What Are You Reading?

WolfForager

ixoy wrote: »

About halfway through Terry Brooks' "Morgawyr". It's a little dull - neither bad, nor all that good. Some interesting characters in it, just the world of Shannara seems a bit too old-skool at the moment.

That series isn't so bad. However i find in general when a series of books or books set in a set world start to drift too much away from the original characters that made me fall in love with the series, i start to lose interest, which is exactly what happened to the Shannara books after the Heritage. Another prime example is "Magician" and the following spin offs.

Zapp Brannigan

I finished 'Red Skies under Red Seas' last night.

Initially I didn't like it as much as the first book but it got better as I read and it really ended on a cliffhanger, although I don't know if I like that or not!

Began Rothfuss' 'The Name of the Wind' after it, only 20 pages in so no idea what's going on yet.

AnCapaillMor

ixoy wrote: »

About halfway through Terry Brooks' "Morgawyr". It's a little dull - neither bad, nor all that good. Some interesting characters in it, just the world of Shannara seems a bit too old-skool at the moment.

dunno what it is about brooks but i just could'nt get into his stuff. Dragged myself to read the voyage of jerle something then stated the sword, finished the 1st book barely and gave up about 100 pages into the next. Same erikson and the malazan books, dunno why but i can't get into them.

Currently On the 2nd part of the 2nd book of the long pice series by Daniel Abraham. Its weird nothing really happens, not alot of action but i just can't stop reading these.

growler

"the left hand of God " Paul Hoffman

halfway through this and i can't quite decide if i'm enjoying it or not, although the religion of the nasty child exploiting religious fanatics bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain catholic church.

good plot thus far, though no idea where this is heading

mcgovern

I finished the first book in the Otherland series which I enjoyed, but thought it dragged on too much.
Now reading "Very Best of Fantasy and Science Fiction".

Edit: Read the short story "Flowers For Algernon" last night, from the above collection, one of the best short stories I've ever read!

Trojan

"Flowers For Algernon" is one of those old school sf classics, great story. I fear it might be a bit too basic to compete with modern sf, but a wonderful story in it's day.

--

I got a 3 for 2 at Waterstones this evening:

1. The Awakened Mage - Karen Miller (book 2, we'll see how this goes. 1st was *ok* This is book 3, d'oh. First 2 ran together for me.)
   
2. Surface Detail - Iain M. Banks (really looking forward to this )
   
3. The Evolutionary Void - Peter F. Hamilton (even more excited about this one but might go re-read the first 2 Void series first).

I'll read them in that in order to save the best for last (it's a tough call between Banks and Hamilton, but I'll just come down on the side of the epic-ness of his space opera).

Zapp Brannigan

Finished 'The Name of the Wind' last night. Loved it! Drawn in from the first chapter and didn't want it to end. Hope he gets the second book out soon!

Am on to the first book in Sanderson's Mistborn series.

Shryke

Rothfuss has a had a good few delays releasing the next entry. I think he's got the syndrome of having to write that 'second' book. Can't wait though. In the Name of the Wind was very very good.

Currently reading Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delaney. Not far in but I'm really liking it.
I've bought about a million of the F/SF Masterworks series. You simply can't go wrong with anything in these collections.

Dades

Shryke wrote: »

Currently reading Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delaney. Not far in but I'm really liking it.

Couldn't really get into to that one myself, and I'm a huge fan of loads of those Masterworks.

AnCapaillMor

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

I'm reading Acacia by David Anthony Durham which is apparently the start of a fantasy trilogy. Its pretty good, the world-building and characterisation are excellent although the pace is a bit on the slow side. I'm only 1/3 into the book so far though so it might pick up towards the middle and end.

How did Acacia go, just started it there last night, only about 10 chapters into it, liking it so far.

OwaynOTT

Reading Dragon Bone Chair by Tad Williams. Got my missus to chose between that and Raymond Feist's Magician. Hope it was a good choice.
Only read the first Mistborn book, thought it was okay. Liked Way of Kings thought.

Zapp Brannigan

Just finishing the first Mistborn book now, it was okay. Nothing really special though. Also he used 'maladroitly' way too much. Was it like his word of the day or something?

Have nothing new to read now, think I might go for a WoT re-read... maybe

transylman

Just finished "Surface detail" by Iain M Banks. Started off very well but quality dropped off badly and it ended poorly.

Johnny Storm

I've re-read "Chasm City" and am nearly finished re-reading "Redemption Ark" by Alastair Reynolds. I'm enjoying them more the second time. Dang, he's good!

Zapp Brannigan

Okay I'm starting a mammoth reread of WoT, have not read them in years. Started 'Eye of The World' today, felt like throwing on an old comfortable hoody!

growler

Just finished the Law of Nines by Terry Goodkind, although I got a bit fed up with the neverending seeker books, not a bad read all things considered.

Started on The Wind Up Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi which came highly recommended as seems very well written

Have the new Iain M Banks book "surface detail" waiting on the shelf too :-)

Lab_Mouse

Johnny Storm wrote: »

I've re-read "Chasm City" and am nearly finished re-reading "Redemption Ark" by Alastair Reynolds. I'm enjoying them more the second time. Dang, he's good!

My favourite author and chasm city is an excellent read. He has a new trilogy starting next year I think.

Dades

Just finished Stephen Hawkings The Grand Design. A nice introduction to stuff the average Joe could not even imagine getting their head around. Also with pics and diagrams!

