What Are You Reading?

mcgovern · 13-12-2010 11:06pm

Finished American Gods, which I have to say, I really enjoyed.
Now onto Inverted Worlds by Christopher Priest.

Trojan · 13-12-2010 11:35pm

The Name of the Wind - Rothfuss.

Best fantasy I've read in years. Highly, strongly, vehemently recommended.

mcgovern · 14-12-2010 5:11pm

pH wrote: »

Reading my free copy of Accelerando (Charles Stross) - as with other books of his I love his ideas, but I'm not sure at all about his plots or characters - haven't really enjoyed anything of his as much as Singularity Sky.
http://manybooks.net/titles/strosscother05accelerando-txt.html

As a purely tech exercise to see if I could do it, I downloaded this to my iphone, to see what reading on it was like.
So far, its actually a lot better than I expected, much easier to read than I thought it would be.
On top of this, Charles Stross just got added to my list of books to buy

bonkey · 14-12-2010 7:18pm

Trojan wrote: »

The Name of the Wind - Rothfuss.

Best fantasy I've read in years. Highly, strongly, vehemently recommended.

Book 2 looks set to arrive next March.

Yay!

Zapp Brannigan · 14-12-2010 7:27pm

bonkey wrote: »

Book 2 looks set to arrive next March.

Yay!

Can't come fast enough! Although I do look forward to re-reading the first!

Trojan · 15-12-2010 6:49pm

I couldn't hack Accelerando, had to give up on it (as time passes I've become a lot better at dropping books I'm not enjoying!). Glasshouse is very good, as is Iron Sunrise, which is a sequel to Singularity Sky.

I'm still in shock at how good The Name of The Wind was.

ixoy · 15-12-2010 10:21pm

Trojan wrote: »

I'm still in shock at how good The Name of The Wind was.

Best fantasy debut I've ever read and one of the best fantasy books I've read in years. Very hard to believe it was his first book given many writers would never get up to such skill levels after decades in the trade (isn't that right Mr. Eddings/Goodkind/Anderson!)
Rothfuss is a perfectionist and took time to deliver a quality novel. He's being equally fastidious over the second one and I'm happy for him to be if it'll deliver something of the same quality.

Playboy · 17-12-2010 5:25pm

Just ordered R Scott Bakkers new book .. Disciple of the Dog .. Its about a Private Investigator who never forgets anything.

“And you wonder why I’m cynical. I’ve literally ‘seen it all before.’ The truth is we all have, every single one of us past the age of, say, twenty-five. The only difference is that I remember.”

No matter how hard he drinks, gambles, or womanizes, Disciple Manning simply cannot forget: not a word spoken, not an image glimpsed, not a pain suffered. Disciple Manning has total recall. Whatever he hears, he can remember with 100% accuracy. He can play it back in his head for an infinite number of times without a single change. This ability makes him a dangerously unorthodox private investigator.

When a New Jersey couple hires Manning to find their daughter, who joined a religious cult before vanishing in a small rust-belt town called Ruddick, he finds himself embroiled in a mystery that will pit his unnatural ability to remember against his desperate desire to forget"

Really loved his Prince of Nothing Series so have high hopes for this.

Zapp Brannigan · 17-12-2010 8:06pm

On to 'Crown of Swords' have to say starting to notice the drag of the series now. So many similar names!

bonkey · 19-12-2010 6:39pm

ixoy wrote: »

And now I'm reading "Stoneweilder" too. Enjoying it so far. Esselmont's writing style is brisker, if less witty, than Erikson's. The Malazan world really is so very rich - full of many potential stories yet.

So finally got to the end of this. It wasn't hard reading....it was a question of finding itme.

On one hand, I really enjoyed it. On the other hand, I'm not sure ICE got the balance fully right. Some story-lines seemed to be given more time then their relevance to the main arc demanded, whilst others were perhaps given less.

Overall, the quality of writing is another step up from RoTCG, but I'm not sure that the story was.

I think I'll have to re-read both to decide.

Outkast_IRE · 19-12-2010 6:44pm

I finally finished stephen kings dark tower series , man that was a epic trip and for anyone that has read them i thought the ending was good !!!
I think i will give dune a read soon

ixoy · 19-12-2010 7:36pm

bonkey wrote: »

On one hand, I really enjoyed it. On the other hand, I'm not sure ICE got the balance fully right. Some story-lines seemed to be given more time then their relevance to the main arc demanded, whilst others were perhaps given less.

I'm 2/3 of the way through it. Which arcs do you think weren't balanced right? Would you think, for example, that

Kiska's arc in the Chaos-tainted Shadow realm didn't get enough? Or that Bakune's arc got too much?

.

Overall, the quality of writing is another step up from RoTCG, but I'm not sure that the story was.

