What Are You Reading?

Fian · 11-09-2020 10:02am

I read "the summer tree" first book in "finnovar tapestry" by Guy Gavriel Kay. ~Now reading the second book in trilogy.

quite different from his other works. I think I prefer the others - which are "alternate history" more than fantasy - they are fantasy but very light on the magical elements, to the point that anything portrayed as magic could generally (not always) have a rational explanation.

These are high fantasy, with dwarves, elves, gods, a big bad and are essentially another version of "the lord of the rings" - though with some characters magically transported from our world.

It has been decades probably since I read something in that style. Not my favorite style anymore but these are well written, I have a queue of books in my "to read" list but I will most likely go straight on to the third book when i finish this one.

I should say that guy gavriel Kay is definitely one of my favorite authors.

11-09-2020 2:24pm

bluewolf wrote: »

have just got "unsouled" by Will Wight to give a go.

This is brilliant - read it and the second one so far. very un-put-down-able. Woudln't call it a grand epic and the books are shortish - I think 277 pages on book 2 - but i love the setting and the worldbuilding going on, and the mix of fantasy & scifi

Thargor · 11-09-2020 2:53pm

Reading Reamde after being so impressed by Seveneves and Anathaem, always avoided it because I thought it would be pure cringe like whenever anyone tries to write about gamer 'culture' but I'm liking it so far.

Igotadose · 11-09-2020 5:03pm

Thargor wrote: »

Reading Reamde after being so impressed by Seveneves and Anathaem, always avoided it because I thought it would be pure cringe like whenever anyone tries to write about gamer 'culture' but I'm liking it so far.

Reamde was great imo. The sequel "Dodge, in Hell" not so great.

ixoy · 11-09-2020 8:01pm

Finished 'Exile' by R.A. Salvatore, the second in his 'The Legend of Dizzt' trilogy. Old school fantasy with a good few tropes and a strong Goth-type vibe. Easy read, nothing special and works as a nice cleanser while reading other books.

Also 'Doors of Eden' by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This one features parallel earths where evolution went down a different road. It's contemporary, unlike most of his works, and has a bit more of a thriller vibe to start with, with the evolutionary alternatives told in interludes. Characters are decent, although the villain is a little 1D. It starts to come together a lot more in the second half and finishes strongly (with room for a sequel). It's not in the "Children of.." quality for me but damn enjoyable, as usual.
As an aside, he's prolific enough now to have three books available for order that are all due for release early 2021...

Glebee · 11-09-2020 9:22pm

ixoy wrote: »

Finished 'Exile' by R.A. Salvatore, the second in his 'The Legend of Dizzt' trilogy. Old school fantasy with a good few tropes and a strong Goth-type vibe. Easy read, nothing special and works as a nice cleanser while reading other books.

Also 'Doors of Eden' by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This one features parallel earths where evolution went down a different road. It's contemporary, unlike most of his works, and has a bit more of a thriller vibe to start with, with the evolutionary alternatives told in interludes. Characters are decent, although the villain is a little 1D. It starts to come together a lot more in the second half and finishes strongly (with room for a sequel). It's not in the "Children of.." quality for me but damn enjoyable, as usual.
As an aside, he's prolific enough now to have three books available for order that are all due for release early 2021...

Im half way through the next in the trilogy "Sojourn". Nothing special, just very easy reading.

ixoy · 11-09-2020 9:36pm

Glebee wrote: »

Im half way through the next in the trilogy "Sojourn". Nothing special, just very easy reading.

Did you pick it up with a Humble Bundle out of curiosity?

Glebee · 11-09-2020 10:18pm

ixoy wrote: »

Did you pick it up with a Humble Bundle out of curiosity?

Yes, always been meaning to read some forgotten realms books for ages.

Thargor · 11-09-2020 10:50pm

Oh yeah I read Max Brooks Bigfoot new one aswell, thought it was a total dud tbh.

