What Are You Reading?

Nody

Finished a re-read of Lost Fleet (original 5) & first time read of Lost Star (the 4 book Syndicate spin off). I'll probably re-read the second 5 in Lost Fleet as well before moving on to something else as I got to much work to do more serious reading.

coffee_cake

Carpet Diem. Enjoyable but a bit try hard to be funny
A girl from nowhere - enjoyable also. Definitely a different kind of setting and looking forward to the next one
Started Cage of Souls but not in the humour


Starting Spark City ... and now I am stopping, because it's poorly written and half the punctuation is missing. Apparently it's not even self published?? Maybe it's just the kindle version. Wouldn't recommend it anyway based on the first 2% of the book

Trojan

Reading "The Wandering Inn" (on Kindle, but it's freely available on the web). Easy-reading portal fantasy style, if that's your thing give it a go.

Igotadose

"The Dark Forest" by Cixin Liu. Like "The Three-body problem," it took awhile to get going but was a worthwhile read overall. Very interesting characters, lots of impact from Chinese culture on their attitudes and actions.

Next up, "Quicksilver" by Neal Stephenson. Slow read, but how can you dislike a book that features Gottfried Leibniz and Isaac Newton, along with Benjamin Franklin, as key characters?

Thargor

I read Quicksilver and the other two in the Baroque Cycle aswell and I must admit I just didnt get it,

it just seemed like a series of wacky adventures followed by long boring stretches randomly jumping all over the place in time and in geography, right to the end I was waiting for something big to come along and tie the whole thing together and I was expecting it to be sci-fi related considering the author and then it would all become clear to me but that just never happened.

It was very unsatisfying.

Why was he using people like Issac Newton and other famous names for no reason if you know what I mean? Like say when someone like Arthur C Clarke does that you know they're going to be exposed to alien or modern tech or just an alternate history and then you get their reaction to it, but in the Baroque Cycle it was like he was just getting names for random characters off a big list of famous scientists for no reason, it drove me mental reading it.

cdgalwegian

Thargor wrote: »

I read Quicksilver and the other two in the Baroque Cycle aswell and I must admit I just didnt get it,

it just seemed like a series of wacky adventures followed by long boring stretches randomly jumping all over the place in time and in geography, right to the end I was waiting for something big to come along and tie the whole thing together and I was expecting it to be sci-fi related considering the author and then it would all become clear to me but that just never happened.

It was very unsatisfying.

Why was he using people like Issac Newton and other famous names for no reason if you know what I mean? Like say when someone like Arthur C Clarke does that you know they're going to be exposed to alien or modern tech or just an alternate history and then you get their reaction to it, but in the Baroque Cycle it was like he was just getting names for random characters off a big list of famous scientists for no reason, it drove me mental reading it.

As far as I can remember the historical figures were the means to discuss the Enlightenment ideas (hence the titles), with a lot of meandering intellectual show-offed-ness, which I enjoyed. Quicksilver- Mercury- was the occultist elixir of transformation, and the historical backdrop was itself which was what was being transformed, from a social and scientific perspective.
Out of curiosity, these are tomes, not quick reads, and were continuations of a loose trilogy; why did you continue past the first, and even the second, if the first was driving you mental?

coffee_cake

Just read the Gareth L Powell Embers of War trilogy.
quite enjoyed it. some of the characters were a little bit flat and 2 of them were a bit interchangeable but I enjoyed it otherwise and would recommend giving it a go

Thargor

cdgalwegian wrote: »

Out of curiosity, these are tomes, not quick reads, and were continuations of a loose trilogy; why did you continue past the first, and even the second, if the first was driving you mental?

Im a fast reader and finish what I start 99% of the time, plus it always felt like it was about to pick up.

cdgalwegian

Thargor wrote: »

Im a fast reader and finish what I start 99% of the time, plus it always felt like it was about to pick up.

I don't have the patience for that; life's too short, particularly apropos the amount there is to read.
Have you read Cryptonomicon? Even though it was written before the Baroque Cycle it's set in the 20th, and has a type of closure to 'the cycle'.

Igotadose

cdgalwegian wrote: »

I don't have the patience for that; life's too short, particularly apropos the amount there is to read.
Have you read Cryptonomicon? Even though it was written before the Baroque Cycle it's set in the 20th, and has a type of closure to 'the cycle'.

A type of closure. Those family lines continue into "Reamde" and its sequel, too.

I really enjoyed Cryptonomicon and Reamde, though the latter was kind of tongue-in-cheek. I think it also is widely disliked, too.

cdgalwegian

Igotadose wrote: »

A type of closure. Those family lines continue into "Reamde" and its sequel, too.