The writing is definitely gotten better. The battle scenes are much better described and the characters are more interesting. There's also more humour than before (such as Manask).

I think I'll have to re-read both to decide.

Don't forget "Night of Knives" too! And to re-read the 9 Malazan books because they're very relevant. May as well check out the 4 novellas too...

fenris · 20-12-2010 12:53pm

Hmmmmmmmm - Rotfuss you say, I feel the book token in my pocket drawing me towards Waterstones for my christmas read!

Playboy · 20-12-2010 1:22pm

fenris wrote: »

Hmmmmmmmm - Rotfuss you say, I feel the book token in my pocket drawing me towards Waterstones for my christmas read!

Just ordered it too! Hopefully it will live up to my expectations!

sxt · 22-12-2010 5:47pm

Lord Of Light - Roger Zelazny

First chapter was a bit confusing as in places you in this world without any backstory, Seccond chapter commences the backstory and is making for an intriguing read

mcgovern · 23-12-2010 4:58pm

mcgovern wrote: »

Finished American Gods, which I have to say, I really enjoyed.
Now onto Inverted Worlds by Christopher Priest.

I thought Inverted Worlds was good, but I found it tough to undestand, and I didn't really get the ending

Now reading "Shadow of the Scorpion" by Neal Asher.

pljudge321 · 23-12-2010 6:18pm

Got a large amazon voucher from my godparents for christmas and my birthday and went book crazy with most of it.

I ordered.

Raymond E. Feist - Magician, Silverthorn & A Darkness at Sethanon
Stephen Donaldson - The first three Thomas Covenant books.
Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind (because everyone here is raving about it)
Arthur C. Clarke - Childhood's End (As per Dades' suggestion)

Should keep me going

ixoy · 23-12-2010 6:38pm

Started into "The Evolutionary Void" by Peter F. Hamilton. Looking forward to it a lot as I though the first two instalments were great - an intriguing mix of sci-fi and fantasy.

Now reading "Shadow of the Scorpion" by Neal Asher.

Let me know what you think. I've read most of the Polity books (and all of the Agent Cormac series bar this one).

pljudge321 wrote: »

Raymond E. Feist - Magician, Silverthorn & A Darkness at Sethanon

Good books (particularly the first and third). Of course if you get caught up in it, you've got about 25 sequels to wade through!

Stephen Donaldson - The first three Thomas Covenant books.

I liked this, even if many didn't. The current (third) trilogy is weak but it shouldn't detract from this.

Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind (because everyone here is raving about it)

I read a lot of fantasy and I'll firmly stand by my statement: Best debut fantasy novel that I've ever read and one of the best fantasy novels period I've read in the last decade. So yeah, it's good.

mcgovern · 28-12-2010 7:12pm

ixoy wrote: »

Let me know what you think. I've read most of the Polity books (and all of the Agent Cormac series bar this one).

It's quite short (~300 pages) and the style can be quite jarring (changes from one time to another regularly, but it's worth a read, and answers some small questions about Cormac's past.

Started Deadhouse Gates, already a bit lost

chopperbyrne · 29-12-2010 1:46pm

Bought the three omnibus editions of The Serrano Legacy by Elizabeth Moon yesterday.

Hopefully they're good as I've about 2600 pages to get through.

Shryke · 29-12-2010 11:09pm

Trying to get back to reading properly and gather a bit of pace! I'm on to Ship of Destiny by Hobb. I don't know why I avoided these for so long. I'm only glad I did because now I'm reading them for the first time, though I've read on this forum that it goes pear shaped with her later stuff.

ixoy · 30-12-2010 2:11am

Shryke wrote: »

though I've read on this forum that it goes pear shaped with her later stuff.

Haven't read the new duology, but a lot of people really disliked her 'Soldier Son' trilogy. I thought it was her weakest series but I still generally liked it.

Zapp Brannigan · 02-01-2011 11:44am

The Path of Daggers.

Still determined to read up to book 11 before the 17th!

fenris · 03-01-2011 12:21am

Just finishing Stoneweilder, going to give Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds a go next

steel_spine · 03-01-2011 1:10pm

Shryke wrote: »

Trying to get back to reading properly and gather a bit of pace! I'm on to Ship of Destiny by Hobb. I don't know why I avoided these for so long. I'm only glad I did because now I'm reading them for the first time, though I've read on this forum that it goes pear shaped with her later stuff.

The assassin trilogy I forget the name of, the tawny man and the liveship traders trilogies I all devoured - for the most part I thought they were great, and events that occur in one trilogy may be referenced in another, characters mentioned in passing in one have major parts in another book etc. It all creates an excellently consistent and solid world. The latest unfinished trilogy is the rain wilds trilogy and it's definitely the weakest, there are some interesting snippets but I dunno. Maybe it's because most of the characters are kids/teens.