Igotadose · 18-09-2020 12:11pm

Just finished "Four Roads Cross" by Max Gladstone. Not bad, I kind of like stories where Lawyers are the villains

Now starting "Walking to Aldebaran" by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

BTW, RIP Terry Goodkind. "Wizards First Rule" was an amazing read. The subsequent novels I thought ran out of steam, I read two or three of them then gave up.

https://www.tor.com/2020/09/17/terry-goodkind-sword-of-truth-wizards-first-rule-death-obituary/

Nody · 18-09-2020 2:00pm

Igotadose wrote: »

Just finished "Four Roads Cross" by Max Gladstone. Not bad, I kind of like stories where Lawyers are the villains
Now starting "Walking to Aldebaran" by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

BTW, RIP Terry Goodkind. "Wizards First Rule" was an amazing read. The subsequent novels I thought ran out of steam, I read two or three of them then gave up.

which eventually numbered 21 installments

How?! Beyond the fact that clearly he took 911 very personally (you can see the point in his books and the tone changes completely) I read through to book 6 or 7 when the story wrapped up. I honestly can't see how the heck this would extend into 21 books...

fenris · 21-09-2020 12:42pm

I am enjoying the latest Abercrombie - The Trouble With Peace, some fabulously twisted characters!

Hero777 · 21-09-2020 12:46pm

Absolutely loving the Frontlines series by Marko Kloos at the moment - jumping from Audiobook to e reader

Paddy Samurai · 30-09-2020 3:21pm

Finished Chasing Graves by Ben Galley.I liked it enough to order part 2 & 3 before reaching half way.

Currently about 30 % through The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie and loving it.A real page turner for me.

fenris · 30-09-2020 4:41pm

Finished The Trouble with Peace just in time to get stuck into Battle Ground - By Jim Butcher, the latest Dresden Files, this is a good week to have crap weather!!!

Thargor · 30-09-2020 5:02pm

Finished Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchikovsky. It was... okay I suppose? Very bland compared to his other stuff. I dont understand why he made the armies so small in it tbh, it was all a bit forgettable...

Thargor · 30-09-2020 11:52pm

Thargor wrote: »

Finished Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchikovsky. It was... okay I suppose? Very bland compared to his other stuff. I dont understand why he made the armies so small in it tbh, it was all a bit forgettable...

Looks like hes got a new one btw, The Doors of Eden:

https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/adrian-tchaikovsky/the-doors-of-eden/9781509865888

Thargor · 01-10-2020 9:36am

Moved on to the Calculating Stars, was worried it was going to be a bit "Girls can do science too!!!" but it's not like that at all, it's great so far.

keane2097 · 01-10-2020 9:44am

fenris wrote: »

Finished The Trouble with Peace just in time to get stuck into Battle Ground - By Jim Butcher, the latest Dresden Files, this is a good week to have crap weather!!!

Man I hope it's better than the last one.

Igotadose · 01-10-2020 9:56am

Reading "Ball Lightning" by Qixin Liu. Definitely the same writer as the Three Body Problem series, but better written imho, a bit more 'lyrical' for want of a good word. Somewhat slow so far (about 1/2 through).

Finished "Walking to Aldebaran" (cute) and "Made Things" (better than Walking to Aldebaran) by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Also "The Angelus Guns" by Max Gladstone. Thought that last one was pretty weak. All three are novellas, quick reads.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 01-10-2020 7:19pm

Reading The City by Stella Gemmell. I left it last year but bought it on Kindle on sale so I went at it again. Enjoying it much more this time, I must admit.

I left Gardens of the Moon after getting about half way. Someone please tell me that Kruppe has some function in the story other than to annoy me?:(

Does he play a big part or can I just skip his chapters without losing much of the plot?

keane2097 · 01-10-2020 8:18pm

Buford T. Justice XIX wrote: »

Reading The City by Stella Gemmell. I left it last year but bought it on Kindle on sale so I went at it again. Enjoying it much more this time, I must admit.

