Just started the full collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s work.

Also going through Ambrose Bierce’s work as well.

In terms of more modern literature, I’m reading Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer amd Book 2 of the Three-Body Problem series by Liu Cixin.

For the most part, I’m looking for a good fantasy series or historical fiction series, but I’m not sure where to start or where to find a good one.

What about the rest of you? Reading anything you like?

Discuss!

  • teensndants@lemmygrad.ml
    11·
    3 years ago

    I just started The Three Body Problem as well. Are you enjoying it?

    I liked “A Memory Called Empire” as well. Hoping she does another book in that series.

    I need fiction to eyebleach out whatever the fuck reality is doing these days.

    • Neuromantic@lemmygrad.ml
      7·
      3 years ago

      Oooh! I was thinking abour reading The Three Body Problem! Let me know how it is! Otherwise, I’ll just keep reading Neal Stephenson :-)

      • teensndants@lemmygrad.ml
        3·
        3 years ago

        Will do 🥰- I’m about half way through and it’s yet to bore me. I have zero interest (or understanding) in physics either and read that it was a bit of a slog in reviews but it’s really kept my interest so far.

        We need a little book club for fiction up in this joint! I’m gonna go look and see if there is one haha

    • Makan ☭ CPUSA@lemmygrad.mlOP
      5·
      3 years ago

      I just started Arkady Martine’s book today, actually. Also, I finished the first Three-Body Problem book. I enjoyed it a lot.

  • MarxistJo@lemmygrad.ml
    7·
    3 years ago

    I haven’t read fiction for over a year. If you want something non-fiction thats not too heavy I’d suggest Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Although be warned, he often wrote like he just discovered a thesaurus.

    • Leia_Round@lemmygrad.ml
      4·
      2 years ago

      Walden is pretty good. I read a bit of it and wanted to throw out most of my shit. It’s a book that gets me into spring cleaning mood.

      I do remember needing to look up some words, but compared to a lot of communist writing from the turn of the century it’s comparatively light reading.

  • Exercise_Both@lemmygrad.ml
    5·
    3 years ago

    Cixin Liu, check out literally everything he’s written.

    The man is a fantastic sci fi writer, an engineer at water treatment facility and a real ‘Communist with Chinese Characteristics’. Highly recommend for all looking for a truly forward looking and intelligent individual.

  • Muad'Dibber@lemmygrad.mlM
    4·
    3 years ago

    Been on an entertaining but possibly trash book kick lately. Currently reading jurassic park, 20k leagues under the sea, the three musketeers. Recently finished “surely you’re joking mr feynmann”.

    How is three body problem? I’ve heard good things.

    • Makan ☭ CPUSA@lemmygrad.mlOP
      3·
      3 years ago

      Liu Cixin is considered to be the best sci-fi writer currently living in China, at least in terms of popular appeal.

      Certainly my WeChat friends know him and like him, though of course, a lot doesn’t get translated into English (I mean other writers) so it’s not like I can compare.

      But I really do like his work.

  • Ritz Consumer@lemmygrad.ml
    3·
    2 years ago

    I go back to House of Leaves whenever I feel like I need a mental tune-up. It’s been a very House of Leaves winter for me. As for suggestions for good fantasy, have you given T.A. Barron’s “Lost Years of Merlin” series a try? It was one of my first; and coincidentally, one of the only pieces of fantasy tied to Arthurian mythos that I actually enjoy.

    • Makan ☭ CPUSA@lemmygrad.mlOP
      1·
      2 years ago

      Never really read much in the way of “Arthurian mythos” literature (do you mean the original stories or the later “additions” in the 20th and 21st century)?

      • Ritz Consumer@lemmygrad.ml
        2·
        2 years ago

        Oh either or, it’s just typically not my groove independent of era. Barron’s work, though, it’s easy to forget you’re even following that Merlin as the world draws you further and further into it, which imo, is a VERY strong point in dispelling that Arthurian feel.

        • Makan ☭ CPUSA@lemmygrad.mlOP
          1·
          2 years ago

          Like, in a good way or a bad way? Just curious (don’t mean to “interview” or browbeat): do you mean that it’s easy to kinda lose yourself and forget that it’s just “more King Arthur” or do you mean in the sense that it’s not “that faithful” to the Arthurian feel and mythos?

          I… actually do like the King Arthur tales, the original ones, truth be told, so I don’t see it as a con, I suppose, but I guess I would prefer the “Arthurian and epic” feel to it.

          • Ritz Consumer@lemmygrad.ml
            2·
            2 years ago

            Oh, very much a good way. It’s like, the world it constructs around itself is for the most part, a while before Merlin would come to accompany that Arthur, so i suppose a more clear read would be that it sort of takes on its own kind of identity, while still retaining the epic, ‘land-spanning’ kind of tale.

  • CommunistWolf@lemmygrad.ml
    2·
    2 years ago

    Recently read One Way, followed by No Way, S.J. Morden. Near-future lefty sci-fi with a distressingly plausible plot.

    A bit less recently, The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Trussell. It’s technically fiction, although the fictional characters do a lot of talking about Marxism.

  • VictimOfReligion@lemmygrad.ml
    2·
    2 years ago

    I’m more into manga than anything, and Kamui Den is basically Marxism with Ninjas. Like. Literally, it’s about a Marxist Ninja being the main character.