The soldier son trilogy I should give a fair crack again, I found it a bit jarring reading it because I wanted to read more books set in the universe she'd already established, and it's not.

Myself, I've just discovered China Mieville and I love him. Read Kraken & Perdido St Station in quick succession, and I've just picked up The city & the city and the 1st book in R.R. Martin's Song of Ice & Fire since a mate recommended that series.

Zapp Brannigan · 04-01-2011 3:44pm

Was in H&F today and couldn't resist picking up Stonewielder! So that's added to the pile of my books to be read. Maybe on the long flight I can get it done!

pH · 04-01-2011 11:51pm

Reading The Dreaming Void by Peter F. Hamilton, Like the Sci-Fi with a fantasy substory aspect - enjoying it a lot. I'm glad I waited and can now read the trilogy back to back.

matrim · 05-01-2011 12:13am

Currently reading The Last Stormlord by Glenda Larke.

I like the premise and the writing is good, but the story hasn't hooked me yet and I'm about 1/4 of the way through it. I still think it can pick up but hope it does so soon

Shryke · 05-01-2011 12:30am

Steel Spine, if you like Mieville you owe yourself to read The Scar also!
I didn't realise the Soldier Son trilogy wasn't in the same world. I've two trilogies down, I might stop after The Tawny Man series for a bit then, but I'll definitely give it a go.
I finished Ship of Destiny and I was very impressed. I was more impressed at the end of the Farseer series but I think her chacacter building improved, and she did some quality world expanding.
Reading The Truth by Pratchett for the sake of it being short and the fact I couldn't choose what I really want to read next. Liking it too.

ixoy · 05-01-2011 1:22am

Reading "Schild's Ladder" by Greg Bear. My head hurts and I feel thick - I'm having real trouble following the quantum physics in this. Then again, from reading some reviews, so do most people.... Some very interesting ideas also in there about the future evolution of mind, body, sexuality, and gender.

steel_spine · 05-01-2011 2:23am

Shryke wrote: »

Steel Spine, if you like Mieville you owe yourself to read The Scar also!
I didn't realise the Soldier Son trilogy wasn't in the same world. I've two trilogies down, I might stop after The Tawny Man series for a bit then, but I'll definitely give it a go.
I finished Ship of Destiny and I was very impressed. I was more impressed at the end of the Farseer series but I think her chacacter building improved, and she did some quality world expanding.
Reading The Truth by Pratchett for the sake of it being short and the fact I couldn't choose what I really want to read next. Liking it too.

The more I think about it, the more I think I can't be arsed reading Soldier son again. I might finish the trilogy, but meh. Funny you should say that, I wandered into the 2nd hand book shop yesterday and sitting there was The Scar. That'll be coming to Berlin with me on Thur so

. I'm quite excited since apparently it has some weird marine creature stuff in it which I love (was the whole reason gf bought me Kraken in the first place).
Can you recommend any of the other 'New Weird' authors? I'm really loving this whole cyberpunk/fantasy without the Tolkien tropes thing they have going on.

bonkey · 05-01-2011 8:36am

OK...so I'm not quite reading it yet, but somehow I completely managed to miss the release of Against All Things Ending - book 3 of The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

It was posted yesterday, so hopefully I'll get it in the post in the next day or so and can start into it.

I'll postpone reading books 3 and 4 of Shadowmarch (Tad WIlliams) until I'm done w. Mr. Donaldson's tome, I think.

ixoy · 05-01-2011 10:18am

bonkey wrote: »

OK...so I'm not quite reading it yet, but somehow I completely managed to miss the release of Against All Things Ending - book 3 of The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

What did you think of the prior novel? I thought it was poor and pretentious in its use of vocabulary. Didn't enjoy much of it at all and it's put me off getting the third any time soon.

bonkey · 05-01-2011 2:00pm

TBH, I've always found Donaldson a "tough" read, in that (generally speaking) I haven't been blown away by my first read of any of his books....but somehow find them compelling to read again (and again) and enjoy them far more on the second or third reading.

If I had time, I'd re-read the first two books before book 3, but seeing as bonkey bonkeyson was born 2 days ago, I think doing that could take a bit more time then I want. If nothing else, it'll set me up nicely for a summertime re-read of all 3

RodVelvet · 06-01-2011 1:26am

Have the last two Raymond E Feist to get through at the moment but because everyone is going on about it I just started 'Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind' last night and I must admit i'm enjoying it so far!

