Current Read - August

Blind Crow · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 9:42 am

Alright I'm currently reading The Pillars of Earth by Ken Follett and I have to say, a very good read. The story is based around two characters: a mason named Tom and a monk named Philip. Both of their stories intertwine with each other in a creative way and I can't help but wanting to know what happens to them. Tom is a very poor man who seems to have everything going wrong for him while Philip use to be a monk who lived in peace until he gets tangled in politics.

The only complaint that I have, which is a mere copy of the reviewer from the NYT, is that the female characters seem a bit flat and 2 dimensional. They're all the same!

But the story and the male characters are all great so far.

You can read a bit of it on amazon if you would like.
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I'll walk hand and hand with my faith, step for step with my beliefs, and never fear the path unknown.

OEHFICE · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:14 am

Nice, Tyler. *adds book to already super long list of books to read*

I'm currently reading Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn. It's a murder-mystery type book. Julia has recently lost her husband. Although, he was in his late 30s, she thinks he died of natural causes. However, there's belief he was actually murdered. It's written in first person, which I prefer, of course. It's actually pretty good, I wasn't expecting it to be, since I had it put away in my closet. But it's turning out to be a great read.

Here's an excerpt from the beginning of the book: Silent in the Grave
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"Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." - Proverbs 21:21

poggles · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:54 pm

I'm about to start reading "Breaking Dawn", once my sister finishes with it...
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EmilyBlemily · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:22 am

Haha. I'm halfway through Breaking Dawn and a little disapointed...but maybe it'll pick up. I really liked the beginning of it, but then it became tedious. I'll have to hear your opinion once you finish it.

I'm also reading A Game of Thrones (George RR Martin) which is very good, but I'm too tired to say anything else about it right now...

poggles · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:32 am

I'm just over halfway through now... I see what you mean about it getting tedious

_________________
"It's waiting for me... Here I am!"
I bet you can't beat my brute

Blind Crow · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:20 am

Woot for A Game of Thrones!

And Breaking Dawn? I was at Borders yesterday (picking up a personal copy of The Pillars of the Earth and apparently they had had a big party for its release. And the place was packed with the book. I personally don't think I would like those books (though I'm still willing to pick the first one and see) but it makes me smile every time a new book comes out that a large audience, who normally doesn't read, gets excited about.

Books are awesome.
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I'll walk hand and hand with my faith, step for step with my beliefs, and never fear the path unknown.

poggles · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:36 am

EmilyBlemily · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 2:10 pm

Yeah. Books are awesome.

I got a lot farther in Breaking Dawn, and it gets kind of better. I'm guessing you're in Jacob's section, Anna? Even though he's one of my favorite characters (second only to Bella) I really just wanted to hear it from Bella's POV and it was making me mad...but I got over it.

Oh, woops, I didn't see your post Tyler. I went to a few of the Harry Potter midnight release parties, and those were crazy and fun. It must've been funny to see it all going on when you were there for a completely different book. And yeah, I don't think you'd like the Twilight series much. They're basically just typical teen romance with the addition of vampires and werewolves. One of my friends calls them 'candy books' as they're fun and quick reads, but there's not much substance to them.

youHEREandMEwithoutMY · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:12 pm

Well I just started The Count of Monte Cristo. I saw the movie a few years back and it was awesome. I haven't gotten too far yet.
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“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” -- Robert McCloskey

Band Geek · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:38 pm

I might read Breaking Dawn...but I got the reader's digest version of the plot and it sounded really bad....like painfully bad. Maybe not though. *shrug*

I'm reading Coming Up For Air by George Orwell. I don't really know if I like it though. It's very, verrrrrrrry different from 1984 and Animal Farm which are the only other books of his that I've read and it's in a totally different style. I don't know how to explain it exactly... It's one of those books where the author does alot of telling and not alot of showing if you know what I mean...*but* it's still pretty interesting.
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"I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars and you. What else do ya need to know?" -John Dillinger

poggles · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:46 pm

The plot is not the main point of the twilight books, it's how sweet they are in love ^.^ It makes me happy. (I agree, probably 'candy' books

