[Oct 2016] What Are You Reading?

delericho · Oct 2, 2016

A new month, so the usual thread...

I'm currently 83 pages into "Storm King's Thunder", which thus far is a decent setting guide but a poor adventure. But it may well improve - there's a long way to go yet.

The other books on the slate for this month are "The Thrushmoor Terror" (for Pathfinder), "Notes from a Small Island" by Bill Bryson, "The Radiant Dragon" (Spelljammer book #4), "Morgawr" ("Voyage of the Jerle Shannara" book #3), and "The Night Manager" by John Le Carré. Though it's doubtful that I'll get through all of these.

carrot · Oct 3, 2016

I'm working my way through The Brackenford Cycle by Nick Moseley. I'm on book two and so far its the most enjoyable series of books that I've read for quite a while.

Ryujin · Oct 3, 2016

The first couple of chapters of Matt Vancill's "Fred, Prince of Darkness", which he's releasing on Patreon.

Kramodlog · Oct 3, 2016

Ursula K. Le Guin's Left hand of Darkness. It is suposed to be a classic and won the Nebula and Hugo, so I'm really happy to dive into it.

Blue · Oct 3, 2016

Just opened "Ancillary Justice", on recommendations from several in the Sept What Are You Reading thread. Only a few pages in.

Also reading "A Bridge of Birds", but I misplaced the book. (Heresy!) Enjoying Number Ten Ox.

Still reading "What If?". As a hardcover I find I'm not bringing it with me to read if I have to wait somewhere, but with the small, detailed illustrations I'm not reading it by my nightstand light which isn't particularly bright (on purpose).

Blue · Oct 3, 2016

goldomark said:
Ursula K. Le Guin's Left hand of Darkness. It is suposed to be a classic and won the Nebula and Hugo, so I'm really happy to dive into it.

I'm quite a fan of Ursula K. Le Guin. Her "A Wizard of Earthsea" was the very first fantasy book I every read.

Ryujin · Oct 3, 2016

Blue said:
I'm quite a fan of Ursula K. Le Guin. Her "A Wizard of Earthsea" was the very first fantasy book I every read.

I loved those books as a kid. I think that they would make for a very good big budget movie series (ie. not like the one that SyFy did).

Higher Grounds · Oct 4, 2016

Got a few that I'm working on right now. Kendermore and Brother Odd are the primaries.

Jhaelen · Oct 4, 2016

Blue said:
Also reading "A Bridge of Birds", but I misplaced the book.

That book (and the related titles) is also one of my all-time favorites. They're magical!

Blue said:
I'm quite a fan of Ursula K. Le Guin. Her "A Wizard of Earthsea" was the very first fantasy book I every read.

I'm also a big fan of her. I think my favorite book from her is 'The Dispossessed'. I found it especially intriguing because the story sort of starts in the middle, and chapters alternate between telling about the past events leading to that 'starting event' and continuing the story to its conclusion. Marvelous!
I think her fantasy novels are also quite special. The 'Earthsea' novels are some of the few fantasy books that I found to work just as well when reading them as an adult as when I first read them as a teenager. My pet theory that SF writers are the better fantasy writers is partly based on her works (another great example being Lois MacMaster Bujold's books).

Anyway, I started reading 'Thunderbird' by Jack McDevitt this weekend. As always with his novels, it's a good read and I find it hard to put down, but it's also not really exceptional in any way. Just a very entertaining read. I only just realized it's actually a sequel to a novel he'd written over 20 years ago. I'm not quite sure if I have read it.

Ralif Redhammer · Oct 4, 2016

A Wizard of Earthsea is truly an amazing book. Perfect and wise.

The Dispossessed was very thought-provoking. It took me a while to give it a try, but I was glad I did.