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1S.T.4.L.K.3.R
Hey,I'm st4lk3r. Before I tell you about what I'm reading I'd like to explain myself.
I'm 16 years old,from Ireland. I enjoy walking and playing the flute,as well as ICT and video games.
I read everything I can get my hands on ( :P ). If it's there I'll read it.
Anyway,I've decided that I'm going to journal my reading for 2013 since I forget just about everything I read,I'll write reviews for all of the books that I read,and I would love recommendations from any user from any genre. If you love a book I'd love to try it,and hopefully we can have a good discussion after.
PS: I also read poetry,but not that often,and only by a few poets(Poets that I'm studying for my English course)
At the moment I'm reading "A song of Ice and Fire " by George.R.R Martin and "Preludes" by T.S.Elliot.
Books I have Read
-------------------------
The Road - Cormac Mc Carthy.
High Fidelity - Nick Hornby.
Poems I have Read
------------------------
The Love Song of J.Alfred Pruefock _ T.S Elliot.
Mid Term Break - Seamus Heaney.
I'm 16 years old,from Ireland. I enjoy walking and playing the flute,as well as ICT and video games.
I read everything I can get my hands on ( :P ). If it's there I'll read it.
Anyway,I've decided that I'm going to journal my reading for 2013 since I forget just about everything I read,I'll write reviews for all of the books that I read,and I would love recommendations from any user from any genre. If you love a book I'd love to try it,and hopefully we can have a good discussion after.
PS: I also read poetry,but not that often,and only by a few poets(Poets that I'm studying for my English course)
At the moment I'm reading "A song of Ice and Fire " by George.R.R Martin and "Preludes" by T.S.Elliot.
Books I have Read
-------------------------
The Road - Cormac Mc Carthy.
High Fidelity - Nick Hornby.
Poems I have Read
------------------------
The Love Song of J.Alfred Pruefock _ T.S Elliot.
Mid Term Break - Seamus Heaney.
3avidmom
Welcome to Club Read! I took the liberty of peeking in your library. We don't share any books but I have read one Nick Hornby book, A Long Way Down, and liked it. What did you think of High Fidelity?
4LisaMorr
Hi there! I did what avidmom did and it was neat to see Metro 2033 and the Game of Thrones books in your library. I read Game of Thrones last year and will start reading the next book sometime soon. I really liked Metro 2033 - how about you?
5S.T.4.L.K.3.R
Reviews for High Fidelity, Metro 2033, and T.S Elliots "The Love Song of J. Alfred Pruefock" by the end of this month ( I promise).
Also review of book four of George R.R. Martins "Song of Ice and Fire" and W.B. Yeats "The Second Comming" for next month.
It's hard to post since I only have PC access a few times a month :P
Also review of book four of George R.R. Martins "Song of Ice and Fire" and W.B. Yeats "The Second Comming" for next month.
It's hard to post since I only have PC access a few times a month :P
6mkboylan
Boy I hear that computer access problem - I'm ok at home but am currently traveling and posting mostly from my phone. Sure effects what and how I post.
7S.T.4.L.K.3.R
@mkboylan: I know,I have a really nice phone but I can't write on it D:
I tip is you could get a bluetooth keyboard,then connect it to your phone and write with that :)
Anyway,without further a due,the Metro 2033 review.
Metro 2033
-----------------
I admit I am a little bit of a science fiction and post Apocalyptic fan,and dark settings really appeal to me so I will be a bit biased in this post.
Metro offers a lot more to the average reader then most sci fi,'s do for a few reasons. Firstly it's a stand alone novel,which means you wont be reading an archive of books to understand the plot or any references.
Secondly it has a post apocalyptic setting and this attribute makes this book an absolute gem.
Metro is,in my opinion,a "cool" book; the plot suspends the reader and it continues to inspire and balance feelings of curiosity, anticipation and satisfaction throughout,as the chapters progress however the dominating factor is the atmosphere.
At every point in the book,from the dark and daunting beginning to the epic and nearly profound conclusion a dark,heavy atmosphere looms over,blankets,and immerses the reader. There's something vast,frightening and brilliant in the world that Glukhovsky constructs,
and in short,
I was afraid.
This isn't a book that I can compare to any other, Glukhovsky achieves to create an interest in the areas , factions, and lore of the world and even make the reader wish they were a part of it, but he also allows the reader to distance themselves,to an extent, from the book meaning that you wont spend too much time on it if you don't want to.
------------------
Sorry if this review looked rushed an in complete,honestly it was. I only had 20 minutes to write it, but I hope I clearly conveyed my opinions to you.
