What book(s) are you reading now?

Just finished the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik -- surprisingly good take on the use of dragons in the Napoleonic wars. And now I read that the series has been optioned by Peter Jackson, which makes me very, very nervous.

Moved on to The Ghost Brigades, a follow-up to Old Man's War, which was the best homage to Starship Troopers I've ever read.

Then I'll move on to The Looming Tower, which should be depressing as all get-out. I have to space my depressing non-fiction bouts with happy books in between.

The Sword through the Centuries - Alfred Hutton

The book encompasses tales, accounts, stories, and other literature mixed with very technical information including some metallurgy and the art of several types of duels. To me, the book seems to have a lot to offer, but if you are not interested in the subject, you will find it absolutely boring.

George RR Martin - A song of Fire and Ice, book III part II

BUMP! +1

Okay, this isn't spam:

I've finally taken that extra step and gone into Chinese literature, and I'm not regretting it. (of course, I'm reading the work of someone whose books are easily the most popular within the Chinese community, Jin Yong) Here's a link for those who might be interested and can't read the Chinese version: http://www.spcnet.tv/jinyong/jyreadingroom.shtml

HEALTH WARNING: not short at all, especially a certain trilogy (though it's more of a series of 2 sagas/stories with one that mentions certain earlier characters). All 3 sagas/stories are 4 books long, each book being roughly 400 pages long. The first installment has over 1500 pages. Also, it's very hard to put down once you get hooked to it.

There are also some historical references if you're into that. It kind of messes with history though: the current main character's just seen Temujin, and I think he grows up with him or something. Lots of mixing of fact and fiction.

Re-reading Saddam King of Terror by Con Coughlin because I can't decide on what else to read. man I hate that....

This book's pretty good though. I think it's very informative as well as easy to read. I'd suggest it to anyone who either wants to learn about Modern Iraq...or just likes reading about torture.:shame:

I am reading a book called Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5000 Years of Combat by R. G. Grant. It is not really a book, but more of an encyclopedia of battles all the way from the early Mesopotamians and Sumerians to the attacks of 9/11. It goes through 4 eras of war and highlights certain generals such as Julius Ceasar and Napoleon along with weapons such as the chariot and gatling gun. Every war is divided among major battles with a map, statistics such as soldiers, generals, date, and casualties, along with the flow and timeline of the battles. If you name a war fought in the past 5000 years I guarantee it is in this book. Almost 350 pages of every war in history.

Right now im reading a book called THE SWORD OF ATTILA: A Novel of the Last Years of Rome by Michael Curtis Ford. Its very good (a historical fiction), and is a very fast and easy read.

He also has other equally awesome books on Xenophon, Julain the Apostate, and one other that i haven't read yet.

Is the Art of War any good? I've heard that it's pretty simple.

[QUOTE=Lemur]Just finished the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik -- surprisingly good take on the use of dragons in the Napoleonic wars. And now I read that the series has been optioned by Peter Jackson, which makes me very, very nervous.


Lemur, is the Temeraire series worth reading? I had never heard of it till Peter Jackson optioned it for a film, and I'm a fan of his work, so I reckoned that the books might be worth reading.

I finished about a month ago, "Hannibal" by Ross Leckie. It's historical fiction, although it seems reasonably well researched. Very interesting descriptions of life in Carthage, as well as the practicalities of founding colonies of Carthage in southern Spain (e.g., Carthago Nova) and the building of an army. What I particularly liked about the novel was that the author made an attempt to get into Hannibal's head -- just why did he embark on an invasion of Italy? The Carthaginian nobility was not particularly in favour of it, he might have been able to negotiate for peace with Rome, and the odds were against him that he'd succeed in an invasion, yet he did it anyway.

It looks like Ross Leckie has also written several other books of the RTW-era, including "Scipio" which I have in my pile of books to read.

Good choice Fulliautomatix, Hannibal is one of the best books I've ever read. Scipio is a bit different, but just as fascinating. The last one, Carthage, was not so good IMO, contrived and containing no central and interesting character, but it's probably worth reading anyway...

Currently I am reading Nineteen Eighty-four by George Orwell. It is one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever read, and if you have not picked up a copy, consider doing so.

I'm also reading The Life of Billy Yank by Bell Wiley. This is another wonderful book, and I would recommend both it and it's counterpart The Life of Johnny Reb to any Civil War enthusiast.


HOLD THE LINE,
Aaron

I just finished reading The Last Kingdom and The Pale Horseman by Brnard Cornwell and am waiting for the third and final book of the series Lords of the North. It's a historical fiction about the Danish invasion of England and Alfred The Greats fight back very good.

While I am waiting for the last book I have just started reading Shogun by James Clavelle. I've already read it a couple of times but it is my favourite book so I love to read it again. It is an amazing book about 1600 Japan and an English pilot that got washed ashore on Japan.

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Originally Posted by Fulliautomatix

Lemur, is the Temeraire series worth reading?

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Yes it is. Full stop. Novik nails Napoleonic politics, warfare and atmosphere better than any author since Patrick O'Brian. I'm not exactly a fan of dragon lit, so I don't know how these compare, but she does an admirable job of making them believable, especially in their impact on human culture.