I left Gardens of the Moon after getting about half way. Someone please tell me that Kruppe has some function in the story other than to annoy me?:(

Does he play a big part or can I just skip his chapters without losing much of the plot?

He's important and you'll come to love him.

Thargor · 03-10-2020 8:09pm

Thargor wrote: »

Moved on to the Calculating Stars, was worried it was going to be a bit "Girls can do science too!!!" but it's not like that at all, it's great so far.

Ugh, turns out it is like that, quality has dropped off a good bit as this goes on.

Nody · 04-10-2020 12:22pm

Finished The Last Mortal Bond by Brian Staveley, third book in the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne (fourth book due in July apparently). Strongly recommend the series, unique world, world history and god system with a very fast moving pace. The only complaint I have is the fact they are juggling multiple parallel story lines and it takes a while to get the connections going between them all.

07-10-2020 2:04pm

number 1 best seller out yesterday
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wintersteel-Cradle-Book-Will-Wight-ebook/dp/B08JMF22F2

it's an excellent series and that was the best book yet

ixoy · 07-10-2020 2:14pm

bluewolf wrote: »

number 1 best seller out yesterday
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wintersteel-Cradle-Book-Will-Wight-ebook/dp/B08JMF22F2

it's an excellent series and that was the best book yet

Books 1-7 are *free* today. I've read the first two so far and enjoyed them.

Glebee · 07-10-2020 2:27pm

Im always turned off by books that are available on Kindleunlimited for some reason.

RMDrive · 07-10-2020 3:18pm

bluewolf wrote: »

number 1 best seller out yesterday
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wintersteel-Cradle-Book-Will-Wight-ebook/dp/B08JMF22F2

it's an excellent series and that was the best book yet

Just bought all 8 for £5.80. Thanks!

Blowfish · 07-10-2020 7:59pm

bluewolf wrote: »

number 1 best seller out yesterday
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wintersteel-Cradle-Book-Will-Wight-ebook/dp/B08JMF22F2

it's an excellent series and that was the best book yet

ixoy wrote: »

Books 1-7 are *free* today. I've read the first two so far and enjoyed them.

Excellent, cheers. Was looking for something to dig into without spending loads so that'll keep me going for a bit.

Manach · 10-10-2020 8:50pm

Book 17, Battle Ground, of the Dresden files. A welcome return to form and an entertainng read.

Thargor · 10-10-2020 9:13pm

Finally dragged my way through the Calculating Stars, hated it. Absolutely despised the main character.

Theres this disease among American writers at the minute especially in sci-fi/fantasy where the barriers to entry seem to be lower where they reuse the same character over and over again, its hard to articulate but its a kind of pompous, smug, self-righteous type. I cant really explain it but The Martian would be its purest form... Boring cnuts overcoming the odds type thing. You see it over and over again these days and its really grating.

ixoy · 11-10-2020 6:18pm

Read:

'The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet' by Becky Chambers, the first book in her Wayfarers series. Known for being "optimistic sci-fi", it's an enjoyable read, far away from the "grim" end of sci-fi with good, likeable characters - each chapter pretty much focusing on one of them. The world building is nothing outstanding but it's just a "nice" novel, something fairly refreshing these days.

"Stardust" by Neil Gaiman. I'm not overly enthused by Gaiman - 'American Gods' is one of the most over-rated books I've read - but I think he works much better in smaller shorter form. This is written as a dark fairy tale and it largely works. The film adaptation is, by and large, a good example of how to adapt a novel suitable for the film medium.

'The Witchwood Crown' by Tad Williams, the first doorstopper in his 'The Last King of Osten Ard' series. Williams, to me, is a much stronger writer than many of his fantasy peers which, for this, is as well because it's a very slow book (something that could equally be said of the prequel trilogy to this - 'Memory, Sorrow and Thorn'). Very little happens and the world is full of fantasy tropes (by design, and the fact the series is decades old and well before many of the modern series). Characters are solid though and the world is painted well. So a little disappointing whilst still leaving me interested in seeing more.

