What Are You Reading?

OwaynOTT

Playboy wrote: »

I started the Long Price Quartet about a week ago and enjoying it so far. Some interesting ideas and like his writing style.

I picked up the Lies of Locke Lamora prior to this but i put it back down again after a few chapters. The writing style and story reminded me of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell which I didnt like at all.

I'd keep at Lies of Locke Lamora, I was toying with dropping it after a while as well but kept at it and found I really enjoyed of in the end. The second in the series was a step up as well.

OwaynOTT

mcgovern wrote: »

Pick it back up, it gets better. Wasn't a big fan of the start either, but loved it by the end!

Lol, didn't see your reply. Pretty much makes my post redundant now.
What you think of the sequel though?

mcgovern

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Lol, didn't see your reply. Pretty much makes my post redundant now.
What you think of the sequel though?

I wasn't a fan of the nautical parts, but overall, loved up. Only glad I didn't read it when it first came out, the waiting for Republic of Thieves is already driving me mad :P Probably my most anticipated book.

OwaynOTT

mcgovern wrote: »

I wasn't a fan of the nautical parts, but overall, loved up. Only glad I didn't read it when it first came out, the waiting for Republic of Thieves is already driving me mad :P Probably my most anticipated book.

Didnt mind the nautical parts but I also didn't have to wait for the book. I'm in the same boat (sorry) with regards to his new book and the anticipation although I wouldn't say it's top of my 'when will this book come out list', that's reserved for Memory of Light. Been reading that series for over ten years now and the wait for Crossroads of Twilight and that book was horrible.

mcgovern

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Didnt mind the nautical parts but I also didn't have to wait for the book. I'm in the same boat (sorry) with regards to his new book and the anticipation although I wouldn't say it's top of my 'when will this book come out list', that's reserved for Memory of Light. Been reading that series for over ten years now and the wait for Crossroads of Twilight and that book was horrible.

Kinda gave up on WoT a few years ago but read the last few upto (but not including) Crossroads of Twilight recently, and while I enjoyed them, I think I've read better series in the meantime.
Was looking at Scott Lynch's website recently by the way, looks like Republic of Thieves could be released later this year

mcgovern

Forgot to update recently.
Finished "Before They Are Hanged", really liked this.
Then read "Darwin's Children", wasn't as good as Darwin's Radio, too technical and not much really happens in it.
Now started The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan. Pretty good so far, apart from the odd scene that I need to skip over.

Funglegunk

Reading 'A Canticle for Leibowitz'. Enjoying it so far, doesn't feel like it was written in '59.

AnCapaillMor

mcgovern wrote: »

Now started The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan. Pretty good so far, apart from the odd scene that I need to skip over.

Heh you can say that again.

ixoy

mcgovern wrote: »

Pretty good so far, apart from the odd scene that I need to skip over.

What scenes would those be? I enjoyed them all. Nice change from some of the boring scenes I'm normally subjected to in fantasy novels...

mcgovern

ixoy wrote: »

What scenes would those be? I enjoyed them all. Nice change from some of the boring scenes I'm normally subjected to in fantasy novels...

The protagonists intimate moments. They made me a little uncomfortable, more so I think they way they've been described, than what they were describing. They also seem like they are tacked on for shock value, rather than adding anything, but not far into it yet so maybe they have some bearing on his motivations or something later on.

ixoy

mcgovern wrote: »

The protagonists intimate moments. They made me a little uncomfortable, more so I think they way they've been described, than what they were describing.

Thought as much! For me it's refreshing to see some man-on-man action in the books but I do recall these scenes were quite graphically described and, as you probably picked upon, with a certain roughness (almost violent). They weren't romantic. And yes I feel it does feed into the character and his feeling of alienation.

Shryke

mcgovern wrote: »

ixoy wrote: »

What scenes would those be? I enjoyed them all. Nice change from some of the boring scenes I'm normally subjected to in fantasy novels...

The protagonists intimate moments. They Amade me a little uncomfortable, more so I think they way they've been described, than what they were describing. They also seem like they are tacked on for shock value, rather than adding anything, but not far into it yet so maybe they have some bearing on his motivations or something later on.

I know what you mean. It's definitely the style. I think that was some of the intention but I'll be honest, I've read Morgans other stuff and the mans hetero sex scenes are really awful too. I cringe through them.
Good books though. The Cold Commands is a solid sequel.
I wonder when the next one is out? It should be soon I think.

Ronanc1

Funnily enough ploughed through Morgans The steel remains and Cold Commands about 2 weeks ago been sitting on my to read pile for a while now, Enjoyed them thoroughly even the *awkward Scenes They're certainly nice for their size at any rate plenty of story and world built into them! rare these days for small books usually reserved for Tome-ish works.

I've just raced through the first two books of the Prince of nothing Series a frequent mentioning from some posters round here convinced me to pick up the trilogy without even reading teh blurbs (tho that happens alot as of late )

Really starting to get into them my enthusiasm has upped as the books went on...still hate Kellhus though :mad:

Zapp Brannigan

Didn't realise Erikson's new book is out the end of this month. That's that pre-ordered!

ixoy

Reading "The Emperor's Knife" by Mazarkis Williams. 23% in - nice to see a slightly different non-Western slant. Hard to say yet though because I feel like there's something missing, a real hook perhaps.

