|
|
Post by WickedCrustacean on Mar 25, 2024 9:45:24 GMT -5
Yeah, Snow Crash was really good.
|
|
|
|
Post by WickedCrustacean on Apr 8, 2024 7:50:22 GMT -5
Started reading The Rise and Reign of Mammals by Steve Brusatte (https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Reign-Mammals-History-Dinosaurs/dp/0062951513). Interesting book going back to 300 million years ago. Back when I was going to school/college (also around that time), we were taught that mammals evolved from reptiles, but that seems to have changed now with the latest paleontology. Based on more modern DNA evidence and fossil studies, they believe amphibians evolved into 2 branches of animals, diapsids (which gave rise to reptiles, dinosaurs, and eventually birds) and synapsids, which gave rise to mammals. The original difference just had to do with the opening behind the eye in the skull, for attachment of jaw muscles, diapsids had 2 openings, and synapsids one larger one.
Anyways, fun reading if you are into that sort of thing.
|
|
|
|
Post by fantasiawht on Apr 8, 2024 8:34:10 GMT -5
Started on The Interestings, since I saw some news about a show they're doing on it. So far it reminds me of Catcher in the Rye, except instead of one Holden Caulfield, you have six of them. It's a bit much.
|
|
|
|
Post by fantasiawht on Apr 12, 2024 6:51:54 GMT -5
I gave up on Interestings. Not interesting.
I did get a physical copy of The Gunslinger, though! Pretty enjoyable so far. Man Stephen King is obsessed with awkward sex though.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tig on Apr 13, 2024 6:52:13 GMT -5
I made it through The Gunslinger but I found it to be so disjointed and "out there" that it was very tedious. I truly don't understand why people love this book so much, especially with the way it ends.
|
|
|
|
Post by WickedCrustacean on Apr 13, 2024 10:04:00 GMT -5
As a heads up, I've been checking Kindle Daily Deals this week, and the quality seems to have improved a little bit since a few months ago. Years ago, they were great, with great books on heavy discounts daily, but for the last 1-2 years, it's been absolute crap, cowboy romance novels and self published MMOLit type stuff. This week I bought Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy and Domed City by the Strugatsky brothers (supposedly the magnum opus of these well respected sci-fi writers) for $2 each, Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer was also available for $2. So if you got 10 minutes in the morning, might be worth it to start checking them out again, since full price books can get very expensive if you read a lot.
|
|
|
|
Post by WickedCrustacean on Apr 17, 2024 13:39:07 GMT -5
Two really good books by Michael Crichton on Kindle sale today:
Jurassic Park $2
Sphere $3
|
|
|
|
Post by Tig on Apr 19, 2024 21:10:27 GMT -5
I've read both of those. So good. You should follow them up with Congo if you're so inclined. I think I've probably read more from Michael Crichton than any other author.
|
|
|
|
Post by WickedCrustacean on Apr 20, 2024 11:43:40 GMT -5
Yeah, I already have Congo, and read it probably 3-4 times through my life. Growing up, Crichton was my favorite author, I've read all of his best stuff back then, but it's usually fun to re-read every few years.
|
|
|
|
Post by WickedCrustacean on May 10, 2024 14:26:47 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by PegLegPete on May 10, 2024 20:19:17 GMT -5
I have been unable to read because exhaustion and stress has completely killed my attention span but I did plow through the entire Jack Carr Terminal List series. Holy cow the 1st book that the shows first (and only) season is based on as usual makes the show look like a nursery rhyme. Jack Carr puts so much research into his books and at the ends includes his inspirations and some notes and its frankly scary. Like I am over here googling stuff from the plots of the series and just amazed by some of the details and facts. Some of the books end up redacted even which is hilarious but as a 20 year retired SEAL he definitely knows his stuff.
Last book which came out last summer the plot in a nut shell was Russia stages an attack on Israel to draw the U.S. back into the Middle East with Iran and its proxies to draw US support from Ukraine. 3-4 months after I read this is when the October 7th attack happened. I was in shock to say the least. But yeah, great books, remind me of a more gritty and real Vince Flynn book series. Reminded me a lot of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six book from back in the day with a dash of vigilante justice thrown in for good measure. Highly recommended if anyone is into that genre.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mako on May 10, 2024 21:59:22 GMT -5
My brother reads Jack Carr. I haven't yet, but have been wanting to. I might have one or two that my brother has given me to turn into the used book store. Will have to check. So many books, so little time. I've got such a huge backlog of books... I've seen interviews with him on TV, as well as some podcasts with him. Amazing info on what really goes on. Would be hard to find better insight. Was going to say he's pretty much the modern Tom Clancy, then you said it yourself.  |
|
|
|
Post by WickedCrustacean on May 15, 2024 9:48:43 GMT -5
Kindle played me... I saw a book on sale the other day, with TOM CLANCY in giant letters, and JACK RYAN in giant letters underneath, for $2. Immediately bought it. Later was looking at it, realized it was written by some other dude after Clancy's death, and his name was in tiny letters. Ah you cheeky bastards... RFK Jr's Wuhan Coverup is making me take up alcohol on an entirely new level. Some of this stuff I've seen during Covid, but I had no idea how deep some of those rabbit holes go. |
|
|
|
Post by Mako on May 15, 2024 16:37:22 GMT -5
Yeah, I've seen TONS of those Tom Clancy (by someone else) books, usually in the grocery store as I'm killing time looking at the books they have. Never got any, but quickly learned that when buying a new book with Tom Clancy's name on it you better look closer to see if it was written by someone else. The rabbit holes go so deep they often end up in China. Literally... I've gotten to the point I hardly drink anymore. Instead I take out my frustrations whacking at pixels in games. Highly recommend that as an alternative. |
|
|
|
Post by WickedCrustacean on May 16, 2024 19:35:22 GMT -5
Yeah, you are not kidding about China.  |
|
