What Are You Reading?

ixoy · 02-03-2009 9:07pm

Wuhoo! I finished 'The Buterlian Jihad', one of the worst books I've read in years. Brian Herbert's body isn't even worthy of breaking down into water, such is his lack of talent.

Now moved onto 'The Shadow Road' by Sean Russell, the final installment in the Swan's War trilogy. The series a whole has been pretty unassuming - neither memorable nor irritating, it's pleasantly diverting so far.

Damn!! · 02-03-2009 9:47pm

Yeah, he seems to have broken the whole mythos of the dune universe, everything explained, everything made bland.

growler · 02-03-2009 11:54pm

Damn!! wrote: »

Currently attempting Neal Stephenson's "Anathem"

God it's tough to get through.. he just makes up his own words! makes the Baroque Trilogy seem like ann and barry go to the shops

great read though , stick with it !

mcgovern · 05-03-2009 3:30pm

Finished "The Voyage of the Sable Keech", which was quite good, but not as good as "The Skinner".

Now going back to book 6 of the Amber books by Zelanzy.

yarglags · 12-03-2009 10:44pm

Dades wrote: »

Gonna be starting Heinlein's: "Strangers in a Strange Land" tonite.

Picked it up on a whim yesterday. Anyone like it?

I did enjoy Stranger in a Strange Land a couple of years end ended up reading tons of Heinlein. My favorite was The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

ixoy wrote: »

Wuhoo! I finished 'The Buterlian Jihad', one of the worst books I've read in years. Brian Herbert's body isn't even worthy of breaking down into water, such is his lack of talent.

I re-read Franks Dune books not too long ago and had a better appreciation for them the second time around. Are Brian's books that bad. Should I quit while I'm ahead?

Just finished The Integral Trees by Larry Niven... Incredible setting.

ixoy · 13-03-2009 3:21pm

Currently reading 'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss. Very enjoyable so far - nice style and interesting take on magic.

yarglags wrote: »

I re-read Franks Dune books not too long ago and had a better appreciation for them the second time around. Are Brian's books that bad. Should I quit while I'm ahead?

The initial prequel trilogy is tolerable - not woeful, but not worth reading either. It fills in gaps that had no need to be filled and removes some of the mystery. It is pretty poorly written though - writing and prose is very functional and there's none of the depth of philosophy or culture of the original (besides what was stolen).

The last one I read though was awful - 'The Butlerian Jihad' read like the worst sort of fanwank. Should never have been commissioned.

AnCapaillMor · 16-03-2009 12:21pm

Sandor wrote: »

The Ten Thousand by Paul Kearney. It took about three pages to grab me. A very good read so far.

Thanks for the recomendation, good read, altho i think they climaxed a bit too early.

Shryke · 16-03-2009 8:24pm

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Thanks for the recomendation, good read, altho i think they climaxed a bit too early.

I can see what you mean, but I think the last section added the touch that was needed.

Now reading Pyramids by Pratchett and taking a break from Les Mis.

ronivek · 18-03-2009 1:14am

Just finishing up Steven Erikson's Deadhouse Gates at the moment; loving the Malazan Book of the Fallen so far.

growler · 20-03-2009 9:36pm

nearly done with "matter" iain m banks , a good read as always

Shryke · 20-03-2009 10:14pm

Finished Pyramids. Terry Pratchett can do know wrong. Eagerly await buying my next handful of Discworld novels.
Right now I'm not positive on what I'll read next but I just found out that Drood has been out since the fifth of this month! It's a strong contender if I get to a book shop in the next day or two.

bonkey · 20-03-2009 10:39pm

jasonbourme.cs wrote: »

currently reading book seven from the saga of the seven suns by Kevin J Anderson

epic series defo worth a read

I read from 1 through to 6 (as per my last few posts on this thread). Waiting to see 7 in "regular" paperback over here before I buy it.

TBH, I'll mostly only read 7 to get to the end. I don't dislike it, but the further I got through it, the less I could understand why people raved about it (I know several).

Each to their own...

Anyway...since then I've read Drood (by Dan Simmons) which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Currently started into Lies of Locke Lamora, which is immensely promising thus far.

Shryke · 20-03-2009 11:01pm

FYI, Lies is a brilliant read. One to enjoy.

