# Your first book of the New Year? (2018)



## wafflebeard (Jan 3, 2018)

New year, new books! What is the first book you will read / are reading in 2018? all formats welcome, no discrimination.

for me it's _The Aeronaut's Windlass_ by Jim Butcher, I started the audiobook yesterday and have been listening to it while I work. it's not bad by itself, a little more YA than I was expecting, but I like Butcher's writing a lot and sky pirates are totally my jam so I'm pretty into it so far. it is, however, a poor substitute for new Dresden Files, but then again most fantasy books are as well.

in dead tree format I'm reading _The Way of Kings_ by Brandon Sanderson, I started it the day after Christmas. it's a beefy book so it will take some time to read it all, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. it jumps between a lot of characters and can be very jargon-heavy so at times it can be somewhat hard to follow, but I think it is compelling and exciting if you have the patience.

what are you reading, and what formats do you prefer?


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## 330 (Jan 3, 2018)

I finished Emma by Jane Austen yesterday. Quite boring, but wasn't expecting much from it. A friend really wanted me to read it as it's her favorite.


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## BORTZ (Jan 3, 2018)

Still working my way through The Fellowship of the Ring from last year. Those books are long and require a fair bit of skipping over the spoken song parts. 

After I graduated college I have only used audio books, either legit from audible or supplemented from torrents.


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## 330 (Jan 3, 2018)

BORTZ said:


> After I graduated college I have only used audio books, either legit from audible or supplemented from torrents.


Audiobooks are great but they are very expensive compared to the digital, text-based version of the book or they are being read by an incapable voice actor or by someone you just really don't like. I always have to make sure to listen to the demos before picking one. Was saved by them many times.


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## Deleted User (Jan 3, 2018)

I got a few books for the new year to read over break. I'm starting with Dante's Inferno, as weird as that sounds.


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## FAST6191 (Jan 3, 2018)

Seems my first is rereading Characteristics of Games
https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/characteristics-games

I did get a nice illustrated version of Beowulf for Christmas so that will be next.

Actually new to me though... probably whatever a charity shop or car boot sale yields first, though my shelves are looking rather stacked and there are a few in there I have been saving for some unspecified point.

As for The Way of Kings the Stormlight series is probably my favourite Brandon Sanderson series, though if you think that was jargon heavy I would make sure you have time to properly concentrate if you ever read The Rithmatist.

Re audiobooks I have not done any in a while come to think of it. Once the PSP died and I put a network wire to my on bed book reading laptop that was kind of the end of that.


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## Sathya (Jan 3, 2018)

my first book is my life story in this year


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## Veho (Jan 3, 2018)

Robert Rankin's "The Witches of Chiswick".


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## TVL (Jan 3, 2018)

I'm reading Denial of Death and I'm listening to Ego is the Enemy as an audiobook.


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## Issac (Jan 3, 2018)

I'm reading one of my Christmas gifts: "What The Hell Did I Just Read" by David Wong. 
It's the third book in the series starting with: "John Dies at The End" and "This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch it".

I'm already halfway through, and that includes several days where I haven't read a single page due to not being home, due to going to bed at 6 AM, and other stuff.  I think I'll finish it within this week.


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## Spectral Blizzard (Jan 3, 2018)

I finished a *TON *of GBATemp blogs after the new year.
No, I'm not kidding.
As for a proper book, B.L.E.A.C.H #30, because I tried out the series [despite hating anime] and I was totally hooked on it in December, so yeah.
...
Voice Typing Master Race.
Join Today!
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## Veho (Jan 4, 2018)

Issac said:


> I'm reading one of my Christmas gifts: "What The Hell Did I Just Read" by David Wong.
> It's the third book in the series starting with: "John Dies at The End" and "This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch it".


I liked "John Dies at The End" a lot, but didn't really like the other one. I didn't like the shift in style and (see spoiler). What's the third one like, is it closer to the first or the second book? 



Spoiler



the fact the plot was mostly moved along by very contrived misunderstandings


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## Issac (Jan 4, 2018)

Veho said:


> I liked "John Dies at The End" a lot, but didn't really like the other one. I didn't like the shift in style and (see spoiler). What's the third one like, is it closer to the first or the second book?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It feels more like "John Dies at The End" to me. See spoiler why (which won't be a spoiler to you).
Regarding your spoiler tag though, I don't remember that at all... It was a few years ago I read it though, but it wasn't anything that bothered me anyway. Can't say if this third book is a victim of it or not  The shift in style in the second book was very apparent though, and I didn't mind it but I see your point there.



Spoiler



This feels more like the first book because it's the whole team together, John, Dave and Amy, unlike the second book where they were separated for the most part. The setting also feels more like the first book, and so does the monster stuff.



