Which book are you reading currently? #5

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@Aikanaro

Yeah, Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is really confusing. Which is (I believe) in part due to the fact that the English version is apparently missing a not insubstantial portion of the content of the original:

"In a review in World Literature Today Yoshiko Yokochi Samuel writes that"the English version has been subjected to extensive cutting, undoubtedly under pressure from the publisher" . This sad fact is now confirmed in Jay Rubin's Haruki Murakami and the Music of Words, where he writes that it was "stipulated in Murakami's contract that the book should not exceed a certain length". Rubin, in fact, handed in both an abridged and a complete translation, but Knopf stuck to their ridiculous word-limit. May they suffer at the hands of the literary gods for their crimes against helpless readers and Murakami. But it's just another reminder, that when you read a book in translation you're getting screwed -- often far worse than you could even contemplate."

(Quoted from Complete-review.com, boldness added for relevant lines)

I actually really loved that book. I really don't know why exactly. I think perhaps it was the overwhelming feeling that everything tied together somehow and made sense, even if it was only a sense that would be important in the world of the book and not in a real world metaphorical sense. The cats were important somehow...with Murakami, it's always cats...

Edit: I'm assuming of course that the version you read is the English. I apologise if you're fluent in Japanese and have had the benefit of the unabridged text ^_^

 

the last continent by pratchett.

 

I finished Whispering Nickel Idols last night - it was definitely a step up from the last couple books but it still wasn't as good as the earlier books in the series. I think one of the main problems is that the main character has essentially been relegated to being pretty much a dumb grunt gofer while the Dead Man does everything meaningful.

I have finally bit the bullet and started on Deadhouse Gates. Erikson's prose was actually showing signs of improvement in the introduction but so far in the main body of the text he has slipped back into his uncanny knack of taking what should be interesting story material and making it sound as dull as ditchwater.

Hopefully it will get better at some point but based upon what I have seen of Erikson's writing so far I would say that he could really use a co-author who would actually write the prose after Erikson developed the story.

Edit: Once again The Malazan Book of the Fallen Asleep managed to work its sleepy time magic on me on the train ride home. Fortunately I woke up before we got to my stop.

[ June 17, 2006, 02:46: Message edited by: JSBB ]

 

Something called Biodroids 2600 - it sucks. As I got it really cheap second hand I suppose that doesn't matter, but it doesn't even suck in a good way...

 

decided to give pratchett a break and put last continent on hold. have just started freakonomics by steven levitt and stephen dubner. fascinating, interesting, funny, informative and factual. i'm taking economics in uni and this is the first economics book i've actually enjoyed.

 

Principles of Biochemistry by Lehninger...I got an exam on Tuesday...

 

Ugh -- biochemistry is daunting.

I'm currently reading Gao Xingjian's Soul Mountain.

 

I can understand that opinion, but I still love it.

 

Reading Sarah Ash now, so so stuff. The intentions are there but not completely fulfilled.

 

Started reading 'Deadhouse Gates' by Steven Erikson for the second time. It takes on a whole new light after 'The Bonehunters'.

 

Well, the number of consecutive train rides where I have fallen asleep reading Deadhouse Gates is now at two. On the plus side Erikson's prose does seem to be getting a little better.

One thing that really ticked me off is that a character gave another a round about set of directions basically taking several right turns instead on only one left turn - unless the distance measured in paces is highly inconsistent throughout the directions there is no way that the two sets of directions could possibly lead to the same location. If you are going to put in a stupid joke like that you should at least make sure that it actually works.

 

Train rides send me to sleep no matter what I am reading. But I am reading Deadhuse Gates on the bus and I usually drift off for a bit at some point too. Doesn't mean it's not a quality book. Just means we have been conditioned to be soothed by a rocking motion ever since we were in our mothers' tummies. /end ante-natal off-topic wanderings.

 

God, you do anything to defend Erikson! Even it putting you to sleep you have an answer for .

 

All books and all public transport send me to sleep.

 

Meh, I want the next Ice and Fire book NOW!

 

Well, I have plowed through 1632, 1633 and 1634; the Galileo Affair by Eric FLint. And damn, what can I say? I want that baltic war book NOW; damn it! *grumbles*

seriously... I adore these books. sure, it's pompos and america-praising at points, but oh god the humor, occasionally unintentional, is.... it's priceless. and the concept itself is extremely fascinating.

 

I just finished HP and the Half Blood Prince about 2 this morning. I'm glad I didn't pay for it.

 

Do Comic Books, Graphic Novels and Trade Paperbacks count?

 

If they're any good, like Hellblazer, Sandman, Preacher, etc.

 

Im trying to get hold of 1984 for my English coursework, has anyone read it?