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Laerasėa
Tol Eressea
Dec 31 2008, 5:22pm
Views: 1220
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I was so smart that I started Anathem a few days before Christmas, so when I got some B&N gift cards and books from my family, I had to wait until I'd finished reading all 900 pages before I could read any Christmas stuff. *sigh*
It was very good; a bit confusing at first, because I had no idea what the heck was going on, and I had to refer to the glossary a few billion times a page, but after a hundred pages or so, it went more smoothly. I had to read the math/platonic/physics parts really carefully and slowly, and there was a long philosophical/platonic discussion about two or three hundred pages before the end that was a bit slow going, but afterwards, the last hundred pages went by very quickly, although again, I was a bit lost as to what, exactly, happened.
This book is definitely going on my reread shelf, although I'm not sure I'm going to have the energy to pick it up anytime soon! But it was probably my favorite Stephenson books so far; I enjoyed it more than the Cryptonomicon or Baroque Cycle. Overall, I loved it!!
Also just reread War for the Oaks, by Emma Bull, given to me by a good friend before Christmas. It reminded me vaguely of Neil Gaiman, especially with its references to various other pieces of literature- some of them I've read, some of them I haven't. Both Bull and Gaiman seem to share an appreciation for A Midsummer Night's Dream, since upon closer inspection, there were multiple references to that in WftO, and Gaiman tends to throw little nods to it as well in his works. I also enjoyed the type of fantasy depicted in WftO; it was a very fun book, and I really enjoyed that one, too.
Hmmm. New Year's Resolution Books. I always have a very long ongoing list of "Things I Need To Read", but I never finish it, because it's always growing. I want to reread Anthem, as well as Foucault's Pendulum, both books I read this year and understood about 50% of (while still enjoying them), and I want to give Don Quixote a shot (in English, of course). Also want to look into theology a bit, I'd been learning a bit about it this year in one of my classes (and outside of classes, too.....*winks at Menelwyn*), and discovered that the study of the monotheistic religions were absolutely fascinating.
Happy reading, a.s.!
********************************
Traveling Journal Official Site
"Who needs drugs when you spend all your money on books?"
-Menelwyn
"A friend helps you find your Silmaril. A true friend helps you slay kin, cross icy wastes, battle your rellies, lose your hand to a Dark Lord and cast yourself into a fissure in the earth."
-Ataahua
"...But life has thus far failed to adjust itself to my liking, so I soldier on."
-Magpie
"I just thought I would share this story, because today is a great day."
-Hobbiton
"True nerddom/geekdom/dorkdom does not kick in until you are in your 50s taking a nerd/geek/dork test on the discussion board of an internet fan site for a fantasy novel/film."
-Squire
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Subject
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User
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Time
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"Read the books you already own!": The Weekly Book Review Thread, New Year's Edition
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a.s.
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Dec 31 2008, 4:23pm
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No more books til we've read the ones we've got!!
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Jazmine
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Dec 31 2008, 4:35pm
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Sister of Another Mother!!!
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a.s.
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Dec 31 2008, 4:45pm
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Anathem and War for the Oaks
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Laerasėa
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Dec 31 2008, 5:22pm
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Emma Bull & Neil Gaiman are good friends
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Magpie
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Dec 31 2008, 8:02pm
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We can only choose what to do with the books we are given
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Lily Fairbairn
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Dec 31 2008, 5:49pm
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Working my way through my book Christmas gifts
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Elberbeth
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Dec 31 2008, 6:19pm
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Christmas reading
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Nienna
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Dec 31 2008, 6:54pm
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A new book I got for Christmas: "Nathan Hale" by M. Williams Phelps
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Aunt Dora Baggins
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Dec 31 2008, 7:22pm
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Review and Summary
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Bladorthin
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Dec 31 2008, 7:41pm
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another interesting take on the story
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Annael
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Dec 31 2008, 9:46pm
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I know what you mean!
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Compa_Mighty
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Dec 31 2008, 7:47pm
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Have you thought about the bathroom?
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Aunt Dora Baggins
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Dec 31 2008, 8:23pm
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the used-book store is my salvation
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Annael
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Dec 31 2008, 9:50pm
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The Indigo King
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Magpie
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Dec 31 2008, 8:08pm
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Kushiel's Mercy (and a book recommendation on Christian mysticism)
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Annael
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Dec 31 2008, 9:34pm
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**takes notes
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a.s.
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Dec 31 2008, 10:08pm
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another book recommendation, then
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Annael
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Dec 31 2008, 10:15pm
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Christian mysticism? *perks up*
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Kyriel
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Jan 1 2009, 12:32am
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**takes more notes
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a.s.
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Jan 1 2009, 2:01am
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I went to a lecture
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Annael
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Jan 1 2009, 4:21am
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Actually, it can be a lot funnier than that
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Kyriel
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Jan 1 2009, 1:07pm
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we had a whole lecture about
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Annael
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Jan 1 2009, 4:50pm
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*copies notes from a.s.*
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Menelwyn
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Jan 1 2009, 9:05pm
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Did you read Kushiel's Mercy
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Ataahua
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Dec 31 2008, 11:43pm
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hard
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Annael
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Jan 1 2009, 4:16am
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Oh dear. Would you believe (and forgive me for reading)
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Tintallė
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Jan 1 2009, 2:35am
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at the risk of being a "reverse snob"...or something, I think
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a.s.
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Jan 1 2009, 10:28pm
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no judgment here
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Annael
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Jan 2 2009, 12:41am
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There's an interesting split in the fandom (some Twilight spoilers)
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entmaiden
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Jan 2 2009, 2:24am
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well . . .
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Annael
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Jan 2 2009, 3:31pm
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I think the approach was the same for all three
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entmaiden
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Jan 2 2009, 3:57pm
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That's not what I hated about the fourth book.
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Laitholiel_the_SeaElf
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Jan 3 2009, 4:07am
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I can understand that (book four spoilers)
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entmaiden
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Jan 3 2009, 4:33am
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I loved the Twilight series
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entmaiden
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Jan 2 2009, 2:13am
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How Fiction Works.
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N.E. Brigand
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Jan 1 2009, 11:19pm
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Cather and Robinson
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a.s.
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Jan 2 2009, 12:56am
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I have!
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bearwen
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Jan 5 2009, 8:48pm
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