What Are You Reading?

Funglegunk

Revelation Space - Alistair Reynolds.

Absolutely loving this.

AnCapaillMor

Crackng book and series.

oeb

shaneor wrote: »

Finished Abercrombie "The First Law" trilogy and really enjoyed them. Glokta has to be one of my favorite new characters in a long while.

I haven't read much Sci-Fi recently but thinking of getting back into it. Any recommendations for an easy going re-introduction? I'm thinking something light enough (spaceship battles maybe?) rather than diving into hard sci-fi!

I recomend "Old Mans War" if you have not read it, I worked my way through the books in that series recently. They are all quite short, all good, and you can stop at any stage of the series. (None of the books end with cliffhangers or anything).

I'm currently deciding what to read next. The Sword of Shannara (It's a series I have been aware of for years, but never got around to) or work through some more of S.M. Stirlings stuff (I have only read the Draka books)

Zapp Brannigan

I love and hate Rothfuss.

I'm rereading 'Wise Man's Fear' and I just get so sucked in that I end up reading until 3 am. Never had this happen with a reread.

AnCapaillMor

oeb wrote: »

I'm currently deciding what to read next. The Sword of Shannara (It's a series I have been aware of for years, but never got around to) or work through some more of S.M. Stirlings stuff (I have only read the Draka books)

I found the shannara stuff a real slog, i read 2 of them(and they were slow reads) and got about a 3rd of the way into the 3rd book and couldn't continue.

ixoy

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

I found the shannara stuff a real slog, i read 2 of them(and they were slow reads) and got about a 3rd of the way into the 3rd book and couldn't continue.

Shannara is pretty old school fantasy. To its credit though, it did help re-introduce the fantasy genre to a larger reading public but since then the genre has evolved, including the grittier / complexer stuff by the likes of Abercrombie, GRRM, Erikson, etc. So it seems quite dated in many ways.

JD1763

Just finished Roadside Picnic. Really enjoyed it, it does suffer in parts from being translated, particularly in the dialogue. This seems to be an issue with Russian works - but its not as bad as Metro 2033.

As a concept and story its a fantastic idea. The sense of tension and vulnerability when in the Zone comes perfectly across in the writing. You really feel the sense of danger and the unknown with death only a mis-step away. For such a short story its crammed with loads of ideas and other parts that could still be explored.

Would highly recommend it. I think its available on the web as a free download directly from the authors not sure if thats only the original Russian version though.

Hobite

gufnork wrote: »

'Nine Princes in Amber' - Roger Zelazny. Only decided to read it so I could fully understand the Amber rpg. Can't put it down now. It's an amazing read.

I have read this book long long long time ago, dont remember anything now.


Now I am reading The way of shadows by Brent Weeks. I really enjoy this book: interesting plot, lots of characters, easy to read.

shaneor

oeb wrote: »

I recomend "Old Mans War" if you have not read it, I worked my way through the books in that series recently. They are all quite short, all good, and you can stop at any stage of the series. (None of the books end with cliffhangers or anything).

Thanks for the recommendation. I've seen this recommended in a few places recently so I've added it to my to read list.

Started Ashers "Gridlinked" after recommendations from here. Only about 10% in but it seems to be moving at a good pace and interesting enough so far.

mcgovern

Finished Mockingjay, even worse than Catching Fire, less happens as the books progress.
Trying to work my way (slowly) through the SF Masterworks list, have read about 1/3rd of them, so next up is James Blish's Cities in Flight.

ixoy

Just starting into "Initiate's Trial" by Janny Wurts, the first book in the "Sword of the Canon" arc, which itself is the fourth arc of "The Wars of Light and Shadow" making this book essentially the ninth volume... Only read 1% but, based on previous installments, this will be well written, somewhat slow moving, and filled with strong characters.

I'm also reading "A Stark and Wormy Knight" by Tad Williams, which is a collection of short stories that was available for a low $6 at Christmas time.

Alongside that I'm reading "Stargate Atlantis: The Lost", the second book in the Legacy series that places after the TV show. It's a bit amateurish but I'm enjoying it more than the first volume as the pace has increased following a slow start with volume one.

