What Are You Reading?

06-06-2011 06:44PM

I started on the Culture series. I was utterly shocked at how bad Consider Phlebas was and I skim-read it after I passed the 60% mark. I bought it together with The Player of Games and Use of Weapons though so I didn't abandon the series at that point.

I'm really glad I persevered because TPOG was much much better and Use of Weapons is better still.

mcgovern · 07-06-2011 09:57AM

Finished Imperial Earth which was only average.
Now onto A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow, only a few chapters in but hoping the pace will pick up soon.

Voodoo_rasher · 07-06-2011 10:02AM

1/3 of the way through The Strange Land by Hammond Innes (Fontana Books 1964). Next up, Timeline by M Crichton.

CiaranC · 07-06-2011 10:06AM

Started Embassytown by China Mieville, but put it down after finding the text too obscure and annoying.

Started A Clash Of Kings now. Finding it difficult to keep up with the massive cast. Think Im getting old, might have to go back to the famous five at this rate.

ixoy · 07-06-2011 09:34PM

Just started "The Dragon Keeper" by Robin Hobb, the first book in "The Rain Wild Chronicles". Pretty much know what to expect - traditional fantasy that's well written.

CiaranC wrote: »

Started Embassytown by China Mieville, but put it down after finding the text too obscure and annoying.

Ah but it is about communication! I think it really pays off as you begin to unravel the terms like "cleaved" etc much the way it did with Neal Stephenson's "Anathem". Not the most accessible novel, I'll grant you that but then his books rarely are.

JD1763 · 09-06-2011 07:36AM

Just started the Bonehunters. Managed to stick with Midnight Tides with the encouragement on this thread and it did pick up nicely towards the end.

Ordered Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy last week, have heard good things about it, and the Book Transformations which is the third in Mark Charan Newtons Red Sun series. Standard fantasy fare but a nice read nonetheless.

09-06-2011 08:52AM

Finally forced my way through "shadowmarch" by Williams, won't be reading the next one.
Finished "the wind up girl" as well, very well written and enjoyable. Strange getting used to writing in the present tense.

Reading http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Darkness_That_Comes_Before now, good so far!

JD1763 · 09-06-2011 11:59AM

Paolo Bagicalupi has new book out called Shipbreaker its on the shelf at the minute but the Wind Up Girl bodes well for it.

Zapp Brannigan · 09-06-2011 03:46PM

Started my reread of the Malazan series so I can finish the series.

Currently on "Gardens of the Moon". Love it.

pH · 09-06-2011 03:49PM

Finished Gardens of the Moon (Erickson - Malazan I), hated every bit of it, started book 2, but I've had enough. I guess I can see what some people see in it, but I found nothing in it to enjoy

Zapp Brannigan · 10-06-2011 12:31AM

pH wrote: »

Finished Gardens of the Moon (Erickson - Malazan I), hated every bit of it, started book 2, but I've had enough. I guess I can see what some people see in it, but I found nothing in it to enjoy

Shame. However, each to his own.

Playboy · 11-06-2011 11:51AM

Just finished the second book of the First Law triology and about to start the third. Really loving the series so far... Abercrombie writes fantastic Battle scenes!

Sarky · 12-06-2011 12:25AM

On a friend's recommendation I decided to give The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch a try. Maybe 50 pages in now.

It's probably not going to set the world alight, but I'm finding it very enjoyable. Easy to read, and damned funny in places. Puts me in mind of a fantasy version of David Gunn's Death's Head series.

Zapp Brannigan · 12-06-2011 01:29AM

Sarky wrote: »

On a friend's recommendation I decided to give The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch a try. Maybe 50 pages in now.

It's probably not going to set the world alight, but I'm finding it very enjoyable. Easy to read, and damned funny in places. Puts me in mind of a fantasy version of David Gunn's Death's Head series.

I really like Lynch as an author. Clever story telling and as you say he's a funny guy.

There was one bit when Locke meets a wizard that had me laugh out loud while I read it.

TwoShedsJackson · 12-06-2011 08:49AM

Sarky wrote: »

On a friend's recommendation I decided to give The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch a try. Maybe 50 pages in now.

It's probably not going to set the world alight, but I'm finding it very enjoyable. Easy to read, and damned funny in places. Puts me in mind of a fantasy version of David Gunn's Death's Head series.

You're really only at the scene-setting stage now anyway, it picks up a lot as it goes on, great book.

.Ellie. · 12-06-2011 10:31AM

Sarky wrote: »

On a friend's recommendation I decided to give The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch a try. Maybe 50 pages in now.
.

Possibly one the best series I've read. Can't wait for the next installmentThe Republic of Thieves

... When they decide to release it.

ixoy · 12-06-2011 11:24AM

.Ellie. wrote: »

Possibly one the best series I've read. Can't wait for the next installmentThe Republic of Thieves

... When they decide to release it.

