I've read a bit of Murakami and I've seen an adaptation of Super Frog Saves Tokyo on stage. I guess a lot of it comes down to how much you can enjoy magical realism. I'm not the hugest fan. To each their own - I just don't get it when people are like "Murakami is the best author. I don't read any other books except for things written by Murakami."

That man's novels are pretty much the only thing I hate as much I love. Norwegian Wood makes up for all the convoluted bullshit he's ever written that I've [b]wasted my time with[/b]. Ugh, Murakami. The things you do to me. Imagine wanting to explain to someone exactly why Portal is so great, while at the same time wanting to explain why Superman 64 is so bad. That's how I feel when I think about Murakami. Haruki, not Ryu. Ryu's probably crying himself to sleep while the talking heads are discussing Haruki possibly winning a Nobel prize.

[quote="Aplaca"]Ryu's probably crying himself to sleep while the talking heads are discussing Haruki possibly winning a Nobel prize.[/quote]
Lmao. To be honest, I think I've consistently enjoyed Ryu's work more than Haruki's. It's a tough call. I like them both for different reasons, but one thing is certain: I've never read a book by Ryu Murakami and been like "Well, that's just like that other book I read by Ryu Murakami last week. Bummer."

I read Ryu before Haruki and enjoyed his as well.
There just isn't much translated by Ryu Murakami. I've read Coinlocker Babies, 69, In the Miso Soup, Almost Transparent Blue (Razor, razor, razor like blue~) and Piercing. That's all that's been translated. I think Coinlocker was the first thing I bought online, too. Ryu is more vulgar and cut-throat with his things. Much, much, much more direct and punchy.

I was looking up some information and there's going to be an Ender's Game movie.

It's been decided I attack that series next.

I've been meaning to read Ender's Game for so freaking long. I don't know what I'm waiting around for, really.

[quote="Aplaca"]I've been meaning to read Ender's Game for so freaking long. I don't know what I'm waiting around for, really.[/quote]
Just do it already. I can send you the ebook if you want.

Ughhhh dude I gotta force myself to read 1Q84 before I read anything else. I bought that stupid book for full retail on release day and never read more than 20 pages. It's some kind of OCD stuff going on in my brain. Everytime I think "Oh, I want to read that!" I immediately think "ICHI KYU HACHI MOTHER-FUCKIN' YON..." followed by me rolling over in my bed and weeping until my phone makes a noise.

Enders Game has become one of my favorite books. At the moment I'm reading Nausica of the valley of wind series. My cousin lent me his master edition copy and I've been following along slowly. I've been busy with other things that I haven't given any time to reading anything seriously (or at least for more than an hour).

I loved coin locker babies! I need to pick that up again...

Right now, aside from a variety of textbooks , I'm reading a few books for liesure including:
Feeding back: conversations with alternative guitarists from Proto-punk to post-rock
Mexico: what everyone needs to know
Amexica
Manhunt

I guess I'm kind of on a nonfiction kick, though it's mostly a continuation of my Mexico/war on drugs kick that has been gripping me for the past two years.

[quote="GoldenRhino"]I've read a bit of Murakami and I've seen an adaptation of Super Frog Saves Tokyo on stage. I guess a lot of it comes down to how much you can enjoy magical realism. I'm not the hugest fan. To each their own - I just don't get it when people are like[b] "Murakami is the best author. I don't read any other books except for things written by Murakami."[/b][/quote]

Funny, I've never heard anyone say that. I do think Murakami is our most talented living novelist, but I'm pretty sure I've read as much if not more literary fiction than anyone else here.

One poster--I forget who it was--mentioned that he's having a hard time finding a new author, having plowed through the works of a couple he particularly likes. That's entirely different from "I don't read any other books except for things written by Murakami." He quite specifically states that he's looking for something else but hasn't found anything as satisfying yet.

[quote="Aplaca"] Norwegian Wood makes up for all the convoluted bullshit he's ever written that I've wasted my time with.[/quote]

His adroitness may elude you, but his novels are far from "convoluted bullshit." Norwegian Wood is probably his "easiest" novel; it's understandable that it was the most instantly-graspable for you, but don't mistake complexity and ambiguity in his other novels for "convoluted bullshit." Talking like that gives the impression that you lack the hardware to make the connections yourself.

I purchased the book "The Tao of Pooh."

I'l be reading it once it gets here.

From what i've read about it, it looks cute and interesting.
Nothing HGUE or amazing. Just interesting.

[quote="MrkJulio"]I purchased the book "The Tao of Pooh."

I'l be reading it once it gets here.

From what i've read about it, it looks cute and interesting.
Nothing HGUE or amazing. Just interesting.[/quote]
That's a great book.

Back when I was really into Japanese literature Murakami was my favorite author, but for some reason I don't like him nearly as much any more - probably because the meandering, tedious mess of 1Q84 was about 30% too long. But my interests also moved on (these days, I mostly read fantasy literature, it seems.) Hard-Boiled Wonderland will probably always be Pretty Much My Favorite Novel Ever, but Norwegian Wood, South of the Border, Kafka, and Wind-Up Bird are the only ones I'd be likely to revisit anytime soon.

Finally finished reading A Song Of Ice And Fire (thus far.) The first three books are masterpieces, the latter two have their moments but are often boring and filled with setup for a payoff that never comes. I started reading the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson, and it's quite good - very creative, with a great magic system.

My writing continues to speed along - I've hit the 300 page mark, close to halfway through my rough-draft estimate for the first book. Should finish around the end of the year, then it's re-writing and editing time.

My appreciation for some of Murakami's work has actually increased, particularly for his short fiction, which is overlooked by many.

A funny thing: I've always loved genre films and sometimes comics etc., but I've rarely touched any genre literature save for hardboiled detective stuff. Go figure, but my taste has always veered toward the literary (though I have a particular fondness for literary fiction that's not afraid to cozy up with pop culture and genre forms, people like Murakami and Vonnegut).

Anyway, recent reads include: Gold Boy, Emerald Girl by Yiyun Li, Aliens in the Prime of their Lives by Brad Watson, Reasons for and Advantages of Breathing by Lydia Peelle, Irish Girl by Tim Johnston, and Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? by Raymond Carver. Also read some books on writing and, like I was saying, re-read some Murakami short stories.

[quote="Blank"]I've started rereading Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I'd originally started reading the series in middle school, but the books were still coming out then, and it was easy to forget things in the span that it took for them to come out. So I decided to wait until the last book was coming out before I'd reread the series again. I'm currently on the first book, The Eye of the World, and I'm having a blast reading it again. I'm catching up on some of the smaller details that you'd miss on a first read, and absorbing a lot more this time around.

I expect to be reading this series for a month (or three.) After I finish, I don't know what I'll be looking forward to next.[/quote]
Oh God. I've been reading this series for five months now apparently. I'm just now on the tenth book.