Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

What Are You Reading?

Options
1…242243245247248…259

Comments

  • Options
    #7322
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,866 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    Raoul Duke wrote: »
    Amazon UK link - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076G8DVN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_6S9RGECJ863XM3Z11KRN
    Cradle Book 9 out on April 6th!

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZS19WWY/


  • Options
    #7323
    nhur
    Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭nhur


    I've just binged on Will Wight books... all the Cradle series, then the Travellers' Gate series and currently reading the Elder series ...

    Thargor - I'm with you on the crack analogy!


  • Options
    #7324
    coffee_cake
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 81,310 CMod ✭✭✭✭coffee_cake


    Thargor wrote: »
    Under Heaven is a masterpiece, so good to be back reading an author who can actually write.

    Good shout, am enjoying it now


  • Options
    #7325
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,866 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    coffee_cake wrote: »
    Good shout, am enjoying it now
    The 2nd one is just as good.


  • Options
    #7326
    nhur
    Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭nhur


    Thargor wrote: »
    The 2nd one is just as good.

    I tried GGK (think it was tigana) and couldn't get into it... Maybe just dire to being confused with thr overlap with actual history.

    Are his books sequential? (if not I might try the latest...)


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7327
    shrapnel222
    Registered Users Posts: 3,118 ✭✭✭shrapnel222


    nhur wrote: »
    I tried GGK (think it was tigana) and couldn't get into it... Maybe just dire to being confused with thr overlap with actual history.

    Are his books sequential? (if not I might try the latest...)

    not sequential, some are groups of 2 but most are independent. only 2 i'd steer clear of, which i think are just so much weaker than the others are Ysabel and "the last light of the sun"


  • Options
    #7328
    fenris
    Registered Users Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭fenris


    Just started Network Effect by Martha Wells, the fifth Murderbot book, I was saving it until now as the next book is due to be published soon


  • Options
    #7329
    Xofpod
    Registered Users Posts: 706 ✭✭✭Xofpod


    Back to the classics: The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin


  • Options
    #7330
    Fian
    Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭Fian


    Read "the bone ships" and "call of the bone ships". both good, I enjoy stories set on board old-time sailing ships.

    Much much better though - currently reading the poppy war. Really enjoying it, although parts of it are definitely a bit too "grim" for me. Some of the war-time atrocities a pretty horrifying. I was intending to pass it on to my daughter when i had finished reading it, changed my mind when I got to the descriptions of the aftermath of cities taken by armies. that being said it is a gripping book and I will move directly on to the sequel.

    I should add, I started "the rhythm of war". It really didn't grab me and i decided to drop it half way through. I had really enjoyed the previous books in the stormlight archive. Maybe I was just not in the right mood for it and I may return to it.


  • Options
    #7331
    lordgoat
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 11,358 Mod ✭✭✭✭lordgoat


    The Windup Girl - really enjoying it bout halfway through


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7332
    Jayd0g
    Registered Users Posts: 823 ✭✭✭Jayd0g


    lordgoat wrote: »
    The Windup Girl - really enjoying it bout halfway through

    "The Windup Girl is a biopunk science fiction novel by American writer Paolo Bacigalupi. It was his debut novel and was published by Night Shade Books on September 1, 2009. The novel is set in a future Thailand and covers a number of contemporary issues such as global warming and biotechnology. "

    That'll do nicely, thanks for the recommendation!

    I'm just finishing up Oryx & Cracked by Margaret Atwood. Similar dystopian themes, worth a read!


  • Options
    #7333
    shrapnel222
    Registered Users Posts: 3,118 ✭✭✭shrapnel222


    lordgoat wrote: »
    The Windup Girl - really enjoying it bout halfway through

    starts off great. 2nd half not so much. such a shame as had great potential


  • Options
    #7334
    coffee_cake
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 81,310 CMod ✭✭✭✭coffee_cake


    Yeah i didnt like the windup girl I have to say


  • Options
    #7335
    Fian
    Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭Fian


    coffee_cake wrote: »
    Yeah i didnt like the windup girl I have to say

    I enjoyed it for what it's worth adn went on to read his other books. still can't spell the author's name though, to the extent that I cut and pasted if from earlier post to put it here: Paolo Bacigalupi.

    I have under heaven on my to be read list. should be a decent follow on from poppy war.


  • Options
    #7336
    pixelburp
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 35,941 CMod ✭✭✭✭pixelburp


    I enjoyed the Windup Girl, but really didn't care for the follow-up novel, The Water Knife. It read really trashy and try-hard in places, between some of the violence and the vulgarity of a couple of its characters. Dunno whether it was trying to intentionally shock or subvert some tropes (one especially crude character was female, but utterly lacked the charisma of other equivalents like The Expanse's Avarasala), so it didn't work for me.