)

The only book I've read by George Orwell was Animal Farm, which I didn't like much, so I guess I can't really comment on 'Coming Up For Air'.
_________________
"It's waiting for me... Here I am!"
I bet you can't beat my brute

EmilyBlemily · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:34 pm

I totally agree with you Anna. I kind of wish Stephenie Meyer would stop trying to write action into the story and just have it be about Bella and Edward and all the other characters. But the books make me happy too.

Aaron- I've always kind of wanted to read that...Let me know how it turns out!

Maggie- I want to give George Orwell's other stuff a try too. Hopefully Coming Up for Air gets better.

And if the readers digest version of Breaking Dawn was from me, there's much more cheesiness you haven't heard... But you should read it anyway...Finish the series.

Blind Crow · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:04 pm

Anna! I can't believe you didn't like Animal Farm! I love that book. I really kind of detest 1984 though. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed some of it. But one chapter in particular (Chapter 9, the one I'll never forget) made me want to throw the book in the trash.

Maggie I'm going to need to get that even if I don't like stories where the author tells more than he shows. George Orwell was a brilliant man. Is the story along the same basic principles of Animal Farm and 1984? The whole totalitarianism is a horrible, horrible thing?

Aaron tell me what you think of it, I would actually like to read it.

Emily - How's A Game of Thrones treating you? Liking it still?

People I'm telling you, you HAVE to try The Pillars of the Earth! One of the best books I've read in a long time! Really.
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I'll walk hand and hand with my faith, step for step with my beliefs, and never fear the path unknown.

Band Geek · Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:42 am

Anna- Wow, I can't believe that you didn't like Animal Farm either...it's one of my favorites.

Emily- Ah, true, true...I *did* get my summary from Mary so...lol

Tyler- Nope, this is totally unrelated reallly. It's about this guy who gets false teeth and it some how leads him to start thinking about his past. So for basically the first 200 pages he's telling you his life story and I think in the next part he goes back to his home town. The character is kind of interesting, but he's one that you wouldn't really like. He's a bit of an ass in a sort of sardonic way...

And I can't believe that you didn't like 1984! I loved it! Though that one chapter was more than a bit painful...
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"I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars and you. What else do ya need to know?" -John Dillinger

Blind Crow · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 7:15 pm

I will have to find it. Hopefully my university library has it. I don't want to buy it if I'm not going to like it. I didn't say I didn't like 1984. I just said I didn't enjoy it as much as Animal Farm. I think its because Animal Farm reminded me of a book that I read in grade school that I fell in love with. Ace the Incredible Pig or something of that sort.

And yes, that chapter was extremely painful. I think a certain editor should have been fired for allowing it to remain in the book.
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I'll walk hand and hand with my faith, step for step with my beliefs, and never fear the path unknown.

OEHFICE · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:49 am

I've never read Animal Farm or 1984. *writes it down to list of books to read*
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"Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." - Proverbs 21:21

Blind Crow · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:41 pm

*very audible gasp* You've never read Animal Farm or 1984?!? What kind of school did you go to?

That shocks me. They are some of the great pieces of literature that we have, and I didn't even truly like 1984.

Read Animal Farm first. It's the best.
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I'll walk hand and hand with my faith, step for step with my beliefs, and never fear the path unknown.

poggles · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:42 am

I saw 'Pillars of the Earth' at Target today! It looked pretty cool. I might have to see if I can borrow it from a library or something...
_________________
"It's waiting for me... Here I am!"
I bet you can't beat my brute

OEHFICE · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:22 am

heh, yeah. Apparently not one that required us to read those two. Okie dokie, I'll take your advice and read Animal Farm first.

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"Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." - Proverbs 21:21