Rangerland Forum Information

[Nilan 666]

The Net Delusion by Evgeny Morozov. A nice corrective to the idea that the internet will set us free.

[xcdudesquadloves...]

Finished The Girl who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest this week. Holy shit they were fun reads!

Now onto something more serious.

[Kusand]

Finished Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Good solid read. Excellent spy novel, lot of tense moments without action. It's a nice change of pace, really.

[Bavoo]

Just finished "The Girl..." series. Excellent read.

Picked up The Walking Dead hardcover (Issues 1-10).

[Dunc]

I am 'reading' (i.e., listening to someone else read) '1Q84' by Haruki Murakami. It took a while for me to get acclimated to the pace and prose style, but so far - Wow.

[Knight of Dight]

The Headhunters, by Jo Nesbo.

Pretty entertaining crime novel.

[Sed]

On an H.G. Wells kick - reading War of the Worlds again, as well as The Country of the Blind and Other Short Stories

[rightbug]

The Headhunters, by Jo Nesbo.

Pretty entertaining crime novel.

I've been meaning to read Redbreast.

Meanwhile, I just stopped reading one of the worst books I've ever read -- Grundish and Askew. It was puerile and poorly written. The third or forth time the author broke the fourth wall it was to brag about how shitty the book was and that was enough for me. Maybe if any of it was actually funny.

Nick Harkaway's new book, Angelmaker, is realeased tomorrow anyway.

This post has been edited by rightbug: Mar 20 2012, 06:18 PM

[Eric]

I just blew through the first 48 issues of The Walking Dead. HOLY. SHIT.

This post has been edited by Eric: Mar 24 2012, 04:37 AM

[ak996]

I just finished the Hunger Games series. The first book was great, but my do the second and third blow. Or rather, the second blows, and the way they wrap up the series with the end of the third blows.

[Sed]

Just recently finished This Is A Book by Demetri Martin - enjoyed it. Others who've read it seem to agree that the short-form material was funny, but are more split on the long-form. Personally, I liked the long-form material.

[Bavoo]

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

What an excellent, excellent book and I'm only halfway through. Hunger Games, Shmunger Games. THIS is how to tell a story.

This post has been edited by Bavoo: Apr 16 2012, 06:19 AM

[Kusand]

Hunger Games, Shmunger Games.

*glare*

Nah, I'm kidding, I'll check this out at some point.

[Dunc]

Started reading "Infinite Jest" on the plane ride back to Cali on Sunday. I like it so far but it kind of made me feel like I was still smoking dope.

Also (PLUG), my cousin has a 'middle grades'* book coming out shortly called ''My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer". 101 won't like it because gay marriage is treated sympathetically (gasp!, in a children's book?), but the reviews so far are pretty good, so if you are tolerant and would like a good book for your child.

* Age Range: 10 - 14

This post has been edited by Dunc: Apr 17 2012, 01:41 PM

[ree]

I'm still reading The Tiger's Wife. I'm having a lot of trouble getting through it, just like I did with Wicked. I hope to finish it on my flight to Vegas on Friday.

[Kusand]

What if you're intolerant and want your child to suffer? Any recommendations?

[Dunc]

What if you're intolerant and want your child to suffer? Any recommendations?

The book version of Sandler's "Jack & Jill".

[Sed]

What if you're intolerant and want your child to suffer? Any recommendations?

The Dr. Seuss adaptation of Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Horton Smears The Jew.

[Bavoo]

I finished Unwind over the weekend. Yea, it was awesome. There was a little side story that slowed the flow down a little bit, but thats a nit pick.

Recommend.

[Sed]

Blew through The Hunger Games over the weekend. It was better than I thought it would be!

[rightbug]

I finished Nick Harkaway's second book, Angelmaker, this weekend and loved it.

Kus, have you read The Gone Away World yet? I think we've discussed it here before. It's Harkaways' first book and one of my favorites. Both of his books seem like they'd be right up your alley. Here's what Publisher's Weekly had to say about The Gone Away World:

This unclassifiable debut from the son of legendary thriller author John le Carré is simultaneously a cautionary tale about the absurdity of war; a sardonic science fiction romp through Armageddon; a conspiracy-fueled mystery replete with ninjas, mimes and cannibal dogs; and a horrifying glimpse of a Lovecraftian near-future. Go Away bombs have erased entire sections of reality from the face of the Earth. A nameless soldier and his heroic best friend witness firsthand the unimaginable aftermath outside the Livable Zone, finding that the world has unraveled and is home to an assortment of nightmarish mutations... Readers who prefer linear, conventional plotlines may find Harkaway overly verbose and frustratingly tangential, but those intrigued by works that blur genre boundaries will find this wildly original hybrid a challenging and entertaining entry in the post-apocalyptic canon.

His writing style has definitely matured in his second book. It's not quite as mad as in his first book. Personally, I loved that madness but I can see where it would be challenging or frustrating to some. What hasn't changed, though, is Harkaway's ability to tell a great story full of amazing characters and big ideas. I can't even describe Angelmaker without ruining it but I think you'd love it.

[Kusand]

It's been on my to-read list for a while, I think. I'll have to get to it. I slacked off on my reading lately.

[Kusand]

Shit. I just bought the wrong book. I bought Felix Gilman's The Half-Made World, which was also recommended to me. DUHHHH.

[Sed]

Fuck - and here I am with The Giraffe Parade World.

[the old mole]

Shit. I just bought the wrong book. I bought Felix Gilman's The Half-Made World, which was also recommended to me. DUHHHH.