  • Options
    #7337
    shrapnel222
    Registered Users Posts: 3,118 ✭✭✭shrapnel222


    Fian wrote: »
    I enjoyed it for what it's worth adn went on to read his other books. still can't spell the author's name though, to the extent that I cut and pasted if from earlier post to put it here: Paolo Bacigalupi.

    I have under heaven on my to be read list. should be a decent follow on from poppy war.

    really liked poppy war. book 2 is a dip in quality but i have book 3 which just came out a few months ago next on my list


  • Options
    #7338
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,708 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    Fian wrote: »
    I have under heaven on my to be read list. should be a decent follow on from poppy war.

    I thoroughly enjoyed Under heaven, must give The poppy war a read so :)

    Also enjoyed The windup girl though haven't read anything else by this author.


  • Options
    #7339
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,866 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    smacl wrote: »
    I thoroughly enjoyed Under heaven, must give The poppy war a read so :)

    Also enjoyed The windup girl though haven't read anything else by this author.
    The Poppy War is next on my list, Under Heaven and River of Stars were the best things Ive read in ages though, still thinking about them.

    Also go the Expert Systems brother and its sequel and the 9th Cradle book to look forward to aswell, the drought is over :D


  • Options
    #7340
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,988 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    * "The Knight's Shadow" by Sebastian de Castell, book 2 in his Greatcoats series. It's a good series so far and it's nice to see a lead character who is genuinely a good person, even when going through some very dark moments. There's a lot of sharp wit at times and the pacing is solid. The plot and world building aren't particularly original - basically feuding over control of a kingdom - but it was well enough told that it didn't matter.

    * "God of Broken Things" by Camerson Johnston, the second book in his 'Age of Tyranny' duology. Grimdark, anti-hero fantasy the sequel sets out to visit a very obviously based Scottish culture (the author's Scottish) going up against some fierce demonic forces, reminding me a bit of some manga/animé. There's not a huge amount of depth here but Johnston's very good at keeping the action going - lots of bloodied battles and violence. A criticism might be that the speed is so fast there's no time to develop the world - it's almost the opposite of the Tad William's book "Empire of Grass" that I read. More of a popcorn meal than anything, but nothing wrong with that now and then.

    * "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke. Agreeing with the reviews, it's best to go into this one cold - knowing only that it's in the first person where the narrator lives in a series of interconnected halls, empty of life but for statues. The mystery is interesting and Clarke's got some very strong prose. Reminded me a bit of something China Mieville might right - it's a sort of new weird fairy tale. It's quite unusual and very good.


  • Options
    #7341
    The White Feather
    Registered Users Posts: 5,398 ✭✭✭The White Feather


    The White Feather wrote: »
    OK, now finished House of Chains and Midnight Tides. Halfway through the Malazan series.

    Great reads and glad I started them!!

    Still working away on the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

    Finished both The Bonehunters and Reapers Gale. Long but fun reads!

    Next up is the 8th book "Toll the Hounds" *Deep breath* :pac:


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7342
    Glebee
    Registered Users Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Glebee


    The White Feather wrote: »
    Still working away on the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

    Finished both The Bonehunters and Reapers Gale. Long but fun reads!

    Next up is the 8th book "Toll the Hounds" *Deep breath* :pac:

    Still on House of Chains, 60% through.:(
    Definitely not as baffling as previous books but I still have those wtf was that moments as the book progressed. I keep saying "thats it, im finished with malazan after this one', but Midnight Tides was 99p on Amazon last week so I bought it. I think they really need to be read one after the other as I usually end up breaking and find myself forgetting sections of the previous book when I go back again. Im guessing if I have an 90% idea of whats going on over the entire series so far im doing well.


  • Options
    #7343
    alchemist33
    Registered Users Posts: 10,969 ✭✭✭✭alchemist33


    I went retro and am halfway though Flowers For Algernon. It's everything people said it is, a stunning read.


  • Options
    #7344
    Gary kk
    Registered Users Posts: 675 ✭✭✭Gary kk


    Just finished The Foundation series it's good.

    Started Rama series it's also appears to to be well written.


  • Options
    #7345
    Igotadose
    Registered Users Posts: 12,966 ✭✭✭✭Igotadose


    ixoy wrote: »
    * "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke. Agreeing with the reviews, it's best to go into this one cold - knowing only that it's in the first person where the narrator lives in a series of interconnected halls, empty of life but for statues. The mystery is interesting and Clarke's got some very strong prose. Reminded me a bit of something China Mieville might right - it's a sort of new weird fairy tale. It's quite unusual and very good.

