What Are You Reading?

Surion · 21-06-2011 06:25AM

Elves - once walked with gods

Crappish.

ixoy · 21-06-2011 08:42AM

"No Present Like Time" by Steph Swainston, the second book in her Castle trilogy. Enjoyable so far and I like the premise of an immortal meritocracy.

anonymous_joe · 23-06-2011 10:23PM

Rereading all of the A Song of Ice and Fire books in preperation for Dance, and reading some Joe Abercrombie as well.

5live · 24-06-2011 09:17AM

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Rereading all of the A Song of Ice and Fire books in preperation for Dance, and reading some Joe Abercrombie as well.

Yup. And finding GRRM much better the second time round:)

RP Mc murphy · 24-06-2011 09:23AM

Currently on Stephen Kings Dark Tower book 4, this ones quite good and hasnt dipped for me yet, but theres another couple of books to go 3 perhaps?

Black Sheep · 24-06-2011 08:22PM

Re: The Dark Tower .. I think the weakest of the series is the first book (I believe King may have acknowledged this himself - arguing that it was an early novel. I think he re-edited even in a recent reprint). For me 'Wizard and Glass' was probably a high point alright... Some of the coolest set-pieces in the whole series, pitting Roland and company against the Big Coffin Hunters. As far as the more recent books completing the series are concerned: I liked them. I think they're at least as strong as the first two books in the series, and part of their appeal is that you're getting to see the final arc of a series that a lot of people never believed would ever be completed in the first place.

Finsihed 'The Passage' by Justin Cronin. I felt it was long enough that the narrative inevitably dipped in parts ... Also possibly related to the choppy chronology of events - the author skips forward in time at some key points. That said, some super concepts and very nicely written. It has the feel of one of those 'great american novels' in parts and the scope of it reminded me, in parts, of stuff like 'Moby Dick' and 'The Wizard of Oz' (seriously).

After that I polished off a re-read of Roger Zelazny's 'Lord of Light' in about two days. 300 pages of sheer SF perfection. This is a face-melter of classic SF, if you haven't read it you owe it to yourself to get down to Chapters and buy a copy of the Gollancz Masterworks print for 5 euro. It's set on a planet which appears to be populated by humans lorded over by the Hindu pantheon. Into this milleu appears the rebellious Matsamahatman - who prefers to be known as Sam - and may or may not be the Buddha. It's a novel whose premise draws heavily on the Asminov notion that any sufficiently advanced science may be indistinguishable from magic to a savage. These 'gods' are of course more like slum landlords possessed of advanced technology rather than actual deities, but Zelazny manages to convey that while simultaneously writing about the ensuing struggle for freedom as if he really is writing a mythic cycle.

Got John Gardner's 'Grendel' for tomorrow - I'm flying to Chicago and anticipate that this will get me across the Atlantic at least.

AnCapaillMor · 27-06-2011 09:05AM

Finished mistborn 1 and about a 3rd of the way into the 2nd one. I like it, don't know what it is about sanderson but i like his style of writing, there's never really any boring\quiet bits in his books, there's always something happening.

mcgovern · 29-06-2011 03:10PM

Evolutionary Void was ok, but very confusing, mainly since it was so long since I read the previous two books, and the previous series, so only vague idea's of who was who, where, and why.
Also felt the ending was rather rushed

Just started Singularity Sky by Charles Stross, my first time reading him, not sure what to make of it yet.

ixoy · 29-06-2011 03:20PM

mcgovern wrote: »

Just started Singularity Sky by Charles Stross, my first time reading him, not sure what to make of it yet.

Not my favourite of his works. I'd recommend "Glasshouse" over it - thought it was excellent. Also "Accelerando", although it's a very condensed novel it does look at the concept of the Singularity and is very inventive.

If you're into computers then have a look at "Halting State". It's one of the only novels where they use traceroute, digital certificates, etc in an interesting way. There's a sequel to it ("Rule 34") out next month.

