What book(s) have you read recently?

[Gaiarth]

Just finished reading The Princess Bride.

Now, I'm ashamed to admit, I'm re-reading one of my guilty pleasures.. Lustbader's The Ninja. It's complete tosh, but I enjoy the series in the same way I enjoy really bad old B movies. They do say the line between pleasure and pain is a thin one...

[SweetSpring]

yay just finished a thick book called .hack// Al Buster...

[Lumiliun]

I have just finnished re-reading His Dark Materials (not sure if it's the real title since I'm not reading it in english) by Phillip Pullman. Last time I read them (it's 3 books) was a couple of years ago but I still like them very much.

[Shi]

well.. i got way too many.. lotr, the hobbit, shannara, disc world and the dark sun chronicles r my favs tho.. but got tons of others.. mainly phantasy and manga of course.. but not that many.. i prefer anime

[MiniSilverTiger]

i just finished reading Catch-22. It was actually pretty good, one of the better books i read in the last year.

[physics223]

I have been reading Sanctuary by William Faulkner. It's among his most readable books, and queerily a page-turner at that. It has a dark story, but - that's Faulkner!

[Ending]

Started reading "Interview With the Vampire" by Anne Rice yesterday and already half-way through. Pretty interesting way to tell a story about two vampires, although the protagonist is a bit too much of a fussy brooder to my tastes.

[Maxon]

Currently reading The Silmarillion by J.R.R Tolkien and iPod, Therefore I Am by Dylan Jones (Yeah, I'm a geek ).

[raphaël]

I read Céline's "Journey to the end of the night" again when I came here. lol.
Since then, I don't read much books, and too much manga.
Though I'm currently reading Haruki Murakami's "Afterdark". I'm slow, cause it's in Japanese. I don't know if it's been translated yet. Anyway, that's not his best book, if you ask me...

[physics223]

His best book is probably The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Among his best is 'Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.' That's where Haibane Renmei was based.
His more recent books have lost that edge, IMO.

[SweetSpring]

finished Suzumiya Haruhi no yuutsu volume 1 novel in chinese version.

[Ending]

Finished the Vampire Chronicles, even though I have to admit that the philosophical debate bored me out before I could finish the last book. Now trying to get a glance at the Farseer Trilogy.

[hikaru2895]

I've just finished re-reading Tom Clancy's The Sum of All Fears and Clear and Present Danger.

They are both excellent, and even though they were written in 1991 and 1989, they are still very relevant to today. And some of the stuff in the books are timeless, classic.

Espececially like feeling strongly about a noble cause, to be a "Warrior for Justice", but evil people feel strongly about what they fight for, sometimes they think they are fighting for something noble, too, so how do you tell? Very important issue, revelant to today, and for all the ages, past, present and future...

[uzumaki]

Originally Posted by jedinat

Ahh.. ! Big... words.. complicated.. intelligent vocabulary... boring meaningful books.. can't breathe.. the blood. suffocating.. someone pl ease he l p m ee....

Those feelings are the story of my life.

Originally Posted by Lost

Reading Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews now, was recc. and lent to me by a friend; not a bad read, HF is really such an eloquent fellow.

One of my favourite authors ever is Wilkie Collins, just finished his Moonstone, and read previously The Woman in White; I love the way he narrates as different characters, giving each their own distinct flair and sound, as well as perpectives, attitudes and eccentricities.

The next books I want to read are Don Quixote and *ahem* Lolita.

Don Quixote...oh god the pain. I hated that book so much. So much. Half way through and nothing's happened and you're hearing these dumb people at an Inn tell their adventures 40 pages each per person.

Recently finished Emma, which was really nicely written and pretty engaging (more than P and P anyways, which I could never finish though attempted to twice)
Before that I abandoned A Portrait of Lady. I loved how it was written, and the psychlogical perspectives, but it's been 300 out of 600 pages and NOTHING has happened. I dislike abandoning books like that, but I would just read a line and then stare off into space, so I gave it up.

physics223: try a library, or see if you like online copies (project gutenerg). I personally like to have it in my hand.

[Muir Woods]

And with the final words "and yes I said yes I will Yes." I have finished the monstrosity of a book that is Ulysses, weighing in at over 900 pages. It has been an arduous read. At times when it was painfully laborious for eyes and mind, I wondered to myself, why am I reading this book? Then I told myself, if I could not read for enjoyment, then at least I can read to better myself. And with that mindset, I forced myself through Ulysses. I thought I was ready to tackle this book, I was painfully wrong. I only comprehended the book superficially, knowing only the basic plot and happenstances of the novel, but its arcane allusions, obscure references, and intricate symbolisms are all but mostly lost on me. Perhaps it is because I could not understand the book at a deeper level that I feel it was an underwhelming and unsatisfying experience for a novel that's ranked #1 by The Modern Library. I believe historians, and people of senior and wise age can glean the most delectation from Ulysses, and best appreciate its grandeur. I do acknowledge some qualities of the book that might warrant its acclaim, mainly, its very dynamic and creative use of the English language. But overall, it was simply too much for this twenty-years-old. However, I will try again, when I'm older, much older, when I possess more knowledge and wisdom to confront it. As for my next read, honestly, I really want to digest more of Nabokov, namely, his Pale Fire. But I won't go against my word; The Sound and the Fury will occupy my hands before I sleep.

[Lost]

Well one can tell from your lyrical post above that Ulysses did do some good after all.

[Shini_GamI]

I'm reading this book that my teacher demands us to read.... its called Fireweed, hell boring.... it talks about survival and how this guy met this girl if it wasn't the world war.....

[Supergrunch]

I've just read Ghostwritten (by David Mitchell) for the third time, and I finally understand it fully.

[*Itsuba*]

Ella Enchanted, a horrible (sorry for the language ;P) book. :< It has 'no' ending, me thinks.

[Blizzer]

I've recently read and enjoyed

~The Elenium trilogy~
The Diamond Throne
The Ruby Knight
The Sapphire Rose
by David Eddings

About a Pandion Knight called Sparhawk, who is the Queen's champion, returning from a lengthy exile given to him by the previous Royal. He returns to find that the young girl, who he raised and is now Queen, is on the verge of death and only he can save her.
Entertaining read but still so-so.

~Conclave of Shadows Trilogy~
Talon of the Silver Hawk
King of Foxes
Exiles Return
by Raymond E. Feist

About a young boy from a mountain tribe who's village and people are massacred on his naming day, the day he becomes a man. The story follows his obsession and duty to get revenge on the men who ruined his life.
This is a must read Talon is awesome.

~Quicksilver Trilogy~
Quicksilver Rising
Quicksilver Zenith
(Quicksilver Twilight hasn't been published yet)
by Stan Nicholls

The story follows a man named Reeth Caldason who is almost immortal (hes lived for a very long time but apparently can die if hes grieviously wounded), a skilled warrior and a bit of a loner. He journeys to find a "cure" for his immortality and berserk fits.
The story isn't very deep but it's easy to follow and interesting.

~Sangreal Trilogy~
The Green Stone Grail
The Traitor's Sword
(Getting around to getting the 3rd book)
by Amanda Hemingway

Story of a boy called Nathan who has the ability to cross into other worlds through his dreams.
He travels into worlds trying to collect the 3 magical objects that will save a dying high tech, high magic world, they are the Holy Grail (Female), The Sword of Stroar (Male) and the Crown (The ring that binds), when brought together they may create a Great Spell to undo the damage.
Nathan is teh uber hero! and its a great story when it gets going but it drags in places.