Thargor · 12-10-2020 4:17pm

Loving those Unsouled/Cradle books, thanks for the tip, pure popcorn stuff like reading the plot to a videogame on Wikipedia but Im tearing through them, on book 3 now...

Igotadose · 15-10-2020 12:59pm

Reading "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke, who previously wrote the awesome "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell."

Piranesi is beautifully written, and seriously weird. It's in the 'can't put it down' phase for me. Highly recommended only 1/3 the way through.

Previously finished "The Emperor's Blades" by Brian Staveley, got it based on the recommendation from this thread. It's eminently o.k., nice easy read some characters who are interesting and clearly have room to grow through the series. Probably will get to book 2 in the series once done with Piranesi, or I might go re-read Strange/Norrell too.

pixelburp · 15-10-2020 1:04pm

Thargor wrote: »

Finally dragged my way through the Calculating Stars, hated it. Absolutely despised the main character.

Theres this disease among American writers at the minute especially in sci-fi/fantasy where the barriers to entry seem to be lower where they reuse the same character over and over again, its hard to articulate but its a kind of pompous, smug, self-righteous type. I cant really explain it but The Martian would be its purest form... Boring cnuts overcoming the odds type thing. You see it over and over again these days and its really grating.

If you want to watch basically the same premise - women thrust into the Astronaut programme during the 1950s or 1960s - then Apple TV's "For All Mankind" got you covered. I've only watched the first 3 or 4 episodes but it's very good. Comes from Ronald D Moore (he of the BSG reboot & Star Trek DS9), and is itself an alternate universe story (minus the meteor). Tells a story where the USSR were the first on the moon, and how NASA adjusts itself to being second and where it goes from there...

keane2097 · 15-10-2020 1:24pm

I'm just after finishing Seveneves which was my first Neal Stephenson book. It was very good. The amount of research he puts in must be insane. Possibly tailed off a tiny bit at the very end but most enjoyable overall. I presume this is at the hard end when people talk about hard sci-fi? It's a genre I seem to enjoy. Any recommendations?

Just started the new Dresden Files book. I was disgusted with the last one. It was just garbage. Like a badly edited fan fiction. I hear this one is much better, but I'm wondering if the spell is broken for me after the last one. A little ways into this one I can't avoid the sense that the series is going around in circles. The sense of fun is gone from it as well as Harry has almost become an angsty teenager archetype. Hopefully this'll win me over as I've really enjoyed the series but I'm a bit concerned basically that the author has run out of road.

Thargor · 15-10-2020 6:16pm

keane2097 wrote: »

I'm just after finishing Seveneves which was my first Neal Stephenson book. It was very good. The amount of research he puts in must be insane. Possibly tailed off a tiny bit at the very end but most enjoyable overall. I presume this is at the hard end when people talk about hard sci-fi? It's a genre I seem to enjoy. Any recommendation.

Get Anathaem by the same author, it's absolutely amazing.

Reg'stoy · 15-10-2020 8:05pm

Reading Isaac Asimov's Foundation series in the reading order that he himself suggested. Big shout out to my local library here in Swords and the service in general as some of the books have come opposite ends of the country.

Got the idea because I had seen the trailer for the apple tv adaptation and so I started with Prelude to Foundation, but I found his suggested reading order online where he says to start off with the complete robot collection.

I definitely think that starting with the robot collection added something to The caves of steel book.

Thargor · 15-10-2020 10:00pm

pixelburp wrote: »

If you want to watch basically the same premise - women thrust into the Astronaut programme during the 1950s or 1960s - then Apple TV's "For All Mankind" got you covered. I've only watched the first 3 or 4 episodes but it's very good. Comes from Ronald D Moore (he of the BSG reboot & Star Trek DS9), and is itself an alternate universe story (minus the meteor). Tells a story where the USSR were the first on the moon, and how NASA adjusts itself to being second and where it goes from there...

