What Are You Reading?

mirrormatrix

Just reading Children of Time based on recommendations here. Still a couple of hours to go in it, but it really is excellent.

If anyone is looking for Audible book recommendations, I can highly recommend the Joe Abercrombie books. Steven Pacey is the best narrator I have ever heard on an audiobook.

keane2097

I'm listening to The Reality Dysfunction and while it is probably excellent I'm finding it a bit too long, a few too many POVs.

Thargor

Ugh started reading Iron Gold, book 4 of the Red Rising trilogy. Was regretting it straight away, terrible writing and one dimensional characters. I think I'll just quit this one.

Glebee

I have no idea how I ended up reading this. Uprooted-Naomi Novik, it gets great reviews and I think theres a movie in the works. Its not great imo, Only at 30% and I want to give it up

coffee_cake

got a few on kindle unlimited

Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven
Mark of Fire/Endarian Prophecy
Shadow of the Lantern Bearer

started on the first one. okay so far, bit longwinded sometimes

2 more jeff wheeler books available for preorder. These Mormon lads seem very prolific writers

Thargor

Someone in here recommended The Gripping Hand recently, thanks whoever you are, perfect lockdown reading. Mote In Gods Eye was probably the number one sci-fi where I always wondered what happened next. Never realised there was another book and this is the perfect sequel in that regard, straight into it. The Moties are such an interesting species/civilization, one of the best in sci-fi.

KAGY

Just finished, "to be taught, if fortunate". Decent, if a bit short.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43190272-to-be-taught-if-fortunate

Hard SciFi, exploring probable life on other planets.

Resonated by coincidence with the last book I read " goldilocks and the water bears "

Manach

A Murder of Manatees: The Further Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent - Quick fun read, free on Audible.

lordgoat

Glebee wrote: »

I have no idea how I ended up reading this. Uprooted-Naomi Novik, it gets great reviews and I think theres a movie in the works. Its not great imo, Only at 30% and I want to give it up

No idea what the fuss is with pretty much anything I've read by this author. Thought I was the only one!!

smacl

KAGY wrote: »

Just finished, "to be taught, if fortunate". Decent, if a bit short.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43190272-to-be-taught-if-fortunate

Hard SciFi, exploring probable life on other planets.

Resonated by coincidence with the last book I read " goldilocks and the water bears "

Loved "to be taught, if fortunate", real return to form for Becky Chambers. "Goldilocks and the water bears" sounds interesting, pop science or sci-fi?

coffee_cake

bluewolf wrote: »

got a few on kindle unlimited

Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven
Mark of Fire/Endarian Prophecy
Shadow of the Lantern Bearer

started on the first one. okay so far, bit longwinded sometimes

2 more jeff wheeler books available for preorder. These Mormon lads seem very prolific writers

got caught up in harley merlin, on book 8 or 9 now
very easy light reading, bit like harry potter but not as good

KAGY

smacl wrote: »

Loved "to be taught, if fortunate", real return to form for Becky Chambers. "Goldilocks and the water bears" sounds interesting, pop science or sci-fi?

Pop sci, from the preface

In this book we shall take a tour of the biological Universe, exploring what life is made of, what it needs to originate and thrive, how resilient and adaptable it can be and how conditions do not actually have to conform to our ideas of what is or is not just right for organisms to survive and prosper. In many areas throughout the Solar System and beyond, conditions cover a multitude of extremes – too hot or too cold, too acidic or too alkaline, too dry or too wet, or too light or too dark – and in each of these on Earth, life has found its own version of just right so it can survive. The Goldilocks story of life is warped and stretched as life finds a way, no matter the challenges. If this is the tale on our planet, then why should it not be the same on other planets and moons, in other galaxies, and throughout the Universe? We may not be alone in the darkness of space for much longer.

Dades

Started Seveneves (Neal Stephenson).

Was only £2 on Amazon. Enjoying it so far.

The White Feather

I am currently reading Perdido Street Station by China Mieville

Really different but very enjoyable!

Thargor

Dades wrote: »

Started Seveneves (Neal Stephenson).

Was only £2 on Amazon. Enjoying it so far.

