83 replies to this topic

[Skunkbelly]

In light of Errant Bard's dare to read Outlander with a friend not of this board, Lord of the Night's vehement defense of the Black Library, and other recent discussions, I'm proposing a little game.  Here's the rules:

Participants will tell us what kind of book they currently read and then agree to read something of a different genre that is recommended to them by another boarder. They will then post a review of the book they agreed to read.

If you want to recommend a book, you should also agree to read a recommendation by someone else. Book recommendations should be readily available (no fair recommending an obscure out if print something or other) and of reasonable length.  

Who's in? I will start by saying that I read a lot of stuff, but generally gravitate toward  literary and historical fiction. Romances are my guilty pleasure (bodice ripper variety).  I'm also fond of memoirs.  I don't read a lot of  F/SF (surprising for this forum, I know) GRRM and LOTR being the only sword and sorcery type books that I've read in years. I don't think I've ever read a Western.  Recommend me something that will change my life and reading habits forever.

Edited by Skunkbelly, 10 May 2012 - 11:07 AM.

[Datepalm]

I'm game!

Skunkbelly: mmm...Use of Weapons, Iain M. Banks. Space Opera!

I read almost entirely SF/F, with the very occassional foray into historical or mainstream lit.

[Skunkbelly]

Datepalm:

Ok, Use of Weapons it is.  I recommend for you Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann.

ETA: Just ordered the book from my library. Does nobody else want the challenge?

Edited by Skunkbelly, 10 May 2012 - 09:10 AM.

[Liffguard]

I'm game. The majority of my reading is SFF of various types, including epic fantasy, space opera, cyberpunk and military SF. I'm currently reading Faith by John Love and before that I'd read Shards of Honor by Lois Bujold and the Dread Empire's Fall series by Walter Jon Williams.

I also like historical fiction (Shogun and Gates of Fire) are two of my favourite novels ever. On the non-"genre" side of things I like FX Toole and Chuck Palahniuk.

So yeah, rec me something different.

[Reposado]

Skunkbelly, on 10 May 2012 - 08:29 AM, said:

ETA: Just ordered the book from my library. Does nobody else want the challenge?

Hmm, I think it's interesting, but it's hard to tell when I would be able to do it. I just started The Darkness that Comes Before. I'm sure that many people have a solid backlog on their reading list.

I read fantasy, obviously, with historical fiction, tons of economic texts and history non-fiction. a small chunk of scifi and mainstream lit(though that's mostly elmore leonard) and classics when i get around to them.

So if someone wants to recommend something, I will get to it, but not sure exactly when. Although summer is coming soon, and I read much more then.

[Contrarius]

Ooo, I'm in for this.

I read mostly sff. This past year I've cultivated a secret addiction to trashy romance, although I'll deny that if anyone asks. I also occasionally read mystery/thrillers of the Dick Francis/James Lee Burke/Ian Rankin variety, and very occasionally "classics" or "literary fiction". I have also read tons of  general gardening and animal-related lit, not to mention megatons of academic non-fiction in mostly the life sciences.

I've don't think I've read any thrillers of the John Grisham variety, I don't read much general non-fiction, I don't think I've ever read a Western, even Lonesome Dove. I very rarely read history or historical fiction or biographies (I did read John Adams and a book about Thomas Jefferson whose name I've forgotten, and I've read several tales of exploration/adventure, like Endurance...hmmm, and I did read both The Basque History of the World and How the Irish Saved Civilization and a great book called The Botany of Desire.)

I tell people that I dislike military history, although I don't think I've ever actually read any -- the closest I've gotten is the Shaara novels and Red Badge of Courage, all of which I did enjoy. I keep telling myself I'll read the Shelby Foote books, but I haven't done it yet. I think I've got an aversion to reading any of that stuff because both my father and grandfather have been such huge history (especially military) buffs.

So that's my literary history in a nutshell. Anyone care to expand my horizons?

Edited by Contrarius, 10 May 2012 - 10:36 AM.