AnCapaillMor

Finished "A Crown Imperiled" last night, 2nd ever last book of the riftwars. Its one of the few books of the series that ended in a cliff hanger and now i've got to wait a year, gah!!!!!!!

gufnork

Just finished the 4th Wild Cards book Aces High by George R R Martin. Didn't grab me like the first 3 did but wasn't actually bad. I've seen it described as a sort of Travel Guide and that kind of sums it up for me really. Am looking forward to moving on and getting back to more familiar climes.

gufnork

Started The Antipope by Robert Rankin yesterday. Is good so far, although some of the dialogue seems a little... I don't know if I mean forced or just a little strange. But anyway, I can see this is going to be a pretty good read.

Demeyes

I finished reading Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson and am just starting the follow up now. Really enjoyed the first book, it was a nice read. Looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.

gufnork

Also started 'Paranoia A1: The Computer is your Friend' which is an anthology of 5 stories based on the Paranoia RPG. I downloaded it for the kindle app since i don't have an actual kindle(have a sony). Started off very well, surprisingly funny, but then i'm not even through the first story yet so we'll hold judgement on it for a while i think.

Playboy

Demeyes wrote: »

I finished reading Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson and am just starting the follow up now. Really enjoyed the first book, it was a nice read. Looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.

I'm struggling with the second one to be honest. Think I'll read something else before the 3rd. It's a little immature for me... Feel like I'm reading something out of the young adult section

Ronanc1

Just finished "Last light of the sun" my first foray into Guy Gavriel Kay's works. Dont really know what i thought of it yet, its style was different, ive a couple others of his i'll come back to in the future, Right now i'm diving into Paul Kearneys "kings of morning" 3rd in the macht trilogy

Zapp Brannigan

I'm reading Mark Lawrence's "Prince of Thorns". I've had the twist ruined for me by a poster in the recommend a book thread so it's not as interesting as it should be.

gufnork

Am just starting The Brentford Triangle by Robert Rankin. The Antipope was just fantastic. Very funny.

shaneor

I finished "Gridlinked" by Neil Asher over the weekend and enjoyed it. Nothing groundbreakingly brilliant but good solid entertainment which is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks to ixoy and mcgovern for the recommendation. I'll definitely pick up the rest of the series at some stage.

I'm going to try to alternate fantasy & sci-fi for awhile so starting The Magicians by Lev Grossman next.

Shryke

Reading Declare by Tim Powers.

mcgovern

Finished Cities in Flight, which reminded my why I always stop my quest to read all the books on the Sci-Fi Masterworks list, some of them have aged horribly and I found it a real struggle to finish it. Decided to try out Wool by Hugh Howey. It's only ~60 pages, but only cost $1.22, and is one of the wave of self-published works doing well on kindle. There is another 4 books in the series, each slightly longer than the last, but didn't want to order the whole lot (there is an anthology collection) in case I didn't like the first one.

OwaynOTT

Currently reading a kindle sample, yes I've a kindle, of The Dark Thorn by Shawn Spearman.
Only a few pages in but it's along the same lines of Jim Butcher and Brooks' Word and Void series but a bit darker, not gritty but dark.

Anyone else sick of 'gritty' novels? Seems like every new author is going all grimdark and it's lost all it's impact for me now. Saladin Ahmed's Throne of Crescent moon was a breath of fresh air. Also Peter B beaulieu's winds of khalakovo another top book.

Gritty is good when done right, see Prince of Thorns but too much done now.

gufnork

shaneor wrote: »

I'm going to try to alternate fantasy & sci-fi for awhile...

Aha... That's a good idea. I feel like I've overdosed on fantasy at the moment. I'm gonna do that too!

mcgovern

Wool was surprisingly well written and a decent read, ordered the second one as soon as I was finished and half way through it.

Temptamperu

I'm just about finished A Feast for Crows. Good book but it was a slower read than A Storm of Swords for me. The Iron Islands make me dreadfully cold.

Sleepy

About a fifth of the way into American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

keane2097

keane2097 wrote: »

Nine Princes In Amber, it's class.

Just finishing up the fifth book, after which I believe the series shifts focus.

First one was excellent, two and three were good, four is excellent, five is a bit silly in places and a fair bit below the quality of the rest.

As a series overall, very good imo.

mcgovern

Finished Wool 2, not as good as the first but still worth a read.
Now reading The Hedge Knight, by George R. R. Martin.