Books: a literary discussion

[taumel]

Ulf K.'s Der Exlibris.


Detlef Kersten's Kommissar Kniepel riddle books.


Richard Morgan's Das Unsterblichkeitsprogramm.

[VeronicanPlay]

Just got these books when I was in England. So now I have something to read again.

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[taumel]

I'm not sure how many of those who enjoy BTTF actually also get the analogies with Jules Verne but nevertheless i got reminded of him so here is one suggestion. Jules Verne's shortstory "Ein Tag aus dem Leben eines amerikanischen Journalisten im Jahre 2889", part of this or that anthology.

[Alcoremortis]

Originally Posted by VeronicanPlay

Attachment 2360

I did not know there was another one of these. I need to get myself to a bookstore, that is, if there are any left by tomorrow.

[Chyron8472]

If anyone is interested, Amazon announced yesterday that they are working with Overdrive.com to, by the end of the year, allow people to borrow Kindle-supported ebooks from your local library. As far as I know, being able to borrow ebooks from the library is a primary concern people have when deciding whether or not to buy a Kindle versus another ebook reader.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....cle&ID=1552678

Amazon today announced Kindle Library Lending, a new feature launching later this year that will allow Kindle customers to borrow Kindle books from over 11,000 libraries in the United States. Kindle Library Lending will be available for all generations of Kindle devices and free Kindle reading apps.
"We're excited that millions of Kindle customers will be able to borrow Kindle books from their local libraries," said Jay Marine, Director, Amazon Kindle. [...]

Customers will be able to check out a Kindle book from their local library and start reading on any Kindle device or free Kindle app for Android, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, or Windows Phone. If a Kindle book is checked out again or that book is purchased from Amazon, all of a customer's annotations and bookmarks will be preserved.

"We're doing a little something extra here," Marine continued. "Normally, making margin notes in library books is a big no-no. But we're extending our Whispersync technology so that you can highlight and add margin notes to Kindle books you check out from your local library. Your notes will not show up when the next patron checks out the book. But if you check out the book again, or subsequently buy it, your notes will be there just as you left them, perfectly Whispersynced."
[...]

Amazon is working with OverDrive, the leading provider of digital content solutions for over 11,000 public and educational libraries in the United States, to bring a seamless library borrowing experience to Kindle customers. "We are excited to be working with Amazon to offer Kindle Library Lending to the millions of customers who read on Kindle and Kindle apps," said Steve Potash, CEO, OverDrive. "We hear librarians and patrons rave about Kindle, so we are thrilled that we can be part of bringing library books to the unparalleled experience of reading on Kindle."

[Avistew]

That's good for them. Borrowing library books is probably what I've used my ebook reader for the most, so I can imagine why it would increase their sales.

[dumpling321]

some of my favorites ^_^

The wizard if oz (series) There are 40 books in all I own the first 14 in hardcover, and the next 19 in paperback, the final 7 I don't own, cuz they suck

anything by david eddings (except "the dreamers") His first 2 series' were epic works of fantasy fiction on the scope of lord of the rings (which was a series I couldn't get involved in)

anything by diana wynne jones (the howl's moving castle books, the chrestomancy series)

anything by agatha christie (there are 80+ books)

sherlock holmes

anything that has to do with fairy tales (grimms, anderson, 1001 arabian nights) I'm currently reading the 1001 nights, theyre amazing!

anything that has to do with ancient mythology

the neverending story (i'm sad that theres only 1 book, there need to be more)

the enchanted forest chronicles (look them up, theyre great) humorous tales of a princess who goes looking for a dragon to capture her

anything by rick riordan (tweenage books, about greek/roman/egyptian mythology) I'm dieing to find out what mythology he writes about next ^_^

the xanth books (by piers anthony) they often get a little pervy, but they're amazing books, if you like puns...

I also try to read the classics, but if I can't get involved in the story I don't read it, I don't see the point in forcing yourself to read through a book, even if it's a classic...

[Chyron8472]

I've been checking repeatedly for months to see if Drew Karpyshyn(lead writer of Mass Effect)'s Star Wars: Darth Bane book series had been released on ebook, to no avail. After having clicked the "Request this for Kindle from the publisher" link on Amazon at least 3 times with no word as to the effect, on May 6th I emailed Drew to ask him about it:

Drew,

I've read Darth Bane: Path of Destruction in the past and I like it very much. Yesterday, I completed Mass Effect for the first time and during the credits it says "Lead Writer - Drew Karpyshyn." "Ooh, I know that name," I said. It got me thinking and I then went to look into buying the next book in the Darth Bane series. The problem is that I now have a Kindle and I genuinely do enjoy reading books on it whenever possible. However, none of the Darth Bane books have been released on Kindle.