[Liffguard]

Fair enough. Contrarius, in keeping with it being one of my favourite books and your stated inexperience with military historical fiction, I challenge you to read Gates of Fire by Stephen Pressfield.

[Contrarius]

Liffguard, on 10 May 2012 - 10:33 AM, said:

Fair enough. Contrarius, in keeping with it being one of my favourite books and your stated inexperience with military historical fiction, I challenge you to read Gates of Fire by Stephen Pressfield.

Oh, great choice! I love the idea of that battle, but I've never actually read more than wikipedia-type entries about it (which I read after seeing the movie). You have a deal.

Let me think of something for you. But you may need to tell me more details about your reading history, so I don't pick something completely inappropriate. Have you got a Goodreads account?

[Skunkbelly]

Contrarius, on 10 May 2012 - 10:44 AM, said:

Oh, great choice! I love the idea of that battle, but I've never actually read more than wikipedia-type entries about it (which I read after seeing the movie). You have a deal.

Let me think of something for you. But you may need to tell me more details about your reading history, so I don't pick something completely inappropriate. Have you got a Goodreads account?

Oh, it can be inappropriate.  Tell him to read something unlike anything he's ever read before.  

[Contrarius]

Skunkbelly, on 10 May 2012 - 11:06 AM, said:

Oh, it can be inappropriate.  Tell him to read something unlike anything he's ever read before.  

Well, I don't want to engineer something for him to hate. I want to expand his horizons, not confirm pre-existing prejudices or anything like that.

[Mlle. Zabzie]

I'm also in   This is fun.  I am a pretty eclectic reader, but I usually fall into certain categories:

1.  I'm more likely to read fantasy than sci-fi, and if I do read sci-fi, more space opera-y than hard sci fi (what does Morgan count as?).
2.  I like both history and historical fiction.  I tend to choose books that are set in the high middle ages/Tudor periods, Georgian/Regency and Edwardian/WWI.  This goes for both genres.  I have a bias towards Western Europe and Russia.
3.  On the fantasy side, I don't usually go for normal sword and sorcery (anymore), but the darker stuff - e.g., Martin, Abercrombie, Parker - or the much lighter stuff e.g., urban fantasy (Vaughn, Harrision etc.).
4.  I read very little "contemporary" literature, though if I do it's either for a book club that I attend (one book I enjoyed was Little Bee) or gentle Southern humor.
5.  I do like the odd classic - everything from Jane Eyre (I've got a thing for gothics - I'm also a du Maurier fan) to Hardy to Tolstoy to Trollope.
6.  I also have a weakness for the odd romance (both bodice ripper and bodice intact).  What can I say

[Contrarius]

Liffguard, on 10 May 2012 - 10:15 AM, said:

I'm game. The majority of my reading is SFF of various types, including epic fantasy, space opera, cyberpunk and military SF. I'm currently reading Faith by John Love and before that I'd read Shards of Honor by Lois Bujold and the Dread Empire's Fall series by Walter Jon Williams.

I also like historical fiction (Shogun and Gates of Fire) are two of my favourite novels ever. On the non-"genre" side of things I like FX Toole and Chuck Palahniuk.

So yeah, rec me something different.

Oh, I have it! This will expand your horizons, AND it's a quick read in case you hate it.

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. I LOVE this book, but it's kind of polarizing. A fair number of people can't stand it. Let's see if you can relax and let it flow over you.

