This Old Neon Forum

01. 01-02 French Exit (2018), Patrick deWitt (Canadian)
02. 01-03 We Should All Be Feminists (2014), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigerian)
03. 01-05 Blindsight (2006), Peter Watts (Canadian)
04. 01-06 Men Explain Things to Me (2014), Rebecca Solnit (American)
05. 01-13 Watership Down (1972), Richard Adams (English)
06. 01-14 Elevation (2018), Stephen King (American)

I jumped the gun on Keywords. Although I read the intro, my Plot Threads co-host foisted a short Stephen King novel on me at lunch today so I hoed into it after work.

I finally finished a book this year. It was “Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism” by Carl Medearis. It was a thoughtful book about how Christianity as a religion is divisive and actually deters people from trying to follow Jesus. The religion of Christianity is embarrassing and self-serving, the author contends, but, more critically, really misses the point of following Jesus. It was short but sweet. Book one of my ambitious goal of 24 for the year.

1. Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis

I’m still reading the Talisman and the latest Shannara book. Also a Daniel Abraham fantasy on my kindle. Good times.

I’ve finished The Talisman, finally, and rather enjoyed it. It’s set during the crusades and tells the tale of a knight who suffers disgrace and then redemption. I’m oversimplifying but that’s what I need to do for quick summaries.

I also finished The Skaar Invasion, the latest Shannara book. Am looking forward to the next, and penultimate, book in a month or two.

I also read The Picture of Dorian Gray, which I liked quite a bit. I think this was the first Oscar Wilde work I’ve read...

Am working on a Zelda book and, after that, I’m not sure what I’m feeling. I’m still wanting to reread the LOTR, but we’ll see. Perhaps not yet...

1. Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis
2. The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott
3. The Skaar Invasion by Terry Brooks
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Took me a few months but I finished Fire and Blood Vol 1, by GRRM. Details the Targaryen rein in Westeros up until Aegon III, and presumably the next volume will cover the rest of history up until A Game of Thrones. That volume won't come until after Winds, or the end of the series.

The book was really interesting, the story is told by a somewhat biased maester, so it's told more like someone telling you a story than reading a history book. If you want more from the world of Ice and Fire, this is a good read.

I just finished Rubayat of Omar Khayyam. It’s a collection of verses all of which are quatrains. It was really good. I found myself reading quite a few of them to my wife so we could discuss. Also the art work in this version was absolutely phenomenal. Good times.

I’m still reading a Zelda book and the Aeneid.

1. Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis
2. The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott
3. The Skaar Invasion by Terry Brooks
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
5. Rubayat of Omar Khayyam by Omar Khayyam

I finished Legends of Localization - Book 1: The Legend of Zelda. More in that later

I may start a Harlan Ellison book next or a Stephen King book...or something else. I’ll decide soon

1. Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis
2. The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott
3. The Skaar Invasion by Terry Brooks
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
5. Rubayat of Omar Khayyam by Omar Khayyam
6. Legends of Localization - Book 1: The Legend of Zelda by Clyde Mandelin

Sharecrow wrote: ↑03 May 2019 00:58 I finished Legends of Localization - Book 1: The Legend of Zelda. More in that later

I may start a Harlan Ellison book next or a Stephen King book...or something else. I’ll decide soon

1. Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis
2. The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott
3. The Skaar Invasion by Terry Brooks
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
5. Rubayat of Omar Khayyam by Omar Khayyam
6. Legends of Localization - Book 1: The Legend of Zelda by Clyde Mandelin

I am going with Harlan Ellison’s “I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream” and its collection of stories.

i just finished Harlan Ellison’s collection “I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.” Good stuff - he can be incredible sometimes. I’m reading Stephen King’s “Lisey’s Story” next.

1. Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis
2. The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott
3. The Skaar Invasion by Terry Brooks
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
5. Rubayat of Omar Khayyam by Omar Khayyam
6. Legends of Localization - Book 1: The Legend of Zelda by Clyde Mandelin
7. I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison

Just finished Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. I expected a romantic cowboy adventure but instead got a really fantastic and sad deconstruction of western life. It's not quite as dark as Blood Meridian, but the characters feel more real and in some ways more sad. I can see why it got a Pulitzer. I might check out the sequels, but I hear there are diminishing returns.

Currently starting up Good Omens and the His Dark Materials trilogy to get ready for both mini-series. Also listening to the Lord of the Rings audiobook. Tom Bombadil and all 75 thousand songs are much more tolerable to listen to instead of read.

Kanti3000 wrote: ↑24 May 2019 22:48Currently starting up Good Omens and the His Dark Materials trilogy to get ready for both mini-series.

What a coincidence! I just finished Pullman's trilogy today.

01. 01-02 French Exit (2018), Patrick deWitt (Canadian)
02. 01-03 We Should All Be Feminists (2014), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigerian)
03. 01-05 Blindsight (2006), Peter Watts (Canadian)
04. 01-06 Men Explain Things to Me (2014), Rebecca Solnit (American)
05. 01-13 Watership Down (1972), Richard Adams (English)
06. 01-14 Elevation (2018), Stephen King (American)
07. 05-26 The Amber Spyglass (2000), Philip Pullman (UK)

Wild that I haven't finished a book since January. I just read a couple half-books. Decided I should polish this one off. I'm glad to have this series dusted (lol) and I don't think I'll go on to start reading Pullman's next trilogy set in this world, because this book ties up the narrative nicely enough for me to be finished with it.

I had planned for my reading this year to mirror last year's—just advancing the next book in each series, and thankfully the thing I'll miss by not being able to catch up on March-April reading is Dune (since I'm not planning on reading anymore in that series).

In April last year, I read the first book of Jin Yong's long Condor Heroes series, but those books are only just being translated into English now. The second volume came out in January of this year, so I'll order that right now and read it when it comes in.

I also started N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy last April, and I already have the second volume of that, so I'll try reading that while I wait for Jin's book to come in. I'll probably be able to stay on pace after all!!!