December: What are you reading?

[Blackrat]

Currently Road of the Patriarch and if things go as I wish, I'll be reading The Orc King as soon as I can rip the presents open.

 

[S. Baldrick]

I am re-reading Shelby Foote's "The Civil War: A Narrative." One of the best things ever written by anyone on anything.

 

[WayneLigon]

Recently re-read Cecelia and the Magic Chocolate Pot

You need to read the sequals:

The Grand Tour: Being a Revelation of Matters of High Confidentiality and Greatest Importance, Including Extracts from the Intimate Diary of a Noblewoman and the Sworn Testimony of a Lady of Quality, and The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After

 

[Son_of_Thunder]

I'm trying to bull my way through The Last Light of the Sun by Mr. Kay but I think I'm missing the 'boat' (pun intended) as it's not an engaging read for me.

When I feel the need to put that down I pick up The Dictionary of Imaginary Places which is a blast to read. I just have to take it in small doses so that I can incorporate some of it into my campaign.

 

[Readerbreeder]

I am re-reading Shelby Foote's "The Civil War: A Narrative." One of the best things ever written by anyone on anything.

Curiously enough, I am about halfway (350 pgs.) through the first volume of this myself. Does the quality of the writing stay at this level throughout? I was hesitant to begin these books - because of the length, I was afraid if they were dry, I wouldn't be able to stand it. But if the writing stays like this, you're absolutely right about their being outstanding.

 

[S. Baldrick]

Curiously enough, I am about halfway (350 pgs.) through the first volume of this myself. Does the quality of the writing stay at this level throughout? I was hesitant to begin these books - because of the length, I was afraid if they were dry, I wouldn't be able to stand it. But if the writing stays like this, you're absolutely right about their being outstanding.

Actually, the quality of the writing does stay consistent through out all three volumes. I think of the reasons that it so well written is that Shelby Foote was a novelist, not a historian (although his scholarly work on the American Civil War is nothing short of spectacular) and I believe that is how he approached the work.

If you interested in reading more on the Civil War, I would also recommend Bruce Catton's three volume set of "The Army of the Potomac." Like, Foote, Catton was not a historian by trade but he was gifted narrative writer. It is also a good counter point to Shelby Foote's work. Shelby was a southerner whereas Bruce Catton was from Michigan.

 

[Eridanis]

Currently reading Bill Bryson, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid.

I'm reading Bryson's SHAKESPEARE a the moment. Not too bad.

I just finished re-reading Julian May's Perseus Spur trilogy. Just as good as I'd remembered, though parts of the third book were a bit slow.

 

[Readerbreeder]

Actually, the quality of the writing does stay consistent through out all three volumes. I think of the reasons that it so well written is that Shelby Foote was a novelist, not a historian (although his scholarly work on the American Civil War is nothing short of spectacular) and I believe that is how he approached the work.

If you interested in reading more on the Civil War, I would also recommend Bruce Catton's three volume set of "The Army of the Potomac." Like, Foote, Catton was not a historian by trade but he was gifted narrative writer. It is also a good counter point to Shelby Foote's work. Shelby was a southerner whereas Bruce Catton was from Michigan.

Thanks for the recommendation -- I'm always on the lookout for new reads. Is Catton's work in print and available?

 

[S. Baldrick]

Thanks for the recommendation -- I'm always on the lookout for new reads. Is Catton's work in print and available?

From what I understand, the 3 Volume set was recently republished into a single book titled "Bruce Catton's Civil War" and it is available on Amazon.com. Amazon also has listing for his other works as well.

 

[Arkhandus]

Earlier this month, finally got around to reading the Futuresight novel for Magic: The Gathering. Kinda disappointing that the novel didn't actually involve any glimpses or whatnot of Dominaria's possible futures, despite its name; a few planeswalkers showed up who'd been away from Dominaria for a while, but no random-people-from-the-past. Neat appearances and references to a few different earlier M:TG storylines, as with the previous two novels. Archmage Jodah makes a brief appearance or two, again, having gone into isolation after he helped Freyalise a bit in the previous novel. But apparently there's still no clues about what happened to Jaya Ballard/Planeswalker, just that Jodah's still moping about whatever ill fate she met in the never-explained past. No mention either of what happened to Karn, or what it was that he had foreseen before disappearing to parts unknown.

Also finally read Poison Agendas, book 2 of the Shadowrun novels about Kellan Colt. Was good but kinda short, didn't even get around to the actual 'run that it was about until the last few chapters (I like the decent-sized text, which makes it easier on the eyes, but it also means the book is much shorter than I'm used to for books that size/price).


Now I'm near the middle of reading book 7 of the Robotech chronicles: Southern Cross, book 1 of the Robotech Masters Trilogy/the Second Robotech War. Since I finally found a copy of the compiled 3-novels-in-one Southern Cross book, in a bookstore, since I had started re-reading the series early this year.

Read the first two compilations earlier this year, Battlecry and Doomsday. Hopefully I can find copies of the Invid Invasion trilogy and such, later on. Originally read the whole series in high school, but only actually bought a few of the last books in the series (the rest I had read from the school library). So I'm finally starting to complete my collection.

Next books to buy.....the few other recent Shadowrun novels, the Lorwyn novel to see just what the heck happened to the Multiverse of Dominia after the events in Futuresight. And then I'll have to figure out what new, unrelated series(es?) I should read after that, since there's probably only 1 or 2 more Robotech novels for me to pick up.