Goodreads Reading Challenge/General Bookery

[Rich]

4 minutes ago, Liam said:

Just don't read Armada and you will be fine.

That bad?

[Liam]

Just now, Rich said:

That bad?

Dross.

[GA!]

Co-signed. Armada is utter wank.

[Rich]

6 minutes ago, GA! said:

Co-signed. Armada is utter wank.

Thanks for letting me know chaps, otherwise I may have purchased a mistake

[Liam]

Just now, Rich said:

Thanks for letting me know chaps, otherwise I may have purchased a mistake

There'll be some who like it, but IIRC, it did get fairly consensus-ly panned, especially when compared to RPO.

[Rich]

Excellent

In other news, I got 4 books for £2 in Cleethropes today, including Divergent and Trainspotting.

@GA! the RSPCA shop down St Peters Av is pretty stonking for second hand books.

[Liam]

I found Trainspotting really difficult - probably because I tried to read it when I was about 14.

I should probably give it another go at some point.

[GA!]

44 minutes ago, Rich said:

@GA! the RSPCA shop down St Peters Av is pretty stonking for second hand books.

oooo shiny!

And, re: Armada, I knew the book was in trouble when the main character's mother is written as though she's a love interest. Don't think that was the intention of Mr Cline. Then it's almost immediately followed by a list of everything Ernest Cline liked between 1981 and 1988 (or some shit like that).

[Liam]

1 hour ago, GA! said:

oooo shiny!

And, re: Armada, I knew the book was in trouble when the main character's mother is written as though she's a love interest. Don't think that was the intention of Mr Cline. Then it's almost immediately followed by a list of everything Ernest Cline liked between 1981 and 1988 (or some shit like that).

It basically just becomes like a later episode of Family Guy, were rather than any semblance of real plot, it just relies on 'look at this reference'.

[=BK=]

4 hours ago, Rich said:

I just finished my third book of the year, Ready Player One, great book, sci-fi & futuristic with a healthy sense of 80's nostalgia, loved it.

I have this on my Nook. I see so many people that like it.

[GA!]

1 hour ago, Liam said:

It basically just becomes like a later episode of Family Guy, were rather than any semblance of real plot, it just relies on 'look at this reference'.

Funnily enough, my original post (but I had to close the window because lol work) was going to make the same point with the same reference. Ready Player One is extremely enjoyable, but Armada makes me wonder if I'd enjoy RPO as much a second time - in the same way I don't like pre-cancellation Family Guy any more (when I used to think it was the funniest show ever) as I know how turgid it becomes.

[Liam]

My current read:

Aha!

[hugobomb]

I loved Ready Player One. It managed to weave it's love letter to the 80s into the plot brilliantly without just being "Hey remember this thing from the 80s?!".

 

Stayed clear of Armada, all reviews I've seen say it's self indulgent bollocks 

[GA!]

I've not set a target this year, but at the moment I'm reading: 'Hear the Wind Sing' and 'Pinball 1973' by Haruki Murakami (it's in one book so I'll count it as one); and 'Stories of Your Life and Others' by Ted Chiang.

[Your Mom]

Armada wasn't good?  That's disappointing

[GhostMachine]

Finished the Jonathan Maberry book, and am now on the 3rd Chet and Bernie book by Spencer Quinn. 

If you've ever wanted to read a series about a P.I. and his dog, where the dog is the main character, this series is for you. I even recommend it, if you haven't wanted to read a series like that.

[Liam]

56 minutes ago, New Year New Srar! said:

Armada wasn't good?  That's disappointing

Yeah, it was a nerd's wet dream, but the bad kind.

[Your Mom]

I liked Ready Player One but it still felt a bit off to me. Like the concept was cool but it seemed like wish fulfillment by the author. In the future everyone is obsessed with the 80's like me! 

[GA!]

Armada screams of an editor who failed to rein Ernest Cline in and/or misunderstood why RPO works. Cline also quickly gives up trying to describe anything, instead likening all people, emotions, objects, and situations to brand names he liked as a child. It's the worst case of fetishistic 80s nostalgia I've encountered... so far.

Edited January 7, 2017 by GA!

[Moses Julep]

First book down, the Nix by Nathan Hill. I saw it pop up on a few year-end lists and it looked cool but it was a loooong at 700 pages or whatever.  I just wanted it to end eventually but it all tied up neatly with a very good ending. Onto the next, maybe something shorter though