Anyway,that's what I thought about Metro 2033. I recommend it to any reader who loves to be immersed in the world of the book that they are reading,even if they aren't a fan of sci fi and I recommend it to and writer who is having trouble conveying their world to the reader.
Tell me what you thought of Metro 2033,and maybe what you thought of the review.
I love feedback, so just hit me up and I'll be right back to you in a week.
S.T.4.L.K.3.R.
I tip is you could get a bluetooth keyboard,then connect it to your phone and write with that :)
Anyway,without further a due,the Metro 2033 review.
Metro 2033
-----------------
I admit I am a little bit of a science fiction and post Apocalyptic fan,and dark settings really appeal to me so I will be a bit biased in this post.
Metro offers a lot more to the average reader then most sci fi,'s do for a few reasons. Firstly it's a stand alone novel,which means you wont be reading an archive of books to understand the plot or any references.
Secondly it has a post apocalyptic setting and this attribute makes this book an absolute gem.
Metro is,in my opinion,a "cool" book; the plot suspends the reader and it continues to inspire and balance feelings of curiosity, anticipation and satisfaction throughout,as the chapters progress however the dominating factor is the atmosphere.
At every point in the book,from the dark and daunting beginning to the epic and nearly profound conclusion a dark,heavy atmosphere looms over,blankets,and immerses the reader. There's something vast,frightening and brilliant in the world that Glukhovsky constructs,
and in short,
I was afraid.
This isn't a book that I can compare to any other, Glukhovsky achieves to create an interest in the areas , factions, and lore of the world and even make the reader wish they were a part of it, but he also allows the reader to distance themselves,to an extent, from the book meaning that you wont spend too much time on it if you don't want to.
------------------
Sorry if this review looked rushed an in complete,honestly it was. I only had 20 minutes to write it, but I hope I clearly conveyed my opinions to you.
Anyway,that's what I thought about Metro 2033. I recommend it to any reader who loves to be immersed in the world of the book that they are reading,even if they aren't a fan of sci fi and I recommend it to and writer who is having trouble conveying their world to the reader.
Tell me what you thought of Metro 2033,and maybe what you thought of the review.
I love feedback, so just hit me up and I'll be right back to you in a week.
S.T.4.L.K.3.R.
8mkboylan
7 - Thanks. I have a bluetooth keyboard for my iPAD and was hoping it was compatible but nope - I should have paid attention, but when I got the keyboard I didn't think about that. Next time!
9baswood
Metro 2033 sounds interesting, enjoyed your review.
10LisaMorr
>7 S.T.4.L.K.3.R: I read Metro 2033 in 2010 and still remember it vividly. I'm also a sci-fi and post-apocalytic/dystopia fan. Great point about the atmosphere - I agree it permeated every aspect of the book. Something else that I enjoyed was the metro map - I thought it was really cool to follow along with Artyom on his journey.
Good review!
Good review!
11S.T.4.L.K.3.R
The Road , by Cormac Mc Carthy.
-------------------------------------------
Just a coincidence that I read this after reviewing Metro 2033, I read this book because I need to for my English course. xD
I read this book in about three hours;it's 300 pages long so it's pretty short.
The Road is a tale about a un-named man and his son,who after surviving an unnamed apocalyptic event decide journey to the East Coast of America to reach a warm land.
I was a bit skeptical about reading this book at first,and I wasn't sure if that was because I had to read it for school or the queer style of writing. Mc Carthy's sentences are brief,the paragraphing often isn't clear,there are no chapters present in the book and no quotation marks during dialogue. The style of writing had two effects:
1. I read it quicker:at some points it felt as if the text was written in a single line because of the effect the full stops had. I couldn't differentiate line from line,paragraph from paragraph, and I often had to check to see how many pages I'd read in the book,as chapters weren't marked.
2. Because of point 1,and the fact that the descriptions and events were so quick and fleeting effected the whole experience of reading the book. This reflected the events and theme as the characters involved are often fatigued and events are often carried through with swiftness,meaning not me nor the characters were always fully aware with the events unfolding around them.
I enjoyed this book because of the theme,the harsh realism's, and the attachment and unattachment to the characters. The imagery is well done:after reading the locations described feel like a memory,growing more distant and that is what it's supposed to feel like. The whole book feels like fleeting memories,and a world that was, but never was. To convey that kind of feeling so well to reader is the mark of a brilliant writer.
The book often inspires the reader to think about and contemplate the nature of man. Throughout the book the duo avoid others as often as possible and events that occur encourage you to agree with their views but as you close the book you wonder if that should always be the case. The question of "Is man good,and should I trust him?" is something that lingers with you after reading,and possibly the most important aspect of the book.