Woden · 20-03-2009 11:05pm

growler wrote: »

nearly done with "matter" iain m banks , a good read as always

Just starting this myself about 100 pages in. Glad to hear it will pick up!

adrem · 20-03-2009 11:26pm

The Mad Ship (Robin Hobb). Book 2 of the Liveship Traders. Good read so far. Got it as a present from someone who didn't get the fact that it would probably be better to give me Book 1 first !!

growler · 21-03-2009 1:15am

bonkey wrote: »

I read from 1 through to 6 (as per my last few posts on this thread). Waiting to see 7 in "regular" paperback over here before I buy it.

TBH, I'll mostly only read 7 to get to the end. I don't dislike it, but the further I got through it, the less I could understand why people raved about it (I know several).

Each to their own...

Anyway...since then I've read Drood (by Dan Simmons) which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Currently started into Lies of Locke Lamora, which is immensely promising thus far.

know what you mean about anderson, great concepts and imagination but it does kinda fizzle out a bit

lies is a good read alright

Sarky · 21-03-2009 1:44am

Taking a break from The Black Company to read Ian Irvine's Well of Echoes series. About halfway through Geomancer in the last day. Quite easy to read, quite engaging so far.

Shryke · 23-03-2009 11:02am

Haven't gotten myself to a book shop yet. I finished most of Neil Gaimans short stories that I hadn't yet read from Smoke and Mirrors. He has an exceptional nack for them. They have much more impact than his longer fiction. One of my favorites is definitely Snow, Apple, Glass. It's a very different take on Snow White, a story I never really liked. Basically,

Snow White is an evil vampiric child and the ill fated queen is the narrator.

.
Currently reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It's going so so. I find in classics that the characters have the most irritating traits of proffessing their love and admiration a thousand times over for someone they have just met. It becomes an irritant when you see it on every page.

Johnny Storm · 23-03-2009 2:12pm

ixoy wrote: »

Wuhoo! I finished 'The Buterlian Jihad', one of the worst books I've read in years. Brian Herbert's body isn't even worthy of breaking down into water, such is his lack of talent.

I agree 100% - those prequel books are utter sh1te.
(They don't even fall into the so-bad-it's-good category. )

"Kevin J Anderson", if that is in fact his real name, should not be let off the hook either though.
In fact, since he is allegedly a "writer", he should shoulder most of the blame :eek: :mad:

Damn!! · 24-03-2009 9:54am

Sandor wrote: »

Haven't gotten myself to a book shop yet. I finished most of Neil Gaimans short stories that I hadn't yet read from Smoke and Mirrors. He has an exceptional nack for them. They have much more impact than his longer fiction. One of my favorites is definitely Snow, Apple, Glass. It's a very different take on Snow White, a story I never really liked. Basically,
Snow White is an evil vampiric child and the ill fated queen is the narrator.
.
Currently reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It's going so so. I find in classics that the characters have the most irritating traits of proffessing their love and admiration a thousand times over for someone they have just met. It becomes an irritant when you see it on every page.

Gaiman's a genius, have you read the short story Troll bridge.. i have the audio book read by gaiman.. it's even more atmospheric when you hear him putting in every inflection. and also extremely creepy

mcgovern · 24-03-2009 1:53pm

Taking another break from the Great Book of Amber (6 or 7 down, a few more to go) and reading The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks.

Shryke · 28-03-2009 11:00pm

Now reading Drood.

ixoy · 29-03-2009 1:12am

After reading Dean Koontz's "Velocity", I'm now reading "Forever Peace" the thematic sequel to "Forever War". Quite good so far.

Damn!! · 30-03-2009 1:20pm

Finished Anathem, Great book but i think another read in 6 months or so might be needed to get my head around all the concepts.

Great sci fi though.

Dades · 30-03-2009 4:59pm

Finally finished "Stranger in a Strange Land". Maybe I shouldn't have picked up the unabridged (600+ pages) version but I thought it really dragged after the first 3rd or so.

Picked up a sci-fi compilation called "New Legends", edited by Greg Bear for €1.99 in Chapters, which I'm reading now.

Not bad at all!

Johnny Storm · 09-04-2009 4:33pm

I just finished "Matter" by Iain Banks. Well written and all, but IMHO not really a patch on his earlier work. Didn't really get going till page 500 or so :rolleyes:
Specifically, too much pseudo-medieval drudgery and not enough Culture/SF.