Just started Iain M Banks' Matter, after two disappointments with Excession and Look to Windward. Really enjoying it so far - not a single ship talking shipspeak for a start.

Vokes

growler wrote: »

"the left hand of God " Paul Hoffman

halfway through this and i can't quite decide if i'm enjoying it or not, although the religion of the nasty child exploiting religious fanatics bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain catholic church.

good plot thus far, though no idea where this is heading

I've just finished reading this too and the religious organization is uncannily similar to the catholic church. Which is topical at the moment I guess.

Since the writer has used a lot of familiar place / people -names, I'm intrigued to know whether the story is set on an alternate earth or maybe it's earth far in the future that's regressed technologically.

I reckon I liked it enough anyway to keep an eye out for the sequel in the new year.

CiDeRmAn

Reading Surface Detail at the mo, I was reading Richard Dawkins current book but everything stops for a new Iain M Banks book, everything!

Trojan

Trojan wrote: »

I got a 3 for 2 at Waterstones this evening:

1. The Awakened Mage - Karen Miller (book 2, we'll see how this goes. 1st was *ok* This is book 3, d'oh. First 2 ran together for me.)
   
2. Surface Detail - Iain M. Banks (really looking forward to this )
   
3. The Evolutionary Void - Peter F. Hamilton (even more excited about this one but might go re-read the first 2 Void series first).

I'll read them in that in order to save the best for last

I haven't read Surface Detail yet, but here's my thoughts on the other 2.

I'd give The Awakened Mage a 5/10, just about, and a 4/10 for the series as a whole. It just didn't do it for me, I didn't really get into it and I don't think I'll be reading Karen Miller stuff again unless it gets awesome reviews. Zapp summed it up for me when talking about Trudi Canavan's Apprentice series - this applies perfect to Miller for me:

Zapp Brannigan wrote:

Finished The Magicians Apprentice last night. Fairly throwaway book, no real character development and you never get a sense of why characters are actually doing anything. Doubt I'll carry on with Canavan.

I felt the same way about Canavan as well, another one I won't be bothering with again. Hmmmm, I think my fantasy preferences are sexist...

On to Hamilton and the final Void book, The Evolutionary Void. I was really looking forward to this one because Hamilton is pretty awesome, and book 2 really got me interested after an ok book 1 (I'd give The Dreaming Void 7/10 and The Temporal Void 8.5/10).

AnCapaillMor said this above:

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Actually it was one of the few book series that i'd no problem remembering the characters where they were\were doing in the previous books. normally i would re-read. Still undecided on the books, liked it but plot\end was'nt as straight forward as judas unchained, felt more like the nights dawn trilogy.

I wholeheartedly agree with that summation, and

while both story lines (Edeard and the Commonwealth) ran well separately, the combination at the end just didn't do it for me. The loose ends did tie off nicely, but I think the conclusion felt rushed, and the half hearted "twist" of who The Lady was was fairly uninteresting for me.

I'll give The Evolutionary Void a 6/10 and the whole Void series a 6.5/10 (in comparison for Prime War series maybe an 8.5 or a 9).

Zapp Brannigan

I wouldn't say I'm sexist, I did enjoy Hobb's books that I read. Hobbs is a chick right?

Good for her, using long words and writing stories

super_furry

Zapp Brannigan wrote: »

Okay I'm starting a mammoth reread of WoT, have not read them in years. Started 'Eye of The World' today, felt like throwing on an old comfortable hoody!

Find myself wanting to do that too, but the thoughts of books 5-7 again terrify me. I actually gave up after the seventh and haven't read anything past that.

Trojan

Zapp Brannigan wrote: »

I wouldn't say I'm sexist, I did enjoy Hobb's books that I read. Hobbs is a chick right?

Good for her, using long words and writing stories

I loved Farseer, liked Liveship/Fool series, and hated Soldier Son more than anything I've read in years. There's a curve, and it's the wrong way - no more Hobbs for me.

Zapp Brannigan

super_furry wrote: »

Find myself wanting to do that too, but the thoughts of books 5-7 again terrify me. I actually gave up after the seventh and haven't read anything past that.

I'm dreading Book 10 tbh. Just finished book 1 so am on to The Great Hunt.

thefishone

Just started The Evolutionary Void,on the kindle and at the time,bought Surface Detail - Iain M. Banks as well,really looking forward to them,as I have read some rubbish lately,shouldn't complain really, as I did get them for nothing.

Trojan

Bought Towers of Midnight, think I'll read summaries of 7-11 and just reread TGS. Reread everything last year so should be fresh enough

Do fans of other genres re-read as much as we do in SF/F (well, mainly F)? Some people have said to me that they find the re-reading a bit strange. Maybe we just read more books in general?

coffee_cake

Trojan wrote: »

Bought Towers of Midnight, think I'll read summaries of 7-11 and just reread TGS. Reread everything last year so should be fresh enough

Do fans of other genres re-read as much as we do in SF/F (well, mainly F)? Some people have said to me that they find the re-reading a bit strange. Maybe we just read more books in general?

I re-read mine so much the covers fell off :eek:
I think I could nearly write the story from memory!
I am buying ToM tomorrow and seriously cannot wait!

eVeNtInE

This post has been deleted.

steve_

Currently reading the name of the wind by Patrick Rothfuss and loving every page