What Are You Reading?

Trojan

Just finished The Gathering Storm, which I'll review shortly.

bonkey

Curently re-reading Anathem. Still a great read.

ixoy

Just started up Neal Asher's "The Voyage of the Sable Keech". Enjoyable so far, and nice to return to the world of "The Skinner".

growler

just finished The Way of Shadows and moving on to Shadow's Edge by Brent Weekes, still undecided whether I'm enjoying this trilogy or not !

pH

Saturn's Children - Charles Stross

I'm a big fan of Stross, enjoying this one a lot, his SF seems to appeal to me more than some of the other big current writers. After this it's on with Alastair Reynolds ...

ixoy

Currently reading "A Sword from Red Ice" by J.V. Jones. Enjoying it a lot more than I thought and not as lost as I feared given I read the previous book about six years ago.

Raidenshred

Got "Travels In The Scriptorium" by Paul Auster because "Man In The Dark" was such a strange book to read (so much about it seemed spookily lifted out of my own life). But I've only gone and guessed the Big Twist 42 pages in and now the rest of it's a chore to read.

Have Terry Pratchett's latest, but for some reason I'm reluctant to start it

vasch_ro

pH wrote: »

Best Served Cold - Joe Abercrombie *****

just ordered it hope its good !!!

ixoy

Currently reading "System of the World" by Neal Stephenson, the final part in his Baroque trilogy.
Much like the last two, it's a frustrating read - at times brilliant and witty, at other times laborious and boring. It's an incredibly ambitious series but I just wish he'd prune down certain scenes and cut out the Eliza worship!

rere

I'm struggling to finish Jordans Knife of Dreams, not sure if it's because it's the last one he's done or because it's not as good as the others.
When I finally do finish it, I'm gonna reread Patrick Rothfuss's book The name of the Wind, it's the best thing I've read since Hobbs Tawny Man Trilogy.

scillaria

Currently rereading the malazan book of the fallen by steven eirkson on bonehunters. Got confused in Toll of Hounds book. The series is well worth the read its by far one of the best fantasy series written that ive read. Going to finish the series and start my reread of wheel of time.

vasch_ro

vasch_ro wrote: »

just ordered it hope its good !!!

finished it over the Christmas, really enjoyed , could not put it down at all, looking forward to getting into his other stuff, would people recommend it ?

Also finished the another trilogy that I found out about from this forum
The Castle Series,i.e. The Year of Our War, No Present Like Time and The Modern World by Steph Swainson, its a really different take on fantasy with sci fi elements and a cracking original story, really loved the last book The Modern World thought it was the best piece of Fantasy I had read in a long time.Heres to more great discoveries in 2010 !!!

AnCapaillMor

pH wrote: »

Best Served Cold - Joe Abercrombie *****

Must give it a go, read the first law series over the christmas and was well impressed. Is it a one off or is it a 1st of?

Shryke

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Must give it a go, read the first law series over the christmas and was well impressed. Is it a one off or is it a 1st of?

Best Served Cold is a stand alone. It's set shortly after the events of The First Law trilogy. You may recognize a face or two.

ixoy

Currently reading "The Charnel Prince" by Greg Keyes, the second book in his "The Kingdoms of Throne and Bones" quartet. Enjoyable so far - nice brisk chapters and a large font mean I'm getting through it quickly.

I'm also reading "The Father Thing" by Philip K. Dick - the third collection of his short stories. Some great ones here, as well as some very dodgy entries.

AnCapaillMor

On the 3rd of Brent weeks shadow trilogy. Read the 2 books over 4 days, can't put them down, for once a cold came in handy.

BlaasForRafa

Just finishing Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson at the moment, I think I'll hit the fourth Temeraire book by Naomi Novik next.

bonkey

Currently reading Shadowmarch, by Tad Williams.

Bought this yonks ago, started it, and put it down again for some reason. No idea why...I'm quite enjoying it now.

ixoy

Reading "Spirit Gate", the first book in Kate Elliott's "Crossroads" series. Really enjoying it so far (close enough to its end). Very different to her "Crown of Stars" sequence and the move away from the Medieval settings so common to fantasy is very refreshing. Very impressed so far.

PADRAGON

Just finished Toll The Hounds by Erikson.
No spoilers here i'll just say out of the
series its one of my favourites.
Cant wait to start Dust of Dreams.
To me nothing i've read so far has
topped Covenant but the Malazan comes closest.

Johnny Storm

Saturn's Children by Charles Stross - bit disappointing IMHO - struggling to finish it off :rolleyes:

pH

Johnny Storm wrote: »

Saturn's Children by Charles Stross - bit disappointing IMHO - struggling to finish it off :rolleyes:

Have to agree, the ideas are brilliant, but the characters dull, and I lost track of the plot half way through and couldn't really be bothered.

Also wasn't much impressed with Halting State either, which is a pity as I loved Singularity Sky to bits, as it is I'd be reluctant to pick up any more of his.

Currently reading:

The Death of Grass - John Christopher

Zapp Brannigan

I have a decision to make, hope you guys can help! Bought the first books from Joe abercrombie and R. Scott Bakkar today, which should I read first?

ixoy

Currently reading "Jimmy the Hand" by Raymond E. Feist and Steve Sirling. It's easy to read, moves along at a brisk pace - typical Riftwar stuff really.

pH wrote: »

Also wasn't much impressed with Halting State either, which is a pity as I loved Singularity Sky to bits, as it is I'd be reluctant to pick up any more of his.

Damn it - "Halting State" is the very next book that I intend to read! I thought "Glasshouse" was superb as well as "Accelerando" and now this...

pH

Zapp Brannigan wrote: »

I have a decision to make, hope you guys can help! Bought the first books from Joe abercrombie and R. Scott Bakkar today, which should I read first?

Joe A gets a from me - just make sure you have book 2 handy, you'll just want to keep reading!

ixoy wrote: »

Damn it - "Halting State" is the very next book that I intend to read! I thought "Glasshouse" was superb as well as "Accelerando" and now this...

I'd be interested in what you think when you read it.

Zapp Brannigan

Started The Blade Itself, really enjoying it so far. Nice bits of humour thrown in.

Trojan

Just finishing Brent Weeks Night Angel Trilogy. 7-8 out of 10, definitely worth a look.

ixoy

pH wrote: »

I'd be interested in what you think when you read it.

Well I posted up a review here on my reading log of "Halting State".

Generally it's quite good but I never got fully involved in the story. I also thought it was a little unbelievable that we'd reach this world in the 2018 (despite the author's assertions in the interview at the end of the book) and, being pedantic, I'd quibble on some of the character's histories.
It was also extremely nerdy - something I liked, to be honest. How many other novels mention: Java APIs, grep, traceroute, root server certificates, code repositories, inline debugging, backbone networks and one-key passes, etc.
However, it's not quite enough. The characters are fairly weak - this could be in part due to telling their stories in the second person (I can guess why he did this but it doesn't really help engage the reader).

If you're a fan of Stross I'd still give it a go, but if you're looking to get in, I'd point out "Glasshouse" first and then "Accelerando" (which, while great, can be a bit of a difficult read).

Baron Floyd

Alastair Reynolds’ redemption ark, Christ I miss engrossing new sci-f, I got through the first book then thought he deserved another go. He doesn't, bring on the void!

Saint Ruth

amatheum wrote: »

Alastair Reynolds’ redemption ark, Christ I miss engrossing new sci-f, I got through the first book then thought he deserved another go. He doesn't, bring on the void!

I felt exactly the same way.

BLINDSIGHT by Peter Watts was the last good SF book I read.
Though initially the 'Vampires' thing was offputting...