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Originally Posted by Fulliautomatix

I finished about a month ago, "Hannibal" by Ross Leckie.

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Hey, I read that a couple of years ago! Good stuff! Not in the same league as I, Claudius, for sure, but still quite good.

Just read The Wheel Of Time books 1-11 and reading New Spring now while i wait on my copy of Stephen King's Gunslinger arriving.

Anyone know when the next WoT book is due out?

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Originally Posted by satchef1

Just read The Wheel Of Time books 1-11 and reading New Spring now while i wait on my copy of Stephen King's Gunslinger arriving.

Anyone know when the next WoT book is due out?

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We'll all be extremely lucky if another WoT book every comes out. Robert Jordan found out that he has a rare disease that is basically incurable (from my understanding) and very deadly. At the moment he's on an experimental drug that has just shown it's first sign of helping. ~:(

The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Finnegans Wake by James Joyce

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Originally Posted by IrishArmenian

Finnegans Wake by James Joyce

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Please tell me you're kidding.

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Originally Posted by IrishArmenian

The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Finnegans Wake by James Joyce

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l0l0rz

Nope, that I am not. What is the problem?
And what do you mean, CrossLoper? I don't think that is English or Armenian.

The Great War by Jay Winter and Blaine Baggett

Frederick the Great by David Fraser.


Not bad, pretty readable. Fraser praises him a little too much for a historical account.

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Originally Posted by IrishArmenian

What is the problem?

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Oh, there's no problem, it's just that Finnegans Wake is widely considered one of the most oblique and difficult books ever written. Sample sentence:

O here here how hoth sprowled met the duskt the father of fornicationists but, (O my shining stars and body!) how hath fanespanned most high heaven the skysign of soft advertisement!

I've never tried to tackle it, myself -- I was put off by the notion of trying to puzzle through a book that puns in seven or so languages. I take my lemur hat off to you, IA. You are a braver soul than I.

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Originally Posted by Derfasciti

Frederick the Great by David Fraser.


Not bad, pretty readable. Fraser praises him a little too much for a historical account.

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Yeah, read a review of that. I've read the 'other' version of Frederick the Great by Giles Macdonaugh, which presents a rather more complex portrait of the man and concerns itself rather more with his artistic and personal tastes and relationships with people like Voltaire. It was a great disappointment regarding his military and political activities, which MacDonaugh treats fairly sketchily and with an apparent lack of interest.

The best all-round historical biography I've read in ages is Robert Asprey's two volume treatment of Napoleon Bonaparte (The Rise and Fall of...)...I doubt it misses anything significant and yet it manages to remain fairly objective and readable, although the sheer campaign detail is perhaps a bit overwhleming at times, and it probably ought to be read with a large and extremely detailed map of Europe to hand!

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Originally Posted by Lemur

Oh, there's no problem, it's just that Finnegans Wake is widely considered one of the most oblique and difficult books ever written. Sample sentence:

O here here how hoth sprowled met the duskt the father of fornicationists but, (O my shining stars and body!) how hath fanespanned most high heaven the skysign of soft advertisement!

I've never tried to tackle it, myself -- I was put off by the notion of trying to puzzle through a book that puns in seven or so languages. I take my lemur hat off to you, IA. You are a braver soul than I.

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Yes it is. I read it maybe a page a night so I can understand the whole thing. Pretty odd book, but what does Oblique mean?

I'm using "oblique" in this way: devious: indirect in departing from the accepted or proper way; misleading; "used devious means to achieve success"; "gave oblique answers to direct questions"; "oblique political maneuvers"

In other words, I'm saying that Finnegans Wake is indirect and non-obvious. Which is an obvious thing to say. Oh, the irony!

Hi Lemur, I just finished Old Man's War, and promptly ordered The Ghost Brigades. Thanks for the recomendation! Good stuff.

Glad you liked it, Geezer! Isn't it a good update of the Heinlein classic?

I've finished all the books I mentioned, and I've moved on to State of Denial. I really shouldn't read two depressing non-fiction books back-to-back, but I'm currently out of good novels. Waiting for another epic SF novel at the local bookstore.

Besides which, The Looming Tower was not quite as saddening and frustrating as I had feared. I've still got some reserves of goodwill toward mankind that can now be burned away by another 500+ pages of dense reporting.

Anybody else in here a Lois Bujold fan?

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Originally Posted by IrishArmenian

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

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Great choice! Puzo's books are great. Though you don't necessarily need to buy the book.

:book: http://ib.fictionbook.ru/
You can read the Godfather on that site.

I just finished reading The Winter Queen, by Boris Akunin. It's the first in a series of detective novels set in late 19th century Russia, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although you have to suspend your disbelief at times, the story rattles along well, and their are lots of very satisfying literary allusions for you to spot. Apparently the series is huge in Russia, but it's only been translated into English recently.

Reminds me of Dupuy and Dupuy's Encyclopedia of Military History. There are 1405 pages and small print.

Would you recommend Battle: Visual Journey and is it more of an overview or an attempt at synthesizing the lessons... that sort of thing?