One of the best things Ive read in recent times, loved it.

Lady Haywire

Currently on the Phoenix Series (Sarah Rockwood). For something I just picked on a whim on Kobo as the first book was free, I'm actually enjoying it quite a bit. Bit repetitive at times though, with the main character a bit.....ditzy or something.

coffee_cake

bluewolf wrote: »

got a few on kindle unlimited


Mark of Fire/Endarian Prophecy
Shadow of the Lantern Bearer

Mark of Fire/Endarian Prophecy - terrible, have returned without finishing. Might as well be reading see spot run

Shadow of the Lantern Bearer - alright yeah

i see there's more alistair reynolds Revenger out - i think i remember liking the first one but would have to re-read

for the moment...
"the lost war" by justin lee anderson

apparently i own "a girl from nowhere" which i do not remember at all, must read that

mcgovern

It's been quite awhile since I last updated here but I haven't been reading as much as I'd like.
I finished Dark Age by Pierce Brown. If you liked the previous 5 books you'll like this one. Lots of action and some really emotional scenes.
Then it was onto Gideon the Ninth by Tamara Pierce. This has been getting massively hyped since it came out, described as Gothic, lesbian necromancers in space. It is somewhat gothic, they do fly through space for about 1 page. The main character is a lesbian but considering I don't think she's ever kissed anyone, it's not a major part of the plot. There are necromancers though, and lots of them. It's mostly a story about teen angst thinly disguised as a locked room type mystery. I found it hard to differentiate between the various secondary characters and it isn't clear for a long time what the actual plot is. It wasn't bad but I don't think I'll bother with the sequel.
I finished listening to Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence. It's the second book in the series and again, if you liked the first one then you'll like this one as it is more of the same. I did like it but as I only listen to audiobooks when driving, and I haven't been driving anywhere other than the shops, it might be awhile before I get to the third and final book in series.
I read Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky, also a sequel to Children of Time which I loved. This one introduces us to a new race(s) and some new evolutionary paths. I love everything he writes and this was no exception, though it was maybe not quite as strong as Children of Time.
I read Blackwing by Ed McDonald. It's a quite grimdark fantasy in a world with strange gods and other beings who use humans for their own uses. Some humans have magic but it normally kills them or drives them mad. The world is quite unique (though it reminds me a bit of The Vagrant by Peter Newman) and the story is enjoyable. I will definetely continue this series.
For a change of pace I read The Ruins by Scott B. Simon, a horror sent in a Mexican jungle about a killer plant. It sounds a bit B movieish and there was a movie adaptation which wasn't great, but the book is a lot better.
I'm currently reading The Shadow Saint by Gareth Hanrahan (an Irish author), which is the second book in his Black Iron Legacy series. It's set in a world where the gods are at war, but one city stays out of the way and uses alchemy (aka technology) instead of God magic. So far this one is mostly about another city where they use a type of necromancy to revive as skeletons as they die. It's slow going so far but I think it will pick up.
Finally, on my short drives to supermarket I'm listening to Jade City by Fonda Lee. It seems to be modelled on Hong Kong, but one with no China next door. It's about a green bone clan (a criminal gang) called No Peak. These green bone clans have an honour system and evolved from rebels against an invading occupation. What sets them apart though is their ability to use Jade which gives magical powers. After years of relative peace between the clans there is the beginings of a conflict between the two biggest clans. It's quite good so far and nice to have an Asian theme for a change.

12trackmind

Apologies if posted already...

Stanislaw Lem 'The Cyberiad'.. hilarious, absurdist 1960s sci-fi from Poland about two 'constructors' (robot engineers) w/ unfathomable levels of power and pettiness.

Think Douglas Adams.. but more literary and slightly less 'sharp.'

Fian

After finishing the hot zone I moved on to Lucifer's hammer, then Station 11, now reading the fireman.

Lucifer's hammer and Station 11 were both very good. Really enjoying the fireman though the pandemic in it is a bit too extreme I guess. Still the pathogen's lifecycle is not absolutely irrational.

Bit of a post-apocalyptic / pandemic theme. Have probably sated my appetite for that stuff now, especially as starting to adjust to the new reality.