None of the characters are ever named,and that feature carries out throughout the whole book. The use of "The man" and "the boy" makes the reader feel as if they're watching in on an event through some sort of mirror,but as the book progresses the reader can't help but grow attachment to them and enjoy their interactions.
The conclusion in my opinion was interesting and still I haven't quite decided whether I understand the message Mc Carthy wanted to convey. I was prompted to think about the experiences in an individuals life,the decisions someone should have,or shouldn't have made and the bonds between father and son.
If you read this book you wont quite find a desolate,forgotten world,nor will you find a deep philosophical question that was lying dormant in your head,but a just little bit of both.
There were some points in the book that weren't necessary, some events that were too dramatic,or not dramatic enough,sometimes it dragged a little,but overall it was entertaining;not to engrossing, but enough to enjoy reading it.It's not to heavy,but still thought provoking. It's not quite a slice of cake,but a glass of sparkling lemon - the sweet initial taste leaves you quickly,but the underlying taste lingers with you and you always fondly remember drinking it.
Don't go out of your way to read this book,but if you see it on a shelf,or if you have a long plane ride it'll really be worth buying,and just sitting back and reading.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I might go over this review and edit it again,but overall I think it's fine.
I read "The love Song of J.Alfred Pruefock" a few weeks ago,but I'm finding it hard to write a review on it (You could nearly write a different review for every stanza xD) but I'll get around to it soon.
I've also started reading "How Many Miles To Babylon?",and that should be finished and reviewed in the next three weeks so you can look forward to that ;)
I'm also taking suggestions for Novels and Poetry for the next few reviews;Easter is steadily approaching and I plan to spend my couple of weeks of indoors,reading.
Anyway,thanks for reading, tell me what you thought of the review maybe just say hi,
S.T.4.L.K.3.R
-------------------------------------------
Just a coincidence that I read this after reviewing Metro 2033, I read this book because I need to for my English course. xD
I read this book in about three hours;it's 300 pages long so it's pretty short.
The Road is a tale about a un-named man and his son,who after surviving an unnamed apocalyptic event decide journey to the East Coast of America to reach a warm land.
I was a bit skeptical about reading this book at first,and I wasn't sure if that was because I had to read it for school or the queer style of writing. Mc Carthy's sentences are brief,the paragraphing often isn't clear,there are no chapters present in the book and no quotation marks during dialogue. The style of writing had two effects:
1. I read it quicker:at some points it felt as if the text was written in a single line because of the effect the full stops had. I couldn't differentiate line from line,paragraph from paragraph, and I often had to check to see how many pages I'd read in the book,as chapters weren't marked.
2. Because of point 1,and the fact that the descriptions and events were so quick and fleeting effected the whole experience of reading the book. This reflected the events and theme as the characters involved are often fatigued and events are often carried through with swiftness,meaning not me nor the characters were always fully aware with the events unfolding around them.
I enjoyed this book because of the theme,the harsh realism's, and the attachment and unattachment to the characters. The imagery is well done:after reading the locations described feel like a memory,growing more distant and that is what it's supposed to feel like. The whole book feels like fleeting memories,and a world that was, but never was. To convey that kind of feeling so well to reader is the mark of a brilliant writer.
The book often inspires the reader to think about and contemplate the nature of man. Throughout the book the duo avoid others as often as possible and events that occur encourage you to agree with their views but as you close the book you wonder if that should always be the case. The question of "Is man good,and should I trust him?" is something that lingers with you after reading,and possibly the most important aspect of the book.
None of the characters are ever named,and that feature carries out throughout the whole book. The use of "The man" and "the boy" makes the reader feel as if they're watching in on an event through some sort of mirror,but as the book progresses the reader can't help but grow attachment to them and enjoy their interactions.
The conclusion in my opinion was interesting and still I haven't quite decided whether I understand the message Mc Carthy wanted to convey. I was prompted to think about the experiences in an individuals life,the decisions someone should have,or shouldn't have made and the bonds between father and son.
If you read this book you wont quite find a desolate,forgotten world,nor will you find a deep philosophical question that was lying dormant in your head,but a just little bit of both.
There were some points in the book that weren't necessary, some events that were too dramatic,or not dramatic enough,sometimes it dragged a little,but overall it was entertaining;not to engrossing, but enough to enjoy reading it.It's not to heavy,but still thought provoking. It's not quite a slice of cake,but a glass of sparkling lemon - the sweet initial taste leaves you quickly,but the underlying taste lingers with you and you always fondly remember drinking it.
Don't go out of your way to read this book,but if you see it on a shelf,or if you have a long plane ride it'll really be worth buying,and just sitting back and reading.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I might go over this review and edit it again,but overall I think it's fine.
