[April 2016 Edition] What Are You Reading?

[Nytmare]

I'm just starting the Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. It's a somewhat tongue in cheek Lovecraftian/spy thriller/math is magic book. I'm liking it so far.

 

[Richards]

I finished the three Sano Ichiro samurai detective novels by Laura Joh Rowland I had brought with me on vacation - The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria, The Perfumed Sleeve, and The Cloud Pavilion - and am now reading one of the "Destroyer" action adventure novels (featuring Remo Williams and his mentor Chiun, the Master of Sinanju) that I picked up at a used bookstore for a buck. They're faithfully entertaining.

Johnathan

 

[delericho]

I'm currently part-way through "The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes" - indeed, about to start on "The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton" in "The Return of Sherlock Holmes". It's fun stuff, though it does get a bit same-y as it goes.

Next up will be "The Long Utopia" by Pratchett and Baxter. After that, "Curse of Strahd", I think.

 

[Nytmare]

I'm currently part-way through "The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes" - indeed, about to start on "The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton" in "The Return of Sherlock Holmes". It's fun stuff, though it does get a bit same-y as it goes.

I recently reread Neil Gaiman's "A Study in Emerald." I really, really, REALLY wish he had written more of that.

 

[delericho]

I recently reread Neil Gaiman's "A Study in Emerald." I really, really, REALLY wish he had written more of that.

He's written a second Holmes story, though it's very different - it's called "The Case of Death and Honey", and appears in the "Trigger Warning" anthology. (I highly recommend the collection, though that story wasn't my favourite.)

 

[Deuce Traveler]

I am still reading the Introduction to "Lost Enlightenment: Central Asia's Golden Age from the Arab Conquest to Tamerlane", covering a region the mongols destroyed.

 

[Eltab]

I'm finishing up my Trump trilogy (from the March thread). IN primary is in just a month, so I have time to locate if Cruz or Kasich or Hillary* or Sanders has recently written a book.

Next project is to look over the "New Arrivals" shelves at the Library and see what catches my eye.

* I suffered through part of "It Takes A Village" many years ago. She needs a better co-author.

 

[Jhaelen]

I'm just starting the Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. It's a somewhat tongue in cheek Lovecraftian/spy thriller/math is magic book. I'm liking it so far.

I didn't like it. Too 'tongue in cheek' for my taste, I guess. Charles Stross is on my 'avoid' list, now.

I recently reread Neil Gaiman's "A Study in Emerald." I really, really, REALLY wish he had written more of that.

Yup. I recently read it, too, after getting the board game that's based on it. I'd love to read more stories using that cross-over setting!

I finally dared to start reading 'Ash - A Secret History' by Mary Gentle. I was a bit intimidated by its size for a long time, especially, since I found the introduction boring (basically an exchange of emails between the fictional writer/translator and his publisher) and the first chapter too 'grimdark' for my taste. I'm glad I didn't give up on it, though, since it definitely gets a lot better, and even the email conversations that frame the different chapters have started to become exciting. I've finished about a quarter of it by now, and I'm intrigued about the clever shifting from historical novel into fantasy/alternate history. I wonder where all this is going to lead?

 

[Nellisir]

I finally finished Cryptonomicon. It's well-written, and I wasn't ever bored, but I wasn't ever excited either. Overall positive, but not an experience I'm interested in repeating. 4/5

Also (and kudos to Stephenson for making me care) I'm really pissed we don't find out what happens to Glory afterwards.

 

[Nellisir]

OK, so I read Psychoshop, by Alfred Bester and Roger Zelazny (apparently Z was asked to finish it after B died). It's fine but not memorable. 3/5.
Meant to start a mystery/thriller since I haven't read one in a while, but grabbed A Song for Arbonne instead. In the mood for something more uplifting, I guess.