the book, it was streamlined and made a little more politically correct on the show. It's obvious the author leans Libertarian and has no love for Democrats, mentioning too many California laws making it tough to live in that state, the main character loves his Black Rifle Coffee, and the very specific weapon porn.

The second book is better than the first (True Believer) and has more of a spy thriller vibe to it. The political aspect is fairly solid too.

Evidently, Jack Carr has a co-writer (he mentions in the afterwords of both books). How does a new author, who isn't a celebrity or athlete, get a ghost or co-writer? I have a couple of friends that have published fiction with small presses and I'm going to reach out to see if that's normal or what.

Anyway, I've cruised through 800 pages of the first two books in record time. So something's working lol.

[count2infinity]

Never Let Me Go... this book sucks. Don't bother.

It was sooooooo freaking boring. Nothing happens. The whole thing is just an alternative reality where cloned individuals are bred for vital organs that are offered for donations. That's it. That's the whole book. The story is from one of those clones at her boarding school and as a nurse for other clones who are donating organs to "real" people.

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone... this book is fun. Do bother.

Family reunion (of a family full of killers) at a ski lodge in Australia and people start dying. Just an overall fun book and a great ending. Lots of 4th wall breaks, which I love.

[LeopardLetang]

Ishiguro is one of my favorites but that is one of his lesser books imo. I thought the 'reveal' was obvious in the first chapter. But it caught hold for some reason. But if you didn't like it at all I'd skip him. I think remains of the day is excellent and artist of the floating world I read twice in 2 years. His style pulls me through his books

[count2infinity]

@eddy

Just finished up In the Lives of Puppets… TJ Klune’s newest book. Not nearly as good as his other work.

House in the cerulean sea is a 9 for me.
Under the whispering door is a 7.5 or 8.
This one is a 6.