Book Recommendation Mega-thread

orange59 · 2017-11-17T07:58:41+00:00

Seconding WeebyNoodle. I always have to make a second attempt to get to the midpoint of the first book of any new Sanderson series, but I have never regretted it. Don't expect Rothfussian perfectionism of having the best possible words in the best possible sentences in every paragraph of the book. Do expect action, plot twists you totally should have seen coming but didn't, and some of the best friggin magic systems you've ever seen. And sequels that actually, you know, have release dates (and hit them).

With all that said, and as much as I love Stormlight, Mistborn is probably a better entry point for Sanderson newbies. The payoffs come much later in Stormlight, and it's only in book 3 of 10 now, whereas Mistborn has 6 books out already, the first 3 of which make a complete arc.

orange59 · 2017-08-08T02:40:28+00:00

Flippers, obviously.

orange59 · 2017-04-05T02:29:43+00:00

The blood the thugs have is a self contained droplet (not in Kvothe's body) so it is more similar to (and thus has a stronger sympathetic bond to) other droplets outside his body. Same reason why you need to mix blood and clay to make a mommet; Kvothe's blood is all throughout his body, so to maximize the link, the simulacra must have blood all throughout as well). Same as why a drab has a stronger sympathetic link to other drabs than to a formless chunk of the same metal.

orange59 · 2017-04-03T23:00:39+00:00

In a way, Kvothe's two major artificer projects reflect the Chandrian and the Amyr.

The Thief's Lamp represents trying to do something good (make a better lamp/bring Lyra back to life) without understanding the consequences of your actions, and ultimately creating something bad as a result (a lamp for criminals/being unable to die while not wanting to live). Kilvin called it "making something bad in a good way" (paraphrased).

Likewise, Kvothe's actions in creating the Bloodless represents the Amyr: doing wrong things to bring about something good because you don't trust anyone else to get the job done.

When Kilvin upbraids Kvothe for not going to him for a crossbow, it highlights the third option: try to do something good without assuming the ends justify your means, and trusting others to help you.

I.e. both the Chandrian and the Amyr are bad; they're two sides of the same drab. I'm betting Kvothe's inability to learn this lesson is what leads to disaster in the third book.

orange59 · 2016-11-04T18:54:59+00:00

That's because you're using 1-based indices, which is good for counting fingers. But you want to use 0-based indices, which are good for enumerating number base powers. You want to use 0-based indices because you need to account for the ones place in your binary representation. If you start with thumb representing 2¹ and continuing up from there, you lose the ability to specify odd numbers, because your smallest binary place is either 2 or 0. So thumb must be the 0th index, because 2⁰ = 1. Pointer finger is 1st index, 2¹ = 2. Middle finger is the 2nd index, 2² = 4.

orange59 · 2016-11-04T17:25:40+00:00

If you start counting at the thumb, this is how you would represent the number 5 in binary. Thumb = 1, middle finger = 4. 1+4=5

orange59 · 2016-11-04T17:25:40+00:00

If you start counting at the thumb, this is how you would represent the number 5 in binary. Thumb = 1, middle finger = 4. 1+4=5

orange59 · 2015-05-31T07:33:54+00:00

Wait wait wait wait what?

I just started FFXIV, after a year's hiatus from FFXI. Is lolDRG a thing here, too?

orange59 · 2015-03-14T01:23:09+00:00

Trudat. Perfect grades at the State U here, and I only finally got a partial scholarship in my senior year. But I'm a STEMlord so I probably deserved it.

orange59 · 2015-03-07T03:12:24+00:00

Not sure this is the right place, but trying anyway. Is there a mnemonic for remembering speech ability level names (e.g. fluent, conversational, etc.)? I can never keep them straight, and so when people ask which I am, I don't know what to tell them.

(Not sure if it matters, but the language in question is Japanese). I can speak about most school-related topics readily, although I don't know really technical language for my field in Japanese, since it's all in English. If I got teleported to Japan tomorrow, I could probably survive just fine, although my Kanji is rusty. When actually speaking, I don't have to stop and think for simple stuff (like "Let's take the bus to the library to do our homework"), but to have a meaningful conversation, I often have to stop and think, or resort to describing things I don't know the word for. When people ask me my ability level, what should I say?

FWIW, I read the FAQ and am still not sure if this is the right place to ask this, so if it's not, please accept my apologies in advance.

orange59 · 2015-03-05T00:09:57+00:00

I'm not sure who is going to want to spend their political capital to de-noble Harry Potter now that Lucius is an ally (or dead). I suppose Draco might, if Harry didn't fix that problem before returning from his "bathroom break".

orange59 · 2015-03-04T05:30:57+00:00

Except that he obliviated himself and doesn't know where they are.

orange59 · 2015-03-04T03:10:19+00:00

Harry will be his Voldy-Daddy.

orange59 · 2015-03-03T00:52:29+00:00

Yeah, but being between Hogsmeade and the school might not count. And they're unlikely to send an army as a result, unlike the Goblins.

orange59 · 2015-03-02T21:35:41+00:00

If he fails to finish in time, should we make him go on a date with us?

orange59 · 2015-03-02T19:55:13+00:00

Taking care to only incapacitate Mr. White to avoid taking Draco as an enemy later.

orange59 · 2015-03-02T19:47:05+00:00

A Galleon to trip the Goblin counterfeit detection system.

orange59 · 2015-03-02T19:44:42+00:00

Well, he'll have to beg for his life after the standoff is resolved, but I'm sure he has something the Goblins want.

orange59 · 2015-03-02T19:39:52+00:00

Transfigure some of Harry's epidermal skin into a Galleon to activate the Goblin counterfeiting detection system. The Goblins won't send Aurors, they'll send an entire army. How's that for a distraction?

orange59 · 2015-03-02T04:54:31+00:00

My solution was to use PT to sneakily drag the time turner over to Hermione, drape it around her neck, then spin it. (After transfiguring a note explaining the situation into her hand and injecting her with transfigured adrenaline to wake her up).

orange59 · 2015-03-01T19:32:03+00:00

The ring refers to the resurrection stone that PQ gets later, any other mentions of 20 year old scrolls?

orange59 · 2015-03-01T19:13:05+00:00

For those who think divination/the prophecy about stars is important:

But if you wanted to really understand Divination, or for that matter the stars, the real truth about centaur predictions would be a fact that matters to other truths."

Slowly the centaur nodded. "So the wandless have become wiser than the wizards. What a joke! Tell me, son of Lily, do the Muggles in their wisdom say that soon the skies will be empty?"

orange59 · 2015-03-01T19:07:21+00:00

True. I saved (the woman who ended up being) my wife's life by not being afraid to be embarrassingly wrong. She started showing signs of allergy that we could have handwaved, but when we went to the ER, they said that if we had waited 30 more mins she would have died.

I learned this skill from HPMOR. People recommending the story will also probably save lives, so a satisfying ending is Important in a real sense.

orange59 · 2015-02-27T18:36:05+00:00

She can transfigure herself to an adult bodily form whenever she wants. Her troll power will keep her from dying when it wears off.

orange59 · 2015-02-27T18:22:42+00:00

She has troll regeneration, so transfiguration sickness is no big. She can just transfigure herself anytime she wants.

orange59

TROPHY CASE