August - What are you reading?

[Tolen Mar]

I guess I'll start up this month's thread.

I'm still thirsting for astrophysics info, so I'm on to 'The Elegant Universe' by Brian Greene. Its less simple than Hawking's books, but yet still written for people who don't come from a mathematics background. I'm really beginning to understand the basics of the various theories now (as opposed to simply re-reading the same things over again).

After that? Who knows? Maybe 'Children of Hurin', since I'm the only one around here (as in home, not these boards) that can brag that I've read the silmarillion multiple times, and might be in a Fantasy mood again after so long a break from it.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Origins - 14 Billions years of cosmic evolution by Tyson and Goldsmith

Time for some non-fiction for me.

 

[bento]

"Beyond the Gap" by Harry Turtledove. This is either the first book of a series or a stand-alone, which is kinda rare for old Harry. So far so good.

I've got to read quickly because my library has a copy of "The World Without Us" on hold for me. This book explores the question of what would happen on Earth if we (humanity) disappeared one day. Cool premise - kinda Gamma World-ish.

[update - finished Beyond the Gap. Good start of a series but too much of the book spent getting to places. Didn't ready TWWU. I started book 2 of The Ranger Apprentice series "The Burning Bridge" today.]

 

[ObiAndy]

Well, I'll be reading Eisenhorn , by Dan Abnett, at the same time rumbling thru my ACLS and PALS workbooks (Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support for the uninitiated).

 

[freyar]

I'm still thirsting for astrophysics info, so I'm on to 'The Elegant Universe' by Brian Greene. Its less simple than Hawking's books, but yet still written for people who don't come from a mathematics background. I'm really beginning to understand the basics of the various theories now (as opposed to simply re-reading the same things over again).

For my money, Brian Greene's books are much better books explaining theoretical physics for "lay people" than Hawking's. (Not that Hawking isn't a great scientist, but I find he doesn't explain the technical elements as well.) My one quibble with The Elegant Universe it that Greene talks a bit too much about his own work toward the end; it's good to give a personal view, but I don't know that it really gives the big picture.

As for myself, I'll be reading Children of Hurin sometime soon, also, but I have some new D&D sourcebooks to read first.

 

[Tolen Mar]

For my money, Brian Greene's books are much better books explaining theoretical physics for "lay people" than Hawking's. (Not that Hawking isn't a great scientist, but I find he doesn't explain the technical elements as well.) My one quibble with The Elegant Universe it that Greene talks a bit too much about his own work toward the end; it's good to give a personal view, but I don't know that it really gives the big picture.

As for myself, I'll be reading Children of Hurin sometime soon, also, but I have some new D&D sourcebooks to read first.

Ill have to keep that in mind as I progress. I am enjoying this book more than Hawking's for certain.

 

[jonathan swift]

When Dragons Rage by Michael Stackpole.

 

[Darth Shoju]

Since I posted this in the July thread yesterday (I'm none too bright), I guess I'll just re-post here:

I'm just about done The Children of Hurin and I've found it enjoyable so far, if not as engaging as LoTR (which I ascribe to tCoH not being really finished). After that I've got a bit of a queue:

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (Susanna Clarke)
The Fionavar Tapestry (Guy Gavriel Kay)
The Robots of Dawn; The Caves of Steel; The Naked Sun (Asimov)
Hominids; Humans; Hybrids (Robert J. Sawyer)
And Quiet Flows the Don (Mikhail Sholokhov)
The Brothers Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

 

[delericho]

I recently finished "Promise of the Witch King", which was not bad, but not great either, and "Expedition to the Demonweb Pits", which struck me as being the shell of a really great mini-campaign, but needing a lot of work.

I'm currently reading "Cugel's Saga", part three of the "Tales of the Dying Earth" by Jack Vance. After that, I'll have another go at "The Darkness that Comes Before."

 

[EricNoah]

It's been tough finding books that keep my attention this summer. I'm dipping my toe into Kevin J. Anderson's Saga of Seven Suns but am having trouble staying interested. I just reserved four Dresden File novels from my library system, so that should keep me busy for a week or so.