I read "The love Song of J.Alfred Pruefock" a few weeks ago,but I'm finding it hard to write a review on it (You could nearly write a different review for every stanza xD) but I'll get around to it soon.
I've also started reading "How Many Miles To Babylon?",and that should be finished and reviewed in the next three weeks so you can look forward to that ;)
I'm also taking suggestions for Novels and Poetry for the next few reviews;Easter is steadily approaching and I plan to spend my couple of weeks of indoors,reading.
Anyway,thanks for reading, tell me what you thought of the review maybe just say hi,
S.T.4.L.K.3.R
12dmsteyn
Interesting that they're prescribing The Road. And a good review, too, S.T.4.L.K.3.R! I read this a few years ago, and enjoyed it, if "enjoy" is the right word.
I also enjoy Eliot's poetry, though I don't really like him that much. Will be interested to read your review of Prufrock.
I also enjoy Eliot's poetry, though I don't really like him that much. Will be interested to read your review of Prufrock.
13baswood
I enjoyed your thoughts and review of The Road,which I have not read yet and I too am sceptical about reading it, but your review has pushed me towards it. I quite enjoyed the movie.
14dchaikin
Enjoyed your review and impressions of The Road. I read this about five years ago and really liked then...not sure what I would think now.
15arrwa
The Road has been sitting on my shelf for a few years and for some reason my fingers always skip over it when i'm choosing a new book to read. I think it just might not be the book for me. I enjoyed reading your review but it sort of cements that feeling even more.
16S.T.4.L.K.3.R
I think I'm gonna read "the bell jar" by Sylvia Plath. I have the poem Poppies in July in my journal.
17S.T.4.L.K.3.R
The Love Song of J Alfred Pruefock. - By T.S.Elliot.
-----------------------------------------------
This one isn't really a review,but rather a bit of a hypothesis of my own.
Poetry is good,or it's bad. Simple as. There's no mildly good writers,only the amazing and the aspiring.
Elliot is an amazing writer,and The Love song is one of his greatest and most influential poems. When I read this poem,I was bewildered rather then satisfied, but the poem as a whole is a massive task to take on.
I know that this isn't a great review,but it would take a thousand words and more to describe what I feel,felt and why I felt or feel that way,so just read the poem,it's a must if you enjoy poetry.
-----------------------------------------------
Too rushed,I'm not counting this as a review really. I can't wait until Easter,I'll be putting up a lot of reviews then. For now, go ahead and give Elliot's poem a go. ;)
-----------------------------------------------
This one isn't really a review,but rather a bit of a hypothesis of my own.
Poetry is good,or it's bad. Simple as. There's no mildly good writers,only the amazing and the aspiring.
Elliot is an amazing writer,and The Love song is one of his greatest and most influential poems. When I read this poem,I was bewildered rather then satisfied, but the poem as a whole is a massive task to take on.
I know that this isn't a great review,but it would take a thousand words and more to describe what I feel,felt and why I felt or feel that way,so just read the poem,it's a must if you enjoy poetry.
-----------------------------------------------
Too rushed,I'm not counting this as a review really. I can't wait until Easter,I'll be putting up a lot of reviews then. For now, go ahead and give Elliot's poem a go. ;)
18dchaikin
Nice to see your inspired response to Eliot, who I haven't read.
Poetry is good,or it's bad. Simple as. There's no mildly good writers,only the amazing and the aspiring. - Worth a discussion?
I can understand that if I re-interpret it such that I change the the context to one of how we personally relate to poetry...I mean in the sense that it either works for us personally or it doesn't. But as a blanket statement...I guess I don't think in those terms, these absolutes. Or maybe I do, but just don't see it. It seems a bit idealistic, but I think every decent work has flaws somewhere...and strengths. There is a relation to perspective.
Poetry is good,or it's bad. Simple as. There's no mildly good writers,only the amazing and the aspiring. - Worth a discussion?
I can understand that if I re-interpret it such that I change the the context to one of how we personally relate to poetry...I mean in the sense that it either works for us personally or it doesn't. But as a blanket statement...I guess I don't think in those terms, these absolutes. Or maybe I do, but just don't see it. It seems a bit idealistic, but I think every decent work has flaws somewhere...and strengths. There is a relation to perspective.
19baswood
Oh yes The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock one of the great poems
Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
20S.T.4.L.K.3.R
I am not Prince Hamlet,nor was meant to be.
21S.T.4.L.K.3.R
I guess this is very much my own opinion;when I look at poetry,I read it a few times,and decide whether it's well written or not. I know that good poetry can have flaws but I feel that if a poem is bad but has a few well composed lines that it's still an armature poem and in my opinion,still considered as being "bad" poetry.
