All Things Books and Reading Thread - 2022

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Mamanyt1953

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I'll be finishing 'Dune: The Machine Crusade" in the next hour or so, and will move on to "The Battle of Corrin," the next of the Dune books. I'm looking forward to finishing that one, as it is the last of the serious "scifi" military space-battle novels, and moved into the three big powerhouses of Dune, the Sisterhood, the Mentats, and the Navigators Guild.

I have to say, I've learned a lot about the Dune universe. I knew that Dr. Yueh in "Dune" was a Suk doctor, and that they underwent conditioning that would not allow them to deliberately harm a human, or disclose medical information about them, but now I have met Dr. Suk, and know a bit about him! It does make a difference.
 

Mamanyt1953

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I'm almost finished with "The Battle of Corrin." Again, learning the long history of the Dune universe has been fascinating. Seeing how so many families took root and grew, the things that shaped them early on, all of it is just a lot of fun.

I do have one issue with this, as well as MANY other books...the "thinking machines" took over and enslaved the human race, or much of it. WHY? Why would they? When they could as easily have manufactured "non-thinking machines" to do every one of those tasks faster, more efficiently, and with far less need for maintenance. Let's be real...there are no resources that computers would be competing with us for, other than power, and I'll bet that computers could solve that issue easily. I find that imbuing an AI with petty human emotions is...improbable.
 

mani

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Finally getting into Robert Galbraith's (AKA J K Rowling) latest in The Cormoran Strike series. I said finally as I reread (listened.. they're audiobooks) all the others before getting to it so I'd remember everything. Some are very, very long.
I love this series. It's the dynamic between Strike and his work partner Robyn and the excellent plots that draws me in.

Reading "Dune: The Sisterhood," the origin story of the Bene Gesserits, although they do not, at this point in the book, have that name.
Do you need to have gone through all of the Dune books to read this Mamanyt1953 Mamanyt1953 ? I've only read the first Dune back in my misspent youth and really should revisit them.
 

Mamanyt1953

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Do you need to have gone through all of the Dune books to read this Mamanyt1953 Mamanyt1953 Mamanyt1953 Mamanyt1953 ? I've only read the first Dune back in my misspent youth and really should revisit them.
Oh, not at all. Since this takes place millennia before the Dune book, you could read it now easily. I bought ALL of the books, and am reading them in the order in which the stories occurred chronologically. The first three were a slog for me, as they were mostly epic space battles against the "thinking machines," which is not my cup of tea, but it really gave me a deep understanding of the later books. Now, in "Sisterhood of Dune," the Bene Gesserit do not yet exist quite as they are in the future. There is only one Reverend Mother, and she is not sure how she survived her poisoning (which triggered the transition). She and the other Sisters are trying to duplicate it, without success, thus far. And there's a bit in the book about the founding of the Mentats, the Suk Doctors, and the Navigators. The Mentats and Navigators each have their own book, following this one.
 

mani

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Oh, not at all. Since this takes place millennia before the Dune book, you could read it now easily. I bought ALL of the books, and am reading them in the order in which the stories occurred chronologically. The first three were a slog for me, as they were mostly epic space battles against the "thinking machines," which is not my cup of tea, but it really gave me a deep understanding of the later books. Now, in "Sisterhood of Dune," the Bene Gesserit do not yet exist quite as they are in the future. There is only one Reverend Mother, and she is not sure how she survived her poisoning (which triggered the transition). She and the other Sisters are trying to duplicate it, without success, thus far. And there's a bit in the book about the founding of the Mentats, the Suk Doctors, and the Navigators. The Mentats and Navigators each have their own book, following this one.
it gets good reviews.. I'll put it on my 'to read' list. :)
 

misty8723

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WOW.. that sounds like a really odd, different take on WWII... I read a lot of fictionalized books about the people of WWII... I think it makes me feel closer to my parents, especially Dad, who served in Europe. I kind of always felt comfortable reading about that time. It is intriguing.

This is a new one for me.. Is it based on a true story? Is it true? I do not think I had ever heard of this aspect. It could be true.. there is so much about WWII we do not know about.. so many secrets...
just looked that book up on Amazon and found this one, also supposed to be a true story. It's on Kindle Unlimited, so I downloaded it.
Something Like Treason
 

artiemom

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just looked that book up on Amazon and found this one, also supposed to be a true story. It's on Kindle Unlimited, so I downloaded it.
Something Like Treason
I did look up this book. The reviews do not appear to be very high on it. But reviews are strange. One person could hate it, another could love it..
 

Mamanyt1953

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Plowing through "Mentats of Dune." So far, so good. LOTS of good background material here for those who loved the Frank Herbert books. His son and Mr. Anderson are doing him proud.
 

Mamanyt1953

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Now reading "Navigators of Dune." If you are inspired to read or re-read this rather remarkable series, do read all three of these in this order, and as closely together as you can manage. The stories of the Sisterhood, the Mentats and the Navigators are woven together in all three books.
 

Mamanyt1953

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Finished "Navigators of Dune." Finally. You really need to read all three, and in order, simply because the Sisterhood, the Mentats, and the Navigators are equally present in all three books, and the books, taken together, give the deep history of those Schools. Excellent background reading for the rest of the Dune series, which takes place some 10,000 years later!

Now reading "House Atreides," which begins when Leto (father of Paul) is about 14 years old. Just started it last night.
 

artiemom

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Gave up on "For Whom the Bell Tolls".. Could not do it. I read just over half of it. Book club is Friday afternoon.
I cheated!! (shush)... I rented the movie on Sunday. It was different from what I had read; changing scenes to different parts of the book. The cast was not quite what I envisioned. Not impressed. It was the longest movie I have watched; both in length and feeling... I was Having to pause many times.. not interested in it at all.

In Hemingway's defense. I am at a point where I do not have much interest in reading; and I do not think I am a fan of Hemingway; also not interested in this subject matter. I find it very difficult to read---you really have to concentrate. I can see how a High School Literature or History class would focus on the book. I think they should have picked a shorter, more relatable book.

I will see what the next book is, I think I am committed to purchasing and reading it.. I may just take a break.
I kind of want to read what I want to read, and this book club had picked some really doozies. One, I read just a couple of chapters, and threw it out.. not something I would pass on. Since the inception of this book club, they have had only one book, which was good. The others were all failures.

I do have, 25 books in my book case; from my own purchases and what a friend donated to the building's library. I kept some for myself. I should start reading them--- at my own leisure.
 

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I do have, 25 books in my book case; from my own purchases and what a friend donated to the building's library. I kept some for myself. I should start reading them--- at my own leisure.
You could pick one for the TCS October book club! Since it's choose your own adventure, basically.
 

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I've been on a cozy mystery kick in September. Library ebooks:

By Amanda Flower:
Farm to Trouble
Murders and Metaphors
Marriage Can Be Mischief
Marshmallow Malice

Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut - Sarah Graves
Death of a Coupon Clipper - Lee Hollis
Keepsake Crimes - Laura Childs
A Catered Book Club Murder - Isis Crawford
Boards - America's Test Kitchen
A Death in Door County - Annelise Ryan
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder - Joanne Fluke
The Body in the Birches - Katherine Hall Page
Sugar and Salt - Susan Wiggs
Clive Cussler's Hellburner - Mike Maden
Shattered - James Patterson
The It Girl - Ruth Ware
The Deeds of the Disturber - Elizabeth Peters
 
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