Ralif Redhammer
Legend
And time for a new thread! Just finished the Gesta Francorum and am about to dive into Gaiman's American Gods.
What are you reading [Feb 2017]?
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
I have the best of dilemmas - too many choices.
I've got two "open" books. I've been reading a lot of Sir Terry and I'm a few pages into Sourcerer, which is technically a reread because I read it two decades ago. I'm so early in it I may just put it aside for later. I'm also reading non-fiction The Good Gut by Doctors Sonnenburg (married researchers at Stanford) about gut flora.
Technically I have a third open - I am rereading Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed, but that's on my phone for "I'm waiting and have no book" emergencies. So it's a different category and doesn't count.
In front of me I can continue reading Sir Terry. After Sourcerer I have Eric (Faust), and I also have Moving Pictures elsewhen in the Discworld, neither of which I've ever read.
But my first choice is Under Heaven by the estimable Guy Gavriel Kay, after strong recommendations in last months' reading thread and my own enjoyment of his other works.
On top of that, a few days before ordering that I had found an older document where I had been collecting book recommendations and had ordered several from authors I never read to expand my horizons.
Gun, with Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem
The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia A. McKillip (used and hard to find)
Fated (The first Alex Verus novel) by Benedict Jacka
Basically, they all got recommended by at least two sources, and those sources also recommended things I had read and liked. So we'll see. (Please keep any comments to the general like "great characterization" so as to be spoiler free. And I'll get through them soon enough - if you have negative feedback I'd be glad to discuss it when I'm done with them but please hold until then.)
I've got two "open" books. I've been reading a lot of Sir Terry and I'm a few pages into Sourcerer, which is technically a reread because I read it two decades ago. I'm so early in it I may just put it aside for later. I'm also reading non-fiction The Good Gut by Doctors Sonnenburg (married researchers at Stanford) about gut flora.
Technically I have a third open - I am rereading Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed, but that's on my phone for "I'm waiting and have no book" emergencies. So it's a different category and doesn't count.
In front of me I can continue reading Sir Terry. After Sourcerer I have Eric (Faust), and I also have Moving Pictures elsewhen in the Discworld, neither of which I've ever read.
But my first choice is Under Heaven by the estimable Guy Gavriel Kay, after strong recommendations in last months' reading thread and my own enjoyment of his other works.
On top of that, a few days before ordering that I had found an older document where I had been collecting book recommendations and had ordered several from authors I never read to expand my horizons.
Gun, with Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem
The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia A. McKillip (used and hard to find)
Fated (The first Alex Verus novel) by Benedict Jacka
Basically, they all got recommended by at least two sources, and those sources also recommended things I had read and liked. So we'll see. (Please keep any comments to the general like "great characterization" so as to be spoiler free. And I'll get through them soon enough - if you have negative feedback I'd be glad to discuss it when I'm done with them but please hold until then.)
Kramodlog
Naked and living in a barrel
I finished Old Man's War by John Scalzi. It was an enjoyable read. Not very complicated either, so plowed through it rather quickly. I'm not sure why it is so popular though. I do not see any huge flaws with it, but it lacks in the qualities a classic would have.
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I'm about to finish 'Wool' by Hugh Howey. I'm currently contemplating if I should continue with the 'Shift', the second novel in the 'Silo' trilogy or read something else first. Hmm...
The first three parts of 'Wool' were very good, the fourth just good, and the fifth only okay, imho. Reviews of 'Shift' seem to be mixed, so perhaps I should just leave it at that.
Perhaps I should read 'Uprooted' by Naomi Novik next while I make up my mind. It's fantasy for a change and might be great - or terrible...
The first three parts of 'Wool' were very good, the fourth just good, and the fifth only okay, imho. Reviews of 'Shift' seem to be mixed, so perhaps I should just leave it at that.
Perhaps I should read 'Uprooted' by Naomi Novik next while I make up my mind. It's fantasy for a change and might be great - or terrible...
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
I really did like Neil Gaiman's American Gods. It's not my favorite work by him, more middle-of-the-road, but it's still pretty good. Also I think I've read all of the Discworld series of novels. The books with Rincewind being the main character are the ones I enjoyed best.
Right now I'm reading the one of the Garrett, P.I. series of books, Cruel Zinc Melodies, which is a fun break. I finished Neil Stephenson's "The Confusion" a few days ago.
Right now I'm reading the one of the Garrett, P.I. series of books, Cruel Zinc Melodies, which is a fun break. I finished Neil Stephenson's "The Confusion" a few days ago.
trappedslider
Legend
I started reading The Merchant Princes by Charles Stross..why did none of you tell me this series existed?!? I'm on to book two, I only found out about the series due to picking up the most recent book and attempting to read it before realizing it was part of a series.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
Quite looking forward to seeing Gaiman’s take on the Eddas and whatnot. I just finished American Gods, which was a wonderful read. Glad I got to read it before the upcoming TV series came out. Now I’m on to some Appendix N reading – Manly Wade Wellman’s The Old Gods Waken.
Nellisir
Hero
I finished Abaddon's Gate, and read The First Law trilogy (The Blade Itself; Before They Are Hanged; and Last Argument of Kings). Just finished Best Served Cold tonight. I could read Heroes, but honestly I'm OK with switching it up for a week or so. I'm away for work next week, and kinda want something different to bring with.
Nellisir
Hero
Shift was...different than Wool. It's been a couple years since I read it, but it wasn't bad. I'm realizing, after reading more Hugh Howey, that he doesn't stray from his tone very much, and it wears on me. (I realize I just said Shift was different, and Howey sounds the same in everything he writes. I'm kinda tired and making sense is too much work right now.)