Glebee

Priest of Bone.
Enjoying this at the moment, not too complicated and story is interesting and moves along at a good pace. 50% through. As mentioned earlier its got a massive Peaky Blinders with magic feel to it but I also get a Gangs of New York feel to it. Mostly though I get a massive similarity to the setting for the Dishonoured video games which was an excellent game world. Just for anyone that has finised this and the follow up, does it give you a bit more detail of what happend duringthe war thats referred too in Priest of Bones?

Igotadose

Glebee wrote: »

Just for anyone that has finised this and the follow up, does it give you a bit more detail of what happend duringthe war thats referred too in Priest of Bones?

Yeah, some, some character backgrounds are explained in relation to what happened to them during the war, in "Priest of Lies." Personally think of them as poor-man's "Black Company" series by Glenn Cook, more modern (PTSD is a thing in this series), different magical, fewer interpersonal relationships, but the Black Company books are a long time ago.

Dades

Fian wrote: »

Lucifer's hammer and Station 11 were both very good.

Loved Lucifer's Hammer!

"Carry the pot - or get in the pot". :pac:

Apocalyptic stuff really is de-rigueur at the moment.

Thargor

The Human, Book 3 of the Rise of the Jain series which is part of the wider Polity universe by Neal Asher is out, love these books.

Im currently reading the Chivalry series by Christian Cameron:

https://www.goodreads.com/series/132815-chivalry

And its great. Young English squire heads off to war in France to make his fortune, reads a lot like Emperor by Conn Iggulden. Not really fantasy more historical fiction but Im addicted to it, he has loads of books aswell on the same theme in Rome and Greece so Im well stocked for a while.

Fian

Thargor wrote: »

The Human, Book 3 of the Rise of the Jain series which is part of the wider Polity universe by Neal Asher is out, love these books.

Im currently reading the Chivalry series by Christian Cameron:

https://www.goodreads.com/series/132815-chivalry

And its great. Young English squire heads off to war in France to make his fortune, reads a lot like Emperor by Conn Iggulden. Not really fantasy more historical fiction but Im addicted to it, he has loads of books aswell on the same theme in Rome and Greece so Im well stocked for a while.

Ooh, that neal asher series is just what I need. I finished "the fireman" yesterday evening.

Paddy Samurai

Just finished this one .This series looks to be a 10/10 for me.Love the amazing characters , the world building and the unique "magic" system.
Final part I will start tonight. Hope its a good as the previous two.

Stehlen kicks ass!.

Thargor

Fian wrote: »

Ooh, that neal asher series is just what I need. I finished "the fireman" yesterday evening.

Theres a load of books before the Rise of The Jain trilogy, the Polity series, wouldn't recommend skipping them.

ixoy

Finished:

'The Delirium Brief' by Charles Stross, the eighth in his Laundry series. It's a bit of a middling entry here - the plot didn't feel particularly fresh and a bit of a re-hash as were some of the set pieces. The ending was quite poor. Felt a bit more like a bridging novel after a much stronger previous installment.

'The Hod King' by Josiah Bancroft, the third book in his 'The Books of Babel' series. I really enjoyed this story, a steampunk tale of a headmaster lost in a series of kingdoms stacked up in a giant tower and how his life grows from there. The books split into three parts, each telling the events of different characters and it's a testament to the story that I enjoyed them all and wanted more time with each. Very much looking forward to the final installment.

'Instantiation' by Greg Egan. It's a collection of his most recent short stories. The first few are a little weak and their near-future reminds me a little of 'Black Mirror'. The strongest is the title story, which itself is part of a trio of stories that showcase Egan's mind for physics and big ideas. Not as good as 'Oceanic' but it's still a strong collection.

Jayd0g

Trojan wrote: »

This leads into the Falkenberg/Mercenary/The Prince books which are some good old school mil-sf. Quite enjoyable if you like that kind of thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CoDominium#Series

Finished the Mote in Gods Eye last night, really enjoyed it. Thanks for the recommendation folks!

keane2097

I'm reading 'We Are Legion We Are Bob' at the moment. It's pretty entertaining but not exactly the height of literature.