Already downloaded and on the pile for ages, starting after I finish my Love/Hate rewatch.

keane2097 · 15-10-2020 11:09pm

Reg'stoy wrote: »

Reading Isaac Asimov's Foundation series in the reading order that he himself suggested. Big shout out to my local library here in Swords and the service in general as some of the books have come opposite ends of the country.

Got the idea because I had seen the trailer for the apple tv adaptation and so I started with Prelude to Foundation, but I found his suggested reading order online where he says to start off with the complete robot collection.

I definitely think that starting with the robot collection added something to The caves of steel book.

That's being filmed in Limerick I think? I must actually look back and see how many of the Foundation books I got through. I'm sure I enjoyed any of them I read but haven't a clue how far I got. I went with his suggested order but I think it was just the main series rather than whatever the robot collection is.

keane2097 · 16-10-2020 11:14pm

keane2097 wrote: »

Just started the new Dresden Files book. I was disgusted with the last one. It was just garbage. Like a badly edited fan fiction. I hear this one is much better, but I'm wondering if the spell is broken for me after the last one. A little ways into this one I can't avoid the sense that the series is going around in circles. The sense of fun is gone from it as well as Harry has almost become an angsty teenager archetype. Hopefully this'll win me over as I've really enjoyed the series but I'm a bit concerned basically that the author has run out of road.

Finished this. Definitely more enjoyable than the previous one and I suppose it was a bit of fun, but overall it was only fair. I'm inclined to glaze over the battle scenes in most books and this was basically one huge battle scene.

I'll definitely stick with the series until the end but it could do with a bit of a change of direction or something.

Lady Haywire · 17-10-2020 1:12pm

Whoever mentioned Harley Davis, I hate you, I'm now stuck in them.
Also read the 'Lake of Sins' series, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34390325-escape

Was very good, easy reading & a nice change from the usual bogey monsters.

17-10-2020 2:26pm

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Whoever mentioned Harley Davis, I hate you, I'm now stuck in them.
Also read the 'Lake of Sins' series, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34390325-escape

Was very good, easy reading & a nice change from the usual bogey monsters.

Was it harley merlin?

Lady Haywire · 17-10-2020 4:10pm

bluewolf wrote: »

Was it harley merlin?

Sorry, yes, Harley Merlin!!!

keane2097 · 20-10-2020 7:22pm

I'm listening to Kings of the Wyld on Audible at the moment. Dunno where I got the recommendation for it but I'm grateful as it's an absolute tonic. It's medieval style fantasy but the main characters are a bunch of washed up former mercenaries getting back together after years for one last job. It's very funny and most enjoyable

The White Feather · 20-10-2020 7:47pm

I am reading Mockingbird by Walter Tevis. Really enjoying it so far as its about people in a dystopian future not reading anymore. A scary thought to me!

Nody · 20-10-2020 9:52pm

keane2097 wrote: »

I'm listening to Kings of the Wyld on Audible at the moment. Dunno where I got the recommendation for it but I'm grateful as it's an absolute tonic. It's medieval style fantasy but the main characters are a bunch of washed up former mercenaries getting back together after years for one last job. It's very funny and most enjoyable

While KotW is very much a set of short stories the second book is much more somber and consistent as one story (and highly recommended).

Lady Haywire · 21-10-2020 11:38am

bluewolf wrote: »

Was it harley merlin?

Starting to drag on a bit by book 9 :pac:

21-10-2020 11:44am

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Starting to drag on a bit by book 9 :pac:

I did stop after about that many as well! i don't remember how far i got.
then amazon kept spamming them in my recommendations for ages ...

Igotadose · 21-10-2020 12:16pm

Just finished "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke, which I had posted about last week as I was so excited to have gotten it.

It is well written, but overall, pretty weak. Not much fantasy aspect to it, a bit of magic, and very little happens. Eventually I just waited for it to be over. I think she wrote it while experiencing a lot of illness and challenge in her life, and, sadly, it kind of shows.

What Are You Reading?

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