Ukerric
Bearded Ape
- 8,319
- 10,296
I was expecting more shenanigans with Snack and Shiny in their new "context", to be honest. But it does wrap up the main story.
Wait, where's Minic?
What did you just read?
- Thread starter Fippy Darkpaw
- Start date
-
Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!
Go here and give us your nominations!Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Give us your worst ones!
Wait, where's Minic?
- 46,866
- 216,126
This is a very bad time to read Station 11. But it's a really good book.
- 2
- 1
- 7,910
- 7,732
So when 9/11 happened I was in the middle of reading the Tom Clancy book where a guy crashes a plane into the full joint session of Congress. I think I put the book down for like a year.This is a very bad time to read Station 11. But it's a really good book.
- 1
Campbell1oo4
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
- 1,930
- 6,137
Napoleon's Marshals by R.F. Delderfield
Delderfield's work is a prime piece of evidence to support the idea that journalists - not historians - should be the ones writing history books. I have read quite a few books about the Napoleonic Era, but none wrote it with as much punch as Delderfield.
Even if you had no interest in Napoleonic histories, then the writing style of Delderfield stands on its own. Would definitely be a great introduction (it is literally a shotgun blast of information concerning Napoleon's chief lieutenants) to anyone wanting to learn more about this period. The strength of the text lies in the fact that it does not focus on battles. It focuses on the characters who surrounded Napoleon.
Because of that the stories of the Napoleonic Wars stick out. Instead of endless lists of what regiments lost how many men at such and such field, you're treated to little vignettes of the exploits of aggressively ambitious men. Marshal Ney throwing schoolboy slurs at the Russians as he retreated in the heart of the winter, Bernadotte abandoning Napoleon in order to become the King of Sweden, and the doomed struggle of Poniatowski to secure an independent Poland. All of them endear you to men who've been dead for over 200 years, and do a better job of it than some other books that are dedicated solely to the person they follow.
Delderfield's work is a prime piece of evidence to support the idea that journalists - not historians - should be the ones writing history books. I have read quite a few books about the Napoleonic Era, but none wrote it with as much punch as Delderfield.
Even if you had no interest in Napoleonic histories, then the writing style of Delderfield stands on its own. Would definitely be a great introduction (it is literally a shotgun blast of information concerning Napoleon's chief lieutenants) to anyone wanting to learn more about this period. The strength of the text lies in the fact that it does not focus on battles. It focuses on the characters who surrounded Napoleon.
Because of that the stories of the Napoleonic Wars stick out. Instead of endless lists of what regiments lost how many men at such and such field, you're treated to little vignettes of the exploits of aggressively ambitious men. Marshal Ney throwing schoolboy slurs at the Russians as he retreated in the heart of the winter, Bernadotte abandoning Napoleon in order to become the King of Sweden, and the doomed struggle of Poniatowski to secure an independent Poland. All of them endear you to men who've been dead for over 200 years, and do a better job of it than some other books that are dedicated solely to the person they follow.
- 1
- 5,950
- 6,618
This is a very bad time to read Station 11. But it's a really good book.
Ah fuck - Forgot I had this sitting on the Kindle. Think it's gonna be my next book. Maybe Alas, Babylon afterwards? Good excuse (not that it's needed) to ramp up gun spending!
- 46,866
- 216,126
Dude, don't read it now. It's fucking with me significantly.
Honestly, it's a great book. But not for just now.
- 1
Mudcrush Durtfeet
Hungry Ogre
- 2,428
- -757
Arbitrary
Tranny Chaser
- 29,112
- 80,100
Alright alright you win you've sold me.
edit - at chapter 30 or so, pretty good. I was worried it was going to be melodramatic or that I wouldn't have the patience for performers after coming off of the two Name of the Wind books but that has not been the case.
Last edited:
- 2
Arbitrary
Tranny Chaser
- 29,112
- 80,100
Alright, I finished up Station 11. The audiobook was some of the smoothest 10 hours I've listened to in a while. It has this high uniform quality throughout the whole thing that I really appreciated. I'd have liked to have spent a little more time in the collapse and a few bits of the connecting tissue were whatever but I was very happy with it. Where something like Stephen King's The Stand is all big big big this is so pleasantly scaled back and carefully grounded.
TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
- 42,776
- 109,211
I finished this as I hadn't read it for quite some time. But I must say. The time jumps annoy me. I really hate unexplained time jumps. They are used so poorly. Almost to a fault.
TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
- 42,776
- 109,211
Started reading some of the Florentine Codex now that I heard some of it in various youtube history lectures.
Just reading about First Contact you kind of have to feel for Cortez. Cortez was quite cordial on the first meeting. Thought it was cool they brought some gifts and shit on the beach like a coat and stuff. Few days later some more Mexicans come back and offer his men food and stuff.
Then they bring out a bunch of sacrifices and spill their blood over the food to bless it or something. The Mexicans were then perplexed at why Cortez and all of his men were utterly disgusted by this.
Just reading about First Contact you kind of have to feel for Cortez. Cortez was quite cordial on the first meeting. Thought it was cool they brought some gifts and shit on the beach like a coat and stuff. Few days later some more Mexicans come back and offer his men food and stuff.
Then they bring out a bunch of sacrifices and spill their blood over the food to bless it or something. The Mexicans were then perplexed at why Cortez and all of his men were utterly disgusted by this.
- 2
Campbell1oo4
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
- 1,930
- 6,137
TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
- 42,776
- 109,211
It's 9 volumes you can start wherever. Just look up Florentine Codex and you can choose whatever topic. Additionally I liked this one:
Amazon product ASIN B004FGMQYI
This is the video that got me interested in it.
There is a series of novels that draws heavily from the Florentine Codex called the Aztec that is also enjoyable.
In this context the codex is the best source we have because it was written by converted Nahuatl natives under the supervision of Franciscan monks in the 16th century. When this all happened. There is some murk to it because technically Cortez's expedition was not the first there were several failed ones previously and Spaniards had been in the Yucatan for some time by this time.
- 3
Campbell1oo4
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
- 1,930
- 6,137
TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
- 42,776
- 109,211
Federalist Papers is my favorite.
Unrelated to that! Reborn Apocalypse Vol 3 came out sometime recently. I really like that one!
- 1
Arbitrary
Tranny Chaser
- 29,112
- 80,100
On Liberty by John Stewart Mill if you haven't.
- 1
Void
BAU BAU
- 9,836
- 11,786
All four Murderbot books are free to download at Tor.com, one per day, starting today. If you've never read them, might want to give them a shot. I really enjoyed them, and they aren't very long either if you aren't sure if you'll like it or not. It's basically a sci-fi tale of a security/military robot that somehow gains sentience, and realizes that it has to hide the fact that it is aware so that it can spend most of its time watching anime and TV shows. And it hates talking to people, because it is a terrible actor and constantly fears that it is giving itself away.
Like I said, I really enjoyed them, and look forward to the new one, which is why they are pushing the first four for free.
www.tor.com
Like I said, I really enjoyed them, and look forward to the new one, which is why they are pushing the first four for free.
Download All 4 Murderbot Books For Free (Before Network Effect Arrives!) - Reactor
Murderbot’s first novel arrives on May 5th. But before that happens, Tor.com Publishing and the Tor.com Ebook Club are giving away ALL FOUR PREVIOUS AND OFTEN TIMES AWARD-WINNING NOVELLAS! Martha Wells’ series chronicles the life of a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module...
www.tor.com
- 2