What should I read next?

[inverarity]

At any given time I have several queues of TBR books (don't ask -- it's my own system, mixing formats and where I read and fiction or non-fiction, etc.). But anyway, I have a literal stack of fiction books waiting to be read and I can't decide which one to read next. So I throw it out to my flist: what do you want to see reviewed next? (No, there are no write-in votes, I'm trying to shrink my TBR stack!)



[Poll #1791117]

ETA: &*@$%#! I misspelled "anthology" and you can't edit a poll after it's been posted.

ETA 2: Battle Royale it is! Don't worry, I will get to the others in due time.

Comments

[swissmarg]

If it really bugs you, you could delete the post and re-do it. ;) I have never heard of any of these books. You've already reviewed a couple of Octavia Butler ones. I'd sort of be interested in the anthology, I guess, mostly because I am intrigued by the idea of optimistic science fiction, but I won't vote because I really have no inkling about any of the books, and I enjoy reading any of your reviews.

[inverarity.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm entering a vote for "Shine" for you then. ;)

(Also, once I've voted, I can see the poll results without extra clicks.)

[malinbe.livejournal.com]

I watched Battle Royale the film and really liked it- back when I was 17- and started reading the manga until the prices went too high. I've never read the novel, though, but it'd be fun to see how it compares to the film.

[shinygobonkers.livejournal.com]

i've never seen the film or the manga but i quite enjoyed the novel...

[malinbe.livejournal.com]

Well, I recommend the film. It's a little gory for me, but quite bearable. I'm told the difference is in the backstory- the film shows very little of it, and sometimes those flashbacks feel a little forced and unnecessary- but the story holds together even without them. When I watched it, it was in company of classmates, which made it all the more interesting.

[inverarity.livejournal.com]

I have seen the movie (I even own the DVD). But I've been wanting to read the book and compare it with The Hunger Games.

[tealterror0.livejournal.com]

I recommend the film as well. It's quite entertaining, and not as gory as everyone says (though maybe my standards are just high).

I voted for the book version in the poll, but that's just because I was obligated to as a weeaboo.

[kerneyhead.livejournal.com]

I've read Battle Royale, as well. It wasn't that different that the real world, only less blatant. One thing that has always stayed with me is the dedication of that novel., which is spot on. Truthfully, I've just read two wonderful series (Jaspar Fforde's Thursday Next novels and Bernard Cornwall's Saxon novels, where I happily cheered against Alfred and for the Danes).

Shine seems interesting because it is such a contrast to so much SF right now. I guess I'd like to hear something to cheer me from my ocaisional bouts of depression and cynicism.

So go for that.

[rheymus.livejournal.com]

I voted happy ending.

I suspect, that David Mitchell is the Novelist NOT the Comedian, I would have voted for it ifn I thought it was the comedian.``````````````````````````````````````````````
The Ou Jen sci-fi story looked interesting, but you already told us that the other Sci-Fi was happy ending and you need to learn happy endings.

HhD was happy ending. Alex 1 was bitter-sweet endig, Alex 2 and 3 were sad endings. I want Alex 4 to have a happy endig. therefore, you need to learn happy nding. tlc`````````

[inverarity.livejournal.com]

Ou Lu Khen is fantasy, actually.

You realize that the ending to AQ 4 is already written, right? Revisions aside, unless my betas scream that it's a disaster, happy or sad it's not going to change now...

[tealterror0.livejournal.com]

I don't know, man. Unless someone is observing it, I think it's in a superposition of being both written and not written.

[rheymus.livejournal.com]

My whinge is that you suckered us into AQ by HhD an Happy endig Story.

AQ = you make us like Characters and then you hurt us by hurting Characters we like. You are Joss Whedon and I claim my £5. SOME of your posts have Dangled the Carrot that AQ4 will be LESS gloom and doom than AQ 1-3.

And you can't even say that people we love will be safe in bk4 because that would kill the dramaticq tension of people we care about in danger, tlc.

[inverarity.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if you're taking the piss or not.

I've never promised a happy ending or that characters you like won't get hurt. I do think book four is less gloomy than books two and three. (I didn't think book one was particularly gloom and doom.)

[rheymus.livejournal.com]

" I do think book four is less gloomy than books two and three. "

Aha! That was what you said. My mistake.

Book 1 had the gloom of nice Ben being the Traitor, rather than someone we like dying.

[megazver.livejournal.com]

Shine sounds like a good idea, not sure about execution. Cloud Atlas is a decent read, voted for that one.