I really enjoyed Cryptonomicon and Reamde, though the latter was kind of tongue-in-cheek. I think it also is widely disliked, too.

It's sounds like you're re-reading the whole lot. I plan to do that at some stage in the future. Yeah, both are great- Reamde is great fun

Re the Baroque Cycle and sci-fi- and being in this thread, despite being historically based, as Thargor pointed out:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2004/nov/04/onlinesupplement

"Online: I think you've said the books in The Baroque Cycle are still SF novels - in what way exactly?
NS: It is a little like asking a jazz musician "your latest album is jazz---in what way exactly?" People who are in the habit of reading SF will pick up The Baroque Cycle novels and, I suspect, recognize them as having coming out of an SF sensibility. People who aren't will probably find them to be historical novels, albeit with some quirks and twists they might not have seen before."

ixoy

Igotadose wrote: »

I really enjoyed Cryptonomicon and Reamde, though the latter was kind of tongue-in-cheek. I think it also is widely disliked, too.

I didn't like 'Reamde' at all - found it very disappointing. I did enjoy 'Seveneves' although the last really great book from him is 'Anathem' which I think is fantastic.

Thargor

Absolutely loved Seveneves, best sci-fi Ive read in ages, Barack Obama and Bill Gates have it on their recommended reading lists interestingly. I forgot I had Anathem tbh, Ill read that next.

Thargor

Anathem is absolutely brilliant aswell, such a genius concept and the little snatches of lore you get about whats going on outside the walls keeps you dying for more, I dont want to devour it but at the same time I cant leave it alone.

He does have an irritating habit of over describing things to ridiculous degrees, it was kind of okay when he was explaining interesting concepts for space stations and propulsion systems but in this theres a lot of descriptions of architecture and sometimes he can get carried away and spend half a chapter describing it

"The apex of the cloister was formed by 4 naves each perpendicular to the other, set at right angles to each apex were 4 supporting buttresses. The vertices of each buttress were connected by 4 arches, The arches were webbed to one another by systems and spans of tracery that swallowed the lower half of the Præsidium and formed the broad plan of the Mynster. The Mynster had a ceiling of stone, steeply vaulted. Above the vaults, a flat roof had been framed. Built upon that roof was the aerie of the Warden Fendant. Its inner court, squared around the Præsidium, was roofed and walled and diced up into store-rooms and headquarters, but its periphery was an open walkway on which the Fendant’s sentinels could pace a full circuit of the Mynster in a few minutes’ time, seeing to the horizon in all directions (except where blocked by a buttress, pier, spire, or pinnacle)."

You actually wonder if he's taking the p1ss out of the reader sometimes but just like with Seveneves when he's on form its the best sci-fi you can get and the good bits outnumber the bad 10:1.

cdgalwegian

Thargor wrote: »

Anathem is absolutely brilliant aswell, such a genius concept and the little snatches of lore you get about whats going on outside the walls keeps you dying for more, I dont want to devour it but at the same time I cant leave it alone.

He does have an irritating habit of over describing things to ridiculous degrees, it was kind of okay when he was explaining interesting concepts for space stations and propulsion systems but in this theres a lot of descriptions of architecture and sometimes he can get carried away and spend half a chapter describing it

"The apex of the cloister was formed by 4 naves each perpendicular to the other, set at right angles to each apex were 4 supporting buttresses. The vertices of each buttress were connected by 4 arches, The arches were webbed to one another by systems and spans of tracery that swallowed the lower half of the Præsidium and formed the broad plan of the Mynster. The Mynster had a ceiling of stone, steeply vaulted. Above the vaults, a flat roof had been framed. Built upon that roof was the aerie of the Warden Fendant. Its inner court, squared around the Præsidium, was roofed and walled and diced up into store-rooms and headquarters, but its periphery was an open walkway on which the Fendant’s sentinels could pace a full circuit of the Mynster in a few minutes’ time, seeing to the horizon in all directions (except where blocked by a buttress, pier, spire, or pinnacle)."

You actually wonder if he's taking the p1ss out of the reader sometimes but just like with Seveneves when he's on form its the best sci-fi you can get and the good bits outnumber the bad 10:1.

