books

<p>Does anyone have recommendations for novels that depict a hopeful future?</p> <small class="notice" x-post-type-data="None"> Takahe has limited support for this type: <a href="https://lemmy.world/post/34645314">See Original Page</a> </small>

<p>About 15 years ago I read though everything Neal Stephenson had written. It started with snow crash, then the cryptonomicon, then less popular works like zodiac and the diamond age. In general I loved them all. I stopped reading his books right before anathem came out…</p><p>But on a vacation last year I picked up a copy on my e-reader and started it. I enjoyed the concept, I loved the mat-as-philosophy, despite the difficulty getting into it. Anyway, vacation came to an end, I was about 40% through it, and I just stopped, picked up a couple other books, and moved on. No real reason, but a combination of how slow it moved, the extraneous details that seem like they could have been left out, etc.</p><p>Well, vacation this year hit so I picked it back up. After about the 50 percent point the book totally changed, as if I was reading an entirely different story. I’m trying to leave out spoilers, but now I am about 80% through and I’m having trouble with what the characters are doing in the book based on the history provided in the beginning.</p>Tap for spoiler<p>Like, these monks who shunned technology are suddenly flying space suits and plotting the takeover of an alien ship.</p><p>Don’t get me wrong… I follow the story and the plot tracks well, but there was so much character development in the beginning and suddenly what they are doing doesn’t track with any of that development.</p><p>The best summery I read by someone on reddit said “what do you think about Anathem? I think it is about 200 pages too long”. I’m going to push through and finish it. My e-reader says I have about 7 hours to go and I think I am enjoying it. I just was wondering how others feel about it.</p> <small class="notice" x-post-type-data="None"> Takahe has limited support for this type: <a href="https://sh.itjust.works/post/44373183">See Original Page</a> </small>

<p>As a bibliophile on the Fediverse, I’m flailing a little. I’m on Mastodon, Lemmy, and BookWyrm.social, but I don’t know which is the best place to reach the largest and most active number of fellow readers.</p><p>Currently I’m guessing that this is the largest book group in the Fediverse, based entirely on MAU - but I’ll be frank, I could easily be wrong.</p><p>I’m looking to discuss approaches to reviewing books. It occurred to me recently that the most meaningful and helpful reviews are the ones that tie in to emotion - that emotional impact is by far the most important aspect of art and writing, at least to me. I’m curious to hear what sort of approaches other have tried, and maybe sharing tips.</p><p>There’s also another issue that’s been bothering the hell out of me: BookSNS. It’s a book recommendation site that’s very active, with a lot of users. I’ve been following it for quite a while via Mastodon.</p><p>Posts from it are echoed or relayed to Mastodon, but replies don’t go the other way. Users there seem to think that they are posting on Reddit, at least some of the time. But there is no way to contact anyone at the website itself; no admin address, and you have to have an account there in order to respond on the site. But there are no openings for new accounts.</p><p>It drives me completely crazy, because I have a huge amount of experience recommending books, particularly older books. I used to be one of the top book recommenders on Reddit, before I walked away after their IPO sleaze. Hoover and over I’ve seen requests for recommendations for which I have the perfect answers, only to find myself absolutely on able to respond.</p><p>It’s torture. I really love recommending the rare old books that I know, particularly since almost no one else seems to even be aware of their existence. But I just can’t get through to those requesters.</p><p>Does anyone have any suggestions?</p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a>#BookSNS#Mastodon</p> <small class="notice" x-post-type-data="None"> Takahe has limited support for this type: <a href="https://beehaw.org/post/23549880">See Original Page</a> </small>

<p>Our latest podcast episode is now live where we talk about the short story collections &quot;Songs of a Dead Dreamer&quot; and &quot;Grimscribe&quot; by Thomas Ligotti. We picked three stories to discuss and will probably go back to do more at some point. You can get it at the usual places <a href="https://thedevilslibrary.libsyn.com/episode-35-songs-of-a-dead-dreamer-grimscribe-by-thomas-ligotti" rel="nofollow">podcast home</a>, <a href="https://devilslibrary.org/" rel="nofollow">website</a>, <a href="http://feeds.libsyn.com/585220/rss" rel="nofollow">RSS</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_qbbFQBLm4" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a> and <a href="https://clip.place/w/uktLuCcbZxhKEvR6umuKW4" rel="nofollow">PeerTube</a> and the usual others - Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon but ain&#x27;t linking to them. Just search &#x27;The Devil&#x27;s Library&#x27; if you use them. </p><p>As ever, no ads, no subscriptions or any of that bullshit. Use the PeerTube link if you want the best Fedi based experience, obvs.</p> <small class="notice" x-post-type-data="None"> Takahe has limited support for this type: <a href="https://piefed.blahaj.zone/post/285210">See Original Page</a> </small>

<p>Hi all,</p><p>I read the original Eragon book a long time ago but I’ve been wondering if the series is something worth getting into. I remember the moving being just awful lol.</p> <small class="notice" x-post-type-data="None"> Takahe has limited support for this type: <a href="https://lemmy.world/post/34741458">See Original Page</a> </small>