I've never read any of Stoker's other books, but I've not heard good things. I don't have any illusions about Stoker's skill as a writer or Dracula's technical quality. It's a book that had to have been written by a hack, cause who else was gonna do it? But Stoker was still pretty good as far as hacks go. It's not about the wonky structure of the book, or the awkward shifts in tone, it's about that atmosphere of dread that's pretty constant throughout the book. And Dracula also has some of the most memorable scenes ever, so it's got that going for it I guess.

The wonky structure is what brings me back to the book tbh.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...tris_cover.jpg

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
I'm about halfway through. Interesting concept, though there's something a little cheesy about it. Curious to see where it's all going.


https://anzlitlovers.files.wordpress...11/ulysses.jpg

Ulysses by James Joyce
I've read about a third of this so far, and as expected, it's a slog. Thank heavens for online chapter summaries or otherwise I'd have no idea what the fuck is going on. That said, in the moment I do enjoy Joyce's way of describing things and his turns of phrase, even if all taken together it's pretty incomprehensible. (Sidenote: I was surprised to discover that Foetus is actually quoting a line from this book in his song "Water Torture" when he sings "The snot-green sea, the scrotum-tightening sea". That made me laugh.)


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...nbookcover.jpg

Rabbit, Run by John Updike
Not too far in, but it seems good so far. It's definitely a product of its time (the late 1950s), but the writing is great.

[QUOTE=Janszoon;1858201]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...tris_cover.jpg

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
I'm about halfway through. Interesting concept, though there's something a little cheesy about it. Curious to see where it's all going.

I thought that book was amazing. Love his stuff.

Read three books these past few days -

Began with Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O'Donohue. Really enjoyed it and I'm tracking down copies of his other writings on ancient spirituality, philosophy, and poetry. I'd like to read Divine Beauty: The Invisible Embrace next.

Next, I read The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman. It was interesting to apply Chapman's principles to various relationships in my life and to explore how to better those interactions.

I followed that up today with Solitude: In Pursuit of a Singular Life in a Crowded World by Michael Harris. Published this April, it's by far the most current non-fiction I've ever read. Harris' examination of social media and technology really emphasized the importance of unplugging and reconnecting with oneself.

Tomorrow morning I'll read The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Miguel Ruiz.

But the real excitement is en route to my home from a little bookshop in Liverpool - The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu's 2023: A Trilogy - the first work produced by The KLF upon the completion of their 23-year contractual moratorium. I've 105 pages of notes on the spectacle surrounding its release so far, and I haven't even cracked the cover yet. It's the kind of music journalism piece a gent waits a lifetime to author.

http://i.imgur.com/M6nt7Bdl.jpg

I'm reading my own mind. Wow, I'm messed up inside.

.

JUST ARRIVED - A book a music blogger waits a lifetime to read!

The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu's novel 2023: A Trilogy is an artfully crazed yarn that could do for bleakly comic anarcho-dystopias what Douglas Adams did for hitchhikers and the galaxy.
The music world has waited 23 years for answers to a hundred questions surrounding the KLF mythos, and I've no doubt that this book will answer not one of them, and instead, create a hundred more.

http://i.imgur.com/8zt6sS0l.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nrJCxSEl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/UXgrXzNl.jpg

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....X342_QL70_.jpg
Even though I saw the movie (so the plot held no real surprises), the book was great. It made me laugh out loud at times, which as far as I recall only Pratchett and Sapkowski managed to achieve. It was well written, I almost couldn't put it down.
The movie was great, something that surprised me as recently Ridley Scott has been making.. well, crap movies, basically. But it was great thanks to the screenplay and writing- it wasn't mr Scott's ;D
Anyway, I'm rambling..
If you like well written, funny and interesting stories, full of scientific and technical details, grab The Martian.

If you like stories like that, I highly recommend Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson. I read that a few months ago and it one of favorite recent reads.