It didn't help that I had started the last two Feist novels in the wrong order so they are going to be left till i'm finished Rothfuss.

margarite · 06-01-2011 1:33am

eVeNtInE wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

If you get a chance can you please text me from the back sleeve where usually give an idea about what the book is about, I m trying to read more and would love to change the types of books I m reading, thank you.:)

Trojan · 06-01-2011 12:50pm

I'm currently re-reading some Feist before I tackle some of the many sequels that I haven't read yet.

ixoy wrote: »

What did you think of the prior novel? I thought it was poor and pretentious in its use of vocabulary. Didn't enjoy much of it at all and it's put me off getting the third any time soon.

bonkey wrote: »

TBH, I've always found Donaldson a "tough" read, in that (generally speaking) I haven't been blown away by my first read of any of his books....but somehow find them compelling to read again (and again) and enjoy them far more on the second or third reading.

If I had time, I'd re-read the first two books before book 3, but seeing as bonkey bonkeyson was born 2 days ago, I think doing that could take a bit more time then I want. If nothing else, it'll set me up nicely for a summertime re-read of all 3

I wasn't mad keen on any of Donaldson. I read the first 2 Chronicles, was always waiting for something 'good' to happen but it was pretty much depressing all of the time. I know his hero is a rapist and all, but cmon, let's have something positive happen, somewhere... memories may be slightly inaccurate but that's what I remember most about them.

margarite wrote: »

If you get a chance can you please text me from the back sleeve where usually give an idea about what the book is about, I m trying to read more and would love to change the types of books I m reading, thank you.:)

If you google the book title you'll find a lot of information, including a link to Amazon and other retailers, all of which usually list the teaser text. Here it is for Earthsea:

Ged was the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, but once he was called Sparrowhawk, a reckless youth, hungry for power and knowledge, who tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.

Zapp Brannigan · 06-01-2011 2:04pm

Finished The PAth of Daggers and am now on to Winter's Heart.

ixoy · 09-01-2011 1:03am

Currently reading "Mister B. Goode" by Clive Barker. It's short but enjoyable enough, although the habit of the protagonist addressing the reader is a little overdone.

Shryke · 10-01-2011 1:06pm

The Algebraist by Banks. Only one or two more Culture novels left to read for me.
The Truth by Pratchett was good. The ending went on quite a bit, especially for a Discworld novel. You could say the idea was almost bigger than the book itself but Pratchett did a good job of tieing things together.

ixoy · 10-01-2011 2:04pm

I've been reading books now based on decreasing page size count, so I'm now onto Neal Asher's "Prador Moon". Usual enjoyable fare so far.

steel_spine · 10-01-2011 3:24pm

Shryke - you were spot-on about The Scar, I'm about 1/2-2/3 way through and it's fantastic, my favourite so far I think.

10-01-2011 8:50pm

I'm reading children of dune. I'm enjoying it more than dune messiah but not nearly as much as the original.

ixoy · 10-01-2011 9:30pm

steel_spine wrote: »

Shryke - you were spot-on about The Scar, I'm about 1/2-2/3 way through and it's fantastic, my favourite so far I think.

Lucky you - it's a fantastic book. Best of the New Crouzobon series, which is saying a lot. Looking forward already to "Embassyworld" (his next book).

groovie · 11-01-2011 12:43pm

Trojan wrote: »

The Name of the Wind - Rothfuss.

Best fantasy I've read in years. Highly, strongly, vehemently recommended.

I must write thanking you for this suggestion. I am about 200 pages through and its simply incredible. The Tarbean Years in particular really moved me

Thanks again.

Zapp Brannigan · 11-01-2011 12:55pm

Crossroads of Twilight.

I hate this book.

Trojan · 11-01-2011 10:11pm

I recently read Piers Anthony Bio of a Space Tyrant series after looking for books 3-5 for years (still aint read 6 but guessing that aint crucial as it's more of an epilogue). A good read, I'd give it a 7/10, books 1&2 gave me high hopes for the rest and they just about met them.

Reading Krondor: The Betrayal and not impressed. Very linear, easy to see it was based on a game.

SpaceApe · 11-01-2011 10:22pm

Just finished The city and the city by China Mieville, definitely worth reading.
Next up Philip K Dick, forget which book though

Teferi · 13-01-2011 4:12am

Can anyone recommend some good high fantasy or sword and sorcery? Alternatively, can anyone recommend something near the Bartimaeus Trilogy. Always liked Strouds light tone.

Shryke · 13-01-2011 1:21pm

Teferi wrote: »

Can anyone recommend some good high fantasy or sword and sorcery? Alternatively, can anyone recommend something near the Bartimaeus Trilogy. Always liked Strouds light tone.

Malazan Book of the Fallen. Starts with Gardens of the Moon. It's a while since I read them. They're a little difficult to get into and the first one is a bit of a mess. You'll have no clue what is going on for 90% of it, but they get very good.

What Are You Reading?

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