Mal-Adjusted · 09-04-2009 4:35pm

I'm reading "Halo: Ghosts of Onyx" by Eric Nylund. epic stuff:D

bonkey · 12-04-2009 12:24pm

bonkey wrote: »

Currently started into Lies of Locke Lamora, which is immensely promising thus far.

Finished Lies and Red Skies over Red Seas. Both excellent...although the former is probably slightly stronger than the latter.

Now almost finished The Blade Itself (Joe Abercrombie). Not bad, but its missing something....I'm just not sure what. Will certainly continue reading the series.

ixoy · 12-04-2009 11:40pm

bonkey wrote: »

Finished Lies and Red Skies over Red Seas. Both excellent...although the former is probably slightly stronger than the latter.

Agreed. In fact I'd go so far as to say it was perhaps the best debut fantasy novel I've ever read (including "Magician"). Very keen to pick up the next part in the seven book series, "The Republic of Thieves" is due in November.

Now almost finished The Blade Itself (Joe Abercrombie). Not bad, but its missing something....I'm just not sure what. Will certainly continue reading the series.

That's what I thought too - good, but I couldn't understand the praise it was getting. I've read the series gets progressively better and I have book two on my shelf but I was just expecting more. As a debut novel it wasn't a patch on "The Lies of Locke Lamorra" or "The Name of the Wind" (which I read recently).

Currently I'm on "Antrax" by Terry Brooks. Pretty easy stuff - not amazing but I do like the sci-fi mix he's put in. Probably finish it in the next couple of days.

eagleye7 · 13-04-2009 1:00am

hey guys anyone read any of Raymond E Feist's stuff i just finished his newest one "Rides a Dread Legion" still as good as ever in my opinion. Pity I only bought it yesterday and now i wanna read the next one already!

Stupid writers should write as fast as i read:mad::mad:

Ronanc1 · 13-04-2009 2:14am

Feists early works are great magician ,silverthorn and adarkness atsethanon aswell as his stuff with janny wurths they actually might be better. his later stuff is all tripe to be honest he just retconned the **** out of his earlier work wrath of a mad god and the one b4 that were horrible i really think his later works are almost realsed just for the moey ther so poorly done i didnt even bother picking upthe latest 1

eagleye7 · 13-04-2009 2:52am

Ronanc1 wrote: »

Feists early works are great magician ,silverthorn and adarkness atsethanon aswell as his stuff with janny wurths they actually might be better. his later stuff is all tripe to be honest he just retconned the **** out of his earlier work wrath of a mad god and the one b4 that were horrible i really think his later works are almost realsed just for the moey ther so poorly done i didnt even bother picking upthe latest 1

i figured someone might say that and i suppose its true but im still a sucker for his work it manages to draw me in every time i do admit that hes not as original but thats the case with any series to be honest its one of the reasons i believe all sequels should be banned. i think it would be in the best interest of all.

Dades · 23-04-2009 12:52pm

Finally dove in and started my first Iain M Banks Culture novel...

Really enjoying Consider Phlebas at the moment. Not half as 'hard' as I expected it would be. A really great mix of good sci-fi and old fashioned action.

ixoy · 23-04-2009 1:55pm

Finished 'Antrax' (not bad), read 'The Toyminator' by Robert Rankin (thought it was quite bad) and am now reading 'Glasshouse' by Charles Stross.

It's a sort of sequel to 'Accelerando' (set in the same universe many years on) and is quite interesting - so far I quite like the concept of FTL travel described in the form of network routers, firewalls, and DMZs..

bonkey · 26-04-2009 10:48pm

bonkey wrote: »

Now almost finished The Blade Itself (Joe Abercrombie). Not bad, but its missing something....I'm just not sure what. Will certainly continue reading the series.

On to book 3 by now.

Its growing on me, but its still missing something...and I'm still not sure what.

pH · 27-04-2009 12:38pm

bonkey wrote: »

On to book 3 by now.

Its growing on me, but its still missing something...and I'm still not sure what.

I'm amazed that there isn't more love for these books around, I bought the first one online and took it down the country to read on holiday, ended up trawling local bookshops the next day to buy the second two.

I like the way you think something is missing, I probably agree, though the one thing that they have going for them is the thing that isn't missing - the ending! - here's a complete story, not the best every written, but a rip-roaring read - I can't believe anyone who likes RR Martin wouldn't enjoy them immensely.