Last I heard the book was delayed due to personal circumstances in Lynch's life. It seems he suffered a number of events that means the book will be a long time coming.

Black Sheep · 12-06-2011 01:07PM

Finished 'A feast for crows', bringing me up to speed with 'A song of fire and ice'. Still enjoying it, no complaints. It's a shame to see some characters depart, but equally many of the new plotlines and viewpoints are compelling enough in their own right. As far as the nuts and bolts of how it will all come together to wind down in coming books... I think Martin has laid out the general bones of it now?

One aspect of it I do regret is his introduction of prophecy as a central point of the narrative. It takes away from the sense of realpolitik , randomness and sudden death (even for important characters) that permeated the earlier books.

Starting on 'The Passage' now. Enjoyable enough so far, I'm curious as to whether the hype is justified.

mcgovern · 13-06-2011 09:59AM

Flew through Steel & Snow, probably not as good as the previous two, but still very good. Now reading Evolutionary Void, about 50 pages in and struggling to remember who all the characters are.

ixoy · 13-06-2011 10:47AM

Started Glen Cook's "Black Company". Only 25 pages in and can already see how it inspired Stephen Erikson's work with the Malazans.

Sarky · 13-06-2011 12:01PM

Oh, the Black Company is fun. I like how he almost skims over battles, it's a nice change from describing a duel half-step by half-step. No, with Glen Cook a bunch of guys get ambushed, then a wizard throws a sack full of bees at them, and suddenly it's 3 months later and they're doing something else.

Maybe halfway through The Lies of Locke Lamora now, and yeah, it's a very enjoyable read. I'll be getting the next book for sure.

5live · 14-06-2011 04:47PM

.Ellie. wrote: »

Possibly one the best series I've read. Can't wait for the next installmentThe Republic of Thieves

... When they decide to release it.

Is'nt 'Red seas under red skies' the sequel

.

I found it a difficult book to read as i found it too.... fantastical??? Maybe i just like my fantasy more grounded with less magic and divine interventions like in the first book.

But i found it a better version of Brent Weeks 'The Night Angel Trilogy'

Zapp Brannigan · 14-06-2011 07:37PM

5live wrote: »

Is'nt 'Red seas under red skies' the sequel.

Yup, but 'Republic..' is the next one after that.

AnCapaillMor · 15-06-2011 09:48AM

Ok finally finally finished my WOT 2nd read through, said it before and will say it again, it makes so much sense 2nd time around, you pick up on a lot more.

So anyways debating whether to start Sandersons mistborn , or K J Andsersons Terra Incognita stuff.

meditraitor · 15-06-2011 10:33AM

The cronicles of Amber omnibus(Zelazny), about 100 pages in..... Better than I expected, quite an enjoyable and easy read

5live · 15-06-2011 12:14PM

About 200 pages into 'Clash of Kings' GRR Martin and its way better the second time.

And looking forward to 'the Last 4 Things' by Paul Hoffman. 'The Left Hand Of God' was really enjoyable but not sure if i should be posting this in the religion section

majessticon · 15-06-2011 09:05PM

I'm about ninety pages into The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and I am already in love with it.

TwoShedsJackson · 16-06-2011 09:27AM

5live wrote: »

About 200 pages into 'Clash of Kings' GRR Martin and its way better the second time.

And looking forward to 'the Last 4 Things' by Paul Hoffman. 'The Left Hand Of God' was really enjoyable but not sure if i should be posting this in the religion section

'The Last Four Things' is good, a lot of people don't like Hoffman's style but I liked it a lot. The fact that one of the main villain's name is Bosco does tend to take me out of it from time to time

Demeyes · 16-06-2011 05:44PM

I finished the Dark Toewr recently. I thought it was really good but when it dipped it was a real slog to get through. Right now I'm starting a re-read of The Hobbit, I heard some talk of the film and had it close to hand so I just started it again.
I'm not sure what I'm going to read after that, I have a few books bought that I might read. I'm thinking of the Mistborn stuff, The Black Company, Hitchhikers guide or else I might read some sci-fi books I have. I'm a bit reluctant to read anything too long or heavy though after some of the last few series I've been reading.

19-06-2011 04:48PM

Playboy wrote: »

Yes I have read them. This triolgy is a direct continuation of that story ... its just set a few years in the future and with many of the same characters.

The Prince of Nothing series is one of my all time favourite fantasy series. I love Bakker's style. Its quite different to a lot of fantasy in a sense as there is a lot of metaphysical philosophical musing by the author. This is because he was doing a Phd in philosophy when writing it. Its very dark .. much a like a greek tragedy in parts.

I am reading "the darkness that comes before" at the moment, and I love the musing. It's brilliant. Great book.
Reading Hamilton night's dawn book 3 again as well, old favourite

:)

What Are You Reading?

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