Also began "The Inheritance" by Megan Lindholm/Robin Hobb. It's a collection of her short stories as written under her two pseudonyms. Only reading the first story so too hard to call yet, although her Lindholm style is clearly different from her works as Hobb.

OwaynOTT

ixoy wrote: »

Reading "The Emperor's Knife" by Mazarkis Williams. 23% in - nice to see a slightly different non-Western slant. Hard to say yet though because I feel like there's something missing, a real hook perhaps.

Also began "The Inheritance" by Megan Lindholm/Robin Hobb. It's a collection of her short stories as written under her two pseudonyms. Only reading the first story so too hard to call yet, although her Lindholm style is clearly different from her works as Hobb.

That Williams' book is decent but it does feel rather loose and rushed nearer the end.

shaneor

Finished Tigana and not fully sure how I feel about it. The story never fully grabbed me for some reason but I liked some of the characters and the writing so overall it was worth the effort. I must pick up some of his other books at some stage.

Started Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey and loving it so far. Nice fast paced and an interesting universe. I was a little worried about how it would read with two authors involved (James S.A. Corey is just a pen name for two authors) but so far I haven't noticed any issues.

gufnork

More Doctor Who here. Festival of Death by Jonathan Morris starring the 4th Doctor(Tom Baker) and the 2nd Romana(Lalla Ward). It has a hippie, drug-addled lizard and also promises zombies too amongst other strange characters.

Can't ask for more than that!

mcgovern

Finished The Steel Remains. By the end, the lovely names his "friends" called the main character were more off putting than his love scenes (which probably got worse). Aside from those issues though, it was good.
Now reading Dragon's Egg by Robert Forward as recommended by shrapnel222, enjoying it so far, though the humans and cheela have not yet met, and I'm 1/3rd through.

Paddy Samurai

Dance with Dragons
Even though I love Martin and A song of Fire and Ice this is my 3rd attempt at this and while I’m not happy about that, I am nearly 50% through it this time.
I bought this book when it first came out , so intend to finish it this time. So long since I read the previous books ,so I’m hoping the next book will be out sooner so that I don’t have to google characters/story lines that I have forgotten about.

Acacia by David Anthony Durham
This is turning into a pleasant surprise for me , About a third in and enjoying it big time. Looks like I have another new series to add to my ever growing mountain of books

Demeyes

I'm reading Enders Game at the moment, had it for ages but just getting around to it now. I like it so far so I'm planning on getting some more from the series. What's worth picking up? Is the whole series well regarded?

ixoy

Reading "Technicolou Ultra Mall" by Ryan Oakley. It was a free Kindle book (as part of an offer) and had a grand total of 5 reviews. It's ... okay.. but seems like a short story that's been fleshed out.

aoifesheri

I have to say the book is fantastic and the world that maria v synder has created is amazing really enjoying the first instalment in her trilogy.

AnCapaillMor

Just finished hobb's farseer trilogy, I kinda liked it but

good god it was depressing never seen a main character get screwed over so much, it made a game of thrones look like highway to heaven

shaneor

Finished a few things recently.

Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey was very good. Well paced and an interesting universe. I must pick up the sequel at some stage.

Also finished World War Z which was excellent. I've been meaning to read it for ages and finally got around to it. Its a very unusual format of a series of interviews but it works really well and creates a great picture of the world. Is The Zombie Survival Guide worth a read? I'm guessing so!

Starting The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie next. I've loved all his other books and I've been saving this for awhile so hopefully it'll live up to expectation.

AnCapaillMor

shaneor wrote: »

Also finished World War Z which was excellent. I've been meaning to read it for ages and finally got around to it. Its a very unusual format of a series of interviews but it works really well and creates a great picture of the world. Is The Zombie Survival Guide worth a read? I'm guessing so!

Starting The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie next. I've loved all his other books and I've been saving this for awhile so hopefully it'll live up to expectation.

Survival guide is pretty good not as good as WWZ. You know they're meant to be making a film of it, brad pitt's involved but i think productions stopped at the moment.

Heroes is great, gorst is a great character.

shaneor

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Survival guide is pretty good not as good as WWZ. You know they're meant to be making a film of it, brad pitt's involved but i think productions stopped at the moment.

I've heard that but I'm not particularly looking forward to it. I can't see how the format translates to a hollywood movie so I presume it'll just end up a generic zombie film. It'd be much more interesting if it was being made as a mini-series or something like that, I'd love to see what someone like HBO would do with the material.

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Heroes is great, gorst is a great character.

Abercrombie does some great characters alright. Glokta is one of my favorite characters in the last few years.

ixoy

14% into "Blood of the Mantis" by Adrian Tchaikosfky, the third book in his "Shadow of the Apt" series. Easy to get into, interesting world and good characters - happy so far.

AnCapaillMor

About 25% into the 1st book of Daniel Abrahams dragon series. Still introducing characters and plot at this stage but again like the long price where sometimes nothing happens, you still can't put it down.

Zapp Brannigan

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

About 25% into the 1st book of Daniel Abrahams dragon series. Still introducing characters and plot at this stage but again like the long price where sometimes nothing happens, you still can't put it down.

i just finished it myself. Didn't get on with it. Couldn't sympathise with any characters and I just felt like it was a chore to read through it.

I'm trying The Hammer by KJ Parker now but I'm not that drawn in by it either. I seem to be having trouble finding a new author that can stand up with my favs.