Weekly “what are you reading” Thread #42

I finished Watchers by Dean Koontz a few days ago, it was pretty good and enjoyable, nothing insane to put it into the upper tier of books I've read, but definitely interesting and something I'd recommend.

"Steal Across the Sky": repentant aliens take a small group of humans to see evidence of a terrible experiment they performed on our species thousands of years ago. The human population on Earth lost a gene that allows communication with the dead after death, while human populations transplanted to other planets retained it. The book mostly deals with the characters after they return to Earth, and is more of a paranoid near-future thriller with a space adventure prologue.

I enjoyed the overall plot, but I thought the author treated most of the characters with too little respect. They felt stupid and badly lacking in self-awareness. Character flaws should be sad, but these felt like we were just supposed to feel superior to the characters for seeing the things they couldn't.

This was published in 2008 and describes a year 2020 that has both a human moon colony and ubiquitous pay phones.

The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time by John Kelly.

I had just finished his book on the potato famine before this one and was iffy on it. I thought maybe this topic would grab me more as I like plagues. Turns out I'm just sorta okay on his writing. It doesn't grab me, he bounces around a lot. There are these weird mixes of somewhat compelling visualizations of the plague stopping and looking in windows, or taking in a show and then it's a direct quote, or a matter of fact statement. It's just somewhat schizophrenic when it comes to tone.

I'm going to finish it cause it is interesting, the direct quotes are compelling. But I won't read anything more by him.

I think it may have been a recommendation from someone here, but I finished 16 Ways to Defend a Walled City. I enjoyed it and couldn't put it down

Catch-22. Luv me some bureacracy

Three body problem, by indication of carp and someone else here. It's very good so far, cool to see an author manage to use scientific jargon without sounding r-slurred

Still ploughing through the Gorean cycle, I've just finished book 4. By the priest-kings Carl Tabot darn autocorrect Tarl Cabot can be dim sometimes. I've been spoiled by Conan's wits and wiles.

I figure I'll probably burn out after another half dozen books so when that happens I'll probably read either another Ciaphas Cain (HERO OF THE IMPERIUM!) book or maybe something non fiction; I've been meaning to pick Lessons on the English Longsword back up for a while now

That's exactly what a white supremacist would say

Sus as frick. Bet you like sexualizing children too, p-do Nazi. Why do you like fricking five year olds you disgusting c*nt?

Lololol Im so much better than you at your own tactics aaaahahahahahaha

Try using reason, I dare you. Bet you can't. Too busy cumming in your toddler relatives mouths.

Lolololol using emotional language and impulsive reactions is so fun and easy, I get why you do it, I just have to be more graphic and insulting than you, infant butthole reaming pedophilic frick

Lol what now how are you going to beat me? Can't use reason, we know, and I've clearly been more emotional and insulting than you.

What now?