I was hoping you could get with your publisher in an effort to remedy that. I really do like your work and would like to see your novels in ebook format.

Thank you,

David Troutman

Well, not 15 minutes ago, I got a reply back from Drew Karpyshyn himself:

Hey, David.

I'm happy to report that the Darth Bane books are finally being relesed on
Kindle... but not until June 28.

Until then you could check out my Mass Effect novels (if you haven't
already) - they're on Kindle right now.

The first novel, Mass Effect: Revelation, is a prequel set 18 years before
the game. The second book, Mass Effect: Ascension, takes place a few
months after the events of the first game and introduces characters and
locations featured in the second game, but it's still a stand alone story.
The third novel, Mass Effect: Retribution continues the story from the
first two books.

Drew

Yay!

[VeronicanPlay]

Just started on the first book in the Hellgate: London trilogy, and I really like it.

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

Yay!

Let's hope that means other stores, too, considering the first Google result for "Darth Bane ePub" is a torrent link.

[Silverwolfpet]

I'm currently trying to read "Tunnels"... but I don't have the time unfortunately. And I kind of hit a dull moment in the story. Is it a good book? Or should I move on?

[jeeno0142]

Originally Posted by Silverwolfpet

I'm currently trying to read "Tunnels"... but I don't have the time unfortunately. And I kind of hit a dull moment in the story. Is it a good book? Or should I move on?

I've read that. I'm the type of person to read a book I've started all the way through no matter if I like it or not, so I can tell you that I thought it was generally quite dull all the way through. Slow paced and not too much happening. Then all of a sudden it seems to kick off (not much, but more than the rest of the story at least) at the end where it stops at a cliff hanger meaning you need to get the next one to find out what happens. Overall, my opinion is skip it. I certainly don't plan to read my copy again, and I won't be getting myself the sequal.

[Rather Dashing]

On the e-reader front, B&N's new Nook has been announced with a longer battery life than that of the Kindle 3, and they seem to be backing it up with pretty good testing criteria. Amazon, in response, changed how they measure battery life by halving the daily read time they used to reach the "1 month" measurement.

[Avistew]

A single charge lasts up to two months with wireless off based upon a half-hour of daily reading time. If you read for one hour a day, you will get battery life of up to one month.

And if you use it for fifteen minutes a day you'll get three months, etc.

Shouldn't that be four months?

[Rather Dashing]

It should be, but they went with the simple logical fallacy "halving it added a month, halving it again should add ANOTHER month" because, I dunno, they didn't drink enough coffee or actually think that one through.

------

I've read through about half of The Last Wish(the first piece of the main Witcher canon) over the past few days, and so far it's pretty excellent. It hits all the right tones for me, stark and gritty, witty and sarcastic, realistic and fantastical. The prose of the english translation is excellent, and I've found myself entirely drawn in by this world crafted around Geralt the mutant monster-hunter.

Also, I just figured out that free samples of books in the Nook ebook store are based on the relative size of the rest of the book. As a result, an ebook that is a collection of the entire Song of Ice and fire series has a free ample of 375 pages!

[Avistew]

Wow, that's a pretty cool free sample. It's what, the first book in the series?

[Johro]

I bought this when it came out. Still waiting for it to show up in the mail. It should arrive this week or next. I can't wait.

Bruce Campbell's autobiography is still the best I've ever read. Hilarious.

[Silverwolfpet]

Originally Posted by jeeno0142

I've read that. it was generally quite dull

Ah, I see... Thanks!
I'll try to see if it goes anywhere interesting. More likely, I may drop it.

[Friar]

I've decided to start getting into books again. I've started reading "American Gods", bought a book light and Pre-ordered the final book of the inheritance cycle "Inheritance". When I finish American gods, I shall be re-reading Eragon/Eldest/Brisingr in preparation.

[Alcoremortis]

So many books...so little time...

My floor already has a mountain of unread books on it, and yet I find myself constantly compelled to buy more as well as visit the library as often as possible. Hopefully, I will be able to complete all my literary obligations by the end of the summer...