In Perdido it only happens at moments but not generally, as I recall.

Is Perdido the one? — Noble Dust

I don't think so. It's dense, long, and pretty bleak. The writing is great, but it took me two tries. The Mieville book I like best is "Railsea." Yes, I think "The City and the City" is more accessible than most of the others I've read. It's the most conventional I guess, but it's still got that Mieville crookedness. His way of making impossible worlds seem normal.

I haven't read "Last Days Of New Paris." I guess I should... Just downloaded it from my library. Ain't technology wonderful. Except they don't have it in Kindle. I had to fiddle around to make it work.

I don't think so. It's dense, long, and pretty bleak — T Clark

On the contrary, I found it exuberant and fun, and dense only in its profusion of monstrous detail.

I like the sound of that.

It's dense, long, and pretty bleak. — T Clark

Nothing about that is off-putting to me, unless dense means constant use of obscure words to which no one knows the meanings. I found that to be the case with New Paris. But maybe my vocab is low. I like the goodreads blurb on Railsea. Good luck on Last Days. You might get more out of it than me; please let me know.

His way of making impossible worlds seem normal. — T Clark

Realized that I forgot to give a big thumbs up to this. *Clarky thumb emoji*

With a sample of less than one, I can't say. I do like the writing and the visuals and the plot, no problems so far. Maybe it will get worse down the line, but it might be worth a shot.

unless dense means constant use of obscure words to which no one knows the meanings. — Noble Dust

I wouldn't want to read a Mieville book on paper. I need Kindle so I can look up all the words. His vocabulary is incredible but it never feels artificial or pedantic.

I found it exuberant and fun, and dense only in its profusion of monstrous detail. — Jamal

Fun? Certainly playful. Dense - every page felt like a chapter. I'd say I had to look up a word every two or three pages. I see that as a good thing.

I wouldn't want to read a Mieville book on paper. — T Clark

Ironically, I only read real books. You're more modern than me here. Funny. And sad on my part, perhaps. Or not. I'm not sure.

Funny. And sad on my part, perhaps. Or not. I'm not sure. — Noble Dust

No, not sad. I still love books and used to love reading them. Now, when I do, I find myself tapping on the page to look up the word. I'm pretty lazy. If it weren't for Kindle, I wouldn't look up words. With Mieville, you have to in order to get the full value. That's especially true of "Perdido Street Station."

I only read real books — Noble Dust

I still love books — T Clark

Ebooks are real and ebooks are books.

I only read books made out of paper, which is what I mean by "real". I know you know this, and I know you know that I know that you know this. Come on brah.

Tis a joke. I realize the "Come on brah" vs. "com'n brah" or some such can be confusing. I feel the need to break the 4th wall here and clarify. Typical overthinking shit.

:roll:

I only read papyrus scrolls.

It is true I don't have a kindle or some such and only read paper books. Do with that information what you will.

Oh yeah, I'm done here. Forgot to mention that.

I’m not done here.

I’m a member of some online book groups and there are endless stupid arguments pro- and anti-Kindle. I don’t intend to repeat that here. However, I do want to insist that ebooks are real books, lest there be some suggestion that reading an ebook is importantly different, qualitatively, from reading a codex-style book (paper pages bound together between boards or paper). This would be true of “audiobooks,” because you don’t read them—but not of ebooks.

Kindle is better for me for several reasons:

• I move around so portability is important
• The text of codex-style books is usually too small for me to read comfortably; on a kindle I can adjust the text size and font style
• You can look up words quickly and easily
• Most e-readers now have a backlight, so you don’t have to rely on external light-sources and you can read in the dark
• You can start reading a book seconds after you decide to read it
• I can copy and paste into TPF or wherever

The first two points are the most important. If they weren’t important to me, e.g., my eyesight was as good as it was 30 years ago and I was settled in a house with a dedicated library, or I didn’t live in a foreign country, then I would likely read codex books a lot more.

I realize all of this is obvious and goes without saying. But Jamal’s Law is: online, that which goes without saying doesn’t go without saying.

Now I’m done here.

I tired to read books in Kindle form. I can't. Any articles I read I also ususally have to print out first. I have to have books - the feel, the smell, the technology of pages is part of the process of reading for me. Screens just don't hold my attention.

The first two points are the most important. — Jamal

So you're old and still mobile. Impressive. This feels like a BC bit.

You can look up words quickly and easily — Jamal

I in some ways envy this, but I also am able to grab my iPhone and do the same in maybe 12 seconds more time total.

Most e-readers now have a backlight, so you don’t have to rely on external light-sources and you can read in the dark — Jamal

I was reading in the dark from age 6. I don't get it.

You can start reading a book seconds after you decide to read it — Jamal

Fair.

Yeah, I'm done here.

Ebooks are real and ebooks are books. — Jamal

Sure, but there's something beautiful about a wall full of paper books. It feels like you're rich. Like money in the bank. Also, you can't loan or borrow electronic books. Also, going to the library or book store is a social event.

Just sayin.

Also, you can't loan or borrow electronic books. — T Clark

You can actually. Many books on internet archive (one example website of many) are borrow only. Meaning that access to a particular ebook is time limited and the pdf isn't available for download (or it's encrypted).

Personally I prefer, and indeed have, a nice wall of dead trees.

Also, you can't loan or borrow electronic books.
— T Clark

You can actually. — Heracloitus

I was talking about lending them to or borrowing them from friends, but you're right. The best of all is Libby. If your library is a member, you can download books and magazines directly. There is even an extension to Chrome called "library extension" that will tell you whether the book is available from the library when you're on Amazon or other book websites. Then you can download it directly from the computer.

I like the smell of a kindle. Something about being able to touch the pixelated screen, getting funny colors when you smash your fingers against the letters, the glow in the dark room that helps you find your way to the bathroom. All those things.

That's how people are going to romanticize ebooks in 50 years when the technology will entail injecting the words into our retinas.

That's how people are going to romanticize ebooks in 50 years when the technology will entail injecting the words into our retinas. — Hanover

:100:

romanticize ebooks in 50 years — Hanover

We've been reading text in physical form for more than 5,000 years. A little regret is reasonable.

I do have problems with technology but e-ink is close enough to paper not to bother me. It's really a personal thing I think.

Currently reading:

ATHOL FUGARD: Blood Knot
KIERKEGAARD: The Sickness unto Death

I just got a copy of The Will to Believe in old school paperback. I'm either getting really old, or it's the microfiche version.

The Genocides by Thomas M. Disch.

ATHOL FUGARD: Blood Knot — Baden

This is an excellent play. Reads like a dramatization of Frantz Fanon's work.

First Lensman
by E.E. "Doc" Smith