    TBF herself and I, huge Strange/Norrell fans, were both disappointed in Piranesi. Clarke was seriously ill for a number of years and was working on Piranese then. Definitely not as brilliant as Strange/Norrell.

    BTW the BBC adaptation of Strange/Norrell was one of our great lockdown binges. What a beautifully imagined show, great artwork and fine performances. The DVD's should be available at your local Ireland library once they reopen.


  • Options
    #7346
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,708 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    Igotadose wrote: »
    TBF herself and I, huge Strange/Norrell fans, were both disappointed in Piranesi. Clarke was seriously ill for a number of years and was working on Piranese then. Definitely not as brilliant as Strange/Norrell.

    BTW the BBC adaptation of Strange/Norrell was one of our great lockdown binges. What a beautifully imagined show, great artwork and fine performances. The DVD's should be available at your local Ireland library once they reopen.

    Just finished listening to Strange/Norrell on audible and was found it very disappointing, bordering on tedious even. I struggled to empathise with, or believe in, any of the main characters. That said, I could see it working far better as a show for those who enjoy period drama in a Bridgerton meets Harry Potter kind of way. I was actually going to go for Perenesi first but saw the strong reviews for Strange/Norrell and picked that instead. I seem to be the exception with this book in that the bulk of the reviews are very positive.


  • Options
    #7347
    Igotadose
    Registered Users Posts: 12,966 ✭✭✭✭Igotadose


    smacl wrote: »
    Just finished listening to Strange/Norrell on audible and was found it very disappointing, bordering on tedious even. I struggled to empathise with, or believe in, any of the main characters. That said, I could see it working far better as a show for those who enjoy period drama in a Bridgerton meets Harry Potter kind of way. I was actually going to go for Perenesi first but saw the strong reviews for Strange/Norrell and picked that instead. I seem to be the exception with this book in that the bulk of the reviews are very positive.

    Another possibility was the audiobook version just wasn't so great. It was a brilliant read, couldn't put it down. And far more than a 'harry potter meets bridgerton,' imo the 'villain' in the book is one of the most terrifying monsters I've ever read in fiction.

    Anyway, to each their own. Currently reading that free Kindle download of the Asian kids meet space-Angels, whatever it's called again. Very light reading, the one that was mentioned here.


  • Options
    #7348
    Fian
    Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭Fian


    Glebee wrote: »
    Still on House of Chains, 60% through.:(
    Definitely not as baffling as previous books but I still have those wtf was that moments as the book progressed. I keep saying "thats it, im finished with malazan after this one', but Midnight Tides was 99p on Amazon last week so I bought it. I think they really need to be read one after the other as I usually end up breaking and find myself forgetting sections of the previous book when I go back again. Im guessing if I have an 90% idea of whats going on over the entire series so far im doing well.

    I had to read this series twice to manage to absorb it tbh. Great series I love it.

    Another tool I found useful to dip into, especially if you have taken a break between books, is the tor re-read series. That explained some connections I think I would have missed. I have an unfortunate habit of reading too quickly, without taking the time to really appreciate/enjoy/think about what I am reading, probably because I am used to doing that in work where sometimes I need to get the gist of a lot of information quickly.

    https://www.tor.com/series/malazan-reread-of-the-fallen/


  • Options
    #7349
    Glebee
    Registered Users Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Glebee


    Fian wrote: »
    I had to read this series twice to manage to absorb it tbh. Great series I love it.

    Another tool I found useful to dip into, especially if you have taken a break between books, is the tor re-read series. That explained some connections I think I would have missed. I have an unfortunate habit of reading too quickly, without taking the time to really appreciate/enjoy/think about what I am reading, probably because I am used to doing that in work where sometimes I need to get the gist of a lot of information quickly.

    https://www.tor.com/series/malazan-reread-of-the-fallen/

    Ive been using that alright, it just irks me a bit that Ive read the book, now I have to read something else to help me understand what I just read.:D Sometime actually soon after ive read the original book...


  • Options
    #7350
    fenris
    Registered Users Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭fenris


    That is one of the nice things about the Malazan books, you get a lot more out of a reread, I normally just read through on the first reading without trying to get all of the sub texts in the knowledge that they are the dessert for when I come back through again!

    The audiobooks are a great way to do rereads before diving into the next paper version, the mix in media sometimes lets you link together bits that you may have missed and sometimes just leads you down the wrong path and lines you up to be smashed right in the feels.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7351
    ednwireland
    Registered Users Posts: 14,291 ✭✭✭✭ednwireland


    thieves world , bought the 3rd book many many years ago just had 1 and 2 delivered 2nd hand from USA

    My weather

    https://www.ecowitt.net/home/share?authorize=96CT1F



Advertisement