[Skunkbelly]

Mlle. Zabzie, on 10 May 2012 - 11:20 AM, said:

I'm also in   This is fun.  I am a pretty eclectic reader, but I usually fall into certain categories:

1.  I'm more likely to read fantasy than sci-fi, and if I do read sci-fi, more space opera-y than hard sci fi (what does Morgan count as?).
2.  I like both history and historical fiction.  I tend to choose books that are set in the high middle ages/Tudor periods, Georgian/Regency and Edwardian/WWI.  This goes for both genres.  I have a bias towards Western Europe and Russia.
3.  On the fantasy side, I don't usually go for normal sword and sorcery (anymore), but the darker stuff - e.g., Martin, Abercrombie, Parker - or the much lighter stuff e.g., urban fantasy (Vaughn, Harrision etc.).
4.  I read very little "contemporary" literature, though if I do it's either for a book club that I attend (one book I enjoyed was Little Bee) or gentle Southern humor.
5.  I do like the odd classic - everything from Jane Eyre (I've got a thing for gothics - I'm also a du Maurier fan) to Hardy to Tolstoy to Trollope.
6.  I also have a weakness for the odd romance (both bodice ripper and bodice intact).  What can I say

I've got one for you, if nobody else steps up.

[Liffguard]

Contrarius, on 10 May 2012 - 11:36 AM, said:

Oh, I have it! This will expand your horizons, AND it's a quick read in case you hate it.

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. I LOVE this book, but it's kind of polarizing. A fair number of people can't stand it. Let's see if you can relax and let it flow over you.

Sounds good. You're on!

[Contrarius]

Oooooo baby. I just found out that the audio version of the book Liffguard picked for me is narrated by one of my VERY favorite narrators of all time. This is gonna be toooo easy.

[Nukelavee]

Lets step it up, then, Contrarius - Anything by John Keegan - actual military history, not an attempt to retell something near mythic.

And not audio, .

My tastes are pretty eclectic as it is, but it will be interesting to see how it plays out for the rest of you.

[Lord of the Night]

Hm an interesting idea, one i'd like to partake in but having received three new ARCs today my reading plate is FULL for the coming weeks.

I would like to see what somebody would recommend for me though. I won't be able to read it any time soon but the recommendation will be interesting.

1. I read sci-fi and fantasy only. But a wide array of genres as a part of those like romance, detective, tragedy and of course action.
2. I have read some historical fiction in the form of Flashman and historical fantasy in Kushiel's Legacy. I enjoy it so long as its entertaining enough.
3. I like urban fantasy but only certain times. Dresden Files and Skulduggery Pleasant are my favourites of that genre, and I don't care for the romantic urban fantasy genre.
4. I enjoy tie-in fiction to my favourite shows and games like Gears of War (Novels written by the immensely talented Karen Traviss), Supernatural and Burn Notice.
5. Romance and drama novels bore me to no end, I can't even be bothered to complain about them they are so boring to me.
6. Audio-dramas are ok for me, but I don't like books on CD. I prefer the audio-dramas that Black Library publishes, ones that are specifically written to be on audio rather than print.
7. I don't mind a philosophical side to my books, I.E the first half of Sword of Truth, but I don't like it when the book overloads on philosophy, I.E the second half of Sword of Truth.


LotN

Edited by Lord of the Night, 10 May 2012 - 12:23 PM.

[wolverine]

I would probably be in but be forewarned:  I have been reading pretty slowly lately and I write very short uninsightful reviews (don't have the time for a whole lot of either right now).

My reads are as follows:
#1.  Historical fiction, usually more than 200 years in the past
#2.  Fantasy, Like GRRM, Martin, Bakker, Abercrombie, Kearney
#3.  Sci-Fi, mostly classics as I am fairly new to it but loved Use of Weapons
#4.  Literary, whatever is reccommended or I think I might like
#5.  Contemporary recs from people I know or the board
#6.  Westerns, read lots of these when I was younger

I have also read a few thriller/crime novels like Lehane, but not a ton.  I don't know what I avoid other than romance?  I am usually pretty open to most books.

[Tom Badgerlock]

ok im in im recommending Therese Raquin by Emile Zola, its very easy to come by in the penguin classics section. Fantastic dark and nice and short.

[Skunkbelly]

Ok, so a bear recommends Therese Raquin for Mlle. Zazbie. Zabs, what do have for Mr/Ms bear?


Lord of the Night and Wolverine can play when they decide they have time to read what's not on their lists already.

Nuk, are you playing?