The Half-Made World is great. Gilman's twitter feed might be even better.

[ree]

Finally finished The Tiger's Wife....and I caved in since Hunger Games as $5 on Kindle.

[Sed]

Finally finished The Tiger's Wife....and I caved in since Hunger Games as $5 on Kindle.

Liked it a lot more than I thought that I would (Hunger Games, that is).

[Frankie5Angels]

Been awhile since I posted. Currently reading By the River of Babylon by Nelson Demille and A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehene.

[Alitaki]

Started reading Ready Player One on my way to the Garden. Didn't get very far into it but it's got my interest.

[Sed]

Started reading Ready Player One on my way to the Garden. Didn't get very far into it but it's got my interest.

Read it last summer - I really liked it.

[Alitaki]

Started reading Ready Player One on my way to the Garden. Didn't get very far into it but it's got my interest.

Read it last summer - I really liked it.

That first chapter alone had me thinking you'd love it. All the 80's references are great. I think I have that Dungeon & Dragons book somewhere.

[ree]

Finally finished The Tiger's Wife....and I caved in since Hunger Games as $5 on Kindle.

Liked it a lot more than I thought that I would (Hunger Games, that is).

I can tell that I like a book when I'm pissed that my stop is coming and I have to put the book away. That happened with me today - didn't think I'd like this book as much as I do already.

[Sed]

Finally finished The Tiger's Wife....and I caved in since Hunger Games as $5 on Kindle.

Liked it a lot more than I thought that I would (Hunger Games, that is).

I can tell that I like a book when I'm pissed that my stop is coming and I have to put the book away. That happened with me today - didn't think I'd like this book as much as I do already.

Several people - myself included - have goofed that it's Jim Henson's The Running Man Babies. In many respects, it actually reminded me a lot more of The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (Stephen King). I mean that in the best way possible.

[ree]

I have never read his books, and my birth mother was a huge fan of his and owned them all up until she passed in 95.

I want to stay up and read this book. Last time I was like this was when I read The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose.

[Kusand]

Oh, for fuck's sake, The Half-Made World was a Part One Of Motherfucking Goddamn Two. FUCK.

[Sed]

Oh, for fuck's sake, The Half-Made World was a Part One Of Motherfucking Goddamn Two. FUCK.

Don't know why you're surprised - it says half-made right in the title!

[Kusand]

Don't know why you're surprised - it says half-made right in the title!

I hope you can see this, because I'm doing it as hard as I can.

[Sed]

Don't know why you're surprised - it says half-made right in the title!

I hope you can see this, because I'm doing it as hard as I can.

[rightbug]

Oh, for fuck's sake, The Half-Made World was a Part One Of Motherfucking Goddamn Two. FUCK.

Ha! I'm glad you warned me as it looked interesting and I was planning on picking it up. I'll hold off.

I actually had the reverse problem with Harkaway's Anglemaker. Some jerk-wad told me that it didn't resolve everything because it was the first in a series and so, as I approached the end, my expectations were firmly set for anti-climax. It turns out that guy was totally wrong. The book has an epic climax which resolves everything and it is not part of a series but, because I was expecting otherwise, I did not properly appreciate it.

[Kusand]

Oh, for fuck's sake, The Half-Made World was a Part One Of Motherfucking Goddamn Two. FUCK.

Ha! I'm glad you warned me as it looked interesting and I was planning on picking it up. I'll hold off.

Book two is out in November, apparently. I'm half-tempted to skip it, not because I disliked the book, but I'm not sure I need the resolution. It was very good for what it was. It's weird, I feel like I enjoy it more in retrospect than I did while I was reading it. There are some standout "cinematic" scenes that are brilliantly written, two enjoyable anti-heroes, and a pretty solid world-building job.

[the old mole]

I read it a few months after it came out, and I had no idea about a sequel. The ending, if I remember correctly, left some plotlines dangling but didn't feel like it was a set-up for a sequel.

[Kusand]

I read it a few months after it came out, and I had no idea about a sequel. The ending, if I remember correctly, left some plotlines dangling but didn't feel like it was a set-up for a sequel.

Well, the second book is already set for November...

I think it depended on whether you were ok with the General just being a MacGuffin and the story ending without revealing what the "secret weapon" is and whether or not it matters to you how it ends up getting used.

[ree]

Just started Catching Fire.

[Sed]

It was pretty hilarious.

[Bavoo]

Yesterday, my 8-year old was watching a episode of "The Fairly Odd-Parents" featuring...

Yup. Kiss!

voices, logo and everything!

[ree]

Finished Catching Fire last night, now on to Mockingjay.

[Bavoo]

Finished Catching Fire last night, now on to Mockingjay.

Definitely the best of three books. I found book 2 the weakest link

[ree]

Most of my friends who have read all three say their favorite was the second. I won't make my decision until I finish them all, but so far I like the way Mockingjay has started out.

[ree]

Finished the Hunger Games Trilogy. I loved it, and at some point I'm going to end up reading them again. Catching Fire was the best out of the three.

Now I'm looking for something new that isn't that Fifty Shades of Smut. I read the first two chapters on amazon and it was terrible. So I'm torn so far in what to download today.

I started the sample of Game of Thrones Book 1. Any other suggestions, my friends?

[Sed]

Now I'm looking for something new that isn't that Fifty Shades of Smut. I read the first two chapters on amazon and it was terrible. So I'm torn so far in what to download today.

Perhaps you should try the audiobook. NSFW, obviously: