What are you reading NOW

[tented]

Did you read it in English? It has an invented language, so it is very complicated to read, even in English. I rarely give up on a book, but certainly not after 5-10 pages.

That is extreme. I typically don’t give up until at least 25-50 pages, depending on the nature of the book.

 

[Horsa]

How much of a book will you read before you decide not to finish it? I recently heard someone say if he doesn’t learn anything in the first 10 pages, he stops reading it. I’m not sure exactly what “learning” means in the context of fiction, but he did make a point of including both fiction and nonfiction.

It depends on whether it gets too distressing or not & when it gets too distressing. If it gets too distressing & it's non-fiction or I'm expected to read it I will force myself to finish it but struggle with it & take my time unless expected to have it read for a certain time. I gave up on the plumed serpent at chapter 8 when the bull gored the horse.

You can learn a lot from historical fiction as historical fiction writers normally like to be historically correct about the events round which their stories are set. Some sci-fi novels include quite a few science facts too.

 

[tented]

You nailed it... I read a translation, and even if the translator made a serious effort -- and apparently a good job, I really should have went straight to the original.

The very idea of translating this is bizarre. (And a good candidate for the Translation thread.) The original has basically an invented language, so a translator would need to come up with another invented language. It reminds me of something I read years ago concerning Beckett trying to translate Finnegans Wake into French. The main aspect I remember is that it involved a tremendous amount of drinking.

 

[Moxie]

That is extreme. I typically don’t give up until at least 25-50 pages, depending on the nature of the book.

I used never to give up on a book, when I was young and time was on my side. (LOL.) Now I do think I'm more judicious and decide if "life is just too short," but I try to give it 100 pages, give or take.

 

[mrzz]

By the way I started Falkner's "Intruder in the dust". Translated... yeah, yeah, I know. (translation seems quite ok though)

 

[tented]

By the way I started Falkner's "Intruder in the dust". Translated... yeah, yeah, I know. (translation seems quite ok though)

Have you read “The Sound and the Fury”?

 

[mrzz]

Have you read “The Sound and the Fury”?

Nope... That is my first Faulkner (I probably read too many Russians! But I don't regret it...). I am already sure it won't be the last, so thanks for the indication. Now I have one more book on my "to read" list.... oh boy.

 

[mrzz]

After a long while finished "Intruder in the dust". Good book.

 

[Horsa]

After a long while finished "Intruder in the dust". Good book.

That's 1 good thing about having to stay in I guess. You've got lots of time to read all the books you've been meaning to read for a long time & you can do all the writing, craft projects, D.I.Y. projects & decorating you've been meaning to do for ages as well as have a good sort out. I'm glad you enjoyed your last book. I enjoyed mine which was Mill on the Floss.

What are you reading now/next? For me it's books on horses as next week my archiving homework task is to write a report on the evolution of horses from eohippus to equus przewalski & equus caballus & man's relationship with the horse through time. I can't wait.

 

[mrzz]

What are you reading now/next? For me it's books on horses as next week my archiving homework task is to write a report on the evolution of horses from eohippus to equus przewalski & equus caballus & man's relationship with the horse through time. I can't wait.

Brave new world (in the original). Don't know when I will finish it though...

equus przewalski? A Polish horse maybe? You have a ready-to-use joke for your politicians back home, @Chris Koziarz !

 

[Horsa]

Brave new world (in the original). Don't know when I will finish it though...

equus przewalski? A Polish horse maybe? You have a ready-to-use joke for your politicians back home, @Chris Koziarz !

That's good. Enjoy!

Equus przewalski = Przewalski's horse. It's an endangered species of horse named after the Russian Przewalski who discovered them. They're Mongolian horses. I've added a link so you can see the horse if you wish.

Przewalski's Horse | National Geographic

Hear the tale of this truly wild horse, from its disappearance in the wild to its (so far) successful reintroduction.

www.nationalgeographic.com

Haha! He might have better luck saying Przewalski than me. Lol.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

Przewalski indeed sounds like Polish but could also be Russian, Ukainian. Horsa's right: Nikolay [pronounced somewhat like "ni-co-u-a-i"] Przewalski [like "p-sh-eh-valski"] was Russian, while my first name has Polish spelling "Krzys" (please don't use it if you are about to misspell it) thus very similar pattern.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

Brave New World was one of my first (and the best) SF novels (translation) when I as a teen, was in this genre. I was crying while reading it. Not anymore when I re-read the original as an adult living in USA, but still good. So mrzz, if you're like me a bit, I think you'll find it interesting.

 

[mrzz]

I ended Brave New World a while ago (and I liked it, @Chris Koziarz , as you said I would). It is almost a short story, it only took me that long as I was buried in other stuff, which included finishing a book of short stories about the pandemic (I am probably the first guy in the world to write an entire book about it), so if anyone knows a publishing house interested in publishing an obscure, unknown and unpleasant Brazilian author, let me know...).

It is interesting to compare it to the other "classic" dystopias, "1984" and "We" (by E. Zamyatin, little less known but a fantastic book). All three books have that classic (good) sci fi characteristic -- which is to literally explore a reality where basic pillars of life are altered. In that department the three books excel. Three very good and pertinent ideas, extremely well explored. Maybe the most "tangible" and/or meaningful idea of the three is in fact the one in "Brave New World". But, also because the other two books are larger, but not only because of that, IMO the psychological aspects are deeper in 1984 and We (not that they are not deep in BNW).

I finished BNW with a feeling that it could be even further explored -- it almost sounded to me like a script to a longer work, were some characters could be further/better developed. In its form, the book asks a lot of the reader, to fill the gaps the story purposely leaves open. Yes, this is an author's choice, and a good one in a sci fi book, but it would be marvelous to navigate a bit more in that world.

For my personal taste, I still lean towards 1984 -- in my opinion it is not only a masterpiece, but an extremely misunderstood book. I would say that the difference between 1984 and BNE is that, while both books are tragic and the tragedy in the them is both personal and collective, BNE, IMO, is more of a personal tragedy, while 1984 is more of a collective one. I don't say that just because BNE is a "mass production/mass consumption" dystopia while 1984 is a "collectivist" dystopia (even if it is good that my analysis agrees with that aspect). My point is that BNE is the saga of individual(s) who do(es) not fit, while 1984 is, in some sense, the opposite (I could not write what I wanted without spoiling the book, so in respect of those who never read it, I left that last sentence as vague as I could).

I am revisiting "We" -- it is the more "sci fi" and also the more complex of the three. I hope I have something to add in a short while.

 

[Horsa]

I ended Brave New World a while ago (and I liked it, @Chris Koziarz , as you said I would). It is almost a short story, it only took me that long as I was buried in other stuff, which included finishing a book of short stories about the pandemic (I am probably the first guy in the world to write an entire book about it), so if anyone knows a publishing house interested in publishing an obscure, unknown and unpleasant Brazilian author, let me know...).

It is interesting to compare it to the other "classic" dystopias, "1984" and "We" (by E. Zamyatin, little less known but a fantastic book). All three books have that classic (good) sci fi characteristic -- which is to literally explore a reality where basic pillars of life are altered. In that department the three books excel. Three very good and pertinent ideas, extremely well explored. Maybe the most "tangible" and/or meaningful idea of the three is in fact the one in "Brave New World". But, also because the other two books are larger, but not only because of that, IMO the psychological aspects are deeper in 1984 and We (not that they are not deep in BNW).

I finished BNW with a feeling that it could be even further explored -- it almost sounded to me like a script to a longer work, were some characters could be further/better developed. In its form, the book asks a lot of the reader, to fill the gaps the story purposely leaves open. Yes, this is an author's choice, and a good one in a sci fi book, but it would be marvelous to navigate a bit more in that world.

For my personal taste, I still lean towards 1984 -- in my opinion it is not only a masterpiece, but an extremely misunderstood book. I would say that the difference between 1984 and BNE is that, while both books are tragic and the tragedy in the them is both personal and collective, BNE, IMO, is more of a personal tragedy, while 1984 is more of a collective one. I don't say that just because BNE is a "mass production/mass consumption" dystopia while 1984 is a "collectivist" dystopia (even if it is good that my analysis agrees with that aspect). My point is that BNE is the saga of individual(s) who do(es) not fit, while 1984 is, in some sense, the opposite (I could not write what I wanted without spoiling the book, so in respect of those who never read it, I left that last sentence as vague as I could).

I am revisiting "We" -- it is the more "sci fi" and also the more complex of the three. I hope I have something to add in a short while.

Since this really sounds like your genre, do you have any recommendations for someone who wants to get into the genre who is very sensitive so wouldn't like the horror side but imaginative & creative who enjoys the ones that delve a bit into science fact too & doesn't like the new books which are written in language a 5 year old could understand? The person rather likes "Journey to the centre of the Earth", "50,000 leagues under the sea" & "The Lost World". I'm asking for a friend who lived at home with her parents & although she was old enough her Father judged her for reading something that wasn't realistic & he could be very abusive to her & her Mother at times. She lost her Father recently & has more freedom to read & do what she likes as her Mother is less strict & allows her to have an opinion (which she couldn't before as her Father always had to be right & nobody could have an opinion if it didn't agree with his or they'd get shouted at & called names) & everything is discussed. As long as everything gets done, what gets read & done in her own time is up to her.

 

[mrzz]

Since this really sounds like your genre, do you have any recommendations for someone who wants to get into the genre who is very sensitive so wouldn't like the horror side but imaginative & creative who enjoys the ones that delve a bit into science fact too & doesn't like the new books which are written in language a 5 year old could understand? The person rather likes "Journey to the centre of the Earth", "50,000 leagues under the sea" & "The Lost World". I'm asking for a friend who lived at home with her parents & although she was old enough her Father judged her for reading something that wasn't realistic & he could be very abusive to her & her Mother at times. She lost her Father recently & has more freedom to read & do what she likes as her Mother is less strict & allows her to have an opinion (which she couldn't before as her Father always had to be right & nobody could have an opinion if it didn't agree with his or they'd get shouted at & called names) & everything is discussed. As long as everything gets done, what gets read & done in her own time is up to her.

The term sci fi is a big umbrella, under which a lot of different things may be found. There is an inner branch that is intertwined with horror, but this is surely not part of genre definition. It is connection that can be well explored, yes, but it is not in sci fi's DNA, and is not even the most popular manifestation of it.

My personal taste is centered around the "classic" sci fi authors of the middle of the XXth century. Asimov (Isaac), Bradbury (Ray), Clarke (Arthur), Dick (Philip K), Lem (Stanislaw). Asimov is a peculiar author, he is probably the most prolific author of all times, so part of his work is some "mass production" which is of clear inferior quality. But he has produces some masterpieces of very different natures. The original "Foundation" trilogy is fantastic, but my personal favorite is a short story book called "The winds of change". The "robot" short stories are also quite fun. But you do have to take care when choosing an Asimov book.

If I would dare to suggest something to start, I would say try this out:

The Mammoth Book of Vintage Science Fiction - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There is an entire universe of sci fi out there. When you start reading it, you end up believing that whatever happened from 1980 onward was some sort of rip off of their work... in both fiction and real worlds.

 

[Horsa]

The term sci fi is a big umbrella, under which a lot of different things may be found. There is an inner branch that is intertwined with horror, but this is surely not part of genre definition. It is connection that can be well explored, yes, but it is not in sci fi's DNA, and is not even the most popular manifestation of it.

My personal taste is centered around the "classic" sci fi authors of the middle of the XXth century. Asimov (Isaac), Bradbury (Ray), Clarke (Arthur), Dick (Philip K), Lem (Stanislaw). Asimov is a peculiar author, he is probably the most prolific author of all times, so part of his work is some "mass production" which is of clear inferior quality. But he has produces some masterpieces of very different natures. The original "Foundation" trilogy is fantastic, but my personal favorite is a short story book called "The winds of change". The "robot" short stories are also quite fun. But you do have to take care when choosing an Asimov book.

If I would dare to suggest something to start, I would say try this out:

The Mammoth Book of Vintage Science Fiction - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There is an entire universe of sci fi out there. When you start reading it, you end up believing that whatever happened from 1980 onward was some sort of rip off of their work... in both fiction and real worlds.

Thank you very much.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

The term sci fi is a big umbrella, under which a lot of different things may be found. There is an inner branch that is intertwined with horror, but this is surely not part of genre definition. It is connection that can be well explored, yes, but it is not in sci fi's DNA, and is not even the most popular manifestation of it.

My personal taste is centered around the "classic" sci fi authors of the middle of the XXth century. Asimov (Isaac), Bradbury (Ray), Clarke (Arthur), Dick (Philip K), Lem (Stanislaw). Asimov is a peculiar author, he is probably the most prolific author of all times, so part of his work is some "mass production" which is of clear inferior quality. But he has produces some masterpieces of very different natures. The original "Foundation" trilogy is fantastic, but my personal favorite is a short story book called "The winds of change". The "robot" short stories are also quite fun. But you do have to take care when choosing an Asimov book.

If I would dare to suggest something to start, I would say try this out:

The Mammoth Book of Vintage Science Fiction - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There is an entire universe of sci fi out there. When you start reading it, you end up believing that whatever happened from 1980 onward was some sort of rip off of their work... in both fiction and real worlds.

Thanks mrzz for your Asimov recommendation. I'll definitely read when I have time because I don't know (or don't remember) much about Assimov.
I'm curious what's your favourite Lem piece. I know pretty much all of his writing, having read them as a teenager (in original) and I thought it was virtually impossible to translate them: so many interesting and funny neologisms you find there would be simply lost. Until I read "Let us save the Universe" ("Ratujmy Kosmos") a little story about Trurl (a genius robotic constructor/inventor) from a larger book of various stories. They made a special effort to translate this linguistic SF gem, so that it reads in English almost as well as in Polish.

 

[Horsa]

I'm reading books about horses.
I'm doing online archiving courses.
I'm reading the news
& all different views.
I'm reading about the work of our war-time armed forces.

 

[Horsa]

I'm reading about constitutional law & equine history at the moment.