[Jan] What are you reading?

[HeavenShallBurn]

Just Finished "Spirit Gate", by Kate Elliot. I can't say the same universally for all the author's books, but this one is just gorgeous. The writing is clean and stylistically strong, the imagery is well done, and the setting is everything you could ask for.

I think I'm going to steal the hanglider harness arrangement for characters riding bipedal flying creatures in my games. Also somehow both the writing and art seem to mesh with the overall feel of Exalted very well. The setting could easily be plunked right down into the Client States around the inner sea of Creation as is with no modifications. I'd place it somewhere near the border of the South and East myself in that setting.

 

[Lazybones]

My current queue:

Fall of Angels by L.E. Modesitt. Interesting juxtaposition of fantasy and sci-fi elements, but if you want constant action, you won't like Modesitt's style (a lot of his heroes are craftsmen who become mages, and he goes into great detail on what they build and how). The series is up to 15 books now, I think, and is set in different eras in his world's history. This one is vol. 6, and it is a "prequel" of sorts to some of the earlier books. Volume 7, The Chaos Balance, continues the story begun in this volume.

The Black Powder War by Naomi Novik. She was one of the writers behind the Neverwinter Nights add-on Shadows of Undrentide, and this is the third book in a very interesting series that looks at the Napoleonic Wars in an alt-history where dragons exist (and are used in warfare by the major powers). Earlier volumes are His Majesty's Dragon and Throne of Jade.

Cursor's Fury by Jim Butcher. A fantasy series by the author of The Dresden Files. This is the third book in a series about a world in which most commoners have magical powers through controlling animist spirits. It suffers from a bit of the "insignificant local boy becomes a hero and shapes the world" syndrome, but overall the story holds up fairly well. Earlier books are Furies of Calderon and Academ's Fury.

Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers. This one is non-fiction and a gift; I haven't started it but I have to admit the title alone draws interest.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

The Black Powder War by Naomi Novik. She was one of the writers behind the Neverwinter Nights add-on Shadows of Undrentide, and this is the third book in a very interesting series that looks at the Napoleonic Wars in an alt-history where dragons exist (and are used in warfare by the major powers). Earlier volumes are His Majesty's Dragon and Throne of Jade.

Agree wholeheartedly, I've got all three and the Temeraire series is IMO one of the five best fantasy series of the year.

 

[Steve Jung]

I'm re-reading Leonardo's Mountain of Clams and the Diet of Worms by Stephen Jay Gould. On deck I have Maus by Art Speigelman, 1633 by David Weber & Eric Flint, and Predator by Patricia Cornwell.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman.

 

[Jakar]

Against a Dark Background by Iain M Banks. We bought a heap of his books cheap at a sale and I am loving them. Next will be The Player of Games.

 

[jinx crossbow]

Warhammer 40k - Gaunts Ghosts - Traitor General

and after this I will read another Starwars novel.

 

[ShadowDenizen]

"The Woman in White", a classic msytery/supernatural novel by Wilike Collins.

The "Harry Dresden" books are nearing the top of the "To Be Read" pile, though.

 

[Wombat]

I finished up the Star Trek novel The Final Reflection by John M. Ford. Really good book, in fact it was outstanding for tie-in fiction. A refreshing look (for 1984) at Klingons. But I expect no less than greatness from Ford.
Full review here.

This was always my favourite Trek book (actually one of the few bits of tie-in fiction of any sort that I actively liked).

Recently re-read Forever War -- been years since I had done so! I was amazed how well it has stood up over time, barring a couple of minor points.

Right now I am re-plowing through Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody Emerson "mysteries" -- I read them for the fun and lovely characters. Superb popcorn reads!

After this I intend to finally get around to reading The Curioius Case of the Dog that Barked in the Night; don't ask my why it has taken me so long to get around to it...

 

[Ghostwind]

Promise of the Witch-King by R.A. Salavatore. I've been so sick over the past few days, that I went through the entire Hunter's Blades trilogy in just 3 days. So far, I am really enjoying PotWK.