Well, You can read the three first chapters for free on the hype site for the book, to get your own opinion  http://jdate3.com/preview.html#body_div


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## BORTZ (Jan 4, 2018)

330 said:


> Audiobooks are great but they are very expensive compared to the digital, text-based version of the book or they are being read by an incapable voice actor or by someone you just really don't like. I always have to make sure to listen to the demos before picking one. Was saved by them many times.


Sure, but I guess I have it easy. Paying 15 bucks for an Audible account each month. But I also have a steady job, not to many bills and a sugar mamma to boot.


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## T-hug (Jan 4, 2018)

I will start https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Forest asap, the sequel to the Three Body Problem I read last year.


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## fedehda (Jan 4, 2018)

Im currently reading the Dark Tower (Stephen king's book): Song of Susanah.

And Im looking forward for Monadology of Leibniz but I cant find it anywhere.


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## Chary (Jan 4, 2018)

I got a replacement copy of an old book I really liked as a kid--"The Folk of the Fringe", by Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game author), and it held up to how I remembered it. As for new books that I plan to get through, I got Slaughterhouse-Five as a Christmas gift, which'll be fun to read.


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## Issac (Jan 4, 2018)

T-hug said:


> I will start https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Forest asap, the sequel to the Three Body Problem I read last year.


I saw the first book was turned into a film last year, seen it?


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## T-hug (Jan 4, 2018)

Issac said:


> I saw the first book was turned into a film last year, seen it?


No I had no idea, will check it out thanks!


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## Veho (Jan 4, 2018)

Issac said:


> Well, You can read the three first chapters for free on the hype site for the book, to get your own opinion  http://jdate3.com/preview.html#body_div


The first three chapters look promising     I'll give it a go.


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## wafflebeard (Jan 4, 2018)

BORTZ said:


> Sure, but I guess I have it easy. Paying 15 bucks for an Audible account each month. But I also have a steady job, not to many bills and a sugar mamma to boot.


I love audiobooks a lot but my problem with them is that i find them too easy to accidentally tune out. i find it hard multitask while listening to them because i'll get distracted and miss part of the story. even when i'm driving or doing repetitive mindless work and listening to a book my mind will too often wander off and i'll come back to the story and have no idea what's going on anymore.

that said it is very nice to have someone read me a story and i like having something besides podcasts and music to listen to while driving or working.


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## fatsquirrel (Jan 4, 2018)

Im such an asshole lazy individual that Im still trying to finish ''Name of the wind'' by Patrick Rothfuss. I finish about 10 pages per month -,-

@wafflebeard 
I have a serious question for you as also for everyone who enjoy audiobooks. 
How on earth do you manage not to doze off? Im serious, Im put to sleep in about 5 minutes listening to any of those. It angers me really


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## wafflebeard (Jan 4, 2018)

fatsquirrel said:


> @wafflebeard
> I have a serious question for you as also for everyone who enjoy audiobooks.
> How on earth do you manage not to doze off? Im serious, Im put to sleep in about 5 minutes listening to any of those. It angers me really


typically i only listen to audiobooks while driving or while doing repetitive tasks like washing dishes. my job includes a lot of very repetitive work so i get a lot of "reading" done at work haha. personally i can't listen to audiobooks while playing games or doing anything that takes a majority of my mental focus because i end up getting distracted and missing parts of the book.

as far as avoiding falling asleep or dozing off goes, i don't know how to help you. maybe try listening to a book when you're fresh and awake or when you're in a situation where you're unlikely to fall asleep, like driving for instance.

does anyone else struggle to stay awake while listening to audiobooks? any tips for staying awake?


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## fatsquirrel (Jan 4, 2018)

wafflebeard said:


> typically i only listen to audiobooks while driving or while doing repetitive tasks like washing dishes. my job includes a lot of very repetitive work so i get a lot of "reading" done at work haha. personally i can't listen to audiobooks while playing games or doing anything that takes a majority of my mental focus because i end up getting distracted and missing parts of the book.
> 
> as far as avoiding falling asleep or dozing off goes, i don't know how to help you. maybe try listening to a book when you're fresh and awake or when you're in a situation where you're unlikely to fall asleep, like driving for instance.
> 
> does anyone else struggle to stay awake while listening to audiobooks? any tips for staying awake?


Maybe I should try listening while doing something else yes. I always tried listening while im comfortably tucked in my chair with a blanket on...so yeah


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## wafflebeard (Jan 4, 2018)

fatsquirrel said:


> Maybe I should try listening while doing something else yes. I always tried listening while im comfortably tucked in my chair with a blanket on...so yeah


haha yeah i think anyone would have trouble staying awake in that situation.


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## RaptorDMG (Jan 4, 2018)

Reading Star Wars Knight Errant at the moment


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