What are you reading? Book discussions and reviews

[Biojex]

I enjoyed those two. The 3rd one, Dead Sea, was eh. My favorite Keene book was Terminal.

The Day by Day books are pretty good zombie books too if you haven't read them.

Yeah, I didn't much care for Dead Sea. Terminal was excellent, as was "The Conqueror Worms"

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Almost through "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War", by Max Brooks. Solid read. Very thoughtful.

Most Zombie stories/movies/tv shows are very microscopic ... a few isolated survivors fighting for their lives. This one has a bit of that. But, it jumps from one side of the world to the other, and in the course, gives an awesome overview of how the apocalypse affected the entire globe. The big picture that is usually missing from zombie entertainment.

Spoiler

Its clear the author thought through this thing more than most. How would a zombie plague affect everything from military tactics, to international affairs, to refugees, to urban and suburban survival, to wilderness and cold weather retreats, psychology, weapons, tactics? It even went into how the political climate in places like Iran, China and North Korea affect their response when compared to the West. Or how the conflict between Arabs and Israelis affects the initial outbreak.

The moral decision that ends up turning the tide is both brilliant, understandable, and completely inhumane. The story ends up being more about the choices humans make when faced with catastrophe than about the zombies.

I found the military tactics fascinating ... you can't fight zombies like you'd fight humans in war. High tech weapons become useless. Air Force is grounded. Castles and fortifications renewed. Bladed and blunt weapons make a return. Semiautomatic weapons and measured calm are preferable to full auto spraying. Tactics are turned on their head -- no leadership to take out, psyops are useless, no hearts and minds to win ... and any causalty for the humans becomes a warrior for the zombies.

There was even a really cool part about zombie sympathizers and people suffering from a zombie version of Stockholm syndrome.

Fascinating read.

SnakeDoc

 

[Dark Passenger]

Yeah, I didn't much care for Dead Sea. Terminal was excellent, as was "The Conqueror Worms"

I stopped reading Dead Sea about halfway through it. I never read Conqueror Worms, got to give it a try. Ghould was pretty cool.

Almost through "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War", by Max Brooks. Solid read. Very thoughtful.

Most Zombie stories/movies/tv shows are very microscopic ... a few isolated survivors fighting for their lives. This one has a bit of that. But, it jumps from one side of the world to the other, and in the course, gives an awesome overview of how the apocalypse affected the entire globe. The big picture that is usually missing from zombie entertainment.

Spoiler

Its clear the author thought through this thing more than most. How would a zombie plague affect everything from military tactics, to international affairs, to refugees, to urban and suburban survival, to wilderness and cold weather retreats, psychology, weapons, tactics? It even went into how the political climate in places like Iran, China and North Korea affect their response when compared to the West. Or how the conflict between Arabs and Israelis affects the initial outbreak.

The moral decision that ends up turning the tide is both brilliant, understandable, and completely inhumane. The story ends up being more about the choices humans make when faced with catastrophe than about the zombies.

I found the military tactics fascinating ... you can't fight zombies like you'd fight humans in war. High tech weapons become useless. Air Force is grounded. Castles and fortifications renewed. Bladed and blunt weapons make a return. Semiautomatic weapons and measured calm are preferable to full auto spraying. Tactics are turned on their head -- no leadership to take out, psyops are useless, no hearts and minds to win ... and any causalty for the humans becomes a warrior for the zombies.

There was even a really cool part about zombie sympathizers and people suffering from a zombie version of Stockholm syndrome.

Fascinating read.

SnakeDoc

If you like zombie stories with more depth give Life Among the Dead a try. It is an awesome read.

 

[cokebabies]

I love the crap out of this guy.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Catching up on a number of X-Men books...

Messiah Complex
Nation X
Cable
X-Force

 

[Kibishii]

I am about 1/2 through Chronicles of the Black Company and I would highly recommend it; it is not your typical fantasy. Very dark. Very gritty. Follows the military campaigns of a group of mercenaries who work for the 'evil' side.

The best way I can describe it would be to imagine a story told from a stormtrooper's perspective from Star Wars where the protagonists are sent to slaughter rebels simply because their superiors tell them to.

 

[meth head]

The Wind In The Willows

 

[nathanoxford]

Just starting off with Batman: TLH , absolute edition. Arrived Saturday. Can't wait!

 

[surfin4]

just finished "the sisters brothers" a good read

 

[Ryanfromindiana]

I'm about halfway through Rant and it's been pretty awesome. I had sworn off Chuck but it came recommended so I gave it a shot and I dig it.

 

[xYx]

A Game Of Thrones - George R. R. Martin

 

[Dr.FeelGood]

Just finished reading Steve Alten's first "MEG" book...very enjoyable..already starting book 2 (Kermit bless the kindle!)

Also reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Homles stories...

And the 3rd Horus Heresy book...

Yup...i read many at once...

 

[galactiboy]

I just finished Maus, very powerful and engaging story. I'm heading to Europe in a few weeks and part of our trip is a tour of Auschwitz; so reading Maus makes that experience seem even more difficult to approach.

 

[xYx]

Fantastic Four: Master Of Doom

 

[devilof76]

I just finished Maus, very powerful and engaging story. I'm heading to Europe in a few weeks and part of our trip is a tour of Auschwitz; so reading Maus makes that experience seem even more difficult to approach.

That has been sitting on my desk for two months. I want to read it, but it took me weeks to recover from reading Night by Eli Wiesel. It was 10 years ago, and I still get the same sinking feeling when I consider placing myself in that universe again.

 

[galactiboy]

Yeah, I will say in some ways Night is much more difficult of a read. But there are a lot of disturbing things in Maus and you get a lot more of the backstory on the primary characters.

But still very upsetting. I'm really not sure how going to Auschwitz will be for me. But since becoming a parent human suffering seems even more poignant than before.

 

[xYx]

 

[BuffyGirl]

Cabin in the Woods Visual Companion.

Book rocks. So much Q and A. I love it.

 

[mmurrer]

Just read Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. Highly recommended.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

the slab .