Anathem is most definitely one of my favourite sci-fi books; it's so clever.
I had been put off reading Seveneves by some reviews in relation to over-descriptions, but you've convinced now to give it a go.

coffee_cake

Took a break from stardew valley to read empire of sand by tasha suri. Was good, enjoyed it a lot. It was very light reading though. Other side of the globe away from seveneves anyway
Insert orbital mechanics lecture on globes here

Glebee

Getting through some Forgotten Realms books that ive wanted to get through for an age, 100 miles away from the intenseness of Malazan but thats currently what I need at the moment. Easy goiong fantasy reading.

shrapnel222

finished the dark forest. Thought the story was good but the delivery was terrible and really couldn't get into it. every read was a slog and couldn't read more than 20 pages at the time. It felt like sophons had invaded my reading ability and just slowed me down completely. i do want to find out how it ends and will make the effort to read book 3 but not right now.

i then jumped in to the new Jemisin book (the city we became) hoping to regather my reading joy, but gave up as just wasn't enjoying it. I'll blame the damn sophons again!!!

As i needed something i knew i'd enjoy reading, i jumped into bloody rose, book 2 of the band series by Eames (recommended book 1 not too long ago ). i feel the sophons receding.

Beanstalk

After putting it off for over two decades I'm finally reading Raymond E' Feist and Janny Wurts Empire Trilogy. Really gripping intrigue and non-stop throughout the whole book. Very different to E. Feist's normal work - seems more real and mature.

seagull

Beanstalk wrote: »

After putting it off for over two decades I'm finally reading Raymond E' Feist and Janny Wurts Empire Trilogy. Really gripping intrigue and non-stop throughout the whole book. Very different to E. Feist's normal work - seems more real and mature.

That trilogy is my favourite part of the entire riftworld series. The levels of intrigue and backstabbing are ridiculous.

Thargor

Beanstalk wrote: »

After putting it off for over two decades I'm finally reading Raymond E' Feist and Janny Wurts Empire Trilogy. Really gripping intrigue and non-stop throughout the whole book. Very different to E. Feist's normal work - seems more real and mature.

seagull wrote: »

That trilogy is my favourite part of the entire riftworld series. The levels of intrigue and backstabbing are ridiculous.

I never even heard of it and I read Riftworld all my life.

Thargor

Good God Anathem is a good book, Stephenson is a genius.

coffee_cake

Thargor wrote: »

I never even heard of it and I read Riftworld all my life.

It's brilliant, loved it

ixoy

Beanstalk wrote: »

After putting it off for over two decades I'm finally reading Raymond E' Feist and Janny Wurts Empire Trilogy. Really gripping intrigue and non-stop throughout the whole book. Very different to E. Feist's normal work - seems more real and mature.

That'd be Janny Wurt's influence (co-writer on the trilogy). She's much more into epic, as can be seen in her Wars of Light and Shadow series.
Mara of the Acoma is one of the greats of fantasy IMO. It's a real shame that there was no follow up series or even a deeper exploration of Kelewan.

shrapnel222

Thargor wrote: »

I never even heard of it and I read Riftworld all my life.

wow, that's crazy! it's a great series, and the timelines intertwine to a certain extent, so you'll remember some scenes from the magician series popping up here and there on the kelewan side. well worth multiple reads

keane2097

shrapnel222 wrote: »

wow, that's crazy! it's a great series, and the timelines intertwine to a certain extent, so you'll remember some scenes from the magician series popping up here and there on the kelewan side. well worth multiple reads

I think I tried to give the original three starting with Magician a go a few years ago and felt they had lost their magic in the years since I read them first. Enjoyed that Empire trilogy alright.

megaten

Lost interest in the Feist books as he seemed to just forget what happened before in previous books and started contradicting himself. The empire books are great though. In terms of the main series I think the only ones I genuinely enjoyed instead of reading them because they were easy and accessible was that quadrilogy in the middle. I think they were called the serpent war books?

nhur

Hey folks - first of all - thanks - i've been compiling lists of books to read from this thread for ages!

I finished all the Lightbringer books (_really_ enjoyed them, easy reading but with enough complexity to be really engaging). Then read several of the Adrian Tchaikovksy books (the Apt ones) which were ... good but not great IMO)... then Master and Apprentice (i've been threatening to read the Star Wars books for quite a while!) and i've just finished the Thrawn trilogy (more Star Wars)

Questions for the group:
1. If I was to read more Star Wars... any suggestions of what to read next?
2. With alll the talk of Anathem - it's jumped to the top of my list... do I need to read other Stephenson books first? (Baroque cycle etc) - I've read Seveneves and enjoyed most of it... but haven't read any others of his I think

ixoy

nhur wrote: »

With alll the talk of Anathem - it's jumped to the top of my list... do I need to read other Stephenson books first?

Nope - it's completely independent of any of his other works. Enjoy!

Thargor

Same for Seveneves, both excellent.