TwoShedsJackson · 29-06-2011 03:43PM

ixoy wrote: »

Also "Accelerando", although it's a very condensed novel it does look at the concept of the Singularity and is very inventive.

If you're into computers then have a look at "Halting State". It's one of the only novels where they use traceroute, digital certificates, etc in an interesting way. There's a sequel to it ("Rule 34") out next month.

I only got about forty pages into 'Accelerando' and about 60 into 'Halting State', his writing style particularly in 'Accelerando' drove me mad.

On the other hand I do like his Merchant Family series so I guess his hi-tech stuff is not for me.

29-06-2011 04:01PM

mcgovern wrote: »

Just started Singularity Sky by Charles Stross, my first time reading him, not sure what to make of it yet.

I balked at this book initially but I went back to it a couple of years later. I'm really glad I did because it does pick up and grabs you after a while.

I've read all of Stross' work apart from Scratch Monkey and Glasshouse. Currently reading Accelerando at the moment but not liking it too much although it has some interesting ideas. My favourite series are the Laundry novels though, they combine spy thriller and the occult.

Halting State was a fun read, would also recommend that one.

mcgovern · 30-06-2011 11:50AM

Now that I think about it, I have read Accelerando before. I think my thoughts on it were the same as a few others here, had some great idea's, but not the best novel.
Singularity Sky, so far, seems easier to read but waiting for the story to get going.

meditraitor · 01-07-2011 10:40AM

Just finished the Shadow Prowler by alexy peyov.... a very enjoyable read. recommeded for a bit of good old fashioned fantasy.

Starting The Circle Trilogy (black) by Ted dekker, bit of a slow burner, bats and sh1t but I will give it another 100 pages....

pH · 01-07-2011 11:42AM

Finished The Windup Girl

Set in Thailand, long after peak-oil as been passed, it tells the story of a ruined world, where crops are attacked by genetically modified diseases, plagues run riot and access to the crops that are still viable is controlled by the calorie Companies.

There was so much about this book that I should have hated, the characters, the theme, the ending, and yet I thought it was wonderful, poignant even, very thoughtful and beautifully written.

Highly recommended.

Frank Black · 01-07-2011 11:44AM

About 2/3's of the way through 'The Postman' at the moment.
Enjoying it a lot.

JD1763 · 01-07-2011 12:16PM

Picked up Jack Cloudie by Stephen Hunt, The Immorality Engine by George Mann and Flashback by Dan Simmons today.

Really like Stephen Hunts books and writing style. The setting, characters and stories have always been page turners for me. Rise of the Iron Moon did get a little wierd but overall it was good. Its a real pity the cover style on the books has become americanised though. His older books, The Court of the Air through to Secrets of the Fire Sea had perfect, simple artwork on them and looked great next to each other on the shelf. The new one is going to stand out like a sore thumb.

George Mann is also one of my regular picks, apart from the great covers on his books, the victorian setting and sherlock holmes type characters is a nice piece of diversionary reading when you need a break from some of the heavier books.

Dan Simmons - don't really need to say anymore than that

Dades · 01-07-2011 01:49PM

Reading Iain M Banks' Surface Detail at the moment.

Liking it, too.

Nodin · 01-07-2011 08:36PM

black francis wrote: »

About 2/3's of the way through 'The Postman' at the moment.
Enjoying it a lot.

...don't go near the movie.

Shryke · 01-07-2011 09:18PM

Finished Revelation Space and now reading Surface Detail (also!)

Johnny Storm · 02-07-2011 08:32AM

Dades wrote: »

Reading Iain M Banks' Surface Detail at the moment.

Liking it, too.

Me too.
Viva BookDepository!
I notice an increasing "hitchhikers guide to the galaxy" type tone in some of Banks writing?

Johnny Storm · 02-07-2011 08:36AM

Shryke wrote: »

Finished Revelation Space and now reading Surface Detail (also!)