Anyway on to me - about to start Hyperion - wish me luck

Ping Chow Chi · 27-04-2009 12:43pm

pH wrote: »

Anyway on to me - about to start Hyperion - wish me luck

keep with it, it starts a little slow (and wierd) but its a hell of a series!

finalfantasist · 30-04-2009 12:13am

I'm currently reading High Lord.

ixoy · 30-04-2009 12:24am

Currently on 'Evil for Evil', Book 2 of the Engineer Trilogy by K.J. Parker. Pretty good so far although not much has happened. I still appreciate his/her no-nonsense writing style which is refreshing in fantasy.

Sarky · 07-05-2009 2:27am

Death's Head, by David Gunn.

Really rather entertaining. Probably not a Great Novel, but it's easy to read, it's got futuristic psychotic bastard mercenaries and lots of things explode on a fairly regular basis. Fun stuff.

bonkey · 17-05-2009 12:00pm

pH wrote: »

I like the way you think something is missing, I probably agree, though the one thing that they have going for them is the thing that isn't missing - the ending! - here's a complete story, not the best every written, but a rip-roaring read - I can't believe anyone who likes RR Martin wouldn't enjoy them immensely.

I got to the end of book three. Good ending, for sure. I'll certainly read more of his stuff.

I think, ultimately, what got me about the books was that some of the main characters are lacking a degree of complexity....they're a bit too wooden or simple. With one or two exceptions, most of them would be completely outclassed by the characters in Martin's works.

After those, I went on and read The Book with No Name and The Eye of the Moon. both by Anonymous. Its a bit like as though Quentin Tarantino, Rob Rodriguez and Kevin Smith sat down, smoked something, got drunk and then wrote some books together. High art it ain't, but it was refreshingly different to anything I've read in years. Humour and bloodbaths...often at the same time.

Now, I need to find something else. Having just moved, my entire book collection is still packed up and unavailable, so I guess I'll have to visit Ye Olde Bookshoppe or something...

ixoy · 17-05-2009 9:10pm

Read 'Zodiac' by Neal Stephenson (which was just okay) and now on to 'Black Man' by Richard Moran. It's quite good so far - he's once more on firm ground starting with a mystery that's being intelligently investigated. I'm about 1/6th of the way through and happy so far.

hattie-f · 17-05-2009 9:16pm

Im reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer at the moment!
I found out about it through reading the Twilight series ( Which im obsessed about) I found it hard to find a book i liked after twilight because nothing seemed to compare, but the Host seems to be holding its own at the moment, im realy enjoying it!:D

Ping Chow Chi · 18-05-2009 8:23am

ixoy wrote: »

Read 'Zodiac' by Neal Stephenson (which was just okay) and now on to 'Black Man' by Richard Moran. It's quite good so far - he's once more on firm ground starting with a mystery that's being intelligently investigated. I'm about 1/6th of the way through and happy so far.

would you let me know how you found this book, I tried reading it when it came out and got bored of the book going over the same social political statements over and over again and gave up about half way through. It's a shame as I LOVED altered carbon!

Zodiac is the next one I have to read, and I now dont have high hopes for it ;P

Manach · 18-05-2009 1:05pm

Just finishing off "Judas Unchained" by Peter Hamilton. Nice mixture of politics and high-tech weapons systems. Looking forward to the semi-sequel to it.

Johnny Storm · 19-05-2009 9:16am

Just finished Alistair Reynolds: House of Suns. Very far future, high-concept SF. Not perfect but very enjoyable. Bit of a return to form IMHO for this guy.
A bit reminiscent of Robert Reed's Sister Alice (but a lot better) and also reminded me a little bit of Hyperion in the way it rambles (mostly in a good way)

Sarky · 19-05-2009 2:51pm

Finally getting my teeth into Toll The Hounds by Erikson. It's a slow book to be sure, but it looks like it has to be. Lots of ominous things happening or being hinted at happening. Me likey.

383Ger · 19-05-2009 3:40pm

Just started reading the first book of Robin Hobb's Tawny man trilogy. I read the Farseer trilogy last year and then jumped to the Liveship Traders trilogy after...
Robin Hobb is officially the second woman in my marriage (according to my wife anyway

)

thebullkf · 19-05-2009 3:45pm

only forward (again)

mm smith.

magic

mcgovern · 20-05-2009 11:00am

Finished Black Man by Richard Morgan which was really enjoyable, Morgan is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.
Now reading A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, language is making it a hard read so far, but I'm starting to get the hang of it (I hope!).

What Are You Reading?

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