I'll note now that this is a pretty undeveloped view of mine,just something that's crossed my mind over the years,but if you can send me some "okay" poetry I'd be easily influenced to change my views. What do you think? ;)
I'll note now that this is a pretty undeveloped view of mine,just something that's crossed my mind over the years,but if you can send me some "okay" poetry I'd be easily influenced to change my views. What do you think? ;)
22dchaikin
#21 : ) Great question, but that's not quite what I meant. I'm not familiar enough with poetry to have collection of OK poems anyway. What I meant is that something may work for you and not for me and vice versa. Some famous poems don't reach me...it's almost certainly my own limitations. But my not getting them doesn't make them "bad". Sometimes it's about whether we get the poems (or poetry) enough to appreciate them, and sometimes our response is simply based on whether we relate to the poem or not.
23S.T.4.L.K.3.R
Hey guys,I'm having a long flight next week and I wanted some suggestions.
I've never read a book in French before so I was wondering if you guys had some good recommendations for good french comedy books, preferably with a translation guide and/or simple language,but not necessarily. Anyway,that's all for now,I'm interested to see what you guys come up with.
Yours sincerely,
Darion.
I've never read a book in French before so I was wondering if you guys had some good recommendations for good french comedy books, preferably with a translation guide and/or simple language,but not necessarily. Anyway,that's all for now,I'm interested to see what you guys come up with.
Yours sincerely,
Darion.
24avaland
Welcome to Club Read, Darion. It's always nice to have a young person in here. I think Elliot and George Martin makes for an interesting mix!
I don't read much SF anymore, but I do still enjoy dystopias/post-apocalyptic novels. Off the top of my head, the most recent ones I have read were Pure by Julianna Baggott, The Ice People by Maggie Gee, and The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers.
I had to read Jules Verne in my French class (a million years ago), but my daughter, who was an exchange student in Belgium (the Flemish part), had to read crime novels by George Simeon in her French class—which sounds much more fun. However, I don't have any suggestions for funny books in French.
I don't read much SF anymore, but I do still enjoy dystopias/post-apocalyptic novels. Off the top of my head, the most recent ones I have read were Pure by Julianna Baggott, The Ice People by Maggie Gee, and The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers.
I had to read Jules Verne in my French class (a million years ago), but my daughter, who was an exchange student in Belgium (the Flemish part), had to read crime novels by George Simeon in her French class—which sounds much more fun. However, I don't have any suggestions for funny books in French.
25henkmet
France is the country of graphic novel - Bandes dessinées! If you're traveling to France you could waste your money in worse ways then looking for BD.
Humour: Astérix et Obelix. Timeless. Gag-driven and maybe a bit dated: Gaston (or anything Franquin). Also quite popular Joe Bar deux (about a gang of moped teenagers)
Since you're into sci-fi: look for authors like Bilal and Moebius. Maybe you like Jodorowsky (not really my cup of tea though) There are many more but the names don't come at the moment.
Avaland: I hate to correct typos but in the interest of Darion finding the books, it's George Simenon.
Humour: Astérix et Obelix. Timeless. Gag-driven and maybe a bit dated: Gaston (or anything Franquin). Also quite popular Joe Bar deux (about a gang of moped teenagers)
Since you're into sci-fi: look for authors like Bilal and Moebius. Maybe you like Jodorowsky (not really my cup of tea though) There are many more but the names don't come at the moment.
Avaland: I hate to correct typos but in the interest of Darion finding the books, it's George Simenon.
26LisaMorr
I'm not much for poetry, maybe I just don't have the patience, but I'll give The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock a try. The one poem that resonates with me is Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost.
I wanted to throw a few recommendations your way of apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic and zombie fiction:
Apocalyptic/Post-apocalyptic:
The Passage by Justin Cronin; if you like it, the sequel came out last year (The Twelve). There should be one more coming out.
The Stand by Stephen King
Swan Song by Jeff Long
Year Zero by Robert McCammon
Dies the Fire by S. M. Stirling - if you like it, he's written a bunch more
Zombie:
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End by Manel Loureiro
I wanted to throw a few recommendations your way of apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic and zombie fiction:
Apocalyptic/Post-apocalyptic:
The Passage by Justin Cronin; if you like it, the sequel came out last year (The Twelve). There should be one more coming out.
The Stand by Stephen King
Swan Song by Jeff Long
Year Zero by Robert McCammon
Dies the Fire by S. M. Stirling - if you like it, he's written a bunch more
Zombie:
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End by Manel Loureiro