As I read the early parts of it, I thought Revelation Space was one of the best SF books I'd ever read (I had zero expectations). Its a very (very) good book but perhaps didn't just quite live up to it's early promise, IMHO.

mikedone · 03-07-2011 12:25AM

Just finished Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes and was dreadfully disappointed. Loved the First Law trilogy and Best Served Cold but this just left me cold, maybe if he hadn't set the bar so high then I would have enjoyed it more.

Dades · 04-07-2011 10:02AM

Johnny Storm wrote: »

I notice an increasing "hitchhikers guide to the galaxy" type tone in some of Banks writing?

Hmmm, maybe. Perhaps some of the Minds are starting to act like some of the AI in the HHGTG.

As long as the elevators don't start talking back.

ixoy · 04-07-2011 10:21AM

Currently reading 'The Clan Corporate ' by Charles Stross. It's the third book in his Merchant Princess series. Enjoyable enough but a bit slow given I'm a third of the way through.

mcgovern · 04-07-2011 10:57AM

pH wrote: »

Finished The Windup Girl

Set in Thailand, long after peak-oil as been passed, it tells the story of a ruined world, where crops are attacked by genetically modified diseases, plagues run riot and access to the crops that are still viable is controlled by the calorie Companies.

There was so much about this book that I should have hated, the characters, the theme, the ending, and yet I thought it was wonderful, poignant even, very thoughtful and beautifully written.

Highly recommended.

If you liked that, he has a short story in what sounds like the same universe called Yellow Card Man. Its in the Years Best Sci-Fi 24th Edition.

Shryke · 04-07-2011 11:47AM

Johnny Storm wrote: »

As I read the early parts of it, I thought Revelation Space was one of the best SF books I'd ever read (I had zero expectations). Its a very (very) good book but perhaps didn't just quite live up to it's early promise, IMHO.

I thought it was great the whole way through, although the very end fizzled a bit as he seemed to just throw some cool ideas in at the end which made it feel less thought out.
Terminal World by the same is very good and doesn't disappoint if you want to give Reynolds another go!

Goldstein · 06-07-2011 05:12PM

Had to take a break from Brunner's Stand on Zanzibar after the 2nd unsuccessful attempt to make it through. Hadn't had such a painful trawl through a book since The Silmarillion.

So gave Scalzi's Old Man's War a go instead. Flew through it, great stuff reminicent of The Forever War/Starship Troopers/Armor/Ender's Game. Halfway through Ghost Brigades now and it's just as enjoyable. Plan on continuing with them now through to the end of Zoe's Tale.

06-07-2011 10:54PM

Goldstein wrote: »

Had to take a break from Brunner's Stand on Zanzibar after the 2nd unsuccessful attempt to make it through. Hadn't had such a painful trawl through a book since The Silmarillion.

So gave Scalzi's Old Man's War a go instead. Flew through it, great stuff reminicent of The Forever War/Starship Troopers/Armor/Ender's Game. Halfway through Ghost Brigades now and it's just as enjoyable. Plan on continuing with them now through to the end of Zoe's Tale.

Zanzibar is on my todo list, your comment worries me

The last book that I had to put down was lord of light.

The OMW series is good but it tapers off sharply in Zoe's tale. Scalzi needs to stick a decent novel out, fuzzy nation was a bit meh and it was just a "reboot". I'm fearing he may be a one trick pony.

Currently reading rule 34 by Charles Stross. There's a writer who's actually progressing with time. Loving it so far.

Macca3000 · 07-07-2011 08:43AM

Just started Jow Abercrombie's First Law trilogy. About 40 through The Blade Itself and absolutely loving it. Glockta, Jezal, Logen, you should really hate them but they are totally compelling and I've found myself rooting for them which has me questioning my principles

Can't wait to finish this and start straight into Before they are Hanged.

AnCapaillMor · 07-07-2011 09:49AM

You picked well, a very good book series, some crackng characters in it.

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